Use Common Sense

Starting today, Monday, July 26, 2021, and continuing for one week, we are going to concentrate on the eighth of our twelve I Am powers, which is understanding. This Christ attribute externalizes and manifests in our physical body as the five physical senses — seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and tasting — along with the rational, analytical aspect of our conscious mind.

Working inseparably together, these five senses and our logical mind create an image or picture of the physical world in which we function on this Earth plane or third dimensional frequency. This physically-based understanding complements and supplements the images, intuitions and inspirations received via our imagination faculty that expresses and externalizes via our ESP or Elementary Spiritual Powers or psychic senses that manifest via our third eye-thalamus.

Two As One

Imagination serves as the active, masculine, positive, Father pole of this pair, whereas understanding functions as the passive, receptive, feminine, negative, Mother aspect of the two powers.

Combined, the two powers give us a full, complete, comprehensive view of our astral and physical realms, of our subconscious and conscious minds. When functioning rightly and in harmonious and healthy fashion, when the two are married as one, we have the foundation to commune clearly with our I Am, superconscious mind and light body, with ascended masters in the etheric realms and angelic guardians in the celestial realms.

Jesus’ Apostle Thomas Didymus portrayed the I Am power of understanding. Both Thomas and Didymus (his surname) mean twin, twain, joined, conjoined. Thus, Thomas is the “twin” of Nathanael Bartholomew, who portrayed the I Am power of imagination. The two powers must work together if we are to be wise as a serpent, gentle and loving as a dove; if we are to be a spiritual scientist, not just an intellection one; to see and know the truth that sets us free to be who we truly are: a beloved Christ child of our Father-Mother Parent.

Furthermore, in Thomas’ physical representation, even our five physical senses come in pairs: two eyes, two ears, two sides of our tongue, two sets of touch receptors (those on the left and right sides of the body), and two nostrils. We are to see, hear and know the two sides of every story, of every set of facts and fictions, of all that we come in touch with inwardly and outwardly.

Color It

In terms of color, understanding is carried and radiated by a range of colors from cream yellow to pale orange. In terms of the Seven Rays of Life, the color of the Second Ray of understanding and wisdom is yellow. Hence, the I Am power of understanding is a partial expression of the Second Ray.

Previously, we saw how the power of strength that expresses via the spinal cord and nerves likewise is part of the expression of the Second Ray — strength’s color is lemon yellow. In future weeks, we will focus on our Christ power of order-organization-system that externalizes via the digestive system, skin and bones; whose color is mustard yellow.

Add all three powers together — strength and understanding and order — and you arrive at the wisdom aspect of the Second Ray, the wisdom of the I Am Self that transcends mortal, conscious understanding.

Note, too, that in the 12 powers approach the fourth Christ attribute is wisdom-judgment-justice. This combination of three words denotes the wisdom of the soul or subconscious, which is necessary to rightly judge what we and others are experiencing, without which there can be no divine justice.

However, the Second Ray of Understanding and Wisdom refers primarily to the mental realm and body, not the soul-astral body. The English language does not have enough separate words to rightly describe these different aspects of wisdom, so there is overlap between the description of wisdom of the soul level and wisdom of the mental level.

Theme for the Seven Days

For this week, our goal is not to be a proud, ungrounded, impractical intellectual who claims to know it all, but who cannot apply his or her knowledge in practical, helpful, uplifting, down-to-earth ways and projects. Rather, our seven-day task is to develop, refine and express our mental capabilities in ways that illumine and awaken us and others to the common wisdom of the I Am Self that is within each and every soul. Thus, our theme for this week is: Use Common Sense.

Be In Touch

The most touching account of Thomas in the Gospels is when Christ Jesus, following his resurrection, appears behind closed doors in the upper room to ten of his Apostles, who at first are startled and fear that he may be a ghost. But Jesus consoles and shows them, and helps them to understand, that he has risen in his light body, which shines through what seems to be his physical form that still carries the wounds of his crucifixion.

Thomas, however, is not with his ten fellow Apostles (Judas had hung himself). When the ten Apostles later told Thomas what had transpired, he responded that he would not believe that Jesus had resurrected until he touched the wounds in his hands and his side.

Eight days later, Jesus appeared again in the upper room to the Apostles and this time Thomas was present. Jesus said to him, “Bring your finger here, and see my hands; and bring your hand and put it into my side; and do not be an unbeliever, but a believer. Thomas answered and said to him, O my Lord and my God!

“Jesus said to him, Now you believe, because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen me, and have believed.” (John: 27; 19-29 Lamsa)

From Doubt to Understanding

From this Biblical account comes the phrase “doubting Thomas.” This for the most part is a negative assessment or condemnation of people who withhold their judgment until they have investigated and thoroughly analyzed spiritual phenomena and reality. However, Jesus did not say to Thomas that he was not to use his understanding-five senses faculty. Rather he directed Thomas to touch his wounds — he welcomed this investigation and confirmation.

Thus, in the terms of the two powers of imagination and understanding, Jesus proclaimed that it was better to first see clearly via our imagination faculty, via our ESP or psychic senses, even from the distance, then it was to just rely on our physical five senses when we are physically in the presence of someone.

For example, how could the Apostles not have known that Jesus had resurrected, for they were so intimately connected to him that they must have felt his extraordinary resurrected light-body radiations and power even before he appeared to them? However, they were blind to this inner perception because they were fixated on their mortal conception that when someone dies physically, he does not come back to life.

Be In Touch with the Christ

But, had not Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Had not Jesus explained to them at the Last Supper that he was going to resurrect? They heard his words, but they did not hear with their hearts. They had seen his prior demonstrations, but they had not understood how they could have happened. They were in touch with Jesus the man but out of touch with Jesus the Christ.

Is this not the case with each of us as we take each new, higher step up the stairway to I Am consciousness and light-body rebirthing? Are we not often blind to the higher truths that supersede our current, limited understanding? Do we not with each new clear insight ask ourselves: How could I have been so oblivious to this now obvious truth?

So, we need to be gentle with ourselves, and not condemn ourselves for our prior blindness or inability to hear, and not being judgmental about others who are traveling up the ladder a few steps behind us. We need to see the truth; move forward with faith, love and wisdom; and reach out and down with a loving hand to those who are following in our footsteps.

Be Both

Thus, the two powers of imagination and understanding have to seamlessly function together as a masculine-feminine team, with imagination leading the way and then understanding analyzing and confirming the new image or inspiration that we have received. Our inner, all-seeing, cosmic eye has to be single and open before we rightly can see with our two physical eyes. Both Imagination and understanding are necessary to produce a complete picture of what is true or not true.

Moreover, we never see the fourth dimensional light body with our physical five senses that only discern or pick up the vibrations of the physical realm. With our physical vision, we only can begin to see and discern the glimmers of the “halo” of light around the physical form of one who is transfigured by his light form or resurrected in his or her light body.

Hence, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments, so much light surrounded his head that his followers asked him to place a cloth over his head. When Jesus was transfigured on the mount, his whole body shown like the sun.

But in neither case did his disciples see his full light form or comprehend what their five senses revealed to them. They believed upon Jesus’ transfiguration that they were seeing the physical forms of his past lives as Moses and Elijah that he had projected as holographic images.

Even when we physically perceive the halo of light around someone in higher, I Am consciousness, we primarily see the full radiance and color and form of such a halo with our psychic senses, for the halo is the reflection of the etheric light of the Christ body that shines through the astral body into the physical form. Via our psychic powers, we see astral light and into the fourth dimension of the etheric realm. It takes the super senses of the light body to clearly and rightly see and discern another light body.

Be Tough Minded

In our re-evolution up the ladder or stairway or mountain to I Am consciousness and the rebirth of our light body, we come across all kinds of spiritual teachings, religious dogmas, psychic phenomena and physical methods that others claim and profess that are supposed to give us spiritual experiences or lead to the healing of our mind, body and soul.

At times, it seems like a cacophony of voices, a mishmash of claims and concepts, a phantasmagoria of gods and goddesses, of each religion claiming it is the best way, that the God of each competing religion is the highest or only God, that the Bible and other spiritual texts should only be interpreted fundamentally and physically. What a trip it is living in this third dimension during these Latter Days!

All of this allegedly spiritual information has to be sorted out, thought through thoroughly, separating the wheat from the chaff, seeing the underlying cosmic truth in every outward expression. It takes a determined, disciplined and dedicated mind to understand and to know the real truth.

Holistic Healing

The same holds true for the multiple branches and claims of various healing approaches, from the conventional to the unconventional, from the overreliance on drugs to the emphasis on taking vitamins and herbal supplements, from the psychological and psychiatric theories and practices to the use of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

To rightly analyze and use the best of each of the above healing techniques, we have to be tough minded, we have to put our fingers in the “wounds” of each method, and then, based on the evidence we have gathered, proclaim that such a method is useful and effective in particular situations or as a common, overall practice and part of a holistic, integrative approach to healing the whole person.

Right Thinking

In Sananda’s lifetime as Gautama the Buddha, the Enlightened One, he gave his disciples the following guideline:

Do not believe that because I teach and recommend some approach or practice, that I state that something is true and right, it must indeed be as I say it is. Rather, go into the laboratory of your own mind and test it out for yourself. Only in that way will you ever know for certain what is the truth, what is helpful, what leads you to enlightenment. You only can know it by the results that you obtain and can demonstrate.

As Jesus later put it: Know them by their fruits. People can and do teach, say, write books about and publish all kinds of things on websites and blogs about spiritual growth and multi-leveled, holistic healing. But the proof is in the pudding.

Distill It

Give yourself plenty of time to gather information, analyze it and come to a solid, well-thought through conclusion that you can apply in your life. Thus, as symbolized in the drama of Jesus and Thomas, Jesus, representing the I Am Self, waited 8 days before he appeared a second time to the Apostles, among whom was Thomas, who represented the I Am power of understanding.

When you have a vivid dream or intuitive inspiration, especially one that packs a wallop so to speak, it commonly takes a week or more to discern all of its many meanings and levels and views of the past, present and future.

A dream, like a vision, is almost always symbolic, not literal. Just as we say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so too is a new image or night vision (dream) worth a thousand levels or aspects of interpretation. Of course, on the other hand, you can think about and analyze things to death, make up all kinds of analyses that are extraneous and not at all the common, central, core message of the vision or dream.

With time and in-depth examination and analysis, each new image or clairsentient insight has a simple, direct teaching, idea or answer that represents the overall, simple gist of what it conveys. See this, know this, apply this in your life. Be a wise sage who lives simply yet fully.

Common sense basically is wisdom born of experience. And frankly, common sense is not all that common, every among spiritual initiates.

Seven Steps to Understanding

We have seven days to update, refine and enlighten our five physical senses and conscious, rational, logical, analytical, conscious-mind talents. Below is a possible roadmap to do this, with one meditation per day. You can follow this schema closely or loosely, as your own interior guidance, understanding and wisdom directs you. God’s will be done!

Day 1, Monday, See Clearly: About 90 percent of the data that we collect with our five senses comes by way of our eyes. What is it that you currently do not understand now about what you see around and within you? What do you not understand about the cause(s) of your current eye problems or other difficulties with your mind, body and soul.

The answer is right before you, right within you: Spirit knows what you need to see, what you need to analyze, what the cause is of your “blindness.” Remember that as Jesus said: There are none so blind as those who do not see, or only see what they already believe to be true.

Ask Spirit to remove the veil over your eyes, the cloud of doubt or fixated mortal beliefs that distorts your conscious analysis and understanding.

Seek and you shall see!

Day 2, Tuesday, Listen: Be still and hear the still small voice of God, of your God or I Am Self, within you. As Jesus spoke to the Apostles in the Upper Room, listen to the voice of your Christ Self and that of the ascended masters who speak to you in your own upper room. Hear with your imagination and understanding faculties.

Listen to all the sounds around you, to all the words that others speak to you, to all the uplifting input that is conveyed to you when you hear inspired music, to whatever you hear on YouTube or other sites on the Web, to old MAM broadcasts by Mark and Yolanda that are as vibrant and applicable today as when they first were given via tapes 40-50 years ago.

Listen, learn and lift up anew into I Am conscious, Christ hearing. Listen!

Day 3, Wednesday, Keep in Touch: Be in touch with your overshadowing, ever-present I Am Self and light body that is all around you, within you, and expressing as you.

Feel your light-body presence as tingling or tickling, pressure or activation in and around your head or upper body. Be in touch with reality, rather than being “touched in the head,” as is commonly said about people who are mentally and emotionally imbalanced.

Touch others only with love. It can be gently placing your love-filled hand on another person’s shoulder, a massage of someone’s neck, doing pressure point or acupressure for a fellow light worker, giving a friend a foot rub, joyously hugging a family member and/or others. Loving touch heals!

Day 4, Thursday, Be Tasty: Take the time to delight in the tastes of the food that you eat, the juices that you drink. Eat slowly with full awareness of what you are eating. Take pleasure in the joys of such food. Eat only healthy meals today and every day. 

Chew thoroughly, just as you slowly chew on all the data and sensations that come to your conscious mind for analysis and computation. Do not bite off more than you can chew. Do not eat out of your emotional needs or upsets.

Avoid those situations or people who leave a sour taste in your mouth. Eat with those who are of like mind and heart. Have a wonderful, yet simple, tasty meal together. Taste of the simple joys of a spiritual life well-lived.

Day 5, Friday, Smell Good: Ninety percent of taste is smell. The aromas of the food in our mouth waft up to our smell receptors inside our nose. Thus, when we have a cold, we lose much of the sense of smell. 

When with others, sniff out the vibrations and innermost thoughts and feelings of those people around you. Something may smell rotten, even though it is not apparent to your sight. As the saying goes, you may “smell a rat.”

Smell good yourself, not only through good hygiene, perfumes and deodorants, but even more so by how you treat others mentally, emotionally and physically. Keep your nose out of other people’s business, just as you hope that others will not be nosy and judgmental around you.

Day 6, Saturday, Analyze Thoroughly: Be tough minded without being a tough guy or gal. Carefully evaluate and analyze all the data that you take into system by way of your five physical senses, as well as via your psychic senses. 

Are you too lax in your analytical pursuits, or do you tend to overanalyze and intellectualize things that you perceive via your senses? Find a right balance. Find your common ground. Be in the middle. Let wisdom be your guide.

Cut through the conflicting claims, concepts and concerns of all of the information that you gather. Look for the common denominator, the common core cosmic principle, the simple truth within all the complexity that will set you free. Have and use good common sense.

See all people in your and nearby countries being the common spiritual, I Am beings of light that they truly are, despite all their differences in gender, race, religion, professions, philosophy and life styles. See them following their common sense.

Day 7, Sunday, Radiate Cream Yellow to Pale Orange Light: Project spiritual, I Am understanding to the 144,000 or more elect worldwide. Call upon them to use their common sense in dealing with the many challenges, conflicts, imbalanced conditions and competing factions in their countries. See common sense radiating through them to all that they represent.

See the whole planet surrounded in the cream yellow to pale orange hues of cosmic, Christ understanding. As Thomas saw the light-infused, resurrected Jesus in the upper room, and proclaimed that he was the Earth’s Lord and primary wayshower of I Am or God consciousness, so shall all on Earth eventually see the Christ within themselves and all others. They will see and welcome the Second Coming: that of Christ Jesus in his light body and of Christ awareness in every one.

See, know, understand that all are one in the One. So shall it be.

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Please read the chapter in Birth of the Light Body on the power of understanding to gain further insights, understanding and knowledge about this I Am power.

Go to www.thenewearth.org/markage.html to order Mark-Age books online.

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