Unity Metaphysics 2 (Tan Book)
12 Regeneration
12A REGENERATION:
“Regeneration follows generation in the development of man. Generation sustains and perpetuates the human; regeneration unfolds and glorifies the divine.” (The Twelve Powers of Man 3)
“REGENERATION—A change in which abundant spiritual life, even eternal life, is incorporated into the body. The transformation that takes place through bringing all the forces of mind and body to the support of the Christ ideal. The unification of Spirit, soul, and body in spiritual oneness.” (Revealing Word Regeneration)
One of the difficulties in understanding the concept of regeneration is that we do not have any examples of it around to point to. At the present time it is a term for an ideal still to be attained. What is it? Basically it refers to a level of consciousness wherein a person is able to avoid the death experience. It is a level of control of the life expressions through the body which keeps the flow of vital energies constant and ever-renewing. It can be attained by only sufficient growth of spiritual consciousness.
12B TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST:
“Many have caught sight of the fact that the true church of Christ is a state of consciousness in man, but few have gone so far in the realization as to know that in the very body of each man and woman is a temple in which the Christ holds religious services at all times: ‘Ye are a temple of God.’ The appellation was not symbolical, but a statement of architectural truth. Under the direction of the Christ, a new body is constructed by the thinking faculty in man; the materials entering into this superior structure are the spiritualized organic substances, and the new creation is the temple or body of Spirit.” (Talks on Truth 105)
In this paragraph Mr. Fillmore presents a concept that captured readers’ imaginations from the very first: “In the very body of each man and woman is a temple in which the Christ holds religious services at all times.” These words have lifted the minds and hearts of many, many persons down through the years. This paragraph also contains one of the first mentions made by Mr. Fillmore about the NEW BODY now in construction in all who are to any degree in awakened spiritual awareness. While this is Mr. Fillmore’s first mention of it, he returns to this theme again and again in many of his later writings.
12C DENIAL AND AFFIRMATION:
“In every change of consciousness on the physical plane, there is a breaking down of some cells and building up of other cells to take their place. Mentally this is denial and affirmation, and this process in the body is the result of these two movements in the mind which have occurred at some previous period.” (The Twelve Powers of Man 128)
“Regeneration begins its work in the conscious mind and completes it in the subconsciousness. The first step is cleansing or denial in which all error thoughts are renounced. This includes forgiveness for sins committed and a general clearing of the whole consciousness. After the way has been prepared, the second step takes place. This is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” (Revealing Word Regeneration)
The principles of denial and affirmation are involved in every important area in the Unity teachings. Charles Fillmore sees the energy needed for regeneration as starting with the correct expression of denial and affirmation in the human consciousness.
12D RECONSTRUCTING THE ORGANISM:
“So you will find in your experience with the work of the Holy Spirit in reconstructing your organism that the present structure must be literally torn down atom by atom. It is in its present state temporary and without the conscious life of the indwelling Spirit. You, with the race, have separated yourself from God in consciousness; that separation extends to the body, the most remote plane of consciousness.” (Talks on Truth 108)
“Spirit is the dynamic force that releases the pent-up energies within man. The energies have been imprisoned in the cells, and when released are again restored to action in the body by the chemistry of creative Mind. The perfection of this regeneration is in proportion to the understanding and industry of the individual.” (Jesus Christ Heals 138)
Some persons resist the concept of regeneration because they think of it as eternal life in the body as it now is. Mr. Fillmore assured readers that this would not be the case, that the present state of the body is not its true one. Prior to regeneration there would be the experience of “reconstruction” which would result in the entirely different “texture” of body. He often calls it a “body of light.” It is in this reconstructed organism that man would begin his regeneration existence. And, as always, he emphasized that this is to be attained only by sufficient development of SPIRITUAL AWARENESS.
12E LIFE-SUBSTANCE-INTELLIGENCE:
“Life and substance are ideas in Divine Mind. Life is the acting principle; Substance is the thing acted upon. In the phenomenal world, life is the energy that propels all forms to action. Life is not in itself intelligent; it requires the directive power of an entity that knows where and how to apply its force in order to get the best results.” (Revealing Word/Life)
Here again Mr. Fillmore returns to the idea of the Trinity. In this case he applies it to the requirements for a healthy organism. Life is necessary for health. Substance is necessary for health. Intelligence is necessary for healthy coordination of life and substance. Mr. Fillmore often instructed students to affirm that their bodies were “perfect life, substance, and intelligence.”
12F ETERNAL LIFE:
“Life is divine, spiritual, and its source is God, Spirit. The river of life is within man in his spiritual consciousness. He comes into consciousness of the river of life through the quickening of Spirit. He can be truly quickened with new life and vitalized in mind and body only by consciously contacting Spirit. This contact is made through prayer, meditation, and good works.” (Revealing Word/Life)
“We all have life, and it is God’s eternal life but it does not become ours in reality until we consciously realize it. The one who enters into eternal life, as did Jesus, must lay hold on that omnipresent life and make it one with his body. This is the secret of inheriting eternal life.” (Keep a True Lent 122)
Life is a divine idea! All divine ideas are eternal. Thus, life is eternal. There is, however, a difference between eternal life and physical existence as it is now. If eternal life meant eternal physical existence as it now is, then it might not be desirable for all. But it does not mean that. It means to be an eternal expression of divine life.
12G NOURISHING THE LIFE FORCE:
“We may nourish a good thing by thinking how good it is—a beautiful face, a beautiful form, whatever it may be that is good; but suppose we take the negative side, shall we then get results also? Yes, absolutely. We shall get just what we think about. The thought of nourishing is a very good thought because it shows us just what we do. Mind draws upon the vital forces, and according to physiological laws we alter our tissues. Either we tear down our bodies or we build them up. (Jesus Christ Heals 128)
Ordinarily, we use the word “nourish” in connection with material food and the physical body. In this paragraph we are using the word in another sense—in the sense of quickening and increasing the effectiveness of the life force in our bodies. Mr. Fillmore often taught that praise and thanksgiving result in an increase of the good we experience. We can praise and give thanks for the life force within us, and thereby “nourish” it into greater effectiveness in our bodies. This is mostly a matter of thought and attitude.
12H TRANSFORMATION THROUGH MIND:
“A man can imagine that he has some evil condition in body or affairs, and through the imaging law build it up until it becomes manifest. On the other hand, he can use the same power to make good appear on every side. The marks of old age can be erased from the body by one’s mentally seeing the perfection in it. Transient patching up with lotions and external applications is foolish; the work must be an inner transformation. ‘Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.’” (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 105)
Charles Fillmore believed strongly in the ever-present possibility of transformation through the expansion of consciousness. The process of transformation through mind consists of simply establishing a strong enough consciousness of something so that it results in a manifestation of good. Of course, the imagination would enter into this, but consciousness is much more than just imagining. Mr. Fillmore often stated that the untapped powers in human consciousness were beyond belief—especially the power to transform patterns inherited from past belief systems.
Transcribed by Phyllis Banhan on June 13, 2016.
