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How Miracles Affected the Health of My Body

by Rev. Rosemarie Tropf, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I have always had a huge confusion as an ACIM student for many years. Since 1969 I have said to myself that I believe I am not this body, that I am Spirit. But, if I really believe that then shouldn’t I be healthy, happy and reap the rewards of that belief? Instead, I have lived in chronic pain the whole time from Fibromyalgia and spinal degeneration. Why? I ask myself that all the time. How does this all tie together for me?

So I questioned my beliefs, plus, I did a ton of forgiveness work. I did have a very dysfunctional childhood with physical, mental and sexual abuse. Doctors say that stress as a child creates autoimmune diseases. So I did lots of forgiveness work there also. I learned to understand that I came in with a script and that nobody is responsible for my condition but me at some level. I learned how to love my parents again without blame. I agreed that by me blaming others I contributed to my physical pain. So, through doing more forgiveness work for my own tendency to blame others because I was so angry, I learned to not blame others. Is the pain gone now? No.

So I learned to accept that everything is perfect in its time and this is the script that I chose to come in with. I learned to live with gratitude for the Course and the mighty companions I travel with on this path. I have so much love around me now and I have a really nice life. Except for the chronic pain of the body.

So, I feel dissatisfied with that conclusion. Doesn’t seem right to me. I feel like the princess with a pea under her mattress. Something just isn’t right. Recently in a group of ACIM students, including myself, under the tutelage of Myron Jones, we have been studying the Miracle Principles. I love those principles. They are so very enlightening.

For example, miracle principle 39 says, “The miracle dissolves error because the Holy Spirit identifies error as false or unreal.” I thought to myself, “Aha, it’s not me who identifies errors as false or unreal, it’s the Holy Spirit. I kind of knew that before but this principle stayed in my mind for some reason.

I also read in Principle 23: “Miracles rearrange perception and place all levels in true perspective.” Hmmmm? Rearrange perception? Things were beginning to gel in my mind.

Then a few days ago, I had been doing yoga nidra for an hour more, so I felt very relaxed with my mind calm enough that I could easily allow Holy Spirit in. I asked Holy Spirit to help me see this differently.

Holy Spirit showed me there was a movie part of my mind that I took for granted, that was so much a part of me that I never questioned it. Suddenly it popped to the foreground of my mind.

Many years ago I was trained to help people using health foods and vitamins. I was a layman, not a trained nutritionist, but trained only so I could do that job. As a result I read tomes of information about health foods and vitamins as remedies for body pain problems and a lot of it seemed to work. I did this job for close to 20 years, constantly updating those volumes of information.

I raised my children with that information and they were very healthy, never sick, never hospitalized etc. I thought aha. That works! This information became part of my life and part of my mind.

Here, I would like to compare the mind structure to a scaffolding (as a metaphor). I feel like quite a few of the beams on the scaffolding in my mind are made up from this data. I thought it was a successful way of life. After all we never did drugs, we were never sick… even though I was in chronic pain… not actually sick. (My children never knew about this.)

Doctors could never find any reason for this chronic physical pain other than autoimmune stuff… ‘possibly.’ I taught many people how to live a healthier more holistic life. I was rewarded with thanks plus two healthy children who are healthy adults now. So what’s wrong with that you might ask?

What Holy Spirit showed me a couple of days ago is that this information is made up of man-made solutions to an ego-mind created problem. Those tomes of nutritional information are all about man-made laws for health, but those man-made laws do not work every time and they do not work for everybody.

Holy Spirit showed me that as long as I, or anybody, live only by those man-made laws, we will not allow God’s laws to reach our mind. As long as I believe in those man-made laws, I will not ask Holy Spirit to correct my perceptions.

What I did most of my life with that man-made information was loving and well intended, no doubt about that. What I taught myself and others helped to create a healthy lifestyle. Living according to those rules, we had a healthier body than eating fast foods or taking aspirin or pain pills. So I would never think to change a lot of those healthy habits. But the missing part of the equation is Holy Spirit and asking Holy Spirit to teach me about God’s Laws in relation to physical pain and the mind.

So, in Miracles Principle 4 it says: “All miracles mean life, and God is the Giver of Life. His Voice will direct you very specifically.”

How could God direct me specifically when I never asked? Instead, and I didn’t realize it, I was walking around with this health food encyclopedia in my mind giving me solutions to this pain today, and that pain yesterday. I was constantly thinking about my body! Constantly! All day long I walk around thinking about how this muscle works with that vitamin, and how a certain number of hours of sleep fixes that part of the problem and this herbal tea fixes that area of the body etc. It was like question and answer in my mind day and night. And I was solving every one of those questions about this and that pain with that mental encyclopedia in my head with herbs, vitamins and nutrition.

I knew as a Course student that my body was a result of my thoughts. So I did forgiveness work on my thoughts constantly. But I never looked at these thoughts concerning man-made laws and man-made solutions to body issues. Holy Spirit showed me how many of my thoughts every hour every day are about this body. I have heard so many times you are what you focus on, or that you are your thoughts. I would think to myself, “What horrible, evil thoughts do I have that I am not seeing?”

It turns out they are not nasty evil thoughts… they are merely mistaken perceptions and false errors about the body being subject to only man-made laws. Because of that mistaken perception, I never asked Holy Spirit to show me what my pain means or how to see this differently, or how my thoughts (about pain) are images I have made. I was not asking Holy Spirit how this pain holds the meaning I give it, or how I am never upset for the reason I think. Instead I would reach for the vitamins and, “accept my fate,” kind of thinking. I asked Holy Spirit to help me decipher my life for so many other things but not for physical pain for some reason. What reason?

The reason is I had this encyclopedia in my mind giving me solutions I never once thought to question.

Since I saw this I have been asking Holy Spirit when I feel the pains, noticing small incremental changes in my perceptions. For example, I wanted to paint this morning and I wanted to write this article. But I felt tired and said to myself, “I’m too tired. I wonder if I need more B Vitamins.” I caught that thought and instead listened to Holy Spirit Who said, “Maybe you wouldn’t be so tired if you write that article.” Wow. All of a sudden I wasn’t so tired… I thought to myself, “This is so simple… I will do that.” And I am doing this article now. Then I will paint for a while. That’s using my mind to create my life with Holy Spirit guiding me. I had procrastination and false information, not fatigue.

That is a mental thought pattern that I can change, but only with Holy Spirit’s guidance. That would be allowing God’s Laws into my mind regarding physical pain. Man-made laws do not fix the mind. The mind creates the problem but the ego-mind is not the solution. Only God’s laws, (such as the daily lessons) with Holy Spirit’s guidance can change my mind, which is the only way to apply this “mind healing program” called ACIM. I am grateful for ACIM, and for Jesus and Holy Spirit. I am also grateful to Pathways of Light for all Robert and Mary do to keep this alive for us. They are truly mighty companions.

Rev. Rosemarie Tropf, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Safety Harbor, Florida. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: Artbyrosmarie.com

© 2020, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Wanting the Peace of God

by Rev. Larry Glenz, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

On the first page in the Text of A Course in Miracles it says:

“This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:

Nothing real can be threatened.

Nothing unreal exists.

Herein lies the peace of God.”

The first paragraph that precedes this one speaks of “removing the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence.” Upon reading this for the first time, I wondered if I might be ready to learn how to remove these blocks.

In the fall of 1994 I attended a presentation by Marianne Williamson in mid-town Manhattan. A close friend had given me an audiotape of her first book, A Return to Love. Whatever it was that she was speaking about, I wanted to know more.

Following her performance in NYC, I bought the three books of A Course in Miracles – the Text, the Workbook, and the Manual for Teachers. From just listening to Marianne, I became inspired to start doing the daily lessons of the Workbook. I started with Lesson 1 on the train ride home from the city.

I had very little background in spirituality. I had been a self-professed agnostic for decades. But at age 44, during the first year of my divorce, I was searching for some inner strength to handle my fears about going forward.

But words like, “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” sounded stupid to me. Who could believe such nonsense? What could that possibly mean?

Despite having doubts about my understanding of these metaphysical concepts, I could recognize that through the Workbook lessons, I was developing a relationship with God and His Voice, the Holy Spirit.

Throughout my early study of the Course, I had many doubts that I would be able to follow my new Guide. I certainly didn’t feel sinless. I didn’t feel blessed as a Son of God. I could not see myself as the light of the world.

I didn’t believe my attack thoughts hurt me. I could not accept that forgiveness was my only function and the key to my happiness. I was new to getting still and meditating. I often felt like I was wasting time. Getting quiet and listening to God was a chore, not an inspiration.

The idea that I could experience the peace of God did not come easily to my mind. Forgiveness did not appear to be deserved and Christ’s vision just did not seem attainable.

I did, however, realize that I wanted the peace of God. Who would not want that, I thought?

By doing the lessons every morning and throughout the day, I was developing a new relationship with the Voice for God. I was speaking directly to God through my new connection to the Holy Spirit.

Although I was more than a little confused about how or when I was going to feel the peace of God, Holy Spirit guaranteed it in the lessons. Holy Spirit — God’s Voice — and I had conversations. We had formed a relationship through my devotion to the Workbook lessons.

Little by little, I began to hand my ego thoughts over to Holy Spirit. His Voice was with me and I began to contact It with my thoughts. I was being asked to let go of my thoughts of judgment. There have been constant reminders that I do not know my own best interests. But He does!

If the end result that I was seeking was the peace of God, how could I possibly understand that “Nothing real can be threatened? Nothing unreal exists.”

Aren’t my wife and family real? They can be threatened, no? Isn’t my job, my home, my car, real?  There are real threats to all of these things. Is it worth my time to continue with this metaphysical nonsense?

There was no question that I had my doubts about it. My friend, Murph, was the person who gave me the audiotape and came to the Marianne Williamson’s presentation with me. He was the only person with whom I wanted to talk to about this. I believed everyone else would think this is all crazy.

Despite these doubts, I never skipped a day of doing the lessons. I stayed with a lesson for an extra day if I thought I had not given it the proper attention needed. On some level I believed that my study of the Course was preordained; that this was meant for me.

I felt that the book in my hands was a document of pure truth. I never said that to anyone. I kept a handwritten copy of the lesson of the day in my back pocket. I would take it out whenever I had a break and no one was around.

This was my secret. I could never discuss with anyone that there is no world. I was being taught that everything I was experiencing was a dream. None of it was real. The only thing that is real is God’s Love.

Now more than 25 years later, I have been shaped by these concepts. I believe I have been given the gift of great strength to handle whatever difficulties come my way.

Although I certainly have not mastered the process, I put my Higher Power, the Holy Spirit, in charge of my life. He has helped me to overcome so many challenges that my confidence in the process continues to be strengthened.

I do not have to convince others of these metaphysical concepts. I do enjoy sharing them with other Course students, however. My confidence in the value of these teachings continues to peak.

My ministry with Pathways of Light has become a delightful part of this dream I call my life. My gratitude for having these like-minded people with me in this dream is very strong.

My personal relationships on all levels of this dream have improved. I experience more love in my life every day. I try to accept things as there are. I let go of judgments and give them over to Holy Spirit. I can feel God using me as one of His teachers.

I believe “Herein lies the peace of God.”

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, New York. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2020, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Ladder

by Rev. Joyce Peebles, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

The teachings in A Course in Miracles can be likened to a ladder, each rung giving us an idea of where we are in our learning process. At the bottom of the ladder is the belief we are a body and should love another’s ego body. We are not asked to love anyone’s ego personality. We certainly are not asked to judge, nor make decisions on our own. We are asked to forgive.

In Workbook Lesson 122 it says, “Forgiveness lets the veil be lifted up that hides the face of Christ from those who look with unforgiving eyes upon the world.” (W-pI.122.3:1)

According to the ego, there is one awfully bad thing about forgiveness. You must extend it to each fragment of the Sonship without exception. There is no picking or choosing who to forgive.

Mother Theresa talked about ministering to the poor in India and said she saw the face of Christ in all His many distressing disguises. We are asked to see beyond the disguise of the ego body suit to the essence of who that person really is. Each of us eventually learns progressing up the ladder involves practicing this kind of forgiveness.

The Course tells us we meet nobody by accident. The disliked person you do not care for is in your life on purpose because you need them! The question is not how to change or get rid of them but what do I have to learn from this situation?

The Holy Spirit tells me often that what I see in this world is a shadow or mirror of the condition or beliefs in my mind. So, when I see someone my ego finds offensive, it mirrors back to me that portion of my self I am unwilling to love yet.

This Course is all about undoing the guilt and self-hatred I unconsciously have over a separation that in reality never happened. Once I see in myself what the offending person really represents, I see the situation differently. 

As we ascend up this ladder, we remember the Love of God is our Self, and see everyone without exception as this Love also. When we see Christ in our brother, we see Him in our true Self. This is impossible with ego thinking. We get there by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal this to us each day, each judgmental thought, each encounter. “When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him you will see yourself. As you treat him you will treat yourself. As you think of him you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself.” (T-18.III:4:1-5)

There is a saying in this world that love is blind. It means the person “in love” overlooks the faults in another. The forgiveness that Jesus talks about is love too, but it is not blind. It does not overlook the faults or sins. It sees that there is no sin. Rather than look upon what offended us, we look at our false beliefs that there is such a thing as sin and guilt.

Forgiveness does not forgive another’s sin; it sees that it never happened. What offended was only in my mind. That person can now be seen past his distressing disguise to the face of Christ, for in reality that is all there is. This is the miracle, the ability to see with different eyes. We are not saved in Heaven. We wake up on earth from our mistaken beliefs and see a different world. The erroneous thoughts fall away as we no longer desire them. The ideas of sin, guilt and fear lose their appeal. We do not need them as we are no longer afraid.

When we are at the bottom of the ladder, we see as through a glass darkly, but know there is clarity beyond our present condition. Jesus also speaks of the end of the ladder. This is where your brother stands before the gate of Heaven beside you. “I cannot go without you, for you are part of me.” (S-1.V.3:9) I am grateful that with the decision to experience separation from God, I took the memory of Him with me. The Holy Spirit will not fail to awaken this sleeping mind. I hear the call. At the bottom of the ladder, the Voice is faint, as we ascend it grows louder and we hear the ancient song of Love. That voice reminds me that as I journey home, I take everyone with me without exception.

© 2020, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Self Discovery Journey

by Rev. Cathy Silva, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

My mid-thirties were a particularly tumultuous time in my life and ended up being a big turning point and stepping off point in my spiritual and self discovery journey. During that time, I was experiencing some significant challenges in my relationship with my husband and in my role as a mom especially. In the midst of it all, I was struggling to find myself.

A recurring image came to my mind in the form of a waking dream:

I was inside a large bird cage suspended in midair. The door of the cage was open so that if I so desired, I could simply step out and fly. But my fear and insecurities kept me locked inside.

I wanted so badly to be free of the confinement my life felt like. At the same time, I had grown comfortable and a bit complacent where I was. I was in a rut, yes, but I had grown rather safe and ‘comfy’ in it.

I was however, weary from struggling with an underlying desire for ‘more.’ I wanted to play safe and yet something deep within me wanted to throw caution to the wind and step out and fly.

In my imagination I stood at that open door frozen with fear. There were times when I would imagine stepping out and flying. Oh what freedom, exhilaration and complete trust I would experience if I took that step; if only I wasn’t so afraid.

Upon further examination, I realized the cage represented the identity I had so skillfully made of myself. I had fashioned this identity (cage) from sturdy metal, composed of the roles I was attempting to juggle in life — supportive wife, loving mom, successful business woman, devoted daughter and sister to name a few.

Also present in its sturdy composition was an accumulation of my failures, successes, accomplishments and the conclusions I drew about myself as a result of them.

All of this seemed to define me and confine me to be this person who I suddenly realized was not really me at all, and whom I had grown to resent and feel trapped by.

I was ready to discover more. I sensed there was much more to me that I didn’t know or perhaps had simply forgotten. There was more beyond the roles I was playing and this identity of being weak, and not worthy, not important, not enough. And I had this sense, perhaps a ‘knowing’ that this was true of everyone. So I embarked on a new journey to remember who we really are.

I was vigilant in my search.

It’s a question that is ages old: “Who am I?” It was the question that drove and motivated me.

I read and listened to every self-help book and audio I could get my hands on. I started running and walking every day while listening to “gurus” and spiritual teachers that I resonated with. I drank in their wisdom and teachings, and felt them begin to integrate into my own being and life.

I listened intently for the loving messages and reminders God was giving me in all its forms. Many of my walks would take me to the beach. On every walk I would look for that special shell or stone that spoke to me in some way. Some days I would find a perfectly whole shell that swirled inward representing my desire to go inward. Other days the shell that caught my eye was broken and damaged and reminded me of how perfectly imperfect I am.

I collected those shells over time in a jar and they now sit on the prayer table in my office as a reminder of those special walks with God.

I sought out personality assessments and self discovery tools like the Kolbe Index, Meyers Briggs and the Enneagram. The purpose of my search was twofold. I was seeking an understanding of myself and I was looking for tools that would help me in my work as a professional coach.

The ones that resonated the most for me were those that pointed to our beingness and the aspects of ourselves that don’t change. It seemed there was an inner truth about us that we come into the world and leave the world with. One process that stood out and aligned perfectly was “Discover Your Sacred Gifts” created by Monique MacDonald. I became one of a few Certified Guides for the Discover Your Sacred Gifts Process. I love that this process helps us identify the aspects of our Beingness.

In A Course in Miracles this passage seems to describe this ‘Beingness’ which in Reality is our true identity as Love.

“God is but Love, and therefore so am I. The Self alone knows Love. This Self alone is perfectly consistent in It’s thoughts; knows Its Creator, understands Itself, is perfect in Its knowledge and Its Love, and never changes from Its constant state of union with Its Father and Itself.” (W-pI.rV.4:3-5,5:1-2)

The key for me has been my acceptance of the truth that I am an expression and extension of perfect Love. In discovering my Sacred Gifts, I could see the specific ways in which I am Love’s expression. Our gifts are the ways we are in service in the world. When we are living in this giftedness we feel fulfilled and on purpose. There’s no need for ‘more.’ The awareness of my true Self helped me to let go of the self constructs I had made that imprisoned me.

“A concept of the self is made by you. It bears no likeness to yourself at all.” (T-31.V.2.1)

Along my journey now I am so inspired about the work I’m doing along my path most of the time. I feel connected and on purpose. I feel energized, on fire, unstoppable! I know God’s got me and I trust I am being carried along with everyone.

Then sometimes the resistance comes… from my special relationships especially. This happens when I fail to remember who I am and unconsciously buy into those old limiting self-constructs.

When this happens I pause and go within. I recognize the limiting thoughts and beliefs being triggered and with help of Holy Spirit I let them go. I then open to new insights from Inner Wisdom. These insights are symbols of remembering what I know is true.

Here’s one of the beautiful messages from my journaling:

Dear One,

You radiate love. Thank you for listening to the Voice of your soul that you recognize as inner promptings from Holy Spirit, your True Self, and following Its Guidance. As one of your dear teachers has said, “that is true genius.” You are truly the wind beneath the wings of so many and you are coming to peace with that so beautifully. You are becoming that loving, quiet and powerful guide that you have desired to be. People seek the wisdom, encouragement and comfort you so naturally extend and express. With your loving works you empower others to be their true Self.

You so easily recognize the brilliance in others and you are beginning to see the brilliance and beauty and power within you. You see it and you are embracing it and celebrating it.

You are seeing the misperceptions of the past as just what they are — untruths — and you have a clear sense of what is truth. You have such love and compassion for others. You love unconditionally. You have a way of seeing others without judgment, which sets them free to be who they are.

Thank you for being you and for embracing our shared mission with such passion and love. Through the authentic expression of the Love you are, hearts and lives are transformed.

With this loving awareness I am healed along with everyone.

The answers you are looking for that are right for you right now are within you. It does take a commitment to your inner Self discovery journey and mind healing work. That work may come in the form of processes like Discover Your Sacred Gifts, Healing Inner Child, Accessing Inner Wisdom Counseling or simply meditation.
Ultimately the steps are simple and to be repeated.

1. When you are feeling resistance of any kind, STOP and step back in your mind.

2. Be willing to quiet your mind and awaken to your true nature.

3. Look at the limiting thoughts and beliefs that are showing up and recognize what they are. (Thoughts and beliefs that reflect separation and a limiting idea of what you are.)

4. Let them go.

5. Open up to new insights and reminders of the truth. Help will come in just the right form that is helpful for your Highest good and the good of all concerned.

Rev. Cathy Silva is an Ordained Ministerial Counselor, Relationship Transformation Author/Coach and Discover Your Sacred Gifts Certified Guide living in Punta Gorda, FL. You can reach her through email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or on her website: cathysilva.org

© 2020, 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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