January 26, 2013 - Nothing Unreal Exists

"Glacier National Park"
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Workbook Lesson #26

"My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability."

In the introduction of A Course in Miracles textbook is the following statement: “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” At first glance this may seem to make no sense! But when you think of reality as being the creation of divine Love, the reflection of God (Love), and this is all that is real, then anything unlike God, good, is exposed as nonexistent -- hence its unreality is exposed. This realization that all attack comes from within is an eye-opener! When we worry about lack of money, or possible illness, or what our neighbor might do, these are thoughts which seem to attack our invulnerability.  Actually our invulnerability as a reflection of God cannot be attacked, but we certainly can think of ourselves as weak victims of life's circumstances. Through a conscious choice to reject the unreality of material existence and claim our heritage as powerful spiritual beings, unafraid to stand up and declare our Oneness with God and all Its creation, we are able to transcend the fears we have thought to be inevitable. What a new world is being unveiled in this process of living Truth!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God. Ignorant of our God-given rights, we submit to unjust decrees, and the bias of education enforces this slavery." Science & Health Page 380:32-4

January 25, 2013 - Why Do What You Do

"Tanyard Creek"
painting by Carol Dickie

ACIM Workbook Lesson #25

"I do not know what anything is for".

Today's lesson comes at a particularly pertinent time for me, in which I'm examining why I'm selling art. In Northwest Arkansas, we have had an amazing museum open its doors. This has prompted much speculation as to what affect this will have on surrounding galleries and artists. We are being advised that many buyers will be flooding into our area, with expectations of world class art, and that we should raise our prices to show them that we are capable of competing on a global level. This doesn't feel right to me. And so today's lesson of "I do not know what anything is for" is a perfect format for the questioning I've done as to why I'm selling art. I've always asked prospective buyers to go with how the piece they're considering makes them feel. Does it bring a smile to your face? Will it add beauty and grace to your life? If it does,don't miss your chance for that! And from the other side, the artists we represent bring forth their art from Love. One of our artists describes her style as abstract naturalism. Her love of nature glows forth in every painting she brings to canvas. Another artist births what she sometimes calls primal images. These fabric creations are profoundly moving.. For me, they bring forth emotions which perhaps have been hiding for years.But this is neither here nor there. When this art comes forth, it is not examined for what it does for the artist or for the appreciator of it. When I put it on the wall it is not placed there because of how much money it will bring in. My exercise today is to allow everything to Be, with Love expressed all around, and to let its real meaning and purpose come forth without my personal sense being projected onto it.

Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual interpretation of this line of the Lord's Prayer: 'Give us this day our daily bread'

"Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections." Science & Health Page 17:4-5

January 24, 2013 - Follow Your Heart

"Glacier National Park"
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Workbook Lesson #24:

"I do not perceive my own best interests.”

How joyous it is to watch our children demonstrate the ideas we're studying! When my oldest son graduated from college, he moved to a large city which has the type of snow he 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. In the time he was 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. 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, and he knows that following his heart never leaves 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!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings."

Science & Health Page vii:1-2

January 23, 2013 - Escape by Giving Up ...

"South African Sunset"
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Workbook Lesson #23:

"I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts."

We hear talk of raising our vibrations, of activating our DNA strands, of various ways to remember our true Identity. All these effects are meant to lead us to an end result which is peaceful and harmonious, or to somehow take us back to the Cause of these effects. Could it be that all these ways from which we seek to attain "higher consciousness" can be realized from giving up of attack thoughts? When we find ways of bridging the separation we have set up in our minds, will we then realize our Oneness and allow ourselves to get back to the garden from which we've never left? So today we practice giving up attack thoughts in order to facilitate our realizations of this Oneness.  Attack thoughts are often obvious, but look out for the ones which wear a disguise! All thoughts which are not the emanation of God, Love, are attack thoughts. I Am the thought of God. Joy guides me in this realization!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"We reason imperfectly from effect to cause when we conclude that matter is the effect of Spirit, but a priori reasoning shows material existence to be enigmatical. Spirit gives the true mental idea. We cannot interpret Spirit, Mind, through matter. Matter neither sees, hears, nor feels. Reasoning from cause to effect in the Science of Mind, we begin with Mind, which must be understood through the idea which expresses it and cannot be learned from its opposite, matter. Thus we arrive at Truth, or intelligence, which evolves its own unerring idea and never can be coordinate with human illusions."

Science & Health Page 467:23-3

January 22, 2013 - Vengeance or Love

"Glacier National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #22

"What I see is a form of vengeance."

One of the definitions for vengeance is: "Punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense; retribution." And part of the commentary from this ACIM workbook lesson is: "Today's idea accurately describes the way anyone who holds attack thoughts in his mind must see the world. Having projected his anger onto the world, he sees vengeance about to strike at him. His own attack is thus perceived as self defense." When we see through the eyes of anything other than divine Love, we are seeing through the lens of mortal belief and all the erroneous thoughts which have clouded our sight for eons. I shall strive to acknowledge this and release all attack thoughts, leaving empty this vessel to be filled with Love.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Truth destroys error, and Love destroys hate. Being destroyed, sin needs no other form of forgiveness." Science & Health Page 339:2-4

January 21, 2013 - Think Different (apologies to Apple)

"Glacier National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #21:

"I am determined to see things differently"

Today's lesson commentary asks us to examine our thoughts for varying degrees of anger, from irritation to rage -- although it makes it quite clear there is no difference in degrees. An emotional reaction I find myself having is the facetious "bless her heart" statement so often used -- at least in the southern part of the U.S.! If something seems too ridiculous to ignore, yet I don't want to admit I'm being judgmental, this is the time when I would bless someone's heart in this back-handed way. These feelings of superiority are another way of enforcing the illusion of separation. By holding myself up as better, smarter, cooler, I put into action that same old separation of myself from others, and therefore from God. Today I will be a sentinel and whenever anything I feel, think, or do sets off a feeling of uneasiness within me, I'll pause and ask to see God where my thought may see discord. Looking through the eyes of Love (God) precludes all erroneous thought and allows us to see as we are seen -- purely, as reflections of the only Father-Mother God.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Eyes: Spiritual discernment -- not material but mental. Jesus said, thinking of the outward vision, "Having eyes, see ye not?" [Mark 8:18]" Science & Health Page 586:3-6

January 20, 2013 - I Will See Reality

"Sunburst in Zion National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #20

"I am determined to see"

The determination which I feel with regard to this certainty that I can see and will see comes forth because I want to see. Not because I'm forcing myself into some practice which goes against my nature, but because it is my real nature to see Truth. The opposite blindness which surrounds me is not a natural, true state, but a learned one. 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 witness, without wondering why.

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Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“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” 

Science & Health Page 223:14-24