Amazing Myrtle!

The assignment for our final blog is to do a comparative analogy of our first week verses our last week of discovering Myrtle.  We are to divulge the epiphanies and theological interpretations we have discovered on this journey.

When I look back at my initial theological snapshot, I realize I was just reciting facts, my basic understanding of Myrtle. I had barely skimmed the surface of the deep waters I was about to dive into.  In my initial assessment, I said Myrtle was one of the co founders of the Unity Movement.  After reading more about Myrtle’s methodology and theology, I may venture onto a limb here to say that my understanding has changed.  I believe Myrtle was the head and heart of this organization. If I had not taken this course I don’t know if I would have known just how much so.  I enjoyed discovering more on Myrtle’s background, her worldviews and her rational and logical reasoning, which eventually led to the unfoldment of the Unity Movement.

How was Myrtle so impactful?  Myrtle is the one who decided to apply all the theories she had on healing cells in her body.  Myrtle is the one who discovered prayer worked for her and others came to Myrtle because they recognized the healing work she was doing and it worked. It was not until Myrtle began to substantiate her healing abilities that Charles began to pay attention. It was Myrtle who stepped out in Faith and ventured into the unknown. It was truly Myrtle who began to understand the way Christ Nature moved in and through us.  Myrtle began to shift her thoughts. She was able to claim knowledge through her Christ Consciousness when she affirmed Truth first for herself and then for others.

Given the time frame in which Unity began, women were not as respected as the male gender, therefore I believe that the Unity Movement gained momentum once Charles jumped on board with Myrtle’s teachings. I believe that the only way Myrtle’s ideologies/theology would have been heard would have been for her to prove to others that her beliefs on healing, affirmations, denials, salvation, regeneration and connecting to source were true.  Once Myrtle had her husband’s blessing I believe others began to listen. I could be making this all up but this seems to be rational from my point of view.

Myrtle was passionate about prayer, which I acknowledged in week one. What I didn’t acknowledge in week one was that Myrtle lovingly encouraged others to pray not only to God but also as if they were God.  Remember our varying thoughts on this in week two?   Well, my thoughts on this have changed. Once I began reading more about Myrtle. I believe Myrtle saw God as both. A God within and a God outside herself.  It would seem pretty apparent that at times we might need to recognize a God outside ourselves because we can do all things through him who strengthens us. 

I believe that Myrtle recognized her God given faculties in the silence when she would convene with God and become one in complete recognition and harmony with the source of all that is. I said the following in week one and I believe this is pretty significant and my views have not changed on this. “Myrtle described how God’s love continued to bless her and she was certain that God would bestow that blessing on them as well if they took the time to enter into the silence, then they would know how great God’s love for them was.”

Myrtle the metaphysician.

This week’s assignment is to scan Myrtle’s response letters and find one that really speaks to us.  Once we have found that letter we are to break it down and do a critical analysis of the problem she addresses and the theology employed in her response. 

In Myrtle Fillmore's Healing Letters, I used a letter found in the section entitled To Truth Teachers.  It begins in my book on page 127 and it starts out with God in the midst of you is a tower of strength and stability.  Myrtle having grown up Methodist would have heard the words “strong tower” over and over again due to John Wesley’s teachings.  John taught his followers to look to God who was a tower of strength and when they did that, in that strong tower they would find protection and peace. [1] That is one place I find Myrtle’s embedded theology and I believe she adapted this to encompass her own beliefs.  As John Wesley was probably speaking of an outside God, Myrtle took established beliefs and applied it to her own beliefs, which involves the God we find within.  I believe in this particular letter, Myrtle is addressing someone who has concerns about their study group.  Perhaps the teacher is not connecting to the students.  I get the feeling that the teacher has been doing everything they were taught to do.  I get this impression from these words from Myrtle: “Sometimes our attention becomes so engrossed in the things we are trying to do that we forget to unify ourselves consciously with the source of our being.”  Myrtle goes on to remind the teacher that they have all the powers within them and when they draw on those powers and become one with the Spirit of God.  When one with God a realization occurs that empowers and stirs activity into motion.

It would seem that the teacher was having some difficulties with some of the students as Myrtle affirms for the teacher that “instead of looking out and seeing the sense evidences, or listening to the complaints or the woes or the trials of those gathered to witness the Truth, look directly and with undivided attention to God the good.”

Myrtle always presented as a friend to people.  When they sought understanding and advice they found the support they needed in the words that came from Myrtle.  I remember reading somewhere that there were so many people writing to Myrtle that at some point she could no longer personally respond to every letter that was written to her.  Others were brought in to assist Myrtle in attending to all the correspondence.  He response letters that were not written by Myrtle drew some controversy and people began requesting personal response letters from Myrtle.  Can you blame them?  Myrtle had a way with people.  She was firm and loving. She spoke Truth and people respected her. Myrtle could see in them what they couldn’t see in themselves and she would affirm for them those Truths.  Myrtle radiated Love.  She knew that the Spirit of God dwells within each of us and she could find that glimmer of Truth and expand that into Christ consciousness for that individual. Myrtle would tell people she saw the Christ within them and she would affirm that Truth for them knowing ultimately it was up to the individual to recognize that Truth for themselves.   

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[1] www.books.google.com. The works of the reverend John Wesley,a.m. JohnWesley

Healing with Myrtle

In this week’s blog we are to discuss the theological roots of Myrtle's methodologies and explore her fundamental thoughts on healing.

I located a very helpful tool to analyze the six functions of Myrtle’s theology in Dr. Tom’s book Glimpses of Truth.  It is my belief that all of these methodologies apply to Myrtle. I see Myrtle had to wrestle with the same demons we wrestle with today… Our personal biases, beliefs and embedded theology.  Myrtle struggled to understand and grow in her own faith and when she learned and discovered something that worked for her she began applying it in her life. 

Dr. Tom references six functions of theology and they are:

1.   Ongoing re-interpretation of faith. (Myrtle did this when she recognized the potential to heal herself.  What she had been doing was no longer working and new thoughts and a rise in consciousness sparked something in her.)

2.   Provide critical analysis of religious ideas. (These were ideas Myrtle found to be of use and those ideas, which Myrtle found to not be useful.)

3.   Integration of religious ideas with everyday life. (Myrtle gained perspective and she began applying Truth teachings to her everyday life; this included prayer, affirmations and denials.)

4.   Establish dialogue within the theological circle. (Myrtle did this when she engaged in conversations with people like Emma Curtis Hopkins and Emilie Cady)

5.   Interpretation of symbolism. (Myrtle translated her knowledge and experiences both on a personal level and on a collective level as well.)

6.   Raise new issues and suggest answers. (Myrtle surely did this. In studying Myrtle, I have begun questioning variances on my embedded theology and I’m assuming others in this class have been experiencing that as well.  It appears Myrtle did her job as a theologian.)

It was as though Myrtle had read Dr. Tom’s book or better yet… Dr. Tom recognized the methodology he observed in Myrtles work.

So how does all this relate to Myrtle’s thoughts on healing? In quick summary, Myrtle took what she knew to be true and used it to grow in her understanding of Truth.  Myrtle then applied her new understanding and put it into action. In torch-bearer to light the way, the author tells us that after Myrtle healed herself others began to seek Myrtle out for healings as well. A quote author Neal Vahle located in a letter Myrtle wrote, sums things up well. “God knows how to work to relieve us and to heal us, when our faith is centered within, and when we decide to accept and make use of His help.”  Myrtle believed that healing happened not just in the physical body but also in the psychological and spiritual realms as well.  Myrtle helped raise the consciousness levels so that they were attuned to harmonious alignment with Truth.  My guess is Myrtle didn’t know what she was doing when she started doing healings for others but she held firm to the Truth that worked for her and in doing that others were  also healed.

It should be noted that although people sought Myrtle out for healing she expected them to do work themselves.  Myrtle encouraged people to do their own work in aligning the spirit, body and soul.  One quote Myrtle uses is found in Rom. 12:2) “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” Myrtle tells us how to do this. We are to pray and speak Truth.  “To speak Truth is a healing stream.  Pure reasoning is a healing stream; its strengthening flow makes all crooked places straight. (HLG 45)  Pure and simple! 

Myrtle did not believe that she had some magical powers to heal people and she said it best with these words

God is the health; God is the Spirit which stirs into righteous activity the power of the soul and of the body, which results in what we know as health.  We as separate persons, off here away from you, do not claim to do the healing.  It is God in the midst of you which does the work. And the part we take in the healing is an acknowledgement of the omnipresence—one presence everywhere, and all—of God.

This is what I believe sums up Myrtle’s thoughts on healing.  I’m sure there is more to uncover as we continue to study her work.

Transcending Death Via Regeneration...

This week’s assignment has us discussing our views on Myrtle’s theology as a result of her beliefs on regeneration.  What does it mean to me and how does it affect the Unity Movement as a whole. What does it look like moving into the 21^st century?

On a scale of 1-10 I believe my views on Myrtle’s theology changed by at least a 6 on an increasing number scale.  Why you ask?  Myrtle was right on the money in my opinion when she accepted truth into her own mind.  As such Myrtle was able to regenerate all the cells of her being to cure her tuberculosis. Myrtle had a strong foundational belief in a holistic connection. 

We have to make our whole connection, spirit, soul, body, the wholeness—the holiness is in getting them all together—all working in harmony. But we are forgetting this and seeing you connected all the way through and one with the all-supplying stream of life and substance and power and love and light. HL 126

Myrtle believed that regeneration was God’s activity and eternal Truth.  Since we have the ability to get our thoughts in alignment we have the ability to manifest the Truth not only in consciousness but in the physical realm as well.

Manifesting regeneration in the physical realm… Let’s talk about this.  Myrtle was able to heal herself.  Myrtle was able to teach others about the Truths she learned herself and as such others too found they were able to heal themselves when they practiced Truth in Christ Consciousness. I understand this concept and I believe this to be true however to a point…  There is a something that appears to be a little woo woo to me when Myrtle talks about transcending death for regeneration.  Without ever having talked to anyone else about my ideas I’m just taking a stab in the dark here but this is probably where other Unity Ministers and I too may draw the line.  Until regeneration of the whole physical body can be proven I can’t accept this to be Truth.  Myrtle chose to leave the physical realm and did not even try to utilize the Truth she believed in.  When I read about Myrtles transitional time I have to say that I was disappointed to find that she seemingly changed her ideas at the end.  When Myrtle began to tell people that she could work better from the other side well that seemed like a cop out to me.  We are taught in Unity that we need to walk or walk and talk our talk.  Maybe I missed something here but I don’t think I am completely on board with or not understanding fully Myrtles concept on regeneration.    

The concept of regeneration was a key factor in the beliefs held by the Fillmore’s. There are some concerns one may have about regeneration especially in proving to people that regeneration is possible.  People in general are skeptics and they will not believe things that cannot be proven. Myrtle was healed and others could see and they believed.  We in Unity cannot prove the body has the ability to regenerate completely and transcend death.  As a result, it should be of no surprise to anyone that like most Unity Ministers I would probably choose to avoid this subject.  Myrtle’s beliefs have been documented and I don’t agree with regeneration to point of transcending death.