“We lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”—Jack Kerouac
Kum Back, a bootleg album packaged in a plain white jacket, rubber-stamped in red or blue ink and released in January 1970, demonstrates everything you need to know about why I go through the lessons in the Course workbook every year.
The album, sourced from a multitrack tape recording of the Beatles at Twickenham Film Studios, is an early version of Let It Be. Recorded by Glyn Johns, the band’s engineer, this unauthorized bootleg features Paul McCartney singing out of tune, John Lennon botching lyrics and more than one poorly-conceived guitar lick.
The point is the Beatles, the bestselling band in history, were far from perfect. They had to practice. In fact, by the time Beatlemania swept across the globe, the music-bending group had honed their skills at tiny clubs in Hamburg for three entire years.
They practiced over and over and over again.
Someone commented to my musician friend, Cindy Novelo, “You’re such a genius. I wish I had your talent.”
Cindy quickly responded, “Well go home, practice an hour today and every day for 20 years and you’ll have my talent.”
Letting go of my old story takes practice. My brain has been running the bootleg album–the inferior album of limitation—most of my life.
But it’s not real.
And I’m ready to let go of those ill-conceived guitar licks.
That’s why I get up every morning and flex my ACIM muscles. That’s why I get up every morning and devote my day to peace, to joy, to seeing love in everything.
ACIM Lesson 127 encourages me to free my mind. It encourages me to let go of all laws I think I must obey, to surrender all limitations in which I’ve placed my faith.
None of it is true.
The only thing that’s true is love. Love has no opposite. Love can’t change. Everyone’s included.
Today, I escape from every limitation, every cultural paradigm as I practice letting go of the past.
And before I close, thought I’d make a couple quick announcements:
1. The Hay House World Summit is underway. That’s where 100 speakers, folks like Mike Dooley, Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra, bestow really cool inspiration. The best part is it’s totally free. You can access it here. My interview on being on the Joy and Gratitude Frequency is available now.
2. My latest book, Art & Soul Reloaded, was chosen as an Amazon Book of the Month for May. So if you haven’t read it, you can score the Kindle version for a mere $2.49. Find it here.
Have an extraordinarily epic day, my friends.
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.
13 Responses
I loved listening to you on the world summit Pam 💖 happy you are releasing yet another book “Gratitude”. I am a life long Beatle fan and the Let it Be analogy was perfect. I am joining the club of joy, peace, and seeing love in everything and everybody..Blessings@
Thanks, Linda. I’m with you on the lifelong Beatles fan.
Glad you were able to partake of World Summit. My interview was recorded a couple years ago, before Thank & Grow Rich came out, so that’s the gratitude book I was discussing.
I love your enthusiasm about flexing your ACIM muscles. Thanks for sharing. ~ Blessings, KK
Blessings to you, KK!
I so love reading your posts, and had a question in response to something you wrote in your blog today. You said: “The only thing that’s true is love. Love has no opposite. Love can’t change. Everyone’s included.” Isn’t hate the opposite of love? I am not sure what I am asking, yet it seems I am interested in this duality thingy lately, a lot. AND, I am not advocating for hate, yet denying it in my own reality creates judgment in me for the haters and I don’t want to go there, either. Perhaps I am trying to disconnect the anger in my world from the hate. Listening with love is important to me, yet if someone is stuck in hating (not my job to fix), do I just love them and let them go?
I saw a woman eating McDonald’s walking down the street and I watched her one by one drop her napkin, box, and then empty bag on the sidewalk and just keep walking. I could not believe such a thing could take place in this day and age. Did she not love or respect our planet? I held on to her image for an entire day. I finally concluded that her consciousness was not raised by the family she grew up in and.proceeded to say a prayer for her. I believe we can be taught hate, love, or even indifference. So all I can do is be this change I would like to see in our world.
Good point, Linda. We can BE the change we desire. And to pray for those who we judge is powerful ju-ju! Thanks!
Hi Elaine–Good question. Here’s my two cents: In the material world, there are appearances of “not love”–no question. I prefer to put my attention (to live my life) from the lens of the spiritual world where love IS the only reality. ACIM is a portal to get to the spiritual world which is the REAL world. This configuration of molecules known as Pam is not the REAL world. This configuration is temporary, as are all configurations on the material world. I like to remember that underneath it all (whatever appears to be something I might judge) is love. That’s what’s REALLY going on.
Thankyou Pam. “Don’t let the past assault your now” is perfect for me today. I didn’t want to get out of bed, I didn’t want to go to work, I pressed snooze too many times but I got up and made it to the bus in time…..& the bus never arrived so I waited for the next bus……& it didn’t arrive either!!! So I’m getting stressed and cross because now I’m going to be late for work and then I read your post and think “oh yes, I don’t need to let this affect me for the rest of this day! Two busses didn’t arrive but I’m alive! I’m going to be late for work but at least I’ve got a job to go to! I’m not going to spend one more second being cross or uptight. It is what it is and maybe there’s some higher good going on. All is well. The past is over and right now I can choose to be happy!” 😁 Thanks! And I also have a similar story to your friend Cindy’s to share about Picasso (I think) where he did an on-the-spot portrait for a lady at a cafe at her request and charged her $90 (or maybe it was $900!!) She was outraged and said something like “$900!! But that only took you twenty minutes!!” And he said something like “Actually my dear, it took me twenty years.” Great stories. So if we want to be genius’s of ACIM we just need to practise daily. Simple- but not necessarily easy 😉
With gratitude and blessings for you dear Pam. Have a terrific day 💖🌷
Pam – You can’t underestimate practice enough! Sometimes I wake up in the morning, and there will be a low level sense of anxiety overing in the background ( when I am at my most vulnerable) Then I remember there will be a lovely new post from Pam Grout waiting for me in my in box. I eagerly think about it . And then think to myself about the junk thoughts that are trying to work themselves in and remind myself” Hmmm- there is another meaningless thought I am having” And they start to go away. Sometimes it IS hard …but practice will bring results! Thanks again Pam !
This is brilliant Annie!
I talk the talk but don’t walk the walk!
I am going to pull up my sleeves and get my arse into gear.
xx
You’ve clarified so many of these lessions, I cannot wait to hear what you say about lesson #128, because even in my 4th year through, I don’t get this one. Rather than write any more here, I’ll wait until your next post is up. Thanks, in advance!
How did I miss this one in the overflowing box of unread e-mail? I hunt for your posts everyday to brighten each day. I already have your Art and Soul Reloaded and bought it at an independent bookstore. New Renaissance is a favorite Metaphysical bookstore in Portland, OR and if you are ever there to visit, my daughter would bring me to hear you speak. It would make our year. 🙂 This is a hard lesson when you think there is something opposite love. There is just disconnect from it. Learning to alter my perception has been a lifelong occupation but it’s so much more peaceful.