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What Is Guided Is Provided

by Rev. Sylvia Joy, O.M.C.

Since I was very little, my highest joy was always in singing and communing with God. I was aware that I came here to follow a path back Home and that He was leading me. Through the years I remained aware of and cherished His Presence. After many years in a very successful career as manager, I started to feel an inner calling, as if something was missing and I started to wonder what it was.

I didn’t have any idea at that time about what my purpose was, what someone’s purpose could be like, or even more, how to find purpose at all. It was just a wondering. This wondering made me uncomfortable and it wasn’t until later that I understood that what really felt uncomfortable was listening to the ego trying to tell me what to be. What was really uncomfortable was to experience life without meaning. It just wasn’t clear to me at first. All I knew was that I was willing… willing to stop and listen for directions and follow. Willing like never before!

So one day came and, talking to God, I said, “Father, if — and only if — You have a purpose for me in this life, please show it to me. I put this next year in Your Hands to show me clearly the way, for I want to work for only one Master! I realize I cannot just quit my job, because I would have no money to live on this year. I ask You instead to show me a way without financial worries and still be shown my purpose.”

Then the enterprise where I was working came to a process of fusion, and we were told by the President of the company that between the twelve managers working at the time, he needed to choose only six to continue the next year.

“The next year?” I thought. “This is it! I have a real purpose!” In trust, I took this as a “Yes” from God. I stayed in trust, waiting for everything to happen. From my trust, I could watch how everyone else was going through a lot of stress and anxiety. I could see how my trust was my invulnerability, and I was so grateful.

One and a half months later, the president of the company called me into his office and said, “Sylvia, since the beginning, your results have always been much more than what we asked of you. We really would like you to be part of the new structure of the company. More than a third of the workers in the factory are now keeping their jobs during this fusion because of the extra profit that came from your products last year. We had a great projection for you but something just happened. This morning we were informed that your counterpart is now pregnant and the law in this country protects pregnant women from being fired. We are so sorry, Sylvia, but we will continue to cover all your benefits during the next six months to a year and your severance pay is going to be the best we can offer.”

I was so grateful! I understood that I did have a purpose and I was going to be shown during that year. It was what I was asking for — to feel free to dedicate all my time to my spiritual path. I could now meditate, listen for directions and follow the inner prompts, read books, watch movies and meet teachers from different spiritual orientations but always listening within for my lessons.

My idea was to dedicate one whole year to be shown about my purpose. But the first message I was getting through everything was about peace. I didn’t know much about peace, so I wondered what peace had to do with my purpose. I really felt clueless at that time, confused and even disappointed that I was getting messages about peace instead of purpose. I laugh now as I share this part with you. So much undoing was still necessary!

The more peace I was experiencing, the more I started to value peace. Little by little, I started to notice that peace was necessary to hear to God’s Voice even clearer. He started to lead me in every move and every encounter. Everything in my life was changing.

One day, I had almost nothing left. No apartment, no car. Even some of my past relationships I used to value were left behind. It felt like I was going to be traveling, but I didn’t know where to or how I would get there. All I knew was that a year had already passed, and that the joy and peace I was experiencing was all I wanted, so I was willing to keep following.

After a very deep and powerful meditation during a retreat weekend with some friends, I discovered a book called A Course in Miracles. I was in the back seat of a car and there we were — this book and me. I took it, closed my eyes, asked my Inner Guidance for help and let my fingers be guided. I opened the book and read: “God is Love.” I closed my eyes again, asked and let my fingers be guided. I opened the book for the second time: “God’s Will for you is Perfect Happiness.” That was enough to know that this encounter was guided.

The very next week, I went to a conference and met an ACIM Teacher from the United States and received guidance to come to his retreat house. I embraced a very practical retreat for myself to listen within. I was mostly by myself, watching my mind day and night for three months, carefully and consistently releasing every thought and belief that I found menacing my cherished state of peace and joy and Love.

Three months later, Jesus said to me, “Now go out and follow me. This way is inspired and is meant to be inspiring, so just keep it that way for yourself. Just keep the house clean, keep your mind at peace. Now that you see the value of a clean house, it will be easier for you to keep it clean.”

Very soon after, I was guided to Pathways of Light and I am now very proudly one of its ministers. I did not choose POL, it was completely guided. I often say that to teach how to listen to God within is to teach how to fish instead of giving the fish. In this I find myself feeling really helpful. Thank you Pathways of Light.

I have learned to listen and follow His Voice by doing it, and this is all I have to do to be helpful: To remind you now to choose peace first and then be willing to listen and follow your Inner Guidance in trust and gratitude, and to remind you that your happiness is your own choice and that you can only choose to be happy now.

When you are aware of what it is that you really want, you can see everything that interferes with it and let it go. Meditation is a great tool to help you become more aware of your purpose. Meditate, for example, on the purpose of water for the planet; meditate on how clear the purpose of water is for the planet. Then resting in the feelings of gratitude and joy that come with the clarity of purpose, ask yourself what your purpose is. What is it that you really want? What is it that brings you real happiness? Then write down whatever comes to you without judging it. Trust everything is connected because everything is reflecting the same truth. Be gentle with yourself in becoming more and more clear, but be consistent in going deeper.

Literally, life is not made by a series of casual events where things seem to happen to us. It is not the result of millions of wills interacting in conflict to access a limited source of means. Life is forever, intelligent and perfect. When you were created, your purpose was given to you along with the way to fulfill it, divinely provided. Your real joy lies in living life aware of your purpose and being consistent with it.

Just like giving and receiving are one, trust and Divine Providence are one. Trust and Divine Providence are one in gratitude! When there is gratitude there cannot be worries. You cannot be grateful and worry at the same time. So in the now, worrying can simply be seen as lack of gratitude. In trust there is gratitude, for you are aware that you are divinely provided for and that is all already given.

Awakening is divinely provided. It was given to you from the beginning of time. All you have to do is accept it! Accept that God’s Will for you is perfect happiness now, and place the future in God’s Hands.

What is guided is provided! Your trust lies in knowing this. Just be willing and consistent in listening to and following the peace, Love and joy within. Release the fear. Trust! You are never alone…

Rev. Sylvia Joy is a Pathways of Light minister who lives in Rutland, Massachusetts.

© 2011, 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 The Song of Prayer

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

“Myron* and I are going to teach from The Song of Prayer on ACIM Radio*,”  my ex-wife Nancy informed me a few weeks ago. “Would you like to read the book with me and then talk about it?”

My first response was thinking, “not really, I already know about prayer and forgiveness and healing,” then almost immediately was my thought that “the ego always speaks first.”  “Sure,” I said, “It would probably be a good idea for me to review that pamphlet.”

The very first sentence in the introduction reads, “Prayer is the greatest gift with which God blessed His Son at his creation.” I had to stop and really think about that for a moment. (Meditate on it?) “The greatest gift?” “Really?” With new motivation and curiosity, I carefully read through the book. The metaphoric “ladder of prayer,” the four common attitudes regarding forgiveness, called “forgiveness-to–destroy” and so much more information was presented in such a simple, loving way. It was like I had never read it before.

Nancy and I wanted a much deeper experience with the pamphlet, so we each ordered course 918: The Power of Prayer and Meditation from Pathways of Light and Myron agreed to facilitate the lessons with us. Although I have completed over two dozen different courses from Pathways, Course 918 has by far had the greatest impact on me and in my daily life.

It’s most difficult to admit that before the recent experiences with The Song of Prayer, I actually thought I knew what prayer, and forgiveness and healing were all about. Wonderful circumstances presented themselves at a perfect time for me to see things differently! (I’m guessing this wasn’t a coincidence.)
Listening to Myron and Nancy on the radio these past several weeks, and even getting to participate a couple of times have been the highlight of my summer. Thank you Myron, Nancy and Pathways!

Finally, in the last paragraph of the book, the second sentence says, “The song of prayer is silent without you.” Singing the song loudly, (and a little off-key).

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

© 2011, 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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How Do We Know Whether We Are Helping or Hindering?

by Rev. Peggy Rivera, O.M.C.

All of my life I struggled with that one. I was always a little bit too sensitive; I couldn’t stand seeing anyone suffer. So there I would go, jumping head first into the dance of being overly helpful.

I just knew there was a halo hiding somewhere underneath my scalp. But before I knew it, I would either be exhausted or getting someone mad at me. I didn’t have a clue about the dynamics that were involved and my part in the whole dance. For a long time, I couldn’t understand why people didn’t seem to like me. I didn’t understandy why, even though I did everything I could to help and then it seemed that everyone turned on me.

I then began to realize I was blocking them from getting what they needed. Who did I think I was, acting like I had all the answers and getting in the way of their growth? So I started being very careful about trying to help. Whenever you see a flower in the shade leaning towards the sunlight, you know what I mean, I had to learn to get out of the way and quit blocking the light.

I had to learn that it isn’t always beneficial to take away their discomfort; I now realize that sometimes we are more helpful when we get out of the way and let the light shine in. God has plans of His Own. This is where we can be most supportive and helpful, by understanding that sometimes by helping someone by taking away their pain, we take on their problems and then they become ours as well. And not only that, I take away their opportunity to grow.

As painful as it can be for them, they are on their own journey back home. We can always Love them unconditionally and pray for them and be there for them but most of the time the choices are theirs.

Now I have to really ask for guidance regarding this issue because I have often felt that I had to help others or I would be selfish. I now listen for Holy Spirit’s guidance to know when to help and when to it go and let God.

On page 489 of the Text, the Course tells us that the “Laws of Chaos can be brought to light, though never understood. Chaotic laws are hardly meaningful and therefore out of reason’s sphere.”

To me this means that the things that we harbor as our truth or our beliefs are made by the ego and don’t have any base in reality. Therefore we turn only to God for the answers to our perceived problems where His Light can show us where we need to heal our minds. My only job is to help myself and others find their communication with their Higher Power. For me to suggest that I know the answers would only create more separation.

I am learning to just be with Love, healing Love. The answers will come to those who seek. In quiet peace we find joy, peace and Love.

Rev. Peggy Rivera, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Miami, Florida.

© 2011, 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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From Specialness to Holiness, from Hatred to Love

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski, O.M.C.

Remember that song that asked the question: Why do we always hurt the ones we love?

Why do I feel at times so tense and in rage in my partner’s presence? After all, we’ve been together for over 28 years and I still react in rage and feel the need to defend myself. I say I love God, but how can I love Him when I attack His Son, my brother, my one Self? Since ACIM says there is no one out there, is the person I see as my partner really only a symbol of an ancient hate?

So, dear Holy Spirit, talk to me of this ancient hate that blocks me from seeing God and all his Creations as Love.

Holy Spirit: Dear One, the hatred is of the ego. The ego doesn’t want to see your brother as the Christ. It doesn’t want you to remember your oneness in God. The ego’s laws are the laws of specialness. The ego-self craves specialness. The ego’s means of keeping the separation going is through projection. Seeing your brother as the Christ means death to the ego split mind.

The ego believes it grows in strength and power as its craving and desperation for specialness is continually satisfied. The problem is it never gets satisfied. And when it doesn’t get satisfied, it goes into rage. As long as you seek specialness, you won’t see your brother as the Christ. And as long as you don’t see your brother as the Christ, as one with you, you will not remember God. You will not know true Love, the Love of God, your Holy Father.

Holy Spirit then asked me the following question: Are you feeling this defended with any other special ones in your life?

Yes, I have experienced this tension (which came in the form of severe back pain and arthritis in the body) when I have related to my parents and, interestingly, my daughter seems to experience this tension towards me and we continually defend against each other. In addition, my 12 year-old grandson is now experiencing severe back pain and tension in his body. What is this all about?

ACIM teaches that the body is neutral; it doesn’t experience pain or pleasure. Only the mind can project this onto a body so we forget that the source of pain does not come from the body. ACIM also teaches that the present reactions — the present feelings of rage and hatred, the body tension — are never about the present.

So where does it come from? Why is it I feel I have to defend against my partner, my daughter and other special relationships I made? You said, Holy Spirit, that I will not know what true Love is as long as I defend myself in these relationships. What do you mean?

Holy Spirit: In a forgotten part of your memory lies a belief that you once had an idea that you could be separate from God and you believed this idea to be true, i.e. to be real. Because you believed this idea to be true and it felt very real, it filled you with guilt that you had sinned and made your Father very angry. You believed your Holy Father, God, was so angry that He would seek revenge on you and you would be annihilated. This story that you made up engendered so much fear in you that you believed you had to defend against it at all costs. You even projected this fear onto all your loving relationships because, with these guilty thoughts, you confused love with fear.

With these guilty thoughts, you projected onto loved ones in your life your belief that love was to be feared; that these loved ones were a projection of God and, like God, were angry with you. You believed that they would seek vengeance against you, that you weren’t safe and you had to defend yourself against them.

Didn’t you always say to others, “My earthly father was always angry and took out his anger on me; my earthly father was emotionally abusive with me”? A Course in Miracles refers to God as our Father. But if you are still thinking your special earthly father who is supposed to be loving is angry and abusive, then isn’t this what you are also thinking your Heavenly Father is?

When ACIM says God is Love and you are thinking your earthly father is supposed to be love but his love seemed so filled with rage and abuse, isn’t that confusing? Doesn’t ACIM say that in the illusion, love is confused with hate? In making up this illusory scenario, you forgot that the illusion started with a single imaginary thought of separation from your Creator. In the illusion, love turned into fear and danger. Love became hate.

So how do I remember what true Love is? How do I remember that God is Love, not hate? How can I remember the truth so I don’t defend against Love? How can I receive Love when I fear Love? How can I remember my true Identity as One with God, my Heavenly Father?

Holy Spirit: What is your reaction towards your partner and your loved ones when you rest in God?

Oh, I experience a deep wellspring of joy and peace and overwhelming love towards them.

Has your partner and loved ones acted in any different way?

No! It’s me that is different when I come from that deep still place within, connected to my Source, my Creator, my Holy Father.

When I am not in that place of stillness, I feel so disconnected, so separate and alone, so unworthy and unloved, unsafe, so in fear. I am always looking outside myself to fill myself up. Then, when that doesn’t happen, I experience rage and dump that rage onto my brothers. I forget we are all One.

So, dear One, the answer is simple. Be still; go within. Rest in God and experience His Love, then think of your brothers. Remember your Oneness and Holiness. Be Happy.

“The holiest of all the spots on earth is where an ancient hatred has become a present love.” (ACIM T-26.IX.6:1)

Rev. Linda Wisniewski is a Pathways of Light minister living in Plymouth, Wisconsin

© 2011, 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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