“It didn’t really come up that much, the need to yodel.”—Elizabeth Berg
When George Eastman introduced the first commercially-available camera in 1888, he had a goal. He wanted to make photography “an everyday affair.” Or as his company Eastman-Kodak later rephrased it, to make it as “convenient as a pencil.” Their marketing slogan was: “You push the button, we do the rest.”
That’s sorta how I see A Course in Miracles. I don’t have to understand it. I don’t even have to like what it says. I just have to push the button.
ACIM Lesson 43 (God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him) is one of those lessons I really don’t like all that much. It’s preachy and strikes me as not much fun.
So here’s what I do when I feel grumpy about one of the lessons.
1. I flip through the text and find one of the lines I’ve underlined, ones that I DO like. For example, today I opened to:
Only you can deprive yourself of anything.
The laws of happiness were created for you.
Lack does not exist in the kingdom of God.
2. I replace the word God that, as I said in E-Squared, has more baggage than the Chicago airport with one of my trusty synonyms: the Divine Buzz, Source, the Universe. Here’s a big shout out to the person who suggested in the comments on this very blog a synonym that has become my current favorite: Super God.
3. I turn it over to the Holy Spirit. Relying on an unseen spirit that happens to be holy (and a badass at that) is kinda cool, much more fun than turning it over to that misogynist “guy” that some churches pontificate about.
4. Lastly, I remind myself that, in the end, none of it is really up to me. My only job is to push the button.
Pam Grout is the author of 19 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her new book, Art & Soul,Reloaded: A Year-Long Apprenticeship to Summon the Muses and Ignite Your Daring, Audacious, Creative Side.
28 Responses
You go girl….
Until we meet,
Michael
Love you Pam. Meghan Trainor’s Better When I’m Dancing is SO much better than ACIM lesson, at least for today. BUT I am taking your advice & NOT attempting to understand it!! God is my source. I cannot see apart from Him!! <3
Awesome, Super God! Love it.
You have managed to turn a tough lesson into something easier to swallow once again. We have done quite the job on the name for the Big Cheese, haven’t we? 🙂 Way to go, Pam. See you tomorrow. 🙂
“Big Cheese”!! I love it!
Pam, I REALLY appreciate your comments regarding the Course in Miracles. Your perspective has often provided an interpretation/application that resonates with me MORE than the ACIM Lesson by itself.
Jim
Pam, please could you explain what you do to ‘push the button’? I know the Course says you don’t have to understand it but honestly I feel so darned confused by the lessons that I’m quite sure the only buttons I push are the wrong ones! I am absolutely loving your daily take because this is my third or fourth attempt to go through the workbook and I’ve never yet finished. Thank you so much for doing this – you are brightening my every day.
If you find an online or local study group, it helps immensely. I never could “get” it until I started reading and talking about it with a study group.
OK! I can do that!
You really helped me out today, Pam. I have been a fan for years, and really love your approach to living on this planet. Love and light!
Thank you for putting this into a perspective I can understand. I had a hard time focusing on this lesson. I will look a little harder in the future, and pull out little embers of enlightenment and blow on them.
On the days when ACIM feels thick and dense and that i am slogging through, your emails assist me in keeping with it and lighten up. I am grateful for your joy. Thank you for all you have done for my friends and myself to lift our spirits.
Do you believe you can heal yourself from depression?
I don’t think it matters what I believe or anyone else for that matter, I believe the answer is do you believe ?
Blessings,
Michael
I didn’t grow up in any church setting so I didn’t have anything to unlearn. I talk directly to GOD all the time. GOD is Spirit, not some old bearded man sitting on a cloud judging everyone. GOD created everything and doesn’t have a gender or a religion.
Boy Vivian, you sure are the lucky one , that’s
all I can say!
Dear beautiful and wonderful Pam, thank-you thank-you for landing with grace and love daily into my inbox! Your perspective opens me and ‘gives my spirit wings’ – words borrowed from one of my favourite vocal artists – who in fact I think you would enjoy. I had the pleasure of attending one of her workshops and concerts – this woman is force for love and so I hope that I too can land with some grace into your inbox with the sharing of her music (and for anyone else reading this). She says so much of what you do in song. Here is Coco Love Alcorn (two of many great songs):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ7xJp1jyao
Kristina, thanks for sharing these videos. <3
Recently, I joined a group meditation to meet our spirit guides. Since then, I have been receiving information and guidance ‘thick and fast’ from my beautiful unseen helpers. I have had to follow this guidance without question, without my mind interfering. And the rewards have been so personal and so perfect. To me, this lesson now makes perfect sense. When you listen closely to the word being spoken to you from God (in this case unseen guides) and allow yourself to be led, then God’s bounty is available to you. All you need to do is ask. And give thanks. If the unseen collective consciousness feels what we do, then it’s a win for all! We do as requested to experience who we are, we feel fantastic when our life treasures are realized, and God shouts Woo hoo! Finally, you’ve worked it out! And the collective consciousness grins with delight. It doesn’t get better than that!
Hey Pam you are so groovy! And I just love the title of today’s post. “Super God to the rescue” is my new mantra 😁 (& yes, many thanks to the person who came up with super god!) You make the lessons – and even the word lessons is offputting for me – so much fun! So accessible. So thanks. And thanks too for your reply to my comment yesterday. It was deeply helpful. 😊💛⭐️
Pam – thank you so much for your light hearted and up beat take on this lesson. I was bristling like an electrified cat when I read the latest lesson. It took me right back to the grim , dour atmosphere of the institution I was forced to attend when I was younger. A Mrs. Danvers type figure at the church organ – creaking away with all the enthusiasm of Lurch from the Adams Family. The complete lack of joy and the complete lack of understanding of life that we were blessed with by Super God. As a child I walked on the psychic side ( and still do ) and I knew better. But was forced into believing the BS of the Church, so the latest lesson made me flinch- however I shall persevere!! LOL!!
Thanks 🙏 Pam this is helpful for how I’m feeling this am! Perfect!
Thanks, Pam. As always, I love! your posts.
….I don´t quite understand when to push the button.
My dear Evelyn,
Just push when you want joy, peace and most of all happiness….the kingdom will follow…
love and blessings to you
Thanks for these great words of wisdom!!!
Always and never!
Pam,
I am so thankful for you and your words of wisdom. I look forward to your explanations of the lessons, especially regarding this one. It was confusing until you put it into perspective. You just know how to say the right things to sum it all up. Oh, and I love your sense of humor. You crack me up.