Love is the Liberator

Thailand- photo by Aaron Springston

During my lifetime, I've seen various types of oppression evaporating. I admit that there are more walls waiting to fall  — but just look how far we've come! Despite these strides, a man told me that he was afraid to come to Eureka Springs. Of course, I asked him why. He said if we were having one of our "diversity" weekends he didn't want to be here. He assured me he had nothing against gay people, but he didn't want it “rubbed in his face”. This is a learned behavior of prejudice on his part; It has nothing to do with the way he felt when he came out of the womb into this life. As we release what we have come to believe, all of those things which we’ve been taught to think, we open the way for divine Love to guide us. Love truly is the liberator!

“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 and Health Page 225:14-22

“This is the world the Love of God reveals. It is so different from the world you see through darkened eyes of malice and of fear, that one belies the other. Only one can be perceived at all. The other one is wholly meaningless. A world in which forgiveness shines on everything, and peace offers its gentle light to everyone, is inconceivable to those who see a world of hatred rising from attack, poised to avenge, to murder and destroy.”

A Course in Miracles W-189.3:1-5

When You Lift Up Women, You Lift Up Humanity

Some Novel Women

Melinda French Gates is doing good work. In June, she left the foundation which she and her husband, Bill, started numerous years ago. It has done good work, but she wants to do more. So she has taken off on her own, pledged a billion dollars to accelerate the pace of social progress by removing barriers that hold women back. She says, “Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity." She has done a series of youtube videos interviewing women who facilitate change. This morning I watched her interview Oprah and her lifelong friend, Gail. They talked about the importance of friendships and the need to have good women friends. This evening was my monthly book club meeting. We are a group of women who have met for two decades, and through the years we have become best friends. Tonight there were only five of us present, because of numerous reasons. It doesn’t matter if there are five or 12, we are lifted up every time we get together. Whether it’s a billionaire helping thousands of people, or a few women gathered together in friendship, we lift each other up — and the world is a better place!

“The shining in your mind reminds the world of what it has forgotten, and the world restores the memory to you as well. From you salvation radiates with gifts beyond all measure, given and returned. To you, the giver of the gift, does God Himself give thanks. And in His blessing does the light in you shine brighter, adding to the gifts you have to offer to the world.”

A Course in Miracles W-188.4:1-4

"Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven,—the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 208:20-24

Leaving The Old For The New

Torin and the Rainbow

“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.” Kahlil Gibran

These words seem especially powerful to me today. I’ve thought of the public figures who have openly wept from compassion or joy. Most of my life, people were taught that crying was a weakness to be avoided. Every time I see a strong person brought to tears, I am grateful for a society which encourages people to express their true feelings. And honest laughter is a thing of beauty, don’t you think? A fake smile is easily seen through, because the eyes are not smiling. A true belly laugh expresses joy which goes deeper than a giggle brought forth from a joke, or one caused by embarrassment or another uncomfortable situation.  And a “great” person who does not bow before children — wow, this one takes my breath away! When a person panders to young children in an attempt to seem loving, the ugliness stays as a mental image in thought. On the other hand, the awe shown by people when they truly enjoy and love children — These people, I am grateful for. And I am grateful for everyone who shows honest emotion, no matter what some may think of their actions. My heart is full of gratitude today. 

“Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear, — this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 323:32-4

“Ideas must first belong to you, before you give them. If you are to save the world, you first accept salvation for yourself. But you will not believe that this is done until you see the miracles it brings to everyone you look upon. Herein is the idea of giving clarified and given meaning. Now you can perceive that by your giving is your store increased.” 

A Course in Miracles W-187.3:1-5

Good Things Are Happening

I’ve noticed myself (and others) mindlessly repeating things we have heard, whether it be truth or rumor, good news or a horrid happening, or simply inanities. In the volatile atmosphere of our emotionally-charged country, it is particularly important to scatter joy and express kindness. Kindness goes hand-in-hand with compassion, but that doesn’t mean we must exacerbate others' pain by adding our own to it. I’ve heard it said that worry is much like praying for something bad to happen. With this in mind, I will try to only see, hear, and repeat good. This does not mean I will ignore injustice in all its many faces, nor does it mean that I'll turn my back on someone in need. It does mean when I hear of yet another travesty against mankind and the environment, I will see it through different eyes, translating it into what can occur to move us into our true selves as images of the divine. Planning to refrain from rehashing horror stories, or engaging in inane conversations, or telling my own stories which top the bad things others have experienced, these are things I can and will do at every opportunity. Every thought matters, and ours may be the one which turns it all around!

“And so we find our peace. We will accept the function God has given us, for all illusions rest upon the weird belief that we can make another for ourselves. Our self-made roles are shifting, and they seem to change from mourner to ecstatic bliss of love and loving. We can laugh or weep, and greet the day with welcome or with tears. Our very being seems to change as we experience a thousand shifts in mood, and our emotions raise us high indeed, or dash us to the ground in hopelessness.”

A Course in Miracles W-186.8:1-5

“The power of the human will should be exercised only in subordination to Truth; else it will misguide the judgment and free the lower propensities. It is the province of spiritual sense to govern man.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 206:2-7

Peace of Mind

Does everyone want peace of mind? I truly think we do, but some of us have forgotten. Perhaps you know someone who thinks they want money more than peace, or maybe they want the excitement which brings an adrenaline rush, rather than the beauty of a quiet mind. I know people who seem stuck in a mental loop, repeating scenarios which cause them to be upset and angry. Many books have been written about change and the things we must do to shift our way of thinking about life. What if it’s easier than that? What if it only takes a desire to be peaceful, and then listening in the silence for the guidance which leads to that contentment? As with many changes in behavior, it may take practice and repetition. But I’ve found that the desire to attain peace has facilitated its attainment. Seeking peace outside of ourselves is as futile as seeking it through exciting physical activities. When we’re looking for something, we must know where to look. Namaste…

“The mind which means that all it wants is peace must join with other minds, for that is how peace is obtained. And when the wish for peace is genuine, the means for finding it is given, in a form each mind that seeks for it in honesty can understand. Whatever form the lesson takes is planned for him in such a way that he can not mistake it, if his asking is sincere. But if he asks without sincerity, there is no form in which the lesson will meet with acceptance and be truly learned.”

A Course in Miracles W-185.6:1-4

"The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace."

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 506:11-12

Seeing Past Tribes and Nations

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

We, as humans, make up thousands of designations in order to separate ourselves. We may be proud of our heritage, putting plaques on our walls telling that our ancestors came over on the Mayflower. We teach our children “where they came from" and tell them reasons they should be proud of this. We proclaim what state we hail from, what school we attended, which football teams we cheer for — the list goes on and on. As A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #184 tells us: “Learning that stops with what the world would teach stops short of meaning.” I want to see past tribes and nations. I don’t want to think of myself as a Razorback or a woman. I don’t want to think of myself at all, but would rather rest in the knowledge that I am an Idea of God, individually expressing that in whatever way is my function! 

“The eternal Truth destroys what mortals seem to have learned from error, and man's real existence as a child of God comes to light.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science and Health Page 288:31–1

“God’s Name reminds me that I am His Son, not slave to time, unbound by laws which rule the world of sick illusions, free in God, forever and forever one with Him.”

A Course in Miracles W-204.1:2

Our Perceptions of Words

Mrs. Ropers

Photo Credit: Richard Quick

Words matter. I’ve always believed this oft-repeated maxim, and still do, although I’ve expanded my thoughts on the topic. How we perceive words is what matters. In pondering this, a childhood memory popped up. My parents had friends who visited us often and we spent hours in conversation with them. Mr. Santa Cruz used profanity quite often. Damn, hell, goddam, flowed through his conversation naturally. We also had a relative in Arizona who visited yearly, and we traveled there almost as often. He was the same: talking happily with curses interwoven throughout his wonderful stories. My parents’ home was a profanity-free zone, except where these two men were concerned. It came so naturally to them that it did not seem bad. Looking back, it was charming in its own way. Thinking about their words now, I see it was simply an expression of their joyful spirit. It didn’t seem bad, because it wasn’t. I’m comparing this tale to our society’s interpretation of situations which are foreign to us — such as, same-sex marriage, religious rituals different from what is our norm, the releasing of long-held ideologies, and other changes. I hope we can give ourselves a chance to look behind our prejudices and see the intent of those we are so quick to condemn. My hope for today is that we all see the truth behind actions. Is it love-based — whatever IT is? As an aside, both of these men were Catholic, so I grew up with the misapprehension that all Catholics cursed profusely. See how easy it is to make judgments? Namaste, Friends ...

“By purifying human thought, this state of mind permeates with increased harmony all the minutiae of human affairs.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Miscellaneous Writings Page 204:23-25

“Today you can achieve a state in which you will experience the gift of grace. You can escape all bondage of the world, and give the world the same release you found. You can remember what the world forgot, and offer it your own remembering. You can accept today the part you play in its salvation, and your own as well. And both can be accomplished perfectly.”

A Course in Miracles W-183.9:1-5

Surrounded With Beauty

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

The more tumultuous world activities become, the greater is my desire to be surrounded with beauty. Almost every day, I plant seeds of some sort, and my garden is a source of great joy. My cats are calm and happy, so I seek to emulate them. The accompaniment of beautiful music without words is with me during household tasks, and words of wisdom fill my earbuds many times during the day. Plant-based meal preparation is a calming, joyous event. Having repeatedly written about the exponential growth of our thoughts, I’m practicing what I preach, noticing every inharmonious thought which comes to mind, quickly turning it around into one of productive peace. A conscious desire to live in loving harmony seems necessary nowadays, and I’m willing to make that effort. Everyone I come into contact with is either actively living Love, or else they are agitated and fearful. I know it’s not easy to translate and reinterpret the news of the world, but it can be done. Namaste, my dear Friends!

“Beauty is a thing of life, which dwells forever in the eternal Mind and reflects the charms of His goodness in expression, form, outline, and color. It is Love which paints the petal with myriad hues, glances in the warm sunbeam, arches the cloud with the bow of beauty, blazons the night with starry gems, and covers earth with loveliness.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 247:21-27

“When you are still an instant, when the world recedes from you, when valueless ideas cease to have value in your restless mind, then will you hear His Voice. So poignantly He calls to you that you will not resist Him longer. In that instant He will take you to His home, and you will stay with Him in perfect stillness, silent and at peace, beyond all words, untouched by fear and doubt, sublimely certain that you are at home. 

A Course in Miracles W-182.8:1-3

Oneness with the Universe

In my heart, I know we are close to a tipping point in mass consciousness, a point in which everyone sees that there is no difference between any facet of humankind. In this sight, there is a world bathed in peace and contentment. There are no conflicts because everything is done for the good of everyone, and nothing contrary exists because we cannot have such thoughts in the face of beauty and Love. Once again, I must mention expanded identity. We have a terribly limited view of who we are, don’t you think? When we identify with our closest family, our community, our nationality, the color of our skin, our gender — perhaps this sets us up for conflict. A larger identity, a broad and firm foundation of who I am, these are the things I long to understand. Every day I listen for clues which will guide me to that utopia. Catching but a glimpse of it, causes me to want more!

“I trust my brothers, who are one with me.

No one but is my brother. I am blessed with oneness with the universe and God, my Father, one Creator of the whole that is my Self, forever One with me.

I am not a body. I am free. 
For I am still as God created me.”

A Course in Miracles W-201.1:1-6

"We cannot build safely on false foundations. Truth makes a new creature, in whom old things pass away and ‘all things are become new’."  

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 201: 7-9

The World Perceived Differently

Photo courtesy of Blake Lasater

In these volatile times, perhaps you've witnessed anger spreading quickly with regard to current events. I’m convinced that peace spreads just as quickly as anger! I once had a demonstration of peace quelling anger -- visibly, quickly, thoroughly. I was leaving work in the early evening and, as I started down a stairway across from Basin Park, a man sitting on a bench began to sing the beautiful Louis Armstrong song, "What a Wonderful World". I stood at the top of the stairs listening to him, and was filled with on overwhelming sense of happiness and buoyant peace. These feelings were so encompassing that I barely noticed voices shouting to my left. When the man finished singing, I glanced over at three people sitting on the wall and shouting obscenities directly at me. It was as though I couldn't comprehend what they were doing, and I just kept smiling and looking directly at them, with this incredible feeling of Love still growing inside of me. As I watched the young people and their angry faces, it seemed that they were deflating like balloons. All of their anger was seeping out of them; I watched the visible shift in their demeanor. I joyfully waved at them and went down the stairs. I'll never forget that palpable feeling of light displacing darkness. I'll bet they haven't either!

“Peace is the bridge that everyone will cross, to leave this world behind. But peace begins within the world perceived as different, and leading from this fresh perception to the gate of Heaven and the way beyond. Peace is the answer to conflicting goals, to senseless journeys, frantic, vain pursuits, and meaningless endeavors. Now the way is easy, sloping gently toward the bridge where freedom lies within the peace of God.

A Course in Miracles W-200.8:1-4

"Spiritual living and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 264:24-27 

Who Are You?

Sitting on my porch, enjoying flowers and fireflies, encouraging seedlings to grow, enjoying the rosy twilight sky: this was my perfect evening. Shortly thereafter, a friend from the west coast called and asked me what I thought the definition of a bohemian is. Hum — something I’ve never thought about! And this is why I enjoy this particular 80-year-old, retired airplane mechanic: he makes me think. The reason he was asking is (according to him) he needs a definition of himself, so he can tell people what he is. He is in flux because he’s been breaking ties with organizations he’s enjoyed most of his life — i.e., the national rifle association, among others. Even though he wants to step outside of “tribalism”, he craves a word to define himself. What a delight to find that the current Course in Miracles workbook lesson is “I am not a body. I am free!” How many of us cling to long outgrown ideas about ourselves and other things? I suggested to him that he do things which bring him joy, letting the definitions fall where they may. I thank my friend for prompting me to reexamine my definitions of myself. It’s a good feeling to think I’m a lover of life!

“Freedom must be impossible as long as you perceive a body as yourself. The body is a limit. Who would seek for freedom in a body looks for it where it cannot be found. The mind can be made free when it no longer sees itself as in a body, firmly tied to it and sheltered by its presence. If this were the truth, the mind were vulnerable indeed!”

A Course in Miracles W-199.1:1-5

“If we are sensibly with the body and regard omnipotence as a corporeal, material person, whose ear we would gain, we are not ‘absent from the body’ and ‘present with the Lord’ in the demonstration of Spirit.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 14:1-5

I Am Grateful

Photo courtesy of Blake Lasater

Perhaps you think you should be appreciated more, or maybe you know someone who is always "fishing for compliments". Both of these mental mud puddles fall under the category of expecting something which you already have. When you appreciate yourself, when you are grateful for the wonder which is you, that's all you need. And it is an all-encompassing gratitude! This recognition is one of the after-effects of releasing the bonds of materiality. The more we let go of expectations and beliefs, the more opportunity there is for Truth to take their place. We needn't do anything but clear the way! And I am grateful for glimpses of reality. 

“The world must thank you when you offer it release from your illusions. Yet your thanks belong to you as well, for its release can only mirror yours. Your gratitude is all your gifts require, that they be a lasting offering of a thankful heart, released from hell forever. Is it this you would undo by taking back your gifts, because they were not honored? It is you who honor them and give them fitting thanks, for it is you who have received the gifts.”

A Course in Miracles W-197.3:1-5

“Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 3:21-26

The Prison of Condemnation

It seems impossible to stay away from thoughts of condemnation. While it may be tempting to jump up on our high horse and expound on the rightness and/or the wrongness of external events, this desire is only from the standpoint of belief. Mortal mind, ego, tells us that certain situations are real, and then tells us we must do something about it. So we go off on a tangent, telling people how they should change their ways, feeling certain that everything will be better when they do so. Much like the internet, we have an instant, constant connection with each other through our Oneness as spiritual beings. It's akin to flipping on the light switch in a dark room. If we don't know that's possible, we continue to sit in the dark. But when we listen with quiet expectation that divine Mind will supply us with all we need, we may just find ourselves walking over to that unknown element and turning on the light! 

“Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed. Such is the law that rules perception. It is not a law that knowledge understands, for freedom is a part of knowledge. To condemn is thus impossible in truth. What seems to be its influence and its effects have not occurred at all. Yet must we deal with them a while as if they had. Illusion makes illusion. Except one. Forgiveness is illusion that is answer to the rest. 

A Course in Miracles W-198.2:1-10

"I am asked, 'What are your politics?' I have none, in reality, other than to help support a righteous government, to love God supremely, and my neighbor as myself." 

Mary Baker Eddy Miscellany 276:23

The End of Error

 

Photo Credit: Blake Lasater

At this point in the Course in Miracles workbook lessons, we are repeatedly told that we are on the brink of realizing salvation, revelation, heaven. The belief systems we have put into practice throughout the years may begin to talk back to us in protest of our new way of thinking. Fear not! We have the tools to stand fast in our knowledge. We have each other as reminders in support. We have inner knowing to tap into for verification on our path. We can move onward, upward, inward, fearless and secure in Love.

“This material world is even now becoming the arena for conflicting forces. On one side there will be discord and dismay; on the other side there will be Science and peace. The breaking up of material beliefs may seem to be famine and pestilence, want and woe, sin, sickness, and death, which assume new phases until their nothingness appears. These disturbances will continue until the end of error, when all discord will be swallowed up in spiritual Truth.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 96:12-20

BUILDING A MATRIX OF LIGHT FOR THE NEW WORLD

“Now that you rise at last out of the miasma of Earth consciousness into the glorious expanse of freedom, I Am here with you, ready to gift you with the awareness that freedom comes in the transfer of your life energy and awareness into consciousness rather than thought. All of the feeling that is alive and yours must shift now from emotion to the true divine feeling of My living and beating heart. The currency that you use for life must now become energy, not thought or emotion and certainly not materiality which is the deepest form of the illusion that is you.”

From The Messages From God - Circle of Light

“There is no Thought of God that does not go with you to help you reach that instant, and to go beyond it quickly, surely and forever. When the fear of God is gone, there are no obstacles that still remain between you and the holy peace of God. How kind and merciful is the idea we practice! Give it welcome, as you should, for it is your release. It is indeed but you your mind can try to crucify. Yet your redemption, too, will come from you.”

A Course in Miracles W-196.12:1-6

 

Separate From No Living Thing

My grandchildren live 800 miles away. No matter what distance lies between us, I am extremely grateful for the technology which allows me to get a glimpse into their daily lives. I go with them, virtually, to the park, on bike rides, and to their backyard to work in their sweet garden. It would be easy to feel sorry for myself, lamenting the fact that I can’t hold them in my arms, smell their sweet little heads, and play cribbage games with my son. But I’d rather be grateful that we are happy and whole, loving each other as much as if we were living together. My daughter-in-law’s family lives close to them, and I have never witnessed a closer-knit family. There is nothing I would wish for my son more than the beautiful family he has found, and the children which have joined them. As today’s Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson says: “Love is the way I walk in gratitude.” Nothing could more closely express the way I feel today!

“We thank our Father for one thing alone; that we are separate from no living thing, and therefore one with Him. And we rejoice that no exceptions ever can be made which would reduce our wholeness, nor impair or change our function to complete the One Who is Himself completion. We give thanks for every living thing, for otherwise we offer thanks for nothing, and we fail to recognize the gifts of God to us.”

A Course in Miracles W-195.6:1-3

“It is Love which paints the petal with myriad hues, glances in the warm sunbeam, arches the cloud with the bow of beauty, blazons the night with starry gems, and covers earth with loveliness.”

Mary baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 247:24-27

What, Me Worry?

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Worry is like praying for something horrible to happen. I heard well-known author and speaker, Marianne Williamson, say this in a video chat. Holding thought to the best possible outcome, without outlining what that outcome is, feels right to me. Whatever I put my attention on grows! Years of trying to plan my life (and the actions of those around me!) has taught me the futility of this exercise. I now vow to listen for divine Mind’s ideas to lead me in the paths of Love. I don’t always hear this guidance above the cacophony of material existence, but I’m learning how to tune in to that still, small voice. And for this, I am grateful.

“What worry can beset the one who gives his future to the loving Hands of God? What can he suffer? What can cause him pain, or bring experience of loss to him? What can he fear? And what can he regard except with love? For he who has escaped all fear of future pain has found his way to present peace, and certainty of care the world can never threaten.He is sure that his perception may be faulty, but will never lack correction. He is free to choose again when he has been deceived; to change his mind when he has made mistakes.”

A Course in Miracles W-194.7:1-8

“Adhere to the divine Principle of Christian Science and follow the behests of God, abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and Love.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page  495:28-31

Evolving Humaninty

"A new species is arising on the planet. It is arising now, and you are it!" These lines end the Eckhart Tolle book, A New Earth. I wish it could be required reading for every person on this old earth! The beautifully clear way he explains how we cling to old beliefs, allowing ourselves to be influenced by fear, by the past, by illusion, is both inspiring and illuminating. Mr. Tolle's book gives numerous examples of seeing differently. I wish to dedicate every moment to seeing this new world, allowing the disappearance of old beliefs and hypnotic thoughts to provide a transparency for the arising of our new way of Living. We have a huge opportunity at this parenthesis in eternity. Let’s recognize what is not functional and change it! Politics, for instance. Every time anyone suggests a better way, everyone immediately begins to shout about why it won’t work. It seems to me we are being forced to face the error of our ways. What an exciting time for humanity!

“Agassiz, the celebrated naturalist and author, has wisely said: ‘Every great scientific truth goes through three stages. First, people say it conflicts with the Bible. Next, they say it has been discovered before. Lastly, they say they have always believed it.’”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 104-8-12

“This is the lesson God would have you learn: There is a way to look on everything that lets it be to you another step to Him, and to salvation of the world. To all that speaks of terror, answer thus:

“I will forgive, and this will disappear.

“To every apprehension, every care and every form of suffering, repeat these selfsame words. And then you hold the key that opens Heaven’s gate, and brings the Love of God the Father down to earth at last, to raise it up to Heaven. God will take this final step Himself. Do not deny the little steps He asks you take to Him.”

A Course in Miracles W-193.13:1-7