Less Segregation; Stronger Democracy

Good Friends — Marsha and Richard

“Blueprint, the Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society”, is a book written by Nicholas Christkis, a professor at Yale. His basic premise is that love, friendship, cooperation, and teaching have been hardwired into human beings, but we tend to deploy these qualities selectively, only toward those who are like ourselves. He says America is an unprecedented social experiment, testing whether we humans can share these behaviors more broadly. This statement of his feels especially true: “The less segregated we are — not just racially, but by ideology, religion, income, and education — the stronger the democracy.” His conclusions I’m sure are many, but one discussed in this review is that we need to overcome the urge to tribalism, if we are to have a diverse democracy. He believes that political tides can push against our innate desire for love, friendship, and cooperation, “but only for a while.” I am thrilled to read of this and other messages of hope! 

"It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man wlll be established." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 467:9

“The Holy Spirit was given you with perfect impartiality, and only by recognizing Him impartially can you recognize Him at all. The ego is legion, but the Holy Spirit is one. No darkness abides anywhere in the Kingdom, but your part is only to allow no darkness to abide in your own mind. This alignment with light is unlimited, because it is in alignment with the light of the world. Each of us is the light of the world, and by joining our minds in this light we proclaim the Kingdom of God together and as one.” 

A Course in Miracles T-6.II.13:1-5

Athirst in the Desert

I am a fan of Facebook. I’ve never enjoyed the other facets of social media, and only used them to promote my gallery when it was open. That was my original reason for signing up for Facebook: business promotion. But now, I enjoy it because it keeps me up to date on local events, it informs me of who may have passed away in the night, I get to see my friends’ gardens who live far, far away — not to mention Wordle comparisons!  I think of it like driving a car: it’s not the ideal form of transportation, but isn’t it fun! I unfollow disagreeable people, allowing into my feed only happy things. Some of my friends post their political opinions, and I sometimes look at what people have to say about it (for instance, Steve Grant at KY3 in Springfield). It’s shocking in its ferocity. I’m happy to see and hear the many religious leaders who are reiterating Jesus’s words of peace. My gratitude for them is immense. May we never be silenced when speaking truth …

“The way out of conflict between two opposing thought systems is clearly to choose one and relinquish the other. If you identify with your thought system, and you cannot escape this, and if you accept two thought systems which are in complete disagreement, peace of mind is impossible. If you teach both, which you will surely do as long as you accept both, you are teaching conflict and learning it. Yet you do want peace, or you would not have called upon the Voice for peace to help you. Its lesson is not insane; the conflict is.”

A Course in Miracles T-6.V-B.5:1-5

“Millions of unprejudiced minds — simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert — are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ’s name, and never fear the consequences.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 570:14-18 

An Invincible Summer

Basil in my Summer Garden

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

This quote by Albert Camus has come to my attention many times, but never with the emotional charge it had for me today. Perhaps that’s because I have a dear friend who is having a tough time this winter. Someone close to her left this plane of existence a couple of weeks ago, and she was blind-sided by the intensity of her response. Add to this, frigid temperatures and an onslaught of squirrels in her attic and crawl space, and she began to feel helpless. The shenanigans of our current president have brought her to greater despair. Our difficult-to-maneuver medical system has her waiting for tests until February 13. So she is staying as quiet as possible, popping nitroglycerin and aspirin and waiting. I check on her daily, knowing she can find her “invincible summer”, and hoping I can share mine. Our happiness is contagious!

“Do not allow yourself to suffer from imagined results of what is not true. Free your mind from the belief that this is possible. In its complete impossibility lies your only hope for release. But what other hope would you want? Freedom from illusions lies only in not believing them. There is no attack, but there is unlimited communication and therefore unlimited power and wholeness. The power of wholeness is extension. Do not arrest your thought in this world, and you will open your mind to creation in God.”
A Course in Miracles T-8.VII.16:1-8

“My weary hope tries to realize that happy day, when man shall recognize the Science of Christ and love his neighbor as himself, — when he shall realize God’s omnipotence and the healing power of the divine Love in what it has done and is doing for mankind.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 55:16-21

Love is Freedom

Art of Mary Engelbreit

At times, we all feel overwhelmed by life's circumstances -- or, at least, I know I do. Everything seems easier to me now, with grown children, no daily jobs to show up for, and most arduous demands gone from my days. But sometimes things happen and we are drawn into them. I have a friend whose life has been turned upside down when least expected. How do we cope when an illness befalls us or our loved ones, changing the rhythm of the life we cherish? Of course, we do what we must, and we pray for strength and guidance, and we listen for answers in whatever form they may appear. This is not an easy task -- but really, what is our choice? To all of us who are afraid, perhaps angry, feeling put-upon unnecessarily, overwrought by things beyond our control -- just breathe. Breathe deeply and find something to be happy for, an idea to be peaceful about. Sometimes we must release a problem in order to find its resolution. We can't change the situation, but we can change our thought about it. Love to you, each and every one, during these trying times.

“Love is freedom. To look for it by placing yourself in bondage is to separate yourself from it. For the Love of God, no longer seek for union in separation, nor for freedom in bondage! As you release, so will you be released. Forget this not, or Love will be unable to find you and comfort you."
A Course in Miracles T-16.VI.2.

“Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. It is not well to imagine that Jesus demonstrated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good.”
Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 494:10-14

Welcome Joy

 JOY- By Donna Ashworth

“Joy does not arrive with a fanfare, 

on a red carpet strewn with the flowers of a perfect life.

Joy sneaks in, as you pour a cup of coffee,

watching the sun hit your favourite tree, just right.

And you usher joy away,

because you are not ready for it. 

Your house is not as it must be,

for such a distinguished guest.

But joy cares nothing for your messy home, 

or your bank-balance,

or your waistline, you see.

Joy is supposed to slither through the cracks of your imperfect life,

that’s how joy works.

You cannot invite her, you can only be ready when she appears.

And hug her with meaning,

because in this very moment, 

joy chose you.”

By Donna Ashworth 

“To heal is to make happy. I have told you to think how many opportunities you have had to gladden yourself, and how many you have refused. This is the same as telling you that you have refused to heal yourself. The light that belongs to you is the light of joy. Radiance is not associated with sorrow. Joy calls forth an integrated willingness to share it, and promotes the mind’s natural impulse to respond as one. Those who attempt to heal without being wholly joyous themselves call forth different kinds of responses at the same time, and thus deprive others of the joy of responding wholeheartedly.” 

A Course in Miracles T-5.in.1:1-7

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