Pathways of Light Miracles News, Spring '99, p.1

Releasing a Barrier to Love • Remembering the Light • Life Is Eternal • I Love You and I Know You Love Me • More Spring '99 Miracles News
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Miracles News Spring 1999

Releasing a Barrier to Love -- by Rev. Robert Stoelting

The process of waking up to Who we are is a process of letting go of the barriers to Love which we hold in our minds. Those barriers seem to take many forms such as fear, low self-esteem, anger, frustration, guilt, sadness, defensiveness... it seems the list could be endless. Likewise, the manifestations of these barriers can take many forms: disease, addictions, troubled relationships, money troubles, accidents... name your form!

In 1994, a small group of us decided to join in an intensive study of A Course in Miracles. We met as often as five days a week for two to four hours to read, discuss and see how we could apply its principles in our daily life. The Course suggests that the undoing of our barriers to Love requires a willingness to question everything we believe, everything we think is true. After about five months of this concentrated focus on the Course, my willingness was getting 'tired.' I was tired of change. I wanted to rest and escape into my private world where I wouldn't have to look at my stuff.

But there was another part of me that saw the benefit of the inner work that I was doing, the healing and the deeper levels of peace I was experiencing. That part recognized that I was just facing one more barrier that I needed to move past for my healing. So I decided to use the Pathways of Light Accessing Inner Wisdom Counseling process to help me move past the barrier that seemed too strong for me to pass through without help.

In the first step of the Accessing Inner Wisdom Counseling, the person is guided to look at the thoughts and feelings which make up the barrier to the awareness of Love's Presence. These thoughts and feelings come from the past and do not necessarily have a logical connection with the circumstances. When these thoughts and feelings are allowed to be fully expressed, the individual is then guided to connect with the wise inner Teacher Who helps him see the situation differently and transform it with Love through mental imagery. It may be described as a holy instant in which the person lets go of the past so he can see the Light of the present.

Following is a transcript of my experience of going through this process. It was a very meaningful experience for me. Perhaps it may be helpful to you.

The Barrier

I have a cold. I just want to rest. It seems like the work will never end. It seems like I can’t do anything right, that I am wrong. It means that everything that gave me security is disappearing. It doesn’t seem that there is any place to turn for help. Every time I think I have found help, it says that’s not true either. Everything I thought was real is disappearing. I can’t count on anything any more. Everything is falling apart. It’s getting more and more scary.

All this struggling makes me ache all over and gives me a headache. It used to be that I could count on at least some things staying the way they were, but now its looking more and more like nothing is staying stable—like everything is evaporating and all I am left with is air.

At this point the Accessing Inner Wisdom Counselor guided me to connect with my inner Teacher.

A Healing Metaphor

I saw an image of a stick in the mud. It was surrounded by mud and sunken deeply into it. Yet within sight was a clear stream, surrounded by beautiful flowers and strong trees. What was identifying itself as the stick rotting in the mud wasn’t a stick at all. It only thought it was a stick. So it did’t think it had any choice but to stay stuck in the mud, knowing it would eventually rot away and disappear into the mud.

A figure that seemed to be a man came along. He saw the stick and pulled it out of the mud. He carried it over to the crystal clear stream and held it in the stream. The stream became muddy for a while as the mud washed off the stick. But with the continuous flow of water, the stick was washed clean and the water surrounding it became clear again.

The man took the clean stick out of the water and sat with it beside the stream, leaning against a tree. He looked at the stick as he held it in his hands. The stick became more uncertain and nervous than ever because everything that it thought was important had been completely washed away. The mud had seemed to support it and keep it safe.

As the figure continued to look at the stick in his hands, the stick became aware that the man was seeing it differently. He was not seeing it as a stick. At first this was even more scary to the stick, for it had been thinking it was a stick for a long time. Yet there was something about the man’s gaze that was comforting. The stick began to relax. The man continued to gaze at the stick while it rested gently in his hands.

Gradually, the stick began to consider the possibility that maybe it really wasn’t a stick. That was a startling thought! He struggled to hang on to his image of himself as a stick. Yet, under the man’s loving gaze, the image of the stick grew fainter and fainter.

Part of the stick was afraid, because he seemed to be losing his identity. Yet he was also beginning to feel a sense of peace that he had never experienced before. The feeling of peace began to get the stick’s attention. As it stopped trying to hold on to the stick image, the feeling of peace grew much stronger. The stick felt the comfort and safety of resting in the man’s hands. And the feeling of peace grew. He felt more rested and at ease than he coul ever remember feeling.

Now the man stood up, holding the stick. He walked up the stream a little way to a place where there was a quiet pool. He held the stick above the reflecting water and told the stick to look at its reflection in the water. The stick looked at the water. He could see the reflection of the man’s hands, but he didn’t see a stick.

The stick said to the man, "I don’t see myself. All I see in your hands is light." "That’s you," the man replied. "That’s who you were all along. You only thought you were a stick." For a long time, the stick looked at the reflection of the light. This was a very different image, far from anything he had ever imagined. He remembered being a strong branch on a big tree long ago, but nothing like this had ever entered his mind.

After a while, the man said, "Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to be Light?" The stick answered, "Yes."

Before his eyes, the man turned into Light. Startled, the stick-light said, "You mean you are Light, too?" "Yes the man-light answered. I only took the form of a man because I knew that you could understand that." The man-light grew bigger and brighter.

He invited the stick-light to join with him. The stick-light asked, "How do I do that?" "Just bring your Light close to me, until you feel we are touching," the man-light replied. So the stick-light did. He began to become aware of a growing sense of expansiveness that was simultaneously very peaceful and joyful.

Eventually he realized that his Light form was no longer separate from the man-light. Their joined Light was expanding more and more. This was very different than being a stick in the mud. In fact, it felt very free. There was no limit to the Light. It encompassed everything.

The stick-light no longer felt like a separate identity. The thought came to him that this is who he had been all along. It was so peaceful and so joyful that he felt a deep desire to share the feeling.

As soon as he thought of sharing the feeling, it occurred to him that he could take on a form like the man and find others who believe they have a limited identity like he had and help them recognize their true Light. He decided to do that.

The moment he made the decision, he became aware of many other formless, limitless beings of Light surrounding him. They were singing a song of praise and celebration, a song of welcome and support. They were singing, "Welcome home great Light, welcome back to the family of Light. We are joined in extending our Light to our sleeping brothers who don’t remember their Light. Praise be to the Light from which we come and which we Are, indivisible, unlimited, all encompassing. With each reunion, our Light grows stronger and our completeness is remembered."

Epilogue

The cold went away and I was able to continue healing and releasing more barriers to Love. Thank you for being part of my awakening.

Remembering the Light -- by Rev. Derek Dube

Recently, while reading my daily lesson from A Course In Miracles, I experienced a wonderful moment of 'real-ization.' Lesson 75, "The light has come," filled me with joy, light, peace and truth. To me, "The light has come" means I am awakening to or remembering Who I really am. That's what the Light is: a knowing deep inside of true understanding. Light shines its radiance on all illusion to reveal the truth to us -- the truth that is always there, but seems to be hidden by our false beliefs in fear, guilt, shame, anger and judgment. Light exposes these unrealities for what they are... "weird imaginings."

When we "fall for" the deceptive comfort that fear offers us, we are casting shadows on the truth. The first step back into the light is awareness -- seeing what we are doing to ourselves. As we begin to let go (forgive) these false images of ourselves, we allow the light to shine and extend peace into our lives and the lives of everyone else. The mistaken ideas about ourselves are not true, no matter how many years we have chosen to hold onto them.

The light has come means... Now. It means I have permission to let go of the past. It means seeing the past as a mirage. I choose to see the past as a transparent movie, an image on a screen. The movie consists of a script that I can edit and rewrite. I am the writer, director, producer and star of my own story. Wow!!! That's encouraging and reassuring. I don't have to continue acting out my old habits or holding onto my old beliefs. Just because I believed falsely in the past -- pertaining to unworthiness, low self-image, shame, prejudices, pain and suffering, sacrifice, impatience, victimhood and unfairness -- does not make these beliefs true. That's the beauty of it all. It's the key. I was simply mistaken. I believed in lies. That's changed now -- the light has come. I have forgiven the world. The light has come. I have forgiven you. The light has come. I have forgiven myself.

Life Is Eternal -- by Rev. Maxine S. Stoelting

Mom was dying. I knew it even without the doctor's verification. Her breath whistled irregularly through her half-opened lips. Her fine skin was waxen. This small, frail body was my mother. I found myself rejecting the thought.

“Mom? Mom --” I whispered and took her delicate hand in mine. It felt cool and limp, but her eyelids fluttered and I caught a glimpse of the unfaded blue of her eyes. I shouldn't call her back, I thought remorsefully. She had been an invalid so long. She wanted to be free of the confines of her paralyzed body.

How often we talked of the Kingdom of Heaven. She was so confident of Eternal Life. She seemed in the sweetness of her spirit to know God intimately. Her assurance that not only would she continue life, but that she would join her loved ones who had preceded her in death, stemmed from her close contact with the Master through prayer and quiet meditation. She eagerly looked forward to greater freedom to serve the Master in the Kingdom. She had loved and served Him on earth, she would love and serve Him in Heaven. I longed for her confidence. If only I could know. Like doubting Thomas, I needed more tangible proof.

Suddenly her breath caught -- stopped -- and then came again. Her dying breath? I realized my mother was dying. I thought of the words of Jesus: "in my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you..." I knew it was true and I was sure He would not prepare a place for us if life did not continue in our Father's Kingdom. "I believe, forgive mine unbelief."

I bowed my head at my mother's bedside, still clinging to her hand -- a hand that had comforted me gently many times. I prayed, silently, sincerely for light -- for reassurance. I closed my eyes against the pressure of tears. If only Mom could tell me. I could almost hear her say: "But I can, dear, I really can. I'm right here. Can't you see me?" But I couldn't hear her. I couldn't see her -- not yet, anyway. I could only wonder and try to imagine what might be taking place. It must be like being born. Yes! Surely..................

She felt herself floating, lifting free from her body. She wanted to hang on a little longer -- long enough to prove to her daughter that she was a living being -- not dying. What could she do? She looked about her hopefully. There beside her stood her own mother, radiant, and beautiful.

"Mother! You've come for me. It's true! We do keep on living. Oh, I knew it."

"Peace be with you, daughter. Of course, we continue in life." She smiled. "Let's see what we can do to comfort Maxine before I take you to meet the Master."

"Oh, yes, I want her to know that I live and am happy and free. Tell me what to do."

"Be patient. Let your love pour over her as she holds your hand and prays. Magnify her prayer that she may see you as a vision born of God."

"She's lifted her head. She's looking at me!" She clapped her hands with joy. "Maxine sees me -- oh, praise God, she sees me. She'll never doubt again!"......................

Suddenly the rasping breath ceased altogether and I raised my head. Then I saw my mother. Someone was with her. Her face was radiant -- beautiful. She clapped her hands joyfully and I heard her merry laugh as she faded from my sight.

Mother lived! I no longer had any doubts as I gently pulled the cover over the still form on the bed.

I Love You and I Know You Love Me -- by Rev. Christine Anderson

My daughter, Kay Marie, and I are sacred phone buddies. Our relationship continues to grow over the telephone because she lives out of state in Tennessee. One day I called her to have our weekly touch in and she shared with me that she was troubled over her relationship with her husband, Larry. They had been having some challenging times in their relationship, which is of course a good place for love to be discovered.

I took a deep breath to get peaceful as I listened to her share her story. The night before Larry had asked her if she knew that he loved her. Her reply to him was, "No, I don't think you do." In our ongoing conversation, I sensed her pain. I realized both of them probably did not feel loved. I heard the discouragement in her voice as she wondered how things could get back on track again.

When she was done sharing about her situation, I asked her if she could recall ways that her husband was loving. She responded, "He is a good husband and father, and a hard worker. He is really there for me and takes an active interest in our family and home. Mom, I think it's just that things are a little overwhelming right now."

From a place of peace, I asked Holy Spirit, "How can I truly be helpful in this moment to my daughter?" The thought came to me to ask her, "Do you really think that Larry loves you?" There was a silence at the other end of the line as she thought a moment. She replied, "Yes, I know he loves me." Then I asked her, "Do you love Larry?" She didn’t have to think about that one very long. She replied, "Yes, I do love Larry." Then I asked her if she would be willing to share this awareness with him. She said she would call him on his lunch hour.

I talked to her later and she shared that when he answered the telephone, she said, "Larry, I know I love you and I know you love me." There was a silence at the other end of the line. "Larry, are you still there?” she asked. "Yes I am Kay, and I’m coming home for lunch." A short while later, in he came with lunch and a big smile on his face. When my daughter shared this miracle story with me, I felt a heavenly smile from my head to my toes. Yippee! Love always works!

This is a wonderful reminder for us to freely express our love today and experience the miracle for ourselves. When the perfect way to extend love comes to your mind through the guidance of Holy Spirit, follow through and express the love. That is why you are here! Don’t be afraid. The Love you are is a gift from God. Give the Gift and see that giving is truly receiving. Everyone wins. Love goes where it’s invited and it is at home everywhere. There is no place where God is not.

Releasing a Barrier to Love • Remembering the Light • Life Is Eternal • I Love You and I Know You Love Me • More Spring '99 Miracles News