Good Morning Dearhearts,
On Saturday, April 26th, I arose early to watch some of the funeral of Pope Francis. I am not a Catholic but this Pope was admired and loved by many who do not attend the church.
From the beginning of his papacy he let us know he saw himself as a pastor or shepherd to a flock. He was humble in his life but a guiding light to the people of the world. When he said, “Who am I to judge” that simple phrase warmed the hearts of many who have felt harsh judgment during most of their lives, and many have felt that harshness from churches.
It was estimated around 200 thousand were in St. Peter’s Square to witness and say goodbye to this dear man. As the camera panned over the crowd during the service I must say I was surprised to see so many phones in the air recording or taking pictures. I thought to myself is the experience of actually being there now substituted for a video or a few pictures on a camera roll? How often will those videos or pictures be viewed after the new Pope is elected?
Of course people want a remembrance of being at such a sacred service; but the feelings and the energies of being there cannot be captured digitally. The temptation to look at any event through a camera lens has increased exponentially since everyone now has a camera and video recorder as part of their mobile phone. But perhaps we are actually missing something even though the event has been captured in pictures.
There is energy to everything in this world. We are energetic beings having physical experiences and I’m sure most have recounted an energy they felt when visiting the ocean or forest. As energy we feel energy. Why do we want to watch life through a lens when we can actually “BE” in the present moment?
This body is equipped with a sensory system. It allows us to feel the energy around us in any situation. For instance if you are in the middle of a concert for your favorite artist and the crowd is cheering and screaming, that power becomes an integral part of the whole concert experience. Taking pictures of the concert will not convey the sensory experience of being in a crowd of several thousand screaming concert fans.
A dear friend of mine was at a World Series game once and as the final play was about to happen for the game, he closed his eyes. Instead of cheering or screaming for his team he decided to feel the energy of the game. Long after the series was decided he could recall that moment when he was a part of the entire stadium and every player and fan. It became an imprint in his memory.
There is a significant difference to attending an event or being a part of the event.
Our camera rolls can remind us where we were at a given moment, but our sensory memories can remind us how we felt in that moment.
I hope the 200 thousand mourners can remember the emotions they felt as their beloved Pope was laid to rest. It was probably a once in a lifetime experience and to trust it solely to a digital device does not give it the standing it deserves as a significant memory.
Let’s now recall the scene in Saint Peter’s Square not quite two weeks later, May 8th. On that historic day the white smoke appeared indicating a new Pope had been elected. Again there were hundreds of people in attendance, many but not all Catholics. There was an energy of excitement in the crowd. They just witnessed history. Who would be the next Pope?
This crowd was obviously more jubilant, this was a happy day, day of expectations, a new beginning. There were fewer phones recording the event, the cameras were still present but not everywhere. In fact one person who was interviewed mentioned the energy present as the white smoke was witnessed.
Being present, in the now, aware of the moment is a struggle for many. We tend to live each day thinking about what was or what might happen mainly because our minds are a “mindfield” of thoughts. There is so much thinking each moment, each day. Instead of becoming present in the moment, we tend to watch life through a lens and think about where we will share or post the pictures. What hashtags will we use on Facebook or other social media so we get the most likes or better yet “go viral”?
We are living life based on the opinions of others most of the time and this is not a way to happiness. We misplace a bit of our True Self whenever we succumb to the pressures of the perceived outside world. This is our biggest challenge in this world. When we realize the world as we experience it is only an unfulfilled dream that will never satisfy our spirit. The spirit rejoices each time we remember we actually abide in the All That Is and not where we think we are.
Those moments of Presence not clouded by time beliefs need no photographs or videos to be recalled.
“Into His Presence would I enter now”[1]
If you enjoyed this post please check out my books, Good Morning Dearhearts or Wisdom With A Twist. Both are available on my website-JanetWeissman.com or on Amazon.
In Love, Light & Peace
Janet Weissman
[1] ACIM Workbook Lesson 157-Header
Good Morning Dearhearts,
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
The above quote is from Martin Luther King Jr, although similar quotes have been accredited to others, including Mother Teresa. The source in this moment is not as important as the sentiment.
There was a national election in the United States this past week and now there are many who are very disturbed by the outcome. Of course in any type of contest in this world there will be winners and losers, so there are bound to be disgruntled people. Pitting one against the other in any situation will only result in unhappiness unfortunately this type of conflict is common in the world. Truly no one wants to live in a world like this.
What is the best way to heal from the results that produced millions feeling marginalized or threatened? Truly if the other candidate had won there would still have been the same results of feeling “robbed”.
A shift in perception is immediately needed in order to begin the grieving and healing process. Make no mistake the stages of grief must be applied to any experience that causes a huge disturbance to our stability. A loss is a loss and all losses need healing. Our natural state is one of balance or equilibrium.
On Wednesday morning, millions woke up to surprising election results based on what most of the pollsters had predicted. The first response was either shock or denial. Anger immediately followed. It’s hard to bargain with an election but since there were still a few states that had not been coded “red” or “blue” the mind could have said “well if we can simply win……, we still have a chance”. The fourth stage of grief is depression and from those I see or speak with this is where they are. Acceptance may not arrive until after January but in the mean time small things can be done.
Taking action when we need to heal is a perfect first step. Staying idle and reliving the past, that can never be changed, is truly an exercise in futility. One of my go to healing tricks is cleaning. It’s a way to clean out the residue of what was and end up with a sparkling bathroom at the same time.
However in this case actions that will benefit a larger group might be more significant and beneficial. Instead of diving into a fear based thought system of what might happen, we could take advice from an old western movie and “cut them off at the pass”. We are blessed to have organizations that have been safeguarding and fighting for the common good for years. We probably have paid little attention to them because we didn’t realize the important work they have been doing. It’s time to discover how much support is at the ready.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been fighting to protect the civil rights of Americans , ALL Americans since 1920. Join the organization, donate, and participate. We all are better by being involved. www.aclu.org or old school 888-567-ACLU.
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has been working for over 40 years to secure a world that is safe and ensures equal rights for the LGBT community. For membership go to www.membership@hrc.org OR 800-777-4723.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) they work to address the climate crisis and protect the wildlife and the land where they live. They work to fight for the rights of all people to have clean air and water. They were established in 1970 and have been doing their part to help this planet. You can get information about their work www.nrdcinfo@nrdc.org or 212-727-2700
One more
Planned Parenthood was founded in 1916 by Margaret Sanger. They continue to work to ensure reproductive rights for all women. They provide reproductive healthcare and information so women can receive the care they need. www.plannedparenthood.org 800-230-7526
Now obviously they are hundreds more organizations to contact and show your support for the causes that matter to you including the DNC.
The whole idea is to take an action towards what we want to be our reality and not to believe we are helpless. A belief in helplessness will only ensure we feel like victims and that will never help us heal the grief.
One of my core beliefs is there is ALWAYS a blessing or a miracle in everything. The incident that has caused so many to become distraught is no exception. There are no exceptions for miracles, they are natural and are always available. Now we get to expect them and they will appear. If this election produces a ground swell of activism and involvement where there was none we can certainly see that as a blessing.
“Unified needs lead to unified action, because this produces a lack of conflict”[1]
Please remember the few organizations I listed are truly only a beginning. If you have a particular passion you feel will be in danger many non profits have local chapters you can join.
Remember to breathe and that you are LOVED,
In Light, Love & Peace,
Janet Weissman
©All Rights Reserved 2024
[1] ACIM Text Chap.1VI2:5
Good Morning DearHearts,
Our attachments to things in form might be unfounded and ridiculous, but releasing them will never occur until we stare directly at them.
I was very attached to the “button” on my iPhone™. It was easy, I understood how it worked. Why did it have to be replaced? Did the executives at Apple ™ know about my attachment? Did they somehow know my enchantment was actually keeping me from seeking a newer, faster, more advanced communication device? Truthfully it was.
My plan for keeping my precious button was working for several years. I would delete large attachments I no longer wanted. However, no matter how I thought I could thwart the need to replace my phone the storage capacity kept moving to the maximum number. As “64” was looming on the horizon I started to wonder if there was another Apple™ phone with a button. As it happens there was.
One afternoon as I was recording my daily A Course in Miracles video the very dreaded pop-up appeared telling me I was out of storage. This can’t be happening, and yet it was. My immediate thought was how would I record my YouTube video and upload it? It’s not a well kept secret that my ease with shifting technology is NOT something I welcome. (This is very much the reason for my button attachment.)
After several hours of mild panic and deep breathing I was able to record and upload from an alternative device. I felt a deep sense of both accomplishment and not wanting to attempt this process again the next day.
This frightening experience brought me to the phone store where I noticed THERE was a new phone that had “the precious button”.
I decided to go with what I knew. I signed the agreement and waited for the new button phone to arrive at my home. To say I was disappointed with the screen size would be an understatement. This “new” phone was not going to work for me even though it had the precious button. I would have to learn how to swipe. The next day I went to the phone carrier’s store, only to find I needed to go to a corporate store for the transaction.
I called for reinforcements (a tech savvy friend) to meet me there.
Of course ALL of my fear and trepidation were unfounded. The whole process took ten minutes and all of my precious data was transferred to the new phone by the store employee.
When the new “baby” was handed over I tried my first swipe. That was actually easy. I guess I can learn new technology after all. After a few days I became more comfortable with the new way of closing one screen to go to the next. All initial fears about the new processes disappeared as I allowed myself to become accepting.
Every change in life is exactly like my phone fear. Each change starts with the awareness of the necessity for adapting some behavior, circumstance or relationship. Then the inner dialogue begins about the wisdom of the adjustment. What will follow will be the arbitration for each side of the decision for change.
“As this change develops and is finally accomplished, it grows increasingly beneficent and joyous”[i]
My inner debate about upgrading my phone went something like this. On one hand perhaps I shouldn’t wait until the phone is out of storage BUT I am trying to be very thoughtful about the amount of “stuff” I value and accumulate. I remember an old adage about not fixing what isn’t broken and I can make do with this older phone. Why should I replace the phone? But what will happen if I delay the replacement? This inner conversation was replayed in my mind for several months.
The same amount of resistance is evident when it comes to changing our thinking about this world. The most daunting aspect of embracing a spiritual practice is letting go of the old thought system we have used for years if not a lifetime. To let go of old thinking we must come to the awareness those past thoughts are no longer in alignment with future goals and desires. We will likely go through the same deliberation process with our worldly attachments that I used for my phone. It will likely be more difficult to release a whole world, but the joy will be even greater once we do.
In Love, Light and Peace
Janet Weissman
©All Rights Reserved 2024
You can watch my daily YouTube recordings of the Daily ACIM Lessons on my channel @janetweissman – And Please Subscribe
[i] ACIM Text Chap.17 V:53
Good Morning DearHearts,
Well who’s this in my email box? Someone who has been absent from blogging lately – ME!
It’s been quite a summer, not really cruel but definitely different. If you happen to watch my YouTube videos of A Course in Miracles Workbook, you would have noticed a bright pink accessory on my left arm – a cast. Yes, for the first time EVER I broke a bone, well actually several in my wrist when I fell running in my home.
I had teased everyone whenever I wrote about it; the title of the blog would be “Don’t Run in Slippers”. Even though that is not the title I settled on, it’s still not a good idea to be fast paced in non jogging footwear.
Those of you who have read or seen my first book Good Morning DearHearts (sound familiar) know I am always looking for the blessing or the miracle in every situation and circumstance. Sometimes it is readily noticed but sometimes the awareness doesn’t arrive until long after the experience.
This time the gratitude from the fall, operation and healing came to me in waves so to speak. Some of the blessings were for those who rallied around to help me to the emergency room (thank you Ralph and Randy). Also a thank you to Adam who came to open up cat food cans and just generally assist with all of the caretaking for me and my kitties. I did not realize it takes two hands to open up a Fancy Feast™.
This summer became a journey in appreciation for the small activities once commonplace in my daily life but impossible during the healing process. Being able to pick up something or even to hold my hand flat on a table were unachievable tasks. I realized I needed assistance to “pickup” the kitty litter from the big box store every two weeks.
I was actually grateful to be right handed since my left wrist was the broken one and I would have been rendered completely unable to function or sign my name. I learned the most efficient way to wrap my arm in a plastic bag in order to shower. I was never more grateful for my natural curly hair because using a hair dryer wasn’t in the cards. The smallest chores like changing the cat’s water bowls were not possible with one hand and a broken appendage.
Realizing my temporary disability gave me a deep sense of appreciation for how nonchalant I have been with performing simple responsibilities and tasks. Without doubt I never gave the everyday chores a second thought, I just did them. On the first morning after the incident as I tried to open up the cans for the cat’s morning meal I suddenly realized the power and privilege of two hands. I ended up using my teeth to remove the lid, all the while hearing my dentist scream in my head. It was after that when I asked Adam for help.
Another “lesson” from this summer was learning to ask and receive help. I have lived on my own and been responsible for raising my children and taking care of their needs and maintaining the home. Most of the time there wasn’t anyone to ask for assistance so I had to learn to cope with whatever situation (or snake in the house) happened. I was the one who was asked to help others not the other way around.
I realize the biggest block to asking for assistance with anything is the belief the request will be denied. That would feel awful so the way to avoid the possibility of a rejection is to never ask. It seems this was one of the main lessons that came with the breakage. Being humble is not being weak it’s learning to stand in the strength of spirit. This was a big lesson.
We are all connected in this world and learning to accept that means not only being available for others but allowing others to be part of our journey. Of course we notice our companions but now we get to be grateful to have them help us along the way. The journey becomes easier and more enjoyable when we lose the fear of asking.
“Your gratitude to your brother is the only gift I want. I will bring it to God for you, knowing that to know your brother is to know God.”[1]
As this calendar year begins to close let me gently remind you of the opportunity to begin the Workbook Lessons again (or for the first time) on January 1, 2024.
ALSO, if you are looking for a great little stocking stuffer may I suggest “Wisdom With a Twist” my newest book. It’s available on my website JanetWeissman.com or as a kindle publication on Amazon. My first book “Good Morning Dearhearts” is also available both places.
Hope your HolyDays are happy days.
In Love, Light & Peace,
Janet Weissman
©2023 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Text Chap4 VI 7:2-3
Good Morning DearHearts,™
I write. I like to write. I write lists, reminders, ideas for writing, notes for YouTube® videos and actual stories. Consequently there are many pads of paper and pens throughout my home. I have a pen preference; it’s a blue gel with a soft grip. There are many of these pens sitting next to the pads of paper. I never know when I might need to jot down a thought before it escapes. Thoughts can be very much like Houdini, here one moment and disappearing the next.
One reason for having multiple writing instruments in multiple places is the ink supply is limited (like the ego). Once the ink has been exhausted all that is left is the plastic skeleton to be discarded. This is where the problem starts.
While in the middle of the writing assignment the flow of ink might wane and stop. However, the idea must be captured before it is gone so I must find another pen close by and continue the thought. The empty pen was laid down in the urgency of the job and then forgotten.
What happens next (and next can be days later) when the need to once again start or add information to another piece of paper the closest pen is grabbed. You guessed it- it’s the pen with no ink. DARN! I quickly reach for another pen and once more the skeleton pen is simply put aside but not actually discarded.
Where is the spiritual awareness in this scenario? Isn’t it obvious? This is the exact behavior so many have put on repeat in life. This is done with addictive habits, relationships and bad choices all ego offerings. Each time we become aware of something not working we choose to move away from it. We put it aside but rarely do we actually discard it. Because it was not discarded it can easily be accessed again in a moment of weakness, confusion or forgetfulness.
The almost comical thing about this is when we decide to pick up that “pen” we put to the side there’s a magical belief that “it” will be different this time. Perhaps the pen was magically “healed” with ink while it rested on the kitchen counter. Alas, that has never happened.
We all enjoy magical thinking and might even classify it as “hoping for a miracle”. Miracles do happen on a regular basis but they are not sourced from the outside world. Miracles are the changes we decide to make in our thinking about any person, addiction or situation. Miracles are actually inside jobs and occur when the decision to see differently becomes less painful than the wishful thinking about the “empty pen” being refilled.
This is a time stamped world. Everything around us will only last for a limited period. After that we will either willingly discard it or it will discard us, because it’s time to move on. The acceptance of this is not always easy for the limited mind. There’s a mistaken belief that we will never have “that” again, perhaps” that” was the “only pen” available and now it’s gone. What are we to do?
“Empty pens” will always be replaced with new and improved writing instruments. We will never be left without what is needed for us to awaken or write. Springtime has arrived. Renewal and rebirth are here. There’s no better time to let go of the old thoughts and reach for something new, something that is unlimited and changeless. Something called the Truth.
“There is no substitute for truth.”[1]
If you enjoyed this you can read more of my missives in my book “Good Morning DearHearts”, available to purchase on my website JanetWeissman.com or most online book sellers.
In Love, Light & Peace,
Janet Weissman
©2023 All Rights Reserved
[1] A Course in Miracles Text Chap 14 VIII 4:1
Good Morning DearHearts,
I want to share with you the written version of the presentation I gave at Jennifer Hadley’s weekly gathering called “Sundays with Spirit”
This was the second time I had the pleasure to be the guest speaker. I wanted to share an expansion of an idea I use with my daily explanations of the Workbook Lessons. If you have listened to my YouTube videos you will recognize this term I often use- Spiritual Tapestry. In case you want to watch my videos, my channel is Janet Weissman here’s the channel link.
https://youtube.com/channel/UC0qPwjDgh5SXm-inuBlFwZA
Here’s my talk.
Today I want to share my thoughts on a creation we all have a part in while we work on remembering. I call it a Spiritual Tapestry.
A couple of years ago this image popped into my thoughts while I was recording the daily lesson for my YouTube channel. It occurred to me as we practice each lesson we are also weaving a healing cloth we will eventually wrap around ourselves as a blanket of truth. There are several times in both the Text and the Lessons where we are told we will be enveloped by the truth which will provide a deep peace. Since I began the course-(decades ago) those words always gave me the image of a comforter, a warm and soft comforter being wrapped around me to let me know – I am home, I am safe. The Comforter is also one of the Holy Spirit’s functions.
To create this comforting Spiritual Tapestry we will need a framework to use – a loom. Looms have four sides or at least our loom does.
I imagine the four sides of this frame are the Heart, Mind, Truth and Joy. All of these are found in our relationship with God. We are an extension from the Mind of God. The Heart of God is within our heart. Truth is what we seek to find so we will remember our heritage and Eternal Joy is what we experience with the recognition we are Home.
Tapestries have been used for centuries as a representation of a great accomplishment or the journey of a family or an individual hero. The tapestry we weave is indeed symbolizing a journey. It’s our journey of awakening and remembering, even though ultimately it is a journey without distance
Any weaving is made up of woof and warp threads. Each thread crosses over and under the next to form a cohesive and complete illustration of the journey. Each lesson weaves intricately around the next one and builds upon it and strengthens it. Often we don’t notice how we are being pulled into the awareness the next lesson will bring to us. Each lesson we practice each day becomes another luminescent thread in our tapestry.
For a long time we have held the belief we are apart from the Mind that created us into life. Only what is created by God has life, we cannot be apart from that Mind. As we weave this tapestry we are bringing back the Truth of creation into awareness.
The threads we use are both silver and golden to represent the purity of the thoughts that complete our holy comforter.
The silver reflects the luminescence of the Healed Mind. The silver is like the mirror where we can see the purity of ourSelf (BigS) self and our brother’s true image.
Golden threads but reflect the simplicity and truth of The Golden Rule. My brother/sister will teach me to love as I offer love to them. We have a “glimpse of Heaven”[1] in each golden thread that is added to our tapestry.
Remember the four sides of the loom? Heart, Mind, Truth and Joy?
So each golden or silver thread pulls together our heart and mind. There’s no separation between them now, not that there ever really was. Our heart holds in it the loving thoughts of our Holy Mind.
Every truth we realize is closing the believed in separation between our Source and the Sonship- Us. This will undoubtedly bring the Joy of God into our full awareness.
Our tapestry is beginning to take shape as we choose Vision over seeing with body eyes.
There will be no holes or left open spaces or gaps when our tapestry is complete. If there were empty or missing parts it would not be representative of the wholeness and completeness of the curriculum we are remembering.
These golden and silver threads that are bringing this Spiritual Tapestry into being and our awareness- what do they represent? We know they are linking together Heart, Mind, Truth and Joy but what besides their heavenly filament has imbued them with power to create this comforter and storyboard and to reconnect us with Truth and to create this holy comforter?
Each thread has God’s Message to us written or embroidered upon it.
We have been told every lesson is one lesson. The whole is in every part. But our minds still like variety, so we have 365 lessons to satisfy our desire for diversity. We also realize the repetition in these messages and the brilliance to be able to offer ONE Truth in so many different ways.
I sometimes envision the child sitting on the father’s lap saying “Tell me again who I am but this time make it different”. Being the benevolent and loving Father – He does exactly that.
Some of the threads only have a singular word imbedded in them
Love
Peace
Stillness
Holiness
Gratitude
Happiness
Light
Truth
Vision
Unity
Identity
Miracles
Forgiveness
Grace
Salvation
Other strands have written upon them some of the most familiar and impactful lessons we encounter in our study. Some are identified as Giant Strides and give our celestial blanket structure. Others simply resonate deeply when we encounter them each year.
Yes! Each year! When I started the workbook the first time I thought okay, I’ll do this and then I’ll really know my spiritual Self. Imagine my surprise when after the first go round with the lessons I not only wanted more but had more questions than when I started. So YES- I go through the lessons each year and each time I find a new depth in them and sometimes I’m sure extra “lines” were added because I do not remember reading them the previous year. Has that happened to anyone else?
These lessons are meant to be practiced each year and each year our beautifully brilliant tapestry will increase within our mind. Ultimately our magnificent tapestry will drape over the world and transform it with the Love and Light we have woven into it.
Besides the whole and holy words I envision in this tapestry, I am certain I will find phrases and lessons such as
I am Spirit
I am the Light of the World
I am as God created me.
I want the Peace of God
I am love and I am loved
I am Free
I am hOMe
There is only God’s Perfect Love
My future belongs to God
God wants me to be happy
I receive so I may give
Only God’s Love is Real
We are One
I choose the Joy of God
I rest in God
God’s will is mine
I am healed
Forget this world
The hush of Heaven holds my heart today
And truly so many more I will undoubtedly add next year.
I hope you can envision this holy comforter and take some time to wrap yourself in its wisdom each day.
In Love, Light and Peace,
Janet Weissman
©2022 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Text 13 VIII 4:6
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Good Morning DearHearts,
I recently took my seven year old granddaughter to see Frozen-the musical. I’m not sure who was more excited about our theatre date, me or her. When I first heard one of her favorite movies had become the “next” Disney musical I wanted to be sure she would have the opportunity to see it.
Of course most have seen the animated movie and it is filled with magical moments that are easy to create with animation. How would that be able to be replicated on the stage I wondered? She didn’t.
There was never a reason to doubt the talented theatrical company. They created a spectacular theatrical experience. I certainly cannot explain how the proscenium froze when Elsa touched it nor can I figure out how Elsa’s dress changed before the audience’s eyes when she entered her ice castle. I also cannot remember a musical receiving applause for the special effects. This one did.
However, I believe those wild applause and gasps came more from the adults in attendance rather than those who were having their first theatre experience.
The next day as I thought about the memory I had shared with my granddaughter, I realized the children in the audience had no doubt about seeing the magical aspects of the story. They were certain that ice would appear and Elsa’s magical icy touch would happen just like in the movie. Young children have not yet entered into the world of skepticism. They believe without reservation. They easily trust.
What a wonderful thing to have perfect trust and confidence in what will happen next. I’m always looking for the spiritual side to every occurrence because I do believe there’s one to be noticed. In this circumstance I did not have to look very far because she was sitting right next to me in the theatre.
We often speak about the innocence of children and their trusting nature is one way it is expressed. We always seem to have atrocities in the world and now is no exception. However, even in a bomb shelter or evacuation zone we can witness moments where innocence shines through. Only a few days ago a young child stood up in such a place and sang “Let it Go” from Frozen and in that single moment adults and children found courage and hope.
If courage and hope can reside in the most drastic of places where an adult mind would negate the possibility then it can certainly be found everywhere. The choice to believe is the shift to having a miracle minded perspective. We can simply call it an open mind, a mind that is receptive to new possibilities and ideas.
All children come into this world with those traits. It’s only after what has been referred to as domestication when shadows of doubt will enter the pristine space of a child’s open mind.
I’m sure all children in the bomb shelter have now experienced dark moments and even the children in the theatre were not unscathed by fear filled thoughts. However, it does seem children are more resilient than adults and can reconnect if only for a short time to the openness of a trusting mind where joy resides. This quality can be referred to as “hope”. Believing without any evidence of a desired outcome is to be hope filled. Hope is a quality of the innocent mind.
“The world becomes a place of hope, because its only purpose is to be a place where hope of happiness can be fulfilled.”[1]
I hope to recapture the innocence of my Child of God mind and simply know everything is leading me back to my trusting mind where my innocence abides.
If you enjoyed this blog you may want to purchase my book “Good Morning DearHearts” available on my website JanetWeissman.com or Amazon.
Remember Always You ARE Loved !!!
Janet Weissman
©2022 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Text Chap30 V 2:7
Good Morning DearHearts,
Anyone who knows me or follows me on my YouTube channel knows I have kitties as roommates. They frequently make “cat-meos” in the video background.
Along with the pleasure of the snuggles and white noise purring for sleeping comes the less than wonderful litter box duty. For 15 years I have been purchasing and carrying large boxes of kitty litter from the store to the car, from the car to the house. The boxes are generally almost 30 pounds and that’s quite a lot to heave and ho.
I have also convinced myself that IF I changed to one of the “light weight” litters there would be a rebellion and some inappropriate behavior surrounding said litter box. Therefore even with the increasing difficulty lifting, I was convinced there was no other way. My mind played that trick and with no real evidence whatsoever, had me convinced of a false “fact”.
I have also had the experience that when I have been resistant to something beneficial, I will eventually get a spiritual kick in the butt. This is exactly what happened two weeks ago.
I was going out of town for Thanksgiving to visit my son’s family. Naturally I was stocking up on all kitty related supplies so the pet sitter would not lack in any necessity. When I went to the store to get the litter supply the usual brand and size was nowhere to be found. I contemplated buying the same brand but in a much heavier box and quickly realized there wasn’t a “snowball’s chance” of me lifting it. What was I to do?
And there sitting on the next shelf was the “light weight” litter. I looked at it, I don’t think it looked back, but if it had I’m sure it would have been with a smirk, saying “what do you think of me now?”
So with great apprehension I went to pick it up and there was my first surprise. My body was ready to lift a heavy box, a sort of physical memory or expectation. And then….without any struggle or strain I lifted this LARGE box of kitty litter as though I had become a super hero!
Now I am home with the “new product” to see if it would be accepted or rejected by the four legged critics. The unfamiliar litter is added to the box. I wait. Of course there was no rejection, no inappropriate behavior and no problem.
I now had the chance to rethink my years of hesitation of change along with my years of heavy lifting. Why did I resist what was obviously readily accepted by the felines and what would have been so much easier on my muscles.
Where in A Course in Miracles is this hesitation addressed I thought to myself?
When I gave myself a moment to consider that question, I immediately remembered Lesson 24 “I do not perceive my own best interests”[1]
I had decided to struggle rather than change. I had made up the belief of how the kitties would respond to the new litter without any evidence. The ego is a masterful trickster and has the ability to convince anyone of a false “fact” by presenting unsupported thoughts. In the moment of hearing the “reasonable” whispers to work harder and not smarter I had acquiesced to insanity without realizing what I had done.
I may not have realized what I was doing, but One who is always looking out for my best interests was fully aware. Much like a parent who watches their child waiting for the Ah-Ha moment to happen, I was being observed. I was so resistant to the change I truly could not see what was in MY best interest. Now, some may say it was merely a coincidence that the only litter available to buy that day was the lightweight variety. But was it? Everyone can have an opinion about that and I will tell you I do not think it was happenstance. Something was needed to get my attention – and that’s exactly what happened.
I hope you enjoyed this true story of mine and it brought a chuckle to you or perhaps recognition.
As the next new year is about to begin, I am going to have some in person workshops again. The first one is on January 16th in Wilton Manors, Florida. The workshop is titled “New Year-New Thoughts”. It will be a discussion group as we revisit many of the old ideas we had when we entered the pandemic. How have they changed? If you live in South Florida area and are interested in attending, please contact me. The workshop fee is only $40.00
I will also present this same workshop on Zoom at a later date and another in the Palm Beach area.
If you have not yet completed your holiday shopping, my book Good Morning DearHearts is available from my website http://www.JanetWeissman.com or online booksellers.
Also, you can find my daily videos of A Course in Miracles workbook on YouTube.
AND
Please remember
There IS Boundless Love Available for Everyone NOW!!!
In Love, Light and Peace,
Janet Weissman
©2021 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Workbook Lesson 24 H
Good Morning DearHearts,
Two of my brothers were coming to visit in June. Technically they are considered half-brothers; we have the same father and different mothers. That biological fact has never been of any consequence to me, I simply consider them my family.
Their names are David and Danny I guess they are “Irish twins” because their birthdays are one year and one week apart. Obviously they have always been very close.
Although we were not raised in the same home I always felt close to my younger siblings. In fact, they really grew up in Canada so I only saw them a couple of times a year. The truth is physical proximity is not the standard for having a close relationship.
Over the past 25 years I spent more time with David and he even lived in my house for several months (or was it a year?). David was always kind, joyful, generous and a dreamer. He always had another plan to make a fortune and was an artist in his heart. He also inherited the “gift of gab” from our father. David could probably sell any commodity to anyone, given enough time. He was a natural salesman.
What I did not know in June was that visit was to be the last one.
David really did not appear to be feeling well. I asked him what was the problem. His response was “nothing a hundred hours of reiki couldn’t cure”. I am a reiki master, so that was his flip yet truthful response.
David was less jovial and certainly not as talkative as usual. However, Danny and I kept the conversation going and neither of us really saw this as an indicator of what would happen next.
Two days later David was delivering a part for work in Orlando and had a stroke. He crashed his car and when the EMT’s arrived he told them, “I think I had a stroke” these were some of the last words he would say. His diagnosis was correct.
David spent the next nine days in the ICU receiving the best treatment possible but the stroke did too much damage to his brain. Under the advice of the ICU team, his mother made the most difficult decision any parent could ever have to make. She decided to disconnect her son from life support. David was moved to hospice care where Danny continued to comfort him until the end. Three days later he left this physical world. I believe his spirit had returned to the All That Is much sooner than the last breath.
Throughout this whole ordeal, Danny was there. He would not and could not leave the side of his “big brother”. When we wonder what unconditional love is all about- that’s it! I tried to comfort him from here and tried to get there as soon as possible but it wasn’t soon enough.
As Danny and I spoke about the unanswerable questions I received clarity on one thing. Death is not really how it is understood in this world. In this world death is understood to be the absence of breath in the body. In reality death is the absence of joy in our life.
We are meant to be filled with joy and happiness and peace. This is how each moment is to be lived. My spiritual path, A Course in Miracles, has taught me any moment without joy is wasted. It also teaches the experience of this world that has so much death in the middle happened because we “forgot to laugh”[1]. David loved to laugh, often at his own jokes just in case no one else appreciated his quips.
If David had somehow recovered from the stroke, he would have been left with many medical problems. The possibilities ranged from immobility to needing a breathing and/or feeding tube. His life would have become a limited existence. To a man who chased joy in life the restrictions would be untenable.
The accepted standard of breath indicating life would have rather indicated a breathing death. Depending on each situation and person, life can sometimes be another form of death, if it is joyless.
Each day, week or perhaps month most people have the experience of disappointments and unfulfilled hopes. These moments can be considered “little deaths”[2] because they are momentary noticeable separations from the joy of life. But they are only short lived and unless we dwell in them they will fade away like everything else in this world.
The fate that seemed to await David after his injury was not going to be short lived or overcome. So each moment would have been an eternity for both him and those who loved him so very much. There’s a famous French phrase Joie de Vivre, for those who do not know it means joy of life. It is the exhilaration of each moment we have through the access of our own free will. When our free will or our joy is no longer our personal decision we can begin to feel as though we are a victim of our existence and circumstances. This was neither how David would want to live nor what his loved ones would want for him.
When all of the possibilities are considered there is no doubt that David pursued his eternal life in what many would call death. He is no longer limited by time and space. His unbounded joy is now filling the heavenly space and angels are laughing.
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If you are a student/teacher of A Course in Miracles, I invite you to check out my YouTube channel ( Janet Weissman) to watch my daily videos of the Workbook Lessons. While you are there- Please Subscribe.
My book, Good Morning DearHearts is available on my website and many online book sellers. JanetWeissman.com
Unbounded Joy is Available Here-Now,
In Love, Light & Peace
Janet Weissman
©2021 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Text Chapter 27
[2] ACIM Text Chap 27 I 4:8
Good Morning DearHearts,™
For many years I had a floor lamp in my office. It has always had a “leaning” problem from the moment it was assembled it has leaned to one side. Many times I have tried to tighten screws or adjust it, but it never helped.
A few months ago, when I moved it during cleaning, a chunk of the base fell out. Now it seemed to have a reason to lean, so I simply propped it up against the printer table. Not the best solution in retrospect. Last week the rest of the base disintegrated. No amount of propping was going to suffice now.
A new lamp was purchased and during the assembly process I noticed it also has a cement type of base underneath. This lamp has no issue with leaning and it stands solidly to illuminate the room.
What does any of this have to do with a spiritual practice?
It has occurred to me the necessity of a good foundation. Whether I’m trying to support a lamp or a belief system there needs to be something substantial at the base.
Without a solid anchor the lamp runs the risk of falling over. Without a good understanding about the spiritual practice the devotee can be swayed by any good talker who challenges the path.
Discovering the necessity of a solid base to build upon is actually learned and not inherent. I have witnessed this while playing Legos™ with my grandchildren. I witnessed that having a good base to build upon is not within the scope of interest in a toddler’s mind. The main focus is more about how big will it be and nothing about support or longevity. Not surprisingly the building projects all collapse without a solid base of support.
Interestingly the ego also has the same interests as a three year old. There is never any regard or thought about how an idea is supported so it might thrive. Every plan the ego convinces me to follow always topples over in failure. This outcome is of no regard to the ego mind because it will simply move to the next scheme and convince the unwitting self to follow to another unsuccessful conclusion. As long as I follow the smoke and mirror tricks of the ego my hopes and dreams will tumble down just like the three year olds block tower. The other commonality between the toddler and ego is neither care to understand why their plan didn’t work.
In contrast, when I follow a guidance system that has the ability to foresee the outcome of each decision I will decide a good foundation is truly the way to go or at least to start. In this case the foundation is a thought system that encompasses all reality and eliminates everything ephemeral or temporary. I am only interested in what will support truth because only truth will support me.
Now, getting back to those amazing interlocking building blocks, that are so beloved by young and old builders; they will also benefit from a well thought out support system. Once there’s a broad base and plan for the building project there’s a much better chance the structure won’t just fall over when it continues to grow and expand.
A solid, well planned foundation is a good assurance towards a desired and achievable goal.
“Without foundation nothing is secure”[1]
Now, as a quick update- both of my ACIM classes continue weekly on Zoom. You can visit my website www.JanetWeissman.com for meeting information. Or you can email me at Jstarmiracle@gmail.com
My first book “Good Morning DearHearts “ is also available on my website and of course on the various online sellers.
I’m starting to work on a second book and on a deck of daily affirmation cards.
I am also scheduling individual guidance sessions for those who wish to accelerate their ACIM understanding or deal with an ego challenge. Please use my email for contacting me.
AND
Please remember you are a Perfect Child of God and Loved Dearly.
In Love, Light & Peace
Janet Weissman
©2021 All Rights Reserved
[1] ACIM Text Chap 24III 4:1
goodmorningdearhearts 