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The Mirror Experience

by Dani Novak, Student of the POL Ministerial Program

My heart is full with gratitude to God, my Source and Inner Light that leads me from darkness to Light. I am also grateful for Pathways of Light that helps me through the classes that I am taking. I am also grateful for the holy relationship with my mentor.

I just completed three weeks of very difficult and dark times. I felt so guilty and worthless, ate very little, everything was dark and gloomy. Death would have been a wonderful gift… but I knew that the negative thoughts were all in my mind. That it is not true that I am guilty and not worthy to live. Yet the feelings felt so powerful and real. Still, in spite of the mental and emotional agony I kept doing my duty as much as I could.

I continued preparing food for my wife, and I continued breathing. I also continued meeting weekly with my mentor that leads me through the Pathways of Light Ministerial Training. I also continued volunteering and working in a local nursing home. Yet the dark feelings persisted.

Throughout this dark period there were also moments, and sometimes hours, of transcendental happiness. Many of these moments happened when I joined with groups and individuals from the local nursing home: Oak Hill Manor at Ithaca, NY.

In this article I want to share with you one of these experiences. I call it “The Mirror Experience” and it was motivated and guided by my soul and also by one of the exercises in course 115: How to Be Loving, How to Be Loved that I am currently taking in Pathways of Light.

The miracle started on Sunday, April 16, 2023 around 8:00 pm in the evening. I felt very depressed and was ready to brush my teeth before retiring to bed. When I was in the bathroom I looked at this being in the mirror and his beautiful eyes. Instantly I saw/felt his innocence. His beauty, His Creativity, His Love…I was transported to Heaven.

Imagine, out of private feelings/thoughts of agony, self hatred and depression (that makes no sense) came this most beautiful and creative dance of the soul that was expressed through this body that was looking at itself through the eyes that were reflected in the mirror. Wow.

I danced and sang and jumped and once in a while went to another room to share this experience with my beloved wife who stayed in the living room. But the experience did not end there. I went to sleep with a feeling of joy and peace.

In the morning however, I started experiencing the same illusionary thoughts of irrational guilt, self hatred and shame that haunted me for weeks. It was a Monday and I dreaded going to the nursing home in the afternoon. I was afraid to meet people. How can I be in front of people and lead them in a meditation session when I feel so vulnerable and insane?

But somewhere deep in my heart and soul I knew that everything would be okay. That same higher power that breathed Life to me when I came to this planet, call it God, the Holy Spirit or my own Soul will be in charge. I trusted. I trusted even though the feelings themselves caused me mental and physical agony beyond words. I chose to trust! What happened in the nursing home that afternoon was beyond imagination.

It was 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. About 7 people sat together around the table. I knew everyone. They knew each other deeply beyond words. Only residents of nursing homes and nurses that work at night shifts know what really happens in nursing homes at night. Residents that are unable to talk still feel the essence of other residents. Most of the people present usually do not talk. But this time something happened. At first the energy was low but gradually it increased, since the Holy Spirit — the Universal Inspiration was in charge.

At a certain point I shared with them the mirror episode I experienced the night before. Spirit was elevated in us more and more. Then Darlene, one of the residents, whispered in a quiet audible voice: “But what if you don’t like what you see?”

The response was immediate. The Holy Spirit prompted me to direct us as a group to focus on each member of the circle for a few minutes (just like the 115 course suggests in one of the exercises).

What happened next is impossible to describe in words. What comes close is that tears were shed, hearts opened, people who did not speak before started sharing. The gates of heaven opened for a short time for us.

This led us to the next session that the Holy Spirit directed through me. It started at 4:00 pm. The official name was “Percussion and Drumming.”  Some residents left, a few came and everyone received a small percussion instrument or a cymbal. The energy that was generated in the previous session was still there. Lloyd, one of the older residents, remained with us.  Lloyd can still walk slowly with the help of a Rollator. He also always carries with him the Holy Bible that he reads. While the residents were drumming Lloyd got up with the help of the roller and started slowly to dance. Dani, Chris and Elaine joined him.

Before I conclude, I want to share with you something else that happened to me a few days ago. It completely transformed my life. I stopped trying to change or even transform the dark feelings that I am feeling periodically (I tried for 60 years but it did not work). All I am doing, every moment I remember, is to say the words (in my mind) “I Choose Love.” This happened a few days ago.

Dani Novak is a Pathways of Light ministerial student who lives in Ithaca, NY. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2023, 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 “I” of the Storm

by Rev. Robin Singler, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

The spring brought with it powerful storm weather in my part of the world: high winds, flying debris, heavy rains and tornado warnings. Along with these external weather patterns, I experienced a time of deep inner upheaval and purification; in other words, a swirl of ego triggers in the form of old destructive thoughts and behaviors were coming up for me to experience and either hold onto or hand over to Spirit for healing. As I watched these inner and outer storms sweep through my life, I couldn’t help but reflect upon what A Course in Miracles tells me about what I’m experiencing in every moment:

“Projection makes perception. The world you see is what you gave it, nothing more than that. But though it is no more it is not less. It is the witness to your state of mind, the outside picture of an inward condition” (T-21.In.1:1-3,5)

As I’ve studied A Course in Miracles and have become more familiar with what the above quote really means, I have come to accept that what I see “out there” in the world or in my personal life is a reflection of my own ego-driven unconscious mind and the fearful beliefs held there. The thoughts in my unconscious mind, just like the storms outside, can be frightening. They seem unpredictable and can be destructive. There is an impulse to run and hide from the seeming danger rather than face the stormy weather and learn to be at peace as it passes through.

When I find myself in the storms of life along this journey it can be easy to forget that there is an eye in the storm that I can go to whenever I choose without having to change the outer circumstance of life or even my inner experience of fear, guilt or pain. When I reflect upon the storms that are sweeping through my life at any given time: storms of chaos, uncertainty, shifting and changing patterns, things falling apart or falling away, waves of self-doubt and insecurity,  I can remind myself that I am experiencing the effects of projection rather than a real threat to my safety, and I can choose to place myself in the eye of the storm. I can learn to observe what is occurring and be in the world, but not of the world. The eye of any storm is in perfect stillness, like the center of a funnel cloud or a hurricane. It is calm, it is still and it is quiet. 

From this position of detached observation in the eye of the storm, I realize that the eye of the storm is the “I am” of God, or of Universal Love. From this “I” of the storm the chaos that seems to be revolving around me can be watched from a position of safety and of stillness.

What justifies such peacefulness when there is a mess of chaos appearing in my life or on the planet? The fact that storms come and go; they bluster and blow, they shift and change, but I do not in truth, for I am not what I seem to be. I am not a helpless person in a world of scarcity. I am merely dreaming and projecting my fearful unconscious thoughts out onto a harmless canvas in my mind. What I see and experience as a fearful person is not real, not eternal, and so I am safe from any threat of danger the inner or outer world might show me.

I am with God and His grace now, no matter what storm might be blowing through my awareness. I am one with God and His peace no matter what storms might be showing themselves to me or to my loved ones. This “I-ness” is stable and it never changes. It is constant and is a place of protection that is always available to me simply by remembering that I belong to a loving Creator.

I belong to God in the “I-ness”, the Oneness I was created in. Universal Love has kept me safe from all threats of danger, chaos and guilt. And so I can just rest in the “I Am Love” Presence that is calm, serene and confident. In this calm center of Love, of certainty and wholeness, I am never under any threat of any kind because God wills it not. And I rest in this, certain that all storms pass but Universal Love will remain strong and changeless and I am safe in the unchanging “I” of any storm. I can relax and trust, and know that when the danger passes I will remain untouched and safe in the care of Love, Light and Peace.

With this new perspective kept in mind when the dust kicks up in my life, I can quickly go within, take a deep breath, and watch the storm swirl about me, certain that all is well and it will soon pass without any real consequence.

What a relief to be able to rest in a quiet place and let all things be as they are without the need to panic or worry. The strength and safety of Love is all I need to face anything, and I am grateful.

Rev. Robin Singler is a Pathways of Light minister living in Huntley, IL. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2023, 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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Finding Happiness

by Rev. Joyce Peebles, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

“God’s Will for you is perfect happiness because there is no sin, and suffering is causeless.” (W-pI.101.6:1) What a statement. Don’t we live in a world of suffering? Doesn’t everyone have problems? Actually, ACIM says the answer is no. My inner Teacher tells me this book is correct.

I conclude I have needlessly decided to suffer. Who wrote the script of my life? I did along with the so-called problems. The Holy Spirit tells me that I made up the ideas of fear and guilt. Only I can decide to get rid of them. Jesus says, “I know fear is not real, but you do not.”

ACIM is about getting rid of the barriers to Love. The belief in guilt, fear, the desire for anger and grievances are my barriers, not just to love but happiness. These barriers have served the purpose of keeping me unaware of Reality. When I made the decision to think of myself as something other than the perfect, whole oneness of God, I took on the persona of a limited, needy self — a self that is lacking in love, security, and took on specialness needs. I was convinced that having my specialness needs met was my path to happiness.

I found myself dealing with the same issues year after year. Playing with this limited self, I felt righteous in being upset, and unconsciously creating suffering for myself. I believed my happiness would be achieved if the people or situations were different. The Holy Spirit corrected me, saying these people and situations are my classroom that I want and need. Jesus says what the body’s eyes see is an illusion. He also said not to deny what the body’s eyes see. It’s a clear indication of how my mind thinks and what needs to be healed. Until I was willing to see the false beliefs about my true Self, I was stuck.

What constitutes happiness? For most of us, it comes down to being certain we are loved, safe, content with what we Are, and thereby feeling nothing is lacking. All my “suffering” came from the belief I did not already have these things. The fact was, I have always had them, but was unaware.

There are three concepts in ACIM that have helped me achieve happiness. They are forgiveness, prayer, and accepting atonement. Forgiveness means looking with the Holy Spirit at my illusions, which are literally projections from my mind, hallucinations I made. Then recognizing they never were true although I wanted them to be, despite all the sadness they brought. They were the sorry substitutes for the Love and peace of God. I came to this realization by practicing this: “The overlooking of the battleground is now your purpose. Be lifted up, and from a higher place look down upon it. From there will your perspective be quite different.” (T-23.IV.4:7,5:1-2)

This requires recognizing the limited ego self I made up is nothing, and it is not a sacrifice to withhold belief in it. Giving up my specialness needs came about as I’ve recognized the cost of keeping them. Which did I want — peace, love and happiness or pain and suffering? It’s really that simple. Either I satisfy the fictitious ego body, or I give up the idea entirely.

Secondly, accepting the atonement concept helped. It is the one absolute responsibility we all have. (T-2.V.5:1) It is the willingness to see all bodies as divine oneness, innocent and complete, lacking nothing because the separation idea never happened. This, of course, is not possible through the body’s eyes, only the Holy Spirit helps us to see this. Both forgiveness and the atonement concept entail deciding against judgment of ourselves and others. Keep in mind, “The body’s eyes will continue to see differences. But the mind that has let itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them… the healed mind will put them all in one category; they are unreal.” (M-8.6:1-4)

Third, prayer. Only the ego thinks prayer is asking for something it lacks. Jesus gives us a much different view of what prayer is. “Praying for others, if rightly understood, becomes a means for lifting your projections of guilt from your brother, and enabling you to recognize it is not he who is hurting you.” (S-1.III.1:4) In the third chapter of the Text, we are told the only meaningful prayer is for forgiveness of ourselves. At first, because of the guilt we project onto others, it appears we are forgiving “them.” In reality there is no “them” out there. It is all taking place in my mind. I came to understand the thought of guilt had to be only in one place, my Mind. This is why we forgive only ourselves, for believing in a false idea that could never be!

There never was anybody to blame for my decision to create these false ideas about my real Self. I am reminded again to put away my child’s toys of anger, guilt, fear, conflict, and expectations of how others should act. Some, no, most of them, used to have a lot of glitter to attract me, but it has worn off. I look at them lovingly at times, other times in horror. I only played with them because I thought they would give me something I wanted. I was wrong. A little child does not give up a toy he perceives as having value. Mine have grown pretty ugly, the glitter is wearing off, like the velveteen rabbit, threadbare. Gently I hear a voice calling me back from my fantasies. See Lesson 20: “I am determined to see.”

It’s a matter of motivation. I am now more disillusioned with pain and suffering. Attempting to satisfy my specialness needs did not get me what I wanted. I am more willing to let go of the belief I am the character in this story. I understand I literally lose nothing and gain everything as I allow healing to occur.

Rev. Joyce Peebles is a Pathways of Light minister living in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2023, 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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Serving God’s Plan of Awakening

by Rev. Myron, Jones, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Above all, I want to serve God’s plan. I want to serve it every day in every way. I know that I can because it was given me to do this. I even know how to serve His plan. All I need to do is to be vigilant for the beliefs in the mind that must be undone with the Holy Spirit’s help. I know my part. 

In Lesson 23, Jesus tells us how to undo the ego: “This change requires, first, that the cause be identified and then let go, so that it can be replaced. The first two steps in this process require your cooperation. The final one does not.” (W-pI.23.5:2-4)

My part is to identify the cause, that is the belief that causes the world I see. Then, I am to let that cause, that belief, go. That’s it! That’s all I am to do. The third part is up to the Holy Spirit. Jesus goes on to say this: “Your images have already been replaced. By taking the first two steps, you will see that this is so.” (W-pI.23.5:5-6) These images we make with our beliefs have already been undone because the Holy Spirit corrected everything immediately upon the error being made.

Here is an example of how I have applied this lesson.

I didn’t sleep well last night so it occurred to me this morning that I may not be on top of my game. But the Holy Spirit has been teaching me that I don’t know what is in my best interests and that He does know. So, I let that belief in ‘not enough sleep’ go. I forgave it and it disappeared from my mind and as a result, the effects of that belief disappeared as well. Today has been a lovely day.

The only thing I need to do to experience a wonderful day is to turn my attention from the split mind. As a consequence, I begin to perceive it from the part of the mind in which the Holy Spirit abides.

This must be so since there are just these two options from which to choose. In making this choice, the Holy Spirit interprets everyone and all events for me. His interpretation is always in favor of our Self rather than our self. It is always an expression of Love.

Do you remember Lesson 34? It says that I could see peace instead of this. “Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.” (W-pI.34.1:2-4)

This is why I could so easily turn my day around this morning. I know that a peaceful day is a reflection of a peaceful mind. When I had the thought that I didn’t get enough sleep, I felt concern and so was not peaceful. I then remembered that there is another way of looking at that idea.

I decided I could replace this feeling of worry over lost sleep with peace. So, I made that choice. It is these simple reminders and different choices that guarantee I spend the day with my Father. I invite you to do the same.

Rev. Myron Jones, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Westlake, LA. Read her inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways website. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Myron’s website is: http://www.forgivenessisthewayhome.org Phone: 337-515-1042

© 2023, 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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