Strength in Loving Energy

​I’ve mentioned my book club a number of times in past writings. We are a group of women who have met for over fifteen years with a book as the center of our monthly discussion, but that’s just a reason to get together and enjoy each others’ company. We have some who think logically from the standpoint of science, and some who live intuitively from the heart. We have teachers, a yoga instructor, a veterinarian, business women, cattle and turkey farmers, a librarian — actually, a single definition isn’t enough for any one of these women. They are multi-talented and diverse. We have incredible discussions and enjoy one another more than I can say. While I feel this group of women could solve all the problems of the world — and actually feel like we do that every time we get together! — I believe this feeling comes because despite our various opinions, we all live from Love. Everything we do is guided by something larger than what our human reason can encompass. As I bask in the glow of being with them, I will remember that problems come from a belief in separation, and I thank these women for helping me to feel whole. Namastè ~~~

“Human reason and religion come slowly to the recognition of spiritual facts, and so continue to call upon matter to remove the error which the human mind alone has created.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 173:25-28

Universal Harmony

 

photo credit: Aaron Springston

How many times have you felt we are on the verge of the realization of universal peace and harmony? I know I have a number of times. January 1, 2000 felt like a tipping point. Although I don't remember specific dates other than that one, I know there have been many occasions when it simply "felt like" this was it; that we would forget differences and only remember unity and the fact that we are all One. I felt this again today. Any unrest and dis-ease going on around me seemed like a cry for Love. Really, truly, I saw people reaching out for something secure in a material world full of insecurity and fear. We are all the same in the reality of Spirit. The "reign and rule of universal harmony which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen" is waiting for us to cast off fear and embrace it. What do we have to lose? 

"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." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 208:20-24

Never Fear The Consequences

photo credit: Aaron Springston

​We may feel alone in the desert when we speak truth to error. Perhaps we feel we're the only one when we take a stand for morality and goodness in our political system. Maybe you've been verbally attacked for telling people the truth about GMOs and organic food. Perhaps a friend has resisted your efforts to recognize and change racism. And what of data mining? Are we being controlled every time we get on our computer? This is the age where the CEO of Facebook tapes over the camera on his laptop in an effort to insure privacy. I mention these things because it’s very important to speak truth, to take a stand for morality, and never fear potential consequences. 

“Because Truth is infinite, error should be known as nothing. Because Truth is omnipotent in goodness, error, Truth's opposite, has no might. Evil is but the counterpoise of nothingness. The greatest wrong is but a supposititious opposite of the highest right." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 329:21

A Smile On Your Face

photo credit: Steve Shogren

Every day brings unexpected events, and I’ve come to believe those can either be stressful or exciting, even fun! This morning I accompanied a fine singer to a small town in Missouri to provide music for a funeral. When we walked into the little church, a barefoot priest showed us to the modest musical instrument we were expected to use. As it turned out, the acoustics in this building were the worst my friend, a classically-trained performer, had ever witnessed. Nevertheless, we provided the grieving congregation with a B+ service and no one got hurt. Reflecting on this event, I realize if we had concentrated on the problems, we could easily have become overwhelmed by them. But we did the best we could with what we had to work with, and finished feeling satisfied by the result. Isn’t this true of everything we face every day? “You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face, and show the world all the love in your heart.” Carole King


“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.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page

Let Your Golden Self Glow

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photo credit: Aaron Springston

There’s a fine documentary about Joseph Campbell called Finding Joe. Its introduction tells the story of a golden Buddha in a small town in Thailand. The townspeople learned there were marauders on their way to plunder the village, and they knew the golden statue would be taken or destroyed. In order to preserve their beloved statue, they covered it in mud, making it look worthless and ugly. It worked, and no one bothered the Buddha. As years went by, there came a point when no one remembered the statue was made of gold. One day when a young man was meditating at the stone statue’s feet, a piece of the concrete fell off and the gold showed through. Everyone came together to chip away the stone and reveal the true beauty. This is a lovely metaphor for humanity. We are born golden. But when we are toddlers, we are put into categories of male, female, black, white, smart, and not so much. We are blocked off from our true Selves. Then something comes along and knocks off a piece of our armor — it may be a personal tragedy or some other trauma. Once we see a glimpse of the gold which we truly are, we don’t want to do anything but uncover the whole picture. We’re not content to stay stone, because the gold is so much more fun! Fear often holds us back from this transition, but we're starting to realize it's always better than staying mired in the mud. Namaste...

“Whatever enslaves man is opposed to the divine government. Truth makes man free.”  Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 225:2-4

White Fragility

 

At the beginning of 2021, I decided my personal focus would be on gaining a better understanding of racism, along with trying to figure out why we humans have such a tough time in discerning truth. The latest book I’m reading is: White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. I am starting to recognize many things about the roots of racism and how we perpetuate those beliefs in our daily lives. This evening I’m pondering the statement: “I don’t see color; everybody is the same.” These are words I’ve heard many times and it has never felt quite right, and now I’m realizing why that is. Not only can it not be true, but it should not be true. Saying this is but one way we attempt to absolve ourselves of responsibility. Then we can say, “I’m not racist”, and feel good about ourselves. But what if it takes more than that? I leave you with this quote from the book: "I believe that white progressives cause the most daily damage to people of color. I define a white progressive as any white person who thinks he or she is not racist, or is less racist, or in the ‘choir,’or already ‘gets it.’ White progressives can be the most difficult for people of color because, to the degree that we think we have arrived, we will put our energy into making sure that others see us as having arrived. None of our energy will go into what we need to be doing for the rest of our lives: engaging in ongoing self-awareness, continuing education, relationship building, and actual antiracist practice. White progressives do indeed uphold and perpetrate racism, but our defensiveness and certitude make it virtually impossible to explain to us how we do so.” ― Robin DiAngelo

"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.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science and Health Page 225:14-22

Internal Awakening

 

photo credit: Steve Shogren

​I feel the “second coming” is an internal awakening. It involves seeing and feeling the never-beginning, never-ending Truth of our being. This burgeoning understanding has brought me the peace which intellectual reasoning never did. I see the world as a loving place, filled with people who care about each other and their environment. In the past, most every day numerous people would tell me why they felt the world was a hate-filled place. Now it's a rarity. Have they changed or have I? Is there a difference if we're all One? Love = Peace = Harmony. Feel the Love!

[This is from the Glossary, where she gives us the spiritual significance of terms.]

"Japhet (Noah’s son): A type of spiritual peace, flowing from the understanding that God is the divine Principle of all existence, and that man is His idea, the child of His care." Mary Baker Eddy  Science & Health Page 589:8-11