Do Unto Others …

We often hear of cruelty beyond comprehension. How could anyone possibly perpetrate such behavior? I would hazard to guess that, if asked, the people responsible would not think they were acting in a cruel manner. They would probably say it was necessary to protect themselves or others from some threat. Somewhere along the way, we have decided that it's all right to kill and perform other heinous acts because it's a logical defense against something or the other! Once again, The Four Agreements come to mind. In this wonderful interpretation of ancient Toltec wisdom, Don Miguel Ruiz explains four simple rules to live by which would ensure peace and happiness for everyone. The second agreement is, "Don't take anything personally". He goes so far as to say that even if someone shoots you in the head, it's not your problem, but theirs! I love this as it puts into perspective what we have misinterpreted. We seem to think retaliation is an acceptable behavior. I have a friend who tells me that Jesus told her she'd forgiven her sister enough, and it was all right to hate her now. Wow. I guess that's what I mean by people thinking they're doing a service to the world by killing or other gross behavior. We can convince ourselves, with our mortal minds, that anything is good. This illustrates the importance of letting go of all material beliefs. We are not only capable of living this pure Life, but it is our natural state, expressing only Love. The Utopia which comes with such a dream is a reality, when we allow it.

“And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 497:24-28

“You respond to what you perceive, and as you perceive so shall you behave. The Golden Rule asks you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This means that the perception of both must be accurate. The Golden Rule is the rule for appropriate behavior. You cannot behave appropriately unless you perceive correctly. Since you and your neighbor are equal members of one family, as you perceive both so you will do to both. You should look out from the perception of your own holiness to the holiness of others.”
A Course in Miracles - T-1.III.6:1-7

Is It True, Kind, Necessary?

Long ago, during a Course in Miracles meeting, good-friend Ramona said, “You better watch out what you say in front of Marsha. You may end up in the dailies!” I was reminded of this when a dear friend from forever called and told me she had momentarily thought a recent writing was about her. We both laughed at this idea, for a number of reasons. Then I began thinking about how these daily writings keep me honest. I’m prone to jumping up on my high horse and pontificating, so I’m always aware of this irritating trait within myself. Sometimes it’s tempting to use this venue to complain about things and tell people what they should do. But I don’t want to do that. By putting my thoughts into words, knowing they will be read by others, there is a built-in test; one which I hope to employ in day-to-day interactions: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” I trust my dear friends will help me stay true to my mission!

From don Miguel Ruiz

“Your happiness is up to you, and it depends on how you use the word. If you get angry and use the word to send emotional poison to someone else, it appears that you’re using the word against that person, but you’re really using the word against yourself. That action is going to create a like reaction, and that person is going to go against you. If you insult someone, that person may even harm you in response. If you use the word to create a conflict in which your body may be injured, of course it’s against you.

“Be impeccable with your word really means never use the power of the word against yourself. When you’re impeccable with your word, you never betray yourself. You never use the word to gossip about yourself or to spread emotional poison by gossiping about other people.

“You are the creator of your own life story. If you use the word impeccably, just imagine the story that you are going to create for yourself. You’re going to use the word in the direction of truth and love for yourself. You’re going to use the word to express the truth in every thought, in every action, in every word you use to describe yourself, to describe your own life story. And what will be the result? An extraordinarily beautiful life. In other words, you are going to be happy.”
The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz

Perceiving Sanity in the Chaos

Downtown Eureka Springs, A

As I sit quietly, listening to the sound of motorcycles revving their engines (racking their pipes? — that sounds so crass) I suddenly see how we, individually, are a microcosm for the world. We can choose peace or chaos. Years ago, our beautiful little tourist town chose chaos. We have gone through many incarnations through the decades: hippie haven, Passion Play/Big Jesus Mecca, art destination, healing center, and more. Through each change, the others remain, to some extent. It’s not easy to enjoy the healing modalities, or to sit on restaurant decks enjoying wonderful food, while hearing noise so loud you cannot have a conversation. I equate it to my inner self, when I cannot find peace because my negative thoughts are so loud. When I opened an art gallery in our town twenty years ago, we had visitors coming from all over the world for the beauty and peace of our town. Now it seems to be booze and tattoos. How can we wrap our minds around the chaotic changes which we see in our world? Can we ever get back to the garden? The following statement helps me:

“When a brother behaves insanely, you can heal him only by perceiving the sanity in him. If you perceive his errors and accept them, you are accepting yours. If you want to give yours over to the Holy Spirit, you must do this with his. Unless this becomes the one way in which you handle all errors, you cannot understand how all errors are undone. How is this different from telling you that what you teach you learn? Your brother is as right as you are, and if you think he is wrong you are condemning yourself.”

A Course in Miracles T-9.III.5:1-6

“We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 248:26-32

Breaking Despotic Fetters

Creations from Sandy Wythawai Starbird

In our lifetime, we have seen many advances in understanding and implementation of so-called human rights. We have witnessed the Voting Rights Act, Title IX sex discrimination legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act. Supreme Court rulings overturned state bans on contraception and interracial marriage. Abortion and same-sex marriage have been legalized. It seems odd that our government would have to guarantee these fundamental human rights. Since our country’s inception, many things were declared to be illegal, and most of them were in regard to women and minorities’ rights being stifled. We made many advances during the 20th Century, and we were proud of our open minds and higher thinking. Now, in the 21st Century, it seems many people believe these human rights are not something which should be legislated. I agree they shouldn’t have to be, as we are all One in Spirit. Well, I won’t go on and on about this. It’s pretty simple if we let our beliefs and ego fade away, allowing Love to rule our ways. Namaste…

"The history of our country, like all history, illustrates the might of Mind, and shows human power to be proportionate to its embodiment of right-thinking. A few immortal sentences, breathing the omnipotence of divine justice, have been potent to break despotic fetters and abolish the whipping post and slave market, but oppression neither went down in blood, nor did the breath of freedom come from the cannon's mouth. Love is the liberator."
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 255:14-22 circa 1865

“Today we will claim the miracles which are your right, since they belong to you. You have been promised full release from the world you made. You have been assured that the Kingdom of God is within you, and can never be lost. We ask no more than what belongs to us in truth. Today, however, we will also make sure that we will not content ourselves with less.”
A Course in Miracles W-77.3:1-5

Of Book Clubs and Whip-Poor-Wills

Braided Sweetgrass

I write often about my beautiful book club. Our latest read was Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As we discussed the reasons we loved this book, I felt especially appreciative of the friendship we share. We were meeting at Tina’s farm and the beauty of the deep woods, the song of the whip-poor-will, and the dogs frolicking through the yard as we sat on the back deck enjoying the twilight — all these things accentuated the wisdom and beauty of this book. Here is a favorite quote of mine: “Until we can grieve for our planet we cannot love it—grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for our lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” Thinking about the times we have shared in our two decades of meeting, this final quote seems to sum up our relationship: “There are some aches witchhazel can’t assuage. For those, we need each other.” The gratitude I feel for these friends is all-encompassing. Namaste …

“Arctic regions, sunny tropics, giant hills, winged winds, mighty billows, verdant vales, festive flowers, and glorious heavens, — all point to Mind, the spiritual intelligence they reflect. The floral apostles are hieroglyphs of Deity. Suns and planets teach grand lessons. The stars make night beautiful, and the leaflet turns naturally towards the light.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 240:2-9

“Forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory, wonderful to see. Each flower shines in light, and every bird sings of the joy of Heaven.”

A Course in Miracles T-26.IV.2:1-2

Have We Forgotten Our True Home?

Central Park - New York City

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Many people feel that they don’t belong here, on Earth, at this time. Perhaps we all have felt this way, at some point in our lives. What if, rather than us not belonging here, this "here" we speak of isn't what we think it is? What if we don't belong in this crazy world, but the world we see isn't reality? Perhaps our true home is something we've sensed is there, sort of like seeing a movement out of the corner of your eye, but when you look directly at it, it's not there. For years I grasped at straws while ignoring the vast Truth of eternity. We're not strangers in a strange land when we realize the truth of Life. We may think everything we touch and see is real, but it's shifting and changing, as opposed to the omnipresent stability of our true home. So let's be still for a moment and ask to know what that home is. We want it so badly, but we've forgotten what it is. Perhaps now we're not afraid to remember!

“So we have goodness and beauty to gladden the heart; but man, left to the hypotheses of material sense unexplained by Science, is as the wandering comet or the desolate star — ‘a weary searcher for a viewless home.’”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 121:12-16

“The part of your mind in which truth abides is in constant communication with God, whether you are aware of it or not. It is the other part of your mind that functions in the world and obeys the world’s laws. It is this part that is constantly distracted, disorganized and highly uncertain.”
A Course in Miracles W-49.1:2-4

The “Banner of Heaven”?

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

There are upwards of 4,000 religions in the world. I dare to say they all have factions which have embraced insanity. There’s a mini-series called “Under The Banner of Heaven”. It deals with a militant faction of the Latter Day Saints, but I think the same thing could happen within any religion. Something I noticed about these Patriots (as they called themselves), is that they have allowed their ego to take control over their thought processes. They began to believe they were the only ones who knew the truth. When Mary Baker Eddy wrote Science & Health in the late 19th Century, she had no desire to start a religion. She only did so because she wanted to ensure that the book would continue to be published in the years after her passing. She often stated that its reading would help a Baptist be a better Baptist, and she insisted that we not proselytize. In a similar manner, A Course in Miracles is not a religion and does not require that you follow any ritual or dogma. Anyone can benefit from its teachings, without giving up their lifelong congregations. Seeing beyond the material picture of human hatred and righteous indignation is what we can do to change the world. Let’s remember: Every thought is important! 

"In the Apocalypse it is written: 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.' In St. John's vision, heaven and earth stand for spiritual ideas, and the sea, as a symbol of tempest-tossed human concepts advancing and receding, is represented as having passed away. The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness."
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 536:1-9

"Wrong-mindedness listens to the ego and makes illusions; perceiving sin and justifying anger, and seeing guilt, disease and death as real. Both this world and the real world are illusions because right-mindedness merely overlooks, or forgives, what never happened. Therefore it is not the One-mindedness of the Christ Mind, Whose Will is one with God's."
A Course in Miracles - Clarification of Terms