Good morning,
I just read Rev. Deb’s post, thank you, my dear, just lovely, as always.
My thoughts do not mean anything.
You know, this is truly liberating. I have spent my entire life believing my thoughts were meaningful, relevant, accurate, insightful, intelligent and, hmmmmm….sometimes enlightened! Isn’t that hilarious?
I realize more and more that I, all too often, intellectualize the Course.
It goes like this:
I should practice. Hmmm…what is the lesson for the day? I will go check. OK, it’s whatever the lesson is. I am supposed to recite this statement. OK, I will do that. All too often, I allowed the ego to distract me. But I sure as heck knew what the lesson was and as Mari, Ryan and I have been reading the WB lessons now for years, I am decently familiar with most, not all, but most.
My point.
I can THINK I am practicing when I am not.
Jesus warns us about being ritualistic about our practice, robotic, for me it means what I wrote above. Anxious to get through the practices, distracted, scattered, impatient, perhaps.
Better to have one “meaningful” practice period where our minds and hearts are engaged, fully and wholly, than to rush through them to allow the ego to applaud us for doing them all when we really haven’t.
Not trying to confuse anyone.
My loving advice today:
Take a few minutes when you can and just relax, take a few deep belly breaths. Notice all the muscles in your body that are tense, ask them gently to relax. Then practice. If only for a minute or two.
AND remember we’re all in this together. It isn’t about measuring our progress, it isn’t about allowing the ego to bludgeon us when we stumble, it’s about remembering, truly, that we are beloved and treasured and Jesus/the Holy Spirit/God, however YOU define a Higher Power who adores you, is right there with you and me cheering us on to peace.
AND so are ALL of us at MO, we all love you and ourselves and want yours and our Highest Good always!!!!
Much, much love,
Gayle
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