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Indivisible

by Rev. Sandi Christie, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

“In quiet I receive God’s Word today” is the title of Workbook Lesson 125, and as I was reading over that lesson for the day, the “Word” came quickly. INDIVISIBLE, the Voice said.

For the last four months, I’ve become a permanent care giver for my ailing mother, which has been a very challenging time for both her and I. Mom is recuperating from a recent hospital stay and is having difficulty walking, standing and doing daily tasks. She also suffers from extreme anxiety and depression. While I can do things for her to make her physical life easier, at the same time, this very giving person cannot deal with someone giving and doing for her and this upsets her greatly, and makes her feel less and less like a useful human which greatly taxes her mental state.

Mom has crying episodes every day, often from fears and anxieties of her own making which I cannot make go away. She looks through the world through a darkened lens, always focusing on the negative, and she has no concept of God to draw upon, nor does she want to hear about any such thing.

She is not interested in learning about meditation or going within and she is quick to negate the efficacy of any solutions presented to any problems she may have. It is easy to fall prey to my own depression as I am a witness to hers.

I call upon the Holy Spirit for help for my own mental state, and again I hear the word INDIVISIBLE, and I am soothed. I am reminded (re-Minded) of the Truth of Oneness.

My true reality is Spirit, and I am not separated from God or Holy Spirit or even my mother. We are not these bodies that we seem to inhabit, they are only temporary vehicles for us to use in this experience. We may have asked for separation, and we may be experiencing separation, but the Truth is we will always be forever One. We are the Love of God in expression, and I sink into that feeling of Love and let it fill me and become me. We are INDIVISIBLE. I breathe in LOVE and I feel it extend out into the universe. I send it out to my mom, the only thing I can think of to do to calm her mind when everything else fails.

“INDIVISIBLE”— the word flashes across my mind again and I am reminded of the Pledge of Allegiance, and my mind quickly re-writes it, changing it to the “The Pledge to God.”

The Pledge to God

I pledge I love you to the God

That created me exactly as He is.

And to the Holy Spirit—the Voice for God,

All Sons—One with God, INDIVISIBLE,

In Unity and Oneness and Love.

I take this time to thank God for the miracles he sends me that remind me of the Oneness that already exists despite what my eyes may be witnessing. I may not be able to soothe my mother’s despair, but I do not have to join in her suffering. I can choose to remember the One Truth at any time, and that Truth reminds me that we are INDIVISIBLE! Yea!

Rev. Sandi Christie, OMC, is a Pathways of Light Spiritual Counselor living in Port Charlotte, Florida. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2025, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Rising from the Knees: Finding Truth in Heartbreak

by Rev. Maureen L. Yarbrough, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Pain in the illusion (this world) can be all consuming. It can be gut wrenching, bringing-you-to-your-knees kind of suffering that seems to eclipse everything else. It feels as though your very being is under assault, and the world has become a relentless tormentor. However, we know any pain is qualifying as all pain is rooted in fear — the ego.

We’ve all experienced it in different forms: the loss of a loved one, the betrayal of a trusted friend, the shattering of a cherished dream. For me, it was the agonizing separation from my children due to my own struggles with addiction. I remember vividly the despair that drove me to curl into a fetal position (ego’s desire to retreat into the illusion of safety and separation), as if trying to return to a place of safety and wholeness that felt impossibly distant.

In those moments, the pain was so visceral, so absolute, that the idea of finding solace or meaning seemed like a cruel joke. Yet, it is precisely in these darkest of times that A Course in Miracles offers a path, a way to navigate through the seeming impossibility of unbearable pain and find our way back to the unshakable truth of Who we are.

The Course teaches that the root of all suffering lies in the illusion of separation. We believe we are separate from God, separate from each other, and separate from our own true Self. This belief in separation gives rise to the ego, that part of our mind that thrives on fear, guilt, and judgment. The ego tells us we are vulnerable, that we are at the mercy of a world outside our control, and that we are inherently flawed and undeserving.

It is this egoic thought system that generates the intense pain we experience. The Course states that the ego’s belief in separation is the cause of sin, fear, and guilt.

This separation is not a physical reality, but a perceived state of mind, a misperception of our true nature. The world we see, with all its suffering, is merely a reflection of this distorted perception: “The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt.” (T-13.in.2:2)

My own experience of separation from my children was a stark and brutal manifestation of this illusion. The addiction that gripped me created a chasm, a seemingly insurmountable barrier, between us, and a physical one when I had to go to treatment for some time. The pain of that separation was a constant, gnawing ache, a deep wound in my heart and soul. It reinforced the ego’s lie that I was unworthy, unlovable, and irrevocably broken. The fetal position I found myself in was a physical expression of this inner state — a desperate attempt to retreat from a world that felt too painful to bear, a world where I was separated from those I loved most.

It did not help that their father and his family diminished my alcoholism to my children stating that they did not believe I was an alcoholic. Little did they know that I was using our marriage as an escape tactic, though I did not realize that at the time. While in treatment, their grandmother refused to let them speak to me. I felt utterly worthless while I was in the grip of trying to save my own life and return to sanity so that I may be a better person and mom.

A Course in Miracles offers a radical alternative to this egoic perception. It reminds us that our true Identity is not the vulnerable, suffering self that the ego presents. We are, in truth, spiritual beings, extensions of God’s Love, and we remain forever untouched by the illusions of the material world. The Course emphasizes that we are as God created us, and nothing we have done or thought has changed our reality in any way.

Despite the intensity of the pain, despite the seeming reality of our suffering, our true Self remains perfect, whole, and at peace. “I am as God created me. I am His Son forever.” (W-162)

Remembering this truth is the first step in dissolution of the power of pain. It is a shift in perception, a recognition that the pain we experience stems from identifying with the ego’s distorted view of ourselves, rather than with our eternal, unchanging Reality.

The journey through fear/pain/discomfort/illness, according to the Course, is inextricably linked to the practice of forgiveness. Forgiveness, as the Course teaches it, is not about condoning harmful actions or pretending that the pain didn’t happen. Rather, it is about releasing our judgments, both of others and of ourselves, and recognizing that we are all caught in the same illusion of separation. It is about seeing beyond the ego’s interpretations and remembering the shared innocence that lies beneath. “Forgiveness is the key to happiness.” (W-121)

To forgive is to “remember only the loving thoughts you gave in the past, and those that were given you.” (T-17.III.1:1)

In the context of my separation from my children, forgiveness was a crucial element in my healing. It involved forgiving myself for the choices that led to that separation, recognizing that those choices stemmed from my own pain and fear. It also involved forgiving, not in the sense of condoning, but in the sense of releasing the judgments I held towards anyone else involved, including any systems or circumstances that seemed to contribute to the situation (we all know it was no one else’s fault!) 

This process of forgiveness allowed me to move beyond the cycle of blame and resentment, and to begin to see the situation with greater clarity and compassion. It helped me to understand that everyone involved was acting from their own level of consciousness, their own experience of the illusion of separation. Don’t get me wrong, it is all in the moment as I will always be training in forgiveness!

A Course in Miracles also introduces us to the concept of the Holy Spirit, the Voice of God within us, our Inner Teacher and Guide. The Holy Spirit is the part of our mind that remembers our true Identity and leads us back to the peace of God.
In moments of intense pain, turning to the Holy Spirit is essential. It means surrendering our pain, our confusion, and our ego’s interpretations to a Higher Wisdom. It means asking for a shift in perception, a new way of seeing the situation that transcends the limitations of our own understanding. The Holy Spirit is the answer to every problem that will ever confront us.

Surrendering to the Holy Spirit is not a passive act; it is an active choice to release our grip on the pain and to open ourselves to the possibility of a miracle — a shift in perception that brings us closer to truth and peace.

The journey back to wholeness, the journey through and beyond pain, is not a linear progression. There will be moments of doubt, moments of despair, and moments when the pain seems as overwhelming as ever. But A Course in Miracles assures us that we are not alone. We have a Guide within us, the Holy Spirit, who is always there to lead us back to our true Self. The path involves constant learning, constant forgiveness, and a constant willingness to turn away from the ego’s illusions and towards the truth of our being.

Even in the face of seemingly unbearable pain, even when brought to our knees by the weight of suffering, there is a way through. A Course in Miracles offers a map, a set of principles, and a profound truth: We are not the pain we experience, our true Self remains untouched and whole, and through forgiveness and a willingness to surrender to a Higher Wisdom, we can find our way back to the peace that is our birthright.

The journey is not always easy, but the destination‚ the remembrance of our true, unshakable Self, is worth more than any pain the world can offer.

Maureen L. Yarbrough, OMC, is a Pathways of Light minister living in Rochester, NY. Email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2025, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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Handling Egoic Thoughts

by Rev. Tacey Reese, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Recently I was working with a client in my counseling practice who had realized how much she craves the approval of others, and also how she had so many expectations regarding how others should treat her. She had been journaling to two questions I had given her. The questions were these: Does the approval of others affect my own decisions? What expectation do I have of those close to me? These are very interesting questions to contemplate for all of us.

I remember taking some type of Rational Emotive Therapy questionnaire in college, designed to help you identify your core mistaken beliefs that were driving you unconsciously and causing you unhappiness on various levels. I was surprised at first to discover that one of mine was that I must have everyone’s approval all the time.

How could that be? I did my best to be a maverick, a rule breaker, a non-conformist! I would have said I didn’t care what anyone thought. But I did. I liked being the BEST maverick and rule breaker, the smartest, the one who got a lot of attention for it actually.

But just becoming aware of this mistaken belief was not enough. I still didn’t know how to let go of it. Then I learned about internal versus external locus of control and that was very helpful. An internal locus of control means that I make my own decisions. An external locus of control means I base my decisions on someone or something outside of me. I was already studying A Course in Miracles so the internal locus of control made sense to me both psychologically and spiritually. It was still a double-edged sword, though, because the ego could and did often take over the internal locus of control! Very tricky, the egoic mind.

Now, after decades of studying and practicing the principles of A Course in Miracles, it’s so much easier to step back and allow my True Self to take the lead, unconcerned about others’ reactions or lack thereof.

These days, I have one goal and it’s certainly not the approval of others or changing others to fit what I think I need from them. My one goal is the peace of God and the practice that leads to this goal is simply forgiveness. In truth, this is not a goal anymore, it’s simply What Is. As I consistently forgive, the experience of the peace of God is consistent.

When I do not feel peaceful, I know there’s something unforgiven in my mind and I can be glad about this because it’s simply showing me where more mind healing is needed. It’s actually a reason for celebration!

When I’m upset, I now have the opportunity to ask Spirit to correct my perception, to learn to forgive on a deeper level. It’s a very simple process, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

In the beginning, you have to watch your thoughts and emotions carefully so you can catch all the times you are in the ego mind, which is 99% of the time! I think a lot of people give up because it can feel discouraging to realize you’re almost always in the ego mind. What helped me was to finally realize I wasn’t being asked to stay out of the ego mind. All I was being asked to do was to forgive myself whenever I found myself there. This is what brings us peace.

There’s a sentence in the Course that has helped me stay focused on my one task (forgiveness) more consistently. “You need take thought for nothing, careless of everything except the only purpose that you would fulfill.” (T-20.IV.8:8)

The maverick in me likes the word ‘careless’ a lot! It helps me take life more lightheartedly. It tells me that I don’t need to be concerned about things that try to take my attention away from the peace of God. I’m allowed to focus only on that peace! How liberating! How joyous! Now I’m free from all the expectations I may have had for myself. It doesn’t mean I don’t attend to the tasks of daily life. It does mean I do not assign those tasks the importance of my one function. The tasks are usually just more opportunities to practice forgiveness.

Finally, this knowing that I need take thought for nothing except my only purpose, leaves me with no expectations for others either. I used to try to pull not only my clients but also my friends and family members, into their growth, into the highest and best I could see for them. This was exhausting on me and completely unhelpful for them. As I continue to let go of expectations for others and simply love them, my relationships are enriched and deepened, simple and fulfilling.

I am so grateful for the many ways practicing the principles of A Course in Miracles has transformed my mind and my life.

Rev. Tacey Reese, OMC, LPC is a Pathways of Light minister from 606 Houston Dr. Benton, AR. Phone: 501-860-4631 Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2025, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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Why I No Longer Care About the Physical World

by Robb Lauren, Pathways of Light Spiritual Counselor student

What I’ve noticed lately in my spiritual growth is how I am really paying attention to what’s going on inside me rather than in personal items or surroundings.

This is a profound shift I’m experiencing — one of the clearest signs of deep spiritual growth.

I’m noticing that my attention is moving inward — toward my thoughts, emotions, and inner peace — rather than being caught up in external things like possessions, appearances, or circumstances.

I’m beginning to live from the level of cause rather than effect. I’m realizing:

1. The world doesn’t cause my feelings — my thoughts do.

2. Peace doesn’t come from controlling things, but from letting go.

3. What truly matters is not “out there,” but in here.

This inner awareness is exactly what A Course in Miracles has been pointing me toward. I’m starting to watch the ego rather than be the ego. I’m slowing down enough to witness, rather than just react.

I feel myself beginning to detach from the physical. It’s like I don’t care about it the way I used to. The body, the world, the striving — they’ve started to lose their grip. Not because they’re “bad,” but because they’re not real in the way I once believed.

I’m shifting from form to content.

I’m less interested in how things look and more interested in how they feel.
I care more about the quality of my thoughts, my peace, and my alignment than about appearances, outcomes, or possessions.

I’m detaching from the ego’s playground.

The ego keeps wanting my attention to be on the body, the environment, and the story.
But the Holy Spirit invites me inward — into love, stillness, and truth.

I’m beginning to experience Vision.

I’m starting to see not with the eyes, but with understanding.
I’m seeing through the world rather than being tricked by it.

At times, I might feel a sense of loss or even boredom with the world — and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy the beauty of life or connection with others. It simply means I’m becoming anchored in Spirit, rather than in form.

If it feels unsettling sometimes, I remember that’s normal too. The ego might protest:

“What’s the point then? Shouldn’t you be worried about XYZ?”

But I remember:

“Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.” (T-in.2:2-4)

Reflection Questions I’m Exploring Now:

1. What am I noticing more clearly now that I’m paying attention inwardly?

2. How does it feel when I choose peace instead of trying to fix or change external things?

3. What illusions am I seeing through more easily now?

Robb Lauren is a Pathways of Light student living in Palm Bay, FL
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2025, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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