A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #21 - I am determined to see things differently.

Lesson #21

I am determined to see things differently,

In Alcoholics Anonymous they call it “stinkin thinkin.” In everyday language we call them “negative thoughts.” Sometimes we are asked whether we are a pessimist or an optimist? Do you tend to be happy or bitter?

In today’s lesson we are asked to take one minute, five times during the day, and just examine our mind and heart for angry thoughts, or thoughts about things we find annoying, and say to ourselves “I am determined to see things differently.”

In her book, The Course In Miracles Experiment,” Pam Grout tells the story about this lesson of a person who thought that Kenny Rogers verse in his song, Lucille, is “with 400 children crapping in a field” when it actual says “ with four hungry children and a crop in the field.”

The Course in miracles calls our negative, angry thoughts, “attack thoughts.” In today’s lesson we are asked to observe ourselves, and when we find ourselves, annoyed, angry, resentful, pledge to see things differently.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote seven principles which turn the world of the ego upside down. Affirming and promoting these principles helps us see the world quite differently than how the ego world encourages us to see things. Unitarian Universalism joins with other spiritual traditions in helping us see the world from the vantage point of the soul rather than the ego. Unitarian Universalists see the world quite differently than most people.

The Death Of Expertise by Tom Nichols.

I am going to read this book next month, September, 2020, for a nonfiction book discussion group I am in. I have a hunch in the days of the Covid-19 pandemic the ideas in this book will be more timely and relevant than ever with Donald Trump's denial of the public health principles underlying the spread of the coronavirus which is contributing to a death toll climbing towards 200,000 Americans.

Donald Trump claims he is a very stable genius and smarter than the generals and the public health experts. Many Republican governors are cut from the same cloth and their constituents are becoming infected and dying. This dismissal of expert knowledge and advice based on the Dunning-Kruger effect has deadly consequences.

Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. An emphasis on "responsible" should be placed.

There will be articles posted during September, 2020 on this blog about ideas generated from the reading of this book. I hope you will read the book if interested and participate in the discussion.

I have gone to the birds with the seventh principle.

I love these small hummingbird feeders. I put one outside my sliding glass door and watched the hummingbirds dart and dance and come to feed at it regularly. Last week I accidentally dropped it when I went to refill it and it cracked so I had to throw it out.

I went to several stores looking for this style feeder. The stores had many fancier hummingbird feeders that cost two, three, and four times as much, but not his simple style which does the trick and is so easy to clean and refill.

So I went on Amazon on 08/18/20 and bought this pack of four for under $13.00 and they came today, 08/21/20. I am very excited to set them up and watch the hummingbirds come to visit once again.

The hummingbird nectar is simple to make with 4 parts water and one part granulated sugar.

I am reminded of our seventh UU principle, the respect for the interdependent web of which we are a part. My life is so enriched sharing it with the birds. Some people have told me for years that I "have gone to the birds." It's true. I don't deny it.

Possible spiritual book discussion book for October, 2020. What do you think?

I am very interested in the interfaith religious movement and found this book today on Amazon and ordered a copy. It might be a selection for the spiritual book discussion for October, 2020 if people are interested.

Spiritual practice #9 - Responsiveness vs. reactiveness, and purposefulness

Responsiveness vs. reactiveness,  and purposefulness

The ninth component of spiritual health is self efficacy and the cardinal sin # 9 is helplessness and playing the victim.  The spiritual practice to mitigate helplessness and playing the victim is striving to be responsive instead of reactive, and to develop a sense of purposefulness.

The concept that is helpful in considering this spiritual practice is “agency.” To what extent does a person feel in control of and in charge of their own life? Do they feel like a victim or do they feel that they can control themselves in such a way as to influence their relationships and circumstances?

Often people are reactive, their buttons get pushed, they fly off the handle. If you ask a person who is highly reactive what makes them tick, they can’t tell you. Their ability to observe their own functioning is impaired or appears to be nonexistent. They are easily provoked and their goat is very easily gotten. The opposite of being reactive is being responsive meaning that the person can back off, calm down, get things in perspective, develop a level of objectivity, and formulate a response that is deliberate and purposeful. Being responsive is taking responsibility for one’s own level of emotional arousal and being aware to then consider the best way of managing the situation.

Reactivity vs. responsiveness can be measured in percentages. What percentage of the time does the person manage things in a responsive way compared to a reactive way; none of the time, 50% of the time, 80% of the time, 100% of the time? 

Jesus and Buddha were self aware, self actualized, self efficacious, enlightened human beings who were responsive 100% of the time. Most of us probably don’t achieve much more than 80 - 90% of the time. Working on becoming more responsive and less reactive is a developmental process which we intuitively label as “maturity.” The more responsive and the less reactive a person acts, the more “mature” we say the person is.

As a person becomes more responsive, they also become more purposeful. Their behavior is no longer a random response to triggering by external circumstances. When distressed a person can ask, “What is the purpose of this relationship? What is the purpose of this interaction?”

In situations where we feel emotionally aroused, it is helpful to take emotional distance so that we can get things in perspective and then decide the best way to proceed. When a person develops this spiritual way of seeing they are more self efficacious.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #20 - I am determined to see

Lesson #20

I am determined to see.

Bill Thetford, Helen Schucman’s partner in scribing the Course, said it all started when he said to Helen, with whom he had a very conflicted relationship, “There must be a better way.” It was this desire on both their parts to see a better way that led to the scribing of A Course In Miracles.

Unitarian Universalists, also, when they covenant together to affirm and promote their seven principles are demonstrating to themselves and the world that there is, indeed, a better way.

We could apply today’s lesson to each principle, but for now let us just take the first one. We could say, “I am determined to see the inherent worth and dignity in every person.” If this were practiced, what a different world we would be living in. It would bring salvation to the world of the ego and open the door to the world of the soul.

Good news for 08/21/20 - Person with integrity nominated for President of the the United States

After suffering for four years with a narcissistic psychopath in the White House, the Democrat Party nominated a person with integrity to be president of the United States. The selection of Joe Biden to be the Democrat president for President has filled the people of the United States, and around the world, with hope and optimism for competent, honest leadership in the White House.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together and affirm seven principles all of which Joe Biden demonstrates the practice of on a consistent, regular basis unlike his opponent, Donald Trump.

With the nomination of Joseph Biden it is a great day of promise for Americans and especially for Unitarian Universalists who have confidence that the practice of their principles will enter the mainstream of American life.