How to Find Your Infinite Potential | Rev. John Riley

So, I have a question for you. Are you feeling like there’s something that you need to be doing or there is something more? Are you getting that sense that the universe is asking you to give a little bit more, to do a little bit more, to maybe step into something new? Have any of you felt that lately? Yeah, a few of you. Yeah, we feel that there is some kind of a pull. There is something, there’s something in the air. I have been chalking it up to anxiety and stress but there is something that is calling us higher. 

The I AM in You

Well, today we’re going to be looking at the idea of lifting our consciousness, of answering that call by discovering and finding the “I AM” in you, the “I AM” in you. Now, as Jho said at the beginning of the service, the “I AM” is our second principle. It’s that idea that you have within you all of the goodness, all of that beauty, all of that energy that is of God, that there’s a place within you that is pure, that is untouched, the place within you that is — we might call it a spark of divinity. We might call it a higher consciousness. We might call it our good side. You might simply call it the Christ — But it’s that place within you that is urging you forward, that is calling you. 

So, the I AM within us, that is our infinite potential. That is the potential within us to live into that goodness, to live into that higher consciousness. That I AM within us is that call that brings us higher, that brings us closer to that divine essence. 

Raising Consciousness

Over these last few weeks, we’ve been looking at this idea of raising consciousness. We started off with the idea of emptying our cup, of letting go of all of those ideas, all of those things, all of those limiting thoughts, letting, pouring out all of our conceptions and beliefs that are limiting us so that we can have a greater understanding of this idea of God, of this idea of that divine essence within, of life. But to do that we have to make space for it and so we empty our cup. Every time we empty our cup, really — and sometimes we really have to get in there and scrub away some of those resentments that were holding on to. We’ve got to scrub away some of those fears, those ideas that are keeping us stuck, those ideas of lack and limitation. 

Every time we do, every time we empty it out, the cup gets a little bit bigger. If you don’t empty it out the cup can’t get any bigger. So, after that, we even emptied our cup around our idea about God, whatever we belief that we have about God whether it’s that dualistic nature of God out there, you know, up in the sky judging us versus what Unity teaches — that God is everywhere present and within all things and all people, that we are swimming in God and God is in us. 

A Greater Experience

And so, we empty our cup about God so that we can open ourselves just to simply have a greater experience and understanding of that which is the source of all that is, the sum and substance of all that is, that infinite intelligence, that infinite flow of life, love and wisdom. We may experience it as presence. We may experience it as love. We may experience it as an energy or simply consciousness. But for us to let go of our limitations that we put on God, that was the second step, just so that we can open up and experience more of it. 

As we go through that and as we practice those two things, we begin to shift our consciousness. We begin to shift out of the victim/victor consciousness, that dualistic consciousness and that dualistic consciousness of where we are a victim, life is happening to us and “everything that I’m experiencing is a result of what other people are doing to me”, that victim consciousness that we have at times. 

Victim and Victor

The other side of it, the dual, the other side of it is the victor consciousness. That is “Well, I am no longer a victim, I am the victor. I am winning, that means someone else is losing”. Sometimes we use this consciousness even around our own beliefs. “I conquered that belief of fear. I conquered it. That’s right. Woohoo”. But if you are the victor over fear at some point you will go back to being the victim of fear. 

So, we bounce back and forth between these two phases of consciousness, the victim/victor consciousness. But when we practice emptying our cup, when we practice letting go of these ideas and these limiting beliefs and these fears and you just open ourselves up to something new, we open ourselves up to God. We rise above that dualistic consciousness and move into a phase called The Vessel Consciousness. That’s when we move into the idea that there is something within me, this spark of divinity. I don’t know what it is yet, but it’s in there. There is something in me that’s pulling me and guiding me in a certain direction, but I don’t fully identify with it. “This is something separate from me”. 

The God in You

Eric Butterworth used to call it, “the God in you” like the raisin in the bun. You go buy that beautiful raisin — what are they, raisin bran muffins? — a big giant one. You take a big bite, there is no raisin. Where is my raisin? You’ve got to keep eating until you find it. That is the vessel consciousness and sometimes we are at that place. When the “me”, the little me is still struggling for dominance, the little me is still trying to control everything. The little me is in charge but I know that there’s something in there and there’s something pulling, I just don’t know where it is, but it’s in there and it’s starting to come out. 

Your True Self

So, today when we look at this idea of the I AM, when we start to really focus on the I AM and own that idea that you have within you that spark of divinity. But that spark of divinity is your true self. That’s you as an eachness and the allness of God. That’s you as being expressed. That’s you, that’s a part of you that is breathing you. That’s the part of you that is God, that is divine. 

Sometimes we get a little anxious when we hear certain words. When we talk about these ideas with big words or small words like God. Some people say “Okay, that is just that guy out there. Call it something different”. How about Christ consciousness? Well, that’s a little bit tough there too. How about spark of divinity? Well, whatever word works for you, identify with that because it’s the same thing. It’s that true essence of who you are. So, when we begin to identify more with that side of us, that potential that is within us, that’s when we start to embody it. 

Now, it’s one thing to have the words, it’s one thing to, as we say in the affirmations at the beginning of the service, there is only one presence and one power active in my life and all the universe, God, the good omnipotence. It’s another to get it into your bones. The I AM. That presence and power is a substance and intelligence innate in every person and in all creation. That’s a great slogan. But until I really get it, it’s just words. 

So, when we really start to put it into practice within our lives, when we really start to make it real for us, make it a part, make it a decision, a choice that we’re going to live more from our higher self. Just think about what life would be like if you always showed up as your best self. We have all shown up as our best self at one point in time or another. You can raise your hand on that one. That is okay. At one point in time or another we all have. What would life be like if you just did that a little bit more? How would your life be affected? What dreams would you accomplish? What would your relationships be like? What would your relationship with yourself be like? 

Your Infinite Potential

Now, that which is in us, that infinite potential, is there. That is the true nature of who we are. As Unity calls us, we are original blessings. We are here to create and bring this essence to the world. That’s our purpose in life, in whatever way we want to do it, in our own individual way. But to do that, we really have to sink into it and live into it. It’s this great big potential. Sometimes that creates a bar that’s pretty high, doesn’t it? If we look at those around us or those in our past or in the history that we look at as being those pinnacles, those icons of having expressed that full consciousness. Say, “Well, that ain’t me. How in the world am I going to get to be there? I’m just John with a glass of water.” 

So, the principle and the practice for this week is to keep it simple. What we’re going to be doing is limiting it, that infinite potential a little bit less. That’s what we do when our cup is full. We limit it. Our capacity is limited. We limit that divine essence that flows through us in our relationships. We limit it in our jobs. We limit it in our careers. We limit it by our beliefs about what we think we’re worthy of, by our fears. We limit it by the stories that we tell each other, the stories about “Know what that crazy minister said today. I can’t believe it.” There’s no bulletins. Can you believe that? I’m surprised you’re all still here. But by limiting those ideas a little bit less. 

The Key to Consciousness

The key is, just become more aware of what we are thinking. That’s where it begins because it all begins in consciousness. All creation begins first in consciousness. And so, when we discover that we are starting to struggle against someone, or something or some experience, that’s the time to just limit God less. Allow that essence to be. When you find your ideas, your thoughts are shifting towards that feeling, that experience of anger or hate or resentment or fear, just gently bring yourself back. Bring yourself back to those ideas that we were practicing last week of that divine essence that’s within you. Just simply return your thoughts to that higher self that you all experienced just a little while ago when you remembered when you were at your best. Just gently return yourself to that state. 

Now, sometimes when we are triggered it may take a little while. The adrenaline is flowing, the energy is flowing. The emotions are flowing. Sometimes we need to take a little break so that we can re-regulate our system. That’s okay. The key is don’t do it with blame, shame or guilt. Just shift. Blame, shame or guilt just puts us back into that place of separation. It puts us back into that consciousness of being a victim. It puts us back at the bottom of the barrel. You are not here to be shameful. You are here to be graceful. You are here to shine. So, when you’re starting to feel that blame, shame or guilt, just simply change your consciousness. If you find yourself going down a path, an automatic behavior that takes us down the rabbit hole, that is the time to just take a step back. Say “Okay, I’m going to put this down for now. Today, in this moment”. Just make a gentle shift back to that energy that is within you, that essence of love. 

The Divinity of Man

Eric Butterworth, Unity minister and author, once wrote — actually in his book Practical Metaphysics, this is a series of lectures that he gave — he explained it as this “The Divine possibility, the divine potential, the divine depth within you that is always present no matter where you are in consciousness, no matter where you are in experience”. That’s the truth of you and it’s always there. All we need to do is shift our thoughts back to it. He went on to say, “The heart of Jesus’s teachings was that the depravity of man was not the depravity of man but the Divinity of man. The heart of Jesus’s teachings was the I AM-ness in every individual. Jesus discovered this principle of divine sense. He discovered his own image, his own divine image and he fulfilled the personal requirement of living it out into expression fully and completely, demonstrating his own experience.” 

So, that I AM-ness of you is always available. It’s always within you. It’s just we need to focus on it, we need to shift our focus to it. 

In Paul’s letter, his second letter to Timothy, at the beginning he wrote, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sound mind”. So, this is not about the doing in life. This is not about us trying to go out and perform. This is about the being of life and this is probably the most important practice that you could do. The two before enable it. The two before it help you live into it more fully. But if you did one thing and identify with that divine essence that you truly are, as much as possible, more and more throughout the day, you’ll be living that, you will be expressing that in your life. Whatever the challenges are, whatever situation you’re going through, that potential is within you right now. Just limit it less. 

The Divine Essence in You

So, our focus this week is going to be shifting our consciousness when we find ourselves wrapped up in our stories, in our resentments, and those automatic behaviors. Empty that cup. Wash it out and refocus on that divine essence that’s within you. As you do, proceed in that fashion. 

Next week we’re going to be talking about the next phase of consciousness as we’re moving into this idea of verity consciousness now. We’re moving away and above the idea of vessel consciousness. It’s something in there but I don’t know what it is. We’re starting to identify what it is, and own it, to be a part of it, and that’s our verity consciousness. That’s our oneness consciousness. That’s the consciousness that we rise to that higher level where we can then express it out into the world.

So, this week is all about the beingness of it. Don’t worry about the doingness because out of the beingness comes the expression, the realization and manifestation