All posts by Patricia

Renaissance Woman

What is a Miracle?

From the book A Course In Miracles (ACIM):

A miracle is a correction. It
does not create, nor really change at all.
It merely looks on devastation, and
reminds the mind that what it sees is false.
It undoes error, but does not attempt
to go beyond perception, nor exceed
the function of forgiveness. Thus it stays
within time’s limits. Yet it paves the way
for the return of timelessness and love’s
awakening, for fear must slip away
under the gentle remedy it gives.

A miracle contains the gift of grace,
for it is given and received as one.
And thus it illustrates the law of truth
the world does not obey, because it fails
entirely to understand its ways.
A miracle inverts perception, which
was upside-down before, and thus it ends
the strange distortions that were manifest.
Now is perception open to the truth.
Now is forgiveness fully justified.

Forgiveness is the home of miracles.
The eyes of Christ delivers them to all
they look upon in mercy and in love.
Perception stands corrected in His sight,
and what was meant to curse has come to bless.
Each lily of forgiveness offers all
the world the silent miracle of love.
And each is laid before the Word of God
upon the universal altar to
Creator and creation, in the Light
of perfect purity and endless peace.

The miracle is taken first on faith,
because to ask for it implies the mind
has been made ready to conceive of what
it cannot see and does not understand.
Yet faith will bring its witnesses, to show
that what it rested on is really there.
And thus the miracle will justify your faith
in it, and show it rested on a world
more real than what you saw before;
a world redeemed from what you thought you saw.

Miracles fall like drops of healing rain
from Heaven on a dry and dusty world,
where starved and thirsty creatures came to die.
Now have they water. Now the world is green.
And everywhere the signs of life spring up,
to show that what is born can never die,
for what has life has immortality.

Science & spirituality: Jeff Lieberman at TEDxCambridge 2011

 

Thank you, Jeff! It’s so good to hear an artist/ scientist/ engineer talk about this subject.

You are clarifying an ancient mystery that can be solved on an individual level. Only I can choose for myself to stop thinking and to allow that beauty to fill my consciousness in place of my fears, angers, sorrows, need, greed, planning and other forms of suffering.

In ancient times they said, “God is Light”… or maybe “God IS Light”… and now we have the lovely word “Energy”… which many modern people can relate to better than “God”. Einstein’s equation E=MC2, from what I understand, was originally written M=E/C2… He knew that what appears to be “matter” is simply – beyond appearances – shimmering light.

When we let go of the distracting thoughts in our minds, all of a sudden ‘matter’ takes its proper place – replaced by that all-encompassing light/energy – real fulfillment.

All that has to shift for us to see, hear and feel pure energy, is for us to stop the “quack, quack, quack” between our ears.

I published a collection of quotes from world scriptures that specifically describe that light/energy in all its forms. The book is called Knowledge, The Essence of World Scriptures. In it is a clue of what we need to do to learn how to stop listening to the mind’s seemingly endless, meaningless chatter.

Transcript of Jeff’s talk here.

ACIM Table of Contents – Affirmations

These powerful thoughts are not just wishful thinking – they are beautiful and true. Pick one or two or as many as you like of these lesson titles to keep in your mind and heart. Make signs for your mirror, desk, frig. Put them on your computer. Replace your old way of thinking with thoughts that will take you where you really want to go. It’s time for us all to begin to remember what we temporarily forgot – who and what we truly are.

This table of contents are titles of the lessons from the A Course In Miracles Workbook. If you’d like to see a video and read the text of these lessons, please go to ACIM Essentials. You can also download the entire Workbook – and Text and Manual for Teachers – at ACIM Essentials. Three hundred eighty lesson videos are hosted by YouTube at the ACIMessentials channel. The daily workbook lessons are posted on Twitter (ACIMessentials) and Facebook (ACIM Essentials) every evening for the upcoming day. Stay in touch!

A Course In Miracles
Workbook for Students

PART I

1. Nothing I see… means anything.
2. I have given everything I see… all the meaning that it has for me.
3. I do not understand anything I see…
4. These thoughts do not mean anything…
5. I am never upset for the reason I think.
6. I am upset because I see something that is not there.
7. I see only the past.
8. My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
9. I see nothing as it is now.
10. My thoughts do not mean anything.
11. My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.
12. I am upset because I see a meaningless world.
13. A meaningless world engenders fear.
14. God did not create a meaningless world.
15. My thoughts are images that I have made.
16. I have no neutral thoughts.
17. I see no neutral things.
18. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
19. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts.
20. I am determined to see.
21. I am determined to see things differently.
22. What I see is a form of vengeance.
23. I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts.
24. I do not perceive my own best interests.
25. I do not know what anything is for.
26. My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.
27. Above all else I want to see.
28. Above all else I want to see things differently.
29. God is in everything I see.
30. God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.
31. I am not the victim of the world I see.
32. I have invented the world I see.
33. There is another way of looking at the world.
34. I could see peace instead of this.
35. My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy.
36. My holiness envelops everything I see.
37. My holiness blesses the world.
38. There is nothing my holiness cannot do.
39. My holiness is my salvation.
40. I am blessed as a son of God.
41. God goes with me wherever I go.
42. God is my strength. Vision is His gift
43. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.
44. God is the Light In which I see.
45. God is the Mind with which I think.
46. God is the Love in which I forgive.
47. God is the Strength in which I trust.
48. There is nothing to fear.
49. God’s Voice speaks to me all through the day.
50. I am sustained by the Love of God.

REVIEW I – Lessons 51-60

61. I am the light of the world.
62. Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.
63. The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.
64. Let me not forget my function.
65. My only function is the one God gave me.
66. My happiness and my function are one.
67. Love created me like Itself.
68. Love holds no grievances.
69. My grievances hide the light of the world in me.
70. My salvation comes from me.
71. Only God’s plan for salvation will work.
72. Holding grievances is an attack on God’s plan for salvation.
73. I will there be light.
74. There is no will but God’s.
75. The light has come.
76. I am under no laws but God’s.
77. I am entitled to miracles.
78. Let miracles replace all grievances.
79. Let me recognise the problem so it can be solved.
80. Let me recognise my problems have been solved.

REVIEW II – Lessons 81-90

90. (79-80)
91. Miracles are seen in light
92. Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.
93. Light and joy and peace abide in me.
94. I am as God created me.
95. I am one Self, united with my Creator.
96. Salvation comes from my one self.
97. I am spirit.
98. I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.
99. Salvation is my only function here.
100. My part is essential to God’s plan for salvation.
101. God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.
102. I share God’s Will for happiness for me.
103. God, being 1ove, is also happiness
104. I seek but what belongs to me in truth.
105. God’s peace and joy are mine.
106. Let me be still and listen to the truth.
107. Truth will correct all errors in my mind.
108. To give and to receive are one in truth.
109. I rest in God.
110. I am as God created me.

REVIEW III – Lessons 111-120

121. Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
122. Forgiveness offers everything I want.
123. I thank my Father for His gifts to me.
124. Let me remember I am one with God.
125. In quiet I receive God’s Word today.
126. All that I give is given to myself.
127. There is no love but God’s.
128. The world I see holds nothing that I want
129. Beyond this world there is a world I want.
130. It is impossible to see two worlds.
131. No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth.
132. I loose the world from all I thought it was.
133. I will not value what is valueless.
134. Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.
135. If I defend myself I am attacked.
136. Sickness is a defense against the truth.
137. When I am healed I am not healed alone.
138. Heaven is the decision I must make.
139. I will accept Atonement for myself.
140. Only salvation can be said to cure.

REVIEW IV – Lessons 141-150

151. All things are echoes of the Voice for God.
152. The power of decision is my own.
153. In my defenselessness my safety lies.
154. I am among the ministers of God.
155. I will step back and let Him lead the way.
156. I walk with God in perfect holiness.
157. Into his presence would I enter now.
158. Today I learn to give as I receive.
159. I give the miracles I have received.
160. I am at home. Fear is the stranger here.
161. Give me your blessing, holy Son of God.
162. I am as God created me.
163. There is no death. The Son of God is free.
164. Now are we one with Him Who is our Source.
165. Let not my mind deny the Thought of God.
166. I am entrusted with the gifts of God.
167. There is one life, and that I share with God.
168. Your grace is given me. I claim it now.
169. By grace I live. By grace I am released.
170. There is no cruelty in God and none in me.

REVIEW V – Lessons 171-180

181. I trust my brothers, who are one with me.
182. I will be still an instant and go home
183. I call upon God’s Name and on my own.
184. The Name of God is my inheritance.
185. I want the peace of God.
186. Salvation of the world depends upon me.
187. I bless the world because I bless myself.
188. The peace of God is shining in me now
189. I feel the Love of God within me now.
190. I choose the joy of God instead of pain.
191. I am the holy Son of God Himself.
192. I have a function God would have me fill.
193. All things are lessons God would have me learn.
194. I place the future in the Hands of God.
195. Love is the way I walk in gratitude.
196. It can be but myself I crucify.
197. It can be but my gratitude I earn.
198. Only my condemnation injures me.
199. I am not a body. I am free.
200. There is no peace except the peace of God.

REVIEW VI – Lessons 201-220

PART II

1. What is Forgiveness?

221. Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still.
222. God is with me. I live and move in Him.
223. God is my life. I have no life but His.
224. God is my Father, and He loves His Son.
225. God is my Father, and His Son loves Him.
226. My home awaits me. I will hasten there.
227. This is my holy instant of release.
228. God has condemned me not. No more do I.
229. Love, Which created me, is what I am.
230. Now will I seek and find the peace of God.

2. What is Salvation?

231. Father, I will but to remember You.
232. Be in my mind, my Father, through the day.
233. I give my life to God to guide today.
234. Father, today I am Your Son again.
235. God in His mercy wills that I be saved.
236. I rule my mind, which I alone must rule.
237. Now would I be as God created me.
238. On my decision all salvation rests.
239. The glory of my Father is my own.
240. Fear is not justified in any form.

3. What is the World?

241. This holy instant is salvation come.
242. This day is God’s. It is my gift to Him.
243. Today I will judge nothing that occurs.
244. I am in danger nowhere in the world.
245. Your peace is with me, Father. I am safe.
246. To love my Father is to love His Son.
247. Without forgiveness I will still be blind.
248. Whatever suffers is not part of me.
249. Forgiveness ends all suffering and loss.
250. Let me not see myself as limited.

4. What is Sin?

251. I am in need of nothing but the truth
252. The Son of God is my Identity.
253. My Self is ruler of the universe.
254. Let every voice but God’s be still in me.
255. This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.
256. God is the only goal I have today.
257. Let me remember what my purpose is.
258. Let me remember that my goal is God.
259. Let me remember that there is no sin.
260. Let me remember God created me.

5. What is the Body?

261. God is my refuge and security.
262. Let me perceive no differences today.
263. My holy vision sees all things as pure.
264. I am surrounded by the Love of God.
265. Creation’s gentleness is all I see.
266. My holy Self abides in you, God’s Son.
267. My heart is beating in the peace of God.
268. Let all things be exactly as they are.
269. My sight goes forth to look upon Christ’s face.
270. I will not use the body’s eyes today.

6. What is the Christ?

271. Christ’s is the vision I will use today.
272. How can illusions satisfy God’s Son?
273. The stillness of the peace of God is mine.
274. Today belongs to Love. Let me not fear.
275. God’s healing Voice protects all things today.
276. The Word of God is given me to speak.
277. Let me not bind Your Son with laws I made.
278. If I am bound, my Father is not free.
279. Creation’s freedom promises my own.
280. What limits can I lay upon God’s Son?

7. What is the Holy Spirit?

281. I can be hurt by nothing but my thoughts.
282. I will not be afraid of love today.
283. My true Identity abides in You.
284. I can elect to change all thoughts that hurt.
285. My holiness shines bright and clear today.
286. The hush of Heaven holds my heart today.
287. You are my goal, my Father. Only You.
288. Let me forget my brother’s past today.
289. The past is over. It can touch me not.
290. My present happiness is all I see.

8. What is the Real World?

291. This is a day of stillness and of peace.
292. A happy outcome to all things is sure.
293. All fear is past and only love is here.
294. My body is a wholly neutral thing.
295. The Holy Spirit looks through me today.
296. The Holy Spirit speaks through me today.
297. Forgiveness is the only gift I give.
298. I love You, Father, and I love Your Son.
299. Eternal holiness abides in me.
300. Only an instant does this world endure.

9. What is the Second Coming?

301. And God Himself shall wipe away all tears.
302. Where darkness was I look upon the light.
303. The holy Christ is born in me today.
304. Let not my world obscure the sight of Christ
305. There is a peace that Christ bestows on us.
306. The gift of Christ is all I seek today.
307. Conflicting wishes cannot be my will.
308. This instant is the only time there is.
309. I will not fear to look within today.
310. In fearlessness and love I spend today.

10. What is the Last Judgement?

311. I judge all things as I would have them be.
312. I see all things as I would have them be.
313. Now let a new perception come to me
314. I seek a future different from the past.
315. All gifts my brothers give belong to me.
316. All gifts I give my brothers are my own.
317. I follow in the way appointed me.
318. In me salvation’s means and end are one.
319. I came for the salvation of the world.
320. My Father gives all power unto me.

11. What is Creation?

321. Father, my freedom is in You alone.
322. I can give up but what was never real.
323. I gladly make the ‘sacrifice’ of fear.
324. I merely follow, for I would not lead.
325. All things I think I see reflect ideas.
326. I am forever an Effect of God.
327. I need but call and You will answer me.
328. I choose the second place to gain the first.
329. I have already chosen what You will.
330. I will not hurt myself again today.

12. What is the Ego?

331. There is no conflict, for my will is Yours.
332. Fear binds the world. Forgiveness sets it free.
333. Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here.
334. Today I claim the gifts forgiveness gives.
335. I choose to see my brother’s sinlessness.
336. Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.
337. My sinlessness protects me from all harm.
338. I am affected only by my thoughts.
339. I will receive whatever I request.
340. I can be free of suffering today.

13. What is a Miracle?

341. I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only that which keeps me safe.
342. I let forgiveness rest upon all things, for thus forgiveness will be given me.
343. I am not asked to make a sacrifice to find the mercy and the peace of God.
344. Today I learn the law of love; that what I give my brother is my gift to me.
345. I offer only miracles today, for I would have them be returned to me.
346. Today the peace of God envelopes me, and I forget all things except His Love.
347. Anger must come from judgement. Judgement is the weapon I would use against myself, to keep the miracle away from me.
348. I have no cause for anger or for fear, for You surround me. And in every need that I perceive, Your grace suffices me.
349. Today I let Christ’s vision look upon all things for me and judge them not, but give each one a miracle of love instead.
350. Miracles mirror God’s eternal love. To offer them is to remember Him, and through His memory to save the world.

14. What am I?

351. My sinless brother is my guide to peace. My sinful brother is my guide to pain. And which I choose to see I will behold.
352. Judgement and love are opposites. From one come all the sorrows of the world. But from the other comes the peace of God himself.
353. My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today have but one purpose; to be given Christ to use to bless the world with miracles.
354. We stand together, Christ and I, in peace and certainty of purpose. And in Him is His Creator, as He is with me.
355. There is no end to all the peace and joy, and all the miracles that I will give, when I accept God’s Word. Why not today?
356. Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him.
357. Truth answers every call we make to God, responding first with miracles, and then returning unto us to be itself.
358. No call to God can be unheard nor left unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want.
359. God’s answer is some form of peace. All pain is healed; all misery replaced with joy. All prison doors are opened and all sin is understood as merely a mistake.
360. Peace be to me, the holy Son of God. Peace to my brother, who is one with me. Let all the world be blessed with peace through us.

Final Lessons
Introduction
361-365. This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, certain that Your direction gives me peace.

Epilogue

Please join me at the ACIM Essentials website and at the YouTube channel, where I read the daily workbook lessons: https://www.youtube.com/@ACIMessentials

Support & reinforcement from various places

In my eyes, there are a few very precious things that brings great blessings to human life:

1) Knowledge for the soul
2) A Course in Miracles for clarity of mind
3) Christian Science for a community with heart

ACIM says it prepares its readers for Knowledge — “This course will lead to Knowledge, but Knowledge itself is still beyond the scope of our curriculum” (end of Chapter 18 of the Text) and “These exercises will not reveal Knowledge to you. But they will prepare the way to it” (Workbook Lesson 15).

Although the course does not reveal Knowledge, it is my humble experience that the course continues to inspire so that we can more easily practice Knowledge after we have received it.

If I had to choose only one, I would choose Knowledge, for Knowledge is the goal that ACIM is relentlessly steering us toward. Knowledge is not a religion, not a belief system, but a direct connection to the inner beauty spoken of in all the scriptures. “The kingdom of God is within you”… “You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.”

The study of ACIM itself is not required to receive Knowledge, but the lessons that fill its pages explain steps helpful to clearing away those things that stand between us and the full experience of Knowledge. To know the Truth is your birthright.

Judgment, fear, anger, sorrow, etc and Truth are mutually exclusive. Two things cannot exist in one place at one time. We can only serve one master at any time. ACIM teaches us to discern between what is Real and unreal, what is Love and fear, Spirit and ego, Heaven and hell…

There is no reason why we cannot enjoy A Course In Miracles… and avail ourselves of the opportunity to prepare for Knowledge and continue to be inspired. But as the course itself says, “No one can fail who seeks to reach the Truth.”

We are fortunate to live at this time in history when so much help is available… so much help to help us release fear and embrace the divine that dwells in us all.

And so, I warmly invite you to ACIM 2011… my humble contribution to the human evolutionary process. We will study the course in depth and learn several practical methods to help us release fear – “All healing is essentially the release from fear.”

Appreciation, gratitude

“Only appreciation is an appropriate response to your brother. Gratitude is due him for both his loving thoughts and his appeals for help, for both are capable of bringing love into your awareness if you perceive them truly. And all your sense of strain comes from your attempts not to do just this. How simple, then, is God’s plan for salvation. There is but one response to reality, for reality evokes no conflict at all. There is but one Teacher of reality, Who understands what it is. He does not change His Mind about reality because reality does not change. Although your interpretations of reality are meaningless in your divided state, His remain consistently true. He gives them to you because they are for you. Do not attempt to “help” a brother in your way, for you cannot help yourself. But hear his call for the Help of God, and you will recognise your own need for the Father.” – ACIM

Looking for Love in all the wrong places…

What if you have been sold a bill of goods, a false idea of what love is and how to get it? Naturally, you want to feel that wonderfully delicious feeling, but it doesn’t always come dependably from the sources you expect. And that can hurt.

Love seems to be so elusive in our world. Why? Could it be that we are looking for love in all the wrong places? What is love and where to find it? What if you looked inside and found it waiting patiently for you? Who are you, after all – and what are you doing here on planet Earth? Are you here to be a beggar for love?

What does this line mean: “And God said, Let us make man in our own image and likeness”? And where should the emphasis be in the line, “God is Love”?

Could it be that you were made in the image and likeness of God, which is Love, which is Light, which is Life Everlasting? What is that force that breathes the body you are temporarily inhabiting while you are on planet Earth? What kind of love is it that gives you life? Is it true that the word Spirit mean breath? Why did Jesus say that the Kingdom of God is within? How did we ever forget?

You were created by Love Itself, made of Love Itself and you are Love – whether you are temporarily playing on planet earth – fully equipped with a beautiful body – or tumbling about freely in an endless expanse, in the form of pure energy moving through space – or wafting gently over the face of the waters.

If “The Kingdom of God is within you”, that’s nice, but how do you get there? How do you go within? Jesus said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” He knew how to go within and he was teaching others. And it is absolutely true that you too can know the Love and power and wisdom that made you in the beginning – the big Love.

There is a little trick to it, for you must be very calm and still and focused and also know where to look – and this particular adventure is not your usual TV programming. But the beauty is that once you learn how, you can tap into the source of Divine Love within whenever you wish, because it is always there – in you, around about you, filling you. If when you turn a bit of your attention very precisely to it, you become aware of it and it fills you up. And that’s where the amazing Divine romance, Divine Love occurs – in that quiet, still, empty, aware place.

The world promises you happiness through its glittering, sparkling gifts in the form of everything physical – certain people, places and things  And yet following empty promises, you naturally feel empty and alone in a very deep way. They have yet to announce on your television that you contain all the happiness, fulfillment, love, peace and joy that you could ever wish for, independent of the physical trinkets of the world. They don’t tell you that you can experience all the beauty that you are made of – and that it will bowl you over.

Love is your birthright. Love is what you are. Yet as long as you are unaware of the treasure you contain, you are not feeling your heavenly birthright and may be grieving the loss of it. What good is it to have a trillion dollars in a safety deposit box if you don’t know you have it? What good is it if you don’t know that you can have the key, just by asking? If you are unaware, ignore and neglect the wealth of Love you have within you, then you will feel poor in Love because you won’t be feeling it. Without Love, you will suffer – and everyone else around you will suffer due to your suffering – for unaware of Love, anyone can feel as dry and as empty as a fish out of water and can become very cranky, irritable, fearful, sad, angry, depressed, lonely – and even die for lack of Love. Something in you longs for the beauty you knew before you entered the body. Fortunately it lies in your heart, nearer to you than your breath.

And when you learn to pay close attention to the ocean of Love within, immerse yourself in it and soak it up, then you overflow with Love. Feeling Love in your heart is no longer dependent on people, places and things that come and go. Instead, you know Love as something very real and truly true – constant, absolutely loyal, forever with you, always kind – lasting Love that you have ready access to, always. Knowing the Love that is always there takes the desperation out of human love and restores the wisdom in your choices. At long last you can discern between Divine Love and human love. Relationships are put in their proper places.

The very fact that people, places and things have beginnings and endings makes our love affairs with them temporary, fearful and unsustainable. Externals are not the source of our good feelings, like all the advertisements claim. But the beauty of the world can be held dear and every human relationship can become a precious opportunity for those who make the endless, limitless, unconditional Love within, the touchstone, the top priority. Now, together, we can extend that high quality of Love to one another and celebrate together our common good fortune. Now we are content. Now we are fulfilled.

shooting star – a poem

lightshooting star,
against the black, black sky,
you delight me,
yet my eyes still hunt for more
my heart wants to feel again.
another and another,
please another…

there you are!
yet when i close my eyes to
look inside me,
i see oceans and oceans
of light in motion, i swim
in an endless sea of light
and i am filled.

Patricia Robinett 2013