INTRODUCTION
Choosing One Theme evolved from a curriculum called Our Storied Lives: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, which developed out of years of guided study at the nurturing hand of Shekinah/Holy Spirit in areas of biblical and secular materials, meditation, research of mental development, hypnosis, experiencing being in the zone, and from teaching the literary components for reading and writing to children and adults. Shekinah inspired me while teaching adult students the narrative process that we can state the essence of every living creature and nonliving object in our world with a single theme for the reason for being. Knowledge of one’s theme would answer the age-old suggestion “Know thyself.” Personal Theme relates to Plato’s perfect pattern, Florence Scovel Shinn’s divine design, Addison O’Neill’s material personality, and Joseph S. Benner’s idea. A theme is an individual’s true destiny as intended by infinite intelligence, universal consciousness, or God, if you prefer. Once the revelation of a theme occurred to me, a flood of knowledge filled my conscious mind.
I began to use this knowledge in my adult evening classes to illustrate theme as an element in a story. With this information, I developed a strategy for teaching the two-edged sword concept of theme 1) as it applies to the reading and writing process of a narrative and 2) as it applies to self-discovery, to students in both my special education classes and my adult evening classes with the aid of DC and Marvel Comics. Having shown students the covers of Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and Spider-Man comics and then asked, “What kind of characters are these?” they replied, “Superheroes.” They were then asked, “What do superheroes do?” They replied, “Save people.” I asked, “From whom?” They responded, “Super villains.” I then asked, “What do you think is the main idea or theme of every comic book with a superhero?” Their answers were, “Saving people, good versus evil, and salvation.”
One of my adult students, during the lesson, indicated that Jesus Christ was a superhero and his theme was salvation. My response was, “Very good!” I particularly liked this answer. The whole idea for the lesson had begun while mediating on the event in Jesus Christ’s mission when He saves a prostitute from stoning. This act was not of healing but rather salvation. I had also done a great deal of reading concerning Mary Magdalene, so Jesus clearly is the ultimate example of a superhero. These meditations were also manifesting in my solid world of matter. (I will deal with manifestation in greater length later.) There is a great deal of spiritual development for man in understanding the energy behind the first encounter between him and the prostitute. It is, in fact, the physical experience of the archetype of the seduction between Adam and Eve. Something is about to happen, negative or positive. I met a woman who was self-employed in the oldest profession. She was unable to find work and had a son in medical school. She needed to earn money. She was desperate and crying, nearly twenty years younger than I. So I purchased a small business and put her to work. She now had respectable employment, and I was now her angel, hero, or savior. I realized that in that chapter of my life, I had played the part of the hero, and that was the theme for that chapter. That experience, provided by the Holy Spirit, inspired me with this concept of uncovering one’s theme.
When the class understood the concept of theme, I asked, “If someone was to write your biography, what would be the theme of your life?” None of my students were able to answer; therefore, for homework, their assignment was to examine their life as a story in search of a theme. After several lessons and homework assignments, they each arrived at a theme. My seventh and eighth-grade resource students were able to discover a theme with less degree as compared to the adult students in ABE/GED classes. This, I believe, was due to less influence from worldly experience and opinions and belief of self. In a research project conducted by my wife on career choice, she discovered that adults who were most content and happy in their chosen career chose their career between age of ten and eleven.
After my evening adult ABE/GED students and my seventh and eighth-grade resource students had discovered a theme, it provided both groups with a clearer picture of who they are and what their career choices should be. This awareness empowered them with greater focus for their future, as well as to improve their writing skills. It was apparent to me that an individual theme was divine design, infinite intelligence’s intent for a particular personality. Awareness of a particular theme was, in fact, a primary step for oneness with super-consciousness (universal consciousness, or God), the Eden state of consciousness. Christianity refers to this state as the Christ within, or Christ consciousness. Without this state of consciousness, it is impossible to escape the trials of tribulation that await humanity. Christianity teaches that the life of Christ was prophesized long before he appeared and walked in Israel with both details of his birth and death. A hypothesis came to mind: “What if individuals, having discovered a theme and envisioned a life based on their theme, then wrote their own prophecy, autobiographies, and then lived it. They would lead a more fulfilling life.” This hypothesis was based on the statement, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33, DBT). After my students discovered a personal theme, I asked them to write about their future based on their individual personal theme as if it had already happened and to read their story daily.
My resource students with various learning disabilities suddenly became empowered with a desire to learn the necessary educational requirements to achieve their individual theme. This knowledge of a personal theme provided them with a mission and an understanding of the importance to master the necessary skills and educational requirements to manifest and achieve their personal theme. The knowledge of their personal theme empowered them with possession of their destiny. As a result, it accelerated their learning to the point that they were declassified and were able to join the general population. The significance of this achievement indicates a mastery of two or more grade levels within a single year in either literacy or mathematics or both. This dramatic result occurred with the introduction of writing an autobiography, an self-fulfilling prophesy, before living it. Individuals who go through this process can fulfill their intended destiny.
In closing, I would also like to add that, although the original design of Return to Eden was a methodology for teaching the narrative process for classroom teachers and their students, the original purpose began to evolve as the concepts took on symbolic form (words). It evolved from being the author of a narrative to becoming the narrative, the symbol of the author’s hand. It became significantly apparent that I was the student writing the master teacher’s, Father’s, thoughts. What had started out to be a workbook on finding a personal theme leading to a successful, abundant life with health, wealth, and happiness for individuals of various ages also became the blueprint for the way to Return to Eden. “Enoch walked with God, then he was no more,” (Genesis 5:24, INV). Enoch walked with God, disappeared and entered into the World of the Living, and returned to Eden. Jesus Christ became the road for us to travel on so we too could return to Eden.
Enjoy the journey back.
Testimonial:
Mirela David had this to say about Choosing One Theme, “Your book and exercises on You Tube are great. You my dear are a genius.” She also had this to say, “I read your book every day. Not read. I meditate on every line and I believe it is a great piece of art.” Visit my website to purchase a copy.
Purchase a copy here:
http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781618629654
Dr. Anthony Raimondo 