Healing In Mind: New Book from Foundation for the Awakening Mind

Dear Friends,

I am very happy to let you know that our first book has been published!

There has been a team here, working collaboratively on projects, one of which has been transforming the original online version of Healing In Mind into a hard copy book.

 
The experience has been pure synergy. Everything that we needed showed up, including discovering that our friend Pam who comes over to the Peace House on a regular basis is a professional proof-reader/ editor so she jumped right in, and gave us these amazing Microsoft Word tips that saved loads of time. Jenny and I were so in sync that a few times we were working away for a couple of hours, then had the thought to speak to one another about an aspect of the project, we would stand up from our desks in our rooms, and meet each other in the hallway :-)

Following the month long Devotional with Jason and I, Sarah was guided to extend her stay in the U.S so that she could continue to work on projects and stay at Charles' house nearby to the Peace House. Finding a $56 one-way plane ticket from the U.S to her home town in Ireland made it pretty obvious that she was to stay on! Sarah used one of her amazing paintings for the cover, and Claire (who originally set up the Foundation in 1999) recently came back in contact with us and volunteered to work her text/design magic with it. The end result of our joyful collaboration is a beautiful book of such great writings – we're just thrilled! It has been such a joy to work on this together.

 

Here is the Cover...

And to give a  flavor of the content, here is the text from the back cover:

This book is a compilation of writings from individuals who wrote to David Hoffmeister, pouring out their greatest concerns, deepest questions and most intimate secrets.  David answers from a Perspective entirely beyond the personal, each response is unmistakably the Voice for God. With discourses on God, Truth, Enlightenment, parenting, forgiveness, sex, pain, and vegetarianism, this volume is a beacon, lighting our immense potential to transcend attachment to beliefs in victimization, guilt and the self concept.

David Hoffmeister has touched the lives of thousands with his consistently peaceful state of mind, radiant joy, and dedication to Truth. He is a modern day mystic who travels the world, sharing the message of Love, Oneness, and True Freedom across four continents.  His journey involved the study of many pathways, and finally he was led to a deeply committed practical application of A Course In Miracles. For those who hope that enlightenment in this lifetime is possible, David is pure inspiration. Joined with the Messengers of Peace, David continues to support Awakening through inspirational gatherings in many countries, in-depth teaching materials, and an expansive Internet ministry. Together they live a devotional life, relying completely on Divine Providence .  

This book, like every aspect of the non-profit Foundation for the Awakening Mind, is the result of a joyful collaboration with many volunteers.

 
Messengers of Peace
Foundation for the Awakening Mind.
www.awakening- mind.org

www.miracleshome. org

 

The suggested donation for the book is $20, email requests@awakening- mind.org if you'd like to request one or more, the postage is $3.50 (per book) within the U.S, and $10.50 for international

 

There is another book project underway, that our friend Andy has been pouring his energy into, he loves the content that he is working with so much, he says there wont be much of Andy left by the time the book is ready for print!

Sarah designed wonderful CD labels and covers for the 07 Australia Easter Retreat CD sets, and there are video projects underway too....  and around the world friends are continuing to translate and transcribe the Teacher of Teachers materials... there is so much wonderful content available that anyone who desires a backdrop for focusing the mind can rest assured there is plenty of material to work with.

With love and happiness,

Kirsten

http://groups.google.com/group/talk.religion.course-miracle/

A good usenet group on A Course in Miracles. See about for more information.

Gary Renard Podcast #17

Gary Renard podcast #17--powered by ODEO

Message from Tony Ponticello: Charles Anderson has made his transition

Note: Tony is a founder and minister at California Miracles Center in San Francisco.
Charles Anderson aka "Master Teacher" was sometimes controversial. He helped to create one of the fine teaching missions and living centers of A Course in Miracles: Endeavor Academy.

Beloved One,

I received the following message of gratitude & celebration from my
friend Tony Ponticello in tribute to a fellow ACIM teacher who
recently passed. I offer my gratitude to Charles and to fellow
teacher Tara Singh, who passed last year. All glory to God.

Love & Blessings,

David

Dear *ACIM* Students,

It has been verified that Charles Anderson, affectionately known for
years as "Master Teacher" the guiding force of Endeavor Academy, in
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin has made his transition.

The following was from the email I received today from someone
named "Dennis"

This is the story: the old man went into the hospital in Reedsburg
last Thursday he was having trouble breathing...yesterday he had
recovered and was going to be released today and maybe make it to
session tomorrow. At the last minute he had a final seizure.. and
left. Mitch and John were with him.

Soooooooooo grateful - watched Avalon - (Al Jolson) and the Old Man
was just the Old Man. I am exploding with joy and gratitude........

Another story - M.T. was giving out 'milky way bars' at the Cheese**
after church on Sunday and introduced himself to a woman having
breakfast. When he was at the hospital - the same woman breezed into
his room and said 'Hi again Charlie - I'm your nurse!'

At the academy there is an air of ecstatic gratitude for what the Old
Man has achieved. No one believes in death anymore - we finally heard
the Old Man.

**the Cheese is the nickname for the restaurant owned and operated by
Endeavor Academy and Miracles Healing Center (CMC addition)

I (Rev. Tony Ponticello) just called Endeavor Academy to confirm that
this was indeed true. It is. I asked if there was an official
announcement and/or statement of his passing on any of their web
sites that I could quote, but I was told that there was none at this
time. The woman I spoke to thanked me for my sensitivity and I asked
if there was anything she would like to say that I could quote. She
said that I should communicate the the atmosphere at Endeavor was one
of celebration. Of course she meant celebration of a life that has
meant so much to so many who are dedicated students of *A Course In
Miracles* and who have learned from "Master Teacher's" lessons. I got
the sense that Charles Anderson had now given his final lesson to his
spiritual community and he was directly challenging them all to
perceive the unreality of death.

The following is from the Wikipedia entry on Endeavor Academy:

Endeavor Academy, founded in 1993 as the New Christian Church of Full
Endeavor of Wisconsin, is a school and residential community for
spiritual transformation. The Academy heavily utilizes a variant of
the book, A Course in Miracles, which they publish and promote.[1]
The Academy's teachings also derive from the New Testament. The
organization is headquartered in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, USA.

Leadership and founding

The founder and spiritual guide of the Endeavor Academy is Chuck
Anderson, also known as the "Master Teacher". Anderson was inspired
to establish Endeavor Academy after a pair of incidents changed his
life. In a letter to the Atomic Veteran's History Project, Anderson
describes how, with the Marines 6th Regiment, he was one of the first
to land at Nagasaki after the atomic bombing of that city in 1945,
where he was faced with a vast and overwhelming feeling of the
devastation he was witnessing:

On "one particular day", at "one particular moment in time", I found
myself standing directly in the center of this unspeakable, indeed
unthinkable, devastation that had to have been caused by someone or
something. At "that one time" I was filled with complete rage, a
wrenching, seething, frustrating, insatiable need for revenge. But
against what or whom? It had no point of location, no focus of
causation - in effect, no one to blame, no one to hold responsible.
It became a passion of intense revulsion for myself, for this world
and for any and all members of the human species - a contained
certainty from deep within me that all of us, everyone on this earth,
all were totally guilty together. And then at "that one moment in
time", the light of an inner peace enveloped me. It became "a space
in time" where a new resolution appeared, and with it, the
message, "Look at this as a new beginning."

Anderson writes that he had a second "space of peace and happiness"
in 1971 while lying on what he presumed would be his deathbed, and
reminded himself of his "mission to teach to all, a "continuing
rebirth".

In an interview with CBS News, Anderson denies having followers. He
claims to be "returning to heaven" "shortly", and says
that "everybody" is going with him. "There's nothing dangerous about
me," Anderson explains, "I am the danger of eternal love."

History and activities

Anderson first discovered ACIM ca.1989. Two years later in 1991 he
first registered the organization in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, USA under
its original name, which was "God's Country Place" (GCP). This
organization was based on many of the teachings of *ACIM*, as well as
some Biblical and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) materials. By July of
that year it had grown from 4 to 12 residents, and by October there
were 70 residents. In 1999, Endeavor Academy had grown to accommodate
500 residents.

In 1992 the organization was registered to operate under the names;
Endeavor Academy, and New Christian Church of Full Endeavor. Around
this time, the use of the GCP name was discontinued.

Endeavor Academy's headquarters facility is a converted summer resort
facility located in an idyllic wooded setting in the Wisconsin
countryside. The original facility of 1991 was a large main house,
but in 1992 a summer resort motel complex was acquired and converted
to meet its present needs.

I, Rev. Tony, would like us all to send our love and support --
and "Yes" our energy of "celebration" to all the dedicated *ACIM*
students who live in the greater sphere of the Endeavor, Wisconsin
Dells, Wisconsin organization.

At this moment of Charles Anderson's passing I want to acknowledge
that without the hard work and enormous amount of time and financial
resources provided by his organization the copyright of *ACIM* and
the service marks "*ACIM*" and "*A Course In Miracles*" would still
be tightly held by the Foundation For Inner Peace (FIP) and the
Foundation For *ACIM* (FACIM Ken Wapnick's organization). We would
have no *ACIM - Original Edition*, no web chat rooms and web sites
that could label themselves as *A Course In Miracles Groups*, and no
teachers -- other than Ken Wapnick -- who could say that they were
teaching *A Course In Miracles" in any public way. The importance of
this contribution can not be thoroughly fathomed. It has vast and far
reaching implications for now and for the future healing of the world.

"It is impossible to overestimate your brother's value."
(Tx.Or.Ed.20.39)

I also want to say, at this moment, I have a smile on my face in
remembrance of an OUTRAGEOUS teacher who greatly disturbed many yet,
seemingly enlightened many many more. I will always give a nod of
gratitude to the outrageous and confrontive few. Souls like these
challenge us all to look at our perceptions, our beliefs and our
attachments to them.

I give a nod of acknowledgement to Charles Anderson. He was never my
teacher, but I have a great awareness that he was THE teacher for
many dedicated, valuable *ACIM* students.

Love, (Rev.) Tony

from David mysticspiritone@yahoo.com

The one block to experiencing consistent Joy

Beloved One,

Blessings of Joy.  I often hear people tell me that they want the experience of Peace, but they aren't aware what it is that's blocking Peace from consistent awareness.  This post addresses this request.  I have spoken about our Teacher of Teacher's website and about transfer of training using the ACIM Workbook.  So this is the way: learn about and practice transfer of training (tot) using the (ToT) web site.  This is a very, very fast approach - and very direct.

Transfer of training

The experience of joy comes to a willing mind that has given up all
attempts to make exceptions to the miracle. Only exceptions
block the awareness of ever Present miracle mindedness. Today look
at some ideas I shall offer to clarify transfer of training as
described in A Course In Miracles. This clarification will have
tremendous benefits for anyone desiring to experience the State of
Mind I call Enlightenment.

Many have heard of the teaching from the Bible in Corinthians: Love
does not possess. This world of time-space, made by the ego, is a
construct of possession. Everything and everyone that makes up
distorted perception is the result or outcome of the desire to
possess. To be free of limits of any kind, therefore, it is
imperative to expose and release the concept of possession from the
mind entirely. There is no such thing as partial forgiveness or
partial healing, and no such thing as partial possession. Either
the mind believes in possession and experiences the illusion of
imprisonment, or the mind has forgiven or released the concept of
possession and is naturally free and whole. There can be no
compromise or middle ground or balance with the release of
possession. If you believe you can actually possess anything you
have allowed your mind to be possessed by error or illusion.
Freedom is nothing more than the escape from concepts, and all ego
concepts rest on the assumption of possession. Once this error is
abandoned, all errors vanish immediately.

Think awhile on what seems to attract so much attention in the
world: the body. What plans do you make that does not involve the
comforts and conveniences and care of the body. You treat it like
it is your home, a valued treasure in a world of transient images.
Yet the body is nothing more than a temporary learning device that
you can use awhile to expand your perception beyond its current
limits. That is all. The mind can be mind free that no longer sees
itself as in a body, firmly tied to it and sheltered by its
presence. Without the concept of possession you would not believe
that you can even possess a body. Yet you believe far more than
the body as a possession, you have identified yourself with the body
and therefore see yourself as temporary and transitory. How can
there be consistency and stability at all if your identity is in
constant flux and change? And this self-concept "identity" seems to
change and be as instable as the things with which it has surrounded
itself. No stability is possible in an impossible situation, and
this world of time-space is just that – an impossible situation.
Everyday the deceived and untrained mind concerns itself with
survival of the body, and the state of this mind seems often
stressful and at times angry, fearful, and guilty. Though these
conditions of mind are illusions, they seem very real to a mind that
believes in the error of possession. Possession is a synonym for
the ego, for the ego desires to get and has no awareness of True
Giving, Which is the natural attribute of Spirit. Only the mind can
be freed and it can only be freed through the peace of forgiveness
(the release of illusion). How simple is Salvation.

To experience freedom of mind trust in the Holy Spirit is a basic
requirement. Without this trust in the Holy Spirit the spiritual
journey will seem like an intellectual endeavor or an impossible
undertaking or a sorrowful, intense series of trials and
temptations. What is temptation but the wish to make illusions
real? And who will Awaken to God's eternal Love who still values
the illusions of the ego? As you answer the Call to Awaken and be
glad the Purpose of forgiveness becomes strengthened in awareness
and the need for the concerns and the dramas surrounding the body
will fade away. Thus it can accurately be said that without trust
in the Holy Spirit and devotion to this Purpose the Awakening will
seem to be delayed until there is a willingness to trust. As you
develop trust in the Holy Spirit it can accurately be said that all
perceived problems will disappear from awareness, and with
acceptance of the Atonement it is certain that "problems" will
never "return" again.

Since the topic is transfer of training our brief discussion will
eliminate aspects of this world that seem most problematic for they
are all the same. All of the aspects I will discuss are based on
the concept of possession, and therefore the Answer or Solution will
always be as simple as the release of this erroneous concept. Trust
in the Holy Spirit undoes the concept of possession, and as
possession dissolves away only the Light of Spirit remains in
awareness. The Light of the Spirit simply Is, so when the obstacles
have been removed the Light shines unobstructed in awareness. The
Light of Love is perfect Oneness, and there is nothing lacking or
incomplete in perfect Oneness. This is the Unity and Purity of
Heart that Christ radiates forever Being God's Love.

In the time-space cosmos this Love has been temporarily forgotten
and pushed out of awareness. The sleeping mind has therefore
experienced a kind of amnesia about the Kingdom of Heaven and seems
preoccupied with bodies, environment, food, clothing, shelter,
entertainment, competition, betterment, pleasure, attack, economic
advancement, education, and striving for progress or destruction in
a variety of ways and forms. These pursuits leave the mind mired in
an unnaturally stressful state that is highly busy and exceptionally
unproductive. Productivity and Creativity are synonymous, yet the
makings and the strivings of the ego have nothing to do with true
Creativity. The imaginations and goals of the ego are all of linear
time-space and serve only to perpetuate the illusion of linear time-
space.

The linear time-space cosmos of distortion is a game. The only way
the game becomes consistently happy is when you allow the Holy
Spirit to Interpret the game from the lofty Perspective of non-
judgment. Possession is a belief (the ego) which seemed to set the
game of time-space in motion. The game cannot be won or lost. The
game can only be forgiven or Observed in a beneficent way. The game
is in the mind, though the ego projects a world which seems to be
the game. It is not. The game cannot be forgiven or Observed
Correctly until you realize that the game is in the mind. Economics
are therefore in the mind. Sexuality is in the mind. War is in the
mind. Competition, attack, defense, education, entertainment,
pleasure, suffering, bodies, striving, etc. are all games that the
sleeping mind is toying with. The game of time-space is only a game
in the mind and has no reality whatsoever. It is a game of belief
and has no real Substance or Spirit. The only thing necessary to be
free of the linear time-space game is to stop playing the game and
trust in the Holy Spirit for absolutely everything. Absolutely
everything. If you open to experiencing the Holy Spirit as the
Provider you can open to experiencing our Self as Christ as God as
the Creator. The Way is very simple, and it is only the ego that
obscures the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I dedicated my "life" to experiencing the peace that passeth the
understanding of the world. It has turned out wonderful. The whole
world is now a miracle to me, and it feels like a happy fairytale.
Drama has been replaced by Certainty, striving has been replaced by
rest, depression and boredom have been replaced by joy and freedom,
loneliness has been replaced by intimacy of shared Purpose, and I am
happily in Love with God and everything and everyOne. So peacefully
Present am I, there is no longer an expectation that people, places,
events, or things be any different than they Are. By Grace I live
in the Heart of God, serenely unaffected by the journey that never
was. "How" did this awareness seem to happen? I trust the Holy
Spirit absolutely. The Holy Spirit is the "How," the means and the
End together as One. There is nothing left to search for, nothing
left to attain. There is no problem to solve and nowhere to go.
There is nothing left to do. Enlightenment is a Present experience.

Teacher of Teachers website (section 3):

Transfer of Training - Materials Set Three
This section covers the most advanced ideas from the Course on cause and effect, the subject / object split, relationship and many
other topics, focusing on the transfer of training. A solid understanding of the most advanced metaphors of ACIM combined with a willingness to transfer those ideas to one's life without exception has only one result; a clear mind and consistent happiness.
Read about how to use this website

Transfer of Training - The experience of joy comes to a willing mind that has given up all attempts to make exceptions to the miracle. Only exceptions block the awareness of ever Present miracle mindedness. Today look at some ideas offered here to clarify transfer of training as described in A Course In Miracles. This clarification will have tremendous benefits for anyone desiring to experience the State of Mind called Enlightenment.

The Experience Beyond Theology - The concept of theology has only temporary value as a "stepping stone" to the Awakening Experience. The Text of ACIM is intended to make the Workbook lessons more meaningful yet it is application of the lessons (without making exceptions) that is the key to the transformation of consciousness or the happy dream. The goal is true forgiveness and theology must be laid aside for this Experience to occur in awareness.

Letting Go and Trusting - Follow your heart on a journey of discovery. Listen to the Voice within and do what It says, even if it sometimes doesn't make sense according to what you believe are your "personal" best interests.

A Prayer For Us - We are joined in Purpose or Content and "joining in form" is a meaningless concept.

Sex and Spirituality: Do they go together? - A long answer to one of the issues that is not specifically addressed in the Course.

Relationships: Lack, Completion and Ownership - KEY - (MP3 27:23mins 37.6MB) - Completion is your inheritance. Wanting a partner, to be with a body, is seeking for completion in form. Yearning for companionship is a distorted miracle impulse. When the mind is attracted to one person over another the equality of the Sonship is obscured. The right mind sees that personal love and impersonal love do not go together. The way out of the loop of seeking for specialness is to desire only to be truly helpful. The deceived mind has a very deep rooted belief in scarcity, lack, unworthiness and guilt. Expectations come from the belief in lack and incompletion. Extending and giving have nothing to do with specifics. Having and being are the same. Giving and receiving are the same.
Read also: What about marriage? , Holy Spirit Vows of Union

Opening to the Experience of Real Relationship - How do you define relationship? This is a beginning point in dissolving the disillusionment and dissatisfaction you experience. Are you aware of all of the unconscious assumptions and definitions you hold about the concepts of relationship in your mind? Do you have any idea of the hold these concepts exert on your experiences of this world? First we must take a look at how you have defined relationship, for your experiences of the world result from your beliefs and concepts and thoughts about yourself and the world.
Read also: Releasing Guilt and People Pleasing , Awakening to Relationship , Love has no opposite , Relationship is Divine , Releasing the "family concept" , From partnership to Divine Relationship , Holy Union; undoing the construct of coupleness , Help releasing fantasies

"Wait" on No Body - You are the One Holy Child of God, there is no one to wait for.

The Secret Dream - KEY - (MP3 29:50mins 40.9MB) - Discussion about dreaming, seeing and exposing the false belief in separation. Right mind is a present decision. The thinker and the thoughts are the same, the perceived gap/separation between the perceiver and the perceived is the wrong mind. The right mind sees the gap as false and sees that the perceived world comes from the belief in separation. Exposing the gap/the belief in separation is the undoing of the ego – seeing its impossibility is the healing. Purpose is the only choice and all strain comes from compromising, attempting to live in two worlds. Beliefs are dissolved when they are deeply questioned and judgment is seen as impossible. The ego's definition of life is the birth and death of the body – on a grand scale this is the big bang and impending implosion – it is all part of dreaming. Ideas about good and evil are all part of dreaming.

Beyond the Subject / Object split - KEY - (MP3 25:59mins 35.7MB) - Everything is a present moment decision. Becoming miracle-minded is a metaphor for the mind that believes in linear time. The metaphor of right mind and wrong mind is helpful but like all metaphors, it is to be released. Desire the holy instant above all else. The wrong mind believes in bodies and the illusion of attack. Right mind and wrong mind are not at war – the right mind watches and the wrong mind projects the illusion of attack. Past thoughts of the self are images. All perceptions of duality are seen with the wrong mind – it sees differences. The right mind is a reflection of reality – it sees everything as the same. There is no causation in the world, images are images. There is only one miracle, it is the atonement. There is one holy instant, one holy encounter, one holy relationship. Everything collapses in the instant. Cause and effect are one, time is simultaneous.

Opening to the Dreamer of the Dream Perspective - KEY - (MP3 43:09mins 59.2MB) - ACIM the book, and words, are symbols; they are the past. What is causative is desire. Parables and teaching sessions are the Holy Spirit's use of the past, to point to what is beyond. Words can be used to ask meaningful questions and open the mind. Inward questioning leads to a point of taking a leap into Certainty. There is no questioning in Certainty - Christ is not a questioner. The experience comes by desire, at first through miracles (glimpses). Time is to be questioned; the ego uses it to maintain guilt, keeping the mind closed. Accepting the atonement involves looking at assumptions and mistaken beliefs that are in the way of the experience.
Read also: Lucid dream realization; one mind dreaming , Holy Relationship is a shift of mind

The Dreamer of the Dream (selections from A Course in Miracles) - A four part publication which provides a layout of the ego thought system versus the Holy Spirit. Subject material includes; Use of metaphysical terminology and metaphors God, Spirit, Knowledge, Creation, Christ, Heaven, the metaphor of split-mind, cause and effect, perception, ego, Holy Spirit, miracle, revelation, consciousness, right- mindedness, wrong-mindedness, choice, beliefs, subject/object split, level confusion, ordering of thoughts, judgment, healing, the relinquishment of judgment. Two uses of time, relationships, and the body; Ego and the Holy Spirit purposes. Ego goals: What are they? Why is it important to let them go? Examining the Self Concept. Approaching truth through negation (seeing false as false). Revealing all illusions as one. The image-maker and the images are one. True forgiveness: a new purpose. Meditation: emptying consciousness of its contents. To see the self-concept completely is to be free. This publication summarizes some core metaphysical points.

Reversing Effect and Cause; Getting to the Bottom of the Belief in Linear Time - The idea of `cause and effect' is an essential element of the metaphysics outlined by A Course In Miracles. This idea must be understood in order to begin the process of thought reversal. Once this idea is fully grasped it must then be transferred from a mental concept to practical application, without exceptions. This is the key element in the process of forgiveness and accepting the Atonement, which is the sole responsibility of a teacher of God. This leads to the experience of Inner Peace, Happiness, Freedom, Joy, & Divine Love. Note: A Course In Miracles was used for all "quotations" used in the following teaching/learning session. The words of Jesus are in quotes " "

Questioning the Reality of Debts and Reciprocity - KEY - (MP3 8:51mins ) - A stepping stone to begin to tracing back inward from identification with the world and the body is to seem to pay off debts in form. The laws of reciprocity, exchange, and the reality of debts are to be questioned, which leads to realizing that there is an association with personhood. The world is the means, and provides evidence of beliefs in the mind. Concepts are to be released and a retranslation occurs. This seems to be a process until the leap is taken. There is no debt in the real world, or in Heaven.

Time, Space and Personhood - KEY - (MP3 1:19:26mins 89.4MB) - This advanced discussion goes deeply into the major topic areas of ACIM including ordering thought, right mind/wrong mind, cause and effect, linear time and hypothetical thinking, the subject-object split, and the immediacy of salvation. The immediacy of salvation is to see that everything is thought. Time and space are of one illusion. Every memory is a thought. If projected beyond the mind and seen in terms of personhood, thoughts are described in terms of time. Discernment is the key to seeing that "I Am the Right Mind!" The wrong mind is dissolved in this realization. The right mind is a constant state. Vacillation is a metaphor; there is only the right mind. "I am wholly mind" is not believed and so all false beliefs are to be questioned to come to the experience of being Mind. It is a metaphor to say that the ego exists or even to say that it could be resistant or resilient. The ego is a present decision as is the Holy Spirit. The right mind is a state where there is no ordering of thought/of images. It is practical to see cause and effect are not apart. This is a state of rest, of peace; there is nothing to attain or strive for, no future goals or outcomes. Only present peace and joy. Mysticism is realizing that there is no gap between time and space, no gap between cause and effect; there is no personhood and there is no subject-object split.

The 'Hero' of the Dream - A transcribed dialogue on some of the deepest core ideas of the Course, done in a very practical and comprehensive way. "And so you wander idly in and out of places and events that it contrives. That this is all the body does is true, for it is but a figure in a dream. But who reacts to figures in a dream unless he sees them as if they were real? The instant that he sees them as they are they have no more effects on him, because he understands he gave them their effects by causing them and making them seem real. How willing are you to escape effects of all the dreams the world has ever had? Is it your wish to let no dream appear to be the cause of what it is you do?"
See also: Projector chart (requires Adobe Reader)
Read also: The projector metaphor

Self Concept vs. Self - KEY - (MP3 1:21:51mins 112MB) - This dialogue was part of an in depth workshop and followed the talk called 'Hero of the Dream' which can be read above. This talk goes deeply into uncovering the idea of the self concept, the false sense of self which was made as a defense against Christ. The reading in this recording is from "Self Concept versus Self" in the ACIM text.
See also: Projector chart (subject / object split) , cause and effect chart, domain of consciousness chart (charts require Adobe Reader)

Levels of Mind (Selections from A Course in Miracles)- The world you see is a reflection of your desire. Map the levels of mind from desire, belief, thought, emotion and perception. The Holy Spirit consistently brings everything perceived on the screen back to the mind, where it can be seen as what it is: the out-picturing of the mind's false thoughts/beliefs. The Holy Spirit sees only wholeness, all things working together for good, and only two orders of thought: love or a call for love. When the Holy Spirit's thought system has the mind's allegiance, it is at peace, and peace of mind is the goal of life. In a state of sleep or mindlessness, perception is very unreliable and changes continually. In a state of alertness or mindfulness, there is awareness of and detachment from "ego" thoughts and mind sees everything and everyone differently. As mind changes, perception changes, and the world is seen differently from the way it was seen before.
Read also: To desire wholly is to Be

Purpose is the Only Choice - This dialogue (which takes place between the Speaker and several friends) begins with an expression of restlessness which is a subtle form of upset or simply not being at peace. This provides a starting point for tracing the specific upset back to its source, the deceived mind, where perception is corrected by the choice of a new purpose.
Read also: Spiritual Practice is Nothing Without Integrity , Integrity: Living in Divine Purpose

Only the Truth is True - Nothing said about the Truth is true as no idea of this world is wholly true. The truth is beyond all concepts and images.

Rest in Me - Ask only this: Will I fulfill the function given me? What else is there to ask? Why must I know the form in which the answer comes to me? God answers, "Yes" and it is done. No more than this is meaningful to you.

Stillness: Readings on Going Beyond the Words - KEY - (MP3 17:18mins 23.7MB) - Some readings from the Course on Stillness, 'I need do nothing' and 'The time for words is almost over'.
Read also: Singularity and Silence

Selections on' Living in Community' and practical application - KEY - The following audio tracks hint at what it can be like to live in community with the intention of exposing and releasing the ego thought system and practicing these ideas without compromise or exception.
Living in Community - Pointing Out Inattentiveness (MP3 32:28mins 44.5MB) - This track includes a discussion that took place over a decade ago around the subject of caring for the the original recordings that are now found on this very website! There were many teaching learning opportunities that arose around these resources even then. The first part of this dialogue is about preferences, ordering of thought and the belief that I am the author of reality leads to frustration. When frustrated, there is no awareness of being the dreamer of the dream. It takes great effort to train the mind and release the "doer". There is no way to wake up with out being attentive. If you say you want to wake up, then you must be grateful when inattentivenes is pointed out even if it there is a temptation to perceive an attack. Sometimes it is necessary to get the student's attention; examples from the life of Jesus are cited. Everything that seems to be done is always a backdrop for mind training, done in the spirit of love.
Living in Community - Looking at Wants and Preferences (MP3 14:21mins 19.7MB) - "I want" comes with a picture; an outcome in mind. It is a personal request, a decision made by oneself (autonomously). Preferences are a hierarchy of illusions. To order thoughts is to believe in the wrong mind. When the mind sees that ordering thoughts offers nothing of value it can become set on purpose. Preferences may seem miniscule but they are to be questioned. The dreamer of the dream perspective cannot judge or order thoughts. This perspective is the desire to be truly helpful.
Living in Community - Demands vs. Requests (MP3 40:51mins 56MB) - The ego's purpose for the world is to see the cause of upset out in the world and it uses situations to defend its position / its reality. Before being able to accept the atonement one has to see oneself as the dreamer of the dream. Beliefs are decisions that are pushed out of awareness.

In Love & Gratitude,

David

__._,_.___

David <mysticspiritone@yahoo.com> wrote:

Talk by David in New Zealand--from YouTube

This was transcribed from one of David's talks recorded on You Tube. Put on your seat belt and enjoy!

Ken

"One of the ego's biggest tricks it does not want you to know about, because if you know about this trick and you raise it into awareness then you no longer fall for it.
That is a fast way to wake up to divine love - not falling for tricks.
This trick is a game or a scheme. Now if this world were only pain and suffering and hurt and tragedy, wouldn't it be easy to drop?
Yes it would.
If everything burned, you could drop it like a hot potato and boom, its back to the Kingdom of Heaven and Nirvana.
But the ego disguises itself, and as everyone knows in this world, there are a lot of things that seem to be very attractive. It's like fool's gold, and that's what makes it very sneaky.
That's the trick. If you could see it, you would drop it in an instant. But the ego uses the duality of pain and pleasure. In fact, in this world they seem to be very, very different.
In this world there are whole philosophies built around the idea that we should maximize the pleasure and minimize the pain. And the ego is never going to tell you one thing: They are the same. They are identical. Pleasure and Pain are identical.

Now on the surface when you first start to look at this, Jesus talks about this in ACIM, its’ a big trick. It takes a lot of faith to say, okay, I'm listening, how are you going to explain this one to me.
It sounds pretty profound but it doesn't feel that way.
Everyone who has experienced the pleasures and the pains will say, 'I think I can tell the difference between pleasure and pain.'
He says, “No you can't.”
You are in such a state of mind in this world that you are so confused that you can't even tell the difference between pain and joy.
That's pretty confused. In fact, he says that pleasure is part of a flip side, the trick from the ego, that is actually called the attraction to guilt.
In other words the ego can make the guilt so attractive that you keep going for it. You keep grabbing for it, over and over. In linear time you keep falling for the trick. You keep getting stuck in its game, and that's what the ego wants you to do. It wants you to get stuck in its universe.

So, I use the example of Marilyn Monroe (gorgeous in terms of body, sex appeal, fame, money, famous husbands, . . she even had the President of the U.S. lusting after her -- John F. Kennedy).
Now from the world's perspective she had everything. But she was depressed, suicidal. Years later Elton John would write a song about her (Candle In The Wind) about how sad and lonely this woman actually was. This is a very good example of the ego's teachings in the mind. You will come to a place that you will think, kinda like Pinocchio, going to Pleasure Island, 'I don't have to go to school, I don't have to be responsible for anything, I can have fun all day with all the other boys on Pleasure Island.' And what happens?
It turns into a really horrific experience. This is a little parable for the whole human race.

Now on the surface of things we could look at this metaphysically and say, 'how is this working?' How did the ego devise this sneaky trick to keep us all feeling guilty and stuck on planet earth or in time and space and keep us forgetting what our eternal reality is. That the world was made as a distraction.

Remember I said that in separation there were these two thought systems, fear and love. I
t was an intolerable conflict to try to believe in both, to try to hold both fear and love in the mind. So the world, the cosmos, was an attempt to throw the guilt, the conflict out into time and space to relieve the tension. So instead of feeling this terrible feeling of 'oh my God, I’ve done a terrible thing I’ve separated from God, I’ve ripped my mind away from God' which is a horrific idea, the ego made up time and space as a way to dilute it (so it's not so horrific as one terrible instant). 'Let's spread it out over a millennium.

“Little tiny bits of pains and pleasures over millions and millions of years.'

Almost like (for example) if someone took a tiny drop of poison they were going to give you (we are talking really potent poison) and they said 'I'm going to give you a drop of this poison, and you must drink of this poison, that is the only condition.
Now you can decide how you want to take it, but you've got to take it.' You could say, 'okay, put the drop....in the ocean over there, and i'll take a drink of the ocean.' You see how it would kind of dilute it a little bit?
That is what the ego tried to do, it tried to make up a world of time and space so it could dilute the guilt of believing that the separation from God was possible so you would be stuck in this little human body and seemingly dealing with this for lifetimes, and meanwhile the ego never tells you the secret - that pain and pleasure are the same illusion.

In fact Jesus says why they are the same: they both reinforce the reality of the body as your identity, because they are dualistic.

Now Joy, or Love, or Peace: these are natural States of Mind that don't have anything to do with the pains or pleasures of this world.

That is your natural inheritance that has been covered over by all of this dualism. So I have to say that in my life when people think about going on the spiritual journey, one of the things that scares people the most (you've heard about the lives of the mystics and saints, saint john of the cross and the dark night of the soul and starving and fasting and penance and all this stuff) is that it doesn't sound very attractive.
It's much easier to just have a life that seems to have a mixture of things. But what I am saying is that when you go into working miracles, which is what A Course In Miracles is about, it gets you in touch with your Purpose, which is the joy.
And that has to take over to the point that you are not going to fall into the tricks of pain/pleasure, pain/pleasure, which is purely seeking for a satisfaction, which is,... what can we say about pain and pleasure? One thing we can say is that they are temporary, they come in little bits and pieces and there is no lasting satisfaction (i.e., when you have a particular food, or a particular sexual encounter, or you see a particular experience in the climate or the world or whatever).
It's very transitory, and then the ego says, 'okay, now you've got to go back for it again ...go again and again and again.'
And all of us know that it just doesn't satisfy you. You end up feeling like there's got to be more. Like the old Peggy Lee song ("Is That All There Is?").
Everybody in this world sings that tune at some point."

David Hoffmeister in New Zealand
from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AwakeningInChrist/

Staya Erusa:The Movie

http://www.stayaerusa.org/en/

Take Me To Truth: Undoing The Ego

Take Me To Truth: Undoing the Ego
Nouk Sanchez, Tomas Vieira
Price: $13.57
on amazon.com
Looks good!

Ideas about unfolding spiritual communities

Beloved One,

Blessings of Happiness. I am Guided to share some ideas about the
'spiritual community' topic that has been receiving lots of attention
lately:

Often I am asked what it is like to live in 'spiritual community,' and
I say that it is truly a State of Mind and nothing else. Through the
ego's lens there appears to be bodies that come and go and details and
logistics that seem to require care and attention, but from a healed
Perspective everything is like a smooth, free flowing Dance.

'Spiritual community' is all about the attitude of Communion with
God. It is about devotion and reverence and willingness, and
everything Flows in the miracle. Among my holy encounters this
month on the phone, on Skype, through e-mails, and with the people who
are living here on the east coast of Australia, I feel carried on the
Wings of Peace. It is an honor and a Pure Joy!

EveryOne wants to feel connected and loved, and to have a feeling of
belongingness and wholeness. Every day, every hour, every minute,
even every moment, there are many, many opportunities to give, to
extend that which is All Value & Meaning. The Holy Spirit gives
whatever seems to be needed at any given moment. The Love radiates
to everyOne and everything in the universe. There is a deep feeling
of acceptance and all-inclusiveness in the miracle. Many times people
ask: "How will this play out in form?" The form, whatever it appears
to be, must be perceived from the Flow, from the miracle's
Perspective, to be experienced as whole.

Jesus taught: "Freely you have received, now freely give." This
statement is symbolic of our shared Purpose of learning to give as God
Gives. How does this unfold in a practical way. It is very simple.
We live simple, devotional lives, trusting completely on Divine
Providence. This means we are supported entirely by donations / love
offerings and all support is seen as Given by the Holy Spirit / God.
All offerings are accepted with deep gratitude and used to continue
the work of the Holy Spirit in shining the Light and sharing the
message of Christ throughout the world. We live in spiritual
community and I have shared that really this "community" is of the
heart and it is wholly inclusive. There is nothing special about
bodies coming together in form but the symbol can be used in a very
helpful and supportive way, in addition to being an acceleration or
speed-up for healing and thus undoing the ego.

The ego is afraid of commitment and so coming together with a devotion
to Purpose, a commitment to exposing and releasing the ego, is a very
helpful step towards accepting the Atonement. Atonement is a total
commitment. Regarding living in community, the Purpose must come
first and be held in mind at all times, for then the symbols of form
are always Given by the Holy Spirit. This sense of form following or
flowing from Purpose feels natural, obvious, and flows in Divine Ease.
To lead with the form is to lose sight of the Purpose since leading
with the form involves focusing on the needs of the body and ego
preferences. With Purpose out front there are no perceived problems,
for problems only seem to arise when Purpose has been forgotten.

Enlightenment is the undoing of the make believe self concept of the
ego, of pride, of preferences, of possession, and of ownership. The
Holy Spirit takes us gently by the hand, leading us step by step
as we deepen in our trust, and deepen in our commitment to hearing
only the Voice for God. Thus we release the mistaken belief that
anyone could be sustained by any Source other than God. And along the
way Jesus taught me and showed me the reality of Divine Providence.
Seventeen years ago I took Jesus up on it. Suddenly a whole new world
appeared in awareness with a sense of fearlessness, a joy in following
the inner prompts, and a rejoicing in every symbol of coming Home.

After several years of living and traveling in this way I began to
meet friends who wanted to share more time being around me, asking
their questions and closely observing the way I lived my life to gain
insight into the principles and teachings I held dear. These friends
and I began living in spiritual community, and though the names and
faces have seemed to change throughout the decade that would follow,
this deep feeling of community has remained with me ever since. Now I
experience this community feeling always and in all ways in my heart
whether the body of David seems stationary or in motion, alone or in a
small group or among hundreds of people. The Purpose I was Called to
extend has stabilized my perception of the world, and a feeling of
sameness pervades everything and everyone I look upon. It is very much
like a lucid dream that is very happy and calm. The serenity comes
from being aware of the dreaming and not taking any of the signs and
symbols personally (as if they were actual things existing in and of
themselves). The unshakable peace comes from a detachment from
appearances and an unswerving dedication to shared Purpose that is
continuous.

Everything that seems to come into my awareness I see as Given from
the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Being Source-dependent has dissolved away
all sense of lack, and thus my attention is never drawn to the images
of the world for the purpose of 'getting' anything. The images are
freed from past egoic intentions and therefore free Now to be used by
the Spirit to inspire and bless and comfort in the Plan of Awakening.
There is no question or curiosity about the timing of events and no
need to figure out the meaning of the world. There is no one and
nothing of the world to fix or change. Being Present allows all things
to be exactly as they are. Seeming plans and logistics and details are
Given as they are necessary and helpful, though there is never an
emphasis on future outcomes or goals. All that is Given comes safely
and surely, and each seeming step feels obvious and natural.

In 1996 I was guided to a small house in Cincinnati, Ohio to use as a
quiet retreat and also as a base for launching on subsequent travels
and hosting friends from around the world. Immediately the name that
was Given to the house was 'PeaceHouse' and the house became a symbol
for always abiding in peace of mind. The ideas and love and joy I
experience in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit I share on the Internet
and at many, many gatherings as time passes by without its touch upon
me. I have shared at gatherings and stops and visits in 21 countries
around the world and in countless holy encounters and Course In
Miracles groups as well. The invitations have kept coming and so I go
wherever the Spirit Guides in response to the Inner Invitation to join
Given by Christ.

The gatherings I share are always very open discussions. As I go to
the gatherings I have the willingness to show up in mind and to be
truly helpful. I have no agenda and no clue what will be asked or if
there will even be talking or not. Instead, I make myself available to
answer questions and to facilitate the expression of the Holy Spirit,
which comes through many people, not just myself. People come from so
many different backgrounds, cultures and languages. Sometimes I don't
even speak the language, but translators show up and it seems like the
Holy Spirit is orchestrating the whole thing just for me to share this
state of joy and peace and happiness. I'm there to join with everyone.
Those that show up in my gatherings are showing up calling for help. I
would say that the Holy Spirit is extremely practical and meets every
questioner with what could be most helpful. There is no formula and
there is no set answer that can be given across the board because
people's consciousness and awareness have such a range. But when I'm
showing up, I truly show up to be only helpful and the Spirit flows
through me. I experience joy and so does everyone else in the room. So
typically, by the end of the gathering, there are lots of hugs and
kisses, sometimes tears, and always a feeling of lightness and joy.

Every encounter I have is a chance to get to know me in the truest
sense. What I am always teaching is that there are no private thoughts
and no private minds. So the experience that I have when we gather
together is of our sameness. We share the same Spirit. This is a
feeling more than a group of concepts. It's still always an adventure
for me to meet my Self over and over in many delightful ways. I like
the spontaneity of the encounters. I like the sense of innocence that
we experience together. I always share in gatherings that there is
nothing off limits. This offers a sense of openness that enables
everyone to express whatever they're feeling in the moment. This is
how we know ourselves. We take the lid off all our feelings and
emotions. We bare our soul, and we realize we are not judged for
baring our soul. People who I've met along the way feel like they can
talk to me and unburden their soul no matter how shameful they feel
about it.

Our sole Purpose is Awakening, which is the undoing of the ego, and so
we are guided by the Holy Spirit within, and we never lead with the
form. Jesus teaches that nothing the world believes is true and that
every belief held in the mind must be questioned and undone, in order
to be shown what reality is. It is not of this world. Living in
Purpose is abstract, it involves being highly intuitive and it
involves a deep devotion to mind training.

Although it can be helpful for those new to mind training to have some
structure / routine to come together to discuss what is coming up to
be healed and released, conforming to set rules & routines dissolves
the deeper one goes into Mysticism. Jesus teaches that no two people
see the same world, which is why there is no universal agreement upon
anything. The only solid foundation is a deep, shared Purpose with
trust and willingness to unlearn all concepts - including those of
family, authority, work, life-style, use of time, use of resources etc.

We live as Jesus did, traveling where invited without expectations of
reciprocity. We are not interested in growing or building anything -
these concepts have been dissolved. Purpose is a full time devotion
and it can look different for everyone. With unfolding peace house
communities in the United States, Sweden, Belgium, and Australia it is
important to realize that there is no central authority or unifying
structure with any of them. The Spirit directs the way and each
seeming spiritual community unfolds through intuitive Guidance
received by the founders and the participants. I am always happy to
offer teaching-learning resources and materials for these communities,
and these are to be disbursed freely and on a donation basis.

As for Guidelines, I received the following from the Holy Spirit to
assist the developing spiritual communities:

A Guide to Spiritual Practice with Awakening Mind

The Holy Spirit offers this 10 step Guide that can be used as a
Guideline for spiritual practice. The focus is expressing Divine
Principle in action:

1. Volunteers- Awakening Mind does not involve the concept of
membership and therefore relies entirely upon volunteers for every
aspect of the ministry. Volunteers receive no financial compensation
and no perks or tangible rewards for their devotion to Awakening. The
benefits given & received are entirely Spiritual & always purely and
simply a State of Mind.

2. Non-profit- Awakening Mind is completely non-profit. The Purpose
for the ministry is experiencing Present Inner Peace through
forgiveness and thus there is no incentive to grow larger or attain
money or power or possessions or property. Present peace is content
with the Present Moment and therefore unconcerned with the past or
future.

3. Intuitive- Awakening Mind encourages everyone to develop intuitive
listening to their Inner Guide and to trust and depend upon this
Guidance for decisions in everyday living. How one feels is a
barometer for discerning that which is intuitively helpful, and peace
is its own reward.

4. Divine Providence- Awakening Mind nurtures the awareness and
experience that trust would settle every problem now. Trust in the
Holy Spirit & Christ is the means Given by God to Answer every seeming
problem that arises in perception. Participants in the ministry are
always referred and directed to the Voice for God within and toward
the recognition that God is the Creator & Source & Provider.

5. Non-judgment- All comparisons & opinions & assumptions naturally
give way to Intuitive Guidance as a practical Alternative to conflict.
Guidance is always respected and following Inner Guidance is always
encouraged. The outcome of listening to and following the Holy Spirit
& Christ is always peace, love, happiness, freedom, & joy. There need
not be any exceptions to trusting Inner Guidance and living a life of
integrity and honesty and harmony.

6. Generosity- To give is to receive. Awakening Mind honors the Divine
Law of Love. Freely you have received, now freely give. Giving is an
attitude that extends Love and continuously receives and experiences
Love extending. Love knows no lack or scarcity or deprivation. Love is
an Abundant State of Mind that is whole and completely Shared.

7. No private thoughts- Awakening Mind is the experience of Union, a
Unified Mind in which there is no secret kept apart from Spirit.
Everything is openly revealed in the Light of Truth. Love has nothing
to hide and is forever openly revealed exactly As It Is. Only the
Thoughts of God can be shared, and there is nothing else to share.

8. No people pleasing- Awakening Mind advocates always following Inner
Guidance and accepting complete responsibility for one's state of
mind. Conformity to `external authority' or unconscious beliefs is
never authentic or helpful on the spiritual journey. The laws of the
land need not be broken if one follows the Inner Guidance of the Holy
Spirit, and impeccable integrity is the certain outcome of yielding to
the Holy Spirit for all decisions. `Holy Spirit decide for God for me'
is our constant prayer of gratitude, and it is very practical. This
yielding to the Spirit offers immediate results.

9. No control over the world- With total responsibility for one's
state of mind also comes the realization that there is nothing to
control in this world. The Observer is One with everything and now all
things are perfect exactly As Is. Atonement is a state of perfect
Acceptance. Such is the happy dream of forgiveness, the forgiven world.

10. Peaceful Experience- Awakening Mind is an experience that
transcends all specific concepts. Divine Silence simply Is. Simply do
this: Be still, and lay aside all thoughts of what you are and what
God is; all concepts you have learned about the world; all images you
hold about yourself. Empty your mind of everything it thinks is either
true or false, or good or bad, of every thought it judges worthy, and
all the ideas of which it is ashamed. Hold onto nothing. Do not bring
with you one thought the past has taught, nor one belief you ever
learned before from anything. Forget this world, forget this course,
and come with wholly empty hands unto your God.

It feels like the years to come will see the symbol of spiritual
community used by the Holy Spirit to experience complete forgiveness
of the dream of separation. In the coming years the Messengers of
Peace plan to visit spiritual communities in North America, South America, Europe, and Australia/South Pacific, where and when there is a strong Call to forgive and Awaken. The visits will most often be longer than the travels and talks and workshops and repeats of the past 17 years, and offer many moment to moment, day to day opportunities to put the Purpose into practice in a very direct, effective way.

I hope to meet with you and your community as it unfolds, and rejoice
together in the Love of God as obstacles to Love are exposed and
removed. Thanks be to God for leading everyone Home.

In Love & Gratitude Always,

David <mysticspiritone@yahoo.com>

http://awakening-mind.org

http://miracleshome.org

Time to Teach A Course In Miracles

Time to Teach A Course in Miracles is an effective teachers program with a simple class structure. This structure enables you to present your understanding and experience of A Course in Miracles, in a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment. This environment stimulates you to voice your innermost convictions of the truth, in all its aspects and simplicity. Equally gifted as teachers of God, we gather and share, accelerate and celebrate the transformative message of A Course in Miracles.

On the website you will find all the necessary guidelines and directions, to participate in and facilitate this unique program yourself. I post all the current assignments and upload video presentations with several guest teachers as an example of how time to teach works.
http://timetoteachacim.com

A Time to Teach Online Class will be held every friday at 1 pm Central Time USA. Prepare your presentation using the assignment posted for the week. You will be given 5-15 minutes to teach, depending on the number of participating teachers. See you there. No registration is required, just visit the link below and enter the class.
click here to go to the online class

The website further has audios, videos, articles, prayer, and links to inspiring blogs and useful websites.

That this program may inspire you to teach the message of A Course In Miracles with your unique voice and expression.

To receive the weekly assignments and other updates by e-mail write me a short message at:
timetoteachacim@gmail.com

Thank you.

With Love and Light,

Bastiaan Berende

Petaluma Poetry Walk Reading in Petaluma

A program to celebrate
the recent publication of the Petaluma Poetry Walk
Ten Year Anthology:1996 to 2005
will be presented on Saturday, March 8, at 2:00 p.m.
at the Petaluma Regional Library.
100 Fairgrounds Dr. Petaluma (near 101 and Washington)

Join us for a celebration of this very special publication event.
During the program, poets published in the anthology will read selections from their poetry.
Among the distinguished poets participating in the program will be Michelle Baynes, David Bromige, Geri Digiorno, Sharon Doubiago, Terry Ehret, Randy Fingland, Marko Fong, Godelieve, Judy Grahn accompanied by Anne Carol, Amy MacLennan, G. P. Skratz, Don Emblen, Gail Calvello and Bill Vartnaw.
For more information, please call (415) 271-3564.

The Ladder of Prayer -- Sent in by Paul Hampton

THE LADDER OF PRAYER

WHAT IS PRAYER FOR? GOD IS THE GOAL OF EVERY PRAYER.

PRAYER IS THE MEANS BY WHICH GOD'S SON LEAVES SEPARATE GOALS AND SEPARATE INTERESTS BY, AND TURNS IN HOLY GLADNESS TO THE TRUTH OF UNION IN HIS FATHER AND HIMSELF.

RUNGS	DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN PRAYERS	EXAMPLE OF PRAYER
Being the Prayer	Now prayer is lifted from the world of things, of bodies, and of gods of every kind, and we rest in holiness at last. There is no asking, for there is no lack. We are transformed, for we recognize the Christ in ourselves. (We are that which we have prayed for.) Prayer is now the single voice Creator and creation share.	I cannot go without you, for you are a part of me. (With this prayer, we stand at the gate of Heaven.)
Praying With Others (Continuing to rise: Now it is possible to help in prayer, and so reach up yourself)	We are enemies no more. In praying with others, we share a goal. Yet it is likely, at first, that what is asked for even by those who join in prayer is not the goal that prayer should truly seek. Even together you may ask for things, and thus set up but an illusion of a goal you share. You may ask together for specifics and not realize that you are asking for effects without the cause. Even the joining, then, is not enough, if those who prayer together do not ask, before all else, what is the Will of God. (This, then, is praying with others, asking for the Will of God.)	We go together, you and I.
Praying for Others (Beginning to rise: Until this second level at least begins, one cannot share in prayer.)	Praying for others, if rightly understood, becomes a means for lifting your projections of guilt from your brother, and enabling you to recognize it is not he who is hurting you. The poisonous thought that he is your enemy, your evil counterpart, your nemesis, must be relinquished before you can be saved from guilt (to be saved from guilt is to recognize that our brother is not our enemy). For this, the means is prayer.	What I have asked for for my brother is not what I would have. Thus have I made of him my enemy.
Praying Out Of Need (lowest rung)	There are two asking-out-of-need prayers: The lowest of the two forms is prayer about wanting; prayer that comes out of a sense of scarcity and lack. Often, this prayer does not make an appeal to God or even involve Him. The next to the lowest prayer is a higher form of asking out of need. The asking may be addressed to God in honest belief but without understanding. It asks for things of this world and also for such gifts as honesty and goodness, and for forgiveness. At this same level, we have prayers for one's enemies, but our belief in enemies means we have limited prayer to the laws of this world. Praying for enemies suggests "otherness" and the Course recommends we pray for ourselves.

Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle is going to be giving a 10 week on-line teaching thru Oprah.com beginning March 3rd for free.

See the link and share share share!!!!
http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml

Watch the trailer http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml

Donna Moldovan
Body Mind and Spirit
www.body-mindandspirit.net

Clarification: Special Message

"To God all things are possible, but you must ask His answer only of Himself.

"Perhaps you think you do, but be you sure that if you did you would be quiet now and wholly undismayed by anything. Do not attempt to guess His Will for you. Do not assume that you are right because an answer seems to come from Him. Be sure you ask, and then be still and let Him speak."

---Quoted by Kenneth Wapnick in Absence From Felicity, Chapter 17, pp.466-87 http://www.miraclestudies.net/Absence_17_H&J.html

Christ Consciousness Online

Visit the new website
CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS ONLINE
- representing a State of Being that brings Peace and Freedom and to which so many of us aspire.

This website has no agenda other than to introduce you to the many faces of CHRIST MIND. You are invited to meet us and explore what we do and who we are. We each bring a unique flavor and yet, through reviewing what we offer you will discover a consistency of Love, Passion, Divine Inspiration, Peace and the Desire to share how YOU might embrace the Way and live it from this state of mind too.

Please explore and share this beautiful website with friends, for just as the Ministry and words of Jeshua/Jesus were extended from one to another creating a wave, so too will CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS become the Movement of the future for those sincere in their Journey home to God.

www.christconsciousnessonline.com

Article on Divine Providence

Providence is the natural state of the mind.

How much does your Father love you? It is infinite; we are truly
loved by the whole Universe. That immense Love has no limits, no
boundaries, no restrictions, and no exceptions. That Love is within
us waiting to be discovered, to be found and enjoyed. How do I know
this? There's a daily life example in my life that taught me a lot
about Divine Providence. I have a one year old son. He started to use
a fork for eating a month ago. He was very proud that he could eat on
his own. So I stopped helping him with eating, and I always
congratulate him when he shows me how well he eats with his new
plastic fork. But if he could hurt himself, I'll help him even before
he could call me.

Picture yourself as a child. God is your father and mother, and even
more; he's your best friend. Whatever you can do and you want to do
by your own, God is not going to interfere -unless you do harm to
yourself. So, if you love doing your job, just do it, go on, there's
no need to think of Divine Providence. But what if you feel depressed
because you found that in this world all efforts are the same, and
all efforts keep us separate from the Love of God?

The journey to God is a journey without path. It isn't even a
journey, just a Realization. In this Realization the first step is to
observe that we don't accept ourselves. We always want to be better
people. A great proof of this is the time we spend thinking of the
past or the future. Think of someone you really love - are you
thinking of their past or future? Or when you think of that person do
you embrace the happy moments shared together?

Many seekers of the truth around the world want to become Jesus
Christ, but the "becoming" is the cause of our suffering. We are
perfect just the way we are, whatever we have done in the past and
whatever our thoughts are. In this acceptance, the Light is able to
make us remember the Eternal truth of who we are. Saint Francis' case
is a great illustration of accepting oneself and experiencing Divine
Providence as a consequence. He shouted in the park, after having a
fight with his biological father, what he thought about himself. He
said in front of many people all his opinions about himself. He said:
I'm a drunk, I'm lustful, I'm a thief, I'm a hypocrite, etc. He was
defenseless. He gave all his negative thoughts to the Spirit. He
didn't hide his dark side anymore. He didn't try to be someone else,
exposing his thoughts in front of so many people. So it was very easy
for God to help him. It's very easy for the Grace to transform us
when we accept ourselves, when we don't protect the illusions. Our
main problem is that we want to hide our dark side from the Light. We
always defend our opinions from the Divine Help. In every judgment we
have the chance to call God, who always answers our prayers, always.

Saint Francis' story is great to realize that we want to become
saints before accepting ourselves. It's impossible! Francis took off
his masks in front of the people of his own town, where he had lived
for his entire life, and then he became enlightened. Our masks are
made of private thoughts. We have many thoughts we don't want to give
to the Holy Spirit to heal. And the Holy Spirit is always there for
us. When we're not peacefully living the Present Moment, it's a
great opportunity to call for help. The same happens when we do not
perceive the abundance in which God created us.

We can trust God for EVERYTHING; exceptions are not good for us. I
lived near the Andes Mountains in a small Village in the South of Argentina.
I was there for five weeks. The first two weeks I had
little money for survival, and the rest I had no money. That was the
biggest treasure God gave me to meet his Eternal Love. I was pushed
to trust Him for absolutely EVERYTHING. I was living 1500 km away
from my family and friends. Waking up every morning was a divine
adventure. I couldn't spend much time with the distractions of the
ego (complaining, criticizing, trying to change the outside world,
and defending from the attacks it perceives). So I had to listen to
the Voice of Love within. I asked God every morning: "God, what do I
do now?" And then the Voice guided me for absolutely everything. I
didn't ask anyone for help those days. All I received was naturally
offered to me. The Voice of Love said: go over there, turn right,
turn left, stay there for a while, do that thing, and so on. I met
the people I needed; I was invited to have breakfast, lunch, dinner
and even more. I enjoyed "Birthday cakes", which I like eating very
much. I could have felt desperate, lonely, or sad. I hadn't enough
time for that. I had to submerge into the deepest experience of
Divine Guidance I have ever had.

Extreme experiences are great because the ego always plays and plays
the distraction game. It's so tricky. The ego's last game is the
spiritual one. It disguises itself as a spiritual seeker and makes
you read and be interested in many spiritual teachers and teachings,
but it will do whatever it can to keep you away from having your own
encounter with God.

That's why it's so important to develop our relationship with God. If
not we'll be spiritual seekers forever and ever - trying to be
saints, pushing ourselves to forgive "others" instead of finding the
innocence within, attending infinite workshops to be a "better
person," and all the while never having our own experience of God.
Besides, how can we forgive others if we condemn ourselves? What is
that idea of "being better"? We judge ourselves for our addictions,
we judge ourself for our relationships, and we judge ourselves for
not being that beautiful person we think we should be.

Talk to God about your dark side, about all the things you don't like
about yourself and those you share your life with. You'll feel great.
The best relationship with God is friendship. You'll feel confident
to talk about your secrets with God if you consider God your best
friend. Once you realize you are the perfect Child of God, and
everything in this world means big efforts without God's help, you'll
trust God for EVERYTHING. THIS IS DIVINE PROVIDENCE . It's not about
not being useful or helpful, it's not about not doing anything, it's
not about being lazy - it's about trusting God for your survival in
this world. And God is going to guide you.

Sometimes we feel God is not helping us and it is exactly the
opposite. As with the example of the baby and the fork - sometimes we
are hurting ourselves and we can't realize it, but God helps us even
before we call. Maybe you lost your job and you are angry because of
that. I'm sure that it is for good, because maybe you were doing
something you didn't like. Or maybe your husband or wife is gone and
later you realized he or she didn't love you, that the relationship
was hurting you. Can you see? Every time we feel like a victim we can
go deeper and realize that God is in charge of our lives and he's
doing everything for good. These are the attachments: the things,
situations, or people that are hurting us that we can't let go.

When my baby son was three weeks old I felt a tremendous pain in my
chest. At that moment I told God: "God, I'm sure this pain represents
lack of love in my life. I'm asking you to get everything and
everyone that's hurting me away from my path." Two days later my
husband had an episode of violence against me, the baby, and my
parents. At that moment I had a mystical experience in which I saw a
big hand made of Light that was putting things in order. My husband
had to move away from the house. The first day was very difficult for
all of us, but later everything went on perfectly - the situations,
the people, the money for the bills, for food, for survival. My
parents supported me a lot, and it was very clear for me that my
marriage was based on fear and not in love. That wasn't the only
relationship that fell away -. many friends disappeared too. I still
live in the same house with the baby, but we are not alone. We
invited the Holy Spirit to live with us and all we need is provided
to us by Him. I felt so much resistance to accepting that all I
needed would be given to me, but just not in the usual way of having
a job and earning money.

I realized God is not fond of the usual ways of earning money in
exchange for something, because the practice has kept people in the
illusion of separation. So, money is going to come to you but the way
God wants. I'd rather say that everything you need is going to come
to you - it could be money or things, and it doesn't matter. In the
path to the Remembrance of God we can feel that we don't have what we
want, but we can be sure we've got everything we need: Much Love.

Paola Moraña

Author Bio

Paola Moraña lives with her young son in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She is currently available for talks and consultations in Argentina.
You can write to her at:
amarapurusha@ yahoo.com. ar
or call her at: 054-11-4247- 2365.