Issue # 47

UPWARD BOUND J * O * U * R * N * A * L
SPIRITUAL LESSONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH
remember to close after
the horse is stolen. As
Rev. Howard Hanger,
the Jubilee minister of
Asheville, NC, put it
recently, When you
walk through one door,
things change. They are
passages from one
world to another; one
situation to another; one
way of being to
another.
Doors are metaphors for
both transitions - a
change of mind or
perhaps a wake-up call,
and for surprise -
entering into the realm
of the unknown and
perhaps the
unexpected.
One of the more obvious biblical door references is Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your
Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you.
Did Jesus mean literally that we should go into a room and shut the
door in order to pray? I doubt it; his words, like most of his lessons, were
meant to be taken symbolically. He used the closed door as a metaphor for
Here in Florida its not
unusual to wake up each
morning to see sunshine
streaming in. So our routine is
to open the blinds the very first
thing and look out into our
back yard to admire whatever
is blooming. That peak-out
gives us a pretty good idea of
what the day is going to be
like. It sets the mood, which
we enhance by offering words
of praise and thanks for the
blessings we see around us and
for the new day that lies ahead.
A few minutes later we
open the back door to listen for
the bird songs and meet the
reality of the day; quite often
that reality is a wall of heat and
humidity. Our door is actually
a metaphor as much as it is a practical element of our home. Thats
because doors are transition points from one reality to another. Whats on
one side is very often different on the other. Doors allow us to enter not
just a new space, but a new experience.
We have so many kinds of doors its hard to name them all; front
door, back door, screen door, car door, garage door, dog door, office door,
swinging door, revolving door and the barn door thats the one we
Gods Door is Always Open
Photo by Art Holt
Morikami Japanese Gardens, Delray Beach, FL
shutting out our distractions and for getting out of our ego need to be
praised for appearing to do something good. He regarded public display
of prayer, common in His day, as little more than putting on a show.
Praying in solitude is the only way we can truly enter into the
mystical experience of Gods presence in our lives, and having the actual
experience of The Divine is the greatest experience of all. When we say
the Father and I are one, it is that mystical experience of oneness that we
seek. Perhaps the next time we come upon a beautifully hand carved door
we will see it as the metaphor it represents; this is the door to Gods
Presence. No wonder we feel an eagerness to open it and enter its portal.
Do you have any idea how many doors we open, close and pass
through in a days time? Its a challenge to calculate, probably more than
we can count. Room to room, in and out of the car, stores, office,
restaurant, rest-room, and eventually back home again; an endless parade
of doors. Each one a change of venue, a shift in consciousness, the
possibility of a new experience. This lesson is like going through a door,
not knowing whats inside, but anticipating something worthwhile.
Being introduced to a universal healing prayer practice called
Hooponopono was like opening an awesome door, first for Dottie and
more recently for me. Its a door that is changing our lives in a wonderful
and positive way. We present it here in response to the disastrous mess
that affects every single one of us.
We all have messes that face us and when one occurs we really have
no choice but to stop and clean it up, that is if we want to move on with
our lives. No greater mess has ever been heaped upon more people
unexpectedly and uninvited than the BP oil leak gushing continuously into
the beautiful warm waters of our Gulf. It is going to take millions of
people to help clean it up and all the habitats that are threatened by it.
The physical work and technical complications involved are obvious
and must be provided and supported 24-seven, for as long as it takes. And
along with the physical we also need to put our prayers to work as well.
Here is where shutting the door to distractions and entering a place and a
space of mystical oneness may be the most powerful thing many of us are
able to do.
A prayer of universal healing is being prayed by an ever growing
number of people who have come to realize its power and effectiveness.
It is a simple but sincere prayer that must come from the depths of our
hearts; a state of prayer consciousness that is best accomplished in the
quiet and calm of un-distraction, in other words by closing the door to the
outer world and entering into our inner chamber of peace and quiet, our
heart and our feelings.
The prayer is called Hooponopono, an ancient Hawaiian
understanding and practice. For those who are not yet familiar with
Hooponopono, we need to share the amazing story of Dr. Ihaleakala Hew
Len, who cured a group of criminally insane prisoners at Hawaii State
Hospital without ever seeing them personally or counseling them. He did
it by working on himself, simply cleaning up that part of himself that he
shared with them.
Alone in his office Dr. Hew Len poured over the files of each patient
using the healing practice of Hooponopono. The hospital wing was a
wretched place with patients in shackles, staff members afraid for their
lives. Absenteeism among the staff was rampant and patients rarely were
released or showed healing progress. As he sat quietly in his office with
the patient files, things slowly began to change, patients began to show
real progress, the staff became content and even expectant about their
work. In a matter of time the patients were released and the wing was
eventually closed for lack of need.
On the surface this may sound bizarre; having never even met any of
them before, what possible connection could Dr. Hew Len have with any
one of the patients, much less all of them, that would have such incredible
consequences?
Dr. Hew Len explained that we have total responsibility for our lives
and that means everything in our lives simply because it is in our life
the entire world is our personal creation. Everything that exists, does so
because we have had a role in its creation. Our consciousness has made it
so. If it is negative it is up to us individually to heal it, by healing
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
ourselves. The problem isnt out there its right here, within. Change the
world? Change yourself! If you want to improve your life, you have to
heal your life. If you want to cure anyone even a mentally ill criminal
you do it by healing yourself, because you are part of the cause.
A

With regard to the mental patients, Dr. Hew Len prayerfully addressed
the Divine Presence as he looked through their files; What is going on in
me that I have caused this problem, and how can I rectify this problem in
me? That was the question he asked, as he opened himself to accept
responsibility for each and every patient. He knew that in order to heal
others he had to heal that part of himself that was at fault. His process of
self healing and therefore the healing of his patients is a simple expression
of apology, repentance, love and gratitude.
Apology, repentance, love and gratitude can be applied to any and
every situation with great effectivenessas long as they are felt and
expressed from the heart. (For deeper understanding you will want to read
Zero Limits, the Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace and
More, by Joe Vitale and Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len. It can and will change
your life.) For our purposes here we will just accept that Hooponopono is
a Divine gift that works, whatever the situation.
Apology, repentance, love, and gratitude are expressed as follows:
1. Apology: Im Sorry. Recognize that there is a part of me that has
played a role in creating this condition or situation (negative thinking,
anger), whether I have any awareness of it or not, and therefore I
accept my responsibility and offer my sincere apology. I must accept
personal responsibility before any effective work can take place.
2. Repentance: Please forgive me. Not only do I offer my apology, I
ask forgiveness at the highest level, from the Divine.
3. Love: I Love You. Love connects me with everything that is good;
love is the Presence of God in a form I can understand and feel. Love
is the attracting force of the universe; there is simply nothing greater
than love, but it must be expressed with utmost sincerity. But I cant
express a genuine feeling of love until I have cleared the path by
accepting my responsibility and asking for forgiveness.
4. Gratitude: Thank You. With genuine love flowing out I reach a
state of gratitude. Remember how relieved you have felt when
someone meaningful has hugged you and said thats okay when you
asked them for their forgiveness? I revive that feeling by expressing
my heartfelt thanks.
Put all these together and you have the power of Hooponopono, the
power to heal the world by healing whatever there is in yourself that has
manifested as the need to be healed. Hooponopono is the assured faith
that God will turn every circumstance and situation to good when you
begin to understand and accept that there is a part of you that created it in
the first place.
As you read the stories throughout the Bible it becomes clear; when
people (individuals to groups) put God first in their lives, life is rewarding;
life is good. But when they begin to follow their egos lust and leave their
relationship and their love for God behind, life gives them tragedy. They
are left to cross the burning desert alone. Yet as soon as they realize their
mistake and turn their attention back to their Creator, they open the door
for God to guide them back to good once again.
The Gulf oil spill is actually a good example of how we all share in
the overall responsibility even though it may be hard to grasp at first. Can
you admit that you created the oil spill? Not at first. Neither could I. But
the more I have thought about it the easier it is to see that I have played a
role and you have too.
Do you drive a car? Your demand for gasoline contributes to this
situation. Are you an investor in any of the oil companies? Your desire
for dividends contributes to the demand for drilling as much as the
thousands of people around Louisiana who rely on employment in the oil
industry for their livelihood. We all buy products, from computers and
televisions to Tupperware containers and plastic tooth brushes that are
made from petroleum products, placing more demand on oil. Oil is such
an important part of every one of our lives that perhaps we can all say to
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
ourselves, In my own little way I created this mess. Im sorry, Please
forgive me. I love you, Thank you.

What we believe creates our reality. How? By virtue of having our
beliefs subconsciously direct our actions, responses and thoughts about the
world around us. As a result our very world is nothing more or less than a
projection of our beliefs. When our thoughts are filled with fear, anger,
blame, and/or self pity, then everything in the world we experience will be
a reflection of those negative thoughts. The people we interact with
good friends to chance acquaintances will be reflections as well.
When many people hold similar negative thoughts and beliefs, they
create a collective consciousness, attracting more of the same, to the extent
that the whole world seems to conspire to fulfill the collective mind set. It
is not surprising that we hear many people saying that it seems as though
the whole world has gone mad. And from that same negative
consciousness in some religious quarters we hear that God is making us
pay for our sins. The Gulf oil spill is not the result of God punishing us for
our sins. We create our own punishment through our collective
consciousness of fear, anger and/or greed.
So how is it that there are individuals, groups and communities and
even a few countries that live in a state of peaceful, harmonious, loving,
supportive and genuinely happy circumstances at the same time as the rest
of the world is going to hell in a hand-basket? For the very same
reasons! Their beliefs and their collective consciousness have made it so.
Their world is simply a mirror image, a projection, of the positive mind-set
that they share with one another. They have created a loving reality at the
same time the others have created a fearful oneand in the very same
way with their beliefs. When you think about it, the more we let love
flow through us, the more we create a world in which we have more to
love.
We have seen both sides recently; the positive and loving side and the
fearful angry side. A recent conversation with one person dissolved into a
monolog of complaining, blame and complete pessimism and there was no
way out as far as the speaker was concerned. When we said that we could

U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
change the picture if we would just come from love, that was dismissed as
a totally useless idea. Negative people are not open to positive thoughts,
simply because that would mean they might have to change their whole
perspective. What they dont realize is that changing their perspective is
the only way to change their reality and the reality of the world around
them.
They say that defining a problem is half the solution; but you cant
define it if you wont admit the problem exists in the first place. People
with a dominant negative attitude, rarely are able to admit it. They think
their attitude is very normal; its the world out there that has the problem
and is to blame. And so their Merry-Go-Round just keeps turning, going
nowhere all the while.

Through the last
twenty-five years I have
learned that in every
situation one thing is true
above all else, God will
turn it all to good if we
have the faith to believe it,
by guiding us to right
thinking and right action.
God will turn fear to faith.
God will turn anger to love.
God will turn it all to good.
Gods door is always
open...and thats one door
Im more than ready to
enter - with enthusiasm.
Im sorry.
Please forgive me.
I love you.
Thank you.
Amen.
photo by Art Holt
you may have felt the first time you entered a spiritual
sanctuary.
And you are home. You are safe and secure in the home of
Spirit, surrounded by the beautiful walls of Gods loving
Presence. The most beautiful home you can possibly imagine.
And you can come here in the simple blink of an eye and a
relaxing deep breath, any time at all. God waits for you here, to
give you the blessing of His unconditional love and
acceptanceto heal any pain you might have sufferedto lift
your spirits and to guide you on your way. For God loves you
with an everlasting love and is ready to hold you in the palm of
His hand. This home is your very own green pastures and
still waters. Rest in this place for as long as you like.
And then, feeling totally at peace, prepare to bring your
conscious back to the awareness to this moment in time, by
shifting your attention back to your breathing, and to your
feelings of gratitude for your time apart in the silence.

Thank You, God. Thank You for being here with me, for
being a part of my life, for knowing I can reach you whenever I
seek Your presence. Thank You, God, for the growing
awareness of the abundance of blessings that You have
provided, in and through my life. Thank You for the loving
friendships that make my life so worthwhile. And Thank You,
especially Lord, for the sanctuary of Your Spiritual Home
where I can enter and be with You, whenever I open the door
and enter within, here in the silence.
And so it is
Amen.
As you turn within and relax with a slow deep breath, know
that Gods Presence is not just in one place, but in this very
room where you are right now. Gods Presence is with you
everywhere, from behind the closed doors in a tiny shelter, to
the wide open spaces of some grand scenic vista, where you
may feel like soaring on invisible wings. No matter where you
are, merely turn your attention to your quiet thoughts of God
and you will never be alone.
Take a deep breath and go there now. From deep within
begin to feel a personal sense of well being. Let the Peace
that passes all understanding fill you, like a room is filled with
the soft light of just a single candle.
Breathe in that simple awareness of Gods loving Presence.
Feel the peaceful sense of well being. Feel the comfort of a
loving embrace, holding you and giving you the strength to be
everything you were created to be. Let the light grow, from the
flame of that single candle, to the warmth of the morning
sunshine filling your room with a golden splendor.
This is a sacred and very special place just for you. It is the
safe haven you have always wanted to find, a place where you
can curl up with a good book or just sit quietly beside the
warmth of a winter fire. It is a place where you can set your
worries or concerns aside, a place where you can just bejust
be who you are. This is the room that feels like you have come
home again, a place where you are always welcome.
It may be a room you are very familiar with, a room from
your family home or your childhood, or the home you live in
now. But it might be the home you have always dreamed
about, or the feeling of home you have searched your whole
life to find. It might be the feeling of coming home at last that
M E D I T A T I O N





Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
10870 SW 71st Circle
Ocala, FL 34476
Phone (352) 861 - 5518
Email: UpwardBoundRev@aol.com

Upward Bound Journal
is a Unity publishing ministry based on Biblical teachings and dedicated to
writing and presenting spiritual, inspirational, and metaphysical principles
which empower people to enrich and transform their lives.

For more information about Upward Bound email us at:
UpwardBoundRev@aol.com or go to our website:
www.upwardboundjournal.com.
Issue # 47
Upward Bound Journal is of Upward Bound of Unity, Inc. 2010

Member: Association of Unity Churches International, SunCoast Unity Ministers Association, and
affiliated with: Unity Institute and Silent Unity, publishers of Daily Word. Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), charitable corporation sustained entirely by your tax deductible gifts.
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
WORDS WE LIVE BY
Our thoughts and words create our reality. Let us acknowledge
another word that will impact our lives in wonderful ways. This time
the word is
A Prayer of Hooponopono.

Im sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.

The Hooponopono prayer described in this issue of Upward
Bound Journal is being expressed daily by a growing number of
people with regard to the broken oil well gushing into the Gulf.
If you would like to become an active participant in this healing
process we invite you to use the Hooponopono prayer and give it
your deepest heartfelt attention. Repeating words alone just so you
can say you participated in the process, will do little or anything to
alleviate the problem, for words by themselves are nothing more than
a mental exercise. Your feelings of the deep seated Truth of the words
you are speaking, coming from a heart-felt emotional connection, is
the place youll want to be. When you have Faith that you are
actually participating in a transformative process, one that will heal
your inner self as a vital part of the larger global healing, your words
will have power you may never have felt before.
Therefore, let your heart speak these words in prayer:
To the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and all the life forms
contained therein, including all the crude oil that is gushing out of
the crust of Mother Earth at the bottom of the sea, I am sorry, I am
sorry.
For that which is within me that has manifested as a broken
pipe line, Please forgive me. Please forgive me.
To the sea, the shore, the plants and animals of every kind, from
the bottom of my heart I love you. I love you. I love you.
Thank you! Thank you Gulf. Thank you Mother Earth. Thank
You God. Thank you.
And so it is
Amen
Rev. Arthur Holt
Unity Minister
Dottie Holt
Licensed Unity
Teacher
(Art Holt photo, - Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC )
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Photo by Art Holt
Dear Friends and Supporters Dear Friends and Supporters Dear Friends and Supporters Dear Friends and Supporters,

Our once-a-year subscription/fund raising effort for Upward Bound Journal continues for
one more issue.
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Dottie Holt Dottie Holt Dottie Holt Dottie Holt
Art Holt photo, Mt. Dora, FL