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The River of Consciousness

by Rev. Peggy Rivera, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

There is a river that flows just beneath the conscious mind. It is a river of thoughts, feelings and emotions. Within this river lies the storage of the remembrance of all that we experience.

It contains our hidden pain which can often surface in times of duress. The instances in which we feel an inappropriate reaction to a situation is often the connection of remembrance of a long ago wound that has not been resolved.

With love, we can connect with the Source of all Love, the unconditional Love of our Creator.

We ask for Guidance to heal us from this wound, and in allowing ourselves to listen and truly see and understand ourselves we learn the true meaning of forgiveness. Forgiveness allows us to see not only our own pain but the pain of others. It reminds us that all pain comes from fear.

To have compassion for another, I believe, is perhaps one of the greatest gifts of our sojourn here — when we can listen to another person’s experiences and have empathy and compassion, no matter what.

We are asked to not judge them as right or wrong but just be present with them, letting them tell their stories so the pain eventually dissipates. That is part of loving unconditionally.

This is not to be taken lightly. Most of us have not reached the level in our spiritual development that excludes us from judging others. We may try to work on it, but as long as we have an ego, we still have to practice regularly.

Healing is in remembering Who we are. When we incarnated, we forgot that we are Love and in that, there is no judgment.

I recently read that, when we judge others, there is a message in that for us. The message tells us to look within and find that same trait we are judging.

I remember once, a friend of mine told me she was really angry because she had taken a workshop and the teacher said that when you think someone ELSE is crazy you must be a little crazy yourself. She was fuming.

I told her I saw what he was trying to get across to her but it didn’t land well. I did try to tell her in a way she could understand what I thought he meant, but she wasn’t having any of it. We can be so far removed from ourselves that we live in a state of denial. We want others to be blamed so we do not have to feel “guilt” ourselves.

What we see in our world comes from US! Our thoughts create what we fear or feel however you choose to understand that.

How many times have we looked at differences in those around us rather than our similarities? How often do we compare ourselves with others? We compare ourselves with others to either confirm we are either better or not as good as someone else. It is our own justification that what the ego believes is true. All our terror is confirmed!

This is why I am saying we are here to hear each other. We can comfort each other and put an end to guilt and shame, because in reality nothing outside of Love exists; what we see outside of Love is our own making and it is ours to heal.

As we continue to believe that the body (ego) is real and we exist in a real world, we continue the nightmare of sickness and death.

Giving love and understanding to each other in this dream is a service to our brother that helps healing take place. We disarm each other by reminding each other who we really are. We can find comfort in understanding each other. As spiritual beings it is a blessing to have that relationship with each other.

When we decided long ago that we had separated from God and feared his wrath, we created stories to confirm reasons for our own self-hatred. We often feel the need for the stories to justify what we perceive. As with my friend who was so insulted about being told she had to have a little craziness in herself to perceive it in someone else, we want to blame someone else. We do not want to feel that guilt. The truth was that she already felt she was a little unstable and went straight to defense mode.

That is the dance of ego. We feel attacked and go right into counter attack. The Course tells us, “The only place you can cancel out all reinforcement is in yourself. For you are always the first point of your attack, and if this has never been, it has no consequences.” (T-12.V.3:3-4)

The Holy Spirit’s Love is your strength, for yours is divided and therefore not real. So, as you relax and tune in to the river of consciousness, listen to the stories your mind is telling you. Are your stories full of pain, fear or sickness, or are you being guided by Love? That river can be a river of life for us when we choose to hear the call of God. In quietness, I listen to Holy Spirit for signs of progress in my development. I long to hear the sweet loving voice of my Creator, the Creator of All that is Love.

That is what we are needing to share. We have to exude that from our very core. In John 8:7 Jesus said in the Bible when a crowd was going to stone a woman for adultery, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” And Romans 3:23 says, “We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Jesus taught to accept each other with our flaws and not to judge each other.

When we talk of this, remember that we are not being judged for these thoughts either. This is part of our own journey. This is part of the remembering that we are not what we made here. We are what God created, which is pure Love. When we feel the need to judge someone or something else, these are little messages to us to look for the hidden wound we are carrying around within ourself.

“You will never realize the utter uselessness of attack except by recognizing that your attack on yourself has no effects. For others do react to attack if they perceive it, and if you are trying to attack them you will be unable to avoid interpreting this as reinforcement.” (T-12.V.3:1-2)

I affirm that the stories I hear are about the story of the Father and His son, of His pure Love for His own Creation — the sound of guidance to find a way back to living in a state of pure Love.

I hope you will join me in affirming that we choose to Love. I reach out my hand to you, my brother and share compassion, understanding and Love.

Rev. Peggy Rivera, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Palm Bay, Florida.  Email:Revpeggy52@gmail.com

© 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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Release Judgments and Be Free

by Rev. Dan Strodl, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

“Be in my mind, my Father, when I wake, and shine on me throughout the day today. Let every minute be a time in which I dwell with You.” (W-232.1:1-2)

Every day is an adventure for me. I have no idea how this day will unfold, or what waits for me around the corner. But I know that I am never alone. The voice for God is always with me, holding my hand and guiding me.

“Be glad today, in loving thankfulness, your Father has not left you to yourself, nor let you wander in the dark alone.” (W-123.2:2)

I had coffee with a couple of friends, and we were talking about a Netflix film series about Harry and Meghan. I shared how much I enjoyed hearing Harry and Megan’s story, but my friends were so negative about it, saying they were damaging the Royal family.

I tried to explain that it was just the news blowing it out of all proportion, but my friends weren’t going to budge. I wanted to attack their take on the film and convince them I was right, but instead I went to the toilet, quietened my mind, and asked the Holy Spirit, “How would you have me see this?”

What I received was, “It’s all meaningless, let it go.” So I returned to my friends… changed the subject, and peace returned to all of us.

We can always count on the Holy Spirit to guide us to peace and love. All we need do is quiet our mind and ask for guidance, and follow his direction. He will lead us to peace, happiness and love.

“God’s voice speaks to me all through the day.” (W-49)

This thought is so comforting to me. It assures me that no matter how upset, angry or fearful I might feel in any circumstance, the peaceful loving voice for God is always available to me, ready to heal my perception and bring me back to peace. All I need do is quiet my mind and listen.

Later on I was having lunch, and two people were seated at the next table talking about all the strikes… trains… postal workers… nurses… ambulance drivers… and how the country was going to collapse because of all the strikers. I was feeling fearful, and so I closed my eyes, breathed deeply, stilled my mind, and I asked the Holy Spirit to heal my mind.

When I opened my eyes I felt so peaceful… I smiled at my new friends at the table next to me, and silently blessed them for giving me the opportunity to heal my mind.

“Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready to radiate through you and out into the world. It will cure all sorrow and pain and fear and loss because it will heal the mind that thought these things were real, and suffered out of its allegiance to them.

“You can never be deprived of your perfect holiness because its Source goes with you wherever you go. You can never suffer because the Source of all joy goes with you wherever you go. You can never be alone because the Source of all life goes with you wherever you go. Nothing can destroy your peace of mind because God goes with you wherever you go.” (W-41.3-4)

Rev. Dan Strodl is a Manager of Miracle Network, A Pathways of Light Spiritual Counselor, Accessing Your Inner Wisdom Counselor, 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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Why I Practice the Teachings of A Course in Miracles

by Rev. Jennifer McSween, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

In May of this year, 2022, I received the “Dreaded Diagnosis,” the “Big C,” as a biopsy confirmed that the cells of the 2.7mm lesion on my upper left lung was cancerous. I say the “Dreaded Diagnosis” because as the world teaches… whether it’s within the context of religion, spirituality, philosophy, or the secular world… “cancer” of any sort is one of the things in the world by which we seem to be most victimized. This is partly because despite our best efforts, we can’t seem to prevent it… we have not yet found a cure… and it is still among the leading causes of death.

The world therefore teaches that “cancer” is something to be feared and fought against so… most of the time receiving a cancer diagnosis begins a cycle of worry, fear, and fight. It’s common to hear people who have been diagnosed with cancer and/or who have been cancer-free for some time, talk about how hard they are fighting against the disease and describe themselves as “Cancer Survivors.”

For me though — from the first time I heard the diagnosis up to the time of this writing, which is six days after having surgery to remove the entire upper lobe of my left lung — I have been totally at Peace. I remember feeling extremely calm as the two Pulmonary Specialists discussed the results of the first CT Scan with my husband and me, in April. The results showed a clearly defined “spot” on my upper left lung and they suggested a series of further scans, tests and exploration over the following four to six weeks to determine the exact nature of the ‘spot.’

After they left the room, I turned to my husband and asked, “So how do you feel about all this?” He responded by saying, “Never mind me… how do ‘you’ feel?” I shared that I was feeling quite calm and at peace despite the possible diagnoses.

I imagined he thought that I might be in shock… or that the news had not quite settled in yet and, for a brief moment, I wondered the same thing myself. However, I continued to feel calm.

I felt calm when the thoracic surgeon shared the results of the biopsy confirming that the “spot” on my lung was not scar tissue but a lesion, and that the cells in the lesion were cancerous. I was calm and at peace when she discussed the different options and the prognosis based on the information we had so far. And I was at peace making the decision to monitor the lesion via a CT Scan every three months to detect any changes that might occur. I was also calm and at peace when I agreed to be placed on the emergency wait list for surgery because the results of the CT Scan in September showed that the lesion was growing.

Now… you might be thinking that I’m either in denial… must be engaging in positive or wishful thinking… constantly praying… or have a very strong sense of faith to be feeling so calm and at Peace about my condition. However… you need to know that at no point during this experience did I feel victimized because I had cancer. At no point did I fear that I would die because of it. And… at no time did I hope or pray that I have a specific result or outcome. If there was anything for which I “prayed”… for lack of a better word, it would be that I remain peaceful regardless of the outcome. 

I continue to feel mentally peaceful now… even while having physical pain and discomfort from having surgery six days ago and awaiting the results as to whether there has been any spreading of the cancer to the surrounding lymph nodes.

What is allowing me to remain peaceful throughout this experience… is practicing what I’ve learned as A Course in Miracles student, teacher, coach and counselor for over 20 years. The Course in Miracles’ most central teaching can be seen as this: “It’s not what happens but how you look at it, that determines the way you feel, think about, respond to, and ultimately experience anything.” And the Course presents lessons, teachings and perspectives that allow you to choose to look at yourself, your life, the world and everything that takes place in your life and in the world from a place of power and of peace… instead of victimization and fear.

One of the most liberating and empowering lessons in the Workbook, is Lesson 31 which simply states: “I am not the victim of the world I see.” The reason why I say it’s “one of the most liberating and empowering lessons”… is because the idea behind this lesson is that “you” are not your body. So… though something may be happening to or in your body… the real you remains unaffected so “you” are never a victim of anything.

Practicing this lesson over the years I’ve come to embody the idea behind, I’m not the victim of the world I see. And this is why I’m able to remain peaceful throughout this experience regardless of the diagnosis, prognosis, or what is happening in or to my body.

Practicing the teachings of A Course in Miracles has also led me to gain a new perspective of those circumstances, situations, or conditions, such as a cancer diagnosis, that not only takes away the perception of threat and victimization but shows them as “Tools for the Trade.” Here’s what I mean by this. From the perspective of the Course, everything can serve the purpose of our healing and awakening. So we can look at the circumstances, situations and conditions we find most threatening or victimizing as not coming to hurt us, but rather to “prepare” us to express the purpose for which we were created.

I believe that my purpose is about helping people to feel healed, happy, empowered and at peace as they go about their life in the world, regardless of what happens in their life, their body, or in the world. From that perspective, my cancer diagnosis can be seen simply as a way to prepare me to express that purpose — teach others how they can feel healed, happy, empowered and at peace even if they, too, have to face a cancer diagnosis.

I can most effectively teach them how to be that way by my ‘learning to be that way’ in my own life. These are just a couple of the reasons why I have been practicing, and will continue to practice, the teachings of A Course in Miracles!

Rev. Jennifer McSween is a Pathways of Light Minister, The Miracles Mindset Strategist, ACIM Coach, and International Bestselling Author of the book “TRUE FORGIVENESS: The Proven Path From Pain To Power In 5 Simple Steps.” She is founder of LifeWorks Spiritual Network FB Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/thetfgvgrp  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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Spirit and the Brain

by Rev. Larry Glenz, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

When I was an athlete in high school and college, my coaches often stressed a concept that is best expressed in a quote attributed to Henry Ford:

“If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

As a younger man, I did not necessarily believe that to be true. But I wanted to know how to get myself to believe I can. That statement began to resonate in my brain and heart from the repetition of being told that by my coaches over the years. Then later, I became a high school coach of football, wrestling and lacrosse. I repeated that statement many, many times to hundreds of players.

As a Course student, I have found that the statement has spiritual truth. I have been devoted to A Course in Miracles for almost 30 years. The Workbook of ACIM teaches in the earliest lessons:

• “I do not understand anything I see.” (W-3)

• “My thoughts do not mean anything.” (W-10)

• “My thoughts are images I have made.” (W-15)

“My thoughts” referred to here, are my ego thoughts. That is not really thinking; it is image making. And it is all illusion.

The repetition of the Workbook lessons, day after day, year after year, trains my mind to be in alignment with God’s Mind. My mind wanders back to the ego often but my dedication to the Workbook lessons brings me back to Holy Spirit. With Spirit, my thoughts create a meaningful world. And I can train my mind by handing my thoughts to Spirit to decide for me.

Now how does the world of science support this idea of training the mind through the repetition of positive thoughts? Well, there seems to be some important validation in the study of the brain.

I have learned that the base of the brain has something called the Reticular Activating System or RAS. This Reticular Activating System works with what the body’s brain is focused on and, like a search engine, projects out those thoughts as images.

If the RAS is focused on loving thoughts, that is what the brain will show us — the experience of more love — the so called “Happy Dream.” But if my thoughts are fear-based, the RAS searches for and filters only fearful images to me. It doesn’t judge. It just shows you more and more of what you are focused on — either loving or fear-based thoughts.

I am certainly not an authority on brain science, but it seems to me that focusing on the thoughts of Spirit will program the brain to love. And ego thinking brings more and more fear-based thoughts. As I understand it, the RAS filters out everything else but what you are focused on.

If I think I can, the RAS receives those thoughts and sends successful, loving outcomes. If I think I can’t, the RAS shows me more examples of why I can’t. The RAS filters out everything else but my focus. For me, it seems science is validating the power of turning to Holy Spirit with my fear-based thoughts.

In truth, I don’t need science or anything in the world to validate the power of Holy Spirit in my mind. It is my experience that great strength comes from turning over my thoughts to Spirit. That is truly all the validation I need. And I am grateful for the training I have received from my devotion to A Course in Miracles.

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, 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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