Observe the Laws of Love

“Will those you love still suffer? Many may. But not with your help. Will many more, with your help, see an end to suffering? Many will. Will an end to suffering be what you work toward? No. This is not your work. This is not about your effort. This is about your observance. Your observance of the laws of love. Your observance is to remain with cause rather than to stray to effect, the manner of living practiced by those who have birthed the idea that cause and effect are one in truth. (Treatises of A Course of Love: Treatise on the Personal Self, 20.13)”

Affirmation: “I will observe the laws of love today.”

Reflections:

1 – Suffering Is an Effect

We are not, as our work, to seek to end suffering, because suffering is an effect, and we are not to stray to effect. But we are to live love, and in that pursuit of love will our mission be effected. We will seek the “observance” of love, and in that we will find peace and happiness. We will not reinforce the suffering of others, or of ourselves, by focusing on suffering. We will turn aside from the suffering, not in rejection, but in knowing that there is a better way, a way to learn through rewards. This does not mean that we will be blind to the tears of others, or of ourselves, but we seek to create the reality that we want, and we do not want suffering. To focus on suffering is to create that reality.

2 – Remain with Cause

We are to remain with cause, and the observance of love is a cause. The effect of failing to observe love may well be suffering, though this is in an interpretation, not stated in A Course in Miracles or A Course of Love.

3 – Cause and Effect

It is easy to get lost in discussions of cause and effect, but let us not do so today. Let us realize that love is the great cause of all good, and the absence of love brings an effect that is often suffering. We would not focus on this, for it not this that we want.

4 – Do Not Resist

Be there for each other. May all of us do this. May we be gentle with ourselves when we stray from our path and fall into suffering. May we be accepting of ourselves in such an instance, and then may we gently (also) turn aside from the suffering—not rejecting it, for this is resistance, and resistance creates that which it would resist. The best way is to turn to God (or the Holy Spirit, if following ACIM), and to commune with Him for a surcease of the suffering. He did not cause it, but He will help us to overcome. And then pain, perhaps, will remain, but the pain will have lost its sting.

5 – Observe Love

So observe love, and see what good comes of this. The benefits are great, and blessings, abundant.

Prayer:

Dear Father/Mother,

All will be well when I am consistently focused on love. What a traditional idea this is! But still of the essence of spirituality. Thank You for guiding me to this realization.

May I avoid reinforcing suffering, either in myself or in others. May I gently turn aside from suffering, though I do not turn aside from those who are suffering. It is not my purpose to try to end the suffering, but it is my purpose to offer solace without focusing on the suffering. Focus on living, and living in love, and the suffering is very likely to dissipate or to diminish markedly.

Be with those whom I love today. And may I turn some of that love on myself, for what I receive I am in a better position to give—for giving and receiving are one.

Amen.

The Law of Love

ACIM Workbook Lesson 277 – for Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Affirmation:  “Let me not bind Your Son with laws I made.”

“Your Son is free, my Father.  Let me not imagine I have bound him with the laws I made to rule the body.  He is not subject to any laws I made by which I try to make the body more secure.  He is not changed by what is changeable.  He is not slave to any laws of time.  He is as You created him, because he knows no law except the law of love.  (WB435)”

Reflections:

1 – Are Pills OK?

We often do things for our bodies that are meant to make them more secure, safer.  This is all unnecessary.  We need be careful for nothing.  Yet even Jesus recognized our frailty when he counseled the use of pills to help us, because if we do not use them, we will be even more in a fear-weakened state (Text tenets).  Though pills are a form of magical solution, they are not banned by Jesus.  The Course is always practical (an ACIM tenet).

2 – Travel More Lightly

But if we would know freedom, we must travel more lightly.  There is a well-known poem that beings, “When I am old, I will wear purple,” and it celebrates the freedom of the older individual who is not so bound by the conventions of this world, the ways that we have developed to protect our human condition.  This older woman would travel more lightly if she were going through the world again.  I speculate that Jesus, who did not even have a place to lay his head at night, would counsel us also to travel more lightly.  We do not need elaborate locks to protect us (a paraphrase from the Text).  Why are we so defensive?  ACIM says that defense creates what it would protect from (a paraphrase).  We do not need defense, nor do we need to be defensive by retaliating when attacked by a brother or sister.  We need to walk God’s way, sure in the knowledge that He walks with us.  And His defense of us is all that we need.

3 – How Can I See Turmoil Go Away?

If we live the law of love, much of this turmoil in which we find ourselves will dissipate.  We make much of the trouble that we encounter.  As has often been said, we are our own worse enemies.  May we turn aside from such manner of living immediately.  Let us live the ACIM way, the way of love and forgiveness.

Prayer:

Dear Father/Mother,

I would travel more lightly today.  If I think I need a pill for some reason, I will stop and ask if this is really necessary.  The Holy Spirit will answer, knowing that sometimes a magical solution will diminish fear.

I would walk this world lightly, knowing that it is not my real home.  I will recognize others who believe as I do, but I will not let the ego intrude on this mystery of soul recognition.  I am not better than anyone else; we are all equals, all destined to find our way home.  May I be drawn today to those who could benefit from my company.

I would leave turmoil behind today.  Conflict is always of the ego, because God’s peace is always quiet.  May I live as stress-free a day as is possible under my circumstances, and may I not forget to thank You for the benefits of stress-free living.  Be with me if today does bring stress that I cannot ignore.

Amen.