Inspiration for Healing Through Changing Your Mind --The articles in this newsletter are written by people from around the world who are taking their perceived problems to the Holy Spirit, and sharing their miracles stories of how their thoughts are being healed.

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The Fall of Self-Doubt --by Rev. Patty Jackson

It was opening day of the downhill ski season. My five-year-old son was eagerly anticipating going. He had been skiing for several years. As we got on the hill, he began to worry about his ability to get on the chair lift. Was I going to help him? What if he fell getting on? I was surprised at the great concern he had. Of course, he could do it. I had helped him last year with no problems. Now, to get him to see that...

After each run, as we approached the lift, he'd worry about his ability and my help. Relying on me made him vulnerable. Little by little, I taught him how to get on by himself, giving less and less help. I was confident he could do it on his own, but he was not. Finally came the run that changed it all...

We waited for the chair to come around, my hand firmly clenched to the back of his jacket, in case he needed me to pull him on, or in this case, to hold him up. It seemed he did everything he had done for many, many runs, but this time, he somehow missed the part where the chair actually gets underneath his rear. I hold on. He hangs. The chair continues to climb for a moment. He's still at a safe distance from the ground, but I turn and see the attendant coming to help. "Come and get him,"

I heard myself say while Connor patiently and calmly dangled. I expected the attendant to lower him down, but, instead, he was pushed up to the seat he originally intended to be in. Off we went. Our ride up the hill was fun. Having his worse fear realized and lived through, Connor was light-hearted and joking.

From then on, there was no more talk about "what if..." and he confidently rode the lift with little help the rest of the day, eager to learn how to do it completely on his own. While struggling with my own self-doubt, I was reminded of this parable. The chair, the Holy Spirit, is always there to take us to the next place we want to go. Trusting ourselves and trusting Spirit is the only ticket required. Others are always there to help, but they can't do it for us. Eventually we yearn for more. To experience our own. We try and practice, the ski lift running with endless patience. When we finally trust ourselves and Spirit (sometimes by realizing our worst fear), we realize we had the ability all along and up we go.

Click here to e-mail Patty.

Living the Course --by Rev. Michele Hojnacki

My friend, Donna, whom I hadn't seen for several months, came over for a LaHo-Chi treatment. She appeared to be in a worsened physical condition from the last time I saw her. I watched an occasional judgment creep into my thinking and recognized I felt uncomfortable and afraid.

I brought all of this to the Holy Spirit, Who reminded me of how much I love this person. As we looked upon her with love, I saw the Light shining through her. What emerged in my sight was a vision of a strong, wise, knowing Donna, the truth within.

Thank you, Holy Spirit for showing me Who it is that I am truly meeting within Donna. I choose to hold this truth for her as well as for me.

My experience reminds me again of what is written in Lesson 54 of ACIM®, "I would behold the proof that what has been done through me has enabled love to replace fear, laughter to replace tears, and abundance to replace loss." This is my commitment. Using the process of asking Holy Spirit to look at my ego thoughts with me enables me to see that as I invite Holy Spirit to strengthen my vision of the truth in my sister, He strengthens my vision of the truth about myself. I am the one who needs to get this. According to the Course, Donna is a projection of my false ideas about myself. She shows me the places where unbelief still resides in my thinking. The Holy Spirit uses my projections to return the gift of truth to me when I ask to exchange what I made for what God created.

What continues to be startling is the recognition that, no matter what appears to going on outside of me, in reality, the call for healing is coming from inside of me. The outside and the inside are not separate. The sooner I fully accept this, the sooner I will learn to use everything for the purpose of my healing.

The thoughts that immediately jump into my mind are, "Wow, isn't this the ultimate form of self-centeredness to think the whole world is about you? Totally ego centric!"

The Holy Spirit responds, "NO!" when I take these thoughts to Him. The whole world reflects what I have accepted as the truth, reflects my fall from Grace, an event that occurred only in my mind.

The hope of the world lies in the healing of my mind. I know to the ego this sounds self-inflated, yet it is with humility that I accept the work needs to be done within me.

Thank you, Donna, for bringing me this lesson. You have helped me to understand what Jesus means when he says my brother comes as my savior. When I accept that each situation presented is for the benefit of my healing, I can stop resisting and instead receive the miracle, which accompanies my perceived difficulty. This is a new awareness, seeing that the miracle comes along with every perceived source of pain. It is up to me, though, to ask the Holy Spirit to make the exchange for me, exchanging pain with peace, illusions with truth, all those things Jesus talks about over, and over, and over again. Okay, I get it! My freedom is available in every moment.

Going through a course will bring these limited beliefs and self-perceptions into the light for healing. It is at these moments that we have the opportunity of "discovering a better way" by taking the hand of the Holy Spirit, in peace, to give us a brand new experience of ourselves and of life. New experiences bring about new insights, understandings and beliefs. We trade the limited for the unlimited each time we let go of the way it was in the past and open up to fresh, new possibilities in the present moment.

Click here to e-mail Michele.

10 Ideas for Living in a State of Peace --by Rev. Jennifer McSween

In the days following my return from In-Person Ordained Ministerial Counselor (OMC) Training at the Pathways of Light Campus, I went about my day-to-day life in a total state of peace. Those 11 days, the entire experience, provided the foundation for my ability to choose peace in my daily experiences.

They were 11 days of "Practicing the Presence"; being literally and physically immersed in the Energy of Spirit, and the lives and love of fellow soul mates; learning to "fess-up, face it, hand it over (to Spirit) and move on" lovingly and peacefully.

What an experience! What a blessing! I was able to "stay in my peace" as I left this sanctuary and the physical presence of some of the beautiful souls with whom I had shared the experience. I stayed in my peace when Rev. Mercedes and I said an emotional good-bye to Rev. Cookie as she left us at the airport. I stayed in my peace as Rev. Mercedes and I bade each other farewell to board our separate flights, severing the last physical connection to the 11 day experience.

I was even able to not only stay in my peace, but actually find it quite humorous, when, on my way to the check-in counter, I was approached by someone representing a religious group who, in one long unbroken sentence, and with an escalating tone of voice asked, "Would you like to have a copy of our booklet which tells about Jesus the Christ who died on the cross to save us from THE HELL WE ALL DESERVE!!!???" Even "that approach" rolled right off me. I was on a cloud! The experience of the previous 11 days had me feeling equipped to easily choose peace, regardless of how "dramatic" the situation might appear.

So it was with much surprise, when about 2 weeks after coming in on my cloud, I found myself being a little more challenged in "choosing peace." I was still on a cloud, however it was just a little bit closer to the ground. "Re-Entry" was taking place, without my realizing it.

One day, I went completely out of my state of peace, rationalizing and analyzing the logistics of why I shouldn't be experiencing anything other than "total peace." After all, I had been working on myself for a long time. I had just had the "11 day Pathways Experience." I had been counseled; I had counseled. Isn't that what we are trained to do as OMC's, to help others to connect with Spirit to lead them into peace?

I believe this last sentence triggered the "Fail Safe Device" that had been tuned-up during the Pathways experience -- the Voice of Inner Guidance, reminding me that it was not about me trying to stay in my peace, but rather it was up to me to go to Spirit and let Spirit lead me into peace. Hallelujah! So I went to Spirit, asking for guidance as to how to allow myself to be led to peace as I go about my daily life. I received these 10 ideas or suggestions, most of them not necessarily new, but seen from a new perspective:

1) Meditate, contemplate, check in with and plug into Spirit before going about my day. Remember to "breathe" during the day to help stay connected. 2) Remember you are the Beloved. You are loved always and your true nature is love. Be love. 3) Stop "shoulding" on yourself. "Shoulding" is judging, and if you're judging, you're not loving. 4) Send love to the people with whom you seem to have the greatest challenge, staying in your peace. 5) Give thanks for your life the way it is "now." Be joyful "now." Bless your past, it has brought you to where you are "now."

6) Bless every person and every situation you encounter, whether in thought, via some form of communication, or face to face. They're all serving a Divine purpose.

7) Acknowledge the Presence of Spirit in you, as you, flowing through you at all times. You're never alone.

8) Ask for guidance in everything and trust that it will come. (It may not always nor ever come in the form of "a Sea-Parting Vision," but it will come and in a way that you understand best).

9) Look for the lesson, the blessing, in every situation. There's always at least one.

10) See everyone as a physical manifestation of God, with a Divine Purpose; Maybe that part of their purpose is to help keep you in your peace. Acknowledge them, be grateful, bless them.

Now I'd love to say, in all honesty, that I always remember these ideas, or use them regularly as only suggestions, but I can't. What I can say, though, is that when I apply them, ordinary potentially "dramatic" situations become extremely peaceful experiences.

Click here to email Jennifer.              TOP

Trusting --by Rev. Mary Manke

This year of 2002 has been a season of growth and changes in the world of form. For me there have been lessons in letting go: Letting go of what I thought was true; letting go of things I thought were needed; letting go of what I thought was my role. At times it felt scary and uncomfortable. I realized with Holy Spirit's help, that those feelings were simply calling for healing.

I learned to allow the feelings, then turned them and the corresponding thoughts with them, over for healing. With each experience of giving up those thoughts, I felt lighter, freer, and happier.

Now, at a new place, I have been blessed with an angel named Mayrene.

Spirit has given me confirmation of following the Inner Voice, that led me to make a move to another state. I have found that one of my purposes here is to help another spirit as she has taken on the lesson of illness and death. Shortly after my arrival in South Dakota, I went with my long time friend Judi to give Reiki to Mayrene. Very soon after this first meeting it seemed we had an unseen connection.

I had allotted myself some rest time. Then, for about one and half weeks, I helped the person that I am house sitting for. The third week after my arrival in the new city, I began having feelings of anxiousness about where my income was going to come from. I applied at 2 employment agencies and the South Dakota employment department. The next morning I received a call to get in touch with Mayrene, and went to talk with her that afternoon. She had decided that she needed help, and asked if I would be interested and able to do this job. To me this was direction from Spirit. It was perfect timing for both of us.

I spent the afternoon with her, also including some Reiki since it eases the pain. I perhaps should mention that the first time that I channeled the energy for her, I offered (from Inner Guidance) that she needed to let go of some past hurt.

That afternoon, a man came to the door. We only exchanged first names, and he went to talk briefly with Mayrene. When he left, I went to see if there was anything she needed. She was filled with gratitude, as she said to me, "Your miracles worked." (She was referring to ACIM.) The man who had dropped by she had not seen or spoken to in 3 years.

The following day I discovered that this man was one of her sons. To me, this was evidence that she had been able to let go of some false belief, allowing Spirit to shine the Light into her mind. It was nothing that I did. It was wholly her willingness to let go, and let correction come to her mind. I am grateful to be that messenger of Love, that instrument of peace.

The other miracle that I am aware of is that of feeling the love that pours through me for this person. I am learning that if I perceive a history with another person, that is the obstacle to the flow of love. If I am willing to lay down that history and look with new eyes, then Love will flow without restriction of any kind. Am I willing to lay down my perceptions of how things were or how that person treated me? Am I willing to be wrong in my one sided judgments? Do I allow the Holy Spirit to give me the truth in place of my made up story? Do I perceive this brother's holiness and love?

It does take courage to be that messenger for Love, but the Love I am given, and the healing that is given me, are the benefits of working for Spirit. The outer world appears to be different, yet by trusting in the unseen Hand and Voice That guides me, I am learning it does not matter where I am. By giving Spirit the lead everyday, I am shown who to speak to, what direction to walk, what to do in any moment. By remembering that there is a Plan in place, in perfect operation, I let trust in my loving Teacher fill me with peace. He always gives me what I need to know, when I need to know it. And I am thankful It is so.

Click here to e-mail Mary.  TOP

The Feeling Bridge --by Rev. Petra Sundheim

The roller coaster feelings of the past are gone, along with the explosions of anger, and periodic bouts of depression. I am grateful for the many opportunities given me by the Holy Spirit to heal and change after a prayer in 1980, "Teach me, Change me." An unexpected divorce after 32 years of a pretty good marriage was not what I had in mind. I felt somehow I had asked for it. With my children off on their own, it was no longer an option to ignore my childhood.

Before my marriage ended, I found support in an Inner Healing group through Imagery Prayer following a study of the five stages of Forgiveness, patterned after Elizabeth Kubler Ross's five stages of grief.

Numbness and shock around the loss, then anger (projection and blame) surface. Bargaining -- the flight into work, food, another relationship, or chemicals can distract us or numb us to the pain we are experiencing from a perceived loss or hurt.

The next stage is depression, a stage of grief that recognizes that the change cannot be undone.
Acceptance, the final stage, recognizes a gift in the experience. This model is useful in understanding where we might be in the process. People often get stuck in one of these stages, because the energy is trapped in a thought process involving blame and identifying with victim.

If an addiction has developed in the bargaining stage, then feelings are denied or distorted, since addiction or compulsive behavior is a way of not being in the moment and not feeling. Some may be caught in the stage of depression. Healthy feelings is a pass through energy, a normal part of the forgiveness process. Forgiveness is a process.

A year later I was given funds to take a Process (therapy then) training course. I recognized this as a gift of Holy Spirit. My feelings had in many ways been frozen. The sharing of our stories was for the purpose of releasing trapped energy, which indeed we did as feelings came up, tears and physical release were encouraged and accepted. I was stopped in a tale telling as I was reciting and not feeling what I was saying. I attended a number of nine day intensives that year, and experienced significant major healing of buried trauma. I still felt very separated from others around me.

I couldn't fully release my programming in fundamentalism and separation until I was led to a study group of A Course in Miracles® in 1987, and then it took several years of study to undo the old thought system. The previous Intensives and healing sessions around my birth had uncovered the early stuff forming my core belief, "I am defective" further "proven" by my Attention Deficit characteristics. Diagnosis of ADD in 1996 was a relief of a whole lot of guilt around feeling lazy, stupid, and being different from others.

My Inner Teacher has given me tools to end the fog, confusion and organize my thoughts and memory issues. Knowing my true Essence, I work with the form I am given in this dimension with the help of Spirit. Our Inner Teacher or Holy Spirit is truly a bridge and awareness of our feelings is very important for clarity and release of "the blocks to the awareness of Love's presence."

Feelings become a signal for looking at our thoughts about a situation or about ourselves (in my case, it is myself that gives me the most trouble). I ask Holy Spirit or Higher Self to see it differently. The time lapse to a new perspective is considerably less than it used to be.

I have reread ACIM pages on empathy. To empathize in the usual way is to make illusions real. Fortunately we have the promise, of letting the Holy Spirit use our capacity for empathy in Her way. My experience has been that I have truly felt connected and able to move out of my stuck place when I feel heard, understood and my experience is validated. I have found in some ACIM groups that process is not understood and blowing off someone's experience with "It didn't happen" is not helpful. The leap from here to there is too far when we are in the energy of strong feeling. When a feeling is accepted, i.e. "I hear your anger," it quickly diminishes. There are many releasing techniques such as tapping acupressure points that help release the energy. Yes changing my thought about it can do this as well, though releasing the energy often triggers a spontaneous change in thought.

Through the book, RADICAL FORGIVENESS by Colin Tipping, I have learned the art of seeing the perfection of whatever has taken place and the other soul conspiring in our mutual dance of healing, personal growth and awakening. In that sense as well, one can ultimately see that "nothing happened." The value of the story is in seeing all the ways the Holy Spirit has orchestrated the drama we are creating. Look what I have created! It is fascinating indeed to review the play, the synchronicities, the miracles, many I am not even aware of. I am here, how DID that happen?

Now in 2003, when the fireworks (Hawaii custom) are gone, I am left in quiet contemplation of being present to my purpose here. It is a new year of opportunity to share in the awesome energy of Love. May we join in the great Awakening to our true reality.

Click here to e-mail Petra.

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