My Tidings Article

Mike's article for the Ashland Daily Tidngs


Recently, I was asked to submit an article to our local newspaper, the Ashland Daily Tidings, to be among others for a weekly series of articles from various viewpoints on the topic of Inner Peace. I was asked to write about Gary's stuff, but of course that goes hand in hand with A Course in Miracles, so that naturally gets brought in too. Anyway, I had a seven hundred word limit, so I was quite limited on what I could say; so, I gave just a general overview of what Gary's stuff is all about, and didn't get into any of the 'far out' concepts of this spiritual path like God having nothing to do with the making of the world or universe, how anger is never justified, nor about the illusory, dream-like nature of what most folks refer to as reality. So, I just emphasized the more relatable aspects of this path, mainly the practice of forgiveness and taking responsibility for your life, albeit, at a much higher level than what most people commonly think of as taking responsibility for one's life. So, the series is supposed to start on Saturday, January 31st, and run every Saturday thereafter. I don't know when, or if, my article will get published in the paper.

Before we get to the article, I'd like to quote what Gary's teachers say on page 390 in Disappearance, in regards to this spiritual path:

The most striking evidence of this approach's validity will be that it works.

From my experience, I can tell you that it does work. It does, however, take a little while to develope faith and trust in it, but then when you start noticing results, it encourages and inspires you to keep going. Anyway, here's the article I wrote:

Of all the books I've read during my many years of feasting in the 'spiritual buffet line,' nothing has explained the truth about God and our existence, and why we are seemingly here, any clearer to me, than Gary Renard’s The Disappearance of the Universe.

Disappearance addresses heavy subject matter, while cutting to the chase in no uncertain terms, and doing so in a very entertaining and humorous fashion. I highly recommend it, though it is not intended for the squeamish nor the faint of heart, as the material is not sugarcoated.

Forgiveness is the theme in the spiritual path presented in Disappearance. The book is written in a dialogue format, with Gary being the student. His teachers in the book tell us, ‘Forgiveness is where the rubber meets the road. Without forgiveness, metaphysics are useless.' Of course, they are talking about forgiveness in the quantum sense, rather than what traditionally passes as forgiveness in this world.

Disappearance is the unofficial ‘cliff notes’ to A Course in Miracles. A Course in Miracles is a spiritual, purely non-dualistic, self-study course, often referred to in Disappearance. As quoted from Disappearance, 'The Course is Jesus speaking as an artist correcting the Bible which was allegedly based on his teachings.'

Written in Shakespearean blank verse and loaded with subtly humorous rhetorical questions, the Course is Jesus' teachings the way, I believe, they were intended to be - consistent and uncompromising, all about love and forgiveness, and absolutely nothing to do with sin, fear, guilt, sacrifice, and showing up to church on Sunday. As the Course states, '...those who seek controversy will find it. Yet those who seek clarification will find it as well.'

The Course is all about the healing of the subconscious mind, which entails looking at your illusions, examining them, and eventually releasing them through a process called true forgiveness. As it states in the Course, 'No one can escape from illusions unless he looks at them, for not looking is the way they are protected.'

The Course gives you the practical tools necessary in order to attain the objective of lasting inner peace and happiness regardless of what is going in the world and with your own personal life’s circumstances. Through the application of true, or quantum forgiveness, you’re taking full responsibility for your life’s experiences, including the experiences that are not seemingly your fault, because on the level of the subconscious mind, you made it all up. With quantum forgiveness, you’re not forgiving people because they really did something, you’re forgiving them because they haven’t really done anything. Whatever pushes your buttons and ticks you off on any given day is symbolic of what is in your own unconscious mind. Once you really get that the world is not being done to you, but rather by you, then what you are really doing by practicing true forgiveness is forgiving yourself for making the whole mess up in the first place; it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, ‘There are no victims in this world!’

Though the Course is presented in Christian terminology, it is very Eastern in its theology and practice, as it gets in touch with the power of the mind. I don't recommend taking it on without having read Disappearance first, as it will save you much time while helping you to really grasp the heart of the Course.

In the end, all spiritual paths lead to God, however, the Course does imply that this is a faster way. The Course is simple, however, it’s not easy, as we all have this thing called the ego, and it would much rather you be right, than be happy and at peace. So, sticking to this path requires discipline, vigilance, and the willingness to question every value that you hold. With that said, however, it’s not about giving anything up; it’s about letting go of psychological attachment, and forgetting not to laugh.

Mike Lemieux lives in Ashland and writes a blog called The Disappearance of the Universe, based on Gary Renard’s material and A Course in Miracles.

To read excerpts of Disappearance, visit: www.garyrenard.com/Preview.htm

God Is

Jesus!

Morning of January 6, 2009

Just a note before I get started: I don't take any drugs (legal or illegal) and I quit drinking before I was legal so these experiences were experienced while stone cold sober.

So, I had an experience this morning that doesn't happen to me every day, in fact, it's happened only one other time. In December of 2006, I abruptly woke up from a dream at around six a.m. or so (still dark outside) and sensed somebody was in the house, (I live alone.) As I put my head up, I looked out to my living room and saw some ghostly looking being in a white robe slightly bowing down at my couch. She had the hood of the robe up on her head so I couldn't see her face, but sensed she was Indian with dark skin complexion. She was a very peaceful, loving presence but that still didn't stop me from being freaked out. Then she turned, and walked slowly to the other side of the living room, heading towards the front door. Now, granted, I was not fully awake when it happened, but I was awake enough to put my head up. And I was freakin' out (in my mind) like, 'who the hell is that in my house?!" But I was like 'frozen' - I couldn't do anything about it. So as she was going through the door, I kind of like closed my eyes and shook my head real quick, then when I reopened, she was gone. So I kind of felt like I made it all up, but I know I didn't. Although, anyone who studies A Course in Miracles knows that anything that occurs in the illusion of time and space is all made up anyway, a dream. As Pursah says on page 245 in Disappearance in regards to what most people refer to as life, 'All your lifetimes have been just one big, gigantic mind trip going nowhere!'

So this morning, I was dreaming that I was at an old buddy's house from high school (totally unrelated to the story) and again I abruptly woke up, around the same time, as I sensed a presence. But this time, it took place in my bedroom. As I lifted my head up, I see Jesus standing at the end of my bed, who I affectionately refer to as 'J-Dog.' He turned to the side and started walking towards the right, and then went through the wall. He had short brown/reddish hair and a beard, and a big ear, not like Dumbo, but bigger than the average size ear. Now that doesn't match my picture I have of him hanging on my wall, but that was definitely his presence. He had a smile like he was laughing, except I didn't hear any sound. Also, perhaps you've seen the movie The Abyss with Ed Harris, when he goes to the bottom of the ocean, he encounters these 'water beings.' Well, J-Dog was kind of like that but in a ghostly kind of way. But this time, I was perfectly calm. It didn't scare the crap out of me like the previous experience. Admittedly, had I been fully awake I may not have been so calm - I guess I'll find out if that ever happens to me in a fully awakened state. The whole thing lasted only about five seconds, my other experience was more like ten to fifteen seconds. Actually, I was so nonchalant about this experience that I didn't even call my mom to tell her about it until the afternoon. But when I did tell her, it gave her the chills - especially since knowing that I've been heavily into Jesus' Course for almost two years now, and here he is appearing to me.

Note: On page 105 in YIR, Gary kiddingly refers to Jesus as J-Dog. So that's where I got J-Dog from. I dig it!

So what does this all mean? Beats the hell out of me! I know for one thing, it doesn't make me special. Only God is real, and anything that appears in the universe of time and space is just metaphor, or a symbol. So, nobody here that's walked the earth, or anywhere else in the universe for that matter, is special; including Jesus himself, who's the first to tell you that in his Course. But I figured I'd write about it anyway for journalling, as well as for entertainment purposes.

So later on in the day, while trying to finish my sixth reading of Your Immortal Reality, on page 205, Pursah quotes Jesus from the Course, "When I said 'I am with you always,' I meant it literally. I am not absent to anyone in any situation. Because I am always with you, you are the way, the truth and the life." When I read that today, I was kind of like, 'whoa, no shit!'

So does this mean I'm enlightened? Uh, no. I've still got issues. But I'd like to think that J-Dog appearing to me is a symbol of me getting much closer to that state. But I can't explain why I was so frightened the first time, and so calm about the experience this time. Perhaps I've healed enough of the mind through the true forgiveness practice outlined in the Course and in Gary's books that I've become less fearful. And that is the goal of the Course, to remove the walls of guilt buried deep in the subconscious mind that causes all fears to be there in the first place, so you become fearless like J-Dog, and that is what true spirituality is all about. Giddy up!

Update 1-14-09: No, J-Dog did not appear to me again, damn it! But I had forgotten another detail which I believe is common place for people who have such experiences. I left had left out that this ghostly Jesus figure was transparent. In other words, I was able to see the wall behind Him. So, I just wanted to add that as part of my blog here.

On another note, my mom suggested that J-Dog appeared to me with a big ear to inform me that he hears me when I speak to Him - I'm down with that idea! Thank you J!


Update 1-24-09: My mom spotted this picture somewhere on Photobucket the other day. It's quite eerily similar to the face I saw. Throw on a smile and a laugh, and take off the suit and tie, and you've got a look at the J-Dog I saw that morning. Pretty freakin cool!

Taking Responsibility for Dreaming

There are no victims in this world

So, I’m currently reading Gary’s second book, Your Immortal Reality, for the sixth time, and there’s a section in there that really hit home for me while reading it last week. Now, of course, I already knew this, but that’s why repetition is so very important, and necessary, when it comes to hearing right minded ideas. As you hear these ideas over and over again, they sink in on an even deeper level.

So in chapter four of YIR, Murders Without Corpses, Gary talks about how the founder of one of the most recognized organizations within the Course community, Miracle Distribution Center aka MDC, ‘screwed’ over his critically acclaimed book, The Disappearance of the Universe, saying that they refused to carry it despite its popularity amongst Course students.

Note: According to the Miracle Distribution Center website, the names of the founders of MDC are Richard and Beverly Hutchison. Neither name was mentioned in Gary’s book, however, a woman was referenced.

So Gary went on bitching and moaning to Arten and Pursah about this woman, saying that she could at least carry the book without having to promote it. Gary also went on to say that MDC not carrying Disappearance was 'a public smack in the face.' That’s what I love about Gary, he just puts himself out there as being human, not anything special, nor presenting himself to be more ‘evolved’ than the rest of us - at least I’ve never gotten that impression. He’s just going through the same forgiveness process like the rest of us. And like the rest of us, he’s not perfect about doing it all the time. I have a great appreciation for his authenticity. I mean, Gary could have edited this part out of the book, among other things that showed he wasn’t perfect in practicing the Course, but I don’t think his books would have had the same impact. Arten and Pursah knew what they were doing when they chose him to appear to. If A&P appeared to someone who was practically enlightened already, not many of us would be able to relate. With Gary, it’s as if we are walking in his shoes in a sense. So A&P chose some typical wise-guy that we can all relate to, a regular guy that digs women, music, sports, and beer (not necessarily in that order) which helps put the reader in the mind-set of, ‘Hey, if this clown can do this forgiveness gig, so can I.’

As a side note, this past summer I sent an email to MDC suggesting they carry Gary’s books and CDs, and asking them why they didn’t. I mean, they carry Marianne Williamson’s A Return To Love, a book that is allegedly based on A Course in Miracles, but it’s quite obvious just in the introduction part of the book alone that she doesn’t really get it. Now, I’m not suggesting that her work cannot be very beneficial to people in some way. In fact, I know it is, as back in the 90’s I was heavily into Wayne Dyer and the like, who speak on pretty much the same level as Marianne, and they were very helpful to me at the time. So I certainly wouldn’t knock Marianne, nor knock anyone who is into her stuff. With that said, however, her work shouldn’t be confused with the uncompromising message of A Course in Miracles, because as Arten puts it, ‘….once you have compromise, you no longer have the truth,’ (DU p 18.) Marianne’s work is about fixing up your life, while the real message of A Course in Miracles is about waking up from what you think is your life - as Arten would say, ‘That’s not just a minor distinction.’ Not that there is anything wrong with trying to fix up your life, but that is not the focus of the Course, although it can be a fringe benefit; and Mikey is down with fringe benefits!

So anyway, I got a response to my email from MDC saying one of the reasons why they don’t carry Disappearance is because of an article written by a Greg Mackie a couple years ago, who had some unflattering things to say about Gary and his experiences. They didn’t give me any other reasons as to why, and I find it a tad askew that some Course people will be quick to question Gary about his experiences, yet, accept the fact the Course came from Jesus himself! But I just left it at that. I’m here only to be truly helpful, so trying to convince people of something they are not ready for, is not a good use of my time, and a waste of the other person’s time as well. So I didn’t respond to the email. My personal opinion is that people just look for ways (both consciously and unconsciously) to avoid and resist the truth, which you can’t run away from in Gary’s books, as Arten and Pursah’s message is so blunt! But there’s no shame in that - some people are in elementary school, junior high, high school, college, and so forth; it doesn’t make one person better than any other - you are, where you are. Not every one is ready for this stuff, so as Jack Nicholson says to Tom Cruise in the movie A Few Good Men, ‘You can’t handle the truth!’ Oh, I have to mention this too since I’ve always been a big Seinfeld junkie - George Costanza does an impersonation of Jack Nicholson using that same quote in the classic Marine Biologist episode where Georgie Boy saves a whale by pulling out a golf ball from the whale’s blow-hole, a Titleist golf ball that Kramer had hit into the ocean. Anyway, there will come a time when everybody will be able to handle the truth!



Ok, so now trying to get back to my original point. What I also love about Gary’s books is that Arten and Pursah are right there to correct Gary whenever he goes off course. When Gary forgets to do his forgiveness homework, A&P are right there to put everything in proper perspective. We are all still human, and sometimes we feel a need to vent before we do the forgiveness work. And Gary is no exception. I think he is a representation of each of us, so when Arten and Pursah are gently, or not so gently, reminding him of what needs to be done, they are also reminding us to practice forgiveness on the things that push our buttons and piss us off on any given day. Although, as my old man used to say me, ‘It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on!’

Now getting back to Gary’s grievance with the founder of MDC, Pursah goes on to explain to Gary how people orbit each other, much like how planets orbit the sun. And that Gary knew this woman in previous lifetimes, and that they were even married once, including one lifetime where, according to Pursah, Gary had killed her; so they had some unfinished business. So we all get an equal share of playing the role of victim and victimizer throughout all our lifetimes, and sometimes even within our own lifetimes. So this woman had an unconscious grievance towards Gary the minute she saw his book. So in this example, Gary is the ‘victim’ in this lifetime. Now here’s the part that really hit home for me, after reading this again, it just sunk in at a deeper level, so much so that I was thinking of this quote in my dream while asleep the other night, (I love it when that happens!) So as Pursah so eloquently put it to Gary, ‘The question is, what are you going to use it for this time, freedom or bondage? Are you going to get that you are not a victim and take responsibility for dreaming, or are you going to make it real and stay stuck here?

So, there’s no excuse for not doing the forgiveness work, as it is only our own freedom and peace of mind being delayed by not doing it. But as the saying goes, ‘It’s simple but not easy.’ But I can see why Gary would be irritated by this experience he had with that woman, and would be tempted to go on whining about it all. And on the level of form, he is certainly right. But as the Course asks you, ‘Do you prefer you be right or happy?’ The trick is not to let the ego rule you, and not allow yourself to get sucked into all this crap, and most of all, to remember what it is all for – forgiveness of the ego’s script. And remembering is the hardest part. Another reason why repetition in hearing right-minded ideas is so necessary is that it becomes more easily accessible when the shit hits the fan!

I remember back in my days as a smart-ass teenager, my mom once asked me that same rhetorical question, would I’d rather be happy or be right, and my response was, ‘Well, I’m happy when I’m right, damn it!’ Of course, as a student of the Course, I now know all being right will do is keep me stuck in illusions, but it can certainly still be a temptation at times.

So, on a personal note before I close, I’ll be attending the ACIM conference in San Francisco that’s taking place the weekend of February 28 – March 1. Gary will be among many others speaking there. I hope to have another post to my blog up before that, but if not, my next post may very well be about my experience at the conference. Also, I still want to get my catholic school story up on here at some point this year, just for a change of pace and a fun read that has nothing to do with Gary’s books or ACIM.

So, I wanted to wrap up this post with the definitive statements from the Course mentioned in the same chapter as Gary’s forgiveness lesson with MDC. Pursah says a definitive statement is an idea in the Course that is so clear it defines what the Course is teaching, and it encapsulates what the Course is saying. So here are a few mentioned:

There is no world! This is the central thought the Course attempts to teach. Pursah follows up this quote with this: If there is no world, then there’s nothing to forgive, and recognizing that fact in the events, situations, and people you see is advanced forgiveness, because now you’re not forgiving other people for something they’ve really done, you’re recognizing that they haven’t really done anything. So you’re actually forgiving yourself for dreaming them. That distinction is vital. Without it, you’re doing the old-fashioned kind of forgiveness, which can’t undo the ego.

Anger is never justified. Arten says that if you made the whole thing up, then who is there to be angry at? And a related idea; The secret of salvation is but this: that you are doing this unto yourself. Arten goes on to say that these two ideas fit together like a hand in a glove, and once you really get them, then there’s no getting away from them.

The world you see is an illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever.

So Happy freakin’ New Year everybody! And here’s the mutha of all definitive statements to close this puppy out:

God Is