Day Five of Daily Reflections - Explanation. What is a miracle?

Podcast on Introduction to A Course In Miracles as reviewed in first four days of Daily Reflections.

What's with the Daily Reflections?

Ask Alexa - Why am I always distracted?

Alexa: Why am I constantly distracted?

Close all your screens, take three deep beaths, close your eyes, relax your shoulders, and just watch the monkeys scampering in your mind.

Alexa: Did you hear about the two peanuts who went into a bar?

Yes. One was a salted.

Daily reflections, Day Five, What is a miracle?

Day Five

What is a miracle?

“There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not ‘harder’ or ‘bigger’ than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal. ACIM T-1.I:1-4

This is the first of 50 miracle principles and it is a humdinger.

A miracle is a choice we make in our mind. It has nothing to do with external things. A miracle is a choice for God instead of the ego. A miracle is a choice for Love instead of guilt and fear.

When we consider that we have this choice in our decision making mind, we come to understand that sorting out of our problems are very simple. Love or fear. In making this choice, there is no order of difficulties. The principle suggests the difficulties are not really harder or easier,  or bigger or smaller, or  worse or better. Difficulties simply indicate that we have made the wrong choice.

Do you want to live your life as a victim or as an extension of God’s Love?

Choose.

One of the key ideas in A Course In Miracles is “forgiveness” which means the willingness to give up making other people and things responsible for your unhappiness. Jesus says as He is being crucified, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I imagine He said this with a laugh.

Most of us these days, are not going to be crucified, but sometimes we may think and feel as if we are. We should never forget that we have the power to change our minds about who and what it is that we think we are.

Today remind yourself, “I am not a victim. I am an extension of God’s love.” This choice is the miracle.

Is there graitude without forgiveness?

Here's a little tip.

There is no gratitude without forgiveness.

We can pretend to be thankful which is better than not, but if there is grievance, resentment, anger, guilt, fear in your heart you can't experience and extend genuine gratitude.

So before you give thanks, consider first whom you have to forgive for making you unhappy. Recognize that you are not a victim but a beloved child of God. Give up you willingness to make other people and situations responsible for your unhappiness.

Having given this up, then reflect on your blessings and give thanks.

Daily reflections, Day four, Be here now

Day Four

Be here now.

“Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. ACIM Intro - 2:2-4

To understand the teaching of A Course In Miracles, the student has to understand the Course’s metaphysics.

The Course teaches that since separation, when human beings separated themselves from the Oneness of God, and set themselves up as the authors of their own existence, and in competition for this authority, they have made the world of the ego up which is just an illusion which doesn’t really exist. Many mystical religious traditions teach that human beings are “asleep” and have forgotten their authentic origin. Enlightenment is waking up from this dream world of the ego, and recognizing, acknowledging, and becoming one again with the All.

When the Course says that “nothing unreal exists” what it is referring to is the illusionary, dream state of the ego. When it says that “nothing real can be threatened” when it is referring to is the Oneness from which we have been extended. When we recognize, acknowledge this, and accept it, we experience the awesome peace of God. The fight is over. The nightmare of the ego world has ended.

All that is required is that we change our minds about who and what we are. We are not members of the ego world of illusion that we have been taught we are. We are the holy extensions of the Oneness which some call God and others call the Tao.

When the Buddhists say, “Be here now,” what they are encouraging is the purification of the mind of the illusions of the ego, and an awareness of being One with the All.

Today, be here now by rising above the temptations of the ego.