Oh Happy Day!

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #51 Today we begin a ten-day review of the first lessons. For a guide to this review, and a short description, go to this link: http://A Course in Miracles.org/Lessons/lesson.html?lesson=51 

The first 50 lessons in A Course in Miracles workbook show us how to determine the difference in reality and illusion. We have learned that what we see with material sense is colored with belief and judgment. We have been experimenting with dropping the meanings placed on things, thereby allowing spiritual facts to become evident.  Everything I see is colored with judgment, both my own and that of others. This judgment has given me whatever meaning I've placed on anything. As these meanings make no sense  -- because they have been interpreted through erroneous thoughts and beliefs -- they cannot be understood. When we learn to look through these illusions, we free ourselves to see Truth. If we accept that our thoughts mean nothing, we allow ourself to release the self-importance we've attached to things. When we are able to release these thoughts, we can replace them with the ideas of Mind. We also have been asked to see that when we become upset, it is never for the reason we think. In order to justify these incomprehensible beliefs which we have set up, we make up a complex defense system of attacks and retreats, which only serve to leave us in a state of disharmony. I don't want this crazy fantasy to be my life! I want to follow the leadings of Love, to hear through Spirit, to see with Soul, to live Life!

Mary Baker Eddy quotes

“The universe of Spirit reflects the creative power of the divine Principle, or Life, which reproduces the multitudinous forms of Mind and governs the multiplication of the compound idea man.” 

Science & Health Page 507:15-18

True Love

photo credit: Heather Peters

ACIM Workbook Lesson #50: “I am sustained by the Love of God.”

The images our ego projects and calls love are but a shadow of the Love which is our focus today. Most of us have believed the false image of love which this life has taught us. The songs we sing, the movies we watch, the things we expect from love, these do not begin to tell us what it means to be sustained by Love. To quote today’s lesson: “Put not your faith in illusions. They will fail you. Put all your faith in the Love of God within you; eternal, changeless and forever unfailing. This is the answer to whatever confronts you today. Through the Love of God within you, you can resolve all seeming difficulties without effort and in sure confidence. Tell yourself this often today. It is a declaration of release from the belief in idols. It is your acknowledgment of the truth about yourself.” ACIM

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“A misplaced word changes the sense and misstates the Science of the Scriptures, as, for instance, to name Love as merely an attribute of God; but we can by special and proper capitalization speak of the love of Love, meaning by that what the beloved disciple meant in one of his epistles, when he said, ‘God is love.’” Science & Health Page 319:27-1

Deep Listening

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #49:

"God's Voice speaks to me all through this day."

I know a few people who spend every waking hour watching television, listening to radio, cruising the internet — in other words, constantly filling up their thoughts with the cacophony of outside influences. They seem a bit fearful of meditation, yoga, sitting quietly doing nothing, or even talking with friends. I also know someone who is often expounds his strong opinions, berating others and loudly telling anyone who will listen what is wrong with the world. How can I hear divine Mind’s guidance if I’m feeding a whirlwind in my head? I wonder what would happen if every single person in this world took a few minutes before beginning their day, using those moments to quietly affirm their essence as a reflection of Love, vowing to return to that place of peace as often as possible throughout the day, living from the heart in every action taken and word spoken. As we know, we can’t change anyone else, only ourselves. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Infinite Mind creates and governs all, from the mental molecule to infinity. This divine Principle of all expresses Science and art throughout creation, and the immortality of man and the universe." Science & Health Page 507:24-28

Piano Lessons With Chili Dog

Chili-Dog 

ACIM Workbook Lesson #48: "There is nothing to fear."

I’ve spoken often of things I have learned from my dog. Today I’ve had yet another revelation, courtesy of Chili Dog. For the past couple of months, he has had physical problems which kept him from easily jumping into the car. Even though the impairment is gone now, he was still wary of stairs or the hop into the car. While visiting one of our favorite walking spots today, I was thinking about his fear and how to guide him past it, when it came to me that I had been doing the same thing. Although I began playing the organ and electronic piano at local churches more than a year ago, I have steadfastly held to the belief that I couldn’t play a conventional piano. I had all sorts of reasons for this, convincing myself they were true. As the lightbulb went on over my head today, I opened all the car doors and sat in the driver’s seat, quietly feeling gratitude, and Chili built up the courage to vault into the car. I drove straight to the beautiful upright Baldwin piano I have insisted I can’t play and fearlessly did so. Woo-hoo!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace. Thus the dawn of ideas goes on, forming each successive stage of progress.” Science & Health Page 506:11-14

Channeling Truth

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #47:

"God is the strength in which I trust."

Mary Baker Eddy spent years writing, revising, and editing the revelation of divine Science which was published in 1875. Helen Schucman received the message of A Course in Miracles and committed years of her life to its transcription, which was presented in book form in 1976. From where did the strength come, which enabled these women to facilitate a world-wide change in thought? I know that Mrs. Eddy ascribed full credit to God. She understood that no matter how erudite and learned she had become, (despite no formal education), that there was no way mortal mind could know the divine realities of which she wrote. At least once she stated that she had no idea what Science & Health said, and that's why she read it daily. Some would describe both of these books as being "channeled" writings. I think there's much to be said for the notion that everything is channeled! We are learning to release the bonds of materialism, allowing ourselves to be channels for Truth. Thank you Mary, and Helen, and every other honest seeker for Truth who has demonstrated the fortitude to birth new thought. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "The revelation of Truth in the understanding came to me gradually and apparently through divine power. When a new spiritual idea is borne to earth, the prophetic Scripture of Isaiah is renewedly fulfilled: 'Unto us a child is born, . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful.'" Science & Health Page 109:22-27

Forgiveness Through Love

Drawing by Lynn Horist

ACIM Workbook Lesson #46:

“God is the Love in which I forgive.”

[I wrote this last year and was most surprised to find that I have done what I wanted to do last year!] We are asked to close our eyes and search our mind for things which we have not forgiven. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small unforgiven experience or a great big unforgivable event — we are asked to examine ourselves and identify these instances. We are preparing to forgive ourselves! Divine Love is the love which we are giving and getting in this forgiveness, not the human love which puts parameters on its flow. What we extend, we are. When I see the people I am withholding forgiveness from, I don’t want to think of their actions which I feel justify my feelings. I still blame someone from 50-plus years ago, a sweet woman who gave my pet turtle a bath and it died. I don’t want to think of that incident every time I see her or hear her name! I want to release my mind from these illusions, extending Love because I am Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

 "'God is Love.' More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go." Science & Health Page 6:17-18

Limitless Idea of Infinite Mind

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #45: “God is the Mind with which I think.”

On this beautiful day when the world celebrates love, I would like to quote words from an Eckhart Tolle talk: “To feel empathy with another human, to feel love or lovingkindness, isn’t an emotion. Emotion is the neediness of attachment to another human being, but the outflow of lovingkindness or love towards another human is not a turbulence; it’s a deep thing that comes out of the recognition that the consciousness that I am is the essence of who you are, also. So what I love in you is consciousness loving itself.” Today I will make a point of thinking of people who are expressing divine Love in various activities, living a life of grace, and let them know how important they are to me and others. Happy Valentine’s Day to us all!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “Love alone can impart the limitless idea of infinite Mind.” Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures Page 510:18-19