Four Great Powers

There was something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.
It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.
The Tao is great.
The universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
These are the four great powers.
Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the universe.
The universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only itself.

Tao Te Ching v25

Joy

I carry joy in my heart.

I feel light and buoyant when I carry joy in my heart. This is not dependent on outer circumstances, fulfilled expectations, or the behavior of others. Joy bubbles up in me because I am filled with Spirit, because joy is part of who I am. Joy does not arrive from the outside; it is released from within. I was created for joy.

I emanate joy because I trust the activity of God at work in my life. When I consciously connect with the inner Christ, I feel lifted up. There are still challenges to meet, bills to pay, healing to foster, fences to mend, and a variety of tasks to do—but within it all, there is joy. When everything I do is imbued with joy, I accomplish what is mine to do easily and gracefully.

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.—Psalm 92:4

Daily Word

Love created me like itself.

Today’s idea is a complete and accurate statement of what you are. This is why you are the light of the world. This is why God appointed you as the world’s savior. This is why the Son of God looks to you for his salvation. He is saved by what you are. We will make every effort today to reach this truth about you, and to realize fully, if only for a moment, that it is the truth.

In the longer practice period, we will think about your reality and its wholly unchanged and unchangeable nature. We will begin by repeating this truth about you, and then spend a few minutes adding some relevant thoughts, such as:

Holiness created me holy.
Kindness created me kind.
Helpfulness created me helpful.
Perfection created me perfect.

Any attribute which is in accord with God as He defines Himself is appropriate for use. We are trying today to undo your definition of God and replace it with His Own. We are also trying to emphasize that you are part of His definition of Himself.

After you have gone over several such related thoughts, try to let all thoughts drop away for a brief preparatory interval, and then try to reach past all your images and preconceptions about yourself to the truth in you. If love created you like itself, this Self must be in you. And somewhere in your mind It is there for you to find.

You may find it necessary to repeat the idea for today from time to time to replace distracting thoughts. You may also find that this is not sufficient, and that you need to continue adding other thoughts related to the truth about yourself. Yet perhaps you will succeed in going past that, and through the interval of thoughtlessness to the awareness of a blazing light in which you recognize yourself as love created you. Be confident that you will do much today to bring that awareness nearer, whether you feel you have succeeded or not.

It will be particularly helpful today to practice the idea for the day as often as you can. You need to hear the truth about yourself as frequently as possible, because your mind is so preoccupied with false self-images. Four or five times an hour, and perhaps even more, it would be most beneficial to remind yourself that love created you like itself. Hear the truth about yourself in this.

Try to realize in the shorter practice periods that this is not your tiny, solitary voice that tells y

A Course In Miracles ~ 67

. . . Bears No Resentment

Thy Will, O Lord

God holds the plan, my dear one, always God holds the plan, so when things do not go according to your plan, remember, do not fuss, just fit in. This doesn’t mean letting go your responsibilities. It means that when you have done all you can according to your power, the rest is in God’s hands. Take your mortal hands off, and let God work His will.

The Quiet Mind – Sayings of White Eagle