How Much Good Can I Have?

“Here and now, we are surrounded by, and immersed in, an Infinite Good. How much of this Infinite Good is ours? ALL OF IT! And how much of it may we have to use? AS MUCH OF IT AS WE CAN EMBODY.” Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind, page 50.

This is probably my favorite quote from Ernest Holmes, the founder of the philosophy of Science of Mind. It’s a simple, powerful statement, perfect for Facebook memes and wall hangings. Yet we can, and do, teach entire classes on the deep subjects contained within. What did Dr. Holmes mean by and Infinite Good? How do we decide which Good is ours to claim and to use? And how on Earth do we embody something?

Embodiment is different than intellectual understanding. You can’t get it from books. You can’t decide, “Today, I’m going to embody abundance.” It doesn’t work like that. Embodiment, instead, sneaks up on you after an extended period of dedicated spiritual practice and daily contemplation. One day you realize that you have embodied a Principle, that your primary thoughts on a given topic are aligned with your professed values. Over time, all those prayers, meditations and affirmations have slowly changed both your mind and your heart. And as deeply as we can open our heart, that’s how much Good we can embody and experience in our own lives.