What if you didn’t believe in money? True generosity is a giving heart; it’s really a state of mind of being loving, joyful, and happy, and it has nothing to do with what we describe and define generosity to be in terms of the material world.
Money and Finances
Family Relationships, Responsibility, and Guilt
The ego has set up many different kinds of self-concepts and roles to keep us trapped, including identification with family relationships and with the body. The only responsibility we have is for our state of mind, we are not responsible for people, animals, debt, etc. If we give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit and following His guidance, the Spirit will handle all of the needs we seem to have in miraculous ways while we unwind our mind back to God. All things will be used in this unwinding, including family relationships. “The whole purpose of life is to wake up from this dream of this world. The ego would have you believe that you exist in this world and you have to attain and achieve certain things in your lifetime. And all of education and learning is based on learning more, but everything in this world is backward and upside down. When you think you advance in this world you are really falling back. And when you think your life is completely falling apart, you are actually opening your heart. So actually, there are always miracles and there are always blessings. The ego invented linear time, and God only knows eternity. So, past and present and future are part of the trick.”
This Life Is but a Dream
This world we see can seem very real, but, in fact, it is a dream. We may feel like we have many problems in this life such as money, relationships, jobs, family issues, addictions and all kinds of issues the ego wants us to believe we have. There is only one problem, and that is our perception. By changing our thought and belief system we can wake up from this dream world and change our perception to a happy dream. The ego would have us think that to escape the world as we see it is a very complex mission, whereas the Spirit would have us learn that it is very simple.
From CEO to Mystic
David Hoffmeister has a revealing conversation with two former Chief Executive Officers who left their careers to devote their lives to God. CEOs cannot become enlightened. Holding any role as an identity—mother, father, butcher, baker—keeps you in illusion. You can’t spiritualize a business. You can’t bring the truth to the illusion; you must bring the illusion to the truth.
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.
Why Is Spirituality of Value in My Life?
What do I value in my life? I want a measurement for how to tell if something has value for me on this spiritual journey. If it doesn’t have value, why would I want it? “A Course in Miracles” gives you the measurement, beautifully and clearly spelled out: “If you choose a thing that will not last forever, what you choose is valueless.” (ACIM, W-133.6.) Through “A Course in Miracles” daily lessons, the awakening mind is trained to set aside the ego’s goals, and choose instead with Spirit. The confused mind is trained to think with the Holy Spirit. This is a change in direction towards peace and away from fear.
Commercialization of Holiness
Kalani Retreat 2010. David goes into how the ego distorts the symbols of holiness.
Becoming Passersby
Empty the mind of concepts. The mind is the classroom. Spirit will use many different backdrops for mind training. The goal is to be able to watch the world without having investment in it, to become a passer-by.
How Will You Spend Your Life?
In this gathering in Toowoomba, Australia, David explores the question of one’s life purpose. He shares the teaching that it is not that you ask for too much of life, you ask for far too little. David shares a parable about his Australian friend Les, who has called upon Spirit for answers and received all that he asked for.
Is Happiness a Worthy Goal?
Happiness is a worthy goal, but not for the future; for you deserve to be happy (free) now. The present moment is the closest approximation of eternity. The ego just loves to worry about the future. “Buy gold now and save yourself,” it says. But what about the “Real Estate” of the present?