I Dreamed of Utopia

"The Lantern Bearers"
by Maxfield Parrish

ACIM Workbook Lesson #11

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

I vividly remember a sleeping dream from a few years ago. In it, 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 Baker 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

Wiping Out Error

photo credit: Gerry Toler

ACIM Workbook Lesson #10 “My thoughts do not mean anything.”

It may seem insulting to yourself, demeaning even, to think all day long that your thoughts do not mean anything. But this exercise is helping us to release the untrue thoughts of separation, freeing us to welcome divine Mind’s all-encompassing Idea. Are there some instances in your life where you felt you said or did the wrong thing, and this situation repeats in your thought all too often? Maybe you think you don’t look good, or aren’t smart enough, or made wrong decisions, or were gullible, naive, or just plain foolish. These thoughts mean nothing, and releasing them leaves us with a clean slate, allowing Truth to rewrite our story. The goal is to be just as Love created us, allowing any other thoughts to return to the nothingness from which they came. What a beautiful, peaceful day we shall have!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: 

“Truth bestows no pardon upon error, but wipes it out in the most effectual manner.”  Science & Health Page 11:17-18

Undoing False Ideas

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #9

“I see nothing as it is now.”

“Are all the topics as random as the first ones have been”? This is the question I was asked by a person who recently began receiving my daily writing. I realized that her question made a good point, which is addressed in the text of the current workbook lesson: "the recognition that you do not understand is a prerequisite for undoing your false ideas." We are accustomed to expecting that everything we learn is for a specific purpose, and when we encounter concepts such as these, they may seem to be random, even meaningless. And that is the point, isn't it? By relieving ourselves of the beliefs we have accumulated, we're opening thought for something different. I've heard it said that what we think of as thinking is merely the rearranging of our prejudices. Hum -- that's something to think about! What an exciting adventure we have awaiting us each day, as we begin to glimpse the difference in what we seem to know through material sense and the reality of Spirit.

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 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