The Four Nutriments

I watched part of a video today, the unabridged reading of “How to Focus” by Thich Nhat Hahn. I love being reminded of what’s important in life. He speaks of the four nutriments which can bring us joy or pain; which enable living beings to grow and maintain life. What are these four nutriments? He tells us: “The first is edible food, the second is the food of sense impressions, the third is the food of volition, and the fourth is the food of consciousness.” In relation to edible food, it is important we learn to shop, cook, and eat food with certain caveats in mind. We must eat in ways which will nourish our spirit. We need to eat in a way which helps retain compassion and preserves our collective well-being. In everything may we minimize our suffering, and minimize the suffering of all beings. Mindfulness can purify our mind and allow us to look deeply into the nature of All that Is. Caring and compassion are utmost in my mind today. I’ll be on the lookout for ways to expand this Love as I walk through our world.

“As a material, theoretical life-basis is found to be a misapprehension of existence, the spiritual and divine Principle of man dawns upon human thought, and leads it to 'where the young child was,' -- even to the birth of a new-old idea, to the spiritual sense of being and of what Life includes. Thus the whole earth will be transformed by Truth on its pinions of light, chasing away the darkness of error."
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 191:8

“Let us come daily to this holy place, and spend a while together. Here we share our final dream. It is a dream in which there is no sorrow, for it holds a hint of all the glory given us by God. The grass is pushing through the soil, the trees are budding now, and birds have come to live within their branches. Earth is being born again in new perspective. Night has gone, and we have come together in the light.”
A Course in Miracles W-pII.2.4:1-6

Creativity and Imagination

We must see beyond the confines of what we believe to be true. For the past few years, I’ve been thinking deeply about why we humans have drastically divergent ideas of what is true. It’s a fascinating, yet frustrating, study! Iain McGilchrist has the most plausible explanation I have found for this. He has written a book called The Matter With Things. Since this book is 1100-pages long, more topics are addressed than I know about, but I’ve been learning quite a bit by listening to a variety of his interviews and talks. From these, I’ve gleaned that we must exercise the creative side of our brains. Without both sides working together, we lose the ability to use critical thinking in order to see the whole picture of the world around us. The left hemisphere, knowing less, thinks it knows everything: the Dunning-Kruger effect. When we lose the right-brain creative input, the left has nothing to challenge it, and the literal side crowds out the questioning side. The left brain, the literal side, apprehends; the right side comprehends. Bottom line, we must — absolutely must — exercise creativity. Listen to and play music, draw and paint, read and write, walk in the woods and imagine what the sprites and fairies are doing — anything at all which takes you out of by-rote thinking. This doesn’t sound like a chore to me!

“Mortals are egotists. They believe themselves to be independent workers, personal authors, and even privileged originators of something which Deity would not or could not create. The creations of mortal mind are material. Immortal spiritual man alone represents the truth of creation.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 263:1-6

“An insane learner learns strange lessons. What you must recognize is that when you do not share a thought system, you are weakening it. Those who believe in it therefore perceive this as an attack on them. This is because everyone identifies himself with his thought system, and every thought system centers on what you believe you are. If the center of the thought system is true, only truth extends from it. But if a lie is at its center, only deception proceeds from it.”
A Course in Miracles T-6.V-B.1:5-11

The Elevation of Existence

I want to write about the Ukrainians and their fear and pain. I want to write about a president and his cohorts, and what they do in the name of greed and power. I want to write about my acquaintances, who are still defending the dishonesty in our government; also the conservatives who have realized there is no conservation in their chosen political party. I want to write about the pain of those who love goodness and truth. I want to write about those who cry out for full disclosure, no matter who may fall in this facing of facts, knowing this is the only way to reclaim the lofty ideals this country was built upon. I want to write about the slaves who were abused by our early ancestors, and the aftermath of our self-righteous bigotry. But I’d rather write about the new earth this cleansing fire will bring us, the beauty left in the aftermath of this torment, and the love we have not forgotten.

“How willing are you to forgive your brother? How much do you desire peace instead of endless strife and misery and pain? These questions are the same, in different form. Forgiveness is your peace, for herein lies the end of separation and the dream of danger and destruction, sin and death; of madness and of murder, grief and loss. This is the ‘sacrifice’ salvation asks, and gladly offers peace instead of this.” 

A Course in Miracles T-29.VI.1:1-5

“Earth has no repayment for the persecutions which attend a new step in Christianity; but the spiritual recompense of the persecuted is assured in the elevation of existence above mortal discord and in the gift of divine Love.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 97:32-3

Criminals Desire Our Apathy

In my younger days, I enjoyed horror stories. Stephen King was a favorite because of his exceptionally good writing and his insights into the psyche of the psychopath. I was fascinated by the awfulness of it. Going hand in hand with that fascination, was my desire to pollute my body with substances which seemed to be fun, but ultimately were not. Over the last three decades, I’ve given up these things one by one, some more readily than others. I’ve been thinking about the horrors of the political scene as we’ve watched it unfold over these same decades. It has culminated in a particularly intense awfulness at this point, and I have no desire to partake of its emotional rollercoaster. While it seems wise to know what’s going on, I’ve begun to question even that. But I go back to the old statement attributed to a wise person: I only want to hear about the problem as an identifier; after that, I only need to think about it to find solutions. As of today, I reaffirm my conviction to do this. I wish you peace in whatever way you choose to do good!

“The Holy Spirit’s problem solving is the way in which the problem ends. It has been solved because it has been met with justice. Until it has it will recur, because it has not yet been solved. The principle that justice means no one can lose is crucial to this course. For miracles depend on justice. Not as it is seen through this world’s eyes, but as God knows it and as knowledge is reflected in the sight the Holy Spirit gives.”
A Course in Miracles T-25.IX.5:1-6

“The mild forms of animal magnetism are disappearing, and its aggressive features are coming to the front. The looms of crime, hidden in the dark recesses of mortal thought, are every hour weaving webs more complicated and subtle. So secret are the present methods of animal magnetism that they ensnare the age into indolence, and produce the very apathy on the subject which the criminal desires.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 102:16

Let’s Talk

Promotional Photo From the Movie Wicked

Today a friend and I went to the movie, Wicked. Wow! What an experience it was! I could talk at length about the costumes, the special effects, the acting, the singing — it was all fabulous. But I want to focus on the animals. In this tale, staged in Munchkinland, Shiz University, and Oz, the animals can speak. Not only that, they are learned teachers and everyone lives together as equals. And then someone wants to promote an agenda, hence the animals become victims of someone else’s power-hungry desires. Many analogies can be made throughout this exciting and delightful story, and I’m sure the internet can put a number of these at your fingertips. In the scenario with the animals and the selfish humans, the metaphorical meaning is fairly blatant: Our voices are being taken away by the rich and powerful. The key to stopping this process is knowing that we can! May we use our voice at every opportunity, because being silent is how we lose it. If we stop speaking up, we end up in cages, speechless and afraid. As Nancy Reagan told us, “Just say NO!” 

“Everyone experiences fear. Yet it would take very little right thinking to realize why fear occurs. Few appreciate the real power of the mind, and no one remains fully aware of it all the time. However, if you hope to spare yourself from fear there are some things you must realize, and realize fully. The mind is very powerful, and never loses its creative force. It never sleeps. Every instant it is creating. It is hard to recognize that thought and belief combine into a power surge that can literally move mountains. It appears at first glance that to believe such power about yourself is arrogant, but that is not the real reason you do not believe it. You prefer to believe that your thoughts cannot exert real influence because you are actually afraid of them. This may allay awareness of the guilt, but at the cost of perceiving the mind as impotent. If you believe that what you think is ineffectual you may cease to be afraid of it, but you are hardly likely to respect it.There are no idle thoughts. All thinking produces form at some level.

A Course in Miracles T-2.VI.9:1-14

“God is the Life, or intelligence, which forms and preserves the individuality and identity of animals as well as of men.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 550:5-7

Challenging False Thinking

In the last 13 years of writing this blog, I have never shied away from addressing an elephant in the middle of the room. If there is an ugly issue which is bugging me, I write about it. If I’m not proud of my reaction to something or someone, I write about it. And so after the election at the end of last year, I wrote about it. One person on my email list said they expect spiritually uplifting words from me, and wanted to be removed from my list. She even used the words “political nonsense” when describing what I had written. Although I am dedicating this year to joy and happiness, I’m almost certain there will be political references. I think we should all challenge deceit and erroneous statements. We are being called upon to reinvent our country, from the bottom up. Truth must replace erroneous words. Inhumane actions need to be called out for what they are. I will not ask for forgiveness, as I’m not placing any blame upon myself. Namaste, dear friends …

“A miracle is a correction introduced into false thinking by me. It acts as a catalyst, breaking up erroneous perception and reorganizing it properly. This places you under the Atonement principle, where perception is healed. Until this has occurred, knowledge of the Divine Order is impossible.”
A Course in Miracles T-1.I.37:1-4

“There is magic in the intuitions of Reality, the self-revealing knowledge that is Soul which we see as old things passing away, and all things becoming new.”
Margaret Laird, from “We are the World We Walk Through”

“Right and wrong, truth and error, will be at strife in the minds of students, until victory rests on the side of invincible truth. Mental chemicalization follows the explanation of Truth, and a higher basis is thus won; but with some individuals the morbid moral or physical symptoms constantly reappear.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 453:6-11

Perception of Perfection

My Chair 

The longer I live, the more appreciative I’ve become of the little things. I feel almost giddy about giving away a piece of furniture and rearranging my living room! I’ve lived in this house 30 years, and this is the happiest I’ve ever been about the furniture arrangement. And on the same day, my son brought me a mug that is absolutely the best one I’ve ever had in my life! Perhaps it’s simply the enjoyment of the “little things” which cause my perception to be one of perfection. But seriously, I have never been happier in my life! Hoping you will join me …

“Be not afraid, my child, but let your world be gently lit by miracles. And where the little gap was seen to stand between you and your brother, join him there. And so sickness will now be seen without a cause. The dream of healing in forgiveness lies, and gently shows you that you never sinned. The miracle would leave no proof of guilt to bring you witness to what never was. And in your storehouse it will make a place of welcome for your Father and your Self. The door is open, that all those may come who would no longer starve, and would enjoy the feast of plenty set before them there. And they will meet with your invited Guests the miracle has asked to come to you.”
A Course in Miracles T-28.III.8:1-8

“Suffering is no less a mental condition than is enjoyment. You cause bodily sufferings and increase them by admitting their reality and continuance, as directly as you enhance your joys by believing them to be real and continuous.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 397:8-12