REVELATIONS 11

Just for the record, we have not just skipped over Chapters 9-10, but the Holy Spirit has suggested that the material is meaningless, so there did not seem to be much sense in talking about it. (God knows I've talked about meaningless stuff for years.)

The theme of this chapter is about becoming more aware of the true desire of the heart, and continuing to focus on that desire.

Until this point we have depended on the true desire of the heart to be like the fuel for our journey back to the awareness of Oneness. Eventually we will all come to this awareness, but we can speed up the process by being more consciously aware of this desire. (which can be expressed in many ways--desire for Peace, Unconditional Love, Joy, Wisdom, Oneness, etc.).

As you go into the quiet, notice what you are drawn to. This is how you measure how much the true desire of your heart is in you conscious awareness.

Right now, I close my eyes, and open myself up to God at this moment, and instead of God and Light I see images of guitars dancing in my head. I am attached to having a new guitar (which I don't need), and the need is taking up a lot of "headroom."

Now what I am being asked to do here is, "Do not deny that resistance still worships at the inner chamber of the heart." (v7) I do not want to deny, condemn, or even fight with my resistance and distractions. Just simply realize they are there and let them go.

I can learn form my obsession. It is simply an illusion created by the mind that says, "Buy this, get that, do this, and you will be happy, at peace, etc."

See, the true desire of my heart is still there, my mind decided that the desire of my heart could be taken care of with a new guitar.

Focus on the desire for peace, happiness, etc.

Another piece to all this is that I continue to try and do this work all by myself. (v13) Reminds me that:

"The two witnesses represent the joint Will of the Holy Spirit and the Son of God(you/me)."

How often I forget that one.

Jack ended class on Sunday by offering us a very profound truth: we spend years of time and millions of dollars, reading books, attending workshops, etc. and still find ourselves yearning for enlightenment.

It is time to acknowledge what we profess to already know, that the "kingdom of heaven is within you." This is  not a feeling or a thought, it is an acknowledgment of the Truth.

Acknowledge this truth every time you might think of it,  no matter how you might feel or what the circumstances. 

This Truth is always true. This Truth is always here. This Truth is who you are.

REVELATIONS 8

One of my teachers suggests, "You are the meaning maker of your life."

What we usually do, however, is to get caught up in the drama of a situation, and once we are caught, we lose the conscious "meaning maker" and in our fearful closed state of mind, make a decision about what this situation means---and, of course, the meaning is fearful and judgmental.

Not only do we have the process backwards---letting the situation itself tell us what it means, but we have lost focus of the first lessons of ACIM which remind us, "I don't know what anything means."
I don't know because the mind can only put limited meaning, AND ANYTHING OTHER THAN LOVE IS MEANINGLESS.

When am I going to get that one?

to quote:18The time has come to look and to release from the mind that which is in the mind that teaches only fear.

REVELATIONS 7

Regina Dawn Akers refers to this chapter as the "Cliff Notes" for the entire book of NTI.
 I guess we could say the rest of NTI is commentary about these truths.

Regina also suggests that we not take them in simple linear fashion, even though that is the only way we can communicate them. These truths, through our willingness, are taking hold within us all at the same time, we don't simply move from one to the next.

That being said, I still feel myself drawn back to #1 "You are innocent." Unless I am open to that truth, it is nigh impossible for anything else to be revealed.

I would suggest reading this chapter over and over, and in your quiet times, prayer, or even any moment you remember to make your mantra, "I am innocent."

I realize the mind will vehemently object. It will say such things as, "Well what about when you said this or did that? That really hurt someone. Do you mean to tell me that was not real?"
"What about Hitler, and the millions he slaughtered. Is he innocent?"

I would suggest not even going there. Those are arguments of the mind, and as you know, the mind wants to be right.

The innocence we speak of here is the innocence of your Essence, your Being.

Jesus spent a good piece of his ministry teaching people the difference between who you are and what you do. The Scribes and Pharisees were the keepers of the law and they had rules for everything. Jesus seemed to bang heads with them frequently.
Jesus did not have a problem with the rules or laws, He had a problem with people who defined themselves by the rules and laws, i.e. those who said, "You are what you do."

Your innocence is not a matter of debate about what you did or did not do. Your innocence is a reflection of who you are-- a creation of the Love and Goodness of God which nothing can change or diminish.
Can you hold onto that one?

Even Paul in the Old New Testament proclaims that "nothing can separate you from the Love of God."


It is all summed up in (v 13-17):
 1And the Light of Heaven is seen to be that which is your Self. 2Its joy is your joy. 3Its gratitude is your gratitude. 4Its oneness is your oneness, and its Love is your Self
5Never have you been separate from Heaven, and never has Heaven been separate from you. 6For how can one, even for a moment, be separate from the one that is His Self?

REVELATIONS 6

The Holy Spirit's explanation of the first six seals.

The first is the energy that moves us to the Truth. It is the energy of desire and willingness. When we are focused on the true desire of the heart, we continue to achieve and embrace that desire.

How often am I distracted from the true desire of my heart? How many attachments, desires, etc. put me into the sleep of unawareness?

The second seal represents fear---that must be faced head on so that we know it is not real. As long as I am looking at my fear out of the corner of my eye, or pretending  it is not there it will still have power over me.

3rd seal: Judgement. This is spoken of many times, but I think by now we can see that judgment is the tool of separation. It maintains the illusion of the world. As soon as you realize judgment in your mind, let it go. It is not what you want, and it is not the truth.

4th: death, the ultimate illusion of separateness, the ultimate illusion of guilt and punishment.
We are not denying that there will come a time when we will let go of our bodies, but that is not death.
You are Life!

5th: Our continuing choice---fear or trust

6th: the end of perception--Perception is what we see and how we see through the limited view of the self--even when we know we are more than that our sight is still limited. In the Self, there is no perception because there is nothing to see, all is One, there is no separation, no duality, no subject or object.

Fear is only real if we think we can lose something or something can be taken away from us. The Self is complete and whole in all ways.

Why would we ever choose fear?
I recall a wonderful quote from the spirit guide Emmanuel. He said if fear had a voice this is what it would say: "Hold onto me and I will keep you safe." Of course that is nor true, but how often do we fall for that one?

Revelations 5

The seals on the scroll are the blocks and barriers to Truth that the mind thinks are real.
As it states so clearly (6-10) 2-3 "So what blocks this knowledge from your awareness?
It is the belief that you are what you are not, and that you could have done what you could not do."

Make a list of all the definitions you have of yourself and throw them all away. You are none of these.

There are no definitions of the Self, the Self simply IS.

This chapter is all about WORTHINESS.

In the Old New Testament version none are worthy except the "Lamb who has been slain." That leaves all the rest of us out in the cold.
The ONT also references the phrase, "Oh, Lord, I ma not worthy" any number of times, and that phrase has been incorporated into the Catholic liturgy and other places as well, I am sure.


If you were brought up Catholic, then the words, "Oh, Lord, I am not worthy" are probably indelibly written in your mind.
You might also know that the quote comes from at least two places in the Gospel: 1) John the Baptist speaks of being unworthy to "loose the sandal strap" of Jesus, and 2) the Roman soldier who was askign for healing for his servant said to Jesus, "I am not worthy that you should enter my under my roof."


In the past it seems saying "I am not worthy" was a way of showing honor and respect to another person, but we have turned it around to simply focusing on ourselves in a negative way. Most unfortunate. Jesus never told anyone they were not worthy.

NTI tells us very simply that everyone is worthy. No one is unworthy. You can't be. You are God's perfect creation.

We have been so pummeled by this false idea of unworthiness that it becomes quite difficult for us to be aware of our Divine nature. In fact, the false idea of unworthiness has been so deeply ingrained that to think we are One withe God and God's perfect creation is seen as arrogance. It is just the opposite that is true: to see ourselves as anything but the perfect creation of God is arrogance. Holding onto our unworthiness is a way of saying to God, "I'm right and You're wrong."

And so it is the belief "that you are what you are not, and that you have done what you could not do" that keeps us from the Truth.
We think we are unworthy; we think we did something that separated us from God. Do you get a sense of how powerful the ego thinks it is? Not only does it know more than God, but it also thinks it did the impossible, caused creation to be separate from its creator.

I'm thinking of a quote from ACIM (speaking of the ego): This fragment of your mind is such a tiny part of it that, could you but appreciate the whole, you would see instantly that it is like the smallest sunbeam to the sun, or like the faintest ripple on the surface of the ocean.
In its amazing arrogance, this tiny sunbeam has decided it is the sun, this almost imperceptible ripple hails itself as the ocean.
Think of how alone and frightened is this little thought, this infinitesimal illusion, holding itself apart from the universe...Do not accept this little, fenced-off aspect as yourself.
The sun and the ocean are nothing beside what you are.

REVELATIONS CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4

I just love this first paragraph:

(v 1 - 6)1Looking too deeply for the meaning of symbolism is an activity of the thinking mind. 2Analyzing details and searching for meaning is asking the ego to explain images to you.  P. 466

Here I am spending my time and energy trying to figure something out, and missing the show. It’s like I find a ticket to Cirque de Soilet in my pocket and instead of watching the show I soend all my time womveringhow the ticket got there. And at theend of the show I still don’t have an answer, but I missed the whole thing.

This lesson is even more powerful for me since I found some of the language in this chapter quite confusing, and spent a good bit of time trying to figure it out and understand it.

After I wrestled with the material for awhile what finally came to me was that I could analyze all the diffent little pieces of illusion, but they would still be illusion. 

Anything that seems to tell me I am separate from God, or Truth or Love, is an illusion and needs to be let go of--that’s my ticket--

(14_22) v.3 But when you have left these beliefs behind as tiny wisps of air that are not noticed, you shall see the world differently. From chapter 3 P.466

REVELATIONS CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3

The Message here is “Wake Up!” But as I mentioned before it is not about waking up and being frightened or guilty. I is about waking up to the Truth you already know: you are theSon of the God, the Christ. The Prodigal Son never left home(only in his mind, because you can never leave the Father’s unconditional love--you can pretend, you can forget, but that does not detract from Truth that IS.

There is a great line in this chapter about thinking that you are the “greatest sinner of all time.” I was reminded of that old definition of an alcoholic--an egomaniac with an inferiority complex.”

I really get tweeked when I read passages such as v. 11-13 telling me that  joy, peace, etc. are right around the corner. When I here messages like that I find myself waiting for something to happen. OK, God, I’ ready for the joy now, and then nothing happens. What I miss is that this is not a passive trip, there is work to be done. 

In its simplest form the work is described in (14_22) v.3 But when you have left these beliefs behind as tiny wisps of air that are not noticed, you shall see the world differently. P.466

REVELATIONS CHAPTER 2

Revelations Chapter 2

 The beginning of this chapter reminded me of that beautiful quote from Augustine, “You have made our hearts restless, and they will never rest until they rest in Thee.”

When confusion hits, know it is the ego that is confused, not You.

“Do not hate the voice. Simply do not follow it.” Tell it, Thank you for sharing and then open yourself to Divine guidance.

1. 8-11 remind me that “in my defenselessness my safety lies.” (ACIM)

1. 12-13 is great wisdom in dealing with darkness.

You might also want to check out:

Mark 1(43-45); Romans 1(18-32) 1-8; and 2 Thessalonians 2(1-4)

Fear and Guilt go hand in hand, although neither on is the truth they can grab us because we are so used to experiencing those two demons.

We are encouraged to stare them down, as the lies that they are in the powerful presence of God, and let them dissolve away.

REVELATIONS CHAPTER 1

Reflections:           NTI  Revelations    Chapter 1

The old/New Testament book of Revelations was formerly known as the Book of the Apocalypse(meaning The End of the World, Final Judgment, and all those other things). Coming at the end of the New Testament, I always felt as if it was a very definite warning to get your act together because you “did not know the day or the hour.” It did not seem as if anyone was safe.

Even beginning with chapter , the Lord says some good things about a particular church, but then slams them with what they are doing wrong--again, “you better get it together, NOW!”

There is a good bit of fear and trembling here. I often wondered where did the God of Love go to?

In NTI we are also reminded that the time has come, but in a much more gentle loving way. The time has come to claim your inheritance as the Son of God, because you are now aware of this truth. You are Home, or at least you are beginning to know the truth of that. 

It is all a question of what I am identifying with---my ego, my attachments, who I think I am, my past, my fears or my True identity--which is beyond all “I” thinking.

Reflections on v. 1-8

You already know you are more than your body, mind and emotions. Why do you keep identifying with them? This identification and attachment keep you in false perception.

All my thoughts keep shouting, “look at me; I’m real!”

The Truth of who you are is not to be grasped by the intellect, the thinking mind(or as Marianne Williamson calls it, “the mortal mind.”)

Buddha’s reflection on the Golden Rule--”See yourself in others, who then shall you harm.”

My mind still wants an answer, still wants to explain everything. Here is where I get trapped so often.

I want to think/believe that I have some purpose, but that’s the catch, ultimately, there is no “I”

I would also like to explain and understand why we got here, how this whole thing got started. 

Buddha suggested, “It’s none of your business.”

The most consoling message for me is, “You are not alone.” in all your confusion, and even self-doubt and other struggles, You are not alone.

If I could only remember that I would probably struggle much less.

THE MEANING OF LIFE PART 1

After studying ACIM,NTI and other forms of spiritual awareness, many of us are still left with the question, “Why did we start this whole thing if it seems so messy and painful?” “If it is a game, can’t we stop it right now?” or “How did this whole thing get started?”

ACIM explains the beginning of the illusion or life on planet earth as beginning with a “tiny mad idea” of wondering what it would be like to be separate (fromGod). NTI has a similar explanation that it all begin with a wish to experience things different than they are.

My take on all this is that the Western mind is oriented, perhaps even hard-wired to having a mental construct or intellectual framework to operate in initially.

Whenever I was giving a retreat, without even  thinking about it, I would usually spend the first few hours helping to construct a model or intellectual framework that we would be working with. Even though the material would be spiritual in nature, the 12 steps, healing, etc. It always felt natural and comfortable for me have a structure to fall back on even though it essentially became irrelevant) 

What I am beginning to get for myself is that no matter what system we might be working with, traditional Christianity, ACIM, NTI--any other form of Western Spirituality, there seems to be need to explain how it all began, what happened.

Buddhism and Hinduism do not seem to need this kind of explanation.

I am working on becoming less attached to the story, the explanation of how it all got started, whether it was eating an apple, or a “tiny mad idea” or “a wish to see thing differently than they are.” 

All these are “stories”--ways to explain the unexplainable. They have the purpose of shutting up the thinking mind for a while, so the soul can do its work.

Soon the mind will be dissatisfied with the story and go looking for a new one. 

I don’t want to spend my time thinking about or trying to prove a particular story is true or real or not.

 My Soul has more important things to do or not do.

I missed an implication in NTI some time ago,and as I was rereading a passage it hit me.

Romans 4 (13-15) 3-8 p. 266

3In creating you, God extended Himself. 4In extending His Truth, that which is Enrichment was enriched further. 5So in your existence, God Himself is enriched. 6This is why you are His joy. 7You are His own enrichment. 8And that which enriches God must be Enrichment Itself.

The above passage explains the “meaning of life” in a much more positive way than the tiny mad idea, etc. It apples more to my sense of mystery as well as not involving my mind in the pseudo-judgment about guilt, fear ,etc.

I cannot understood the stemming form NTI with my head, only my heart.

The link below will take you to a sound clip from a talk given by Ram Dass. He has a delightful take on this question. There might be a short ad before the .mp3 file is available.

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/1aLqHYCs/meaning_of_life.html

REFLECTIONS ON TITUS AND PHILEMON

TITUS and PHILEMON

I am both at a loss for words and grateful for not needing them.

The next two books, Titus and Philemon stand on their own. I would encourage you to read each one slowly and reverently. Know that you are not grasping these truths with your mind, but you are letting them settle into your heart where you already know them as true. 

REFLECTIONS ON 2 TIMOTHY

2 TIMOTHY

Most of us have collected baggage over this lifetime. I think of my emotional baggage as being “unfinished feelings.” These are feelings that I have not dealt with fully. It might be grief I have denied, resentment that I have not let go of, fears that I have not faced, just to name a few.

All of this unfinished stuff gets in the way of my peace of mind, my ability to see Truth, and to Love more fully. In other words, my unfinised feelings are preventing me from being where I want to be and experiencing what I truly desire to experience.

So in Timothy 2 we dive into the realm of our unfinished feelings that we might let them go and be healed.

(v 1, 2)1It is time to look within at the darkness that blinds you to your awareness of Life. 2You will see many things, all of which are false. 3Hold My hand, and know it is your own truth that you hold to as we look together at all you are not. P. 383

(v 8 – 12)1Life is a rollercoaster of feelings. 2But when you are lost in your thoughts, you rob yourself of the feelings you set out to experience. 3It is as if you skim the surface, but you do not go in for a full flavor of experience. 4And so the desire for experience remains at a level of which you are not conscious. 5The unanswered question remains unanswered, because you have not allowed yourself the full experience by the distraction of your thoughts. (pp. 383-384)

(v 16 – 18)1Release yourself by accepting your own innocence. 2God has granted you the right to have experience. 3You have, within you, the desire to have experience. 4This desire remains until you have let it go. 5But you cannot fear it and let it go also. 6You must let yourself realize the experience to see that the experience can hold no limits that could ever limit or hinder you. (p. 384)

(v 11 - 13)1Here is a trustworthy saying: 2I am all that I am, and that is all I am promised to be. 3But I cannot limit myself through fear, and know all that I am. 41 choose to release the limits I have chosen for myself. 5In their release, I see that I am. 6Make this the constant prayer of your heart. 7In purpose, step forth unto your release. (p. 385)

(v 20, 21)1It is through fear that you are purified. 2Do not shy away from fear. 3It is through fear that you realize your own shine, because it is through experiencing fear and releasing fear that you learn fear has no hold on you. 4The unlimited cannot be limited by fear. (p. 386)

(v 1 – 5)1Let’s remember that this is a course of looking within in order to heal all 6When you look on the world, remember it is only a prop. 7You are never looking on anything real. 8You are not subject. 9You are lord. 10And the world you look on is your own gift given unto you. 11Now look on the world. 12Look without judgment. 13Look with curiosity. 14Look on the world and see it as a harmless and meaningless prop. 15As you do this, feelings will seem to come up in you, feelings that say, “The world is not a prop!” 16Do not turn away from your feelings. 17Turn your attention, now, from the prop to the feelings it has evoked. 18This is the experience you deemed to have. 19Feel the feelings of injustice and anger and sadness and blame. 20Feel hopelessness and anguish and helplessness and pain. 21Allow yourself the feelings from that place within the Heart where the feelings are only an experience, and you hold hands with Me. (pp. 386-387)

11Feel the fullness of the experience. 12In this way, the stage show can be finished and you can move beyond the experience you wanted to have. (p. 387)

6Accept willingness and feel gratitude for it, that it may increase within you. 7Look at resistance with your willingness; focus on letting resistance go. 8This is the way to peace. (v 16 – 18)1You are not deserted. 2When you feel deserted, you have looked away from the Love within yourself. 3Take this moment to be quiet and to ask Me to look at your pain with you. 4I am with you always, but through inviting Me you acknowledge My presence within you. 5In peace we will experience your pain together. 6Through peace, we will joyously let it go. (p. 390)

REFLECTIONS 1 TIMOTHY

1 TIMOTHY

An often quoted statement by Ram Dass: “From the moment we are born, we go into ‘people-training’ or ‘somebody-training.’ Unfortunately all those people who are telling us who we are don’t know who they are!”

By the time we are adolescents we are like an automobile covered with bumper stickers. We are loaded down with labels telling us and everyone else who it is we think we are.

And then we arrive at the place in time when the old definitions just don’t fit anymore. We know we are “more than…”.

We are faced with the challenge of letting go of everything we thought we were. It is a paradoxical place because the good news is “You are not who you thought you were,” but to begin to get at who you really are you have to make room for Truth. Making room means letting go of all that is not true.

All the bumper stickers, all the labels must go, even the precious ones like, grandfather, musician, minister, husband, etc. 

It is not that we have to give up the DOING of all those things, when we are asked to let go of all those labels, we are reminded that none of them are who we are.

5Individual personhood is based on a belief in separateness. 

8Yet I have been teaching that separateness is false and nothing in the world is as it appears to be. 9Since this is true, the individual person that you think you are must not be your truth. l0And the persons that you think others are must be illusion, just as your seeming separateness is illusion also. P. 373

4But one cannot know Itself as Itself if it persists in knowing Itself as something different. 5Therefore, it is time to lay down who you think you are, that you may pick up, once again, the realization and acceptance of That Which you Are. P. 374

The role of the Observer is emphasized again. Whenever we discover we are wrapped up in a label or limited identity we are encourages to step back, Observe and know the limited self is no who we are.

(v 8 – 10)1If you are the observer, the person in the drama must be an act. 2And if the person is an act, it is not you. 3Test this idea, and watch it. 4You will see it is true. 5You can observe the person in act, because the person in act is not you.   P. 376-7

(v 1, 2)1Teach what you would learn. 2In order to teach yourself that you are not a person, you must teach others that their personhood is also false. 3You do this by not believing their personhood yourself. 4You look beyond their story to the one you know they must be, and that is what you hold in your mind as you listen to them. 5In that way, you teach yourself what you would learn, and you silently teach it to them also. (v 3 – 5)1The Mind with which you Think is that which you are, but this Mind has been covered with the mask of personhood. 2When you think within the belief in the mask, you believe that which isn’t true. 3When your belief is placed with the false, you experience that which is false, and the false continues to be reiterated. 4This is like a level of activity occurring at the level of falsehood. 5It is like a false vibration of somethingness within nothingness. 6It is Existence experiencing Itself as illusion. P. 380

REFLECTIONS ON THESSALONIANS 2

THESSALONIANS II

“I am your heart, because I am you.”

Of all the many ways I can translate that idea in my mind, the most meaningful one to me right now is, “You are what you have always been looking for.” 

There is nowhere else to go, no other book to read, no other teacher to seek out, nothing more to be done. “You are it!”

Ah, but that is not where we live. We continue to cling to the filter, the mask of unworthiness. The essence of the pain we suffer in life is to yearn for something so deeply and then to think we do not deserve it.

How long do we need to hold onto that old, limited, destructive idea of self? Not only does it cloud how we perceive ourselves, but also how we perceive others and the world.

“(v 1 – 4)1Look now, deep within your mind and heart. 2We are looking for a false god that you have erected before your truth. 3This is a false image made of yourself through your own judgment that you could be that which is other than That Which you Are.  (p. 370)

**********

3As a thought comes up in your attempts to rest, look at it gently with no attachment to what it says. 4Ask only this question, “Have you come to me from the Heart? “ 5You will feel the answer immediately. 6Do not doubt what you feel. 7It is the Heart that answers this question in judgment. 8When the answer is no, ask the thought to pass by in peace. 9Feel no resistance to that which you‘ve asked to fade away. 10When the Heart answers yes, relax into listening. 11Relax fully, as you need not question this thought anymore. 12Let your questioning turn to trust. 13Let listening be the practice of the quiet mind. 14You are listening to your true Voice, and it is teaching you who you truly are. P. 372

(v 16)1Peace is always within you, as I am in you and I am you. 2Rest within the gentle knowledge of this as you follow the restful work of ridding yourself of the false. 3What you see cannot disturb your peace, because your peace cannot be disturbed. 4So look within, remembering what it is that you do. 5You have my blessings, as I am joined with you. (v 17)1I leave you now to do the silent work that I have asked. 2But I do not really leave you, as I am the one within that does this work in confidence. (v 18)1Grace be in your mind as well as your Heart. 2Amen. P. 372

REFLECTIONS ON THESSALONIANS

A basic tenet of ACIM and NTI is to change your old ideas. This includes changing, releasing old patterns of behavior, thoughts, ideas, and beliefs.

Much of what we are holding onto is not conscious, so part of the process is allowing this stuff to raise to a conscious level so that it may be released and/or transformed.

Let us use PEACE for instance since Peace is a major theme for 1 Thessalonians.

Inner peace is usually at the top of mist people’s spiritual wish list.

So here is an internal dialogue and progression of thinking that many of us have gone through. The process has NOT been successful in producing   inner peace, but, up until this time, it has been the only one we knew.

Here I am yearning for Inner Peace. I don’t feel peaceful (that is one of my initial mistakes, in associating peace with just an emotion).

I don’t perceive myself as experiencing peace. 

I want it; I don’t think I have it. (and, of course, if I don’t think I have it, it must be “out there” somewhere).

Now what do I tell myself? I say to myself, “I am not at peace.” I tell myself that, and I believe it because it surely feels true and sounds true.

I say it again, with a little more conviction and perhaps alto more anger, 

“I am not at peace.” Every time I repeat that thought to myself, I am less and less at peace

Peace--I don’t feel it. I don’t perceive myself as experiencing it.

I want it; I don’t think I have it.

What do I tell myself, “I am not at peace.” And every time I tell myself that I am less and less at peace.

What am I doing? Although I am not conscious of it, I am creating a space for non-peace, confusion, chaos, guilt, fear--you name it.

We can step back and realize the craziness of our thinking. Although our object was to be at peace, all we managed to do was crete more unrest.

We can attempt to reject the old pattern, and try to create a new one, but NTI suggests a new and different approach. It is sort of a variation on the theme of “work with what is already working.” 

“Lack of peace in any measure is an opportunity to be healed.” 

This is a loaded statement. First, it presumes we will some times perceive ourselves as being unpeaceful. 

We will “fall asleep,” be unaware of our Truth. We will wake up, be at peace, and become aware again.

An aspect of my old method would be to beat myself up for falling asleep. “Idiot, what’s wrong with you? How come you can’t just always be aware of your truth? How come you get caught up in fear, anger, separateness thinking and other distractions?”

I would start beating myself up for falling asleep. What I do not realize is that as soon as I begin to beat myself up, I have fallen pray to unawareness again. I am no longer acting or treating myself as a beloved child of God, I am right back into my blame, shame, and guilt of ego consciousness.

The quote above, “Lack of peace….” also tells me that there is a whole other way of approaching unpeacefulness. Instead of self-punishment, even lack of peace can be used for HEALING.

WOW. What a deal.

Here is what the Holy Spirit says:

2To look at the intrusion and to focus on it as a failure is to continue to hold onto error. 3Do not judge your own lack of peace. 4Rejoice that the Holy Spirit has brought you to another moment of healing. (v 6 – 10)1Let Me change your mind about what you experience, so you may use your experience to heal without delay. P. 365

We let the Holy Spirit change our mind. See, we don’t create peace or a peaceful mind, it is already there.

Now there is another step that helps break the pattern of being angry and upset for falling into unawareness or being asleep.

We are told now to: 4Rejoice in each moment that peace is known within your heart. 5Do not judge from whence the peace has come or whether it is for the “right” or the “wrong” reason. 6Celebrate its glory regardless of the reason, and be glad. P. 365

Two things here: 1) Be grateful for nay awareness of peace. Gratitude opens the heart and makes room for the awareness of more peace; 2) don’t get involved with trying to figure out what happened to cause the peace or where it comes from. That kind of thinking simply reinforces the false idea that peace comes from outside you. 

The chapter ends by stating: 3Remember the purpose of peace and the purpose of lack of peace. 4Peace is the path of remembering. 5Lack of peace is evidence that you have momentarily strayed from your path. 6Therefore, it is a reminder to put forgetfulness aside and to step joyously on the path of peace again. P. 367-8

REFLECTIONS ON GALATIANS

REFLECTIONS ON GALATIANS

Although each book has its wisdom, this one stands out for me. It allowed me to get in closer contact with the voice of Jesus, and to continue to connect more on a personal level. ( I do not recall where I got this piece of information, but I believe Regina stated that Galatians had the distinct voice of Jesus).

More than anything else this book put me in touch with what I am calling, “the power of willingness.” 

Previously, willingness was a vague thought, desire, wish. It was a wanting, but the only power it had was the power of emptiness. My willingness was the desire that a need be fulfilled. I do not deny the power of wanting, but I no longer look upon wanting as willingness.

Willingness is an energy, but it is an energy that requires forms of expression. I can say and think that I am willing, but I need to question, “How is my willingness being expressed?”

For instance, I might think that my desire to write a book is the same as my willingness to write a book, but I know from experience that I can want something, or think I want something, but as it turns out I am not doing anything to get it. Eg.I am not setting time aside during the day to write; I am not researching; I am not exploring markets. Simply put, my wanting, as it may seem, is an empty wish.

True willingness has legs. It moves, it expresses itself.  

Taking this to the spiritual realm, I desire inner peace; I am willing to experience inner peace. What am I doing/thinking that is an expression of that willingness?

Do I pray, meditate, avoid conflictual thinking and action, release disruptive behavior and thoughts, seek out those people, places and events which will contribute to my peace?

Those are expression of my willingness. They do not create inner peace by themselves, but they open the door, help clean out the waste, so that I may know the inner peace that is already mine.

That is just an example of the power of willingness. It is not a passive thing. Willingness is the active expression of my soul, as it opens itself to

Although each book has its wisdom, this one stands out for me. It allowed me to get in closer contact with the voice of Jesus, and to continue to connect more on a personal level. ( I do not recall where I got this piece of information, but I believe Regina stated that Galatians had the distinct voice of Jesus).

More than anything else this book put me in touch with what I am calling, “the power of willingness.” 

Previously, willingness was a vague thought, desire, wish. It was a wanting, but the only power it had was the power of emptiness. My willingness was the desire that a need be fulfilled. I do not deny the power of wanting, but I no longer look upon wanting as willingness.

Willingness is an energy, but it is an energy that requires forms of expression. I can say and think that I am willing, but I need to question, “How is my willingness being expressed?”

For instance, I might think that my desire to write a book is the same as my willingness to write a book, but I know from experience that I can want something, or think I want something, but as it turns out I am not doing anything to get it. Eg.I am not setting time aside during the day to write; I am not researching; I am not exploring markets. Simply put, my wanting, as it may seem, is an empty wish.

True willingness has legs. It moves, it expresses itself.  

Taking this to the spiritual realm, I desire inner peace; I am willing to experience inner peace. What am I doing/thinking that is an expression of that willingness?

Do I pray, meditate, avoid conflictual thinking and action, release disruptive behavior and thoughts, seek out those people, places and events which will contribute to my peace?

Those are expression of my willingness. They do not create inner peace by themselves, but they open the door, help clean out the waste, so that I may know the inner peace that is already mine.

That is just an example of the power of willingness. It is not a passive thing. Willingness is the active expression of my soul, as it opens itself to

REFLECTIONS ON EPHESIANS

Two thoughts summed up Ephesians for me:

1. From the vision you hold of yourself comes your creation.

I can hold onto my negative thinking about myself as long as I want. It is familiar, somewhat comfortable, and my ego would certainly like to belive it is true. My beliefs in inadequacy, not enougnhness, etc. are what fuels the ego and make it seem real.

But now I am not only offered the choice to release that thinking, I am also offered the compelling questions, "How long do I need to do this: am I not finished with this one yet?

I might not enter into the realm of bliss of unconditional love, but cannot I work on believing it is true?

1. Who are you?

Who do you perceive yourself to be?

Whatever that is that is what you are giving out and that is what is returning to you.

Don’t like it? You can choose differently.

REFLECTIONS ON COLLOSIANS

I realize I might say this often, but I will suggest it again, Colossians is one of those books in NTI where everything could be highlighted.

That said, let me share a few reflections.

The following is a beautiful description of who you are:

5What are you, then, if you are the Christ? 6You are the flow that is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the creator of all things within time. 7You are the heavens and the earth, the bees and the sunshine. 8You are the process that made all things and is all things, so that they live through the process that created them. 9You are the flow of Life and separate from nothing that is Life, for that which flows through them is the process that you are. 10You are beyond concepts and differences and form, and within the Life Force that is all things. (pp. 355-356)

Another phrase that is emphasized a number of times in this book is “you are the process of creation.”

That’s one I just have to sit with. It is beyond my mind to truly understand that statement, and yet the Truth of it resonates strongly within me.

My mind cannot compute that God who is changeless can also be in process as well, but my heart resonates with the sense of growth and expansion. It is hard to imagine, God or love or grace to be static or unmoving.

There is a Buddhist flavor to this book* as well, as it describes how we can be seduced by old attachments and we are encouraged to keep in mind to embrace only the eternal.

(v 1 – 4)1The world is a dream that seemed to be what you thought you wanted. 2If you look at it in denial it can fool you for a little longer. 3For the world has in it a glimmer and a shine that may appeal to you in your forgetfulness. 4But nothing in the world can last. 5What it offers you is never eternal. (p. 358)

And:

(v 5 – 11)1Remember your Self, which is eternal, and you will know that you cannot be satisfied with glimmerings of the temporal. 2Remember your Self, which is eternal, and you will know with certainty that your focus cannot settle on something that shines for a little while. (p. 359)

A mainstay of the Holy Spirit’s teaching is to guide us away from self-judgment, especially after expressing such a powerful idea as above.

This goes along with ACIM which tells us that as soon as we make an error in our thinking, the Holy Spirit crease a correction at that instant. 

So here we have a reminder, quickly pulling us out of judgment into openness and grace.

2The little that you have** is enough to carry you very far. 3Focus on your lessons, and learn to change your mind. 4This is the practice that will lead you to see. 5As you see, you accept, and as you accept, you begin to desire. 6In this way, you follow your Self back to your Home, which is the knowledge of your full joy and happiness. (p. 359)

**I would think this could mean, “The little that you think you have…”

Since most of my difficulties come from my limited and false perceptions.

It is sometimes confusing to me of what to do with the world. Do I love it, hate it, avoid it, pretend it is not there, keep calling it an illusion?

Collossians goes onto suggest:

(v 18 - 25)1Look on all that you see and love it, but do not identify with it. 2It is not your truth or your reality. 3It is a reflection of your thought. 4Be grateful for the love that you find. 5Embrace it. 6But also be grateful for the reflection that seems not to be love, for it is what it seems not to be. 7It comes to you in love and grace to show you what you have thought, that you may choose again. 8Praise your mistakes, that they may be corrected. 9For it is only in praise and acceptance that the truth may be known. (pp. 359-360)

And finally we are directed as to how to work with our thoughts in a positive way. 

When I notice my thoughts I realize they can run the gamut of warm, loving, insightful to cruel, destructive and downright insane.

As I was reading NTI I had this image of my mind as being like this satellite dish picking up “thought waves” from everywhere and everything. I used to spend quite a bit of time and energy attempting to figure out some of my nuttier thoughts or to figure out what was wrong with me.

Rather than getting back into judgment and fear, NTI suggests:

5Remain detached from the thoughts that you find, yet fully observant. 6The Heart bids you to remember that the mind receives thoughts of all kinds. 7It is your habit to accept whatever the mind receives. 8Now you are being asked to learn discernment. 9Notice what is received, but realize you need not keep it just because you received it. 10Receiving it does not mean you must keep it. (p. 361)

Parting thought:

The progression of our path is outlined:

5Remain detached from the thoughts that you find, yet fully observant. 6The Heart bids you to remember that the mind receives thoughts of all kinds. 7It is your habit to accept whatever the mind receives. 8Now you are being asked to learn discernment. 9Notice what is received, but realize you need not keep it just because you received it. 10Receiving it does not mean you must keep it. (p. 361)

*FYI  The usual notation for the New Testament is that it is divided into books, ie. The Book of Matthew, Acts, Romans, etc. So instead of referring to the sections as chapters, they are referred to as “books.”

SUMMARY ON PHILLIPIANS

SUMMARY ON PHILLIPIANS

This book is a compilation of ideas from 2 Corinthians and the following epistles.

Empty shell, willingness, and the power of creation.

As we become more aware of our creative power and accept responsibility for the way we see the world we are encouraged to explore deeper into our motive/purpose so that our creative power is used to enhance the flow rather than resist it.

There is a phrase that comes up several times--”you are the process of creation that is God.” 

I would encourage us all to take that thought into meditation. It is not something which can be grasped by the thinking mind. Only the heart will truly understand, but when we are deeply aware of this truth and allow our purpose to be Love, we will be in the space of Miracles.

4Is that which you believe that which you have chosen based upon the foundation of your motive? 5Do you have a foundation without a building, and a building without foundation? (p. 350)

This is a key teaching: (v 1 – 4)1The way you operate in the world is a reflection of your faith and your belief. 2For the way you operate is not action, but the image of the expression of thought.(p. 350)

If we could continue to be aware of this we would realize we are in a continual state of grace.

There is continual focus on the idea that what we see and experience is a product of the mind.

What follows in Chapter 3 is more like a meditation or guided imagery. I would encourage you to quietly sit and meditate with this chapter.

(I am including an imagery suggested by this chapter on the web site:   http://www.christintraining.com ).

SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS

SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS

The first sentence picks up on willingness, “I have come to teach you that which you have become willing to learn.” 

This book speaks of the Law, and since there is only One Law, it is the Law of Love.

The Law of Love governs all things, whether we are conscious of it or not.

This is why we are continually encouraged to be conscious, aware and awake.

The Law of Love, which is expressed in creation is always active; we are always creating. 

If we believe we are not worthy of love, then we will create experiences which express that. Chap. 2 (11-13):

1Therefore, remember that this law is who you are, so that this law works through you even as you believe you are who you are not. 2This law is your truth, completely inseparable from you. 3You must learn this law and love it in order to realize and accept the truth of who you are. (p. 340)

(19-22) 7-13:

7This is the agreement, which is also law: 8All that you are, you are through creation. 9All that you be, you be through creation also. 10In this way, thought is alive and serves as your creative force through your brothers, who serve you as you serve them. 11This is not a conscious agreement, so it can seem to bring unhappiness and conflict.12But all that is at the surface is illusion. 13In truth, you ask of your brother through your mind, and your brother answers you exactly as you have asked. P. 340-1

Much of this book is a reminder of the above.

There is also a solution if we do not like what we have created. Chap. 4 (29-32):

(v 29 – 32)1Make, therefore, your decision, and then be true to it. 2The mind is receiver, but you choose from the mind. 3Watch the thoughts carefully. 4Do not choose those which you would not deliver, knowing all that is delivered can be given back to you. 5Pick the thoughts you would deliver to the body, knowing that it is also you. 6Let go of all thoughts you would not keep, and they shall not be delivered. 7Deliver in love and you receive in love, for you deliver unto yourself. 8Know your happiness by realizing your truth and operating in it according to true desire. P. 343

Chap. 5 (3-7) 5-6:

5Choose now a different experience, and it is something different that will be given you. 6Choose now to know Love through your being of Love, and it is Love that shall answer you. P. 344

Directives towards solutions: 

Chap. 5 (8-14) 8-10: 

8Give off Light, that Light may come back to bless. 9Give off Light, because Light is the reflection of your truth. 10Give off Light, because Light is the expression of your joy and all that you would give or ask now is joy, because joy is all that is necessary. P. 344

Chap. 6 (1-4) 3-8:

3As you think, you experience. 4It is through your thinking that illusion is made. 5It is through awareness of thought that you see what I teach. 6It is through releasing thought that illusion is let go. 7This is the process of awakening. 8As you let Me, I take your hand and lead you through this process now.9Everything is according to your own willingness. 

(pp. 345-346)

and (5-8) 1-4:

8)1Awakening comes from the Heart, so let the Heart lead in all things. 2The mind is the great receiver. 3But with the Heart, sort through that which is received. 4Let the Heart and mind together give to spirit, so that the deliverer receives, always, through the Heart. P. 346

And the key passage which sums all this up is: 

Chap. 6 (v 10 – 18)1

I ask you to remember this: 2You are the free Son of God. 3Coercion can have no influence over you. 4You may decide what you want, ask for what you want, and you will receive in kind. 5Look, therefore, within your Heart. 6Know what you truly want before you ask. 7In this way, you only receive blessings upon your true desire, which is of God.  (p. 346). 

You might also wanT to check out p. 343 (29-32) 1:

Make, therefore, your decision, and then be true to it. 2The mind is receiver, but you choose from the mind.

It seems like a simple statement, fairly obvious, but some would consider it to be a pivotal piece of awareness.

ACIM makes a brief and one-time reference to what I calls “the Decider.”

Anonymous; Schucman, Helen; Thetford, William; Helen Shucman and William Thetford (2009-06-12). A Course In Miracles ((Original Edition)) (p. 539). Course in Miracles Society. Kindle Edition. 

Remember the old image of the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other? It was always a question of who is going to win, the good thought or the “bad” thought. All our focus is on the angel or the devil.

ACIM and NTI are focusing on the person, the decider between these two thoughts. Notice the difference. The DECIDER is not a passive victim to good or bad thoughts, he/she decides which one to embrace or hold onto.

That might net seem like much on the surface, but the DECIDER is a huge part of the picture.