Disappearing Differences

Photo credit: Blake Lasater

Acknowledging that everything and everyone we look upon is the face of divine Love takes our perception to another level. With this sight, we do not need to see race or nationalities nor gender, there are no political parties for which to wave flags, and no enemies to fight against, nor allies to side with. I see beautiful things happening in our world. Long-held beliefs are being released in favor of an open-hearted acceptance of everyone as they are, not as we want them to be. Change can seem difficult, but our new perceptions of Life are a conscious choice by which we break free of habits and old thought patterns which have held us in bondage for far too long. Let’s celebrate our new-found sight today!

“Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 454: 20-23

“Now there are no distinctions. Differences have disappeared and Love looks on Itself. What further sight is needed? What remains that vision could accomplish? We have seen the face of Christ, His sinlessness, His Love behind all forms, beyond all purposes. Holy are we because His Holiness has set us free indeed! And we accept His Holiness as ours; as it is. As God created us so will we be forever and forever, and we wish for nothing but His Will to be our own. Illusions of another will are lost, for unity of purpose has been found.” 

A Course in Miracles M-28.5:1-9

Hardwired For Goodness

Villa Adriana - in Italy

Photo credit: Blake Lasater

I read a review of the book, “Blueprint, the Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society”, written by Nicholas Christkis, a professor at Yale. His basic premise is that love, friendship, cooperation, and teaching have been hardwired into human beings, but we tend to deploy these qualities selectively, only toward those who are like ourselves. He says America is an unprecedented social experiment, testing whether we humans can share these behaviors more broadly. The following statement of his seems especially true: “The less segregated we are — not just racially, but by ideology, religion, income, and education — the stronger the democracy.” Many ideas are discussed in this book, but one which stood out to me is that if we are to have a diverse democracy, we need to overcome the urge to tribalism. He believes that political tides can push against our innate desire for love, friendship, and cooperation — “but only for a while.” I am thrilled to read this and other messages of hope! 

"It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man wlll be established." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 467:9

“The injunction ‘Be of one mind’ is the statement for revelation-readiness. My request ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ is the appeal for cooperation from miracle workers. The two statements are not in the same order of reality. Only the latter involves an awareness of time, since to remember is to recall the past in the present. Time is under my direction, but timelessness belongs to God. In time we exist for and with each other. In timelessness we coexist with God.” 

A Course in Miracles T-2.V-A.17:1-7

The Unbearable Sadness/Joy of Life

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italia

Photo credit:  Blake Lasater

I visited with two old friends, one who moved back to town from an extended stay on the west coast. The other visit was with someone who is paralyzed with emotional distress. Both of these women have had recent moves: one from one place in Eureka to another, the other from far, far away. One is calm, one is not. One is happy, one is sad. One is excited, one is afraid. Once again, I ponder why they perceive their moves so differently. I've noticed that one has a strong spiritual base, grounded in reason and understanding. The other is going on blind faith. I, too, think it would be frightening to feel alone, no matter who is helping you and caring about your well-being. Her loneliness is deep and cherished. My joyous friend and I discussed changing the world by changing ourselves. We know we can’t beg God to do something, nor can we ask our neighbors to change their minds. This rabbit hole I'm looking into gets deeper and deeper as I explore it, and am I grateful for Love. 

"Happiness is an attribute of love. It cannot be apart from it. Nor can it be experienced where love is not. Love has no limits, being everywhere. And therefore joy is everywhere as well. Yet can the mind deny that this is so, believing there are gaps in love where sin can enter, bringing pain instead of joy. This strange belief would limit happiness by redefining love as limited, and introducing opposition in what has no limit and no opposite."

A Course in Miracles W-103.1:1-7

“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 - Science & Health Page 125:12-16

No Need to Hide

Many people are “daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief”. I have a friend who hides in mindless television. She refuses to watch the news as she feels it’s too horrid, but she immerses herself in yucky CSI shows and such. Even though I don’t understand her way of thinking, it’s better than hiding in a bar and living with the consequences as some do. Another friend stays away from society and watches cooking shows 10 or 12 hours a day, topping it off with nightly movies. Both of these women are compassionate, loving people, yet they feel helpless when it comes to facing the injustice which is running rampant. There are far more people in the world who love than hate, but it’s easy to become bruised when you love, and easier to become more angry when you hate. That is why I loved the above statement when I read it on social media: “Live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly now. You are not expected to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” 

“You who feel threatened by this changing world, its twists of fortune and its bitter jests, its brief relationships and all the ‘gifts’ it merely lends to take away again; attend this lesson well. The world provides no safety. It is rooted in attack, and all its ‘gifts’ of seeming safety are illusory deceptions. It attacks, and then attacks again. No peace of mind is possible where danger threatens thus.” 

A Course in Miracles W-153.1:1-5

“The spiritual reality is the scientific fact in all things. The spiritual fact, repeated in the action of man and the whole universe, is harmonious and is the ideal of Truth. Spiritual facts are not inverted; the opposite discord, which bears no resemblance to spirituality, is not real. The only evidence of this inversion is obtained from suppositional error, which affords no proof of God, Spirit, or of the spiritual creation. Material sense defines all things materially, and has a finite sense of the infinite.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 207:27-4

Undivided Mind

“Welcome Home”

Photo by Peter Ralston

A recurring theme in these writings concerns how to find middle ground between conservatives and liberals. (I don’t care for these terms, but they are the most inclusively descriptive I can think of). A few years ago, Ellen DeGeneres and George Bush shared a box and a good time at a Dallas Cowboys football game. I think this is great, having two such diverse personalities enjoying each others’ company. But it seems many people felt it was a betrayal on Ellen’s part, considering Mr. Bush’s past policies on LGBTQ rights and other issues. Should we be kind only to those who agree with us? Are we condoning their behavior if we are friends with them? An experiment called America in One Room brought together 523 voters, who spent the weekend being exposed to different viewpoints via lectures and discussions. All but 5% agreed it was a good experience and they learned a lot, perhaps showing the cure to division is exposure! I must note that Gandhi wrote a letter to Hitler at the beginning of WWII, asking him to end the fighting. He called Hitler’s actions, “monstrous and unbecoming of human dignity”, but he began the letter “Dear Friend”.

“The realization that all inharmony is unreal brings objects and thoughts into human view in their true light, and presents them as beautiful and immortal. Harmony in man is as real and immortal as in music. Discord is unreal and mortal.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 276:12-16

“Alone we can do nothing, but together our minds fuse into something whose power is far beyond the power of its separate parts. By not being separate, the Mind of God is established in ours and as ours. This Mind is invincible because it is undivided.” 

A Course in Miracles T-8.V.1:6-8

Each Condition I Welcome Transforms Me

Chisea di San Lorenzo - Italy

Photo credit: Blake Lasater

Unconditional

Written by Jennifer Welwood

“Willing to experience aloneness,

I discover connection everywhere;

Turning to face my fear,

I meet the warrior who lives within;

Opening to my loss,

I gain the embrace of the universe;

Surrendering into emptiness,

I find fullness without end.

Each condition I flee from pursues me,

Each condition I welcome transforms me

And becomes itself transformed

Into its radiant jewel-like essence.

I bow to the one who has made it so,

Who has crafted this Master Game;

To play it is purest delight;

To honor its form – true devotion.”

By Jennifer Welwood

Www.JenniferWelwood.com

Loving the Happy

Pat Quinn as a living window at

Eureka Thyme

What do you dream of doing? I’ve always wanted to sing — to sing really, really well. As an accompanist of singers, there have been times we seem to meld, and I get to sing vicariously through them. It’s a wonderful feeling of unity with my fellow humans. More than two decades ago, I met Pat Quinn. Since that time, barely a week has gone by when we didn’t make music together. Then the pandemic was upon us and she was unable to be vaccinated, so in her vulnerable state she chose to quit singing in the choirs she so loves. Today, to her utter surprise, she discovered her voice is “gone”.  In her words: “Have already accepted that I may never again find that singing sweet spot at the back of my throat. But I fully remember the feeling and the sound and the joy it brought me. (and you and others). Too many lovely memories to ever forget, that I am so grateful for.  Nothing lasts forever, and even before today I've come to realize that......in some ways I live my life like my sweet animal friends, in the present moment and truly loving the ’happy.’” And I love you, Pat, and will always remember the day you glowed like the stars in the sky.

“Then close your eyes upon the world you see, and in the silent darkness watch the lights that are not of this world light one by one, until where one begins another ends loses all meaning as they blend in one.” 

A Course in Miracles W-129.7:5

‘“Let there be light,’ is the perpetual demand of Truth and Love, changing chaos into order and discord into the music of the spheres.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 255:3-6