Change Our Thinking, Change Our World

In Sunday’s talk, Rev. Larry reminded us of central ideas in Science of Mind: our thoughts become things. What we focus on expands. These are powerful statements about prosperity — and all forms of abundance. It starts in our minds.

He talked about the difference between spending and investing, not just in money but in our energy and attention. When we invest our thoughts in possibility and gratitude, we open the channel for more of that to flow in. When we focus on fear or limitation, we reinforce those patterns instead.

I first encountered this idea through Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, back in the 1980s. That book planted a seed for me: Change your thinking, change your life. And, what's equally important to me is this: When we change ourselves, we change the world.

It doesn’t matter what’s happening around us politically, economically, or socially. Unity minister and author Eric Butterworth talked about that in Spiritual Economics, too (one of my favorite CSL Ballard classes!):

Things may happen around you, and things may happen to you, but the only things that matter are the things that happen in you.

In other words, there's a lot happening outside our control. And, it's the energy we bring, and our consciousness, that shape our experience. Another favorite, Wayne Dyer, often said, "Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change."

Consciousness researcher David Hawkins described this ripple effect. He found that higher levels of vibration — love, joy, optimism — can counterbalance enormous amounts of negativity in the world. One person living from the energy of pure love, he said, can offset the negativity of 750,000 others. Optimism, the energy of hope, can counterbalance 90,000.

It starts with us. That’s why our philosophy focuses so much on inner transformation. When we focus on being our best selves, when we practice compassion, gratitude, and creative thought, we literally participate in reshaping the world around us.

We may not have the power to change decisions made at the highest levels of government or business, but what we do here every day matters. Internal transformation creates external transformation.

Building Our Future Together

I also want to clarify where we are as a community. As many of you know, we’ve talked about bringing on a senior minister or spiritual leader next year. That remains a heartfelt desire, but we’re still doing the important work of stabilization and creating the conditions for what’s next. Each of us has a role in that — strengthening our foundation and staying engaged so we’re ready to welcome new leadership when the time comes.

Truly, we’ve come too far and worked too hard to build something we can’t all get behind. Whether or not we reach full consensus, every voice will be heard. For example, many of us enjoy hearing from different speakers. If that's true for most of us, that's part of what we call forward. Our strength lies in being intentional, collaborative, and true to our collective spirit.

Celebrations and Invitations

A huge congratulations to Rev. Dr. Pam Ninneman, who recently earned her doctorate in Consciousness Studies from Emerson Theological Institute. Her dedication and spiritual depth continue to inspire this community.

And this Thursday, I invite you to join us for Meaningful Movies as we screen Omoiyari: A Song Film. It’s a moving exploration of Japanese American incarceration during World War II and its relevance today. Our discussion will be led by Carol Reitz, board president for the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, who brings her own lived experience as a third-generation Japanese American. It promises to be a powerful evening of learning, reflection, and connection.

Finally, a reminder: we are all ambassadors for this community. Each of us has the opportunity to share who we are and what we stand for. And if you need help with that, let me know. We'll also have a handout (coming soon) we can share with others - please stay tuned.

Thanks for being here!