February 17, 2015 - No Fear in Love

Aaron in Mongolia
unknown photographer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #48:

"There is nothing to fear."

Fear stems from the idea that we can be separated from joy and love, from peace and security. I remember when my son left home for a boarding school at the age of fourteen. I was so sad that I felt I'd never laugh again. I literally couldn't imagine happiness, as everything I looked at reminded me he was gone. After a week or so of living in this maudlin state, I realized I was thinking of him as though he were dead. This led me to examine that avenue. What if he was dead? Wouldn't the love we felt still be alive? Of course, I would miss being around him, enjoying his company -- just as I was missing him with 300 miles of physical separation. A Rumi quote helped break this illusion: "Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. For those who love with heart and soul there is no separation." What is it which allows us to be together no matter where we seem to be? The Love which we are as the reflection of the one God is a connection which cannot be broken by any set of material circumstance. When I'm really feeling the security of divine Love, I'm reminded of the way a baby is swaddled in a blanket. Divine Love swaddles us in its ever-present protection. While we may seem to face uncertainties and losses, "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." (ACIM text)

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The Apostle John says: 'There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in Love.' Here is a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science."

Science & Health Page 410:17-21

February 16, 2015 - Birthing New Thought

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #47:

"God is the strength in which I trust."

Freezing rain and sleet has just begun to fall on this cold, February night. What exquisite perfection to be sitting in a cozy home listening to the wisdom of the ages being spoon fed to me through a DVD. This series features a learned and perceptive man telling me "Great Scientific Ideas That Changed the World." He says that Aristotle tells us that knowledge is validated by using it. Paramenides has a substance metaphysics view of reality: the ultimate reality is a thing -- or things. Heraclitus said that ultimate reality is change, but laws of change are timeless -- hence process metaphysics. I find these thoughts fascinating and fun, but I'm not going to take any of it too seriously. Throughout time we have tried to understand how everything works, and that has been an evolution of thought. We are still moving through this tapestry of illumination and it is a delightful journey. I'm so pleased to be on it!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The revelation of Truth in the understanding came to me gradually and apparently through divine power. When a new spiritual idea is borne to earth, the prophetic Scripture of Isaiah is renewedly fulfilled: 'Unto us a child is born, . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful.'"Science & Health Page 109:22-27

February 15, 2015 - I'm In Love!

Warm Herat
graphic by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #46:

“God is the Love in which I forgive.”

We are told in today's workbook lesson that God does not forgive, because there is no condemnation. Living in acknowledgement of our unity shows us a new paradigm, a different perception of what we call reality. The opposite of unity, separation, can be described as anything which separates us from the Love which is God. Our separation becomes very apparent on occasions such as Valentine's Day. Numerous people I know expressed their disgust for this sweet day of celebration because they are not "in love". Someone even said, "Happy too-bad-you're-not-in-love Day!" I had to burst out laughing because I feel very much in Love! Every moment is an adventure in experiencing the Love which is my Source. I revel in waking up each day and spending time aligning thought with God. Through this centering, I feel as though I'm having a love affair with all of life. I relish solitude, as I find it easier to feel at-one-ment in silence rather than in the midst of constant conversation. After all, One is a whole number! With enough practice, I hope to have no need to forgive, because I have not condemned. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

 "'God is Love.' More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go. To suppose that God forgives or punishes sin according as His mercy is sought or unsought, is to misunderstand Love ..."

Science & Health Page 6:17-21

February 14, 2015 - Happy Valentine's Day!

parade in Eureka Springs

ACIM Workbook Lesson #45:

“God is the Mind with which I think.”

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Every concept which seems to begin with the brain begins falsely. Divine Mind is the only cause or Principle of existence. Cause does not exist in matter, in mortal mind, or in physical forms.” 

Science & Health Page 262:28-32

February 13, 2015 - Seeing Lightly

"Zion National Park"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #44

"God is the Light in which I see."

I got a phone call from someone saying she had heard about my “situation” and wanted to commiserate. I found out that meant she wanted to tell me all about her physical maladies and have me tell her about mine. That is not what I choose to do! Seeing everything in Light, in God, is happiness and peace. Reflecting that Light to others allows us to share this harmony. When viewing others as the image and likeness of God, this light is easily seen as the essence of everyone. A few simple words, expressing what we are seeing, brings joy to those we come into contact with every day. A compliment shared with someone in the market or library may be just the encouragement they need at that moment. Shining the light of Oneness from within brings with it big blessing! I make the choice in whether I want to see darkness or light.  Today I will be feeling the joy which comes from seeing everything through Light, and giving heart-felt expression to that joy, blessing the world.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Spiritual vision is not subordinate to geometric altitudes. Whatever is governed by God, is never for an instant deprived of the light and might of intelligence and Life." 

Science & Health Page 215:11-14

February 12, 2015 - Pure Sight

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #43:

"God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him."

Today we are pondering the differences in our personal perception and universal knowledge. Our perception, as we well know, is colored by belief and what we think of as knowledge. Knowledge is Truth. This Truth, with a capital T, is God. This from today's A Course in Miracles lesson, "You cannot see apart from God because you cannot be apart from God." This statement solidifies our understanding of Oneness and allows us to assert these facts fearlessly as a reflection of God. A neighbor told me of her physical maladies and made the statement that we always tend to think of the worst thing that could happen. While it would be rude to tell her that she should stop doing that and that it is possible to see with the vision of God, that is what I thought. I can’t change how she sees everything, but I can certainly change what I think about it! As I go through this day, I will notice how I am seeing and remember that God is my Source and that my heritage is pure sight.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Man is more than a material form with a mind inside, which must escape from its environments in order to be immortal. Man reflects infinity, and this reflection is the true idea of God."

Science & Health Page 258:9-12

February 11, 2015 - Reinterpretation

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #42:
“God is my strength. Vision is His gift.”

"Gut feelings" are often discounted as being invalid for any number of reasons. Some say they're paranoid thoughts, others may think of them as wishful thinking, but few think of them as the vision of God. I'm reminded today that we must reinterpret everything we see. When we look around, what the human eye sees, what the human ear hears, is the false projection of Truth. Discord and inharmony is misinterpretation by us. Through right identification and reinterpretation we see with the "vision [which] is His gift". As an example, when we see train tracks coming together in the distance, we immediately reinterpret that into the truth of the situation. We know that those tracks aren't coming together and that it will not be dangerous to travel on the train which carries us toward that end. We have been taught to translate many similar situations and we do not fear them. The metaphysical studies we've embarked upon are doing the same thing: teaching us to recognize misidentification and translate it into Truth. God appearing as individual being is right interpretation. Translating erroneous thought is our job!
Mary Baker Eddy quotes:
“Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.”

Science & Health Page 393:12-15