Unity Metaphysics 2: 11 The Laws of Manifestation

Unity Metaphysics 2 (Blue Book)
Lesson 11 The Laws of Manifestation

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER

The Bible plays a very important role in the Unity teachings. We believe that the Bible is both a record of historical events and an account of the evolution of spiritual consciousness within humankind. For this reason we interpret the Bible metaphysically; that is, we understand characters and events in scripture to represent various aspects of our own consciousness. We then use these insights and the increased awareness they generate to transform our lives. In his book, Mysteries of Genesis, Charles Fillmore interprets the first chapter of the book of Genesis as symbolic of the process of manifestation as it takes place within the mind of humankind. This chapter will focus on gaining deeper insights into this process.

11A STAGES OF CREATION

“The key to the operation of mind is symbolically set forth in the Genesis account of the six days of creation. Man’s mind goes through the identical steps in bringing an idea into manifesta- on. Between the perception of an idea and its manifestation there are six definite, positive movements, followed by a seventh ‘day’ of rest, in which the mind relaxes and sees its work in a process of fulfillment” (P/83).

“In the first chapter of Genesis it is the great creative Mind that is at work. The record portrays just how divine ideas were brought into expression. As man must have an idea before he can bring an idea into mani- festation, so it is with the creations of God. When a man builds a house he builds it first in his mind. He has the idea of a house, he completes the plan in his mind, and then he works it out in manifestation” (MG/12).

Charles Fillmore sees a distinct analogy in the first chapter of Genesis between God and creation and humankind and the process of manifestation. This can be comprehended only when we interpret the creation story metaphysically. In the Bible numbers have symbolic meanings. Seven is the symbol of completion in the manifest realm. The seventh day (Sabbath) symbolizes a period of rest from externally directed attention and effort.

11B FIRST STEP: LIGHT:

“In bringing forth a manifestation of God’s abundant supply, take the first step by saying, ‘Let there be light’; that is, let there be understand- ing. You must have a clear perception of the principle back of the proposition ‘God will provide.’ The one universal, eternal, substance of God, which is the source of all, must be discerned and relied on, while dependence on material things must be eliminated from thought ... If you have established that light, you have begun your demonstration and can go to the second step” (P/83).

“ ‘Light’ is intelligence, a spiritual quality. It corresponds to understanding and should precede all activity. At the beginning of any of our creating we should declare for light” (MG/16).

“Let there be light” is an affirmation of illumination. Light is a symbol with many meanings in our Bible, the most important of which is “intelligent awareness.” In the Silent Unity prayer ministry, the prayer for illumination is always spoken first. The most illuminating insight we can realize is that God is our source.

11C SECOND STEP: FAITH:

“The second step in creation is the development of faith or the ‘firmament’ “ (MG/16).

“A ‘firmament’ must be established; that is, a firm place in the mind, a dividing of the true from the apparent. This is done through affirmation. As you affirm God as your supply and support, your words will in due season become substance to you” (P/83).

Faith is our supreme affirmative faculty. It is interesting to note that the first Bible symbol for faith is a “a firmament” and to notice the similarity between the words “affirmation” and “a firmament.” Through our faculty of faith we affirm the reality of divine ideas as our divine inheritance.

11D THIRD STEP: IMAGINATION:

“The third step is the forming of this substance into tangibility. ‘Let the dry land appear.’ Out of the omnipresent substance your mind forms whatever it wants by the power of imagination . . . If you have already taken the other steps, you can picture in mind the things you desire and bring them into your manifest world” (P/84)

“The first day’s creation reveals the light or inspiration of Spirit. The second day establishes faith in our possibilities to bring forth the invisible. The third day’s creation or third movement of Divine Mind pictures the activity of ideas in mind” (MG/18).

The imagination produces the mental image of that which is to be made manifest. It is through our imagination that we form and shape our desired good from the invisible substance that is everywhere present.

11E FOURTH STEP: UNDERSTANDING/WILL:

“The fourth step in creation is the development os the ‘two great lights,’ the will and the understanding, or the sun (the spiritual I AM) and the moon (the intellect). These are but reflectors of the true light; for God had said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light’--before the sun and the moon were created” (MG/19).

“The ‘greater light,’ in mind, is understanding and the ‘lesser light’ is the will. The greater light rules ‘the day,’ that realm of consciousness which has been illumined by Spirit. The lesser light rules ‘the night,’ that is, the will; which has no illumination (‘light’ or ‘day’) but whose office is to execute the demands of understanding” (MG/20).

Will and understanding are symbolized in the fourth day of the creation allegory. When we develop our spiritual understanding we become willing to do what is required of us to manifest our highest good.

11F FIFTH STEP: DISCRIMINATION:

“In the fifth day’s creation ideas of discrimination and judgment are developed. The fishes and fowls represent ideas of life working in mind, but they must be properly related to the unformed (seas) and the formed (earth) worlds of mind. When an individual is well balanced in mind and body, there is an equalizing force flowing in the consciousness, and harmony is in evidence” (MG/23).

“Human judgment is the mental act of evaluation through comparison or contrast . . . Divine judgment is of spiritual consciousness . . . This faculty may be exercised in two ways: from sense perception or spiritual understanding. If its action be based on sense, its conclusions are fallible and often condemnatory; if on spiritual understanding, they are safe” (KL/182).

The fifth day symbolizes the judgment faculty. Judgment is our ability to discern, evaluate, and come to decisions. It is most important that our judgments are based on spiritual understanding.

11G SIXTH STEP: WISDOM & LOVE:

“The sixth step in creation is the bringing forth of ideas after their kind . . . Wisdom and love are the two qualities of Being that, communing together, declare, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (MS/24).

“Wisdom is the ‘male’ or expressive side of Being, while love is the ‘female’ or receptive side of Being. Wisdom is the father quality of God and love is the mother quality. In every idea there exist these two qualities “of mind, which unite in order to increase and bring forth under divine law. Divine Mind blessed the union of wisdom and love and pronounced on them the increase of Spirit. When wisdom and love are unified in the individual consciousness, man is a master of ideas and brings forth under the original creative law” (MS/27).

The male and female resulting from the sixth step in the allegory are symbolic of wholeness in our spiritual nature. The whole person is male and female; that is, thinking and feeling, wisdom and love. We need to become united within our own consciousness if we would have our desires manifested.

11H SEVENTH STEP: THE SABBATH:

“All is finished first in consciousness and mind then rests, in faith, from further mental activity. This ‘rest’ precedes manifestation. The seventh day refers to the mind’s realization of fulfillment, its resting in the assurance that all that has been imagined in it will come forth in expression“ (MG/31).

The Sabbath type of rest is a rest of the mind, not necessarily of the physical body. The true Sabbath occurs when we become quiet and still within. It is the realization and assurance that our manifestation is forthcoming

SUMMARY STATEMENTS

WE, IN UNITY, BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN ORDERLY PROCESS OF MANIFESTATION BY WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO BRING FORTH GOD’S IDEAL CREATION. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS PROCESS CAN BE UNDERSTOOD WHEN WE INTERPRET THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS METAPHYSICALLY.

THE FIRST STEP IS ILLUMINATION WHICH ALLOWS US TO RECOGNIZE GOD AS THE SOURCE OF OUR SUPPLY.

THE SECOND STEP IS FAITH THROUGH WHICH WE AFFIRM THE REALITY OF DIVINE IDEAS AS OUR DIVINE INHERITANCE.

THE THIRD STEP IS IMAGINATION THROUGH WHICH WE FORM AND SHAPE OUR DESIRED GOOD FROM OMNIPRESENT SUBSTANCE.

THE FOURTH STEP IS WILL AND UNDERSTANDING. AS WE DEVELOP OUR SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING WE MUST BECOME WILLING TO TAKE ACTION AS WE ARE GUIDED.

THE FIFTH STEP IS DISCRIMINATION (JUDGMENT) THROUGH WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE WISE AND APPROPRIATE DECISIONS CONCERNING OUR DEMONSTRATION PROCESS.

THE SIXTH STEP IS WISDOM AND LOVE WHICH IS SYMBOLIC OF THE WHOLENESS INHERENT IN OUR SPIRITUAL NATURE. WE MUST BECOME UNITED WITHIN OUR OWN CONSCIOUSNESS IN ORDER TO HAVE OUR DESIRES MANIFESTED.

THE SEVENTH STEP IS THE SABBATH. IT IS THE REALIZATION AND ASSURANCE THAT OUR MANIFESTATION IS FORTHCOMING.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Why is it important to begin the seven step process with “illumination?” Why is the “sabbath” necessary to the seven step demonstration process?
How has it been meaningful in your own life?

THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION AND MEDITATION

“God creates through the action of His mind,
and all things rest on ideas . . .
Evolution is the working out in manifestation
of what mind has involved.
Whatever mind commands to be brought forth
will be brought forth
by and through
the law of evolution inherent in being.
This applies to the great and the small.
In mind there is but one”
(MS/14).