Miracles News

Articles by
Pathways of Light Ministers

Subscribe to printed version of Miracles News.

Most Recent Articles

(Drag to scroll down.)

Archives

Complete Archives

Tweet

Forgiveness

by Rev. Joyce Peebles, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I have enjoyed reading about the lives of Bill Thetford and Helen Schucman who first took down A Course in Miracles. They were not religious beforehand, and their egos were just like anyone else’s. There existed bitterness in their relationship and among their colleagues.

Carol Howe, who wrote Never Forget to Laugh, a biography of Bill, relates his first attempt to use ACIM to heal a relationship in the office. Art was co-chair with Bill of the Medical Psychology Department at Columbia University. Over disputes about Helen, they had got to the point of not speaking at all.

Bill decided to use the Course material on forgiveness to heal the strife with Art. This was Bill’s very first attempt to actually practice forgiveness.

Bill knew that every morning before the workday began Art would be in his office reading the newspaper. Bill went into Art’s office and sat in a chair for months saying nothing but good morning and waiting with no response from Art. This was done for months!

One day Bill had a meeting and did not show up in Art’s office to sit. Later that day Art contacted Bill asking why he had not come; that was the beginning of their speaking again.

Things got better from then on. They did not rehash the past. Bill simply followed what the Course said about practicing forgiveness, namely “it merely looks, and waits, and judges not.”

What astounds me is Bill’s willingness to do exactly what it said.

I know my ego. I feel convicted to practice forgiveness of my brother. My ego, though, after a couple of attempts stops, is discouraged, and says “this did not work” because I did not get the response I wanted. I wanted to control the other person’s behavior.

Bill kept practicing forgiveness everyday for months. The lesson is clear that my half-hearted attempts at forgiveness were conditional on the other person responding how I thought they should quickly. After all I made the first move. Practicing forgiveness is exactly that, practicing.

I know someone who barely speaks to me. He holds a grievance and does not live in the same state. To call him at work everyday might seem like harassment.

Holy Spirit has let me know that nothing is stopping me from sending him Love in my Mind everyday sincerely. I will not have a chair in his office to sit in, but starting today I am willing to sincerely see him as innocent and send Love expecting nothing. Nothing “out there” needs to change, for there is nothing “out there.”

“Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. It does not pardon sins and make them real. It sees there was no sin.” (W-pII.1.1:1-3)

The ego says how can this be so? The Course says:

“The world you see is but a judgment on yourself. It is not there at all. Yet judgment lays a sentence on it, justifies it and makes it real. Such is the world you see; a judgment on yourself and made by you. This sickly picture of yourself is carefully preserved by the ego, whose image it is and which it loves, and placed outside you in the world.” (T-20.III.5:2-5)

My goal is not to cater to my ego. It is to remove the obstacles to peace by practicing forgiveness. I am learning not to analyze the past. Focusing on the present and what is true is helpful. Somebody else does not need to change to make my ego feel better. I will follow the guidance provided, knowing who goes with me, for it is not an illusion that Jesus holds my hand.

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) Phone: 501-701-8399.

© 2021, 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Love from a Borador

by Rev. Larry Glenz, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Three months ago my life changed. I rescued a “Borador.”

I have been wanting to get a dog for a long time now. My wife and I have been together for about 25 years. And this is about the same time frame that I have lived without a dog in my home.

As every new dog owner must realize, there is a relinquishment of freedom that comes along with the responsibility of making sure a new dog is properly cared for. A new dog can also cause chaos in the house if not properly trained and supervised. My wife has said she is not really a “dog person.”

For the past few years, I have been turning to Holy Spirit on the issue of acquiring a nice dog that my wife Laura will love. You know the type — one that doesn’t bark, shed, pee, poop, or chew on our possessions. A dog that can watch itself and feed itself while we go traveling. Yes, I knew this was going to be a struggle.

Listening to Laura’s reasons why we shouldn’t have a dog made me resentful. It appeared that a dog was going to cause trouble concerning my 20-year marriage. We had some serious arguments about it.

Time and time again, I asked Holy Spirit to help me see this differently.

Nevertheless, my desire for a young dog that I could personally train started to become a bit of an obsession. I didn’t yet own a dog but was watching YouTube videos continuously on how to train one. I talked with every dog owner I saw.

My condo in Florida where I spend the winter also discourages dog ownership. However, there is a loophole. The condo board can’t stop me if I get a registered “therapy dog.” I was told by some small dog owners that getting the paperwork for a registered therapy dog was not very difficult.

Still most important, was getting Laura’s permission to bring a dog into our home and life. This certainly would be the most challenging obstacle. But after many months of discussion, I guess Holy Spirit finally weakened her resolve. Once I got the reluctant “OK” from her, I expected to get a dog quickly.

It turned out that rescuing a dog during COVID-19 was almost as difficult and complicated as adopting a baby. Everyone in the family had to be interviewed. A virtual home inspection of every room in my home had to be examined by the officials of the animal shelters. My wife was questioned about why she has never owned a dog. She was asked what she would do with the dog if I passed away. Neither of us liked being grilled by the officials of the dog shelters despite the fact that they were well-meaning advocates for the animals.

Then I was rejected from adopting a dog I wanted because I do not have a back yard in my condo unit. I live across the street from a glorious ocean beach on the south shore of Long Island with a two mile boardwalk running parallel to the shoreline But dogs are not allowed on the beach or on the boardwalk at any time.

I was angry. Countless obstacles seemed to stand in my way. I felt like I was ready to give up.

But I have angels watching over me. I had been asking the spirits of my mom and dad to help me find a dog that Laura will love. They were dog lovers all during their lives. I asked them, as Holy Spirit’s assistants, to help me.

It took a long time with frustration seeming to accompany my search in every way. I certainly cannot say I was patient. But I did keep asking for Holy Spirit’s help.

While Laura was in New Jersey celebrating her 60th birthday week with her sisters, I had an appointment to view the dogs at the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington. There, I found a 1-year old, 44 lb. black lab mix that was rescued from GA.

I instantly fell in love.

The dog was certainly larger than the under 25 pounds size we had agreed upon. I had also promised Laura I would not get a dog without her seeing it first with me.

I called her on Face Time to show her the dog. She was in the middle of opening her presents from her sisters and I found her to be in an ebullient mood.

When I focused the camera on the dog, she asked him, “Are you going to love me, doggie?” The dog jumped up on the bars of the crate and licked my iPhone. Laura said, “Look, he’s kissing me.” I said, “Yep, the dog loves you.”

Within a minute I got Laura’s okay to adopt the dog. My thought was, “Holy Spirit certainly provided the perfect timing for me on this.” While waiting to fill out the paper work for adoption, I felt the presence of my mom and dad telling me, “We got you a really great dog!”

Those two angels were speaking the truth! Laura fell in love with the dog almost instantly. We named him, Buddha. And he is the most loving and lovable dog I could have ever have hoped for.

It has been just over three months now and Buddha has settled in to our home beautifully. He destroyed quite a few things in the first couple of months by not knowing what he could or could not chew. But thankfully, that seems to have run its course.

I found a dog trainer who I had coached in football and lacrosse 20 years ago. He said, “Coach, it’s now time for me to coach you!” He has been a joy to work with.

While walking Buddha, a man stopped his car and said, “Looks like you have the perfect “Borador” there! I asked him to explain and he said, “Just Google “Borador” and then he drove away.

I googled Borador immediately. Up came a few photos that look just like Buddha. It said:

“The Borador (also called Border Lab) is a cross between a Border Collie and Labrador Retriever. Outgoing, curious, and energetic, these pups inherited the best qualities from both their parents.”

Laura, previously not a dog lover, is over the moon about Buddha. He is a black dog with a white chest and paws. I tell people my wife has been seduced by a guy in a black tuxedo.
My three young granddaughters now think I’m cool because of this great dog.

So much to be grateful for. Thank you, Mom and Dad. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Thanks for so much love from Buddha the Borador.

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) Website: larryglenz.com

© 2021, 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Bless and Serve

by Rev. Barbara Goodman Siegel, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Dear Mother Shekhina,

I see you wise and loving.

I give you my unworthiness — it does not bless or serve

I give you my unlovable —it does not bless or serve

I give you my unhappiness — it does not bless or serve

I give you my stories — they do not bless or serve

I give you my mind to bless and serve

I give you my body to bless and serve

I give you my thoughts. Please purify them so that they may bless and serve

I give you my grievances — they do not bless or serve

I give you my judgments — they do not bless or serve

I give you my pain and suffering — they do not bless or serve

You let me cry upon Your bosom and enfold me in Your arms. You kiss my forehead and bless me. You let me be as no one on this earth is able to.

You delight as I dance in Your garden of roses high on the smell of their perfume which fills the air.

We look down together on this world of suffering and we throw rose petals each with a blessing of love and holiness. May they softly touch our sleeping brothers and sisters and gently awaken them from their sleep.

This is our gift, my dear Mother Shekhina and me. She shows me how to bless and serve the world as She holds my hand. I am filled with delight to be in Her presence and feel Her love so big it is beyond description.

I never want to leave Her. Tears fill my eyes as I feel I must go.

“You never leave” She says. But somehow, the mystical moment has passed and I am back in my chair.

I do know without a doubt that I can go back to the garden again because I know I have been in the garden before.

Thank you, Mother Shekhina, for that very holy instant in which I know I am your holy, innocent Child. I love you. Please send me Your angels of love, peace, and clarity to help me bless and serve through the day.

Amen

Rev. Barbara Goodman Siegel, O.M.C. is a Pathways of Light minister and author of Finding Your Self in the Mirror – Awakening Through Mirror Affirmations for the 365 Lessons of A Course in Miracles. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  Web: barbaragoodmansiegel.com

© 2021, 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

A Course in Miracles: Utilizing Literacy Strategies to “Make Meaning of the Course

by Rev. Barbara Adams, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Learning is learning despite the content.

Individuals may have different learning styles yet the end objective is to acquire new (or modify existing) knowledge, behaviors, skills or values. Educators and educational researchers know that learning does not happen all at once. It builds upon and is shaped by previous knowledge and experiences. It is also molded by attitudes, values and beliefs. However, the one constant for a favorable outcome is the desire or willingness to learn. Without this aspiration, there can be little to no success.

What does this have to do with A Course in Miracles? The Course is presented by Jesus as a curriculum.  A means by which the manner of acting and interacting may be altered in order to find peace and remember the Truth. This particular method of “changing one’s mind” and thereby changing one’s decisions is accomplished through reading/listening, comprehending and applying.

Yes, students of ACIM are embarking on a journey of learning. Yet, at the outset, many new Course students get easily discouraged and give up. Whether it be the wording, the sentence structure, or the different use of terms that causes discouragement is difficult to say. But a sentiment in some manifestation of the following is heard over-and-over, “I started to read it but couldn’t understand it so I put the book down.”

As a student and teacher of the Course and as a former public school teacher, I can’t help but think, “There must be another way.” There must be another way of encouraging the beginning, as well as seasoned students to *make meaning of the life-changing teachings of the Course. Here’s another way: utilizing literacy strategies in order to *make meaning of the content.

No matter what learners are asked to learn or to become literate in, the strategies remain the same. One may become a literate reader, a literate mathematician, a literate artist, a literate athlete, a literate linguist, etc. Although the content may differ, the process of making meaning remains the same.

Literacy Strategies:

Connect

Predict

Visualize

Summarize

Question

Evaluate

Using literacy strategies with A Course in Miracles:

I’m going to present a passage from the Text of ACIM to use as an example throughout the demonstration of my point:

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” (T-16.IV.6:1)

Connect past learning and experiences to new learning:

Ask yourself: “What are examples in my life when I have built barriers to prevent myself from getting to know another person? How did I feel as a result?”

Ask yourself: “When did someone build barriers to keep me out of his/her life? How did this affect our relationship?”

Then ask yourself, “How do these examples better help me understand section T-16.IV.6:1 of the Course?”

Predict: Make predictions as to what would happen if you were to build barriers? Then, make predictions about tearing down barriers.

Ask yourself: “If I keep ignoring my new neighbors because they aren’t like me, what effect will that have on community-building in our neighborhood?

Ask yourself: “Every time my partner begins to say something I’m uncomfortable with, I have the tendency to put up my hand for him/her to stop talking? How would our relationship be better if I discontinued this pattern?

Then ask yourself, “How do these examples better help me understand section T-16.IV.6:1 of the Course?”

Visualize: Visualize yourself building barriers and breaking down barriers

Ask yourself, “When I quiet my mind and envision myself ignoring others, staying away from strangers, breaking off communication with my partner, what do I see happening with others? with myself? What do I feel when this happens?

Ask yourself, “When I quiet my mind and envision myself extending myself to others, reaching out to others, what do I see happening to them? To myself? How do I feel when this happens? How do they react?”

Then ask yourself, “How do these examples better help me understand section T-16.IV.6:1 of the Course?”

Summarize: After reading a sentence or a paragraph, stop, reflect and summarize it in your own words.

Ask yourself, “While I’m reading the newspaper or an on-line article, stop after either the first sentence or first paragraph and ask myself, ‘What did I just read? What is the author trying to say? How could I rephrase that? What meaning do I make from that?’”

Ask yourself, “After that conversation with __________ what did s/he actually say? What did s/he mean? If I were to summarize what ____________ said, what would I say?”

Then ask yourself, “How do these examples better help me understand section T-16.IV.6:1 of the Course?”

Question: Everything!

Ask yourself, “What did the President mean when he said that? Do I agree?”

Ask yourself, “What did my partner mean when s/he said that? Do I need more information?

Ask yourself, “What did the author mean when s/he wrote that? How could the paragraph above and below provide more meaning? How could the title provide insight? What does the chapter heading mean?

Then ask yourself, “How can these examples better help me understand section T-16.IV.6:1 of the Course?”

Evaluate: Take everything into account and determine its relevance, meaning, pertinence, reliability, source, etc.

Ask yourself, “I just read this story on Facebook, is it real? Can I trust the author? What’s the original source?”

Ask yourself, “I just heard this person speak about global warming. What’s his background and training? His experiences? His sources?”

Then ask yourself, “How do these examples better help me understand section T-16.6:1 of the Course?”

A Course in Miracles is one path to enlightenment/salvation/Path to Atonement/the Truth. Each of us has our own learning style, our own way of making meaning of the illusions of this world. We each have our own way of making meaning of the Course. If the above strategies seem like too many to contend with, start with one or two, then move further through the list. Whatever your process, find one that matches your learning style.

This method is simply “another way.”

Making meaning is simply another way of saying, “What does this mean to me? This process is different than simply reiterating the author’s words, the artist’s productions or the athlete’s movements. Making meaning puts the reader/audience/spectator in the position of interpreting the material. This process helps integrate the material into a person’s life experiences.

Rev. Barbara Adams, is a Pathways of Light minister living in Webster, New York. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: PeaceAndHarmonyMinistry.org (585) 633-8769

© 2021, 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.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

---

Back to main page of Miracles News.

Featured Store Items

Spiritual Counselor Training — based on principles of A Course in Miracles, including ordination. More….

24 ACIM Practitioner courses including 50-page study guide, CD's or MP3s, with facilitator. More….

Healing Inner Child 8-week program will help you nurture your inner child, connect with your Higher Self and heal relationships.

Listen & Receive 30-Day Home Study Learn to receive insight for your life in a form that is perfect for you …heal fears, find joy & peace. Learn more.

Hey, Holy Spirit, It's Me Again by Rev. Myron Jones. An indispensible guide for anyone on the path of ACIM with insights on the 1st 90 lessons. More…

True Forgiveness by Rev. Jennifer McSween. The Proven Path from Pain to Power and personal happiness in 5 Simple Steps. Learn more.

From the Christ Mind Book II scribed by Darrell Morley Price. A great supporting supplement to A Course in Miracles. We highly recommend it. More….

Forgiving Kevin Audio book by Rev. Larry Glenz. A moving and inspiring true story of a father/son relationship that withstood seven years of addiction, recovery, and relapse. More….

Healing Family Relationships Applying the Principles of A Course in Miracles audio book by Rev. Myron Jones. Learn how family relationships offer fertile grounds for forgiveness and healing your judgments of the world. More.