Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts

Sunday 15 March 2015

My Introduction to A Course In Miracles

It was around 2008 or 2009, I had never heard of A Course in Miracles until a long time friend of mine brought it to my attention. She had the 'miracle book' in her possession for many years when she decided it was time to start reading the text and applying the lessons. She had explained a bit about how she came upon the book, and briefly what it entailed. It wasn't long after that I became the recipient of the 'big blue book' as a birthday gift from her.

I took the book home, but it would be a few days (maybe weeks) before I had the interest to open it up and start reading it. I got through the first few pages, and thought to myself … what IS this? I quickly lost interest, unlike my friend who seemed quite enamoured with the book. I for, whatever reason ... resistance I guess, could not absorb the message in the context it was written. To me, it was like reading Shakespeare, which I am not a fan of! That book wasn't long going back on the shelf, there to sit for approximately a year, untouched.

My friend and I had both been searching for meaning and purpose in life for many years. We started with the idea of feng shui, a Chinese thought system which considers spatial arrangement in relation to energy flow and favorable and unfavorable effects taken into account. Leaving feng shui in the dust, we went on to follow Wayne Dwyer on PBS reading some of his books, as well as Louise Hay, Caroline Myss, Byron Katie, Law of Attraction (Esther and Jerry Hicks) and Eckhart Tolle. It wasn't until we (or my friend) came across videos of David Hoffmeister on youtube, when we became enthralled with David. His teachings seemed to be the catalyst to directing me back at another attempt to reading the text of A Course in Miracles.




I was still having a difficult time grappling with understanding the text. This book just wasn't resonating with me at all! With a couple of chapters behind me, I came across an interview by Kenneth Bok. He was interviewing a gentleman (whom I cannot not remember), but he was explaining his theory on reading A Course in Miracles. Also, having a difficult time understanding the text, and after having his book sitting on the shelf for a lengthy period, he decided to just read through it, as some of it was bound to 'stick'. I decided that this would be my approach from here on forward … to continue trudging through the text in the hopes that I would pick up something from it. I wasn't working then, so would make the experience as pleasant as possible. It was a beautiful summer, and I would venture outside to sit in the yard where I could enjoy the sunshine and the birds singing in the background while I read. I read through a couple of sections daily, and most days did the lessons as well as listening to David's talks on youtube. I can't remember how long it took, but I finally made it to the end, still with the lessons incomplete, but none-the-less, I had accomplished it! I'm not sure, however, if I had retained anything at this point.

It was sometime shortly after that I was introduced to Gary Renard (via the internet) and his book The Disappearance of the Universe. I made the decision to get this book due to its promotion as a supplement to understanding the principles of A Course in Miracles. Even though at times sceptical, I found the book to make the world of difference in my comprehension of the teachings.

It was some time later (a couple of years from my initial introduction to this path) that I would pick up the course book and read through the chapters once again (still working on the lessons). To my surprise and delight, it was like reading a completely different book. I was hooked!

Looking back, I now understand that everything on my path was presented to me, in timely fashion, to bring me to this point of understanding. Everything happens perfectly … the Holy Spirit meets you where you are at … always! One just has to be open to receive.

"The Holy Spirit mediates between illusions and the truth. Since He must bridge the gap between reality and dreams, perception leads to knowledge through the grace that God has given Him, to be His gift to everyone who turns to Him for truth. Across the bridge that He provides are dreams all carried to the truth, to be dispelled before the light of knowledge. There are sights and sounds forever laid aside. And where they were perceived before, forgiveness has made possible perception's tranquil end." (L-281.p7)

I am now a full fledge student living A Course in Miracles teachings. I am currently working on the Mystical Mind Training program (a practical multimedia training program which helps ministerial trainees, miracle workers and teachers of God experience inner peace), have attended retreats, as well as participate in volunteering with transcribing and assist with the restructuring of the Movie Watcher's Guide to Enlightenment (watching your emotions during a movie and releasing what is coming up, can speed up the awakening process).

A Course in Miracles shows us the way out of suffering and into a true place of peace and joy. The only way to experience that amazing healing is to live the teachings day by day.

Saturday 7 March 2015

Where True LOVE Has Lost Meaning



There is the idea that God is Love. So taint the definition of love and you taint the definition of God.

The word love is highly over-used and misinterpreted in the English language … tarnished or contaminated. We teach our children not to say hate because it is such a strong, negative word, but we miss out on the importance of teaching them not to over-use love until it has lost all meaning.

"Love" is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection ('I love my mother') to pleasure ('I loved that meal'). It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection—'the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another'. It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals."

We use the same word to describe our feelings for a favorite shirt or meal as we do to describe our feelings for our children. We tell people we barely know that we love them. Love is also used to justify attachment, submission, or dependence.

This diverse uses and meanings combined with the complexity of the feelings involved makes love difficult to consistently define. Ancient Greeks identified four forms of love: (agape - self-emptying or divine love), (storge - friendship), (philia - kinship or familiarity), and (eros - sexual or romantic desire).

We will take a brief look at storge and eros love, but I want to focus primarily on phileo and agape love, which are the two types of love spoken of in the Bible.

Storge is a type of love that is natural, not forceda type of love or affection that one might have for family.

Eros is a passionate or sexual love (source of the word erotic). This type of love is important within a relationship, but it can also be abused, mistaken for storge love.




Philia or phileo love is a brotherly love, which is most often exhibited in a close friendship. Best friends will display this affectionate love for each other, seeking to make the other happy.

Since phileo love involves feelings of affection toward another person, we would not have this type of love toward our enemies.

Agape love is the most powerful and noblest type of love. Agape love is more than just a feeling—it is an act of the will and sacrifice. This is the love that God has for His people and that prompted the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, for our sins. Jesus was the personification of agape love.

God suggests that we have agape love toward everyone, including those with personalities that clash with our own; those who have hurt us and have treated us badly, and even those who are hostile toward our faith.

As we follow the path of God’s example for agape love towards our enemies, we will see them through the eyes of God.


"The time of Christ we celebrate together, for it has no meaning if we are apart. The holy instant is truly the time of Christ. For in this liberating instant no guilt is laid upon the Son of God, and his unlimited power is thus restored to him. What other gift can you offer me, when only this I choose to offer you? And to see me is to see me in everyone, and offer everyone the gift you offer me." (A Course in Miracles T-15.1.10)

I bless you, brother, with the Love of God, which I would share
with you. For I would learn the joyous lesson that there is no
love but God's and yours and mine and everyone's. (L-127)