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January-March, 2014

Living from the Heart

by Rev. Etienne Pait

Have you stopped long enough to reflect why you were born? If so, has this reflection revealed there may be a purpose for living? Have you asked yourself fundamental questions, such as:  “Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose here?” Many of us sincerely do not ask these questions until we are confronted with a personal crisis threatening our status quo, a relationship, finances, livelihood or anything we hold dear to our hearts.

In our society, if you think on it for a moment, children are generally taught two simple significant lessons. The first lesson children are taught is “good behavior.” Secondly, they are taught “getting good grades is important.” These two fundamental approaches of living takes on a wide variety of expressions directly squelching, confusing … and limiting a child’s innate ability to intuitively and creatively connect with their Source of Life… how?

Children are taught — from society, culture, parents, role models, religions, authority figures, etc., to:

•  Unconsciously inherit opinions

• Adopt unquestioned preconceived ideas

•  Be imposed upon with should’s, ought to’s, must’s, and have to’s

•  Be obedient to arbitrary and unquestioned standards and norms

•  Espouse unchecked values

•  Fear, what to be afraid of, what they want and don’t want

•  Distort meanings and interpretations given to experiences

•  (and many other perceptions that may be in opposition to what is true in their hearts)

So, between the ages of 12 to 16 many of us have ‘blocked’ much of our awareness to our creative Source — God.

In a nutshell, basically, the image of living takes on the following patterned scenario:  1) We are born. 2) We go to school. 3) We stress to get good grades in school. 4) We compete to get the best job so we can live among our peers. 5) We marry. 6) We have children. 7) We vacation from the job, with or without the children. 8) One day we retire from the job. 9) Then we die.

If one honestly looks at this pattern, recognition comes that much of this pattern evolves quite surreptitiously and unconsciously — simply because “it is what’s done” or “everyone does it,” as the pattern is not examined nor challenged. Have you ever questioned this “mechanical pattern of living?” If you look even deeper you may also recognize much of this pattern of living is painfully unfulfilling — requiring a much more honest look.

Rarely does this mechanical pattern of living lead to fulfilling our function here, reveal a conscious purpose for being or lead to more of a consistent experience of happiness many of us would love to know. This mechanical pattern of living does not reveal why we are here nor will it assist in describing the truth of “Who I am.” The pattern, more often than not, keeps us distracted, “asleep,” blocked and unaware from living the fulfilling life we really want. This pattern keeps us from our Aliveness — the Joy of God. This pattern keeps us hurriedly running into the future, from an unfulfilled past. Aliveness, on the other hand, is a complete experience of the now moment — (‘Stop and smell the roses.’)

Then, during an adult epiphany, many of us ‘hit a wall’ as a new awareness is given birth. The typical up and down emotional reactive patterns, the running to pleasure and the running from the pain cycles just seem ridiculous and just plain exhausting. “Is this what life is all about?”

Usually around mid-thirties to early forties, an ‘urge’ inside us prompts us to question our real goal, our real purpose for being here, our true function in a world that no longer feels like home. We, internally, ask the two fundamental questions:  “Who am I? Why am I here?” We are seeking a deeper meaning to life, not just the inherited ones we’ve adopted and squeezed into. Not only do we not want to just merely exist and look back with regret, but now we become aware of a strong desire to experience true Aliveness and meaning in each now moment. Looking at these questions, and answering them, will open up Pandora’s Box!

Change will occur. Change need not be fearful, for that which needs to change was not meant for our best interest. In order to grease the wheels of change I have found that two approaches are essential: trust in a natural Wisdom of Life, and an attitude of non-resistance.

This trust and non-resistance is based on only one assumption: that Life, Itself (call it God, Creator, Universal Intelligence, or whatever Source of All), loves us and cares for us and is always moving us in the direction to experience Life more fully. And as Life moves us in this direction one perceives an undoing process — undoing the beliefs, ideas, opinions, perceptions and other inherited influences that are in opposition to our Aliveness (our Heart).

As one goes through these changes and the undoing process it is very helpful to consult the wisdom, expertise and experiences of those who are familiar with the road map — to help cope with the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical and/or financial adjustments as a new Reality emerges, as our Heart returns to Aliveness …keeping in mind that Holy Spirit is steadily working ‘behind the scenes’ through those who have walked before us.

Rev. Etienne Pait, O.M.C., a Pathways minister, is author of The Sun Has No Shadow, Undoing the Never Done and Would You Consider?  Website: www.etiennepait.com

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2013

Being in a State of Miracle Mindedness in the Midst of Challenges

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski, O.M.C.

“You are not used to miracle-minded thinking, but you can be trained to think that way.” (T-2.VII; 1:9)
“Miracle working entails a full realization of the power of thought in order to avoid miscreation.” (T-2.VII.2:2)

I have used A Course in Miracles as my mind training program. Recently, I asked Holy Spirit to help me cultivate miracle minded thinking rather than magical thinking. Magical thinking for me means that I place my trust in the world and believe that the world and its ways will bring me happiness. It means that I look outward to others for my safety, well-being and happiness rather than turning to God. 

On the other hand, miracle minded thinking for me means surrendering my separate ego will and joining with God’s Will for me. It means stepping back and letting Holy Spirit take the lead and guide me every step of the way. It means to me that I don’t know what anything means or what anything is for. It means that I don’t make any decisions on my own, and I don’t judge anything. It means being at peace with the mystery and not knowing the outcome but expecting good, because that is God’s promise.

Wow! This is the training of the mind to think in a whole new way and, for me, it is a daily practice. It is also learning to put my trust in knowing that Holy Spirit knows what is for my highest good; ego does not, although it thinks it does.

So how does this play out in the world? This past year I faced several challenges. Actually, the ego, in it’s fearful state, would call them challenges and this would lead to a state of despair. I’m not saying that there weren’t times that I didn’t succumb to those feelings, but I remembered that these so-called challenges are opportunities for forgiveness so I can awaken from this dream of sickness, pain, loss, and suffering. As Mary Stoelting is fond of saying, “I can hardly wait to see the good that comes from this.”

So here are some examples of how it has been working in Linda’s life in the world:

August was another birthday for Linda. In the past, birthdays were very important and I spent a lot of time, energy and money making sure my birthday and my families’ birthdays were “special.” I believed I needed to feel special to give me the illusion that I was loved and worthy.

On the day of my birthday, I didn’t get any cards from my family, although I did get phone calls wishing me a happy birthday. But to the ego, that is not enough. It continually wants more and more to believe it is loved and never feels gratitude for what it has.

I felt sad because both my daughters live out of town. One lives two hours away and one lives seven hours away by car, so I have to admit, I was feeling alone and in despair. But I knew that this belief in specialness was magical thinking, so I spent the day with Spirit asking for forgiveness of these mis-guided thoughts and to help me to see correctly.

By the next day, I was feeling more peaceful and did not go into despair when a friend had to cancel going out for a celebration dinner. In fact, the more time I spent in quiet and with Spirit, the more I experienced peace, which to me is the greatest gift. It is a gift that keeps on giving as long as I keep giving my willingness to receive it. It doesn’t depend on anyone or anything outside of me to give it to me. It is in me and available to me 24/7.

I did surrender my expectations of having a “special birthday” and lo and behold, that Saturday my two daughters, son-in-law and my three grand-children surprised me with a visit to celebrate.

During that week I experienced two more opportunities to experience Spirit’s message of Love for me and to forgive more magical thinking beliefs that I could be lacking and not deserving. While my granddaughters were here for the week, my husband’s truck died beyond the point of repair, the second car needed $600 worth of repair and the bridge in my mouth came out, was beyond repair and I had an empty space in the lower right hand side of my mouth.

My husband and I do not have a financial cushion and we live on social security and his part time job in baking bread. So how would we pay for all of this? Again, initially I went into despair and believed it was hopeless — that is what the ego’s reaction to seeming crisis is. But I put my willingness into miracle minded thinking and turned to Spirit to guide me. I am also learning that Spirit’s guidance comes in the moment when I can most receive it with gratitude, not guilt.

I didn’t get an immediate answer as to how all this would work out and again I used the time to surrender and strengthen my connection and trust that Spirit would work it all out for me for my highest good and healing. I had to let go of the need to know the outcome or what it would look like.

While going to a community dental clinic where you pay according to income, my husband’s sister called. When she found out what was going on, she offered to give us an interest free loan for both a car and fixing my teeth. We would also get to decide the terms of repayment that would be comfortable for us.

But instead of receiving with love and gratitude, feelings of guilt, unworthiness and shame came rushing up. I believed I didn’t deserve to receive and that others would judge me as a taker and loser because I couldn’t provide for myself and had to depend on others to take care of me. Actually, I was judging myself as a loser.

Spirit led me to Workbook lesson 195 — Love is the way I walk in gratitude. In the lesson it said, “Love makes no comparisons.” (W-pI.195.4:2) To believe that the world is divided into haves and have-not’s is separation thinking and not love.

“We thank our Father for one thing alone; that we are separate from no living thing, and therefore one with Him.” …otherwise… we fail to recognize the gifts of God to us.” (W-pI.195.6:1,3)

The loan from my husband’s family which allowed us to get a car (used and good) and teeth fixed was only a symbol of God’s goodness for All His Children.

I am so grateful for the mind training I am receiving that is putting me in a state of miracle mindedness to place my trust in Spirit who will provide me with everything I need in the illusion so I can be of service to the Sonship as we all go Home together. I am grateful to be open to all the Love that pours through when I am willing to accept the goodness that is available to all of us and join as One in Love.

Rev. Linda Wisniewski is a Pathways of Light minister living in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2013

Unearthing Our Unconscious Fear of God — An Exercise

by Rev. Nouk Sanchez, O.M.C.

Tomas, my soul buddy, left the body in December 2010. He left through what appeared as cancer of the body.

Tomas awakened within the ego dream (although he had not awakened from it) prior to leaving the body. In the Course, Jesus calls us to the next level of awakening which is from the ego dream of death entirely (refer to the excerpt on my blog titled, Why Jesus’ Teaching is the Quickest of all Spiritual Pathways. Here is the link: http://undoing-the-ego.org/noukblog/?p=387)

Although Tomas did not awaken from the ego’s dream of death, he was very aware that he chose cancer as a means through which he could apply vigilant discipline to prioritize peace in order to achieve only one goal — to awaken within the ego’s dream.

Since Tomas left physical form, communication between us has remained unbroken. In fact, he is more available now without a body than he was with one! This is quite miraculous to say the least.

Prior to his leaving the body, we both had lived and studied the principles of A Course in Miracles for 20 years. We took the long meandering path and made every conceivable mistake along the way. While our misunderstanding and confusion appeared to increase our suffering during that period, I see now that we chose this so that we could help light the path Home for others. In particular, I now see a much gentler and more joyful path to undoing suffering and hope to share this with all who are called to walk with us.

In the short time since Tomas left the body, I have been blessed with a monumental leap forward in understanding and embracing the next phase or paradigm of Jesus’ teachings in the Course. I believe that Tomas is helping with this as he’s currently assisting many who are committed to undoing fear. And I promised to share these teachings with those who are guided at this time, to take their experience of the Course to a whole new level. This is an invitation to experience and to demonstrate a miraculous paradigm shift. This is embodying being a true miracle-worker.

Perhaps the strongest catalyst for this recent leap in perception comes from discovering something with Tomas. I must admit that it’s been only recently that I was shown our greatest individual and collective blocks to God’s Love. I was shocked, I had no idea, even after 20 years of ACIM. I see now just why it took me two decades of such unnecessary suffering to arrive at this present and joyful state of awareness. And no one needs to suffer the way that Tomas and I did. So that’s why I’m feeling so guided to co-facilitate these Know Thyself — Power of Power Retreats each year; to share these epiphanies and to help others overcome pain and suffering; to find deep and unshakable security, Love and joy much sooner.

The first of our major blocks to Love is incredibly well hidden in our unconscious. Even after 20 years, Tomas and I were stunned that we hadn’t recognized it. Yet when we saw it and released it to Spirit, we understood just why it took us so long to establish trust in God’s Love. Until we had advanced in trusting Spirit, we did what everyone does here in the dream, we relied largely on our own “will” and the world’s laws. Or worse still, we tried to balance between two paradigms, partially trusting in Spirit and partially trusting in our own ego will. We had one foot each in both canoes and the mighty current of ego-undoing rapidly pulled those boats apart. The outcome? Well you can guess — we fell head first in the water and we felt like we were drowning. That’s the feeling all of us have when we attempt to integrate the ego’s laws with God’s Laws. The two are absolutely irreconcilable. Not until we choose only one will there be consistent peace and joy. Until then, we’re welcome to torture ourselves; there is no compromise in this, none.

The biggest of our blocks and the one that hides the deepest is our fear of God (Love). While it’s the last of the obstacles to peace, it can and should be exhumed as soon as possible. I am learning now that this fear of God is so insidious and prevalent that it sabotages every single thing we do, including the Spiritual path that we are so invested in. It’s at the seat of all our physical and emotional pain, our need to control, our unconscious attraction to pain and disease, to scarcity, to conflict and eventually to physical death itself.

If you don’t believe me, maybe you could do a little introductory exercise here…

With pen and paper, write down all the positive attributes of God or Life as imagined in the Awakened State. For example: Unconditional Love, peace, joy, safety, security, all my needs are met consistently, etc.

Spend time sitting with all these. These represent the intellectual list of God’s celestial attributes. This is what the ego is happy for us to see as long as we don’t dare to delve any deeper and find what we really believe about Love (God) in our unconscious.

Now, with total and radical self-honesty, watch for any signs of fear or concern when you ponder the following statement. Write down each of your fears. Unearthing these fears is invaluable. They pave the way out of fear forever, so please be honest.

“I choose only God’s Will for me, from this moment onward. In so doing, I choose to forfeit my own independent will in every area of my life.”

If you ask for and accept only His Will, there is no room for your own separate will.

Write down any concerns about possible change, loss or sacrifice in each of the important areas of your life. Make a comprehensive list of all the so called fearful or disastrous scenarios that could occur if you totally surrendered your own independent will to God. What do you fear may change or fall away, specifically in the following areas?

•  finances and income

•  relationship

•  children and family

•  job or career

•  security and self image

•  the body and health

•  other areas 

Any signs of concern or fear represent the tip of the so called iceberg as far as our unconscious distrust in God’s Love is concerned. When Tomas and I did this exercise after nearly 20 years of the Course, we were astounded as to just how much we still did not trust Spirit. We still compartmentalized parts of our life. When our life looks like a multi sliced pie and we insist on keeping and controlling some slices independently apart from Spirit, the conflict eventually becomes unbearable. And it’s here that we either opt out to recycle again through scarcity, disease or death, or we decide to jump in to undoing the ego, totally.

Now… look at your first list. The list of your positive beliefs about God. Then place the list with all your fears about totally surrendering your life to God, beside the first list. Usually, these two lists are totally opposite. One is full of Love and the other is full of fear. Look carefully. The first list of positive attributes of God is real. The second list is unreal. It represents your unconscious fear of God. This is your unconscious fear of Love itself.

Look again at your list of fears. This represents the god the ego made! The ego projects these deep fears onto God so we will persist in turning to the ego for guidance instead of God’s Love. To the degree that we continue to maintain our own independent decisions, goals, plans and control, shows us just how fearful we are, of God’s Love.

If you truly wish to heal your unconscious fear of God, then it would be helpful to take your list of fears and go through the Atonement (forgiveness) process with each of these blocks to Love’s presence and surrender them in exchange for the miracle. In this process you will be relinquishing the ego’s obsession with unconscious self-attack. Here is the full Atonement process: http://undoing-the-ego.org/noukblog/?p=231

All there is, is God’s all-encompassing Love. There is nothing else. When we see or feel anything else, we are hallucinating. So if all there is, is God’s Love, what then do we consistently defend ourselves against? Why do we insist on problem-solving independently from Spirit? And the answer is because we still fear God. We don’t trust Love because we don’t yet know it, we don’t know our Holy Self. From the ego thought system, we project an ego image onto God. And the God that we’re so reluctant to surrender to, is the imaginary god the ego made. A cruel and demanding god who tests us constantly through lessons and gives us freedom only in death. No wonder we are so terrified of surrender! The “god we made” is the greatest unconscious block to trusting in the process of awakening from suffering.

A Prayer to Release Fear, Guilt, Pain, Anxiety, Sickness or Scarcity

“Every fear, all pain and every concern I have about my own or another’s safety, is always my defense against God’s Love. I choose now to be mindful of every instance of fear, seeing fear for what it truly is, rejection of my Self as Love and innocence. In defending myself from fear and suffering, I make them real in my belief. And by making them real, I reject the Love and guiltlessness that is my true safety, my Holy Self. In the name of God’s Love, I join my will with Spirit’s Will now and together we choose against fear and suffering in every form. In His Will I am safe. Through His Will I remember that I have dominion over everything the ego made to attack me or another. And fear and suffering are not His Will. When I allow myself to be consumed by fear or pain, I isolate myself from God’s Love as my Holy Self. I willingly accept only God’s Joyous Will for me and reject anything the ego uses to try to distract me from my one-minded path Home. Amen.”

Nouk is co-author of best seller, Take Me to Truth and Founder of the ‘Take Me to Truth Foundation,’ which is based on the teachings of A Course in Miracles, http://www.undoing-the-ego.org Her latest book, The End of Death will be announced in her Newsletter. You can sign up for the Newsletter here: http://www.undoing-the-ego.org/newsletter.html

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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October-December, 2013

Clouds and Worries

by Rev. Veronika Wilcox, O.M.C.

Clouds can look dark
and threatening,
so it is with worry
thoughts and feelings,
they too can look
dark and threatening.

How do I chase the clouds away?

Not at all —
for they are just clouds
and they come and go,
depending how the wind blows them.

Only identifying with the clouds or
worries brings suffering.

As I stand and watch
the clouds or thoughts,
I feel the freedom of the
blue sky beyond them.

As I start to identify
with the vastness of infinity,
I am freed from the hypnotic clutch
of those thoughts.

Amen

Rev. Veronika Wilcox is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in New South Wales, Australia. Website: http://www.trueimage.name

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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