The Christ Idea

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #353

"My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today Have but one purpose; to be given Christ To use to bless the world with miracles."

The use of the word "Christ" need not put off anyone who is not a follower of Jesus. Both Mary Baker Eddy and A Course in Miracles define The Christ in many ways. One of my favorites is this from Science & Health: "Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness." Every day is full of opportunities to bring Christ to a situation by listening to spiritual sense. When thinking about today's topic, I couldn't help but think about a media-perpetrated debate about the color of Santa Claus' skin. If we bring Christ to this or any other situation, there is no need to take sides, as there are none. Skin color, gender, sexual orientation -- the multitude of dualities we choose to subscribe to, all meant to blind us to our unity -- none of them mean anything when brought to Christ, or spiritual sense. Let's hold to spiritual Truth when faced with erroneous mortal thought. It certainly makes life much simpler!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The illumination of Mary's spiritual sense put to silence material law and its order of generation, and brought forth her child by the revelation of Truth, demonstrating God as the Father of men.” Science & Health Page 29:27-29

Choosing Love

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #352

"Judgment and love are opposites. From one Come all the sorrows of the world. But from The other comes the peace of God Himself."

If I’m not peaceful, I must be choosing separation and exhibiting judgment. I’ve found this to be a good gauge in all areas of life. By noticing whether I feel agitated, perhaps nervous or angry, or if I’m calm and joyful, gives me the clues to recognizing if my thought is being ruled by emotions and beliefs or if I’m allowing a higher thought to be channeled through me. During the five years I spent attending a metaphysical gathering in our town, I had plenty of practice in recognizing these differences. You know how we often refer to people “pushing our buttons”, meaning that we get angry about most everything they say! During these meetings, there were numerous people I felt caused these reactions in me. Through years of examining my thoughts and reactions, I’m beginning to understand the source of peace, and it’s the same place I find its opposite: within.  Changing my thought from judgment to Love becomes a reward in and of itself, as I find the pure peace which has aways seemed so fleeting. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Teach them that their being is sustained by Spirit, not by matter, and that they find health, peace, and harmony in God, divine Love.” Science & Health Page 416:32-2

What Am I?

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #351

"My sinless brother is my guide to peace. My sinful brother is my guide to pain. And which I choose to see I will behold."

A popular introspective question is: Who are you? This query elicits responses such as: I'm a mother, a lawyer, or something having to do with what a person does. But these answers, which have to do with our day-to-day actions, do not begin to address what we are. Today's lesson starts a 10-day examination of the question, What am I? To answer this we are looking to our inner Self, freed from the beliefs we hold about what we should be, or want to be, or what others think we are, leaving us bare of physical trappings which distract from the unchanging answer to this question. Recognizing our selves as consciously living divinity frees us to perform our function as the expression of Love. We don't have to wait to be anything, for we already are!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The death of a false material sense and of sin, not the death of organic matter, is what reveals man and Life, harmonious, real, and eternal.” Science & Health Page 296:10-13

Shadows

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #350

"Miracles mirror God's eternal Love. To offer them is to remember Him, And through His memory to save the world."

When a person lives far away from you and you have not communicated with them for quite some time, it’s easy to convince yourself that hard feelings from the past are dead and gone and you can rest easy knowing that you have forgiven them. But when they call you up unexpectedly and you hear their voice again, memories tend to flood back in and suddenly you remember exactly why it is you’re happy not to have spoken to them for 20 years! And so I am happy to read today’s topic and embrace the memory of divine Love rather than my ego-ridden memories of words and actions I thought had been released. I’ve reached the point in pondering the event where I’m smiling when I think of this dear old woman, and hopefully, very soon, I’ll be seeing her as I’ll be seeing myself: as an expression of Love, a thought of Mind, a whisper of Spirit.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The miracle introduces no disorder, but unfolds the primal order, establishing the Science of God’s unchangeable law. Spiritual evolution alone is worthy of the exercise of divine power.” Science & Health Page 135:6-10

The Miracle of Love

"Protennoia"
creation of Sandy Wythawai Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #349

"Today I let Christ's vision look upon all things for me and judge them not, but give each one a miracle of love instead."

Every day we’re exposed to situations and people which seem to beg for our judgment! I’ve been surprised recently to learn that some religions teach that this is a good thing for us to be doing, that they are telling their flocks to go forth and correct “bad” behavior. Even if I’ve never thought it was my place to save anyone, I certainly have judged others in a multitude of ways, both silently and vocally. It’s an easy habit to fall into, particularly when we’re trying to feel better about ourselves and, hence, think about how much better off we are than “they” are. But realizing that I’m okay makes it easier to admit that you’re okay, too! Setting my intention first thing in the morning in accordance with Love helps me to live in grace throughout the day, and every moment IS a miracle.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“A miracle fulfills God’s law, but does not violate that law. This fact at present seems more mysterious than the miracle itself.” Science & Health Page 132:31-1

Grace Suffices

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #348

"I have no cause for anger or for fear,

For You surround me. And in every need

That I perceive, Your grace suffices me."

I see a world bathed in peace and contentment. There are no conflicts because everything good and pure is done for the good of everyone, and nothing contrary can be done because we do not have such thoughts in the face of beauty and Love. There is no world of separation because we are all One and happily recognize this Truth. I have always felt as though there is a tipping point in mass consciousness, a point in which everyone sees their perfection and recognizes there is no difference in their own self and the self of that person over there. I feel like we're getting close!

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. This goal is never reached while we hate our neighbor." 

Science & Health Page 560: 11-13

Straighten My Mind

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #347

"Anger must come from judgment. Judgment is the weapon I would use against myself, to keep the miracle away from me."

I was contemplating anger recently, while attempting to wrap a thin copper wire full of LED lights on my Christmas stick (as I call a beautiful branch which I use as a table-top tree during the holidays). At one point, I felt like I was caught in a cat’s cradle, a string game which I always found frustrating as a child. In today’s workbook lesson, we are told to ask for our mind to be straightened. Rather than succumb to the irritation I was feeling toward myself for not completing my task in a Martha-Stewart-like fashion, I stopped and examined why this was bothering me. Well, it was because I didn’t want to be doing it! I was using my judgment as a weapon against myself by looking at a list of things I decided needed to be done and then rushing through to accomplish that end. This is definitely NOT in compliance with living in the moment, a way of life which I particularly enjoy, knowing that every detail will be attended to in a timely fashion when I surrender my plans to divine Mind. And so I did! And I’m happy and peaceful now. What a relief!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Material man is made up of involuntary and voluntary error, of a negative right and a positive wrong, the latter calling itself right. Man's spiritual individuality is never wrong."

Science & Health Page 491:7-10