Dear Spiritual Family,
In this video message, we explore the idea of where our minds and hearts tend to “rest” in terms of predominant thoughts and feelings. Do we default toward that which uplifts or to that which keeps us stuck or drags us down?
Hugh Prather in his book, Morning Notes, writes, “The images my mind keeps returning to inform me of what I rely on. There are no purely random thoughts and I should remain aware of the drift in my thinking. To resent, to long for, or to regret, is to place my trust in the wrong reality. I adopt a set of laws that are wholly unlike divine law. In this way I live in a purgatory of my own making. Although this choice doesn’t control the experience other people have, I can’t help but offer them a more difficult life.”
And thus we find the real incentive to be vigilant to hold images, thoughts and feelings that are in coherence with our desire to be a loving and effective presence in the world. Here is where our “mental and spiritual defaults” intersect. The more our deeply held spiritual beliefs of Oneness, unconditional Love and the power of forgiveness dominate our consciousness, then the more we are encouraged to let go of fear, upset and divisiveness.
With our thirty-sixth anniversary happening this week, we felt it might be helpful to talk in our video message a bit about our relationship and the relevance of these “defaults” in the quality of our marriage. We intend to gently hold a healing space for each other when one or the other is a bit stuck in the negative thoughts and/or feelings – when one has chosen, consciously or otherwise, to default to the negative.
But what happens when we both slip into “wrong-mindedness” at the same time? A Course in Miracles has counseled us this way, essentially – In this situation whoever is sanest at the moment, call on the Holy Spirit (to bring back the sanity!)
We’ve had more than one good laugh at this teaching yet it has been a powerful tool in our life together, especially when we were facing major family challenges.
And in this time of reflection on our good fortune in finding each other in these lifetimes, we are filled with gratitude for you – our dear friends. Our renewed hope for you is that you will continue to flourish in your individual and collective lives, resting in the Truth of Who you are in mind and heart.
Indeed, you are our “spiritual family” and we love you dearly,
Rev. Steve and Mary