by L.A. Baldwin
reprinted by permission of the author.

"Why is this happening to me?”

"Wow, I must have done something great to deserve this!”

"I'm good person, I didn't deserve this!”

“Yeah, right. Well, I've never done a good thing in my life, and my bank account is bulging!”

These remarks are all familiar statements of life's circumstances; statements we have either made ourselves, or heard others make. They are verbal expressions of our perceptions of an ongoing experience; however, whether we perceive the experience as fair or unfair, right or wrong, good or bad, it's all just experience -- the form and substance of one's individual reality.

Individual reality, is shaped by the individual. It is the direct outcome of the individual's personal belief-systems, and what that Soul desires to understand, and through understanding know. Knowing, is gained through understanding, and understanding is gained through experience. Aware of this, the Soul arranges it's experiences through lavish self-provision of the things (tangible and intangible) that are essential in it's quest for understanding, and knowledge. How does the Soul do this, and what tools does it use? Let's tour the special combination of energies, labeled “home”, and see what we discover.

Home is simply a concept (or idea) which, by means of thought-energy, and in accordance with one's prevailing belief-systems, assumes not only physical form, but the incorporeal emotional form as well. Our individual concepts of home, include a countless number of diverse energies.

On the physical level, these energies may include: big, small, austere, grandiose, natural, mechanized, wooden, bricked, rented, owned, and so forth. On the emotional level, the energies denoting home may range from: security, peace, warmth, and privacy -- to entrapment, fear, violence, and loneliness. Each, of these descriptions, is representative of a certain type of energy which we, in our higher knowing, need to experience.

Whatever our home concept requirements may be; the opportunities to have those requirements met, are provided through the limitless, infinitely creative thought-energy, that we, as this same energy, wield. Our homes are our own private “little universes”.

We arrange these private universes, according to our wants and needs. While we are consciously aware of some of these wants and needs, others remain outside of our conscious awareness, known only to the Soul's “higher self”.

Proceeding then, with our tour, the first thing we discover is that the physical portion of the private universe we call home, is composed of a collection of smaller universes, referred to as “rooms”. We also discover that each room has been designated to serve us in a specific manner, for specific purposes. We observe the remarkable forethought given to equipping each room with numerous, specialized “tools” designed solely to assist us in fulfilling the distinct purpose of each room. Each room possesses the correct physical tools, and emotional energies, to promote the accomplishment of our desires.

What desires are we endeavoring to fulfill this evening? For the sake of simplicity, let's imagine we've just arrived home from work. We're exhausted, and irritable from a particularly difficult, seemingly endless day's work. Our most pressing desire, at the moment, is to rest, relax, and be entertained for an hour or two.

Again, for simplicity's sake, let's partially tour just my home, for now. (If you choose to tour your home in the manner following, I'm sure you'll find this playful exercise, both entertaining, and enlightening.) On entering my home by way of the back-door, we notice we're standing in a small room called the Pantry. What types of energy does this room suggest to us? What sort of tools are provided in this room, to assist us in achieving the purpose we've designated for the Pantry? Shelves, cleaning supplies, and a broom, perhaps? Remember: physical tools are also energy, or thought-forms. Do the energies in this room make us feel active, relaxed, comforted, angry, playful, or productive? Do the energies forming this room lend themselves to the attainment of our desire to rest, relax, and be entertained? Or, has another room been designated for that purpose? Let's see.

Moving on, we make a quick left, a sharp right, and enter a room containing a bulky, white, metallic cube, on top of which sits, an assortment of shiny, cylindrical metal objects. Each metal object is filled with tantalizing, sizzling, steaming energies; enticing to our nose and eyes, and surprising us with the reminder that energy has an aroma. As wonderful as this energy is, is it the energy we're looking for? It might be soon, but not quite yet.

We continue our search, and enter a room containing a sizable dinner table, neatly encircled by several rigid, uncomfortable-looking chairs. Gleaming, disk-like objects, each flanked by narrow, silvery, pointed objects, adorn the tabletop. What types of energy compose this room? Similar to what we're looking for, although still not precisely right for the realization of our current desire? I agree.

Continuing our tour, we walk under an archway into another room. Occupying the full length of the wall to our left, crouches a long, rectangular, cushioned object that whispers a silent invitation to enter, sit, and relax. With an almost reverent gratitude, we our tired bodies on the welcoming cushions, and gaze thoughtfully around the room.

Against the opposite wall, leans a towering, multi-compartmented, wooden creation It's symmetrical design, comprised of shelves and cubbyholes, accommodates a strange array of electronic boxes. This wooden construction is appropriately named, the Entertainment Center! Do the tools in this room lend themselves to the achievement of our desires? Are the energies of this room, and the tools it contains, representative of relaxation and entertainment? It sure feels that way to me; so now, our only problem is deciding which electronic box we want activate first.

The day by day, minute by minute, creative arrangement of our life-experience takes place in the same manner that we create, and arrange the private universes our homes represent. Every experience that we wade, leap, dance, or crawl through, may be thought of as -- just another room in the vast mansion of our eternal existence. When there is something we desire to understand, begin the creation of a room (opportunity, or situation); supplying, and sustaining it with the proper tools (emotions), through which learning, understanding, and knowing can occur.;

Everything we experience is lovingly, wisely Self-created according to our thoughts. Thought, which becomes Interest -- curiosity, the fuel for the soul's endless exploration in understanding, and knowledge. Interest, which becomes Desire -- to experience the Interest. Desire, which becomes Intent -- to act on the Desire. Intent, which becomes Action -- thought in motion. Action, which becomes whatever situation is needed, in order to allow Desire to be fulfilled. In fulfilling Desire, Thought becomes manifest, a physical reality through which we experience the Thought. When the Thought is experienced, Interest is satisfied, and the driving force of the soul's existence -- to Know, is fulfilled.

Our experiences are created also, in accordance with whatever our current belief-systems will allow us to create. If, for example, our belief-systems include demons and dragons, then sooner or later, in one way or another, we'll experience a dragon. This, then becomes our reality, because we have allowed it's creation through our belief-systems. If, on the other hand, we do not like our experience; if we desire to change a situation, it is necessary to alter our belief-systems. To alter our belief- systems, we must know, and understand them. To accomplish this, we must the absolute, creative power of our thoughts.

If we discover this: it is our Thoughts which are the true source of our emotional reactions; emotion is set in motion by our Personal Response to a situation, and not by the situation itself. In understanding this discovery, could we logically conclude that we are in control of our emotional responses? And, if we are in control, would it then be reasonable to assume -- that what we control, we can also use (as any tool is used) -- deliberately, with full consciousness understand, and transform our present life-experience?

We are what we believe. We are what we think. We are the sum total of everything we have ever experienced. Thought, Interest, Desire, Intent, Action -- and Energy, the true form, not only five, but of all that exists -- are the Keys to all Creation.