The True Miracle: Giving

What Is a Miracle? is the latest section that Lisa and I have been studying. It’s amazing – maybe you could say: it’s a miracle – that we are only 20 lessons away from finishing the 365 lessons of A Course in Miracles. Unaware that there would be a section titled, What Is a Miracle?, back in last November I wrote a post exploring the meaning of “miracle” also titled What Is a Miracle?, which you can view here, but today I am exploring a little deeper into what a miracle is. In the introduction to this section, it states: A miracle contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. The understanding that there is an interconnection between giving and receiving (or that which you give to another, you give to yourself) has come up before:

Lesson 315: All Gifts my Brothers Give Belong To Me

Lesson 316: All Gifts I Give My Brothers Are My Own

This latest section on What Is a Miracle? goes further:

Lesson 342: I Let Forgiveness Rest Upon All Things,                                                                    For Thus Forgiveness Will Be Given Me

Lesson 344: Today I Learn The Law Of Love;                                                                                 That What I Give My Brother Is My Gift To Me

The interconnectedness of giving and receiving – the (at least) two-way flow of love and forgiveness, of sharing and kindness – seems to be inherent to us on the soul level, though in the material world/mind of the separate ego, it may not. The fearful ego mind is prone to attachment, to grasping and clinging, to possessing, and to possessing more and more. It likes to hang on tightly to what it deems valuable and to what gives the ego illusory self-worth. It also likes to take in the sense of seizing more for itself and less for others (not take as in the receiving end of giving).

Interestingly, a few months ago I was reminded of something I learned in graduate school while studying Historical Linguistics. In Proto-IndoEuropean and early languages that branched off from it, The word for to give and to have and to take (as in receive, not seize by force) was one word: PIE*ghabh- “to take, hold, have, give”!

Though this is the root for our word give, we seem to have lost the interconnected meaning of the word. Today often the idea of “giving” implies loss, sacrifice, or a sometimes manipulative means of getting or taking/seizing from others. We need to return to our roots, so to speak, and create miracles in our lives by giving our love, forgiveness, and gratitude, for in that we receive the greatest joy!

A client I coached for many years once came to me upset about an issue with her husband. She tired to soothe herself and justify his actions by saying defeatedly, “But love is about give and take (here in the sense of seizing from another).” However this did not soothe her, but made her feel even more disrespected. I told her that there is no taking from another when there is love. Love is about giving and receiving. It flows both ways, and through her forgiveness of his minor moment of disrespect, that miraculous interconnected flow of love will flow stronger.

Lesson 345: I Offer Only Miracles Today,                                                                                            For I Would Have Them Be Returned To Me

Blazing Light of Glory, A Study in A Course in Miracles is a co-created and cooperative writing, studying, and teaching effort of Lisa of BloomLisa and Julianne Victoria of Through the Peacock’s Eyes.