Often in life we think about what we are DOING.
If you thought about your life right now, you most likely would think about all that you are DOING.
It probably would include your work, children, partner, parents, friends, activities, traveling.
Doing.
But how often do you you think about how you are BEING.
How are you BEING while you do what you are doing?
Many people ask others “How are you?”
Now, “How are you?” seems like a harmless question at first glance. It seems caring, like you are interested, right? But when you ask the question to someone, first consider: FROM WHAT PLACE AM I ASKING THIS QUESTION? Are you knowing yourself as the Christ, and seeing the Christ in this other?
If so, most likely you would not ask “How are you?” because you would BE relating to them as the Christ you are and the Christ they are or you at least would notice straight away they are not aligned/connected with the Christ they are. You would SEE it.
You wouldn’t have to ask “How are you?” because you would be asking the ego how it is doing. You already know the answer to that one!
The starting point and practice for everything then is STILLNESS AND REMEMBERING: To pause and take a moment to be quiet and still (it only takes an instant) before you do or say anything so that you can identify completely with the Christ you are, therefore remembering your brother.
This gets very basic. Who is the “you” (In the question “How are you?”) that you are asking how it is? Typically, it’s the ego who speaks and the ego who answers.
So when someone answers the question “How are you?” they can only answer from the “I” point of view from which they are hanging out – usually, from fear.
Really take a moment to think about this. The question “How are you?” does nothing more than locate where a person thinks they are, at that time!
The answers range from ‘I’m okay. I’m tired. I’m sick. I’m good. I’m fine.”
Therefore, I mostly don’t ask the “How are you?” question anymore. Out of old habit, it slips out occasionally.
It’s like asking someone “Are you a boy or a girl?” – it’s a meaningless question because all I have to do is look at you and I can tell immediately how you are.
Your state of being (what you are being) is something that you are in control of.
All that is required is readiness and willingness to shift your perception and know the truth.
Often Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying: “Who you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.”
I am not sure that Emerson actually wrote that specifically (even though it’s a good one!)
Here is what he did write:
“Let us not look east and west for materials of conversation, but rest in presence and unity. A just feeling will fast enough supply fuel for discourse, if speaking be more grateful than silence. When people come to see us, we foolishly prattle, lest we be inhospitable. But things said for conversation are chalk eggs. Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said, “I don’t care so much for what they say as I do for what makes them say it.”. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, from his essay “Letters and Social Aims” 1875
Also from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“That which we are, we shall teach, not voluntarily, but involuntarily. Thoughts come into our minds by avenues which we never left open, and thoughts go out of our minds through avenues which we never voluntarily opened. Character teaches over our head.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson, from his essay “The Over-Soul”, 1841
I love that. We teach involuntarily, by our character of being.
A Course in Miracles puts it this way: YOU ARE TEACHING ALL THE TIME!
You are always “teaching” (by your demonstration and without words) by HOW YOU ARE BEING.
“To teach is to demonstrate. There are only two thought systems, and you demonstrate that you believe one or the other is true all the time. From your demonstration others learn, and so do you. The question is not whether you will teach, for in that there is no choice. The purpose of the course might be said to provide you with a means of choosing what you want to teach on the basis of what you want to learn. You cannot give to someone else, but only to yourself, and this you learn through teaching. Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what you believe. It is a method of conversion. This is not done by words alone. Any situation must be to you a chance to teach others what you are, and what they are to you. No more than that, but also never less.” -A Course in Miracles
So, take some time today to think on this:
WHO ARE YOU BEING?
HOW ARE YOU BEING?
For years, I doubted myself. This was my way of being. Back then, I didn’t realize I could choose differently. I was habitually judging myself, criticizing myself and wishing life would change.
It didn’t occur to me that I could change! I thought life needed to change. I thought other people needed to change. I thought I needed a higher-paying job. I thought “if only people would start recognizing my God-given talents, then someone would give me an opportunity and THEN I could shine and be brilliant and be happy.”
Did you notice the words I just used: BE
I could be brilliant and I could be happy.
I could teach and demonstrate the Love of God.
I could BE the light in the darkness.
I could BE joy in the middle of a world of sorrow and despair.
But instead, I just didn’t know any better. I thought I was a victim. This was who I was being. I felt alone, alienated and disappointed. I was tired a lot. I was associating and being the darkness. I thought this was normal, because everyone around me was also being the darkness.
I didn’t know it then, but I know it now – I was only seeing in others a reflection of my own state of mind.
Once I realized what was occurring – that I was literally causing my world of my lack and limitation and sickness with my thoughts – I snapped out of it very quickly!
It’s a good wake-up call – to see you’re causing all your confusion and problems – and to make a decision to teach love.
MAKE A DECISION TO IDENTIFY WITH THE SELF THAT YOU ARE – THE SELF THAT GOD CREATED.
It’s that simple.
You are the Presence of God. You are the Power of God. You are the Love of God. You are the Joy of God. You are the Peace of God. You are the Light of God.
You are not weak and small and powerless.
You can make this shift in an instant now.
In the 40-Day Program for Transformation, I offer an exercise which I offer here:
On a sheet of paper or index card, write your current way of being. If you do not know your current way of being now, then watch yourself for a day or a week. Watch your thoughts. Watch how you feel. Watch your emotions. Watch what you say to others. Notice how you are BEING. Pay attention to your “I am” – listen to yourself intently today and catch what you say when you say “I am …” Write it all down. Be ready to be shocked, because mostly we sleep-walk through life never taking time to pay attention to what we have been doing all along.
On second sheet of paper or index, write down your True Way of Being – the Self that God created. This is your true I AM. I am Love. I am Christ. I am a child of God. I am Spirit. It’s the way you are being in a state of joy and peace, when you know all is well and you know you are protected and loved and safe. It’s the Light you are.
Make a commitment to BE the Self you are. It’s the most natural thing in the world because how difficult can it be to BE what you Are in truth.
If this doesn’t work for you, you can get a copy of A Course in Miracles and begin it. Give yourself the gift of going through the transformation from fear to love. This is accomplished easily by making a commitment to do the workbook lessons which take one year (one lesson a day for 365 days), and reading the Text and Manual for Teachers.
Many people hope and pray for transformation and years go by and nothing much happens. But all you need to do is get a copy of A Course in Miracles and begin it. It contains everything you need to dismantle the thought system of fear so that you become aware of the light you are.
There is no need to suffer.
You are the light of the world.
I would love to hear from you! What’s your True I AM. Please leave a comment below!
Love,
Lisa
Divinely enough today my ACIM Lesson 61 is “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”..and so it is – AMEN
Thank you, Lisa!
Lisa a beautiful article, reading the ACIM Alone can be very challenging do you know of any daily readings conductated by someone with an understanding of the book.
Love you very much lisa! Thank you, judith
I am JOY, love, learning, growth, compassion, light, laughter and the change the world need to experience right now. I am exiting maya / the matrix world and entering truth, light and love in all of my thoughts, actions and beliefs. So basically I am just like everyone else is beneath the “surface”, only I am finally becoming fully aware of it! Thanks so much to you Lisa. And by the way, this also, indirectly, answers much of the questions that I asked you earlier on FB. Thank you!
Aloha Lisa
thanks to ACIM and your coaching, I often say to myself and know that I am the light of the world.
My mantra for most of my 28 years in AA has been “God is with me. Thank You God.” That’s a constant reminder to me and keeps me peaceful and fearless. Happy, joyous and free. Whoopee.
mahalo Lisa.
cheers
Michele
Peaceful and fearless, I love it. Michele – you ARE the light of the world. Mahalo! Lisa
I am spirit I go with God’s flow of life believing and trusting remembering we are all one feeling lighter
I am here. God bless you for getting through Lisa. I am confirmed. What an an absolute joy!! They can’t lock us all up!!!!!!!!! Happy harvest time and love and light from the UK and well done you, I honour the guts it took. X
Hi Lisa,
Your 40 day program has completely transformed my life! I am living the Love! I’m so grateful for you sharing your healing. One of the most powerful concepts for me is, “what am I valuing?” Am I valuing attack, lack and judgement? If so, I won’t feel good. It just takes a Holy Instant to shift out of fear and into the truth-I am Love, created and preserved by Love! I choose to value LOVE! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lisa, I’m curious… if you don’t ask people how they are (because that is necessarily relating to them on an ego level) how do you interact with people when you’re not specifically teaching about A Course in Miracles? It seems to me that we have no choice but to interact as egos in this world (even if we are aware of the true inner divinity of ourselves and others). Isn’t all language part of our worldly illusion? And if so, why would avoiding saying certain things (like, “How are you?”) make sense?
Thank Renee! What I do is “give it a minute” (which usually only lasts a second or two) – to see what presents itself, before I open my mouth. I’m very present with the person and present in the situation. I am aware of who I am and who they are – this all happens in less than a second, and whatever I need to do or say is there for me to do or say. Sometimes I’ll say “nice to see you” (instead of how are you?) – or I’ll just look at them – totally in their energy space – seeing the Christ, and I always allow the moment to tell me what to do next.
P.S. Before posting my previous question, I should have expressed gratitude for your 40-day program. I’m enjoying the lessons, and am thrilled to see that I’m not the only one who sees diagrams in my mind when I read The Course!
I have a friend who is very spiritual for the last 25 years every time I’ve asked him how are you his answer and reply is always I am blessed by the most high God I have never heard him have a grievance towards anyone or hostility towards any issue in my life so apparently he is blessed by the most high God
Lisa,
My jaw is hanging open with awe at the awesomeness of the Holy Spirit’s, Jesus’, God’s presence and how it has affected my life. I am on board to the end and even beyond that and eager to repeat in January because of how this affected me. Kudos to you and your staff. I don’t have words to explain how wonderful this has been for me. I am just so grateful that I was ready to receive.
Blessings and much Love, Judy
I am divinely created for a beautiful purpose. I am love, light, peace, happiness, whole and want to share all that I am with the world. Thank you Lisa for walking me to this truth and transformation. God bless you. I love you and all you are.
Lisa, thank you Being the Christ. I AM Being a whole lot Less judgmental. And when I hear myself Sounding judgmental, I say what you taught me: I don’t DO that anymore. I AM the Forgiver: this moment is perfect…and THIS moment is perfect and this one is perfect.
Anything that seems to bring me away from a peaceful heart I immediately say what you taught us. The past never occurred and the future is not real. Only the Present IS. So …. I AM!!!! I forgive in ACIM terms and LET GO.
Also, I can catch myself judging or on the verge of judging my holy Self and I STOP. I SAY A LOVE SONG I MADE UP: I love you, I acknowledge you as a Child of Love. You are whole and complete, healed and free, I see the I AM in you.
The last verse changes in the next two verses to the followong: YOU are my Beloved Girl, in Whom I AM well pleased. And the last is: The Voice for God, speaks to me all through my day.
I even added tidbits of your guiding words, as well. I place my hand on my heart and center mySelf and see the sky (like Bill said to do) and I know that I am always Unchanged. No thing can dim my Light. There is no place where my Light is NOT, LISA.
THANK YOU, SWEETIE!
In deepest gratitude, Marky Mander
I am god’s son! I am love and happiness. I am spirit and one with christ. I’m healed
💖
Great question Lisa! Just what I needed today! 21st day of 40 and I realize now I am being stingy with my LOVE. I only give it to certain people. I keep some people close and push others away as if they are not worthy of my friendship or love. Time to just be light and love with all! It’s so much easier! Namaste. Love,Lynn
I am relaxed content fulfilled and on my way to happiness
Thank you and thank god x
I am hungry for more and excited at the thought of where this will take me.I am remembering what I already am.
I am the beloved daughter of God. I am happy, I am love. I am light.
I am the full expression of God , HIS love. What I think, speak, touch, taste and smell. HE is reflected through me. I am easy simple lucky and lovely. I am the open channel of love and light.
Lisa,
My first response is to say, “I AM a son of God, pure light and full heart” I am here to be truly helpful and I am content to be where my father wishes me to be.
I love this blog as I love all of them.
Love
Becky
What do you say to greet people if you don’t ask, “How are you?”
I was thinking, “How’s your day?”
The Divinity in me salutes the Divinity in you, Lisa. I already know how you are. Great blog – thanks very much for the invite 🙂 xx
Thank you Lisa. I sincerely appreciate your support today. I found your email including this post quite helpful. For now I am BEING.
I heard a quote ‘love is the answer, what is the question?” Love is what I AM, I AM the light of the world. IAM as God created me. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Lisa
Fiona
Hi Lisa, I am part of ACIM study group and it has quite simply saved my sanity. The forgiveness prayer that Ken Wapnick introduced to me from the course has been quite miraculous. It is hard to put into words, but I think it is like a holy instant. It says, “Forgiveness is still and quietly does nothing. It looks and waits and judges not.” It brings me back to the moment and all stress and anxiety disappears. I feel connected to my true self, at peace and loved and see others as myself. Thank you so much for your program. There a few of us from Australia doing it. I have struggled on a few days, but it passed and I am still All In. Love to you and all your beautiful and very brave follows. Marleexx
I am safe now, and secretely trickle in my mind of clear water, joyfully resting in the fun of feeling the breath
so fresh and tickling telling me there is more beauty to come, just letting this body enjoy being loved and moved by the fun of moving these happy feet in mew barefoot shoes, and love filling me softly…..and thank you for asking, lovely Lisa, it adds more joy to peace and joy…
Thanks Lisa,
interesting point! I have a 69 year old friend who always answers that Q with “fabulous” and she mean it. She has multiple health ‘conditions’ and always confounds the medicos with her amazing attitude. Lately, since beginning the course I am feeling the same. The ACIM self- study program workbook lesson I began a few months back always seems to coincide with your 40 day lesson- it’s all in synch. This healing shift really feels permanent (after decades on a ‘spiritual path’). It’s so easy to catch myself out now when I fall into the slightest grievance and it often just dissolves into laughter. Loving the refocusing of stillness and meditation and bringing that back into the front and centre of life.
I have been enjoying your unity radio shows too and have picked up many tips from the wonderful guests you merge with there too. I thank you wholeheartedly for all you are and all you do.
One with you in love and light from the land of Oz,
Anita
I am
I AM the holy son of god- together with ALL my brothers, who are ONE with me. The holy spirit is our voice for god, with whom we express our loving presence to the world. We share the love and stand in wonder, as miracles occure before our very eyes. The world has turned from fear to love- and now we truly can see! In gratitude we share the benefits of our awakening with all beings, because we are ONE with them. The 40 days – illusion in itself- acting as gods fuel for our minds to remember HIM- with Lisa- being the voice of HIS HOLY SPIRIT! In Gratitude….
I am light, I am Love, I am blessed, I am generous, I am the expression of God’s love and I’m deeply happy and thankful for all that is given me, ’cause I have Everything I ever wanted. Thank you Lisa for leading and showing me the way to acknowledge my truth! Love Nadine
Thank you Lisa! After reading this, I don’t like who I am being while I am doing. It seems I am busy, busy all of the time and I find myself being resentful sometimes. I work in retail and it will be hard for me to not ask ‘How are you?’, but I am going to stop that right now and find another way to express my love for that person in the few minutes I have with them. Any suggestions on what to say to a complete stranger to show that I am love and I acknowledge the love I see in you?
With much gratitude and love!
Gwen
Hi LIsa
As always this is a great reminder on who we are. …….Seems for me I always can use a push here or there into reality ….slipping out seems so easy ….specially when somebody pushes the buttons which seems to be forgotten and still apparently are deeply hidden ….thks for being such a inspiration and light …My holy Self abides in you, God’s Son.
Bless you …dear Lisa
walter
I love all that you share, Lisa. Beautiful, and a great reminder this one.
I teach a high intensity Academic English class at a boarding school. Today marks the beginning of Parents’ Weekend, so class sizes will multiply. I had planned a presentation on the nature of ideas in academics (versus spoken language) and an exercise on unpacking those ideas and repacking them in our own words. Gratefully I have been guided to discard the texts selected for these inspired Emerson and ACIM quotations. What an extension of Light this blog has been! Spirit will be weaving a wondrous tapestry here today.
I am love, I am light, I am the daughter of God and all is the way it should be. Thank you, Lisa for your energy.
Thank you Lisa for this wonderful words and for making us understanding we are Love and Light
Hi Lisa:
I find myself being very quiet and still inside. I am on Day 20 of the 40 day ACIM course. I was blown away by the realization that I was using sickness as a defense against EVERYTHING. My fear and panic isolated me from basically everything and everyone. I realize now that my mind is sick but there is a way out…I was sad to realize that I was trusting more in the fear than in the truth of the light. .BUT!- I am awake now! I get up a half hour earlier and listen to your video (which is so inspiring! Thank You!!). I read from the course and meditate. I live in the light and will not return to the dark…God Bless Everyone!
Today I connected with everyone on my job as you explained with the Christ in me and everyone.i felt so much love and happiness all through the day and not at all tired as usual.Just peace and joy.Thank you Lisa.
These comments are SO THE BEST !!! Thank you so much. For me, I came up with 4 words for myself – for how I AM being when I am doing what I am doing: Kind, Clear, Present and Happy. For years how “I was being” was overwhelmed and distracted while I was doing what I was doing – but the great thing with A Course in Miracles is that you can become INTENTIONAL and CHOOSE how you want to think and feel. You can choose to be happy. You can choose to be present. You can choose to be Love, because Love is what you are. We are training our minds to a different perception of every one and everything in the world. It’s a miracle when we see that we can choose, that we have the power to decide how we are going to be. We can’t choose what happens, but we can choose how we show up in the situation. I love you.
Thank you Lisa…..as I am ‘doing’, I am ‘being’: Present; gentle; grateful; and joyous.
In fairness to myself and all my divine helpers and supporters, I do reasonably well a lot of the time! 🙏🏻
But if my ‘busyness’ distracts me from making that conscious decision to be awake and connected to God, then the four words to describe my way of being would most likely be polar opposites of those identified above).
how am I Being…i guess “i am” struggling with the same overwhelmed, how “am i” going to get out of the lack of money, pay bills, etc. I am resting in God. I am resting in God. So, it’s like there’s a war, struggle, in me, the part that says i’m going under and the part that says, believe, have faith, so, now I am resting in god. thank you for all for everything xoxo i am love.
Nice to SEE you my beautiful companions 😍
When I asked How are you ?
I always felt like I was going to get all the stories blah blah blah that would upset my mindset to be the light and be happy. What was missing was to be present and shine all my light into any darkness in the encounter 💕
I am warm, loving, generous and thankful. ❤️☀️🙏🏼 Lots of love and light.
Only yesterday I had the thought
“Where do be Lisa? I thought it sounded like Shakespeare in my head the way it was phrased…. After reading your article it made perfect sense!!
You havnt been in my awareness for months. I was missing the “me” over there playing “you” lol
Of course I resonated with everything you just said. Thank You.
I just walked past my fridge and read this on a magnet:
“To Do Is To Be” Neitzche.
“To Be Is To Do” Kant.
“Do Be Do Be Do” Sinatra
I think Frank had it right!
it’s one big sing-along.
I feel like the Teachers of God are just reminding us all to come on down and join in.
Glad to have you back in my mind.
Love and gratitude to you Lisa
Jewels x
I really believed I was thinking properly thinking good thoughts and believing positive!!! I still have not moved ahead!!! Finances are the same, cannot get ahead!!! I will say one thing that is for sure WHEN I CLAIMED THAT I AM NOT MY BODY MUCH PAIN SUBSIDED!!!!! THAT IS THRILLING!!!! LOVE YA LISA XOXO
Out of the park blog…as always, I’m shifted a little further.
This is what I have been feeling lately. At work, we ask it in passing all the time…it is just superficial. We have a new young teacher that responds “Amazing!” I thought how perfect as I smiled at the thought.
I AM: the Presence of God.
the Power of God.
the Love of God.
the Joy of God.
the Peace of God.
the Light of God.
I AM not weak and small and powerless.
I AM can make this shift in an instant now.
I either become the consciousness named or am still stuck in ego-land.
This is so perfect. Excellent blog!
The thing I love most about your articles and classes is the simplicity. You make things so easy to understand and assimilate!