Releasing Beliefs From the Past

Photo of unknown origin

In the past few decades, we have seen a great evolution in thought. A video story set in Australia in the 1950s has reminded me of how far we’ve come. (For you video buffs, it’s called A Place to Call Home.) It’s inspiring to see what beliefs we have given up, replacing them with Love rather than fear. For instance, we had many closed-minded ideas about people of different skin color marrying each other, not to mention the barriers imposed by religious separation and gender. People had to endure electrical shock treatment and its aftermath to “cure” homosexuality or hysteria. Natural acts, such as giving birth, were thought of as a disease which needed to be managed in torturous ways. We’ve come a long way in dispelling erroneous thought and replacing it with what we now see as advanced thinking! What if we’re meant to advance even further? We’ll never know until we are able to divest ourselves of the shackles of the past which hold us in place, and listen to the guidance of divine Mind leading us to heights never before imagined!

“God knows you now. He remembers nothing, having always known you exactly as He knows you now. The holy instant reflects His knowing by bringing all perception out of the past, thus removing the frame of reference you have built by which to judge your brothers. Once this is gone, the Holy Spirit substitutes His frame of reference for it. His frame of reference is simply God. The Holy Spirit’s timelessness lies only here. For in the holy instant, free of the past, you see that love is in you, and you have no need to look without and snatch love guiltily from where you thought it was.” 

A Course in Miracles T-15.V.9:1-7

"Our false views of matter perish as we grasp the facts of Spirit. The old belief must be cast out or the new idea will be spilled, and the inspiration, which is to change our standpoint, will be lost." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 281:28-1 

Beyond the Veil of Old Ideas

Photo courtesy of Aaron Springston

Most of us have changed quite a bit from the time we were small children, both in appearance and the way we think. While pondering A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #7, I realize that I have done a disservice to a person by holding him frozen in time within my thoughts. I understand that everything is colored by past experience, and I'm willing to release these feelings in order to catch a glimpse of Life without prejudice. While the person I've had difficulty seeing with the grace of forgiveness has, undoubtedly, changed in many ways, my thoughts about him have not. I've mentioned this situation in past writings, and there is no need to reinforce my judgment further by repeating the circumstances, but there is reason for me to examine why I'm so dedicated to blaming them for their actions. Why does it bother me so much? Why am I taking it personally? These are questions I am now willing to turn over to Holy Spirit, yielding to divine Love and its all-encompassing presence.

"The history of error or matter, if veritable, would set aside the omnipotence of Spirit; but it is the false history in contradistinction to the true.”  

Mary Baker Eddy- Science and Health, Page 521:29-2

“The savior’s vision is as innocent of what your brother is as it is free of any judgment made upon yourself. It sees no past in anyone at all. And thus it serves a wholly open mind, unclouded by old concepts, and prepared to look on only what the present holds. It cannot judge because it does not know. And recognizing this, it merely asks, ‘What is the meaning of what I behold?’ Then is the answer given. And the door held open for the face of Christ to shine upon the one who asks, in innocence, to see beyond the veil of old ideas and ancient concepts held so long and dear against the vision of the Christ in you.” 

A Course in Miracles - T-31.VII.13:1-7A

Seeing Through the Illusion

“Dancing With the Shadow Self”

Creation of Sandy Wythawai Starbird

Let’s say you wake up in the morning and are upset about something which was happening in your sleeping dream; it only takes a moment to shake off the feeling of fear or anxiety as you affirm the illusory nature of what seemed so terribly real. In our waking dreams, we often experience upset in many forms because we have accepted the illusion of separation from divine Love — and each other. Perhaps we’re feeling sad or depressed; maybe we’re unhappy or have a bit of ennui following us around. Whatever form it takes, it matters not if the upset is small or large, as it is all a mistaken interpretation of the reality of our being. It can be distressing to admit we have a choice in regard to these feelings, as we don’t want to think this is our own fault. And so I will strive to NOT apportion blame to others or to myself, but rather to release upsetting emotions the way I would evaporate a bad dream. I'm happy to admit I don't know why or how these feelings come to me, as I open my mind to All that Is and move into a new world created by Love.

“Mortal mind is constantly producing on mortal body the results of false opinions; and it will continue to do so, until mortal error is deprived of its imaginary powers by Truth, which sweeps away the gossamer web of mortal illusion.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 403:16-20

“It is not you who are so vulnerable and open to attack that just a word, a little whisper that you do not like, a circumstance that suits you not, or an event that you did not anticipate upsets your world, and hurls it into chaos. Truth is not frail. Illusions leave it perfectly unmoved and undisturbed. But specialness is not the truth in you. It can be thrown off balance by anything. What rests on nothing never can be stable. However large and overblown it seems to be, it still must rock and turn and whirl about with every breeze.”
A Course in Miracles T-24.III.3:1-7

Never Upset For the Reason I Think

Sometimes I get emotionally overwrought and don't realize it's happening until I say or do something foolish. At times like these, I wish I could retreat to the top of a mountain -- or perhaps a cave -- and wait for calm to come again. But that's not the way life happens, is it? Actually, it is — if that place of calm you find is inside yourself. And that is, after all, the only place it truly can be. I could be by myself in outer space but still be fragile if my mind is spinning in circles of anxiety. So when I'm tempted to say someone else has upset me, that isn't even close to being true. Perhaps I've been tense about numerous circumstances and allow one little thing to tip the boat over. These times are when I return to Love, as I'm doing right now. I'm going to listen to calm instrumental music, close my eyes and forgive myself, loving the people and situations I could say are causing my unrest. "I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you." 

"I am never upset for the reason I think. This idea ...can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain. Apply it specifically to whatever you believe is the cause of your upset, using the description of the feeling in whatever term seems accurate to you. The upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different. This is not true." A Course in Miracles W-pI.5.1.

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

Health - The Language of My Discernment

Many people have a multitude of problematic happenings in their lives. One dear woman is worried about her husband’s memory. Another has gangrene in her foot and her future is uncertain in every way. One passed a kidney stone and is very happy that’s over! Another is worried about losing his job. Someone has an adult son in rehab with serious mental problems. One of these people, a metaphysician, is feeling guilty because she can’t “do” something about the situation. This caused me to think about the impersonal nature of disease. We tend to want to blame ourselves when a malady occurs. What did I do wrong which caused this dis-ease? If we are truly One in Spirit, then perhaps we shouldn’t take all the blame for the mass hypnotism running rampant in our society. Everywhere, the media and individuals are telling us what’s wrong with us, or a news story is proclaiming disaster from something or another, or someone is predicting doom in some form. What are we to do? Just say no! There are many books and YouTube videos giving us tips on how to counteract negativity. Don’t be afraid to lift your thought in this way. I think I’ll do that right now!

“Hatred and its effects on the body are removed by Love. Because mortal mind seems to be conscious, the sick say: ‘How can my mind cause a disease I never thought of and knew nothing about, until it appeared on my body?’ The author has answered this question in her explanation of disease as originating in human belief before it is consciously apparent on the body, which is in fact the objective state of mortal mind, though it is called matter. This mortal blindness and its sharp consequences show our need of divine metaphysics. Through immortal Mind, or Truth, we can destroy all ills which proceed from mortal mind.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 374:5-16

“In this world the only remaining freedom is the freedom of choice; always between two choices or two voices. Will is not involved in perception at any level, and has nothing to do with choice. Consciousness is the receptive mechanism, receiving messages from above or below; from the Holy Spirit or the ego. Consciousness has levels and awareness can shift quite dramatically, but it cannot transcend the perceptual realm. At its highest it becomes aware of the real world, and can be trained to do so increasingly. Yet the very fact that it has levels and can be trained demonstrates that it cannot reach knowledge.”

 A Course in Miracles C-1.7:1-6

Happiness all Around Us …

 

Everywhere I went today, people were talking about how weird their day was, or how odd they felt, or what crazy things were going on around them. I love hearing these stories, don't you? No one seemed to be particularly upset about these odd events in their lives. The checker at the grocery store was almost giddy when relating a few events from her day. Once again proving that things are either stressful or exciting, maddening or fun, according to your interpretation and perceptions! I'm not going to go into the weird things which happened in my world today, but I feel the need for some Deva Premal chants. Here's one for you, too! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlnHON3tAXo

"Happiness is spiritual, born of truth and love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 57

“To be wholehearted you must be happy. If fear and love cannot coexist, and if it is impossible to be wholly fearful and remain alive, the only possible whole state is that of love. There is no difference between love and joy. Therefore, the only possible whole state is the wholly joyous. To heal or to make joyous is therefore the same as to integrate and to make one. That is why it makes no difference to what part or by what part of the Sonship the healing is offered. Every part benefits, and benefits equally.” 

A Course in Miracles T-5.in.2:1-7

The Bridge of Return

Brought forth from the creative mind of

Sandy Wythawai Starbird

A new year brings excitement, as we dream of how everything can change and be made new. I listen to and read the writings of Eckhart Tolle regularly, and A New Earth is one I frequently revisit. The idea that we are transcending the thoughts which bind us, evolving to another stage of consciousness, is very exciting! The possibility of stepping out of habitual thought and living in the present moment can be frightening to those of us who are accustomed to living for the future. Perhaps, with the busy-ness of our thinking, we have lost the connection with our sense of being, the intelligence which is more than thoughts in our head. Now is the time to move into another stage of evolution, allowing consciousness to release our addiction to circular thinking. For humanity to continue its evolution, we must transcend the mind, going beyond the compulsion to think and realizing a deeper level of being. This evolutionary transformation of consciousness is no longer a luxury, but a necessity if we are to survive. Giving up beliefs and interpretations which we have assigned to everything clears the way for the thought-expanding ideas which will lead us to exactly where we need to be, doing what needs to be done. What an exciting time to be alive! 

"The enslavement of man is not legitimate. It will cease when man enters into his heritage of freedom, his God-given dominion over the material senses."

Science & Health Page 228:11-13

“Evolution is a process in which you seem to proceed from one degree to the next. You correct your previous missteps by stepping forward. This process is actually incomprehensible in temporal terms, because you return as you go forward. The Atonement is the device by which you can free yourself from the past as you go ahead. It undoes your past errors, thus making it unnecessary for you to keep retracing your steps without advancing to your return. In this sense the Atonement saves time, but like the miracle it serves, does not abolish it. As long as there is need for Atonement, there is need for time. But the Atonement as a completed plan has a unique relationship to time. Until the Atonement is complete, its various phases will proceed in time, but the whole Atonement stands at time’s end. At that point the bridge of return has been built.” 

A Course in Miracles - T-2.II.6:1-10