Setting our mind is about attention. The mind can focus. We can apply this capacity for attention to set our minds on a particular object or idea. Our minds can also shift. We can choose what we set our minds on. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions follow from our attention. Our consciousness and the course of our lives can be changed by changing our attention. Of all the abilities of the mind, focusing attention is fundamental and pivotal because it affects everything else.

Commonly, the mind is associated with intellect and thought. But the biblical sense of mind has more to do with attention and remembrance than with thinking. Please take a look at the following.

Christ admonished Peter for not setting his mind on the things of God. You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.

Paul speaks of setting your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth. Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.

The mind is more about attention than about thinking. While we cannot directly change our thinking, we can change our attention. Our mind has a key role in developing a consciousness of God. With our mind, we can turn our attention to the things of God by setting our mind upon the spirit. As our attention changes, what we sense and receive also changes. Setting our attention is like tuning in the receiver of the radio to a certain frequency.

With new inputs arising from a shift in attention, our feelings and thoughts also transform. As our feelings and thoughts evolve, so do our actions. We may not be able to change our minds or behavior directly, but we can certainly adjust our attention. This will ultimately alter our consciousness and interaction with the world around us. Attention is the lever most easily moved to change how we feel about our lives.

The simple ability to change or shift our focus can have a greater impact than the mind's more sophisticated capabilities. Attention determines the inputs the mind receives from our senses. By changing our attention, we can alter the inputs we receive, subsequently influencing our feelings and actions.

Focusing on the spirit brings life and peace to your consciousness. To cultivate God's presence, we first become aware of what we are paying attention to. Then, we turn inwardly, away from the train of thought, to just awareness, which is more like pure being. God is the ground of being, the Good Land in our consciousness where there is milk and honey (symbols of nourishment and delight). God, as the divine spirit, is sensed by the human spirit. God as I AM is found when our awareness is simply of our own I am-ness. God as Being makes home in the sanctuary of our being.

The act of remembrance fosters divine union. In this union, the life we experience is zoe—the holy, eternal, uncreated, and indestructible life. Every type of life has its consciousness. So also, the zoe-life comes with a corresponding divine consciousness. The union is about the presence of divine consciousness within human consciousness. The peace offered is the peace of God—My peace I give to you. That is the mind set on the spirit bringing life and peace.

On the other hand, the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither can it be. Without shifting our attention to God, there can be no meaningful interaction with God. Our attention steers our life experience and our life’s direction. Attention is the rudder that guides the ship.

Transformation involves a renewing of the mind. Be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Our mind is renewed by changing what holds our attention. Renewal and transformation of the mind result from a shift in the focus of our attention.

The scriptures also speak of the lowliness of mind in considering others, and having the same mind toward one another, even the mind of Christ. This is also about shifting our attention from ourselves to others. We regard others by giving them our attention. There cannot be love without attention. In love, our attention is captured by the object of our love.

Peter says - after my exodus, to bring these things to mind at all times. We need to bring our attention (our mind) to true things. Without a conscious bringing to mind all that is true (I AM), our mind gets carried away to a place without rest or peace.

Repentance is also a change of mind, a change of attention. The kingdom of heaven has drawn near and can be accessed by a shift of attention. Set your mind on the things above - the mind primarily has to do with setting our attention, with our thinking being secondary. Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ - there is a singular, focused attention toward God with self-emptying. A steadfastly attentive mind can elevate our consciousness and produce a transformation over time.

Prayerful reading of scriptures is one way we can use our attention to become God-aware.

Lectio Divina (Wikipedia) is a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer to promote communion with God. Here is a snippet from the Wikipedia page.

Lectio Divina has been likened to "feasting on the Word": first, the taking of a bite (lectio); then chewing on it (meditatio); savoring its essence (oratio) and, finally, "digesting" it and making it a part of the body (contemplatio). In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ.

When we read the Scriptures, giving our attention to Him, the milk of the word can nourish our inner being. Lectio Divina leads with the attentive mind rather than the thinking mind. One can spend several minutes on a single verse, slowly reviewing the words and phrases, lingering, savoring, and allowing the words to be “transmitted”. Reading can be combined with short prayers. That engages our spirit and produces revelation and nourishment. The impact will be sensed in our consciousness. There will be a satisfaction and an energizing feeling similar to a good meal. That is how you know that your practice is on point.

Our attention is valuable to God. What can I do for God or give to God? My attention and remembrance are what God desires. Everything follows from that. We are to love the Lord with all our minds. To love with our mind is to give Him our attention. The struggle in the outer and inner worlds is around getting our attention. All things within and without are vying for mind share. It is not time or money, but the capacity for attention that is valuable. Guard it well and use it well.

Follow Me—that was Christ’s simplest instruction. To follow, we use our attention. That keeps us on the way and gets us to the destination.

Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it. Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it. Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation.

In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God. To come to the pleasure you have not, you must go by a way in which you enjoy not.

The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union. God refuses no one the gift of divine union; it is we who refuse God by our attachments.

Where there is no love, put love — and you will find love. In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.

St. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) - Another Spanish Carmelite, she wrote The Interior Castle, describing the soul’s progression through seven stages of spiritual growth. Her vivid accounts of mystical prayer are foundational.

Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away; God never changes. May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. To have courage for whatever comes in life — everything lies in that.

It is love alone that gives worth to all things. God does not look at the greatness of the work, but at the love with which it is performed. Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed.”

We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us. The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.

Julian of Norwich (1342–c. 1416) - An English mystic famous for Revelations of Divine Love, the earliest surviving English-language book by a woman. Her optimistic theology emphasized God’s love, famously stating, “All shall be well.”

Our soul is made to be God’s dwelling place, and the dwelling of our soul is God.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. Thou shalt not be overcome. Sin is behovely [necessary], but all shall be well.

The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything. The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of His love. I saw no wrath in God, for our good Lord has endless compassion.

God loved us before He made us; and His love has never diminished and never shall. Our Lord is our Mother, who loves us and kindly nurtures us.

Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–c. 1328) - A German Dominican theologian and mystic whose sermons on detachment and the soul’s unity with God stirred both admiration and controversy. His ideas influenced later mystics and philosophers.

To be full of things is to be empty of God; to be empty of things is to be full of God. God does not ask anything else of you except that you let yourself go and let God be God in you. God is at home; it is we who have gone out for a walk.

The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me. What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.

The most powerful prayer, one well-nigh omnipotent, and the worthiest work of all is the outcome of a quiet mind. If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Truly, it is in the darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us.

Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) - A German Benedictine abbess, composer, and visionary. Her works, like Scivias, detail her mystical visions, blending theology, cosmology, and music with a unique feminine perspective.

Humanity, take a good look at yourself. Inside, you’ve got heaven and earth, and all of creation. You’re a world—everything is hidden in you. The soul is a breath of living spirit, that with excellent sensitivity, pierces every part of our being and brings us into harmony with God.

All of creation is a song of praise to God. I am the one whose praise echoes on high. I adorn all the earth. I am the breeze that nurtures all things green. I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripened fruit. God has arranged all things in the world in consideration of everything else.

Even in a world that's being shipwrecked, remain brave and strong.

St. Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) - An Italian friar and founder of the Franciscan Order, known for his ecstatic connection to nature and Christ. His mystical experiences, including receiving the stigmata, reflect a life of radical devotion.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. It is in giving that we receive.

He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist. Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) - An Italian mystic and Dominican tertiary whose Dialogue recounts her conversations with God. Her intense visions and advocacy for Church reform mark her as a powerful figure.

You are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to the measure of your love. The soul cannot live without love. She always wants to love something because love is the stuff she is made of, and through love I created her.

Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire. Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.

You, eternal Trinity, are a sea so deep that the more I seek, the more I find; and the more I find, the more I seek you.

Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) - A French Cistercian monk whose writings, like On Loving God, emphasize mystical love and contemplation of Christ. He shaped medieval monastic spirituality.

The measure of love is to love without measure. What we love we shall grow to resemble.
There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love.

You wish to see; listen. Hearing is a step toward vision.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but heaven is built with good works.

Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, thou fount of life, thou light of men, from the best bliss that earth imparts, we turn unfilled to thee again.

St. Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–c. 395) - An early Church Father from Cappadocia, known for his mystical theology in works like The Life of Moses. He described the soul’s infinite pursuit of God as a journey into divine darkness.

The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. The desire for God is itself the gift of God, who alone can satisfy it. The soul’s perfection consists in its capacity to advance endlessly toward the infinite. What the soul once was, it will be again; the body that is dissolved will be restored to its original form by the Creator’s power.

Since the nature of our mind, which is subject to change, is in a state of flux, it must necessarily move toward the better or the worse; it cannot remain static.

Concepts create idols; only wonder grasps anything.

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) - A modern American Trappist monk whose books, such as The Seven Storey Mountain, blend Christian mysticism with insights from Eastern traditions, exploring contemplation and inner silence.

In silence, God ceases to be an object and becomes an experience. Contemplation is the highest expression of man’s intellectual and spiritual life. It is that life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive.

We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.

The beginning of the fight against the false self is the realization that it is not who we really are.

Do not depend on the hope of results. You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.

The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image.

Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or a fable, it is true.

Outwardly, we know how important light is for life. It wakes us up, causes us to see, and enables interaction with the world around us. Light expands consciousness beyond that present in darkness. We learn and grow from interacting with all that we see. More than half the brain is engaged with visual processing. We also now know that light makes the entire food chain possible, starting with photosynthesis. Light is considered essential for life and supports life in complex ways, even though light itself is simple.

We all experience the importance and significance of physical light viscerally and understand it intellectually to some extent. The metaphysical landscape of our inner being and consciousness also features something we symbolically refer to as light. We do so because the attributes of this light and its effect on us are analogous to physical light. So, light is an apt metaphor for spiritual reality. When there is light, we know there is light.

We have subjective experiences that feel similar to light and darkness. Experiences that feel like light in our consciousness make us more awake, alive, and able to function easily. Light expands our conscious awareness. On the other hand, darkening experiences make us less energetic, less motivated, less alive and require more effort to continue functioning. Darkness limits the range of our consciousness. For the most part, we prefer light.

We will look through the Bible to see how the symbol of light is used.

The apostle John says that God Himself is light. There is no darkness in Him. God is also said to dwell in an unapproachable light. Dwelling relates to a state of consciousness. God, as I AM, is light. The Bible writer says that light is intrinsic to God. That is the inspired picture of reality they have pieced together from their inner experience.

The re-creation of the Earth began with light. Upon an empty earth with darkness over the deep, the light shone. Let there be light — those are the first words that convey divine will. God wants light to be there. Since God is light, the implied meaning is: Let there be God. Darkness is the absence of God’s consciousness. The earth has become waste and void in the sense that divine consciousness is absent. It is not enough for God to be light. The divine will is for this light to be present on earth. That is a fundamental first step in the emergence of re-creation on earth.

The account continues to tell us that space is created by separating light from darkness, land from sea, and the expanse above from the earth below. Then, life forms, starting with plants, emerge progressively, with man as the capstone — made in the image of God from the clay of the earth below and the breath of God from above to become a living soul.

The account of creation shows us a pattern. God’s handiwork begins with light, making space for existence, progressive development, and life expression until He arrives at something that is like Him. Inner re-creation works the same way. Light shining in a place of darkness gets the ball rolling. A new space is created in our consciousness. Then, there is an emergent process.

In Exodus, the pillar of fire guides the children of God through the wilderness journey. Moses’s face shone after he spoke with God. In the midst of suffering, Job longs for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over him. He characterizes it as “a time when His lamp shone on my head, and by His light, I walked through darkness.” Psalmists and prophets also make references to the imagery of light.

A key feature of the Holy Place in the Tabernacle is the lampstand. There is no natural light or windows in this place. All the light comes from the oil of pressed olives that fuels the perpetually burning lamps. The lampstand or menorah is a symbol of God’s people. The distinctiveness of the people comes from the presence of this light embodied in the lamp. The people’s job is to keep the light burning perpetually. The light is the testimony.

Fast forward to the New Testament.

Christ is introduced as the true light that enlightens every man. The event of Christ’s coming is seen as a great light has come. It is a light that cannot be eclipsed by darkness. Christ announces light — that is the content of the message. He who follows Me shall have the light of life.

There is a contrast between darkness and light, as in the Genesis creation account. The light comes to a people sitting in darkness. The dawning of this light causes a turn from darkness to light. The believers are called out of darkness into marvelous light. The point and purpose of incarnation is to bring God as light to humanity.

In His transfiguration, Christ shone as light. Apostle Paul experienced the shining of light in his conversion. Paul saw a link between the story of creation and our spiritual experience. God, who said, “Let there be light,” has now shined into our hearts. This light produces a new creation through a spiritual rebirth. This new life has a new consciousness that includes divine presence.

The light not only shines upon a person but makes them light. There is a change in nature — once darkness, now light in the Lord. You are all sons of light, not night or darkness. Believing in the light makes you sons of light. The light within us can shine.

Focused attention brings light into our consciousness. If the eye is single, the body is full of light. We are to walk and abide in the light as He is in the light. The light manifests all things, giving us no cause for stumbling since we see things as they are. The light is embodied in us, so it can also illuminate others. Progress and function are all in the context of light.

There are two symbolic cities in the Bible. New Jerusalem and Babylon. The destruction of Babylon specifically mentions that the light of a lamp shall shine no more. Light is taken away. That is the outcome.

On the other hand, the holy city, New Jerusalem, is described as “having the glory of God; Her light is like a most precious stone.” The nations will walk by its light. There will be no need for a lamp or sun, for the Lord will shine. “Let there be light” in Genesis finds its fulfillment at the conclusion of the biblical narrative.

A story that begins with an earth plunged in darkness concludes with a city of light. The light first shone upon the world, but now it shines out of the holy city. The Lord, as the content of the city, shines out of it. The city is a symbol of an entity that has become like God in its intrinsic nature.

The story of light is a story of human consciousness and the completion of its development. This story continues to unfold on the stage of human life. The evolution of consciousness is a core element of the only show in town. It is told using the fitting metaphor of light.

River in Genesis

A river went forth from Eden to water the garden. The river flows into places where there is gold and precious stones. This is a picture of our inner being, our consciousness, and the place where we live. The place of God’s design and choosing is Eden, which means pleasure. The garden has many trees growing, which is also true of the setting for our lives. There are many trees from which we may eat.

A river waters Eden. The symbol of river, water, fountain, and stream persists across many writers of the Bible. The river of Eden is also present as a river in the city of God. The gold is a symbol of the incorruptible divine nature. Precious stones are produced by the transformation of what is earthly. The sacred nature and the transformed human nature are present in one of the places the river flows to. Both gold and precious stones are also featured in the city of God. Symbolically, this tells us that our consciousness, the place where we live, has a river supplying it. There is also the presence of divine nature and transformed human nature in the place where the river flows.

Places in the Bible like Eden, Egypt, the Promised Land, and New Jerusalem represent the state of our consciousness. Where we are and who we are are related. The symbolic descriptions of the places paint a much richer picture of the state of our being.

Water in Exodus

In Exodus, the wilderness journey includes events that further illuminate the symbol of water. At Marah, the Israelites encountered bitter waters. They could not drink it and complained to God about it. Casting the tree into the water was the divine prescription to solve the problem. But the diagnosis was more interesting. God implied that the people needed healing and that He would be the God who healed them. The bitterness of the water was a symptom of their sickness. That was the divine assessment. Many bitter experiences that seem undrinkable are caused by inner sickness. The problem appears to be the bitterness of the water, but there is a deeper root cause. This aligns with our experience in human life. As we become inwardly well, there is less bitterness.

The wood or tree is understood to represent the cross of Christ. There must be a measure of self-emptying to navigate Marah successfully. This is one of the waypoints in every spiritual journey. To follow Christ means to take up our cross. Bitter experiences remind us of a need for the crucified Christ. In our oneness with the crucified Christ, we can go beyond the strong suggestions of our mind. Criticisms, judgments, and opinions fall away. As long as these are present, there will be bitterness. Acceptance is needed. The cross of Christ means accepting the unacceptable bitterness of the situation. Our mind needs a renewal. Once we apply the meaning of the cross in our life in this way, we will progress from Marah.

After making that passage, they come to Elim with twelve springs. Once we let go of the suggestions of the mind and the impulses of the self, we move on to a happier place. Instead of lack, an abundance is experienced. This happens in the shift from rejection to acceptance.

We mostly understand these life experiences in retrospect. Often, we stumble our way through Marah. Integrating the deep symbolism of these events in the wilderness into our language would be helpful. It would equip our consciousness with the tools needed when life brings us to that point in our journey. All sojourners experience Marah and Elim on the journey to the Promised Land.

Another time, when the people need water, Moses is instructed to strike the rock once, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink. Apostle Paul interprets this rock as a symbol of Christ. Out of the smitten rock, water flows. Christ is the most complete embodiment of this principle. The blessing of the Spirit flowed out to humanity as one of the outcomes. On the one hand, we don’t want any rock to be smitten. On the other hand, we also see through history that a passage through suffering has changed people in a way that makes them of great benefit to humanity. From the smitten rock, water flows. This principle has operated in the life stories of several well-known historical figures.

Streams in Psalms

Knowing the inner gladdening, the psalmist says: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most high. River, gladness, and God’s presence are combined into a single expression.

In another Psalm: He leads me beside still waters. There is an element of rest with these waters.

Also, You cause them to drink of the river of your pleasures…for with you is the fountain of life. Here, we see the experience of a source that gives enjoyment.

The psalms could be seen as human songs emerging from divine experience. The inner experience of the river is present among the psalm writers.

Fountain in Prophets

The prophets also speak about the life-giving water.

God’s key complaint, delivered by Jeremiah: They have forsaken me, the fountain of water. The psalmists and prophets are on board, but the people do not know about this inner fountain. That is the problem, says God. We know our need for water but don’t come to the fountain. There is divine disappointment on this point.

Isaiah writes that God will pour streams on the dry ground and pour His Spirit. He speaks about drawing water out of the wells of salvation with joy. He echoes the invitation to freely receive the Spirit by saying, "Everyone that thirsts comes to the waters, and he that has no money." The motif of water, Spirit, and receiving is present together.

Christ and Living Water

Christ’s invitation: If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He speaks about rivers of living water flowing out of their innermost being. The gospel writer's explanatory comment is that this refers to the Spirit that the believers were to receive. The experience of the Spirit within the human spirit is likened to living water flowing out.

Elsewhere, Christ says: The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. The water fills with life (zoe: eternal, divine, uncreated life) and eventually flows out of our being. The water is not only for us to drink but also to participate in its flow. That is perhaps the most significant aspect of the reality this living water symbolizes—the flowing out!

Washing and Drinking in Epistles

In the New Testament, Paul speaks of being given the drink of the one Spirit. To Titus about the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. To Ephesians about having cleansed her (church-bride) by washing of water with the word.

Ongoing inner experience is interpreted and expressed as drinking, regeneration, and washing of water. That is the state of being.

River in Revelation

Revelation, a book full of symbols, returns to the river metaphor.

There is a vision of a river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God.

The invitation to come to the waters, first seen in Isaiah, is also in Revelation: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him who thirsts freely from the spring of the water of life.

The Bible concludes with a more emphatic repeat of the invitation, where the Spirit and the Bride say:

And let him who is thirsty come, let him who wills take the water of life freely.

Witness of Mystics

The mystics also bore witness to this symbol being an inward reality.

The soul is like a fountain, and from the fountain flows rivers of living water when it is united with God. -St. John of the Cross

The Lord leads the soul to a delicious garden, where there is a stream of water so clear and pure that it reflects his face. - Saint Teresa of Avila

Our Lord is a river of mercy flowing without end, and all may drink of it. - Julian of Norwich

God is a fountain flowing itself, and the soul that rests in Him becomes a stream of His own being. - Meister Eckhart

They use the language and symbols of the Bible to attest to its alignment with the content of their consciousness. This is a palpable reality to them; they say it is accessible to all.

Experiencing the River

The recurring symbol of the flowing water of life spans the entirety of scripture but also finds its fulfillment in the personal experience of every believer. This water flows in a place where God is present with man. This place is both our innermost being and the city of God. It brings pleasure, gladness, rest, and renewal. It is something to drink, that is, to receive into our being. It is freely available to anyone with an undefinable thirst for something beyond oneself.

Man is to make conscious contact with God in this way. God, the Spirit, transmits Himself into man as the water of life. Our role is to receive this stream to hydrate the inner man. In divine communion, we will sense a flow, as promised by Christ Himself.

Bitter experiences and sufferings also need to be understood in this context. All things are for us to be watered and to water others.

The supply of this stream will renew us, refresh us, and direct us on The Way. The benefits of Christ's work are distilled into the Spirit, a unique gift that can now be received freely. The divine stream brings a person into a spiritual union with God. In this union, we can live and walk by the Spirit, live a normal human life, and meet every demand that the day brings with this inner supply of life.