Book review: Accept This Gift

Accept This Gift: Selections from A Course in Miracles
Edited by F. Vaughan and R. Walsh

This brief 105 page book of excerpts from the Course in Miracles is an inspirational read. The different language they use to explain concepts similar to Christian Science is of interest. Plus, reading this will help you understand the language and conceptsused in this popular course. The book has “chapters” that are like poems on different topics. These topics include: mind, belief, thought, perception, illusions, time, body, ego, self, spirit, pain, fear, forgiveness, freedom, love and much more.

Some of the excerpts I found interesting on the topic of Illusions are, “Freedom from illusions lies only in not believing them.” And “Truth does not fight against illusions, nor do illusions fight against the truth. Illusions battle only with themselves.” On the topic of body, you’ll read, “To accept the limits of a body is to impose those limits on each brother whom you see. For you must seem him as you see yourself.”

I think tThis book is worth at least a perusal in the book store.

The foreword is written by Marianne Williamson (a popular spiritual author), who has appeared on the Oprah TV show.

Prayer improves workplace issues

In the last few weeks I’ve been working with a new client and finding new opportunities to use prayer. Here is how I’ve used prayer in this new situation:

1. I’ve prayed before I go to bed to clear my thought from the day and to align myself with God. This has been helpful so that I don’t carry over any negative experiences or expectations or problems. My spiritual coach told me that “clearing my slate” with God before I go to bed is a great idea. Although I often forget to do it, during times of challenge (like lately) I’ve been good at remembering this helpful idea. Basically what I do is reaffirm in my thought all the good that went on during the day – all the evidence of God at work and being expressed by His creation. And then I throw out of thought anything that would suggest a power beside God is at work.
2. I’ve prayed each morning to be clear in my thought that I’m going to express God and that I’m not going to see problematic situations or difficult employees. My prayers focus on affirming what I know from the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures written by Mary Baker Eddy – which has great ideas on God and mankind’s relationship to Her.
3. Each morning, I’ve also asked myself “what am I going forth to see?” In other words, what am I expecting to see, or assuming I will see. This exercise has helped me turn around false views of what is going on in God’s universe and how His creation will act. For example, instead of assuming a person who is argumentative will be the same every day, I can expect to see the power of the one Mind, God – which unites instead of divides people.
4. I’ve also been able to silently affirm God’s power and presence in meetings that have been divisive. I’ve found this silent moment helps me expect good in the meeting and helps me let go of the evidence of ego or will power in the session and turn to the one power, God and know that power is the ultimate power in the room.

I’ve seen amazing results from these prayers. I’ve seen tough interpersonal relationship issues resolve quickly, I’ve seen increased cooperation and decreased tension and I’ve seen much more peace and harmony in this workplace from when I began helping them. I’m not saying my prayers are solely to credit with this change but I know the prayerful work I am doing and I’ve seen first hand the good results. And I’m so grateful.

There are no time boundaries for joy

While on a vacation recently I realized that I was limiting my own expression and experience of joy and happiness. What I realized is that I had mentally restricted or prescribed when I could be happy – and I knew that wasn’t right. And surely it isn’t what God has in mind for me. Do you know what I mean? Like how you expect weekends to be the time for fun and joy but that’s it. Why was I restricting my own joy? Why couldn’t I live with joy and happy while at work (I’m a sole proprietor) or in any situation at any time or day of the week?

What I was discovering in my own thought was a limitation or boundary for when joy could happen. As if it only happens on vacations and weekends or only when I did certain kinds of work. No way. I knew God had no sense of these false boundaries – God offers unlimited joy for all Her creation.

I think this all came to mind because my vacation was winding down and I knew I would be back to work soon. Then I started thinking about why I expected vacation to be so good and why I wasn’t looking forward to answering all the voicemails that had piled up since I left my office. I would check my email each day and be grateful I could wait to reply on most of them and just relax and take time off. It didn’t have to be that way. And once I changed my thought about it, I felt much more relaxed during my vacation and when I got back.

Yes, time off is good and it’s great when it can be a time of rest but I knew that work could be a place for joy and happiness just as much as relaxation happens during vacation – and how that was a source of happiness.

Is this all making sense? Let me set the stage a bit more here. I believe that God is the source of all good in my life and that God creates great abundance and opportunity in my life. I believe that God is all good and only wants the best for me. And I know that Gods providence for me includes good – all the time – not just in limited material confines (like days of the week or during certain kinds of activities or work). Meaning God doesn’t set up weekends and only provide opportunity for joy then, God doesn’t limit anything that way.

So this was my realization. This is how I got a whole new view of my own happiness and since I’ve been back from vacation I’ve been reminding myself that each day is my opportunity for joy. I realized that even while doing things that may not be my favorite things at work – I could appreciate the opportunity to learn something new or get even better at a skill I had. Why not?

No doubt you’ve heard that how you think about a situation determines how you feel and the outcome. So why not choose to be joyful and happy during the work day and all the time? I can tell you it’s working for me.

God’s supply ever available

During my usual morning prayer I started thinking about God’s care for me and how it never wanes. There isn’t a point where God is available and another point when She is not.

However what I realized is that I might have been believing that -- indirectly. I realized that despite material circumstance or conditions I am never outside of God’s care. Here’s an example: do entrepreneurs and those who are self-employed feel they are more likely to do without what they need (clients, money, etc) than those who are employed by others? Yes, often entrepreneurs feel this way – I know I have thought this.

So I asked myself, because I’m an entrepreneur does God care for me and provide for me less than when I was employed by someone else and getting a steady paycheck? That cannot be the case. That would mean God doesn’t know everything (and I believe God knows all) and that She isn’t looking out for me all the time (and I believe God is). My understanding of God is as a source of all the good in the world, everything made in Gods image (like wholeness, health, love, spirituality, good, peace, etc). This is the God I have known for 30 plus years who has come to my aid all the time, who has brought me to new spiritual levels and helped me make progress.

My prayer today helps me get centered on what is good and true in my life and the world. And it brings me assurance that no matter where I am and what I am doing I have God leading me and walking with me on my right path. This also made me realize that I need to give credit to all the ways God cares for me and not only define my “wealth” in narrow financial terms. I’m never without what I need – whether it is ideas, connections, clients or dollars. And I can feel strong in this fact because of God’s love and constant care.

Saying “thank you God”

An important part of my spiritual life and practice is staying connected with God, Praying in the morning before I start work and reconnecting to Spirit during the day.

I’ve realized how important saying “thank you” to God is. It is a part of my spiritual practice and it affirms the connection I have with God. For example, every time I have a good meeting with a client at their office or via phone afterward I say “thank you God” out loud. If I’m in the car or in my home office I say it out loud and I notice that when it happens I’m smiling. How cool is that?

Like this week I was driving home from a first meeting with a potential client and I just thought “I need to thank God for brining me this opportunity.” So I smiled and said it.

I think this simple phrase keeps me connected mentally to how pervasive God is in my life. I probably could say it even more but I know that when I say it, it reinforces my connection because I’m giving the credit to God for Her practical support and guidance in my life.

So “thank you God” for everything. And for reminding me it would be a good blog entry to share with others.

Spiritual growth of an entrepreneur

I have new attitudes about my business this year (I’m in the second year of my self-proprietorship) and I know that is because of the spiritual progress I have made during this time. The spiritual growth has given me more peace about my work and I also feel more connected to God and not out on my own to succeed or fail.

My understanding of God is of an all-powerful, all-good God, one that is constantly loving me and supporting me – directly. And this viewpoint has proven true – it is what has brought me good in my life in so many forms.

However, on and off in the first year I kept being disappointed that I wasn’t getting more clients and making more money – compared to what I used to make in a senior role at a company. (Not a good thing to do I know know.) I prayed often to find greater peace and greater confidence in the direction I get from God that kept me on the right path.

Part of the spiritual progress I’ve made has been in removing fear – like the fear that I didn’t know where my next client would come from and how I could make a decent living at this.

What I’ve done through prayer and listening to God is to realize that I needed to shift my thinking. So, now when I wonder about business growth and new clients I reconnect with God more quickly in my thought instead of worrying. And I’ve been able to get new spiritual insights from my connection with God. Some of the insights I gained include:

• God is in charge and because of that She controls all including the positive flow of clients who need my services so I can find the opportunity to help others. God knows what I have to offer and matches me up with people who need my help. When I’ve prayed with this idea I have found more confidence and trust in God and new connections and potential new clients have resulted.
• I also realized, I am not solely responsible for getting new business. I can listen to God’s direction for me and each step I take I can expect good to come from it (God wouldn’t put me on a path that has darkness). As a result, I’ve seen good (new clients or whatever) is up ahead when I approach my business this way.

For example, this week I knew I had capacity for some new clients for the coming months. My prayers affirmed that God was in charge of my work and my life and that I was receptive to all the ways He brings good into my life. I also knew that I’d be ok if I’d listened and responded as He directed. I felt at peace after this prayer and went off to a networking meeting. At that meeting, someone totally unexpected came and asked me to help him launch his website. And he wasn’t concerned about budget but wanted it done right - cool!

Also I’ve learned in the first year of my business:

• To be more grateful for the examples of God’s care that is all around me. Like each new client this year I’ve been very grateful for, and I’ve really had a fun time working with them as a result.
• I’ve also learned that when I’m grateful that the clients respond by being very appreciative of my help.
• I’ve seen that being grateful also helps me grow in new ways. In the first 3 months of this year my business revenue is 50% more than of what I made in the whole last year.
• Being grateful also brought a client I worked from last year who wants to hire me again. And also a person who heard a presentation I made last year called to ask me for more information because he is considering hiring me.

I feel like I’m really in a new place in the second year of my business and I am more confident and more grateful. I know God has been lifting me up and reassuring me the whole time. Now I’m hearing it and seeing it more and that feels really good. I do feel like I’m on a new spiritual level and I’m thrilled to be here.

Finding time and peace of mind

I knew this week would come, the week when I would have to prepare and give an hour long presentation. And because of the client work I had to do, I couldn’t begin work on the presentation until this week. It’s just how it had to go – I had to stay focused on clients last week.

I held my breath and jumped into this week. To help myself prepare, I didn’t set up too many meetings and also put three big blocks of time on my calendar from Tuesday to Thursday (when the event is). On Monday night I was a bit anxious so I worked very late to get the shell of the presentation ready.

Then Tuesday came and I spent an hour or two preparing and felt much more at peace. All of sudden I felt I had tons of time to prepare and could even do other work between now and the Thursday evening presentation.

Then while praying the next day I realized that I didn’t have to endure these ups and downs. Since God is always caring for me there isn’t a point when I’m beyond help or over pressured. This was an important reminder that God is always with me guiding my every step and keeping me on track. Whatever my own sense of the situation is – I can look at it from higher ground and find confidence in knowing God is organizing every piece of my life.

Meaning, God had organized my day, my actions and certainly was helping me prepare – and because of all this I could be at peace.

My prayer each morning includes recognizing my connection with God and the power of that connection – this is what makes each day the best it can be.

I share this now in case it helps you avoid the ups and downs and points you to reconnecting with God to see things from a spiritual view. Once I realized God had always been in charge I realized those feelings of anxiety were misplaced and that I could avoid that trap next time I have a big deadline.