To See As Love Sees

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

Years ago, I had friends who were expecting their first baby. They joked about teaching it the "wrong" things -- such as, blue would be red, a table might be called a chair, maybe a dog would be a cat. That would certainly be seeing things differently! There’s a correlation in their mis-information scheme and the illusions and limitations we have set up for ourselves in our world. There is a Course in Miracles workbook lesson which asks us to give up any notions we have concerning the meaning of anything and everything. By doing this, we enable ourselves to drop what we've always thought about a particular thing and allow ourselves to be open to what it is and what it is for. I love where this exercise takes us! When we begin asking what things are, rather than telling them what they are based on our previous labeling of them, interesting answers come our way. For instance, the way we, as a society, punish wrong-doing: Does our present system of retaliation and retribution actually accomplish anything? In ​the book, "The Buddhist and the Terrorist", an alternative to the treatment of a murderer is explored. This book is one of many which encourage​s​ me to see differently, to see myself as Love sees me. This concept strikes me as worthy of exploration!

"The objects cognized by the physical senses have not the reality of substance. They are only what mortal belief calls them." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 311:26-28

To Teach Is To Learn

 

photo credit: Kevin Wright

The act of communicating knowledge can be interpreted as implying that others are ignorant and need to be ​schooled about something. So we may ​remain silent rather than ​correcting inaccuracies we may hear or read​. ​Maybe we fear an angry response, or perhaps we are being polite, or we don't want the conflict we fear will occur. ​Sincere communication seems to be riddled with pitfalls, but I don't think it has to be this way. Perhaps this is a reason our world is suffering so severely when solutions seem simple: people are not willing to step outside their belief systems and listen to logic and scientific fact. ​Perhaps it’s a lack of trust ​which causes the idea that others want to indoctrinate us into their way of thought. I’d love to see us all step back from labels such as liberal and conservative and simply seek truth. Who cares if someone is a man or a woman, or a member of a certain political party or religion? Let’s not be afraid to speak out, to question, to listen, to learn, to love each other without caveat!

“The role of teaching and learning is actually reversed in the thinking of the world. The reversal is characteristic. It seems as if the teacher and the learner are separated, the teacher giving something to the learner rather than to himself. Further, the act of teaching is regarded as a special activity, in which one engages only a relatively small proportion of one's time. The course, on the other hand, emphasizes that to teach is to learn, so that teacher and learner are the same. It also emphasizes that teaching is a constant process; it goes on every moment of the day, and continues into sleeping thoughts as well.” A Course in Miracles, Manual for Teachers

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

 

Hawksbill Crag - photo credit: Aaron Springston

Oh, the Places You'll Go! -- By Theodore Geisel

“I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win, cause you'll play against you.

All Alone! Whether you like it or not,

Alone you will be something quite a lot.

And when you're alone. There' a very good chance

You'll meet some things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

That can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go, though the weather be foul,

On you will go, though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many a frightening creek,Theodore

Though your arms may get sore

And your sneakers may leak

On and on you will hike.

And I know you'll hike far

And face up to your problems

Whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,

As you already know.

You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure where you step.

Step with care and great tact

And remember that life's a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

By: Dr. Seuss

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. How often do we become disgruntled because our plans for the day are interrupted by an unexpected occurrence? These may be happy interruptions, such as a surprise visit from an old friend, or an necessary chore like changing a flat tire on the car; either scenario causes a readjustment of our plans. 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 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

To Arrive Where We Started

 

photo credit: Aaron Springston

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. 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

Pouring Love on the Fire

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photo credit: Arthur Bruno

We 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

To See Or Not To See

 

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

We 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 ​try to ​hold to the spiritual reality, Love, while allowing the material arguments to pass through and be gone. I have not always been so easy to get along with! Recently, I've had the opportunity 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. And I am grateful​ for the ability to choose again …

"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