Beautiful Spring

 

Blue Spring in Eureka Springs, AR

From Harrison Sutcliffe Photography

Springtime is so beautiful! Green shoots pushing through the soil cause my heart to beat just a bit faster in anticipation. I have an asparagus patch which is in its 4th year and the beautiful pesticide-free stalks have brought joy to my tastebuds and happiness to my eyes. The redbuds have shown their tenacity by continuing to bloom through a couple of freezing nights, and the dogwoods are right on cue for their Easter Sunday appearance. The daffodils are almost through showing off, and iris and peony are readying themselves to take their place. Waterfalls are flowing, people are kayaking on the rivers, and we’re all planting seeds and watching beautiful sunsets. I’ve been enjoying a youtube series called Danu’s Irish Herb Garden. It’s made by a lovely woman of a certain age who makes me want to forage for food. Life is good! 

“The periods of spiritual ascension are the days and seasons of Mind’s creation, in which beauty, sublimity, purity, and holiness — yea, the divine nature — appear in man and the universe never to disappear.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 509:24-28

“It is in your power to make this season holy, for it is in your power to make the time of Christ be now. It is possible to do this all at once because there is but one shift in perception that is necessary, for you made but one mistake. It seems like many, but it is all the same. For though the ego takes many forms, it is always the same idea. What is not love is always fear, and nothing else.” 

A Course in Miracles T-15.X.4:1-5

Why Did They Kill Jesus?

 

Photo credit: Blake Lasater

I remember a time long, long ago when I was a child, asking my mother why the people killed Jesus. Oddly enough, she told me she didn’t know; that it made no sense to her either. I can only suppose she said this because she didn’t want me to be crucified by my little fundamentalist friends, because she knew I never could keep my mouth shut. She was an ardent student of the Bible and Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures, so I’m sure she knew exactly why religious leaders were afraid to let him live. He was preaching the doctrine of Love, which had nothing to do with taking an eye for an eye or persecuting others because they didn’t acquiesce to prescribed doctrine. We know it was not the heathens who nailed him to a cross and laughed at him for his new way of thinking. It was the religious leaders. These men who wanted to be in charge of everything and not let people know that the power was within them, they are the ones who tried to bury his teachings about God. In 2000 years we’re still afraid to speak truth to error. I applaud every one of you who question the nature of reality and the veracity of the leaders we follow!

“Led on by the grossest element of mortal mind, Herod decreed the death of every male child in order that the man Jesus, the masculine representative of the spiritual idea, might never hold sway and deprive Herod of his crown. The impersonation of the spiritual idea had a brief history in the earthly life of our Master; but ‘of his kingdom there shall be no end,’ for Christ, God’s idea, will eventually rule all nations and peoples — imperatively, absolutely, finally — with divine Science. This immaculate idea, represented first by man and, according to the Revelator, last by woman, will baptize with fire; and the fiery baptism will burn up the chaff of error with the fervent heat of Truth and Love, melting and purifying even the gold of human character. After the stars sang together and all was primeval harmony, the material lie made war upon the spiritual idea; but this only impelled the idea to rise to the zenith of demonstration, destroying sin, sickness, and death, and to be caught up unto God, — to be found in its divine Principle.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 566:9-27

“I have said that the crucifixion is the symbol of the ego. When it was confronted with the real guiltlessness of God’s Son it did attempt to kill him, and the reason it gave was that guiltlessness is blasphemous to God. To the ego, the ego is God, and guiltlessness must be interpreted as the final guilt that fully justifies murder. You do not yet understand that any fear you may experience in connection with this course stems ultimately from this interpretation, but if you will consider your reactions to it you will become increasingly convinced that this is so.” 

A Course in Miracles T-13.II.6:1-4

Upside-Down Point of View?

 

Big Jesus Statue in Eureka Springs

Photo by Dale Johnson

The words crucifixion and resurrection mean different things to us all. Some images in memory may be rather gruesome, while many are joyful and celebratory. I see these words as representing the freedom which comes with our resurrection from the tomb of material belief. The Christ Idea is risen in all the beauty of divine Love, as our ascension in thought shows us the ultimate reality of Life. On a personal level, I see this as the acceptance of myself as the spiritual idea I Am; a letting go of the material thought-basis which binds me to unreality. Now is the time to rise in the spirit of Truth, to celebrate the transformation which comes with the renewal of my mind. Now is the time to realize that no one can give me salvation, because it's already mine. Now is the time to claim this salvation and wear it with a calm which only comes from yielding mortal mind's control. And I lay down the sword ---

“We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.

And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 497:20-28

“If the crucifixion is seen from an upside-down point of view, it does appear as if God permitted and even encouraged one of His Sons to suffer because he was good. This particularly unfortunate interpretation, which arose out of projection, has led many people to be bitterly afraid of God. Such anti-religious concepts enter into many religions. Yet the real Christian should pause and ask, ‘How could this be?’ Is it likely that God Himself would be capable of the kind of thinking which His Own words have clearly stated is unworthy of His Son?” 

A Course in Miracles - Chapter 3, Atonement Without Sacrifice 

Put Down the Sword

 

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

For many of us, the celebrations of Easter hold negative trigger words such as salvation, resurrection, crucifixion. When we look at the metaphorical meaning of those words, we can relax into an understanding which is different from the traditional story telling about the murder of Jesus. I’m not going to delve into those interpretations as you all know them as well as I — perhaps better, depending upon your religious background. No matter what we have believed, we’re asked to put down the sword and pick up the flowers, carrying forth the light of forgiveness and recognizing ourselves in the light of the Christ, which is what Jesus was trying to tell us in his beautiful teachings. If you want to hear some beautiful things about this vision, Marianne Williamson has a chat on youtube where she speaks to the resurrection we can experience daily. 

https://youtu.be/fOdZQWrq8D0

"Resurrection: Spiritualization of thought; a new and higher idea of immortality, or spiritual existence; material belief yielding to spiritual understanding." 

Mary Baker Eddy- Science & Health Page 592:9-11

“Your resurrection is your reawakening. I am the model for rebirth, but rebirth itself is merely the dawning on your mind of what is already in it. God placed it there Himself, and so it is true forever. I believed in it, and therefore accepted it as true for me. Help me to teach it to our brothers in the name of the Kingdom of God, but first believe that it is true for you, or you will teach amiss. My brothers slept during the so-called ‘agony in the garden,’ but I could not be angry with them because I knew I could not be abandoned.”

A Course in Miracles T-6.I.7:1-67ujk,.

Mr. Rogers

Perhaps our moral compass in the United States went haywire when Mr. Rogers' soothing show was no longer on television. He taught us all to just be nice, but it was more than that, don’t you think? I read an article about him which said his goal was to promote “self-esteem, self-control, imagination, creativity, curiosity, appreciation of diversity, cooperation, patience and persistence.” He taught us how to perform necessary tasks, such as tying our shoelaces; he informed us about things which enrich our lives, like planting a garden. He never told children they were just as good as anyone else, or that they were infallible, but rather he taught us that we each have value, and that value isn’t tied to particular successes or failures. He encouraged children to go to school and listen to their teachers, humanizing educators by telling the young viewers that the teachers were once children, too. Mr. Rogers taught us to be mindfully aware, to enjoy the process, and to love our neighbors. What more do we need? I think we need another Mr. Rogers...

“A miracle is a service. It is the maximal service you can render to another. It is a way of loving your neighbor as yourself. You recognize your own and your neighbor’s worth simultaneously.” 

A Course in Miracles T-1.I.18:1-4

"Incorrect reasoning leads to practical error. The wrong thought should be arrested before it has a chance to manifest itself." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 452:4

Go Back and Live …

 

Art by Amanda Cass

Many of my friends have recently experienced the death of a loved one. I am learning from their experiences, my study of metaphysics, and random writings such as these I share with you today:

YOU’RE THE GHOST- written by Donna Ashworth

There’s a part of the grieving process,

where your soul kind of leaves your body too. 

As though it’s off searching for the one you lost, 

somewhere in the ether. 

You walk around, 

doing all the right things, 

putting one foot in front of the other, 

living,

but it’s really as though you’re the ghost. 

Perhaps you are. 

Perhaps your soul searches,

until you find the one you miss,

and they tell you to go back and live.

So, when that numbness passes brave one, 

maybe it’s time to do what you are told,

go back and live, 

twice as hard. 

You don’t belong there in the ether, 

nor do you need to search for the one you lost, 

they find you.

And when they do, you’ll feel it. 

By Donna Ashworth

From ‘I Wish I knew’

“We honor you today. Yours is the right to perfect holiness you now accept. With this acceptance is salvation brought to everyone, for who could cherish sin when holiness like this has blessed the world? Who could despair when perfect joy is yours, available to all as remedy for grief and misery, all sense of loss, and for complete escape from sin and guilt?” 

A Course in Miracles W-162.5:1-4

“If grief causes suffering, convince the sufferer that affliction is often the source of joy, and that he should rejoice always in ever-present Love.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures Page 377:3-5

Living Love

 

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Today I was talking on the phone to my forever-friend, Nancy, who lives in the Little Rock area. While we were chatting, the storm warning sirens began to sound. We shared some memories about storms from our childhood, then she went to check on her husband and I went about my business. In a few minutes, she sent me photos of tornado damage a short block from her daughter’s house. When tragedies happen, no matter where in the world, they cause us to have a moment of introspection. It’s tempting to be grateful that you and yours were spared, but that has never felt like a productive reaction to me. I know that at this very moment there are people thanking god for sparing them from this event. But isn’t there an implication that those who have lost their homes — and perhaps loved ones — have done something wrong which brought this down upon them? Today I shall be on the lookout for self-righteous prayer when sending loving energy to all in need. And I think that would include each and every one of us…

‘The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 25:30-32

“‘I rest in God.’ Completely undismayed, this thought will carry you through storms and strife, past misery and pain, past loss and death, and onward to the certainty of God. There is no suffering it cannot heal. There is no problem that it cannot solve. And no appearance but will turn to truth before the eyes of you who rest in God.” 

A Course in Miracles  W-109.3:1-5