Be authentic with your feelings, and when anger arises, welcome it. Jesus never says you should not be angry, only that it is never justified! In other words, do not try to justify your anger using external causes (i.e. being mistreated, seeing others mistreated, etc.) Attempting to justify why you feel angry will only put you into an unhappy loop. Instead, practice pausing and reminding yourself that, as Lesson 5 says, “I am never upset for the reason I think”. Ask for Help of Him Who knows you truly, and give your anger to Him. Share your mind with Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit, and let your mind be healed for you.
Authenticity
What Thoughts Are Running Your Life?
What thoughts and beliefs are running your life? Do you think you need to act a certain way and say the right things in order to be loved? Do you think something bad will happen if you actually follow your heart? These people-pleasing mechanisms can be released when their underlying beliefs and assumptions are held […]
Speak from Your Experience
Are you willing to see your brother sinless? Let your emotions come up. Take an honest look. The Workbook of “A Course in Miracles” is designed to take you from there to a high state of mind. Don’t try to deny the body. Don’t skip to “it’s all an illusion.”
An Uncompromising Path to God (Part 1)
David Hoffmeister has been teaching the principals found in ACIM for many years. He has been uncompromising in his practice of what the Course teaches. Because of his uncompromising approach, he is now a living demonstration of the Awakened Mind. As “A Course in Miracles” states: “You will learn this Course completely or not at all.” This series of videos recorded at the Kalani retreat center in Hawaii helps one to understand some of the steps required to awaken to the clear and beautiful state that the Course describes as the Christ Mind. Enjoy!
Fearlessness
Spirit dissolves away our fear of consequences, leaving us free, spontaneous, and happy.
Give Miracles
On the spiritual journey there is a discipline, a mind training, to undo the doer. Experiment with the steps. We seem to have a sense of self-doubt and fear of getting a bad evaluation. Wouldn’t it be nice to transcend that, to just show up in presence and let go into the flow?! The Holy Spirit gives you the gifts, the miracles, to give from the storehouse of your mind moment to moment.
Perception Is Selective
Instead of focusing on the body, put your attention on joining, connecting. The ego-mind looks for problems to solve; the whole world is a mirror of this mind searching and exaggerating the problem instead of the solution (joining). A succession of personality identities will be revealed; even “teacher of God” or the “saint” are masks. We must keep unveiling until all is exposed and we have moved completely into the light. Always be authentic and guidance for the next step will be there.
Healing People-Pleasing
There’s a strain and internal conflict in the mind when you try to live up to people’s standards. Beyond pleasing the people around you, there is a people-pleasing the “people” that you believe you are. The conflict comes from trying to meet the standard of the ideal person you believe you should be. You cannot simply change the form of your behavior when psychologically and emotionally you have not reached that point of change. Instead, be spontaneous and authentic until you have purification of mind, where everything comes together into integrity. David shares about his own experiences releasing emotions, mourning, and facing the darkness. When joining with others, whether it is a community of two or a larger group, there is more temptation for ego sabotage and flare-ups; and along with that, an opportunity for much deeper healing.
Defensiveness in Relationships
When defensiveness in relationships arise ask yourself, “What am I defending?” In all cases it’s some aspect of our own self-concept; some aspect or image of what we’ve identified with. The deeper you go into spirituality, you start to realize that however it looks on the screen of the world, you are only ever talking or listening to yourself. The ego feels it is lacking and incomplete, and so it looks at a relationship partner to fill that lack. It thinks it deserves love and it looks for a partner to fulfill that love.