Friday, May 18, 2012

May 19, 2012 - At One with All that Is


A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #139:
"I will accept Atonement for myself."

"Heather, Light, Zion National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston
Atonement is one of those words which often trigger uncomfortable feelings. Visions of atoning for sins can be pretty creepy, especially when it's possible we may have committed said sins, possibly without even knowing it!  That's the way the concept of atonement has come to be interpreted by many theologians. It has been decided that we're all born sinners and we must spend our life finding ways to atone for that. It seems to me that this way of interpreting atonement is yet another material illusion. We are learning that sin is anything which separates us from the Love which is God. Simple, huh? Atonement is accepting our Oneness as the image and likeness of God. Some may say this is a form of sacrilege to say you're one with God. I say it's a sacrilege not to! To acknowledge God as the only Cause, and to see ourselves as the effect of that Cause, is to accept our at-one-ment with All that Is. What could be more humble? I will accept this reality today, and see everyone I meet in this light. Namaste' ~~~

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“The atonement of [the] Christ reconciles man to God, not God to man; for the divine Principle of Christ is God, and how can God propitiate Himself? Christ is Truth, which reaches no higher than itself. The fountain can rise no higher than its source. Christ, Truth, could conciliate no nature above his own, derived from the eternal Love. It was therefore Christ's purpose to reconcile man to God, not God to man. Love and Truth are not at war with God's image and likeness. Man cannot exceed divine Love, and so atone for himself. Even Christ cannot reconcile Truth to error, for Truth and error are irreconcilable. Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus' teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit,--the law of divine Love.”
Science & Health Page 18:13-11

Thursday, May 17, 2012

May 18, 2012 - Choices?


A Course in Miracles Lesson #138
“Heaven is the decision I must make.”

"Maryhill, Washington"
photo by Aaron Springston

In these teachings, heaven is not some place with which you are rewarded after you die if you've been good. As Jesus told us, The kingdom of heaven is within. With this knowledge, we are free to live this heritage -- or not. It seems every step of our day involves choices of some sort, and it's very easy to be overwhelmed by them. I find that a dedicated time of silence in the morning is essential to allowing myself to live in Spirit. This space of all-knowing silence is always there for us, but so often we forget to listen for it. But the realization that I can choose heaven, or I can choose the materialism that is clamoring for my attention at every turn, keeps me centered in the space where Love leads. Today I realized I had forgotten a deadline given to me by our public relations person for our gallery association. Having only a few moments to come up with something which would bring the ideas together was at first daunting! But I decided to choose the one Mind to guide me. In quietness the right words came to me. Through this listening, the word "tonality" came to me and then the rest fell into place. Here it is: "We at Eureka Thyme have noticed that all the galleries in Eureka Springs have a distinct song to sing. When all these songs are put together, they are a magnificent symphony. This tonality is what we celebrate every day in Eureka. But specifically for the month of June, our theme for the gallery stroll is 'The Music of the Springs'. We join with the town in celebration of the springs for which we are named, and the musical events which are being held here this month." There is really no choice about anything when we choose God above all else.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“Heaven represents harmony, and divine Science interprets the Principle of heavenly harmony. The great miracle, to human sense, is divine Love, and the grand necessity of existence is to gain the true idea of what constitutes the kingdom of heaven in man.” Science & Health Page 560:10-15
“HEAVEN: Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul." Science & Health Page 587:25-27

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

May 17, 2012 - I am not healed alone

"Mt. Timpanogos Goats"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #137
“When I am healed I am not healed alone.”

Today I was led to read Liz Cronkhite's blog on A Course in Miracles.
In it she reminds us to not allow the "ego" to bring us guilt when we are experiencing sickness in our life. These teachings we're studying are so pure that we tend to think we'll never be sick again, we'll never be unhappy again, we'll never have a need which is not immediately met. It's easy to feel this way when our first initiation into this way of thought is accompanyed by immediate physical relief of whatever malady we may have been suffering. I have a friend who recently was introduced to this Truth and experienced relief from a long-standing physical problem which has caused her much pain through the years. Certainly when this happens, we are very grateful for the peace it brings. Christian Science has been propounded as a healing Science since its discovery in 1865. That is because the knowledge of the Truth of our Being replaces erroneous thought and allows harmony to prevail in every way. Although I, personally, have never felt guilt when I have a cold, I suppose there are those who might. There are at least two books on the market which tell of the horrors of growing up in a household which practiced divinely scientific healing. In the many families I've known where Christian Science is the way of life, people haven't beat themselves up over illness and have visited doctors when they felt the need. I tell you this to emphasis that it's not physical healing we're striving for, but a greater understanding of Truth, of God. As this understanding is attained through the opening of thought to it, many adjustments take place simultaneously. I urge you to be truly open to the guidance which is always there. Just because I'm not led to go to a doctor doesn't mean you won't hear that call! Listen and act, on whatever that may be.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
"To-day the healing power of Truth is widely demonstrated as an immanent, eternal Science, instead of a phenomenal exhibition. Its appearing is the coming anew of the gospel of "on earth peace, good-will toward men." This coming, as was promised by the Master, is for its establishment as a permanent dispensation among men; but the mission of Christian Science now, as in the time of its earlier demonstration, is not primarily one of physical healing. Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin,--to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world."
Science & Health Page 150:4-17

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

May 16, 2012 - More Defenses Against the Truth?


A Course in Miracles Lesson #136:
“Sickness is a defense against the truth.”

"Illinois Peace"
photo by Aaron Springston
Yesterday we thought about the defenses we set up to supposititious attacks. "If I defend myself I am attacked." This is the statement we endeavored to understand. Basically, if anything is a perceived danger and we make plans to counter-attack, we have set ourselves up for a continuous battle: my will against the world. When we let all that go and are led by Truth, there is no need for defense. When looked at with our new knowledge of the defense/attack relationship, today's lesson that sickness is a defense against the truth holds some very interesting aspects for us to examine! First of all, let's be aware of something. We tend to take these statements personally, getting upset at the idea that we are "causing" our own illnesses. Please put that thought aside and try to see this without any kind of judgment. This is what we practiced for the first 50 lessons this year: looking at things as meaningless, not placing our preconceived notions on anything, being free to be led by spiritual sense, Soul, God. The topics we're studying are very important to our overall understanding of our relationship with All That Is. I urge you to read the Course in Miracles Workbook Lessons for yourself. They are readily available online or at your library. I strongly encourage you to read any of the Christian Science publications, particularly Science & Health, with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy. I tease you with this first paragraph of today's ACIM lesson: “No one can heal unless he understands what purpose sickness seems to serve. For then he understands as well its purpose has no meaning. Being causeless and without a meaningful intent of any kind, it cannot be at all. When this is seen, healing is automatic. It dispels this meaningless illusion by the same approach that carries all of them in truth, and merely leaves them there to disappear.” With this and the below MBE quote to hold in thought, what an adventure we have in store today!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“That mortal mind claims to govern every organ of the mortal body, we have overwhelming proof. But this so-called mind is a myth, and must by its own consent yield to Truth. It would wield the scepter of a monarch, but it is powerless. The immortal divine Mind takes away all its supposed sovereignty, and saves mortal mind from itself. The author has endeavored to make this book the Aesculapius of mind as well as of body, that it may give hope to the sick and heal them, although they know not how the work is done. Truth has a healing effect, even when not fully understood.”
Science & Health Page 151:31-8

Monday, May 14, 2012

May 15, 2012 - Plan of defense??

A Course in Miracles Lesson #135
"If I defend myself I am attacked."

"Rain Catchers"
oil painting by Denise Ryan
I love this lesson as it pertains to absolutely everything. (But I guess they all do!) Let's think of the more obvious ways we defend ourselves. Perhaps we are watchful of what we say and do, planning responses and activity based upon accepted behavior. Maybe we use hand sanitizer and take vitamin-c pills during so-called cold and flu season. I often wonder why we focus so intently on that which is not reality, rather than developing and demonstrating spiritual sense.  In this life, we tend to feel attacked by everything from ice cream to nuclear weapons, and we defend ourselves in various ways, insuring the attack our thought insists upon. As an example, let's take ice cream. Most everyone enjoys ice cream, but lots of us think of it as attacking us with fat and cholesterol and sugar, things which we must defend ourselves against if we are to be healthy. We are told in both A Course in Miracles and Christian Science that the body performs best when given the least thought. 'The body ... need merely be perceived as quite apart from you, and it becomes a healthy, serviceable instrument through which the mind can operate until its usefulness is over.' (ACIM) Another point I love in this lesson is this: 'A healed mind does not plan. It carries out the plans that it receives through listening to wisdom that is not its own. It waits until it has been taught what should be done, and then proceeds to do it.' (ACIM) What a freedom it is to realize we needn't be in charge of everything! To wake up in the morning, open to Spirit, God, we are led in ways that wouldn't be obvious if we weren't listening. Of course, there are often parameters involved in our day, but that doesn't preclude our being open to thought about ways to "think outside the box". Life is an adventure, and a harmonious one when we leave behind the desire to plan every moment of it!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
"One says: 'I take good care of my body.' To do this, the pure and exalting influence of the divine Mind on the body is requisite, and the Christian Scientist takes the best care of his body when he leaves it most out of his thought ..."
Science & Health Page 383:5-9

Sunday, May 13, 2012

May 14, 2012 - What is forgiveness?


A Course in Miracles Lesson #134
"Let me perceive forgiveness as it is."

"Forgiveness in Washington, D.C."
photo by Aaron Springston
[Marsha's thoughts]
In our material world, forgiveness has many faces. In everyday life, someone tells us they're sorry and we say, That's all right. Or maybe someone has done something which stays on our mind as a transgression until we finally decide to forgive them, perhaps noting that we won't or can't forget. This is not what we're talking about today. Our topic involves the releasing of illusions, the acknowledgement that there is no reality in sin. And I use the definition of sin as anything which separates us from the love that is God. I often go back to the ancient Toltec wisdom as interpreted by Miguel Ruiz in his book, The Four Agreements. One of these agreements asks us not to take anything personally. This request speaks to "forgiveness as it is". He goes so far as to state that even if someone shoots you in the head, it's not your problem, it's theirs! What an interesting thought! Mortal mind tells us that anything which seems to threaten this physical body is to be feared. I recently watched a movie, Soul Surfer, which related the events surrounding a shark attack which took a young surfer's arm. The most beautiful part of this story was that she not only held no fear of returning to the ocean, but how her realization of her true worth was expressed to others. This forgiveness acknowledges no blame in the first place, holds no grudge as there is no blame, and requires no forgiveness because there was no blame or grudge. As we learn to see ourselves and everything through this spiritual sense we're developing, forgiveness takes on a different flavor for us. It becomes a peaceful acknowledgement of reality, and facilitates a letting go of the belief in separation.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“In Science man is the offspring of Spirit. The beautiful, good, and pure constitute his ancestry. His origin is not, like that of mortals, in brute instinct, nor does he pass through material conditions prior to reaching intelligence. Spirit is his primitive and ultimate source of being; God is his Father, and Life is the law of his being.”
Science & Health Page 63:5-11

Saturday, May 12, 2012

May 13, 2012 - Do I value the valueless?


"Sunrise at Snowbird"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #133
"I will not value what is valueless."

A few years ago, I met a lovely family who had just lost their house and belongings in a fire. There was a mom, dad, and little boy. When I expressed my sadness for their loss, the mom told me it was nothing. That they had lost a child a few years before, and this was no loss at all to them. It does put it in perspective when looked at through the eyes of Love.  One of the "tests" given in today's lesson for recognizing if something is valuable is to ask yourself if what you're valuing is changeable. What does not change? Certainly everything physical does, often quite rapidly. Love, with a capital "L" doesn't  change, although many of the fleeting things we call love do tend to change, grow, lessen, and even turn into other not-so-nice emotions. You will meet people who think that jealousy is part of love. Some believe that overprotective, controlling behavior symbolizes their love. Strangely, people even kill in the name of love. So the second part of our litmus test comes into play. This thing that we value, do we feel guilt in association with it? So now we have two tests to check for the reality of what we value: does it last and do we feel guilty in any way. I'm looking around the room right now and asking myself what do I value. Many things bring a smile to my heart, many things I enjoy looking at and remembering emotions I associate with them -- but value? No, I don't think I value anything in here as much as I value the love of my dog, and my love for him. The more I understand the Love that is mine through the inheritance I share with everything as a reflection of God, the more there is to value as I recognize its existence everywhere. And the less I have to worry about losing things to change. After all, how can I lose that which is not real?

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:
“Everything good or worthy, God made. Whatever is valueless or baneful, He did not make,--hence its unreality. In the Science of Genesis we read that He saw everything which He had made, "and, behold, it was very good." The corporeal senses declare otherwise; and if we give the same heed to the history of error as to the records of truth, the Scriptural record of sin and death favors the false conclusion of the material senses. Sin, sickness, and death must be deemed as devoid of reality as they are of good, God.”
Science & Health Page 525:20-27

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