I AM, or Christ Presence within us, is searching for ways to be revealed to our consciousness, and the best method we can use to remain attuned to the Presence is meditation. Some people call it "practicing of the presence of God". Others call it "the silence", but, basically, they are talking about the same thing. Charles Fillmore defined "the silence" as "a state of consciousness entered into for the purpose of putting man in touch with Divine Mind so that the soul may listen to the 'still small voice.'" This needs to be our main goal.

If we find that our minds become restless as we seek to enter the silence (and it often happens with beginners), let us not battle against our restless thoughts, trying to cast them out. It will make our consciousness even more restless and tense. Rather, let us try to bring each thought that comes to our mind into the light of Christ qualities, of I AM qualities.

Centering of our thought on God's qualities keeps our minds from aimless wandering, which may distract us from the true purpose of meditation. I would like to share with you certain ideas that I personally use as I seek to recognize God's presence. Again, these are not rules, but suggestions. You are free to use them if you find them useful, or to choose something better.

God is Life.

As we enter into meditation, we may start with a thought: "Divine Life, be manifested in me! I claim and accept it now."

Truth and life are not separated from each other. They are one, essentially and fundamentally one. Therefore, our search for the Truth is not an intellectual analysis of life processes from a distance. We know the Truth when we live the Truth, when we find ourselves in the midst of the great stream of Life which always carries our forward to the fulfillment of divine destiny.

One of my favorite affirmations is "I am fully alive". It is my goal, and I know that it is the goal of every person, although they may not be aware of it. People's concepts of what life is, certainly, are different, but God is consistently working on them, bringing them into maturity.

God creates living, growing, emerging things - and only they are real. All restrictions to Life process has to be removed, sooner or later. They will not persist, for life has no opposites. The fullness of life is our divine birthright.

God is Love.

As we enter into meditation, we may start with a thought: "Divine Love, be manifested in me! I claim and accept it now."

God is Love, and as the Bible clearly points so many times, there is a direct proportion between person's knowledge of God (and God's Truth), and expression of love.

First, we need to love ourselves unconditionally. Then, we will be able to extend love to others. We simply cannot love others more than we love ourselves, because we see others only through "lenses" of our heart and mind. If they are darkened by guilt, condemnation, and other sorts of negativity, our vision of others will be darkened as well.

But how can we deal with our feelings of self-condemnation and self-criticism?

Let us recognize the fact that our self-criticism is nothing but ignorant and misdirected urge for growth and development. We want more of ourselves, but we mistakenly think that it may be achieved through self-belittlement and self-humiliation. But, in a process of battling with ourselves, we deny our true, divine nature. We pretend to be less than we really are. We deny God of our being. How, then, can we successfully unfold? It becomes impossible.

Let us realize that all things within us are for the reason and purpose. God makes no mistakes. Some things that we may consider "evil", will mature and bring forth good fruits. Others will be transmuted into something different. But all God's work within us is governed by love. Cooperating with God, let us love ourselves unto wholeness - and into growth.

"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16).