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Pixel by Pixel

by Rev. Paula Richards, O.M.C.

I have been studying A Course in Miracles for almost three years. The ego tells me I should have “gotten it” by now. At times I do get frustrated and feel that I am not making any progress, but I keep doing the work.

I do it because, lately, I find myself experiencing moments where a teaching resonates so deeply within me that I know I have experienced a shift. I have allowed more light into (or out of?) this seemingly dense body I call Paula. I feel myself becoming lighter, as if tiny particles in my body are randomly disintegrating. It seems like I am spreading out and coming undone; sort of like reducing the number of pixels on a computer screen. “Paula” is becoming less clearly defined as I realize that the picture in my mind of a solid body is only held together by my original thought of separation.

It is then reinforced by a gazillion other little, fearful thoughts (pixels). When I zoom in close enough and examine these thoughts, I discover that there is no picture — no body. There is only fear (false evidence appearing real). I laugh at the absurdity of it all and remind myself that I have been “getting it” …one pixel at a time. Let your spirit soar!

Rev. Paula Richards is a Pathways of Light minister living in Lowell, Massachusetts

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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When Ego Rules

by Rev. Anita Ottley, O.M.C.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything for the Miracles News magazine but recent events in my life inspired me to share an experience that has proven to be a valuable lesson for me. We all tend to get caught up in our day to day lives and sometimes when that happens, we end up losing touch with spirit. Ego loves when that happens because ego wants to jump right in there with all the judgments and negativity possible to keep us separate from one another.

Last week at work, one of my co-workers was having trouble with her laptop computer. The company utilizes a program called Citrix which allows employees that travel to access their desktops on the road via a remote connection.

When she came to me with the problem, she said our IT manager had told her that she never had an account. Ego immediately jumped right on that statement and I started searching my email archives for a saved correspondence showing the existence of the account. I found it and forwarded it along to her with a statement saying, “Save this email to send to John in case he has issues with the IT manager saying it doesn’t exist.”

After the IT tech was unable to get her laptop working, he said that she needed the Citrix login information. She forwarded the email along to him and that’s when I received a very valuable lesson about allowing ego to rein over Holy Spirit. My need to be right had caused injury to three people, not including myself. I had insulted the IT tech, the IT manager and caused more difficulty for the person trying to get her laptop fixed.

In any given situation, we have a choice to listen to ego or Holy Spirit. In my case, I chose the one that was not going to raise my consciousness or align me with Holy Spirit. I chose to prove I was right and in doing so, I proved just how wrong I could be.

What I got out of that interaction was a lesson that was more valuable than any lesson I’ve had in a long time. It might seem trivial to find so much truth in one simple statement but I did. That one line in an email humbled me. When the people involved were hurt by my statement, I felt that hurt right down to my very core. It was in that moment I realized just how far I had traveled away from Holy Spirit.

I can’t promise I will never slip up again but I plan on being more aware of my thoughts, judgments and negative criticism toward my brothers and sisters. While playing the game of “life,” I am reminded that we are all Spirit. We are all loved and it is my job to remain loving to those people in my life. So today, I choose to “be loving over being right” because in 100 years from now, my being right won’t matter. Since love is energy then I choose to leave positive loving energy after I’m gone. The daily battle with ego is a challenge but after this experience, I am re-committed to being aligned with Holy Spirit because being love is all I have to be.

Rev. Anita Ottley is a Pathways of Light minister living in Newark, New York.

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Why Do You Imprison Your Brother?

by Rev. Michael Ciavarella, O.M.C.

It happened suddenly. I was not prepared for what the Voice would tell me that day. Of course, I know better than to allow myself to think ill of a brother, but nonetheless, there I was mumbling words of condemnation. “And there he is, doing…”

What he did doesn’t matter here. You know the story. I thought someone did something to me, so of course, I must find fault and tell myself that he is guilty of some imagined act.

That’s when it happened. Holy Spirit was as clear as any voice I could hear with my physical ears. The message was given in the usual gentle tone, but it pierced me like a razor-sharp sword.

“Why do you imprison your brother?”

Huh? Imprison who?

“Your brother. Why do you wish him to remain in prison? In the process, you are holding yourself in the same prison. Why would you do that?”

It hit me. Whenever I roll my eyes and complain about someone, anyone, I am holding both of us in prison. I remember reading something like this in the Course.

As a minister of the Course, I have opened myself to the call to free myself and my brother from this illusion we know as hell. Yet, here I am, closing the gate on him while the gate behind me also slams shut.

Over the next several days, whenever I begin to point a finger of guilt at a brother, those words echo once again. “Why do you imprison your brother?” Those words rise before me each time I begin my barrage of accusatory thoughts. It didn’t take long for those words to stop me in mid-mental slander and I changed my thought to, “Be blessed.”

This went on for several days. It is getting where “Be blessed” comes just as the thought, “Why, you dirty, rotten…” (or something like that) slips from my thought process.

I understand that this is something that needed healing from the beginning of my journey through the Course. I asked my Mind Healing Partner, who I was working with in an ACIM Practitioner course, how she exercised great patience as we went through the courses I took with her for ordination.

Holy Spirit must have seen fit that this day was the day to bring healing to my error; to give opportunity to forgive and open the prison gates freeing my brother and me.

Today, when I think someone is doing something to me, the first thought is, “Be blessed.” I don’t even want to hear that prison gate slam. I would rather hear the cheers of freedom than the cries of imprisonment.

Be free my brother. Step out into the Light. Breathe the fresh air and touch the beauty that surrounds you. Know that you are perfect, invincible, eternal and utterly free.

You are Spirit. Neither God nor I want you in a cage. Take my hand. Let’s step out together. Do not fear. Only Love exists.

Rev. Michael L. Ciavarella is a Pathways of Light minister living in Oak Lawn, Illinois.
Read more of his inspiring Healing Journal articles on the Pathways of Light web site.

© 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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Living from the Heart

by Rev. Etienne Pait

Have you stopped long enough to reflect why you were born? If so, has this reflection revealed there may be a purpose for living? Have you asked yourself fundamental questions, such as:  “Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose here?” Many of us sincerely do not ask these questions until we are confronted with a personal crisis threatening our status quo, a relationship, finances, livelihood or anything we hold dear to our hearts.

In our society, if you think on it for a moment, children are generally taught two simple significant lessons. The first lesson children are taught is “good behavior.” Secondly, they are taught “getting good grades is important.” These two fundamental approaches of living takes on a wide variety of expressions directly squelching, confusing … and limiting a child’s innate ability to intuitively and creatively connect with their Source of Life… how?

Children are taught — from society, culture, parents, role models, religions, authority figures, etc., to:

•  Unconsciously inherit opinions

• Adopt unquestioned preconceived ideas

•  Be imposed upon with should’s, ought to’s, must’s, and have to’s

•  Be obedient to arbitrary and unquestioned standards and norms

•  Espouse unchecked values

•  Fear, what to be afraid of, what they want and don’t want

•  Distort meanings and interpretations given to experiences

•  (and many other perceptions that may be in opposition to what is true in their hearts)

So, between the ages of 12 to 16 many of us have ‘blocked’ much of our awareness to our creative Source — God.

In a nutshell, basically, the image of living takes on the following patterned scenario:  1) We are born. 2) We go to school. 3) We stress to get good grades in school. 4) We compete to get the best job so we can live among our peers. 5) We marry. 6) We have children. 7) We vacation from the job, with or without the children. 8) One day we retire from the job. 9) Then we die.

If one honestly looks at this pattern, recognition comes that much of this pattern evolves quite surreptitiously and unconsciously — simply because “it is what’s done” or “everyone does it,” as the pattern is not examined nor challenged. Have you ever questioned this “mechanical pattern of living?” If you look even deeper you may also recognize much of this pattern of living is painfully unfulfilling — requiring a much more honest look.

Rarely does this mechanical pattern of living lead to fulfilling our function here, reveal a conscious purpose for being or lead to more of a consistent experience of happiness many of us would love to know. This mechanical pattern of living does not reveal why we are here nor will it assist in describing the truth of “Who I am.” The pattern, more often than not, keeps us distracted, “asleep,” blocked and unaware from living the fulfilling life we really want. This pattern keeps us from our Aliveness — the Joy of God. This pattern keeps us hurriedly running into the future, from an unfulfilled past. Aliveness, on the other hand, is a complete experience of the now moment — (‘Stop and smell the roses.’)

Then, during an adult epiphany, many of us ‘hit a wall’ as a new awareness is given birth. The typical up and down emotional reactive patterns, the running to pleasure and the running from the pain cycles just seem ridiculous and just plain exhausting. “Is this what life is all about?”

Usually around mid-thirties to early forties, an ‘urge’ inside us prompts us to question our real goal, our real purpose for being here, our true function in a world that no longer feels like home. We, internally, ask the two fundamental questions:  “Who am I? Why am I here?” We are seeking a deeper meaning to life, not just the inherited ones we’ve adopted and squeezed into. Not only do we not want to just merely exist and look back with regret, but now we become aware of a strong desire to experience true Aliveness and meaning in each now moment. Looking at these questions, and answering them, will open up Pandora’s Box!

Change will occur. Change need not be fearful, for that which needs to change was not meant for our best interest. In order to grease the wheels of change I have found that two approaches are essential: trust in a natural Wisdom of Life, and an attitude of non-resistance.

This trust and non-resistance is based on only one assumption: that Life, Itself (call it God, Creator, Universal Intelligence, or whatever Source of All), loves us and cares for us and is always moving us in the direction to experience Life more fully. And as Life moves us in this direction one perceives an undoing process — undoing the beliefs, ideas, opinions, perceptions and other inherited influences that are in opposition to our Aliveness (our Heart).

As one goes through these changes and the undoing process it is very helpful to consult the wisdom, expertise and experiences of those who are familiar with the road map — to help cope with the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical and/or financial adjustments as a new Reality emerges, as our Heart returns to Aliveness …keeping in mind that Holy Spirit is steadily working ‘behind the scenes’ through those who have walked before us.

Rev. Etienne Pait, O.M.C., a Pathways minister, is author of The Sun Has No Shadow, Undoing the Never Done and Would You Consider?  Website: www.etiennepait.com

© 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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