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Love Is Keynote

Rev. Sherilyn Alexander, M.S., O.M.C.

There are many who wish to teach the path of love. Even in the symbolic meaning of nature and nurture, “the primrose symbolizes love, courage and devotion.”  It is a pathway of tolerance and service toward all of life. At the same time, sincere and humble effort is made toward the development of inner peace, along with the awareness of our Eternal spiritual nature.

It is valuable to keep a smooth emotional flow. There are master teachers, those who are wiser in Spirit, available to provide help in understanding this true nature and how to grow and mature at soul level in unconditional love, compassion and kindness.

The Path of Gentle Unfoldment. White Eagle was an intuitive healer, and one who walked this path before us. His guidance:  ”Love works because it is the power and wisdom behind All.” This love is to be brought into ordinary daily activities and encounters:
“Develop from the heart, meditate on love, love, love, and absorb love. Give love and your soul will become a light. The divine magic will rest in your hands, enabling you to heal the sick, to comfort the bereaved, to bless the sorrowful, to beautify everything you touch, and to bring peace and happiness to the lives of men and women.” (-White Eagle)

This inner balance is vital: Balance within equals a beautiful life experience. It is the only way of building relationships and strong communities; it depends on the wisdom of balance and a profound understanding of respecting another, while still honoring oneself.

Courage from the Heart. Living from this perspective usually does not occur until being confronted with a personal crisis … something threatened what is held dear to heart, and then the pattern is broken. One is no longer living in opposition to what is true to heart. What is the change? It takes courage to shift the view to an internal sense of happiness and a type of spiritual love that is based on the unchanging soul.  The external nature is unimportant (God in one is not in any way different from God within another). It is an always present love; it resides within each heart, with the outward joyful actions, as guided by Spirit.

Devotion. It takes trust in natural wisdom, and non-resistance to Source of All, in order to accept by direct experience universal love, caring, and movement in the right heart-felt direction. It has been said, “a new Reality emerges as the heart returns to aliveness.” 

A reflection of this level of caring and corresponding movement; it is found in the following true story, as represented through a duck metaphor. Symbolically, ducks offer emotional support, comfort and protection. When a duck enters a life – the message is one of assistance, in allowing a more calm and peaceful path of living.

“Many years ago, while running errands on a Saturday. I was navigating traffic within a busy shopping mall. Suddenly, in front of my car, and trying to cross the road; there was a mother duck and her ducklings. Due to the busy patterns of movement, mom and babies – well, they decided to find safety by walking underneath my car.

“Absolutely not moving my car for any reason, I jumped out and went face down on the pavement looking at this unbelievable scene. The situation: Ducklings huddled together and making a bit of noise, as mother duck continued to move closer toward the curb, while making a lot of noise and pooping on the pavement in fear. Traffic had backed-up, with car horns honking and some drivers angry and shouting: “Why don’t you just run them over!” A police officer was now next to me on the pavement, as we patiently waited for mother duck and ducklings to move their process along.”

Within a spiritual ministry based on A Course in Miracles there is a gradual process of allowing one’s mind to be healed. The lessons are about the inner and outer meaning of things: “… the walk and quack like a duck; it doesn’t mean they are really ducks.” The topic flows toward seeing the truth of Oneness of All Things with God/Creator. The gentle step-by-step opening of mind and heart; the healing across all levels that is only made possible through what is best described in an Ancient text:

“The secret to finding joy and peace is the simple acceptance of your true Self, and then moving on to focus on others. The shift in focus places one within the flow of energy that is life itself. It is a privilege to be of service to others, without an expectation of a return … simply doing for the privilege of the action itself.”

To close the story… Mother duck and ducklings found safe passage on their way home. The situation: A conviction it was a test by Spirit, with the lesson to be delivered, as based upon choice of action and willingness to help. The lesson: When one can feel compassion for a duckling crossing the road and hope for its safe travel; these sensitive qualities are of the greatest importance. Love is keynote, as Oneness of All is based on these lessons, as learned one from the other.

Rev. Sherilyn Alexander, M.S., O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Libertyville, Illinois, USA Website: http://www.lightblooms.com

© 2014, 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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Remember to Breathe…

Rev. Fabian Foley, O.M.C.

At our ACIM study group this morning we were looking at Chapter 1 of the Text. The subject moved to talking about what we want as opposed to what God wants for us and the ideas around the ego and conscious intent to make things happen. My entire life has been pretty much trying to make things happen, how I wanted them to be — unsurprisingly unsuccessfully I might add. In fact I was so not good at it, and the anxiety that it produced was so intense, that I would find myself chronically unable to breathe properly.

Now that I have had time to look at it, I recognise it as an extension of a childhood habit of holding my breath when I was concentrating intently on mastering something. I smile now thinking how I judged my little brother for not being able to walk and lick an ice-cream at the same time, while I couldn’t breathe and concentrate on something I was trying to master at the same time. His shortfall however probably had more to do with relishing the moment and did not have the same health and mortality consequences as mine… unless he decided to take a lick of that ice-cream while he crossed the road when a truck was bearing down on us (but he had me watching out for him!).

As it happens, the habit would consistently re-surface or arise when I was trying to master something, like swimming, or golf or people and situations which didn’t agree with what I imagined I wanted them to be, which was pretty much all the time. So the more in control I tried to be, the less I could breathe freely and easily, and the more things didn’t work the way I wanted. The harder I tried, the worse this would get. Some people may find it hard to imagine that you could forget to breathe, but in my case it seemed like the most natural thing, albeit not very comfortable and hardly an ideal way of living (not breathing and living don’t really go together).

How has Holy Spirit altered my perception? Now this habit has become a great barometer that tells me I am not at Peace. I can be sitting, standing, thinking or walking without breathing properly and notice and realise I am not at Peace. So throughout the recent past, as I started to understand more and more about being in and at peace, I would frequently bring to mind these words… “All I want is God’s Peace.” They became my mantra. As I repeated them over and over (and over and over), I would feel better.  But something always bothered me about this.

My method, although it was bringing peace to me was just that… and then I realised that the language around that pretty much said it all (contained the clue to the solution). I was getting a feeling of peace, I was becoming more peaceful, but I was ‘bringing peace to me’ or ‘peace was coming to me’ from somewhere. And that implies somewhere out there… not in here… not inherent (in-here-nt), so therefore outside. So I was fixing the problem, but this in itself is not possible. God doesn’t see any problem to fix. To be fixing anything about me is to deny God’s perfection. I was in two minds (funny that!)

Anyway, I felt instinctively that my thinking, although coming from right mindedness, was not really the Truth. I knew that wanting God’s peace meant I was thinking I didn’t have it. The Course tells us that we already have everything we really need. If I am God’s peace, then why am I feeling like I need it? I made a conscious intention to collaborate with Holy Spirit on this, to find another way to say what I meant about being at peace and not being at peace, and for a way to see and say the truth.

In the group this morning, it came to me to say, “I am always and already God’s peace. I just veer out of alignment with it when I attack myself with thoughts of lack, fears of loss and other mindless distractions of control, and wishing and wanting things to be other than they are. When I become aware of this, I can simply bring my attention back to what I Am.” I was so grateful for this teaching/learning experience.

Rev. Fabian Foley, O.M.C. is a Pathways of Light minister living in North Fremantle, West Australia

© 2014, 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 One About Football

by Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C.

Something wonderful has been happening in Seattle. Beginning last August, The Seattle Seahawks football team won their four preseason games, and the thought, “Is this our year for the super bowl?” was given birth. In the next seventeen weeks, the Seahawks won practically every game, earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs and as I write this, are just four days away from the biggest sporting event possibly in the world.

What has been happening in Seattle as a direct result of our sports team? An awakened sense of “oneness” shared by several million North westerners! From the sidewalks in front of the local ma-pa stores to the grand office buildings downtown, from the radio and TV stations, all talk is about the Seahawks. We, as a region, have a shared goal. The anonymity and seemingly separate lives of the community have been set aside for a whole new dynamic of friendliness, excitement, brotherly love and care for each other. Currently, there are no strangers in Seattle!

I think our very guarded belief in separateness has been suspended. A great number of people have changed their minds about how to properly and safely relate to each other in the course of a normal day. Happiness and shared joy are so prevalent everywhere, even the national news programs are reporting it. Is this new vibration really because of football, or was football a catalyst that awakened a desire to share joy? And, as A Course in Miracles assures us, as joy is shared, joy increases. Isn’t “joy” a synonym for God?

Collectively, do we believe that winning the super bowl will bring us peace? The answer is “yes.” Remember, this feeling of unity, of oneness is so compelling, people are getting permanent tattoo’s of the Seahawk logo on their bodies! (And that is making national news too!)

Have you ever finished reading a section of the Course and found yourself wondering why others don’t “get” the oneness and certainty of the Truth? I know I have. Probably I should be wondering why I don’t “get” it! We are promised many times in the Course that the Holy Spirit can use anything to help lead us out of the dream of separateness. Even a sports team? Apparently so. Perhaps the awakened state of oneness is the purpose of sports teams, as we seem to use them as a vehicle to experience God. (Although most of us won’t use that “GOD” word, we say “fun” and “joy” and “perfection” instead, but our Soul knows what is really going on.)

Where is the ego in this story of collective experience of oneness? Not to worry, it’s still here working its magic. Ego always attempts to keep the truth hidden, and in this story, ego constantly reminds us that the other team has to lose for us to stay happy. It is actually a pretty good trick, because it obscures our experience that we have already won and the game hasn’t even been played yet!

On a spiritual level, does it really matter whether the Seattle Seahawks or the Denver Bronco’s win the super bowl? Hell yes it matters! Go Seahawks!

Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Seattle, Washington.

© 2014, 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 One About Trust

by Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C.

The book, A Course in Miracles, promises me a life of eternal happiness and peace if I am willing to “trust.” This promise, as I understand it, can manifest right now because eternal happiness and peace is my natural, created state as — I am one with all Love.

What is life like living in perfect peace and eternal happiness? Truthfully, I can only guess. If trust is a condition to experience Life as Life really is, then at best, I only know about trust as an intellectual concept.

Meditating on the concept of trust has been a fascinating experience. First, do I even know what trust is? Is it possible to exist and “not trust?” What proof, personal to me, is available to have those questions answered? In a rather rare moment of sanity, it occurred to me that I have never lacked the ability to trust. Trust is actually part of my consciousness. Every thought I have has a foundation of trust, so obviously the problem isn’t one of lack.

Since I cannot describe my life as living in perfect peace and the ability to trust is not the issue, what is wrong with me?

MISPLACEMENT! Trusting what isn’t trustworthy is the only explanation of why I am not experiencing perfect happiness all the time.

Can I trust what Jesus tells me is true? Do I really think I am so special, unique and separate from everyone else that, like a judge, evidence must be considered and weighed carefully before I decide whether to trust that the truth is true? Apparently that must be exactly what I think.

Do I trust that God keeps His promises? Do I trust that my ego keeps its promises? Perhaps those are the questions I should meditate on. How much longer will I rely on my ego to judge where my trust is to be placed?

Ronald Reagan, in a famous quote as the cold war was coming to an end, said “trust-but – verify.” My ego loved that quote, so I loved it too. Upon quiet reflection, another way of interpreting Mr. Reagan’s caution is “trust but don’t trust.” This doesn’t make any sense at all. No wonder my ego loved it. No wonder I loved it. Is it possible I am trying to meet the conditions for peace by “trusting but not trusting?” Am I really that insane?

What if I really, really trusted God in all things? What if I placed no trust in my ego at all? Would I worry about my relationship with Nancy? Would I worry about my financial condition? Would I worry about my health? Would I worry about anything at all? Is worry just another name for doubt? The Course tells me, “…doubt and trust cannot coexist.” (M-7.4:6)

So, what if I really, really did trust God? Perhaps the results would be material for a future article, “The One About Sanity!”

Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Seattle, Washington.

© 2013, 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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