NTI REVIEW OF GALATIANS

NTI REVIEW OF GALATIANS

From all this talk about the world in 2 Corinthians, we might begin to see the world or our perception of it as the “enemy” and that kind of thinking just gets us back to fear and judgment again.

P. 330 (v 21 - 22)1I ask you not to look at the world and be sad for what it seems to be. 2I ask you to look at the world and be happy for what it is. 3See there, within the world, the Light that cannot be extinguished. 4See there, within the world, the evidence of Love Alive. 5Love your brothers for their truth, watering, therefore, the Light that is the truth within them.

I believe GALATIANS all about the energy of WILLINGNESS, not as some wimpy wishful thinking, but getting in touch with the desire of our hearts and allowing the energy of that desire propel us to a knowing of ONENESS. 

It might or might not be important to you, but I came across some information for Regina Dawn Akers, the scribe of NTI, where she stated that the book of Galatians is somewhat unique in that it speaks with the voice of Jesus, whereas the other books were directly from the Holy Spirit.

I don’t want to quibble about differences here. The point is that in Galatians, Jesus relates the ideas that are shared with His own human experience.

1. 330 again:

3Through your willingness you are healed. 4Through your willingness, you are free. 5Through your willingness the darkness of confusion is lifted, and the oneness of Heart is known.

Instead of pulling more quotes I think Chapters 5&6 can be read over and over. 

Chapter 6 is almost written in the form of a guided imagery.

You can listen to and download a meditation from this chapter on 

http://christintraining.com/reflections.htm

AND what might be the most important paragraph in the entire book:

P. 329 (v 6 – 9)1Let Me tell you what I see when I look at you. 2I see faith and willingness and love. 3I see a heart that is so strong, not even the heavens of your universe can contain it. 4I see a mind that is awakening to its own Heart. 5I see gentleness through awakening, and I am grateful to have come to welcome you back unto your truth.

NTI REVIEW OF 2 CORINTHIANS

NTI REVIEW OF 2 CORINTHIANS

Simply put, we create our life experiences.

What we experience is also the result of our perception.

Perception is a limited point of view and can be changed.

We can choose to change our experiences and our perceptions of them.

Since we are One, our thoughts effect the One.

Hold to your True thoughts (this is the creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth).

The ego, the world (our learned perception of the world) are continually telling us they are right and true. Essentially they are always saying, “Just look around, separateness is real.”

There is another source of evidence and that is the Heart. We can choose which one we listen to, our perception of the world or the Heart.

From Chapter 2

4But now I ask you to look in a new place for evidence. 5I ask you to look, not at the world for proof of what is true, but to look within your Self where the truth about you is known. (v 12 – 18)1The world was made to tell you that you are what you are not. 2But this is a lesson you can never fully learn, because the truth of what you are is written on your Heart. 3Seek there! 4Ask your Heart what you are, and the answer will be given clearly. 5Then look at the world, which gives you a different answer, and say to it, “I will believe the answer of the Heart. 6I will let that answer shine unto you.”

P. 313-14 (v 13 – 15)1Your belief is expressed through thought. 2Above all else, watch your thoughts. 3What are you allowing your thoughts to think? 4Are you thinking of the illusion of the world as if it is real? 5If so, you are expressing your desire to accept the veil of darkness. 6Is this your true desire? 7If not, why do you permit yourself to express it through the activity of your thoughts?

(v 16 – 18)1Fix your eyes and your thoughts on the true desire of your Heart, not because it is your hope for the future, but because it is your reality now. 2You are what your Heart tells you that you are. 3Only you do not see it, because you do not focus yourself there. 4Focus on the world, and you will believe the world. 5Believe the world, and you choose to keep the veil, which hides your truth. 6Focus on your Heart in all your thoughts, and you choose against the veil. 7You choose, instead, that the veil may be lifted, that you may see your truth and your brother’s truth and know in the joy of your Heart that it is true.

1. 315 vs. 3-15

3Here is how you are to practice: 4As you suffer, choose not to suffer. 5Let the experience of the body continue without the desire for the experience to be different. 6Rejoice that the experience is not your reality. 7When you are afraid, choose not to be afraid by remembering that what you fear is not real. 8It is of the world or it is born of thoughts of the world. 9It is an experience, but it is not real. 10It is not real, and so it is not your truth. 11When you are joyous because the world seems to be going your way, and today seems to be your day, remember that is not your joy. 12Your joy is your truth, which is beyond the world. 13Be happy and be joyous, but let your joy come to you apart from your experience. 14Let your joy come to you from the truth in your Heart. 15Relax in your joy and be your joy, beyond your experience of the world.

We are not separate from the mind of God, therefore we are not separate, and never have been, from total and complete Love.

Be aware of your thoughts, if they are not loving, let them go.

Since your thoughts are part of the One mind, they effect the One mind.

p. 321 11This is why I ask you to stay focused within. 12Look within your mind and your Heart before you look at the world. 13Know your purpose, which is the true desire of the Heart. 14Let your purpose lead you in all things. 15In this way, all actions that you take will be an expression of the true Heart, so all actions shall be giving of the thought of Love.

1. 323 ff

4Seek only for a moment to test your thoughts by the true desire of the Heart, and the light of the Heart shall shine, that you may see your thoughts truly. 

1You are not defined by the world. 2You are defined by the Voice Within, which is where you are. 3This is why I ask you not to look at the world. 4You seem to be in a world, but if you are in the Mind, the world can be nothing to you. 5It cannot affect you, if you remember where you truly are. 6You are protected from it by the nature of your being. 7For your truth is beyond the world and beyond the images that seem to be the world. 8Your truth is eternal, as is the truth of all thoughts within the Mind of God. 9For what is thought in God’s Mind is God, just as your true thoughts are the truth of what you are. 

10I have told you that your mind is tricky, because your mind is split. 11But the tricks of the mind will not fool you if you remember what you are. 12The thoughts that tell you that you are in the world and subject to the world do not know who you are, so they are not your true thoughts. 13They are a mirage. 14If you approach them closely, you will see that they disappear. 15For they cannot stand in the Light of the true desire of your Heart, which is you. (v 11)1Your true thoughts are below the thoughts of the world, closer to your Heart, because they stem from there. 2They stem from your truth, and so they are your truth. 3Listen to your truth and know, within, who you are. (v 12 – 14)1Within the Mind all is one, for there is no separation of any kind. 2All mind is of one Source, so all mind is one through its Source, which cannot be apart from Itself. 3Love one another, for you are of one Mind. 4In loving one another, you love your truth. 5In this love, you are one. 6Amen.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE 12/12/11

After all the chatter, all the books, all the workshops, the simple task, the ultimate yearning of our hearts is to be back Home, to be in the Oneness, to live in the continual state of knowing we are unconditionally loved.

Even though I am continually being bowled over by the loving and insightful messages of The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament. I need to be aware that this book, too, is just a symbol.

It’s power lies not in what it says so much, but in reminding us of the Truth that we already know.

And, now, here is the ultimate paradox, to be able to pray as Emily Cadie* did, “God, I don’t know the answer, You do, show me.” 

You see, “I” know, but that is still the individual “I” speaking. To know with clarity, to touch and be embraced by Divine Truth, “I” must be no longer (or at least irrelevant). To know Oneness with the Father there can be nothing in the way, not a hint of judgment or separateness.

How can “I” possibly do that? I can’t---but God can. This, again, is surrender. Letting go of knowing (or thinking that I know). Letting go of my attachment to all the methods of enlightenment I have collected over the years. 

It is ultimate, complete surrender. As 12 Step recovery recommends,

“I can’t; God can; I think I will let Him.” I would even amend that a bit. Rather than saying, “I think I will let Him,” I would rather pray, “I am open and willing to be guided to Your Truth. I do not know the way or the method. Please guide me, and aid me with the grace to follow.”

Notice that our learning is changing. Blame, guilt, fear, sin and making mistakes are exchanged for gentleness, understanding, choice, and asking for help.

We are becoming more and more aware of our Higher consciousness which observes our little self doing whatever it is doing. Instead of getting wrapped up in the drama, we begin to lovingly ask for guidance from the Spirit (which is our true self) and we move forward with grace. 

Instead of letting our little self, who we thought we were, run the whole show, we realize we are more than that, and we can make choices accordingly. 

The more we surrender, the more we become who we are.

*Lessons in Truth

NTI Sunday 12/4/11

Discussing the 1st phase outlined in Acts (chapters 19-23)

Our willingness is expressed through our acts  of study, prayer, etc.

Throughout all this activity, the Holy Spirit is loosening the knots of our attachments, false ideas, beliefs, etc.

It is not our “work” so much as it is our willingness that allows this loosening to take place.

The question came up, as it does many times, “What started this whole thing?” “How did I create such a mess?”

 And, of course our answer goes back to the moment when from “a tiny mad idea” we asked the question, “I wonder what it would e like to be separate?” We are still living in that ancient moment.

I think the point here is not to try to understand all that, but to recognize that today we are drawn to the Truth. We want the Peace of God, we want the experience of wholeness. We are willing to experience the Truth of who we are----the One Son of God.

What about when we “see” disease, physical imperfection? What do we do with that?

We were reminded of an incident in Jesus life (from the Old New Testament John 9: 1-12, and summarized in NTI John 9 (1-12)[the rest of this chapter in NTI speaks of “spiritual blindness.”]

The man born blind. “Who has sinned, this man or his parents….” Jesus replied, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him.” Put into the language of NTI, there is no focus on sin, but Jesus’ ability to see Oneness, no disease, no imperfection, just Oneness and Wholeness.

Now how do we practically apply that? Suppose we see someone we perceive as sick, what do we do with that? Well, we could pray that we are able to see them/him/her as whole, but 

1) we are still looking at them and ourselves as separate and

1. we are still seeing the other(and sometimes ourselves) as “something wrong.”

There are two prayers from Acts that offer corrections for this kind of thinking.

Acts 1( 7-10) Therefore, pray in this way: Father, I do not know what is best for me now, in this time and this place, that I may be led back to You. Because I cannot see the path I am ready to walk, take my hand and send me your Voice to guide me. 1I shall go where it asks me to go, and I shall do as it asks me to do in joy and peace and certainty. P. 216

Acts 4(10-14) Oh Father, I come to you now in humility and gratitude. I am humble, because I realize that I do not know how to see. I cannot see the Holy Spirit’ s plan, and so I do not know what I look upon. But I also come in gratitude, because I trust that the Holy Spirit does know, and the plan is safe with Him as the overseer of all things. Amen.. p221-2

Introducing the 2nd phase: Loosening continues, but now in a more conscious way. We become aware of the the thoughts, ideas, beliefs, etc. which have reinforced illusion, and we become aware we have a choice of what we think, hold onto, etc.

11/27/11 PHASE 4 1 CORINTHIANS 15

If it seems we get off the subject occasionally that is merely an illusion. No matter how many different angles we use to approach it, there is only One subject, and that One subject is YOU/ME. There is only One of us here, so there is only One purpose, to know Truth.

We began looking at the end chapters of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 15 devotes itself to “the fourth and final earthly phase of the path of truth with Me.” (3-11)5

The first three phases are described in Acts chapters 19-21. 

              BRIEF SUMMARY

1)The Search  please read/reread all of Chapter 19

                       A key here is willingness

Much of the work here is performed by the Holy Spirit within our unconscious through our willingness. The work is the loosening of our mind from false beliefs/attachments.

2)Loosening/Letting Go  Please read/reread Chapter 20&21

Now we have willingness combined with choice

At this stage as the Holy Spirit’s work continues, we are now more consciously involved in the process, making guided choices on what thoughts we no longer want to keep or hold onto.

We are continually reminded during this process that we are not doing this work alone. We are always being lovingly guided. This is especially true, since as we cleanse and heal, some of our supposed negativity will seem to feel worse instead of better. See Chapter 20(13-24) 12-16; (25-31); (32-38); Chapter 21(1-6) 5-7.

In this stage we are challenged to embrace our experiences as our own creation, allow ourselves to learn whatever it is we intended to learn, and then release them and let them go. 

Know that you create and have an experience, but that is not who you are. 

See John 8(48-59) 9-10  “You experience that which you ask. Does that not tell you that you are beyond your experience?” And Galatians 5 (1) 1-6.

3)Guidance or Service  Chapter 23

Willingness, choice and action

From this stage emerges the willingness to see, to put self-will aside, knowing always that the answers are within. (I think this stage would be similar to what spiritual teachers call The Practice of the Presence of God.  Truly seeing God in all things and being open to God’s loving guidance always. Notice what is happening here. I give up my will in order to flow with God’s Will, and as my little will is ignored, there becomes only One Will, God’s/Mine.)

The fourth stage described in 1 Corinthians 15.

And Chapter 15 begins with “Let me remind you of the simplicity of what I request….I ask you to lay down willingly everything but your trust.”

To be honest when I read over phase four it seemed to be so out of my reach, so beyond my usual experience of life that I thought I was reading a fairy story. I heard myself saying to myself, “Yeah, right” and although I knew that was the ego talking I was still aware of how far away I felt from the reality described in Chapter 15. 

The kind of thinking I fell into is a trap, a trap of judgment, comparison, unworthiness, and belief in my own false limited perception of myself.

Although NTI describes these aspects of the path as “stages or phases” in our development, they are more a statement of our “unlearning” or our letting go of the ideas of what we are not, so that we can see and know who we truly are. 

We go through these stages, or we think we have to go through these stages because we still perceive ourselves in a limited way.

(But the stages are necessary within our limited perception see Acts Chapter 7 

My limited vision is described in Acts 4(1-22) 1-5:

“I have told you before that you will be tempted to deny your guidance. And I have told you where this temptation will come from. It is resistance born of a sense of unworthiness. I have also told you where this sense of unworthiness comes from. It is born of guilt, born of the belief that you have stolen yourself from God.”

Just read over the fourth earthly phase in 1 Corinthians 15(12-19).

Instead of dismissing it as being impossible or saying to yourself, “I am so far away from that” stop for a moment, and as you read that passage, listen to the yearning of your heart, listen to your heart as it reminds you of the truth of this passage. Know that the yearning of your heart is not a wish for something, but a reminder of what is True.

How could you yearn for this fourth phase unless you already knew the truth of it? 

We yearn to be free because we know we already are.

IT IS EASY TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE HEALING OF THE WORLD,

                                                     BUT

the task we are asked to take on today is, “Are you willing to be 100% responsible for the healing of the One Son of God?”

Sunday 11/20/11 THE ENERGY OF WILLINGNESS Galatians Chapter 5

We have been encouraging ourselves and everyone else to work with feeling our feelings and fully experiencing our experiences(all of which we have asked for and created). 

Jack reminded us that we are all asked to join in the prayer/vision to see ourselves and everyone else as whole, perfect and complete.  We do not look at ourselves as sick and needing healing, that simply gives energy to  the false idea of sickness. We affirm, as Jesus did, our wholeness, our perfection, our Oneness. And as we hold Jack and all our Brothers ands Sisters in that Truth, we hold ourselves there as well, for that wholeness, perfection, and Oneness must be our Truth also.

Before we get into Chapter 5 I wanted to share one of my favorite passages:

Galatians, Chapter 3  (v 6 – 9)Let Me tell you what I see when I look at you. I see faith and willingness and love. I see a heart that is so strong, not even the heavens of your universe can contain it. I see a mind that is awakening to its own Heart. I see gentleness through awakening, and I am grateful to have come to welcome you back unto your truth.

The major theme we wanted to explore today is THE ENERGY OF WILLINGNESS. We wanted to go deeper than seeing willingness as simply an idea or a wish. It is an energy. In essence, it is the energy of creation.

Notice the difference between wanting and being willing. We discovered that willingness has a quality of openness to it. It is a surrender and letting go, and at the same time the realization that we are tapping into the Source of unlimited energy.

From Galatians 5(2-6) 4-5 

“But if you will focus your willingness on the part of your mind that wants the truth above everything else, you will find that willingness will grow. And with it, joy will expand within your conscious awareness.”

Notice how it feels inside you to focus on your willingness. It is as if your willingness is showing you not what you want so much as Something that already IS.

(7-12) 4-5 “I have asked you to focus on your willingness, and I have told you that willingness is Light in the mind. You will know this is true when you focus on that willingness, for it will give you the feelings of Light.”

Here is a brief overview of our journey{

(7-12) 6-12 In the beginning of your acceptance you see yourself as an individual, separate from everything, within a very real world. And yet, you call for love. That call is your willingness, eager to be reunited with Itself in awareness. That call, being a spark ofLight, is your link to your Source. Therefore, it comes to you with all of the power and strength of the Source. You only need focus on it to become aware. Nothing else is needed.

Please follow up by reading p. 334 from 13 “As you focus on your willingness…” to “Suddenly you are everything..”

We would encourage you to continue to get a sense of the Energy of Willingness, how you can choose your focus and how that energy can guide you. 

This last section towards the middle of the chapter is just beautiful. It lets us know that willingness is not just a wish or a desire, it is not based in the future about something that is going to happen or something we want to happen. No, willingness is about what already is NOW. The energy of Willingness opens us to the truth of who we are.

Focus on your willingness as if it is your truth, because it is. 

Focus on your willingness as if it holds the answer to all questions, because it does. 

Focus on your willingness as if it is everything to everyone, because it is. 

Focus on your own willingness.That is Love Alive within the world.

And 

For to know your willingness is to know God. 5To love your willingness is to love Him.

Finally, be aware that from time to time(for me, quite often) I will lose sight of my willingness. I will become lost, distracted, self-righteous, closed, guarded, angry, tired, lonely, depressed. (What happens is I begin to identify with these states of mind and go into the dream where I think they are me!)

(16-18)5-11You will be tempted to think with the world. In times of unknowing, you will think and act with the world. But your willingness is in action, and so you will see what you have done. Each moment of noticing is an opportunity for immediate repentance. Repentance is nothing more than remembering what you truly want and returning joyfully to the focus of your willingness. This is the dance of love. And the dance of love is the spreading of Light within a welcome mind.

Next week we will be traveling back to finish Corinthians 1&2.

11/13 1 CORINTHIANS EXPLORING EXPERIENCE AND BECOMING AN EMTPY SHELL

11/13/11      1 CORINTHIANS

EXPLORING EXPERIENCE AND BECOMING AN EMTPY SHELL

Thank you for staying with this one. It is a difficult lesson, but as we discovered today it is not all work and not all dark.

We’ve been diving into some ideas that go much deeper than the old “creating your own reality” game and “The Secret.”

In 1 Corinthians we are challenged to know that whatever it is we are experiencing, we have created, and we need to have the experience to move through it.

Simply put you have to feel your feelings to let them go. 

Unless I take responsibility for my thoughts and actions, I will never be able to have them corrected. I will continue to be victim to my own thoughts.

Instead of taking that in a negative way, let us realize that all our experiences are meant to wake us up.

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚

Even psychologists will tell us of the toxicity of stuffing feelings. When feelings are denied or “unfinished” they just don’t disappear. They still have life and will be churning around within us until we bring them to the surface to be experienced and let go of. Meanwhile, as they remain denied and hidden, they can produce all kinds of other nasty symptoms such as depression, anxiety, acid reflux, sleep disturbances, just to name a few.

Many of us have a backlog of what I call “unfinished feelings” from our early years. These must be felt/experienced to be released. This is part of becoming an empty shell.

We also don’t want to create any more stuff either, so we allow ourselves to become aware whenever we are angry, fearful, etc. To recognize, accept, take ownership of those feelings and to let them go.

As I mentioned before this does not have to be dramatic, sometimes just recognizing a feeling, owning it, and deciding it are useless to us, is enough to let ti go. (Please, note this is not the same as denial. Denial is our unwillingness to look at the feeling at all.)

Mt 16 (5-12) 7-9 “Let your fear and doubt come into your mind that you may see it. But in faith, let it go. In this way, you choose where you will put your faith.”

Deep within us are some feelings of which we are not even aware. Becoming an empty shell means allowing even those hidden things to come to the surface to be healed and released.

The model of Jesus provides a beautiful example of this:

Mk. 1 (v 43 – 45)1Not yet knowing where he was being led, the man of Jesus harbored some fear deep within his mind. 2During this time, he kept this fear hidden from himself. 3And so the Spirit led him down a useful and helpful path, that one day he may find the strength to face and lay down his fear.

Here are a few more quotes from NTI:

Romans 1 (v 18 – 32)1Within you, there is a wish. 2This wish is not within anyone else, although you would rather see it there. 3This wish is hidden deep within your mind, hidden by layers of smoke. 4Before we go together to look at this wish, there is something I want you to know. 5The wish is only a thought. 6It is nothing else at all. 7It can best be described as a curiosity that you wanted to explore. 8It is really nothing...nothing at all. 9I am very grateful that you have expressed your freedom and explored your wish. 10Now the curiosity can be let go. 11I am your guide as I show you what you have learned in a daydream within the mind. 12Join with Me in peace and detachment as we giggle at your thought in gratitude that it could be thought and let go.

2 Thessalonians 2 (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. 4We must raise this false being up from its hiding place, because it is from within hiding that it rules. 5Brought into the light of day, it cannot rule longer, because its falseness must be revealed.

Whenever we have a thought of fear, anger, guilt or any other form of negativity we begin to realize all these thoughts arise from our sense of separateness (which by its nature generates fear and guilt). In the work of becoming an empty shell, we are allowing Spirit to lead us to the root that it may be finally dug up and we are released from all illusion.

Mt 12 (v 43 - 45)1The thoughts you think are your evil doing, and so you may choose to let go of them. 2Let me tell you that it may not be that easy. 3For the belief that spawns the thoughts is like a deep root within you, and where you cut off its leaves, more will rise up to take their place. 4Be prepared to let go of many leaves, but know they will come back until the day you have rid yourself of their root. (v 46 - 50)1The belief in separateness and differences is the root you must let go. 2For if there is more than one Will, the truth is not true and death is all there is. 3Is this the final resting place of your faith? 4Or are you willing to put your faith in Life and Love and One?

REMEMBER THIS: Whenever we have an error in thinking such as getting caught up in any sort of illusion--fear, guilt, shame, anger--that the Holy Spirit immediately creates a correction. If we are awake and aware we can always choose the correction over the illusion. 

Darkness is simply the absence of light. It is nothing. Since light is everywhere and everything, darkness is an illusion. If I look deeply enough into the darkness, I will find Light. Looking deeply not only reveals what we need to let go of, but the deepest truth is also there: YOU ARE THE LIGHT, ALWAYS!

2 Peter 2 (v 4 – 10)1The Light within your Heart is your truth. 2This is the star that is you. 3This is the seed that is at the root of all that you are. 4It is true that there also seems to be something else within you...something that does not seem to be light, but dark...something that feels like judgment and guilt. 5It is okay to let yourself be aware of this darkness. 6It is okay to stand within it for a moment and feel it. 7But then remember that I have taught you that the judgment comes only from you. 8Decide in that moment to choose to see your Self truly. 9Then reach within your mind, and turn on the Light.

Rev. 2 (v 12, 13)1I want to look deep within you with you at the beliefs that you fear most. 2They are the ones you hide by denying them, but you deny them because you think they are true. 3If you knew they were false, you would let them go. 4I want to look at them with you so you may lean on My strength and see that they are false. 5You may feel your fear and let it go with a giggle, because the light of your own Heart shines brighter than darkness caused by confusion. 6When darkness is looked at beside the Light, it is the darkness that must fade away.

We know that we are One and everything flows from that One.