February 8, 2014 - No Blame, No Guilt, Salvation

"Mark in Mongolia"
photo by Aaron

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's easy to forget that holiness is and always has been ours for the simple acknowledgement of it. There are so many things in daily life telling us the opposite. But let's not put our attention on trying to forget these beliefs, but instead let's concentrate on remembering our wholeness as the image and experience of God! I'm reminded of a Catch-22 situation of life in our little tourist town. Many of our businesses are not open in the winter. Logic dictates that we don't get enough business to stay open, and so many do not. But perhaps we don't get enough business because not enough of us are open. Often people come in my gallery and ask why so many places are closed. My response could be a rather exasperated one, as I wish they were open. But looking at the situation from my holiness, I can cheerfully respond that I don't have any idea why they're closed, but I know why we're open! And while responding from my holiness, I can see 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 blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation.”

Science & Health Page 3:4-11

February 7, 2014 - Recognition

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #38:

"There is nothing my holiness cannot do"

I love the first two sentences of today's ACIM 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 the appeal of Harry Potter 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 such a plethora of writings from people who know A Course in Miracles! What a treasure to have more than a hundred years' worth of detailed writing from the Christian Science movement! Through these tomes we find encouragement and support when we find it easier to bow to the pull of the material world, rather than walking through the veil 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 our 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, 2014 - Beyond the Material Horizon

"Eureka Deer"
photo by Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #37

"My holiness blesses the world."

We've been having exceptionally cold weather this winter. There is lots of snow with below freezing temperatures almost every day. While I was clearing snow from the driveway and feeding the wild birds today, my thought turned to friends who have farms and spend their days tending to animals and the multitude of chores which that entails. I feel such admiration for the dedication they exhibit daily in their lives. Their holiness blesses the world in ways I can only imagine. At first, I feel inadequate when thinking about all the things I could be doing to help wildlife and people who are cold and hungry. Then I realize that the act of seeing everything in its spiritual reality is my function. It is everyone's function. By our realization of spiritual Truth, we understand that everything is already complete and whole. I look forward to our expanding vision of new forms of existence which await us, just beyond the horizon of our material views.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"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 248:15-17 and 26-29

February 5, 2014 - How Do I See?

"Aaron at Zion NP"

ACIM Workbook Lesson #36

"My holiness envelopes everything I see."

Markawasi, Peru is found high in the Andes Mountains in South America. This is the site where there are hundreds of figures, faces, and various shapes which may be seen in the living stone. There is much speculations concerning the origins of these fabulous monuments. Yet some people cannot see them. As shown by time-lapse photography, these illusive figures are more obvious at some times of the day than at others. I would suppose it also is predicated (as so many things are) on whether we want to see or not. While watching a documentary on this subject, I was repeatedly reminded of its metaphorical relationship with our spiritual study. The very first Wayne Dyer book I read jumped out at me because of its title: When You Believe It, You'll See It. This is the exact opposite of our material basis of truth: When I see it, I'll believe it! These stone faces are the same way. They are easily overlooked if you don't want to see. So as I go through this day seeing my holiness enveloping everything, I shall keep in mind that many things are beyond my ability to see. But that's okay, because knowing they're there is enough for now.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible. When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other consciousness."

Science & Health Page 492:7-11

February 4, 2014 - I Am ...

"Snowy Ozark Sunset"
photo by Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook lesson #35

"My mind is part of God. I am very holy."

A good friend has struggled with depression all her life. She feels her existence has been a series of horrible events, occasionally interrupted by happy times which inevitably end in pain. In an attempt to escape this existence, she has turned to alcohol, drugs, and God. But the judgmental God she sees makes deals with her, and never deems her worthy of favor. The repetition of the past seems to be in her thought constantly, affecting her every action. By accepting today's lesson which tells us that we are actually holy as a reflection of God, the feelings of hopelessness and sadness can disappear in an instant! By releasing our material history, we are free to learn the reality of our spiritual Self, which is unending, uninterrupted good. It's a beautiful thing to see someone realize the nothingness of their personal history, and to realize the wondrous peace which lies within. I think of God as defined by Mary Baker Eddy: Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love. Divine Mind is a palpable presence, realized when we release false belief. To misquote a well-known Bible verse: Let this Mind be you, which was also Christ Jesus. This Mind is you, and me, and everyone, because it is God, which is omnipresent, omniscient, always.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Immortal ideas, pure, perfect, and enduring, are transmitted by the divine Mind through divine Science, which corrects error with truth and demands spiritual thoughts, divine concepts, to the end that they may produce harmonious results."

Science & Health Page 259:26-31

February 3, 2014 - Scatter Peace

ACIM Workbook Lesson #34:

"I could see peace instead of this."

Family disputes, contentious work situations, people acting in ways we think to be wrong -- every day we witness situations which give us opportunities to see peace. Even if we're not directly involved in these scenarios, we are given the opportunity to "see peace instead of this". We are learning to sit quietly, with Love, and watch how that spiritual truth brings healing. Peace is inherent in every seemingly volatile situation. A calm glow is brought forth when Love is felt within! By practicing peace, we are allowed to witness its inevitable spread through everything it touches. I have numerous opportunities to practice this with my dog. He exhibits aberrant, aggressive behavior towards people and other dogs. It's difficult for me to not become aggressive myself! I've witnessed calm, assertive behavior on my part bringing this little bundle of nervousness to a relaxed state, but all too often I simply join with him in his tense communication. So today I scatter Love everywhere, with particular attention to myself, as I watch Its manifestation grow.  

   

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Truth and Love enlighten the understanding, in whose 'light shall we see light;' and this illumination is reflected spiritually by all who walk in the light and turn away from a false material sense.”

Science & Health Page 510:9-12

February 2, 2014 - Shifting Perception

"Dismal Creek"
photo by Gerry Toler

ACIM Workbook Lesson #33:

"There is another way of looking at the world."

     

This lesson asks us to recognize that we can shift our perception of the world in both its outer and inner aspects. We are asked to look at things around us, and then to look at our thoughts. This is to be done casually, with no judgment, only noticing. Okay. I'm looking around the room. The first thing I see is a lamp which was bought at a Clear Spring School auction. Interestingly, it was donated by Victorian Reflections, a shop which occupied the space Eureka Thyme Gallery now has. This lamp has a story. It brings back lots of memories and feelings within me, all lovely to remember. Now when I close my eyes and follow my thoughts, a long trail has opened up with memory links galore! I could follow them and spend a great deal of time living in the past. Or I can simply see it for what it is and ask myself why that lamp makes me smile. It represents to me light, beauty, happy times with children and friends. Whether this exercise brought me lovely thoughts or caused distress makes no difference, because they both need to be released. This doesn't mean that I must never feel the Love reflected by this lamp and its connections. That feeling is mine all the time. This release lightens the barriers I've built against Spirit. It helps me become more transparent and allows good, God, to be my only Sight. What an adventure this is!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Dear reader, which mind-picture or externalized thought shall be real to you,--the material or the spiritual? Both you cannot have. You are bringing out your own ideal. This ideal is either temporal or eternal. Either Spirit or matter is your model. If you try to have two models, then you practically have none. Like a pendulum in a clock, you will be thrown back and forth, striking the ribs of matter and swinging between the real and the unreal."

Science & Health Page 360:13-21