Giving up Grievances for Lent

On New Year's Day, I began the 365-day journey through the dailly lessons in the workbook section of A Course in Miracles. Given all the amazing synchronicities (meaningful coincidences) I've had since completing The Space Between Stars, I am certain that the course holds the key to restoring my impaired vision, which currently fits the definition of being legally blind both in terms of severely restricted visual angles and visual acuity. The last line before the epilogue of the book ends with the words of the man born blind who is healed by Jesus, ". . . I was blind but now I see." This is the title of the book I am currently writing. The subtitle is: "A Miracle of Restored Vision Redefines Reality." The book chronicles my quest for rstoring my vision that began with events leading up to my first and second trips to see the healer/medium John of God in Abadiania, Brazil. What I been led to considier is quite remarkable. I have always seen the healing of my vision as a twofold process. First, I have done what medical science can do for glaucoma, namely, the reduction of the elevated intraocular pressures which have damaged the optic nerves in both of my eyes. Until encountering the redefining of reality in A Course in Miracles, The Disappearance of the Universe, a spin off of the course,, as well as on my trips to Brazil, I have always seen the second phase for healing my vision as regenerating my optic nerves. I have used the following metaphor to describe the damage: If a healthy optic nerve could be seen as a tree in summer with all its green leaves, my optic nerves are like a tree in late November with a few brown leaves left on their branches.

John of God speaks Brazilian Portuguese. So before going before him, you have to tell a translator 3 things you would like to have healed. Your requests are written on a small piece of paper which is read to John of God. I asked my guide if I should ask for the regeneration of my optic nerves. He instructed me not to ask for that but for restored vision. He recommended this because a woman who had "severed optic nerves" had her vision restored, and when doctors examined her optic nerve, they expected to see her nerve reconnected. But, to their astonishment, it was still severed.

Later, as the plane took off from Brasilia, my friend Rod was reading a book containing case studies of individuals healed by John of 'God. With a trace of excitement in his voice, he read aloud to me the case of another woman with completely "nonfunctional optic nerves." Her vision was restored, and guess what?

When doctors examined her, her optic nerves were still nonfunctional. Both of these had several trips to Brazil to see John of God before their sight returned. This got my attention. A Course in Miracles and The Disappearance of the Universe, as well as some sacred spiritual tradtions claim vision involves more than the "body's eyes." It is in this sprit that will offer a daily lesson from A Course in Miracles for your consideration and for your spiritual growth and "resotred vision" to what it was before you emerged from the womb.

I found this an especially significant lesson to be falling on Ash Wednesday. It gave me an idea of what to give up: grievances. In anothr blog entry I will present lesson 69 which contiues the theme of giving up grievances and the clouds doing so clear from our vision.

[Note: The headings and words in brackets as well as female-gender based words are my additions.]
Lesson 68 "Love holds no grievances."

Background/Explanation
You who are created by love like Itself can hold no grievances and know yourself. To hold a grievance is to forget who you are. To hold a grievance is to see yourself as a body. To hold a grievance is to let the ego rule your mind and to condemn the body to death.

Perhaps you do not yet fully realize just what holding grievances does to your mind. It seems to split you off from your Source and make you unlike Him. It makes you believe that He is like what you think you have become. for no one can conceive of His Creator as unlike Himself. Shut off from yourself [true self or part of your mind governed by the Holy Spirit] which remains aware of its likeness to its Creator, your [true] self seems to sleep while the part of your mind that weaves illusions [your ego or little body-based sense of self] in its sleep appears to be awake.

Can all this arise from holding grievances? Oh yes! For he/she who holds greiveances denies he/she was created by love and his/her Creator has become fearful to him/her in his/her dream of hate. Who can dream of hatred and not fear God? It is as sure that those who hold grievances will redefine God in their own image as it is certain that God created them like Himself and deined them as part of Him. It is as sure that those who hold grievances will suffer guilt as it is certain that those who forgive will find peace. It is as sure that those who hold grievances will forget who they are as it is certain that those who forgive will remember.

Would you not be willing to relinquish your grievances if you believed all this were so? Perhaps you do not think you can let your grievances go. That, however, is simply a mater of motivation.

Today's Practice
Today we will try to find out how you would feel without grievances. If you succeed by ever so little there will never be a problem in motivation ever again Begin today's extended practice period by searching your mind for those against whom you hold what you regard as major grievances. Some of these will be quite easy to find. Then think of the seemingly minor grievances you hold against those you like and even think you love. For it will quickly become apparent that there is no one against whom you do not cherish grievances of some sort.

This has left you alone [feeling alone] n all the universe in your perception of yourself. Determine now to see all these people as friends. Silently say to them all, thinking of each one in turn as you do so, "I would see you as my friend that I may remember you are part of me and come to know myself." Spend the remainder of the practice period trying to think of yourself as completely at peace with everyone and everything, safe in a world that protects you and loves you and that you love in return. Try to feel saftey surrounding you, hovering over you and holding you up. Try to believe, however briefly, that nothing can harm you in any way. At the end of the practice period tell yourself, "Love holds no grievances. When I let all my grievances go, I will know I am perfectly safe."

The short practice periods should include quick application of today's idea in this form whenever any thought of grievance arises against anyone, "Love holds no grievances. Let me not betray myself." In addition, repeat the idea several times an hour in this form, "Love holds no grievances. I would wake [awake] to myself [true self] by laying all my grievances aside and wakening [awakening] in Him."