Every Moment a Meditation - August 15, 2015

"Aaron in Sequoia National Park"

ACIM Workbook Lesson #227

“This is my holy instant of release.”

Seeing today’s topic concerning a “holy instant of release” reminded me of a conversation I recently had with an old friend who tells me he is very nervous and anxious. It has gotten to the point where it’s affecting his life and he cannot do the things he enjoys. I recommended yoga and/or tai chi along with mediation of some sort. This led to a discussion of meditation and how he feels he will never be able to do it because his mind is so busy. I assured him it wasn’t necessary to totally stop thought at first, but simply to notice his thoughts as he sits quietly, acknowledging them and releasing them, not allowing one to lead into another until a state of agitation is reached.  Every moment is a holy instant and every thing is a meditation! Every time I have an attack thought and turn it around into a loving, non-judgmental one, I am in meditation. When someone says something which could send me into a tirade of condemnation or defense, but I calmly think and say something like “you may be right”, it’s a holy instant acknowledged. One moment of slipping between the thoughts is “a foretaste of eternity!

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

Science and Health Page 598:23-24

Oneness: United in Love

photo by Alden Stallings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #226

“My home awaits me. I will hasten there.”

What does it mean that "my home awaits me"? How does this affect my existence? Accepting the Truth of my being has many surprising consequences. One side effect is a heightened sense of Oneness, evidenced by a refinement in communication. We see this sharing of thought in the animal kingdom. It can be observed when watching birds fly in formation, or your dog expecting you home five minutes before you get there, or any number of observations we allow into our awareness. With each stretching past our accepted limitations, fresh insights will appear. Many of us are frightened by this new/old way of living.  Most people I know well are embracing these changes and reveling in the synchronistic events and enhanced perceptions. We are changing our thought about the purpose of the world, and living in the kingdom of God, which is within. Therein lies the safety of home.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Take heart, dear sufferer, for this reality of being will surely appear sometime and in some way. There will be no more pain, and all tears will be wiped away. When you read this, remember Jesus' words, "The kingdom of God is within you." This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.”

Science & Health Page 573:27-2

The Unity of Love's Experience

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #225

“God is my Father, and His Son loves Him.”

To me, today’s lesson is asking us to experience the Love which is ever-present by virtue of the Oneness we all are. If we are all the experience of God, the creation of divine Mind, the reflection of divine Love, there are no degrees of unity. It’s easy for me to feel at One with people I like and admire, but what of those I’d rather not be around? I can certainly see myself as One with Meryl Streep or Richard Gere, but what about Donald Trump or — well, you get the idea, I’m sure! If I weren’t judging someone to be awful, I wouldn’t feel the need to condemn them in my thought. If I do not judge, I need not condemn. Today I will remember to see beyond personalities and witness the reality of everyone as the expression and experience of the One! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“…with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science.” 

Science & Health Page 470:2-5

One Unifying Love

photo courtesy of Alden Stallings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #224

“God is my Father, and He loves His Son.”

The Little Paris Bookshop is an exquisitely-written novel. It's a love story on many levels. If you love food, or people, or romance, and especially if you love books, this story will pick you up and take you to a place you may have been afraid to visit before reading it. The main character has a bookstore which is floating on a barge in the Seine. He calls this business The Book Apothecary and he prescribes specific books for the needs of his customers. This story explores the limitations we put on love and leads us to see that Love is truly all there is. There may seem to be other things -- lots of them! -- but ultimately it comes down to choosing between what you've decided is truth and what Truth actually is. There were many parts of this book which illustrated that it really doesn't matter what we think; truth is truth no matter what we may believe. The One we are may not be the one we seem to be!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, “Love thy neighbor as thyself;” annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed. "

Science & Health Page 340:21-29

How Am I Defining My Life?

photo by Alden Stallings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #223

“God is my life. I have no life but His.”

August 10, 2015 has been an incredibly beautiful day in the Ozarks. After a light rain this cool morning, our temperatures were exquisitely temperate the rest of the day. As I’ve enjoyed the weather, I’ve been thinking about how we define ourselves by our jobs, our talents, our looks, our cars, our children — well, the list goes on, doesn’t it? When I closed my beloved art gallery earlier this year, many people warned me that it would be a huge adjustment not going there every day and having it as the center of my existence. But it wasn’t! I think that’s because it never defined me. I never thought of myself as being what I was doing. And in light of that realization, I see that the beautiful day I’ve enjoyed today has nothing to do with the life I enjoy. Whatever the external circumstance, it has nothing to do with the Truth of my being as a reflection of divine Love. But it sure was a pretty day!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"God is divine Life, and Life is no more confined to the forms which reflect it than substance is in its shadow. If life were in mortal man or material things, it would be subject to their limitations and would end in death. Life is Mind, the creator reflected in His creations.”

Science & Health Page 331:1-7

Waking Up to Oneness

photo by Alden Stallings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #222

“God is with me. I live and move in Him.”

We are waking up from our dream of separation! In this awakening, we are actualizing another level of living. We are becoming more consciously intuitive in our daily activities. Whereas we used to think of "hunches" as meaningless feelings, we are now realizing they're whispers from divine Mind. Living life as the reflection of Love opens thought to our Oneness, and we see a world without judgment. People are dropping life-long habits, and they're glad to see them go!  Today's ACIM lesson states this: "God is with me. He is my Source of life, the life within, the air I breathe, the food by which I am sustained, the water which renews and cleanses me. He is my home, wherein I live and move ..." And so it Is ~~~

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The universe reflects and expresses the divine substance or Mind...”

Science & Health Page 300:29-30

Let All My Thoughts Be Still

"Bryce Canyon Sunset"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #221

“Peace to my mind.  Let all my thoughts be still.”

Today begins part two of the Course in Miracles workbook. Now is the time for us to stop telling ourselves what we are and to Be. I’ve been listening to recordings from a Great Courses teaching entitled “Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation.” The man teaching us is quite enjoyable with fun stories and a nice voice. At one point, he asks us to start out the day and notice how many of our thoughts are unnecessary. How many are rehearsals of what we are going to say, or recalling what we did say and/or do, or just plain ole silliness! I thought of him telling us of this exercise when I saw the topic of today’s workbook lesson: “Let all my thoughts be still.” So I think I’ll do that today. I’ll have a notebook ready and not a single pointless thought shall pass by without recognition. This is going to be fun!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“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 261:4-7