I’ve been a student of “A Course in Miracles” since 1977, although I was so overwhelmed by it when I first got it, I did the “Ask yourself a question, then close your eyes and open the book for an answer,” routine the first two years. Then I read “The Manual”, thinking that a manual tells you how to do something. That was helpful. I read repeatedly “4. What are the Characteristics of God’s Teachers.” in 1980 I began going through all of the lessons in “The Workbook”. I’d read parts of “The Text”, but yeesh! It was daunting. Finally I read that through. Then I did it again some years later, and this year I’m reading both “The Workbook”, and “The Text”.

I was told that it was written on two levels, and now it’s a wonderful expanded ballgame for me. I’ve had a lot of help from wonderful teachers along the way: Paul Solomon, Dr. Jerry Jampolsky, Marianne Williamson, Kenneth Wapnick, and most recently Tom Carpenter. I’m so thankful for all of them. Each one has taken me a little farther along in my understanding, or maybe I was just able to receive what was said. We can never underestimate the power of our perceptions to perceive or misperceive anything. The ego is powerful.

In meditation today I was struck by some powerful truth. In Chapter 6, section III , “The Relinquishment of Attack “, it says flat out that every thought that we send out is part of our mind, and stays in it. Think about that the next time that someone judges you viciously.

It also speaks of the Holy Spirit holding our divine knowledge safe in our minds. There’s that duality again. Sometimes it feels as if I have two minds. I always have the choice to respond from one Self or the ego self . Our “Godlike mind can never be defiled. The ego never was and never will be part of it [although] you have taught yourself to believe that you are not what you are.” (the ego). Whichever self we respond from, we strengthen, and we also teach.

“That is why you must teach only one lesson. If you are to be conflict-free yourself, you must learn only from the Holy Spirit and teach only by Him…’Teach only love, for that is what you are.’ This is the one lesson that is perfectly unified….Only by teaching it can you learn it… and do not forget that what  you teach is teaching you.” Now that just caused my heart to leap. Yes, Love is teaching me how to be love, from the inside out. Isn’t it wonderful? I feel like Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. He had so much love and appreciation that he was willing to go to jail happily.

One more little part now: We extend love by seeing love as the true Self of everyone and ourselves. When others have illness and pain we recognize that they are calling to us to see the Love in them, and act gently with them. That’s completely opposite of the ego’s way of either seeing them as a victim, or a manipulator to get attention or something. As I see my brother as love, I see it in myself, and it becomes a holy spiral upwards to Light.

When I see my brother’s gentleness, and I perceive myself as totally harmless, the need to protect myself dissolves. “The protection of God then dawns upon it (the mind), assuring it that it is perfectly safe forever. The perfectly safe are wholly benign. They bless because they know that they are blessed. Without anxiety the mind is wholly kind, and because it extends beneficence it is beneficence.

Safety is the complete relinquishment of attack.” Again, this is in complete contradiction to the ego’s tactics of defend, defend and defend harder! No one is to be trusted! Now our governments are groups of egos. According to Paul Solomon, the heads of nations represents the major thought form of the people. So the way that we will become a peaceful planet is if enough of us begin to KNOW the truth that we are love. TEACH ONLY LOVE, FOR THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE! And it’s fun!.

Today as I was putting some aura glow on my legs, just out of the shower, a thought came to mind. I wrote it down in my journal. It feels “shareworthy”, so here it is.

I believe that the coming spiritual teachings will be that of teaching the masses of mankind about the duality of the human being; that we are not only a body and mind, but also a pure Spirit. Teachers will teach people how to recognize that Spirit within themselves and in each other. Then they will teach people that choosing the Loving Self, leads to a richer, more peaceful life. Meditation will be taught as a way of stilling the mind so that the spirit can be accessed.

People search because they are looking for something. Because Holy Spirit is God within us, flashing its beacon of Light, we get glimpses of it. We feel it…walks in nature, watching waves at a beach, loving another being, these all draw the Light more into our minds. Selfish or cruel thoughts cover it up. The ego loves drama, but it is exhausting! The Light within is as relentless in calling to Spirit as the ego is in calling our attention to the world. But God is eternal. God will win. Love succeeds.

We can decide for God now or later…. Whenever we get tired of the drama. If you meditate already, teach someone new how to do it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! In these times when over a third of our country puts down “Spiritual but not religious” for its religion, we need to meet people where they are, and just be love, share it, and nurture it. That is where meditation comes in. God “voice” is wordless, still, peaceful, encompassing, accepting, loving. It won’t compete with ego’s raucous thoughts and rants. Meditation clears the mind of that chaos, and if we really choose contact with Beloved, we will feel it.

Peace and joy to you!

Hello Loves,

Sorry it’s been awhile, but a busy productive and happy while for me, and I hope also for you. I ordered another 2,500 bumper stickers, and some friends and acquaintances are buying them at cost, or taking them to the mainland to distribute over there. This was also the theme of the “art gallery” window I put up in an empty store window at our Kukui Grove Mall Food Court for the Interfaith Roundtable’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration of Peace. I had quotations from many faiths, and some inspiring pictures. I had photos and bios of some of the major peacemakers in the world, including Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer, and more. The pictures had to fit into the categories of love, peace, hope and joy. When I shared my idea with the Mall coordinator, she said I could keep it up for a month. So Love Succeeds flows right into Valentine’s Day!

Each Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The Interfaith Roundtable of Kaua’i invites different faith and ethnicities to come perform, sing, share, dance, make parades and more. I was the organizer.This year we gave away 3  Peacemaker awards. One for Youth Peacemaker (12-18), Adult Peacemaker, and Peace Educator. We had Tsunami Taiko Drummers a drumming. They are a youth group that was started by 4 ministers on the west side of Kaua’i to engage kids, and keep them away from drugs. They are just awesome. The Lihue Tongan Christian Choir sang, and they are so full of spirit they completely fill up the mall. The Sufis danced. An African drumming group, Earth Tribe, drummed in the spirits. Kapa'a High School lip synched, and hip hopped about peacemaking. We sang and spoke of visionary Dr. King. We had a peacemakers’ parade. Children crafted flags that said “Peace” in 49 different languages, and there were also banners that said, “Act with Kindness” “Be a good Friend”, “Treat everyone with Respect”, etc.

While all that was going on, people went from table to table to donate to the Food Bank, wrote letters to Sandy Hook Elementary Survivors, made peace perfume, colored mandalas, read about peace makers, learned about suicide prevention, watched a video on Mr. Peace Man made by the Kapa’a High School Mediation Team, and chalked on the sidewalk for peace. Great Day! The Mayor even made a proclamation!

But yesterday, as I’m finishing up a meditation, I received this information, the title of this blog: “If you do something with Love, you do it with God, because God is Love.” That statement is so astoundingly simple, yet it brings a holiness into everything we can do. Instead of cleaning up after someone with resentment, we can use the time to bless ourselves, and wherever we are (and ultimately the great All), by doing the task with love. No more meaninglessness! Everything creates more love, because it is a joining of ourselves and God!  Actually we are always One with God,  but we don't always think of it. This is still touching me deeply. I couldn’t wait to share it with you…..