Leaving, With Joy

"Mongolia" PC: Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #156

“I walk with God in perfect holiness.”

Walking with Love in perfect holiness implies a yielding, don't you think? This is something I wasn’t interested in doing, because it involved leaving behind definitions of myself, and that seemed like a loss. What finally got through to me was the realization I was not giving up myself, but releasing a mishmash of everything I had ever been told was me, combined with an erratic belief system I had decided for myself. When we add to those beliefs the hypnotism of media and the pull of mass consciousness, we're left with a rather convoluted idea of what we are. Little by little, I'm leaving beliefs and learned behaviors. Being present in the moment, giving my full attention to whatever may be in front of me, loving myself and everyone and everything in Its oneness -- this is what I see as walking with God. Accepting myself and everything as holy demands living without judgment. Simply witnessing events, perhaps with amusement, is certainly more fun!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“We must look where we would walk, and we must act as possessing all power from [It] in [which] we have our being.” Science & Health Page 264:10-12

Turn On The Lights!

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #155 “I will step back and let Him lead the way.”

We would all love to save the world, wouldn’t we? Yet we understand we can’t change someone else; that can only be done within the individual. But then again, I’ve found many people are simply regurgitating things they have heard all their lives, and when they find something which turns on a light (or rings a bell, if you will!) deep inside them, they suddenly want to know more about these ideas which have piqued their interest. It may seem as though we are not doing anything when we interact with a person, deeply listening for what they are saying. Often, we listen to another for the purpose of responding to their words. Listening allows true communication, not just our interpretation of what is being said. What’s the point of doing this? When we open ourselves to the leading of divine Mind, we may speak in surprising ways, lighting a fire in someone who didn’t realize they were ready for new knowledge. This makes me want to shout Hallelujah!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “When we realize that there is one Mind, the divine law of loving our neighbor as ourselves is unfolded; whereas a belief in many ruling minds hinders man’s normal drift towards the one Mind, one God, and leads human thought into opposite channels where selfishness reigns.” Science & Health Page 205:22-27

Unprejudiced Minds

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #154 “I am among the ministers of God.”

In pondering what it means to be a minister of God, many thoughts come to mind. First I think of my half-brother, Little George Havens, traveling evangelist, who was quite short and very flamboyant. I can still hear him singing, to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic, "The circuit ridin' preacher traveled through the mire and mud; preached about the fiery furnace and of Noah and the flood". What a character he was! His life was spent spreading the Word of God as he knew it, and he helped countless people find hope along the way. But did he ever listen for the voice for God, or did he just recite what he had come to believe as truth? That, I can't say. We can only know our own heart, not others’, and so today I will examine my motives in my interactions. Am I truly listening for that still, small voice when I respond to life's situations? That's a question I'll ask more than once today!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Millions of unprejudiced minds--simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert--are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.” Science & Health Page 570:14-17

Light, Given and Received

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #153

“In my defenselessness my safety lies.”

This is my favorite topic of all! The reason I love this lesson so much is because I feel it pertains to absolutely everything we say, do, and feel in our daily existence. Obviously this topic could inspire the writing of a very large book, but now I shall give you a sentence from this lesson along with a short example of what they mean to me. “Defenselessness is strength; defensiveness is weakness.” How did you feel and what did you do the last time someone disagreed with you, perhaps vehemently? If you began a verbal defense, listing all the reasons you were right, you may have been left feeling many negative emotions such as anger. On the contrary, any time I’m able to witness events and calmly watch and listen, perhaps saying something simple such as, “You may be right”, then I am able to walk away happily and peacefully. We are told in this workbook lesson that we will not see the light until we offer it to others and they take it; then we will recognize it as our own. How lovely is that! I look forward to the opportunities for seeing peace today.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Truth and Love enlighten the understanding, in whose ‘light shall we see light;’ and this illumination is reflected spiritually by all who walk in the light and turn away from a false material sense.”

Science & Health Page 510:9-12

Free of Prejudice

South Africa - Aaron Springston PC

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #152

“The power of decision is my own.”

My parents considered themselves to be free of prejudice. After all, my dad had married a Chicano girl from South Texas, and in 1931 this was tantamount to marrying outside of "your race", which wasn't often done. I'll always remember a day when I was around 10 years old and we were riding in the car. My mom and dad were talking about Sammy Davis, Jr., a black man, marrying May Britt, a very white woman. I piped up and said, "I wouldn't mind marrying a black man". Dead silence ensued. Not another word was said until we got to our destination and my mom took me aside and told me never to say anything like that again. I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. The difference is that now I have the option of making a decision to stand with Oneness as my only choice in Life. We are all the children of God. There is no decision to be made when you leave aside the strange human interpretations we have placed on everything in this world. So I will continue to strive to recognize what we have created in this illusive world, look through it to the other side, and live that as my reality. Namaste' to the World!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The point for each one to decide is, whether it is mortal mind or immortal Mind that is causative. We should forsake the basis of matter for metaphysical Science and its divine Principle.” Science & Health 195:11-14

Listening For Echoes

ACIM Workbook Lesson #151 “All things are echoes of the Voice for God.”

What is truth? Everywhere we look, it seems we have been and are being told lies. Religion, science, politics, the news media, advertisements, history — the list goes on. If something is a lie, why do we cling to it so adamantly? Perhaps we prefer to live in a world of well-rehearsed lies rather than to take a step into the great unknown universe of Truth. And then we ask, How do we know what is Truth in a world of lies? That, dear Ones, is why we must listen within. Today’s Course in Miracles workbook lesson describes this as “echoes of the Voice for God”. We are told all things are these echoes, so what of the material, mortal, ego-based beliefs which simply don’t feel right when we hear them or speak them? The reality of our existence is covered up so thoroughly we often forget how to experience it. But we’re remembering, aren’t we? Infinite Mind never hides Its voice, and we’re learning to hear.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The substance, Life, intelligence, Truth, and Love, which constitute Deity, are reflected by creation; and when we subordinate the false testimony of the corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see this true likeness and reflection everywhere.” Science & Health Page 516:4-8

There Is No Spoon

creation of Sandy Wythawai Starbird

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #150 Review of: #139 "I will accept Atonement for myself." #140 "Only salvation can be said to cure." The main thought to hold to in this review: “My mind holds only what I think with God."

In the movie, "The Matrix", there were some profound metaphysical principles addressed. I particularly liked when Neo is in what appears to be some sort of center for extraordinary behavior. He goes up to a person bending a spoon without touching it. Neo tries to bend the spoon with his mind, but cannot. He is told that the way to do this is through knowing the truth: The spoon is not there. This is what metaphysical healing is all about. Today's ACIM review tells us the only cure is the understanding that there is no place where sickness can abide. In other words, the spoon is not there. If we are attempting to change a material condition through metaphysical practice, it's just like trying to bend the spoon with the power of your mind. Only by the knowledge of its unreality is it seen for what it actually is: an idea. We are all ideas of divine Mind. In that metaphysical reality, we are all One. What will this realization unfold in experience today? I am open to everything with no expectations whatsoever!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“What to material sense seems substance, becomes nothingness, as the sense-dream vanishes and reality appears.”

Science & Health 312:5-7