February 10, 2015 - Heaven Within

"Shibori Dancer"
creation of
Sandy Wythawai Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #41 

“God goes with me wherever I go.”

Sitting quietly with today's topic, many thoughts run through my mind. I smile at them and reach deeper within for silence. All great teachers, such as Jesus, tell us the same thing: The kingdom of heaven is within. For years I knew this, but did not understand it. Without understanding, it’s nothing but blind belief. I suffered all the symptoms of separation from God: depression, anxiety, worry, a sense of helplessness and loneliness. I also went through the typical material means to quiet these feelings. None of them worked. It took a major wake-up call to break the spell, and I am so grateful to have answered it. When thinking that "God goes with me wherever I go", it's very easy to visualize a little angel on our shoulder, or someone walking beside us. Hence the importance of going deep within, silencing the multitudinous beliefs we have acquired in this existence. Knowing ourselves as consciousness, melded like a drop of water in the ocean, or a ray of sunshine with its source -- that's the feeling we're hoping to remember. I say remember because it's something we've always known, but perhaps have forgotten. Peace, joy, happiness: these are ours in the kingdom of heaven within, no matter what the outward circumstances may appear to be. Take a deep breath and feel the Oneness! 

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:

“Existence, separate from divinity, [divine] Science explains as impossible.” 

Science & Health Page 522:10-11

February 9, 2015 - Happiness No Matter What ...

"Beaver Bridge"
photo by Steve Shogren

ACIM Workbook Lesson #40:

“I am blessed as a Son of God."

Why can’t we all just be happy? I’ve heard this question voiced numerous times, and I’ve probably said it myself a time or two. People may tell you that life’s circumstances keep some from being happy. They think that if someone is living in poverty and/or abusive conditions, their happiness is squelched. I don’t believe this to necessarily be true any more than it’s opposite: if you have everything in the way of material needs and wants, you are assured happiness. When I was a teenager, a woman who was a friend of my parents had a series of things happen which we would think of as bearers of sadness. In a three-year period, her husband passed on, their house burned down, and then her daughter was in a car accident which left her in a coma for over a year before she died. Oh — she had also lost an infant daughter years before. This woman lived into her 80s, always helping others, and died with a smile on her face. I often wondered how she did it. I see now that she knew the open secret of Life. With each loved one who passes on, with each beloved animal I’ve known and loved through the years, something is growing more certain within me. They haven’t gone anywhere. Never born, never dying. If there’s a beginning, then there must be an end. That thought brings a certain smile.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Man is, and always has been, God's reflection."

Science & Health Page 471:17-18

February 8, 2015 - Remembering Wholeness

"Wyoming"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #39:

"My holiness is my salvation."

"No one needs practice to gain what is already his." We tend to forget that holiness is and always has been ours simply for the acknowledgement of it. Many things in our daily life teach us the opposite. I’m sure there are many people sitting in churches this morning listening to a preacher telling them that they are sinners and must repent — or variations on that theme. Perhaps some of you were taught this interpretation of Jesus’s words, too. 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! 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, 2015 - No Restrictions in Time and Place

Yannick Nezet-Seguin

ACIM Workbook Lesson #38:
"There is nothing my holiness cannot do"

"Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance and limits of any kind." This is easy enough to know intellectually, but some days it just seems impossible to experience. Today has been one of those days when I'd just as soon stay in bed. I'm feeling a bit down, perhaps because I had hopes of being able to travel to either Chicago or Ann Arbor to see the Rotterdam Symphony in a couple of weeks. Through these writings, I've become friends with a wonderful man who plays the violin for this orchestra in The Netherlands. They have a conductor who is so dynamic that his passion bursts forth even on youTube videos.  I can only imagine the feeling of facing this group of musicians in person! Today I shall ponder what this lesson is telling me. I will study the works of Mary Baker Eddy and open myself to the field of all possibilities, trusting that I am exactly where I need to be at all times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk5Uturacx8

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, 2015 - We Are the World

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #37

"My holiness blesses the world."

Have you seen the movie, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”? It’s very beautiful for many reasons. We are shown lovely French countryside, exquisite food, and a wonderful acceptance of and by people who are learning of our Oneness. When we accept our holiness, we do so by realizing that we are the expression of God. When we see this Truth, we understand that we are not alone as that reflection of divine Mind. How can we express racial prejudice or any other form of hatred and fear when we know these things? I am freed by the understanding 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 see that everything is already complete and whole. I look forward to seeing more of this expanding vision which awaits 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, 2015 - What Do I See?

unknown photographer

A Coures in Miracles 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, 2015 - Immortal Ideas

"Ozark Winter Sunset"
photo by Arthus 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. 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,  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 see 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