Looking Through Beliefs

"Cowboy Hat Chef of Thailand"
photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #98

“I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.”

To the uninitiated in this way of thought, the topic for today could be interpreted as asking us to accept some sort of predestination. We who are familiar with this study, know it is not. I once heard Deepak Chopra say that there is no free will as long as we are being held by the beliefs of a lifetime. For this reason, we are asked time and again to look through the meaning we have placed on things and allow ourselves to think with divine Mind, feel from the leadings of Love, and create from the depths of Soul. It seems no one likes to be told what to do. I spoke with a woman today who was upset with her daughter for "bossing her around". When we are yielding to divine Principle, it doesn't seem to matter what dictates are put before us: they either feel right and we follow them, or they don't and we don't! To me, that's accepting God's plan.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as [It] opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear."

Science & Health Page 506:18-21

I Am Spirit

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #97

“I am spirit.”

I've been reading and studying the works of Bicknell Young. This fascinating man was the nephew of Brigham Young, the renowned Mormon leader. I can only imagine his family's surprise when he discovered the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy in the late 1800s, and then went on to gain fame speaking and writing about Christian Science during the next few decades. He's the proverbial person, dead or living, whom I'd choose to sit down with for an evening. These sentences about Spirit are part of what pique my interest to know every thought he ever had! "Consciousness is Spirit. It does not become spiritual nor is it spiritualized. Nor does the evolution of consciousness mean a rising above or a purification from anything; it is the ceaseless unfoldment of infinity." Thank you, Mr. Young!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love.” Science & Health Page 277:20-22

Salvation Found in Oneness

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #96

“Salvation comes from my one Self.”

Yesterday we pondered what our one Self is. Today we are contemplating how salvation comes from this knowledge. I know I have been saved much grief by the realization that my mind doesn’t need to be busy all the time. Relaxing of the mind is as important (if not more) than resting the body. For one thing, the practice of quieting the mind is integral to listening. I've found that when thought is jumping about, it's impossible to truly listen to anything. One thought leads to another, and before you know it, you've gone all around the world and have no idea what's happening right in front of you. By the same token, if I expect to understand from the point of spiritual discernment, it's pretty darn hard to do if my own self won't be quiet long enough to concentrate on a simple sentence in a book. This is always a good indicator me: If I can't read and digest what I've read, then I'd best have a "time out" to still my monkey mind from its busy-ness! What a peaceful, harmonious world this will be when we all take time to quiet self-importance and listen for Self-knowledge!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The point for each one to decide is, whether it is mortal mind or immortal Mind that is causative. We should forsake the basis of matter for metaphysical Science and its divine Principle."

Science & Health Page 195:11-14

I Am One Self

photo credit: Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #95

“I am one Self, united with my Creator.”

You are the presence of God. Does this statement make you uneasy? Perhaps traditional theology has taught you that such an idea is sacrilege. Maybe you simply feel too inferior to accept yourself as Godlike. It's not so difficult to say that you are one with everything. We're happy to feel a connection with all things and often go to retreats and workshops which help us feel this unity. But what does this thing called Oneness really mean? It could be taken wholly on a material basis, and you might say that we're all the same in our physical makeup of minerals and flesh, etc. You might be willing to go a step further and say we're all the same because God made us in Its image and likeness. Does it make you cringe to call God It rather than He? We're accustomed to anthropomorphizing God, making deity like us rather than the other way around. As we learn to accept and embrace our identity as the experience and expression of God, we find we can proudly announce our goodness, our wholeness, even our perfection. This honors God and Its creation in a way that self-conscious deprecation or self-righteous pride cannot. It's a beautiful day to explore what all this means in daily practice!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"God, without the image and likeness of [Itself], would be a nonentity, or Mind unexpressed. [It] would be without a witness or proof of [Its] own nature. Spiritual man is the image or idea of God, an idea which cannot be lost nor separated from its divine Principle."

Science & Health Page 303:25-30

What Am I?

photo credit: Nick Franchi

ACIM Workbook Lesson #94

“I am as God created me.”

Have you ever sat quietly and asked, "What am I?" Other than listening, only one thing is required: Give up any belief of what you think you are. By focusing on what is rather than what isn't, we are learning to understand our connection to God. As I go about my activities today, the seven synonyms for God, as given in Science & Health by Mary Baker Eddy, will be with me along with the ACIM topic which is, "I am as God created me." These synonymous terms for God are Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love. If a situation comes up in which I'm tempted to express irritation, I will think: I Am as Love created me. If I don't understand something, I will declare: I Am as Mind created me. This will be a lovely challenge to think of myself in these ways! What a fun day it will be!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Sometime we shall learn how Spirit, the great architect, has created men and women in Science. We ought to weary of the fleeting and false and to cherish nothing which hinders our highest selfhood.”

Science & Health Page 68:4-9

Peace Abides

photo credit: Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #93

“Light and joy and peace abide in me.”

So-called hate groups have increased by 14% in this country over the past year. A man named Tony McAleer describes himself as being beaten and bullied as a child; bitter and isolated as a teenager. He became involved in one of these groups while seeking a connection with others. To quote him: "When you're starving and somebody keeps feeding you what you think are your favorite foods, even though it's junk food, there's going to be a while where you're not going to get up from the table." He continued to practice violence and anger until after the birth of his daughter. He said that was the first time in his life he had felt connected to another human being, and he started to want to change. He has now organized  a group called "Life After Hate" and is helping others to build relationships with people. He says if we are to counter these groups, we must get to a place where empathy outweighs fear. That is what we are realizing through these studies, too. "Light and joy and peace abide in me" -- and in everyone!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Light is a symbol of Mind, of Life, Truth, and Love, and not a vitalizing property of matter. Science reveals only one Mind, and this one shining by its own light and governing the universe, including man, in perfect harmony.."

Science & Health Page 510:27-1

The Dawn of Sight

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #92

“Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.”

I saw a clip from a morning show in which they were asking people questions about spirituality and religion. Most people they asked thought of themselves as spiritual but not religious, and the few self-proclaimed religious people were mainly looking for a sense of community and fellowship. A sense of inclusiveness was often mentioned in the answers. People are looking for a spiritual group which will accept them as they are, without trying to change them. Many spoke of doubt and said they needed groups of like-minded people to help them in times of loss and fear. It seems so simple for everyone to live together in Love, being kind, helping each other. Apparently it is not. Long-held beliefs cloud our vision and we fearfully try to pull others into our illusion. Today I will see the light of miracles everywhere I look, refusing to be pulled into darkness, even in jest.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“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."

Science & Health Page 191:7-15