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How to Bring Immediate Healing to Any Relationship

by Revs. Paul and Deborah Phelps

The following are excerpts from Paul and Deb’s Appreciation Inspiration Method for enhancing your relationships. Paul and Deb will also be facilitating a workshop on July 14-15 at Pathways of Light.

Recently we recorded our insights about our TALKS Appreciation Inspiration Method before a live audience at Pathways of Light. This method helps to bring immediate positive healing effects in any relationship. Appreciation Inspirations can be used to shift any uncomfortable situation or conflict with another person to a place of forgiveness, healing, release, peace and love in a matter of minutes, no matter how long the particular situation existed.

Appreciation Inspirations bring us to a better place of feeling good about ourselves. The more we practice giving Appreciation Inspirations, the better we feel and the better we get at extending them. More joy begins to fill our life experience with others and with ourselves. We begin to feel more connected and in harmony with God.

Note: Listen to a 3 minute sample clip and read more on our Appreciation Inspiration site at http://www.appreciationinspiration.org

Process: We encourage you to take a moment to reflect on Lesson 195, “Love is the way I walk in gratitude.” After you are finished, let someone come to mind, someone who seems to be an enemy, someone whom you may have been in conflict with either presently or in the past. Then begin the following process:

First, set your intention with Holy Spirit.

“Holy Spirit, I am willing to walk my life in gratitude. And I do so now with my brother ________.”

Then begin to write things that you are grateful for about this person for a minimum of 30 minutes. Write each grateful thought that comes to mind on a line. Then think of another, then write that on the next line. Continue this process until you fill the page or until you feel complete. When finished, journal on your experience.

We are reminded of the Truly Helpful prayer on p. 28 of the Course. We’ve changed the words here slightly to affirm for ourselves the idea of adding appreciation into our daily lives.

I am here only to be appreciative.

I am here to appreciate through Him Who sent me.

I do not have to worry about when or what to say because He Who sent me will direct me in appreciation.

I am content to be where He wishes, knowing that those who I am to appreciate will be there before me as He goes there with me.

I will feel appreciated as I let Him teach me to appreciate my brothers.

Through this will we see that to give and to receive are one in truth!

Remember to join thanks and praise, appreciation and gratitude to Him Who helps you accomplish all your goals of forgiveness today. Joy and blessings and good tidings to you today! Do not be afraid that you cannot accomplish this with Him today. Turn this fear over to trust, surrender to Him every fearful thought you have today and let Him take care of your day for you. He has a wonderful lesson plan for you for, He is a wonderful Teacher and Friend indeed.

Remember to trust and surrender and to forgive today. Be at peace, walk in peace,  walk in complete trust, walk in complete surrender to peace today. Let every step you make symbolize your choice of stepping into peace in that moment. You may find it helpful to quietly say to yourself, “I am at peace,” as you mindfully make every step today. —From our Reflections on Lesson 279.

Rev’s Paul & Deb Phelps are Pathways of Light ministers living in Madison, Wisconsin. Their website: http://www.miraclesone.org

© 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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True Balance

by Rev. Cheryl Ford

It seems that on the path of spiritual enlightenment we are always trying to find some sense of balance in regard to our spirituality and the world of form. Jesus’ interpretation of balance in Tom & Linda Carpenter’s book, Dialogue on Awakening says, “Attempting to achieve a sense of balance between the infinite and the finite intellectually is much like juggling a combination of feathers and bowling balls.”

To me, this statement is so true, and I became painfully aware of it over the last week when I felt inundated with attempting to balance work, family and spiritual practice. I actually had an insane schedule for work that required a lot of advanced planning, paperwork, driving and full day meetings that exhausted me mentally and greatly reduced my connection with Holy Spirit.

Basically, although the meetings themselves were always quite wonderful with kind and pleasant people, in between meetings I found myself feeling overwhelmed and irritable. I felt pressed for time and reactive. I even found myself complaining to friends and family about how busy I was and how put upon I felt!

Ironically, two weeks ago I wrote in my journal about being in God’s grace and recited a quote from the Course that said, once the “table is prepared, it [grace] is inevitable and will come instantly to the alter [mind] that is clean and holy for the gift.” (ACIM) In light of my experience, I really learned a lesson about the real meaning of that quote.

As I mentioned earlier, I noticed that my connection with Spirit seemed greatly reduced. If it were strong, I believe I would have remembered that feeling overwhelmed is simply a trick the ego plays on the mind. In reality, we are totally capable, unlimited beings who have access to the endless energy supply of the universe.

The Course says, ‘in a state of God’s grace we can dip into oneness whenever we want to bring back the light with us…’ Yet, I felt I was not receiving this ‘gift’ because I was simply not making a space for it at my table.

According to the Course, ‘peace comes to the quiet mind,’ the mind that is receptive and open. Holy Spirit will never barge His way in uninvited. But if we can only show a little willingness, and find a center within us somewhere where we can sit with Him awhile, He is there.

By the end of the week, this idea became crystal clear… In retrospect, I did notice little ways that Spirit attempted to throw me a life raft. One way was the unexpected arrival of a full copy of the Peace Pilgrim’s biography that I had requested months ago and had completely forgotten about. Reading about her dedication to service and cheerful exploits while walking 25,000 miles on foot gave me a lot of comfort, as well as wonderful reminders of what it means to be committed to Spirit.

Another life raft was the ‘Tuesdays with Spirit’ program online at ACIM Gather. The opportunity to join each week with amazing like-minded individuals around the world in a learning-teaching forum is an incredible blessing! It also provided a dedicated space and time that I had to commune with Spirit together with others.

Another was a conference call with Pathways of Light in Kiel, for the development of POL-UK. Chatting with other ministers and friends was productive and heart-warming and helped me to feel that I was being led in my ministry. There was also a wonderful training call with two other ministers where I’m learning to facilitate a spiritual relationships counseling program.

Lastly, was the loving, gentle teaching directly from Spirit over the weekend that reminded me to stay in present moment awareness, and to remember that I do not have to look forward to things anxiously with a feeling of dread. After all, what is impossible for me is completely possible with God, and I am never alone.

There is a poem called ‘Footprints in the Sand,’ where an old man with Jesus looks back on the years of his life and witnesses two sets of prints in the sand during the good times, but only one set during the hard times. The man turns to Jesus and says, ‘I notice your footprints along with mine during the good times of my life, but where were you during the bad times?’ Jesus responds kindly, “It was then that I carried you.”

This poem always brings a tear to my eye when I think of the tenderness of God’s Love and how often I simply don’t notice. I vainly attempt to ‘balance’ truth and illusion and the two are just not compatible; like feathers and bowling balls. I’m so grateful to know that Spirit is always with me and all I need do is remember Him.

Rev. Cheryl Ford is a Pathways of Light minister living in Birmingham, England. Read more of her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways of Light web site. Web site: http://www.awakentothelight.org

© 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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The Price of Being Right

by Rev. Mary Manke

We recently went to Menard’s and picked out a carpet remnant for the office.

My partner was tired and ready to leave, asking if there was anything else we needed to look at. I made a comment about kitchen flooring, which he again dismissed. He surmises that “I” want everything “new” in the house. So the ego mind flipped out. I abruptly walked away. My behavior made it plain that I was angry — but also there was “hurt” — Is that about my request being denied? Or that my judgment is solely wrong?

As I waited by the exit, I wondered what this was reflecting back to me? A belief that I never “get” what I want? Or the belief that I have to struggle or fight to get anything? The pain “I” experience is only from my thoughts.

“I am never upset for the reason I think. I am upset because I think I am in competition with God.” (When I am upset with my brother, I am in competition with God.)

The Course is teaching me that when I attack a brother, I am really attacking myself. (There is no ‘other’ out there.) When I attack myself, I’m really attacking God.

Yet, I am part of God. God does not attack Himself, so my belief is insane. I hold my insane thoughts so I can “be right” and stay in the world as I know it. And I continue to inflict more pain on myself. Don’t I know how to ask for help? Of course I do, but will I ask the correct One for help and healing? Am I willing to surrender my insanity? “My meaningless thoughts show me a meaningless world.”

I did not stop, ask for help and accept truth. That’s the real reason for my anger/upset. I wrote the script; I put those words into the actor’s mouth. And instead of forgiving the idea that I am lacking anything, I made the mistake of thinking this was real. Wanting to be right took precedent over being happy. I wrote that scene so I could have the opportunity to release the idea that I don’t have it all. The truth is I have been given everything; I am part of everything, everywhere, every instant. I am whole, complete, eternal.

Do I really want to continue the belief that I have nothing and am nothing? Do I really want to continue playing the innocent victim? The Course tells me over and over that the insanity will not last.

I will finally decide that I no longer want or need the pain. I will decide to wake from the silly dream, I will decide that I want truth above all else. My inner peace will be the witness that I have surrendered the insane ideas/thoughts. The inner peace will shine away the mistakes, bringing Light into every mind. And I am grateful that this is so.

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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Changing the Purpose of the Body

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski

In my childish fantasy world, there’s a part of me that still believes I could ward off sickness, pain and suffering by being a “good” Course student. 

‘If only I study hard enough, do my daily lessons ‘religiously,’ nothing bad will ever happen to me.” So when I get sick like I just did with a sinus infection, does that mean I am doing something wrong; that I’m bad; I’ve sinned and deserve to be punished?

I know, having been a diligent student of A Course in Miracles for the past four years that this is not true, even though in my ego thought world it seems true. After all, isn’t the ego thought system designed to make us all believe we are guilty and deserve punishment? Doesn’t it make us believe, as we learned when we went to our childhood religious classes, that God is watching our every action, judging us to be naughty or nice and meting out punishment accordingly?

In my religious school, I was told that to earn God’s blessings, we had to suffer to prove our love. Thankfully, the Course is showing me that all this magical thinking is “insane” and its purpose is to keep us from the truth of knowing God as only Love and that as God’s children we are as He is. We do not have a separate identity from Him.

So then, why did I get sick once again? What’s it all about? I’m learning first of all that in my little mind I can’t answer this on my own. For every time I try to answer from this little place, the answers make me more confused and “crazy” and more “sick.” So I am learning to take everything to Holy Spirit and ask, “What is this for?”

I am learning that everything — and the Course means everything — we experience in the dream provides us with an opportunity to forgive. It’s only through forgiveness that we can awaken from the dream and remember we never left our Home with our Heavenly Father. So what opportunity is this episode of sickness bringing me to forgive?

As I took this to Holy Spirit, I was helped to see how I use sickness to create a special separate identity in the dream world I created. This dream world was created because my big grandiose ego believed it could create a better world than the world God created. Now what would be better than the creation of love, peace, and joy? Well, in its grandiose thinking this one insane thought believed creating its own body was better. It thought:  “Oh my, now in my own little separate body, I can have my own separate identity. When things seem to get hard and yucky, and I feel unloved because I am not getting enough attention or feel overwhelmed and am being attacked, I can escape by creating sickness. Then others will notice me again and will bring me chicken soup and presents and I will feel loved again. Oh, won’t that make me feel special! Or, if I am beginning to feel overwhelmed by all the work I created for myself to do to give me a sense of my own importance, I could escape from it all by again creating sickness and get away from it all. I then could hide out and get away from all these people who are making me sick in the first place.”

Sickness, I falsely believe, allows me to escape a world I created to get away from God who I also believed I wanted to escape from.

But I am also seeing that in this grandiose thought system which creates all this specialness, I am keeping myself separate from my Self and keeping my Self from experiencing the grandeur of my Oneness in God. This Grandeur comes from joining with my true Father and taking my place as His Christ Child with all my Brothers. And God in his Wisdom gave his Children freedom to choose between their grandiose childish fantasies they believed they created or forgive these fantasies and with the help of Holy Spirit replace them with the truth.

As I took my fantasies of the specialness I created from sickness and asked Spirit to help release them and see the truth, I observed a lot of fear, i.e. resistance coming up. A part of me which still wanted to hold on to making the body real was afraid that if I gave it up, I would die and that would be the end of me. Was I really ready to fully surrender the belief that I am a body?

I am learning that Holy Spirit is patient and gentle and understands our fears, resistance and ambivalence. After all, what child who creates a magical world wants to give it up? Who wants to have their bubbles of magical thinking burst? So Holy Spirit showed me that what I needed to forgive was the attachment, the value I gave to my body and sickness. Holy Spirit showed me that I could still choose to remain in the dream and in my body but to use it for a different purpose, a holy purpose.

I could use the body as a communication device through which to extend God’s love, peace and joy. I also had the experience lately to see in the dream how this could work.

Recently, I was asked to perform a wedding after the judge who was supposed to perform this wedding suddenly died. Two days before the wedding, I came down with a sinus infection and could hardly talk and was continuously sneezing and coughing. I was fearful that I too wouldn’t be able to perform the ceremony for this couple who experienced their own panic when this other officiant passed away a month before their wedding. I became frantic.

However there was a part of my mind that remembered that on my own, I could do nothing and that Holy Spirit was there to help me to see this differently. Holy Spirit told me to be still, surrender and do nothing. As I became still, I heard His gentle Voice whisper, “You are not performing this wedding. God is. It is God’s Voice and Love extending through your body that will bless this Holy Union. It is His Words and His Blessings that will join this couple in marriage; just step back and let Him do it and extend through you.”

As I heard this, I found myself able to relax into peace and my fear thoughts calmed down. During the ceremony, even though I still felt dis-eased, I didn’t cough or sneeze once, and the voice that came through was loud and clear and powerful. My body was being used for a holy purpose to extend God’s blessings and love through me.

I am coming to understand that everything, even sickness comes as an opportunity to practice forgiveness and each time we do, God blesses us. Each blessing serves to awaken us and help us remember, as Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz, that it is only a dream and in truth we never left home.

I am also realizing that in my childish fantasies of believing that sickness gave me a special identity, I made myself little and lived from this little place. I see now I can ask Holy Spirit to replace this and help restore me from this little, if grandiose, identity to my grandeur in God and live from expansion and not contraction.

Now instead of judging myself for creating sickness, I can rejoice in having another opportunity to forgive and awaken. After all, isn’t this serving God’s plan for awakening and faithfully fulfilling my function?

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