Nothingness

If one would investigate or study or attempt to understand this material world, this thinking mind, this aging body, he must turn his attention in an opposite direction, the same as if one were to study a rose to understand the history and construction of a rose, he would not sit before a mirror and study the rose in the mirror but he would turn his attention in an opposite direction, -- he would look to the rose standing before it.

Likewise, instead of looking to the mind or the body one must look in the opposite direction – one must study the world within.

 For illustration:

One might in his dream find himself in a great palace. He is being conducted through this place of splendor and grandeur by the architect, by the one who says that he drew the plans, that he conceived the ideas which culminated in this massive structure.

Minutely the man in the dream examines the walls, the painting, the marble stairs, the furniture and rugs and his praise and amazement know no bounds as he walks from room to room. From floor to floor, marveling at the greatness, the skill, the art and beauty of the building.

Turning to the architect he asks, “And how long did it take to build this greatness, to lay these boulders, to erect these steeples?”

“Five years,” was the reply. And, the man in the dream assents, “Yes, it must have taken that time.”

Ah but he is looking in the wrong direction! He is studying the roses in the mirror. He is looking at an outside world, and if he but turned his attention in an opposite direction, if he looked WITHIN what a different world he would find, how differently he would view creation.

In studying the outside world, he is greatly deceived. He believes what is not true at all. He believes that five years have elapsed from the beginning to the completion of this palace, that hundreds of men were employed, laboring with their heads and hands to furnish such splendor, whereas, if he but turned his vision within, he would snap his fingers and exclaim:

“Aha! This place was made on the instant. I see that with no time at all these great boulders were placed in position, these high walls were erected, these gold steeples were raised, these massive doors were hung, these rugs were made and placed upon the floors.”

Then, looking upon the man who claimed to be the architect and slapping him upon the shoulder, he would cry, “Ha! It was not you designed this, not you who created it, but it was I! I did it all. I drew the plans with my eyes closed. I placed the boulders and erected the steeples with my hands folded. I secured the lumber, the brick, the marble, the furniture without moving. I, I, alone created, conceived erected, furnished this stupendous structure on the instant, without labor, without action, without thought!”

O how wonderful, how thrilling, how different when man looks within, when he sees the naked truth, when he understands the nothingness of an external world!       

…

In plain words, let us not think a thing is true because we wish it that way but let us declare and assert it is that way because it is that way. We are not well and strong and happy and harmonious because of our right statements that we are this way, -- because we are well and happy and strong ad prosperous, that we state that we are.

This brings the vision in instead of out.

This glorifies God on EARTH AS IN HEAVEN. This glorifies, recognizes Truth outwardly because it is so inwardly.

Let us know and acknowledge that we are as perfect and as immortal now, this instant, as we ever shall be.

The One-Lillian DeWaters 1937