Substantive Thought

from Sandy Wythawai Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #11

“My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.”

I still vividly remember a sleeping dream I had a few years ago. We had no need to speak, as we knew each others' thoughts. We had no fear, as our thoughts were uncluttered and pure. Everywhere I looked there were happy people, busy at tasks which would benefit everyone. There was no need for television or radios, as we knew everything, and it was Good. At one point, I thought I was lost in the woods, but that was impossible because others sensed my confusion and were there immediately to lead me to a safe and beautiful home. While traveling on a road, suddenly the way was filled with huge boulders and ancient fallen trees, but to the left side there was a field filled with beautiful flowers, and a pathway leading to my destination. All needs were met before I knew of them. And there was the most wonderful sense of peace. I will hold to these beautiful feelings today, while seeing the meaningless basis of my ego-driven thoughts and desires. 

Mary Baked Eddy quote:

“Sleep and apathy are phases of the dream that life, substance, and intelligence are material. The mortal night dream is sometimes nearer the fact of being than are the thoughts of mortals when awake. The night-dream has less matter as its accompaniment. It throws off some material fetters. It falls short of the skies, but makes its mundane flights quite ethereal.” 

Science & Health Page 249:24-30

Open to Divine Ideas

photo credit: Alden Stallings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #10

“My thoughts do not mean anything.”

Humility is the word which keeps coming to mind as I read today's lesson. We are accustomed to believing that everything we think and do is important, and it can be hard to admit our thoughts mean nothing. Sometimes it is even difficult to admit we don't know or understand things in daily life, so how can we admit that our own thoughts mean nothing? For me, it's a matter of realizing that my true self isn't contained in this body, and any thoughts which are based in materialism are changeable. And so I can then admit that my thoughts (even those which seem to be pretty good ones!) are not "founded on the divine rock". With this admission, I am happy to see the beliefs of a lifetime dissipate, leaving me open to the divine ideas which are my true reality as a child of God. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote: 

"Human thoughts have their degrees of comparison. Some thoughts are better than others. A belief in Truth is better than a belief in error, but no mortal testimony is founded on the divine rock. Mortal testimony can be shaken. Until belief becomes faith, and faith becomes spiritual understanding, human thought has little relation to the actual or divine." 

Science & Health Page 297:24-30

No Understanding Needed

"Yield"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #9

“I see nothing as it is now.”

I was asked by a person who recently began receiving my daily writings, “Are all the topics as random as the first ones have been?” She stated that there seemed to be no reason for thinking of such things, and so I stopped to ponder that. I realized that her question made a good point, which is addressed in the text of workbook lesson #9: "the recognition that you do not understand is a prerequisite for undoing your false ideas." What a relief to relinquish understanding! When we have admitted that we know nothing, but we are open to learning everything, we will learn it. These early lessons are helping us to see what it means to know nothing. We’ve been taught from early childhood that we want to know everything, and so releasing this need can be daunting. But, when you think about it, we never have known anything for sure. All the “facts” keep changing and we start all over with a new vision of truth — you know, things like you should eat margarine because butter is bad for you — stuff like that! What an exciting adventure we have awaiting us each day, as we learn to understand the difference in what we seem to know through material sense and the reality of Spirit. 

[If you want to read these lessons, please go to this site: http://acim.org/Lessons/lesson.html?lesson=9

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“We must silence this lie of material sense with the truth of spiritual sense.” Science & Health Page 318:12-13

Evolution of Thought

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #8

 “My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.”

In my lifetime, I have seen a huge evolution in thought! I’ve recently been watching a series which is set in Australia in the 1950s, and I had not realized how far we’ve come until this delightful show reminded me. (For you video buffs, it’s called A Place to Call Home.) It’s beautiful to see what beliefs we have given up, replacing them with Love rather than fear. For instance, we had many closed-minded ideas about people of different skin color marrying each other, not to mention the barriers imposed by religious separation and gender. People had to live through electrical shock treatment and its aftermath to “cure” homosexuality or hysteria. Natural acts, such as giving birth, were thought of as a disease which needed to be managed in torturous ways. We’ve come a long way in dispelling erroneous thought and replacing it with what we now see as advanced thinking! What if we’re meant to advance even further? We’ll never know until we are able to divest thought of the shackles holding us in place, and listen to the guidance of divine Mind inspiring us to heights never before imagined!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Our false views of matter perish as we grasp the facts of Spirit. The old belief must be cast out or the new idea will be spilled, and the inspiration, which is to change our standpoint, will be lost." Science & Health Page 281:28-1 

A World Uncolored by the Past

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #7

 “I see only the past.”

Most of us have changed a lot from the time we were small children, both in looks and the way we think. In pondering today's lesson, I realize that I have done a disservice to any number of people by holding them frozen in time within my thoughts. I know that everything is colored by past experience, and I'm willing to release these feelings in order to catch a glimpse of Life without prejudice. While the two people I've had difficulty seeing with the grace of forgiveness have, undoubtedly, changed in many ways, my thoughts about them have not. I've mentioned these two situations in past writings, and there is no need to reinforce my judgments further by repeating the circumstances, but there is reason for me to examine why I'm so dedicated to blaming them for their actions. Why does it bother me so much? Why am I taking it personally? These are questions I am now willing to turn over to Holy Spirit, yielding to divine Love and its all-encompassing presence.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The history of error or matter, if veritable, would set aside the omnipotence of Spirit; but it is the false history in contradistinction to the true.” 

Science and Health, Page 521:29-2

Releasing Illusion, Embracing Peace

photo credit:
Heather Peters

ACIM Workbook Lesson #6

“I am upset because I see something that is not there.”

While we may not be able to apply these ideas to every faction of our daily life, we are beginning to understand how such a thing could be possible. For example, if we wake up in the morning and are upset about something which was happening in our sleeping dream, it only takes a moment to shake off the feeling of fear or anxiety as we affirm the illusory nature of it. In our waking dreams, we often experience upset in many forms because we have accepted the illusion of separation from divine Love and each other. Perhaps we’re feeling sad or depressed; maybe we’re unhappy or have a bit of ennui following us around. Whatever form it takes, it matters not if the upset is small or large, it is all a mistaken interpretation of the reality of our being. Often it is distressing to think we have a choice in these feelings, as we don’t want to think this is our own fault. I will strive to not apportion blame to others or to myself, but rather to release upsetting emotions the way I would a bad dream. I'm willing to admit I don't know why or how these feelings come to me, but I am willing to open my mind to All that Is, moving into a new world created by Love.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Mortal mind is constantly producing on mortal body the results of false opinions; and it will continue to do so, until mortal error is deprived of its imaginary powers by Truth, which sweeps away the gossamer web of mortal illusion.” Science & Health Page 403:16-20

Where Do We Go Now?

"Mongolia"
photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #5

“I am never upset for the reason I think.”

We think in terms of something upsetting us, and then we usually build up reasons why we are justified in this reaction. Today we are asked to forget about any reason for feeling hurt, or anger, or irritation. One of my favorite movies is called "Where Do We Go Now?”, which is set in a small village in Lebanon. It starts out with a group of women, Christian and Muslim, making their weekly visit to the side-by-side cemeteries where their husbands and sons are buried. This movie is a combination of musical comedy and tragedy. I won't give away the ending as you may want to enjoy this fine film, but I will say that these women find a unique way of stopping their men from fighting over religious beliefs. When I think back on their disagreements (about what I deem to be nothing), I wonder if they are truly upset over what they think they're upset about! It seems that sometimes we're distraught because things are changing, new ideas are causing us to see everything in a different light, and we're afraid of the necessary shifts which are staring us in the face. I pray to not fear change, nor to wonder what others think of me for leaving behind anything which binds me to anger in any form. The harmony we long for is waiting for us!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "Harmony in man is as beautiful as in music, and discord is unnatural, unreal."

Science & Health Page 304:20-21