Lotus-born God,
giver of divine revelation,
inspiring source behind all creation -
what does it mean, this mundane modernity?
To what does it translate when placed against eternity?
These objects I see,
that are placed in my vision,
whether a toe or a tree,
what could be in them
but meaning given by me?
This flower, the frog,
the tempest, that tower,
the emotions they bring,
this power they wield to wing
me to sadness, to joy,
and to fear.
With Him as my shield,
It all makes so much sense now.
The message is clear.
They ask me to yield,
to submit, to conform.
But truth, it has been revealed
I'm breaking out of the norm.
I've gone to a place,
beyond time and space,
a place where I find there nothing but grace.
And face
the face of the great mother, the father,
the one Holy Spirit who created it all,
which springs from my heart,
like leaves fall in the fall.
I have heard the Voice
I have heard the Call.
I've made up my mind.
I have made that choice.
I've torn down all
of the paper-thin walls
that I’ve placed in my haste
between the Great One and me.
Peace has come,
Heaven is here,
for now am I free.
I have given everything I see in this room [ on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning it has for me.
When I first started the lessons, I didn’t take any notes on my thoughts. So for the first 50 or so lessons, and possibly past that, I’m having to re-trace my steps and go over familiar ground.
Only it doesn’t seem so familiar.
As I go over these concepts a second time, They gain a new level of significance. Instead of strange concepts, they take on a certain concreteness. A realness.
And in a way, maybe that’s the message here.
Every object brings up thoughts, feelings - good, bad, neutral.
When we look at anything, we can’t help but bring all our stories about who we are, and the identity we hold for ourselves into that exchange.
And so it is for the meaning I see in this lesson, and how the added context of all my intervening experiences changed the way I view it.
As I sat down, and explored the room around me, I did my best to follow the instructions given:
don’t choose consciously
Don’t strain
Don't include, and don't exclude
Apply the idea to whatever your gaze covers
To whatever enters your awareness
Looking around, my eyes fell on several objects, and for each I applied the idea. But then I went deeper - and observed what feelings and thoughts they brought up in me.
Everything on which I glance,
Every object in this place I see
Has none but the meaning in it
that is so given by me.
A box of single-serve Chex Mix snacks - unhealthy, junk food, annoyed by how much we buy
Ziploc bags - disposable, brings to mind thoughts of wastefulness and environmental destruction
The thick, L.L. Bean labeled sock that I’m wearing - warmth, comfort, but also the insanely itchy ankles I get from the elastic after wearing them all day! It makes me wish for summer.
Box of instant Curry Noodles- carbs, grains. I remember my time as a weight loss coach, and long-held fears of weight gain.
Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix - reminds me of my daughter Lauren, who has severe food allergies, and how we made cupcakes by adding pumpkin - for treats and for every one of her birthdays.
trash can - utilitarian, dull - bland, neutral feelings.
pickled eggs - curiosity - I never opened them. what do they taste like? past expiration date -would I get sick if I ate one?
water bowl - empty, needs to be filled. Makes me think of our dogs - and how much I love them. And thoughts of love in general.
board w/ weight belt that I use for doing Nordic Curls (Go look it up!) - strength, training, discipline. Beliefs of inadequacy, unworthiness, not-enough-ness, importance of physical presence, and attraction.
Various candles - Christmas, nostalgia - now that the season is over, a faint sadness.
As you go through the exercise for yourself, you may observe similar thoughts and feelings or completely different ones. It's important not to attempt to change those feelings at this point. Just to recognize them is enough.
Neither should you attempt to judge them as good or bad - just be with them. This can only contribute to strain. And that is not what you seek. Peace is.
At this point in your journey, it may be hard to see that you have control. It will seem that you are completely at the mercy of these objects - that they spur completely unavoidable effects. But as you go deeper into your practice, you will find that you are responsible for bringing those effects. They do not affect you. You effect them.
And as easily as you originate those feelings - with your beliefs, you can just as easily change them.
And that is the road to Peace.
Thank you so much for reading!
This is one in a series of posts I intend to compile into a guide that will serve as a poetic accompaniment to one of the most significant works of spiritual growth of our time - A Course in Miracles.
If you have not already done so, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a single post!
You can find everything I’ve published so far on this page:
https://theeverydaymystic.substack.com/t/the-poetry-of-miracles
Next: Lesson 3 - The Secret Dimension
I will soon publish a “How to use this Book” article. In the meantime, knowing it is intended to be used alongside the course should be enough.
This companion works best and will provide the greatest impact if read while studying the course. If you have not already invested in a copy of the course, you can do so, and help support me at the same time, by using this link,
If you’re not ready for that yet, you can access this lesson, along with the full Course in its entirety, online at
https://acim.org/acim/lesson-2/i-have-given-everything-i-see-all-the-meaning-that/en/s/404?wid=toc
If you’d like to support me in this Herculean task, but the paid subscription option is too much right now, you can buy me a coffee, either as a one-time thing or on a recurring basis. And I'll send you my e-book of mystical poetry as a thank you!
You can do that — as well as find other ways to support me — here
https://ko-fi.com/aaronwaddell
Namaste.
