A Course in Miracles

A Course in Miracles - Every Day Miracles

Final essay

Rev. William Fowler

The title for this course is easily overlooked because the eye focuses on the word ‘miracle’. I made this mistake and was disappointed when, having gone thru the course once, no flash in the sky or lotto winning miracle occurred. The truth came slowly the second time thru and was reinforced, and learned, the third time thru. The truth is that small ‘every day miracles’ promote a better Alchemical development because there is no flash in the sky. The sudden miraculous alterations tend to disrupt and disorient the mind, as opposed to a string of small successes that slowly builds ones confidence and allows a natural awakening to take place. The acceptance of this fact finally allowed me to appreciate the Carl Jung undercurrent (knowledge of God’s Way), use of Now (as described in The Power of NOW ), and references consistent with Quantum Physics , in this awakening.

Chapter one, while rather simplified, does give some instructional separation points between “conscious” mind and Spirit. The Ego, equalized in chapter 2 and villainized throughout the remainder of the course, may (or may not) be the proper title for it; however, it became clear as I progressed thru the course that there is a counter –development essence working against spiritual development. During years of Rosicrucian studies, a ‘dark night’ syndrome used to follow each initiation with an impact equal (though opposite) to the positive benefit of the initiation. These were assumed to be a phenomena (i.e., action-reaction). The course has allowed me to see these ‘dark nights’ as part of an essence that (I won’t call malevolent because I do not believe in evil) is counter to spiritual advancement. Each of the “cures” of ego effect mentioned in the course had some positive impact, but only thru constant attention and use of varied “cures” has there been peace and progress.

Chapter 3, on Nature and Creation, did not ring true for me and I apologize to the author for not being able to reach her understanding of ‘Guilt’ as an underlying cause.

Chapter 4, on Projection, was excellent and very consistent with Quantum Physics and the famous “two slit experiment”2. In truth “Projection makes Perception”, the trick is to consciously control the projector.

Chapter 5, Meditation, was good (especially with the audio tape provided) if somewhat limited. Many disciplines (i.e., Hindu , Buddhist , Tao , Bon , Sufi , Sikh , etc.) consider meditation the only tool. Catholism, usually considered a non-meditative religion also has its’ meditation adherents (St. Ignatius of Loyola ).

Chapters 6-9 (Desire, Purpose, Intention, and Attention) are for me, four arrows shot from the same bow. Four different tools used to create chapter 10, the Visualization. It is Visualization, properly created and empowered, that is the miracle.

Chapters 11-15 (releasing the past, releasing illusion, asking for help, and surrendering attachments) are good instructions on the use of powerful tools. These tools, for me, are most effective in the preparation and practice of Meditation (see chapter 5 above); therefore, I use them more to set the ‘atmosphere’ of my essence before using the focusing tools of chapters 6-9.

Chapters 16-20 (Health, Money, Work, Addictions) are very insightful examples of uses, or purposes, for this program. My work with this program is ongoing with three of these purposes, so any report on specific results will have to await a future date.

The only “error” (if it can be called that) is the reference to the past as unalterable in the future. This is an ‘apparent’ physical limitation (I use ‘apparent’ because certain blind studies have demonstrated the physical possibility), certainly not a Spiritual limitation. It could lead to unexpected results, if you assume a limitation that does not exist.

The last line (by St. Augustine) “Love, and do what you will”, is a recurring truth (see Wiccan Law, also A. Crowleys’ Book of the Law, etc.) that holds special meaning for me. It sums up the course at the same time, though lightly veiled, offers a most powerful warning. Real Love, is for me pure Spirit, is God’s Love, is Tao, is Nirvana, is Rapture (Sufi), etc. Therefore, if you create with Real Love as your motivation, then “GOOD” will be your results. Otherwise creates otherwise!

Overall, I am pleased and feel ‘bettered’ for having practiced this course. I certainly would consider another course by the same author.

Rev. William Fowler

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

A Course in Miracles

Dr. of Metaphysics, Course of Miracles

Student: Rev. Linda Francis

Final Essay: When the Student is Ready¦

I am not sure if I went in search of the Course of Miracles or it came in search of me. I attended several lectures and noted each speaker quoted from a book that I was not failure with. Each speaker called it a "life changing book'. Neither our local book store nor the library had it, so I moved on to read other recommended books.

However, quotes from the book continued to show up in magazines and other books I read and then one day just after my husband's death I pulled out his suitcase from under the bed and there was the book, Course of Miracles, along with notes that he had used to teach the class in Philadelphia before his marriage to me.

Why had he never mentioned this book to me during our 12 years of marriage? I was teaching a class in forgiveness and he had mentioned he once taught a class about it as well but gave it up when he could not forgive the professor who abused him in college. He told me I would find a success and joy he was never able to find for I truly had the ability to forgive others.

When I started reading The Course of Miracles I realized this must have been the book he was talking about. I began to read it but realized it was deep and I needed to find someone who understood it better than I could alone. I asked many in my little fundamental community and each had never head of the book nor wanted to study it with me. I begin to pray to find a person with an interest in the book, also.

Finally, I went on line and found your course and another one and enrolled in both. A few weeks ago I noted in the newspaper a speaker was discussing the book and so I attended the lecture only to run into an old friend I knew 25 years ago and she was studying this book as well, with a small group that met about 30 minutes from where I lived each Tuesday morning.

The book truly has changed my life, and this class has helped me greatly in understanding the book much more than I could have on my own. The book is much about forgiveness which I had taught in workshops and lectures for a long time, and I had worked my own personal path through this process long ago. However, it still gave me a deeper look into forgiveness as well, in seeing forgiveness must not be about pity, or judging.

However, what the class truly added to my life came in the one line, "Every act is love or a call for love." Now, as the person is acting in a hurtful matter to me I am saying to myself, "this is not love so thus it is his or her call for love," and even as he is talking I am sending him a mental energy of love.

Often that along is enough to cool his actions off and even when it is not I walk away without feeling like a victim or having a need to judge. There was a time I use to need to go into solitude and reason my way through forgiveness but now by seeing even as the person sticks out at others that he is calling for love I am not even hurt to the point I even have a need for forgiveness.

Lately, giving a lecture at a church, I was verbally attacked publicly by a lawyer known for doing this to many speakers. Suddenly, I remembered the line, "every act is love or a call for love." To this day I do not know how I pulled it off, nor does the group I was speaking to for many came up to tell me they did not understand what happened at that moment for almost like magic for the first time ever this man backed off and said he was sorry. (Perhaps soon I can teach another class from what I have learned in this class and explain how others can do just what I did.)

Not only did he calm down, he has never attacked another speaker when I have been in his presence. To this day each time I see him, I put a bright circle of light around him and I still send him an energy of love. He even came up months later to tell me what a great lecture I made that night on the topic of fear and the thinks about it often.

However, the biggest help that came from this class was the lesson I needed to learn to get past the grief for my late husband. We had a nearly perfect marriage and after his death I found myself wondering if I could go own living without him. He came to me in a dream telling me it was not my time to go that I needed to teach others the things we learned and shared together. (Note: It was just after this dream that I went to look for my show that the dog had taken under the bed and found this suitcase with the book in it.)

After his death, I had found myself in such poor health I had to give up my job, my spiritual retreat in the mountains which I no longer could afford and it felt as if there was nothing to live for at this point, for all I loved was now missing from my life. AND THEN I read: healing comes in the present not the past or the future. And I knew I had been living since his death in the past and dreading the future without him. I was missing the moment of now all together. So since I began this class my spiritual journey has taken a new path: living in the moment and finding simple joy in simple things.

Daily, I focus on my breath deep and slow and feel the moment and then send healing energy to my body. I melt into my surroundings, the birds, trees, stranger's smiles, etc., and I am one with awesome beauty and joy for that moment. While I still miss my husband my happiness scale has returned to a 8 and often a 10 plus at moments.

Dozens of books and lectures have jumped into my path since I started taking this class and guess what … all on the same subject, and so I return to the question and I ask. Did I chose Course of Miracles or did it choose me? There is an old saying that when the students is ready the teacher will come. I was in need and ready and the teacher came.

This class has been the most useful of all the ones I am taking. I would love to see others classes offered from Course of Miracles in the future.

Rev. Francis

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

A Course In Miracles

Course: EVERY DAY MIRACLES

I gained much important knowledge through this course. And for that I am truly grateful, as it assisted me along my path and miracle-ready consciousness, as well as greatly assisting me in being of service to others. I am honored and express my gratitude. Thank You.

I must add that I found all the lessons to be informative, well written and thought provoking. Living in the Now, with more awareness of my thoughts, has truly resulted in every day miracles in my life. It's great!

The only response as to what caused me to question is as follows:

In several areas of this course there seemed to be a position that the ego is "separate" and able to think and act on its own accord.

I understand that we are really spiritual beings having a human experience. Therefore, didn't God allow this existence in physicality to manifest so that we, "Son's of God" could evolve and be one of the many forms of God's expression?

In the belief that literally everything is a part of God instead of apart from God, then that would include the ego as well as duality. To me, we are the thought of God; resulting in the powerful manifestation of God; we are here on earth in human form so that God can experience itself through us. I believe humans are here to evolve through experiences and life lessons.

I am not stating that I believe that God is a judging God, in fact that is contrary to what I am saying. Although how can God be whole without realizing duality? God had to understand duality in order to create it. Light and dark, good and bad, sickness and health, love and hate, without these perceptual states, there is no growth and evolution.

If we treat the ego as if it is something separate from us, yet living inside, and we resist acknowledging, embracing and learning from our darkness, it will back door us. Only when we understand our ego and our own darkness, and the dualities that exist, can we look at things realistically and choose differently.

Therefore all things that we acknowledge as likes and dislikes in this life are ego driven, yes even the 'likes'. Only when we can practice non-attachment to what we like as well as dislike can we ever see the truth, because then we are not placing any judgment.

Another thing that caused me to pause was in lesson three where it is written: "The world you see is an illusion of a world, God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal"....

So, if everything is made of energy and energy can never be created or destroyed, then isn't this world of God's perfection and eternal as well? I understand the cycle of life and death, but that isn't what is happening on the energetic level. As we die, as planets and stars die, the energy still exists in another form. Shifting to a different perspective and possibly manifesting in a different dimension.

Overall, this course taught me much about the ego and the different levels of consciousness and how to work with them for the most positive outcome and manifesting Every Day Miracles in my life. I look forward to taking more courses with ULC.

Rev. Cynthia Lee Harris

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Universal Life Church

WHO'S WHO AT THE UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH

'The ULC Experience'

ULC - Universal Life Church and Online Seminary

The Goal:

At the ULC Seminary, we seek to always be growing, with a focus on educating ULC ministers and giving them a greater sense of validation and legitimacy. This new project may go a long way towards accomplishing that.

The Particulars:

What I'm going to do is to create a 'Who's Who' type of book for the ULC. I'm open to suggestions for a snazzy name, but we're going with 'The ULC Experience' right now. It will be a beautiful (possibly) hardbound book of ULC Ministers. Each minister will get a full page to talk about their personal spiritual journey, why they became ULC ministers, what they are doing with their ministry and what they are all about.

The cost for participation is $50. For that, you will get your full page of information and two copies of the finished book. Be aware that this is an introductory price for the first book. Also, if you refer 5 people who participate, your listing will be free.

This book will be a real published book, with an ISBN number as well as a Library of Congress number. I think this can be an amazing way to validate ourselves as a church as well as each individual minister who participates.

You can talk about your own church, your healing practice, your love of performing weddings, your outreach, your personal revelations, etc. It's entirely up to you. We will likely give each person space for one picture and the book will likely be 8.5 x 11, giving each minister plenty of room.

If you are using your ministry as a business, imagine the credibility you will gain by showing your clients this book. If you are interested and think this is something you'd like to participate in, please fill out the form below so I can get an idea of how many people are going to want to be a part of this great book.

Thanks for your attention and consideration.

Rev. Amy Long -- ULC Seminary Director

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar