PARADOX
By Jed McKenna
You will never achieve spiritual enlightenment
The you that you think of as you is not you,
The you that thinks of you as you is not you.
There is no you, so who wishes to become enlightened?
Who is not enlightened?
Who will become enlightened?
Who will BE enlightened?
Enlightenment is your destiny – more certain than
Sunrise.
You cannot fail to achieve enlightenment.
Were you told otherwise?
Irresistible forces compel you. The universe insists.
It's not within your power to fail.
There is no path to enlightenment:
It lies in all directions at all times.
On the journey to enlightenment, you create and
Destroy your own path with every step.
No one can follow another's path.
No one ca step off the path.
No one can lead another.
No one can turn back.
No one can stop.
Enlightenment is closer than your skin,
More immediate than your next breadth,
And forever beyond your reach.
It need not be sought because it cannot be found.
It cannot be found because it is not lost.
It cannot be lost because it is not other than that which seeks.
The paradox is that there is no paradox.
Is that not the damndest thing?
..................................................................
Reminds me of the song from Van Morrison " Enlightenment", one of my top 10 for the century!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Friday, October 19, 2007
Without forgiveness is the mind in chains
I was in the quicksands of depression for about three days late last week. Finally, while I had shut myself in my bedroom, laying on my bed most of Sunday, I was looking at a situation that had happened some 15 years ago, and realizing the mistake I had made during the then situation. I found myself both asking for forgiveness with many tears and forgiving myself for making the choice I did and realizing the suffering I have done to myself. Part of this suffering is what follows.
I have been suffering in the last three or so years from heart palpitations which was almost non-stop. I first noticed these when I first got marry some 17 years ago, but only in the last three years, have they become so constant that they became of a real concern to me that I attended a heart specialist, who did the regular checks and what have you. He offered nothing more than I already knew. We both agreed it was due to a stressful marriage.
I had previously believed it was the condition caused by diet, and so I was watching my diet and to see if there were any regularity between when the palpitations would occur in conjunction with what I had eaten or drank. There was nothing noticeably consistent. It wasn't too long before I realized that my condition was the effect of anxiety and fear. Anyhow, without going too far into that, it was while practicing and experiencing Real forgiveness this Sunday on my bed, that I had the sensation like l was almost at the point of crossing over totally into the mind of Christ. I was willing to, this much I know. My breathing changed to a almost non existent. In fact, I was not conscious of my body at all. Just a peaceful state. This did not last long, and when I arose from a bed I did not notice any changes except for the peace that had replaced the self attacking depression and a gratitude for forgiveness. Later that night when I went to bed I noticed that normally, when I went to lay on my left side the palpitations would increase and I would have to lay flat on my back. This time they did not. There were none. I knew straight away that I had been healed, and to this day Thursday, I have had no symptoms whatsoever.
All things I think I see reflect ideas.
W-325.1. This is salvation's keynote: What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I want. 2 From there, the mind makes up an image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, and therefore seeks to find. 3 These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real and guarded as one's own. 4 From insane wishes comes an insane world. 5 From judgment comes a world condemned. 6 And from forgiving thoughts a gentle world comes forth, with mercy for the holy Son of God, to offer him a kindly home where he can rest a while before he journeys on, and help his brothers walk ahead with him, and find the way to Heaven and to God.
Love
Harvey
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The miracle perceives everything AS IT IS
The partly innocent are apt to be quite foolish at times. (Thats me alright)
It is not until their innocence becomes a genuine viewpoint which is universal in its
application that it becomes wisdom. Innocent (or true) perception means that
you NEVER misperceive and ALWAYS see truly. More simply, it means that you
never see what does not really exist. When you lack confidence in what someone
will do, you are attesting to your belief that he is not in his right mind.
This is hardly a miracle-based frame of reference. It also has the disastrous
effect of denying the creative power of the miracle.
The miracle perceives everything AS IT IS. ACIM Text:38
This is a Poem of appreciation to a great brother: Gary Renard
Harvey
It is not until their innocence becomes a genuine viewpoint which is universal in its
application that it becomes wisdom. Innocent (or true) perception means that
you NEVER misperceive and ALWAYS see truly. More simply, it means that you
never see what does not really exist. When you lack confidence in what someone
will do, you are attesting to your belief that he is not in his right mind.
This is hardly a miracle-based frame of reference. It also has the disastrous
effect of denying the creative power of the miracle.
The miracle perceives everything AS IT IS. ACIM Text:38
This is a Poem of appreciation to a great brother: Gary Renard
Once somewhere in the dream time
Arten said to Pursah
Its time to make a din
These guys are still playin follow the leader
And just wont enter in
We have to find some ONE
Who doesn’t follow those silly ego rules.
And so conjured a surprise visit
With this witty little guy
Who loved canned beer and rock.
They knew this combination
When mixed together would win
The hearts and minds of those
Who were willing to journey within.
And so it was with this little guy
That he did blaze the way
Past the loud charades of vane egos fear
Beyond the lofty peaks of spiritualized pride
He opened the way with just one key
Quantum Forgiveness did open the gates to love
And how the light did billow in
And this little guy
Who loved canned beer and rock
Did become a mighty pioneer.
May the Course be with you
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Here is the answer! The Golden Key!
ACIM Workbook Lesson 122 - Forgiveness offers everything I want.
"What could you want forgiveness cannot give? Do you want peace?
Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a
certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that
transcends the world? Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of
sure protection always? Do you want a quietness that cannot be
disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep, abiding
comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset?"
"All this forgiveness offers you, and more. It sparkles on your eyes
as you awake, and gives you joy with which to meet the day. It
soothes your forehead while you sleep, and rests upon your eyelids
so you see no dreams of fear and evil, malice and attack. And when
you wake again, it offers you another day of happiness and peace.
All this forgiveness offers you, and more."
"Forgiveness lets the veil be lifted up that hides the face of
Christ from those who look with unforgiving eyes upon the world. It
lets you recognize the Son of God, and clears your memory of all
dead thoughts so that remembrance of your Father can arise across
the threshold of your mind. What would you want forgiveness cannot
give? What gifts but these are worthy to be sought? What fancied
value, trivial effect or transient promise, never to be kept, can
hold more hope than what forgiveness brings?"
"Why would you seek an answer other than the answer that will answer
everything? Here is the perfect answer, given to imperfect
questions, meaningless requests, halfhearted willingness to hear,
and less than halfway diligence and partial trust. Here is the
answer! Seek for it no more. You will not find another one instead."
"God's plan for your salvation cannot change, nor can it fail. Be
thankful it remains exactly as He planned it. Changelessly it stands
before you like an open door, with warmth and welcome calling from
beyond the doorway, bidding you to enter in and make yourself at
home, where you belong."
"Here is the answer! Would you stand outside while all of Heaven
waits for you within? Forgive and be forgiven. As you give you will
receive. There is no plan but this for the salvation of the Son of
God. Let us today rejoice that this is so, for here we have an
answer, clear and plain, beyond deceit in its simplicity. All the
complexities the world has spun of fragile cobwebs disappear before
the power and the majesty of this extremely simple statement of the
truth."
"Here is the answer! Do not turn away in aimless wandering again.
Accept salvation now. It is the gift of God, and not the world. The
world can give no gifts of any value to a mind that has received
what God has given as its own. God wills salvation be received
today, and that the intricacies of your dreams no longer hide their
nothingness from you."
"Open your eyes today and look upon a happy world of safety and of
peace. Forgiveness is the means by which it comes to take the place
of hell. In quietness it rises up to greet your open eyes, and fill
your heart with deep tranquility as ancient truths, forever newly
born, arise in your awareness. What you will remember then can never
be described. Yet your forgiveness offers it to you."
Thank you Jesus - a better Friend I will never find!
"What could you want forgiveness cannot give? Do you want peace?
Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a
certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that
transcends the world? Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of
sure protection always? Do you want a quietness that cannot be
disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep, abiding
comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset?"
"All this forgiveness offers you, and more. It sparkles on your eyes
as you awake, and gives you joy with which to meet the day. It
soothes your forehead while you sleep, and rests upon your eyelids
so you see no dreams of fear and evil, malice and attack. And when
you wake again, it offers you another day of happiness and peace.
All this forgiveness offers you, and more."
"Forgiveness lets the veil be lifted up that hides the face of
Christ from those who look with unforgiving eyes upon the world. It
lets you recognize the Son of God, and clears your memory of all
dead thoughts so that remembrance of your Father can arise across
the threshold of your mind. What would you want forgiveness cannot
give? What gifts but these are worthy to be sought? What fancied
value, trivial effect or transient promise, never to be kept, can
hold more hope than what forgiveness brings?"
"Why would you seek an answer other than the answer that will answer
everything? Here is the perfect answer, given to imperfect
questions, meaningless requests, halfhearted willingness to hear,
and less than halfway diligence and partial trust. Here is the
answer! Seek for it no more. You will not find another one instead."
"God's plan for your salvation cannot change, nor can it fail. Be
thankful it remains exactly as He planned it. Changelessly it stands
before you like an open door, with warmth and welcome calling from
beyond the doorway, bidding you to enter in and make yourself at
home, where you belong."
"Here is the answer! Would you stand outside while all of Heaven
waits for you within? Forgive and be forgiven. As you give you will
receive. There is no plan but this for the salvation of the Son of
God. Let us today rejoice that this is so, for here we have an
answer, clear and plain, beyond deceit in its simplicity. All the
complexities the world has spun of fragile cobwebs disappear before
the power and the majesty of this extremely simple statement of the
truth."
"Here is the answer! Do not turn away in aimless wandering again.
Accept salvation now. It is the gift of God, and not the world. The
world can give no gifts of any value to a mind that has received
what God has given as its own. God wills salvation be received
today, and that the intricacies of your dreams no longer hide their
nothingness from you."
"Open your eyes today and look upon a happy world of safety and of
peace. Forgiveness is the means by which it comes to take the place
of hell. In quietness it rises up to greet your open eyes, and fill
your heart with deep tranquility as ancient truths, forever newly
born, arise in your awareness. What you will remember then can never
be described. Yet your forgiveness offers it to you."
Thank you Jesus - a better Friend I will never find!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A Course in Miracles takes no prisoners
This beautifully awesome summery of ACIM was Posted on the The Disappearance of the Universe Yahoo Forum by "Alan Dolit" (thanks Alan).
I recently came across the following, although it was written by a
Course student many years ago.
I recently came across the following, although it was written by a
Course student many years ago.
The first moment I opened A Course in Miracles, I was drawn by its
flawless beauty and poetry and heart, but stung fast by its
insistence on hard work. A Course in Miracles is an elegant spiritual
discipline both user-friendly and palpably practical, which focuses
on our true identity, true silence, and true forgiveness. In the
process of teaching those lessons ACIM demands something we may not
want to give: a stunningly high level of devotion. In short, A Course
in Miracles takes no prisoners. You either get down to learning the
wide, wordless beauty of Love and the inescapable naughtiness of the
ego, or you stay trapped in the back of the class with other ACIM
students who try to evade the nature of our Real Identity, and the
nature of Real Love. Let me tell you: many's the day I have spent in
the back of the class wanting to toss A Course of Miracles into the
trash. But, you see, I didn't. Or maybe I should say it another way:
It didn't let me. Of course, mistakes are permitted when you study
the deep, rich pages of A Course in Miracles, Permitted. :) They are
profoundly expected The silent angel author of ACIM tells us our
entire identity is a mistake and that our world is a dream. It
follows, then, that all thoughts relating to our sly, temporal
identity are mistakes by default. And our task, as fumbling initiates
of A Course in Miracles is to learn how to See behind the dream; to
learn how to Hear the still, small voice of God humming like faint
strains of Bach in the depths of our Real Heart. That's the
assignment in a nutshell. A Course in Miracles urges us to learn to
listen to the sweet, divine music within daily, hourly, minutely,
secondly as we breathe, as we move, as we walk, as we speak, as we
pray and we are Home free. I have A Course in Miracles by my bedside.
I have A Course in Miracles at my desk. I have A Course in Miracles
in my briefcase. But most of all, 14 years after I discovered it, I
have A Course in Miracles in my heart. by Elsa Joy Bailey
flawless beauty and poetry and heart, but stung fast by its
insistence on hard work. A Course in Miracles is an elegant spiritual
discipline both user-friendly and palpably practical, which focuses
on our true identity, true silence, and true forgiveness. In the
process of teaching those lessons ACIM demands something we may not
want to give: a stunningly high level of devotion. In short, A Course
in Miracles takes no prisoners. You either get down to learning the
wide, wordless beauty of Love and the inescapable naughtiness of the
ego, or you stay trapped in the back of the class with other ACIM
students who try to evade the nature of our Real Identity, and the
nature of Real Love. Let me tell you: many's the day I have spent in
the back of the class wanting to toss A Course of Miracles into the
trash. But, you see, I didn't. Or maybe I should say it another way:
It didn't let me. Of course, mistakes are permitted when you study
the deep, rich pages of A Course in Miracles, Permitted. :) They are
profoundly expected The silent angel author of ACIM tells us our
entire identity is a mistake and that our world is a dream. It
follows, then, that all thoughts relating to our sly, temporal
identity are mistakes by default. And our task, as fumbling initiates
of A Course in Miracles is to learn how to See behind the dream; to
learn how to Hear the still, small voice of God humming like faint
strains of Bach in the depths of our Real Heart. That's the
assignment in a nutshell. A Course in Miracles urges us to learn to
listen to the sweet, divine music within daily, hourly, minutely,
secondly as we breathe, as we move, as we walk, as we speak, as we
pray and we are Home free. I have A Course in Miracles by my bedside.
I have A Course in Miracles at my desk. I have A Course in Miracles
in my briefcase. But most of all, 14 years after I discovered it, I
have A Course in Miracles in my heart. by Elsa Joy Bailey
Thursday, March 1, 2007
there is no answer; only an experience
Snakes Alive………
Well I am pretty blown away after reading Your Immortal Realty which is Gary Renards latest book. And I am more determined than ever toward a quest of upholding the integrity of ACIM in what ever way I can. One example of this being something I wrote in the previous (December06) post about the email I had received via a friend which included an invitation by one self proclaimed guru of ACIM who calls himself “Master Teacher”, now when I first red his name I smelt a touch of “ego” mixed in there somewhere, but after reading the whole email I smelt a rat.
Well, much to my surprise and my rat smelling ability being “ratified “ from what I red about halfway into Your Immortal Reality, Gary’s first hand experience with “Master Teacher” just blew me away. Not only were my first impressions confirmed but Gary had been pre-informed of his coming experience from his teachers Pursa and Artian, and of course the solution to the “attack” situation was what I call the golden key of ACIM – forgiveness! Forgiveness undoes the ego!
What this showed me is that there are a lot of mixed up users of ACIM just as there are an awful lot of mixed up users of all spiritual teachings in this “Dream”.
So, what else has been happening in ACIM
I was reading DU again and being amazed at how much I never saw in the first reading, And that seems to be what many are saying too, from what I see on the forums. It (the experience of ACIM) just gets better and better.
I feel honored to be in the ACIM community in these days and know that what we do to keep the message clear today will give longevity to an un-corrupted message for the generations to come and that as the course says “save time”. An overview of the mess the original teachings of Jesus got into not long after his transition and how screwed up they are today through the help of the ego should be a wake up call enough.
Well I am pretty blown away after reading Your Immortal Realty which is Gary Renards latest book. And I am more determined than ever toward a quest of upholding the integrity of ACIM in what ever way I can. One example of this being something I wrote in the previous (December06) post about the email I had received via a friend which included an invitation by one self proclaimed guru of ACIM who calls himself “Master Teacher”, now when I first red his name I smelt a touch of “ego” mixed in there somewhere, but after reading the whole email I smelt a rat.
Well, much to my surprise and my rat smelling ability being “ratified “ from what I red about halfway into Your Immortal Reality, Gary’s first hand experience with “Master Teacher” just blew me away. Not only were my first impressions confirmed but Gary had been pre-informed of his coming experience from his teachers Pursa and Artian, and of course the solution to the “attack” situation was what I call the golden key of ACIM – forgiveness! Forgiveness undoes the ego!
What this showed me is that there are a lot of mixed up users of ACIM just as there are an awful lot of mixed up users of all spiritual teachings in this “Dream”.
So, what else has been happening in ACIM
I was reading DU again and being amazed at how much I never saw in the first reading, And that seems to be what many are saying too, from what I see on the forums. It (the experience of ACIM) just gets better and better.
I feel honored to be in the ACIM community in these days and know that what we do to keep the message clear today will give longevity to an un-corrupted message for the generations to come and that as the course says “save time”. An overview of the mess the original teachings of Jesus got into not long after his transition and how screwed up they are today through the help of the ego should be a wake up call enough.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
I Need Do Nothing
I red most of Timothy Freke’s “Jesus and the Goddess” and found myself getting nowhere I really wanted to go, and was loosing the nice sense of “love” that I have acquired through my study of ACIM. So I have put “Jesus and the Goddess” in the cupboard for whenever, which may be never! Took another two weeks to get back in sync with my “love” state.
I am enjoying this “love” relationship that IS NOW, and do not want to sabotage it through some other philo-sophy tangent, so I askd the HS for help.
It really is a love RELATIONSHIP, and what happened some days ago proved this to me. I was reading a passage in the ACIM Text section (18:The Dream and Reality) and came across a portion describing the difference between a DREAM and TRANSPORTATION, which caught my attention as I used to be a searcher for the methods of inducing the OUT of BODY EXPERIENCE. The explanation of what this experience is is totally different from the other schools of thought I had learned and so ACIM had a moving effect on me bringing me to a strong desire for guidance while asking / praying (with tears yet again).
Reason I started searching those years ago was because I had such (guided) OBE experiences in my 20s and wanted more answers to the questions they caused within me. Of which only these past few days do I NOW understand why my searching has been so painful and frustrating from the multitudes of tedious theories and methods practiced.
Well the ACIM is all about “saving time” and I could have saved 20years if somehow I new this back then.
Never the less, my recent (guided) “transportation” experience was without doubt a most beautiful timeless moment to have experienced,…”melting into” ONE with “God” (God being a state not “a being” according to ACIM).
I am consumed with gratitude for this relationship experience and the lesson of “I Need Do Nothing”...a statement of allegiance, a truly undivided loyalty.”
Not much has changed on the “outside?” yet, still wrestling with illusions (fears) of the daily grind (situations) etc…
I got an email last week from an ACIM self professed guru, perhaps this sounds cynical, and maybe it is, but I count myself lucky to have gotten off to a good start with ACIM and come in through “the right door”, so to speak. You see just like there are many hundreds of religions (entrapping themselves in absolute and literal dogmas) and their break-away denominations repeating the same silly mistakes, so it seems that it is this same way of the same “ego” interfering with ACIM. The “ego” loves to divide (dualism) and keep the illusion of separation alive, thus with ACIM there have arisen different interpretations of the original, thus interpreters i.e. Master Teachers, Pastors and Gurus.
Now my reasoning is this: if I read my ACIM right, there is no need for an interpreter as the Holy Spirit will assist you toward truth…why do we need yet another “ego” involved? Yes, sometimes I want some person to talk to about aspects I’m reading, but I am glad that I seem to be directed to the right forum or website that has the explanation right there for me when I need it. I love the guidance in this!
So this email I received tells me this Master Teacher has been told by Jesus that JESUS will appear this weekend 8-10th Dec, to him and his disciples. And has asked for everyone to get there if they love him.
Perhaps time will show me something new about what I feel about these misguided people…and for now “I forgive him”, “forgive me too for my perception since it may well be distorted”. The book The Disapparence of the Universe has a good explaniation of this fragmentation going on…(see links), Looking forward to reading more in his latest book.
“A dangerous thing happens when a man discovers his own truth. … He no longer finds himself bound by the dogma of some body of thought that supposedly holds the keys to his salvation. He has fought his way out of the cage and earned his freedom. And no one who controls him or hopes to in the future wants to see that happen.” http://blairwarren.com/blog/
Had the joy of going to a John Butler Trio concert on Wed evening with my son James (13), I love his music even more now. The words of one song comes to mind that I will close this post with…”all I know is, all I know is, I LOVE YOU, and I LOVE YOU”.
I am enjoying this “love” relationship that IS NOW, and do not want to sabotage it through some other philo-sophy tangent, so I askd the HS for help.
It really is a love RELATIONSHIP, and what happened some days ago proved this to me. I was reading a passage in the ACIM Text section (18:The Dream and Reality) and came across a portion describing the difference between a DREAM and TRANSPORTATION, which caught my attention as I used to be a searcher for the methods of inducing the OUT of BODY EXPERIENCE. The explanation of what this experience is is totally different from the other schools of thought I had learned and so ACIM had a moving effect on me bringing me to a strong desire for guidance while asking / praying (with tears yet again).
Reason I started searching those years ago was because I had such (guided) OBE experiences in my 20s and wanted more answers to the questions they caused within me. Of which only these past few days do I NOW understand why my searching has been so painful and frustrating from the multitudes of tedious theories and methods practiced.
Well the ACIM is all about “saving time” and I could have saved 20years if somehow I new this back then.
Never the less, my recent (guided) “transportation” experience was without doubt a most beautiful timeless moment to have experienced,…”melting into” ONE with “God” (God being a state not “a being” according to ACIM).
I am consumed with gratitude for this relationship experience and the lesson of “I Need Do Nothing”...a statement of allegiance, a truly undivided loyalty.”
Not much has changed on the “outside?” yet, still wrestling with illusions (fears) of the daily grind (situations) etc…
I got an email last week from an ACIM self professed guru, perhaps this sounds cynical, and maybe it is, but I count myself lucky to have gotten off to a good start with ACIM and come in through “the right door”, so to speak. You see just like there are many hundreds of religions (entrapping themselves in absolute and literal dogmas) and their break-away denominations repeating the same silly mistakes, so it seems that it is this same way of the same “ego” interfering with ACIM. The “ego” loves to divide (dualism) and keep the illusion of separation alive, thus with ACIM there have arisen different interpretations of the original, thus interpreters i.e. Master Teachers, Pastors and Gurus.
Now my reasoning is this: if I read my ACIM right, there is no need for an interpreter as the Holy Spirit will assist you toward truth…why do we need yet another “ego” involved? Yes, sometimes I want some person to talk to about aspects I’m reading, but I am glad that I seem to be directed to the right forum or website that has the explanation right there for me when I need it. I love the guidance in this!
So this email I received tells me this Master Teacher has been told by Jesus that JESUS will appear this weekend 8-10th Dec, to him and his disciples. And has asked for everyone to get there if they love him.
Perhaps time will show me something new about what I feel about these misguided people…and for now “I forgive him”, “forgive me too for my perception since it may well be distorted”. The book The Disapparence of the Universe has a good explaniation of this fragmentation going on…(see links), Looking forward to reading more in his latest book.
“A dangerous thing happens when a man discovers his own truth. … He no longer finds himself bound by the dogma of some body of thought that supposedly holds the keys to his salvation. He has fought his way out of the cage and earned his freedom. And no one who controls him or hopes to in the future wants to see that happen.” http://blairwarren.com/blog/
Had the joy of going to a John Butler Trio concert on Wed evening with my son James (13), I love his music even more now. The words of one song comes to mind that I will close this post with…”all I know is, all I know is, I LOVE YOU, and I LOVE YOU”.
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