Commentary on ACIM Lesson 57
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

Reviewing Lessons 36 -- 40


"I alone am enough". These words jumped out from the e-letter I just read from 'one of us' who reads these Commentaries. What a beautiful profundity. What a mantra to remember moment to moment in the face of the world's message that we are 'never (good, wealthy, attractive, successful etc) enough'. What good words to recall whenever (if-ever) loneliness or depression or neediness is knocking at our door too.

The miracle of Enoughness is the foundation of God's Peace. In experiencing Enoughness is our release from the world. It contains 'the joyful breath of realization' that arises when any illusion we cherish is exposed, and we laugh as children suddenly at recess, playing in the fields of forever.

We are enough, just as we are. We are each created by God as perfect seeds, with a beautiful divine destiny. This is because we are now (the real us, and therefore, in God's eyes) as we were when we were created, and we lack for nothing because God is our Source and Eternal Supply. We don't earn this but we do need to accept it is so for it to be useful to us. It is given us because we are God's Living Will. Because we have inherited the Goodness of Love.

In my own life, I have understood for many decades that 'I will be taken care of'. That is how I have understood it, and it has been proven true again and again, and this has given me the freedom to live lightly in the world. No matter the problem, the need, the seeming lack of the moment, I have been given what I needed. Not always what I thought I wanted, clear, but what was actually needed has been always provided 'right on time'. As a result, I've come to expect it, and I recognize that 'something's up' if it seems suddenly like 'the magic has stopped'. Then, when I look, I see it was I who stopped something. What? That's the thing to look for. Perhaps 'trusting', perhaps 'listening', perhaps 'being generous', perhaps 'being attentive', perhaps 'recognizing I am That too'. Any plugging up of our 'enoughness' will produce a spiritual lesson opportunity. But, since there is nothing our holiness cannot do, we have the tools if we have the Will. Plumbing our own egoic constipation is not always work that leaves us 'looking good' right now, but it does, in the end.

No suffering needs 'to be'. It is all chosen, usually unconsciously, for it's learning value. If we/I/you would like to end my/our/your suffering: See everything as a gift from God. Remember there are never any accidents. Pay attention to your own quietness. Be willing to forgive without exception. This is the essence of ho ho pono pono. (As given me, here is that practice in a nutshell: Communicate telepathically to anyone you have anything unhealed with: a. I love you. b. I'm sorry. c. Please forgive me. d.Thank you. My own experience is that there is often more than just this to say, but these items are key. If you are 'doing it right', you will feel an unlocking/release of the unhealed karma, and a restoration of inner peace.)

Thank you all for your open hearts, and for pulling these messages into existence. I live in your love.

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 56
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

Reviewing Lessons 26 -- 30

When I see my ego nakedly in a nano-moment of clarity, I am stunned at 'my arrogance'. Then, I am flung to the floor in appreciation of this Course, which offers me such a sure Way to Remember my real Self. Just to be absolutely clear with every reader, I am writing these Commentaries because they save me. Remember that little truism (from Richard Bach, again).... "We teach best what we need to learn most"? That is the mirror I shave in everyday. What would I do without a friend like this Course? I do not wish to contemplate that. Actually, I don't have to. I have memories.

What has been opening for me since beginning this practice of shoveling through my depths to find a gem to write and share about on a daily basis is..... also, finding those memories. Perfect, isn't it? We find our diamonds amidst our mud. Diamonds equals 'the carrot', mud equals 'the work'. (The Carrot is a muleskinner analogy--- you use a carrot to get the mule moving....). But we (as egos) are STUBBORN. I have been. Is this not true for you, too? So it usually takes at least a diamond (of God's Love) to get us moving. (If this is not 'your story', don't make it mean anything..... )

Now that we are Moving, the Idea IS: Don't Stop!!!! Although we will hear the screams (or whispers) of our resistances using every kind of seduction imaginable to sidetrack our intention, it is best not to break 'sadhana' (a Hindi word for 'spiritual practice') until we are 'cleared' (by you Know Who and it's not your ego) to do so. Most likely that will only happen when we have given up our 'old life/old ways' enough that there is no going back even if we wanted to. I mean, I have been this ordained of God 'reverend' since 1978, but have been entirely shy (read: way too committed to being 'unworthy') about it to actually be it!! (Except sometimes...) Yet now that I have given up some ways of being and am finally willing, and AM being it Publicly, I am finding it fits me like my own skin. AND, it so OUTS me. (And no, this is not an 'orientation' conversation.) It outs me like the stage curtain rising calls me to walk to the podium and deliver the goods. No more stalling, no more jockeying for a more comfortable/less risky position, no more any of that. In my life, I am now where the buck stops, I am the point guy. In your life, so are you. That clear, let's talk about the mud.

Here's my take. Sadhana is best kept simple. It's a shower of God, and you do it at least once a day, but better more often. In doing this Course, it just means doing the Course. Then, it's back into the mine (Mind?), and shovel the mud out. At first, it's our own mud, then we help others. Of course you know the shovel.... it's Forgiveness. Look, it is not bottomless. It will not take forever, and we are here to help each other. And the payoff is: Man, will we ever learn to love each other!!! I mean, this is come together Soul Family time!! This is the real Party!! (Gangaji told me that sometimes you have to watch how you say things so they are not misunderstood, so just to be sure, I am not talking about debauchery, I am talking about true 'belonging', as: Being Within the Communion.)

What takes us out of the Communion is pretending about our mud, like that we don't have any any more. That is the 'my egos arrogance' I was speaking of, and by this writing, outing (again). But here is the thing..... I love forgiving and being forgiven. I do the Ho Ho Pono Pono* thing a lot these days, and it clears amazing space inside of me to be happy. I find it hoses off so much of the effort in life (which is mostly about 'making it' so that everybody will 'see how good we are' even though we are still up to our neck in the mud).... I just don't see any way to hide that we do our spiritual journeying publicly and naked. And if there is anybody awake around us, they will see. Usually in this culture, we chose starring in our personal version of 'The Emperors New Clothes', losing ourself to pretense again. But that does not need to be.

I remember a line I wrote several Commentaries back: "Therefore, whatever recognizes our inauthentic beingness is our best friend." (from #45) It was one of those lines that just dropped in and clunked so hard I did not dare touch it. It points to the value of our close spiritual relationships. It is so good to be surrounded by these, by deep spiritual friendships, and if possible to be in a sangha (spiritual community). But, whatever our circumstances, our job is still to make sure we have clearly communicated to our trusted spiritual friends the direct request that they stay leveled and straight with us, and take no pretense of us. Just as nobody can see their own face without a mirror...... (you get it, right?)

(*more on Ho Ho Pono Pono tomorrow, as I've been long-winded today)

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 55

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing Lessons 21 -- 25

 

 

God's Goodness (Her Love).... never attacks anything.  Rather than attacking, She Forgives.  She does so without any strings attached, with no hidden price added, simply because She is True to Her Being, which IS Forgiveness.  

 

The message of our ego to which we have become addicted is:  I am not worthy of forgiveness.  This we listen to, and that we do listen to it, we hide as deeply from our Self as possible.  Why? Because our True Self Knows Differently.  Only by keeping us 'confused' as to who and what we are can the ego maintain the charade, keeping the deception of our stolen birthright from us.  Yet as committed as the ego is to this survival of 'itself AS US', cracks inevitably appear in the humorless amour of dead-heartedness with which it has coated us.  As with the Arrival of Aslan (in Narnia), the warmth of spring touches us, we begin to melt, and soon we run rivers. 

 

Our tears are both for our own healing, and the healing of the world.  Our tears let us know we have accepted Her Love again.  Now opened, what is there to do?  Quietly, Go Share Her Love.  It matters not where....  any selfless service arising from Her-Love-In-Us will continue and deepen the Healing.  Do give your Trust to this Healing Process, for it is in Her Hands.  SHE will Know and Guide the when and how, the why and where.  And when we have been made Ready 'as Hers', we will be Graduated, and a New Mission for our life will come into view.  This is the Great Adventure and Joy of Life we have dreamed of and longed for.  Referencing Richard Bach's parable of yesterday's Commentary, like the Creature who 'let go and let the Current lift him' from the bottom of the great crystal river and became a Savior to those downstream whom he floated over'--- we will also Know that if Her Love could Heal Us, it can heal anyone else willing to likewise Let Go.  The Great Crystal River now carries us Home.

 

God's Goodness (Her Love) knows everyone is Worthy, regardless of appearance.  In fact, SHE NEVER 'regards appearance' inappropriately, Knowing all appearance is simply temporary phenomena.  Thus, one of the signs of enlightened Presence is equanimity (balance of beingness).  Not to worry, That Comes too, comes as surely as Her Love.  As Ram Dass once said: "It's only our egos that are in a hurry." 

 

Our sure path to the Quiet Mind is walked upon the bricks of Self-acceptance.  Accepting our Worthiness to be Loved, and thus to Offer Her Love, is the Fire of Holiness that will Lighten the Way.

 

Namaste, 

 

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 54

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing Lessons 16 - 20

 

 

Where 'individual personal will' and the 'Will of The Supreme Reality' become One is where the razors edge of  egoic self-honesty 'rubber' meets 'the road'.  On the tightrope of this truism lies our Freedom to be Love, and the Peace of God.  

 

It is natural that the world will test our sincerity as we reach upward to accept The Invitation of Wholeness.  To accept it, the release of the egos grip in our lives is necessary.  Many of us will remember reading the wonderful (& recommended!!!) book "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Savior" (by Richard Bach), which opens with the parable/story of a village of creatures who lived along the bottom of a great crystal river, and for whom clinging was the way of life.  What we have clung to in the past may have been as widely different as our separated identities, but universally, our human machinery all has the clinging code built in.  

 

However, just as fruit has a clinging code, it also has a 'time to release' code too. This is the great good news we all welcome as we ripen.  While fruit falls to earth to be reborn, our rebirth is star-ward.  As we release our fear-based ego identities to embrace Love, our spirit rises Homeward, to be met by other Ourselves who wait for us in the Wholeness.  

 

In the Wholeness, there is no time, and all that IS, WAS, WILL BE is NOW.  In the Wholeness, there is no Question left to be Asked or Answered.  It is (quoting Zen for a bit here) 'self-illuminating'.  It is an indescribable 'Suchness, containing neither self, nor other-than-self'.  And, 'To come directly into this reality, when doubts arise, simply say: Not two.'  This 'not-two' state is where serving 'a Love that Unifies' leads us. 

 

It is the alignment of this Course with the teachings of many ancient wisdom traditions, (including Christianity as I have come to understand it) that calls me to love and 'mine' the depths of Course material.  That we are free to elect other choices does not change The Curriculum, which is always ever-present in Life whatever our faith paradigm.  Perhaps then, best to not avoid what arises.  Therefore, one could view the purpose of our being on this journey together is: to share courage when we hesitate, faith when we fear, hope when we despair, love when we are lost, joy when we are empty, peace when our mind is troubled...., all, that we may return and re-enter the Communion of Spirit.  This is so as students of this Course, this is so in LIfe.

 

Todays lesson is for deep drinking.  Let us be thirsty for wisdom, and true to our deepest peace.

 

Namaste, 

 

David

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Commentary on ACIM Lesson 53

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing Lessons 11 - 15

 

"A Love which Unifies"---- What are we speaking of here?  

 

Today, as I watered 'other living things' of the plant kingdom, I felt extremely awake-- unified-- to them.....  Magical, totally beautiful, simply Being.  No need to be anything other than themselves.  Not driven by ambitions, fears, concerns, worries--- no plans, other than Being.  

 

All of Life is One Being.  How could you or I exist if it was not? No matter how large Infinity expands, or how minute its reach, there is no existence other than within it.  That is why we must 'look within' to find 'it' which is our actual Self.  

 

Our barriers to finding our Self all arise from searching non-existence for existence. Because we have chosen to give non-existence a place on our 'holodeck' (using a 'Star Trek' analogy) we can and do experience the world we have created as real.  This follows the principle of Free Will, where what we choose to see, we do see.  As this Course (and many other 'courses' also) teaches, this does not change Reality.  IT does not need our agreement to Know Itself.  However, we do not know Ourself without Knowing IT.  

 

Planted within our personal 'dreamings of separation' is a default coding predisposing each of us to being attracted to being Loved.  Without it, we could not dream ourself as a human.  It is this code that all practice of religion, spirituality, shamanism, faith, austerity, belief, or virtue activates.  It activates us to become 'worthy', 'noble', 'better', 'holy', 'good', 'peaceful', ''pure', generous', 'blameless', 'faithful'.  (You add the rest yourself.)  Have you not done this work?  Yes, and well.  And it has given you and I the reward of being whatever we desired.  (If you argue 'not so', please look again.)

 

Now comes our time to desire 'after' nothing.  Personally, I mean.  Now comes our time to Learn 'Impersonal Reality'.  Although the Path to this is not always clear, the Way is.  It is unerringly found in serving 'a Love that Unifies'.  

 

As well-exampled within the Plant Kingdom, simply Be.  Be Empty.  Be Willing. Trust the Curriculum, it is Perfect.  Everything required IS being provided.  To Know This IS To Know God.

 

Namaste, 

 

David

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Commentary on ACIM Lesson 52

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing Lessons 6 - 10

 

 

No private reality is possibly The Truth.  And 'I' is the ultimate private thought.  

 

The circling of the mind around the 'I' thought will only lead us away from our own Heart, which IS (individually) Our Guiding Voice to Love/God/Oneness.  Now, using this Course as the Awakener, we quiet that circling, and Embrace Rightmindedness.  There is a yoga asana called 'pranam', where, with knees on the ground, one folds the body forward and brings the head to the ground also, arms stretched forward, hands up.  This position places the heart as more elevated than the head, representing the natural order of heart as master, head as servant, and Will (arms) as receptive (and willing). 

 

Byron Katie tells the story of how, when she Awoke (as a housewife in Barstow, CA) people would show up at her door and say 'Namaste', and she would let them in.  She thought they were saying 'No mistakes', and at that time, she didn't think 'anyone else knew'. 

 

However we Awaken, it is always Perfect.  We find we are in the exact situation we need to be in to begin Being and fulfilling our assigned (soul chosen) Mission.  Whatever that Mission, it is always an expression of a Love which Unifies, and calls us into the Communion of the One.  In this Communion, no private reality exists.  Therefore, no separated 'I' exists either.  We simply Belong to God. 

 

There have been no mistakes in your/my life.  That is all we need to see to remember who we are.  

 

Namaste, 

 

David