When I was in my 20s, living in New York City, there was a fundraiser for my childhood library in Tilton, New Hampshire. You could purchase a stone for the outside walkway and have a saying carved into it. I thought “what is my all-time favorite inspirational saying ?” that I could put into a small block of granite? Most people purchased the stone as memorial for other people who had passed on. I wanted to put a quote: a saying that would inspire me as well as possibly inspire others who walked across that stone. I imagined hundreds of people walking over this stone to enter the library (thousands even over a lifetime!) and what I might possibly say that would cause someone to PAUSE and to see a new possibility for their life.
My quote for the library stone:
LIVE THE LIFE YOU IMAGINE.
It’s from Henry David Thoreau.
Here is the full quote:
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” -Henry David Thoreau, Walden
I love this idea of living life as AN EXPERIMENT and ADVANCING CONFIDENTLY in the direction of what you have imagined.
And it is to this I have devoted my life: LIVING the life I have imagined.
If you know me as a teacher of A Course in Miracles, you know my #1 instruction is to LIVE these principles. Don’t just think about them, don’t just study them, don’t sit around talking about them. LIVE THEM. PRACTICE THEM. APPLY THEM.
It is only by LIVING the ideas – by living what you imagine – that you see change.
So what was the life I imagined?
I imagined a world of people that are inherently GOOD – and where I was consciously and deliberately aware of their goodness, and honoring it and acknowledging it.
It means that I see myself as inherently good – and NOT as the shameful guilty person I believed myself to be for so many years.
Inherent means “existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.”
Inherent means “built in”
This is what I imagined: a world of people that as GOOD, friendly, kind, generous, helpful.
In A Course in Miracles Jesus imagines a world where “every hand is joined in love”
And I began to LIVE THIS WAY – as if every person is inherently good.
I imagined that I loved everyone. I saw that this was possible and that I could live this way.
I imagined that everyone was my friend, and NOT a stranger to be feared.
I imagined that everyone is the light of the world, no matter what they have done.
YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
I used to not tell people that I saw this way this because every time I did the conversation would inevitably turn to questions: “Well what about the murderers? What about the rapists? Many people are evil and dangerous.”
Well, what about them?
They are inherently GOOD – innocent, pure love. They are the light of the world.
If someone is murdering or raping, they don’t know who they are. They have forgotten their Identity as the Self that God created. Therefore, they are not in their right mind.
No one in their right mind would harm another … ever.
Jesus up on the cross 2000 years ago, looked down on those who were crucifying him and said “Forgive them Father. For they know not what they do.”
People who don’t know their Identity as Spirit in a state of grace forever know NOT what they do.
Because in your right mind, you acknowledge your Oneness. You realize that “this other” – this “neighbor” – is you and you would love them as yourself.
Now obviously, the majority of the world does not live this way.
Many still have fences and defenses up in order to protect themselves and keep themselves “safe”
But there is a shift occurring. And many people – THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS – are beginning to LIVE in Oneness, determined to see the Christ in everyone – no matter what the behavior of the person is.
We each have the ability to see beyond appearances to the Truth that is really there.
In the 40-Day Program on Day 20, the topic is “Defenses are Fences.” Whatever you attempt to keep separate from you, YOU will suffer the consequences of the belief in separation.
This morning I imagined something new. I imagined telling people how I see – that everyone is inherently GOOD – and that instead of questions (as has been my past history – because of my belief), they would get excited for new possibilities and want to practice living in a new way.
I imagine you reading this blog post and instead of wanting to question me about all “the bad people in the world”, I imagine you looking at your own life and seeing a new possibility, a new way of living. I am image you feeling enthusiasm and joy about seeing only the good in people when you meet them!
Another great quote I love: “I see God in every face. I see good in every situation.” -Florence Scovel Shinn
This way of LIVING did not happen overnight for me.
I truly believe that anyone CAN change their seeing in one instant – NOW – and from this moment on see ONLY the Love of God in everyone. But I have, up to this point, never met anyone who has done it that way, in an instant.
I am open to it happening. I IMAGINE it happening.
Where in a sudden burst of realization, individuals around the world remember Who They Are and let go of all judgment, fear, lack, grievances and upsets.
Imagine that!
Imagine a world where everyone has remembered the Love they are – they have remembered their innocence and the Power of God which they are One with.
Imagine!
Now imagine LIVING this way – knowing that everyone remembers their Identity.
It’s could cause an instant global awakening.
Last year a good friend of mine who facilitates A Course in Miracles group called me in frustration. She had that no one in her ACIM group was doing the work. She said no was practicing. She said no one is serious nor dedicated. She said that no one really wanted peace. She said they all just wanted to stay in their problems. She said that she was the only one who was dedicated.
I said: NO. They ALL want peace. They are all dedicated. I have been around enough people to know that EVERYONE WANTS PEACE and EVERYONE WANTS TO DO THE WORK. You must see them differently. THEN they will change.
I invited her to SEE and LIVE this way – as if every single person in her group was totally committed and dedicated and practicing.
I reminded her of the basic principle of A Course in Miracles – that her thought that “no one wants this” was resulting in a perception of “no one wanting this”. She was literally getting a mirror reflection of her own thinking!!
She called me a month later, all excited and happy, saying: YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!! I changed my mind and everyone changed!! I saw everyone as totally dedicated and suddenly they all become that!
She said that some dropped away from this group and that many other newcomers started showing up for the first time.
LIVE THE LIFE YOU IMAGINE.
It works.
What you believe and focus on is what you will see.
You will “meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW! Do you see everyone as inherently good? Do you have a practice for seeing beyond people’s stories, complaints, negativity, and their seemingly “bad” behavior? How would you feel going through life seeing everyone as your FRIEND, as a gift from God, as One with you.
Thank you for showing up and for reading this!
I love you.
Lisa
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If you want to LIVE and PRACTICE in a new way, we offer a 6-Month Mastery Program called Living in Purpose. The next Living in Purpose program starts on July 1, 2016: You can check out the details about it here: http://teachers-of-god-foundation.teachable.com/courses/living-in-purpose
There are videos there – one by me Lisa Natoli and one from Linda Leland describing Living in Purpose and TONS of amazing beauiful testimonials from people who have already taken it and seen their lives transformed. There’s also a one-hour phone recording and a transcript of that call. Click here: http://teachers-of-god-foundation.teachable.com/courses/living-in-purpose
**SUPER IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ: If you are taking the 40-Day Program now or have completed it already, please wait on signing up just yet! We will be sending you an email with a $275 discount off the Living in Purpose sign-up price, as our way of saying THANK YOU for taking the 40-Day Program and for completing it. Our gift to you. This offer is available until July 1, 2016.
