May 5, 2012 - The Quiet may be only a moment

A Course in Miracles Lesson #125

Creative Energy Project
Drumming in Basin Park
created by Jeremy McGraw

"In quiet I receive God's Word today."

[Marsha's thoughts]

When I first read, "In quiet I receive God's Word today", I laughed out loud. Quiet? Today? This is the first weekend of the month-long May Festival of the Arts,. There's an ARTrageous parade, there is an event called Africa in the Ozarks with drumming and high-energy gatherings, we have a gallery stroll, a featured artist, food and beverage, and hundreds of people coming through the doors today. Physically, there will be no quiet for the twelve-plus hours I'll be in the gallery. And then I think of a friend who tells me she can't meditate because there is never quiet at her place. There are cars going by, birds chirping, clocks ticking -- everything breaks the silence she so desperately craves. Is there really any difference in her loss of peace and the projected loss I'm anticipating? Of course not! The quiet I will practice today has nothing to do with outside influences. Peace of God is within. This is what I'll realize every moment of this joyous day, filled with making new friends and welcoming old. The few moments which can be snatched for listening, I will savor. It won't need to be long, perhaps only a couple of seconds while reaching under the checkout counter for wrapping paper, or a look out the window into the forest, or while gazing at a beautiful painting. No matter what our circumstance, the "still, small voice" is always there. I look forward to seeing how many inspirations are revealed in the blink of an eye.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The ‘still, small voice’ of scientific thought reaches over continent and ocean to the globe's remotest bound. The inaudible voice of Truth is, to the human mind, ‘as when a lion roareth’. … Then is the power of Truth demonstrated,--made manifest in the destruction of error.”

Science & Health Page 559:8-16

May 4, 2012 - I Am One, but do I know it?

"Bryce Canyon"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in MiraclesLesson #124

"Let me remember I am one with God."

[Marsha's thoughts]

I watch with interest friends and acquaintances in the multitude of roles they play. I see fellow shopkeepers living on Eureka-time in a laid-back tourist town. Then there are professions which could be taken as stressful, and it's interesting to note which are so and which aren't. You've probably already thought of the myriad of "types" of people you know. In reflecting on this, it seems it doesn't matter whether they are in a profession which handles what we think of as life-or-death situations, or whether they check groceries, make music, create art, live a philanthropic life, or do anything they please on a regular basis! No matter how they spend their time, some are uptight and some are calm and cool. It's simply a matter of how they choose to respond to events around them. Some of these people are pure light, reflecting the Love of God in their every action. And some of them really want to be happy, and often pretend they are so, but deep in their eyes, and obvious in their actions, fear, guilt, lack are seen. Then there are those who dash about from one activity to another, rushed and hurried, running from something that perhaps isn't recognized even by them. I translate these actions as varying degrees of recognizing today's lesson: I Am one with God. And we are also reminded to "remember" that we are one with God. I think we're all remembering in varying degrees, and this remembrance shines forth in our actions. Some don't know there's anything to remember, and when they get hints, it frightens them and they retreat into well-known material beliefs and actions. Almost everyone I meet daily has caught a glimpse of Truth and seems eager to remember more. All of the people I spend time with want this knowledge. Once we have felt a glimpse of this Oneness, we want to feel it all the time. There's nothing else quite like knowing the presence of God. Today I will remember!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The eternal Elohim includes the forever universe. The name Elohim is in the plural, but this plurality of Spirit does not imply more than one God, nor does it imply three persons in one. It relates to the oneness, the tri-unity of Life, Truth, and Love. Man is the family name for all ideas,--the sons and daughters of God. All that God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting goodness and power.”

Science & Health Page 515:16:24

May 3, 2012 - Gifts and thanks

A Course in Miracles Lesson #123

"I thank my Father for His gifts to me."

Mongolian Morning
photo by Aaron Springston

[Marsha's thoughts]

The "gifts to me" spoken of in today's lesson are the Life, Truth, Love, Mind, Soul, Spirit, and Principle; the synonyms for God which we reflect. These gifts are what constitute our true being as a child of God. Our gratitude for these gifts is expressed through our demonstration of them in our lives, in our thoughts, in everything we are and everything we do. These gifts shine through us when we take away the barriers we have built to them. These barriers are the illusions of fear and guilt which we have decided are the realities of our being. From these barriers we begin to see our lives as dictated by material illusions. When seeing past the unreality of these beliefs, we are free to accept ourSelf. I have a dear friend who lives in another state and is very eager to move here. She needs to sell her house and for the past year there has been no movement toward this end. She recently visited us again and is more eager than ever to join our community. Upon her return home, a number of things have happened which would seem to be clearing the way for this to happen. I think of these situations as demonstrations of our true Being. When we get out of our way through the lifting of long-held beliefs, by letting go of trying to control everything in our circumstances, we allow ourselves to hear from a spiritual sense, through Life, Truth, Love, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Principle. To live from Intuition is to listen for inner awareness and to be guided by it. These are the gifts for which I give thanks today.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.

Science & Health Page 3:25-26

May 2, 2012 - Forgiveness gives ...

A Course in Miracles Lesson #122

"Forgiveness offers everything I want."

"Washington D.C., USA"
Photo by Aaron Springston

[Marsha's thoughts]

The forgiveness we speak of today is all-encompassing. This is more than just saying we don't hold a grudge against someone for something. The "forgiveness [which] offers everything I want" is born from the practice of realizing our unity with God, hence our Oneness with each other. By this understanding we can look past the multitude of forms which present themselves to us in the guise of reality, and in looking through this veil realize and demonstrate Truth. What more could we want other than peace, joy, love, contentment, bliss, appreciation, and satisfaction with all that is? And this larger, all-encompassing forgiveness reconciles any so-called differences we may have with each other, along with anything we are holding against ourselves. Allowing divine Love to guide our every action and thought frees us to live a purity only dreamed of when our lives are dictated by material beliefs and habits. It's always amazing to me that people think they shouldn't speak to each other simply because they disagree about certain things. I like oranges, you like apples. So what? Our commonality rests in the Oneness of our true being. That's a constant reality!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.”

Science & Health Page 494:10-11

May 1, 2012 - Forgiveness unveils happiness

"Red Butte Mom and Grandmom"
photo by Aaron Springston

A Course in Miracles Lesson #121
“Forgiveness is the key to happiness.”

[Marsha's thoughts]
In today's workbook lesson, we are asked to think of someone we don't like, who irritates us perhaps, someone we don't enjoy being around. In the time it takes to read the last sentence, we have chosen this person! Contemplate him. Meditate on her. Find some bit of light in them and let it grow until you feel the goodness, the God, which they inherently are. After we have allowed this feeling to grow, we are asked to think of someone we like and transfer that good feeling to them. In doing this, we then realize there is no difference in these people. All feelings of separation are released in this forgiveness, this realization of their Oneness with each other and ourself. By this process, we give and receive, understanding the unity in these seemingly separate acts. Whatever we give, we receive, because we already have the kingdom within us. So-called forgiveness is the letting go of false beliefs in various forms of separation, the understanding of the power contained in this realization, and the demonstration of that fact. Letting Love rule every aspect of our thought is forgiveness, because there is no room for anything but this Love when it is admitted as the only reality of our being. To paraphrase Mrs. Eddy, Love fills all space and there is nothing else to think about. That understanding is enough to allow happiness to reign!


Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty,and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!
Science & Health Page 520:3-5

April 30, 2012 - Meditating with St. Petersburg Quartet

Course in Miracles Lesson #120

Review of:

(109) I rest in God.

(110) I am as God created me.

"Heather in Portland, OR"
photo by Aaron Springston

[Marsha's thoughts]

I recently had the privilege of attending a performance of the St. Petersburg String Quartet in our small, acoustically-sound historic auditorium. Listening to classical music is my favorite meditation! Allowing nothing else to enter thought other than the uplifting calm which comes from losing myself in wordless music is perfection.  As with any meditation, at first various things came up in thought, which I acknowledged and released. By consistently doing this, at some point there was nothing other than the sense-filling strains of musical fulfillment. "I rest in God". This experience was further enhanced by the performance of an 11-year-old girl named Claire Luan Wells. This sweet child expertly plays both piano and violin. First of all, she played a solo on the piano and we were enthralled. Then she played the lead violin part along with the quartet, beautifully interpreting Vivaldi's Spring. Oh my! The quartet was seated, and she was standing, swaying, living the music which flowed out through her with a sweetness rarely witnessed. As she stood and played, barely taller standing than the adults were sitting, she took me to places I'd long forgotten. In reflection, I see that we need not be limited by age or experience. Everything is at our fingertips by virtue of our Oneness with all that is. If you wake up one morning with a feeling that you'd like to do something you've never done before, surrender to the impulse and see where it takes you. At this time of great changes and shifts in perceptions, we are being asked to accept that many possibilities exist which we never imagined. I feel this little girl piano/violin player is a perfect example of this. Allow yourself to be led wherever inner knowing guides. Embrace the knowledge that you are as God created you, rejoice in remembering everything you've forgotten, love out loud!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“God creates and governs the universe, including man. The universe is filled with spiritual ideas, which He evolves, and they are obedient to the Mind that makes them. Mortal mind would transform the spiritual into the material, and then recover man's original self in order to escape from the mortality of this error. Mortals are not like immortals, created in God's own image; but infinite Spirit being all, mortal consciousness will at last yield to the scientific fact and disappear, and the real sense of being, perfect and forever intact, will appear.”

Science & Health Page 295:5-15

April 29, 2012 - Truth Trumps Error

Aaron Hangin' in Oregon
photo by Heather Magnan

ACIM Lesson #119

Review of: (107) Truth will correct all errors in my mind. (108) To give and to receive are one in truth.

[Marsha's thoughts]

Many people have been telling me they think this Truth we speak of is difficult to understand. One person says it's incomprehensible unless you've had years of study and training. Another says she's not smart enough to "get it". Yet another says she's not up for the hard work this way of living entails. So I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. Is it true? Does it take some special dispensation, some quantum gift from beyond, some unraveling of DNA, years of study perhaps? I suppose we think it takes a long time to change our thought basis because it's taken us a long time to think in the ways we presently do. Most of us have 12 to 20 years of formal education as proof that it's difficult to learn everything we need to know. Maybe that's why we tend to balk at what could be a lifetime of work. But wait a minute! What is with this "lifetime" business? Aren't we floating in eternity? I feel that we already know all there is to know. It's our birthright as a child of God. The part that takes practice is leaving the erroneous teachings of this lifetime behind us. The easy part is the realization that Truth is always within us, just waiting to be discovered. And with this discovery comes a renewal of our mind, a rediscovery of the Truth we've always known, which easily pushes aside false beliefs. So, no, I don't think it's hard work. But it is dedicated work. A dedicated discipline to seeing and feeling as Love. Not through Love, not with Love, but as Love. That is our essence. That is our Truth. Let's keep it simple!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Because Truth is infinite, error should be known as nothing. Because Truth is omnipotent in goodness, error, Truth's opposite, has no might. Evil is but the counterpoise of nothingness. The greatest wrong is but a supposititious opposite of the highest right. The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal. Error is a coward before Truth. Divine Science insists that time will prove all this. Both truth and error have come nearer than ever before to the apprehension of mortals, and truth will become still clearer as error is self-destroyed.”

Science & Health Page 329:21-31