January 31, 2012 - I am not a victim

ACIM Workbook Lesson #31:

"I am not the victim of the world I see"  

Glacier National Park photo
by Heather Magnan

[Marsha's thoughts]

It seems to me that the more I feel victimized, the more I'm victimized! I say this jokingly, but it's true. For instance, recently I have felt put-upon by my landlord, the city, and any number of decisionmakers involved in the renovation of the street in front of the gallery.  I had accepted the proposed disruption of business and decided to enjoy some stay-at-home days to do yard work during our unseasonably warm weather. While doing just that, I discovered that they are not doing the work on the street, and that I had shut down for no reason. During the two hours following this discovery, I must admit to some attack thoughts directed towards those in charge. And also during this period of time, any and every project I started to do around the house was thwarted, for various reasons. So I took my Corgi, Chili-dog, and we walked around a peaceful little lake in the woods. The sunshine and exercise washed away any worries as to how things would progress -- or not!  Shortly after returning home, I received a phone call from someone who wanted to purchase a drum they had seen in the gallery last fall. I wonder what events would have transpired if I'd chosen to rattle cages in connection with the business situation. I feel certain I could have created any number of disruptive scenarios in which I could star! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Man is tributary to God, Spirit, and to nothing else. God's being is infinity, freedom, harmony, and boundless bliss."

Science & Health Page 481:2-4

January 29, 2012 - God Is All

ACIM workbook lesson #29:

 "God is in everything I see".

Aaron Shooting Deer
photo by Heather Magnan

[Marsha's thoughts]

To see God in everything entails utilizing a sight other than what we're accustomed to using. The material basis of our thought leaves little room for seeing spiritually. This is why our study includes so many exercises which help us to let go of learned beliefs concerning the purpose of everything we see with our material eyes; to release what we think we know about those things.  When we are able to do that, then we leave the way open for spiritual sight. We are able to see that God is everywhere, because  God Is. This Is-ness is omnipresent, no matter what we think about it, so we don't have to make anything happen; we need only take off our blindfolds and see Truth.  This is why it helps me to think of God as Love.  For me, it's easy to see the idea of Love being expressed in everything I see. I can see Love being everywhere, just as sunshine is. And if something happens to obscure that light, such as clouds, I still know it's there, just as potent and perfect as ever. No matter how I perceive things to be with these material eyes and thoughts, the true idea of Spirit, God, Love, is there waiting for me to remember it.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"God fashions all things, after His own likeness. Life is reflected in existence, Truth in truthfulness, God in goodness, which impart their own peace and permanence. Love, redolent with unselfishness, bathes all in beauty and light. The grass beneath our feet silently exclaims, "The meek shall inherit the earth." The modest arbutus sends her sweet breath to heaven. The great rock gives shadow and shelter. The sunlight glints from the church-dome, glances into the prison-cell, glides into the sick-chamber, brightens the flower, beautifies the landscape, blesses the earth. Man, made in His likeness, possesses and reflects God's dominion over all the earth. Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God."

Science & Health Page 516:9-23

January 28, 2012 - I will see differently

ACIM workbook lesson #28:

"Above all else, I want to see things differently."

Altai Mountains in Mongolia
photo by Aaron Springston

Years ago I had friends who were . expecting their first baby, and they thought it would be interesting to teach it the "wrong" things -- such as, blue would be red, a table might be called a chair, maybe a dog would be a cat. That would certainly be seeing things differently! And I can see that there is a correlation in their planned mis-information and the illusions and limitations we have set up for ourselves in our world.  Today's lesson asks us to give up any notions we have concerning the meaning of anything and everything. By doing this, we enable ourselves to drop what we've always thought about a particular item -- a chair perhaps -- and allow ourselves to be open to what it is and what it is for. Won't it be fun to find out where this exercise will take us?!  When we begin asking what things are for, rather than telling them what they are, based on our previous thoughts of them, interesting answers may be coming our way. I love this exercise and have fun with its applications. For instance, the way we, as a society, punish wrong-doing: Does our present system of retaliation and retribution actually accomplish anything? In reading a book, "The Buddhist and the Terrorist", an alternative to the treatment of a murderer is explored. This book is one of many which encourage me to see differently, to see myself as God sees me, to continue asking mySelf how that sight is gained and kept, to practice the Presence in every moment.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The objects cognized by the physical senses have not the reality of substance. They are only what mortal belief calls them." Science & Health Page 311:26-28

January 27, 2012 - One thing do I desire ---

ACIM workbook lesson #27:

"Above all else, I want to see."

Glacier National Park photo by Aaron

[Marsha's thoughts]

Today someone said to me, "There's only two powers, and she's chosen the wrong one." I had to step back and wonder how it felt to believe in such a duality as this. Once we've split power into a loving God and Its evil twin, some seriously hard-to-let-go images have taken hold in our mind. And so when I'm thinking of today's lesson throughout the day, I won't concentrate on the myriad of ways we've constructed to cloud our vision, but I'll ask to see with my True sight, as God sees. And when I wonder how that seeing can be mine, I'll go to the definition of God given in the Christian Science textbook, which is cited after this T. S. Eliot’s quote which also reminds me what "seeing" is. This is from the poem Little Gidding: “We shall not cease from exploration, / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.”

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

Question.--What is God?

Answer.--God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love."

Science & Health Page 465:6-8

January 26, 2012 - Attack thoughts are unreal

ACIM workbook lesson #26

"My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability."

Glacier National Park photo by Heather Magnan

[Marsha's thoughts]

In the introduction of the Course in Miracles textbook is the following statement: “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” At first glance this may seem to make no sense! But when you think of reality as being the creation of divine Love, the image and likeness of God (Love), and this being all that is real, then the unreality of anything unlike God, good, is exposed as nonexistent, unreal. This realization that all attack comes from within is an eye-opener! When we worry about lack of money, or possible illness, or what our neighbor might do, these are thoughts which seem to attack our invulnerability.  Actually our invulnerability as a reflection of God cannot be attacked, but we certainly can think of ourselves as weak and victims of life's circumstances. Through a conscious choice to reject the unreality of material existence and claim our heritage as powerful spiritual beings, unafraid to stand up and declare our Oneness with God and all Its creation, we are able to transcend the fears we have thought to be inevitable. What a new world is being unveiled in this process of living Truth!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God. Ignorant of our God-given rights, we submit to unjust decrees, 

and the bias of education enforces this slavery." 

Science & Health Page 380:32-4

January 25, 2012 - Why are we doing this?

Day 25

Today's ACIM workbook lesson is:

 "I do not know what anything is for".

[Marsha's thoughts]

The Starbird Show at Eureka Thyme

Today's lesson comes at a particularly pertinent time for me, in which I'm examining why I'm selling art. In Northwest Arkansas, we have recently had an amazing museum open its doors. This has prompted much speculation amongst art dealers as to what affect this will have on us. We are being advised that many buyers will be flooding into our area, with expectations of world class art, and that we should raise our prices to show them that we are capable of competing on a global level. This doesn't feel right to me. And so today's lesson of "I do not know what anything is for" is a perfect format for the questioning I'm doing as to why I'm selling art. I've always asked prospective buyers to go with how the piece they're considering makes them feel. Does it bring a smile to your face? Will it add beauty and grace to your life? If it does, it's worthy of a place in your home. And from the other side, the artists we represent bring forth their art from Love. One of our artists describes her style as abstract naturalism. Her love of nature glows forth in every painting she brings to canvas. Another artist births what she sometimes calls primal images. These fabric creations are profoundly moving.. For me, they bring forth emotions which perhaps have been hiding for years.But this is neither here nor there. When this art comes forth, it is not examined for what it does for the artist or for the appreciator of it. When I put it on the wall it is not placed there because of how much money it will bring in. My exercise today is to allow everything to Be, with Love expressed all around, and to let its real meaning and purpose come forth without my personal meaning being projected onto it.

Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual interpretation of this line of the Lord's Prayer:

'Give us this day our daily bread'

"Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections." Science & Health Page 17:4-5

January 24, 2012 - My Own Best Interests?

ACIM workbook lesson #24:

"I do not perceive my own best interests”

Glacier National Park
photo by Heather Magnan

[Marsha's thoughts]

How joyous to watch our children demonstrate the ideas we're studying! When my oldest son graduated from college two-and-a-half years ago, he moved to a large city which has the type of snow he most loves for skiing. After applying for and being turned down for numerous jobs, including bread delivery in the wee hours of the morning, he finally found a job doing graphic design grunt work at minimum wage. In the time he's been with that company, he's advanced to the position of multimedia producer, and has had appreciable raises in salary and work satisfaction. The training he has received at this job is the main reason he's caught the eye of a television station in a nearby resort town. By allowing himself to be open to the field of all potentiality, he is now working at his "dream job". This has come about because he had no plans or goals he was abiding by, but he has learned that following his heart never leaves him where he started. Join with me today in thinking of times you have listened within, when you were "leaning on the sustaining Infinite", and found yourself someplace you could never have planned!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings."

Science & Health Page vii:1-2