Problem Solving Through Justice

In my younger days, I enjoyed horror stories. Stephen King was a favorite because of his exceptional writing skills 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 staying informed, it is my goal to remain calm. A wise woman once told me she only wanted to hear about the problem once; from then on, we would only speak of solutions. As of today, I reaffirm my conviction to do this. I wish you peace in whatever way you choose to solve problems!

“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

Startled Back To Truth

Photo thanks to Chris Fischer 

Some nights, when I sit down to write this daily blog, all I want to do is complain about things. Rather than do that, I’m posting a few quotes on truth.

“Humankind is being led along an evolving course, through this migration of intelligences, and though we seem to be sleeping, there is an inner wakefulness that directs the dream, and that will eventually startle us back to the truth.”
Rumi

“We cannot fill vessels already full. They must first be emptied. Let us disrobe error. Then, when the winds of God blow, we shall not hug our tatters close about us. The way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through flood-tides of Love.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 201:13-18

“Miracles are examples of right thinking, aligning your perceptions with truth as God created it.”
A Course in Miracles T-1.I

Do Unto Others …

We often hear of cruelty beyond comprehension. How could anyone possibly perpetrate such behavior? I would hazard to guess that, if asked, the people responsible would not think they were acting in a cruel manner. They would probably say it was necessary to protect themselves or others from some threat. Somewhere along the way, we have decided that it's all right to kill and perform other heinous acts because it's a logical defense against something or the other! Once again, The Four Agreements come to mind. In this wonderful interpretation of ancient Toltec wisdom, Don Miguel Ruiz explains four simple rules to live by which would ensure peace and happiness for everyone. The second agreement is, "Don't take anything personally". He goes so far as to say that even if someone shoots you in the head, it's not your problem, but theirs! I love this as it puts into perspective what we have misinterpreted. We seem to think retaliation is an acceptable behavior. I have a friend who tells me that Jesus told her she'd forgiven her sister enough, and it was all right to hate her now. Wow. I guess that's what I mean by people thinking they're doing a service to the world by killing or other gross behavior. We can convince ourselves, with our mortal minds, that anything is good. This illustrates the importance of letting go of all material beliefs. We are not only capable of living this pure Life, but it is our natural state, expressing only Love. The Utopia which comes with such a dream is a reality, when we allow it.

“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 497:24-28

“You respond to what you perceive, and as you perceive so shall you behave. The Golden Rule asks you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This means that the perception of both must be accurate. The Golden Rule is the rule for appropriate behavior. You cannot behave appropriately unless you perceive correctly. Since you and your neighbor are equal members of one family, as you perceive both so you will do to both. You should look out from the perception of your own holiness to the holiness of others.”
A Course in Miracles - T-1.III.6:1-7

Is It True, Kind, Necessary?

Long ago, during a Course in Miracles meeting, good-friend Ramona said, “You better watch out what you say in front of Marsha. You may end up in the dailies!” I was reminded of this when a dear friend from forever called and told me she had momentarily thought a recent writing was about her. We both laughed at this idea, for a number of reasons. Then I began thinking about how these daily writings keep me honest. I’m prone to jumping up on my high horse and pontificating, so I’m always aware of this irritating trait within myself. Sometimes it’s tempting to use this venue to complain about things and tell people what they should do. But I don’t want to do that. By putting my thoughts into words, knowing they will be read by others, there is a built-in test; one which I hope to employ in day-to-day interactions: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” I trust my dear friends will help me stay true to my mission!

From don Miguel Ruiz

“Your happiness is up to you, and it depends on how you use the word. If you get angry and use the word to send emotional poison to someone else, it appears that you’re using the word against that person, but you’re really using the word against yourself. That action is going to create a like reaction, and that person is going to go against you. If you insult someone, that person may even harm you in response. If you use the word to create a conflict in which your body may be injured, of course it’s against you.

“Be impeccable with your word really means never use the power of the word against yourself. When you’re impeccable with your word, you never betray yourself. You never use the word to gossip about yourself or to spread emotional poison by gossiping about other people.

“You are the creator of your own life story. If you use the word impeccably, just imagine the story that you are going to create for yourself. You’re going to use the word in the direction of truth and love for yourself. You’re going to use the word to express the truth in every thought, in every action, in every word you use to describe yourself, to describe your own life story. And what will be the result? An extraordinarily beautiful life. In other words, you are going to be happy.”
The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz

Perceiving Sanity in the Chaos

Downtown Eureka Springs, A

As I sit quietly, listening to the sound of motorcycles revving their engines (racking their pipes? — that sounds so crass) I suddenly see how we, individually, are a microcosm for the world. We can choose peace or chaos. Years ago, our beautiful little tourist town chose chaos. We have gone through many incarnations through the decades: hippie haven, Passion Play/Big Jesus Mecca, art destination, healing center, and more. Through each change, the others remain, to some extent. It’s not easy to enjoy the healing modalities, or to sit on restaurant decks enjoying wonderful food, while hearing noise so loud you cannot have a conversation. I equate it to my inner self, when I cannot find peace because my negative thoughts are so loud. When I opened an art gallery in our town twenty years ago, we had visitors coming from all over the world for the beauty and peace of our town. Now it seems to be booze and tattoos. How can we wrap our minds around the chaotic changes which we see in our world? Can we ever get back to the garden? The following statement helps me:

“When a brother behaves insanely, you can heal him only by perceiving the sanity in him. If you perceive his errors and accept them, you are accepting yours. If you want to give yours over to the Holy Spirit, you must do this with his. Unless this becomes the one way in which you handle all errors, you cannot understand how all errors are undone. How is this different from telling you that what you teach you learn? Your brother is as right as you are, and if you think he is wrong you are condemning yourself.”

A Course in Miracles T-9.III.5:1-6

“We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 248:26-32

Breaking Despotic Fetters

Creations from Sandy Wythawai Starbird

In our lifetime, we have seen many advances in understanding and implementation of so-called human rights. We have witnessed the Voting Rights Act, Title IX sex discrimination legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act. Supreme Court rulings overturned state bans on contraception and interracial marriage. Abortion and same-sex marriage have been legalized. It seems odd that our government would have to guarantee these fundamental human rights. Since our country’s inception, many things were declared to be illegal, and most of them were in regard to women and minorities’ rights being stifled. We made many advances during the 20th Century, and we were proud of our open minds and higher thinking. Now, in the 21st Century, it seems many people believe these human rights are not something which should be legislated. I agree they shouldn’t have to be, as we are all One in Spirit. Well, I won’t go on and on about this. It’s pretty simple if we let our beliefs and ego fade away, allowing Love to rule our ways. Namaste…

"The history of our country, like all history, illustrates the might of Mind, and shows human power to be proportionate to its embodiment of right-thinking. A few immortal sentences, breathing the omnipotence of divine justice, have been potent to break despotic fetters and abolish the whipping post and slave market, but oppression neither went down in blood, nor did the breath of freedom come from the cannon's mouth. Love is the liberator."
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 255:14-22 circa 1865

“Today we will claim the miracles which are your right, since they belong to you. You have been promised full release from the world you made. You have been assured that the Kingdom of God is within you, and can never be lost. We ask no more than what belongs to us in truth. Today, however, we will also make sure that we will not content ourselves with less.”
A Course in Miracles W-77.3:1-5

Of Book Clubs and Whip-Poor-Wills

Braided Sweetgrass

I write often about my beautiful book club. Our latest read was Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As we discussed the reasons we loved this book, I felt especially appreciative of the friendship we share. We were meeting at Tina’s farm and the beauty of the deep woods, the song of the whip-poor-will, and the dogs frolicking through the yard as we sat on the back deck enjoying the twilight — all these things accentuated the wisdom and beauty of this book. Here is a favorite quote of mine: “Until we can grieve for our planet we cannot love it—grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for our lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” Thinking about the times we have shared in our two decades of meeting, this final quote seems to sum up our relationship: “There are some aches witchhazel can’t assuage. For those, we need each other.” The gratitude I feel for these friends is all-encompassing. Namaste …

“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 240:2-9

“Forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory, wonderful to see. Each flower shines in light, and every bird sings of the joy of Heaven.”

A Course in Miracles T-26.IV.2:1-2