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Archives for April 2017
Truth Teachings from Eastern Wisdom – 4/24/17
The Tao Te Ching: Verse 8;
Becoming like water, the watercourse way of no resistance, humility, and acceptance.
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Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 99, Salvation is my only function here
Let’s simplify today’s lesson:
“Truth and illusions both are equal now, for both have happened. … [This seems true, because the] mind that sees illusions thinks them real. … And yet they are not real, because the mind that thinks these thoughts is separate from God.”
The pathway to salvation lies in the paragraph above. The key lies in “the mind that thinks these thoughts is separate…”.
Take a moment to notice your mind, meaning your thoughts. It doesn’t matter what they are. Notice them, whatever they are.
Next, notice what is aware of your thoughts; that is, notice awareness. Can you see that thoughts and awareness are separate? What I mean by that is, you can point (with inner figurative pointing) at thinking and say, “That’s thought,” and you can point at awareness and say, “That’s awareness.” They are different.
Now look at these two, thought and awareness. Which one is you? Which one can you look at and which one is you looking? You can decide to focus on a thought or let it go. Can you do the same with awareness, or is awareness what you are?
Look, and discover these answers for yourself.
Look at all the trouble thoughts conjure up. For example, every murder begins with a thought. Does awareness conjure up any trouble at all?
Look. Discover the answer for yourself.
When we infuse thoughts with attention, we enliven them. You can watch how this happens. Notice how a thought becomes more alive and the story grows deeper as your attention is more engrossed by it.
Is this true for awareness? Is awareness enlivened with attention or is it naturally alive even if you give it no attention?
Look. Find the answer for yourself.
If thought must be enlivened but awareness is naturally alive, which is illusion and which is real?
I said that the pathway to salvation is found in this:
“And yet [illusions] are not real, because the mind that thinks these thoughts is separate …”
The pathway to salvation is noticing that mind is separate from you, and you are real but thoughts are not.
Contemplate this tip today. Notice the difference between thought and awareness. Notice which causes all kinds of trouble and suffering, and which is peacefully present. Notice which is you and which is not
April 24, 2017 Daily Quote
Common Ground Mini-Series: Carol Howe – Part 4 of 5
SEE HOW LIFE WORKS – PRACTICING THE PATH TO PEACE OF MIND
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As the turmoil in the world appears to escalate, we are called more than ever to deepen our commitment to peace of mind as our primary goal. To that end, Carol Howe, biographer of ACIM co-scribe Bill Thetford and one of the first teachers of the Course, will share 40 years of teaching and counseling insight and experience on this all-important subject.
Carol draws from the great wealth of material covered in her highly-acclaimed video course, See How Life Works, the one-of-a kind series designed to clarify:
1) The purpose and practice of ACIM
2) The ego’s origin and process of letting it go
3) Healing relationships
4) Real forgiveness and its rewards
5) The restoring power of acceptance
6) The true path to healing
7) Cultivating trustworthy guidance
8) Choices that matter and guarantee results
A Course In Miracles is a brilliant and powerful spiritual technology, designed to help us completely reprogram our original false beliefs and conditioning. A modern masterwork based on ancient wisdom, it delivers the deep peace and safety it promises when we do what it asks. Our work this month will focus on clarifying this practice that resolves even the most difficult challenges and assures greater happiness for anyone.
Carol’s Website: CarolHowe.com
4-23-17 – Experience Your Perfect Soul ~ pages 1-7
Kathy Smith explores the quotes from Experience Your Perfect Soul and shares from her contemplation of them.
4-23-17 Weekly Gathering: Silencing the Thinking Mind
Topic: “Silencing the Thinking Mind”
Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert discussed learning to release dependence on the thinking mind by placing trust with Inner Wisdom.
The reading was A Conversation with Inner Wisdom. Her reader was Connie Poole..
Tips from Regina – Lesson 98, I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.
What is God’s plan for salvation? In the language of the Course, it is forgiveness. What is forgiveness? It is removing your attention from the untrue.
Removing attention from problems.
Removing attention from grievances.
Removing attention from fears.
Removing attention from regrets.
Removing attention from jealousies and envies.
Removing attention from judgments.
Removing attention from all of our ideas about how other people should be.
Removing attention from all thoughts about our weaknesses and shortcomings.
Removing attention from our doubts that the truth is true.
Today’s lesson says, “We take a stand on but one side today. We side with truth and let illusions go. We will not vacillate between the two, but take a firm position with the One.”
If you notice your attention has gone to illusory thoughts, simply remind yourself that you accept your function as spirit, gently remove your attention from anything you do not want to enliven with spirit, and place attention with …
With what?
A careful reading of today’s lesson will reveal that you are being guided to place attention with happiness and gratitude. So when you catch attention with illusory thoughts, you might ask yourself, “What happiness can I place my attention with now? What can I be grateful for?”
A bird’s song may catch your ear, and you might recognize the simple joy of life and place attention there. You may notice your own honest willingness for truth, and feel gratitude for your sincerity. You might feel a contraction in your chest because of the fear you were focused on a moment ago, and feel grateful that your attention can now go to rest, accept and trust.
Today is a chance to make a deeper commitment to our function. It’s another new beginning. Be still during the 5-minute breaks and contemplate how much you want to make this commitment today. Enjoy the opportunity to live the commitment during the other 55 minutes of each hour today.
Today we give the gifts of happiness and gratitude to ourselves and to the world
April 23, 2017 Daily Quote
Tips from Regina – Lesson 97, I am spirit
Sh-h-h-h-h. Listen. What do you hear?
That’s spirit.
What’s listening?
Spirit.
You can’t get away from it. Spirit, everywhere.
Look at this verse from the Gospel of Thomas:
Jesus said, “It is I who am the light over all. It is I who am the entirety: it is from me that the entirety has come, and to me that the entirety goes. Split a piece of wood: I am there. Lift a stone, and you will find me there.”
Spirit.
Here’s another verse from the Gospel of Thomas:
Jesus said, “I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I’m guarding it until it blazes.”
What is the fire?
Realization of spirit.
Today’s workbook lesson says that the Holy Spirit will take each little 5 minute period we give today, and it will be multiplied “a thousandfold and tens of thousands more. And when it is returned to you, it will surpass in might the little gift you gave as much as does the radiance of the sun outshine the tiny gleam [of] a firefly.”
Fire cast upon the world, blazing.
Today, be a part of this fire. Contemplate this:
Whatever you are aware of today is spirit.
You, which is aware, is spirit.
Contemplate the everywhereness of spirit, the allness of spirit.
“The kingdom is within you and it is outside you.” ~ The Gospel of Thomas
Let the entire day be given to contemplation of spirit. It will be with you throughout the day everywhere that you go and in everything that you do.
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