Hell on earth

Q: What is hell?
A: It is thought system based on lies and deceit. Pontius Pilate said when he condemned Jesus to death, "What is truth?"

Q: Is the current Trump administration based on lies?
A: It is the primary modus operandi.

Q: Is there a better way to govern?
A: Not only is there a better way to govern, there is a better way to live one's life not based on lies.

Q: Where does one find Truth?

A: The Truth is found in the nondual Oneness of our Transcendent Source. All else is illusion. Don Juan, according to Carlos Castaneda, calls this awareness "a separate reality" which requires that we drop our personal identity which fills immature people with terror.

Q: How is a person to manage this terror at the loss of their personal identity?

A: With Love. When one has to choose a course of thinking and action, they can ask themselves, "What would Love have me do?"

Q: Isn't the loving thing not to lie?

A: Yes, not to lie and decieve others but most of all not lie to oneself.

Q: How does one not pretend to be someone they're not to fit in and get along with others?

A: Heidi Priebe wrote, "We owe it to ourselves to live the greatest life that we're capable of living, even if that means we have to be alone for a very long time."

ACIM workbook lesson #200 - There is no peace except the peace of God

 There is no peace except the peace of God.

The metaphysical model of A Course In Miracles is based on the idea there are two worlds. The first is the world of God from which we separated ourselves at our incarnation and the second is the world of the ego in which we are socialized and conditioned to believe that it holds the things that can make us happy.

Slowly, we learn that the world of the ego has been false and we have been told lies. The things of the world of the ego are impermanent, constantly changing, coming and going providing infatuation and grief. In the world of the ego there is no peace but ultimately only pain, anguish, and sorrow.

However in the world of God, the world of the Oneness of Love, there is tremendous joy and peace. It has been there all the time. We have forgotten we have left it. Most of us slowly realize that there is no peace except the peace of God.

In Alcoholic Anonymous, it is suggested in step eleven that we seek this conscious contact with the World of God. It is simple if we choose. All we have to do is turn our egos over to the care of God as we understand God, our Transcendent Source.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the love for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. The seventh principle calls us to cosmic consciousness where we abide with our Transcendent Source, the Ground of our Being.

Today, it is suggested that we continually remind ourselves throughout the day that there is no peace but the peace of God.

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.