Just Write

Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite authors. In his book, "Aleph”, and others, he takes us on a spiritual journey which shows that we are indeed not alone in either our fears or our realizations of Truth. This novel is described as his most personal, and from the little I know of Mr. Coelho's life, our main character seems to have many common characteristics with his creator. When he writes of spiritual progress feeling stagnant, I ache for him. These  sentences ask for remembrance: "It isn't what you did in the past that will affect the present. It's what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future." What a vibrant, hopeful statement! And now is the time. What you do right now is the pivotal point in your life. Let go of any and all grievances of any kind. Notice your thoughts as they peek out at you during the day. Are they reinforcing old, often-painful beliefs, or are they leading you out of them?  I find novels such as those written by Mr. Coelho to be delightful. I urge each of you to write! Write in blogs, write letters to the editor, keep a journal -- anything and everything which solidifies our yearning to know Oneness needs to be written. It deserves a voice which contains no fear, no shame, only honesty.

“It requires courage to utter truth; for the higher Truth lifts her voice, the louder will error scream, until its in‐articulate sound is forever silenced in oblivion.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 278:1-11

Harmony - June 7, 2018

Conflict resolution. Conflict transformation. How much time and energy do we spend in attempting to negate conflict between others and/or within ourselves? We can make lists of the merits of our choices, we can role play and put ourselves in others' places in a situation, we can enlist therapists to help us out. There are lots of ways to search for the door out of conflict. I have found the only true way to leave it behind is to realize that such a thing does not exist anywhere other than in my thought. Anyone who has ever tried to calm fighting siblings knows the process can be daunting no matter how you approach it! I'll always remember a time when my boys were around 8 and 10 years of age. Their disagreements had advanced to the point where I saw no way out other than to give one of them away! One day, during a particularly intense bout, I gave up and sat down in my bedroom to have a good cry. Next to my chair was a stack of Christian Science Sentinels, the weekly publication which gives us practical metaphysical writings. I reached down and pulled one from the middle of the stack and opened it up to an article about brothers fighting! I don't remember anything about the content, other than it was just what I needed for the situation. And I remember the solution had to do with having no strong opinions. By letting go of my I'm-right-you're-wrong attitude, I was able to lead them to the same way of thought, by living it, not just telling them what they should do. Living Love creates bridges which bring us together in peace. Trust that your function and your happiness are your heritage, and don't be afraid to open up and see what unexpected ways it will be manifested.

“God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 106:7-10

Love Is The Common Denominator

I love silly situation comedies, such as Modern Family.  A favorite episode is one where Claire has lunch with an old college friend. Her friend has a very successful career and an exciting life as a single woman. Claire is jealous and wants to show off her three kids and husband of seventeen years, so she takes her friend home to meet them. Her handsome husband is inexplicably wearing a huge fake mustache and is trapped in a port-a-potty placed there by the water department while they work on the lines. Her oldest daughter is having a loud altercation with her boyfriend. Her other daughter and her son have been recycling in the neighborhood and have the kitchen filled with semi-empty bottles of alcohol. The son is in his underwear because he spilled booze all over himself, while the daughter is trying to catch a rat which came in with the boxes. So much for self-importance, huh? Most of us probably have a silly story about a situation which backfired when we've wanted to show off in some way. If we stop and think about these feelings and what's behind them, it's easy to see how this desire to be "special", to be better than someone else, is at the core of every disagreement and conflict in the world.  With the understanding that we are all the reflection of Love each demonstrating our individuality within this realm of unity, it becomes possible to release false images of self-importance and relax into the perfection of this experience we know as life. By doing so, we are the light of the world! Seeing ourself in others and others in ourself, we fulfill our function of forgiveness. We do this by giving up ideas and beliefs which foster the misconception that we are all different, and instead embrace Love as our common denominator.

"Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 15:26-27

Living Love

PC: Aaron Springston

Cynicism hides the light of the world very effectively. As a small child, I freely expressed joy in everything and to everyone, but slowly and thoroughly this joy was quieted by rules and other forces of conformity.  During the 60s and 70s, although it was heralded as the Age of Aquarius, the free love that permeated our atmosphere was actually a charade of the love I had felt as a small child. We made fun of those who weren't like us, and by doing so became unsure of what we were. There was an attitude of disdain which came with our superiority. We knew our government was wrong, as were our parents, most teachers, and the majority of our peers. It's no wonder that a major magazine's cover declared that God was dead, because materialism and cynicism had killed any expression of real Love. I was convinced that to have children would be a travesty, as this world was no place for humans to be. Nearly half a century past those turbulent times, I see wonderful changes in all of us. We know that Love is a force within us which can't be quieted, and fear can never be as powerful as Love. More people every day are waking up to the truth of their being, living the salvation of this realization, and not allowing anything to hide that light. Any day now everyone will awaken to their function as a living ray of this Love, and we won't be afraid of it. It is our heritage! We have denied it as long as we can. The Truth is alive within us and it only takes recognition to bring it to fruition. Let's live our salvation today!

"The understanding of Truth and Love, the Principle which works out the ends of eternal good and destroys both faith in evil and the practice of evil, leads to the discernment of the divine idea." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 561:1-4

Trust

photo credit: Aaron Springston

Trust seems to be a national issue right now. The things we have learned to trust suddenly feel frightening — i.e., policemen, politicians, preachers. Sometimes we have a tough time trusting our friends and loved ones. I know people who speak in derogatory terms about their children and their spouses. What is this thing we think of as trust? Does it truly originate in someone else, or does it come from within ourselves? Perhaps we don’t trust others because we don’t trust ourselves, or do we not trust ourselves because we don’t trust others? It all seems terribly complicated. I’m questioning, within myself, what it means, where it starts, where it ends. Perhaps it’s like love, and there is no beginning nor end, although there certainly seems to be a finite amount to go around. I suppose I’m looking at this from a material view and I should practice what I preach, looking beyond human feelings and fears into the infinite realm of Love. Okay, I think I’ve convinced myself…

“My angels are exalted thoughts, appearing at the door of some sepulchre, in which human belief has buried its fondest earthly hopes. With white fingers they point upward to a new and glorified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 299:7-12 

It's All How You Look at It

from of my gallery the day I wrote
this years ago

[another memory from years gone by]

Last evening, there was a reception in my gallery, Eureka Thyme, for people who are in town for a meeting of the Arkansas Keep America Beautiful group. My temptation was to be embarrassed by the large and ugly hole in front of the gallery. There are orange cones, sandbags, black plastic filled with last week's rain, and a general air of destruction. But as I've chosen to see drawing attention to my gallery as free advertising, I also chose to look past the war-zone look of it all to the pure goodness reflected by everyone involved. Interestingly, not a single one of the party attendees said anything about the mess, but only complimented us on our beautiful town, the great gallery space, and the wonderful food provided for them. The Light being expressed by the people I met at this event was palpable! One woman, with whom I felt an immediate affinity, was not only the leader of her local beautification program but had spearheaded an unusual art show. The Arkansas State Hospital is committed to the treatment of mental illness. This woman inaugurated an art show featuring works from the patients. She said most of the people there had nothing but the clothes on their back when they came to the facility. This amazing art show and sale is benefiting them in many ways. Not just by increasing self-esteem, but putting some cash back for them upon their release. She said this has helped them to want to get better, as many stay all their life for fear of returning to the "real world". How inspiring it is to meet people who are following inner guidance in the bringing of light to the world! Today I vow to listen deeply and follow through on what I hear!

“The admission to one's self that man is God's own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea. The understanding and recognition of Spirit must finally come, and we may as well improve our time in solving the mysteries of being through an apprehension of divine Principle. At present we know not what man is, but we certainly shall know this when man reflects God.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 90:24-32

Peaceful Memories of Yesteryear

We've invented a cocoon called Eureka Thyme. We are invisible to people who wouldn't appreciate us, we're invisible to anyone who wants to talk coffee-shop banter about politics and how the world is doomed, we are invisible to fans of gossip -- it's delightful! We just don't hear such things in the gallery, and on the rare occasions we do, I've found ways to lead people back to paths of peace. This is not to say our world is always spent in quiet contemplation. Everything in the gallery reflects the Love with which it was made, and that shows forth in an atmosphere which glows with this Love. And it's also joyous! We have artist shows, author events, celebrations for every reason imaginable. I tell you these things to illustrate that we needn't allow inharmony to permeate our world. Peace and love are the realities of spiritual creation. When disharmonious materialism raises its voice, we refute it, with Love.

“Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 261:4-7