"We become what we think about." ~ Earl Nightingale

Welcome to Sacred Ruminations

I hope you'll look around & leave comments
then visit me at my new blog ...

Giraffe Journal

and/or website ... Labyrinth Journal
both self-hosted at WordPress
where I publish as myself
rather than under a
pseudonym.

I've not had much time for posting or blog visits, but if you're interested I hope you'll find time to check out my new blog, Giraffe Journal or my Labyrinth Journal website ... both self hosted at WordPress.

Thanks for your visit and have a delightful day ;--)
Hugs and blessings,


Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sacred Life Sunday

After reading my Anything but Wordless Wednesday post this week, Elspeth shared that she and a friend have begun to study A COURSE IN MIRACLES and asked how studying the COURSE for 17 years has been for me. As I sit down to write this morning, I believe the most significant effects of my studies may be:

1. the subtle but life-changing shift in my perception of everything I encounter
2. a desire to find peace in all things ... always
3. choosing happiness over being "right" more consistently
4. that forgiveness of others leads to forgiveness of self
5. only my thoughts can hurt me and I can choose to see and think differently in each moment
6. miracles happen all the time and we see them when we slow down and notice
7. all things are "echoes of the Voice of God"
8. love is the way I walk in gratitude
9. we are not alone, but all one
10. I am one with Spirit ... I need but step back and listen to be led and this is true for everyone

There are, of course, many more changes I could share ... but these are central to my way of being in the world these days. Each time I revisit the daily lessons, I understand more deeply and release more "baggage" ... mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I'm led to books and authors in serendipitous ways when their message is most needed as "an assist" along the way.

Mary sent me this video link in email and after watching, I explored the associated website and found the following text of the poem illustrated with lovely images in the video. I offer both to you this morning if you have the time and inclination to reflect with me today.

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.

“If you have the time” I said.

God smiled. “My time is eternity.”
“What questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you most about humankind?”

God answered...
“That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.”

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...
“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?”

“To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.”

“To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.”

“To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,
“Just know that I am here... always.”

-author unknown


I recall discovering Neale Donald Walsch's 1st book CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD and feeling surprised to see that it read like my own journals. I can't help but wonder how many of us there are who dialogue with Spirit in similar ways. I'd love to know.

The Workbook ends with this reminder:
"You do not walk alone. God's angels hover near and all about. His Love surrounds you, and of this be sure; that I will never leave you comfortless."

How's THAT for blessed assurance?

11 comments:

NicciN said...

One of my friends just told me that she is doing the Course In Miracles too. She told me I should check it out since they are doing it on Oprah's website. Your list of significant effects make it sound very appealing.

thailandchani said...

Wow.. great stuff.. and I absolutely love all those quotes you have on the sidebar!

I read the CIM many years ago and it really isn't a complicated message. It seems to be this "Be kind and you will draw kindness."

:)

Eve said...

I, too, believe in miracles. They are everywhere if we can but find them. I have been visiting a blog of gratitude by Solomon Brand. He reminds me to look for and recognize the miraculous every day.

Kind Claudia said...

Wow - that's awesome that you are able to share your real experience with the Course of Miracles. That is very kind and generous of you.

storyteller said...

Yertle - The workbook is set up to spend a few minutes each day thinking about the "lesson" ... starting with 5 minutes in the morning and at night ... then gradually increasing over time. There's no pressure to "believe" anything ... only the suggestion to be open minded and see what happens. I had no clue Oprah had picked this up. It reminds me of when I discovered the Course at Costco.

Chani - Thanks. I've used quotes always to keep myself centered, and my students focused, most of my life. As for the messages in ACIM, I find the lessons continually opening my mind to new ways of seeing and being in the world as my understanding deepens.

Eve - I'm not familiar with Solomon Brand's blog ... but I know many practice gratitude. Years ago Oprah had Sarah Ban Breathnach on her show talking about her book about gratitude and I not only read it, I started keeping a gratitude journal as she suggested. Just taking a few minutes at the end of each day to write 5 things for which I'm grateful caused me to live (and experience) my life differently. I believe it was Meister Eckhardt who said, "If the only prayer you ever said was "Thank you," it would be enough."

Claudia - Thanks for your kind words and for visiting Sacred Ruminations. I love what you're doing with your Everyday Kindness challenge.

Hugs and blessings to you all! I hope you have a delightful day and a wonderful week.

Elspeth said...

Hi, thanks for responding in more detail in your post. All of the things you've listed feel true even with what we've done already.

Annie Z said...

I love your 'significant effects'
Thanks for sharing
Annie
xxx

Momisodes said...

I loved your list of effects. Especially 2. a desire to find peace in all things ... always, and
3. choosing happiness over being "right" more consistently. Those are two I can relate to on so many levels. Thank you so much for sharing this :)

I still have no idea how you keep up with both blogs ;)

storyteller said...

Elspeth – I’m happy to share my personal experience in this manner and appreciate your question. Mary’s email with the video link was icing on the cake today. I hope you’ll continue to study the Course. I wish I’d had someone to talk things over with when I started, but I used my journal as a sounding board instead and that worked for me.

Annie – You’re quite welcome … and thanks for your visit. I’m still distracted by tennis … watching the Hewitt-Djokovic match as I type this comment … relieved that Federer and Blake are both through to the quarters and looking forward to THAT match up. I’ll eventually get back to visiting blogs, but perhaps not for a while yet.

Sandy – Hope you’re feeling better. When first presented with the idea that I could be “right” or “happy” … I was taken aback because, of course, I believed it was possible to have both. LOL

These days I realize I’d much rather be happy than right … and others get to be happy along with me this way. I believe I spent the better part of 8 or 9 months reminding myself that peace was my only goal before it became a reality for me. Even now I catch myself needing a reminder in the midst of troubling times. As for keeping up with two blogs … methinks it helps to have a puppy rather than a toddler.

Thanks to everyone for visiting and sharing your feedback. I’m most grateful always.
Hugs and blessings,

Karen said...

This is such a beautiful entry. "I am one with Spirit" is particularly resonating with me--some days it's so hard to remember/believe this--but when I breathe and sit, allow stillness into my life, THEN I get it. And then it goes away, and then I have to sit still again to get it back. I guess I have to trust that eventually it will be effortless.

storyteller said...

Karen – I’m not sure it ever becomes completely effortless because life consistently throws us unexpected curves, but it does become easier with time and practice for experience is a powerful teacher. Once we know what we don’t want, it’s simpler to embrace what we do desire ... and for me that's peace. Being still certainly helps.
Hugs and blessings,