God

Softly: Gentleness & Kindness

Recently I listened to the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers perform “Softly” on YouTube.  It was composed with Christmas in mind by Will Todd, British Choral composer.  However, we need its message throughout the year regardless of our Faith. Below is the YouTube link to their performance and the poem so you can  read the words and experience the reality of the softness in your soul, the True spirit of your life.

It is a prayer put to music and it is humanities prayer.  We need to be reminded of the mercy always available within our minds.  Mercy for ourselves first of all and then extended and seen outside in the world we see.  Our thoughts determine the world we see.  In A Course In Miracles, early lessons, 16, 17 and 18 we are told that we project out onto the world, the thoughts we are holding and therefore create the world we see.  Sounds crazy right?  Either your thoughts extend the truth or illusions, love or fear, acceptance or judgment. 

We think our thoughts are unimportant but they can be destructive to our peace especially when in a negative frame of mind and if so, you are “deciding” what you will see.  If you are thinking thoughts of fear; worry; hate; judgment or condemnation; guilt or negativity you are projecting it out onto the world and coloring your life with the opposite of “softness.”  Projection makes perception; you think it and then “see” it out in the world – thus no neutral thoughts.  Mystics tell us we think we left God or Love, a negative act and came into the world rejecting love, so we see negativity until we realize we did not leave Love, It is still in us.  We can change our “way” of seeing through eyes of fear to eyes of mercy and acceptance.  We can see a kind world if we see through eyes of kindness.  We will also see softness “out there” being softer. We will see the softness inside of us that can never be destroyed.

Experiment with this idea.  Decide to see everyone as a loving brother or sister; they are doing the best they can; see the rain as the gift it is; the traffic slow down as a gift to slow you down; a crazy driver as someone who is in fear; offer them love; and change judgment from separation to inclusion; think with your inner kindness and True Self.  It is a gift you give yourself!

You can also offer kindness to our Home Planet by doing your best to learn how to keep it healthy.   Check out www.wakeupworld.earth an educational tool friends Anita and Bob Dygert-Gearheart, formerly of Ashland have created.

Here are both the poem “Softly” and the YouTube link to the So. Or. Repertory Singers performance of it.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCSn2EZgdv4

SOFTLY by Will Todd

Softly sleeping, sent from heaven,

Shining light against the cold,

You will renew me, waken my soul.

Bring me out of darkness and waken my soul.

Word of God born in darkness,

Gift of wisdom from afar,

You will refresh me, open my heart;

Bring me out of darkness and open my heart.

And may Your light burn in me;

May Your love endless be.

May You be always with me.

Child of God, sleeping savior,

As You rest my world awaits,

Needing forgiveness,

Needing your kindness.

Now You have found me,

Waken my soul.

Bring me out of darkness and waken my soul.

With Love,

Sally

The Author: The Gift of the Great Rays, Inner Peace Essays, A Course In Miracles as its Promise of Freedom. Available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Who or What am I?

Painting title: Fly like an Eagle

As we negotiate our lives we do wonder who we are. 

We have many gifts and perhaps foibles and we wonder who we are.

We make mistakes (never call them sins) and we wonder who we are.

Are you  L.G.B.T.Q or?  Are you black, white, brown or? But you still wonder who am I, or what am I.

Do you know what you are?

This is what you are:

You are the Holy Son of God regardless of how you identify your body, male, female, straight, L.G.B.T.Q or your ethnicity!!!   This is the Truth!  Accept it because you are MORE than a body. You are Spirit first!

This is the truth regardless of what your sexual identity, ethnicity, cultural background or white, black, brown, yellow or red!

FACT: You are loved, complete, healed and whole and any uncertainty about that is self-deception. 

Do not deny this reality regardless of how you self-identify, or how you see yourself or think others see you. You are a Holy Son of God regardless of what they think, how they see you or judge you and you are This over and above any other self-identification imposed upon you by yourself or others. Holy Son of God comes first!

And regardless of how others self-identify they too are a Holy Son of God, the same as you. Love them because as you judge them, you judge yourself. As you Love them; you love yourself.

And…..this is important: As you hate them you hate yourself.

You are God’s Son in whom he is well pleased! You are his Son regardless of what your doubting split mind may tell you. The ego part of your mind is what has doubts and it is insidious and not your friend. Do not listen to it. Tell it what you are instead.

See A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson 139. I will accept Atonement for myself.

www.https://acim.org/acim/lesson-139/i-will-accept-atonement-for-myself/en/s/544 (paste in browser)

Click on the “Listen” button and close your eyes, lean back and relax.

Tip:  Atonement is defined in the Course as: The separation from God that never occurred.  This is different from what some religions teach: that you have done something wrong. You have done nothing wrong but you need to remember you are as God created you; ONE with GOD; have always been and will always be and so is everyone else.

Painting Title: Take Jesus off the Cross – prints & cards avail

And Always Remember above all else and say: I AM LOVED

Painting: Fly like an Eagle – available in prints or cards at http://sally-mckirgan.pixels.com

On the journey ask for HELP!!!

It is hard to believe that it us up to us to “save” ourselves.  What??? HELP!!! I want someone else to do it.  To fix me, love me, tell me I’m loveable, accepted, cared for, protected from all harm, and who can make me feel secure in the knowledge that all….IS WELL. 

Yes, ask for HELP from professionals, and they can and will guide, but they still can’t do it for us…….we do it! We are responsible. You are responsible.

We are unaware most of the time that we have a split mind.  But if you are suffering it is probably because of your thinking!  Thoughts of judgment, worry, concerns, stress fear, tell you that you are listening to the wrong mind, i.e. the ego.  It is your holy mind within that you need to access and listen to that says All Is WELL. 

Ask for HELP to think the quite thoughts.  The holy part of your mind is the Holy Spirit. It won’t attack with….”you should know better.”  That is the false, ego mind. The memory of love aka God comes to the quiet mind.  On a scale from 1 to 10%, with 10% being the greatest….how much attention do you give to quieting your mind?  Maybe 2% or 5% or none?

This is why we are our saviors.  We save ourselves when we access our right holy mind, the Holy Spirit and turn our daily tasks and thoughts over.  The book “A Course In Miracles” says “ask the Holy Spirit” for help.  The Holy Spirit is a gift from God or the door to our right mind.  That is where peace and comfort can be accessed.  It is not in the world, going to the movies, shopping, etc.

For example, I recently had to do something I was dreading.  When I noticed the ego thoughts running in my mind, I made the decision to change my mind.  I called upon the “Holy Spirit” and said I want to see this differently.  What came to me was: “take love with you and carry it like a “hostess gift and choose to see everyone and all circumstances through the eyes of non-judgment and peace.”  It was an easy afternoon using the gift. You have it too.

If you are not familiar with the Course the idea of a “Holy Spirit” may seem strange but….watch your mind and if you see the dualistic split between, good/bad, love/hate, friend/foe, misery/peace then you are noticing the split.  Just watch how you are feeling, what’s going on in your mind.  Do you like it?  You are a “Decision Maker” i.e. the boss!   It is up to you to lead the way and not follow the ego’s thoughts that lead to nowhere!

But you have to watch your thoughts.  You must be vigilant for those little thoughts of unease and if you follow them, they will become bigger.  Important: don’t judge them or make it a big deal but just tell yourself you are choosing another way.   

In A Course In Miracles, Chapter 27.  Section VIII, The Hero of the Dream, paragraph 10. (Text page 587) “The secret of salvation is but this: That you are doing this unto yourself.” 

All judgment makes us miserable.  Watch the parade of thoughts, wave, and let them go and ask for another way to see everything!  Ask for HELP!

You are Loved, Loveable and Loving!

Watercolor painting “Help” is available: posters, cards & prints at http://www.sally-mckirgan.pixels.com

A Course In Miracles websites:

http://www.acim.org

http://www.fip.org

http://www.miraclecenter.org