Nothing of the world can give you peace and nothing of the world can take it away. It is purely an intrinsic matter. You will always draw forth witnesses to what you believe, and when you call forth ego witnesses, you need merely call on the Holy Spirit to help you see them differently.
Living with Purpose
The Practical Tools of Awakening
In this talk, David reveals the practical tools of Awakening and how they are used to help heal our mind. He shares about his journey as a devotee of Christ, desiring only to be the living Presence of Spirit and to go wherever called. As he immersed himself deeply in the teachings of “A Course in Miracles,” allowing his mind to become empty of personal beliefs and expectations, he came to a consistent state of unified perception, the true experience of the happy dream.
Problem with Self-Help
There is only one problem with self-help—the Self that we are doesn’t need any help. As we move towards the Atonement, we move increasingly to the awareness that we have been wrong about everything, and towards the realization that, “my mind holds only what I think with God.” Our purpose is not to create a utopia on earth, but only to open our minds to a state of deep love and gratitude for the One, our Creator. Many of us were taught that it’s not wise to become too happy, but Love invites us to be divinely and fully happy now.
Errors Have Been Corrected
David Hoffmeister clarifies the distinction between “error” and “sin.” Error is a mistake that is correctible, but sin is a belief that there is something dark and devious that is stronger than Love. This is a crazy idea! David shares how our only function is acceptance the correction—the grace is already there! So, how does one practically experience this truth? By giving one’s mind over to Spirit, we open to the joy of true service.
Is Storytelling Good or Bad?
Is storytelling good or bad? The ego made up all the stories, and will use storytelling to justify emotions and to reinforce the personality identity. Yet storytelling can also be used by the Spirit to heal and bless. The real question to ask is, “What is the point, the purpose, of the story?” Just as Jesus only told stories that had a clear point and purpose to them, so too should we be equally mindful as to why we are telling a story.
Letting Go of Situational Thinking
You have what seem to be mounds of memories of past situations. You try to use these memory fragments to gain understanding. For example, if you have a conversation with a family member that you find upsetting, you might think back on it later and wonder: What was going on there? Why did I feel so upset? When you use this kind of situational thinking to try to understand a feeling, you are using the ego’s framework of linear time. Through the ACIM daily lessons you are trained to remember that time is already over. You do not have to believe that one thing happens after another in your experience. There is a different way to experience being.
Where Did I Come From?
At some point in our lives, we have asked ourselves a few questions. “How did I get here? Where did I come from? Was I really born, or did I pop into consciousness 13.5 billion years ago? Was it really 13.5 billion years ago or 5 minutes ago? If I’m constantly recreating myself, how do I stop?”
What Am I Going to Do with My Future
Have you been tricked into believing that the future is different from the past? Let your ideas about time be retranslated! The whole of A Course in Miracles brings home one central teaching. Much like a kaleidoscope or a fractal, this teaching might be said with thousands of different words, and in a thousand different ways, but the core remains the same.
Looking beneath the Ego Sugarcoating
Love is inevitable! You can’t mess it up! As you go beneath the ego sugarcoating you can expect to become self-critical. The ACIM healing process is lead by the Spirit. The ego doesn’t know the way to the light; it doesn’t want to get to the light. Let the Holy Spirit lead the way. You are here to clear the underlying ontological guilt. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and unwind you in the process of regaining your happiness.
What Is the Cutting Edge of Healing?
What is the cutting edge of healing? It’s in learning the principles Jesus teaches and applying them without exception. Explore the ACIM healing principle that you can only offer the world a gift of lilies, or a crown of thorns. There are only two options. These two states of mind are really all that you can offer the world. What lens are you looking through? This takes mind training. Without mind training, we have no idea what we are offering beyond the words. We’re clueless until we start to see clearly the subtleties of the ego and its defense mechanisms.