Today's lesson goes beyond yesterday's, claiming that not only is God's plan for salvation is the only one that will work, but also that any other plan is an active attack on God. This is because any plan other than God's has been invented by our ego, the fear-based part of our minds, which believes it is separate from God. In believing as such, the ego can do nothing but hold grievances against others. Today's lesson informs us that the very act of holding grievances is an attack on God, because it reaffirms our misguided belief that we are separate from one another. It also convinces us that we are physical beings, as opposed to the Truth about ourselves - that we are spirit, derived from God.
Holding grievances always has something to do with the physical nature of our being. It is a reaction to what someone has said or done, or to what place a situation has put us. Yet if we look beyond the physical veil, we would see that none of that is real. We would recognize the kinship we have with those we perceive to be our enemies. We would see the opportunity for growth in every sticky situation we find ourselves. This is true salvation - looking past the physical projections of the ego and within ourselves. It is there that we can shift our perspective from fear to love, thereby recognizing our connection to one another and our own opportunities for soul growth.
In today's meditation, we are told to ask God directly, "What is salvation, Father? I do not know. Tell me, that I may understand." Here was the answer I received:
I first saw God as a central glowing globe of Light, resting gently and magnificently in the center of the universe, surrounded by other bodies of light (myself included) - reflections of Him. When I asked, "What is salvation, Father?" He illuminated the area surrounding His Light, and I saw waves, like an ocean, flowing inward toward Him. It was like the ripples you see when throwing a rock in a pond, only in reverse direction. I interpreted this to mean that salvation is the constant, continual movement toward God.
Throughout the day, I continued to ask the same question, as instructed by the Course. I received many answers, in many different forms. These are but a few:
Salvation is bringing lightness to the dark.
Salvation is seeing your brothers and sisters as yourself, recognizing that We Are All One.
Salvation is shifting your perception from fear to Love.
Salvation is You.
Salvation is guaranteed.
From Where I Am, salvation simply does not exist, for there is no need for it. You are already saved. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bridge You, My Son, to Me. When you recognize that what you see is but an illusion, you will ascend that bridge and return to your rightful place in Heaven.
Wow. God sure knows how to put us at ease.
I haven't spoken at all as of yet about the text portion of A Course in Miracles. In addition to the daily meditation practices, I am reading two pages of the text a day, in order to finish both the meditation workbook and theoretical text by the time I turn 30 next year.
The text has been discussing the role of the Holy Spirit a lot lately, and how It falls into the Holy Trinity. I have come to understand that God, or the Father, is the originator of creation itself. We, you and I, collectively make up the Son - God's highest creations, whom He has given His own power to create, through Him. The Holy Spirit came to be when We, the Son, separated from God. The Holy Spirit is like the connective tissue, keeping us tied to the Father of creation as long as we continue to perceive ourselves as separate. The Holy Spirit is also like a rubber band, pulling us back into God's loving arms. It is the bridge by which we will return Home.
Holding grievances is taking allegiance to the ego, and is thus blinding us from the path which the Holy Spirit has paved for us. Let us lift our grievances by forgiving. Let us claim our salvation by redirecting our allegiance to God, the Holy Spirit, and seeing the Truth in one another (the Son). See the Holy Trinity as complete, and we will know our salvation.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Day 71: Only God's plan for salvation will work.
Only God's plan for salvation will work.
Today's lesson has two parts, as A Course in Miracles points out:
1. God's plan for salvation will work.
2. Others will not.
If we refer to yesterday's meditation - my salvation comes from me - we know that God's plan for salvation must therefore come from within us. Anything outside of ourselves will not work.
The ego, which A Course in Miracles tells us is the fear-based part of our mind and thinks in opposition to God, would have us believe that if certain people would change their attitudes or that if certain situations were different, we and the rest of the world would have our salvation. Yet this line of thinking is not taking responsibility for our role as miracle-workers. This line of thinking is holding grievances, which keeps the light of the world hidden. Believing that outside circumstances need to change is the same as not forgiving how they currently are. In not forgiving, we are not being true to our sole function (as discussed in Day 62). Therefore, no plan for salvation can work if we continue to think as the ego would tell us.
During the two 10-15 minute meditation practice periods today (which are in addition to repeating the idea several times throughout the day), we are asked to consider the two ideas today's lesson implies. Then, we are to give God "full charge" of the remainder of the meditation, asking Him the following:
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say, and to whom?
As I completed the two longer practice periods, I believe I did hear the Voice for God. This is the response I received:
Utilize the gifts I have given you. Do not hide them away from the world for fear that they will be taken from you, for an idea never leaves its source. It only becomes stronger when shared. Take your box of journals and poems out from the dark corner it is hiding in your closet, and share these thoughts with the world. Continue to write and play your music, for others will hear it and become inspired. Continue to perform, and trust that I will provide the right platform for you to speak My Truth through your acting. Continue to teach, as your influence is great and will change the lives of those with whom you work.
Travel the world, and demonstrate My Truth wherever you go. Travel also because it brings you joy, and thus fulfills the function I have given you. Speak My Truth through the Internet, for this is a tool by which you can extend your reach around the globe in an instant. Yet do not use its capabilities in place of personal interaction. Modern technology, used in its highest form, should complement and enhance human connection - not replace it.
Speak with strength and calm wherever you go, and others will listen. Through your words and actions you will reveal to others My Light which resides in them. Show the children of this world their importance, their beauty, and their magnificence through your words and by demonstrating your own. Do this also for those who have forgotten Who They Really Are. Remind them from Where They Come. And remember that words are not always the best methods from which to speak. You must demonstrate through your actions, always.
You will have much influence on the world, My Son. Your journey is not one that will bring you fame, for such a role would be too limiting. Such a role would place you at the pinnacle of one particular field, but prevent you from fully engaging in others. Your role is the Inspirer. Your role is to influence others - including those who are in positions of power - for they need you to remind them Why They Are Here. They need you to demonstrate Love, Forgiveness and Joy so that they may do the same.
Amen.
There you have it. Though this gives you insight into my own personal relationship with God, the message I received applies to all of us in one way or another. Our salvation depends on God's plan, which is within us, not outside of us. It is our responsibility to restore the world back to Light. And we must do this not only through our words, but also by demonstrating love, forgiveness and joy in our actions.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Today's lesson has two parts, as A Course in Miracles points out:
1. God's plan for salvation will work.
2. Others will not.
If we refer to yesterday's meditation - my salvation comes from me - we know that God's plan for salvation must therefore come from within us. Anything outside of ourselves will not work.
The ego, which A Course in Miracles tells us is the fear-based part of our mind and thinks in opposition to God, would have us believe that if certain people would change their attitudes or that if certain situations were different, we and the rest of the world would have our salvation. Yet this line of thinking is not taking responsibility for our role as miracle-workers. This line of thinking is holding grievances, which keeps the light of the world hidden. Believing that outside circumstances need to change is the same as not forgiving how they currently are. In not forgiving, we are not being true to our sole function (as discussed in Day 62). Therefore, no plan for salvation can work if we continue to think as the ego would tell us.
During the two 10-15 minute meditation practice periods today (which are in addition to repeating the idea several times throughout the day), we are asked to consider the two ideas today's lesson implies. Then, we are to give God "full charge" of the remainder of the meditation, asking Him the following:
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say, and to whom?
As I completed the two longer practice periods, I believe I did hear the Voice for God. This is the response I received:
Utilize the gifts I have given you. Do not hide them away from the world for fear that they will be taken from you, for an idea never leaves its source. It only becomes stronger when shared. Take your box of journals and poems out from the dark corner it is hiding in your closet, and share these thoughts with the world. Continue to write and play your music, for others will hear it and become inspired. Continue to perform, and trust that I will provide the right platform for you to speak My Truth through your acting. Continue to teach, as your influence is great and will change the lives of those with whom you work.
Travel the world, and demonstrate My Truth wherever you go. Travel also because it brings you joy, and thus fulfills the function I have given you. Speak My Truth through the Internet, for this is a tool by which you can extend your reach around the globe in an instant. Yet do not use its capabilities in place of personal interaction. Modern technology, used in its highest form, should complement and enhance human connection - not replace it.
Speak with strength and calm wherever you go, and others will listen. Through your words and actions you will reveal to others My Light which resides in them. Show the children of this world their importance, their beauty, and their magnificence through your words and by demonstrating your own. Do this also for those who have forgotten Who They Really Are. Remind them from Where They Come. And remember that words are not always the best methods from which to speak. You must demonstrate through your actions, always.
You will have much influence on the world, My Son. Your journey is not one that will bring you fame, for such a role would be too limiting. Such a role would place you at the pinnacle of one particular field, but prevent you from fully engaging in others. Your role is the Inspirer. Your role is to influence others - including those who are in positions of power - for they need you to remind them Why They Are Here. They need you to demonstrate Love, Forgiveness and Joy so that they may do the same.
Amen.
There you have it. Though this gives you insight into my own personal relationship with God, the message I received applies to all of us in one way or another. Our salvation depends on God's plan, which is within us, not outside of us. It is our responsibility to restore the world back to Light. And we must do this not only through our words, but also by demonstrating love, forgiveness and joy in our actions.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Day 70: My salvation comes from me.
My salvation comes from me.
Today's exercise explores the idea that God exists within us, not outside of us. Of course, God encompasses All That Is, but let us not be fooled by what we see. What we see is a reflection of what is already inside of us, and that includes God.
The lesson adds onto today's subject with the following:
Nothing outside of me can hold me back.
Within me is the world's salvation and my own.
The meaning behind today's idea is twofold: On one hand, it means that nothing outside of us can hurt us. On the other hand, nothing outside of us can save us.
This may be a difficult concept to grasp at first, since we live in world where we believe we are at the effect of everything happening around us. But once we realize that everything happening around us is a result of what we have been thinking, we can begin to understand this lesson on a deeper level.
During the longer meditation periods today, we are asked to visualize similarly as yesterday. We are asked to imagine going through the dark clouds of our ego's projections (the grievances we are still holding onto) and into the light within our minds. That light is our salvation, as well as the world's.
As I moved toward my own inner light this morning, I had a similar experience as I did yesterday. I saw the billions of other souls comprising the Sphere of Light pulling me in, and as I joined them, the glowing globe continued to grow and dissolve the surrounding clouds. Yet this time, as I visualized, I noticed that the other souls were me. You know how when you hold up a mirror to another mirror, whatever object is being reflected becomes reflected an infinite number of times? Well that's what it was like. I realized that the billions of souls I was moving toward were actually reflections of me! And once I joined them and began flowing outward, through the clouds and extending our shared light ever further, I noticed other spheres of light expanding around me. It was as if I was in outer space. I had become the Sphere of Light, and as I expanded my light into the darkness of space, I noticed other spheres of light doing the same, until all that there was was Light.
I had a realization then: Light is all there is. It's all there ever was and all there ever will be. The darkness is an illusion which clouds our True Vision. And all we must do to obliterate it is turn on the light. And that light is in us. It is in you and it is in me. Because in actuality, we are the same person. You and I and everyone else are merely reflections of one another. This is why I saw myself copied billions of times as I approached the Sphere of Light in my meditation. This is why, as I joined the light and extended outward, I saw other spheres around me.
The world we live in is a hall of mirrors, reflecting ourselves back to us an infinite number of times. This is precisely why "my salvation comes from me." This is precisely why "nothing outside of me can hold me back" and why "within me is the world's salvation and my own." It isn't arrogance to think this way - it's a state of higher consciousness.
So let us turn the light on within ourselves, so that we may obliterate the darkness and finally see that we are truly All One.
Until Tomorrow,
Journeyman
Today's exercise explores the idea that God exists within us, not outside of us. Of course, God encompasses All That Is, but let us not be fooled by what we see. What we see is a reflection of what is already inside of us, and that includes God.
The lesson adds onto today's subject with the following:
Nothing outside of me can hold me back.
Within me is the world's salvation and my own.
The meaning behind today's idea is twofold: On one hand, it means that nothing outside of us can hurt us. On the other hand, nothing outside of us can save us.
This may be a difficult concept to grasp at first, since we live in world where we believe we are at the effect of everything happening around us. But once we realize that everything happening around us is a result of what we have been thinking, we can begin to understand this lesson on a deeper level.
During the longer meditation periods today, we are asked to visualize similarly as yesterday. We are asked to imagine going through the dark clouds of our ego's projections (the grievances we are still holding onto) and into the light within our minds. That light is our salvation, as well as the world's.
As I moved toward my own inner light this morning, I had a similar experience as I did yesterday. I saw the billions of other souls comprising the Sphere of Light pulling me in, and as I joined them, the glowing globe continued to grow and dissolve the surrounding clouds. Yet this time, as I visualized, I noticed that the other souls were me. You know how when you hold up a mirror to another mirror, whatever object is being reflected becomes reflected an infinite number of times? Well that's what it was like. I realized that the billions of souls I was moving toward were actually reflections of me! And once I joined them and began flowing outward, through the clouds and extending our shared light ever further, I noticed other spheres of light expanding around me. It was as if I was in outer space. I had become the Sphere of Light, and as I expanded my light into the darkness of space, I noticed other spheres of light doing the same, until all that there was was Light.
I had a realization then: Light is all there is. It's all there ever was and all there ever will be. The darkness is an illusion which clouds our True Vision. And all we must do to obliterate it is turn on the light. And that light is in us. It is in you and it is in me. Because in actuality, we are the same person. You and I and everyone else are merely reflections of one another. This is why I saw myself copied billions of times as I approached the Sphere of Light in my meditation. This is why, as I joined the light and extended outward, I saw other spheres around me.
The world we live in is a hall of mirrors, reflecting ourselves back to us an infinite number of times. This is precisely why "my salvation comes from me." This is precisely why "nothing outside of me can hold me back" and why "within me is the world's salvation and my own." It isn't arrogance to think this way - it's a state of higher consciousness.
So let us turn the light on within ourselves, so that we may obliterate the darkness and finally see that we are truly All One.
Until Tomorrow,
Journeyman
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Day 69: My grievances hide the light of the world in me.
Here is the subject for today's meditation:
My grievances hide the light of the world in me.
The workbook lesson in A Course in Miracles explains further, adding:
I cannot see what I have hidden. Yet I want to let it be revealed to me, for my salvation and the salvation of the world.
During the longer meditation practice for the day, the Course instructs us to imagine our mind as a "vast circle, surrounded by a layer of heavy, dark clouds." These clouds represent the grudges we are still holding, the people or circumstances we have yet to forgive entirely. We are then asked to approach those dark clouds, as if something is pulling us inward. Yet the force which is pulling us is beyond the clouds - it is the magnificent light hidden behind them. That light is the light of the world that exists within all of us.
I believe in the power of visualization, so this exercise was very effective for me. As I meditated, I pictured myself becoming lost in the dark clouds, smelling their stench and feeling their brutal chill upon my skin. I saw horrifying lightning flashing all around as I continued to be pulled further in. At one point, I had forgotten I was even being pulled at all. I felt hopeless, completely lost and abandoned in the darkness. Yet when I became still in the picture I was creating, I could feel the gentlest, most unyielding power guiding me in a clear direction. Sure enough, the clouds began to thin, and I saw patches of light shining through. Soon the clouds disappeared behind me altogether, and before me was a brilliant globe of white light. It was as if I had gone skydiving and was soaring toward a brightly-lit earth. As the light engulfed me and I became one with it, I began to recognize that I was not the only spirit there. Others, many others, billions of others were there with me, composing the sphere into the brilliant ball of light it was. I joined them as they radiated outward, the globe growing larger, and I saw that this light was melting away the clouds, layer by layer. The Course mentioned that "the tears of God's Son disappear in the sunlight," and this was it. As the ball of light expanded, the dark clouds dissipated. And more souls, like myself, continued to be pulled out of the clouds and into the light, contributing to its growth.
Talk about an enlightening moment! What this exercise showed me was that as each one of us is lifted into the Light of God (which is also to say that we are awakened into our own inner light), we join the souls of all who have been lifted. As we do so, we become part of the crusade to literally bring salvation to the world.
By joining together, by lifting one another, by sharing our inner light and bringing others through the darkness so that they may see it - we dissolve the grievances that have kept our light hidden for far too long. So join with me, one and all, as I join with those who have gone before me, and let us shine away the dark clouds with our Brilliant Sphere of Light.
Until Tomorrow,
Journeyman
My grievances hide the light of the world in me.
The workbook lesson in A Course in Miracles explains further, adding:
I cannot see what I have hidden. Yet I want to let it be revealed to me, for my salvation and the salvation of the world.
During the longer meditation practice for the day, the Course instructs us to imagine our mind as a "vast circle, surrounded by a layer of heavy, dark clouds." These clouds represent the grudges we are still holding, the people or circumstances we have yet to forgive entirely. We are then asked to approach those dark clouds, as if something is pulling us inward. Yet the force which is pulling us is beyond the clouds - it is the magnificent light hidden behind them. That light is the light of the world that exists within all of us.
I believe in the power of visualization, so this exercise was very effective for me. As I meditated, I pictured myself becoming lost in the dark clouds, smelling their stench and feeling their brutal chill upon my skin. I saw horrifying lightning flashing all around as I continued to be pulled further in. At one point, I had forgotten I was even being pulled at all. I felt hopeless, completely lost and abandoned in the darkness. Yet when I became still in the picture I was creating, I could feel the gentlest, most unyielding power guiding me in a clear direction. Sure enough, the clouds began to thin, and I saw patches of light shining through. Soon the clouds disappeared behind me altogether, and before me was a brilliant globe of white light. It was as if I had gone skydiving and was soaring toward a brightly-lit earth. As the light engulfed me and I became one with it, I began to recognize that I was not the only spirit there. Others, many others, billions of others were there with me, composing the sphere into the brilliant ball of light it was. I joined them as they radiated outward, the globe growing larger, and I saw that this light was melting away the clouds, layer by layer. The Course mentioned that "the tears of God's Son disappear in the sunlight," and this was it. As the ball of light expanded, the dark clouds dissipated. And more souls, like myself, continued to be pulled out of the clouds and into the light, contributing to its growth.
Talk about an enlightening moment! What this exercise showed me was that as each one of us is lifted into the Light of God (which is also to say that we are awakened into our own inner light), we join the souls of all who have been lifted. As we do so, we become part of the crusade to literally bring salvation to the world.
By joining together, by lifting one another, by sharing our inner light and bringing others through the darkness so that they may see it - we dissolve the grievances that have kept our light hidden for far too long. So join with me, one and all, as I join with those who have gone before me, and let us shine away the dark clouds with our Brilliant Sphere of Light.
Until Tomorrow,
Journeyman
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Day 68: Love holds no grievances.
Today's lesson reads as follows:
Love holds no grievances.
Holding a grudge or a grievance is the same as withholding forgiveness. And that is in direct conflict with our purpose, our function, which God has given us - to love, forgive and be happy (which are all the same thing, really).
During the 10-15 minute meditation, the lesson advises us to picture anyone whom we are holding a grievance against, and to tell each of them the following:
I would see you as my friend, that I may remember you are part of me and come to know myself.
In doing the meditation this morning, I pictured gathering all of my supposed "enemies" together (many of them were actually close friends or family members I still hadn't forgiven entirely, and some were people I didn't even know but who had pissed me off with a dirty look or by cutting me off in traffic). Then I pictured us all in a group hug. It sounds bizarre, but it was actually a great feeling. To see the faces of people I couldn't stand and people I loved all embracing me and one another just made me... well, happy! I couldn't help but smile as forgiveness and love and joy poured through me.
When I returned from my meditation and began getting ready for work (I teach theater arts to kids as part of an after-school gang-prevention program), I had a bit of my own inner-dialogue:
"Why is it so easy to forgive children?" I asked myself.
"Well they don't know any better." Of course.
"Well neither do adults!"
And there was my answer: Adults and kids alike are all Children of God. We are all on this planet to learn, to grow, to expand our spiritual knowledge and return to the loving light of God. If anything, little children are closer to spiritual awareness than most adults are, as their egos haven't had the chance to play enough tricks on them yet.
So if you ever find it particularly hard to forgive someone, "laying all [your] grievances aside," as the Course would say, just imagine that person as a child. If that doesn't help, imagine them as a baby. (Seriously. You can't get any more innocent than that.) For that little child, that harmless infant - they still exist within us. The only difference between that person and the adult we've become is that we're larger, less cute and have a bigger vocabulary.
So whenever we feel tempted to judge, grudge, or otherwise hold a grievance, let us remember that the behavior we are perceiving is not real. The person we are seeing is not really there. It is their ego, acting out. It is their inner-child having a temper tantrum, their inner-infant crying out of need. Rescue them (and thus yourself) by laying all your grievances aside and pouring forgiveness, love and joy their way.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Love holds no grievances.
Holding a grudge or a grievance is the same as withholding forgiveness. And that is in direct conflict with our purpose, our function, which God has given us - to love, forgive and be happy (which are all the same thing, really).
During the 10-15 minute meditation, the lesson advises us to picture anyone whom we are holding a grievance against, and to tell each of them the following:
I would see you as my friend, that I may remember you are part of me and come to know myself.
In doing the meditation this morning, I pictured gathering all of my supposed "enemies" together (many of them were actually close friends or family members I still hadn't forgiven entirely, and some were people I didn't even know but who had pissed me off with a dirty look or by cutting me off in traffic). Then I pictured us all in a group hug. It sounds bizarre, but it was actually a great feeling. To see the faces of people I couldn't stand and people I loved all embracing me and one another just made me... well, happy! I couldn't help but smile as forgiveness and love and joy poured through me.
When I returned from my meditation and began getting ready for work (I teach theater arts to kids as part of an after-school gang-prevention program), I had a bit of my own inner-dialogue:
"Why is it so easy to forgive children?" I asked myself.
"Well they don't know any better." Of course.
"Well neither do adults!"
And there was my answer: Adults and kids alike are all Children of God. We are all on this planet to learn, to grow, to expand our spiritual knowledge and return to the loving light of God. If anything, little children are closer to spiritual awareness than most adults are, as their egos haven't had the chance to play enough tricks on them yet.
So if you ever find it particularly hard to forgive someone, "laying all [your] grievances aside," as the Course would say, just imagine that person as a child. If that doesn't help, imagine them as a baby. (Seriously. You can't get any more innocent than that.) For that little child, that harmless infant - they still exist within us. The only difference between that person and the adult we've become is that we're larger, less cute and have a bigger vocabulary.
So whenever we feel tempted to judge, grudge, or otherwise hold a grievance, let us remember that the behavior we are perceiving is not real. The person we are seeing is not really there. It is their ego, acting out. It is their inner-child having a temper tantrum, their inner-infant crying out of need. Rescue them (and thus yourself) by laying all your grievances aside and pouring forgiveness, love and joy their way.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Monday, August 9, 2010
Day 67: Love created me like itself.
Love created me like itself.
This is the true meaning behind the biblical belief that God created Man in His own image. After all, God is Love, so it would hold true that Love created all of us like Itself.
As part of today's meditation, the lesson tells us to think of qualities we attribute to God and apply them to ourselves as such:
Happiness created me happy.
Holiness created me holy.
Beauty created me beautiful.
Kindness created me kind.
Perfection created me perfect.
As you can probably decipher, today's lesson asks us to recognize our true origin. We were not created out of hatred, nor fear, nor sadness. We were created out of Love - pure, infallible, unconditional love. Any perceived violence or worry or anger in the world is an illusion that our egos have made up. It isn't real. The core of our being - each and every one of us - remains untarnished. God is waiting for us with an open heart to return. All we must do is remember where we came from, and thus realize who we really are.
Love created me like itself. Therefore, I am love. What could be more beautiful?
Let us remember this, and we shall watch the illusions of the world fall away.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
This is the true meaning behind the biblical belief that God created Man in His own image. After all, God is Love, so it would hold true that Love created all of us like Itself.
As part of today's meditation, the lesson tells us to think of qualities we attribute to God and apply them to ourselves as such:
Happiness created me happy.
Holiness created me holy.
Beauty created me beautiful.
Kindness created me kind.
Perfection created me perfect.
As you can probably decipher, today's lesson asks us to recognize our true origin. We were not created out of hatred, nor fear, nor sadness. We were created out of Love - pure, infallible, unconditional love. Any perceived violence or worry or anger in the world is an illusion that our egos have made up. It isn't real. The core of our being - each and every one of us - remains untarnished. God is waiting for us with an open heart to return. All we must do is remember where we came from, and thus realize who we really are.
Love created me like itself. Therefore, I am love. What could be more beautiful?
Let us remember this, and we shall watch the illusions of the world fall away.
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Day 66: My happiness and my function are one.
Today's meditation really hit a chord with me. I knew some sort of breakthrough was coming from the preceding lessons. Here's what A Course in Miracles had in store for me today:
My happiness and my function are one.
This goes hand in hand with what I've written about previously. Our function, the only one given to us by God, is to love and forgive. Doing so brings us joy. Today's lesson goes on to tell us that God gives us nothing but happiness, so our function must be happiness. As the Course explains the lesson further, it asks us to think about any other time we believed we had an alternate purpose, an alternate function in life. Did it bring us happiness? The answer, I discovered, is no. And with that realization during my meditation this morning, I had a breakthrough.
Whenever I believed my function to be winning an award, I was never joyous. Whenever I believed my function to be writing a great script, I was never joyous. Whenever I believed my function to be making lots of money, I was never joyous. And each time I believed my function was something other than offering forgiveness and love, I was never able to achieve my function - not my True function or the one I'd made up for myself.
The relief I felt when discovering this during my meditation this morning was overwhelming. As I had this breakthrough, I broke down and began to cry. All this time I'd been chasing after unachievable goals - unachievable as long as I believed they were my true purpose. I'd been setting myself up for failure, when all I had to do was love, forgive, and thus follow my bliss. As I mentioned yesterday, the form our true function takes does not matter. But when we mistake the form for our function, that's when we get into trouble.
This isn't to say that we shouldn't set goals or dream big. That isn't the case at all. But it's the journey that counts. If we aren't in bliss, if we aren't loving every moment of the process (and forgiving ourselves when we fall short), that goal will never be attained. Our function - our only function - is to love and forgive and be happy. If doing so results in winning an award or writing a great script or making lots of money, then so be it.
As the day continued, I could feel myself walking a little lighter. The world I saw seemed a little brighter. And the evening ended on a perfect note (quite literally), as I saw a spectacular performance of the musical Rent at the Hollywood Bowl. Seeing the show complemented today's lesson wonderfully because the history behind the play's conception illustrates its point perfectly. Jonathan Larson wrote the book, music and lyrics, but he died before he ever saw his show produced. He was fully invested in the journey, and you can tell by the content of the play in the words he wrote. The show is all about love, it's all about living in the present, it's all about our connection to one another. It's impossible that he wasn't fulfilling his sole function while writing and composing Rent, because the musical is abounding with love, forgiveness and joy. Did he set his sights for the award-winning sensation the play became? Perhaps, but it couldn't have been his function in writing it, or it never would have come to be. His purpose, his function, was the journey itself as he continued to pour love, forgiveness and joy into the creation of his script.
So again, I say, wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever goals we set for ourselves, let us remember that it's all for naught unless we shine love, forgiveness and joy into every ounce of lives. As Jonathan Larson would say, "Measure your life in love."
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
My happiness and my function are one.
This goes hand in hand with what I've written about previously. Our function, the only one given to us by God, is to love and forgive. Doing so brings us joy. Today's lesson goes on to tell us that God gives us nothing but happiness, so our function must be happiness. As the Course explains the lesson further, it asks us to think about any other time we believed we had an alternate purpose, an alternate function in life. Did it bring us happiness? The answer, I discovered, is no. And with that realization during my meditation this morning, I had a breakthrough.
Whenever I believed my function to be winning an award, I was never joyous. Whenever I believed my function to be writing a great script, I was never joyous. Whenever I believed my function to be making lots of money, I was never joyous. And each time I believed my function was something other than offering forgiveness and love, I was never able to achieve my function - not my True function or the one I'd made up for myself.
The relief I felt when discovering this during my meditation this morning was overwhelming. As I had this breakthrough, I broke down and began to cry. All this time I'd been chasing after unachievable goals - unachievable as long as I believed they were my true purpose. I'd been setting myself up for failure, when all I had to do was love, forgive, and thus follow my bliss. As I mentioned yesterday, the form our true function takes does not matter. But when we mistake the form for our function, that's when we get into trouble.
This isn't to say that we shouldn't set goals or dream big. That isn't the case at all. But it's the journey that counts. If we aren't in bliss, if we aren't loving every moment of the process (and forgiving ourselves when we fall short), that goal will never be attained. Our function - our only function - is to love and forgive and be happy. If doing so results in winning an award or writing a great script or making lots of money, then so be it.
As the day continued, I could feel myself walking a little lighter. The world I saw seemed a little brighter. And the evening ended on a perfect note (quite literally), as I saw a spectacular performance of the musical Rent at the Hollywood Bowl. Seeing the show complemented today's lesson wonderfully because the history behind the play's conception illustrates its point perfectly. Jonathan Larson wrote the book, music and lyrics, but he died before he ever saw his show produced. He was fully invested in the journey, and you can tell by the content of the play in the words he wrote. The show is all about love, it's all about living in the present, it's all about our connection to one another. It's impossible that he wasn't fulfilling his sole function while writing and composing Rent, because the musical is abounding with love, forgiveness and joy. Did he set his sights for the award-winning sensation the play became? Perhaps, but it couldn't have been his function in writing it, or it never would have come to be. His purpose, his function, was the journey itself as he continued to pour love, forgiveness and joy into the creation of his script.
So again, I say, wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever goals we set for ourselves, let us remember that it's all for naught unless we shine love, forgiveness and joy into every ounce of lives. As Jonathan Larson would say, "Measure your life in love."
Until tomorrow,
Journeyman
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