Tag Archives: Life

Get a “Lovel” on That

LOVEL2.building-1080599_1920Carpenters and builders use a phrase, “Get a level on that,” which means placing a tool called a level on the surface of cabinets, shelving, and flooring to be sure they are not tipped too far in one direction or another. In other words, everything is balanced; you can drop a ball on the floor, and it will not roll to one side of the room or the other, and books will not fall off the shelves.

A level is a handy tool for building things that are balanced. But what if there was a useful tool for creating balance in life? What if you could similarly use the power of Love? What if we could get a “Lovel,” on things that might be out of balance in our lives?

Imagine this tool as a flat measuring stick with a bubble in the middle much like a carpenter’s level, but the bubble is more than an empty space in a tube of liquid. The bubble is a heart, representing an open space within you, filled with love.

Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, a New Thought spiritual movement, claimed that “Love is the great harmonizing power of the universe.” Love is not just an emotion. It is not only a romantic or familial connection to another person. It is a powerful resource within us, and it is essentially the stuff we are made of. The essence of this indwelling power of Love is harmony, the bringing together of two into one.

So how can that power be utilized as a “Lovel,” or a tool for balance? We could tune into the heart-shaped space within us to view everything through the harmonizing power of Love. Seeing things through the eyes of Love is more than placing rose-colored glasses over one’s eyes. It activates a flow of harmony which brings balance to the whole being. It doesn’t change the person, place, or thing that we are getting a “Lovel,” on.” It changes us.

Opening up to our inner “Lovel,” changes our energy, our perception, and the power we give to whatever is occurring. This three-fold transformation harmonizes our own thoughts, words, and actions. The very energy that we project then has a harmonizing effect on the person, place or thing that we are experiencing. Sometimes this effect is immediate and obvious, other times it is subtle, a gentle stirring in another’s soul that we cannot see, but have had a role in activating it.

Regardless of the effect on the outer experience, the activation of the harmonizing power of Love within us brings us into a more harmonized, balanced state of being. And isn’t that what we are really after? Living our lives in harmony and balance? It seems that the simple act of getting a “Lovel,” on life might make all the difference in our lives and ultimately in the world. Won’t you get a “Lovel,” on something today? It will make all the difference.

© 2019. Eileen DeRosia Patra, OUM, LUT, CSE

Eileen Patra is an ordained Unity minister, inspirational speaker, and the author of the soon to be released book, The Mystical Ark: A Vessel of Blessings

If I Were A Road

tunnel-1056859-640x480If I were a road I would plunge through the surface, into the depths of this life. I’d journey upward and outward, to the vast space beyond. I would travel the stars and the universe, and spiral with planets as far as can be. Along the way I would travel through time and wind myself back like a grandfather clock. I would cherish the memories unfolding before me. The earliest memories of humankind would flash by like the blur of a landscape moving swiftly past the side window of a traveling car.

Flying through time I would catch glimpses of people, vibrant and real making up pages of earth’s history. I would slow down and pause as I rambled where Jesus had walked. I’d hang up a stoplight where Gandhi had been. I’d rest for a while and encounter Mohamed. We would gaze at the stars and see God and Allah and Brahman in them.

If I were a road I would traverse the layers of existence and discover where time began. I would pause in my travels to catch the first Light as it expanded and vibrated and became the waters and dry land. I would curve and I’d spiral following along, with the unfolding nature of humankind Then I would find myself in my own childhood yard. I’d watch myself on my swing set, the dog nipping my butt as I flew through the air. I would travel around to the place called Virginia where my brother boarded a navy ship. I’d visit him in his youth, so vibrant, so excited as he sailed off to see the world. I’d stop in Onaway at my father’s childhood home. I’d catch glimpses of what it was like to grow up in that home, bursting with children the adults speaking French. I’d hear the laughter of little ones running about. I’d see the sweat on the older one’s brows as they worked outside in the fields.

If I were a road, I’d wander about, finding pieces and glimpses of how I began. I’d discover my birth was not here on this earth. I’d find that I’d started before I began. I’d pause at the moment the first thought was expressed. I’d let go of all else as I mapped out my path. I’d see what has been went just like I planned, the valleys and vistas all there in my hand. I’d discover my journey continues, yet never began. It spirals and curves and floats up and down. It moves without moving then settles again. I’d gaze with great wonder at its natural bends. I’d pause for a while then roam quietly forward again. If I were a road, I’d begin and then end at the place where all thought first began.

© 20107. Rev. Eileen Patra

Amazing Days Every Day

amazing-dreamstimefree_2246985“Something Amazing Happens to me Today!” This is the affirmation the members of our ministry are working with this week based on last Sunday’s talk and Pam Grout’s book, “E-Cubed.”  Some truly amazing results have occurred over the past few days for each of us, simply by setting this intention before getting out of bed each morning.

Today, just happens to be Friday the 13th.  It has always been, for me anyway, an amazing day.  And, this has been the result of the intention I set for this day based on an experience from my childhood.

When I was in the 3rd or 4th grade, I was working on a science project and drawing a picture of the solar system.  It was Friday the 13th and I had recently heard that it was an unlucky day.  As I struggled with the drawing, using dishes, glasses, cups and saucers as templates for the planets, I voiced my concerns about this very unlucky situation.  My mother told me that a day could only be unlucky if I believed in such things.  As I struggled with creating the correct proportions of planets with my very limited circular tools, I considered this idea.  And suddenly, everything changed!

My brother, who was married, much older than I but living nearby showed up with a contraption called a compass and showed me how to use it. Amazing!! I could make circles in whatever size I chose! What had been limited and frustrating only moments before became a work of joy.

Today, as my husband and I wait for a phone call that will likely mark the beginning of a path some would call challenging, I am affirming “Something Amazingly Awesome Happens to us today!” and I believe it.  Friday the 13th has never failed to offer me something wonderful.  Whatever the message we receive today, I know there will be opportunities to expand and the circle of Divine Love to be expressed through this is unlimited. The circumference of our experience will be determined in proportion to our intention of living in this infinite, spiritual principle; “There is only one Power, one Presence, one Activity in our lives and in the multi-verse and we are one in it.”  Today and every day are amazing opportunities to be the expression of this one Power and Presence that I call God.

© 2017. Rev. Eileen Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving as the Spiritual Leader of Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan. 

What’s Budding in You?

fall-colorsThe Changing Leaves are always a miraculous sight for those of us in climates that provide this annual display of colorful foliage.  The predictable transformation has become synonymous with change and a reminder that there is always new life, new growth just beyond what appears to be death.  What is truly remarkable about the process is what causes the change in colors.  As the hours of daylight become less, the tree responds to an inner signal.  The signal is not to drop its leaves although that is what occurs.  The signal is to begin new growth.  The tree begins to direct its resources to new growth, to the buds that will occur in the spring.  This focus on the new growth in turn diminishes the flow of nutrients to the current leaves and they respond by fading, falling and preparing the space for the new buds.  As always, when I look at the falling leaves I know that new life will occur in the spring but today I recognize that the forming of new buds has already begun.  In life, as I see something fading away, I know on an inner level that something new is forming within me. What falls away prepares the space for what is being called forth in me.  This is the miracle of transformation that occurs in the trees, in my life and in the world. 

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan.

 

The Breath of God

breath-cc-16193758604_c24b91a8cc_mBREATH, the air that is inhaled and exhaled is evidence of the miraculous interconnectedness of all life.  The BREATH I hold in this moment, is the breath you exhaled only moments before.  The BREATH I release will soon be held be another.  BREATH and Spirit are synonymous, both having the same meaning and origins.  The first BREATH is the BREATH of God and we each continue to draw in and release the original BREATH.  We are one with God, one with all that is, in a continuous exchange of the invisible substance of Spirit.  God BREATHES through me and God BREATHES through you.  BREATH is Spirit moving, creating, blessing, cleansing, renewing and revitalizing.  This is a miracle of Life and all I have to do to experience it is BREATHE.

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan

A Miracle A Day, Day 119

tent-cc-7732621858_74d3e3b1fd_mTENTS seemed quite a miraculous thing to me as a child.  I recall pinning a blanket to the top of the fence in a neighbor’s yard, stretching it out and holding the lower edge with rocks to form my own little refuge from the world.  Inside the TENT we could hide, giggle, tell stories and share secrets. It was a world unto itself, yet temporary, easily moved to another place for another day.  Have you ever thought about the physical forms that we walk around in as being like those TENTS?  Our bodies provide a virtual TENT in which we can find a bit of refuge from the vastness of the universe.  They are a private place in which we hold our own personal thoughts and ideas.  We tell ourselves stories about the world and our lives.  Sometimes we laugh and sometimes we cry.  And when we close our eyes we can close out the physical world around us and reconnect with the vastness of the universe, with the very essence of Life which is greater than all the stories we tell ourselves.  A TENT is a miraculous idea providing shelter wherever we go.  Our bodies, the physical body, the energy body, and the spiritual body, provide a place of refuge too. Within them we can close the door to outer appearances aligning our minds with the Mind of God, the ultimate shelter that transcends time and space and all that has appeared before us.

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan.  

In the Blink of the Eyes

cc-eyelidsEYELIDS are miraculous to me in this moment.  By purposefully closing them I shut out the world and open an inner sanctuary where nothing can disturb my peace.  EYELIDS function without my thinking about them throughout the day. Such a simple yet complex party of my anatomy. They protect my physical eyes from dust, sun and other irritants.  They keep my eyes moist and restful.  But those are small gifts compared to the opening they create in me when they are closed.  What a brilliantly creative element to the human form.  I am grateful for my EYELIDS and now I close them and enter the secret place of the Most High and I am blessed.

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan

Regeneration

renewalREGENERATION, the process of making new, is evidence of the eternal and miraculous nature of Life. Life is continually renewing itself. Trees and plants continually grow, flower, bloom, become dormant and are then renewed.  The cells of the human body are continually replaced by new ones.  Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity taught that we are fully capable of REGENERATING and healing every cell, muscle and organ of the human body through our thoughts, words and actions.  This is not a far-fetched idea.  Rather, it is the outworking of what is our natural state of being; whole and complete.  As I align my heart and mind with God, with the All-ness of Life, my thoughts, words and actions support the continuous REGENERATION of all aspects of my being.  I AM whole, complete, in perfect health and aligned with the flow of Divine Life.

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan.

Zest for Life

zestZEST, an energetic quality that increases excitement or flavor is a powerful aspect of being.  A tiny amount of ZEST from the outer skin of a lemon adds an incredible amount of flavor to a dessert.  Add too much and the dessert may become bitter, overcome by the astringent flavor.  ZEST, like the spiritual faculty of ZEAL must be used with discretion.  When our excitement for an activity is balanced with Love, Understanding and Wisdom, we are propelled with ease and grace toward our goals.  Today, I tune in to this natural ZEST for life.  I allow the powers of Love, Wisdom and Understanding to balance the flavor of my being and I step forward with a mighty and Zest for the Life and all that is mine to do.

© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra

Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan