July 11, 2012 - Hold no prisoner with anger

"Soccer Friends in Spain"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #192

“I have a function God would have me fill.”

Today we are advised to hold no one prisoner with our anger. By releasing them, we are made free. So if we feel a stab of anger toward anyone, we should thank them rather than feel pain. After years of letting go of any residual animosity I may have been hanging onto, there is a big one I persist in keeping. For the past ten years or so, my next door neighbor and I have disagreed about the turkey vultures which roost in our neighborhood. He has screamed curses at me in the street. He stated at a city council meeting that my opinions aren't valid because I'm a Christian Scientist and I have strange ideas about wildlife and disease. Events like these come to mind whenever I see him. It's time to change my thought about him, so I will concentrate on the early years and remember the times we banded together to help others. One of the first conversations I had with him was concerning a neighbor named Margaret, who rarely left her home. One day he came over to ask for my help with her. I'll always remember his mischievous grin as he said: "I know this is sort of like asking a Baptist to go to the liquor store, but would you take Margaret to the doctor?" We became friends that day and worked together to help her in any way we could. One day I saw a copy of Science & Health in her bookcase. Even though she refused to leave her house, I lured her out with a mid-week visit to our church edifice, when no one was there other than us, and I would play the organ for her. This became a regular event, and when she would leave her house to go with me, the other neighbors would go in and clean for her. Margaret was the glue that bound this neighborhood together. That is the loving energy I will remember when I see this other neighbor. And why will I remember only the good in him? Because that's the only reality. Love, and all that emanates from it, is an attribute of God. Anything else is illusion, and I will let the winds of change sweep it away.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Not to avenge one's self upon one's enemies is the command of almighty wisdom; and we take this to be a safer guide than the promptings of human nature. To know that a deception dark as it is base has been practiced upon thee, and yet not to avenge thyself, is to do good to thyself; is to take a new standpoint whence to look upward; is to be calm amid excitement, just amid lawlessness, and pure amid corruption."

Miscellaneous Writings Page 228

July 10, 2012 - I Am an Idea of Divine Mind

"Reflections at Snowbird"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #191

“I am the holy Son of God Himself.”

There are so many reasons we come up with for not accepting our perfection as a child of God. To quote from today's ACIM lesson: "You are as God created you. All else but this one thing is folly to believe." So I guess the question is, how did God create me? We tend to think of our limited body and brain as the child of God which is supposed to be perfect, and then we begin to question why we are so unlike our Source which we supposedly reflect. Perhaps we rationalize that everything is perfect just as it is, and if we're miserable it must be God’s will. It seems to be the only explanation in this scenario. So let's expand our mind beyond human assumptions of creation. If we accept that God does not create in the material realm, then doors are opened in thought, with none of the dead-ends we tend to find in traditional dogma concerning God’s creation. By accepting ourselves as the spiritual idea of God, we claim our birthright as the "holy Son of God". To accept that we are really, truly spiritual allows us to put aside limiting beliefs and see through the illusions which have been created for us. This new-old thought cleanses the murky lens of our sight and allows knowledge to replace beliefs. Then we see our perfection as an idea of divine Mind, and live in the light of Love.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Immortal and divine Mind presents the idea of God: first, in light; second, in reflection; third, in spiritual and immortal forms of beauty and goodness. But this Mind creates no element nor symbol of discord and decay. God creates neither erring thought, mortal life, mutable truth, nor variable love.”

Science & Health Page 503:20-25

July 9, 2012 - I have a choice!

"Somewhere in Italy during World Cup 2006"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #190

“I choose the joy of God instead of pain.”

The idea that we have a choice between joy and pain may not be easy to accept. It could seem that if this is so, then any pain we are suffering is our own fault. But let's not allow mortal mind, ego, to lay a guilt trip on us! If it's true that we have a choice in what we accept as reality, then it might seem we're bringing illness and pain to our existence, and so we must be doing something wrong. The only thing we are guilty of is a mistaken perception, and for that there is immediate remedy: Change your thought! "Phantom pain" attests the cause of pain to originate and live in our mind. If the empty space where there was a limb can continue to ache, obviously the cause of that pain was not originating in the limb itself, but in our mortal mind. A change of that mind's idea to the understanding that we are truly Mind's, God's idea, brings us through the material illusion into the spiritual Truth of our being. So we find that nothing can make us sad or ill or miserable in any way, only us through our acceptance or rejection of what we believe to be true. The world has no power to cause anything, but we have been living as though it does. We have been taught that we are the helpless victims of life's circumstances, and it can come as quite a shock to find out this is not true. Our holiness can only be hidden by us. When we awaken to the joy which is ours as the children of God, these things we like to think of as miracles show themselves to be the normal, everyday occurrences of our Life.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

[Please note that in this quote the capitalized Mind, Truth, Life denote God]

“The divine metaphysics of Christian Science, like the method in mathematics, proves the rule by inversion. For example: There is no pain in Truth, and no truth in pain; no nerve in Mind, and no mind in nerve; no matter in Mind, and no mind in matter; no matter in Life, and no life in matter; no matter in good, and no good in matter.”

Science & Health Page 113:26-32

July 8, 2012 - Love leads the way

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #189

“I feel the Love of God within me now.”

"Aaron and Heather in Red Butte"
photo by Sandy Magnan

Seeing the world as Love is an awakening. Often events seem too sad or troublesome to see through Love, so we block them off from thought and try to pretend they never happened. Or, perhaps, we dwell on them constantly and allow them to shape our lives. To "feel the Love of God within me now" is to see everything as God, Love, sees. With these eyes of Love, we see a world of beauty and innocence, brimming with goodness, hope, charity, compassion. Every day we are called upon to support each other. When people recount their difficulties, we can listen with the spiritual sense of Soul, and through this listening we will hear how to respond -- or not! Typically, people tell me their problems. It's always been this way, and I used to find it distressing. For instance, recently my morning  started with a very vocal resident of our town telling me that their dog had been attacked by a deer, and wanting me to join in a movement to rid our town of wildlife. The next person I met was a local carpenter who had been involved in an accident and was very fearful about his future. And then I was visited by a new gallery owner who was afraid that no one wants the fabulous items she has for sale. Each of these situations presented the opportunity to "see the world anew, shining in innocence, alive with hope, and blessed with perfect charity and love", to quote this day's ACIM workbook lesson.  When we feel the Love of God within us, now, we know what to say to those who need words, we know when to say nothing, and we have the freedom to do either. I look forward to hearing and seeing everything which presents itself today, not with my material, judgmental ears and eyes, but with the spiritual sense which is mine as a reflection of God. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept. Patience must "have her perfect work."

Science & Health Page 454:17-24

July 7, 2012 - Peace is mine Now

A Course in Miracles Lesson #188

“The peace of God is shining in me now.”

"Ever Presence"
photo by Aaron Springston

What a wonderful realization it is to see that the peace we may have been seeking has always been right here within ourselves, waiting for us to discover it. This peace of God is ours now and always. To recognize this fact is the meaning of enlightenment. We needn't seek for ways to change ourselves in order to experience this light! Where we stand right here and now is sufficient. We're not being asked to change anything, to do anything differently, but only to see Truth. If things need changing in our material existence, then so it shall be. I have a dear friend who recently moved to a remote area in an idyllic setting. There she sat herself down and read through the Course in Miracles book, in its entirety, three times! As I spoke with her on the phone recently, I felt a softness about her which has been growing for years. Its appearance isn't indicative of enlightenment to something new, but of knowing the Truth of her own Self. Some days I feel this same knowing about myself. Others it seems impossible to climb out of the busy-ness which can hide this reality. One thing is for sure, laughter and joy are the keys to opening the door. The more joy which is shared, the more laughter we give to ourselves and others, the easier it becomes to express the qualities of God, which come flowing through us with our recognition of what we truly are -- Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Truth and Love enlighten the understanding, in whose "light shall we see light;" and this illumination is reflected spiritually by all who walk in the light and turn away from a false material sense.”

Science & Health Page 510:9-12

July 6, 2012 - What Blesses One Blesses All

"Aaron in South Africa"
photo by Heather Magnan

A Course in Miracles Lesson #187

“I bless the world because I bless myself.”

If we have something and give it away, our material belief is that we don't have it any longer. The truth as we are learning through these studies tells us that giving will increase what we possess. We are also learning that things represent thoughts. And we also are learning that when we give ideas away they become stronger in our own mind. The form is often changed in what we have given and what we receive, but it never leaves us lacking. While reading today's lesson, I’m remembering something from a few years back. I had loaned a friend quite a bit of money. After asking her to start paying me back, she wrote me a letter saying that this money would come back to me in some form since the laws of the universe demand it. It was a beautifully eloquent letter, detailing many metaphysical principles. But this response didn't seem to be of assistance in meeting the obligations knocking on my door. After a while I quit thinking of this situation as a loaning of money, un-repaid, but as a gift to a friend. This came to mind a year so or later when my gallery was on the verge of closing. Within a week's time, friends and people I barely knew had given me more than $17,000. What a perfect demonstration of what we're pondering today! Whether giving ideas and watching them multiply, or giving material things and seeing them as representations of Love, we can be assured of returns when we freely give.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“In the scientific relation of God to man, we find that whatever blesses one blesses all, as Jesus showed with the loaves and the fishes,--Spirit, not matter, being the source of supply.”

Science & Health, Page 206:15-18

July 5, 2012 - Accepting function is not arrogance

A Course in Miracles Lesson #186

“Salvation of the world depends on me.”

"Couple in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

"Salvation of the world depends on me." We have been deceived into thinking that accepting this statement as truth would be the epitome of arrogance on our part. Me?? How could that be possible? I'm so ... fill in the blank with how you believe yourself to be unworthy. Yet the first sentence in this lesson tells us that these words will take away all arrogance from every mind. Mortal mind, or ego, tells us these falsehoods about ourselves, which cause us to be, alternatively, puffed up with our goodness or deflated by our badness. The humble acceptance of our part in this whole shows the pointlessness of such feelings. When listening to divine Mind, God, many avenues of expression are shown to us. We may be prompted to speak to people we've never interacted with before, in ways we never dreamed we'd speak. Let us not fear our function, whatever that revealed function may be! Let's listen carefully and constantly, in order to hear the full prompting. So often I think divine inspiration is coming through loud and clear, and then find I only listened part-way and proceeded to fill in the blanks with what I wanted to happen. And so I vow today to listen 100%, putting vain imaginings away! I know my function is forgiveness. Listening will show me what that means today, every moment, every day.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Millions of unprejudiced minds--simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert--are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.”

Science & Health Page 570:14-18