A Higher and More Permanent Peace

 

photo credit: Kevin Wright

I had a friend who died from cancer. She was very active and always busy doing things. I once asked her if she ever had any quiet time and she told me that she didn't want any because then she would have to think. Many traumatic events had happened in her life, including the violent deaths of her parents and tragic passing of her children. Our thoughts can be occupied by many temporal things, such as collecting material possessions, or perhaps we simply need the busyness of daily life to keep us from thinking about painful memories -- whatever the case, we rarely allow ourselves the quiet we need to hear Spirit. We may fear the unknown and think that the activities we busy ourselves with are necessary, rather than looking beyond them to the Truth which heals our fear. We may use alcohol and drugs to cover up the turmoil for a little while, but lasting peace only comes through knowledge of Love. Sometimes love is used as a soporific, placating our desire for an all-encompassing Love with no beginning nor end. Today I vow to remember to remember what I have forgotten, which is only known by quietly listening for the still, small voice within. Namaste, dear friends...

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “This scientific sense of being, forsaking matter for Spirit, by no means suggests man’s absorption into Deity and the loss of his identity, but confers upon man enlarged individuality, a wider sphere of thought and action, a more expansive love, a higher and more permanent peace.” Science & Health Page 265:10-15

The Heights of Holiness

 

photo credit: Aaron Springston

There is a delightful little book called, The Holy Man, ​written ​by Susan Trott. ​There are numerous ​stories recounted through a group of people who are waiting in line to see The Holy Man​, whose little house is at the top of a tall mountain​. They feel all their questions will be answered, all their problems solved, if only they can meet and speak with him. The irony is that when they are finally admitted to his home, he simply leads them through the house and out the back door. The beauty of the book is that everyone sees what they need to see from their interactions with others while waiting in the long line. We, too, have these ah-hah moments while going about our day-to-day activities. By releasing our by-rote reactions, we are free to practice forgiveness with every blameless thought we have. With this clean slate, who knows what insights will be ours? Like those people waiting to speak to The Holy Man, whom they believed had all the answers, we will be finding insight in every moment, simply by allowing ourselves to accept that we are One with God. As such, all answers are ours, even without asking questions!

“Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind. Mind's infinite ideas run and disport themselves. In humility they climb the heights of holiness.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 513:26-9

Heaven Within

 

Why would we fear to look within our own hearts? Why would we fear seeing our true self? I think it's because we believe all the little horrible things we've done in our lives are what we'll be looking at. Perhaps we feel that to look within would involve some sort of life review which would require us to answer for every supposed sin we've committed. But what if we're looking within at our pure and perfect Self, as we are created by divine Love? And what if, after we find what we've forgotten, we allow it to come forth and live with us? In the process, we truly forgive ourselves for all of it, allowing thought to stay on the good and the true, releasing guilt and fear, living only in Love. What if ...

“When speaking of God's children, not the children of men, Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of God is within you;’ that is, Truth and Love reign in the real man, showing that man in God's image is unfallen and eternal." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 476:28-32

No Conflict in Truth

 

photo credit: Aaron Springston

In this material world, we often have conflicting wishes about events and outcomes. When someone in our immediate family has a problem, we tend to think of it as our own. We have been conditioned to think we can fix others, and if we don't try, we fear that people will think we don't care. Then we're thrown into a quandary of feelings: love for our family, perhaps embarrassment over their actions, worry about what will happen to them, concern over what others will think -- the list can be endless! When we are able to release these feelings and see everyone as the spiritual creation they truly are, we begin to release this sense of personal responsibility, while affirming their goodness -- and ours! -- as a reflection of divine Love. Before we know it, we're thinking something wonderful about them when they come to mind, and we're free from the conflicting wishes born of material sense, revealing spiritual reality.

“We cannot serve two masters nor perceive divine Science with the material senses.” Mary Baker Eddy quote: Science and Health Page 167:11-12

Unrealized Possibilities

 

photo credit: Richard Quick

Throughout the ages, we've been given hints ​about unrealized possibilities​ in our world​. As attested by powerful mythological and fictional characters, we have longed for the ability to change what seems to be the reality of situations in and around our personal existence. The world tells us that we are victims of circumstance, with ​our ​life experiences being changed by the whim of happenstance. Every time we hear a story telling of something we think is impossible, but which contains an outcome so beautiful we wish and hope it could be true, let's contemplate the fact that there are no limits. Who knows what we're capable of doing? We seem to exceed expected outcomes in every avenue of existence. Wasn't it said that running a mile in less than four minutes was impossible? Today I set free any thought of limitation, any assumptions I may have as to what's what, and by doing so open the door to ​a ​new ​understanding.

“Truth never destroys God's idea. Truth is spiritual, eternal substance, which cannot destroy the right reflection. Corporeal sense, or error, may seem to hide Truth, health, harmony, and Science, as the mist obscures the sun or the mountain; but Science, the sunshine of Truth, will melt away the shadow and reveal the celestial peaks.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 299:24-30

Do I Really Want To Go Outside?

my 90-year-old bridge partner

As mentioned before in these writings, I have truly enjoyed this year of semi-isolation and lack of activities. Admittedly, there was a bit of angst when I heard the news that our duplicate bridge clubs were starting up again, our book club meetings are happening, and other face-to-face gatherings are looming on the horizon. But after a lunch out with a friend, two book club meetings, and enjoying another monthly gathering which has resumed, a few realizations have come to my mind. There is a special type of mental stimulation which has been missing from my days. Talking to women about our book club read, The Book of Longings, caused me to realize there is no substitute for conversation with intelligent, caring people. And although I love online bridge and have become a more skilled player through the extra time spent playing from the coziness of my home, I am now remembering a bridge pro telling us that you could be on a desert island and become a chess expert, alone, by yourself — but not so with bridge. In bridge, you have the nuances of people’s demeanor to take into consideration when planning play and defense. Also, there is a certain diversity of thought which will not happen in my world without sitting at a table with conservative thinkers for a few hours a couple of times a week. So with these realizations, I’m looking forward to seeing how my perceptions and understanding has changed since we were last together. I am, indeed, looking forward to these new-old adventures!

"Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 57:18-21

Love-Based Business

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photo credit: Aaron Springston

I wrote this a few years back and do not remember the name of the movie. If anyone knows, please tell me!]

I saw a movie in which a character was hit in the head, had a blood clot, and became happy all the time. Since happiness cannot be contained and overflows with no expectations, wonderful things began to happen. He ran a very large, profit-oriented company which had always catered to the prospering of the business, not the contentment of the employees. He built a daycare center, gave everyone raises in salary, and began to see money as a tool rather than a goal. Then his children became angry because the company wasn't making as much money and they were afraid. While he recognized what was important in life, his children wanted him to go back to his money-based way of living, fearing they wouldn't have enough. He was living Love; they were living fear. We see it every day, don't we? I vow today to support every act of Love-based living I encounter. While we can't set out to eradicate fear, we can scatter joy and happiness, and watch Love blossom.

"As human thought changes from one stage to another of conscious pain and painlessness, sorrow and joy, — from fear to hope and from faith to understanding, — the visible manifestation will at last be man governed by Soul, not by material sense." Mary Baker Eddy quote - Science & Health Page 125:12-16