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October-December, 2015

Where to Begin?

by Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C.

When students new to the Course come to me, they inevitably ask where to start. Back in the old days, when I thought I knew something, (not really that long ago, truth be told) I would tell them. What I told them, of course, was what I was guided to do, and what has my guidance to do with them? We each have the Holy Spirit within us to be our Guide and no one needs someone else to do that. We each have a specific path to follow and only the Holy Spirit knows what that is.

When I started the Course, luckily, I didn’t have anyone to advise me. I picked up the book and started at the beginning like any good little Virgo would. And that was absolutely perfect for me. I was completely enthralled, and couldn’t have put it down if I wanted to, at least until I got to the part where I didn’t understand anything I was reading, but that was okay, too. At this point there was nowhere to go but to the lessons, and that was perfect, too.

I had a lot more trouble with the lessons. I redid the first two sections over and over again because I would come to my line of resistance. I didn’t see it like that at the time. The ego said I was lazy, I didn’t want it bad enough, I shouldn’t be doing it, I couldn’t do it, I should be ashamed. I believed it all, and would put the book down in guilt and fear, but I could not undo what I already knew, and so would pick it up again. I eventually pushed that line of resistance back further and further, but still did not do the lessons all the way through for a very long time.

It wasn’t until I did get through the lessons that everything began to change and so I highly recommend doing them, but I no longer presume the Holy Spirit’s role and tell anyone how or when.

I also no longer look back on my journey and think that there was anything wrong about the way I did it, or even my timing. It was obviously perfect for me, and while I can see from the perspective of time the how and why of a lot of it, that doesn’t matter either. However, I have noticed that it can be helpful to others who are faltering to share my experience of stumbling through it, not to mention it keeps me humble. ~smile~

What helped me to finally get through the lessons was finding Pathways of Light. They had a forum at the time that allowed the opportunity to do the lessons with others and to share our experience. I was so happy to have someone to share this journey that I never wanted to get behind, so I was motivated to stay on course. Another thing I learned through Pathways was that anyone can communicate with the Holy Spirit. So I asked the Holy Spirit to help me go through the lessons again with His help, and I began to journal as I went. Again, everything changed.

Listening to the Holy Spirit, learning to trust that Voice, has helped me to reach the point where I can say with certainty and humility that I am a teacher of God. I am an imperfect teacher, but then, aren’t we all. I also understand and completely accept that this does not make me special. We are all teachers, and eventually we all become teachers of God. It is just a matter of time, and time doesn’t really exist. One person seems to be there while another seems to still be in resistance, and the important word in this sentence is “seems.” The difference is temporary, and as unreal as time itself.

Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Lake Charles, LA. Read her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways website. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  Web: http://www.forgivenessisthewayhome.org  www.facebook.com/myronacim Twitter: https://twitter.com/RevMyronJones

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2015

My Life’s Purpose

by Rev. Barbara Goodman Siegel, O.M.C.

A few days ago, my husband and I went to a local Waffle House restaurant. We discovered this little gem by accident and probably only went in because our daughter said how much her family enjoys going to Waffle House. Up until this latest encounter, we thought of it as an old, dirty, little truck stop.

On entering the restaurant, all the employees shouted out: “Good morning!” Wow! At what other restaurant do you walk in and get that kind of greeting? We sat in a booth and a sweet, young woman named Skye immediately came over to wait on us. The whole time we were there, Skye never lost the beautiful smile that had found her face.

The first thing Skye did was get a fresh pot of coffee brewing for me as I like the dark roast and not the regular coffee. She took our order and within just a few minutes, brought us the yummy, hot food. She came back with the fresh coffee in just a few more moments (and apologized that I had to wait). I promise that I am in no way exaggerating the speed of service. Skye kept checking on us: “Was everything cooked OK? Did I need more coffee?” We got more service with a better attitude than I have gotten at 99% of the fancy, costly breakfast places in our neighborhood. In fact, it was so outstanding, that I made a point of going to the website of Waffle House and writing a note about Skye and the outstanding service and attitude she showered us with that morning.

Skye’s attitude that morning was contagious. I felt it in the communication my husband and I had over our breakfast — fun and happy. And I noticed how that mood of happiness and service lasted throughout the day.

“OK,” you might be saying to yourself, “But what has that got to do with me? Are you just advertising Waffle House?” No, that is not my intention; my intention is to point out two things:

(1) How perceptions based on the past are not valid

(2) How living from a place of happiness affects everyone you come in contact with. 

My past concept of this restaurant was not valid and because I had held onto it, I denied myself the opportunity for many wonderful, budget-friendly breakfasts (which, by the way, is my favorite meal of the day). But, much more important than that, I was given an example of our true purpose and how this purpose — not necessarily some high-minded career that takes at least one degree if not more, but our true purpose — is to bring happiness and joy to everyone we meet. That act of truly living our purpose can come from something as simple as how you pour a cup of coffee for someone, even a stranger.

I have thought that I need to do something grand, something that everyone will take notice of, or I have failed. Why haven’t I written a great, spiritual book? I sure have studied enough of them. Why aren’t I on the lecture circuit like Marianne Williamson? I am good at public speaking and I have also studied A Course In Miracles for many years.

Skye showed me that this question is being asked by my ego. The real question is: “Am I able to serve, no matter in what capacity, with joy and happiness? Could I pour a cup of coffee for a stranger with joy and happiness and with no thought that the job was beneath me? When I can do that, then I am truly successful.

Rev. Barbara Goodman Siegel, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in St. Louis, Missouri. 
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2015

Miracles 101

by Rev. Andrea Sassa Archuleta, O.M.C.

“There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not “harder” or “bigger” than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal.”

“Miracles are natural. When they do not occur, something has gone wrong.” (T-1.I.1:1-3)

“Miracles are everyone’s right.” (T-1.I.7:1)

Well, What Exactly Is a Miracle?

I am asked this a lot when people know that I work with the text, A Course in Miracles. Some ask if the Course will teach them how to walk on water, or turn water into wine, maybe even part the sea. Now wouldn’t that be cool!

Recently, I was trail running in the mountains with Bella, our great red-heeler mix. It’s been raining more than usual so there are lots of little gnats in the air that we don’t usually have. For some reason, they like to fly around my mouth and often right into my eyeballs when I’m breathing hard and heavy. Gross when they end up in my mouth!

I’ve tried wearing a hat, then sunglasses, then breathing only through my nose or exhaling heavy to blow them away. I’ve tried many, many things to keep these oh so irritating bugs away. Because really, they have the entire forest to fly around, why pick me to harass?

Feeling into my irritation, I wanted it to go away. I wasn’t enjoying my run and the amazing wildflowers — so many colors! These beautiful wildflowers are also here because of the rains. So, I asked my true Self — Can I have a new perspective about this? Is there a way I can see this differently? I wanted a way, a “seeing,” that freed me from the irritation I was experiencing.

And it came, the new perspective, to this: Their buzzing into my face wasn’t about Me. They weren’t “harassing” me. I wasn’t under some kind of attack from this little creature who more than likely was just zooming about its business in the forest as I came crashing into it. Maybe I’m the irritating one — Ha! Imagine that!

Continuing with my run, I “seemed” to notice fewer gnats flying into my face. When one was near an eyeball or my mouth, instead of angrily swatting it away, I felt more gentle, just closed my eye or mouth, and lightly waved it away.

So, what’s the miracle, A Course in Miracles “miracle”? My shift in perception and how it moved me from feeling irritation to feeling peaceful and gentle. Because truly that’s all I want or ever have any control of — my feelings, my responses — to all the life buzzing, flying, and crashing around me everyday in oh so many ways.

Enjoy your day. Enjoy the miracles waiting for YOU!

Reverend Andrea Sassa Archuleta is a Pathways of Light Ordained Minister living in Santa Fe New Mexico. Rev. Andrea joyfully joins with you for spiritual counseling and to officiate your wedding and ceremonies. Find Rev. Andrea at Awakening JOY Ministries, LLC at http://www.spiritualcounseling.us and by emailing her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2015

Helpting Each Other Home

by Maura Williams

It’s never about what you’re doing. It’s never about your behavior. It’s always about your thoughts and sometimes it’s about what you’re not doing by doing whatever it is you are doing.

You can take just about any “bad” habit and apply this to it.

I often interrupt people when they talk. I think I know what they’re going to say and I’m afraid I’ll forget what I want to say, so I interrupt them and blurt out my comment.

Let’s look not a what I did that was so rude, but at what I didn’t do: I didn’t let them finish. I don’t know what they were going to say and now I probably won’t get to hear it, because I’ve hurt their feelings. But there’s more. In not letting them finish, I didn’t allow the Holy Spirit room to reply through me. My ego thought its agenda was more important and rushed in to “help” me. I don’t need this kind of help. It is not loving, it is not kind and it is not caring. It’s selfish, rude and unnecessary.

How will I change this? I’ll relax. I’ll listen next time, all the way to the very end. I will allow space for my brother to express himself and I’ll allow space for the Holy Spirit to work through me. This looks like speaking and listening, but it is giving and receiving; listening and replying; acknowledging and accepting and allowing. This is a beautiful, complete, full circle. Being part of this circle is to know Oneness. It is to know Love, to give it and to receive it and it all happens in a way that no one knows for sure who is giving and who is receiving. All of us are healed in this circle and all of us are helping each other Home.

Another habit I have is that I isolate myself when I’m feeling hurt. I don’t want to be around people. I don’t feel like I have anything positive to share and my mother taught me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I’ve taken this to the extreme and turned it into something like this, “If you don’t have anything positive to share, stay away from other people.” Maybe I should let the Holy Spirit look at this with me.

If I isolate myself all I see is the pain I’m feeling. This might be a good first step, but in the long run I need to be interacting with others. If I’m isolating, I’m not accepting that I am one with God and my brother. The Course says, “Salvation is a collaborative venture. It cannot be undertaken by those who disengage themselves from the Sonship, because they are disengaging themselves from me. God will come to you only as you will give Him to your brothers. Learn first of them and you will be ready to hear God. That is because the function of love is one.” (T-4.VII.8:2-6)

I don’t want to be disengaged from Jesus. He holds my hand as I walk through this life. I cannot see myself without the mirror of my brother. Sometimes brothers hold each other in love and allow each other to fall apart. Somehow letting go of the pain we feel in another’s arms is very healing. I’ve done this for others and others have done it for me. We give and take; we love and receive. We allow the Holy Spirit to work miracles through us by realizing what we’re not doing.

If I’m isolating myself I’m not allowing God to come to me through my brother. I tell myself I’m being strong, but what I’m really doing is giving in to weakness and making myself weaker and more vulnerable. I’m not acknowledging my oneness and in a sense, I’m fighting God. I’m telling Him, “No. I don’t want you to love me through my brother.” In some way, I think I’m protecting myself from pain. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is I’m taking a bath in my pain. I’m enjoying it. I’m in my ego-self and the pain is proof God doesn’t love me.

When I’m able to see what I’m doing, I’m able to stop it, to give up and to ask the Holy Spirit to help me. That’s when I find myself in my brother’s presence enjoying the Love of God through him. What an awesome plan God came up with to save us from ourselves.

Maura Williams is a Pathways of Light ministerial candidate living in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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