The Power of Denial

J Douglas Bottorff

“The word deny has two definitions, according to Webster. To deny, in one sense, is to withhold from, as to deny bread to the hungry. To deny, in another sense (and we believe it was in this latter way that Jesus used it), is to declare to be not true, to repudiate as utterly false. To deny oneself, then, is not to withhold comfort or happiness from the external man, much less to inflict torture upon him, but it is to deny the claims of error consciousness, to declare these claims to be untrue.” —Emilie Cady

The practice of denial is essential in the forward movement of our spiritual development. The reason is because the primary hindrance to our success in any endeavor is not found in external forces, but rather in internal forces; i.e., false beliefs about ourselves and our circumstances. These false beliefs crop up so easily and so unexpectedly that we don’t even realize we are harboring them.

For example, you may say, “I am sick, and I need healing.” In Truth, you, as a spiritual being, are not sick, nor can you ever be sick. Your body may be manifesting the limitations of an illness, but you, the real you, are whole and free. Spiritual healing begins by putting your understanding of yourself in proper perspective. “I am whole, and I now express this wholeness in every aspect of my body.” In practice, denial is releasing yourself from the association with the condition of sickness in favor of the truth of your wholeness.

When you climb a ladder, you must release one rung before you grasp another. Denial is a releasing, a letting go of a present appearance so that a new one may come. Many thwart their positive desires by first declaring, “I am sick…” or, “I am broke…” and then fill in the blank with what they need. Denial is erasing such negative declarations. There is no lack of any good thing. Like the low rung of the ladder, all appearances to the contrary must be released to make room for our desired good.