May 24, 2013 - What Do I Want?

"Yellowstone Park Moon"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #144

Review of: #127 "There is no love but God's."

#128 "The world I see holds nothing that I want.”

And the main thought to hold to in this review:

“My mind holds only what I think with God.”

One of our review topics opens the door to passionate discussion: 'The world I see holds nothing that I want'. That sentence can be interpreted as saying I shouldn't enjoy the beautiful life which unfolds every day. For instance, today was the most glorious day, with perfect temperatures and mild breezes energizing me as I played in the flower garden. Everything from cooking and cleaning to playing Scrabble with an old friend was blissfully full of joy and love. How could that not be something that I want? The other part of our review tells us, 'There is no love but God's'. Everything I experienced today demonstrated the spiritual reality of my existence. Not everyone would enjoy digging in the dirt, and scrubbing the floor, and chopping vegetables, and being outscored in a game of Scrabble! But it was my experience unfolding in an individual way which reflected this Love that is God, which allowed "my mind [to] hold(s) only what I think with God". It's this living Love which brings the experience. The great thing about this is that we won't ever be at the end of these experiences! It's an eternal unfolding of Love, God. This unfoldment brings unpredictable adventures in harmony when we listen and follow the still, small voice within. Although it's all a joy to experience, it's not the activity which I desire, it's the Love being expressed by it. So I can truthfully say, 'The world holds nothing that I want', because what I want is to know Love, allowing experience to unfold. I can hardly wait to start another day, fresh with the full breath of Life creating my every moment.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“When the divine precepts are understood, they unfold the foundation of fellowship, in which one mind is not at war with another, but all have one Spirit, God, one intelligent source, in accordance with the Scriptural command: 'Let this Mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.' Man and his Maker are correlated in divine Science, and real consciousness is cognizant only of the things of God.”

Science & Health Page 276:4-11

May 23, 2013 - Impeccable in My Word

"Yellowstone National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #143:

Review of: #125 "In quiet I receive God's Word today." #126  "All that I give is given to myself."

And the main thought to hold to in these review: “My mind holds only what I think with God.”

Once again, I am reminded of the Toltec wisdom as translated by Don Miguel Ruiz in "The Four Agreements". The first agreement is, "Be impeccable in your word." It has been a number of years since I've read this book and am not sure where he takes us with this agreement, but in reading today's review those words came to mind. Being impeccable in our word usually means to do what we say we're going to do, to be honest, to speak truth. The latter definition, to speak truth, is so often qualified by words such as "whatever is true for you". This is one of those new-age axioms which is a combination of a qualifier and a cop-out. People say things such as, "My truth may not be your truth." In the material world, this is very much so. But in the world we're learning of, the spiritual reality of our Being, there is only one Truth. Mortal mind, ego, fights against this and tells us that if there is only one truth, then we won't have individuality, we will be giving up free will, and we will all be the same. Looked at from another perspective, perhaps that's what happens to us when we steadfastly believe the material concepts which have been fed to us every day of our life. What if  freedom comes from being open to the reality of Spirit? On the chance that this could be true freedom, it certainly seems worth a try, doesn't it? To quietly "receive God's Word" seems to me to be the ultimate in being "impeccable in my word". I won't have to rely on deciphering what's right and wrong, truth and lie, or any other gauge I've set up for determining what to do. I need only be aware of what "my mind holds" with God. By this awareness and the expression thereof, I allow myself to give and receive with every thought and action. There is no room for anything else when I fill my thought with Truth.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“There is but one I, or Us, but one divine Principle, or Mind, governing all existence; man and woman unchanged forever in their individual characters, even as numbers which never blend with each other, though they are governed by one Principle. All the objects of God's creation reflect one Mind, and whatever reflects not this one Mind, is false and erroneous, even the belief that life, substance, and intelligence are both mental and material.”

Science & Health Page 511:11-19

May 22, 2013

ACIM Workbook Lesson #142:

Review of:

#123 "I thank my Father for His gifts to me."

#124 "Let me remember I am one with God."

And our main thought to hold in these review lessons:

"My mind holds only what I think with God."

Many of us feel unworthy of the Love which is God, making it difficult to feel Its presence. We think we've transgressed a divine law which keeps us from feeling the ever-presence which never fails or fades. We may have done things which we can't seem to forgive ourselves for, and we feel certain God doesn't either. Rest assured God knows nothing of these transgressions of material life. The steadfast Love which is God is always there for us. By letting go of our own guilt and blame, we open the door to the infinity of Truth: the Oneness which is God, and which is you and me, too. It's impossible to feel abandoned or unloved when we admit our real identity as the reflection of God. This Love which is God is so thorough that we need never doubt our worthiness again. To walk with God becomes something entirely different than the comforting, yet disconcerting, picture of a person with footsteps from an invisible being next to it. God is not a person. God is everything. Thus there is nothing that I can ever need or desire when resting in this gentle Presence. I am One, I am grateful, I am Love, I am content. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Before human knowledge dipped to its depths into a false sense of things,--into belief in material origins which discard the one Mind and true source of being,-- it is possible that the impressions from Truth were as distinct as sound, and that they came as sound to the primitive prophets.” 

Science & Health Page 213:30-3

May 21, 2013 - "The Holy Man"

"South Africa - 2010"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #141:

Today begins a review of the last 20 lessons. Our main theme is:

“My mind holds only what I think with God" Review of:

#121 “Forgiveness is the key to happiness”

#122 “Forgiveness offers everything I want.”

I am reminded of a delightful little book called, "The Holy Man" by Susan Trott. It is comprised of numerous scenarios recounted by and through a group of people who are waiting in line to see The Holy Man. They feel all their questions will be answered, all their problems solved, if only they can meet and speak with him. The irony is that when they are finally admitted to his home, he simply leads them through the house and out the back door. The beauty of the book is that everyone sees what they need to see from their interactions with others while waiting in the long line. We, too, have these ah-hah moments while going about our day-to-day activities. The realization that our true thoughts are those we think with God brings a newness to everyday life. By releasing our by-rote reactions today, we are free to practice forgiveness with every blameless thought we have. When we're thinking purely with God, we needn't place meaning on anything we experience today. With this clean slate, who knows what insights will be ours? As with those who were waiting to speak to The Holy Man, whom they believed had all the answers, we will be finding insight in every moment, simply by allowing ourselves to accept that we are One with God. As such, all answers are ours, even without asking questions!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“God creates all forms of reality. His thoughts are spiritual realities. So-called mortal mind--being nonexistent and consequently not within the range of immortal existence--could not by simulating deific power invert the divine creation, and afterwards recreate persons or things upon its own plane, since nothing exists beyond the range of all-inclusive infinity, in which and of which God is the sole creator. Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind. Mind's infinite ideas run and disport themselves. In humility they climb the heights of holiness.”

Science & Health Page 513:26-9

May 20, 2013 - Healing Thought

"Bryce Canyon Rocks & Sun"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook lesson #140:

“Only salvation can be said to cure.”

Today's lesson is a culmination of what we've been studying for the last few days. No matter what "ills" appear to be in our lives, there is no law which says we are condemned to suffer. There is no reason for us to pick ourselves apart and try to figure out what's wrong in our thought. We needn't place blame for having transgressed some material law; we only need realize Truth. This truth is that we're one with God. We are spiritual and reflect only Spirit. It's a mistaken belief that we are victims of heredity, or subject to communicable disease, or any of the myriad problems which seem to be so real in our collective and individual thought. It can be very difficult to take ourselves out of the perpetual loop of dis-ease. We have commercials in the media telling what's wrong with us, friends and strangers alike love to relate their maladies, and we're taught through our educational system that we must beware almost everything we encounter. So it can seem impossible to realize this Truth in our life, while living amongst the constant flow of erroneous thought.Every time we turn away from material illusion into the shining perfection of ourselves, as seen through the spiritual sense we're developing, we should celebrate! Each revelation is a step toward salvation from this trap of victimhood. Only the understanding of what is truth and what is illusion can lift us past the thoughts which hold us trapped in sickness and disharmony. It's not by trying to rid ourselves of illusion that we are freed; it's by knowing what Truth is. Allowing it to be the only reality in our thought, filling ourselves with Truth, error has no room in thought and disappears into the nothingness which is its only reality. Now that's something to celebrate!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural."

Science & Health Page xi:9-15

May 19, 2013 - At One With God

"World Cup - South Africa"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #139:

"I will accept Atonement for myself."

Atonement is another one of those words which often trigger uncomfortable feelings. Visions of atoning for sins can be pretty creepy, especially when it's possible we may have committed said sins without even knowing it! That's the way the concept of atonement has come to be interpreted by many theologians. It has been decided that we're all born sinners and we must spend our life finding ways to atone for that. It seems to me that this way of interpreting atonement is yet another material illusion. We are learning that sin is anything which separates us from the Love which is God. Simple, huh? Atonement is accepting our Oneness as the image and likeness of God. Some may say this is a form of sacrilege to say you're one with God. I say it's a sacrilege not to! To acknowledge God as the only Cause, and to see ourselves as the effect of that Cause, is to accept our at-one-ment with All that Is. What could be more humble? I will accept this reality today, and see everyone I meet in this light.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The atonement of Christ reconciles man to God, not God to man; for the divine Principle of Christ is God, and how can God propitiate Himself? Christ is Truth, which reaches no higher than itself. The fountain can rise no higher than its source.

Science & Health Page 18:13-19

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