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April-June, 2018

Accepting Opportunities for Healing

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

I was introduced to the Course through some cassette recordings by Marianne Williamson, given to me by another recovering friend in a 12 step program. The topics of the recordings were quite common but the messages were not. I was quite taken by the decidedly spiritual nature of the solutions she offered. I later read her book “A Return to Love” and began my study of ACIM.

There is a line in the “Big Book” of AA by one of its authors that states, addiction is a spiritual malady. That statement really resonated with me and I knew it was true. At least for me. 

Like many students, my study and practice of the principals of A Course in Miracles has changed my life, in what can only be described as miraculous ways. Let me begin with this quote from A Course in Miracles:

“This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time.” (In-1)

I have often asked Spirit to help me to go deeper in my practice and recently, I had the opportunity to do just that. A member of The Living Miracles community accepted an invitation to stay with me while they were on a trip that brought them to California.

Of course, I envisioned long, peace filled, meaningful discussions about practicing ACIM. I thought the experience was going to be quite different from what it actually was. While our discussions were profoundly meaningful, the experience was anything but peaceful much of the time. During our visit, I got to see and experience in them what leading a deeply devotional life looks like. It is quite different from what I have been used to.

One of the many gifts that I was offered, was to learn to look past the feelings and emotions that come up and the buttons that are pushed in me, to see the opportunity beyond them to transcend my most limiting beliefs. I cannot imagine a more important ability to cultivate. “Beware of the temptation to perceive yourself unfairly treated.” (T-26.X.4:1) comes to mind.

To me, this epitomizes, “removing the blocks to loves awareness and presence.” I often say to those I work with, Spirit is much more concerned with our growth than our comfort. And now, here it is, in my own experience.

But isn’t that how it often works? We generally teach what we most need to learn. I knew, even at the time when I was a bit disoriented during and after my experience, I would never be able to look at things the same way I had before. I had shifted in a very profound way. I could push opportunities for healing aside, or I could face them and grow. It is always my choice.

I know that Spirit is not saying, “Geeze, when are you going to learn this, when will you be ready?” There are plenty of readings in ACIM that teach quite the opposite. It is only the ego that would try to put that in my mind. Spirit is always kind, loving, patient and gentle, but sometimes opportunities create discomfort. But now I know the discomfort is not real, is coming from ego and I can look through it to the opportunity it brings.

A Course in Miracles often refers to “Transfer of Training,” which is putting into practice the principals it teaches. I can’t imagine how my study of ACIM could lead me to the “Awakening” it refers to without actually practicing it.

Today, I am asking Spirit to help me in deepening my ability to look past the illusions of hurt, fear, and doubt that come up in my daily life, to see the magnificent opportunities that they truly are, should I choose to see and accept them.

Rev. Michael Graves, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Beaumont, California. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Web: newbeginningslifeservices.com

© 2018, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2018

Faith

by Rev. Jim Peterson, O.M.C.

Faith is never lacking.
Every moment of every day
We either put our faith
in the fears that consume us
or the Joy that is ever-present
but often buried
from our awareness.

In this way
faith is merely a decision
to attune our self
to one voice over the other,
The voice of our fears
or the Voice of our Joyful Self.

The Voice of Spirit.

Faith in the fearful voice
is always blind,
for we choose a veil
that keeps us from seeing
that such faith
is eventually rewarded
with discontent.

There are no exceptions.

Faith in Spirit is at its core
an expression of Love.
Such faith is never blind
for it is always earned.
Peace is the outcome.

There are no exceptions.

Many waver
between the two voices.

Thus the cycle
of peace and discontent
is the experience.

There are no exceptions.

Rev. Jim Peterson, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Portland, OR. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.alchemicaltransformation-guidance.com

© 2018, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2018

Making No Exceptions

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

We are taught that Love never compares. Comparisons are a tool of the ego thought system. Nevertheless, making comparisons seems like a natural process in the world.

Rev. Myron Jones and I have been presenters at the last four ACIM conferences sponsored by the Community Miracles Center. The two of us have represented Pathways of Light and are among about thirty Course teachers that represent other ACIM-related organizations.

The CMC (Community Miracles Center) is based in San Francisco and led by Rev. Tony Ponticello. Like Pathways of Light, they have a program for ordination of ministers. It just seems so natural to compare the style and personality of these two ACIM churches.

If I put Holy Spirit in charge of this comparison I believe it can serve as food for thought and not a critique. I have no desire to convince anyone of a preferable way to study the Course. No matter how the Course is studied or interpreted, it is a personal spiritual experience.

Rev. Tony of the CMC has been quite controversial over the years that he has led these popular ACIM conferences. Some people in the Course world have taken offense to some of his statements and actions. He has stirred the pot concerning which is the right version of A Course in Miracles. He lives a non-traditional lifestyle and has a propensity for shocking people from their comfort zone while personalizing his beliefs about the Course.

This year, Rev. Tony’s Sunday service addressed his past perceived transgressions with the humor and drama that we have come to expect. Rev. Tony and his CMC staff performed a parody of Rev. Tony’s crucifixion on a large wooden cross. It was a comical play with a serious message — Love makes no exceptions.

He was accused by the Roman centurions of crimes and was dragged up and nailed to the cross. These crimes included using the Course to justify his non-conformist polyamorous lifestyle. He was accused of slandering the early Course leaders of the Foundation for Inner Peace — calling them liars. He was further accused of lewd behavior by stripping down to his white briefs in front of the entire audience to demonstrate his willingness to show vulnerability. The performance was met with much laughter as Rev. Tony responded feebly from the cross.

The grand finale had well-known Course teacher, Gary Renard, surprisingly appear and extol his forgiveness upon Rev. Tony. Gary and Rev. Tony had a bit of a falling out in recent years. It was a message of forgiveness to emphasize the theme of the conference — “Love makes no exceptions.”

I have gotten to know the staff of the CMC through the years of attending the conferences. They are devoted to the study of the Course. They are certainly non-traditional, entertaining, and love to have fun. They are loud, charismatic, emotional, and fearless in their presentations.

I would never describe Pathways of Light in the same way. To my way of thinking, Pathways is “the quiet way” to connect to Holy Spirit. The emphasis is always on letting the Holy Spirit teach us through our peaceful connection through study and meditation. The leading voices in the Pathways of Light community are gentle and always kind.

I most definitely believe that ACIM students and teachers have no common stereotypes. They appear as different as the rest of the world does from one culture to the next. We can enjoy these seeming differences and forgive our judgments of behaviors and beliefs that do not easily harmonize with our own.

The full theme of the conference reads as follows: “Love is incapable of any exceptions … Fear does not gladden. Healing does. Fear makes exceptions. Healing never does.”

I congratulate the staff of the CMC in their efforts to bring this most important understanding to the attendees in San Francisco. Let Holy Spirit bring this beautiful message to us in a way acceptable to all of us — the One Son 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)

© 2018, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2018

Tumbleweeds

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

The tumbleweed blows around in the desert after it dies. It dries up and forms a big ball that rolls around on the barren dust at the winds command. It goes wherever the wind takes it, and as it tumbles around it drops little seeds in its path. Aimlessly it tumbles to and fro without any direction of its own.

How I can relate to that feeling as a tumbleweed? Growing up I often felt dry, un-nurtured, and without direction. The wind reminds me of how I felt that I had no direction of my own. I would often give my power away trying to please others. I didn’t trust myself and I definitely didn’t know how to love myself or care for myself. I knew how to give but I didn’t know how to receive.

I think I felt like someone else would come along someday and make me feel whole. I thought my husband could save me from my lack of self-esteem. He could make me feel special and loved. When that didn’t work out, I felt even more unlovable. I felt I was unacceptable as a human being. Everyone in my life had proved that to me. When I married again I thought, I just had a bad first experience. This time I will feel better about myself. But no matter how much he showed me he loved me, I couldn’t believe him. I didn’t trust him. People have already shown me what to expect from them and I was not about to let myself be vulnerable again.

Through many tears and heartaches I learned that I wasn’t an island. If I didn’t learn to trust, I would not find life worth living. Depression was hanging over me like a veil. I felt weighed down and so alone in my pain. Until one day I heard a voice say to me, “Peggy, I love you.”

It didn’t take long until I realized it was Holy Spirit calling to me, letting me know that I was loved. I found a book called A Course in Miracles and as I read, my world began to change. I learned that I am Love. No matter what the external world appears to say, none of that is true. I have learned that when I feel something other than Love, I am experiencing the fears of the ego.

Recently I was feeling left out in a situation. I again experienced that feeling of rejection and self-loathing. I cried out to Holy Spirit to help me with what I was feeling. Sometimes I get messages from Holy Spirit as if I were talking to someone I can’t see, but other times I get the message I need in other ways. This time I received what I needed from a book. Anita Moorjani, wrote a book called, Dying to Be Me. She had lymphoma and when she went in to a coma, she found herself in a state of awareness where only Love exists. She healed from her cancer and she gives talks about what caused her to develop cancer in the first place.

She also was a people pleaser. She spent her life trying to be something she wasn’t and she became hopeless. She said unresolved emotions can eventually lead to illness and the path to healing is learning to replace all that fear with Love. Fear causes a big hole in you that needs to be filled and you have to fill it with Love.

I realized that no matter what my external circumstances were, I will always be Love. Sometimes the world we see with our human eyes feels so real that it is so easy to forget that this is only make-believe. Anita said if we could see how magnificent we really are, we would be blown away. In this life we are to let our true Light really shine. To Love everyone and everything, even the earth is alive. When we accept false beliefs about ourselves, it dims our Light and we begin to hide who we are. We have to find a way every day to remind ourselves what is really true. Never let the world diminish our true Light.

In A Course in Miracles, Text Pg.19, 1.10,11 it says, “This peace is totally incapable of being shaken by errors of any kind. It denies the ability of anything not of God to affect you.” (T-2.II.1:10-11)

Rev. Peggy Rivera is a Pathways of Light minister living in Palm Bay, Florida. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: 305-322-6610 Website: http://www.privera.lifeministries.com

© 2018, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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