The Four Gospels Seminary Course Final Essay

The Four Gospels Seminary Course Final Essay

I had never actually gone through the Gospels straight through until taking this course.   I was very surprised to see the similarities which I honestly did expect to see but I was really blown away in seeing the differences.   I think the glaringly obvious thing I got from seeing what quotes and stories came from which Gospels is that the Gospel of John really does seem to fit at all with the other three.   

I have always have problems with certain teachings of the Church.   I was raised Episcopal but that is so similar to the Catholic Church that I can go to mass at either church and not miss a beat.     

Many of the issues I had, especially some of the biggest seem to all come from John.   I am just at a loss at why that book was chosen to go along with the others.  I can see the benefit from its wording in helping building the Church and promote a certain view of the Faith but one would think it would be taking a risk that people would read ALL the books and see how this one doesn't fit.   Apparently history doesn't support my common sense theory on this point.   I can only assume literacy levels and the Church being the source of the metering out of knowledge helped in keeping the differences less noticeable by the masses.    

John 14:6 has always been the top problematic issue for me since I find it hard to believe that a God of love and Jesus's teachings of openness, understanding and love would condemn all other belief systems.  This is exactly how this verse is used commonly in Christianity and it has always given me a very cold feeling.   

Perhaps Jesus was saying that the way to God was by listening to his teachings, many of which are universal like the Golden Rule.  The Jesus I believe in is not the one written of in the Gospel of John, I see him in the loving teacher who did not take any credit for his miracles and actions but gave credit to God the Father.

Rev. Dave Juliano

Shamanism Course Essay

SHAMANISM ESSAY

Rev. Victoria Hogan

I had not known what to expect when I chose to take this course Bishop Pat created. In finishing the course, the amount of research Bishop Pat did over many years is to be honored and respected.

The course on Shamanism takes the participant on a journey through the early history of the shamanic people, the various cultures, different races, different beliefs and how the individual shamans portrayed their shamanic roles and practices.

My great grandmother came from the Finnish-Russian area and was known for her gifts of sight, her dreams, her prophecies, her knowledge of the plant medicines, and her ability to walk and talk with the Spirits. She was known as the area healer and mid wife.

Many generations ago, my Native American grandmother was also known for her gifts, as the area midwife and her ability to speak many languages. There was very little else known about her.

There were many people in my family born with gifts, with sight, with the ability to have prophetic visions and with the ability to walk and talk with the Spirits. However, we also lived in a world where these "gifts" were or could be discounted, mocked, or cause other people to label a person with gifts as mentally ill.

My mother spoke of her fear that if people found out her grandmother, father or other family members had dreams, visions, talked with the spirits, had prophetic visions, etc., that they would take the people of her family away and lock them up in an insane asylum.

My father did not want any one to know of our Native American ancestry, certain gifts, or certain aspects of my great grandmother's life and her involvement with the people of tribe close to where she lived.

There is so much in our modern age that can and does undermine the shaman, the shaman's gifts, and the people that are born to these gifts. So much of the old knowledge and training were lost or went underground.

Bishop Pat shares his journey that started with a question he had regarding shamanism. He traveled to many different parts of the world to meet with shamans, to hear their stories, and or to learn from them. Bishop Pat also studied what many different authors had learned and written on.

One of the the points Bishop Pat makes is the transformation that came to him, when he learned to ask the right questions, how this lead him into his own personal research and the revelations this research brought to him.

Along with the history of the shamanic people, Bishop Pat also shares information on shamanic practices as they relate to Christianity, Science, modern age and research into the paranormal.

There is a portion of this course that is focused on the Mayan culture, the Mayan calendar and what the deeper research that Bishop Pat did revealed.

While the course is not a course designed to teach a person how to become a shaman in 10 easy lessons, it does explain about several parts of the shamanic practices and how some of these altered states, dream states, out of body experiences, and more can be achieved.

Bishop Pat shares how shamanism was once part of the Jewish history, as it was of most indigenous cultures. I had spent many years learning of the life of Jesus and read of gifts, his dreams, and his healing gifts. I knew the stories of my own ancestors. I had my own dreams and gifts and knew the gifts my mother carried. Then a time came in my life where I was given an opportunity to spend many years with a medicine man and other medicine people, the shamans. What I learned was in many ways so identical to the teachings of Christ. The healing ways and special abilities of Christ and some of the healing ways and special abilities of the shamans were so identical that there had to be a common source of learning, a common beginning.

Towards the end of the course, Bishop Pat talks about the scientific research that is being done now, or over these past years, into the paranormal, the mind, the energy, and learning what we can do just with our thoughts, once we learn to activate these gifts.

While some people choose to use some of the shamanic practices to harm or control others, which tends to give shamans and shamanic practices a bad name or the label of evil, black witches, evil spells, etc. it should be remembered how much evil has also been done by those that declare they are doing certain things in the name of God or as Christians. Bishop Pat speaks to the many ways the shamanic gifts have been suppressed by governments, mental health people, and others.

I have been with others where we were given an opportunity to learn how we could manipulate a computer with our thoughts. I have seen this work. I have witnessed levitation by a thought. I have witnessed healings that have been done through prayers. I read where Michael Harner's people were able to use their thoughts to clean contaminated water. I have witnessed the healing of mental illness that has come through the shamanic healings.

There is a story in the Bible where the disciples go to Jesus and complain that a man who was not one of them was doing healing work as Christ had been doing. Christ admonished the disciples and stated that the man believed in the power of God to heal and so he was able to bring healing.

Fools Crow, a Native American healer taught that any one could have this power, they just had to learn how to become empty and allow the Great Spirit to work through them. Fools Crow spoke of becoming like an empty tube.

There is so much that we as a people do not know about our brains, our energy, our gifts, or our potential to do some amazing things. We were born with so much. Some people did not understand their own gifts or abilities. These people often feared the people that did understand these gifts and abilities. Some people wanted power and control over others, so they forbid the use of these gifts and or abilities and had those that were known as shamans, healers, etc., killed off, destroyed or locked away. Governments enforced rules that forced people to turn away from the knowledge of their gifts and abilities. The inquisitions and witch hunts tortured so many people and or put them to death

As Bishop Pat shared in the last part of this course the scientific studies shows the discovery of many hidden gifts and abilities that a person was unaware that they had access to. We learned to suppress so much in order to just survive.

Then does this not speak to how these gifts and abilities were given to us by the Creator, these things are part of us, and perhaps the greater purpose and potential of using these gifts, was in the end, part of the Creator's greater plan.

One of the things I was taught was this: "Power is a gift of the Great Spirit (Creator, God). Power cannot be used out of anger, for self gain or to harm the spirit of another person or to interfere with their spiritual journey. Power can only be used in ways that honor the Great Spirit."

Christ had admonished the disciples because they did not have the faith and belief that the other man had, which was that God could use him to heal other people. In the end did not Jesus instruct us and teach us, that if we had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains.

I want to thank Bishop Pat for the extensive research he has done over these years and then sharing this information with us. This course shows how irregardless of our race, culture, religion, beliefs, the color of our skin, or any other difference we may have, how as a people of this world, we shared a common beginning, a common belief, a common base and that how over time, we simply diversified.

There is a part in the Bible that speaks to how we should not hide our light under a bushel basket and another part that says how we should not bury our talents. When the Creator created us with gifts and abilities, perhaps there has been a huge wrong doing by those who tried to destroy these gifts and these abilities by destroying the people that honored them and used them. Perhaps the greater wrong was done by those who fear the condemnation and judgment of man/men, should they choose to honor these gifts and abilities given to us by the Creator.

Each of us has to choose our paths and how we will walk those paths. Do we walk in a way that honors all the gifts and abilities the Creator has given to us to use? Or, do we walk in a way that denies our gifts and abilities, so we can honor and follow the men that rule, the men that govern, the men that hold high offices or who are the power of the churches? Who do we choose to serve?

One of the greatest things this course by Bishop Pat does, is to teach us the importance of learning to ask the right questions and to then search for the answer and the truth to those questions.

Spirit Quest Essay

SPIRIT QUEST ESSAY

A year ago I became very ill and I also developed narcolepsy. I had to make rapid changes in my life, resign from my job as a crisis nurse, and I was going to have to stop driving. My ex-husband and I had been friends for years. He extended an invitation for me to relocate from Virginia back to Minnesota and to house share with him. So I chose this option.

I left a career, a cottage that I had redone, friends, the ocean, mountains and so much more, so there were a lot of losses. No longer being able to drive was also a life changing event and a huge loss.

On the positive side, I was able to activate my retirement, I would be closer to my sons and grandchildren, and, I was going to be given a lot of time to pursue some things I had not had time for earlier in my life.

I had conversations with Amy Long regarding the seminary program and what courses to take. Finally I decided one of the courses would be Spirit Quest. I was going through losses, changes, and it would be a wonderful time to explore different coping methods, to further explore my own spiritual journey, and to also sort out old wounds, traumas, and or dysfunctional behaviors I had created a long this life journey. Since I was no longer going to be able to do many things I had done for so long, it was great time to set new goals based on the many changes and to explore what options I would now have to work with.

I had not realized how deeply the Spirit Quest Course would take me, how deeply I would journey to the past traumas of my life. I had not realized how I would learn to see how those traumas and the dysfunctional coping behaviors I had created were the dark shadows and the demons of my nightmares or how I would learn the new tools taught in this course in how to release what was no longer serving me or my spiritual journey.

One part of this course teaches how to use roses, how to create the image of a rose in our mind, then how to put an unwanted thought, memory, experience, negative energy, negativity that someone else was sending at me, and more, into that rose. Then you blow up the rose. The course also taught how to create grounding cords, which connect one with the earth, which can bring the grounding, healing, constant connection to our earth mother and all the strength and nurturing this will bring. We are also taught how to bring in the golden light from the sun into our space and energy.

These tools become the vehicle that a person can use to travel down those "memory lanes" of trauma, exploring the wounds, the traumas, hurts, or what ever dysfunction that a person may have on that journey. Soon the method becomes easier and easier to use.

As I traveled this path and used the roses, I began to notice how much more quickly I was able to really identify problems, how I was no longer afraid to see them, and how when I did find them, I could then make a choice what I wanted to do with that specific problem. Often that problem would go into a rose and I would explode the rose. I stayed grounded, then brought in the sun and light to heal that energy space, my heart, my child, my mind and emotions and most important, my spirit and or my relationship with my spirit.

As I journeyed these past 8 months through this course, I was also beginning to see how what I was learning affected my relationships and or challenges in the present in increasingly healthy ways. The more of the old dysfunctional behaviors and ways of reacting were being released, the less I needed to be reactive to what some one else was doing or saying, or with their behavior. My objectivity was increasing.

I was also losing the triggers that had been so much a part of my life. So often some thing would trigger a memory, a reaction, an emotion, and these things and their patterns were deeply ingrained in my life. In doing the releasing, the triggers were disappearing as well. Or if I was triggered, I could pop the event that had triggered me into a rose and then take the time to explore the event, then blow up the rose, and bring in the healing light and, of course, I would have stayed grounded with the grounding cord during all of this.

As all of this was occurring, I soon discovered how much easier it was becoming to remain calm when some one else was acting out or sending negativity my way. I was finding I had better sight and better protection, which increased my objectivity with that person or event. What I was learning helped me have clear and more rational thought, and an increased ability to not react, rather, to take the moment to explore what was really going on with that person. Often what was going on had nothing to do with me, other then I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and that person was looking for some thing to dump their anger or frustration on.

So it was becoming easier not to own the other person's reaction, not to react to their behavior, and it became easier to allow them the right to own their problem and reaction. With this skill increasing, it also became easier to, if I chose to do this, assist the person with calming, exploring what their real problem was, and then helping them explore options they could use to manage their problem in a more positive and healthy way.

In these past 8 months additional skills continued to build on the new skills I had been learning. Boundaries were also affected, the ability to create healthier boundaries, the ability to calmly set healthier boundaries, the ability to more clearly state my own needs and what was comfortable for me was increasing.

On the opposite side of this, was growing comfort in knowing the gift of compromise, of more calmly being able to see the other person's point of view or their needs. One example of this is my ex-husband likes more open spaces and does not like clutter. I loved clutter, had lots of collectables, books, art, etc. and had always had these things out about where I could see them.

This was a point of friction between my ex-husband and I in the beginning. Finally one day, I was able to really step into his shoes, understand his perspective, and then I was able to more clearly honor and respect his needs. I chose then to really de-clutter and to really make choices about what I could and needed to release from my life. I got rid of clothes, paintings, art work, books, and so much more. I took time with my things, my collectables, tried to find homes for things that I knew other people might need. I said goodby to so many things.

When it was all over, I discovered how much freer I felt, how it seemed a huge burden had been lifted off of me and how the tremendous chaos piece of my life was being diminished.

There is so much more to this course that I have not even touched on. I would encourage any one that is facing change, or facing the need to change, to explore this course and the many gifts and tools it brings.

At the end of these 8 months, there has been so much clearing on every level of my emotions, memory, spiritual, and even with the things in my physical environment. Clutter on any level comes between us and our Spirit, our Spirits, and the Creator.

The name "Spirit Quest" implies we are going on a search for our Spirit. Before I could go on a search, the course had me getting rid of things. I finally realized that all of those things had been blocking my view and connection with my Spirit. I did not need to go any further to search for my Spirit..........I just need to get rid of stuff.

I wish to thank Amy Long for creating this course and her willingness to share so much of herself, her own journey, and her life. This course has been a wonderful gift to me, my life, my Spirit, and, to those that are in my life and love me. Not only is it easier for me to be with them, it is now much easier for them to be with me.

Thank you for allowing me to share this with you.

Rev. Victoria Hogan

Comparative Religion Course

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

Reverend Nicholas Lake

Religions throughout the world share similarities and peculiarities that shape how we define our religion in relation to other religions.  Rites and rituals for one religion are accepted while others may view their paradigm belief with skepticism.  At present there are 43 religious beliefs that are practiced daily.  Each belief system is founded on a spiritual journey through self-awareness, inter/intra connections.  This course has opened my spiritual eyes to the endless possibilities of how individuals can interact with other religions by opening their hearts and closing their mouths.  These days of political, racial, ethnic uncertainty, religion has and will be the fabric that binds all cultures together.  Ministers, priests, rabbis and Imams of today have to be more open minded and not reliant on their "own religion is the best religion "dogma.  Today there are seven religions that are recognized worldwide.  Each of the religions share a common theme:  they each share a profound impression of the principles and rituals of their home countries.  The common thread for each religion is sought to bring harmony to their disciples, they offer recognitions for the world's aesthetic and graciousness.  They display reverence and humbleness before the anonymities of the cosmos.  I learned that each person we encounter shares an idea about who we are and how we can help in that person's role in life.  I learned that the five elements of life of this course have evoked a positive model as a Minister.  Fire:  Embracing the universes heat when talking about life.  Wood:  building of the foundation between man and its infinite abilities.  Metal:  Strength, able to withstand the physical pressures of changing of life's directions.  Water:  Liquid pleasure, moving of one idea to another.  Cascading of hope and change.  Earth:  The epic-center of what is good in our conscious and inner being.  What I found must enjoyable about this class is the diverse faiths share commonality of ethical teachings and acting upon them.  The common elements that we share are two elements -The First is the concept of reverence for the supreme beings and respect and morality that this brings.  Second is the "golden rule" concept of treating other religions as you would treat your religion.  Of recent times the plight of religious fervor has taking a turn for the penitent person to grasp.  I cannot find any fault with this class; this program is presented straight forward information that enhances the student to seek new information about the existing information.  There is no reason to alter/change the format of this class.  Information is discussed with enlighten and reverence.  The students and proctor can discuss each topic in a discourse but professional manner.  What I can say is I learned how every religion must be open to other faiths and paradigms without losing their own faith.  Ministers of ULC can learn from this class by visiting other faiths and exchanging ideas through cooperation and fellowships.  We as educators must be vigilant in our teachings and acknowledgements of other religions and faiths.

I would enjoy taking additional classes with Rev. Kythera Ann     

Master of Metaphysical Healing

             Chapter 20 - 300 word essay on Metaphysical Healing

   I learned how important it is to treat the whole patient.  The body the soul and the personality of the whole patient. A healer I feel goes through a journey to finally become a great healer.

 I find it interesting on my journey to becoming a Holistic Health Practitioner, how much suffering one goes through to realize how a healing really works. Research from recommended read from this course and from what I have found, has only reaffirmed this.

  Author Barbara Ann Brennan Hands of light, shows us how meditation can reconnect us to our energies. This in turn helps us to see into the human body through a different site, in which allows us to see sickness in a whole different realm. We can become so in tune with these energies we can detect illness and then use our energies to heal or unblock these energies, then cure that illness.

   Dr. Eric Pearl's book The Reconnection, tells us that once we feel this energy we can then use it to manipulate any part of the body and help the energies it needs to cure itself.  

  We are only to reconnect with ones self to be able to use this energy to help others.

    I truly believe that this course talks about the need to reconnect with nature and the divine up above. To stop the hurting we are creating from the lack of care we are giving. We need to get away from the thought that a pill can cure it all. Western medicine needs to have a wake up call on how it treats the human as a whole.

   I have learned from my own personal struggles of how western medicine has forgotten its roots and it's compassion. I have suffered through illness for many years and have just now through knowledge found help.

   I have, through herbal schooling, found ways to help the body, mind, and the soul through sickness, illness and toxins.
    This lesson and through history we learn that great healers come from suffering.  We need to help one another to learn and to never forget our past, for those are lessons we lived through.  The oath that we shall do no more harm on to others needs to be relived. I dream that one day western doctors and natural healers can come together and work to heal the whole human being, the body, the personality and the soul as a whole.

Rev Deborah Kravig

Spirituality

Spirituality

To me Spirituality is all there is.  It is not being religious for religion has nothing to do with Spirituality.  Spirituality is being who and what we are for we are Spiritual beings having a human experience.

To be Spiritual has nothing to do with being religious. A religious person is not necessarily a spiritual person.  Even though we are Spiritual Beings religiosity tends to separate us from our Spirituality, temporarily removing us from who we are to what we think we want to be.

This is usually by people that have good intentions with little or no knowledge of Spirit.  Although it is possible to find Spirit in religion it is next to impossible to find religion in Spirit. 

Spirituality requires little or no ritual or ceremonies outside of being who we are.

As I work in my garden I feel Spirit with me just as if I was in the largest Cathedral in the world.  We are in Spirit, of Spirit, by Spirit and for Spirit.

As I sit in my cave in my recliner this morning writing this I am surrounded by Spirit, immersed in Spirit.

Spirit loves us and wants only the best for us.  The challenge is that most of us are too busy to listen to Spirit for if we did life would not be nearly so difficult for us.

When someone asks how I can see their future I say all I have to do is look to your past, read your face, sense your thoughts, feel your passions and emotions.

If we were to take a moment in the morning prior to rushing off into our day to spend a few moments with Spirit to feel the peace of the moment and allow Spirit to give us our instructions for the day usually to just enjoy ourselves with good for all, harm to none as we allow Spirit to make a beautiful day for us.  If we would just remember that all things work for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

Take our thoughts off of how bad things are to how beautiful it all is and just to be thankful, grateful and appreciative for all of the blessings in our life.

If we are not happy where we are then go to where we can be happy remembering that others can not make us happy for we are the only ones with the ability to do that Spirituality is all about getting in contact with the Spiritual Being we are to live the human experience we are here to experience.

It is all about how we live our Spirituality.  Do we embrace is or do we reject it for if we reject it will reject us.

Wonder why things are always so hard it is because we attempt to do it all ourselves and do not allow Spirit to guide us and show us the way.  Seems as if there is never enough finances it is because we are creating the situation by focusing on the lack instead of seeing our abundance.  Focus on what we have not on  what we do not have and watch it expand.

Abundance is ours to the extent we believe it is ours then allow and accept what Spirit sends us. The Universe is ours.

Accept the good that is being sent with open arms as we repeat daily the Lord's Prayer.  It is all there for us and truly attitude does determine our altitude.

I love and believe in you.

Rev. Isaac

Dr. of Spiritual Development from ULC Seminary

I am glad that I took this class, it was a great reminder of where I came from when I first started this journey several years ago. After two decades of selfishness and incomprehensible demoralization, I found myself at my bottom, being given an ultimatum, I needed to shape up or I was literally going to die. It came down to where I had to make some very hard choices. Was I going to continue on following the path that I was on, or was I going to develop a new way of living?  I obviously decided to take the latter.  I found myself in a room filled with like minded people with similar issues, and I liked what they shared, and the joy they were experiencing. I was given some suggestions, to do the next right thing, and do a thorough self appraisal. What a gift that turned out to be. I developed such a positive feeling for what I was doing, and was actually enjoying it, that's when I had an " ah ha" moment. I realized that staying in the "positive" was the key, because every time I got down on myself things started to get twisted up, they didn't go right, and I found myself isolating, I was irritable, and in a bad mood, and the negative flooded my being, even my dreams were negative.

Right at about the time I started this class I was at a the end of one of my many plateau's in my recovery. I wasn't sure where my journey was going to take me, and it ended up taking me right back to where the unresolved issues were, and this class helped bring them to the surface, right from the first lesson on clarity. It made me re-evaluate what I was trying to accomplish. I had gotten "lost in the process" if that makes any sense? I was so focused on trying to attain my goal that I didn't allow myself to be maleable, and go with the flow.

I found that if I stay flexible, and teachable, nothing in the world can take away the joy I have found. Isn't that what all this is about? Finding your way to a better understanding of self, which in turn gives you a better understanding of others to be able to help guide them through their difficult times. Being of service!

Thanks, and don't forget to enjoy your next 24, PEACE!

Rev. C Watson       
Universal Life Church   

Dr. of Spiritual Development final essay

Final Essay for Dr. of Spiritual Development

 

This was truly a thought provoking engaging class.  It was one with much personal reflection and work.  It's a great way to learn about oneself.

 

Living life with clarity & purpose – isn't it nice.  If the whole world could live life with clarity & purpose so much would be so different.  How many people do you know that have no Focus, Content or direction?  Take a look at a real look at the people around you.  Do they know who they are or where they are going?  I mean really know.  Many people don't even feel they have a spirit.  

 

As I said I started and stopped this class several times. Like most people I didn't think I could meditate.  I didn't equate meditation and praying as the same.  I had a tough time going deep into my soul.  I then realized I was afraid of what I might see or hear.  Then I got it I had to in order to get a better me. However, I didn't need to do it all at once.  It took me many years to become who I am so its ok to work on the parts that need to be changed one at a time and to take as long as it needs.

 

I am now mindful of what I say and do.   Well I was always mindful but now I am more so.  I now know how to use my energy to make things better.  I can use my internal resources to fulfill my higher purpose.

 

I have been able to move things from possible to probable to done.  I was agonizing over how to make 2 mortgage payments.  I tried to sell or rent a property in a market that wasn't co operative.  I finally had an epiphany.  My spirit sent me the person(s) I needed right at the best time.  I was about to give up and give the bank one when suddenly I was able to lease with option and now I am doing better.  My spirit allowed me to let go and let the good in life take control.  I reached across the void.  I understood I needed to be more specific in my request for an answer a solution.  I realized I wasn't asking the right question. 

 

When we form our inquiry with purpose we get better results.  I'm now very careful with my thoughts.  I think what I want and request what I need.  Yes there are times I must reform my requests. But with practice things are getting better.  Sometimes it is good to just roam just let your mind go and see what is there.  Our minds are like computers and everything we know is stored there.  We can access it if we try.  We get messages all the time we just don't always pay attention to them.  We don't recognize them.  Once we learn to see what these messages look like it easier to pay attention to tem. 

 

The WHO AM I exercise was the most difficult.  This took the longest.  I'm not sure if it was because I was afraid or lazy but I finally go it. Whew! The deeper who I am is not the surface who I am.  Not completely.  It's interesting how we become another person to survive the society we live in. 

 

The "Little Maker" says we need to give ourselves permission to change.  Yes we do.  We need to give ourselves permission to meditate, to find out who we are and to make ourselves better.  It's a tragedy that we are raised to eel so bad about ourselves and made to feel worse about making ourselves better.  I recently attended a seminar where the speaker said, "as you start to do well people will get jealous and try to beat you down".  It's true.  I always called them naysayers.  I think now most people resist change just so they don't have to hear it from their friends. 

 

Steering energy to get results, it's actually kind of fun.   Once you learn how to make it happen.  Next time you get a headache try this.  You can steer the headache away.  I sprained my ankle and within hours the swelling was gone and I was walking fine.  How powerful is that?  I rarely get sick.  I don't allow it I've always told people that. They have always thought I was crazy but now I see I have been steering my energy to wellness the entire time.

 

Physics teaches us cause & effect.  We joke about Karma but Karma is cause & effect.  We must own what we have done and work to create and recreate who we are.  To understand that everything is possible is to understand that cause & effect.  What could be –v- what is most likely to be. 

 

As I moved the probability of letting go of one of my properties and moved it to possibility I'm excited about watching it move to manifest a wonderful outcome. 

 

I now sometimes find myself stopping, thinking, rewinding he tape and actively making the change.  I've heard some say, "Catholics grow hurting adults".  I get it now.  Catholics believe they are born with original sin and everyone else believes they are born with holy divinity.  What a contrast!  I have always been in conflict with my soul over this.  Not anymore.  God never made anything bad and therefore there is no way he'd create us with sin. Besides what about that whole idea he let his only son die for our sins. 

 

Sorry that was a little digression.  I think Imagery was the toughest for me.  I am still working on this.  It is a lifetime and then some to get there. 

 

Think Positive!  This takes on a whole new meaning now.  If you want to manifest good you must be positive.  You need to find time to understand what you really want and be specific.  Ok well you can start vague but eventually you need to be specific.  I learned we don't always know what we want we just know we don't have it or aren't experiencing it.  I realize most people never meet their soul.  Many don't believe it's possible. 

 

I think the most interesting part of the class was redirecting our life.  That is a very powerful thing.   Again we always say we can change our own path but to truly so isn't that easy when you don't have the skills.  We unconsciously sabotage ourselves.  We let fear and lack of understanding get in the way.  We also give up because it takes work and time.  What if we put all that effort into this and in the end there is no change?  We should be saying it will be worth all the time and effort and if I can……. in the end. 

 

I actually had a very hard time on the NLP portion of this class.  I had a major change I wanted to affect.  I had to let the divine in me rule.  I had to trust it would be ok.  I'll explain shortly.

 

We use generalizations to form opinions even when we are wrong we often can't be convinced.  We have a belief based on our past and that's that.  Ever heard someone say that person is so mean or so difficult?  Then you meet that person and even though they are not mean or difficult you treat them a though they are based on what your preconceived idea of them is from someone else.  It happens often.  We allow ourselves to be run by forces other than our own spirit.  The external forces are stronger than our internal forces.  To let go of these and trust ourselves is a very powerful and fulfilling accomplishment. 

 

Prayer and meditation are connected and both very necessary.  They are connected.  Ever hear someone say I was road coma.  They don't remember going from point A to point B.  They were I a trance a form of meditation.  Deep thought is a form of meditation. Remember the grand tour – we were told we get to that place where we quit because we feel like we are about to go over a cliff and w can't allow ourselves to quit.  I've been there so many times.  It's like a bad dream and you wake up just before the danger strikes.  Well…….stay posted.

 

Self acceptance  - v- drive.  We must always be true to ourselves while striving to be better.  Don't compromise who are for anyone.  Always engage in personal growth.  I am not who I was 5 years ago.  I don't plan to be the same person I am now 5 years from now.  Your self esteem should never be based on your position in life.  Don't seek your SELF in your position.

 

HUNA – Can I just say awesome!!!!!!!!  To make it simple: Ike is what we think happens, Kala is everything is possible, Makia is you ca change your day by changing your attitude (I always say, "don't let it ruin your day), Manawa is take care of it now, Aloha is love all, Mana is empower yourself and Pono is the measure of truth the results.  How cool is that. 

 

Control your thoughts.  Control your actions.  We waive back and forth between sadness and joy.  I realize it's easier said then done but we need to learn equanimity.  We must become steadfast and even-tempered.  I'm a work in progress.

 

Understand everyone.  This is difficult because so many have spent so much time learning to be someone else.  Always look for the good in everyone and everything.  Jesus did. 

Listen, listen, listen, don't judge things by history.  If we don't stay open and listen we miss things that are valuable to our future growth.  Every person and every event has something to teach us. 

 

Control our thoughts and actions.  If we can do all this we can achieve a true inner peace. 

 

The 11 tips for infusing your life with more clarity:

 

1. Assume 100% responsibility or you're your own level of clarity.  Create it, it won't suddenly appear and say hear I am.
2. Stop creating the opposite of clarity.  Don't do things or hang around people whos motives, goals and desires are contrary to your own. 
3. Harvest & apply the clarity lessons from your past. As we grow & change so does our clarity.
4. Use visualization to create the vibe o clarity.  You either are clear & focused or you aren't.
5. Ask for help.  Ask someone who is clear about their own path for help. 
6. Put your goals in writing & review them daily.  Successful people are good at this.
7. Accept that any goal is better than no goal.  Some people just whine and say they have no goals.  Don't be one of them.
8. Crystalize your goals.  Lock them down.  Be specific.
9. Pay attention to the path, not just the end result.  Sometimes how you get there is more important than getting there.
10. One goal at a time.  Keep your energy focused!
11. Explore & experiment.  Experiment to gain clarity of your goal.

 

This all sounds overwhelming but if you keep as a standard it really works.  If you are stuck in a rut don't worry it is ok to experiment even if you rack up some failures before getting it right.  Most successes in life come after many failures.

 

Nothing exist outside the present moment.  I don't know anyone that lives by this principle but we all should.  The past & future truly are illusions.  We create them from our imagination.  We can't exist outside of now.  It isn't physically possible.  One of my favorite sayings is, "you are so busy looking into the forest you can't see the tree right in front of you".  I mean stop seeking your happiness in the future and start living for the here and now.  Start looking for ways to create your happiness here and now.  There is no someday there is only today.  We may not have tomorrow.  There is no guarantee.

 

We manifest what we intend.  It is critical to stay focused to meet our end goal.  This is not an option. 

 

It would be a great world I we all lived our authentic selves.  Like the Marine who knew right away that he found true love and nothing else mattered, not money, nothing they would survive together.  Happiness was the most important part of life.  He felt he was married to her in a past life.  Or like the woman who said she married when she loved someone enough to, and divorced when the love ceased being healthy or nurturing. She said she had done her time in prisons of the body and she had no patience for the prisons of the heart or mind.   These people are both clear about they want. 

 

It can take a very long time more than one lifetime to master the mind & soul. Some people go through an entire life and never spend any time working on it. 

 

On Mother's Day I sat at Diana Falls in New Hampshire with both friends and strangers admiring the beauty of the falls and we talked about the beauty that God had created.  Someone made the comment, "I'm not spiritual" then proceeded to say how lucky we were to have been given such a wonderful gift from God.  It was a great opportunity to explain how that was spiritual and physically going into a church was not what made you spiritual.  Spirituality is a belief.  Conversations with people truly enhance our lives. 

 

We talked about how when we pray/meditate we improve our lives.  We do better and become better people.  W are never alone.  We always have our spirit guide with us.  We may not call them that but whatever title we use they are there/here to help us.

 

I like knowing that there is a perfect me in an alternate universe.   I chuckled that I married the man of my dreams in an alternate universe. I wondered if he knows that.  I guess the question I have about this is; at any time does our spirit change places with our alternates?  Aren't you curious? 

 

To wrap things up; changing your mind can change your reality, changing your perception can change your behavior.  You can move tings from probability to possibility to manifestation.  Perception isn't always real.  Be your authentic self. Be aware that you have a spiritual guide is with you. 

 

The 6 step reframe; here it is.  This is what I promised.  I tried this and it works.

 

I've always had a great fear of heights.  I decided to try to overcome this fear.  I rode my motorcycle to the top of a steep mountain.  The drive up was at a very steep grade and very curvy.  It was terrifying.  I did not stop.  I rode all the way to the top.  Yes I was nervous but I did it.  I even climbed up on a staging to help a friend replace windows.  What's next?  Who knows the world is full of possibilities that I can turn into manifestations.  I can't wait to see how it all turns out. 

 

 

Rev Anne McBride

Universal Life Church

Dr. of Spiritual Development

I finally finished the last 2 lessons of the Dr. of Spiritual Development class.  Wow this class was amazing.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Lesson 21: Yes I believe it can take more than a lifetime to master the depth of meditation that this class examines.  So many people have said to me, "I have tried to meditate but it just doesn't work for me", I was like that one.  It does work though.  It takes work to make it work.  On Mother's Day I sat at Diana Falls in New Hampshire or hours chatting with friends and strangers.  We admired the beauty of the falls and talked about how all of it had been created by God. We meditated and had a mini service so to speak.  The way we felt Jesus would have done had he been there. We talked about how when we pray/meditate we learn things, we do better, we become better people.  We improve ourselves.

 

What a great world we would live in everyone accepted this and worked on changing the parts of them that well….need fixing. 

 

I have always felt there was someone with me.  Call it an ancestral body, a guardian angel, a spirit whatever you choose.  I have always been in touch with something bigger than us.

 

I believe in the Quantum field because I believe the spirit jumps from human to another form until God decides we are done.  We start as a young untrained spirit and we grow and learn until we have become a mature spirit and have learned all we need to know to live in eternity.

 

I know we have control over our medical health.  I am almost never ill.  I won't allow it.  People snicker when I say that but it's true.  I don't take any drugs and I'm in great shape.  I control me. 

 

I have found that sometimes it's hard to not judge or edit the content and to allow the information to just low freely.  I think we try to edit or change because we don't want to look at the things we see as bad.

 

Lesson 22:  The end is here.  What an adventure this has been.  I learned so much.  I am a different person than when I started.  "Changing your mind can change your reality-changing your perception can change your behavior".  That's powerful!  It also is true.  It works! 

 

Ever talk with the person who always wants to finish your sentences but they don't say what you were going to say?  Perception.  I don't believe first impressions are accurate.  People act different in different situations.  We are guarded, protective, nervous, silly a host of personalities.  Yet that's not really who we are all the time.  It's a snapshot of us.  We act differently with differently people.  We just don't "click" with everyone. 

 

The 6 step re-frame.  I used to be scared to death of heights.  I recently rode my motorcycle to the top of Cathedral Cliff and walked to the edge for some for the most amazing pictures ever.  I was so impressed that I decided to help a friend install new windows and I did so from staging I would not have climbed on before this class. 

 

 

 

 

Anne McBride

ULC Minister

Broker/Owner

Anne McBride Realty

530 Federal Street

Waterboro , ME 04087

Ph: 207-749-1947

fax: 866-249-6889

annemcbriderealty.com