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Sept.-Dec., 2024

FEAR in the Mirror Is the Face of Mercy!

by Rev. Vicki Evans, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I felt inspired to take thoughts about fear and faith and place these thoughts into writing so that I could continue to reflect, revise, and hopefully refocus on insights to shift the balance away from fear and more towards faith. Sometimes my thoughts turn to a rumination session where I cycle and recycle worries that lead to fear and then spiral into the, “What if this happens?”

As fear crept into my being, I realized that I want to stop the train of events that turn thoughts into the reality of being afraid to try new things, giving safety advice to my family, and visualizing danger based scenarios. 

I woke up this week to a situation that fed the worry thoughts as the neighborhood sirens signaling the need to seek indoor shelter due to dangerous weather conditions. While I was debating whether to heed the warning, I felt the house shake and heard a thud sound which triggered me to head for the coat closet. Reality struck with torrential winds and rain and a tree falling into the backyard driveway area that blocked all exit from the gate.  The old “what if” thoughts came tumbling into my being as I imagined the house being smashed in from the tree and then reality hit in the form of loss of electrical power and the result of being unable to leave the house until the storm lessened. 

Fear for me was at a peak! What faith producing lessons and experiences could result from this situation?  I realized that I needed to choose faith and focus on the ways that I can see the Light in myself and others.

The first faith focus activity I embraced was a neighbor asking about the fallen tree and taking the responsibility to say that it was from their property, so they would be glad to help with the removal of the tree so our dogs would not get stuck with their canine curiosity of wanting to go into the infrastructure of the tree.

The team effort of the neighbors working with us to remove the tree was faith inspiring as we could not have moved the tree ourselves, but branch by branch, we did move the tree.

The next example of faith was when another neighbor walked across the street to help assess the damage and to report that their power was back, but our power was expected to be out for more days.  Faith blanketed me as this neighbor offered coffee, friendship, and hope with an opportunity to trade text numbers to help each of us feel safe and connected. 

During those moments of connection, I stayed in the present and forgot about fear as I reacted to the immediacy of the situation in accepting help and offering help. I embraced the words of Pathways of Light Course 132 focus card, “I am receptive and flexible, allowing each moment to be new. I am relaxed and allow a softness. I observe trance formations and let them be healed with the power of Love in me.”  Holy Spirit provided me with a visual that I remembered from Pathways of Light teachings where a picture emerged that showed two people face to face with a shared light between them joining them as One, and the line of light provided support and receiving along with giving and Love.  The message that was delivered to me via Holy Spirit was that I stand alone in fear, but I join in Oneness with others in faith. 

When I walk with fear as my companion, I become distrustful of others, waiting for a negative response or a judgment. When I walk in faith, I see the day as light with thoughts of safety and Love as I realize that we are all One and everyone is my brother. My thoughts brought me the idea that FEAR is just a 4-letter word and when spelled backwards it is the anadrome RAEF.  I researched the meaning of RAEF and found that it has meanings in French and Arabic and means Merciful, Kind, Benign, and Compassionate! This message is just the words I needed and the mantra that I can keep inside of me for going forward in my life’s journey!

Rev. Vicki Evans, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Dallas, Texas. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Phone: 713-775-9153

© 2024, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Sept.-Dec., 2024

Spirit Working Through Me

by Rev. Larry Glenz, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

“The ministers of God can never fail, because the love and strength and peace that shine from them to all their brothers come from Him. These are His gifts to you. Defenselessness is all you need to give Him in return.” (W-153.20.4-6)

Lesson 153, “In my defenselessness my safety lies” has always been a great challenge to the ego in my mind. The Holy Spirit in my mind understands the Truth of this statement. Therefore, I don’t want to have resistance to this. On some level, I know it is true. It does, however, seem to violate my human tendency to fight back.

This tendency to fight back seems like an automatic response. My propensity to fight against aggression is encouraged and most often admired in the world. Most people believe defensiveness is natural and expected. But we are taught defensiveness does NOT bring inner peace.

“The world gives rise but to defensiveness. For threat brings anger, anger makes attack seems reasonable, honestly provoked, and righteous in the name of self-defense.” (W-153.2:1-2)

In my younger years, I believed that my ability to attack both physically and verbally was a strength. As an athlete and then as a young coach, I had no understanding of the strength of defenselessness.

I was taught to hit back harder. The world was one big competition. Never submit to bullies. Only the courage to stand and fight — regardless of the outcome — was the response that I believed would give me the respect and safety I sought from others. My anger could be fearful. I did not think it was hurting me. Indeed, I considered this to be strength. But I recognize now, that attitude never brought me inner peace.

“You do not realize what you have done to sabotage the holy peace of God by your defensiveness.” (W.153.5:4)

As a student athlete, then as a teacher, coach, and now as a ministerial counselor, I have always embraced my role as a leader. I felt I could be a good follower if that was appropriate to the situation. But as time went on, my passion was to be a good leader.

“Whatever your appointed role may be, it was selected by the Voice for God, Whose function is to speak for you as well.” (W-154.2:1)

My style of leadership has changed dramatically since I first picked up A Course in Miracles in 1994. I was deeply drawn to the Course and its teachings. I am very inspired by the concept that I am among the ministers of God, Lesson 154. It is His Voice to which I choose to listen. I am far from perfect in my efforts to hear only this Voice. But that is the goal.

I have both taught and coached in some capacity for Lynbrook High School on Long Island for more than 50 years now. Many students and players have become good friends. Some of them are in their late 60’s and others are much younger.

It is always interesting to hear the younger and older alumni tell stories about what it was like to have Mr. Glenz as a social studies teacher or Coach Glenz as a football, wrestling, and lacrosse coach. Although the stories are usually filled with laughter and much exaggeration, there is a difference in how I was perceived then and now. The Course has profoundly changed my values.

“Defenses are the costliest of all the prices which the ego would exact.” (W-153.4:1)

One of my older former students is my wife, Laura. When we reconnected 25 years later, I was devoted to ACIM. She was studying Siddha Yoga — a form of ancient Vedanta. While reading Laura’s spiritual literature, I became focused on the word “Shakti” which was interpreted as the Cosmic power that unites the Universe.

I was inspired to use the term “Shakti” with my lacrosse team. I described it as the ultimate attainment that we could accomplish together. Previous to the 1999 season our highest goal was to win championships. Starting that year, we changed our goal to building Shakti.

The players were encouraged to imagine themselves sending this powerful, loving energy into each others’ hearts. Building a “team Shakti” was the focus of each individual. They were to send this energy to each other whether we were winning or losing. Tapping each other on the heart while maintaining eye contact was our sign that we were focused on sending Shakti to each other.

Our team did have excellent talent. But our team’s energy was extraordinary. We won two consecutive New York State Championships. And the love these former student athletes have for each other lasts until this day.

I recently had the honor of officiating the wedding of one of the captains of the 1999 state champs. Twenty-five years later, these men in their 40’s still speak of the power of building Shakti on a team. These former teammates have built a life-time bond.

They want their children to have that same experience now. Some are coaching the youth leagues for which their sons and daughters play. They tell me they want their kids to feel the same loving energy for each other that they felt. They described their experiences together as ultimate joy. I felt Holy Spirit working through me as they spoke.

“For as we prove that we accept no will we do not share, our many gifts from our Creator will spring to our sight and leap into our hands, and we will recognize what we received.” (W-154.14:4)

What a great feeling!

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, NY. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2024, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Sept.-Dec., 2024

Old Shoes and the Ego

by Rev. Robin Singler, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I helped my partner move his belongings into a storage unit recently, and after hours of walking on cement floors and being active, I noticed that my feet hurt. In particular, the side of my left heel was experiencing more pain than the other foot. The next day I noticed that my feet felt better and was grateful that the pain had subsided.

I went to take a walk outside and put on the same old pair of tennis shoes that I had used the day before to help my boyfriend. I soon noticed that my left heel began to hurt again and my mind began to question why. The first reaction I was aware of is that there must be something wrong with my foot. Rather than continue on my walk and tolerate the increasing pain, I stopped and removed my left shoe to inspect it. I found that the left shoe had a defect that was rubbing against my heel and causing the pain. This led me to draw the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with my foot: It was the worn out shoes that I have been hanging onto for some time.

I noticed that there was reluctance to throw away the shoes, as if it was a sacrifice of some kind, or as if they were my friends and I couldn’t let them go and get new ones that wouldn’t hurt my feet. But it is clear that no matter what I do to try to make these shoes work for me, they will not work. I cannot adjust or change them to prevent them from hurting my feet. I had already been using inserts to make them tolerable, so I was at the end of the line as far as methods of prolonging their demise. If I want to walk pain-free, I must let these old shoes go and buy new ones. No big deal, right? Then what was this little twinge of resistance in my mind?

As I noticed these thoughts, it was clear to me that there is a profound teaching here involving these old tennis shoes that need to be discarded. Having to accept that my old worn out shoes will no longer serve me is the same perspective that is required of me in order to let go of my judgments and expectations about the behavior or the appearance of others in the world. As part of the practice of being aware of my thoughts throughout the day, I’ve been noticing the temptation to expect the world to be a spiritual, loving, accepting, or otherwise elevated or enlightened place. There is a temptation to notice the errors of separation and judgment in myself or others and declare that it is not right that the world, the person, or the circumstance is not reflecting an enlightened perspective. Surely that person should know better by now, right? Aren’t we all supposed to be waking up? But wait a minute, why am I expecting the dream world of ego to be other than ego-like? Sounds a bit delusional, considering the dream I’m experiencing is 100% based on guilt and fear.

To expect worn out shoes or the worn out ego thought system to change or evolve so it can give me a more comfortable experience is not a reasonable expectation, and this expectation is being called up to be let go of. There are no safe havens in the world of form where the ego will not appear and assert itself, even in places of religious or spiritual study. I’ve noticed that along with my attachment to the old tennis shoes I have also been attached to certain figures in society and certain ways of living (for example, the belief that I need to be in nature to be peaceful and happy and that being happy in a city environment is not possible, or is difficult). All of these beliefs (expectations/judgements) have proven to be false.

Both the ego belief system and my pair of shoes need to be thrown away for something new that doesn’t hurt me, as they both are guaranteed to cause me pain if I keep using them. The dream world is built upon the foundation of the ego thought system, which is based in separation, guilt and projection. There is no possibility of changing the ego system into one of loving kindness that is in full agreement with God’s creation, which is unconditional, formless Love. There is also no possibility of fixing or changing my shoes to prevent my feet from hurting.

Jesus is asking me to forgive the world I thought I made by giving up my judgments, so I can realize that I am not of the world, but still as God created me along with all my brothers, who are one with me. I must remember and learn to accept that the world of form will not be waking up to Love. The dream is not getting better and will not evolve.

There is no one waking up but I, the sleeping Son of God, and there is no one else who needs to “get it.” The ego will always be what it is, a false idea based in deception, and there is no transforming this false idea into a true one. The ego will never be convinced of the Truth and does not know anything about Love or forgiveness. This means my expectations of the world are baseless and will only hurt me if I cling to them.

The forgiveness practice I am tasked with is done in the mind and, as the decision maker, I choose how to look upon the world of ego separation and guilt. If I make the error real by either condemning or idolizing anything or anyone in this world, I am choosing the ego as my teacher and advisor. However, if I accept that I can only turn to God and the Holy Spirit for the Truth, it is easy to discard an old pair of shoes or an old worn out ego system that only brings pain.

Through acceptance of all as it appears now, I no longer need to fix, change, or judge the world at all. Even the notion of worrying about people, places and things is transformed into the miracle of forgiveness as I simply accept that there is no transformation possible in the world. The happy dream Jesus promises is a forgiven dream, not a squeaky clean dream.

Only God’s creation of perfect formless Love is true, and all else is just a simple, innocent mistake that is calling for correction. The fact that I am One with God forever keeps me safe from all worldly appearances, so I can lay down my attacks and defenses.

It is no sacrifice to accept the truth and to let go of all of my false idols. I can truly love what I look upon and demand nothing of it if I merely accept the truth for myself. This allows me to discard the old shoes and smile at all of the appearances of conflict and pain in the world and in my life. Even the body can be seen as mere clothing that, once worn out and no longer useful, will be discarded without any concern or sense of loss. There is no need to judge what is false because the truth is true, and the ego thought system has no power to change the eternal creation of God, which I am joined with forever.

“We look past dreams today, and recognize that we need no defense because we are created unassailable, without all thought or wish or dream in which attack has any meaning. Now we cannot fear, for we have left all fearful thoughts behind. And in defenselessness we stand secure, serenely certain of our safety now, sure of salvation; sure we will fulfill our chosen purpose, as our ministry extends its holy blessing through the world.” (W-153.9:1-3)

I’m so grateful for my old pair of shoes and I look forward to getting a new pair that is comfortable and serves me well, just as I am enjoying the process of accepting the world as it is with Joy, knowing that we are all very safe in God’s mind, and that the ego dream has had no effects at all.

Rev. Robin Singler is a Pathways of Light minister living in Huntley, IL. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2024, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Sept.-Dec., 2024

Dead Ends

by Rev. Krista Kemp, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Although this title may not evoke inspiration and comfort, bear with me as I travel my latest journey of melding the teaching of the Course with the “realness” of death. Recently, I’ve been faced with the death of close family members while simultaneously involved in the course 909: Wellness Through Mind Healing.

Although it is not after having experienced both that I have uncovered that there is no coincidence that this has been presented to me in this way.

Death was not something I gave much thought to. It was only when I was faced with the death of my father in 2001 that I even allowed in the thoughts of death and dying and what this means. As with any journey, it begins with a question… mine stemming from a great feeling of loss and pain.

I needed to believe that there was more to life than dying. My dad was a minister of the church and with this came the expectation I had around his level of faith and the healing that I was convinced was going to occur. But it didn’t. He was in a human body, a body that was failing.

It wasn’t until I discovered ACIM, many years later, that I began to experience a new and deeper level of understanding, not just about death but bodies in general. This new understanding does not mean I do not grieve, but I am now experiencing a new depth of comfort I did not and would not have experienced prior.

My body meant I was alive, right? What does living mean? Why do we get sick? And why do we die? All this initially felt like a “dead end.” I did not know where to go and felt stuck.

It wasn’t until ACIM and now the 909 course, where I explored sickness and death, that I realized I was spending a lot of time and energy focused on my body. Mainly, what it does and doesn’t do, mostly it is when I feel it is not working “right” that I think about it the most.

I began to focus on being sick. It was challenging when I used to have to stand by and watch my family members’ bodies fade away. I recalled praying for their healing and wondering why God has not answered my prayers, especially since my dad was a man of the cloth.

I learned later at my most recent aunt’s funeral, that he had a better understanding of his relationship with God than I did. I was clearly consumed more with my sadness at the losing of him than where he was in his spiritual journey with God.

In preparing to speak at my aunt’s funeral recently, I discovered a message my dad had written. Although I do not know the context for which it was written, I would like to share with you now some of what he wrote and how it aligns with the Course.

He believed that the Church for him was the living body of Christ, and he believed it was to spread the Good News. He shared how even with all our technology, nothing was stopping death and that death would take his beloved friend, and young baby, as well as a 100 year old man. He proclaimed, “I don’t ask “Why God?” anymore, but I ask What? What can I pass on to my children and friends so that they will know that this is not the end of things. What can I possibly say or do to help them understand that the world is full of “dead ends” and that you, God, provide the way, the Truth, and the Life.”

In this I feel he is talking about sharing the good news that we are not bodies, we are eternal as God has made us. We are not a body and when the time comes, we get to lay our bodies down to fully remember we are free. Free in Love. Free from our perceived sickness.

The Course shares: “When the ego tempts you to sickness do not ask the Holy Spirit to heal the body, for this would merely be to accept the ego’s belief that the body is the proper aim of healing. Ask, rather, that the Holy Spirit teach you the right perception of the body, for perception alone can be distorted. Only perception can be sick, because only perception can be wrong.” (T-8.IX.1:5-7)

In the 909:Wellness Through Mind Healing course I was struck by this. I am comforted by Course’s message of “remembering my true nature.” I am called to remember that I am only Love. I am healed and I am well when I remember my true identity. I am not separate from God or my brothers.

In Lesson 199: I am not a body. I am free, it states that, “Freedom must be impossible as long as you perceive a body as yourself.” (W-199.1:1)

Here in this place, this earth is filled with plenty of bodies, bodies used for many things. In the past I judged, attacked, felt victimized in and about my body and the bodies of others. Being so invested in the body kept me separated from everyone and I did not feel happy or at peace. Because I had spent so much ego time with my body and the body of others, when you lose function of your body or a loved one, this loss can feel so great. I recall thinking, “How will I ever recover from this loss?” My dad’s death felt so final — a true ending. I carried this with me for many years.

It’s funny now that I have been studying ACIM for the past seven years, I no longer fear death, death of the body. I’ve come to understand what the body is for, but more importantly, what the mind is for.

A Course in Miracles is for mind healing. Wellness lies in awakening the mind to remembering we are already well. We were never sick.

We are asked in this course 909:Wellness Through Mind Healing, “Do I want to see everyone as the Father sees them? Do I want to see guilt or do I want to see the face of Christ?”

After listening to the Wellness Prayer, I wrote that my deepest truth is that I know all healing is possible, I need only join with God/Holy Spirit/Jesus. I can heal my mind of separation thoughts and thoughts of fear and death.

And to this there are no ‘dead ends’, only wellness.

Rev. Krista Kemp is a Pathways of Light minister living in Niagara On the Lake, Ontario, Canada. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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