Pathways of Light Miracle Stories, 1/99, p. 3

Miracles News Winter 1999

Gratitude • Finding My True Self • My "Abundance Awareness" Experience • Instant Manifestation • Lifting the Veil to Peace • More Winter '99 Miracles News

Gratitude -- by Rev. Georgeann Medved

A friend recently asked me to think about gratitude and briefly describe it from my viewpoint to a class on gratitude that he was going to facilitate the following week. After long consideration, meditation and reviewing Pathways of Light Course 111: Awakening to Your True Self, I wrote the following words:

If gratitude had a physical appearance it would be a big weightless bubble that has the coloring of mother-of-pearl and playfully floats upward safely cradled by its creator.

As gratitude effortlessly floats, it tells me silently that I am a complex and unique child of God. It tells me to remember the words from A Course In Miracles, Workbook Lesson 110, "I am as God created Me." Gratitude also reminds me of my many and varied roles on this earth as wife, aunt, godmother and friend; minister, teacher and counselor. How wonderful it is to be given all of those challenging roles.

In one split second, gratitude shows me all of my loved ones, and the feelings that come with seeing them are overwhelming. I cry. (Blessings on all of them.) The bliss that I feel as I view their God like faces is a great reminder to absorb like a sponge the positive that I receive from each of them.

Gratitude's inner beauty and serenity remind me to cultivate its characteristics as a way of being and not as something to put on a shelf and haul out at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When gratitude speaks, its voice is liquid and gentle. It reminds me to thank my creator and the sky, the sun, moon, birds, bees, and yes, the spiders and snakes too. It whispers softly that freeways, bridges and buildings have their own spirit and beauty to express and that I should appreciate them and their usefulness. (Not just the ones that Frank Lloyd Wright created.)

Gratitude hands me a list of all my positive personality traits that I need to talk to myself about and write in my journal.

Finally, I giggle as I see my giant, mother-of-pearl gratitude bubble, hover over me, then burst and christen me with a prism of beauty and goodness. I feel very peaceful and blessed at this moment. This is gratitude!

Finding My True Self -- by Rev. Suzen Carl

I recently was led to many awarenesses with the guidance of Holy Spirit and friends at Pathways. The gifts of healing that I received came during a weekend for presenting the new A Course in Miracles Study Program, 908: Abundance Awareness. But I feel that I was getting all the preparatory work long before this weekend.

Being in a close relationship has brought up many conflicting thoughts and emotions. I was seeking insight about how to resolve these conflicts. With the help of a friend, I looked at how I was trying to control my partner for "the good of the relationship." I looked at all the "positive" qualities about our being together. Then I applied the "solution-focused counselor" approach of, "How can I have more of what works right in this relationship?" I realized that when I feel safe and comforted, I am more able to be accepting. I also looked at beliefs that I project on my partner, seeing him as "unacceptable or wrong."

When I was growing up, I did not experience comfort or support, just criticism and fear. Because of this, I created a mask of being the "self-sufficient and strong one" as a defense against this feeling of lack of warmth in my life. Later, when I wanted to escape from being the strong one all the time, I looked outside of myself for a strong, loving man to fill this role.

In the Abundance Awareness Home Study program, we reviewed ACIM Lesson 320, "The Son of God is limitless. There are no limits on his strength, his peace, his joy nor any attributes his Father gave in his creation........ I am he to whom all this is given." I realized the strength and love I seek is never to be found in the form of a man because the strength and love I seek is in God. Only through God, inside myself, will I always be supported and loved. When I look for this love in another, I will be disappointed, unless I see the strength in him that comes first from seeing it in myself. Then it is not a defense against having to be strong because the world is cold, unfair, and unloving. The strength is here, in me, because it is. God is. Every, every, every time I open to what is here, God is here, always strong, always soft, always Love.

In more sharing with my friend, I became aware that I'm using conditional love in my relationship. Unless I am open to accepting the gifts that my partner brings -- to accept him exactly as he is -- I'm giving conditional love. When I do this, I am not helping him or myself. I have the power to accept him just as he is -- to love him where he is, without any demands, control, manipulation or judgment. I can see his light and know he is perfect. I have the power to accept responsibility for my own salvation and not trying to get him to save me, by controlling him to make him fit my expectation that he be what I believe I am not.

When I was young, I received a gift from one who looked into my eyes and saw the Truth about me. He did not say to me, "you're good, and by the way, will you please be more of this and less of this?" He simply shared his love with me. The goodness in him saw the goodness in me. He gave no qualifiers, no suggestions on how to get better. He saw my light and reflected it back to me and I saw it for the first time, and healing began in me. And this love is still here 28 years later, radiating, softly glowing, vastly grateful, strong and true.

I now choose to release the beliefs about myself that said, "I could be better, I could grow (spiritually) faster, I have to prove myself by being more/ better/ deeper/ brighter." My partner showed up in my life -- my mirror, my savior, my friend -- to reflect back to me my beliefs about myself, so I could look at them, see them with Spirit, and then let them go. I want to be aware that everything that shows up in my life is a gift to lead me Home. As the world rushes around, my mind lessens its grip on fear. Tears of joy accompany me. Remembering. Trusting. Opening to Spirit, opening to abundance. Abundance is Love and Love is always there when I am ready to allow It in. My old thought was, "Let me be worthy of love, joy, peace." That is, let me earn God’s approval. My new belief is, "I am. God is. God is Love. I am Love. I am unified in God’s Love."

My "Abundance Awareness" Experience -- by Rev. Nancy Moore

The holiest of all the spots on earth is where an ancient hatred has become a present love. A Course in Miracles, T-26.IX.6:1

I’ve observed that most mind healing partners in the Pathways Home Study Programs are couples, close friends, or a synchronistic long distance match. But my mind healing partner is someone with whom I’ve been in a lot of conflict. In the past there has been blame, dishonesty, and other perceived forms of attack. There were times when I found it difficult to be in the same room with this person. There has been much opportunity for healing in this relationship.

I was surprised when this person suggested we partner for the Abundance Awareness ACIM Home Study Program, several weeks before the introduction of this program. My internal reaction was, "Whoa, Nellie." I couldn’t even give an answer for a moment. Then I suggested we wait awhile to decide. (Hmm..it seems Inner Guidance was already working through this person.)

As I had time to think about it, I realized that this could be a way for us to work on our issues and bring true healing between us. I consulted with Holy Spirit and received a "yes" answer. "Oh... this will be a stretch," I thought to myself.

The day of the program arrived. I perceived that some folks were surprised to see these "enemies," wounded ones, partnering. With all the other enthusiastic participants around and the exciting charge of energy, the experience went smoothly for us. But after that day, we were on our own.

We’ve worked together on Abundance Awareness several times a week during the last month. For my part I’ve experienced tension, nervous chatter, blaming, and bringing up the past. One time, early on, I considered saying, "NO. I quit. This is too hard. I prefer to find another partner!" What was disturbing me was my own reactions. I wanted to run away from myself. I asked for Spirit’s guidance. The answer was clear, "Stay with it."

As we use this wonderful material to process, we both can sense the power of it, and our commitment to this strength is solidified. My "enemy" and I are opening to a trust that is beyond our own fears. The sharing, which was guarded in the beginning, is becoming more comfortable. I feel a shift.

The abundance has manifested in other ways too. We’ve occasionally included a fun activity with our study sessions. One warm (December in Wisconson!) day we sat on a blanket at the beach and studied the lessons together. We incorporated a long quiet walk down the beach together, to reflect on the lessons. Then we shared our insights. Several times we’ve each cooked a meal for the other before settling in for our studies. In this way we are integrating Abundance Awareness into our style of reviewing the material and in giving and receiving.

Yes, the healing is happening. We are becoming good friends. We each have the other to sit quietly with, to facilitate being teachers of God, as equals. This, for me, is the learning and teaching of forgiveness. I know this healing will extend out to all my relationships. The Miracle is happening.

Quotation is from A Course in Miracles, © copyright 1975, 1985 & 1992, Foundation for Inner Peace, P.O. Box 598, Mill Valley, CA 94942. Page references are First Edition/Second Edition. A Course in Miracles is a registered trademark and ACIM is a trademark of the Foundation for Inner Peace.

Instant Manifestation -- by Rev. Susan Paige

Remember when we thought or wished for something and it seemed like forever before it happened in our lives? If we look at our lives lately, we notice that what we think and say comes into manifestation much sooner. Energy follows thought so energy also follows what we say. Since there seems to be shorter time lags, what we think and say now manifests in an instant, whether what we think is of a positive nature or not. As I look around me, I have observed many examples of this sudden manifesting.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who came into my office who does metaphysical work. She was thinking of becoming a minister and was seeking advice from me on a possible spiritual school. I shared information with her about Pathways Spiritual College which I attended to receive my ordained ministerial certification. During our conversation, a phone call came to me from a person who needed someone to perform a ceremony and they did not necessarily need an ordained minister. I was not available and asked my friend if she would like to fill in for me, and she said yes. When I hung up the phone I said to my friend, "You certainly manifested that fast." We don't realize how powerful we are when we put the energy of our words and thoughts out to the universe.

Our thoughts and words are very powerful. I just witnessed this with a male friend who recently began a relationship with a woman. This friend was still not secure in the relationship and every time his new woman friend did not return his calls right away he believed and remarked to me that she probably was spending time with other men. These comments went on consistently for weeks. At the end of these weeks his comments, which are also thoughts, created just that. His new found woman friend had found another man. My friend manifested his fear which he thought and expressed in words.

I have another friend who is an executive in a large corporation. She was unhappy with her job and was planning to leave it, but she had fears about having enough money if she left. Instead of dwelling on her fears, she prayed on it, surrendering it to the Source of Love within her. Three hours later she found out that in a month she would be vested and could sell her stock in the company, which amounted to $60,000, which was just about her salary for the year.

These stories show that our thoughts can be very powerful, whether they are beneficial or not. Knowing this, we can focus on seeing ourselves filled with Universal Love. By being self-embracing in a state of Love, our thoughts can only be of love and can only align with all things beautiful for us.

Lifting the Veil to Peace -- by Rev. Nancy Moore

After a week or so of seeming conflict, I was aware that I was unable to "find" my joy. Since I'd often been able to reclaim a foundation of joy, I knew that I didn't have to settle for continuing in conflict.

Then one day I noticed that my cryptic comments had gotten out of hand again. There were several people in the firing line, but my remarks were addressed toward one person. My perception was that my remarks were received as "Get this woman out of here." And I perceived in his eyes a dozen prison gates go down, sound effects included.

I went away feeling awful. "There, I did it again," I thought to myself. "Irreverence for a group's idea of how to enjoy a Sunday afternoon." I'd done the same thing two weeks before, with the same feelings of beating myself up. In the meantime, I'd actually done some healing around this aspect and was surprised and disappointed to watch it surface again. So I went for a walk continuing my dialog. The self-judgments rose up: "What's wrong with you? Can't you keep your mouth shut?"

I tried to get peaceful... I repeated the day's lesson from A Course in Miracles (347) over and over. "Anger must come from judgment. Judgment is the weapon I would use against myself, to keep the miracle away from me." I asked Holy Spirit to help me and allowed peace to come into my energy.

Then I received an answer: "It's not at all what I said, but it's my holding on to my perception! I’m not extending love and I'm hanging on to the pain!" I received more insight on this thinking later in the day. A friend shared that, to her ego, guilt is a good thing -- that if she feels guilty enough, she feels good and righteous. And that gives her permission to repeat the "sin" over again! So that's why I didn't break out of my pattern. I felt guilty enough to repeat it over and over. As long as I held on to it, I would live in fear around the people involved and stay in the shadows. I would hide and hold up my defenses, closing my prison gates. When I thought perhaps they'd forgotten, and I thought I'd forgiven myself, I would make an appearance again. But I really hadn't forgiven myself, so the energy would build up again and come out in an inappropriate way.

When I remembered, "I cannot harm nor be harmed," my joy returned. I experienced strength and clarity. That gave me the courage to return and share this insight with the person involved in my drama. He shared that he also received healing from hearing my story. And what was it I perceived in his eyes? I perceived what I wanted to perceive.

A lot of healing has come out of seeing my pattern of sarcasm and guilt. Seeing so clearly the significance guilt plays in this pattern helps me observe where I get stuck. In the future, I can release the guilt immediately and the whole insanity will be dissolved. The veil to peace is lifted.

Gratitude • Finding My True Self • My "Abundance Awareness" Experience • Instant Manifestation • Lifting the Veil to Peace • More Winter '99 Miracles News