Spiritual Life in Action

Ten years ago, I was in my third year of monastic living (hell as far as I was concerned). About 6 years before that, I had decided to "Shamelessly follow Jesus." This week, I came to the realization that I had made an irrevocable decision. I still shamelessly follow Jesus; and it has lead me to A Course in Miracles. That denominational Christianity would think ACIM is blasphemy scared me at first. Now, I am totally happy to have reached a deeper relationship with Christ.

I have again started working my way thru the ACIM workbook (5th time). Here are 4 of the early lessons:
"I am upset because I think I see something which isn't there.
I see only the past.
My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
I see nothing as it is now."

This is how you begin to realize the world is an illusion: everything you see has meaning because of something in your past. You realize you very rarely think about the present and allow it freedom from the past. Pondering these mistakes, studying the ACIM Text in detail, you start to adopt a different thought system.

Practically speaking, adopting the spiritual thought system saves my mental and emotional bacon. My purpose in life become value driven: inner peace, use of the spiritual eyes and not the body's eyes, loving what God loves, stopping mental attacks and negative projections.

In November I hurt my knee using some exercise equipment. It didn't heal so I went to a Sports Medicine doctor yesterday. Most likely, it is a torn meniscus which can be easily fixed. Last night, I woke in the night with anger and fear. then, I had dreams of being at an ultra-marathon in Kansas City, but the other people knew I was moving. There was a viscous dog who threatened but did not touch me. There was a deep sand pit I fell into but was able to climb out. There was a place to lock up bicycles but I didn't have a lock. There was a beautiful view where my trail was headed.

In the morning, beginning my spiritual work, I realized that I cannot make a mental enemy out of my doctor. I also remembered the ACIM spiritual admonition that whatever we ask for, we get. We are not victims of the world but projectors of it. So, what did I want from the injured knee?

I refuse to think I only ask for negative experiences since Texas has been such a massively positive choice. I think again about the ACIM practice of looking beyond the physical to the light of Christ within everyone (forgiveness is overlooking the physical). Walking the world using the vision which sees beyond is how I want to live. And my knee is not God's fault. It is my responsibility to decide for Christ vision and not identify with the physical world or judge it negatively.


"I see only the past.
My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
I see nothing as it is now."


It is a gift of Christ to have a way out of this world. I accept the gift by practicing use of the vision in everything. I must live spiritually because my happiness is in the spirit.

It is pouring down rain outside. I think I would workout inside regardless of my knee; but I am encouraged to keep working out if it doesn't hurt. The sound of lightening is mesmerizing to me. I love it.