Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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Looking At the Wish to Control Reality

Holy Spirit through Robert:  Choosing to identify with the ego thought system comes from the wish to control your reality. Since reality is unchangeable, your only option in this thought system is to make an illusion of another reality. Since this other “reality” is entirely made up, you know it is unstable and subject to change at a whim. Because of this, fear of change is inevitable. So you attempt to control the future by making plans and attempting to organize events to bring about outcomes you believe will make you safe. But there is no safety in illusions. Your safety lies only in the changeless Love of Reality.

You have taught yourself not to trust Love. Because Love can never satisfy the ego’s wish for specialness, the ego sees Love as an enemy. To the degree that you invest in the reality of illusion, to that degree you will be unable to trust in your safety. That is why it is essential that you be vigilant for thoughts that value illusion and bring them to the Holy Spirit to be undone.

It is not your job to undo mistaken beliefs. It is your job to identify them and offer them to the Holy Spirit. He knows how to undo the false belief. He speaks to you in a language you can understand to gently and lovingly show you the correction that frees you from all belief in limitation, separation and loss. He will help you recognize the beliefs as meaningless and valueless. Then you will happily let them go with no sense of sacrifice.

So now when you recognize lack of peace associated with an “unknown” future, bring that disturbance to the Holy Spirit and open your mind and heart to His gift of peace. With peace you will receive a new perception that will show you your safety and your strength. This is your job now. It is the only meaningful use for your journey in time. Remember Who walks beside you in every moment and you will walk in the awareness of your safety. Peace be unto you.

Mary:  My job today is to let go and let God. This means that my job today is to let go of deciding what anything means on my own. My job is to consistently step back and listen. My job is to receive Holy Spirit’s gift of peace.

If I am feeling anxious about anything, it is a signal that I have picked up the reigns again and have forgotten my true job. Today my practice is to be vigilant for my level of peace. How much peace am I accepting from the Holy Spirit right this minute? The gift of peace from the Holy Spirit dissolves all uneasiness, all fear of the future. Receiving the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace helps me place the future in the hands of God.

When I am willing to receive the Holy Spirit’s peace, it becomes easy to remember that this is just a dream of separation and that in truth I am safe in the Love of God. In truth I am only Love in the Mind of Love, one with all Love. In truth I am still as God created me and no dream of separation can ever change that. All this comes by being vigilant to receive Holy Spirit’s gift of peace all through the day.

This world appears to be so real at times and when it appears to be so real, fear of losing often comes with it. I am so glad that I have the valuable tool of stepping back from the dream and consistently remembering to choose peace. It is through the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace that the truth has a chance to return to my mind.

In truth the dream is only in my mind. There is no world outside of me. This helps me remember not to change something out in the world, but rather to remember all the Help I have from my true Self to remember to distinguish the difference between the real and the unreal. I do not have to fear the unreal. I can remember that I am safe in truth. I can receive a correction in my perception from the Holy Spirit if I so choose. And that is what today is for. That is my job. I may forget many times as I walk through my day today, but the good news that when I am ready and willing, the Holy Spirit is right there to return my deluded mind to the truth. No matter what appears to be “happening” in the dream, I have a Teacher within to remind me once again that only Love is real. And that nothing real can be threatened and nothing unreal exists. In remembering this, peace returns.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Elevating Our Level of Trust

Mary and Robert:  We would like to let you all know that we have been in Florida recently and have found a property that works for us. We have made an offer that has been accepted, contingent upon the sale of our property in Wisconsin, which will be auctioned Sept. 6th. The property we are purchasing is just 10 miles south of the Orlando airport and very accessible. It has a large great room for meetings and enough land for expansion as needed.

Our focus the next few days is on the workshop that is happening here in Wisconsin right now. Nouk Sanchez and Tomas Vieira are giving a fantastic 4-day workshop on undoing the ego. We are video taping it and will make it available on CD and DVD as soon as we are able to complete the post production work. Nouk and Tomas are incredible teachers of the Course and really get to the meat of true mind healing, which is what forgiveness is all about. Through their own demonstration of applying Course principles to their life experience and powerful group exercises, participants are having great breakthroughs. The air is electric with miracles. We certainly will have them give a workshop in Florida as soon as all the pieces are in place and Spirit guides us.

This workshop has come at the perfect time to help us elevate our level of trust and remember the truth of What we are and Where we are eternally during this time of transition in the dream. We are filled with gratitude to be joined with all of you in truth. We all go Home together. We are one Self. There is no distance between us.

In happy laughter we remember that we are not separate. We are one Son, united with our Creator. We are all the same pure Spirit of Love. We are eternally at Home in the Mind of our Father. Allowing ourselves to remember this brings us to a place of inner peace and reconnects us with the guidance of our one true Self.

We will continue to let you know about the details of our move and how the pieces are falling together as they unfold. This entire process has been a wonderful demonstration and exercise in remembering that of ourselves we know nothing, but with Spirit, everything unfolds in peace.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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What Is My Level of Peace Today?

Robert: Today we read in the ACIM Text, Chapter 14 in the section, “The Test of Truth.” What stood out to me was the sentence, “It is only because you think that you can run some little part, or deal with certain aspects of your life lone, that the guidance of the Holy Spirit is limited.” It goes on to say how we lack confidence in the Holy Spirit’s guidance because it seems inconsistent or not always present. But the Holy Spirit is always consistent and always present. It only seems not to be true because we try to reserve some little part of our life to deal with alone.

Since we received the guidance to move the Pathways of Light office to Florida, it seems like we have been in a concentrated laboratory for practicing giving all to the Holy Spirit to receive His guidance. I have seen how I may begin the day with the intent of following Holy Spirit throughout the day but how quickly, and often unconsciously, I take control and make my own plans. I may start with an inspired thought but then add my own ideas to it. By doing this I can deceive myself into believing that I am still following Holy Spirit’s lead. But then I realize I am not in peace, a telltale sign that I have excluded the Holy Spirit and have aligned once again with the ego.

The good news is that I am more quickly recognizing when I have shut out the Holy Spirit. I am motivated to pay attention because I like the peace and ease I experience when I am aligned with the Holy Spirit. So today again I dedicate to the practice of following Holy Spirit in every moment. Should I notice that I have once again aligned with the ego, I will not feel guilty. Rather I will be grateful for the recognition that I have gotten off course and can once again return to the central focus that brings peace and happiness. My heart is filled with gratitude that the Holy Spirit is ever present in my mind offering me His vision and guidance in every moment.

Mary:  Today, am I willing to let go and let God? I can tell how willing I am by the level of peace I feel. If I am worried about anything, or anxious or fearful about the future, that tells me that I have not let go and let God. The level of peace I feel, the level of trust I feel, is like a barometer that shows me where my mind really is. My mind can only be in one of two places—the ego or the Holy Spirit.

Today I have the opportunity to check in with my inner barometer that shows me how I am doing with my willingness to let go and let God. As I frequently check in with this barometer today, I can use it as a stimulus to open even more to God’s peace and let my level of trust become even stronger.

Today I practice placing the future in the Hands of God. I practice remembering that on my own, I know nothing. I practice letting go of past ego learning. I practice opening to God’s gift of peace and receiving the understanding that comes with it. As I truly practice this today, it will indeed be a happy day. God is all I want. God is all I need.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Observing Fear Thoughts and Handing Them Over

Holy Spirit through Mary:  Observe the fear thoughts that come into your mind and then hand them over to Me. We can look at them together and you will be gently reminded of the truth that you are still safe in the Mind of God, no matter what fear thoughts may pass through your mind.

Allow these thoughts to be replaced with the awareness of peace. Allow this feeling of peace to take you deeper and fill you with an awareness that you are eternally safe, eternally loved and eternally loving. Allow everything to soften. Let yourself gently become aware that you are immersed in God’s Ocean of Love. You cannot be outside this Ocean, no matter what fearful dreams you may dream. Let yourself soak in the comforting ocean of peace. Rest a while with Me. Rest.

You have been concerned with how this move will be made in safety and in peace. These thoughts will come and go and come again. This is your opportunity to practice giving all these thoughts to Me each time they may arise. This is your opportunity to once again choose peace instead of fear thoughts. This is your opportunity to choose once again the peace of Heaven instead of the thoughts of the ego. This is your opportunity to practice once again handing over these thoughts. You would not keep them because you choose to wake up instead of remain asleep.

This becomes a wonderful time to strengthen your trust muscles. You are being carried. You need not try to handle things on your own. You are seeing that it is a waste of time. Give all time to me. I know how to use it to bring you true and everlasting happiness.

Let go. Relax. Soften. Welcome the Light of truth into your mind. You always get what you truly want and you truly want My gifts of peace and joy. We are one. Let this awareness soak in deeply. God is all and all is one. Let this awareness soak in deeply. Desire this awareness above all else and you will be truly helpful in the Sonship’s dream of awakening to the truth. You are Home now. Rejoice and be glad.

Holy Spirit through Robert:  Judgement always brings fear with it because judgment always brings guilt. Since guilt demands punishment, fear is inevitable where there is belief in guilt. You may not always recognize the fear as fear. Sometimes it appears to be anger, which is just an attempt to make another guilty instead of yourself. But you cannot see guilt outside without first seeing it in yourself. So though it may appear that you are judging someone else, this judgement started with a judgment of yourself.

Judgment always disturbs your peace because it is incompatible with peace. It is an attempt to attack God and His holy Son. While They cannot be harmed, when you judge you do believe you harm. So the guilt you attempted to project is reinforced still more in your mind. The statement, “judge not lest you be judged,” is simply saying that when you judge anyone, you judge yourself. Let all judgment go.

When you recognize that your peace has been disturbed in any way, step back. Ask for the Holy Spirit to bring His gentle peace to you. Open your mind to His vision. He will show you the Love that is present eternally, no matter what the appearances in form may be. He will show you the permanence of Love, where your safety lies. He will show you the innocence that is real because God created only perfect Love, which cannot sin, cannot attack, cannot harm.

If an appearance seems to reflect harm or loss in any way, step back and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see beyond the form, beyond the appearance. He will show you that the appearance simply reflects a mistaken thought that you could be anything but Love. And He will show you the Love you are and the Love that is all there is anywhere, any time. Let Him help you rise above to see the Love, always.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Accepting the Justice of Heaven

Robert: Today we read the section, “The Justice of Heaven” and Workbook lesson 66. For me they really complimented each other. In the reading of the Text we were told that if we try to keep one problem to solve on our own, we are not accepting the justice of Heaven and cannot experience it. To experience the justice of Heaven we must be willing to give up all value of anything in the world of illusions. The ego would teach us that this is asking sacrifice of us. But is it really sacrifice to give up illusion in exchange for reality? Is it sacrifice to give up loss in exchange for the eternal gain of Love?

While I believe myself to be in this world, I need a Guide to find my way out. I must be willing to make no decision on my own. I must not withhold anything from the Holy Spirit’s help. I was trained as an engineer to “solve problems.” It seems very tempting to attempt to solve perceived problems on my own, to fall back into old habits. But each time I do that I am rejecting the justice of Heaven. I am rejecting happiness. It is arrogance to believe that I can solve any problem on my own. It is time for me to let Holy Spirit be the engineer and for me to implement His designs, His solutions. This is the only way for me to find lasting happiness. It is the only way for me to be at peace.

Today I resign as the engineer and gratefully turn over that role to the Holy Spirit, Who knows how to engineer all solutions in a way that everyone wins and there is no loss. I choose to follow the Holy Spirit’s miracle-engineered plans. In this choice is my perfect happiness and perfect peace. I give thanks.

Sharyn:  Today as we read lesson 66, my happiness and function are one and the same, I realized that of myself I can do nothing, nor would I want to. God is Love, peace and happiness. For all of those things, I just need to go to the Source. The Source of Love, peace and happiness is just waiting to fill me with those things and to serve me. God’s happiness is my happiness.

In every situation, when I remember to go to Him for answers, the outcome will always be happiness, for that is all He wants for me. There is nothing else. It is only when I think I know how to handle any situation, and forget to go to Him, that my happiness is not assured. God said, “Happiness is assuredly yours,” and He meant it. Now my only job is to remember to go to my Source for all my happiness.

Holy Spirit through Mary: You want to be of service. You want to be happy. This is how: Ask often, “Right now, this moment, my mind is open and willing to receive Your guidance. What would You have me do right now? How would You have me think, right now?” Then leave an open space in your mind to receive. You will know you are receiving Me when you feel My peace, gentleness and ease. Your job is to follow, not lead. Practice this today and you will have a happy day.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Letting the Past and Future Go and Trust the Present Moment

Mary:  Each day I affirm my decision to awaken from the dream of separation. This decision makes this world a school by which the Holy Spirit gently leads me Home to the awareness of oneness. The lesson I am receiving now is a lesson in letting the past and the future go and trust the Holy Spirit in the present moment. I have found myself resisting this lesson many times as I choose mindfulness, or being aware of where my thoughts are during the day.

I often find myself trying to figure it out on my own, especially how this move to Florida is to take place. I find myself questioning whether I would be safe through this whole process. Last Sunday we read the lesson, “I place the future in the Hands of God.” This lesson is very helpful to me now. With the Holy Spirit leading the way, I am being very gently led to a greater trust in the present moment. I am being led to an awareness that everything is absolutely in perfect order and that the timing for each step will unfold very quietly, very gently leading us into a place of ease and peace.

Right now I seem to be going between trusting completely and wanting to know what the future holds ahead of time. When I try to jump ahead, it is like jumping ahead a chapter in a book without reading the current chapter. The Holy Spirit tells me that as I stay with the current chapter, I will be prepared for the future chapter when it comes. The Holy Spirit is leading us one step at a time. If I try to jump ahead to a future chapter, it just creates confusion.

So now I am being very gently taught to accept all the beautiful lessons that the present moment holds for me. The Holy Spirit can bring me an awareness of God’s peace and God’s quiet inner joy as I am content to accept Holy Spirit’s gifts right now. When I do this right now, I know that the future will take care of itself. I place the future in the hands of God and would not try to make up stories on my own. I know now that this would only bring me pain. So my lesson now is to relax and stay open minded to Holy Spirit’s inner direction in this present moment. That’s all I need to do. This is where I place my trust.

Robert: Today we read the first “I am as God created me” lesson. It tells us that if this thought were fully accepted, the world would disappear. There would be no more bodies, no thought of separation, only the joy of being in the Love of God. It’s more clear to me than ever that accepting that I am still as God created me, unchanged and unchangeable, is the means to return Home. It’s the end of illusion. It’s the remembrance that everything that appears to be out there is not and only Love is ever present. If I perceive something else, it’s only because I have a mistaken belief that there could be something else.

Every moment offers the opportunity to see the Love and to recognize that form of itself has no meaning. As I align my mind with the Holy Spirit’s vision, the meaning given to all form is to offer Love and nothing else. Since Love is not of this world, Love is reflected here in forgiveness, letting go of judgment. So every moment is an opportunity to let go of judgment, let go of the past and accept the Love that is eternally now. As I practice holding my mind open to the gift that is offered in each moment, each moment is a happy lesson is Love.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Only the Life We Live in God is Real

Mary: Right now I am working on the next issue of Miracles News. I am warmed and inspired as I enter the beautiful articles that come from students of the Course around the world. It reminds me that awakening is happening everywhere. The undoing of the dream is happening in all our minds simultaneously. We truly are connected. What appears to be many is really joined in one mind. In a beautiful article, Brenda Eden, the wife of Rev. Robert Mills, shares with us her process of letting go of a form that she held very dear. When you receive your issue of Miracles News, be sure to read this heartfelt and inspiring article. It will make a difference in your life.

Realizing that the appearance of death means nothing and only the life we live in God is real helps us all awaken from our belief in death. As I work with these articles, I am filled with a sense of our unity and how we are working through this together. We have believed in illusions and we are letting them go. I see that our willingness is getting stronger and stronger each day. We all have a part to play in the Atonement—the undoing of our belief in separation, the dream stories. We all go Home together, for the Son is One.

The same Holy Spirit is in all our minds orchestrating the undoing of our belief in the dream as we are willing to listen. It is the Holy Spirit that helps us walk through all the ups and downs, the right turns and the left turns, and always brings us back to peace. The beingness of peace is our manna, our spiritual nourishment that feeds us, the nourishment that heals us truly. The healing tonic of peace washes away the fearful thoughts that we believed were true. The Holy Spirit at this stage of our awakening is our best friend. It is in our minds right now, waiting patiently to return us to God, waiting patiently for our willingness to listen.

Today it is my job to be willing to step back, remember I know nothing, and open my mind to the healing perspective of the Holy Spirit. This is what brings me peace. And with peace comes true understanding. Through the healing gift of peace, the Holy Spirit leads me out of believing in dreams of separation. I am willing to receive peace today. Thank you Holy Spirit for your gift of peace.

Robert:  One of the reminders that I got out of the weekend with Regina and Laurent was how important it is for me to be mindful of my thoughts. Along with this is the recognition that I am not the thoughts that come into my mind. I do not have to believe them. As long as I seem to be in this world, there will be thoughts that reflect belief in separation. As I learn to recognize thoughts that reflect this belief, I can then take the next step which is to dis-identify with these thoughts. They are not me. They do not reflect my true desire. My true desire is to join with Love, which is One. Any thought that does not reflect this desire comes from the mistaken belief in separation. It is not true and I do not truly want it.

So if a fearful thought comes into my mind, I have a choice. I can believe it is true and get wrapped up in the feeling of fear and follow that rocky road deeper into defensiveness, guilt and anger. This leads me spiraling into darkness and depression because I am believing that separation is real. On this rocky road I have lost sight of my Self. It is lonely because it comes from the belief in being alone.

My other choice is to recognize the fearful thought for what it is. It is not true and it does not come from my Self. The thought came from a mistaken belief about what I am and I thought I wanted it. But I do not have to accept it now. I can choose instead to accept the thought offered me by Love, my true Self. I can be grateful for that fearful thought because it shows me a mistaken wish I do not truly want.

I choose instead to let the Holy Spirit help me see past the mistaken idea to the oneness of Love that is ever present, unchanging and unchangeable. In my willingness to receive the Holy Spirit’s perspective, I disengage from the old, no longer wanted belief in separation and I accept the oneness that Holy Spirit sees. It is the oneness of my true Self. It is the oneness of Love. In every moment I have this choice. I am grateful that I have a Guide in my mind to help me make this choice and I am willing to accept Its help. In this willingness I return to peace. I return to Love. I return to Heaven.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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