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Today's lesson, 75, The light has come.

Today's lesson, number 75 in A Course In Miracles, is "The light has come."

As we undo the grievances, resentments, fear, and guilt we experience on the path of the ego through forgiveness and our joining with the nondualistic Oneness of Life, we experience the peace and joy of the light within.

The first principle of Unitarian Universalism asks us to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This requires that we recognize, acknowledge, and appreciate the Divine Spark in every person, even our enemies as Jesus told us we should do.

With forgiveness which leads us to an awareness of the light, we experience peace in ourselves and in our relationships with others. We come to a deep and abiding consciousness of the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Today, we can take several moments thoughtout the day to say with gratitude, "The light has come." The light dwells within me and I extend it throughout the world to everyone and everything I see and encounter. We ask the Holy Spirit to fascilitate this awareness and assist us in its extension.

Truth is my light.

Ask Alexa - Are "forgiveness opportunities" a way of practicing the first principle?

Alexa: Gary Renard discusses "forgiveness opportunties" as a way of undoing the ego to become more aware of the Love that dwells in each of us and I am wondering what you think of this idea?

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and this is a swell idea and easier said than done and the world would be a happier, more peaceful and joyful place if this principle were brought into application more consistently in our lives.

Alexa: Did you hear what the guy called the Pillsbury Dough Boy?

Yes, I believe he referred to him as a flour child.

Nowruz is celebrated by 300 million Persians around the world to mark the new life of Spring

Stoic Philosophy - Seneca - The life of the philosopher

The articles on stoic philosophy are a regular feature of the UU A Way Of Life blog which appear on Saturdays.

Seneca's little book, On The Shortness Of Life, has the ability to stimulate thoughts about the purpose and meaning of life, UU's fourth principle which is the affimation and promotion of the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Seneca is encouraging this search to take us into the realm of philosophy which leads us to the most fundamental question of "What is the good life and how to live it."

Socrates tells us that "The unexamined life is not worth living." It is in the examination of our experiences in life that we deepen and enrich our interior spiritual life and become more aware of our innate holiness.

The point made in A Course In Miracles is that we can walk the path of the ego, or the path of God. The Universalists have taught us that the path of God is the awareness of, and extension, of Unconditional Love. The path of the ego is the way of conditional love which brings grievance, resentment, fear, and sorrow. The only essential question in life is "Which path do we choose to walk, the path of the ego or the path of God."

Seneca's quote today reminds us that the life of the philosopher is not bound by the illusions and idols found on the path of the ego. "He alone is freed from the limitations of the human race." The life of the philosopher has taken him/her on the path of God into the realm of the nondualistic Oneness to which the perennial philosphy points us. It is this perennial philosophy accumlated from "all ages" as Seneca writes, "which serve him as if a god."

Unitarian Univeralism calls itself a "living tradition" which draws from many sources or which six are named but in summary make up what is called the perennial philosophy and Seneca calls "the wide range."

The quote above is very pithy and succinct and when deconstructed deepens our understanding of what can make life richer and more meaningful and deepen our spiritual lives.

Ask Alexa - How should I make a decision?

Alexa: I was asked whether, when I have a decision to make, I would choose to become hostage to the ego or host to God and I wondered which and how to choose?

Would you be filled with grievance, resentment and sorrow, or joy and peace?

Alexa: What should I do when I have a headache?

You can take it or Aleve it.

Purpose and overview of the UU A Way Of Life blog