Pathways of Light Miracles News, Spring '99, p.2

To Accept Forgiveness • Recognizing I Have a Choice • Divine Mileage • Joys of Partnering • Love and Forgiveness • More Spring '99 Miracles News
Click here to email a link to this page to your friends.

Miracles News Spring 1999

To Accept Forgiveness -- by Rev. Kevin L. Fields

"To err is human... to forgive Divine..." the saying goes. Yet, what is this Divine attribute that we call forgiveness and how do we begin to allow ourselves the right to have it, and give it? One of the core lessons in perceptual change that we learn at Pathways is to forgive -- ourselves and others. It is in the act of forgiving that we find, and experience, one of the greatest measures of spiritual freedom and growth. For when we forgive from the heart with no intention of anything in return, we give of ourselves, to ourselves and the entire scope of life. This is one of the most important, if not the most important, lessons taught by spiritual masters. When forgiveness is given unconditionally, we are all carried to greater and greater heights of compassion and understanding of one another.

As we have begun to see through our studies, we learn through our life experiences. My growth experiences have blessed me with a greater and greater sense of insight and compassion for others in the middle of their path of life. This is true in consideration of the attribute of forgiveness.

For me, in this life experience, I had to learn and accept the fact that I was, and am, worthy of forgiveness. First, I had to forgive myself. Then I could truly begin to forgive others who taught me lessons along the way. Forgiveness was coming to a place where I recognized and became aware that at any given time, in any given experience, I was doing the very best I could with the information I had at the time. This in turn gave me the awareness that this same thing was true for all of us. In this awareness there is no room for justification or condemnation. When this point in awareness is reached and the mistaken perception is recognized, unconditional love comes rushing in to fill the void and create a new pair of eyes with which to see ourselves and those around us.

A Course in Miracles teaches us that, "Forgiveness is my function as the Light of the world." The Course reminds us, "It is your forgiveness that will bring the world of darkness to the Light." By remembering that life is experienced from the inside out, it is apparent that by forgiving ourselves, we forgive others.

In my experience, forgiving myself was a conscious decision that moved from my head to my heart. This is the longest journey that any of us will make. This happened for me only after years of believing in the illusion created by ego, which told me I was unworthy of love and forgiveness. Still, the Light of Truth melted away this illusion as the sun melts away the winter's snow. I know now that we are all worthy of divine Love and forgiveness, and this realization always begins within.

Years of self-abuse, shame, guilt and remorse were transformed into an understanding which I find today invaluable in my ministry with others on the path. For who is better able to understand the darkness created by ego than one who has found the Light of Spirit within? By the simple act of forgiveness, a new reality opened up for me and all that I am blessed enough to come into contact with.

I would like to share a quote I recently read on forgiveness form White Eagle: "Forgive my children. Forgive whatever is in your heart, however hard you may feel towards another soul, possibly with justification by material standards: pray to forgive. As soon as you feel forgiveness in your own heart, you release yourself from the bondage of your karma." I believe that this beautiful wisdom must begin with ourselves so that we may give it out to the world in ever increasing waves of love, compassion and understanding.

Recognizing I Have a Choice -- by Rev. Mary Stoelting

As I sat down to write this article, I asked myself, What am I learning? What has been the theme of my current life lessons? And the answer came quickly to mind: You are learning about your power of choice. You are learning to recognize that you are always choosing whether to see through the eyes of separation or the eyes of oneness. You are always choosing whether to hold the ego's hand and see separation or Holy Spirit's hand and see oneness.

"Each day, each hour and minute, even each second, you are deciding between the crucifixion and the resurrection; between the ego and the Holy Spirit. The ego is the choice for guilt; the Holy Spirit the choice for guiltlessness. The power of decision is all that is yours. What you can decide between is fixed, because there are no alternatives except truth and illusion." A Course in Miracles, T-14.III.4.1-4

Most of the time I am not aware that I am making a choice. As I continue to work with living the principles of A Course in Miracles, I am learning to recognize who's hand I am holding by the level of peace I am experiencing. I am learning to ask myself, "How peaceful am I right now? Could I be more peaceful?" When the answer is "yes," I am learning to make it a habit to step back, take a deep breath and relax. I am learning to remember the energy of "ease."

To help me with building this habit, I have made posters for each room which say, EASE... They remind me to step back and relax many times a day. I am finding that this constant reminder helps me to step back and remember that I am always making a choice. The next step is to remember to choose peace, which strengthens my awareness of my connection with my true Self.

"Think not you understand anything until you pass the test of perfect peace, for peace and understanding go together and never can be found alone. Each brings the other with it, for it is the law of God they be not separate. They are cause and effect, each to the other, so where one is absent the other cannot be." T-14.XI.12.4-6

When I remember to choose peace, it is easier to remember that I am not alone. Of myself I can do nothing. The Holy Spirit is always with me, waiting to lead the way. Through peace, I open the door to listening to the truth within. I remember that all is well. No one can harm or be harmed. I am safe. I am innocent. I am loved. I am Home.

The ideas represented herein are the personal interpretation and understanding of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed by the copyright holder of A Course in Miracles.

Divine Mileage -- by Jacqueline Gnodtke-Blackwell

God lives in my gas tank.
I call it universal flow.
My life is one big green light,
Wherever I may go.

Others seem to get pulled over,
Some accidents occur.
And my own light vehicle
is just a passing blur.

My endless supply of energy
Is effortless, you know.
Direction comes through inspiration --
I simply ask before I go!

Joys of Partnering -- by Revs. Nancy Moore and Paula Marie Smigun

Paula Marie and I had a profound experience in our study group of 908: Abundance Awareness. We took turns facilitating for each other a process called "What do you really want?" We each got strong messages, but how we got there was what stood out to me. We each would not have gotten past our comfort zone and to the deeper layer if the other hadn't intuited that there was more. Paula Marie said, "....that's all, no, I don't think there's more." I wasn't so sure. Let's just try it. "OK." Well, there really was the deeper layer.

Later I thought about the importance of joining for healing. And I had the thought of two people joining to write an article. I felt excited.

On Friday, I sat by the phone with the note to call Paula Marie. Oh, this is a goofy idea, she'll think I'm weird. I almost threw the note away. The message from Spirit though, was to call her. Paula Marie said, "Well.... I'll pray on it, and let you know at Monday night group."

Monday night she was all excited with ideas and asked when we could get together. I hesitated, and was hard to pin down on a time. She persisted and we set a time for the following afternoon. Our phone conversation:

P.M. -- "I'm not sure my ideas of last evening were what you were trying to convey. What were they?"

N. -- "How I need my friend, mind healing partner, to intuit my stretching and how that worked for us that evening."

P.M. -- "The experience of partnering, working and collaborating effectively together is something I desire but I do have some fear."

N. -- "What is your fear Paula Marie?"

P.M. -- "Fear of the unknown and exposing myself. In my heart I really want to write and to partner."

N. -- "My fear is initiating something, then not being able to do my part. Fear of failure."

P.M. -- "I feel a fear I won't be able to express myself in a clear and effective manner. Feelings of inadequacy."

N. -- "Fear of joining. I'll lose part of myself."

P.M. -- "What is your statement of purpose?"

N. -- "I really have the deep desire to join with your gifts to offer the gift of healing to others. BUT, (ego comes in with the but's) if this doesn't work it'll be like all the other ideas I've not carried out. It can be added to the heap of failures (guilt)."

P.M. -- "Fear of success?"

N. -- "Success means no guilt, and ego couldn't have that!"

P.M. -- "When you stated your purpose, I got real quiet inside and tears came to my eyes. I felt deeply touched in my Soul. I'm in agreement with you. This is what I want too. Our agreement gives our joint purpose strength, and strength overcomes fear. It was your strength and mine, as each went deeper."

N. -- "Ego would have said, 'Go on your merry way... that's all... that's enough.'"

P.M. -- "God is our strength and we allow it to be extended to each other. We extend the Love of God to each other."

Both -- "We give each other encouragement to continue. You can do this. We trust each other as our Self."

P.M. -- "Now my fear is of integrating it, of bringing it together."

N. -- "And mine is that I'll put it on my pile (of guilt) and not follow through on this beautiful process we've just done. Like, OK, I've brought you to the water's edge and I don't know how to drive the boat."

P.M. -- "I'm not sure I know how to drive it either! (We both laugh) WE'LL LET HOLY SPIRIT DRIVE IT!"

Love and Forgiveness -- by Rev. Therese Anne Ward

This morning I asked God how love and forgiveness are tied together and what came to me was, "Love is what you forgive in/with and to forgive is to extend love. Forgive -- that is what your made-up ego must do in order to return to the knowledge that you are Love."

Well, I thought, who is it that I'm supposed to forgive? First thought -- my husband, the man with whom I am dancing this journey. The one who can't help but mirror my projections and I his. The miracle here is that my perceptions of my projections are changing. And with the new perceptions, I realize forgiveness has occurred. Forgiveness is a byproduct of a softer, kinder, gentler way of perceiving.

When I am perceiving from a hard-heartedness, I find I am holding onto grievances. And holding this makes me feel self-righteous, separate and above those I am judging. Well, I see that when I hold myself separate from anyone, I experience keeping myself separate from God, too. Then I feel guilty about this feeling of separateness, so I run away and hide even more. It's a pattern of mistaken beliefs, causing a turning away from the Light of Truth. Grievances hide my light, so grievances must go.

So then standing off in the wings of my mind, I see a few friends that I've judged harshly, from a hard heart. "Look again," I'm told. "Look with the Christ Mind. What do you see now?" Miracle of miracles -- only Light, that's all -- Light of Love. I notice from this place that forgiveness has already happened or that it was never needed. All that is required for happiness is a shift in seeing, a looking with "soft eyes."

Then came the, "Duh. How could you be so dumb?" from my "critical parent." I observed myself doing this to myself, and in that moment I saw that I needed to forgive myself for my imagined separation from God. It is a gross mistake -- missing the mark -- to see this ‘innocent one' as dumb, wrong, bad, etc. Rather, look again, with ‘soft eyes' and see my Self as the Light of Love of God, one with all the other Lights.

It is with humility I accept at-one-ment for mySelf. Now I am restored to wholeness, holiness which was never broken in the first place. I only believed it was. Now do I stand here in this Holy Instant of truth, knowing the journey from forgiveness through at-one-ment to Love, which is no journey at all, just awakening to the truth that Love is all I am, and so is everyone and everything. All there is, is Love.

To Accept Forgiveness • Recognizing I Have a Choice • Divine Mileage • Joys of Partnering • Love and Forgiveness • More Spring '99 Miracles News