Things Represent Thoughts

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #187 “I bless the world because I bless myself.”

If I have something and give it away, my material belief tells me I don't have it any longer. Through these studies, I am beginning to see how giving increases what I possess. Things represent thoughts. I am discovering that when I give ideas away they become stronger in everyone's mind. The form of what we give and receive may change, but it never leaves us lacking. Thoughts and ideas cannot be lost, whereas material form is constantly changing. By living consciously as the reflection of Love, with the wisdom of Mind, the freedom of Spirit, the creativity of Soul, the purity of Truth, we are blessing ourselves and we are blessing the world!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply, — to manifest His power. ” Science & Health, Page 517:30-31

Freedom Through Storytelling

photo credit: Gerry Toler

ACIM Workbook Lesson #186

“Salvation of the world depends on me.”

I once took a weekend workshop on the art of storytelling. We had a great instructor named Elaine Blanchard, and the group consists of nine beautiful, passionate women, all of us as different as we were the same. We were all there to release a story from where it had been hiding within us. It was an emotional weekend, full of tears and laughter, with joy being the frontrunner coming down the stretch when we were through. Elaine has gained national attention from going into women’s prisons, gathering stories, writing them into screenplays, performing them, and allowing the prisoners to see their stories on stage. This process frees everyone involved and many of the inmates have been empowered to release the past and go forward into a new life. Sometimes you just need someone to listen in order to understand what must be done. Truth does set us free!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept.” Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures Page 454:21-23

Happy Independence Day, Indeed!

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #185

“I want the peace of God.”

On this day of celebrating the independence of these United States, I'm reminded of something from Eckhart Tolle's book, "A New Earth". He speaks of collective consciousness being more powerful than individual thought. He cites instances of groups of people doing things which one alone cannot. He also tells how some of the things countries do would be thought of as insanity if one person were committing the action. With this in mind, I urge everyone to hold to our topic for the day: "I want the peace of God." With a tipping point of people in the world wanting the same thing, then everyone will join together in not only wanting this peace, but having it! Happy Independence Day indeed!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"A few immortal sentences, breathing the omnipotence of divine justice, have been potent to break despotic fetters and abolish the whipping-post and slave market; but oppression neither went down in blood, nor did the breath of freedom come from the cannon’s mouth. Love is the liberator."

Science & Health Page 225:16-22

Claiming Our Inheritance

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #184 “The Name of God is my inheritance.”

From the moment we come into this form, we are taught what things are called, what those names represent, and the meaning we should place on them. These names and meanings tend to separate us from each other: they de-unify us. We think of learning as knowing what these things are, and we study to find out everything about them. In this world we have made, we need these symbols, these names, in order to convey information, yet we keep getting glimpses of true communication -- and, if you're like me, you want more! Watching birds fly in formation is but one way we glimpse a higher form of knowing. Rather than learning more about the illusion of names and notions, I'd rather work toward understanding the reality of a shared unity, led by Love.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The press unwittingly sends forth many sorrows and diseases among the human family. It does this by giving names to diseases and by printing long descriptions which mirror images of disease distinctly in thought. A new name for an ailment affects people like a Parisian name for a novel garment. Every one hastens to get it.” 

Science & Health Page 196:31-5

I Am

ACIM Workbook Lesson #183 “I call upon God's Name and on my own.”

If you ask a hundred people what they think God is, you will get a hundred  different answers. Whether it’s an old man sitting in the sky and pointing a finger or an ethereal presence, we have created an image in thought from years of propaganda, and that is what we envision today. This is one of the main reasons I prefer to think of It as divine Mind or infinite Love. It’s easier for me to depersonalize this God I have made in my own image, to turn the tables and allow myself to be the expression of Mind, the experience of Love. 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Question: What is God?

Answer: God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures Page 465: 8-11

Home

ACIM Workbook Lesson #182 “I will be still an instant and go home.”

I am repeating a daily from five years ago. At the time, I was running a business and had many obligations. Looking at my life today, I see my dream from then has been realized.

“Although I know today's subject has nothing to do with the physical presence of home, it causes me to realize how I cherish that space. There is absolutely no place I'd rather be. If I suddenly had a month to do anything I wanted with no obligation, I would remain at home. I'd putter in the garden, I'd read, I'd sit on the back deck and watch the birds and wildlife -- I'd do all the things I do every day, but more of it!! Often I feel I'm in a cocoon of peaceful harmony. I live in the type of neighborhood where we freely call on one another for things as simple as borrowing an egg or as complex as fixing a car. It's a lifelong dream of mine to be living this exact life, and I couldn't be happier. And so it seems natural to "be still an instant and go home". This lesson is asking us to quiet all the hubbub in our existence for just an instance, in order to feel the peace of God which is ours. And so I will today pause for many instants. I will sink deeper into the wonder of Truth, knowing all else is but a made-up dream of existence. When I hear anything which might cause me to think in a defensive way, I'll remember what is true and what is imagined. If the world has decided to live in an attack mode, defending against everything which it deems to be harmful, I will do my part in bringing in the dawn of Love by accepting spiritual reality and rejecting material myth. An instant is all it takes to realize you’re home! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “As mortals begin to understand Spirit, they give up the belief that there is any true existence apart from God.” Science & Health Page 282:30-32

One Mind, One Life, One Love

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed 

ACIM Workbook Lesson #181 “I trust my brothers, who are one with me.”

It seems "they" are trying to harm "us" everywhere we look! From fluoride in our drinking water to desecrating our countryside with electrical lines and chemicals to kill the foliage and fauna, it feels as though we're under attack! And so I'm very happy to have this beautiful ACIM lesson to guide my thought from defense mode to an understanding which affirms the goodness of all mankind. Many disciplines teach us how to deal with material circumstances. They are lovely reminders of how to improve what we call the human condition. Many tell us we're humans having a spiritual experience, but very few tell us that we're actually spiritual. In divine metaphysics, we learn that everything is an idea of Mind. I am a spiritual idea right here and now — and you are, too! This is true even though our actions are in opposition to the goodness inherent in our true being. I'm going to pick a person who seems to fall into this category and concentrate on their true Being as an expression of divine Love. This feels like a Science project, don't you think? I shall record the results!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind …one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood…will be established."

Science & Health Page 467:9-13