Lessons In Truth - Lesson 7 - Annotation 4
Define individuality. How do we cultivate and strengthen our consciousness of our individuality?
4. Individuality is the I AM, or Christ, the first phase of our three-fold being (spirit-soul-body); the phase through which we are always identified with God.
Through the I AM or Christ identity (individuality) we are able to express all the powers (ideas or qualities) of God such as life, love, wisdom, strength, faith, power -- all that Spirit is in its infinite variety of expression. God, Spirit, is eternal and unchanging, so the expression of God in every man (as the first phase of his three-fold nature) is also eternal and unchanging.
The root meaning of the word individuality is "not divisible; of the same essence or nature" (Webster's Dictionary). No matter how the spiritual identity or individuality may be obscured by the beliefs of mankind, it is always present as the divine center in every human being.
We cultivate our consciousness of individuality (our consciousness of the Christ within) by focusing all of our attention on divine ideas. We do this first by breaking up the "soil" of our human consciousness by denials, in somewhat the same manner as the farmer breaks up the soil of his fields, removes the weeds and stones, preparatory to planting the seeds. By denial we "break up" all the beliefs of greed, envy, fear (weeds in the soil of the mind) and link ourselves with the nature of God by "planting" in our consciousness (by affirmation) the "seeds" of love, honesty, steadfastness to principle, life, faith, and the like. Daily we should commune with the Christ Spirit within (our individuality) by letting our thoughts lead us to a definite feeling of oneness with this Spirit within us. The communion we have with the indwelling Christ presence makes us acquainted with the ideas of God, giving us knowledge of their character and function, so that we are able to express the ideas in our daily living.
Conscious awareness of our individuality (the Christ Spirit) is strengthened each time we refuse, by denial, to be affected adversely by negative appearances in our world of effects, and by giving our attention to what Spirit or individuality reveals to us in the Silence.
"When Jesus prayed He was setting into action the various powers of His individuality in order to bring about certain results. Within, His identity was of God; without, He was human personality" (Jesus Christ Heals 69).
________________________
Preceding Entry: Define personality.
Following Entry: Explain what John the Baptist and Jesus Christ represent.
