January 3, 2013 - Belief Yields to Inner Knowing

"Breckenridge, Colorado"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Lesson #3

“I do not understand anything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place].”

So far this year, we have practiced releasing meanings which we have placed on everything, while seeing the unreality of these meanings. Today we can relax and admit we don't understand anything! All scholarly beliefs are yielding to the understanding which is revealed when we allow ourselves to be led by God. This listening, this following of intuition, and the demonstration of what we hear moment by moment, is the other-dimensional way of life which we are living in this time of the acknowledgement of enlightenment. Our native state is one which is illumined by this Truth. Overwhelming material beliefs are the only things which keep us separated from Truth. These daily exercises are developing our spiritual perception. Our desire to release erroneous mortal thoughts clear the way for us to see ourselves as God's Idea.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"God's ideas reflect the immortal, unerring, and infinite. The mortal, erring, and finite are human beliefs, which apportion to themselves a task impossible for them, that of distinguishing between the false and the true. Objects utterly unlike the original do not reflect that original. Therefore matter, not being the reflection of Spirit, has no real entity. Understanding is a quality of God ..." Science & Health Page 505:26-5

January 2, 2013 - Perceptions Color Meaning

"Swimming at Sunset - Zion National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course In Miracles Lesson #2

“I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me.”

Isn't it interesting how the meaning we give something can be entirely different from the meaning someone close to us has given it? And how often we can become embroiled in disagreements stemming from these different perceptions and meanings we affirm to be truth! This was illustrated for me when I wrote a transition piece about Bob the Cat which was published in our local paper. This was done (from my viewpoint) with no thought other than the love that our neighborhood felt for this exceptional animal. But one of my neighbors felt that she was slighted in my depiction of the role she played in Bob's life. The meaning she and I had placed on a number of things soon became evident. As I mulled these difference over, I vowed not to make any assumptions about how she was feeling. By not placing any meaning on her reactions, I was able to walk away from our discussion with no hurt feelings on my part. So does this mean that I won't be interpreting anything and putting it in writing? Obviously not! But it does mean I will continue to work daily, moment by moment, to see through pure eyes, devoid of changeable material beliefs, and glowing with Love.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Erroneous belief is destroyed by truth. Change the evidence, and that disappears which before seemed real to this false belief, and the human consciousness rises higher. Thus the reality of being is attained and man found to be immortal. The only fact concerning any material concept is, that it is neither scientific nor eternal, but subject to change and dissolution."

Science & Health Page 297:12-19

January 1, 2013 - Freedom from Belief

"Bryce Canyon Sunrise"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #1

“Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything.”

Everything is important; nothing is important. This much-repeated Buddhist axiom is the first thing which comes to mind when reading today's lesson. We tend to place meaning and importance on everything around us, in varying degrees of intensity, with good and bad connotations. We set up a dualistic situation with absolutely everything, and then we tell ourselves that it's necessary. People often say that if we didn't have bad, we wouldn't know and appreciate good. I think it's worth giving it a try, don't you? Let's allow it to just Be and see if we don't appreciate how wonderfully perfect it all is! Let's not worry when things are harmonious, wondering how long it can last. Let's accept what's happening around us without placing a meaning on it. The freedom gained from this abandonment of preconceived notions is our heritage. Let's not be shy about claiming it!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The enslavement of man is not legitimate. It will cease when man enters into his heritage of freedom, his God-given dominion over the material senses."

Science & Health Page 228:11-13

December 31, 2012 - Retrospection

"Yield" Steel Sculpture at Crystal Bridges
by Roxy Paine
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #365

"This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You,  Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

At this time of introspection and retrospection, I'm remembering the disciplines people practice which are based in Love. In this parenthesis in eternity we are all recognizing the principle we know as Love. Everyone I talk to is excited about the prospect of this shift in consciousness! Even those who fear change are wondering what is happening, and many are embracing it. The number of changes we're witnessing around us testify to the major thought turn-arounds we're experiencing. We are learning what reality is, and spending every moment seeing it in our experience. This knowledge and demonstration is what spurs us onward in our daily expression of Oneness. We have a willingness to expel from thought anything which is not a reflection of this Love. The peace of God is ours for the recognition of it.  Happy New Year -- now and every moment! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The divine hand led me into a new world of light and Life, a fresh universe -- old to God, but new to His 'little one.' It became evident that the divine Mind alone must answer, and be found as the Life, or Principle, of all being; and that one must acquaint himself with God, if he would be at peace."

Retrospection and Introspection Page 27:29-4

December 30, 2012 - Living Love

"Aaron and the Great Wall"
photographer unknown

ACIM Workbook Lesson #364

"This holy instant would I give to You.

Be You in charge. For I would follow You,

Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

All the insecurities, the feelings of loss and lack, the guilt and blame, all these things are losing their reality to us. Now that we see the unreality of these beliefs within ourselves, it's hard not pointing them out to others when they present themselves! These last few days, I've noticed what I do say in the face of negativity, fear, anger, and hate. After a snide racial comment from a terse-lipped woman, I said, "Keep smiling!" Upon which she gave me a fake smile, and I gave her a small Namaste' bow and left. When asked advice concerning someone's unhappiness, (knowing through experience that none of us can fix any other of us) my only suggestion was to concentrate on what brings happiness and fulfillment, and the unhappiness and emptiness will be lost in its face. We live what we've learned, giving to others from our receiving. What fun to see the joy this day will bring!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The sculptor turns from the marble to his model in order to perfect his conception. We are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it? Then you are haunted in your work by vicious sculptors and hideous forms. Do you not hear from all mankind of the imperfect model? The world is holding it before your gaze continually. The result is that you are liable to follow those lower patterns, limit your lifework, and adopt into your experience the angular outline and deformity of matter models. To remedy this, we must first turn our gaze in the right direction, and then walk that way. We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives.”

Science & Health Page 248:12-29

December 29, 2012 - Your Direction Gives me Peace

"Mountaintop Experience in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #363

"This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

It's tempting to think that following divine direction leads to epiphanies in thought and action.  The daily, quietly-received followings are the ones that excite me. This was shown to me when my son and I were making video segments for a virtual studio tour of the artists of Eureka Thyme. After a full day of interviewing and recording artists, it was my turn to do a shoot at the gallery. I didn't anticipate any problems and hadn't planned what to say because I trust these thoughts to flow from their source through me. After the first "take" my son made some suggestions about what I should be saying. At this point, I started to think and plan what I was going to say. He even suggested I practice what I would say, and I did. This was the beginning of an hour-long series of starts and stops which digressed to the point of me not being able to get past saying my name before being tongue-tied or making an odd face. It was ridiculous! At this point, he suggested I speak from the heart. And so I slipped back into my native state of trusting that I will know what to say and do. I got out of my way and let the only Way come through. Could this be why so many creative geniuses have been imbibers of spirits? When we get away from habitual mindsets, there is a freedom which flows through us. It's easy to believe we need help in leaving worn out thoughts behind. But do we? I'm going to let my heart answer this one.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Mind is not necessarily dependent upon educational processes. It possesses of itself all beauty and poetry, and the power of expressing them. Spirit, God, is heard when the senses are silent. We are all capable of more than we do. The influence or action of Soul confers a freedom, which explains the phenomena of improvisation and the fervor of untutored lips."

Science & Health Page 89:18-24

December 28, 2012 - Kinship with All Things

"Whitefish Lake - Montana"
photo by Aaron Springston 

ACIM Workbook Lesson #362

"This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

I have mentioned many times in this past year that I feel animals are showing us the way to living our true Being. Not only do they mirror back to us any emotions we may be secretly harboring, they show us how to communicate more effectively through telepathy and actions, rather than words. In watching "The Dog Whisperer", I have gained many insights into the reasons our dogs often seem neurotic and out of control. The reason always comes back to us, the people who love these dogs. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to see what we're really thinking! Calm, assertive behavior is the mantra of Cesar Milan, the dog Whisperer. And assertive doesn't mean aggressive. It involves a certainty which is only attained through inner knowledge only heard in quiet, calm moments. These moments express the eternal holy instant where we forever abide with the certainty of peace. So I will continue to watch and learn from observing this kinship with all things living. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth."

Science & Health Page 91:3-6