June 12, 2015 -- Feeling Out of Sight ...

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ACIM Workbook Lesson #163 

"There is no death. The Son of God is free."

Many meanings, both literal and metaphoric, come to mind when thinking of the word "death".  My first thought, upon reading today's topic, was of the death we experience when we are born into this existence. Suddenly, our spiritual sense is deadened by the deluge of materialistic stimuli which constantly bombards us. In this forgetting of Truth, life becomes very uncertain. We are victims of inharmonious circumstances, until we recognize ourselves as expressions of divine Mind, then we see glimpses of eternity. We may begin to imagine the unreality of time and space, and perhaps we've always suspected this.  These misunderstandings may fire the dissatisfaction which drives us to "feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace." (Browning)  We know there's something more, and we keep grasping at what it might be. We search for freedom from the belief that we are victims of circumstance. We have the choice of waking up! Today's lesson gives many examples of how we allow death to be stronger than life. It speaks to waking from this dream of erroneous thought, switching on the light of Truth, and beginning to understand that we may have it all backwards. We will see through the veil we have hung to hide Truth. With this sight will come the understanding of Life as timeless!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The chief stones in the temple of Christian Science are to be found in the following postulates: that Life is God, good, and not evil; that Soul is sinless, not to be found in the body; that Spirit is not, and cannot be, materialized; that Life is not subject to death; that the spiritual real man has no birth, no material life, and no death.”

Science & Health Page 288:20-25

June 11, 2015 - What Creation?

"Tailand"
photo from Aaron Springston

ACIM A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #162

“I am as God created me."

In reading the lesson which goes with the topic above, I was struck by a statement: “It will mean far more to you as you advance.” As I think back to being a small child and pondering what “I am as God created me” meant to me at that point, I have vague recollections of the Garden of Eden with naked Adam and Eve frolicking in the perfect environment. As years went by, I would often wonder how the world we live in could have been created so imperfectly by perfect Love. Today I’m catching glimpses of Truth, beginning to understand that God did not create an imperfect world, but we have. These ideas have been the basis for many pages in many books, so I won’t attempt to go deeper with this thought today. But I will leave you with an all-encompassing passage by Mary Baker Eddy:

“There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is [Its] image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual."

Science & Health Page 468:10-16

June 10, 2015 - We Are One

Cozy Thailand Alley
photo by Aaron Springston

ACiM Workbook Lesson #161

“Give me your blessing, holy Son of God.”

We are asked today to see our perfection through seeing it in another. I am choosing someone I don’t particularly enjoy being around, and undoing the separation which has caused me to think of him as an enemy. I no longer want to replay past events and conversations. I don’t want to remember things which caused me to think I’m somehow better than him. I want to allow hard feelings to dissipate and fill up the void which is left with Love. This Love is the source of his being as much as it is mine and yours. I am the Love I want him to be. He is the Love I strive to understand and live. We are One whether I think so or not, so now is the time to allow myself to be blessed by his perfection. Namastè!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "’Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established." Science & Health Page 467:16-20

June 9, 2015 - No Fear in Love

"Thailand"
photo from Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #160

“I am at home. Fear is the stranger here.”

When we are afraid of a situation, we often want someone to be with us to comfort us and, perhaps, share in that fear. When I was admitted into the hospital last year, I was repeatedly asked if I wanted to call someone to be with me. I assured everyone I was fine. Remaining cheerful throughout the whole stay was also an anomaly to the staff. I haven’t thought about those days very much, but today’s topic brings it to mind as I look for a time of fear in order to write about it. But I really think “I am at home and fear is the stranger here”. As an expression of divine Love, there is no need to ask for more. And so it is! 

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

June 8, 2015 - Giving/Receiving Miracles

"Thai Joy"
photo from Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #159

“I give the miracles I have received.”

A quote attributed to Albert Einstein, paraphrased, says something like this: We can live as though nothing is a miracle or as if everything is a miracle. I’ve always leaned toward the side of wonderment, looking at life with rose-colored glasses and being tickled pink at the ever-changing miracle of  life as witnessed by trees and flowers and flowing water and the like. Today I’m pleased to enjoy the miracle of driving a car! It has been almost six months since I’ve driven, because of a lower leg amputation. Today, while starting my car for its daily engine revving and 6 inches of movement back and/or forward, I thought to myself, I can drive! Interestingly enough, I can feel my invisible foot. Some people may think of that as phantom pain, but I believe I'll look at it as a gift of Life. I'll nurture the feeling, knowing Truth in all its forms and functions as I continue to recognize the miracle so I can give it away!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The great miracle, to human sense, is divine Love, and the grand necessity of existence is to gain the true idea of what constitutes the kingdom of heaven in man."  

Science & Health Page 560:11-16   

June 7, 2015 - Learning to Receive

Adventures in Thailand
photo from Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #158

“Today I learn to give as I receive.”

A dear friend, Jim Young, did an interview today on a radio show called Reality Spirituality. The woman who interviewed him told us that at one point she went for 40 days without speaking. I think this was a lovely exercise in learning to give what she was receiving. Bypassing words, which can so often be misinterpreted, she was communicating purely with the energy of her Being. At one point during the program Jim asked us what if, rather than try to tell someone how much we love them, we simply sit and BE love, and through this sharing of energy we impart our true feelings. Opening ourselves to Love allows this transfer of energy to occur naturally with no misunderstanding by another.  

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy.” 

Science & Health Page 249:6-8

June 6, 2015 - Transforming Thought

"Monkey in Thailand"
photo from Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #157

“Into His Presence would I enter now.”

"Practicing the Presence" was the first book I read by Joel Goldsmith. In it, he reminds us that we already are and always will be "in his Presence", as this Course in Miracles lesson is reminding us today. The space "I enter now" is a shift in my perception, a change of my thought. This shift allows me to realize that I always was and always will be the experience and expression of God. I Am that I Am. If good news were reported in the media, they would be proclaiming instances of this yielding to Truth, because we're seeing it everywhere! That's what it's all about, huh? We are being "renewed by the transforming of our mind". We're transforming our mind into Mind and entering into the kingdom of heaven which is within. How wonderful to know we have that choice!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“One moment of divine consciousness, or the spiritual understanding of Life and Love, is a foretaste of eternity.”

Science & Health Page 598:23-25