Likewise, when I put on my ministers hat, my

thoughts quickly and totally change to the

relevance of God, not only in my life, but in the
lives of all the people I know and care about.
Each time I begin to work on a new issue of
Upward Bound Journal, I put on my clergy hat
and think about you. What follows is no great
epiphany or guiding light; it is more the basis of
my understanding of Gods Presence in our lives.
As I pause and reflect, with my ministers hat
firmly in place, I find myself wondering: Where
is God in all this how do we find evidence of
Gods presence in our lives?
UPWARD BOUND J* O* U* R* N* A* L

SPIRITUAL LESSONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH
Where is God?
How many hats do you wear? We all have
many in our closets. Theres the grandparents or
the parents hat, the gardeners hat, the job hat, the
house-makers hat, the hobby and sports hats, the
writer, photographer and artists hats, and many
more. What is interesting to me is that when I
put on any one of my hats, I focus all my
attention on thoughts that are appropriate to the
hat I have on at the moment.
When Im preparing a presentation for a photo
club meeting, my mind is totally absorbed in
images and camera work, and I realize that I
could devote my energies on this field of
interestall the time.
Issue # 38
Sunset, Lake Dora, FL
The answer may lie in the things we take for
granted, sometimes hard to see because, like the
forest, it is hidden in the trees of activity that
surround us in all directions. I invite you to take
a few minutes to ponder your sense of Gods
Reality, and then return here so we can explore
our perceptions together.
There is a park just a few miles from our
home in Ocala, where millions of gallons of
pure, fresh, crystal clear water burst forth from
deep underground, every hour of every day, for
who knows how many centuries or how many
years to come. The water is so clear you can see
forty feet down and more, without distortion or
lack of clarity. These springs run at a year-round
temperature of 73 degrees, and follow a river-
like path for miles before merging with other
rivers and lakes, eventually emptying into the
Florida Gulf.
Where do these springs come from; how can
they be so beautifully clear and so abundantly
plentiful? There is a scientific explanation
rainwater flowing underground, filtered by
porous rock formations, rise to the surface from
shear pressure of the rainwater falling on the
ground upstream somewhere.
But there seems to be much more to it than the
simple law of physics at work. It just feels like
Gods hand is in the process, not only providing
the emergence of the spring water out of the
ground, but fulfilling a delicate, intertwined
purpose for every aspect of life these springs
support.
First of all there is the awesome beauty of the
scene. That alone seems to make it all
worthwhile, a visual reminder that something
wonderful is very near and very special.
Standing quietly and alone on the hill,
overlooking the stream and its mirror reflections
of lush shore vegetation and the deep blue skies
above, one has an almost overwhelming feeling
that you are standing on Holy groundas well
you are. Wildlife abounds here and at the same
time, hundreds of youngsters float along in
brightly colored inner tubes and rafts, laughing
and splashing their way down a relaxing ride to
the parks pick-up point, and then come back for
more.
It seems as though peace, laughter and mutual
love must be common place throughout the
world, because it certainly is plentiful here. It is
easy to sense Gods hand in everything, all about
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
2
Rainbow Springs State Park
you and you wonder, could this be an example
of the Garden of Eden?
Being a photographer, or at least a
photographic enthusiast, I find a common feeling
of wonderment and appreciation for Gods
creation and Divine intelligence when I focus on
the intricate patterns and colors of a single
flower blossom. Whenever I look through the
lens and prepare to release the shutter, the details
jump out, demanding a prolonged observation,
whether I take the picture or simply use the
instrument as a means of study, observing
another miracle of the many shapes and forms of
life.
Photographers love the light of the early
morning and late
afternoon. As
the sun begins to
rise above the
horizon, the color
of the sunlight is
as warm and
inviting as a
fireplace fire, and
shadows stretch
out from majestic
o l d t r e e s ,
crossing fences
and roads and
reminding us that
in nature, manmade boundaries are meaningless.
I remember in great detail, walking across a
vacant lot down to the waters edge on Hood
Canal in Puget Sound, many years ago. The salt
water shore line was without a single ripple, the
waves so tiny at my feet that they barely moved
a few inches, to and fro. Fog was just burning off
and the mountains and hills across the way were
still just misty silhouettes; the cool quiet morning
carried the sounds of seabirds gently to my ears
from at least a mile away.
Giant evergreen trees rose up steep slopes as
far as the eye could see, and I realized that this
scene had been virtually unchanged for far more
centuries than I could comprehend, and if
mankind didnt interfere, would remain this
pristine example of Gods creation centuries after
my lifetime. And then I spotted a sign on a tree:
Private Property. No Trespassing. I wondered
what damage my walk across this landscape
would do, or what it was that I might remove that
would lessen the value of this property? The only
thing I could possibly take with me was the
memory of what I had seen and how deeply it had
moved my soul.
God filled me that morning with a profound
sense of appreciation for the value of the ethereal
and I realized that I dont need to own something
in order to feel and appreciate its worth. What I
didnt realize at that moment was that I would
probably never return to this sacred spot again;
the visual and visceral memory would have to
last a lifetimeand it has.
Gods presence is evident in many more places
and ways for us to understand than beautiful
waterscapes. I have but to look at my hand and
move my fingers to be almost overwhelmed with
this articulating miracle. Imagine for a moment
what life would be like if we were not endowed
with the physical abilities our hands and fingers
provide. As far as we can tell, we humans are the
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
3
Oak Run, Ocala, FL
4
only creatures with the creative ability to not
only imagine things that do not actually exist, but
also to figure out how we can make the things we
have created in our mind, out of the mud and
rocks, and trees and grasses, and fruits that
abound all around us. God has given us creative,
problem solving minds and provided us with the
physical abilities to take the action our thoughts
create.
When I sit down to write a new issue of
Upward Bound Journal, I may have an idea or
two to get started, but as I type away I have no
idea what words or thoughts will come next.
They just flow up and out of an unending source
deep within, much like those crystal clear spring
waters that bubble out of the earth below.
We have the sensory ability to feel the touch
of a single hair and the strength to lift a boulder
and place it exactly where we want it to complete
our garden landscape.
We have the ability to sing with joy, shout
with passion or whisper with infinite
understanding and love. We can smell faint
aromas and hear the flutter of a humming-birds
wings. We can see the tiny and the vast with
equal ease. We can thread a needle and gaze
with total wonder at a star filled sky on a dark,
dark night, far away from the citys lights. How
wonderful we are!
We have the sensitivity to feel a wide range of
emotions from laughter and contentment to anger
and despair. We can be filled with emotional joy
at the mere sight of someone we love; or
disturbed by the presence of someone who has
committed a terrible crime. And we can also
experience the peace that comes with heart-felt
forgiveness. Perhaps best of all, we can sink into
a place of silence, letting go of any and all
emotional baggage, and when the time is right,
hear the still small voice of love and Divine
guidance, lifting our spirits and showing us the
way.
These are the things that come to mind for me
when I hear words like There is only one
presence and one power in the universe and in my
life, God the good, omnipotent.
I had the profound experience of standing on
the bridge of a ship in the middle of a Typhoon,
physically helpless to do anything but hang on
and observe the seas rolling in swells over eighty
feet high and winds exceeding a hundred miles an
hour. It was as frightening as it was awesome,
and yet you could almost feel that God was there
with us letting us know that all would be calm
again in the morning. Power without limit and
peace without concern!
Watch a science program like National
Geographic and we learn the mysteries of our
wonderful planet, hanging in space, just the right
distance from the heat and light of the sun;
rotating at just the right rate to have warm days
that arent too warm, and cool nights that arent
too frigid; with gravitational pull just strong
enough to hold a moon in orbit around us -
providing tides and weather patterns that help
perfect just the right climate and circumstances -
so that, working together, life is not just possible,
it is sustainable. And, so far as science has been
able to determine, there is no other place in our
solar system that is equally endowed. It is quite
possible that we are on our own throughout the
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
5
entire universe, and yet random chance alone
indicates that the same conditions almost have to
exist somewhere, some place, somehow. Are
there brothers and sisters in some far-off planet
staring skyward, wondering if they are also
alone? We may never know for sure.
Whether we are alone in the universe or not,
we need to come together on our own planet, and
discover that we are all one in the loving eyes of
God. For no matter how we try to understand or
see God, we do so from our limited human
perspective. All the while God sees all of us as
his beloved children, whether our skin is of one
hue or another, whether we call Him or It, God or
Allah or Yahweh or Great Spirit.
We have been blessed beyond our
comprehension. God may be everywhere present
throughout the universe, but here on Earth, it is
wonderfully obvious when we give that Presence
our attention. We have every reason to be filled
with gratitude and need to wake up every
morning energized by the joy of another brand
new, wonder-filled day ahead. Every day we
can stir up the abilities within us, every day we
can stand in the radiant presence of God. We can
live so creatively that life takes on a beauty and
wonder that is beyond anything we have
known. (Half Way Up the Mountain, pg.227)
Where is God? Everywhere! If we open our
eyes we will see Gods presence all around us.
We can hear Gods presence in beautiful music
or the voice of a loved one. The scent of a rose,
the aroma of breakfast and the touch of an infant
childs hand are more than enough to assure us,
not only of Gods presence, but of the unending
Love that embraces each and every one of us.
Wherever we are, God is...and all is well.
Art Holt
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
Tallahassee Horse Farm, FL
M E D I T A T I O N
6
Healing Waters of a Silent Pond.

Lord, I gratefully enter into Your Divine and loving presence, as I come to you dedicated to giving and
receiving Your healing energy; to heal the needs within myself, and those whose names I bring into my prayers for
healing.
I speak each name aloud, knowing I am helping to connect Your healing presence with each of these
persons, wherever they may be and whatever condition may be affecting their lives. The sound vibrations of the
names spoken aloud are like ripples on a mirror quiet pond, radiating outward from shore to shore. Each name is
unique and the vibrations it sets in motion are like no other; individual and unique as well.
Pause for names to be spoken...
I now turn to the images I create in my mind with the divine power of my imagination. I imagine a serenely
beautiful pond, silently reflecting the soft blue summer sky above, colored by puffy white clouds, sparkles of
sunshine, a rainbow, and the vividly colored wild flowers that roam the banks and the fields that stretch out along
the shoreline. Each aspect is interwoven and connected together as one Divine image, whole and complete. All
the parts are there; nothing is missing, nothing is lost, nothing is broken or diseased. The infinite, the allness, the
whole of God is manifested in all the individual and beautiful parts and pieces of this mental picture of serenity.
I now place in my hand the mental thought of the person I am praying for. I am not concerned with their
specific healing need or even the pain they might be experiencing, because I understand my role is to release
them completely to the healing power, the presence, and the energy of God; for only God truly knows what their
individual healing needs are, only God knows what will bring each of them the Divine Order that will raise them to
their highest and best good.
I now let go. I let go of those persons for whom I am praying; I let go of my own concerns about myself as
well. Through the power of my imagination I gently immerse each person in the healing waters of the pond. The
ripples and the vibrations that are set in motion by each person entering the pond become radiating circles of
healing God energy.
I breathe deeply once again and relax in the knowing that I am a beloved child of God, that each person I am
praying for is also a beloved child of God, and that God has a Divine Plan for every life that is far greater and
beyond anything I can imagine. I affirm God's plan for radiating good health, healing completely body, mind, spirit
and affairs; I affirm contentment and joy in every experience; I affirm fulfillment and purpose in all activities; I
affirm harmony in each and every relationship; I affirm loving hearts that give freely their support to one another;
and I affirm prospering abundance that manifests without effort for each and every person in my prayers.
I now rest in this beautiful and peaceful place, and take time in the silence to fully experience this healing
scene, to give myself and those for whom I pray, the gift of the healing energies and vibrations that radiate out
from the center of my being and encompass my entire life experience.

Thank you, God, for this restful and healing experience on the shores of the pond of serenity that You have
created in my imagination. I feel Your presence; I am restored by Your love that You give so freely to each one of
us. I give thanks that I could be a part of this prayer circle and connect with the perfect, whole and complete life
You have designed for each of Your beloved children.
With each breath I now take in and release, I let the image of the pond become recessed further and
further in my memory. I know that I can return here any time my heart has the desire to fully experience and
appreciate Your presence once again.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, God.
Amen.
WORDS TO LIVE BY
Our thoughts and words create our reality. Let us
acknowledge one thought that will impact our lives in
wonderful ways. This time its Divine Order.
Breathing is our simplest connection to life and
when you turn your attention to the easy coming and
going of the air we breathe, you begin to sense how
easy it is to be in harmony with God's Divine Order.
Wherever you look, begin to notice the harmony of
the universe; notice how easily one things blends into
another, one person walks or talks with another
person; how all the different plants bend to the same
breeze, and how the different animals share together
the same source of water.
From a point in space not too far above our planet,
we can see majestic mountain ranges, snow capped at
their peaks, and dressed in evergreen along their
hillsides and into their valleys. We can see how the
earth contours from rain forests to arid deserts, how
some areas support the congested lives of millions of
people, and just a short distance away the remoteness
of the land itself disperses the population, and bursts
forth with vegetation.
Everything is in harmony and balance, everything
is in Divine Order. God has created order everywhere
on this globe, just as God's Order reaches into every
corner of the universe.
When we become aware of this order in the
physical realm, we can awaken to the realization of
God's Divine Order in every aspect of our lives - spirit,
mind and body. Our lives are in harmony, for God's
Divine Order fills us with the substance and the
abundance of unlimited good.
Like seeds planted in the spring, hidden from our
view until they begin to sprout, God's rich harvest of
love and joy and peace and health and prosperity lies
invisibly within us, and yet is nurtured continuously in
our consciousness. Whether we are aware of it or not,
we are in total harmony with God's Divine Order for
good, each and every moment of our lives.
It is Gods good pleasure to give us the Kingdom,
so when we awaken to the abundance of good that is
ours, we are able to silently declare, "I am in harmony
with God's Divine Order for good."
Blessings,
Art


U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L LL L

Rev. Arthur Holt,
Unity Minister








Dottie Holt,
Licensed Unity Teacher

Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
10870 SW 71st Circle
Ocala, FL 34476
Phone (352) 861 - 5518
Email: UpwardBoundRev@aol.com


Upward Bound Journal
is a Unity publishing ministry based on Biblical
teachings and dedicated to writing and presenting
spiritual, inspirational, and metaphysical principles
which empower people to enrich and transform
their lives.


For more information about Upward Bound check our website:
www.upwardboundjournal.com.

Issue # 38
Upward Bound Journal is of Upward Bound of Unity,
Inc.









Member: Association of Unity Churches International, SunCoast
Unity Ministers Association, and affiliated with: Unity Institute and
Silent Unity, publishers of Daily Word.
Upward Bound of Unity, Inc. is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), charitable
corporation sustained entirely by your tax deductible gifts.
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A Unity Publishing Ministry
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Dear Friends,

If you are Spiritually nourished by Upward Bound, we ask that you consider an occasional tithe. We hold each of
you in love and appreciation for all your support.
Art & Dottie Art & Dottie Art & Dottie Art & Dottie
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L LL L
Photo by Art Holt
Metamorphosis -
The ultimate Divine
Order

If the metamorphosis of
a lowly caterpillar results
in a beautiful butterfly,
flying free and soaring
high, imagine how beautiful
the metamorphosis of the
human soul becomes, when
freed of the earthly body
and soaring through the
infinite in the presence of
our Creator.
Lake Santa Fe, FL
All photographs in Upward Bound Journal are by Art Holt