April 6, 2015 - Know Thyself

ACIM Workbook Lesson #96

“Salvation comes from my one Self.”

A friend who is also a student of A Course in Miracles tells me she doesn't think these teachings should be presented to children. She thinks they wouldn't have a reason to live if they thought this way. I see it as just the opposite. It seems that the main problem young people are expressing is that they have no sense of self. I see with my own kids that knowing about their Self precludes them from worrying about the labels which may be put on them by others. Self knowledge fosters self confidence. There is much talk about bullying and labels which are used to taunt young people by their peers. Being a witness to what others do, but not becoming a part of it, is admitting the freedom of salvation. Not taking things personally is part of this freedom, but there's more than that. You must know what IS, not just what is not. Today I will delve deeper into Truth, knowing that the One Mind will show me what I need to know. I will look forward to interactions with young people, looking deep within and sharing salvation!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The point for each one to decide is, whether it is mortal mind or immortal Mind that is causative. We should forsake the basis of matter for metaphysical Science and its divine Principle."

Science & Health Page 195:11-14

March 26, 2015 - Grievance Hides Light

"March Sky in the Ozarks"
photo by Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #85

Review: "My grievances hide the light of the world in me." and "My salvation comes from me."

Cynicism hides the light of the world very effectively. As a small child, I freely expressed joy in everything and to everyone, but slowly and thoroughly this joy was quieted by rules and other forces of conformity. By the time I was a teenager, cynicism had taken over my every action. This is a definition of cynicism: "An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others." During the 60s and 70s, although it was heralded as the Age of Aquarius, the free love that permeated our atmosphere was actually a charade of the Love I had felt as a small child. We made fun of those who weren't like us, and by doing so became unsure of what we were. There was an attitude of disdain which came with our superiority. We knew our government was wrong, as were our parents, most teachers, and the majority of our peers. It's no wonder that a major magazine's cover declared that God was dead, because materialism and cynicism had killed any expression of real Love. I was convinced that to have children would be a travesty, as this world was no place for humans to be. Nearly half a century past those turbulent times, I see wonderful changes in all of us. Everyone I know realizes that Love is a force within us which can't be quieted; that fear can never be as powerful as Love; that there is no reason to pretend only the foolish think this way. More people every day are waking up to the Truth of their being, living the salvation of this realization, and not allowing anything to hide this light. Any day now everyone will awaken to their function as a living ray of this Love, and we won't be afraid of it. It is our heritage! We have denied it as long as we can. The Truth is alive within us and it only takes recognition to bring it to fruition. Let's live our salvation today!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Ignorance of the divine idea betrays at once a greater ignorance of the divine Principle of the idea — ignorance of Truth and Love. The understanding of Truth and Love, the Principle which works out the ends of eternal good and destroys both faith in evil and the practice of evil, leads to the discernment of the divine idea."

Science & Health Page 560:28-4

April 6, 2014 - One Self

ACIM Workbook Lesson #96

“Salvation comes from my one Self.”

Communications are a tricky thing! A friend and I were discussing how interesting it is to be recounting events and have someone else tell of them from an entirely different angle. Sometimes it seems you weren't even at the same place, seeing and hearing the same things! The practice of quieting the mind is integral to listening. I've found that when thought is jumping about, it's impossible to truly listen to anything. One thought leads to another, and before you know it, you've gone all around the world and have no idea what's happening right in front of you. By the same token, it I want to hear from the point of spiritual discernment, it's pretty darn hard to do if my own self won't be quiet long enough to concentrate on a simple sentence in a book. This is always a good indicator me: If I can't read and digest what I've read, then I'd best have a "time out" and quiet my monkey mind from its busy-ness! What a peaceful, harmonious world this will be when we all take time to quiet self-importance and listen for Self-knowledge.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The point for each one to decide is, whether it is mortal mind or immortal Mind that is causative. We should forsake the basis of matter for metaphysical Science and its divine Principle."

Science & Health Page 195:11-14

March 11, 2013 - Be The Change

"Happy Belize Man and Dogs"
photo by Ramona Hambrick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #70

“My salvation comes from me.”

It seems as though we want someone else to save us, to right the wrongs we see, to take care of things. We point fingers and expect guilty parties to fix what wrongs we perceive to have been done. It's easy to expect someone else to do things, and then be disgruntled when "they" don't respond in the way we expect and hope. In these teachings, we are beginning to understand that salvation lies within. And so when we see someone step up and do whatever they can to alleviate pain, to bring the light of salvation to a situation, it's an occasion to rejoice! A good friend of mine regularly puts this idea into practice. She is a veterinarian and a number of years ago, she vacationed in Belize, a beautiful tropical paradise. While there, she realized that many (perhaps most) dogs were left to fend for themselves, particularly when it came to reproduction -- or the stopping thereof! She was led to return with a couple of her associates and spend a week spaying and neutering dogs, and performing any other tasks which their limited budget and care facilities would allow. Following her lead, other veterinarians have joined the cause and there have been donations enabling the building of a facility from which these volunteers can do their work. What started out as one woman doing what she could has snowballed into many people sharing in an awareness (a salvation, if you will) of how to improve conditions for animals and humans alike. This wonderful woman has followed her heart, and through this action she has inspired others to follow theirs. I see this as the perfect demonstration of living Love. Her love for and kinship with all things living is an inspiration to so many. The realization of this inner knowing and her fearless efforts to improve conditions for these animals and the ones who love them, this is the salvation we all hold within ourselves. And it blossoms when we set it free through our actions.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“To ascertain our progress, we must learn where our affections are placed and what we acknowledge and obey as God. If divine Love is becoming nearer, dearer, and more real to us, matter is then submitting to Spirit. The objects we pursue and the spirit we manifest reveal our standpoint, and show what we are winning.” 

Science & Health Page 239:16-22

April 6, 2012 - Self-Government

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #96

“Salvation comes from my one Self.”

Mongolian Morning
photo by Aaron Springston

[Marsha's thoughts]

What a peaceful realization it is to know that salvation is not something given to us by someone or something, but is from our own Self. This is the one self which is shared with All that Is, which we cannot be separated from, which we cannot lose through the actions of ourselves or others. Salvation is peace and joy which cannot be given nor taken by someone else. I witnessed a little interlude today in which two people thought their happiness and peace were being affected by each other. It was a simple interaction, but I could see the feathers flying from the encounter! I was in the doorway of the gallery and a man was standing in the street taking a picture. He started to come back to the sidewalk, but because of the stacks of limestone and barricades between him and the walkway, he needed to go 20 feet or so in either direction to get there. He chose to step over an orange cone and cross amidst the construction. The owner of Peace, Love, and Cheesecake reprimanded him, pointing out the reasons he shouldn't be doing that. I was standing in my doorway and the trespasser was walking my way. Seeing that he was disgruntled, I said jokingly (and I hoped flirtatiously!) as he passed: You're such an adventurer! He blurted out some disparaging words about the man who had gently corrected him. I made my final pitch for lightheartedness, as the man stomped up the street. These little encounters would be much different if we realized and demonstrated today's lesson. By listening for guidance from your One Self, I seriously doubt you could be led to either walk where there is danger, or point out that danger to someone else. Knowing your only real government is from Love, God, allows salvation for you and everyone and everything. Today I will remember this sentence from Lesson 96: "Problems that have no meaning cannot be resolved within the framework they are set.”

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"When we endow matter with vague spiritual power,-- that is, when we do so in our theories, for of course we cannot really endow matter with what it does not and cannot possess,--we disown the Almighty, for such theories lead to one of two things. They either presuppose the self-evolution and self-government of matter, or else they assume that matter is the product of Spirit. To seize the first horn of this dilemma and consider matter as a power in and of itself, is to leave the creator out of His own universe; while to grasp the other horn of the dilemma and regard God as the creator of matter, is not only to make Him responsible for all disasters, physical and moral, but to announce Him as their source, thereby making Him guilty of maintaining perpetual misrule in the form and under the name of natural law."

Science & Health Page 119:1-16

March 11, 2012 - Who will save us?

ACIM Lesson #70:

“My salvation comes from me.”

                                                                                                                    [Marsha's thoughts]

Happy Belize Man and his Happy Dogs
photo by Ramona Hambrick

Perhaps it's always been that we expect someone else to right the wrongs we see all around us. We point fingers and expect guilty parties to fix what wrongs we perceive to have been done. It's easy to expect someone else to do things, and then be disgruntled when "they" don't respond in the way we expect and hope. And so when we see someone step up and do whatever they can to alleviate pain, to bring the light of salvation to a situation, it's an occasion to rejoice! Today has been a day of such happiness for me. A group of women have been meeting monthly for eight years under the guise of a book club. We really just get together because of our fondness for each other, and the book leads us in discussions which are poignant, heartfelt, and personally meaningful in individual ways which are not always immediately discerned. Today we were witness to an astounding series of events which are being facilitated by one of our group who is a veterinarian. Five years ago, she vacationed in Belize, a beautiful tropical paradise. While there, she realized that many, perhaps most, dogs were left to fend for themselves, particularly when it came to reproduction -- or the stopping of it! She was led to return and spend a week spaying and neutering, and performing any other tasks which their limited budget and care facilities would allow. In the past five years, other veterinarians have joined the cause and there have been donations enabling the building of a facility from which these volunteers can do their work. What started out as one woman doing what she could has snowballed into many people sharing in an awareness (a salvation, if you will), of how to improve conditions for animals and humans alike. This wonderful woman has followed her heart, and through this action she has inspired others to do what they can, and more in return are doing the same. I see this as the perfect demonstration of living Love. Her love for and kinship with all things living is an inspiration to so many. The realization of this inner knowing and her fearless efforts to improve conditions for these animals and the ones who love them, this is the salvation we all hold within ourselves. And it blossoms when we set it free through our action.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“To ascertain our progress, we must learn where our affections are placed and what we acknowledge and obey as God. If divine Love is becoming nearer, dearer, and more real to us, matter is then submitting to Spirit. The objects we pursue and the spirit we manifest reveal our standpoint, and show what we are winning.” 

Science & Health Page 239:16-22