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Course Koans

by Rev. Jean Weston

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines koan as follows:

A paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment.

A Course In Miracles has an abundance of statements that fit the description of a koan.  It’s one of a number of qualities of the Course that convinces me that it truly is a divinely inspired writing. As a relatively new student, it has been helpful to contemplate these koans to open myself to deeper levels of my True Self. I will list a few of these, and state what comes to me when I really think about them.
Infinite patience produces immediate effects.  (T-5.VI.12)

Patience can be a tough one. But what is infinite patience? Well, infinite means ‘without end.’ So if I am infinitely patient, I am not waiting for an end at all! Therefore, I am released from some future expectation and living in the now. Without a future expectation, I no longer need patience.  Viola! Immediate effects!

Easier said than done. But the next time you find yourself in a situation that you want changed (children are a great place to start!) think about this: We all need to learn our own lessons. We all change over time. We all need to go through the process. So what is the point of being impatient with another’s (or our own) learning process? Trust God (in them and in us). It will come. Will it be tomorrow or twenty years or another lifetime? In the ‘tiny tick of time’ that is our lifetime as compared to eternity, it really doesn’t matter.

Does this mean we should not be helpful? No, but we should not be attached to an outcome that will cause us to lose our peace. Otherwise, we are really adding to the problem instead of being helpful. The young (in age or spirit) need to find their own truths from within and the process really gets compounded when we try to ‘knock sense into them.’ By trusting infinitely, we are at peace, and by only seeing their True Selves we actually help them to see It, as well.

In my defenselessness my safety lies.  (WB Lesson 153)

Defenselessness?  The image congers up images of a mouse in a corner, a deer in the headlights, an infant of any species; something helpless in its own right. This is where our safety lies? Well, even in the examples given here — don’t most of them make it through? Certainly the infants that are dependent on their nurturers can depend on the nurturers to meet their needs. Most cars stop for the deer to unfreeze and continue across the road.  Even the cornered mouse can shriek, and make a mad dash between the cat’s legs!  But, even if they do not survive on this earth plane, we know from our studies of the Course, this is not their end.

But how is this Course Koan helpful to us here and now? Well, if we feel attacked and start to feel defensiveness rising within us, thinking of this koan can help us to re-center. How can becoming defensive help the situation? It stops communication and increases our judgments about the ‘other.’ This only makes us more closed to the ‘other’ in future encounters. And, if the ‘other’ senses this, they start their own defensiveness about us!

Then, sometimes, because we (or they) want to be seen as the one taking the high road, we lie! We pretend to others and ourselves that we are not upset. We aren’t thinking the things that we are sure the ‘other’ is thinking that we are thinking… and on and on the old ego weaves it’s web!

Yet, if we simply stayed in defenselessness from the beginning, so much time and energy would have been saved! When we felt attacked and started to feel defensive we could say, “Why is this feeling coming up in me? Why does what ever he/she did/said bother me so?”

When we can see why it bothers us, we can be compassionate with ourselves, yet, not let this past pain control us now. Also, we can realize that the ‘other’ has issues which may be what caused them to do or say whatever they did that started this process in us. We can be compassionate with them, yet, not let their past pain control us now, either!

It is important not to simply ignore these feelings because that is a way of ‘covering them over’ or ‘letting them fester.’ By seeing them as remnants from our past, and gently letting them go (at least for the present moment — which is all we need to concern ourselves with), we can remain open to what is truly the situation at present. We can be defenseless. Then we can see ourselves and the ‘other’ truly, as the Holy Son of God that they really are, rather than the ‘S.O.B.’ our little selves want to impose on them!
Do you prefer that you be right or happy?  (T.29.VII.1.9)

When I first heard this quote, I thought ACIM students must be a shallow bunch! If they used this quote to settle differences, they must just give up caring about anything, become avoiders of any kind of pain or conflict so that they and their brothers can be happy. I’ve heard the term ‘blissninny’ used to describe this picture.

In further study I came across this helpful quote:  ‘All real pleasure comes from doing God’s Will.’ (T.1.VII.1.4)
 
In applying this to the difficulty I was having with the idea of being right or happy, I realized I would remain in a peaceful or happy state if I trusted more in God’s Will.  Often, my need to help get the ‘other’ to a certain understanding, on deeper examination, shows my lack of trust of the following: My brother — he won’t get there if I don’t help him. God — it is up to me to ‘fix’ this. Time — it has to be fixed soon or else. Yet, by staying with the idea that, ‘All real pleasure comes from doing God’s Will,’ I can release myself from all this angst. I can state what, to the best of my understanding, is God’s Will, and then I have done His will. The rest is out of my hands and I simply can trust that outside of time it is already corrected.

So now to me, “Do you prefer that you be right or happy?” does not mean to deny my feelings in order to ‘keep peace, or to call my desire for things to be different an ego ploy. It is simply a reminder to not get caught up in the disagreement or to lose my peace.

Stay clear to hear God’s Will, state what I understand It to be, and then move on in peace.

Rev. Jean Weston is a Pathways of Light minister living in Salisbury Mills, New York.

© 2007, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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Come to Me

by Rev. Christine Anderson

During a Pathways of Light “Joining with Holy Spirit” service, I received this beautiful message of support and encouragement from Holy Spirit.

Come to Me, come to Me, and remember that the false beliefs that you look at with Me will not overwhelm you. Just do this, when you notice a thought that does not hold value to you any longer: Call on Me and I’ll be there with My Hand on your shoulder as a real presence in your experience.

Looking at the false beliefs with the ego is not helpful as the ego was designed to reinforce separation thoughts. In other words, the ego would not suggest letting the false thought go. It would generate a reaction of some kind (judgment, fear, sadness, etc.).

I will remove the guilt that is the underpinning of ego thought system. I have a golden broom and dust pan for just such a purpose. Let Me help free you from being “pinned” under the ego’s seeming limitations. I will transform all false beliefs in a way that will be perfect in the moment for you to witness in de-Light!

You are so close. You are waking up. Your awareness of Home is growing. Keep going. Keep practicing in all the wonderful ways that you have been given to train your mind to see only the Truth. You are on the lawn of Heaven so don’t get caught up with looking at the weeds. Be not discouraged, be of good faith and be joyful knowing that you have a path of light to follow with ease. I am the Gardener of your mind, give me the weeds and I will transform them for you.

Rev. Christine Anderson is a Pathways of Light minister living in Chicago, Illinois.

© 2007, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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My Healing Journey

by Rev. Mary Manke

I have had many lessons, and opening to mind healing, which I am certain is just the beginning for me. I seem to have begun this experience of Lupus and transverse myelitis, on July 16th, 2007.

On Monday morning I couldn’t stand, I could not crawl. There was a constant tingling or buzzing from my feet up to my abdomen. Later it seemed to have crept up to just under the breasts. As I looked at my body’s ‘history’ and at the symptoms of Lupus, I saw that I have had many of the signs over the years, but so sporadically, over a long span, that they could not be tied together.

I was not afraid that morning. I thought, “This is interesting.” To me, I finely had reached the point of having had enough unhappiness (pain), so I chose this dream experience as a way to keep the ego occupied and allow space or time for me to stop all the “doing” and simply listen.

I had been asking for my mind to be healed, not sure how long or often I had asked for healing.

These are the words that Spirit gave me, “You might call this a wake-up call. It is the accumulation of thoughts from guilt and fear of retribution. The mistaken perception that you could abandon Love and then Love would abandon you.”

“When you choose to let go of the fearful thoughts manufactured by an insane belief, then Holy Spirit removes them. You have tried to unload guilt in whatever way the sick mind has offered you. You are understanding the senselessness of this. You can also understand that there is no guilt. You can and will let go of the past learning (that the world deems ‘necessary’). You will let go of the past learning of your ‘own’ dream. Your goal for the moment is to ‘see’ the innocence and harmlessness of everything.”

On July 26th, 2007 I received this message: “I said before that you could call this experience a ‘wake-up call.’ It is a call for you to accept the Self that you are.

“It is your willingness to change that has brought you here, for without this period of non-doing, you would not take the day to ‘study’ the Course, to listen to the Voice of Love and to go within your mind. This is a call to heal. It is healing your mind that can save the world and your self.

“You did indeed choose this experience so that ego would be ‘disabled’ in the physical form. You were willing to do this because you want your mind healed and are unwilling to delay your full acceptance of truth.

“You have all that you ‘need’ within your mind. Yet you have tried thousands of solutions, teachers and roads to fill your only need. Forgiveness in this world is the love that all minds seek in dreams. ‘Being Love’ is forgiveness in this world. This is your desire to let go of the idols you made and let truth replace the dark.”

At 3:00 p.m. that day I received this message: “I want you to accept that you are able to ‘hear’ the Voice of Love without limit. You can hear this Voice regardless of what the body seems to do. This Voice speaks to you all the time waiting only your invitation. You have capacity to ‘hear’ your Inner Voice. It has never dissolved. It is only your choice not to listen that makes the Voice seem unreliable. Your attention is focused on the body for the moment. You can attend to the dream form, and still listen to the Voice of Love. You will learn to be in the dream, but not of the dream.”

I have been reading the Course Text, and Workbook, with Guidance. I then paraphrase what stands out to me. This brings more and more clarity, more Love into my awareness.

On July 22, I woke with Course words flowing through my mind, and I came to realize that I was happy. “I am perfectly happy, because I have no cause not to be; I am as God created me, and that must be perfect happiness.  I felt like laughing out loud! Laughing at the silliness of my little dream.

I have been told that my ‘job’ for now is to maintain my physical exercises each day, which is helpful in the dream world. I also know that my ‘job’ is to be a messenger for Love, and to me, this means to communicate what I am learning or unlearning in my dream. (New entries are on their way to this page!)  Blessings to All.

Rev. Mary Manke is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Wautoma, Wisconsin. Read more of her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways of Light web site.

© 2007, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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An Opportunity to Choose Peace

by Rev. Sharyn Zenz

One evening as I was driving along I realized I had not eaten dinner and it was 7 o’clock already, so I drove through the drive-thru at Taco John’s. Since it was not the rush hour, my order was taken immediately. When I got up to the window to pay, the girl took my money and left. Usually they give you whatever drink you ordered while you wait for the food order, but she didn’t.

After waiting what seemed like a long time, I decided to go to Spirit. I heard the words, “Now you have a chance to practice patience my dear.” Then the thoughts came to me that, after all, my only purpose here is to heal, so now I get a chance to practice.

As I sat there thinking about it I was wondering why I would be in a rush anyway. It seemed that my whole life up until recently I had been rushing around like a chicken with my head cut off! Where did I think I was going? And what is the rush for?

Then I thought about a course I had been doing recently that said, “What is time for, but to heal?” So I sat very patiently and thanked Spirit for reminding me of that. The girl came to the window and handed me my drink, but no food yet. She did say she felt bad that it was taking so long. I told her not to worry and that everything is fine. She came one more time to the window and apologized again for the long wait. I again told her not to worry. I was really just enjoying the silence in the car and thinking how lucky I was to have Holy Spirit with me all the time. Whenever I need him he is “Johnny on the spot”!

Boy, was I thankful that I had this chance to talk with Spirit and and be given the chance to bless the employees that were preparing my food. The girl was so kind and apologetic. Finally, when she handed me my food she also handed me a card that she had punched all the way around the outer edges, and told me to present that card and my next meal was on them!

When I left there I was so glad I had been given another opportunity to heal my mind and to find the peace that was always there. I just had to sit quietly in my car and feel it! I was feeling very happy and grateful.

Rev. Sharyn Zenz is a Pathways of Light minister living in Green Bay Wisconsin.

© 2007, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice and website address are included.

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