April 18, 2014 - Unified Thought

ACIM Workbook Lesson #108

“To give and to receive are one in truth.”

"One thought, completely unified, will serve to unify all thoughts." This is a sentence from today's ACIM lesson. The spiritual reality we are learning about allows this idea to be not only possible, but probable! During practice periods we are advised to hold out to others what we would have for ourselves. For instance: "To everyone I offer quietness. To everyone I offer peace of mind. To everyone I offer gentleness." Today I will open my heart to receive all the good which is innately mine. This reception opens avenues to share in unexpected ways. I will offer to others everything I want for myself: peace, happiness, joy, contentment, satisfaction, grace, love. Freely I have received, freely I will give.

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:    

"A musician demonstrates the beauty of the music he teaches in order to show the learner the way by practice as well as precept. Jesus’ teaching and practice of Truth involved such a sacrifice as makes us admit its Principle to be Love."  

Science & Health Page 79:30-32

April 17, 2014 - Ascension

ACIM Workbook Lesson #107

“Truth will correct all errors in my mind.”

Every prayer, every meditation, every expression of divine Mind is magnified exponentially. We have the power to change the world through ourselves. Every interaction identifies us with either a world of love or of fear. The Love which heals spreads through the web of Oneness. In the same way that we take personal responsibility for ourselves, our health, our well-being, we can take responsibility for a return to Love. It does matter what we do and what we think. We never know what a difference a simple interaction will make in someone's life. A single word or a smile may turn them away from reactive fear to healing Love. The Truth which corrects all errors in our mind is our ascension into heaven within. Never doubt that you matter, that you make a difference.  Allow silence and listening to guide you to your role in being the change you want to see. 

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: 27-31

April 16, 2014 - Sharing Silence

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #106

“Let me be still and listen to the truth.”

We are advised today to "be still and listen" for Truth. We are also told that for every five minutes we spend listening, a thousand minds are opened to the Truth we hear. Don't you feel we are very close to a tipping point in spiritual discernment? Every thought we have is important, especially during difficult times. When events occur which bring forth strong negative emotions in people, it is even more important to hold thought to this Truth which is heard in silence. Listening, hearing, receiving, and giving the Truth which is God is my job today and every day!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The effects of Christian Science are not so much seen as felt. It is the 'still, small voice' of Truth uttering itself. We are either turning away from this utterance, or we are listening to it and going up higher. Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear,--this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony. The purification of sense and self is a proof of progress. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.’”

Science & Health Page 323:28-8

April 15, 2014 - Am I Blocking Joy?

photo by Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #105

“God’s peace and joy are mine.”

Have you withheld peace and joy from someone? You may wonder how this could be done, but every time I hold a grievance about someone, or have feelings of separation stemming from things I think have been done to  me, I withhold peace and joy. And every time I withhold this harmony from others, I block it from myself. While we may know intellectually that God's gifts of peace and joy are continually being supplied to us, we may not be able to receive them fully for many reasons. But, basically, those reasons come down to one thing: I'm not giving and so I can't receive. By removing  the dams we have set up which are blocking this flow, we  allow them to go out to others as they are rushing in to us. Yes, God's peace and joy are mine. But I must give to receive."True giving is creation. It extends the limitless to the unlimited, eternity to timelessness, and love unto itself." ACIM

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace. Thus the dawn of ideas goes on, forming each successive stage of progress." Science & Health Page 506:11-14

April 14, 2014 - Peaceful Computers

ACIM Workbook Lesson #104

“I seek but what belongs to me in truth.”

I hate computers! This is not something I would say, and that's so because I've learned what happens if you do: they hate you back. I'm saying this semi-jokingly, but a lot of you have probably experienced this phenomenon. If we get frustrated and tense, this translates into blocked ability to know what's going on. I often tell people to think like a computer. Appreciate seeing what it has to teach you, and listen for instruction on how to learn. Computers are actually very zen-like machines, don't you think? My experience with computers is generally very meditative. If I'm not achieving the results I want, it's tempting to throw up my hands and give up. That's the time to sit quietly and ask for the knowledge which divine Mind always is providing. Once again, we're asking ourselves to be still and know. Silence mortal mind and hear divine Mind. This is part of "what belongs to me in truth": peace, joy, happiness -- the kingdom of heaven which is within. Ommmm ~~~~

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“God has built a higher platform of human rights, and He has built it on diviner claims. These claims are not made through code or creed, but in demonstration of "on earth peace, good-will toward men."

Science & Health Page 226:14-17

April 13, 2014 - If You're Happy and You Know It ...

ACIM Workbook Lesson #103

“God, being Love, is also happiness.”

I know a man who insists he's never known happiness. He also says he doesn't have any idea what love feels like. Yet he has a twinkle in his eye and is usually smiling. I'm pretty sure he's happy, but just doesn't recognize what that means, perhaps grasping for something he feels is always just out of reach. And I would guess he feels love, too, but thinks it's supposed to bring on an epiphany of some sort. Personally, I feel intense rushes of love from something as purely beautiful as seeing the first flock of butterflies in the spring. A group of swallowtails frolicking in my flower bed is more than enough to break open my heart and leave me feeling the Love which is God. Remembering my friend lament the lack of love in his life, remembering the butterflies' grace which passes to me, I will think twice before I pass by any divine Idea without drinking in its happiness. Love and happiness are our divine heritage as the expression of God. God is Love, and so are we!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul. Higher enjoyments alone can satisfy the cravings of immortal man.”

Science & Health Page 60:28-1

April 12, 2014 - Happiness, Your Natural State

ACIM Workbook Lesson # 102

“I share God’s Will for happiness for me.”

We all know people who seem to be chronically sad, don't we? I needn't recount the circumstances of those individuals, as I'm sure you know a few, too. They share a commonality of repeatedly replaying sad and distressing events in their thought and conversation. I have a few sad memories which pop into my head occasionally. When this happens, there's a choice: I can relive the event mentally and/or verbally and thereby keep it alive. Or I can acknowledge that it's still in my thoughts, but it is not the Truth of my Being. Yes, it happened (whatever it is). It's part of my material history. But my spiritual reality has not been touched by it. The peace brought by this understanding is priceless. I can be happy. Even in the midst of things which we may not think of as particularly joyful , we can give ourselves permission to be happy. It is, after all, our natural state of Being!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"An ill-attuned ear calls discord harmony, not appreciating concord. So physical sense, not discerning the true happiness of being, places it on a false basis. Science will correct the discord, and teach us life's sweeter harmonies."

Science & Health Page 60: 24-28