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October - December, 2006

I Am In Need of Nothing but the Truth

by Revs. Paul and Deborah Phelps

During our morning meditation walk, Holy Spirit made us aware of the fact that it was garbage collection day here in Madison. Everything that is not needed is cast aside. The clippings, the leftovers, the dirty diapers, the broken toys and furniture, all that once served a purpose are now gladly released without another moment’s thought.

We do not spend time picking through the garbage insisting that we save that banana peel or that moldy bread now do we? Then why hang on to the old beliefs that no longer serve us as well? We needn’t jump and play in the garbage in our mind any longer. And just thinking about playing with garbage, what an image! We just let it go and allow the Holy Spirit, the Great Trash Collector, to do His job by collecting it all from our mind to be disposed of forever.

We do not keep a broken chair, one with upholstery worn and tattered, with springs poking through. It is no longer useful. We instead place ourselves in the solid seat of the Father where we are always safe and secure, loved and at peace. Today, we allow our thoughts to be guided to the Truth. Any thought that is not of love or held in serenity, we joyfully give to You, Holy Spirit. We will watch our minds, forgive and be free.

Rev’s Paul & Deborah Phelps are Pathways of Light ministers living in Madison, Wisconsin. Their website: http://www.miraclesone.org

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October - December, 2006

Perception of Order of Difficulties

by Rev. Lee Catalano

Wow wee. The belief in order of difficulties is the problem. Jesus states in A Course in Miracles that any perception of comparisons is not so. So how can there possibly be an order of difficulty?

“A larger object overshadows a smaller one. A brighter thing draws the attention from another with less intensity of appeal. And a more threatening idea, or one conceived as more desirable by the world’s standards, completely upsets the mental balance.” (M.8.1:3)

This is about jealousy and the special relationship. This reminds me of observing my daughter’s experience of high school. The threats and cruelty in this section are played out in high school cafeteria’s (and the entire world) daily.

When girls perceive themselves as being the smaller object overshadowed in some way by the larger one they become vicious. This threat goes way beyond the borders of high school, it is everywhere.

We don’t realize that the problem is not with what is “out there”  and seems to be over shadowing us, but is within. Within the mind we believe that we are separate, alone and guilty and then we project this treachery on everyone and everything. The ego knows the role of victim well. Perceiving the self as separate and alone is a desperate state of mind indeed. The mind is already in a state of weakness and it believes that it feels this way because something “out there” has “out shown” us. When in truth we have it all turned around. The cause of our weakened and anxiety ridden state of mind is within. We projected what we believed in our mind onto the world and created the very situations that make us feel victimized.

The greatest gift of all is to recognize that none of this is so. There is only one being of spirit here and the rest is just played out dreams of imagination. It is a cruel dream indeed to believe that i am vulnerable to the opinions and judgements of others. In truth if I am believing in cruelty it is because I believe that cruelty is possible.

There is only one worthy and fully lovable Son of God. The Son of God is forever worthy of God’s Love. There is no other Love but God’s. To become emotionally distraught over losing the Love of another is a fantasy unworthy of the Son of God. Love does not extend itself from ego to ego or from personality to personality. True Love — the Love of God —  is extended through the mind and heart when the ego personality is forgiven and put aside.

Sometimes we need to be completely brought to our knees before we can finally see that there is really no Love in separation. There is no accomplishment or indescribable beauty that entitles us to Love more than anyone else. That is because we are already loved. If we could but learn to sit still and consider this more and more we would be free.

A broken heart is a sickness, a heart attack is a sickness, depression is a sickness, addiction is a sickness and so on with the sickness of the world. There is no illusory sickness in the world that does not have the same exact remedy. There is no order of difficulty in remedy. It is the same one for every perceived malady. The Son of God is forever loved by the Father. The Father’s Will for His Son is the knowledge that he is forever whole and complete and lacking nothing.

All together is the cure. To perceive the entire Sonship and its need is the same. We all have the same exact need and no other. The great need in the hallucination is to remember who we truly are in spirit.

“Finding health a burden, it [the mind] retreats into feverish dreams. And in these dreams the mind is separate, different from other minds, with different interests of its own, and able to gratify its needs at the expense of others. (M.8.2:7)

If you notice, Jesus calls these dreams of separation and power–over “feverish.”

These are not fun dreams, they are painful, anxiety ridden dreams.

Forgiveness Prayer

Holy Spirit may I always remember
that the answer to perfect peace is simple.

My only need is my
Brother’s very same need:

To remember that I am innocent and
totally loved and lovable.

Rev. Lee Catalano is a Pathways of Light minister living in Needham Massachusetts. Web site: heavensongministrypages.com

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October - December, 2006

I Can Hardly Wait to See the Good That Comes from This

by Jo Blahnik

My father and I had always had intense reaction to the world and to each other. Several years into my study of A Course in Miracles I realized that I continually remembered my past with him with agitation. Then in Workbook Lesson 21, I became determined to see things differently when I heard “a slight tinge of annoyance is nothing but a veil drawn over intense fury.”

Finally recognizing my anger, I wanted to be rid of it. Surprisingly, when studying Workbook Lesson 192 (I have a function God would have me fill) I completely missed its message of forgiveness. But when I heard, “A jailer is not free, for he is bound together with his prisoner,” I realized that by reliving memories of our past together I was choosing to hold us both in that position.

I saw his pain with life and mine, and how the past seemed to forever bind us both. I wanted to let it all go, asking Holy Spirit how to release our dance of death. The exercise in Lesson 21 reappeared and so for an entire summer I devoted myself to relooking at every memory of him that came up with Holy Spirit as my Guide.

When looked at again with honesty, it appeared that early fearful childhood images were imposed on every image that followed for the next 50 years. But relooking at it with Holy Spirit’s perspective, applying the truth of the Atonement to each individual situation I could remember, they looked like nothing. I realized I was wrong about them all and soon after that even their memory faded like dust in the wind.

Following this exercise, each encounter with my father became an opportunity to express love and caring, and to enjoy each other more. It became not about what I was carrying against him but about expressing loving toward him. He immediately sensed the difference and was grateful for another way of relating also. We enjoyed much happiness together and his life in all areas seemed happier.

He was later diagnosed with terminal cancer and began a gradual decline. At that time I had begun receiving the Pathways of Light Workbook healing perspectives (which are posted on the website and sent as e-mails) and the study was Lesson 24 “I do not perceive my own best interests.”

The Pathways perspective was about the process of releasing to Holy Spirit, culminating in, “I can hardly wait to see the good that comes from this.” I wondered, how I could get to the meaning that statement relative to my father dying? I wrote down what I heard from their posting:

My perception is limited,  therefore, I don’t know anything.  I need Holy Spirit to show what this is in every moment.  I will receive what is helpful and learn what is helpful.  I give all expectations over to Him.  Holy Spirit, You be in charge. I can hardly wait to see the good that comes from this. I printed a happy family picture with that message listed below it and placed copies around the house, in drawers, and at my desk at work. Time and again daily I looked at it and thought about what it would take for me to really mean it. It was in that practice that a further intent developed: to hold on to nothing that was untrue, to release my father completely to who he really is by me knowing it and holding it for him.

I was blessed to be with my father for his final week and during his passing. I took my place at his side, wanting to quietly give love and nothing else. It was a week filled with so many opportunities for forgiveness and release of outcome, so many shifts in perception, so many amazing miracles.

My intention was to hold firmly to allowing Holy Spirit to do whatever was required in every situation for Dad, myself, and everyone. The days blended. And then finally Dad and I were alone and quiet, and Holy Spirit’s vision was all there was. We experienced a feeling of true complete Love, a Love I didn’t know was possible. It felt like pure Love (not just glimpsed but sustained), without any other thing present in my mind! Nothing else present. Nothing else existing. One self with each other and all things.

The Course talks about seeing the face of Christ in another. At that time, I knew that he and I were everyone. And in that knowing, I felt a total connection and commitment to everyone. My Dad had a “wonder-filled” passing. Being a part of his passing is the greatest gift he ever gave me. Thank you Holy Spirit for this total release of all we thought the world was.

Interestingly now, almost a year later, I’ve found that even after this experience, I’m not walking around totally blissed out all the time. Ego activity still presents itself plenty. This world is still false and it is easy to wander away from the truth. I need to watch my thoughts, remember my intention in all things, realize I know nothing, but Holy Spirit is ever present and does know, recommit moment by moment to the truth of the Atonement that we never left the Mind of God and nothing in this world is true.

Lately, though, I marvel that I can finally say and mean, “I am here only to be truly helpful. I am here to represent Him who sent me….. “ Releasing all things to His vision I gladly say, “I can hardly wait to see the good that comes from this.”

Jo Blahnik is A Course in Miracles student living in Manistique, Michigan.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October - December, 2006

Awakening to the Happy Dream!

by Rev. Cheryl Ford

Once it’s decided to hand things over to Holy Spirit, the loving, healing experiences just don’t stop… If we can learn to understand and accept that all things happen for our good and stop attempting to attach our requirements onto how things should look and how they should be reflected externally, life really does become a happy dream!

There’s a quote in A Course in Miracles that says, ‘forgetting helps us to remember better.’ I really love this quote because it’s so true. How often we forget lessons that we’ve learned over and over only to have them deepen each time we remember them—and how often Holy Spirit gives us His loving reminders.

Of all of the loving reminders I’ve received over the last month, one really stands out. Probably because the healing it brought about has been so profound in my life that I truly hope not to ‘forget’ again (at least not soon).

As a teacher of God, I’ve found myself on numerous occasions recently explaining to people the principle that healing in our minds doesn’t always reflect in our external circumstances. The ‘outside’ world is an illusion and therefore living the ‘happy dream’ simply means to recognize that fact while remaining in it for the time being.

Accepting responsibility for our thoughts (all of our thoughts) means acknowledging them honestly, and consistently handing them over to Holy Spirit for healing. This habit frees us to see only the love, peace and beauty of the ‘real world’ that lies beyond the illusion. Thus we give up our attempt to make the illusion ‘real’ and begin to experience our true ‘reality’ now.

Eventually, I noticed that I was explaining this concept over and over with increasing frequency to others, but not making the connection that this was the very lesson that I needed to learn. I couldn’t see it at the time, but I was really teaching myself!

This became evident during a spiritual relationships counseling session where I realized I felt stumped in my primary relationship because no matter what I tried, I could not get my partner to change his ways. In my mind, I saw the changes as for his ‘own good.’ However, the Course says, “Your interpretations of your brother’s needs are your interpretations of yours.” (T-12.I.7:1) What was it exactly that I was interpreting as my bothers needs that were actually my own?

During the session, I was reminded over and over that the external circumstances or perceived changes in others does not matter one bit. Everything boils down to one question: What am I choosing to see? Am I choosing to see through the eyes of Christ Vision, or through my own? Was I giving every single thought over to Spirit or was I still trying to control the illusion by trying to make it real? Essentially I was hearing back the same thing I was telling others!

By the end of the session, I firmly decided to give every single thought and concern over to Holy Spirit. I committed to holding nothing back! I even decided to hand over any indecision or guilt about being undecided. I handed over things seen and unseen, known and unknown, in this life or any others… I wanted all of the onion layers peeled back, and to leave no stone unturned. With all my heart and mind I asked Holy Spirit to direct every aspect of my life, and to help me forgive every unloving thought and memory.

The next day I walked on clouds of Love and Peace. It rained outside, but the sun shone brightly in my heart. Everyone radiated glowing white light and even my partner looked younger, stronger and happier. I felt 20 pounds lighter than I had in a while and no trace of fear, worry, or doubt entered my mind.

Last night my husband and I went out to dinner. As we sat at the table talking, he asked me the same question I had been hearing for the past couple of weeks: “If I’m healed in my mind, why isn’t it reflected in my world?” I once again explained that according to the Course, healing in our minds doesn’t necessarily reflect changes in our external circumstances. Because the world is an illusion, it doesn’t matter. We see what we choose to see…”

All the while, I continued in my mind, “I give this all to You Holy Spirit, every piece of it.” “Let me open to Your Answers and not my own…” As I lovingly continued to explain my point, I softly heard in my minds ‘ears’, “Tell him that consistency is the key. Keep giving everything over to Me and do only what brings him peace and joy. All is well.”

As I told him these reassuring words from Spirit, all tension left his brow and a gentle smile came across his face. In fact, we both smiled and sighed as we became filled with peace and light. At that moment, I realized that as my mind was healed so was his, and in his healing so was my mine. I had learned the very lesson I was trying to teach. We hadn’t ‘changed the world’ but simply changed our minds about the world. In this single idea are we all healed.

Rev. Cheryl Ford is a Pathways of Light minister living in Birmingham, England. Read more of her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways of Light web site.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

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