Commentary on ACIM Lesson 72
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

Holding grievances is an attack on God's plan for salvation.


We understand as we are ready. How could it be otherwise? Expressed as a principle: Whatever we trust will teach us something, and the more we are able to trust it, the more we are able to learn from it.

I have for you a similar quote: "What you think upon grows. Whatever you allow to occupy your mind you magnify in your life. Whether the subject of your thought be good or bad, the law works and the condition grows. Any subject that you keep out of your mind tends to diminish in your life, because what you do not use atrophies. The more you think of grievances, the more such trials you will continue to receive; the more you think of the good fortune you have had, the more good fortune will come to you."
--Emmet Fox from Make Your Life Worthwhile, 1942
(predates 'The Course, of course :-) (And, Not that that means anything :-)

****************************************************

In the beginning this Course asked very little, yet it's Voice was clear and true. Therefore, we began following it. And like cards being revealed as the anti is upped, the Course has patiently explained the requirements of the path as they have grown. For grown they must, if we are also to grow.

Our friend on this journey has been our own Voice for Truth. This comes from our inner unpolluted soul center, where our sacred core is held holy, and protected from the world. The Course refers to this Voice as Holy Spirit, and explains it is the communications link between who we are (not who think we are as an ego/body) and God. And this Spirit is also our Guide, for it knows completely both the Reality of God AND the ways of man's world. Its fundamental job is to free us from our egoic self-deception.

As I am exactly like you, I am doing 'my best' to do the Course, and usually failing to meet my own idealized standards. I'm therefore often tempted to 'feel guilty' about that. In my Sufi lineage is a famous saying: "Shatter your ideals upon the rock of truth!" To me this means 'there isn't anything to forgive, there is just to get what is'. Another Sufi quote is: "It is not how many times you fall, but how many times after you fall that you rise again, that determines your destiny." With practice, I am getting better at not judging my failures to meet my 'ideal' (which is clearly 'spiritual ego' based) and just beginning again.

Right now I am leading a very simple monk-like life, which I tremendously enjoy, being at heart a very simple being, and capable of finding joy in just about anything authentic. Inside of this life, I care for my aged parents needs, take care of their property, express my love of beauty by painting, and be concerned with 'my sadhana' (or spiritual life and practices). It is a life that very few 'in the world' would wish for, and yet, it is what I desire right now. I know this because I have created it.

And, I also have an ongoing 24/7 conversation inside me (probably just like you) of subtle and not so subtle 'grievances', desires, fantasys, dreams, and anxieties. On my peaceful days, something is present in me that allows all those conversations to recede to pretty quiet decibel levels. That something is the conversation in my heart between the authentic me, and God.

These Commentaries are like the visible tip of the iceberg of my conversations with God. Somedays, they are pretty pure too, just like some of my painting (same source) are masterpieces (while others are 'a good go at it'). But it is all ultimately only about the practice.

I was once told a story by a guitar teacher about the difference between a master and an amateur. What he said was: Both play the guitar and with practice, practice, practice 'have a breakthrough' which is ecstatic. The amateur becomes addicted to these breakthroughs, and is bored by the practice. The master has learned to love both.

In the spiritual life, both our practice and our breakthroughs are lessons in surrendering the way 'we see' back to God, and receiving 'how to see like God sees' back. This is true 'Self-acceptance'. This I teach today, that I may also so learn.

I thank God for being my teacher of Love. Today once again (as a repetitive practice), I am seeing His Love 'has it all covered'.

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 71
Rev. David Seacord

Only God's plan for salvation with work.


Today my correspondence from within our circle included a letter from 'John', who asked the question: "If my whole-hearted prayer and desire is to be healed, why am I not healed? If my desire is to return to God, why can God and the Holy Spirit not reconcile this? If I am willing to forego all that I know, even existence itself, so that I can know truth--- why does it not seem to be present? I surrender All from my heart, from my soul, to God so that I may be reconciled, but I do not appear to be. If this is truly my will, why is it kept from me? If God truly wants me to be happy and I pray for that , surrendering everything including existence itself on the altar, why is it held back?"

There was more, but that is the core.... 'I' noticed 'I' didn't have an answer sitting on a shelf somewhere inside myself. For a few seconds I could feel 'I' was starting to take on weight, and the pit-trap beneath me started salivating. Then God swooped in in the nick of time and my eyes fell upon the listing of the next unopened email, which was from a wonderful Adviata teacher in Sante Fe named Neelam that I have sat with in the past. I heard my heart whisper 'Ask for help', which I did, quickly forwarding the letter from 'John' to her and saying 'I could use some help here please'.

That began something very good--- as 'help' (Ask, and ye shall receive) began to arrive 'from everywhere', both on the 'inner' and 'outer'. Thus, I lightened up and the pit-trap was left salivating, with no meal of me today :-)...(hey, just celebrating the win, if you don't mind :-).

Our destiny of being a savior (Remember? 'A clearing for forgiveness'.) is not about being burdened. It is about being a light that is living truth embodied. This 'clearing' can come in a multitude of personality forms, and teach being light in a huge number of ways. Sometimes the way to answer a question like 'John's' is not to answer, but to ask. For instance, 'The Work' of Byron Katie is all in asking the correct questions. (Is it true?, Can you absolutely know that that is true? Who would you be without that thought? And then her classic method of righting reality: 'Reverse it...')

Neelam's clearness would (paraphrased, from my memories) ask us to look and see "How can you be kindest to yourself?" "How can you know your own stillness more deeply? Look, and see....Be Inquiry". These were thoughts she would give us to support our 'growing in Presence', where all answers 'exist already, as Peace'.

Many 'spiritual friends' might simply listen, (knowing the best way for self-discovery to happen is for you to discover your Self yourself). This is the fundamental methodology used in what is known as 'Re-Evaluation Counseling' (aka Co-counseling). The insight it is based on is that we all have our own best answers within us, AND, there are barriers to being aware of them. Listening (an amazingly powerful skill that few have developed deeply) is the gift one gives another with the act of Paying Attention to them (inside the formal setting and agreements of Co-counseling practice, in this example, but it works in Life too). Good Attention facilitates safe emotional movement (discharge) and that produces increased clarity, allowing your own knowing to rise into self-awareness.

But, whatever the method or non-method (and as the Course we are studying clearly stated in yesterdays lesson: Our salvation comes from within us...) there is no substitute for accepting the moment exactly as it is without self-judgement, and with self-compassion. John's life (our mirror here today) is completely non-accidental, including its conundrums. So is yours, so is mine. We are all creating the ultimate learning environment around ourselves 24/7/365/ +/-100 years. There is no escaping that our life is our life.

When I was a 'body electronics' student, I was taught to 'lovingly and willingly accept the pain' (generally [but not always] that meant physically) that arose in our bodies as we did Point-Holding on each other, because to resist 'what is' (our dis-ease) is to keep it. So my answer to 'John' at this moment and in its simplest form would be: Can you love (accept) yourself completely Right Now exactly as you are (AND, as you are not)? Check everywhere. Use a list/write it down. Bring impeccable self-honesty to the inquiry. (If there is someone in your life who knows you well that you trust, check it out and share with them. Ask them if they get you're being straight with yourself.) Wherever the answer is 'No', Just Let Go (of that, and yes, it takes Courage...), and see what moves, what arises, what arrives. Of course, it would also be good to remember that 'only God's plan for salvation will work'. Your 'I's' non-accidental question is, after all, a part of 'the Course'. Thank you for the gift it is being to all of us.

See if this thought can fit for you (you, meaning all of us): Living life in freedom means taking our hands off the steering wheel and keeping them off. It knows where we are going. To trust it is to have Peace.

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 70
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

My salvation comes from me.


Three dimensional reality is fundamentally designed as a school for duality. An image of this arose in my mind today. Like a landscape which is filled with disguised 'pit traps' which the unaware fall into, so is our life if we believe in the illusions and seductions of the world. Meaning, if we are 'of the world'.

The dilemma is that it is difficult not to believe we are our bodies. But, as soon as we do, whammo.... we are 'of the world', and there are pit traps everywhere. I am getting a sense that (for those who are being 'bodies') that 'the Way' to make it through life without falling into the pits is to use a body of knowledge called 'a religion' (of some kind) as a guidance system. For well-placed in all of them are rules for developing a sense of where the pits are, and also for avoiding them. So that is all well and good, for it improves our safety record as a species, and generally contributes to species well-being too.

And, another image that is 'incoming and useful' for me is the recognition that all of that is valid life protocol if you are gravity respondent. In other words, if you weigh something. Which you do, if you 'are that you are' a body. But what if you don't, because you see that you aren't. Could you not then simply walk right over the tops of the pit traps without 'falling in'? Birds, for instance, are not going to become victims of such a trap because they have means of countering their physical weight with wings. So what about us?

I believe I am about to suggest that we have wings too. They are a bit different in nature and function from a birds, but the analogy holds. I believe I am about to suggest that our wings are found in the lightness of our seeing. As we have been practicing seeing for instance, holding grievances hides our light from ourselves and others, and therefore darkens the 'lightness of our seeing'. In fact, ANY form of me-you/us-them/good-bad duality consciousness will give us weight, and if enough is taken on, into the pits we plunge for another round of duality lessons.

The very cool thing about this all is how it is all just too perfect to be accidental. And this is the first thing we must remember to start lightening up again, start seeing the unity everywhere again, and thus, find our wings again.

I am very happy to report this little story to you, as sharing my heart's happiness is my most precious treasure. I can see clearly now, the rain is gone. It's gonna be a Bright, Bright, Bright, Sunshiny Day.

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 69
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

My grievances hide the light of the world in me.


The True Creator God of this and every possible Universe is the One that gives us our original breath, and to which our breath returns as our learning/teaching mission in this phenomenal time/space world is completed.

I remember (as an inspired young man-child) promising this One God with all my heart that I would never serve any god but Him, the True God, the Supreme God. Of course, I was 'in the religiously indoctrinated world' that somehow there could be 'god's' OTHER THAN the One True God. It was a little confusing, as I had also been taught that 'God is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent' (All Knowing, All powerful, and that Nowhere existed where God 'was Not'). So where was the place that was 'other than' God for all the Evil of the Devil (etc) to even exist in?

Simple questions like that, that were not well answered in my youth, have provided the drive that has led me on my personal spiritual pilgrimage. Ursula Le Guin writes "It is good to have a goal, but in the end, it is the journey itself that matters." In other words, it is HOW we live whatever we 'do' that reveals our state of 'being'.

My 'best proof' in the existence of a Loving God is my own life, which has been so touched, guided, aided, blessed, and healed in every way and from every possible direction so consistently and continually that it is impossible for me not to testify that 'God is the only true Reality'.

This includes so testifying in writing these Commentaries, obviously. Now sixty-nine times 'up to bat' (and looking at the remaining 296 'birthings' to come), it is clear that 'I' can have no real idea where or who 'I' will be when 'it is finished'. But I suspect it will be 'at another beginning'. In other words, more pilgrimage into 'the Infinity of God'. For the details, I will (to quote Papaji): "Wait and see". This is 'the enoughness' that allows 'the miraculous' to be my day to day experience.

For each of us in this growing circle, this is a year of passage from separation to unity. Although at years-end we will still have individual bodies, we will not have individual wills as we had known them before. I sense that for many of us, the delusions of personal identity are rapidly falling away as we progress from lesson to lesson. Also, the experience that 'another' is actually 'another myself' continues to open and fill us with greater knowledge, deeper wisdom, increasing compassion.... for others and ourselves.

It is the Will of our Divine Source that we become like 'Him', and be light onto the world. This would make us all 'lightworkers', right? There is a parable in the Bible about not hiding our light under a bushel basket, but to hold it aloft that the world could see it (and by it). This is what is being addressed by todays lesson.

Being unafraid to be 'in accord with the will of God' is the source of our Joy in this life. Letting the power of God work through us is the function of that Joy.

Namaste,

David

Commentary for ACIM Lesson 68
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

Love holds no grievances.


Today I 'stumbled upon' something I would have not believed possible before personally seeing it. As I do regularly for the love of solitude and exercise (and because it had rained recently ---which brings the desert to flower---), I was bushwhacking off trail deep in an extremely rugged desert mountain preserve near my present home in southwest Arizona. Natural water is rare here, as rainfall is a scant 3" annually, yet somehow many adapted species survive. But when I saw MOSS existing in its protected niche of microclimate, I was completely surprised. Moss needs water, and also relatively cool temperatures, which this land of 115 + degree summers (for months) does not offer. Yet, there it was. Proof that somehow this remote north-facing, cliff-shaded ravine was capable of supporting a life-form named Moss.

I took it as a sign that I do not yet understand everything. (I hope you just laughed.)

This spiritual journey we are sharing has been full of surprises too. It has grown from a tiny seed practice (taking a few seconds a day) to being the pillar that my world revolves around. The Course tells us that this is the inevitable result of simply doing the lessons. And right now, what it is asking us to do is expose everything unlike Love that we are still holding on to. It's deep work, and our willingness to do it demonstrates our sincere and heart felt commitment to knowing God in our lives. What that really means is our spiritual curriculum now is to resolve all current or past internal conflicts in our being, lest we fail to find the true peace of God offered.

Understating the situation then, 'stuff from the past is likely to reappear', to be seen clearly, and forgiven. For me, yesterdays Commentary set the stage for todays spiritual challenge. It arrived in the form of correspondence from one of my seven siblings (who is a born-again fundamentalist Christian and who considers the teachings of the Course heresy, and me, a false prophet. FYI, It wasn't a direct response to yesterdays Commentary-- we've been in a dialogue for several weeks, ever since I sent her one of the early Commentaries.)

Why I sent her that early Commentary I do not 'recall clearly', but I suspect I knew it would initiate a conversation. (In other words, it was a set-up. God loves doing that.) What her side of the conversation contains is numerous expertly-chosen Biblical scriptural cites to support her clear conviction that I am a completely lost soul, which she is at war (not against, but) 'for'. She's not holding anything back, no kid gloves, as my soul is at stake, and it's the Devil she's fighting FOR ME. She's in my face screaming, if you will. So I've gotten back 'more than a conversation'. I've gotten her Absolutely Committed Love.

For me, all this brings up a lot of ancient personal past. Sunday school, my Dad's sermons, childhood Bible study, and all the reasons I learned then about why 'our beliefs were right, and theirs were wrong'. It is a world I escaped from and thought was irrelevant, but which I now see I have never fully come to unshakeable peace with inside myself. So now is the time to do so. As I've come out as a (neophyte) 'spiritual-teacher-in-training' by authoring these Commentaries, if I am going to be authentic, this is going to be a public thing, with you as witnesses.

What I see must be done is to reconcile inside myself the Bible teachings of my past (containing the historically reported words of Jesus of Nazareth) with the Course's teachings in the present (containing the scribed/channeled words of Jesus of Nazareth). My sister clearly believes we are all being deceived, and that her Bible proves it (and she pretty much has it memorized). As I don't have the Course 'memorized', and have not read nearly all the wonderful writings that it has inspired, I see that I have some studying ahead. Yet perhaps I will not read a word. Perhaps that is not 'the Way'.

Perhaps, if there was ever a direct invitation from God to deepen my internal silence, hold no grievances and release the past, this is my golden opportunity.

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 67
©2010 Rev. David Seacord

Love created me like itself.


For the most part, my experience is that religion teaches us 'how we should be', and sometimes, 'how we could be'. To me, what spirituality is about is experiencing who we actually are. How to tell the difference? Easy. A religion is a culturally-shared 'suit of beliefs' you put on. What you put it on is your spirituality, which originally 'has no culture', and is inseparable from the Authentic You.

I know if I'm 'believing the right religion' when 'I am it' without making any effort to have it fit me. When I am Attracted (not forced by guilt etc), then I know it is useful for my spirit as a learning school. This of course, is very much unacceptable to most orthodoxy, which requires 'believers' to conform and convert to the dogmas of the faith. The reason given for this is that we must humble ourselves before God in order to be worthy of His Forgiveness, and accept that we are sinners, and ask for the mercy of being 'saved'. This is the still-existent 'old paradigm', which currently limits the thinking of the world and our ability to simply Love Each Other (no matter what). Therefore, to orthodoxy, the teachings of the Course are both heresy and non-understandable. And therefore, the Course is attacked as a false teaching by orthodox believers, who answer that all visible evidence of its soul clarity is 'the (old paradigm) work of the devil'. This must simply be accepted as lawful human karma, for every soul is absolutely free to create the environment of its choice to grow within. My very respectful 'sociological rule of thumb' (but certainly NOT 'the truth'): The more fear-based the souls karma, the more restrictive the spiritual environment (church) it will chose. It all comes down to the 'faith-created safety nest/net' needed to be willing to learn of God's Love, (which is a function of 'the woundings that must be healed').

I do not know exactly when I began to realize my religion of birth did not have acceptable-to-me answers to all my questions, but it was, I'm sure, quite early in my life. My parents were in that denominations clergy, and it is a blessing that they knew love well enough that I always knew their love for me. But they certainly did not understand why God would lead their twenty-something son around the world for years on a pilgrimage from Master to Master, and from faith to faith, from ashram to temple to guru, to seek something they believed was available in the pews of the church they raised me in.

I am very happy to report to you that they were right, and that 'it' was available. Because God is everywhere, so was (and is) His Love. While I did find God everywhere across this world and in every faith I studied/practiced, I have come to see that even within the most dogmatic rigid fundamentalistic faiths, God is there too, guiding with his Love to the degree He is Allowed. And who is to say what is 'the better way' for any particular soul? Many very 'only way' faiths carry tremendous currents of holiness which light a lot of formerly 'lost' people up. It seems that way to me, at least as long as you stay 'in the flock'. (Which you are generally encouraged to do, as I was. Unless... you began asking un-answerable questions persistently--- then you might get escorted to the door...) Anyway...... it's an old and common story ....

An amazing man named Dr. John Ray (who founded and taught a miraculous healing modality called 'Body Electronics') once said: "All beliefs are ultimately false". It is from this 'ultimate falseness of our beliefs' that our freedom to trust our direct experience arises. Do you not have the direct experience that to connect with another in Love is a rich goodness? And do you not have the opposite direct experience that to be consumed by hating another being is a poison to your being? Good, IF you are willing to trust those knowings. And, have you not also experienced that the world will often give you reversed interpretations.... saying in effect that your goodness was bad, and your poison was good? I think this comes with the territory of being alive. And this is why the Course is focused upon 'the truth is true, and the false is false'.... to 'cut through' 'the illusion' to our spiritual and mental and emotional freedoms.

Let me ask you....If this Course were to liberate you from such confusion and insanity, and were to give you a life where you became a powerful beacon of God's 'un-judging Love-without-discrimination', would you chose to serve? That is the question we actually contemplate today, as it lies under all the practices given by the lesson. God is calling both you and I to be His Teachers of Love. In all probability, we have already accepted. For our ego to realize this would be good, for once it understands there is no hope of continued existence within its delusions, it is much easier for it to relax and enjoy being Loved also.

It is not necessary to kill the ego, for it is not real in the first place. A much better way is to dissolve it with our Love, which is. This I teach, that I also might learn it is so. :-)

Namaste,

David

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 66
©2010 Rev. David Seacord


My happiness and my function are one.

How blessed it is to be the receiver of this grace of understanding. Answering all questions of insanity and restoring rightmindedness is God's simple truth that no matter how complex the appearance or how hopeless the separation, to be 'Awake and Within' the Holy Love of God is always the choice of our heart.

If I could have found happiness any other way than through God, I am certain I would have. Every doorway that tempted me with its counterfeit versions of fulfillment I certainly did try. And I absolutely avoided the 'God Door' until there were none left but it. And then I stalled and hesitated and tried to make deals. What patience our Creator shows us (has shown me).

I look at the many times my life hung by a thread and was yet saved and wonder 'how is it that I am still here?' and 'for what?'. In the past it was incomprehensible to think that the true answer is: So that I could know happiness. Now, that is simply self-obvious.

I make a third mention of the book 'Illusions' (which you might take as my opinion that it is worth reading :-), for the summation line of the parable of the clinging creatures is "It is on the path of our happiness that we shall find the lessons that we are here to learn." (paraphrased, but I'm sure I'm close...)

The committed 'suffering sinner'-ego of me had that bass-ackwards. Like, "My God, that is hearsay". Our ego wrongly hears this as license for forbidden and wonton pleasures, and completely 'irresponsible' behaviors. No, No, No, it says, the 'way' is penitence, and/or definitely the suppression of fleshly desires. Right? At the very least, some version of personal denial?

But what ego never addresses is the Joy of the Soul in simply Being God's Love. THAT it has no knowledge of, AT ALL. And NOTHING is as powerful or as naturally self-disciplining as truly discovering our Souls Joy. It is like whatever the ego addiction is or was, it is done, over, finished.... once Soul Joy Arrives. And Joy's Arrival is very simply the discovery of our Freedom to Love without Limit or End. Nothing trumps (or pumps Life) like being hardwired into God's Deep Love... the Love that no circumstance rattles, no situation phases, no temptation sabotages, no egoic pressure reverses. And This Love is Always 100% non-addicted, fully responsible to Authentic Self, and appropriate too. So, where's the plug-in?

Just have no other gods before God.

Namaste,

David