Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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Forgiveness Is Letting Go of the Past

Robert: Workbook lesson 161 is titled, “Give me your blessing, holy Son of God.” I see now that this statement is not about getting someone to give me their blessing. It is about accepting the blessing that is eternally offered in every now moment. Everyone, including me, is the Son of God. The Son of God is Love’s extension. And being Love, the Son of God extends Love automatically. So to be blessed by the holy Son of God I need only accept what Is.

As I learn to look on my brother as the Son of God without all the additions of my past perceptions, I am truly blessed. I receive the gift of Love that is eternally offered without condition. All that keeps me from experiencing the joy of Heaven given me by everyone is my judgments. Judgments always come from attempting to bring the past to the present. This is why the only way to truly experience now is to forgive. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, which is ultimately letting go of the belief in separation.

When I pause for peace and allow myself to receive Holy Spirit’s vision, I am letting go of or forgiving the past.  If I feel disoriented by the seeming disruption of the house being renovated, it is because I am trying to bring the past to the present. I am looking at the present circumstance and comparing it in my mind with an image from the past and finding the present appearance to be lacking and therefore in some way not acceptable. I am resisting what is.

In truth, form does not matter. If a change in form bothers me I must have decided the form matters. It is this I must let go if I would experience the peace and joy that is God’s Will for me. So again I dedicate this day to the practice of pausing for peace, letting go of the past, and opening to Holy Spirit’s vision. I know that with this vision comes the blessing of perfect happiness that I seek. That is how I accept the blessing of the holy Son of God.

Mary:  Today the muscles in my shoulders and arms are sore from painting the ceiling in the kitchen and hall. The lesson that I came to in the Course this morning was “I am not a body, I am free. I am still as God created me.” I needed that reminder. Right now I feel so blessed to step back and remember the truth. I am going to give this seeming body a rest today. It seems to be crying out for me to stop and rest a while.

As I go to the Holy Spirit I am guided to allow today to be a day of quiet silence. A day of regeneration and renewal. Today for me is a day of quiet listening. We have had so many days recently of very physical activity. Allowing a day of quiet and rest would be more beneficial than charging forward, even though it would seem great to get the kitchen done now.

Today truly is a day of remembering I am not a body, I am free. I am still as God created me. I am eternal Spirit. Let me remember the truth today and remember that I am in Heaven now, along with all my brothers. Thank you God for not allowing this illusion of separation to be real. Today is dedicated to rising above to see the Love that is eternally present everywhere.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Shift in Purpose of a Relationship from Unholy to Holy

Robert: Today we read about the goal of the holy relationship and that the holy relationship is the expression of the holy instant. When a relationship’s goal has been changed from unholy (separation) to holy (oneness), the relationship as it has been acted out seems completely confused. The acting out no longer fits the new purpose. So the relationship seems to be completely shaken up and the parts no longer seems to fit any more. This can be very disorienting and requires faith in our true Self, the Holy Spirit. The Course promises that the Holy Spirit will lead us to the expression of holiness in our relationship once we accept oneness as its goal.

I see the renovation of our house that we are involved in now as symbolic of the effects of having been given a new purpose. The house met our needs. But when we received an expanded purpose for Holy Spirit’s plan, it was clear that the house and property no longer fit this expanded purpose. The expression of this new purpose not only required moving to Florida, it also required renovation of the house to prepare it for its new owners. Throughout the process of renovation we have held in mind that we are preparing it for our brother, who is one with us.

Like the effect of the shift in purpose of a relationship from unholy to holy, our shift in purpose has resulted in what appears to be in complete disarray. All the cupboard doors are off. Everything has been moved to different rooms so that our old routines and habits no longer work as they did. This is why it is so important for me to pause for peace frequently through the day. Without doing this, the disorientation of things not being where I am used to them can be frustrating.

I see this now as good practice in form that is preparing me to more effectively let go of old habitual and routine thoughts that do not serve Holy Spirit’s purpose. With the house I am willing to proceed through the disorder and disorientation because I am confident in the purpose. In the same way as I am confident in the Holy Spirit’s purpose being only to bring me true and lasting happiness, I am willing to push through the disorientation and disruption that seems to come up when I realize that my thoughts do not fit the goal of oneness.

Once again I am impressed by Holy Spirit’s genius in setting up a circumstance in form that is training me to strengthen my ability to bring my thoughts into alignment with Holy Spirit’s purpose. As always there is so much more to what’s going on than meets the eye. My heart is filled with gratitude that the Holy Spirit leads me to my healing through every experience in the world. So today I dedicate again to practice pausing for peace and following Holy Spirit’s lead in every moment.

Mary:  This renovation process is a good exercise in not taking the world too seriously. It’s a good time to remember to laugh, be playful and remember that God’s happiness is mine. God’s peace is mine because I, like everyone, am in God and of God. The key for me through all of this is to go gently—to go softly—and not to take it too seriously. Everything will get done. I don’t have to make it a struggle. I can participate in this process from a place of ease and peace if I so choose. That is my opportunity today—to practice being in a place of gentleness and ease, knowing that God goes with me wherever I go. I have a choice. I let today be a practice in choosing peace.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Peace and Understanding Go Together

Mary:  This morning I am reminded by the Holy Spirit to choose peace and that is how understanding comes. Choosing peace is the same as choosing the Holy Spirit instead of the ego. The important part of choosing peace is actually allowing it in! I can tell that I am allowing it in when I actually feel peace. The Holy Spirit needs my willingness to let go and allow peace in. To truly let go I have to hand over all my concerns and thoughts about the way things should be. I must come with empty hands and an open heart.

That is what my job is this morning — to come with empty hands and an open heart to the Holy Spirit and be willing to let the Holy Spirit fill me with peace. As I actually do this, all the understanding that I need is provided. A changed perception is provided. I realize that everything is in perfect order. All my fears are calmed. Trust replaces all my doubts. I can relax now.

What a beautiful way to start my day. Very early this morning before I got up, thoughts were swirling in my mind about the many projects we have going on here at the same time. I want to be truly helpful, but it sometimes seems confusing in how to do that. Right now, after accepting Holy Spirit’s peace, I am certain that as I stay in the present moment and listen, I will be guided perfectly. All is well. Thank you God.

Robert:  We started our day a little later than usual. After we had read what we were led to in the Course we were going to open to Holy Spirit’s inspiration for this post. It was about 8:20 a.m. Although a plasterer had told us he would arrive about 9:00 am., I had the thought to get dressed before we started writing our post. I had just gotten dressed when the plasterer drove in at about 8:25. I was ready because I followed the inspiration that came to get dressed.

To me this is a symbol of the harmony that comes when we step back and let the Holy Spirit lead the way. There was no logical reason to believe the plasterer would be early. It is an example of letting the present moment show me what is to be done. The Holy Spirit is ever present in the now moment. With the practice of pausing for peace and accepting peace, I allow Holy Spirit to guide me so that the experience in the world is a reflection of the harmony of Love.

There is no strain in Love. There is no hurry, no anxiety. The reflection of Love in this world is gentle and peaceful. It does not battle with the present moment, but simply lets it be. It does not see form as something to be judged or manipulated. Rather Holy Spirit sees form as a means for Love’s expression in this world. And Love’s expression is always peaceful and happy.

Thank you Father that Your Will for me is perfect happiness. Today I will practice stepping back and letting Your Messenger show me Your Will.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Seeing Innocence with Holy Spirit

Robert:  I am reminded of a Bible verse that says, “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The Course tells us that God’s Will for us is perfect happiness. So when we remember Who we are, we are glad. We do rejoice because we revel in the joy of our oneness with all Love. So this verse is a reminder to dedicate the day to accepting God’s Will for us.

The world we see with the body’s eyes is the effect of the denial of God’s Will. Today we read the first section of Text Chapter 31. In it Jesus compliments us on what great learners we are. The prowess of our learning skill is demonstrated by how effectively we have taught ourselves to believe the impossible — that we are guilty. The good news is that the Holy Spirit can use our learning skill for His purpose. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance we can learn once again that God’s Son is innocent. As this lesson is learned, fear fades away and we rejoice in the experience of being at Home in God in every moment.

So today I dedicate once again to the practice of staying in peace and receiving Holy Spirit’s lessons of innocence. With my willingness to learn this lesson comes perfect happiness.

Holy Spirit through Mary: Use today as a practice time to reinforce stepping back and following Holy Spirit’s lead. Use today as a practice time to let go and let God. Stay relaxed. Open your mind to Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and follow as you are guided. That is all.

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Move with Grace Today

Mary:  We have a very dear friend, Colleen McNally, who lives in Crystal Lake, Illinois, northwest of Chicago. Yesterday we received an envelope with some of her writings. Her poem, in particular, was very helpful to me. I would like to share it with you now.

Spirit Through Me

Move with grace today
Let every step be guided by Love
Grace is Love
The Love of God flows through you
The Love of God guides you
Spirit speaks to you in unseen ways
Listen with Love
Listen to Love
And
Walk with grace today.

by Rev. Colleen McNally

This poem was so perfect for me this morning. Today I was guided to read A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 30, “God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.” What particularly stood out to me is “Today we are trying to use a new kind of ‘projection.’ We are not attempting to get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside. Instead, we are trying to see in the world what is in our minds, and what we want to recognize is there.” (2:1-3)

Yesterday we took a needed day off from everything. We just stopped. It was a wonderful blessing and I feel renewed with new vim and vigor. Colleen’s poem inspires me to move with grace today. I move with grace only as I allow Love to lead me. I move with grace as I let go of deciding what anything means on my own.

What a wonderful time we are in. It is so helpful to know that with every circumstance, I can receive Holy Spirit’s perspective. This is how I am able to walk with grace today if I am willing to allow it.

Robert:  Along with Lesson 30 we were led to read Lesson 42, “God goes with me wherever I go.” The two lessons are really saying the same thing. If God goes with me wherever I go, God must be in everything I see because God is in my mind. As I practice looking past appearances to see God in everything, it becomes more and more clear that God is with me everywhere. I cannot be separate from God.

If I believe the appearances in form that I seem to see are real, I become unaware of God’s eternal presence. Love is still present but the images I see stand as barriers against recognizing that Love is there. It doesn’t matter whether I am disturbed by what someone says or does or frustrated because something I am trying to fix isn’t working. I am still believing the barrier to Love is real and so I am unaware of Love’s presence.

This is why it is so essential to practice staying in peace moment by moment. Peace is now. Love is now. Now is where reality is. The past is not here and the future can only be imagined. So neither are real. As I practice staying in peace, I can indeed see Love everywhere and in everything. Instead of seeing a malfunctioning machine as an adversary to be battled with, I can see the Love beyond the form and be at peace. In peace I can be inspired to bring the machine into harmony so that it reflects in form Love’s eternal presence. As I remember that the forms are only symbols and I give the meaning to the symbols, then I have in my mind the means to see every symbol as a reflection of Love instead of separation.

Today I will practice seeing Love everywhere.

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

Mary:  Right now I feel so blessed. I see that everything is coming together in perfect order. Yesterday the man came to resurface our tub. He had to open a window for ventilation. It “just happened” that yesterday it was 45 degrees outside, the warmest it has been for many months. I am constantly receiving lessons in trust and staying in the present moment.

This morning I read Regina Dawn Akers’ entry about asking Holy Spirit for guidance in the present moment. It was a wonderful contribution to the lessons I am now focused on. This morning we went to Spirit and asked where to read in A Course in Miracles. We were led to “Finding the Present” (Text, Chapter 13, Section VI. pages 250-253). The message in this section fit perfectly with Regina’s message.

If I am ever in doubt or concerned or afraid, it is because I am afraid of God. In this section, it says, “For the past can cast no shadow to darken the present, unless you are afraid of light. And only if you are would you choose to bring darkness with you, and by holding it in your mind, see it as a dark cloud that shrouds your brothers and conceals their reality from your sight.” (2:4-5) What is being reinforced here for me is that if I am not trusting the perfect synchronicity of every “circumstance,” it is a signal that I am afraid of light and that I am hiding the awareness that God’s perfect Love is everywhere, now.

This section also reminds me, “Now is the time of salvation, for now is the release from time.” (8:1) Right now, in this present moment, salvation is mine if I would accept it. Everything I need is now if I would accept it. I see today as the perfect opportunity for me to awaken to what is real now. Every barrier to Love will show itself if I have the willingness to look at them with Holy Spirit now. As I am willing to look at my barriers to Love with Holy Spirit, right now, each present moment, I am using time for Holy Spirit’s purpose. Healing the dream is all that time is for.

Today I am being given another opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to heal my mind by giving each present moment to the Holy Spirit. My job is to listen today. My job is to keep my channels open to hearing Holy Spirit’s guidance moment by moment and not make decisions on my own. What a wonderful opportunity I have right before me today. This is a day of celebration. Right now I feel so blessed.

Robert:  “Now is the time to focus on the present” seems like a redundant statement. I can’t focus on the present in the future. I can’t focus on the present in the past. So obviously I need to focus on the present now. Yet the ego avoids now like the plague. This is because the ego does not exist in the present. It can’t. The ego thought of separation is an idea long sense past. So the ego must keep repeating this past idea to make it seem like it is present. That is all that is happening in the ego thought system: an old, meaningless idea is being repeated over and over. The idea is disguised in many forms but the one thought that separation could be real underlies every form. This thought is already over. That is why healing is now. Freedom is now. Salvation is now. Without repetition of the past, we are awake in Love.

So here I seem to be, involved in renovations and preparing to move to Florida. The form is part of the dream but with the practice of following Holy Spirit step by step in the present, every moment becomes another step forward toward awakening from the dream. I am grateful that all this “doing” provides me opportunity after opportunity to practice accepting Holy Spirit’s lead in the present. It is a journey of awakening. Yeah!

© 2008, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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How Can We Serve Holy Spirit’s Plan?

Robert:  During our 20 years here our focus has been how can we serve Holy Spirit’s plan? Out of that focus came the ministerial training courses and the Miracles Practitioner courses. We were also led to upgrade the conference center facilities and accommodations. The building that was originally a residence gradually became more offices and less living space. The opportunity to serve Holy Spirit’s plan has always gladdened our hearts. There was no sense of loss when our living room became more office space. Rather it just was a demonstration of the growing service that Pathways of Light was participating in.

As Pathways of Light evolved, some things no longer were useful. So they were put in the backs of closets, high shelves or dark corners and forgotten about. Now that we are guided to move to Florida, all this stuff is coming to our attention. We are seeing the blessing of bringing these things out of the background and letting them go. In the letting go we are making way for an expansion in service that we cannot yet fathom.

It is why it is so important for us to keep our focus on the present moment. It is not for us to be distracted by what may be coming. Right now we need to do what is right in front of us to make way for the continuance of Holy Spirit’s plan. It feels like this bringing things out of hiding from corners and high shelves is an outer representation of the same process going on in our minds. For us to go where Holy Spirit wants us to go, we need to let go of the useless clutter we have allowed to reside in our minds.

I feel like this process is working on many levels and having an effect that is beyond my present comprehension. It feels transformative. It is a great blessing. I feel lighter. I have noticed that even over the last two months things I wasn’t ready to let go of two months ago I now let go with ease.

So in a way this seems like standing still. There is no solid plan for the move yet. But this introspective time is essential for the move to go where Holy Spirit wants it to go, both on the level of mind and form. The renovations we are doing are not idle images, though they are in form in the world. They are preparing the residence to better serve the new owners. They also are representations in form of shifts in our minds that release the past and make way for the Holy Spirit’s gift of the future. It is with great gratitude that I place the future in the Hands of God.

Mary:  Today we were guided lesson to read Lesson 73, “I will there be light.” In the lesson we are guided to remind ourselves frequently, “I will there be light. Let me behold the light that reflects God’s Will and mine. Then let your will assert itself, joined with the power of God and united with your Self. Put the rest of the practice period under There guidance. Join with Them as They lead the way.”

The power of God and my true Self are always there in my mind and in eveeryone’s mind. Today my practice is to join with Them and let Them lead the way. My job today is to step back and follow moment by moment.

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