Return to Love

by Marianne Williamson

“Dear God, my desire, my priority is inner peace. I want the experience of love. I don’t know what would bring that to me. I leave the results of this situation in your hands. I trust your will. May your will be done. Amen.”

In Zen Buddhism, there’s a concept called “zen mind,” or “beginner’s mind.” They say that the mind should be like an empty rice bowl. If it’s already full, then the universe can’t fill it. If it’s empty, it has room to receive. This means that when we think we have things already figured out, we’re not teachable. Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it. Surrender is a process of emptying the mind.

We all encounter situations in our lives where we wish we hadn’t done something we did, or wish we had done something we didn’t. They’re those moments in our lives, be they yesterday or several years ago, that make us cringe to think about. One of the most freeing techniques provided us in A Course in Miracles is a prayer on of the Text, in which we instruct the universe to undo our errors:

the first step in the undoing is to recognize that you actively decided wrongly, but can as actively decide otherwise. Be very firm with yourself in this, and keep yourself fully aware that the undoing process, which does not come from you, is nevertheless

within you because God placed it there. Your part is merely to return your thinking to the point at which the error was made, and give it over to the Atonement in peace. Say this to yourself as sincerely as you can, remembering that the Holy Spirit will respond fully to your slightest invitation: I must have decided wrongly, b...

I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at peace. I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him. I choose to ...