The peace and joy in staying fully present, in each moment, without judgment; and in the recognition that “being”, rather than “doing” is the natural state.
(Also, the most challenging in my life situation 🙃)
I love this post, Sean. I am grateful that you share.
Beautiful - thank you! “…all fear is conflict, and all love is communion, and all communion is healing.” I’ll add this as a mantra to my lesson for today.
I needed THIS terribly and am fairly certain ( all I NEED be) that I was led directly TO this, did not kinda stumble upon it through some fully volitional impulse, had I NOT read comments on your most recent post today, I would not have gotten to read this, something SO direct.I have been struggling with tremendous fear and anxiety for several years now.My life crashed and burned to some obvious extent after retiring from a vocation I bled most days to complete and after thirty five years, felt that I would likely be killed in this job where all standards of virus were inverted, and one was given renumeration to be a daily martyr.This is the FIRST time I can recall saying this, at least in print.ACIM groups are often worse than frustrating when dogmatic bromides are tossed about as quick formulas of denial.I do no recall MOST of my dreams, but I know that I fear them.One traumatic circumstance, like onto a curse, seem to come after retiring.I was by this point a serious ( enough) narcotic addict, had no stable let alone primary relationships, a stilted long distance one, was home invaded, robbed at knife point then ultimately, after a year of having a twenty year prison sentence hang over my head by myself being charged w/ assault by my assailant
Thank you for sharing, William. I'm glad the post was helpful. And I understand that looking at our lives - the mess they are, the nightmare they are, the trauma they are, and the tragedy they are - can feel like being crucified all over again. Although it can feel like another bromide, I have myself found the Course's insistence that the outside world is the picture of an inside condition (T-21.in.1:5) very helpful over the years. It's not the external world I need to fix or amend or heal but rather the mind that believes it is separated from God. Over and over I come back to that. And honestly? Sometimes I think the external craziness is a gift that just throws me without any other recourse into the Holy Spirit's calm and certain guidance.
It is helpful to walk this path with others. I cannot say this enough and I cannot be thankful enough. We are in this healing thing, this salvation thing together, and we need each other - both to forgive and be forgiven BY, and there are no exceptions to this law. The absence of exceptions is what Love is (T-7.V.5:7).
So thank you again, William, for being here and sharing. We are holding each other up as we go, and I know we will not let each other fall 🙏🙏
Sean, you are kind and generous to share your personal stories that bring Course teaching to life. I appreciate it so much. This essay comes at a perfect time for me--of course. Today is almost the final day to submit my taxes. They're ready to go, have been ready for weeks. I can afford what's due. It "should" be easy. But I haven't filled in the forms or clicked "Submit," yet. The IRS is the man standing at the edge of my field, looking at my horses (bank account) and I am "you" feeling wary of "him." even though this moment is made of peace and generosity, as are all of the moments. Having been, in the past, down to my last penny, as the saying goes, a fear lingers. But that was then; it is not "now," and your experience reminds me that "all manner of things" not only "will be well," but *are* well right this minute. Only my fear makes them "unwell." Many thanks.
You're welcome, Nancy. Thank you for reading and sharing. It's hard for me to remember that all is well and will be well without friends to remind me. A nontrivial part of writing this way is just to be sure people like you will be here to remind me it's all okay. I'm glad when I can extend that, and grateful for the reminder myself. We are in this together; salvation isn't a solo project. Thanks for being here.
Sean thats true teaching I. Love your posts And want to know the title of your last book
Thanks, Sean . . . good to hear from you . . . last book was "Shared Trails: Essays and Dialogues on A Course in Miracles . . . "
This is a beautiful piece of writing. I will go back to this often. Thank you!
Thank you for reading & sharing, Gerald 🙏🙏
~ Sean
Ahhhh…
The peace and joy in staying fully present, in each moment, without judgment; and in the recognition that “being”, rather than “doing” is the natural state.
(Also, the most challenging in my life situation 🙃)
I love this post, Sean. I am grateful that you share.
🙏
Thanks Jennifer. I appreciate your being here.
~ Sean
Beautiful - thank you! “…all fear is conflict, and all love is communion, and all communion is healing.” I’ll add this as a mantra to my lesson for today.
I needed THIS terribly and am fairly certain ( all I NEED be) that I was led directly TO this, did not kinda stumble upon it through some fully volitional impulse, had I NOT read comments on your most recent post today, I would not have gotten to read this, something SO direct.I have been struggling with tremendous fear and anxiety for several years now.My life crashed and burned to some obvious extent after retiring from a vocation I bled most days to complete and after thirty five years, felt that I would likely be killed in this job where all standards of virus were inverted, and one was given renumeration to be a daily martyr.This is the FIRST time I can recall saying this, at least in print.ACIM groups are often worse than frustrating when dogmatic bromides are tossed about as quick formulas of denial.I do no recall MOST of my dreams, but I know that I fear them.One traumatic circumstance, like onto a curse, seem to come after retiring.I was by this point a serious ( enough) narcotic addict, had no stable let alone primary relationships, a stilted long distance one, was home invaded, robbed at knife point then ultimately, after a year of having a twenty year prison sentence hang over my head by myself being charged w/ assault by my assailant
Thank you for sharing, William. I'm glad the post was helpful. And I understand that looking at our lives - the mess they are, the nightmare they are, the trauma they are, and the tragedy they are - can feel like being crucified all over again. Although it can feel like another bromide, I have myself found the Course's insistence that the outside world is the picture of an inside condition (T-21.in.1:5) very helpful over the years. It's not the external world I need to fix or amend or heal but rather the mind that believes it is separated from God. Over and over I come back to that. And honestly? Sometimes I think the external craziness is a gift that just throws me without any other recourse into the Holy Spirit's calm and certain guidance.
It is helpful to walk this path with others. I cannot say this enough and I cannot be thankful enough. We are in this healing thing, this salvation thing together, and we need each other - both to forgive and be forgiven BY, and there are no exceptions to this law. The absence of exceptions is what Love is (T-7.V.5:7).
So thank you again, William, for being here and sharing. We are holding each other up as we go, and I know we will not let each other fall 🙏🙏
Love,
Sean
Sean, you are kind and generous to share your personal stories that bring Course teaching to life. I appreciate it so much. This essay comes at a perfect time for me--of course. Today is almost the final day to submit my taxes. They're ready to go, have been ready for weeks. I can afford what's due. It "should" be easy. But I haven't filled in the forms or clicked "Submit," yet. The IRS is the man standing at the edge of my field, looking at my horses (bank account) and I am "you" feeling wary of "him." even though this moment is made of peace and generosity, as are all of the moments. Having been, in the past, down to my last penny, as the saying goes, a fear lingers. But that was then; it is not "now," and your experience reminds me that "all manner of things" not only "will be well," but *are* well right this minute. Only my fear makes them "unwell." Many thanks.
You're welcome, Nancy. Thank you for reading and sharing. It's hard for me to remember that all is well and will be well without friends to remind me. A nontrivial part of writing this way is just to be sure people like you will be here to remind me it's all okay. I'm glad when I can extend that, and grateful for the reminder myself. We are in this together; salvation isn't a solo project. Thanks for being here.
Love,
Sean
PS: As you say, fear commands action. But that increases fear and then (sometimes) procrastination--a perfect example of ego sabotage.
Thanks, Mark. Hope all is well.
~ Sean