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Treat Everyone as Your Angel!

by Rev. Dan Strodl, O.M.C.

I had suspected skin cancer on my nose, and saw a consultant at the skin clinic who gave me a blood test to see if it was benign or malignant.

I found the whole experience with the consultant very difficult. First of all he made no eye contact with me. While he was talking he was looking at the computer screen, and never looked at me. He had a miserable expression on his face. I had a lot of questions, but he had no time for me. I felt like I was being ignored, and pushed out of the office.

A week later I had an appointment with the same consultant to get the results. I felt full of fear about what the results might be, and I was apprehensive about seeing the same consultant again.

Before I left the house, I connected to the Holy Spirit. I said “I am frightened, and I don’t want to see this consultant. How would you have me see this?” I sat there quietly for a few more minutes, and then the thought came into my mind “Treat everyone as your Angel.” This seemed like a strange response to my question, but I had nothing else to go with ... so I went with it. 

I turned up at the consultant’s office, and before I walked in I imagined him as my Angel. Then I noticed the fear had gone ... I felt peaceful and happy.

I walked into the consultant’s office and said hello to my Angel. To my surprise he smiled and made eye contact with me. We made small talk, and relaxed in each other’s company. Then he told me the results of the blood test ... It was cancer. He explained that under normal circumstances they would have to take out a large piece of skin around the cancerous growth to make sure all the edges were clean, but I qualified for a new procedure. Under this new procedure, they remove only a small portion of skin around the cancerous growth, and then test it in the lab next to the operating room while I lay on the operating table. If all the edges were clean I was good to go.

Then he gave me the bad news ... there was a four month wait for this new operation. I felt so upset, and I told him I couldn’t cope with cancer growing on my nose for the next four months. Then my consultant angel did something unexpected. He explained that he normally doesn’t do this, but he would give me the surgeon’s private secretary’s phone number. He suggested I call her and see if there was any way they could fit me in sooner.

I went home and called the private secretary ... and treated her as my Angel. I felt relaxed and loving, and we got into a beautiful chat. Then I asked if there was any way I could be seen sooner. My secretary Angel said she would ask the surgeon, but it may take a couple of weeks to get back to me. She said she would do the best she could. I hung up the phone, quieted my mind, and moved into a place of accepting whatever the outcome might be.
A minute later the phone rang … it was my secretary Angel! She said that there had just been a cancellation, and if I could get there in fifteen minutes I could have it. I flew there, and fifteen minutes later I was on the surgeons operating table! The operation went ahead successfully. 

Now I treat everyone as my Angel.

Rev. Dan Strodl O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in London, UK. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Web: danstrodl.com

© 2018, 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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A Sunday Morning Call

by Rev. Susan Comello, O.M.C.

I was gratefully and joyfully on the Pathways of Light Sunday morning call today. What a glorious blessing! How fortunate we are in this age of technology to connect in the comfort of our own homes. Robert reminded us in a beautiful meditation this morning of our connection to each other and to every brother and sister.  

During the call, many opportunities came up for me to “be” one of my brothers or sisters. One brother (Rev. Greg Hesch) spoke of how grateful he was/is that he was able to stay in peace when surrounded by seeming conflict among his neighbors.

The ego wants us to take sides so that we can project guilt and blame onto an “other.” He was able to see beyond this ego setup and remember that fear is controlling them. Fear makes us feel alone and separated from each other and God.

The political dynamics of this country are but a giant billboard of how we have chosen to believe in separation, that we need to “take sides.” He remembered to choose Holy Spirit as his Guide and not let the ego cloud his vision. He saw the conflict as a call for love. It is not that one side is right and the other is wrong. The real problem lies in believing that there is a “side” to take, that there is something, anything, other than the One Love we all are and we all share in every moment. He remembered this. He chose Heaven, now. Thank you, Greg, for sharing your practice of extending love.

I could connect and become one with Greg’s experience, as I can with every “story” anyone shares. This one was especially current for me, though. I have had some huge drama happen in my life in the last few years. Apparently, I needed the big hammer, because I didn’t go to Spirit frequently enough to hear the gentle whispering of guidance moment to moment.

With “big” lessons comes big opportunities for healing, though the Course tells us there is only one problem and one solution. But, in this “story” called Zen’s life here on this planet, I had a “big” one. So many gifts have come as I joined with Holy Spirit, over and over to let go of the belief that I have been harmed or experienced a loss, in any way.

As I opened to the Truth that I have always been safe in God’s love, as have the “others” in the story, who seemed guilty or hurtful. This was all a projection of the ego. I forgot for awhile. I forgive what never happened. Some neighbors have not forgotten what happened. They believe that they must keep their distance because they believe I am, by association, guilty. Greg’s story reminded me that I have had to choose love in this situation. I admit, I have been sad and hurt at times. It’s all a process, right? But then I feel bad.

God wants us to feel perfect happiness. The only way I can feel happy is to remember the Truth and choose to extend love. To see their behavior as a call for love and to return that call for love by extending the Love we all are, always. OH, it feels so good!

Another lesson came up too, after the call. I sat here, in my little dining room/office. I was blissed out with the lovely sharing of Love and Light on our call. After our talk, people offer their gratitude for the call and for each other. My offering was: I see us all in Love’s Oneness. Nice, hey? yeah, I sat here, extending love to ALL, even the POTUS… even Putin… neighbors, well, everyone I could think of. Extending Love, including all. Family members, naming each one, my greatest teachers.

Then it happened: a wave of pain and suffering caused by the previously mentioned “story.” A leftover belief that I have lost love, that I have been harmed. Yikes! It was a very strong emotion, sadness! So strong, after such a beautiful morning, the sun shining, the birds singing. Bam! back in suffering. Tears came, just a few, but they came. Even now, when I allow this story to take over, I am sad once again. Why? Because the ego still believes it was hurt, that I have lost Love. To lose love is impossible in reality. But the belief is set in deeply and must be offered up in forgiveness in every moment, in every form, in every image, in every thought.

So, now I must go to Spirit once again, again and again. As many times as is needed. It doesn’t matter how many times. I used to think it should end by a certain amount of times or in a certain amount of time. But it doesn’t matter because this is how many times is necessary, in order to let go of every lingering belief that I am anything other than God’s perfect Love. And so is everyone. Any lingering shred of belief in separation must come to awareness and be given over to Holy Spirit for transformation to Truth. Gratitude, not resentment, not frustration, or spiraling down into fear. Gratitude. I am grateful I am coming out of the fog and suffering of fear. I am offering fear to Holy Spirit and returning to the Light. Thank You God for Everything. In every moment, I choose Love.  

And so, I am blessed with seeing opportunities to extend and be Love on multiple levels. In the world, in my neighborhood, in my family and in myself. If I am to live in joy and peace, this is the only way. There is only one way to be in Heaven Now. I choose Love in every moment, and give everything else to Holy Spirit, forgiving this world, this body, this story.

We are One in Love, we are One in Spirit. I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my soul.

Rev. Susan Comello is a Pathways of Light minister living in Madison, Wisconsin. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2018, 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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What Does Pause Have to Do with It?

by Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan, O.M.C.

“I got this, I know what I’m doing, Ill figure it out, I’m an expert, I’m educated, I’m smart, I’ve been doing this for other people, I don’t need help” etc. These are just a few of the multitude of excuses we give for not Practicing PAUSE, which is the following:

The decision to experience my calm, quiet mind . . . SLOW DOWN

The decision to get out of my own way . . . . . . .  BREATHE

The decision to listen to My Helpful Self . . . . . . . LISTEN

The decision to Follow My Helpful Self . . . . . . . .  FOLLOW

I invite you to take a moment and ask yourself, “When might I possibly benefit from putting the PAUSE TOOL to good use in my everyday life?” Hmm… Anytime, first thing every morning, before lunch, after lunch, afternoon slump time, driving home from work, walking into my house, cooking dinner, exercising, eating dinner, doing laundry, running errands, checking emails, in conversations. I can choose to quiet my mind, let go of my me-self, listen to My Helpful Self and follow its practical wisdom … If I want to simply have a better day, I simply can choose to Practice PAUSE!

I invite you to LOOK AROUND YOUR LIFE. Do you ever find yourself thinking — “I know how to do my job, I know how to teach, I know how to counsel someone, I’m learning my trade, I know how to mow the lawn, I know how to handle this kind of person, I know what to say in this text message, I know, I know, I know.”

So off with my me-character self I go! I know all about “I know” because most of my life I truly felt I really did know! But now that I got my hands on this Pause Practice, I am applying it in everyday life, even when I don’t think I need it. I am amazed to see that I don’t know as much as I thought I knew! To wake up to who I truly am, I can choose to stop sleeping!

What does Pause have to do with it? I am finding that Pause has everything to do with everything because the last time I checked, I go with myself wherever I go!

My willingness to listen to My Helpful Self effects how I see, what I say, what I do, how I do it, how I feel, what I think about, how I spend my time etc.

Recently we were invited to teach the PAUSE PRACTICE somewhere, but when we showed up, no one knew who we were, why we were there or where to send us! In fact, I think they would have been fine if we left, but I chose to see this another way.

I said, “I am here to teach Pause as scheduled. Give me anyone, any number of people, and we’ll teach, right now!” We didn’t see it as a chance to get out of work, we didn’t sit this one out.

At first I felt the door close in my face, but then I paused and had an EXTRAORDINARY EXPECTANCY that a door of possibilities had just opened and not only was I ready, but I was demonstrating to the person in charge that he could be ready too!

We could open to the possibilities together instead of drowning in another failed attempt… and we did. He took us to a group and all together we had a fun, helpful, eye-opening PAUSE experience… and that’s what PAUSE has to do with it!

Rev. Mary Gerard Lenihan is a Pathways of Light minister living in St. Louis, MO. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: http://www.pauseforinspiration.org

© 2018, 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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Understanding Pain

by Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C.

I have been trying to comprehend the teachings of the Course concerning physical pain.

I had surgery for a total knee replacement in the beginning of this summer. My knees were damaged during my younger years as a college wrestler and again as a young high school wrestling coach. I had surgery in the 1970’s on both knees and now in my late 60’s they are arthritic. I held out for years on the surgery but finally took the plunge and went for a replacement of the more painful knee.

I am not certain how I ever formed the opinion that I was a tough guy when it came to physical pain. Nevertheless, I was howling like a baby every time I stood up in the weeks following surgery. It felt like a blow torch was igniting in my knee and I was not handling it with even a modicum of grace. I couldn’t get comfortable and I couldn’t sleep well. The painkillers prescribed were not doing the trick.

In my better moments I turned to Holy Spirit and to the teachings of A Course in Miracles. 

“The body can bring you neither peace nor turmoil; neither joy nor pain. Only the mind can set a purpose, and only the mind can see the means for its accomplishment, and justify its use. Peace and guilt are both conditions of the mind, to be attained.” (T-19.IV.B.10:4,8-9)

I wondered was it really my mind that was causing this great pain I was experiencing. It was hard for me to believe the body was not responsible for this. Then I would read: “The body is the great betrayer of faith. It was followed by: “And the correction of your mistake will give you grounds for faith.” (T-19.IV,B.11:4,9)

It seemed to me that I was being asked to trust that this pain was all part of the world as my classroom. I was being given an opportunity to learn something about the body and the mind through this experience?

I believe that I was being reminded how much I still equate myself with the body. And doing so is an invitation to pain. We are taught that it is impossible to seek for pleasure through the body and not find pain. This is the result of our identification with the body instead of who we truly are, God’s Children, eternal Spirit.

The ego seemed to be having a great time igniting the blowtorch in my knee for about 50 seconds every time I stood up. The body had my full attention as my eyes began to bulge and while I counted out every second until the intense pain dissipated. The searing pain supposedly came from the patella tendon, which was severed to put in the artificial knee, and then reattached. 

But the Course states emphatically, “At no single instant does the body exist at all.” (T-18.VII.3:1) The pain and, in fact all of form, comes from my choice to see myself as I am not. If I see myself as a body I will suffer pain. My mind, however, has free will. It can choose between Spirit and the ego.

I made an effort to go to Holy Spirit while I counted the seconds of pain upon rising from a chair. It gave me a focus and a feeling of greater strength. The Course reminds me: “I rule my mind, which I alone must rule.” (Workbook Lesson 236)

The best I can do is to remember to pause — to go to Spirit — and have faith that I will be given understanding, as I need it when I am ready. Although I realize that I still strongly identify with the body, I am willing to hand that identification over to Holy Spirit for correction.

It seems like this will take time. I have great resistance to letting go of the body. But that is what time is for. While fully entrenched in this illusion, I turn to Spirit and expect that I will be given what I need when I need it.

It is now ten weeks since my surgery and my knee is healing and the pain mostly gone. I am reminded that pain is part of the learning process — a part of my spiritual growth. My understanding remains imperfect but I trust the process of putting Spirit in charge.

This is how we heal from all pain, physical and mental. I rule my mind by putting Spirit in charge.  We have heard the axiom: time heals all wounds. When it is given to my Higher Power, my experience tells me this is true.

My attachment to seeing myself as a body remains strong. I ask Holy Spirit to let my mind see this differently and trust the process of healing.

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)

© 2018, 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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