Monday, March 9, 2015

UU & ACIM - Miracles are the awareness of Love's presence

A Course in Miracles begins with the first chapter entitled "The Meaning of Miracles" and this chapter begins with the first section which enumerates 50 miracle principles which can be somewhat off putting unless the reader has some understanding of the philosophy of ACIM.

First, the meaning of the word "miracle" in ACIM refers to a shift in normal perception and a change in heart from the world of the ego to the world of spirit. "Miracle" in ACIM does not mean magical alteration of the mechanics of the physical world but rather a change of heart, of attitude, of appreciation, of apprehension. Here are the first three of 50 miracle principles:

1. There is no order of difficulty in miracles. 2 One is not "harder" or "bigger" than another. 3 They are all the same. 4 All expressions of love are maximal

.2. Miracles as such do not matter. 2 The only thing that matters is their Source, which is far beyond evaluation.

.3. Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. 2 The real miracle is the love that inspires them. 3 In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.

The "miracle" in ACIM is an expression of Love and as such there is nor order of difficulty or achievement. Love is simply Love and it is always the best that it can be when it is pure, authentic, honest, genuine. The sixth principle of UU  is the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. When we experience this world community or get a glimpse of it we feel it as a miracle because it is so awesome and different from the usual hellish world of egos that we live in. UUs like to say that our aim is not to get people into heaven but heaven into people and when we create that experience it feels like a miracle.

ACIM is clear that the shift in perception and the change of heart really doesn't matter because what matters is the Source of this Loving awareness which is beyond "evaluation", understanding, experience. The "miracle" is being present in the now, being embraced in the flow, and so enthralled that at the moment the miracle is occurring we are not even aware of its happening, all we are aware of is the enlightened consciousness of being one with everything. It is orgasm. It is being so involved that time stands still. We are lost to our ego and have become one with the experience. We are filled not only with respect but with a genuine awareness of the interdependent web of all existence.

When we are loving miracles occur naturally. They are our inheritance. Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20 ""You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." And yet, we don't have that kind of faith usually. We search for it which UU encourages with the affirmation and promotion of the responsible search for truth and meaning and yet we look for it externally, out there, when it resides internally, in our own hearts. As Tina Turner's great song says, "We are looking for love in all the wrong places."

Universalism teaches us that God loves us unconditionally which is very different from what the ego world teaches us. Shifting our perception from the world of the ego, to the spiritual plane makes miracles happen and this miracle thinking is based on the awareness of Love's presence in our lives.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the articles on UU and ACIM. I think this study of what you call the seventh source can add a lot of depth to UU theology and spiritual appreciation. UU is too focused on the external world as you point us and not enough in the interior spiritual life of its participants. As Stephen Gaskin said one time who I notice you quoted yesterday, "The only thing we have to offer another human being is our own state of being." The focus on the external world often is a distraction and if our social justice work is born out of our principles that is a good thing, if it emanates from a holy source, but if it is just political work it can become misguided and a block to spiritual growth.

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