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

New Age Myths

Arten and Pursah's take on some popular New Age concepts

At the end of my last post I mentioned that I wanted to share what Arten and Pursah have to say about certain New Age topics that so many people are 'ga-ga' over. A&P are very blunt in putting these many popular New Age concepts in their proper perspective - as well as putting the entire universe in its place! How can somebody not love these guys? They really hold back no punches! As an idealist, I was so excited to read what A&P had to say when I read DU for the first time in the spring of 2007. I'm now on my seventh reading - no such thing as too much repetition! Anyway, their message is intended for those ready to take full responsibility for their life's experiences - not always easy, especially when it feels like the world is being done to you rather than being done by you. In this post, we'll review what Arten and Pursah have to say about the following hot topics in the spiritual community: energy, consciousness, evolution, reincarnation, body-mind-spirit, karma, and 'being in the now.'

A note before I get started: the study of the aforementioned topics were once very helpful to me and were an important part of my spiritual path for many years. Without having studied that stuff, and applying it into my life, I would not have been able to go beyond them - and get to the point where I could accept Arten and Pursah's teachings as being true. I know ten years ago I would not have been able to accept A&P's teachings - as Pursah says on page 127 of DU, '.....not due to a lack of intelligence, but because of an abundance of unconscious resistance.' Fortunately, enough of my ego was undone during the years of my prior studies that I was able to accept Arten and Pursah's teachings without hesitation. But Arten and Pursah say that this path is not for everyone, or at least not for everyone all at once. So, I am certainly not putting these concepts down. But Arten and Pursah bluntly point out to us that we need to go beyond them if we want to go Home, and experience what we really are.

So, let's get started, shall we?

What about energy?

DU p 104
Energy cannot seemingly be destroyed on the level of form because it is not really energy, it is thought. Or more accurately, it is mis-thought, which will eventually be changed over to the eternal. In the meantime, there is a very simple criteria that the Course gives you to distinguish between the real and the unreal:

Whatever is true is eternal, and cannot change or be changed. Spirit is therefore unalterable because it is already perfect, but the mind can elect what it chooses to serve. The only limit put on its choice is that it cannot serve two masters.

So the fact that energy can be changed means that by it's very nature it is untrue. It is not our intention to deflate the enthusiasm of your New Age buddies who are so ga-ga over energy. But energy is nothing. It's a waste of time, a trick, just another device for building your house upon the sand instead of on the rock. Sure, it may be a helpful idea for some people to be interested in the unseen instead of the seen. But we came to help you save time. The good news isn't that energy can be changed, the good news is that the mind that made it can be changed.

DU p 129
Try to remember that energy is not spirit - spirit being your unalterable, true reality. Energy, which changes and can be measured, exists within the domain of perception.

My note: I used to be pretty obsessed about energy myself. Arten and Pursah really cleared this whole thing up for me. They really simplify the whole process of enlightenment, while many other authors whose books I read prior to this point really complicated the hell out of it - making every single cell in the body real! Energy really is nothing! Just practice true forgiveness and the rest will take care of itself. What a relief!


What about consciousness?

DU p 129
Consciousness is yet another thing you foolishly value highly. In order to have consciousness you have to have separation. You've got to have more than one thing. You have to have something else to be conscious of. This is the beginning of the split mind. As the Course teaches in no uncertain terms:

Consciousness, the level of perception, was the first split introduced into the mind after the separation, making the mind a perceiver rather than a creator. Consciousness is correctly identified as the domain of the ego.

DU p 214
In Heaven, you don't have to think at all. In fact you are thought by God.

My note: So consciousness is not of God. Which means, the popular term, 'Christ-Consciousness' is actually an oxy-moron. Christ is of God, while consciousness represents separation from God.


What about evolution and reincarnation?

DU p 145,146
Since everything happened all at once, then doesn't that mean evolution is also an illusion, kind of a smokescreen?

Congratulations to the one who knows that. Your generation worships evolution, thinking that you're on the way to creating some kind of new, hot consciousness. You value evolution almost as much as you value energy. What is called evolution was merely the ego separating all at once by seemingly dividing and sub-dividing cells over and over again in order to make bodies and brains that appear to be more complex - and thus more impressive. Yet all bodies are the same in their unreality.

DU p 328
Some people believe reincarnation leads to the evolvement of the soul. True?

Your soul is already perfect, or otherwise it wouldn't be a soul; it would just be something you're mistaking for a soul - like your mind, which people do mistake for the soul, or a projection of your mind, which includes bodily-shaped ghostly images that people think are souls. Evolution is something that appears to happen on the level of form, but it's just a dream. Once your mind has learned all its forgiveness lessons, then it awakens to spirit or soul, and everything else is gone except Heaven. Most people think of their soul as being an individual thing because they can't help but think of themselves as individuals. When that false belief is gone, then you know that there is really only one soul - which is our unlimited oneness as spirit.

DU p 179
We should emphasize something about the subject of reincarnation. We talk about it as though it actually happens. Yet just like everything else, it's only a dream. Yes, it appears that you incarnate into a body, and your experience is that you are a body - but as we like to point out, the Course says that what you are seeing is not true.

What about body-mind-spirit?

DU p 76
Today, many believe in the existence of a trilogy - body, mind, and spirit. The 'balance' of all three is important in your philosophy. But you, the seemingly separated mind which makes and uses bodies, must choose between the changeless and eternal reality of spirit - which is God and His Kingdom - or the unreal and ever-changing universe of bodies - which includes anything that can be perceived, whether you appear to be in a body or not.

Are you saying that giving equal value to body, mind, and spirit actually contributes to me coming back here over and over again as a body, rather than being free?

Yes, but this doesn't mean that you should neglect your body. We're speaking of another way of looking at it.

My note: This means using the practical forms of judgment when it comes to the body. We are still gonna bathe it, dress it, feed it, and exercise it - hopefully! The point is your salvation is dependent on what's going on in your mind, while you go about living your daily life; it's not about giving up anything.

DU p 293
You may hear from those seeking balance: the balancing of body, mind, and spirit, or balancing dual forces like yin and yang, or balancing 'the force' itself. Balancing illusions is not forgiving them.


What about karma?

DU p 116
Karma is just an effect. We're going to change the cause of everything by changing the mind. The effect on the level of the physical is not something to be concerned about, because it isn't real. The real things you should be interested in are inner peace and returning to Heaven.

My note: In other words, karma is the result of the unconscious guilt in the mind. Once the guilt has been healed and removed by your forgiveness, then the so called karma no longer exists. Whatever 'bad' things you have done in the past are only karmic if you have yet to truly forgive yourself for doing them.


What about 'being in the now?'

IR, p 27
Where the practice of 'be here now' will get you is here. Sure, it will relax you, but it won't get you home. One aspect of that kind of a system is to watch your judgments. But watching your judgments is not forgiving them. And the now that is experienced is not the eternal always of Heaven, which can only be consistently experienced when the ego has been completely undone by the Holy Spirit. That requires that you do your part to forgive, and the Holy Spirit takes care of the part of the job you can't see, deep within your unconscious mind.

IR, p 193, 194
Keep in mind that we're not saying there's anything wrong with the idea of 'being in the now,' - there may be some good in focusing on the now rather than the past or the future - the quality of life would be improved. The problem is that doing so cannot remove the unconscious guilt over the original separation from God that's still hidden in the deep recesses of the mind. Because of that, it makes each experience of being in the now temporary by definition, because it fails to remove the blocks that prevent that experience from being permanent. All of which is to say that there's not just a minor difference between the approach of The Power of Now and the real power of A Course in Miracles. It's the difference between being temporarily in the now of an illusion, or being permanently in the presence of reality.

It's absolutely essential to remember that unless and until all unconscious guilt is removed from the mind, you cannot stay in the endless present on a permanent basis - it's impossible. Any attempt to remain in the now is doomed to failure without doing the work of true forgiveness. Until you've completely forgiven that which you made and projected outside of yourself, you are not forgiven in your own unconscious mind, and until you are, the cycle of birth and death cannot be broken. Being in the now does not heal your unconscious guilt and undo the ego. True forgiveness, on the other hand, removes the blocks to the awareness of love's presence that is your natural state of being, undoing the ego completely and making it possible to remain in the eternal 'always' simply because that's all that's left.

Remember, that any attempt at eternity is a nonstarter as long as there's any unconscious guilt in the mind, period. That guilt must be healed before you can permanently stay free of the past or future. And the way to undo it is not to ignore it, which is exactly what's going on when you shut off and deny the past or future. It's when you forgive the past and your concerns about the future that they are undone, and the endless present becomes truly available to you. That forgiveness always takes place now. Remember that there's no difference between forgiving the original separation at the time it appeared to happen, and forgiving it right now, for they are one and the same.


Ok, I covered everything I wanted to for this post. So what's in store for my next post? As Gary says on page 132 of DU, 'I have not a freakin' idea.' I'll come up with something. Stay tuned.

God Is

Keys to Understanding A Course in Miracles

Arten and Pursah's Keys to Understanding A Course in Miracles

In this post, I'll be addressing some of the things that Arten and Pursah point out as being trouble areas and pitfalls that some Course students run into, and I'll go into a little detail about each one. This is written with the assumption that you have some familiarity with A Course in Miracles and/or Gary Renard's books. I'll be quoting often from The Disappearance of the Universe aka DU, as well as Your Immortal Reality aka IR in this post, while covering the following topics: Why the Course seemingly contradicts itself; what should and should not be taken literally; why Christian terminology is used in the Course; the use of judgment, discernment, and common sense; the proper use of denial; and getting caught up in over-analyzing and nitpicking the Course.

Before I get started, I should admit that I'm not as heavily into A Course in Miracles as I am into Gary Renard's books. Gary's books are what keep me focused and motivated on the task at hand. With the exception of some of the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, humorous rhetorical questions, reading from the Course can nearly put me to sleep at times. With that said, however, I have a great appreciation and respect for the lofty goal the Course has to offer. The Course is all about the healing of one's unconscious guilt by the Holy Spirit and the return to Heaven through the dynamic of forgiveness, (DU p 92.) Despite the fact that A Course in Miracles is very much about the healing of this unconscious guilt, most of the teachers of the Course never even mention it, (DU p 143.) This is why I love Gary's books so much, his teachers let you know what you are really up against, and do so in such a blunt way, and put in everyday human language and in no uncertain terms. And at the same time, there's no pressure or guilt trip being laid upon the reader, which was a breath of fresh air for me, as I have encountered this in other spiritual teachings on ascension and enlightenment prior to reading Gary's books. In fact, Pursah specifically quotes J as saying that we shouldn't feel any pressure, and that salvation would come to each mind when it was supposed to, (DU p 402.)

One big issue that some Course students have encountered, according to Arten and Pursah, that over the years there have been a number of people who gave up on A Course in Miracles because they incorrectly thought the Course was contradicting itself. A&P point out, however, the reason the Course seems to contradict itself is because it is speaking on two different levels. Jesus, as you know is the voice of the Course, speaks to us on both the level of the world, as well as the level of absolute truth, and does so interchangeably throughout the Course. The key to understanding the Course in regards to this matter is that anything that expresses the absolute truth, the level of non-duality, the level of oneness, should be taken literally. On the other hand, Jesus also speaks to us in the Course on the level of the world. The reason being for that is he is meeting us where we think we are, which is in the world. If he spoke to us just on the level of absolute truth, we wouldn't get very far due to the very complex nature of the ego. So anything in the Course that speaks on the level of the world, the level of duality, the level of separation, is not intended to be taken literally but to be taken as metaphor, (DU p 92.)

In Gary's audio series, The Secrets of the Immortal, Gary gives a good example of what should be taken literally, and what should be taken as metaphor: Here is an example of a statement from the Course that should be taken literally, as it speaks the absolute truth:

God knows not of separation.

Here's an example of a statement that should be taken as metaphor, as it is speaking on the level of the world:

God weeps for his children.

Now, without understanding that not everything in the Course should be taken literally, one may incorrectly see the Course as contradicting itself with the two aforementioned statements. However, if you properly make the distinctions of what should be taken literally, and what should be taken as metaphor, you'll understand that the Course is speaking on different levels, and that it is indeed, not contradicting itself. So when something like 'God weeps for his children' is read in the Course, it should be taken as a metaphor as the Holy Spirit wanting us to choose His voice rather than that of the ego. Ultimately, everything but God is metaphor, (DU p 92.)

So moving on to the use of the Christian terminology in the Course, some people may be turned off by it, and others may see the Course as being a continuation of Christianity like it's the 3rd Testament or something. But A Course in Miracles should not be confused with Christianity. The foundation of Christianity is based on Jesus suffering and sacrificing himself for other people's sins, and despite Jesus supposedly doing this, Christianity goes on to give you a million reasons why you're still guilty anyway, and gives you a God that loves you one day, but seeks vengeance on you the next day, apparently all depending on what kind of mood He's in. All the while the devil is just waiting for you to slip up so you can spend all of eternity burning in Hell - now that's nine years of Catholic school talking! The thought system of A Course in Miracles, on the other hand, is consistent in its message, as it is all about love and forgiveness, and give us a God that is perfect Love and sees us all as being innocent no matter what we dream up here in the illusion of time and space. In the mean time, our memory of God, the Holy Spirit, is with us to help us return our awareness to our natural state of peace and bliss while we appear to be here, and ultimately being one with God in Heaven. The terminology may be the same but that's where the similarities of Christianity and A Course in Miracles end, as the Course is much more Eastern than Western in its approach, as it gets in touch with the power of the mind - which makes sense since Jesus was from the Middle East, not Massachusetts.

Now, according to Arten and Pursah, Jesus uses Biblical, metaphorical language in the Course in order to correct Christianity, (DU p 97.) So when Jesus uses the word He to describe God, J is not suggesting that God is some old white guy with a long gray beard sitting on a throne up in Heaven while judging the hell out of us. In fact, you could just as easily substitute the word She for He, but that would not be any more accurate than using He. Technically, It is the proper word, but Jesus is speaking as an artist correcting the Bible which was allegedly based on his teachings, so that's why he uses Biblical language, (DU p 319.) There is no concept of male or female in Heaven; (DU p 5) - only God, Love, and Spirit, which are all synonymous.

The next thing I want to discuss is the concept of judgment. When the Course talks about not judging your brothers and sisters, what it's really saying is that you should not condemn them, (DU p 116.) The Course is not asking you to give up the practical forms of judgment you need just to be able to function in the world while you appear to be here. You have to make judgments just to cross the street, get out of bed, and decide what to eat, etc. As Arten goes on to say "One thing the Course has nothing against is common sense,' (DU p 116.) I'd also like to add that using discernment is part of having common sense. Yes, it is your job to save the world, as the world can not be saved without you - since the world is just a projection of your own mind - however, you saving the world is done so at the level of the mind, and never at the level of the physical. For example, it may be late at night and you're walking through what some may consider to be an undesirable neighborhood. Now, there could be some people hanging around and perhaps you see them carrying guns. On the level of the mind you can see them as innocent, but that doesn't mean you have to prove a point and go walking up to them trying to save them, or to prove how invulnerable you are. It would be in your best interest to get the hell out of there, and as quickly as possible, as Pursah says 'If you're a woman and a man is trying to rape you, kick him in the balls,' (IR p 177.) Forgiveness can always be applied later.

The Course is not about you trying to be Superman. And while we're at it, you don't have to give money to every homeless person you see out there on the street either, and if you do, it's best that you are not doing that out of feelings of guilt. This path is not about being a do-gooder, not that there isn't anything wrong with doing good deeds if that turns you on; but the Course is about being a right minded thinker, (DU p 218.) When the Course talks about being a teacher of God becoming perfect here, it is referring to perfect forgiveness, not perfect behavior, (DU p 234.) Forgiveness has to do with what you think. What you do isn't the important thing, even though it is a result of what you think. It's what you think that wil either keep you dreaming or help get you home, not what you do, (DU p 218.) And as J says in the Course, 'I do not call for martyrs but for teachers.'

Now, some students new to the Course might think that practicing the true forgiveness that the Course talks about is a form of denial. Well,in a sense it is - but in a different way from what the world commonly views as denial. Here's what Gary's teachers have to say about that: The thought system of love and the thought system of fear are both forms of denial. One of them, the Holy Spirit's teaching, leads to Heaven by uncovering and reversing the ego's denial of the truth, as the Course says, 'It denies the ability of anything not of God to affect you. This is the proper use of denial,' (DU p 113.) The Atonement principle undoes denial and projection at the level of your mind by forgiving what you perceive, and the Holy Spirit undoes the denial and projection at the metaphysical level of your mind at the same time - as well as undoing the whole idea of separation right along with you. You must practice forgiveness on the level where your experience is. So your forgiveness is done here, which means you should be practical - and respectful of other people and their experience. In other words, when you're living your everyday life, be kind. Your job isn't to correct others. Just help the Holy Spirit clean up your wrong mind by switching to your right mind, (DU p 166.) When we say you should be kind to others, it doesn't mean you should be in denial about the ego thought system. But don't try to change others; change your own mind instead, (DU p 193.)

Another stumbling block that some Course students may get caught up in is in overanalyzing the Course. Pursah cautions us not to nitpick the Course to death. She goes on to say that all the details of the Course's teachings should be put within the context of its larger teachings on forgiveness, (DU p 329.) I would add that you don't need to sit there dissecting and analyzing every sentence in the Course. If you don't understand what a particular sentence or paragraph is saying, its not something to get all frustrated about and beat yourself up over - just move on. What really matters, as far as I'm concerned, is that you continue to practice taking full responsibility for your life's experiences by remembering to apply the concept of true forgiveness on anything that pushes your buttons on any given day. If you are doing this, rest assured you are making spiritual progress, regardless of how well or how much of the Course you understand. Oh by the way, speaking of analyzing things, ever notice that the first four letters of analyzing spell out anal? It could be a coincidence, but the only problem is that I don't really believe in coincidences. Just like Arten points out that the last four syllables of the word individuality spell out duality; that's not just a semantic accident, (DU p 141.)

Just a quick note here, Gary mentions on The Secrets of the Immortal CD that the person with a low IQ who is going around just being love is probably making more spiritual progress than the intellect who uses the Course to make other people wrong and himself right. I listen to Gary's CDs quite a bit so when I hear him say that, it always reminds me of my favorite movie of all time, Radio - about a man with the low IQ who is just being love. I highly recommend this movie - starts Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding Jr. Check out the deleted scenes on the DVD too.

So before I wrap up this post, here are some other quick random notes that may be helpful in studying the Course:

On disc 4 of The Secrets of the Immortal audio series, Gary advises that you can replace the word but with only if that helps you to understand a particular section better. For example, here are a couple of lines in the Course with the word but in it, 'For time but seems to go in one direction. We but undertake a journey that is over.' So if you replaced the word but with only, it would go like this, 'For time only seems to go in one direction. We only undertake a journey that is over.' For me personally, I find this suggestion to be very helpful at times. Another thing Gary mentions too is that the Course uses the word make or made in association with the ego - while using the word create in association with God or Spirit.

On page 265 of DU, Pursah says that it may be helpful to remember that the words 'heart' and 'mind' meant the same thing two thousand years ago. When J said 'look into your heart,' he meant your whole being. He wasn't referring to how you feel about worldly behavior or current theology. He was telling you to examine your mind, forgive your brothers and sisters and remember God.

Lastly, as Arten says about their teaching style and A Course in Miracles, 'We've never said that A Course in Miracles is the only way to God, and we've never said that our words are the only way to A Course in Miracles. Ours is one approach. It's for some people - not for everyone. Having said that, let me remind you that we've come here to help you save time. If you really want to know God, then we want you to find the way to your experience of the absolute truth as soon as possible. The Course teaches that the miracle minimizes the need for time,' (DU p 162.) Arten also states, in reference to the Course's introduction where it says that 'It is a required course': 'The Course is required because it expresses the truth. I'm sorry if that sounds arrogant. It doesn't mean that the Course is the only way for anyone to ever find the truth. The truth is an awareness - not a book,' (DU p 108.)

Ok, so I think I have covered everything I wanted to in regards to understanding certain aspects of the Course, and hopefully it has been of help to someone. For my next post, I want to get into what Arten and Pursah have to say about some of the popular new age topics that so many people are 'ga-ga' over - I used to be - including energy, consciousness, evolution, karma, and 'being in the now.'

God Is

The Three 'Rules' of Spiritual Healing

The Three 'Rules' of Spiritual Healing as described in Chapter 10 of DU:

#1 Its' not about the patient.
All healing is a result of some kind of forgiveness, and all forgiveness leads to self-healing. So even when it comes to healing the sick it's really about forgiving your own dream, and forgiving yourself for dreaming it. As it states in the Psychotherapy pamphlet in the Course, '...The process that takes place in this relationship is actually one in which the therapist in his heart tells the patient that all his sins have been forgiven him, along with his own. What could be the difference between healing and forgiveness?' And as DU goes on to say, 'So who is being healed - the patient or the healer? The forgiver or the forgivee? The answer is both, for they are one.'

To word it any other way, there is no patient! Not really. There's nobody else out there, so its your own seemingly separated mind you are healing when you perceive somebody else's sickness and forgive it, as it is really your own sickness you are forgiving, that sickness being your own guilt that's buried deep in your subconscious mind over the seeming separation from God.

#2 Pain is not a physical process. It's a mental process.
Healing requires a shift in perception, and as the Course asks and answers for you, 'What is the single requisite for this shift in perception? It is simply this; the recognition that sickness is of the mind, and has nothing to do with the body. What does this recognition 'cost'? It costs the whole world you see, for the world will never again appear to rule the mind. As the Course also states, 'the guiltless mind cannot suffer.'

Another thing to keep in mind here too is that we are not in bodies, although it sure as hell feels like it most of the time, so that's our experience. However, the body you appear to be in is just like every other body you see out there; it's a projection of your own mind. So you're not in a body, your body is in your mind.

#3 Ultimately, the universe itself is a symptom that will disappear.
When you really wake up, what appeared to be real before is now recognized as the idle dream that it is. Then it is forgotten, or at least rendered meaningless. Your present lifetime and all of the others will disappear, and when everyone reaches the same state of enlightenment, the universe will disappear - leaving only God's universe of Heaven. (DU p263)

The universe will disappear because there will be no need for it any longer. Once there is no need to perpetuate unconscious guilt, there will be no need for a universe of time and space. The universe of time and space exists in its unreality as a hiding spot from our unconscious guilt; it's a symptom of separation from God and the projection of unconscious guilt. We created this universe - God certainly did not - where our guilt can be seen as being outside of ourselves, rather than within, and we go on to judge and condemn others. But when we judge and condemn others, what we are really doing is judging and condemning ourselves, as the 'others' we perceive as being out there are really just symbols of what's in our own unconscious minds. But once we stop reacting with condemnation, and start forgiving and seeing everyone as totally innocent, which in reality we all are - then all of the guilt will eventually be removed, and we will then simply return our awareness to our natural and original condition of being one with God.

So with all that said, that means we'll be having one big Heaven on Earth, Happy Dream party, giddy up!!!

God Is

What Makes Gary's Stuff Different From Everything Else Out There?

A lot of spiritual, new age material out there is geared towards fixing up one's life. I'm certainly not knocking that approach as I have been down that road myself. However, Gary's material and the correct interpretation of A Course in Miracles, gets to the one root cause of all the problems in the world - the unconscious guilt buried in the mind that runs the world. The material in Gary's book is not designed to help you dress up your life, rather it is about waking up from what you think is your life. Here's an excerpt from page 16 of DU:

Perhaps the most overlooked error of all religions and philosophies, including the New Age models, is the failure to understand that although doing things like thinking positively, being 'in the now,' saying prayers, affirmations, denying negative thoughts, and listening to famous speakers may have a temporarily helpful impact, they cannot release that which is locked in the deep canyons of your unconscious mind. Your unconscious mind, which you are completely oblivious to or else it wouldn't be unconscious, is under the domination of a sick thought system that is shared on both a collective and individual level by everyone who comes to the false universe - or else they wouldn't have come here in the first place. This will remain the case until your thoughts are examined, correctly forgiven, released to the Holy Spirit, and replaced by His thinking instead. Until then your hidden beliefs will continue to dominate and assert themselves in a predetermined way. The world is merely acting out a symbolic scenario that each one here agreed to participate in before they ever appeared to arrive.

God Is