Spirituality Course

1.       Write short essay describing how I agree or disagree with the Course’s definition of the Holy Spirit.

I have always believed in Spirit.  I hadn’t really given much thought to the role of “the Holy Spirit”, however. When I think of the Course’s definition it makes sense that the Holy Spirit guides us and intercedes for us.  I liked the analogy of the Holy Spirit being seen as “fire” and “also wind”.  Both energies are powerful and create movement.  I believe everything has spirit within it.  If we think of molecules and atoms and even smaller pieces of matter all have movement and energy.  An example would be a glacier.  Although glaciers appear to us to be set in one place they move very slowly.  In Glacier Bay, Alaska are beautiful examples of the tremendous power of these slow moving mountains of rock and ice.  As one nears the base of the glaciers one sees the water is murky.  The murkiness is caused by the glacier pulverizing the rocks into fine bits of sand.  The Norse believed in 9 worlds of creation.  One of those 9 was a world of fire and creation.  One of those 9 was a world of ice and standstill/reflection, if you will.  Things in the world of ice moved yet moved slowly.  Since God the Father or in some points of view Mother/Father is the creative force then we are all part of God. In the Course and various other religious texts God is depicted as 3 energies in One.  I like the descriptions of Jesus the Son of God and his role and also the role of the Holy Spirit.  I like the depiction of God as a loving Creator Who cares about His creation and gives us assistance in living our lives as was intended in happiness and peace.

2.       Give a personal example of how the Holy Spirit has functioned in my life. 

 I believe we are all Spirit having a human experience. I believe the Holy Spirit has inspired me to do what I do for my vocation and continues to inspire me to walk the path I came here to follow. Now that I have more information about the Holy Spirits role I will be calling upon Him more often in prayer.

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Many people get ordained through the ULC as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.

Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual Awakening

 

I have been thinking about what it means to be spiritually awake and have not yet figured out what that means.  I have been going from one Internet site after another looking for information that will explain exactly what spiritual awakening is all about.

 

The closest I came to finding an answer talked about being a Christian and all that has to it.  But, being a Christian is only a very small part of what it means to be spiritually awake.  One site talked about the attributes of a spiritually awake person in a paper titled “The Purpose of Life is Spiritual Growth”.  I can agree with this statement but still it is only a title to a paper.  Within the paper it gives a statement about the fact that there are two types of people in this world.  One is the materialist minded person and the other is the spiritually-minded person.  The paper says that a person with a “materialistic mind is greedy, selfish, competitive, cold-hearted, deceitful, unintelligent, close-minded, ill mannered, unfriendly, easily addicted, overly emotional, easily angered, revengeful, vicious, barbaric, inhumane and war like.  They are destructive through their thoughts, words and actions”.  The paper goes on to describe the “spiritually minded person as being generous, kind, helpful, cooperative, loving, forgiving, caring, considerate, compassionate, patient, calm, honest, intelligent, logical, open-minded, friendly and peaceful.  They are constructive through their thoughts, words and actions”.

 

How many of you would describe your self as being a materialistic person with all the characteristic of that kind of a person?  Very few of you I’m sure, but do you not display those kinds of attributes from time to time?  You could say, “I’m only normal” and you are.  We all present to the world both kinds of mannerisms and we are both materialistic and spiritual people.  Some of us believe that we are more spiritual than the other, and that’s OK.

 

Now, what can we do to become totally spiritually awake?  Well, I think that the description above of the spiritual minded person tells all.  We can be that kind, generous and loving person we claim to be 24/7.  It only takes a little mindfulness to make it so.  Keeping in mind those attribute that make us a spiritual person.

 

Ok, you are a spiritual person, so what do you do to prove it?  Do you work with the sick and dying?  Do you go to church and pray for all the non-Christians in this world?  Maybe there are other things you do that you believe proves that you are a spiritually awakened person.  Or, maybe you just think about all that without doing anything… Maybe…

 

I want to be a totally awaken spiritual person and I want you to awaken also.  We can change this world from being totally materialistic to be spiritually oriented world in 2012.  2012 will be a year of change, a transitional world into the higher aspects of the spiritual life.  You and I can be apart of that.  We only have to make up our minds to be so by promoting to the world that we are indeed a spiritually awaken person.

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Many people get ordained through the ULC as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.

Defining Spiritualism

Defining Spiritualism is a very insightful course that gives a terrific overview of how various philosophies have influenced religion and how such extremes in thought developed. It is very helpful in understanding others and how to minister to them – especially those with a more scientific worldview.

The lesson on atheism was very interesting. I always wondered how people could hold this philosophy and where it came from. This philosophy is based on an extreme view of science, and assumes that nothing exists outside of our five senses. It does not recognize our spirit or unconscious mind. It is a very narrow view of the world.

Many of the world’s atrocities were justified by the concept of predestination. This was one aspect of Christianity that I always struggled with. I could never understand how Christians could kill others in the name of Christianity. It was interesting to learn that if someone was not “called” to Christianity then it was assumed that they were somehow “predestined” not to be saved.

In summary, I really enjoyed the course and would recommend it to others. I think it is very important to understand how various philosophies were created and how they have influenced the modern world. As ministers, we need these insights and understanding in order to be of most benefit to those we minister to.

Thank you for making this course available!

Rev. Patricia Buben

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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.

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Metaphysical Healing

Summation of the Metaphysical Healing Course

By Susan Wallace

Full Circle

The idea of coming “full circle” in strategies for creating health and balance within clients is growing daily.

Each culture in history has had its concept of healing powers and rituals used by the people of that culture. With modern medical models the more technically advanced societies have turned away from ancestral healing traditions.

While modern medical models provide dramatic results, they are still limited because there are many cases where a client full recovers against all odds while other cases where a client dies even though a procedure has been perfectly performed. Those who daily work in the modern medical setting see these situations of life and death. They also experience clients relating their interactions with the energetic or spiritual realms during the times the client is in the hospital.

Such experiences compiled over time are causing modern medical workers to consider “the more” that is at work in healing.

I am trained and certified in energetic healing and have for the past 25 years pursued the knowledge that is commonly regarded as non-traditional when compared to medical and spiritual contemporary ideas.

This acquisition of learning (fueled by a subtle knowing) increased when I became so ill I was unable to continue working. Nothing modern medicine could do changed or improved my condition. It wasn’t until I spent my time actively practicing alternative therapies that my health began to improve. I came to understand that my spirit/soul was so unbalanced that my health failed. This situation gave me the time to use the alternative healing skills I was learning. It also gave me the opportunity to grow spiritually, seek further understanding and skills in energetic healing.

Now on a path of seeking knowledge, applying it to myself and finally to others, I find myself engaged in things that suit my personality and can help others by direct application or through teaching and/or mere exposure to metaphysical ideas.

While on this newer path, I have been blessed to have a friend who is a nurse at a leading hospital. She also offers healing touch to her clients. She has first-hand experience having a foot on each side of the issues of health/illness, and life/death as she follows emergency patients from intake to release. Her strong belief in Christianity brings yet another aspect to her healing techniques.

This course in metaphysics brought me the knowledge of the strong movement of organization and validation of spiritual healers in South Africa. I was completely unaware of this activity and found it interesting and enlightening. The cooperation between seemingly opposite medical models is breathtaking. I am awed by the scope of work and efforts put forth to create such an alliance. The time for cooperation has truly arrived.

Reading about the hurdles and opposition Dr. Lee overcame through the years shows me that God/Universe can move everything aside and empower those struggling for positive change when the time is right.

Dr. Lee’s work and efforts, I believe, are a powerful beginning to meld regular and spiritual medicine in today’s world. When the standard approach to health is holistic we will all benefit greatly. When working for wellness rather than tamping down symptoms or surgically removing parts of our bodies becomes the norm I believe we will see dramatic miracles daily. The connectedness to our Source is necessary for true health.

The metaphysical joined with the traditional will create a world full of balanced beings in touch with their Creator. This synergistic approach will create the much needed health for all beings and our planet. This harmonious world is just a thought away!

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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.