Think!

It seems that our pets are eager to please us, to the point of understanding when they are not supposed to hurt animals which used to be thought of as natural enemies — i.e., dogs and cats, or cats and birds, et cetera. When talking to a friend about this, we realized that if we don’t tell our dogs (and/or cats) these things, they don’t know them and blindly go about being reactionary and, perhaps, mean. I know, I know, this may sound silly. But let’s experiment with this in our daily life. Perhaps people are the same way and simply act the way they think of as “normal”: being prejudiced against those unlike themselves, loving money more than people, thinking there is something weak in admitting wrongdoing and apologizing. Let’s take a stand today for higher, deeper thought. Or maybe we should just remember to think rather than react. I believe I’ll paste that word on my mirror, refrigerator, and computer screen: Think!

“The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity. Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page vii: 13-17

Harmony is the Natural Order

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

We, as humans, think in terms of something upsetting us, then find reasons why we are justified in this upset. When a friend shared with me a step into peace and out of worry which she experienced, I was reminded that we don't need to fan the flame of anger. One of her daughters was very upset with her, for reasons which are not important to this writing. My friend chose to not make those reasons important to her either. She was aware that her beloved daughter was upset, but she was also aware that she couldn't fix it. She knows that her peace doesn't depend on any outside source. She knew she was being honest and straightforward, and no amount of erroneous thought could affect her natural state of harmony. She didn’t try to change her daughter’s mind about things, but she did examine her own motives and actions. I look forward to seeing the effect of pouring more love on this fire!

"Harmony is produced by its Principle, is controlled by it and abides with it. Divine Principle is the Life of man. Man's happiness is not, therefore, at the disposal of physical sense. Truth is not contaminated by error. Harmony in man is as beautiful as in music, and discord is unnatural, unreal." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 304:17-22

Utopia

photo credit: Richard Quick

In 2012, I dreamed the following. I’m so happy it was documented through these writings, or I wouldn’t remember any of it. I can still feel it …

I dreamed last night of Utopia. We had no need to speak as we knew each others’ thoughts. We had no fear as our thoughts were uncluttered and pure. Everywhere I looked there were happy people, busy at tasks which would benefit everyone. There was no need for television or radios as we knew everything without speaking. At one point, I thought I was lost in the woods, but that was impossible because others sensed my confusion and were there immediately to lead me to a safe and beautiful space. When traveling on a road, suddenly the way was filled with huge boulders and ancient fallen trees. But to the left side there was a field of beautiful flowers, and a pathway leading to my destination. All needs were met before I knew of them. There was the most wonderful sense of peace. I will hold to these beautiful feelings today, while seeing the meaningless basis of my discontent. 

“Sleep and apathy are phases of the dream that life, substance, and intelligence are material. The mortal night dream is sometimes nearer the fact of being than are the thoughts of mortals when awake. The night-dream has less matter as its accompaniment. It throws off some material fetters. It falls short of the skies, but makes its mundane flights quite ethereal.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 249:24-30

To Arrive Where We Started

A friend once said to me, "There are only two powers, and she's chosen the wrong one." I had to step back and wonder how it felt to believe in such a duality as this. Once we've split power into a loving God and Its evil twin, some seriously hard-to-let-go images have taken hold in our mind. I don’t want to focus on the myriad of ways we've constructed to cloud our vision, but I'll ask to see with my true sight as a reflection of Love. This T. S. Eliot’s quote from Little Gidding reminds me what "seeing" is. “We shall not cease from exploration, / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.”

"To teach is to demonstrate. There are only two thought systems, and you demonstrate that you believe one or the other is true all the time. From your demonstration others learn, and so do you. The question is not whether you will teach, for in that there is no choice. The purpose of the course might be said to provide you with a means of choosing what you want to teach on the basis of what you want to learn. You cannot give to someone else, but only to yourself, and this you learn through teaching. Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what you believe. It is a method of conversion. This is not done by words alone. Any situation must be to you a chance to teach others what you are, and what they are to you. No more than that, but also never less." A Course in Miracles -  Manual for Teachers

A Happy Trip

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Someone I admire said, “I don’t want my imagination to die before I do”. That’s the open secret to a happy life, don’t you think? When each day brings new adventure, we are joyous! And this adventure doesn’t consist of doing something you’ve never done before, or something which others think of as exciting; it’s simply enjoying every moment of what you do and not being afraid of a break in routine. That’s an ah-ha moment, huh? How often do we become disgruntled because our plans for the day are interrupted by an unexpected occurrence? No matter that it may be a surprise visit from an old friend, or a flat tire on the car, or some other unexpected disruption. When we are able to face whatever may come our way, with an inexhaustible joy, life is fun! Imagination and creativity are directly linked to this ability to enjoy the ups and downs, without even thinking of them as such. Rolling with the flow makes for a happy trip!

“You can make an empty shell, but you cannot express nothing at all. You can wait, delay, paralyze yourself, or reduce your creativity almost to nothing. But you cannot abolish it. You can destroy your medium of communication, but not your potential.” A Course in Miracles - Chapter 1 V:1

Drastic Changes

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Looking through my blog, I see I wrote this in 2011. So much has come true! I look forward to it all being so…

“What I would give to live alone on a mountaintop, with no neighbors or roommates, with no job to go to or money to think about. What a nice life it would be to meditate, take long walks at any time of day, only cook when I want to, and not have social obligations. What a relief to not hear news or commercials from the media in any form. How nice to not go to church or board meetings or think about marketing of this town and its artists. How lovely to not deal with flat tires and fallen trees. And wouldn't it be sweet for non-profits to have all they need, for no one to be hungry, for everyone to know the true source of their well-being and not be afraid to shout it from the rooftops. Human thought has changed drastically through the centuries. It's changing now, too. I embrace it.” Marsha 2011

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"To corporeal sense, the sun appears to rise and set, and the earth to stand still; but astronomical science contradicts this, and explains the solar system as working on a different plan. All the evidence of physical sense and all the knowledge obtained from physical sense must yield to Science [the knowledge of Christ-consciousness], to the immortal truth of all things."

Science & Health Page 493:2-8

To Teach Is To Learn

PC: Aaron Springston

The act of communicating knowledge can be interpreted as implying that others are ignorant and need to be enlightened on a number of subjects. So we may keep our mouth closed rather than giving much-needed advice in a variety of ways. Perhaps this is a reason our world is suffering so severely when solutions seems simple: people are not willing to step outside their belief systems and listen to logic and scientific fact. Maybe it’s a lack of trust and we feel others want to indoctrinate us into their way of thought. I’d love to see us all step back from labels such as liberal and conservative and simply seek truth. Who cares if someone is a man or a woman, or a member of a certain political party or religion? Let’s not be afraid to speak out, to question, to listen, to learn, to love each other without caveat!

“The role of teaching and learning is actually reversed in the thinking of the world. The reversal is characteristic. It seems as if the teacher and the learner are separated, the teacher giving something to the learner rather than to himself. Further, the act of teaching is regarded as a special activity, in which one engages only a relatively small proportion of one's time. The course, on the other hand, emphasizes that to teach is to learn, so that teacher and learner are the same. It also emphasizes that teaching is a constant process; it goes on every moment of the day, and continues into sleeping thoughts as well.” A Course in Miracles, Manual for Teachers

And So It Goes...

photo credit: Aaron Springston

One of our learned behaviors is to place blame on others for things they have said or done which we perceive as detrimental to us or others. When we see what truly is, we are able to simply witness these events, without apportioning blame or cause to them. By this lack of reasoning, we then see things as they really are, without placing our own, personal meaning on them. More and more often, I can simply say, "And so it goes ...".

“The question, ‘What is Truth,’ convulses the world. Many are ready to meet this inquiry with the assurance which comes of understanding; but more are blinded by their old illusions, and try to ‘give it pause’. The efforts of error to answer this question by some ology are vain. Spiritual rationality and free thought accompany approaching Science, and cannot be put down. They will emancipate humanity, and supplant unscientific means and so-called laws.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 223:14-24

Mass Consciousness or Inner Knowing?

photo credit: Richard Quick

I highly recommend a book by J. Allen Boone, "Kinship with All Life". During the 50s, Mr. Boone realized that his dog knew when he was thinking about going for a walk, even before he made a move to get up from his typewriter. This caused him to explore many ideas concerning our interconnectedness. My ah-ha moment for this came when I was in our local office supply to make copies. There were a number of other people there for the same reason. When I commented on how busy they were, the owner told me it had been slow all day until a few minutes before. I began to notice various occurrences such as these and decided to take myself out of the lemming effect in order to save time. When I am getting ready to go to the library, grocery store, or other places people flock to in mass, I simply ask within if this is the right time to go. As often as not, my order of chores is rearranged when I listen for this guidance. It may seem that the impulse we receive from mass consciousness and the guidance we receive from inner listening would be hard to distinguish, one from the other. But paying attention to these callings teaches us to differentiate and follow where we need to be and when!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"...Truth is the light which dispels error. As mortals begin to understand Spirit, they give up the belief that there is any true existence apart from God."

Science & Health Page 282:32-3

The Sustaining Infinite

When my oldest son graduated from college, he moved to a large city which had the type of snow he most loves for skiing. After applying for and being turned down for numerous jobs, including bread delivery in the wee hours of the morning, he finally found a job doing graphic design grunt work at minimum wage. While with that company, he advanced to the position of multimedia producer, and had appreciable raises in salary and work satisfaction. The training he received at that job was the main reason he caught the eye of a television station in a nearby resort town. While in that job, he was doing freelance work for the U.S. Ski Team, and they offered him a job when a spot in video production became available. By allowing himself to be open to the field of all potentiality, he is now working at his dream job. This has come about because he had no plans or goals he was abiding by, but he knew that following his heart never would leave him where he started. Join with me today in thinking of times you have listened within, when you were "leaning on the sustaining Infinite", and found yourself someplace you could never have planned!

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page vii:1-2

One Principle

We had a near-tragedy on our street today. A beautiful man with talent and money and good looks attempted to take his life. I am told by a good friend (who is also a friend of his) that he feels worthless, ugly, disliked by others, and sick. What a difference in perception from the way the neighborhood sees him! He is in the hospital recuperating. I hope he will allow us to wrap him up in the love of community. I hope he will be honest and open about his feelings. I hope he will see himself the way I do — full of life! I’m examining what can be done on a day-to-day basis to help people who may feel as he does. I know I’m going to pay attention to inner prompts, no matter how subtle. I will strive to clear my mind of my own turmoil, letting myself hear feelings others may be afraid to voice. 

“The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother’s need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another’s good.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 518:15-19

The Reality of Substance

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

Years ago, I had friends who were expecting their first baby. They thought it would be interesting to teach it the "wrong" things -- such as, blue would be red, a table might be called a chair, maybe a dog would be a cat. That would certainly be seeing things differently! I see a correlation in their mis-information scheme and the illusions and limitations we have set up for ourselves in our world. There is a Course in Miracles workbook lesson which asks us to give up any notions we have concerning the meaning of anything and everything. By doing this, we enable ourselves to drop what we've always thought about a particular thing and allow ourselves to be open to what it is and what it is for. I love where this exercise takes us! When we begin asking what things are rather than telling them what they are based on our previous labeling of them, interesting answers

come our way. For instance, the way we, as a society, punish wrong-doing: Does our present system of retaliation and retribution actually accomplish anything? In reading a book, "The Buddhist and the Terrorist", an alternative to the treatment of a murderer is explored. This book is one of many which encourage me to see differently, to see myself as Love sees me. This concept strikes me as worthy of exploration!

"The objects cognized by the physical senses have not the reality of substance. They are only what mortal belief calls them." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 311:26-28

Happy Mother's Day to All!

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Today I would like to celebrate everyone who has ever lovingly tended a garden, or carefully cooked a meal, or comforted a sad friend, or helped someone in need, or volunteered for a cause dear to their heart, or read to a child, or loved a dog, or anything else you may have done which took you out of yourself by thinking of another first. I have many friends who are sad on this day in which we celebrate mothers. Mothering encompasses so much more than having a child or going to dinner with your mom, don’t you think? Anything done with love qualifies you as a nurturer, so celebrate yourself today! It matters not if you’re male, female, young or old, be gentle with yourself today and every day! 

“Both sexes should be loving, pure, tender, and strong. The attraction between native qualities will be perpetual only as it is pure and true, bringing sweet seasons of renewal like the returning spring.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 57: 8-14

Immortal Ideas

photo credit: Chris Fischer

Every prayer, every meditation, every expression of love is magnified exponentially. We have the power to change the world through ourselves, as each interaction identifies us with either a world of love or of fear. The same way in which we take personal responsibility for ourselves, our health, our well-being, we can take responsibility for a return to Love. Every thought contributes to the whole! We never know what difference a simple interaction could make in someone's life, and a single word or a smile may turn them away from reactive fear to healing love. The truth which corrects all errors in our mind is our ascension into heaven within. Never doubt that you matter, that you make a difference. Allow silence and listening to guide you in your role of being the change you want to see! 

"Immortal ideas, pure, perfect, and enduring, are transmitted by the divine Mind through divine Science, which corrects error with truth and demands spiritual thoughts, divine concepts, to the end that they may produce harmonious results." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 259: 27-31

Let the Force Be With You

I hate computers! This is not something I would say, and that's because I've learned what happens if you do: they hate you back. I'm saying this semi-jokingly, but a lot of you have probably experienced this phenomenon. If we get frustrated and tense, this translates into blocked ability to know what's going on. I often tell people to think like a computer when working with them: to appreciate seeing what it has to teach you, and listen for instruction on how to learn. Computers are actually very zen-like machines, don't you think? If I'm not achieving the results I want, it's tempting to throw up my hands and give up. That's the time to sit quietly and ask for the knowledge which divine Mind always is providing. Once again, we're asking ourselves to be still and know. Silence mortal mind and and let the force be with you! Ommmm ~~~~

“Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 495:21-24

Dwelling in Sadness - Or Not!

photo credit: Chris Fischer

We all know people who seem to be chronically sad, don't we? They share a commonality of repeatedly replaying dismal and distressing events in their thought and conversation. I have some gloomy memories which pop into my head occasionally. When this happens, there's a choice: I can relive the events mentally and/or verbally and thereby keep them alive, or I can acknowledge that they're still in my thoughts, but know that they are not the truth of my being. Yes, it happened (whatever it is). It's part of my material history, but my spiritual reality has not been touched by it. The peace brought by this understanding is priceless. I can be happy! Even in the midst of things which I may not think of as particularly joyful, I can give myself permission to be happy. It is, after all, my natural state of Being!

“Harmony is produced by its Principle, is controlled by it and abides with it. Divine Principle is the Life of man. Man’s happiness is not, therefore, at the disposal of physical sense.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 304:16-19

The Ascending Path

PC: Aaron Springston

Today I took a friend to a pain clinic in a neighboring town. As I sat in the waiting room, I was morbidly fascinated by the people sharing their tales of pain and medical horror stories. I questioned those sitting closest to me. I asked them how long they’d been in pain, if they felt they would ever be pain free, what their future looked like to them. There was no hope in this room, at least none other than the hope that a new drug would be discovered to mask their torture. One thing I noticed about them was their sadness. It could be argued that their intense pain caused them to be sad. But I wondered if perhaps it was a circular feeling, and their sadness caused pain, and their pain fed their sadness, and on and on. This brief encounter caused me to see certain things from another perspective. I shall ponder this…

“Who that has felt the loss of human peace has not gained stronger desires for spiritual joy? The aspiration after heavenly good comes even before we discover what belongs to wisdom and Love. The loss of earthly hopes and pleasures brightens the ascending path of many a heart. The pains of sense quickly inform us that the pleasures of sense are mortal and that joy is spiritual.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 60: 24-28

Unseparated Idea

PC: Aaron Springston

You are the presence of God. Does this statement make you uneasy? Perhaps traditional theology has taught you that such an idea is sacrilege. Maybe you simply feel too inferior to accept yourself as Godlike. It's not so difficult to say that you are one with everything. We're happy to feel a connection with all things and often go on retreats and do workshops which help us feel this unity. But what does this thing called Oneness really mean? It could be taken wholly on a material basis, and you might say that we're all the same in our physical makeup of minerals and flesh, etc. You might be willing to go a step further and say we're all the same because God made us in Its image and likeness. Does it make you cringe to call God It rather than He? We're rather accustomed to anthropomorphizing God, making deity like us rather than the other way around. As we learn to accept and embrace our identity as the experience and expression of God, we learn we can proudly announce our goodness, our wholeness, even our perfection. This honors God and Its creation in a way that self-conscious deprecation or self-righteous pride cannot. What a beautiful day to explore what all this means in daily practice!

"God, without the image and likeness of Himself, would be a nonentity, or Mind unexpressed. He would be without a witness or proof of [Its] own nature. Spiritual man is the image or idea of God, an idea which cannot be lost nor separated from its divine Principle." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 303:25-30

Listening

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Communications are a tricky thing. 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, if 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.

"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." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 195:11-14

Queen of the Sun

photo credit: Aaron Springston

At this time of the year, I love revisiting a documentary called “Queen of the Sun". In this film about bees, we are told that pollen is materialized light. I love that, don't you? When thought of like this, it seems possible that we, too, are materialized light. We're also shown that the bee's light is freed through blocks of honeycomb, beautifully shared with all as sweet, beautiful honey. And yet again, the light is freed in the goodness of beeswax candles. The freeing of light is cumulative with the bees, and we can experience the same thing as we unshackle the light and peace and joy within ourselves. Another lesson from the bees is the importance of community. Watching them working together for a common cause is uplifting and inspiring to me. It makes me want to join with my neighbors and do something important. But wait -- I'm doing that! What blesses one blesses all. My awakening to light and joy and peace is yours, too. Bees, people, trees -- as infinite ideas, we're all in this together!

“Light is a symbol of Mind, of Life, Truth, and Love, and not a vitalizing property of matter. Science reveals only one Mind, and this one shining by its own light and governing the universe, including man, in perfect harmony.." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 510:27-1