To See or Not to See

PC: Arthur Bruno

We who are practicing metaphysicians often hear words like these: "Get real! Face facts! Pull your head out of the sand!" I usually just smile and say, "You may be right", and politely wander away. Rather than explaining -- or worse, arguing! -- I will feel Love, the spiritual reality, while allowing the material argument to pass through and be gone. I have not always been so easy to get along with! Recently I've had a chance to spend time with an old friend who moved far, far away. A number of years ago, she and I had an altercation which was deeply interconnected to many areas in our friendship. If either she or I had held onto the past, we wouldn't share the palpable Oneness we feel today. It's not a choice of seeing past or present, but a choice to see or not to see. I am grateful…

"Spiritual causation is the one question to be considered, for more than all others spiritual causation relates to human progress. The age seems ready to approach this subject, to ponder somewhat the supremacy of Spirit, and at least to touch the hem of Truth's garment." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 270:22-27

Transforming Error

Thailand - photo credit: Aaron Springston

In response to yesterday’s writing, my dear friend, Sandy Starbird responded: “This also applies to systems which decide that people who have erred legally are inherently bad and in need of punishment.  What a difference it would make if our compassion led us to help those who have broken our laws and need our help rather than our wrath.” This reminded me of a book I’ve mentioned in the past, The Buddha and the Terrorist by Satmi Kumar. In this short treatise, the murderous actions of a madman are explored. When he meets up with the Buddha in the forest, his life changes. But the brutality he has imposed on others is not so easily forgiven by those whose lives he has touched. This book examines how our system of retribution and retaliation do next to nothing to stop murder and mayhem. So what does? I think we all innately know the answer to this. Forgiveness is much more than ignoring actions; it’s transforming them in thought. And ideas make themselves known in form…

“If faith in the truth of being, which you impart mentally while destroying error, causes chemicalization (as when an alkali is destroying an acid), it is because the truth of being must transform the error to the end of producing a higher manifestation.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 401:7-11

Think!

It seems that our pets are eager to please us, to the point of understanding when they are not supposed to hurt animals which used to be thought of as natural enemies — i.e., dogs and cats, or cats and birds, et cetera. When talking to a friend about this, we realized that if we don’t tell our dogs (and/or cats) these things, they don’t know them and blindly go about being reactionary and, perhaps, mean. I know, I know, this may sound silly. But let’s experiment with this in our daily life. Perhaps people are the same way and simply act the way they think of as “normal”: being prejudiced against those unlike themselves, loving money more than people, thinking there is something weak in admitting wrongdoing and apologizing. Let’s take a stand today for higher, deeper thought. Or maybe we should just remember to think rather than react. I believe I’ll paste that word on my mirror, refrigerator, and computer screen: Think!

“The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity. Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page vii: 13-17

Harmony is the Natural Order

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

We, as humans, think in terms of something upsetting us, then find reasons why we are justified in this upset. When a friend shared with me a step into peace and out of worry which she experienced, I was reminded that we don't need to fan the flame of anger. One of her daughters was very upset with her, for reasons which are not important to this writing. My friend chose to not make those reasons important to her either. She was aware that her beloved daughter was upset, but she was also aware that she couldn't fix it. She knows that her peace doesn't depend on any outside source. She knew she was being honest and straightforward, and no amount of erroneous thought could affect her natural state of harmony. She didn’t try to change her daughter’s mind about things, but she did examine her own motives and actions. I look forward to seeing the effect of pouring more love on this fire!

"Harmony is produced by its Principle, is controlled by it and abides with it. Divine Principle is the Life of man. Man's happiness is not, therefore, at the disposal of physical sense. Truth is not contaminated by error. Harmony in man is as beautiful as in music, and discord is unnatural, unreal." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 304:17-22

Utopia

photo credit: Richard Quick

In 2012, I dreamed the following. I’m so happy it was documented through these writings, or I wouldn’t remember any of it. I can still feel it …

I dreamed last night of Utopia. 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 without speaking. 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 space. When 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 of beautiful flowers, and a pathway leading to my destination. All needs were met before I knew of them. There was the most wonderful sense of peace. I will hold to these beautiful feelings today, while seeing the meaningless basis of my discontent. 

“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.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 249:24-30

To Arrive Where We Started

A friend once said to me, "There are only two powers, and she's chosen the wrong one." I had to step back and wonder how it felt to believe in such a duality as this. Once we've split power into a loving God and Its evil twin, some seriously hard-to-let-go images have taken hold in our mind. I don’t want to focus on the myriad of ways we've constructed to cloud our vision, but I'll ask to see with my true sight as a reflection of Love. This T. S. Eliot’s quote from Little Gidding reminds me what "seeing" is. “We shall not cease from exploration, / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.”

"To teach is to demonstrate. There are only two thought systems, and you demonstrate that you believe one or the other is true all the time. From your demonstration others learn, and so do you. The question is not whether you will teach, for in that there is no choice. The purpose of the course might be said to provide you with a means of choosing what you want to teach on the basis of what you want to learn. You cannot give to someone else, but only to yourself, and this you learn through teaching. Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what you believe. It is a method of conversion. This is not done by words alone. Any situation must be to you a chance to teach others what you are, and what they are to you. No more than that, but also never less." A Course in Miracles -  Manual for Teachers

A Happy Trip

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Someone I admire said, “I don’t want my imagination to die before I do”. That’s the open secret to a happy life, don’t you think? When each day brings new adventure, we are joyous! And this adventure doesn’t consist of doing something you’ve never done before, or something which others think of as exciting; it’s simply enjoying every moment of what you do and not being afraid of a break in routine. That’s an ah-ha moment, huh? How often do we become disgruntled because our plans for the day are interrupted by an unexpected occurrence? No matter that it may be a surprise visit from an old friend, or a flat tire on the car, or some other unexpected disruption. When we are able to face whatever may come our way, with an inexhaustible joy, life is fun! Imagination and creativity are directly linked to this ability to enjoy the ups and downs, without even thinking of them as such. Rolling with the flow makes for a happy trip!

“You can make an empty shell, but you cannot express nothing at all. You can wait, delay, paralyze yourself, or reduce your creativity almost to nothing. But you cannot abolish it. You can destroy your medium of communication, but not your potential.” A Course in Miracles - Chapter 1 V:1