May 18, 2013 - Heaven is the Only Choice

"South Africa Happiness"

ACIM Workbook Lesson #138

“Heaven is the decision I must make.”

Many of us think we are either going to heaven or hell, according to our actions in this lifetime on earth. In many ways of thought, we have a choice of living in heaven or hell while we're here on this earth, with a continuation of that choice after death (probably/maybe). Since none of us seem to know what happens after the change we call death, we think it's all speculation and the most we can do is to be happy and good here on earth, hence experiencing a heavenly existence. Jesus told us knowing the Truth would set us free. He also mentioned that the kingdom of heaven is within. With these ideas in mind, it seems possible to know that the Truth he's speaking of is the inner knowing we all hold inside of us -- the knowledge that we are holy. We are truly the image and likeness of divine Mind, with all the perks that implies. Sometimes we may have the notion that we know what's going on, and that it's our function in this world to make sure everyone else knows what we know, too! The more experiences I have of feeling the presence of God, the more it becomes clear that's the most I can do. There is no other function on my plate other than to live every moment with the acceptance of my holiness. In this way, the kingdom of heaven opens my eyes and heart to its existence as the Only -- I want to say the only choice, but that is not possible in reality, only in the duality of separation. So I will just say, Namaste'.

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

May 17, 2013 - What is Spiritual Healing?

"Ozark Rainbow"
photo by Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #137

“When I am healed I am not healed alone.”

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 exposure to divine metaphysics is accompanied by immediate release from a physical malady. Certainly when this happens, we are very grateful for the relief it brings. Christian Science has been propounded as a healing Science since its discovery in 1865. That is because knowledge of the Truth of our Being replaces erroneous thought and allows harmony to prevail. The discovery of this healing Principle was hailed by many to be the great turning point in the evolution of thought for mankind. So what happened to stall this rise to freedom? While we could speculate for pages, I'll posit that it is, purely and simply, fear. Christian Science is the demonstration of divine Love.  It is the realization that nothing else truly exists, which allows all erroneous thought to disappear into its "native nothingness".  It is not physical healing we're looking for, but a greater understanding of Truth, of God. As this understanding is attained through the opening of our thought to it, many adjustments take place simultaneously. I urge you to be truly open to the guidance which is always there. I can't tell you how this unfoldment will bring freedom. I don't know what it will bring to enrich your life from moment to moment. But I do know it's a "bow of promise on the cloud"!

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.'"

Science & Health Page 150:4-8

May 16, 2013 - What is Sickness?

"Illinois Peace"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #136:

“Sickness is a defense against the truth.”

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. 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. Let me tease you with this first paragraph of today's A Course in Miracles 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 Mary Baker Eddy 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

May 15, 2013 - What Are We Defending?

"South African Sunset"
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Workbook Lesson #135

"If I defend myself I am attacked."

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: '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

May 14, 2013 - What is forgiveness?

"Beaver Bridge"
photo by Steve Shogren

ACIM Workbook Lesson #134

"Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.

In our material world, forgiveness has many faces. Perhaps 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, while thinking that we won't or can't forget. This is not what we're talking about today. Our topic involves the release of illusions, the acknowledgement that there is no reality in sin. I think of sin as anything which separates us from the love which is God. I often think of the ancient Toltec wisdom as interpreted by Don 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! 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 life through spiritual sense, forgiveness takes on a different meaning for us. It becomes a peaceful acknowledgement of reality, and facilitates a letting go of the belief in separation. No blame, no guilt, all is forgiveness.

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 63:5-1

May 13, 2013 - What is of Value?

"South Africa - 2010"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #133

"I will not value what is valueless."

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 mine 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

May 12, 2013 - There is No World

"Sculpture at Crystal Bridges"

ACIM Workbook Lesson #132

"I loose the world from all I thought it was."

Often we feel there isn't enough time to study the spiritual Principle we long to embrace. We tell ourselves that we must live in the "real world" and that leaves little time for esoteric quests. With a slight shift in thought, it becomes apparent that reality isn't what we've always believed it to be. When this happens, we don't need to set aside specific time in order to practice a spiritual discipline. Without the downer of constantly repeating what we don't want in our lives, by refusing to dwell in fear and dread, we have a lot more time to hold thought to "the enduring, the good, and the true" (S&H Page 261:4) By allowing this "new world" of thought to become a present reality, I am coming a step closer to knowing where Mrs. Eddy was standing when she said, "The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness." Every glimpse I have of this divine reality is a moment of loosing the world from the bondage of my thought. What a gift!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"In the Apocalypse it is written: 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.' In St. John's vision, heaven and earth stand for spiritual ideas, and the sea, as a symbol of tempest-tossed human concepts advancing and receding, is represented as having passed away. The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness."

Science & Health Page 536:1-9