“If you but knew the meaning of His Love, hope and despair would be impossible. For hope would be forever satisfied; despair of any kind unthinkable. His grace is His answer to all despair, for in it lies remembrance of His Love.” --from ACIM
For over 50 years I've thought of Jesus as a self-realized prophet who spoke the truth about spiritual laws. He said the kingdom of heaven is within, and that's where I found it. He left two commandments: love God with all your heart and soul, and others as yourself, and that is my goal. Lately, I have grown closer to Jesus, thanks in part to a TV series called “The Chosen” and to a book called “The Story of Jesus” consisting of readings conducted by Edgar Cayce. I find myself turning to the Master for love and understanding more and more often. It's becoming deeply personal these days.
In these troubling times, I pray for us all to keep
our eyes on the Light and Love shining within and
through us.
Loving you, Cricket, Christine
Lately I've been reading "Revelations", the last book of the Bible, and "Earth Changes", Edgar Cayce's explanations while in trance. Both books are helping me to understand what is happening in the world today. Some changes in the geography of the Earth are gradual, and natural, while others are caused by human disregard for our planet home. These are gathering strength and are obvious in weather extremes, famines, flooding, and disruptions among the animal and plant kingdoms. Also, there are greater extremes in politics, bad actors in power, confusion, fear, and destructive ideologies.
Everything boils down to cause and effect, the universal law. Along with all the "mess", there are enlightened causes, global determination to clean up the planet, wonderful advances toward humanitarian solutions and equality, etc. There was a song in the 60's, (can't remember who) that went "Last night I had the strangest dream, I ever dreamed before. I dreamed the world all agreed to put an end to war."
A reminder from the Christ to each of us to "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself."
Who am I?
That is what I desperately wanted to know in 1972 as I was meditating on a sofa in a friend's home on Long Island, NY. Suddenly there was nothing but bright white light, everywhere, infinite. No "I", just the Light. Then I had a thought...and there was a "me" again. The thought was, "Do I have to come back?" But of course, with the thought I was back. But since then I've always known who I am (and who you are.) Still with plenty to learn and karma to balance out, but always knowing who we are.
Thinking about forgiveness: the key to happiness, extremely important in our awakening process. A huge help to me is The Work of Byron Katie. As I fill out the Judge-Your-Neighbor worksheet about someone I think has hurt me, all my beliefs about that person pour out in six statements that I can work on. When I question those beliefs (ask 4 questions & turn it around) several truths surface to show me a kinder way.
I've also found it very helpful to contemplate what I might have done in past lives. Like, maybe I was male warrior who felt entitled to beat or rape women, maybe in front of their children. My soul knows what I need to experience in this life to balance, or to fully understand past karma. And forgiving a person in this lifetime means also forgiving that person I once was in a past life.
How do I know I'm arguing with reality? First I notice the feeling; if it's negative, like fear, anger, sorrow, etc. then I ask myself what am I thinking? Actually thoughts create the emotion, but the feeling is like an alarm clock that yells, “Wake up!” The thoughts that argue with reality are the “shoulds and shouldn'ts” like “He should___. She shouldn't___. They should___. I shouldn't.” See statement 3 on the worksheet. When I believe these thoughts, I cause my own unhappiness, and I may need to do a worksheet to get free from that.
I am reminded that “Is is, and all the rest is story.” There is one universal law—the law of cause and effect. If you believe in reincarnation, then you understand that karma is that same law at play in human lives. Rather than arguing with reality, and judging ourselves and others, we can balance our karma with forgiveness and love. Then, with a clear mind, we do what is ours to do to contribute toward a more just and peaceful world.
As Edgar Cayce in trance often counseled, “Do what your hands find to do today.”
Sam Johnston painted this lovely picure of
Pope Francis, and I designed a coffee mug for it.
Once I was so attached to the belief that I needed love and approval from someone else, it took me 3 years in a relationship with a guy who regularly found fault with me, to finish The Work that set me free. When I was critisized I cried, and then I did a worksheet. Each time I felt freer, and more aware of the low self-esteem I had lived with most of my life. I grew to love myself, to accept and approve of myself. That guy was there to teach me by pushing my buttons, which sent me into self-inquiry. I left him finally, with love in my heart.