It Is Within

Today we shall think on “It Is Within.” We are told the kingdom of God is not coming as to be observed, nor do they say, “Lo, here it is,” or “There.” For the kingdom of God, it is within. Can we take this literally? I am a man of sheer faces. I see the room; everything I see seems completely independent of my perception of it. Is it really within me? When Blake said, “All that you behold, though it appears without, it is within, in your own imagination, of which that world of mortality is but a shadow” — is that true? Basically, in this vast, enormous world, is the human imagination the only thing big enough to contain the immensity of space? Then is the human imagination one with the presence we call God? I identify God with human imagination. Is one with the presence we call God? I identify God with human imagination. I mean, doing so, I close the gap between God and man. Now, if all things are possible to God, I should be able to test this theory. If God truly is my imagination, and all things are possible to him, I should be able to test it. And we are called to want to test it, to test yourself and see. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in thee? Unless, of course, you fail to meet the test. But how to meet the test? How should I go about making the test?1154 ¶1

Well, first of all, I’m going to ask of you what I’d ask any group I address. Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, “Let him who is taught share all good things with him who teaches.” Now Paul was not asking for any earthly goods that will keep one of them here. He was asking them to share with him the results of their experiments, but he, in turn, could take their stories and tell it to others to encourage their faith. So I’m going to ask you to test it, and then share with me the results of your testimony — not only that, your dreams, your visions. I would like to hear them, for that’s how God reveals himself to himself in man. We are told, “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.”1154 ¶2

Now this is what a friend of mine did here recently. This man, I must tell you, is a very successful — I would say — businessman. He’s a writer, but he’s always busy writing for pictures, writing for TV, and his income is enormous. He never misses a meeting in L.A. And here recently he sent me this letter. He said, you’ve asked me to share with you any experience of mine, such as a vision, a dream, or my practical down-to-earth experiences in the application of this principle. More like a dream. Yet first of all, I must preface the dream — I could be better appreciated if I was familiar with Berkeley Square. This will be better if I was familiar with Berkeley Square, where the central character tries to convince the girl that he can move from one century to another, say the 20th century to the 18th century. And then he flattens it to some one river, and his destination is around the bend. His present is where he is, on the boat. His future is around the bend. His present is where he is, on the boat. His future is around the bend. But someone elevated above the earth, having a view of both sides of the river, would see the man’s future and his present as present. Where that man is going, and where he is, would be present to the one elevated.1154 ¶3

For he said: “My dream began in this manner. I was the observer from above. I looked down, and I saw infinite possibilities of man. You couldn’t conceive of a plot, whether you thought of a tragedy, or some glorious plot, some horrible thing, or some marvelous thing — but every conceivable plot that man could ever conceive, everyone was present, worked in the most minute detail. And strangely enough, they were all contained in a prone man. Here is the form of a prone man. Now, you should not ask me how infinite states of consciousness, infinite possibilities, could be limited by the form of a man, but there it was. I’m only telling you what I experienced. And I contemplated this. It was the deadest thing I had ever seen. And yet I shouldn’t use the word dead, because something that is dead suggests it must have lived a previous life, though it is now dead. So recently I even happened to think — I looked at it, and then I began to weep. On Sunset Boulevard, out at Ralph’s Supermarket, people were on the sidewalks, there were cars on the street, but everything was frozen. But everything was frozen, three-dimensional, but frozen. And I knew that I alone could animate them. As I knew that, I myself was frozen. I looked at myself, I looked at the others, all frozen. And I knew only as I became alive would they become alive. And so I took a step, and I seemed to pass through an invisible cliff. At that very moment of taking the step, everyone became alive, and began to move — the sound, the noise, the action, everything. And I knew there was something I was trying to remember. What is it I am trying to remember? I kept on walking. I must have gone a block. It seemed like a normal walk, the kind of walk I take every day. And everything is alive and independent of me. And then I remembered. As I remembered, I turned around and looked, and changed the focus of my attention, and placed it back above. And everything once more became frozen and lifeless.”1154 ¶4

From this exalted state, I remembered — I didn’t talk to them. And for some strange reason, I wanted to speak with people. And at that moment, I found myself in the very room where a party was in progress. But they were frozen. And as I entered, I was frozen. And I wondered, am I the host, am I the guest? They all seemed to know me, and I don’t know one of them. And for a moment I panicked, for I knew the body would come to an end and I didn’t know where to go. So I remembered — I completely forgot, one second before, as I became involved in the body. Then I’m trying to remember something. I remembered the Sunset Boulevard experience. Remembering that, and how I escaped from it, I walked over to a seat, a chair. I sat down and closed my eyes, and then I changed the focus of my attention once more, placed it not here, at the party, but above. I opened my eyes, and they’re all frozen. Every one is frozen. And then I felt myself once more above. At this exalted state, I looked away down, and here is myself, on a bed. And I heard what I considered a wonderful idea. Now I know I can change, move myself from its present state into the most desirable state that I would like to experience. And then I realized how impossible that would be. From this level I can’t change any state. These states are permanent. I would have to go down and identify myself with that being, and from that level, once more, play the game.1154 ¶5

And so, at that moment, I began to awake. I’m on my bed, and I have no knowledge of the dream. To me it’s 6:30 in the morning, and I can’t conceive that I’m a dream. I went to my library and started the tape recording of your last lecture, and something you said triggered the dream, and it all came back in detail, as I’ve just told you. Then I asked, had I seen it last night, or had I seen it long, long, long ago? I don’t know. But however long it thrilled me, and so I thought I’d share it.1154 ¶6

And at the very end, to make it a light matter, he said, I went to my doctor, and he congratulated me on my rapid physical recovery, and he asked me if I’d done something, or if so, to tell him all about it. So I said, I did it all in my imagination. I imagined I was in your office, and you were saying to me exactly what you said. And then I began to explain to him how imagination works, that imagination creates reality. He said to me, in an elderly, philosophical manner, “You know, my wife thinks things like that.” Wasn’t very flattering. But he said, this is a strange experience. We were out driving recently on Sunday afternoon, and the radio was tuned in to a ball game, and this man is coming to bat, and I dislike him. And I said to my wife, “He shouldn’t be in the big league. He can’t hit, he can’t catch, and he can’t run. What right has he playing in the big league?” And she said to me, “You shouldn’t think things like that. You should think nice things about him and see him doing wonderful things.” He said, “All right, I will. I will see him hit a home run.” He steps to the plate, and the first ball pitched, he belts it into the bleachers. And then said he to his wife, “I’ll never do that again — it’s too fast.”1154 ¶7

I must tell you the lecture that triggered the memory of his dream. For here we all are, seated in this room, and we think we are here and completely this. And what his dream signifies, we will not take to heart. And yet you’re the animating power of the universe. The whole vast world is moving around you because you identify with the present state. Well, the thing he began to recall was this.1154 ¶8

I found myself in a dream, but not knowing that it was a dream. I found myself on a crowded subway train in New York City. I was talking to my friend David, but the train was literally crowded to the gunnels. I heard the voice of the conductor saying, “Please, do not press against the doors — they may spring.” But the people couldn’t help it. But in spite of the crowd, I could see distinctly, and the ladies were more beautiful than the Japanese. They were all beautiful and beautifully garbed. And I turned to my friend David. I said, “David, how can I believe — how can you believe — that all we behold, though it appears without, it is within, in our imagination, and this whole vast world is simply a shadow?” How could these lovely ladies be in need — and the train? And the train was as long as the station allowed. He agreed he couldn’t possibly, on this level, accept it. Then the train stopped and we got off. Walked up the stairs to the plaza. Then he said to me, “You’re going by the post office, aren’t you?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Do me a favor and post these letters for me.” I took the letters and said, “Are they properly stamped and addressed?” — casually, not because I was curious with his writing, just to see that they were properly stamped. I waved goodbye to him and turned in the direction of the post office, and he went the opposite direction, and I found myself waking.1154 ¶9

Were they not only me? So what conclusion can I reach? Objectivity and subjectivity are wholly determined for the individual by the level on which his consciousness is focused. On reflection, it’s subjective. When I was actually having the experience, it wasn’t subjective — it was objective. Only when I woke and reflected upon the experience did I refer to it as a subjective experience. This is now objective. Right now, you think of this room and the meeting — to you it will be a subjective experience, a memory image. So I say everything is truly within. Now you can test it. Says everything is truly within. Now you can test it. You take a dream, a daydream, or something you want for yourself, or something you want for another, and you represent to yourself a scene which truly implies the fulfillment of that dream. You like to do this, that, and the other, and so you construct a scene, any kind of a scene, that implies the fulfillment of your desire, and then, to the degree that you are self-persuaded of the reality of that imaginary act, it will become fact in your world. I could tell you a number of stories to support that claim. It’s not theory to me anymore — this is fact based upon experience.1154 ¶10

So when we are told in the Book of Luke, “the kingdom of God is within you,” you can take it literally. These garments that you and I wear are parts of the eternal structure of the universe. You are wearing the garment as an actor wears a costume. You are not the garment you wear. You are doing this for a purpose, a heavenly purpose, but you are not these garments. You are that being that my friend discovered who sees it from above, and to see this universe from above is so completely unlike what appears to be seen from this angle — it’s not this — is it at all? But you come down into this world of death for a purpose.1154 ¶11

Now, Blake made this observation, and he claims he did not write it from his conscious, reasoning mind, that the words were dictated by the spirit of love. Well, God is love. Therefore, if the spirit of love dict— for God is love, therefore, if the spirit of love dictated the words of “Jerusalem,” then is God dictated. And in this he said: those in great eternity who contemplate on love, or rather contemplate on death, say this — what seems to be, is, to those to whom it seems to be, even of torments, despair, and eternal death; but divine mercy steps beyond and redeems man in the body of Jesus. Now that’s something that man can grasp on this level, but I tell you it is true. To stand in the presence of the risen Christ and commune with him face to face and voice to voice, then to have love, his infinite love, embrace you — and as He embraces you, you fuse with Him, without loss of identity, no change in your identity, and yet you are one with the body of Christ. And then He sends you. And He can’t send you without himself, because you’re one with him. There’s no divorcement, no separation in that moment at all. So when he makes the statement, divine mercy steps beyond and redeems man in the body of Christ — so in my last little pamphlet, I made the statement that I made it from experience: that you and I are resurrected one by one to unite into a single man who is God.1154 ¶12

So here is a reflection that he saw in his dream. A man, prone, containing infinity, and the deadliest thing he’d ever seen. God places a limitation, and then takes upon himself that limitation, and reaches in this act the very limit of contraction, that he may then expand beyond what he was. He takes upon himself the limit of opacity, and then begins to expand, and there’s no limit to translucence, to transparency. This is the world called the world of death.1154 ¶13

But while we’re in it, and we ourselves are animating it, we can take any state we desire. There are an infinite number of states. You can be in a poor state or a wealthy state — you’re no better off as far as the height goes, because one is poor and one is wealthy, not with respect to your point of view. But while you’re in the world of Caesar, why not be comfortable? Why not take a state that cushions and comforts? And so you can take a state of affluence if you know what it would be like to be affluent. Assume that you are, and see the world as you would see it were it true. And then, once accepted, you leave the reality of that unseen imaginal act, and if you do, it will come to pass.1154 ¶14

Because the whole vast world really is within you. I don’t care what others will tell you — it’s all within you. I don’t care what others will tell you — it’s all within you. And anyone moving in your world knows because of you.1154 ¶15

William James made the statement that the greatest revolution in his time was the discovery that man, by changing the inner attitudes of his mind, could change the other aspects of his life. Now James belongs to our generation, yet he’s gone from the world, but he was the great educator of the 20th century, and he said the greatest revolution in his time was this discovery. Well, the great book of books, the Bible, makes that statement — not as James made it, but how would you interpret this: “Whatsoever you desire, believe that you have received it, and you will.” Isn’t that the one condition imposed upon me, or you, is to persuade self that we have it? How can I persuade myself when at the moment reason denies it and my senses deny it?1154 ¶16

But James said he could change the attitude of his mind. And there is nothing stopping you from changing your attitude towards the speaker — you may like him or dislike him. And if your dislike of him causes him to act to confirm your dislike, and you like that reaction, then keep it up. If you don’t like that reaction, you could change your attitude towards him, and he automatically and unknowingly would act in the way that you would like. And you can make any person in this world. So if I am that free, that I don’t have to get your permission to hold an opinion on you, then I can hold it regardless of you. And if I hold it and persuade myself of the reality of that opinion of you, and you conform to it, am I not free? I am free to entertain any thought, and if I am, and it produces results, well then I’m a free person, even in the world of Caesar.1154 ¶17

So here, I do hope that I have persuaded you that the whole vast world — for you seem so small and insignificant to yourself — the whole vast universe is breathing within you. And so you can take it this day and test it. You’re invited to test it. And so you can take it this day and test it. You’re invited to test it. And when you get the results, share it with me. Tell me about it. Write me a letter. Explain what you did and how it worked. And if you’re blessed this night with a vision, I would love to hear it, for God makes himself known to man in a vision, and he speaks with a man through a dream. Don’t try to interpret the dream — tell me just what happened. I’m afraid you’re not to attempt to interpret it.1154 ¶18

He told me exactly what happened, and my reaction that he was about to record triggered the memory of the dream. But of all his experiences, what lesson he was learning was this: I have forgotten, I must remember. If anyone could now persuade themselves, you’re trying to remember something — you lost the memory of it when you came this low in the scale, and you’re trying to remember. What he was trying to remember was that exalted position where he saw the whole thing as dead, when he came down into the body of death and completely forgot who he really was — that people are shocked when you tell them that we are Christ.1154 ¶19

All things run to their origins. If my origin is God, my aim must be God, as the poet said: “You see on the fields the sesamum was sesamum, the corn was corn, the silence and the darkness knew, and so is a man faithful.” If I believe what scientists tell me, that my origin is a worm, my end is a worm. If I believe in the Bible, and my origin is God, my end is God. And I don’t have to choose anymore. I know that from experience. I don’t have to speculate about the risen Christ. I don’t have to speculate about God being love. I stood in the presence of God, and he’s infinite love.1154 ¶20

I’m not bending my head when I say God is man. As Blake said, “Thou art a man, God is no more, thy own humanity learn to adore. God appears, and God is light, to those poor souls who dwell in night. But does a human form display to those who dwell in realms of day.” So here, you’re wearing the form of God. You are God. He gave you this name. And the name that he reveals to the whole past world, if you take it, is I Am. So that’s my name forever; it be known, I have been known by it throughout all generations.1154 ¶21

But we don’t stop there. We say, “I am John,” a poor John, an unknown John, an unwanted John. And these are the limitations and the restrictions we put upon the name of God. But if I would remember the name, I would know about the name, and only put upon it that which is noble, that which is free. And if I did it, I would walk in that type.1154 ¶22

So, do me a favor and try it. Try it, and I promise you from my own experience that you’ll get the results. You won’t have to hum to anyone in this world, but no one.1154 ¶23

Here’s a simple little story. Two weeks ago, just before I closed, I was about to close, and my wife said to me, “You know, here’s a little unfinished business. A friend of ours owes you some money. You’ve never asked him for it. You’ve never written. You’ve never mentioned it to anyone, but he owes you the money. You’re closing up for the entire summer, you’ll not be here until late fall. I don’t think it’s fair to him, fair to you, fair to me, that he continues indefinitely without ever mentioning the fact that he owes you the money.” I said, “All right, do you want the money?” She said, “Yes.” I said, “All right, I will do it my own way. I will not ask him for it. I will not write him for it. I will not phone him for it, but I will do it in my own way, of imagination.”1154 ¶24

So I imagined, first of all, he had the money — you can’t get it from someone who doesn’t have the money. So I first of all assumed he had it. Then I went beyond that — you can have the money and be unwilling to pay, you know; you may have millions and owe the grocery store and not pay. So I first of all saw him with money, lots of money. And then I saw him really eager to pay me. And then I received from him what he owed me. This I did on Wednesday.1154 ¶25

On Friday, the phone rang about 4:30. It was my friend. He said, “Are you busy tonight?” I said, “Yes, I’m actually — ” He said, “That’s right, it’s Friday night. Well, my wife and I will come to the meeting tonight.” I said, “It’s perfectly all right.” So we came to the meeting. After the meeting, he said, “You ride home with me, and Bill” — who’s my wife — “she’ll go home with the one who brought you.” So my wife went with him and his wife. So we went on to the parking lot, and he always drove an old jalopy, something falling apart, but I saw nothing like that in the lot. And he took me over towards this wonderful place, the new one, with everything in it that money could buy. Well, he drove me home. Our new car was under a thousand miles. Not a word was said on the way home about money. Not a word was said at home. The one who drove my wife and his wife home left about four to be — and then five minutes later, she opened her purse and said, “This is long, long overdue, but I think you’ll find it in order,” and handed me a check for $1,200. I never asked for it, never once in the five years he’s owed it to me have I breathed it, and she gave me $1,200.1154 ¶26

This is how it works. If you believe in the reality of your own wonderful imaginal acts — they came out of nowhere, and now he has money, things don’t rain for him. He’s completely out of debt and free of that feeling of owing friends money over so many, many years. So try it, and then share with me the results of your experiment.1154 ¶27

And now, I think I’m going to ask my friends, the ushers, to pass among you.1154 ¶28

Did you hear the question?1154 ¶29

Any other questions, please?1154 ¶32

Well, then let’s get off the dreams now.1154 ¶38

Any other questions?1154 ¶40