Pathways of Light Miracles News, Summer '98, p.2

Miracles News Summer 1998

The Correspondence Course Experience • Correspondence Courses--Mentoring Program for Spiritual Growth • My Experience of ACIM at Pathways • A Course in Miracles Morning Gatherings at Pathways • More Summer '98 Miracles News
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The Correspondence Course Experience -- by Rev. Christine Anderson

I live and work at Pathways of Light Spiritual College. One of the ways of serving that I really enjoy is facilitating correspondence courses. When the idea of correspondence was first introduced, I wondered how this would work. I decided I wouldn't know until I tried.

Upon receiving the assignment for my first "long distance" student, putting Spirit in charge, I opened the energy of the course (akin to an opening circle in a group setting). Immediately, I experienced a strong connection over the phone with the participant, and we both sensed the reality that truly there is no distance between us--we are One Self--united in Love.

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of working with many people whose circumstances are such that correspondence is the ideal way to take the courses. I find it a grand opportunity to teach what I need to learn and continue to refine my facilitator skills. Also, this opportunity allows me to be of service in very deep and meaningful ways I did not anticipate. The interaction on the phone between me as the facilitator and the participant was very profound. We each shared our growth process and learned from each other much like the dynamic interaction I am used to in the group classes held in person. Many wonderful and lasting friendships have developed through this magnificent association which is guided by Spirit.

Several participants have found correspondence to be the perfect way to meet the goal of Ordained Ministerial Counselor by taking Steps 1, 2 and 3 through correspondence and then coming to Pathways for the 10-day "in person" portion which includes their Ordination. Imagine my delight when three of my students from different parts of the country all came to work together to meet their O.M.C. goal, get to know each other, and be ordained together!

My life has been and continues to be enriched by this wonderful form of facilitating. If you have been thinking about taking a facilitated correspondence course, consider taking one course and find out for yourself what a joy it is.

Correspondence Courses--A Mentoring Program for Spiritual Growth -- by Rev. Robert Stoelting

Everyone has Inner Wisdom and most have experienced It's presence sometime in their lives. But for many, help and insight from this Inner Teacher occurs infrequently and cannot be relied on as a source of guidance and healing in everyday life.

In the world of business there is a growing awareness of the value of mentoring as a way to help people develop valuable business skills. This same idea can be applied to developing spiritual skills such as learning to connect with the Source of Wisdom in your mind.

Pathways of Light facilitated correspondence courses provide a mentoring framework for developing trust and certainty in your Inner Wisdom as a guiding presence in daily life. The course work sheets, study materials, processes and guided meditations help you open to the Voice of Wisdom in your mind.

There are three aspects to the process of developing a reliable awareness of this inner source of guidance. One is learning how to deeply relax and release the mind chatter so that you can be aware of the gentle, loving presence of Inner Wisdom in your mind. The second is to learn to recognize the characteristics of the guidance that comes from your Inner Wisdom so you can distinguish it from the misleading "guidance" that comes from the ego. The third is to release the fears that form a barrier between you and the guidance your Inner Wisdom has for you.

Each of the Pathways of Light courses work with at least one of these aspects. Some help you with all three. Each in some way helps you reach deeper levels of inner peace. They gently lead you from relying on an outer mentor (facilitator or counselor) to a deep confidence in your inner Mentor. This confidence frees you from being dependent on outside authorities and brings a sense of peace and safety that you can carry with you in all areas of your life.

My Experience of ACIM^® at Pathways -- by Jim Hondel

I recently enjoyed a six week wintertime experience with the Pathways daily ACIM™ program. My preferred personal environment at this time is basically twofold. It involves the opportunity to share ACIM teachings on a daily front burner basis and also to live in community.

The Course program at Pathways features two-hours of shared reading, allowing individual comments and questions and the relating of relevant experiences. Although a facilitated meeting, the discourse was always free from lecture and from enforced interpretation. All succinct personal interpretations of the teachings were thereby honored and seldom judged. Whenever we momentarily forgot and allowed our judgments to occur we were always able to recognize them and then utilize them for our own spiritual advancement. We laughed at ourselves a lot. Our attendance was never mandatory but our two-hour daily joining was given top priority every day of the week.

The community living aspect at Pathways is quite ideal. Private living spaces and kitchen privileges are provided the students and they are as near to self-maintaining as possible. Library and conference facilities are readily available. Requirements for service from students is really minimized. Service contributions are therefore truly voluntary among the students.

The rural layout is a real plus for me. With enough like souls to share with, city amenities were not missed at all.

A Course in Miracles Morning Gatherings at Pathways -- by Rev. Pam Schueller

I want to express my deepest gratitude for all the blessings I have received by participating in our morning sessions. We read the lesson from the workbook, have a time of silence and do readings from the text or manual of A Course in Miracles. But so much more is happening for me!

First of all, everyone is an equal, participating equally. And each of us is dedicated to focusing on our own transformation, although we are joined in our single purpose. So when any one of us speaks, we speak for ourselves. "For me"... "in my experience"... "what I have found for myself"... "the way this passage speaks to me"... "what stands out for me"... etc. So we speak and share and reflect as we go along.

No one is preaching or teaching anyone else. Foremost is a trust in Holy Spirit, or wholeness of Spirit, within each participant, to lead us step by step along the way to our own awakening. I'm not here to teach, preach to, convert, fix or "save" anyone else. I am here only to witness my own ongoing transformation and to ask for help.

Another joy is that we are not looking so much to understand intellectually, but to take in, and accept, little by little, the message of the Course and to practice the Workbook lessons in all our daily situations and relationships. Gathering together to seek the truth of our being, who we really are, seems to give me strength and energy to keep going. And it's fun when we begin to see our own silliness, and let it go faster than the time before.

I find the two hours go by much too fast, and as I encounter personal situations during the day, I am sustained by knowing that the Truth is always true, and our meetings will support me in remembering again to surrender mistaken ideas and open my mind to a return to peace. A few moments of lightness and joy help me want God’s peace more and more.

I’m also deeply grateful to those in our group who have spent much time in reflection and prayer, and model trust and inclusion for those of us coming into the group, and a certainty about the Truth, plus the peace and joy that seems to bubble up within them. Of course, sometimes one remembers, sometimes another—so we all deal with what comes up for undoing, and look at the mote in our own eye. We all go home together, with the Christ Mind leading the way for as we turn to It for help.

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.

The Correspondence Course Experience • Correspondence Courses--Mentoring Program for Spiritual Growth • My Experience of ACIM at Pathways • A Course in Miracles Morning Gatherings at Pathways • More Summer '98 Miracles News