Evolution in 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! A video story set in Australia in the 1950s has reminded me of how far we’ve come. (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 ourselves 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 

Frozen in Thought

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #7

 “I see only the past.”

Most of us have changed quite a bit from the time we were small children, both in looks and the way we think. While pondering today's lesson, I realized 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

Individual Interpretations

"Dancing with the Shadow Self"
created by Sandy Starbird

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 happened  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 can 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

Natural Harmony

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #5

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

We often 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 angry, or irritated. This topic reminds me of a movie,  "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 may be causing us to see everything in a different light, and perhaps 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 for which we long 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

Divesting Thought of False Trusts

created by Sandy Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #4

“These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place].” 

The fun exercises of the early lessons in the Course in Miracles Workbook are baby steps at the beginning of our journey. Through them, we are learning to examine our thoughts and see that they are meaningless, thereby freeing us to release them and let our mind be healed through this new way of viewing the world. We are examining what we think is important and then asking ourselves what exactly that means, and any thought that is not an extension of Love is meaningless. Our identity is defined by our ego thoughts about ourself and the world. Even if these thoughts hurt us, we tend to cherish them, to the point of reliving them over and over. To "let go and let God" requires a willingness to see everything around us simply as it is, with no long-held beliefs being expressed toward anything, having a willingness to listen inwardly for Truth. I look forward to an epiphany of universal understanding, in which we will cease from meaningless thoughts and yield to omnipotent Mind. The ability to see reality as spiritual, not material, is visible to all who choose to awaken to this knowledge. What an exciting thought!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “To divest thought of false trusts and material evidences in order that the spiritual facts of being may appear, — this is the great attainment by means of which we shall sweep away the false and give place to the true.” Science & Health Page 428:8-12 

Innate Knowledge Within

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #3

“I do not understand anything I see in this room

[on this street, from this window, in this place].”

The workbook lessons we’re studying are designed to develop spiritual sense. It's difficult, if not impossible, to recognize Spirit if we think we know and understand everything through our material senses. Exacerbating this difficulty is our reluctance to admit that we don’t understand anything — much less everything! We are taught from childhood that it's good to know and understand things, and to be able to figure out what we don't know or understand. Today's lesson, which asks us to admit we don't know anything, might be thought of as a dumbing-down process, but this is not the case.  We're simply learning to look within for an innate knowledge which resides there.  While the knowledge we've amassed can serve us well in this world, let's not allow it to preclude a deeper knowing which is only audible when the material senses are stilled.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"God's ideas reflect the immortal, unerring, and infinite. The mortal, erring, and finite are human beliefs, which apportion to themselves a task impossible for them, that of distinguishing between the false and the true. Understanding is a quality of God ..." 

Science & Health Page 505:26-5

How Do I See

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #2 

“I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me.”

Isn't it wonderful that we have the ability to interpret events in any way we choose? Many people think of a rainy day as bad weather; others see it as the beauty of water returning to the earth to perform its function; some see it simply as a peaceful calm with its grey-dumpling clouds! Christmas is seen by many as a stressful time when they spend too much money and end up doing things they would rather not. Others enjoy the beauty of lights and decorations while relaxing with family and rejoicing in the meaning of Christmas. I give these examples simply to illustrate how we place different meanings on situations and our perceptions of objects. That is why we’re being asked to examine the meaning we have placed on everything, in preparation for releasing these beliefs, allowing our purified minds to glimpse reality and hunger to see more!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The only fact concerning any material concept is, that it is neither scientific nor eternal, but subject to change and dissolution." Science & Health Page 297:16-19