ACIM workbook lesson #189 - I feel the Love Of God within me now.

 I feel the Love of God within me now.

Supposing we could set all our cares and worries and resentments and fears aside and just relax into the Loving Presence of our Transcendent Source? Wouldn’t that be great?

In Alcoholic Anonymous, it is suggested in step eleven,that through prayer and meditation we enhance our conscious contact with the benevolent presence of God which is our natural inheritance.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the love of the interdependent web of which we are a part. As the Buddhist monk said to the hog dog vendor, “Make me one with Everything.”

Today, it is suggested that we periodically take a couple of deep breaths, relax, go within, and let all our worries in the world of the ego go so we can enjoy the peace of God. Then we say, “I feel the Love of God within me now.”

Notice the good things that happen to you throughout the day and acknowledge the blessings saying simply “thank you for showing me Love.”

ACIM workbook lesson #188 - The peace of God is shining in me now.

The peace of God is shining in me now.

The peace of God is not only shining in me now, it has always been shining in me. I have just failed to be aware of it. The idea in today’s lesson is to recognize the peace of God within me, acknowledge it, and enjoy it.

In Alcoholics Anonymous, it is suggested in the second step, that we come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity. How about that idea?

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to each other's spiritual growth. This encouragement can take the form of sharing the peace of God which we have become aware of shining within us.

Today, it is suggested that we take three deep breaths, relax, turn within and become aware of God’s peace shining deep down within us. Then smile and open our hearts to the goodness around us. We can bask in the peace of God which is shining within each of us if we become aware of it.

This awareness of the inner peace of God is what some call “meditation.” Nowadays some call it “mindfulness.” Sometimes I like to think of it as “going with the flow.”

Set aside 15 minutes today to sit quietly and just go within and from that space watch the flurry of thoughts which some  call “monkey mind.” The space from which you are watching the monkey mind chatter is the sweet spot of peace.

A Course In Miracles (ACIM) workbook lesson #187 - I bless the world because I bless myself.

I bless the world because I bless myself.

The law of the ego world is one of scarcity. The law of the Spirit (Love) world is one of abundance. I can’t give what I don’t have. I can’t possess what is not mine. 

The law of the world of Spirit (Love) teaches that we don’t divide, we multiply. I bless the world because I realize that I, myself, am blessed.

In Alcoholics Anonymous, in the twelfth step, it is suggested that we strengthen our recovery by giving it away to others.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth. In this acceptance and encouragement we ourselves are strengthened.

Today, it is suggested that we regularly, throughout the day, bless the world as we realize that we ourselves are blessed. A way of blessing the world is to do a random act of kindness. The more acts of kindness the better. Can you do three or more today?

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #186 - Salvation of the world depends on me.

Salvation of the world depends on me.

“Salvation” in A Course In Miracles is a return to the non dualistic Oneness of God. When the monk asks the hot dog vendor to “make me one with everything” the monk is asking for salvation and the awareness of salvation depends on the monk.

Salvation is ours for the asking, and in fact, has always been ours, but we have forgotten it so what we are asking for is the conscious awareness of our natural inheritance which is the Oneness with our Transcendent Source.

In Alcoholic Anonymous, in step three, it is suggested that we not only ask for salvation but actually engage in it by deciding to turn our wills and lives over to the care of God as we understand God.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and the encouragement to spiritual growth which is the salvation we facilitate when we ourselves and others return to the Oneness from which we separated ourselves in our incarnation into our earthly bodies.

Today, it is suggested that we remind ourselves frequently that salvation of the world depends on us, on me. The monk became frustrated when the hot dog vendor didn’t give him his change when he gave the vendor $5.00 for a $2.50 hot dog so the monk asked the vendor, “Where’s my change?” and the vendor said, “Oh monk, you should know more than anyone that change comes from within.” The vendor is reminding the monk that the salvation of the world doesn’t come from without but from within him and it is up to him to choose to attend to it.

How it works: Discerning God's will

 

St. Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians "If God is with you who can be against you?" You and God are a dynamic duo.

Peace arises when we bring our will into alignment with God's will for us. What is God's will? It is perceived through a process of discernment which begins simply with asking the Holy Spirit to guide you and then listening, listening deeply, and paying attention to the inklings that arise.

How it works: Dying a peaceful death

 

How it works: Creative activity nourishing one's interior spiritual life

 

Using our creativity is a way of extending God's love into the world by creating something that is good, truthful, and beautiful. Some people say that the three characteristics of God are truth, goodness, and beauty. One of the ways to determining the quality of one's interior spiritual life is to rate the level of truth, goodness, and beauty that you experience in your life and share with others.