Inspiration for Healing Through Changing Your Mind --The articles in this newsletter are written by people from around the world who are taking their perceived problems to the Holy Spirit, and sharing their miracles stories of how their thoughts are being healed.

Guilty! --by Amelia Cavosora

That was the rallying cry of many of my countrymen in the Philippines, during four days in January. Congress had impeached our president, Joseph Estrada, and his trial before the Senate was being telecast live since December. I myself had become hooked to the live TV coverage of the impeachment trial that would begin at 2 p.m. and end around 8 or 9 p.m. I found it the most exciting soap opera.

In mid-January, after noting my reaction to the impeachment trial, where ego was subtly making me believe in the soap opera, I decided to quit watching what had fast become the nation's most-watched TV show. Negative feelings were rising from within me whenever I'd see the defense lawyers and the senators who, while supposedly impartial as judges, were perceived to be partial to acquitting the president. That was likely because I was joining the side of the prosecution.

The afternoon of January 16, I did my best not to turn on the TV. I was doing Course 908: Abundance Awareness, which I considered timely as the political situation was affecting our economy, with the local currency at its all-time low against the US dollar. Later in the afternoon I switched on the TV, just to see what was happening. The prosecution panel, made up of congressmen with legal background, was asking the 21 senator-judges to approve the opening of an envelope which they said contained crucial evidence. As the trial dragged on till the evening, the senators finally voted, 11 against the opening of the envelope. The prosecution's private lawyers walked out with the rest of the gallery watchers even before the trial was adjourned.

That night, protesters against the majority "No" vote gathered at the corner of a major highway called EDSA, which had been the historic site of the People Power "revolution" in 1986. At that very same corner 15 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos converged to stop military tanks sent by then President Marcos against a group of generals who had withdrawn their support from him and his twenty-year rule, most of it under martial law. I myself was one of those who actually held on to a tank to stop it from advancing, while others sat in front of it, praying. In a few days President Marcos was peacefully deposed, and I graduated from college with the rest of my generation called "martial law babies."

This time, people were gathering in the same spot in EDSA, which was now a Catholic shrine marking the 1986 "revolution" and right beside it was a shopping mall. The "martial law babies" were raising their fists and voices alongside the "Gen-X" who helped spread the word of the rally through text messages via cell phone technology.

I heard about the growing number of rallyists as I continued monitoring the news that night on TV and radio, and received text messages on my cell phone from a lot of my friends who were joining the mass action. I had a strong feeling that we were at a turning point again. True enough, as thousands more rallyists started arriving the next day, the 17th of January, the event was being called People Power II, or as TIME magazine would call it later, the sequel. There were also other protest rallies being held in other parts of the nation, in the archipelago's three major islands, making it more widespread than the first People Power at EDSA.

There I was at home, a former student activist, with memories of the past People Power rushing in my mind. My insane mind was actively working, seeing my brothers in conflict among themselves, with one big group shouting that Estrada was guilty, and they likewise condemned the 11 senators who voted against opening the envelope earlier. Holy Spirit whispered to me, "God's Son is guiltless," and I knew I couldn't join the rallyists who were all raising their fists thumbs down and shouting "Guilty!"

I noted that ego was doing its best to wrap me up in the ongoing political situation, making me grapple with finding a way to explain my decision to stay home. The EDSA camp-out was just a twenty-minute ride from my place, after all, and it wasn't as though I hadn't done this before. My mother, who was in the US at that time, phoned and I told her I was too old to be sleeping on the concrete road at night. I avoided calling friends and relatives so I wouldn't have to explain my decision.

That night, as the rallyists grew in number, and the president held on to his post despite calls for his resignation, I opened my workbook for 908: Abundance Awareness, and saw the section I was set to do next: "Abundance Awareness is Coming Back to Truth." I was asked to turn to page 115 of the Text, which discussed about differences in form, which do not matter to the miracle-minded. With relief I immediately wrote down in my notes that I was being bothered with the political differences in my country.

Then I was asked to bring my concern to the Holy Spirit, who reminded me that in each of my brothers involved in the "conflict," there existed the same Divine Spark, with the same Light and Love shining out from within each one and myself. I saw the 21 senator-judges as I'd seen them seated during the impeachment trial, and Holy Spirit showed the Divine Sparks within each one, shining out to join with one another and myself.

Then I saw the major political figures involved facing each other, also with the Divine Light from within shining out to merge with each other. They were lovely visions, and Holy Spirit asked me that every time I'd see my "conflicting" brothers on TV, to see the Light from within them shining out to connect with one another and with myself. Afterward I felt better and peaceful and I thanked Holy Spirit for being gentle with me. I didn't feel any guilt at all.

Those four days in January were a major test for me as an ACIM student, yet since I chose to see the situation differently, Holy Spirit helped me as expected. As the EDSA rally continued to grow in number on the 18th, I felt confirmed with my decision to stay home and be neutral as much as possible. I continued with my Abundance Awareness lessons and my studies of the Text and the Workbook which I was doing concurrently. Before going to sleep, I had a powerful meditation where I saw the two opposing sides as one, loving each other in joy, and I felt Light, and I saw Light as golden, bright with silver streams.

The next day, the 19th, since I was also doing the Text's Chapter 30, about the Rules for Decision, I really wanted to have a happy day. I did not watch TV that day. I was on the porch reading Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love when a neighbor walked by to tell me that the military had just switched sides to support the EDSA rallyists, and officially withdrew their support from Estrada. I turned on the TV again, but this time consciously choosing to see my brothers as one, my brother-President Estrada as innocent, and seeing the Divine Light from within everyone. Whenever I'd see the mass of rallyists at EDSA I'd see them as waves of Light merging together in peace and Love. I stayed up all night with the TV on, meditating and looking past the illusion of conflict among my brothers, choosing to see Love and peace prevailing, with each one reveling in the other's innocence...

In the afternoon of January 20, without much violence except for some stone-throwing, President Estrada left the presidential palace with his family, and our Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in as our 14th President.

After those four days of People Power II, as we all strove to get back to "normal," I continued meditating, focusing on our former President and the eleven senator-judges who had voted against opening the envelope and unwittingly began the sequel to the 1986 "revolution." I continue to trust Holy Spirit to likewise guide my country's new government officials.

Click here to email Amelia.

No Exceptions to the Rule --by Rev. Deb Frantz

Many times in our lives we go along following the principles of A Course in Miracles very simply, on a very easy living level. We become proud of our minor adjustments and shifts in perception. We think that we are being excellent Course students by reading the Text, doing the Workbook Lessons, participating in study groups, and continuing to further our spiritual growth by other means, but then a serious situation occurs and our faith in the principles are truly put to the test. I do not mean what we perceive to be as "minor" situations, for you see that is just that --perception. But what about "crisis" situations, perceived crisis in this world of form? What about situations that rock your core beliefs?

I had this occur not too long ago. From the ego perspective, it should have completely devastated me, renounced my faith in God and of course prove that the ego was right. An emotional bomb hit and the ego rejoiced with glee. The old "I told you so" routine. Does one then recoil from their spiritual beliefs when this occurs? Well, this time, this situation is different, you say. Is that the end then of your spiritual journey? Was it mine?

No! It was yet another opportunity presented for me to continue to put into application the principles of A Course in Miracles, which has been my personal goal for some time. I have complete confidence that it works. I have seen it. I know it. It is all in the application, that is the key word here. As the Course says, "This is not a course in the play of ideas, but in their practical application." (T-11.VIII.5:3)

If one believes that there are exceptions, then in your mind there are and you truly do not understand how it works. When the Course states, "There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not 'harder' or 'bigger' than another. They are all the same." (T-1.I.1-3) and, "Yet it is when judgment ceases that healing occurs, because only then it can be understood that there is no order of difficulty in healing." (P-3.II.7) .......it is so. Believe this and you are free. Believe otherwise and you are still locked in the world of illusion.

I have seen many miracles occur throughout our situation because of my belief in no exceptions and that "miracles are natural." (T-1.I.6) Once I moved to that stance, it did not matter what other individuals, family members or professionals said or did. I was at peace and I still am, for I know God works. God works because I allow Him to. I become the conduit of His Love. I choose Love for I know it will heal me. I choose forgiveness for I know It will release me. I choose peace for I know it will save me.

What is there to be saved from? My mind. Jesus tells us that, "As a loving brother I am deeply concerned with your mind, and urge you to follow my example as you look at yourself and at your brother, and see in both the glorious creations of a glorious Father." (T-4.IV.9) Previous to this he tells us, "I have said that you cannot change your mind by changing your behavior, but I have also said, and many times, that you can change your mind. When your mood tells you that you have chosen wrongly, and this is so whenever you are not joyous, then know this need not be." (T-4.IV.2:1-2)

This year I am co-moderator for an Internet Workbook discussion group. We work through the Workbook together, sharing daily on our progress, our thoughts, our doubts, our concerns and our joys. The Workbook is the key to changing our minds.

Once you train your mind, you see only the certainty of healing in a "crisis" situation. One does not know what form the outcome will take. You cannot be attached to the form. Rather put peace and healing as the outcome before you, and you will certainly have it. That is the beauty of the Course in action. You will see the transformations. It does work, it will work in complete application of all matters in your life. In the construct of ACIM™, there are no exceptions. Believe this and you step into the Real World. I could tell you of my situation, but it does not matter, for you see if I discussed it here, your ego may make many judgments and feel that this would be that one exception in your own life.

Know that there is only One, and that One is God. The One that can help you through it, if only you ask. Ask of Him today to help you to release the outcome of your situation. Ask Him for his help to release the control and tension you yourself have put on it. Ask that His will be done. This you can do. It may not feel easy to do, or many emotions may surround you like clouds. Feelings are okay, feel them, acknowledge them and then gently move past them for they are just feelings. See God patiently waiting for you to come to Him. Envision yourself handing over the entire situation, the feelings, the thoughts, the fears, to Him. And He will gladly take it, that is certain. Nothing is too big for God. To Him, there are no exceptions. Click here to join the Internet discussion group.

Click here to email Deb Frantz.

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Does Someone in Your Life Tick You Off? --by Diane Diller

For me, forgiveness means letting go of the hard feelings I hold for a person or situation. By "letting go of hard feelings" I mean discovering that I don't feel uncomfortable, uneasy, upset, hurt, angry, irritated (or whatever the feeling was) anymore about him/her/it. Personally, I don't like the way those feelings feel. Even if I believe I'm "right" and "justified," I feel not-at-peace inside, and that doesn't feel good. But what do I do to change those feelings?

I came across a forgiveness exercise the other day, which I have been using. It's helping me let go of some hard feelings, so I wanted to pass it along. The exercise I read about suggested using the 23rd Psalm (you know, the one that starts with "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...") for this purpose -- except, change the pronoun from first person singular, to plural. So "my" becomes "our" and "I" becomes "we." And think of a person you hold hard feelings about while you say it, which thereby includes him/her in it.

I decided to give it a try. As much as I like the 23rd Psalm, though, there are some statements in A Course In Miracles that speak even more to my heart. So, instead, I did this exercise using some of them, changing the I's to we's.

The person I chose is a woman I work with, whom I have a lot of judgements about. She irritates me because of all the "wrong" things she does on the job (namely, socializing more than working) and I was finding myself resenting her more and more.

Here are the Truth statements I used:

• We are as God created us. (Lessons 94, 110, 162, etc.)
• God is but love, and therefore, so are we. (Lessons 171-180)
• Love, which created us, is what we are. (Lesson 229)

• We are part of God and we are very holy. (based on Lesson 35)
• Eternal holiness abides in us. (Lesson 299)
• We walk with God in perfect holiness. (Lesson 156)
• Now are we one with Him, who is our Source. (Lesson 164)
• The peace of God is shining in us now. (Lesson 188)
• I feel the love of God within us now. (Lesson 189)
• We are the holy Son of God himself. (Lesson 191)

I closed my eyes and as I said each one, I allowed myself to connect with the feeling of peace the statement brought me to -- and I imagined her with me. I allowed myself to connect with the feeling of each statement being true for both of us. And by the time I was done, I felt a wonderful sense of peace and love for her. The shift was quite amazing! It did me a whole lot of good to focus on our connection as part of God, as part of Love, for a change, instead of on certain work behaviors. I had put away the finger I had been shaking at her, and instead I felt joined with her in a soft and peaceful way.

It was such a relief to see her this way, instead of as a "bad" person. It was such a relief to move beyond our seeming differences and, instead, feel our connection. It was such a relief to see the Truth instead of appearances!

The job performance issue still needs to be dealt with, but I feel my heart has softened toward her -- I have let go of some hard feelings. And, surely, that's going to flavor our interaction for the better. But what I like the most is that I now feel more peaceful inside -- and I love it when that happens! Thank you, God!

Click here to email Diane.

Out of the Stillness --by June Willey

Out of the stillness of my meditation,
A voice from Heaven proclaimed:

I am Heaven's doorway
from this vale of sorrow's tears,
I will lift you to a place
beyond your fears.
Just hold my hand and
I will take you to this wonderland,
If you believe in 'Me,'
then so it shall be unto thee.

There is a Land, my children,
beyond these mortal dreams,
For what you see is just what
seems to be, and not Reality.
So, come with 'Me.'
I will change your vision
To a place in Paradise,
Unfolding Angel's eyes.

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