Gems – A Spiritual Perspective
Welcome to the Portal of discovering your in-built, innate spirituality – practical, feasible and such fun to live! Here’s to discovering your inborn beauty… just like it is drawn out from a gem.
A while ago, I visited a friend who from early childhood would accompany his father to his factory, and learn how diamonds are cut, shaped, chiseled, etc. I myself learned a lot about a “diamond” that day – its birth, growth and maturity.
Since then, I have been thinking a lot about myself, my identity and the concept of “chiseling”. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘chisel’ means to cut and shape a diamond or any other stone, giving it shape, form or identity so that it is attractive, draws attention and finally invites the seeker to fall in love with its purity, beauty, shape, size and so on. And voila, a sale is made, which satisfies both the seller and the buyer.
So what does the above have to do with us? Everything, I think. My favourite author Mary Baker Eddy wrote over a hundred years ago, and I quote from her main work ‘Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures’, page 248, which is so relevant today:
“We are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it?”
“We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love - the kingdom of heaven reign within us, ..................”
Practicing the above on a day-to-day basis in relation to my “thought process” or the way I think about a situation has always brought a harmonious solution to problems – big or small.
Just think for a moment – We, i.e. you and I are all sculptors and we can form perfect models in thought. We can begin now. For e.g., we can bring purity to our thinking by forgiving, refusing to be resentful , hateful or wanting to settle scores by taking revenge. We will be contributing to the perfection, harmony and purity we want to see in others and a tiny bit of selfishness would give way to unselfishness. I love these experiences and I know you will too, so, begin now!
Take Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Christ Jesus – They all learned to refine their thinking and action and form perfect models in thought. The purity of their thoughts made them shine. The gems that we buy and use today practice a similar kind of patience, tolerance, kindness and forgiveness. We have learned how to bring their innate beauty to the fore. There’s as much enjoyment in bringing out our own.
Neera Kapur, CSB, is a Christian Science Practitioner and Teacher and divides her time between Mumbai and the Philippines where she teaches.