We are called to grow up not just grow old.

Growing up

We are almost at the end of our year of study of the workbook of A Course In Miracles. A Course In Miracles is one path of many which guides spiritual development. ACIM is appropriate for Unitarian Universalists because of its nondenominational nature.

ACIM is based on a metaphysics which most people are not familiar with unless they have advanced in their spiritual development. It would appeal to people in the upper half of Fowler’s stages of faith development, stages 4, 5, and 6. These stages involve the taking of personal responsibility for one’s spiritual well being and not relying exclusively on one religious identity.

This stage can be called simply “growing up.”

We all grow old because of our biological inheritance but whether we grow up or not is a matter of the soul. 

At Unitarian Universalism A Way Of Life our mission is to help people grow up. Will you help us by sharing this material with others and discussing it as a means of encouraging each other’s spiritual growth?

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #343 - I am not asked to make a sacrifice to find the mercy and peace of God.

 Lesson #343

I am not asked to make a sacrifice to find the mercy and peace of God.

The mercy and peace of God are unconditional. Nothing is necessary to gain them. Mercy and peace are freely given and we are asked to pass it on.

In Alcoholics Anonymous, we are encouraged, in step eleven, to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand God so that we may experience mercy and peace.

In Unitarian Universalism we join together to accept one another and encourage each other's spiritual growth and development. This involves extending the unconditional love of God which is the foundational belief of our Universalism.

Today, in lesson #343 it is suggested to us to remind ourselves that no sacrifice is necessary to recognize, acknowledge, and accept the mercy and peace of God. Amen, alleluia, thank You.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #342 - I let forgiveness rest upon all things, for this forgiveness will be given me.

 Lesson #342

I let forgiveness rest upon all things, for this forgiveness will be given me.

Forgiveness is being willing to give up making other people and circumstances responsible for our unhappiness. When we take this position in managing the people and circumstances in our life we become the agent of our own experience and peace arises.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested in step three that we turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understand God. This turning over is what the Course means by forgiveness. We are out of the blame game and are liberated from the victim role.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and in this search we come to realize that playing the victim and blaming others is not the path to holiness but binds us to fear, guilt, anger, resentment and grief.

Today, it is suggested in lesson #342 that we turn our willfulness over and let forgiveness rest on all things because when we do so, we are released as forgiveness is given to us.

Quote of the day - Without a vision the people will perish

Unitarian Universalism has failed to create a meta narrative around which people can collaborate and thrive. This failure is the biggest challenge facing the denomination at both the congregational and the association levels.

David Markham in Book Notes on The Gadfly Papers by Todd Elkof

Editor's note: The Unitarian Universalist leadership has failed to create a vision for the denomination around which people can coalesce with united energy. It has fractured into affinity groups such as UU Buddhists, UU Christians, UU Humanists, etc. Further, it gets side tracked into social justice issues without there being an spiritual framework to support the social justice work.

Every congregation has developed its own schtick which facilitates separation and division rather than unity and a shared understanding of the essence of the faith.

Without a metanarrative which all UUs can share, the denomination will never grow and flourish. 

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #341 - I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only that which keeps me safe.

 Lesson #341

I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only that which keeps me safe.

One of the tricks of the ego to keep us enslaved is guilt. As long as we believe in our guilt, we belong to the ego. However when we realize that in our essence we have inherent worth and dignity the game is over. We walk off that playing field and a miracle has occurred in which we replace our guilt with our holiness. We have come to realize that I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only my inherent sinlessness that keeps me safe.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step eleven, that we improve our conscious contact with God. In this suggestion AA encourages us to work a miracle.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. When UUs or anyone affirm and promote the recognition and acknowledgement of this inherent worth and dignity they work miracles of healing.

Today, we are asked to reflect on the idea that in our essence we are without sin, to drop the guilt, and become One with our Transcendent Source where peace and bliss abide.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #340 - I can be free of suffering today.

 Lesson #340

I can be free of suffering today.

We can be free of suffering everyday if we know we have a choice. Would I choose to listen to the ego or Love?

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested in step eleven that we improve our conscious contact with God through prayer, meditation, and mindfulness. All we need do is ask ourselves, “What would Love have me do?”

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and where is truth and meaning to be found: in the world of the ego or the world of the Soul?

Today, it is suggested that we recognize and acknowledge that we can be free of suffering when we pursue truth and meaning in the world of the Soul..

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #339 - I will receive whatever I request.

 Lesson #339

I will receive whatever I request.

Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Be careful what you fear because in fearing things we draw what we fear closer to us. 

On the other hand if we wish for peace and bliss those can be ours as well.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested in step eleven that we seek to improve our conscious contact with God, with Love, if we choose to..

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in our human relations and the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Today, we are taught in lesson #339 that we will receive whatever we request. This idea, while it may seem unbelievable, is based on the psychological concept of projection. In the ego world we create our own reality. In this creation we have a choice.