UPWARD BOUND J* O* U* R* N* A* L

SPIRITUAL LESSONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH

Those of us on the senior side of life can
remember a time when we rarely locked our front
door or worried about where the children were when
they were playing in a nearby park. For a number of
years I lived in a place where I even left my car keys
in the ignition when it was parked in front of my
house. The world was much smaller then, the news
was local and the newsreels of events taking place
somewhere else in the world came weeks after the
fact.
Fear was a stranger to most of us. Our focus was
on family and neighbors, or perhaps whether the
house needed to be painted that yearduring our
vacation. Almost all of our phone calls were local,
for it was common for three or more generations of
the family to all live within a few miles of each
other.

Today the scene is quite different. Families are
spread out across the entire country (we have
children and grandchildren living in Seattle, Atlanta
and Charlotte; classmates and colleagues far beyond
Issue # 28
Nothing to Fear
Nothing to Fear
the four corners of mainland USA). Business life is
in a frenzy to accomplish more in less time and by
fewer people, making stress one of the most common
factors impacting our psyche. Space technology and
the internet have combined to connect every corner
of the earth in milliseconds. And the
communications we now receive from a hundred TV
channels simultaneously very rarely bears good
news. Fear appears to have replaced optimism and
hope. The terrorist threat here at home may be real
or political spin, but the fear it carries is real enough,
regardless. The stock market explodes with growth
and then drops like an overripe tomato. Even the
housing markets normal slow steady growth has
gone boom and now its flat. The weather is hardly a
calming factor. Tornados not only rip apart small
communities, but their frequency seems definitely on
the rise, as are the hurricanes and earth quakes. And
then there is global warming. Scientists have finally
agreed that it is for real and its effects are being
demonstrated daily, begging the question, are we
too late? Lets also not forget street gangs, and
insane high school and college students run amuck
on killing sprees, all the center of the six oclock
news. If thats not enough, cancer is on the rise, auto
accidents pile up one after another on the freeways,
under-treated war casualties keep coming home from
Iraq in body bags and wheel chairs, and rampant
computer hacking identity theft has resulted in
multiple billions in financial losses.

Well, thats a depressing beginning to what is
supposed to be an inspirational lesson, in fact it got
me stuck for a while too. But the fact is, thats the
way life is today for all of us.

So, how do we cope? We can take the ostrich
approach and stick our collective heads in the sand,
and deny reality. We can go out and buy more stuff
because, well, the economy is based on consumer
spending, and shopping has become our means of
expressing well being. But, do we really need more
stuff?

Did you notice, all those fear related things occur
outside and away from us? Perhaps the answer lies
within. Fear and stress are common to us all, but
there are two avenues for us to pursue to minimize
the problem. And the good news is that we dont
have to choose between them, we can use both. They
are the paths of Spirit and the satisfaction that comes
from the pursuit of our Passions.

There is no greater provider of Peace of Mind than
the loving presence of God and you dont have to be
a religious follower to open up to that Presence, just
become willing to receive it. I remember a time
when financial stress and the accompanying fear of a
heart attack or a nervous breakdown had me at my
wits end. Nothing was going right and I was
incapable of doing anything about it. Then came a
message in the Daily Word, a message of hope: God
will turn this to good. Somehow I intuitively
grasped the truth of that idea and leaned on it with all
my heart and soul. God will turn this to good
became my affirmation, my prayer, my crutch, my
hope and my faith. Today I swear that God has been
turning my life to good every minute of every day
sinceand that was back in 1981.
With new faith I was able to lean upon that
affirmation, my life rapidly turned in a whole new
direction, my problems got resolved in a matter of a
few months, and a whole new relationship with God
lifted me up and gave me hope and strength. God
will turn your life, your situation, your stress, and
your fears into good if you turn your attention inward
to the Lord God of your being.

A couple of issues ago I shared with you a
rediscovered passion for photography, specifically,
digital photography. As I continue to plunge into the
combination of technology and creativity I find I get
lost in the joy of the new images that result, and the
nature adventures that take me away from my desk
and computer (see cover photo from Homosassa
Springs Wildlife
Park).

Our passions are a
wonderful path for
overcoming our fears
and they open
doorways to
experience life in
very gratifying ways.
Passions seem to be
related to things of
beauty, goodness
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
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and service. For many people their passions are
things like gardening, painting, decorating, sculpture.
Others have passions around preserving history,
discovering things about space and the universe, or
simply exploring the plentiful places of scenic beauty
and culture that exist around the earths geography.
And, thankfully, there are those whose passions
center on a variety of services to humankind, all
aimed at helping to make the world just a little bit
better, a little bit more tolerant and understanding, a
little bit healthier, better educated and self capable.
We all have something that makes our hearts beat
a little faster and puts a joyful sparkle in our eyes.
Thats our passion. If we find it and follow it our
fears will disappear, replaced by joy and satisfaction.

When we are strong in the power of the spirit of
God within, nothing can disturb the calm peace of
our soul and we have a happy, peaceful, productive
and prosperous life. When we permit doubt and
negative thoughts to take possession of our thinking,
we are asking for trouble and will undoubtedly
receive it in abundant measure (Jesus and
Mastership, by James Coyle Morgan).

Pastor Rachel Rivers of the Swedenborgian
Church of San Francisco, found her passion and with
it a fear that almost stopped her in her tracks. Her
story is a great illustration of not only overcoming
fear, but finding the comforting presence of God in
the process.
Pastor Rivers trained as a scuba diver in
Monterrey, but had never actually been scuba diving.
It was something she thought she would really love,
but the training was so difficult that after it was over
she wasn't so sure scuba diving was for her. On a
vacation this January, she pushed herself to really
give it a chance. And so there she was in Cozumel at
three in the morning, waking up terrified because she
was scheduled to go out on a boat scuba diving in
just a few hours. The fear did not lessen as the
morning hours ticked away. She got up, did not eat
breakfast, and went out onto the dock to wait for the
boat.
Still feeling very frightened, she boarded the boat,
and headed out to the coral reef. The seas were quite
rough, and her fear grew worse as the waves grew
stronger. She was with seven other people who had
all been scuba diving before, but she didn't know any
of them. There was also the dive master. His name
was Jose. As they approached the reef Jose started
telling them about the dive plan. First they were
going to tip over backwards off the boat, and then
descend to sixty feet, swim through a tunnel of rock,
descend down to ninety feet, and swim along the
edge of a 2,000 foot deep canyon.
At this point Rachels fear tumbled over into
tears. Jose had noticed that she was afraid, but her
tears left him in no doubt as to just how afraid she
was. He came over, stooped down, and looked her
right in the eye. "This is easy," he said, "because I'm
going to stay right with you."
As they tipped backwards out of the boat. Jose
took hold of her hand and kept eye contact with her
as they slowly descended; and he did not let go. They
swam through the rock tunnel and down to ninety
feet. Then Rachel
experienced the
most beautiful hour
of her life. Drifting
along with the
current in such a
wondrous
underwater world,
with Jose holding
her hand, she found
that she was no
longer afraid. She was amazed that underneath the
surface of the rough seas there was such
extraordinary richness of life and beauty, and that
she could feel such joy and peace. Gently drifting
over the coral gardens, with fish swimming all
around them, all fear left her. She saw sea turtles and
eels and fish of every size and shape, and even a
shark. She was in awe.
When the air in their tanks started getting low, it
was time to return to the surface. It was not until she
saw the boat above them that she remembered how
rough the seas were. In the high waves and no longer
having the experience of being weightless, she
struggled back onto the rocking boat. When they
were all on board and on their way, the spiritual
significance of what she had just experienced hit her.
Once again tears began to stream down her face. This
time they were not tears of fear, but tears of
realization.
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
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4
Rachel realized that what had happened to her
during the hour of her dive is always taking place,
spiritually speaking. Jose was in the role of God and
God is always holding our hand. We are always
drifting through the most extraordinarily beautiful
reality--beauty beyond what any of us could possibly
conceive. And this is happening at the same time that
on the surface the seas may be rough and
overwhelming.
Is Rachels story the same as the disciples in the
boat with Jesus? In Jesus and Mastership, James
Morgan gives us the following description as if told
by Jesus personally. I was awakened by the
disciples who were frightened by the high waves and
the sudden storm. I looked at the boiling clouds and
felt Gods loving, peaceful power flowing through
me. I raised my hand and said to the storm, Peace,
peace, be still, and sent the power of God love
toward the storm clouds. The winds abated and the
waves subsided to their usual calm.
Then I turned to the men and said: Where is your
faith in the protecting presence of God? Do you not
know that nothing harmful can come to us as long as
we are firm in our faith in God? God love is a
protecting shield that will ward off all that is not for
your good. As His love is sent forth, it will calm all
storms and cause them to disperse when it is
accompanied and backed by firm faith in God. There
is nothing that cannot be overcome with God love and
faith. All life will be calm, harmonious, fruitful and
happy when it is founded on God love and faith.

We don't always feel safe. But when we are afraid,
if we can allow ourselves to stand in the sunlight of
God's loving presence it can help us face our fears
and experience more truly how good life is. If we
draw on the spiritual love and wisdom that is God, we
will overcome our fears and find the joy of our
passions fulfilled as well.

God bless you,

Rev. Art Holt, Upward Bound Journal
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
God Is...
What does God have to do with a rusty old cast iron railroad
wheel? On the surface, not much, but if we consider the wheel as a
metaphor, a thought comes to mind. Look at the rim and imagine
it as the total of all things spiritual and religious. Perhaps we can
think of the rim as the allness of God. The spokes, then, become
symbolic of the many paths to God; all the religious faiths, such as
Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, etcetera. That leaves the
middle, the hub, as symbolic of all us folks, religious and secular
together, rolled up as one. From the center looking out we may
have divergent views of what we imagine as God, but it also shows
that all religions worship God, each from their own perspective.
Paradoxically, when we seek the presence of God, individually, we turn within, to the center of our being. But
when we understand the omnipresence of God, it is not surprising that we find God in the center as well as the
rim. Where did the Apostle Paul say God was to be found? Within us, not out there somewhere but within.
Christ in you, your hope of glory.
In addition, consider the spokes as symbolic of the many ways that God expresses, such as life, love,
health, abundance, beauty, forgiveness, and grace. The wheel also suggests the physical reality that the whole
is the sum of its parts. Think of the ocean; drops of water, the accumulative sea and the immense shore line.
Expand that idea to infinity. Infinity cannot be infinite if any of the finite parts are missing. You and I are
finite, like the drops of water; God is infinite, as endless as the circle of the wheels rim, without a beginning or
ending. As individuals, we are part of the whole; thus we too are endless, eternal.
The wheel may rust and fall apart over time, but the iron that has been cast to make the wheel doesnt
disappear, it returns to the earth and appears in other forms such as the iron we need for our bodies that comes
from fruits and vegetables. And on and on the metaphor goes.
With God, I Have the Feeling of Coming
Home, At Last

As you turn within and relax with a slow
deep breath, realize that Gods Presence is
not isolated to just one place, but everywhere
you can possibly be. Gods Presence is with
you everywhere you go, from the deck of a
cruise ship far out to sea, to the top of the
atmosphere where you may be flying from
one end of the country to the other. No
matter where you are, you merely have to
turn your attention to your conscious
awareness that you are not alone, and from
deep within you will begin to feel a personal
sense of well being. At that moment you will
know that you have found the loving presence
of your creator. Peace of mind will fill you, like
a room that is filled with the soft light of just
one single candle.
If you like, you can go to that room right
now, in your imagination. Just breathe in that
simple awareness of Gods loving Presence.
Feel that peaceful sense of well being. Feel
the comfort of a loving embrace, holding you
and giving you the strength to be just what
you were created to be. Let the light grow,
from the glowing ember of just a single
candle, to the warmth of the morning
sunshine filling the room with a golden
splendor.
This is a sacred room, a 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 for just a moment or two, a
place where you can just be...just be who you
are. This is the room that feels like you have
come home again, a place where you are
always welcome...and welcomed in all ways. 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 right now.
But it might also be the home you have
always dreamed about, or the feeling of home
you have searched your life to find. It might be
the feeling of coming home at last, that you
may have felt the first time you came into a
church 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
acceptance...to heal any pain you might have
suffered...to 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.

And so, feeling totally at peace, you
prepare to return to your conscious
awareness by shifting your attention back to
your breathing, and to your feelings of
gratitude for this time apart in the silence.
Thank You, God. Thank You for being with
us, for being a part of us, a part that we can
reach whenever we need to know Your
presence. Thank You, God, for the growing
awareness of the abundance of blessings
that You have provided throughout our lives.
Thank You for the loving friendships that
make our lives so worthwhile. And Thank You,
especially Lord, for the sanctuary of our
Spiritual Home where we can be with You,
whenever we turn within, here in the silence.

And so it is
Amen.
M E D I T A T I O N
5
6
Words to live by: We are guided by our knowledge
that our thoughts and words create our reality. Let us acknowledge
another word that will impact our lives in wonderful ways if we give it
its proper due. The word... Opportunity!
In the last issue we presented the Law of Attraction;
powered by our thoughts and our words we guide our
lifes experience attracting the objects of our attention. In
simple terms the Law of Attraction is like Henry Fords
famous words: Whether you think you can or think you
cant, youre right!

After the issue was published some additional clarity
and insight occurred to me that I believe needs to be
shared with you. And so...
It is my opinion that the Law of Attraction does not
create an end-result; it does not create a simple
manifestation of our thoughts, directly. I believe that the
universe responds to our thoughts by providing us with
opportunities for their fulfillment. Therefore, it is how we
use our free will in responding to our opportunities that
determines the end-result.
Perhaps for a totally enlightened being, a thought can
be instantly manifested in the physical realm, as Jesus did
in feeding the 5000. But for the rest of us, there is just
enough doubt or disbelief to make the Law of Attraction a
two-step process. Thats where Opportunity comes in.
Otherwise, anyone who desired to win the lottery would
win it without ever buying a lottery ticket.
An opportunity is like a door on your lifes path that is
slightly ajar, its up to you to open and go through the
doorway to get to the place you seek.
The church music staff at Unity of Naples wanted to
use music to attract new people from the community and
make some money for the church. Their opportunity
came very quickly in the form of a member who also had
a desire. He wanted to use the church to host a jazz
concert series. He would arrange for the musicians and
even help provide the marketing efforts. The result was a
huge success.
They had six concerts that first year, brought in
hundreds of people from the community who had never
even heard of Unity, and made enough money to pay for a
large portion of the rebuilding of Fellowship Hall. They
called the concert series Raising the Roof and if you
had been there the night a seventeen piece big band
played with all their gusto, you would have thought
raising the roof was a literal manifestation. That was ten
years ago and the Naples church is still hosting jazz and
big band music once a month every snow-bird season.
Their desires went out into the universe and the
universe responded with a talented and dedicated
individual leader and a flock of professional jazz
musicians. They had an opportunity, and working
together they manifested the desires of the church, the
musicians, and the community.
What we have to remember is that the Law of
Attraction is a wonderful law and it works for
everyone, all the time. It brings in people, places and
things to help fulfill your dreams. It can also bring
challenges and struggles. It all depends on what is
going on in your mind, your heart and your activities.
Either way you will be presented with opportunities for
fulfillment, but not the fulfillment itself. Your
opportunity may be so subtle it is hard to see as
relevant or it might be so obvious you simply cant
miss it. It takes an open mind, being alert and an
expectation that the opportunities will come. And then
it takes action on your part. You can accept or reject
the opportunity, but the way you respond will
determine what the manifestation will be.
Charles Fillmore wrote in his book, Prosperity,
these simple words: It is not sufficient to sit down and
hold thoughts without further effort. That is limiting
the law to thought alone, and we want it to be fulfilled
in manifestation as well. Cultivating ideas of
abundance is the first step in the process. The idea that
comes must be used. Be alert in doing whatever comes
to you to do, cheerful and competent in the doing, sure
of the results, for it is the second step in the fulfillment
of the law. We are created to be doers as well as
thinkers. We begin with the formative power of
thought, but we must follow through with appropriate
action. Our thoughts do not bring things, they bring
opportunities, and our opportunities are to be followed.
God created humankind with a special gift, the gift
of Free Will, an ability to choose: good from evil, love
from anger, faith from fear, right from wrong, and
opportunities from temptations. Free Will is a precious
gift, how we use it determines the path we will walk,
called life.

If you would like to probe the Law of Attraction
more thoroughly, I suggest you consider a six week
home study course now being offered via email by one
of my minister colleagues, the Reverend Lauren
McLaughlin. The course is called Living the Life
You Choose to LiveThe Secret to The Secret.
Rev. McLaughlins email address is:
godbless@tampabay.rr.com. When you email her
mention you were sent by Upward Bound Journal. I
think youll find the course quite worthwhile.
Richest blessings

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U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L LL L
Dear Friends and Supporters,

The time has come for our once-a-year
subscription and fund raising effort from the
loyal readers of Upward Bound Journal.
To be able to continue writing and publishing our
bi-monthly Journal requires financial support, and
we believe a once-a-year request is enough when
everyone participates.
All donations are fully tax deductible and will
be both welcomed and appreciated by Upward
Bound. A donation should be whatever amount
is meaningful to you. It means we can continue
writing, photographing and printing to fulfill our
purpose to enrich and transform lives.
We hope to build and enhance our Upward
Bound website, making electronic copies of all 28
issues of UBJ available online. Our goal is to
provide a copy to every person who wants one.
Your support for our publishing ministry is all
we need to keep on going.
Every time we receive a donation for Upward
Bound, we have a realization that were doing
something worthwhile for someone besides
ourselves. As a result, we rededicate our efforts to
make the next issue better than the last, our
words more meaningful, and our photographs
more appropriate. We hope the it shows. Thank
you one and all.
For those who have already sent a check, we
extend our sincere thanks and richest blessings.
Rev. Arthur Holt,
Unity Minister

Dottie Holt,
Licensed Unity Teacher




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

Our purpose: 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 check our website:
www.upwardboundjournal.com.
Upward Bound Journal is of Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
Upward Bound of Unity, Inc. is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3),
charitable corporation registered in the State of Florida, therefore
your gifts are fully tax deductible.
Member: Association of Unity Churches International, SunCoast Unity
Ministers Association, and affiliated with: Unity School of Christianity
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Upward Bound Journal
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He makes me lie down in green pastures He makes me lie down in green pastures He makes me lie down in green pastures He makes me lie down in green pastures; ;; ;
He leads me beside the still waters; He leads me beside the still waters; He leads me beside the still waters; He leads me beside the still waters;
He restores my soul. He restores my soul. He restores my soul. He restores my soul.
- -- - Psalm 23:2 Psalm 23:2 Psalm 23:2 Psalm 23:2- -- -3 33 3