An Invincible Love

“In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger -- something better, pushing right back." Albert Camus 

“The good in human affections must have ascendency over the evil and the spiritual over the animal, or happiness will never be won. The attainment of this celestial condition would improve our progeny, diminish crime, and give higher aims to ambition. Every valley of sin must be exalted, and every mountain of selfishness be brought low, that the highway of our God may be prepared in Science.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 61:4-10

“Thanks be to you, the holy Son of God. For as you were created, you contain all things within your Self. And you are still as God created you. Nor can you dim the light of your perfection. In your heart the Heart of God is laid. He holds you dear, because you are Himself. All gratitude belongs to you, because of what you are.” 

A Course in Miracles W-197.8:1-7

Going Home to the Mountains

Rocky Mountain High

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. Awakening from the stupefying effects of the vice of over-industry and the deadly apathy of luxury, they are trying as best they can to mix and enrich their own little ongoings with those of Nature, and to get rid of rust and disease.” ―  John Muir - Our National Parks

“To mortal mind, the universe is liquid, solid, and aëri-form. Spiritually interpreted, rocks and mountains stand for solid and grand ideas.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 511:23-25

“Accept the miracle of healing, and it will go forth because of what it is. It is its nature to extend itself the instant it is born. And it is born the instant it is offered and received. No one can ask another to be healed. But he can let himself be healed, and thus offer the other what he has received. Who can bestow upon another what he does not have? And who can share what he denies himself? The Holy Spirit speaks to you. He does not speak to someone else. Let by your listening His Voice extends, because you have accepted what He says.” 

A Course in Miracles T-27.V.1:3-12

Awake Awhile …

 

It’s not often I find myself despondent throughout an entire day. But this has been one of them, and so I search out inspiration from some of my favorite writings…

Awake Awhile - By Hafiz

“Awake awhile.

It does not have to be forever.

Right now.  One step upon the Sky’s soft skirt would be enough.

Awake awhile.

Just one True moment of Love will last for days.

Rest all your elaborate plans and tactics for knowing Him,

For they are all just frozen spring buds

Far, so far from Summer’s Divine Gold.

Awake, my dear.

Be kind to your sleeping heart.

Take it out into the vast fields of Light

And let it breathe.

Say, ‘Love, give me back my wings.

Lift me, lift me nearer.’

Say to the sun and moon, say to our dear Friend,

‘I will take you up now, Beloved,

On that wonderful Dance You promised!’”

“Earth has little light or joy for mortals before Life is spiritually learned. Every agony of mortal error helps error to destroy error, and so aids the apprehension of immortal Truth. This is the new birth going on hourly, by which men may entertain angels, the true ideas of God, the spiritual sense of being.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 548:11-17

“The world will end in joy, because it is a place of sorrow. When joy has come, the purpose of the world has gone. The world will end in peace, because it is a place of war. When peace has come, what is the purpose of the world? The world will end in laughter, because it is a place of tears. Where there is laughter, who can longer weep? And only complete forgiveness brings all this to bless the world. In blessing it departs, for it will not end as it began. To turn hell into Heaven is the function of God’s teachers, for what they teach are lessons in which Heaven is reflected. And now sit down in true humility, and realize that all God would have you do you can do. Do not be arrogant and say you cannot learn His Own curriculum. His Word says otherwise. His Will be done. It cannot be otherwise. And be you thankful it is so.” 

A Course in Miracles  M-14.5:1-15

A Senseless Death

Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall Trail

Around 25 years ago, I met Cal and Stephanie Piston when he was coaching my son’s club soccer team in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Recently I have enjoyed photographs of a vacation they took to England. While they were there, they walked the 70-plus miles known as Hadrian’s Wall. It brings me great joy to see this beautiful retired couple traveling and enjoying life in this way. Sixteen days ago, they posted photos to social media of an iconic tree on the trail they were hiking. The Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall is more than 200 years old and has been featured in movies. It is a landmark and a national treasure. Yesterday, someone vandalized it in the most terrible way possible: they cut it down during the night. Why would anyone do such a thing? It’s inexplicable. I join with countless others who must be feeling sadness tonight. Perhaps we will all find ways to nurture the earth today, maybe we’ll even hug a tree in memory of this lost life. 

“Nature voices natural, spiritual law and divine Love, but human belief misinterprets nature. Arctic regions, sunny tropics, giant hills, winged winds, mighty billows, verdant vales, festive flowers, and glorious heavens, — all point to Mind, the spiritual intelligence they reflect. The floral apostles are hieroglyphs of Deity. Suns and planets teach grand lessons. The stars make night beautiful, and the leaflet turns naturally towards the light.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 240:1-9

“There is a light in you which cannot die; whose presence is so holy that the world is sanctified because of you. All things that live bring gifts to you, and offer them in gratitude and gladness at your feet. The scent of flowers is their gift to you. The waves bow down before you, and the trees extend their arms to shield you from the heat, and lay their leaves before you on the ground that you may walk in softness, while the wind sinks to a whisper round your holy head.” 

A Course in Miracles W-156.4:1-4

Uprooting Shallow Roots

It often seems humanity is on the verge of becoming the best that it can be, and then something happens and we slide down, beginning our Sisyphean push back up the hill, always hoping we can reach the peak and live there. In contemplating our human condition today, I ran across this which was written by Mary Baker Eddy in the late 1800s. I know it’s still true and we must continue to correct error with truth …

“To my sense, the most imminent dangers confronting the coming century are: the robbing of people of life and liberty under the warrant of the Scriptures; the claims of politics and of human power, industrial slavery, and insufficient freedom of honest competition; and ritual, creed, and trusts in place of the Golden Rule, ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.’”

Mary Baker Eddy - The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany

“All shallow roots must be uprooted, because they are not deep enough to sustain you. The illusion that shallow roots can be deepened, and thus made to hold, is one of the distortions on which the reverse of the Golden Rule rests. As these false underpinnings are given up, the equilibrium is temporarily experienced as unstable. However, nothing is less stable than an upside-down orientation. Nor can anything that holds it upside down be conducive to increased stability.” A Course in Miracles T-1.V.6:3-7

To Believe Or Not

This quote comes to mind often: “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true." Soren Kierkegaard. To me, social media is a way to keep up with loved ones far away, people close by, and cool happenings either close by or far away. Of course, it is also the avenue for conspiracy theories and purveyors of horrid happenings. Intermittently, stories travel around our little town about something unexpected and ugly. I truly believe most folks think they are helping others by warning them about trouble. The same holds true on the national level when people warn us that Tom Hanks is a pedophile or that Hillary Clinton drinks baby’s blood. Hence, I come back to the sentiment in the Kierkegaard quote often: Am I being fooled by believing or not believing?? It has always seemed to me that truth just feels true. But with so much misinformation going around in everyone's heads, I think it's easier to be pulled into swirling, chaotic thought now than it used to be. It's rather like an approaching storm with its electric, exciting expectancy: will it be beautiful and cleansing or are we going to Oz? And, is that necessarily a bad thing? Hum...

"Science only can explain the incredible good and evil elements now coming to the surface. Mortals must find refuge in Truth in order to escape the error of these latter days. Nothing is more antagonistic to Christian Science than a blind belief without understanding, for such a belief hides Truth and builds on error." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 83:6

“Hear, then, the one answer of the Holy Spirit to all the questions the ego raises: You are a child of God, a priceless part of His Kingdom, which He created as part of Him. Nothing else exists and only this is real. You have chosen a sleep in which you have had bad dreams, but the sleep is not real and God calls you to awake. There will be nothing left of your dream when you hear Him, because you will awaken. Your dreams contain many of the ego’s symbols and they have confused you. Yet that was only because you were asleep and did not know. When you wake you will see the truth around you and in you, and you will no longer believe in dreams because they will have no reality for you. Yet the Kingdom and all that you have created there will have great reality for you, because they are beautiful and true.” A Course in Miracles T-6.IV.6:1-8

Things Are Not Always As They Seem

Adventures in Mongolia

Photo by Aaron Springston

Often, things appear to be what they are not. Take this photograph, for instance. It appears as though this young man is doing something dangerous; jumping over a great abyss and courting disaster. He is not. This was taken in Mongolia when my son, Aaron, was there on a college trip. They spent 6 weeks in that country, with two weeks spent in the city and four in the wilderness. What an experience for them! Three teachers and 18 students were involved in this adventure. Aaron shaved his head because they knew they would have a period of time when showering was not possible, with miles of hiking and climbing up hills. They learned to help each other. They witnessed the Mongolian people invite them into their huts and offer food, when it appeared they had very little. They faced their fears and nurtured their compassionate natures. We can't all go on a trip such as this one, but we can reap the benefits by realizing what is really happening and what is simply an illusion being perpetuated by people wanting to mislead us. We can demonstrate compassion and love everyone, even while recognizing they may not seem deserving of it. There is nothing to forgive if there is no blame in the first place. Today I'm going to look closely at situations, desiring truth above all else. Namaste...

"The earth's diurnal rotation is invisible to the physical eye, and the sun seems to move from east to west, instead of the earth from west to east. Until rebuked by clearer views of the everlasting facts, this false testimony of the eye deluded the judgment and induced false conclusions." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 121:17

“Reality can dawn only on an unclouded mind. It is always there to be accepted, but its acceptance depends on your willingness to have it. To know reality must involve the willingness to judge unreality for what it is. To overlook nothingness is merely to judge it correctly, and because of your ability to evaluate it truly, to let it go. Knowledge cannot dawn on a mind full of illusions, because truth and illusions are irreconcilable. Truth is whole, and cannot be known by part of a mind.” A Course in Miracles T-10.IV.2:1-6