November 29, 2014 - Conflicted

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook  Lesson #333

“Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here.”

When there is something we feel conflicted about, we can examine it and resolve it through forgiveness. I am reminded of the feeling of conflict I felt surrounding the myth of Santa Claus. When my son was two and I was expecting my second child, I announced to a friend that I wasn't going to do the Santa charade. She told me that was a terrible thing to do to children and gave me many reasons why I shouldn't do away with their belief in this massive illusion. And so I gave in and perpetuated this suppositional conflict within myself. This is a perfect example of all the illusion we willingly put on ourselves, isn't it? The spirit of Christmas is defined in many superficial ways, and it seems the most blatant of these is Santa Claus. It is used in the same way religion tends to use God. If you are good, if you don't cry, if you don't pout, then Santa/God will give you certain things. If you break these rules, you'd better watch out! Yes, Santa is fun and yes God is good. And there are so many ways to celebrate the goodness which is innately ours through our inseparable Oneness with God! There is so much to celebrate in the reality of this beautiful life! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The suppositional warfare between truth and error is only the mental conflict between the evidence of the spiritual senses and the testimony of the material senses, and this warfare between the Spirit and flesh will settle all questions through faith in and the understanding of divine Love.”

Science & Health Page 288:3-7

December 1, 2014 - Pure and Sinless

"Thailand Wildlife"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #335

"I choose to see my brother's sinlessness."

Forgiveness is a choice. I remember years ago during a metaphysical society meeting someone saying, "Evil is a choice". She said this in relation to years of sexual abuse and psychological torture, perpetrated by the two people she should have trusted most as a child. She recognized that evil was a choice when she was presented with what seemed to be an overwhelming suggestion to do something similar to her infant child. In that moment, she realized she could choose, and she did. Now she chooses forgiveness in all aspects of her life. She has chosen to see her parents in the holy light of Love. She has chosen to live her life in peace, with a willingness to turn from past remembrances and see things in the reality of God's Love. She has chosen forgiveness for herself and everyone, knowing that we are One.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Reasoning from cause to effect in the Science of Mind, we begin with Mind, which must be understood through the idea which expresses it and cannot be learned from its opposite, matter. Thus we arrive at Truth, or intelligence, which evolves its own unerring idea and never can be coordinate with human illusions. If Soul sinned, it would be mortal, for sin is mortality's self, because it kills itself. If Truth is immortal, error must be mortal, because error is unlike Truth. Because Soul is immortal, Soul cannot sin, for sin is not the eternal verity of being."

Science & Health Page 467:29-7

November 28, 2014 - Fear Binds; Forgiveness Frees

ACIM Workbook Lesson #332

“Fear binds the world. Forgiveness sets it free.”

How many things are you bound to by fear? I know there have been many fears which have dictated my actions. Perhaps fear of being alone binds you to relationships which have served their purpose and need to be released. This might be thought of as a "failure" -- which brings up another fear, huh? What if we don't think of the ending of a marriage or friendship as a failure, but as a progression of this life? The same may be said of a career or hobby. These things can be steps on a journey to somewhere you never dreamed you would go. If you've planned your life in every detail, it may seem like giving up to move on to something else. That's why I love this way of thought! There are no rules, other than listening for divine Mind to guide and lead us to wherever we need to be. This guidance doesn't always mean leaving something -- it could be staying with a job or relationship, regardless of what logic dictates. Listening and following is always an adventure!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Until the majesty of Truth should be demonstrated in divine Science, the spiritual idea was arraigned before the tribunal of so-called mortal mind, which was unloosed in order that the false claim of mind in matter might uncover its own crime of defying immortal Mind." 

Science & Health Page 564:19-23

November 27, 2014 - Awakening Peace

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #331

“There is no conflict, for my will is Yours.”

"Conflict is sleep, and peace awakening". I love this line from today's ACIM lesson. Today begins a series of ten teachings geared to help us understand what the ego, which is spoken of so often in these lessons, actually is. If the thoughts we are having cause us conflict, they are of the ego -- or mortal mind, as Mary Baker Eddy refers to it. If there is harmony and peace, then our thoughts are God's ideas. Actually, there is nothing other than divine Idea; everything else is illusion. That is why erroneous thought is considered unreal. The only reality is God. Either God is All or God is not. Hearing statements like this is when that little ego kicks in and makes a fuss. How can that be, it says? What about me?? Don't be afraid to tell it to be still. It is, after all, unreal. The silence that replaces the clamor holds the harmony of Being.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"When advanced to spiritual being and the understanding of God, man can no longer commune with matter; neither can he return to it, any more than a tree can return to its seed. Neither will man seem to be corporeal, but he will be an individual consciousness, characterized by the divine Spirit as idea, not matter."

Science & Health Page 76:12-17

November 26, 2014 - We Are

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #330

“I will not hurt myself again today.”

I love it when something happens which allows me to see my mistaken view of a situation. There's a popular television show called "Duck Dynasty". I've held myself superior to this show which is full of duck calls and strong opinions. On the other hand, one of my favorite TV shows is "Dancing With the Stars". Not only is it a mixture of beautiful dancing and music, but you get to know the dancers on a more personal level as they reveal themselves through dance and competition and fatigue. This season, the duck show's 17-year-old girl is dancing. She had never danced before, other than alone in her room, having a very strict upbringing. I must admit to having some prejudice against her when the season started. I decided she was judgmental and self-important. Hum, isn't it interesting how what we think of others is something bubbling around in ourselves? By watching her these last few weeks, I've come to more fully understand our unity, our sameness, our Oneness as children of God. No matter where in the world we live, no matter what the circumstance of our upbringing, we share divine Love in a way which cannot be denied when we look at ourselves with God's eyes.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man’s oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage.”

Science & Health Page 18:3-5

November 25, 2014 - One Will

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #329

“I have already chosen what You will.”

I spent a day in a totally unfamiliar situation: a medical facility. Of course, everyone is very kind and caring, facilitating healing in the way they have been taught. In their zeal to cover all the bases and be cautious and ward off lawsuits, they warn you about every possible horror which could befall you. I imagined myself as a video game character, deflecting words of doom from every direction. Lying quietly on a bed waiting for removal of cataracts, I was privy to what I can only imagine would be private conversations. There was talk of a horrid disease one's grandmother had, another woman spoke about her bowel problems -- I could go on and on. Replacing all these images with words of Truth, I emerged unscathed and happy, choosing divine Mind to be my choice rather than the hubbub of material illusions. I am so grateful to know I have that choice!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Will, as a quality of so-called mortal mind, is a wrong-doer; hence it should not be confounded with the term as applied to Mind or to one of God’s qualities.”

Science & Health Page 597:24-26

November 24, 2014 - Life

"Utah Morning"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #328

"I choose the second place to gain the first."

A friend asked me if I feel like a failure when metaphysical practice doesn't keep physical maladies at bay. I couldn't help but laugh, as she was so seriously worried about me. I suppose this concern is a result of knowing nothing about Christian Science other than what fictional television shows have depicted. I explained to her that harmonious physical circumstances are not something to be sought, but are an inevitable result of aligning thought with God. Now this alignment is not an easy thing to do, as we're so accustomed to thinking with our mortal mind rather than divine Mind. Mrs. Eddy asks us if we would discount mathematical principles simply because we couldn't solve a problem with our limited knowledge. She tells us it's the same thing with our burgeoning knowledge of divine Science. The principle is sound, but it's often difficult for us to grasp. I will continue to hold to thoughts of Truth and Love as I undergo a procedure for cataract removal. I see this as another adventure in the movement from life to Life!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

'The way is straight and narrow, which leads to the understanding that God is the only Life. It is a warfare with the flesh, in which we must conquer sin, sickness, and death, either here or hereafter, — certainly before we can reach the goal of Spirit, or life in God." 

Science and Health Page 324: 13-18