February 12, 2013 - Ego or ego?

"Colorado View"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #43:

"God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him."

A recurring point of semantic difference between A Course in Miracles writings and the works of Mary Baker Eddy is the use of the word ego. In A Course in Miracles, "ego" is synonymous with Mrs. Eddy's "mortal mind". When the word is used in Science & Health, it generally has a capital "E", signifying the Only. For example, "When will the ages understand the Ego, and realize only one God, one Mind or intelligence?" (S&H204:19-21) It seems to me that the realization of this idea, -- that there is one source, one vision, one Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, one Life, Truth, one Love -- with that single realization lies infinite peace and harmony. And this from today's A Course in Miracles lesson, "You cannot see apart from God because you cannot be apart from God." This statement solidifies our understanding of Oneness and allows us to assert these facts fearlessly as a reflection of God. When I'm tempted to find fault, I will ask myself how God sees what I am judging. Do I truly think that God sees one person as holier than another? Does God see one bird as more beautiful or one tree more magnificent? I think not. So neither will I!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“In viewing the sunrise, one finds that it contradicts the evidence before the senses to believe that the earth is in motion and the sun at rest. As astronomy reverses the human perception of the movement of the solar system, so Christian Science reverses the seeming relation of Soul and body and makes body tributary to Mind. Thus it is with man, who is but the humble servant of the restful Mind, though it seems otherwise to finite sense. But we shall never understand this while we admit that soul is in body or mind in matter, and that man is included in non-intelligence.  Soul, or Spirit, is God, unchangeable and eternal; and man coexists with and reflects Soul, God, for man is God's image.”

Science & Health Page 119: 25-6

February 11, 2013 - Here's to you, Betty Lou!

"Mongolia Mountaintop"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Lesson #42:

“God is my strength. Vision is His gift.”

Often I've felt as though it's impossible to go on, as you perhaps have, too. A child's illness, divorces and other endings, the impending loss of a business which is more than just a way to make money, parents' passing, lies uncovered, truths found out -- the situations which seem insurmountable, but never are. No, that's not right. If we really have no idea that God is our life, many things are too large to move past. I had a good friend whose daughters both died in tragic ways. Dear Betty just wanted to quit living, and so she did. First of all she stayed incredibly busy, so she wouldn't have time to think. Then she died of multiple cancers. During this time I would have given anything to impart to her today's lesson; to have the ability to show her this "Vision which is His gift". But only she could have done that. What I did was to offer her a cup of cold water in the form of God's Love. I showed it to her, I gave it to her, I let her know it was hers.  So today, dear friend, I think of you while I go about the day's activities, remembering that I have the strength of eternity and the infinite vision which I share with you and everyone in the Oneness of God. This cup I raise to you, Betty Lou!

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:

“Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.” 

Science & Health Page 393:12-15

February 10, 2013 - Never Alone

"Principia Group in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #41 

“God goes with me wherever I go.”

The acceptance of today's lesson opens our existence to a world of joy and peace, even if situations seem less than loving. A Bible verse tells us: "If I make my bed in hell, Thou art there." In many belief systems, this would be impossible because heaven is God's place and hell is the devil's, both entities battling for our attention. In the teachings we are studying, as in Jesus' words, we learn that the kingdom of heaven is within. In our reality as children of God, there is nothing other than heaven, harmony. Heaven on earth is our natural state. The hell we so often find ourselves experiencing, although unnatural, seems to be a part of this material existence. These are the situations we are learning to see as unreal, and through this we know that we are the reflection of the One good, God. By this understanding, we are always with God, and God with us, because we are One.

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:

“Existence, separate from divinity, [divine] Science explains as impossible.” 

Science & Health Page 522:10-11

February 9, 2013 - The Truth

"Loveland Pass in Colorado"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #40:

“I am blessed as a Son of God."

It may seem difficult to think of ourselves as a blessed child of God. There are as many reasons for this as there are individualized thoughts concerning it. So I choose to not look at it from why I am not this Idea of God, but from why I Am. For me, it's easiest to see myself as Love. Love is a synonym for God, so when I see myself as Love, I am seeing myself as I was created spiritually. One of my friends finds it difficult to envision Love, so he uses Mind. Of course, we are using human concepts here, even if we put a capital letter on them! We intellectually know what we mean, but sometimes it's hard to feel the meaning. I trust that through continued meditation, prayer, and quiet contemplation I will feel more and more this Truth of All that Is. Seeing myself in this divine way opens doors to peace and joy. Anyone who has visited the depths of depression knows what a relief it is to regain peace, and how ecstatic to feel joy. And while we're remembering this to be true of ourselves, we will know it is true for everyone. Namaste' ~~~

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Man is, and always has been, God's reflection."

Science & Health Page 471:17-18

February 8, 2013 - Accept What Is Yours

"Mark in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #39:

"My holiness is my salvation."

As stated in today's lesson, "No one needs practice to gain what is already his." It seems difficult to forget the materialism that is so engrained in our daily lives.My impetus comes from remembering that those illusionary teachings are the only thing hiding my True Self. Let's not concentrate on forgetting these beliefs, but on remembering our wholeness! An instance came up today where I had a chance to see something differently. One of the Catch-22s of life in our tourist town is that many businesses are not open in the winter. We don't get enough tourists to stay open, is what logic dictates. But perhaps we don't get enough tourists because not enough of us are open. My associate in the gallery tells me that a woman called to ask if we'd be open on a certain day in March. When she was told that we would, she said that we were the first affirmative response she'd gotten from the few businesses she had called. My by-rote response would have been a complaint against others. But I stopped and thought about how I could respond from my holiness. What I saw was a vision of the entire town as vibrant and joyful, whole and free. Seeing everything as complete leaves no room for missing pieces or lack of any kind. Where there is no blame, there is no guilt. No guilt equals salvation!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Who would stand before a blackboard, and pray the principle of mathematics to solve the problem? The rule is already established, and it is our task to work out the solution. Shall we ask the divine Principle of all goodness to do His own work? His work is done, and we have only to avail ourselves of God's rule in order to receive His blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation.”

Science & Health Page 3:4-11

February 7, 2013 - No Material Restrictions

"Aaron at Butterfly World - St. Louis"
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Workbook Lesson #38:

"There is nothing my holiness cannot do"

I love the first two sentences of today's lesson! "Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance and limits of any kind." Haven't you always felt this to be true? Isn't that why Harry Potter plays in our head for hours via books and movies? We know -- we just know! -- that there is more to all this than meets the mortal eye.  I get very excited when pondering these concepts! How grand it is that we have so many writings from people who know A Course in Miracles, and that we have more than a hundred years' worth of detailed writing from the Christian Science movement. Through these tomes we find encouragement and support when it seems the material world's pull is easier to bow down to than it is to walk through, to the Truth it is masking. And what a fine tool the internet is for this study! A simple search on either discipline puts information at your fingertips in an instant. Tapping into our inner knowing has much the same result. There are lots of ways to practice recognizing intuition. And that's all it is: recognition. No one is without this ability. I play a word game online, Hanging With Friends. This is a great way to test your openness to the field of possibilities, as there are lots of choices and few chances. As with many decisions in life, if we choose based on material evidence, everything may seem to be a matter of luck. When we allow our holiness to guide us, there is only the peaceful certainty of Good.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Lulled by stupefying illusions, the world is asleep in the cradle of infancy, dreaming away the hours. Material sense does not unfold the facts of existence; but spiritual sense lifts human consciousness into eternal Truth." 

Science & Health Page 95:28-32

February 6, 2013 - Love Yourself More

"Cooperation in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #37

"My holiness blesses the world."

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your neighbor as yourself. What a lovely world it is when we love ourselves more, and then let that love flow out to our neighbors. And when we honor ourselves as reflections of God, we are able to do no harm to others, because we wouldn't do it unto ourselves. That is what this day's lesson asks us to accept. We are whole, because we are all reflections of Love. Our purpose is to see this ever-present Truth in everything. When I am interacting with someone who is living in fear, someone who turns every situation into a threat, I will turn it around in my thought by seeing the situation through holiness. This allows me to release any desire to change someone's attitude. I can thereby suspend words of correction, allowing attack thoughts to disappaite.  I will live with Love and express holiness in words and actions as I move through this day, knowing that is my only purpose.

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?" "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 248:12-17 and 26-29