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April-June, 2010

I Am You, You Are Me, We Are One

by Rev. Sue A. Hannon

Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ — This means all who are reading this, even those who aren’t (as funny as that sounds) because we are all equal members of the One Family of God! I know that my purpose in this “dream world of illusions” is to remember in each and every moment Who my Heavenly Father/Mother really Is on earth as in Heaven — God the Father; God the Mother; God of all Creation; God of Love, Gentleness, Mercy, Joy, Peace, Innocence, God of all that is Eternal! 

In that total and profound remembrance, I remember Who I AM — A Divine Creation of God’s holy Love, as Love, eternally!  In this recent enlightenment and Self-Realization on a much deeper level then ever before, I will continue to remember then that I am a Divine Creation/Child of Love by extending Love; a Divine Creation/Child of gentleness by being gentle; a Divine Creation/Child of mercy by being merciful; a Divine Creation/Child of joy by being and expressing joy; a Divine Creation/Child of peace by being peaceful; a Divine Creation of innocence by believing whole-heartedly in my innocence!

Seriously, I laugh to think that I had thought that I could be anything other than the Truth of Who I AM, Who I always was, Who I always will be!  My remembrance is no longer just in my mind and the words I speak, but within the quiet and stillness of my heart shared with my Heavenly Father/Mother and without in my every action! It is in my being Love in motion that I will keep from forgetting again the grandeur and exhilaration of my “total and profound Remembrance.” It is in the believing without a single doubt that this “world” is only a “dream world of illusions” and that I have never left the Home or Loving and safe embrace of my Heavenly Father/Mother, which is the truth for us all in spite of how our human eyes and ears, erroneous beliefs and false ideas would try to convince us differently. 

The “dream,” of which no part is my Truth, is only the catalyst to “choose once again” (ACIM T-31.VIII) with Holy Spirit (the Voice for God) to remember my eternal Oneness with God, my Heavenly Father/Mother and Who that makes me!  With that thought, I can let go of all self-imposed guilt. The freedom from understanding not only the self-imposed guilt but, in this understanding, the freedom from the suffering and pain of thinking I had left the “Home” of my Heavenly Father/Mother (which in Truth I never did) and that I was some how separated from God’s Love because of it (which in Truth could never happen) is, as I said, exhilaratingly freeing! 

The understanding of the paradox that my “forgetfulness” in truth helped me to “remember,” blesses me with my Divine birthright and heritage of not only my Innocence but everyone’s, and the Divine abundance of God’s Love that we are meant to share; His peace which blesses us all; and God’s grace in which I want to live with joy, laughter and a sense of light-heartedness.

I want to share with you a definition of “grace” by Étienne Pait: “Grace is a shift in perception which consequently allows us the recognition or the ability to see the beauty or to have a glimpse of the pure Presence of God. The way it’s felt in the body is ultimate peace, pure peace. So it could be we miss the mishap or we have the mishap — no ego involved. Grace is the step before the constant living with the recognition of the Presence of God in each and every moment.” 

With my enlightenment and Self-realization “felt” on a soul level as never before, the understanding of Étienne’s definition of “grace” has become crystal clear to me and I am filled with gratitude beyond what any words could ever express for the Divine abundance of God’s constant Presence in my life and the realization that It always has been a part of my earthly life! What I can not “express” in words,  I can do in action to show my gratitude to my Heavenly Father/Mother by letting only God/Love work through Me, for Me and with Me, as Me, because that is what I AM — Love eternal!

To help me remember and maintain my enlightenment and Self-realization,” I realize I must also be continuously vigilant for those thoughts and actions that are valuable and for those thoughts and actions that are valueless. What is “valuable” is only that which comes from Love, gives Love, returns to Love and is eternal — cannot ever change or ever be changed. And any thought or action that does not come from Love, does not give Love or does not return to Love and is temporary and changeable. If a thought or action helps me remember Who my eternal Father/Mother is, Who I Am and the Oneness we all share, then it is valuable because of the clarity it offers me and the Love and peace I will feel! 

If the thought or action is unloving, judgmental, fearful, condemning and/or surrounded with anger, it is valueless, even though it often times has the “illusion” of being or feeling “real.” It is just part of the “dream world of illusions” that I created to “help” me “choose once again” with the help of Holy Spirit to remember my Truth, which is the Truth for all of us. 

So I will “choose once again” and again and again, however many times it takes for me to see through Christ’s Vision, to feel, to know without a single moment in doubt. I not only know but am “living” — being Love in motion — Who my Heavenly Mother/Father is (eternal Love), Who that makes me (a Divine Creation/Child of God/eternal Love), Who that makes all of us, and not only my Oneness with God eternally but with you, my Divine Brothers and Sisters in Christ because we share the one birthright and heritage!

In my “right-mindedness,” which “listens to the Holy Spirit, forgives the world and through Christ’s vision sees the real world in its place,” (C-1.5:2) I can easily forgive myself and all others with the change in my perception and whole-hearted recognition of the “illusion” that anything ever “happened” to me that was “real” except for God/Love because nothing, absolutely nothing, but God — Love — is real and eternal.

The “ego” — which is simply a set of false and erroneous beliefs — can be quite proficient and tricky in trying to have me believe something other than what is Real and what is Truth. As soon as I am aware that I no longer am in a state of “pure peace” — recognizing “the Presence of God in each and every moment,” I will not only ask Holy Spirit but allow Holy Spirit to replace any and all valueless beliefs (without exception) and fill my heart with God’s Divine Love, holy peace, gentle strength and crystal clarity of what is of Truth and eternal!

Yes, I believe it is that simple to release myself from the “prison” of pain and suffering, guilt, anger and fear that my erroneous and mistaken beliefs would have me locked in! What may “appear” or “feel” not to be so simple is just how many times I have to do this until in every “now” moment there is nothing else I remember, nothing else I desire — nothing but “… the constant living with the recognition of the Presence of God in each and every moment” and “the One-mindedness of the Christ Mind, Whose Will is one with God’s.” (ACIM C-1.6:3)

The glorious freedom to “constantly live in the recognition of the Presence of God” and our Oneness is worth however many times it takes for me to achieve my goal until it is the effortless natural state of my Being in quiet stillness and in lively motion!

This “letter” then is not only to share the love, joy, peace and freedom of my “enlightenment and Self-realization” but to “thank you,” each One of you, for your “help” in my coming to this point of “Grace”!

I clearly know, understand and feel now that “… all things, events, encounters and circumstances are helpful” (M-4.I:A.4:5) because not only are they a chance to be God’s arms or hands or be compassionate or patient or gentle — whatever is Loving and eternal — with you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, but I am so grateful for how that has truly helped me “find” my way Home — a “place” in actuality I never left, in spite of how it might “appear” through my earthly eyes and ears, rather then through Christ’s Vision, which reflects only Love, unity and strength… the “Real World.” 

It is my greatest hope that my attempt to express my reflective gratitude for the important and beautiful part you have had in my life will bring you joy and will make your heart smile in the recognition of your own truth!

May each of you recognize and believe that this thought, this “Love in motion,” comes from the depth of my heart to yours — I am You, You are Me, We are One — all equal members of the one Family of God! Be filled with wonder! Be touched by peace! With only Love and heartfelt gratitude to all! As One eternally, a loving sister in Christ.

Rev. Sue Hannon, OMC is a Pathways of Light minister living in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

© 2010, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2010

Walls of Limitation

by Rev. Veronika Wilcox

I have built walls of
limitations for myself.
I have done such a good job,
that I see myself sitting
in quite a solid tower.

The tower is made out
of all sorts of excuses
why I can’t live freely
from the desire of my heart.

This tower is made out of bricks,
which represent thoughts of blame.

This tower looks quite solid
to me, whenever I really
want to move forward.

But this tower is only
made out of thoughts —
My thought and beliefs,
based on fear.

I am free in every moment,
to release this fear and the limitations,
by choosing only Love.  Amen

Rev. Veronika Wilcox is a Pathways of Light minister living in Bega Valley, New South Wales, Australia.

© 2010, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2010

The Prodigal Son Returns?

by Rev. Jay Seppanen

I’ve been dallying in new areas of opportunity in this heartfelt desire to be of service. After ordination I was looking forward to helping others in need of listening, compassion, and help in making them aware of the small, still voice of Wisdom that is within. To date, I haven’t really had much of a calling from others to do that and I couldn’t figure out why! “Holy Spirit, what’s the deal? You know how much I want to do this work, so what’s the hang-up?”

The answer came about a year and a half later when I was given a golden opportunity to go back to school and pursue a Master’s degree in Community Counseling. I still remember to this day how the knowing that I could finally do this came to me like a bolt out of the blue. “Wow! I can finally go back to school!” I said to myself out on the dock at the manufacturing company where I was working full-time. Because I was in a position to do so, I was able to leave my job and go back to school full-time. During my education I noticed they spent very little time discussing the importance of spirituality and faith in terms of maintaining the ability to cope in the secular world. Yet spirituality, it seems to me, is the very foundation of being able to cope! But I really wanted to learn the secular side of counseling theory and interventions too, so that I could make use of both as the opportunity presented itself in clinical practice. Three years later I have my ordination, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and after taking the requisite exam, my license to practice as a professional counselor in the state of Illinois.

I am thoroughly convinced that our Creator has a magnificent sense of humor as He watches my furious antics: My ego-self perceives that I’ve stumbled through a number of attempts to do this kind of work without success, which leaves me in a perpetual state of confusion. Again, “What’s the Deal?” I’d taken the state mandated training for rape crisis intervention in my late 20’s only to find out that men weren’t really encouraged to provide this kind of service. I’d actually read that in an article by an esteemed professional in the field, while I was in the program. Okay. That’s not going to work. Then, years later, I looked into going back to school for a Master’s in social work… Hmm. Can’t afford it; can’t work while I’m doing my clinicals. OK, that’s out. Then I received my ordination… limited response. Hmm. Something’s up… And finally at age 50 I earn a Master’s in Counseling and my license to practice. TaDa! Here I am!… What’s that? I can’t practice privately until I get my Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) credential? And that’s how many years down the road? At least two? So what’s my option? Go to work at an agency… (Okay, I can do that), but it’s tough to get into the field because of all the more experienced competition? (There’s got to be a joke here somewhere!)

Amidst all this ceaseless ego talk I once again turned to Holy Spirit for an answer and was directed to Lesson 135: “If I defend myself I am attacked.” “What could you not accept, if you but knew that everything that happens, all events, past, present and to come, are gently planned by One Whose only purpose is your good?” (W-135.18:1) and: “Your present trust in Him is the defense that promises a future undisturbed, without a trace of sorrow, and with joy that constantly increases, as this life becomes a holy instant, set in time, but heeding only immortality.” (W-135.19:1)

I realized that I may very well be exactly where I need to be regardless of the expected or desired outcome for all of my efforts, and that I had to be very aware of the ego’s tendency to read too much importance into all elements of the “dream.”  I have to continue to remember that all things of this life that come and go, that fade and rust, have no real consequence in the grand scheme. Events will occur as they need to, and maybe, just maybe I’ve already been doing the work I have always wanted to do simply by remembering my true role as being one with all of you and with our Creator!

Rev. Jay Seppanen is a Pathways of Light minister living in Wheeling Ilinois.

© 2010, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2010

Beato

by Rev. Elizabeth Griffin

Italians have an inexhaustible ability to forgive and let it go. If you do it right, it’s blessed and godly. If you do it wrong, it’s just for lack of applying yourself and you let it slide. 

“Beato” is the word for blessing or blessed in Italian and is used colloquially to refer to someone who is fortunate or “happy go lucky.” “Beato Te” (“te” is pronounced as in the first letters “tenacious”) and means “lucky you” or “care free you.” For example, if you’re going on vacation or are just sitting in the sun, relaxed and happy, the Italians would say “beato te” meaning “aren’t you blessed/lucky.” 

“Peccato” (pronounced Pe-KAT-toe) means sin, and is used to refer to the situation, not a person. You say “che peccato,” meaning “what a pity” or “oh well” to respond to a missed opportunity or lack of some kind outside your control. For example, if it rains when you want to have a picnic, or if you pull out a bottle of balsamic vinegar for a special salad dressing and see it has expired. “Peccato” is rarely used for something you yourself were responsible for. Rather, it’s a way of saying “it’s over,” “it happened,” “just let it go.”

When you do something right, it’s because you are blessed or “beato.” When you do it wrong, it’s because of unfortunate circumstances around you, and you’re encouraged to “let it slide,” and “put it behind you.”

Rev. Elizabeth Griffin is an Ordained Minister with Pathways of Light and a writer who lives with her husband and two sons in Trieste, Italy. This summer, her book A TASTE OF GRACE, Meditations and Recipes for a Fulfilling life — a small group meditation and discussion guide will be available with Fearless Books, edited by D. Patrick Miller. www,tasteofgracebook.com

© 2010, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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