The Abolishment of War

 

“The man of imagination, maintaining the absolutely neutral position of Principle, with no pro-this or anti-that, is the one who will discover steps and techniques for communication leading to the abolishment of war.” 

We Are the World We Walk Through (or Christian Science, Re-explored) by Margaret Laird 

“The memory of God comes to the quiet mind. It cannot come where there is conflict, for a mind at war against itself remembers not eternal gentleness. The means of war are not the means of peace, and what the warlike would remember is not love. War is impossible unless belief in victory is cherished. Conflict within you must imply that you believe the ego has the power to be victorious. Why else would you identify with it? Surely you realize the ego is at war with God. Certain it is it has no enemy. Yet just as certain is its fixed belief it has an enemy that it must overcome and will succeed.” 

A Course in Miracles - T-23.I.1:1-9

“We thank You, Father, that we cannot lose the memory of You and of Your Love. We recognize our safety, and give thanks for all the gifts You have bestowed on us, for all the loving help we have received, for Your eternal patience, and the Word which You have given us that we are saved.”

A Course in Miracles W-234.2:1-2

We’re All This — Together

I love cooking shows, and there are some very innovative ones these days. I’m watching one called Taste of a Nation, in which Padma Lakshmi travels around the United States, meeting immigrants and visiting with them in their homes and restaurants. The first show was from El Paso, and it spoke frankly about immigration problems which have not been solved, but rather multiplied in these last few years. It was heartening to hear everyone supporting each other, no matter what their particular conservative or liberal leaning was. Hearing about people’s lives and watching them cook is so much fun! They bring new ideas to my kitchen, and a knowledge of their heritage, both in their cooking and personal history. It’s a wonderful way to be an "accidental tourist" and to visit other cultures from the recliner. Ah — life is good!

"Beauty, wealth, or fame is incompetent to meet the demands of the affections, and should never weigh against the better claims of intellect, goodness, and virtue. 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 

“Father, I give You all my thoughts today. I would have none of mine. In place of them, give me Your Own. I give You all my acts as well, that I may do Your Will instead of seeking goals which cannot be obtained, and wasting time in vain imaginings. Today I come to You. I will step back and merely follow You. Be You the Guide, and I the follower who questions not the wisdom of the Infinite, nor Love whose tenderness I cannot comprehend, but which is yet Your perfect gift to me.

Today we have one Guide to lead us on. And as we walk together, we will give this day to Him with no reserve at all. This is His day. And so it is a day of countless gifts and mercies unto us.”

A Course in Miracles W-233.1:1–2:4

Be My Mind

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Someone once told me that hopes hold us captive, and if we don't accept the "reality" of what we see around us, we are lost in dreams of what could be, giving up any chance of changing what is. I’m coming to see that the opposite is true. The material picture of good and evil warring with each other is what we have decided is truth, hence we hope and strive for good to win. With the burgeoning knowledge that divine Mind is the reality and mortal mind is the illusion, we are freed to do more than hope. The divinely-endowed, spiritually-scientific consciousness within us is opened and, like a fountain, the ideas we need flow forth. This consciousness is realized when we see that God IS our Mind, not just IN our mind. What a freeing concept!

“When we realize that there is one Mind, the divine law of loving our neighbor as ourselves is unfolded; whereas a belief in many ruling minds hinders man’s normal drift towards the one Mind, one God, and leads human thought into opposite channels where selfishness reigns.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 227:22-25

“Be in my mind, my Father, when I wake, and shine on me throughout the day today. Let every minute be a time in which I dwell with You. And let me not forget my hourly thanksgiving that You have remained with me, and always will be there to hear my call to You and answer me. As evening comes, let all my thoughts be still of You and of Your Love. And let me sleep sure of my safety, certain of Your care, and happily aware I am Your Son.”

A Course in Miracles ACIM, W-232.1:1-5

The Truth About Myself

Photo courtesy of Randal Thompson

A number of acquaintances seem to be incapable of making a decision. It seems as though they are reluctant to express an opinion until they hear someone else say it out loud. It’s as though they need confirmation that their beliefs about a situation are worthy, and so they wait for someone else to say that they think that way, too. This need for validation is not a rare condition. I believe I may have suffered from it at points in my life. Our study and practice of divine metaphysics leads us past the temptation to feel so self-important that we're afraid to be wrong. While it's usually thought of as low self-esteem which causes indecision, it seems to me that it's valuing your own forever-believed image of yourself over your true image as the likeness of God. Releasing many long-practiced ways of life facilitates our recognition of this, and with this peaceful understanding, we are freed. This spiritual sense allows us to speak without fear. I love listening to divine Mind rather than chasing in circles with mortal mind! It's more interesting, it frees me from worry and doubt, it leads me in fascinating paths, and it brings me peace. 

"Human belief has sought out many inventions, but not one of them can solve the problem of being without  the divine Principle of divine Science. Deductions from material hypotheses are not scientific. They differ from real Science because they are not based on the divine law."

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 273:4-9

“What can I seek for, Father, but Your Love? Perhaps I think I seek for something else; a something I have called by many names. Yet is Your Love the only thing I seek, or ever sought. For there is nothing else that I could ever really want to find. Let me remember You. What else could I desire but the truth about myself?” 

A Course in Miracles W-231.1:1-6

Life’s Lessons …

Every moment can be a learning experience, if we’re paying attention. Two things happened today which I took as profound life lessons. A decades-old friend was telling me she was thinking about going to the food bank because of a change in her income. As we talked about this, I mentioned it was fortunate we had such great distribution centers in our town. I also remembered that I had a bag of non-perishable food in the back of my vehicle which I’d been carrying around for a couple of weeks without dropping it off at Flint Street. It struck us simultaneously that I could pass it on directly to her and save us both a trip! The lesson in this is that what may seem like procrastination could be a prompt in a needed direction! Also, never be ashamed to tell your friends your needs; perhaps they are a source of supply. The second lesson is much simpler. I broke my favorite salad plate due to not being mindfully aware of my actions. It reminded me that every moment is important. I want to be ever-more aware of my actions and how they may affect someone else. I don’t care about my plate, but I do care about people I may hurt through my thoughtlessness. And so I shall try to be present in every moment, and I am most grateful for life’s reminders!

“The one Ego, the one Mind or Spirit called God, is infinite individuality, which supplies all form and comeliness and which reflects reality and divinity in individual spiritual man and things.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 281: 14-17

“Father, I seek the peace You gave as mine in my creation. What was given then must be here now, for my creation was apart from time, and still remains beyond all change. The peace in which Your Son was born into Your Mind is shining there unchanged. I am as You created me. I need but call on You to find the peace You gave. It is Your Will that gave it to Your Son.”

A Course in Miracles W-230.2:1-6

Love Leads the Way

“The Road Not Taken“ by Sonia Lera Preston

Many of us have a hard time seeing ourselves as Love. A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #229 tells us: “Love, which created me, is what I am.” We may think there are events in our lives which are so unlovely that we could not possibly be the reflection of Love. Many great sages have instructed us on how to save ourselves from the horror of past events. Thich Nhat Hanh and Mahatma Gandhi showed us how to rise above our feelings of guilt. No matter how this advice is worded, it comes down to one basic concept: extend Love to others; to everything and everyone. This is our atonement, to see the Oneness of all that Is and realize that nothing can ever occur which will separate us from divine Love. By giving love to the world, we give it to ourselves. And then we feel major changes within. We can forgive ourselves, even as we are forgiven, because we were never condemned. 

"Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. 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. 

Patience must 'have her perfect work.'" 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 454:18-24

“I seek my own Identity, and find It in these words: ‘Love, which created me, is what I am.’ Now need I seek no more. Love has prevailed.  So still It waited for my coming home, that I will turn away no longer from the holy face of Christ. And what I look upon attests the truth of the Identity I sought to lose, 

but which my Father has kept safe for me.”

A Course in Miracles W-229.1:1-5

We Can Choose Again

Photo courtesy of Alden Stallings

One of the most wonderful things about the teachings of A Course in Miracles is the recognition of our ability to "choose again".  If we have fallen into fear-based actions, we are not required to continue on that path. It seems that a major impediment to releasing these mistaken dreams is our desire to keep all the good dreams, while letting go of the bad. I really want to get rid of memories of painful, fearful circumstances, but I'd rather hold on to lots of nice ones! Is there any difference? Isn't it all a material dream of pain and pleasure, life and death, duality after duality? Spiritual sense sees only perfect oneness, wherein there is no condemnation or reason for blame. I want to see with spiritual eyes, and that is the key to this sight: a desire to do so. If we don't want to release painful thoughts, we won't. If we want to relive hurts and betrayals, we will. In conversations, it is repeatedly brought to my attention how much people cherish being right. It seems to be a great source of satisfaction. But isn't being right or wrong simply a perception? My personal gauge is a feeling of peacefulness. Does a decision to act in a certain way bring a feeling of peace? If it does, then I go forward with that action.  Many decisions seem to be dictated by dogma on our part. We might think: This is the way it's always been for me, and I like it that way, and I'm going to keep it that way. And so we do. Even if the repetitive actions bring us sadness and conflict, we have decided that this is "right" and we must stick by our guns (what a horrible saying that is!) — and so we continue on in this way, whether it brings peace and happiness or the opposite. Let's remember to see ourselves as God sees us today, knowing that we are guiltless, sinless, and pure.

“Now is the time for so-called material pains and material pleasures to pass away, for both are unreal, because impossible in Science. To break this earthly spell, mortals must get the true idea and divine Principle of all that really exists and governs the universe harmoniously. This thought is apprehended slowly, and the interval before its attainment is attended with doubts and defeats as well as triumphs.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 39:23-30

“Father, I was mistaken in myself, because I failed to realize the Source from which I came. I have not left that Source to enter in a body and to die. My holiness remains a part of me, as I am part of You. And my mistakes about myself are dreams. I let them go today. And I stand ready to receive Your Word alone for what I really am.”

A Course in Miracles W-228.2:1-6