Self Judgment

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 love to play bridge. I play a competitive form of this game which takes away the luck of the shuffle and deal, allowing people to compete on a purer level. Part of the fun of this game is watching how I, personally, react to mistakes in play. When I first became involved with this game around a year ago, I was very insecure concerning the play of the cards and would judge myself, often replaying situations while feeling inadequate. There is one couple in our group who regularly berate each other, loudly judging the others' bids and play. At first I found them disruptive, eventually seeing them as amusing. Today I thank them for showing me what I was doing to myself with my self-judgment. I could have easily walked away from this activity, giving any number of excuses for not enjoying something which I find to be fun and challenging. Living a life with no excuses allows us to examine situations for what they are, not for what we fear might be, opening us to the miracle that's looking for us!

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

Bathed in Beauty and Light

ACIM Workbook Lesson #346 "Today the peace of God envelops me, And I forget all things except His Love."

I am often chastised for not watching or listening to the news as it's presented through various media sources. I have taken the suggestions of others under consideration and decided I am informed sufficiently on current events, but not over-informed and saturated with people's opinions. A few individuals have insisted I need to know about this or that horrid event in order to "pray about it". Years ago, I discovered that I didn't need to know details in order to see everything in the light of Truth. I feel we all have different purposes in this world, different things we do well, and talents with which to facilitate good. In new age terms, I would perhaps be called a holder of light. We all are part of this light, and when we listen inwardly for what brings peace, we will know our function as an ambassador of Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "Love, redolent with unselfishness, bathes all in beauty and light." Science & Health Page 516:12-13

Karmic Returns

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #345 "I offer only miracles today, For I would have them be returned to me."

"Do you think we live in a police state?” These were the opening words of a phone call I received. I generally steer clear of this type of conversation, but since my friend was upset, I stayed with him on the subject. While I don’t like to express strong opinions, the conversation was, for the most part, a call for both of us to return to Love. I see our current mortal, mental state as a reflection of the fear we harbor; a fear which is fed by almost everything in daily life. I talked to him of tipping points, and mass consciousness, and our true consciousness as an expression of Love. We could go on and on about the material conditions, causes, and solutions, but to get to the heart of it takes spiritual sense, which cannot be gleaned from intellectual exercises. And that's where I see the miracle: the revelation which shows us the omnipresence of divine Mind in every situation, no matter how dire physical sense tells us it is.

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

The Gift

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #344 "Today I learn the law of love; that what I give my brother is my gift to me."

Some brothers I feel a loving unity with; others seem to illicit fear and anger in me. I have so completely bought into the idea of separation, I think there is something I need to forgive in another. When giving this gift of forgiveness, I feel better for it. Sometimes I may think that someone’s behavior has changed, and I might even attribute it to my generous giving! Perhaps I only think it has changed because I’m seeing it differently. What a gift we have in the opportunity to see our innocence in another’s purity! We have been given a mega-mirror in which to view ourselves reflected in others, moment by moment -- and this may seem like a curse at times! Knowing that I am not like that guy in the mirror allows me to see through the illusion and view the face of Truth. We are all changeless and pure in our spiritual reality, and every time I see this in my brother, I take another step out of separation and one more closer to my true Being. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “Truth has no consciousness of error. Love has no sense of hatred. Life has no partnership with death. Truth, Life, and Love are a law of annihilation to everything unlike themselves, because they declare nothing except God.” Science & Health Page 243:25-29

No Sacrifice in This Trade-off

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #343 "I am not asked to make a sacrifice To find the mercy and the peace of God."

I’m witnessing more and more people accepting the gift of peace in exchange for the turmoil and tormented lives they’ve experienced in the past. Perhaps I notice it because I’m accepting peace for myself! I have often fallen totally into sadness of various types, wallowing in the misery, then breaking through the murky belief of whatever it was, with no need of revisiting and retelling the pain. I have done much the same thing in regard to what I perceive to be recent backward steps in the climb to the new earth which is within sight. After spending days in fear and depression, it has been washed away with the realizations of what must be done. What a joy it is to give up personal agendas and preconceived notions of how things should be, welcoming Love without the expectations I so often have of others! I feel no sense of sacrifice in this trade-off!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “…divine Principle never repents, but maintains the claim of Truth by quenching error. The pardon of divine mercy is the destruction of error.” Science & Health Page 329:24-26 

Consciously Interconnected

ACIM Workbook Lesson #342 "I let forgiveness rest upon all things, For thus forgiveness will be given me."

Our interconnectedness is shown to us everyday, in many ways. This statement in today's ACIM lesson is worth pondering: “The world goes with us on our way to God."  We believe we can hide our emotions and thoughts from others, simply by not saying anything. Where did we ever get that idea? I guess it's because we have spent so many years not utilizing our innate intuitive, telepathic talents. In an episode of the "Dog Whisperer", there was a dog fixated on attacking its own image in a mirror. This was not its only aggressive behavior, and the dog's person was afraid that it would attack someone or another animal when they were outside. How did Cesar Milan stop this dog's aberrant behavior? By calming its owner. This woman was constantly in a state of fear and worry, and the dog was mirroring her tense behavior. At first she had to pretend she was calm because she didn't know how to be that way! But as she watched the changes in her dog, she began to understand that her feelings and thoughts were being passed to not only her dog, but to everyone around her. And so it is that "the world goes with us on our way to God", whether we realize it or not!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“When we fully understand our relation to the Divine, we can have no other Mind but His, — no other Love, wisdom, or Truth, no other sense of Life, and no consciousness of the existence of matter or error.” 

Science & Health Page 205:32-3

Making Room For Love

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #341 "I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only that which keeps me safe."

In these studies, we are learning to give up beliefs we hold about the meaning of everything. As we do this, we are able to see things as they are rather than as we have decided they are! I read an interesting idea put forth by Helen Wright in Your Divinity Revealed. She says that what most of us think of as "thinking" is no more than rearranging our prejudices. This has come to mind often while I've tried to remain opinion-less and open-minded in dialogues with those who have different political and moral ideas than those I’ve adopted as my own. This past month has been extremely challenging for me, and utilizing divinely metaphysical thought is more important than ever. Today’s lesson reminds me to remember my innocence, for therein lies my safety. This innocence will be reflected back to me as I express unity with divine Love, releasing judgment and fear to make room for it. Namastè.

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love." Science & Health Page 494:15