A Peaceful, Easy Feeling

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

ACIM Workbook Lesson #362 "This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

I often remind myself that if I have a choice of being right or being kind, I’d rather be kind. Another reminder is to choose peace over specialness. I’m sure I’ve gladly proclaimed to others about my pain, my divorce, my cold, my sciatica, my low bank account — you get the picture! It’s much nicer to look past MY specialness and look for guidance to the divine Mind which is everywhere, allowing feelings to flow with the divine Love which is eternal, and to live with the excitement of Spirit lifting daily activity to the miraculous adventure it can be when I stop dictating reality. Gratitude and appreciation is a peaceful, easy feeling. I choose the harmony of unity, releasing separation and relaxing into infinity!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth."Science & Health Page 91:5-8

Inseparable From Divine Love

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #361 "This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

I have been reminded today of ways we perhaps ask amiss for what it is we want. We, as humans, have a tendency to focus on what we don’t want, rather than what we do want — don’t you think? I remember a teacher once telling me to reinforce behaviors in our children rather than trying to turn them away from things we do not want them doing. For example, if you say, “Don’t play in the street”, all they hear is “play in the street”. I see similar behavior in ways we affirm our safety in different situations. Rather than knowing that we are all a product of divine Mind and by listening we are led in paths of safety and harmony, we tend to want to defend against the dangers we see around us. With this in mind, my goal is to listen — to listen quietly, inwardly, for that still, small voice which tells me when to slow down the car, when to delay leaving the house, what to do in any and every situation. I am one with and inseparable from divine Love, I need only remember this glorious fact!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"It is only by acknowledging the supremacy of Spirit, which annuls the claims of matter, that mortals can lay off mortality and find the indissoluble spiritual link which establishes man forever in the divine likeness, inseparable from his creator."

Science & Health Page 491:12-16

Peace Through Us

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

ACIM Workbook Lesson #360

"Peace be to me, the holy Son of God.

Peace to my brother, who is one with me. Let all the world be blessed with peace through us."

Let it go. Just breathe. We hear these instructions when learning how to break the hold of distress and open ourselves to peace. It took me years to realize that someone or something wasn't "making" me upset, it was my perception and interpretation and reaction to things which caused these feelings. Even with this realization, it's sometimes difficult to not get caught up in the craziness of the world. When I find myself becoming agitated about anything, I will remind myself to "let all the world be blessed with peace through us." After all, I can't change anything but my own self, and how wonderful that it’s the most important thing to do!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven,—the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen."

Science & Health Page 208:20-24

Love Enlightens Understanding

ACIM Workbook Lesson #358 "No call to God can be unheard nor left unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want." 

We have been created by Love, as Love, and our purpose is to extend Love. This truth of our existence is more than enough to bring peace and contentment to our lives, but people may get upset if we’re not following some ritual or belief which they think is important. A friend called today, very upset because she was being chastised by her children for not buying gifts for her grandchildren. She has decided to spend time with them and has done a lot of planning concerning the stories and activities she will share with them. I applaud her! I reminded her that she is following her heart in this decision and I told her something my good friend, Jim Young, used to say: It’s none of my business what anyone else thinks of me!  As we enjoy these coming holy days, may we all be so brave as to live from our inner knowing of what we should be doing, following that leading, while scattering joy!

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 

Truth Within

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #357

"Truth answers every call we make to God, Responding first with miracles, and then

Returning unto us to be itself."

Most people I know are enjoying the beauty of the holidays, many even peacefully! But I've spoken with a few people today who are disenchanted with the commercialism and materiality associated with these times, and they're all too happy to tell others just how upset we should be, too! Although I don't want to be upset and, actually, refuse to be, I do want to spread peace and joy to those who can't or won't feel this harmony. I really wish I could spoon feed them and make them be as happy as can be! Unfortunately, there's no magic potion to cause this to happen. But there is a divine Principle which allows Truth to be heard and felt within ourselves, and shared through the miracle of forgiveness. The story of the Christmas miracle is the story of the daily miracle, the Truth, living within each of us, waiting for expression in the reality of Life!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony. All metaphysical logic is inspired by this simple rule of Truth, which governs all reality."  Science & Health Page 418:20-22

The Harmony of Divine Mind

photo credit: Heather Peters

ACIM Workbook Lesson #356 "Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him."

When we read the above words, "Sickness is but another name for sin", the immediate response could be to think these words mean that we're sinners and are being punished for it by sickness. We are learning that sin is defined as anything which separates us from the Love which is God.  Most of us have been taught that sickness, evil, and many other aspects of this material existence are powers over which we have little to no control. Divine Principle, law, negates these mesmeric thoughts. As we wake up to this truth, multitudes of things we thought to be our master turn out to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. As we lift the veil and reveal reality, the quotations we read here today begin to be more than words. They are principles by which to live. I relish every step of this awakening!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates and purifies. The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind." 

Science & Health Page 162:4-5, 9-11

Somewhere in Eternity

photo credit: Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #355 "There is no end to all the peace and joy, And all the miracles that I will give, When I accept God's Word. Why not today?"

Our true selves are the image and likeness, of God. Why then is there so much which seems to be unGodlike? Because God did not create matter. This human body we seem to reside in, to be inseparable from, is not our true self. When we declare our perfection as a child of God, that perfection has absolutely nothing to do with this material world we are living in. If God created everything and it is good, that cannot encompass the dual good/bad stuff we see around us. Our vision for today is to see with the eyes of our true Being. That true Being does not change. Reality does not change. What doesn't change? Our true Selves which are the image and likeness of the One; that which we all truly are. So what good does it do to realize that we're not what we see with our so-called mortal eyes? It brings us into harmony with what IS true. Declaring the Truth of our Being is more than just a mental exercise. It's establishing this Truth within our thought. This establishment leads to demonstration of Truth. This demonstration of Truth brings us back to where we began, and never leads us anywhere other than to the home which is forever within -- wherever in eternity that may be.

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 423:8-12