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The Oldest Renewable Energy

by Rev. Phil Manke

For a while, now, I have been drawn to considering the oldest renewable energy and had thought it surely must be Love.

If I am believing that this world is my reality, is there any use for understanding or studying the ego thought of separation that made it seem possible?

The mind that believes it is of this world believes that the energy of the sun is the beginning of time, because it cannot know what is beyond it. Much thinking and processing is involved in this idea. Yet, what is beyond remains beyond. Eternal truth has no body. What is not of time cannot be old.

The ego still loves to study itself. That is the way to make itself seem real. Perhaps this is why only the mind free of attachment can explore this idea of just what truth is.

The ego is attached to the body and therefore is vulnerable. It has interests in being safe and in supporting ideas that insure its safety. The ego’s belief is that it is separate and alone. It knows it is made up and must one day die, but spends its life in frantic search to prolong what one day must occur. Is it any wonder that the ego is insane in all it does?  Its basic function is impossible!

The conflicts of this world seem to insure that you will not see truth beyond your body. Yet, in the silent time of meditation can one begin to remember what has always been true. Reason supports the mind at peace. The Identity of Mind is unlimited by form when you realize you have a choice to lookbeyond. Truth, as Love, is beyond time, and this world. Therefore it is not renewable, because it cannot be destroyed. Only the thoughts that obscure vision need be cleared and forgiven to see what has always been true.

Fearful thoughts cannot extend in truth, because it is their nature to close off and protect vulnerability.  There cannot be a separate thought of truth for every mind apart, but the mind can accept the one Mind of Truth and realize that all is whole. Indeed, it is the only way for it to be whole.

When we begin to realize the ephemeral nature of the world, we can realize that it is not worthy of contest or capture. It exists in our mind, and as such, is reflecting only of our thoughts. In other words, it only has the meaning we give to it.

Happiness is a choice, not an effect. We are not our bodies. We are free. Where are our thoughts of competition now? What need have we of this world but to reflect and share only what is real?

Choose happy peace, and be well in All That Is.

Rev. Phil Manke is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Markesan, Wisconsin.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Our Thoughts Are Prayers

by Rev. Deb Phelps

At the Pathways of Light ordination ceremony on August 6, 2005, as with each ordination ceremony, we sing a song titled, “Our Thoughts Are Prayers.”

The lyrics are: Our thoughts are prayers, And we are always praying. Our thoughts are prayers, Be aware of what you’re saying. Keep a higher consciousness, A state of peacefulness, And know that Love is always here, And every thought… remains a prayer.

I thought of this song today as I turned to the section in A Course in Miracles entitled, “The Invitation to the Holy Spirit.” (Chapter 5, Section I) In paragraph 2, it says: “Thoughts increase by being given away. The more who believe in them the stronger they become. Everything is an idea. How, then, can giving and losing be associated?” What is it that I am giving away today as all the thousands of thoughts race through my mind? Are the thoughts that I am thinking of a kind and gentle nature or are they of lack, anger or judgment?

What I focus on I will receive. Today, I choose to focus on inviting the Holy Spirit into my mind. The Holy Spirit is there at my slightest invitation. In fact,
He lives in my mind. I just have to open up the door. Anytime that I feel a discomfort in my mind, I ask Him to transform my thinking and in doing such I receive a miracle and a river of peace.

Peace is what I want today and every day. What is not peace gently slips away when I place my attention on God. Honoring God is honoring myself. If I have a day where it seems everything has gone wrong, what have I forgotten? Did I forget to take time for my communion with the Divine?

I can do it right now even in the midst of a crisis. I stop and take time to breath deeply, slowly relaxing every part of my being. I allow my mind to relax and receive the waves of peace. I can take as long as I need.

I am worthy and deserving of God’s unconditional Love. I give myself permission to be where I am in the moment. I give myself permission to accept peace now. As the peace fills my soul, I can be still now and listen for a new idea, a solution to a perceived problem or an insight that I never had before.

All is within me just waiting to gently rise to my awareness. As I work with the Holy Spirit continually, I can change my thoughts with His assistance and then peace becomes the prayer of my heart. It is this prayer, this inspiration that leads me to a more awakened perspective. When I am aware of what my true prayers and thoughts are and when I am willing to change them with His help to only prayers of Love, Divine Intercession has certainly taken place.

Several years ago I had studied the idea of “Centering Prayer.” One experience that I had then was the idea of focusing on one attribute of God. In practicing the focus on God in the silence, I can send a loving, joyful prayer to all my brothers since the focus on the attribute of God is really a focus on the attribute in us all because we are One. Could that be said enough? I think not.

What is in my heart today? Today in my heart is a prayer of Love for me, for you and for God. The fruits of this “thought prayer” are abundant.
Let us reap together this peaceful bounty. It is truly our gift.

Rev. Deb Phelps is a Pathways of Light minister living in Madison, Wisconsin.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Prison

by Rev. Veronika Wilcox

I had sat down to have an open and honest talk with my husband. Then came the old grievance — he can’t understand why we are now having this difficulty when the first few years we got on exceptionally well. I accuse him for not letting go of the past and for not liking me as I am now but always comparing me to how I used to be in the beginning.

I went to my room because I was beginning to feel upset. The inner pain poured out in bitter tears. With it came the hurt voice of the ego feeling bitter resentment. But I knew I was not alone and everything was in His Presence.

Then I realized that I was in the ‘bubble.’ (from the Accessing Inner Wisdom process) The grievance was very pleased it was in the bubble because it wanted to hide from the truth. It was cornered because Truth is everywhere. I could hear Truth’s quiet Voice: Is this what your husband says and what angers and hurts you so actually true?

I stopped and said, NO! More pain tried to surface but this was the end. I saw clearly that I had based my self worth on his view of me. But I now remembered that my worth was established by God and changes not.

I told my husband the insight that we were miserable because we both had put our feeling of self worth on how the other evaluated him/her. And that in the first few years, when we were still newly weds, we had only seen the good in each other! But now we had stopped doing this. It was time for a shift to practice seeing in the other again the Love he/she really is. This was a major healing for me. I could see how simple it is to just bring illusions to the truth. The only question I need to have is:“true or false?”Thank you Holy Spirit for your eternal Presence.

The Prison

I am sitting in my little prison. It is round like some tower but not as high. Above, little windows all around with bars. I sit here and defend my kingdom against any intruders. I am even ready to take one of the bars down to defend myself with by attacking any brother who might threaten to take away this prison – kingdom.

Then I look up at the prison bar, reach out, touch it and remove it. I thought I had to pull really hard to do this but it comes off easily the moment I had the thought.

Well, I think, why not remove another one? As soon as I had thought this the bar disappeared. This intrigued me. How about thinking ‘door.’ At this, one appeared. It was shut. I thought of it as open and it opened instantly. I could now see the light and parts of a landscape. I thought of stepping outside and I found myself outside looking at a vast and beautiful landscape before me.

Now I am thinking of all my imprisoned brothers who sit in just such a prison as I have left behind me. I see them all huddled up tight in there, not wanting to move for fear that their current state of being might be changed. I call out to them. I throw some stones up to the windows and beckon them to step out and to join me to explore this magnificent landscape with me.

I can do no more then call. When and how they follow is their decision. I now step forward into the landscape. It lays there, bathed in Light. I know that I walk not alone but all those who have gone before are with me and all those behind will follow when they are ready.

Rev. Veronika Birken is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Bega Valley, Australia.

© 2005, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Career by God

by Barbe Smith

“This is not what you should be doing with your life.”

I have always been a sensitive type so spiritual bursts of wisdom have never been strange to me yet the above ‘knowing’ that hit me one August day in 2004 pretty well knocked the wind out of me and has launched me on a journey I never anticipated I would need.

Some back story is in order: I was a good Catholic girl, intelligent, making the grades I was supposed to, going to college in the late 1970’s as I was privileged to, and marrying at age 25 to go on to raise my three children, staying at home during their youth, of course. I worked part time as a bookkeeper as my kids got older and then pursued a Paralegal certificate in due course to finally pursue my longtime interest in the law. No childhood traumas, no broken hearts, no health tragedies. Everything just as it should be.

After finishing my Paralegal studies, my older brother chided me that I would never be content working for a lawyer, knowing I could do the work better. On a dare I took the LSAT exam for Law School entrance, never expecting that I could qualify. In fact, I more than qualified, I excelled, and was offered a full scholarship to Law School. All of a sudden, a whim became a reality. There was no doubt in my mind that God had directed this whole process. I figured if He could work out the finances I could find a way to survive Oral Arguments when I was even petrified to speak in front of a bunch of 4th Grade Girl Scouts!

And so, I became a lawyer. Naturally I passed the bar exam the first time I took it — at this point, I figured that this detail to the Almighty was mere fluff. Then I went to work for a litigation firm learning the joys of billable hours and the endless barrage of paper artillery. 

Okay, I thought, there is always a learning curve, you will like what you’re doing after you get more comfortable with it…  Well, it’s been a year, but you’ve assumed a lot of administrative tasks around here and it’ll be easier when things calm down… Hmmm, we’re into year three, you’ve done all the right things, you know how to file papers in Court without a clerk ranting at you, but you’re still not happy. God gave you all of this, what is wrong with you?

Which brings me to last summer: Once again the boss left town for three weeks as was his habit and left the office in my dubiously capable hands. But, this year, instead of crises after crises, and missed deadlines turning into potentials for malpractice, I handled it all. I kept the peace among the employees, I managed the overflowing toilet melodrama, I steered the steady flow of litigation into its proper channels.  Yes, my ego was in super mode. But then, the voice filled my senses:

“This is not what you should be doing with your life.”

It has taken some time (and several other anecdotes) to come to my discovery of A Course in Miracles practice and to realize that I need to look inside to find out how God wants to use me in His ministry. My journey has been automatic for so long in my life that stopping to consider my path going forward is a challenging, sometimes paralyzing prospect.

Did I make a mistake in assuming that God directed me to the Law? I don’t think so. My error, more likely, has been falling back on past insecurities that I am not somehow good enough and if I don’t take the first position offered to me that no one else will want me. What I now realize is that I have often in my life not taken the time to consult with Holy Spirit as to how to use my career for God’s benefit. Law is not the mistake, but for me, anything hinting of continuing controversy rather than peace and mediation cannot be my mission.

I am very excited about starting my path towards my ordination. I hope that those who have been ordained continue to see that the beginners out here need the stories of your journey and how you have overcome the hurdles that arise through the process.

Right now, I struggle daily in the real world stuck in a job that I know is not for me but am wise enough not to run from before I discern God’s plan for me. I look forward to the day when I do not have that knot of dread in my gut each Monday and can carry the joyous peace from my course meditations into more of my earth-bound day. I have made a start, but the path seems so difficult at times, I look to you and others and thank you for your support.

Still, I carry more hope than ever. Even after just two courses, I look at everyone I meet differently, seeing the potential for a miracle. If you hear of a tale where a law firm closes down because no clients were willing to fight any longer over car accidents and barking dogs, you’ll know that I’m making progress!

Barbe Smith is a Pathways of Light student who lives in Havertown, Pennyslvania.

© 2005, 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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