April 18, 2015 - Unified Thought

"Dogwood Canyon"
photo by Arthur Lau-Sed

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, 2015 - Ascension

photo by Aaron Springston

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, 2015 - I'm Full

Halloween at Eureka Thyme

ACIM Workbook Lesson #106

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

I'm full. I'm finished. I've had enough. These are phrases I've always had trouble with! Whatever my current tangent may have been -- smoking, drinking, reading, eating -- I've done almost everything to excess. There was a time I was somewhat proud of my "addictive personality". It's nice to relax out of those crimes against Self. It's still tough to give things up, especially when I feel they're not finished. Letting go of my art gallery is what I've mourned the last few months, but I think I'm done. Whether it's giving up a personal relationship, the passing of a loved one, the letting go of any cherished belief, it's always a freeing experience to come to peace with the emotions surrounding it. I may think I don't know what to do without a particular thing or person, but it always seems to be all right when looked at in retrospect. It takes a desire for inner silence and peace. Keeping a busy mind does nothing to fill the void I tried to stuff with everything other than Truth. I am most grateful for all which has led me to this parenthesis in eternity, and can hardly wait to see what tomorrow may bring!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“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.”

Science & Health Page 323:32-5

April 15, 2015 - Receiving and Giving

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #105

“God’s peace and joy are mine.”

Today we concentrate on the nature of giving and receiving. We have become accustomed to thinking of giving gifts for special occasions such as birthdays and holidays. Perhaps gifts are given as a form of compensation to those whom we appreciate because they are patrons of our business. Or maybe someone gave money to our favorite non-profit organization, so we give them a thank you gift. We may feel guilty if someone gives us a gift and we don't have anything for them. We have lots of beliefs about what should and should not be given and how we react to those offerings. It's difficult for many of us to accept gifts — perhaps it’s that old I'm-not-worthy syndrome rearing its head. I love these sentences from today's ACIM workbook lesson: "True giving is creation. It extends the limitless to the unlimited, eternity to timelessness, and love unto itself." To live our lives from this perspective allows us to express Love freely, with no fear of it being rejected or misinterpreted. It allows us to gently reach out to people we've just met with heartfelt expressions of empathy and compassion. We bloom in unexpected ways when "extending the limitless to the unlimited". It's ours to give and to receive, in an eternal loop of Love. There's no way to measure how far the ripples of our joy and peace may extend. My cup runneth over!

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, 2015 - Joy, Peace, Happiness

"Mongolia"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #104

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

Joy and peace and happiness are my birthright. These things are what belong to me in truth. These gifts do not need to be earned. We needn't barter with a faraway god in order to experience them. We don't need to wait until we die, we don't have to do a certain number of good deeds, we don't need to take communion, it's not necessary to belong to a church. We have been hoodwinked into believing that we must strive all our lives to attain something which seems unattainable. The conflict of the world is so great that we can't make our way through the maze to the prize we know must be hiding somewhere. We are learning that we can confidently clear the altar of our minds, freeing our thought from fear and pain, and embracing our function as forgiveness, thereby healing our minds and allowing us to find what has always been there: joy and peace and happiness!

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, 2015 - Happiness Is ...

"Japanese Cherry Blossom"
photo by Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #103

“God, being Love, is also happiness.”

As if he knew I'd been intensely thinking about happiness for the last few days, an old friend (whom I hadn't seen in months) called and asked if I wanted to see a good movie. He brought it over and its title is, ”Hector and the Search for Happiness". It involves a man who is a psychiatrist and goes to China, Africa, and the U.S. asking people what happiness means to them -- and, of course, finds out what happiness means to him. Ultimately, it is not anything out there which is going to make us happy. One of the people he meets along the way asks how many of us remember a moment in childhood when happiness was a state of being; when everything, inside and out, was all right. I think that says it all, don't you? What does it take to be happy? Forgetting everything that makes you unhappy and allowing your natural state to shine forth! To quote the ACIM lesson: "God, being Love, is also happiness. and it is happiness I seek today. I cannot fail, because I seek the truth."

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, 2015 - I See Happy People!

"Dogwood Blossom"
photo by Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson # 102

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

I see happy people! Everywhere I go, everyone I see is exuding joy. Even in places other than Eureka Springs, most people seem to be happy. Very few have dead eyes or downward sliding smiles. A sweet friend passed on a couple of days ago after a short illness. The last time I saw her was about two weeks ago. We sat on her back deck on a beautiful spring day, talking and laughing. We laughed so much her husband came out and jokingly said the neighbors were complaining and we needed to hold it down. She was genuinely happy, totally unafraid, and profoundly grateful. She knew she hadn't long to enjoy the thrill of living on this plane, and she was making the most of it. These Course in Miracles lessons which are guiding us toward happiness are appreciated by so many. May we all scatter joy as we go about our daily activities! Happy spring!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts."

Science & Health Page 261:2-7