Bowing Continuously

Art by Abbott Henderson Thayer

Forgive Me - Poem by Mary Oliver

Angels are wonderful but they are so, well, aloof.

It’s what I sense in the mud and the roots of the

trees, or the well, or the barn, or the rock with

its citron map of lichen that halts my feet and

makes my eyes flare,

 feeling the presence of some spirit, 

some small god,

 who abides there.

If I were a perfect person, I would be bowing

continuously.

I’m not, though I pause wherever I feel this

holiness, which is why I’m so often late coming

back from wherever I went.

Forgive me.

~ Mary Oliver

“Nature voices natural, spiritual law and divine Love, but human belief misinterprets nature. 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 240:1-9

“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. There is no sadness and there is no parting here, for everything is totally forgiven. And what has been forgiven must join, for nothing stands between to keep them separate and apart. The sinless must perceive that they are one, for nothing stands between to push the other off. And in the space that sin left vacant do they join as one, in gladness recognizing what is part of them has not been kept apart and separate.”

A Course in Miracles T-26.IV.2:1-6

Friendship and Common Causes

When the Surgeon General issued a statement calling loneliness and isolation an epidemic, it caused me to notice people around me and wonder if they felt lonely. My street is the epitome of community. We talk to each other and help out in times of need. I could write pages about how much I love my neighbors! But then I think about a few friends who have devoted their lives to spouses or jobs, which they no longer have. Many, if not all of them, seem to be looking for something they don’t think they’ll ever find. I have wondered in these writing why people don’t reach out to each other, why we don’t band together in friendship and common causes, what might we be afraid of in opening ourselves to others? I’m not sure I have any more answers now than when I last addressed this issue, but I do know more people are talking about the subject and finding avenues to help bring us together. I’m also thinking of days past when I may have felt lonely myself, and identifying reasons this is no longer my plight. I don’t feel separated from anyone or anything I love. And I’m no longer putting limitation on where that love can flow. And so, friends, my prayer for today is that we can be honest with ourselves and reach out to others when we need them or they need us. Namaste…

“Let him no more be lonely, for the lonely ones are those who see no function in the world for them to fill; no place where they are needed, and no aim which only they can perfectly fulfill.”
—A Course in Miracles T-25.VI.3:6

“Would existence without personal friends be to you a blank? Then the time will come when you will be solitary, left without sympathy; but this seeming vacuum is already filled with divine Love. When this hour of development comes, even if you cling to a sense of personal joys, spiritual Love will force you to accept what best promotes your growth.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 266:6-12

Consciousness Loving Itself

Art by Amanda Cass

On this beautiful day when the world celebrates love, I would like to quote words from an Eckhart Tolle talk: “To feel empathy with another human, to feel love or lovingkindness, isn’t an emotion. Emotion is the neediness of attachment to another human being, but the outflow of lovingkindness or love towards another human is not a turbulence; it’s a deep thing that comes out of the recognition that the consciousness that I am is the essence of who you are, also. So what I love in you is consciousness loving itself.” Today I will make a point of thinking of people who are expressing divine Love in various activities, living a life of grace, and let them know how important they are to me and others. Happy Valentine’s Day to us all!!

“The Holy Spirit has given you love’s messengers to send instead of those you trained through fear. They are as eager to return to you what they hold dear as are the others. If you send them forth, they will see only the blameless and the beautiful, the gentle and the kind. They will be as careful to let no little act of charity, no tiny expression of forgiveness, no little breath of love escape their notice. And they will return with all the happy things they found, to share them lovingly with you. Be not afraid of them. They offer you salvation. Theirs are the messages of safety, for they see the world as kind.”
—A Course in Miracles T-19.IV-A.14:1-8

“Love alone can impart the limitless idea of infinite Mind.” 

—Mary Baker Eddy Science & Health Page 510:18-19

Pinions of Light

In my world, prayer is an affirmation of Truth and a denial of erroneous thought. By consistently turning in humble quietness to hear the inner guidance which is always there, we are enabled to look through the material pictures which we thought to be truth. The law of Love is so gentle that it is often not discerned in the face of the harshness of human existence. By the realization that God is All, that anything unlike God, good, is a material illusion perpetrated by thought, we are able to see through the darkness into the reality of Light. In this illumination, everything is seen differently. The strength which comes from this Truth is manifest in every aspect of our experience. Join with me in demonstrating this Truth! Something as simple as finding a lost object can show you how seeing in this way enables true sight. For instance, if you've lost your keys, instead of rushing about looking in every possible place they could be, try seeing in the light. Sit down, quiet your mind, know that you are One with All That Is, and see what thoughts come to you. What fun it is to simply know where to go and what to do!

“As a material, theoretical life-basis is found to be a misapprehension of existence, the spiritual and divine Principle of man dawns upon human thought and leads it to ‘where the young child was,’ even to the birth of a new-old idea, to the spiritual sense of being and of what Life includes. Thus the whole earth will be transformed by Truth on its pinions of light, chasing away the darkness of error."
Mary Baker Eddy-Science & Health Page 191:6-15

“Prayer is the medium of miracles. It is a means of communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles love is expressed.”
A Course in Miracles- T-1.I.11:1-3

New Beginnings

Every 60 years, a unique combination occurs with the Chinese calendar. There are twelve animals which cycle through yearly; and elements (such as fire, wind, etc) rotate every five years. And this year we have the year of the Fire Horse. This combination occurred in 1906 and 1966. These were times of great upheaval and change. I think most of us feel that the turmoil of our current days is coming to a head in some way. In our lifetimes, we have watched our environment become ravaged from selfish behavior on all our parts. We have seen inhumane treatment of people all over the world, including in our back yards. We have become complacent in too many ways. I quote for you an explanation of the symbolism of the coming New Year: “The combination of the Horse sign and the Fire element creates an exceptionally high-energy year of dynamic change. The Horse naturally symbolizes vitality and independence, while the Fire element adds intensity and drive.” We are all feeling something shifting in our lives. New beginnings are afoot, don’t you think?

“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself;’ annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science. & Health Page 340:23-30

“Rejoice in the power of forgiveness to heal your sight completely. Be confident that on this day there is a new beginning. Without the darkness of the past upon your eyes, you cannot fail to see today. And what you see will be so welcome that you will gladly extend today forever.”
—A Course in Miracles W-75.9:3-7

Pay Attention …

“Wonderment”

A Creation of Sandy Wythawai Starbird

I was reading Mary Oliver and these words jumped out at me: “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” This is the full paragraph:

“Yes! No! How necessary it is to have opinions! I think the spotted trout lilies are satisfied, standing a few inches above the earth. I think serenity is not something you just find in the world, like a plum tree, holding up its white petals. The violets, along the river, are opening their blue faces, like small dark lanterns. The green mosses, being so many, are as good as brawny. How important it is to walk along, not in haste but slowly, looking at everything and calling out Yes! No! The swan, for all his pomp, his robes of glass and petals, wants only to be allowed to live on the nameless pond. The catbrier is without fault. The water thrushes, down among the sloppy rocks, are going crazy with happiness. Imagination is better than a sharp instrument. To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
—-Mary Oliver - Owls and Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays

“Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 506:18-21

“To be in the Kingdom is merely to focus your full attention on it. As long as you believe you can attend to what is not true, you are accepting conflict as your choice. Is it really a choice? It seems to be, but seeming and reality are hardly the same. You who are the Kingdom are not concerned with seeming. Reality is yours because you are reality. This is how having and being are ultimately reconciled, not in the Kingdom, but in your mind. The altar there is the only reality. The altar is perfectly clear in thought, because it is a reflection of perfect Thought. Your right mind sees only brothers, because it sees only in its own light.”
—A Course in Miracles T-7.III.4:1-10

More Powerful Than Hate …

Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, is the talk of the world today. Of course, most of the world already knew his music, but a few sheltered folks (like me) have just been introduced to him and his beautiful unifying spirit. And so today, I’ve watched him on a Tiny Desk Concert, in an episode of Carpool Karaoke, and an interview with a woman who has written a definitive history of this talented young man. I also loved a video I saw of his today, one which is depicted in the photo which accompanies this writing. In multiple ways, I have learned about the kindness and compassion of this young musician. His message of unity has brought forth many reactions. I am basking in the beauty of his performance, along with the feelings of hope he has inspired. As the ending billboard reminds us: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” This man, this performance, is exactly what humanity needs right now. And I am grateful …

“My weary hope tries to realize that happy day, when man shall recognize the Science of Christ and love his neighbor as himself, — when he shall realize God’s omnipotence and the healing power of the divine Love in what it has done and is doing for mankind.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 55:16-21

“Healing is release from the fear of waking and the substitution of the decision to wake. The decision to wake is the reflection of the will to love, since all healing involves replacing fear with love. The Holy Spirit cannot distinguish among degrees of error, for if He taught that one form of sickness is more serious than another, He would be teaching that one error can be more real than another. His function is to distinguish only between the false and the true, replacing the false with the true.”

—A Course in Miracles T-8.IX.5:1-4)