Unspeakable Peace

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #293

"All fear is past and only love is here."

One of my dearest friends in the world moved away a few years ago, and he is visiting us now and attended our Course in Miracles meeting today. The first thing I said to him was, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. He responded, You see me every time you think of me. I love today’s lesson because it reminds me of my long association with this wonderful man. What beautiful, peaceful memories he and I have of our parenthesis in eternity! “…let [not] my ears be deaf to all the hymns of gratitude the world is singing underneath the sounds of fear. There is a real world which the present holds safe from all past mistakes. And I would see only this world before my eyes today.” ACIM

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Spiritual living and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love.”

Science & Health Page 264:24-27

Happiness Assured

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #292

“A happy outcome to all things is sure.”

The sky is falling!! I'm often reminded of the proverbial Chicken Little and his incessant worries. Many people I know remind me of him, with their certainty that something awful is going to happen. A dear woman came to me asking for advice. She told me that she was afraid to go outside her home, and so she would drink alcohol before she went out in order to have the courage to leave. She had been drinking heavily when she came to talk to me. She related many concerns she had about life in general and a few things in specific. I mentioned Wayne Dyer's words about worry: If you can do something about a situation, you will; if you can't, why worry?? She was very excited by this because she has heard him on television and she really wants to live from this perspective, too. I told her she can, that all it takes is practice and applying the ideas in daily life. Replacing habitual, circular thought with realized spiritual Truth may seem difficult, but a happy outcome is sure!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Choke these errors in their early stages, if you would not cherish an army of conspirators against health, happiness, and success.” Science & Health Page 405:9-11

What is the Real World?

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #291

“This is a day of stillness and of peace.”

What is the real world? This is the question we are exploring for the next few days in the ACIM workbook lessons. While we think we are seeing the real world — with all of its pain, sorrow, fear, and horror — we are not. The unreal world, which is reported on the news and purported to be reality by those who scoff at anything unseen to human eyes, is not the reality of spiritual creation. After years of believing that this world of duality will in some way bring us peace and happiness, most of us are ready to release that perception and see with purer eyes, looking beyond illusion toward the true substance of Life as created by divine Mind and interpreted through Love. Today I will look past the chaotic thoughts presented through outside sources and find the still, small voice of peace which is always present within mySelf. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Certain moods of mind find an indefinable pleasure in stillness, soft, silent as the storm's sudden hush; for nature's stillness is voiced with a hum of harmony, the gentle murmur of early morn, the evening's closing vespers, and lyre of bird and brooklet." 

Christian Science versus Pantheism Page 3:8-13

Present Happiness

photo credit: Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #290

“My present happiness is all I see.”

The last ten lessons have been showing us how it's possible to live outside of our human belief systems. We have pondered the recognition and practicality of spiritual sense. It feels right that today we allow ourselves to be present with happiness! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Earth has little light or joy for mortals before Life is spiritually learned. Every agony of mortal error helps error to destroy error, and so aids the apprehension of immortal Truth. This is the new birth going on hourly, by which men may entertain angels, the true ideas of God, the spiritual sense of being.” Science & Health Page 548:9-16

Reliving The Past -- Or Not!

photo credit: Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #289

“The past is over. It can touch me not.”

I've always been fascinated by high school class reunions. The reasons people enjoy them are as varied as the people, but it seems many are wondering who is the most successful, or who has been married the longest, or if anyone still looks pretty. It's a perfect opportunity to think of today's topic, "The past is over. It can touch me not." In my observations of these get-togethers, we tend to revert into whatever we were umpteen years ago. The mean girls are still that way, the flirty girls are still flipping their skirts, and the cool kids are still hiding their feelings. While I've always enjoyed these get-togethers, I tend to either wander away with an old friend to talk in a corner or, perhaps, drink a bit too much and ask the cowboys to dance. I love this line from today's ACIM workbook lesson: "Unless the past is over in my mind, the world must escape my sight." I want to live in the present, in a world full of divine Love and Truth. Reliving illusions can be fun, much like watching a movie. But I'd rather wake up in a new world everyday, excited about the adventures it holds!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away.” Science & Health Page vii:15-17

The Present

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #288

“Let me forget my brother's past today.”

There are many situations which bring on what I think of as knee-jerk reactions. I'm sure you have a few of them, too! If someone is rude or mean, we may feel superior in our kindness. When politicians or others in the public eye display ignorance (lack of knowledge), we can easily have a sense of self-righteous judgment. I am often reminded that we are all One, and no one is more special, or learned, or enlightened than another. For instance, I'm a food snob. There are numerous things I don't eat and it's always interesting to watch how I try to impose my beliefs on others. It is yet another example of feeling superior because of a opinion. Eckhart Tolle often puts things in perspective for me, and he has done so once again when he was asked if we should be vegetarian. He said it was purely a personal preference, and if we have strong opinions about this we should remind ourselves that the Dalai Lama eats meat and Hitler didn't! Namastè to each and every One!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"One infinite God, good, unifies men and constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfills 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  340:23-30

A New Perception

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #287

“You are my goal, my Father. Only You.”

In the early 1900s, people flocked to Eureka Springs for the healing waters. Thousands of people in need found their way here, as they still do today. People are drawn to our town, often without knowing why. I love watching the transformation as people's thought changes from focusing on the problem to relaxing into Truth. In varying degrees, we are all realizing that true healing comes when we release our beliefs in things and open ourselves to feeling the presence of Love. When this is our only desire, when there is no other need or want, new perceptions become visible and viable. Often it takes extreme conditions to cause us to seek the understanding of our unity with God. But isn't it sweet when we skip that step and fall straight into the Love!

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 560:11-15