True Purpose

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Unknown Artist

If you’re like me, you enjoy listening to people’s descriptions of Near Death Experiences.  When we hear these stories, we may think the tellers have vivid imaginations; perhaps because of their similarity, we see it as proof of our Oneness. It’s fascinating to think of the possibilities of existence beyond this plane to which we cling. A YouTube video title caught my attention today. There was a young woman pictured with the words: Earth is Just a School, by Jane Thompson. As I listened to this woman tell of dying and returning to her body, I was reminded of my favorite teachings. Almost everything she said brought to mind statements from A Course in Miracles or Mary Baker Eddy. She speaks of healing our trauma, forgiving our parents, and the need to feel complete in order to live out our true purpose. And what is our real purpose? Where we are at each moment, that is our real purpose. We are all evolving and learning, and how we react to everything which happens is our education. But we must not forget that every school has a playground. Having fun is a huge part of this school! And becoming quiet enough to hear the messages coming through for us — in order to hear where intuition is leading, to allow synchronicities to be noticed, to feel the all-encompassing Love of the universe, we must practice allowing divine Mind to lead the way. Put this intention out there, and get ready for change!

“The admission to one’s self that man is God’s own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea. This conviction shuts the door on death, and opens it wide towards immortality. 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 90:24-31

“O my child, if you knew what God wills for you, your joy would be complete! And what He wills has happened, for it was always true. When the light comes and you have said, ‘God’s Will is mine,’ you will see such beauty that you will know it is not of you. Out of your joy you will create beauty in His Name, for your joy could no more be contained than His. The bleak little world will vanish into nothingness, and your heart will be so filled with joy that it will leap into Heaven, and into the Presence of God. I cannot tell you what this will be like, for your heart is not ready.⁷Yet I can tell you, and remind you often, that what God wills for Himself He wills for you, and what He wills for you is yours.” 

A Course in Miracles T-11.III.3:1-7

The Holy Relationship

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Relationships are assignments made with the purpose of triggering each other’s wounds. These wounds are mainly from childhood, and we’ve probably been replaying a version of them all our lives. In order to have maximum growth, we must face them and heal them, which cannot be done unless they’re opened up and brought to the surface. And so we meet someone, fall in love, have a mountaintop experience, then trip and fall down the hill. From that point, we can work on climbing back up, or stay where we’ve landed. In the exhilaration of romance, we have seen the truth of each other’s innocence; after a while, we get to see each other’s messed-up-ness. We may look at it in a sacred context and recognize the spiritual meaning and purpose, or we can focus on the hurt and allow our egos to separate us. Whether we live together in bodies, or live separately but remain together in heart, it makes no difference, as relationships are of the mind. I keep reminding myself that all crises are an invitation to rise to the occasion. It’s quite a trip, don’t you think?

"The holy relationship, a major step toward the perception of the real world, is learned.  It is the old, unholy relationship, transformed and seen anew.  The holy relationship is a phenomenal teaching accomplishment. In all its aspects, as it begins, develops and becomes accomplished, it represents the reversal of the unholy relationship.  Be comforted in this; the only difficult phase is the beginning.  For here, the goal of the relationship is abruptly shifted to the exact opposite of what it was.  This is the first result of offering the relationship to the Holy Spirit, to use for His purposes." A Course in Miracles

“The power of the human will should be exercised only in subordination to Truth; else it will misguide the judgment and free the lower propensities. It is the province of spiritual sense to govern man. Material, erring, human thought acts injuriously both upon the body and through it.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 206:4-9

My Mother Loved Baseball …

 

Bryan and Anita Havens
circa 1931

My mom was a baseball fan. She followed the St. Louis Cardinals and talked about the players with her friends. After I left home and lived in Fayetteville, she came to spend a few days at my house. My roommate was a baseball fan, too, so she and my mother spent some time watching games. Imagine my surprise when Brenda told me that my mother knew nothing about baseball! I was dumbfounded, and a bit embarrassed. This dear woman was a joyous ball of energy. She had a great laugh and rarely walked when she could run. But as children sometimes do, I didn’t realize how fabulous she was. She wore bright clothing and a flower in her hair, when my friends’ moms were non-descript. She painted doors bright red with black spots and gold doorknobs. She was happier than any other mom I knew. Looking back on her lack of baseball expertise, I see how cool that was! She enjoyed watching the players, cheered when they hit the ball (not caring if it was foul or fair), and was ecstatic when they made the playoffs. I wonder if she even knew what that meant? It didn’t matter! Sophia Anita Bravo Havens loved life! What I'd give to watch a game with her...

"Fed by Thy love divine we live,

    For Love alone is Life;

And life most sweet, as heart to heart

Speaks kindly when we meet and part."

Mary Baker Eddy 

The Panoply of Love

 

A long time ago, I was leaving my art gallery at the end of the day, walking down the sidewalk to my vehicle, when I heard the old Louis Armstrong song, What a Wonderful World. There was a young man in Basin Park, sitting with his guitar and singing this song. I stopped to listen and was completely enthralled; lifted out of myself and the worries of the day. I stood across the street from him, loving what was happening on this cool summer evening. Out of the corner of my ear (so to speak) I heard some ruckus, but it wasn’t really registering with me. As the song ended, I heard some voices shouting obscenities. When I looked toward the noise, they were looking right at me! But my mind had risen to a place of pure Love while listening to the song and feeling the words, and so I just stood there, smiling, with no thought of anything other than what a wonderful world it is. There were three young people sitting on a wall in the park and as I happily looked back at them, it was as though they deflated. Where before they had been angry and loud, their anger disappeared right before my eyes. I waved happily at them and went on my way. This was proof that Love conquers hate. I saw it happen. So don’t lose hope, dear friends. Allow yourselves to be overtaken by Love and watch it spread!

“Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you. The cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 571:18-21

“Today the lights of Heaven bend to you, to shine upon your eyelids as you rest beyond the world of darkness. Here is light your eyes can not behold. And yet your mind can see it plainly, and can understand. A day of grace is given you today, and we give thanks. This day we realize that what you feared to lose was only loss.” 

A Course in Miracles W-129.8:1-5

Morning Poem - by Mary Oliver

 

Photo credit: Blake Lasater

Morning Poem by Mary Oliver

from Dream Work (1986) 

Every morning

the world

is created.

Under the orange

sticks of the sun

the heaped

ashes of the night

turn into leaves again

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---

and the ponds appear

like black cloth

on which are painted islands

of summer lilies.

If it is your nature

to be happy

you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination

alighting everywhere.

And if your spirit

carries within it

the thorn

that is heavier than lead ---

if it's all you can do

to keep on trudging ---

there is still

somewhere deep within you

a beast shouting that the earth

is exactly what it wanted ---

each pond with its blazing lilies

is a prayer heard and answered

lavishly,

every morning,

whether or not

you have ever dared to be happy,

whether or not

you have ever dared to pray.

Mary Oliver

What Is Yet To Learn

Photo by Ashe Aria

I know a woman who compliments others so much they become embarrassed. She does it to such an extent it seems as though it may be a form of ridicule. I’ve been paying attention when she does this to me and a couple of other people. At first, I thought perhaps she wanted friends, then I thought she may want compliments herself, then I thought she might be compensating for being a rather hateful person — well, I’m not sure why this behavior is occurring, but I’ve begun to converse with her the same way I would anyone with an outlandish view of any kind: I ask her questions. It seems she has been ostracized by her children, she has never had a job, and she has a strong sense of being better than everyone, hence she thinks everyone is jealous of her. Wow! How interesting it is to listen to folks rather than avoiding them because they make you uncomfortable! Every time I think of her, I shall send her Ho’oponopono. 

"Make fast your learning now, and understand you but waste time unless you go beyond what you have learned to what is yet to learn. For from this lowest point will learning lead to heights of happiness, in which you see the purpose of the lesson shining clear, and perfectly within your learning grasp." A Course in Miracles

Glorious Gatherings

 

The Salon

Have you ever thought something was true, and then you said it out loud and discovered you didn’t really feel that way? I was grocery shopping and ran into one of our local Course in Miracles meeting attendees. As we chatted, I mentioned that I did’t like meetings. As soon as I said it, I knew it wasn’t true. I don’t like random meetings! I love our ACIM group, and my book club, and maybe one other thing — which I can’t think of right now. But, for example, I was asked to be on the board of directors for an organization which I wholeheartedly support, but I declined. I’m too happy to be on a board! But I always feel good following one of the gatherings which bring together a group of like-minded people to have a love-based discussion. At the same time this revelation dawned, I accepted the fact that I like solitary study more than group study. And so even though I don’t attend weekly meeting of our ACIM group, I love you all dearly and thoroughly enjoy every time we are together. 

“It is impossible to remember God in secret and alone. For remembering Him means you are not alone, and are willing to remember it. Take no thought for yourself, for no thought you hold is for yourself. If you would remember your Father, let the Holy Spirit order your thoughts and give only the answer with which He answers you. Everyone seeks for love as you do, but knows it not unless he joins with you in seeking it. If you undertake the search together, you bring with you a light so powerful that what you see is given meaning. The lonely journey fails because it has excluded what it would find.” 

A Course in Miracles T-14.X.10:1-7

“Would existence without personal friends be to you a blank? Then the time will come when you will be solitary, left without sympathy; but this seeming vacuum is already filled with divine Love. When this hour of development comes, even if you cling to a sense of personal joys, spiritual Love will force you to accept what best promotes your growth.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 266:6-12