A Course in Miracles

This course in metaphysics has opened up my mind to some very interesting never thought of before metaphysical power of my mind and spirit.

It has, I believe, taught me how to become in a state of miracle readiness.

This essay will state and confirm what I have learned and what I agree and disagree with.

I must state that this course has left me not disagreeing with any part of the fundamental principles taught through out the lessons. It has in fact left me wanting to delve even deeper into the metaphysical realm. I now desire to learn more about metaphysics, and I thank you for that.

Einstein's statement of 'We can't solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created it', is so simplistic but yet so true at any and all levels of thinking.

I liked how you addressed the mind as only a mind could readily think of itself, with it's own characteristics. Three different levels, split up. A higher mind (the spiritual mind), a middle mind (the unconscious mind) and a lower mind (the conscious mind) the ego being part of the lowest mind. Justifiably so. This is where we are aware of being most of the time. The unconscious mind is influenced by the conscious mind. The higher mind is the domain of the spirit which is connected to the will of God and is the realm of pure truth and knowledge.

When all three levels of the mind work in alignment with each other, there is a wonderful ease and flow to your life. There must be a never ending flow of information between all three levels of the mind. If there is not this harmonious flow of information then we are out of sink, we are cut off from the spiritual or higher power mind and in turn we experience unresolved problems in our lives. The higher mind unrealized.

This also renders us in in manifesting everyday miracles in our lives.

With a constant harmonious flow of information of all three levels of the mind we experience an inner peace and happiness in our lives. This is what God wants for us.

The conscious mind orients itself to present moment awareness. We use our conscious mind to make choices and also to create our problems. At first I thought this to be a strange concept, but with out consciousness what problems would we have? None.

These problems we create become directives for action for the unconscious mind to resolve.

The unconscious mind is responsible for automatic functions and habits we have of the mind and body, like walking, blinking, talking and all the things we do with out thinking about it.

It is also the warehouse of our memories, emotions and a place of our beliefs about our identity, about the world we live in and all that we believe is possible to be or to become.

The unconscious mind computes in pictures, not words, as words are but symbols we use to describe a thing. It gets directions from the conscious mind and guidance from the higher mind.

Of course you can see why it is important that all flow is unrestricted and constant.

The higher mind's capacity of information is limitless, infinite.

It is our connection to intelligence, information and energy that is of the formless that becomes the formed. This is God's place with in all of us. This the part of the mind that is informative of danger, that intuitive feeling, the knowing of when we are doing as we should be or not.

This part of the mind solves our problems. It is our spiritual guide.

Earlier I had stated that the ego was part of the lower part of the mind, the conscious mind, 'justifiably so', this was stated in such a way do to the facts of what I have learned about the ego, how it can be a very controlling part of our lives with out us realizing it, it is the driving force behind the unexplainable behaviors we sometimes have. The ego can be either over or under inflated, both have equally disappointing results. The ego views itself as separate from the rest of the world. With out an equal balance the ego is consumed with self absorption.

The less self absorbed (selfish) we are, the more aligned we are with our higher self of loving, caring, sharing, giving and compassion, thus the more empowered and happier we can become.

This is when a miraculous transformation can occur with in us.

We can begin to realize that we are all part of the whole. Part of one mind and spirit, the mind and spirit of God.

We are all connected, made up from the same energy that is the source of all, the spirit of God.

This is when we begin to see, think and speak more spiritually, thus we have entered in to a miraculous state of mind, then every day miracles can occur.

The question of should we be hostage to our ego or a host to God?

I choose the latter of the two.

Miracles begin to occur when we change the way we think about the world around us.

Miracles bear witness to love. Our true nature is indeed love and God is the purest form of love.

Love is :

Undestroyable , can not be taken, pure, innocent, unalterable, unchangeable, eternal, devoted, unseparated, etc.

Everything that is not created out of love is born out of the ego.

E = edging G = God O = out

Fear, illusion, lies, separation, guilt, etc.

Fear is a dividing factor in the mind that causes suffering.

It causes you to think and feel things that are lies, it wants you to accept illusion as truth.

Perfect love casts out fear. If fear is existent then there is not perfect love present.

God and love are one in the same. The cure for fear is always love.

Only the mind can create fear and that is only done when the mind is divided.

A house divided can not stand.

A mind divided has lost the harmonious flow and peace God has planned for us.

Fear is not to be overpowered, this would be giving it undo attention and power, instead you need to find ways to love and fear will disappear back to the nothingness it came from.

You need to turn your efforts to the servitude of helping others.

By doing this you are surrendering yourself to love.

Talk to God about your willingness of surrendering yourself to love, your willingness and desire to replace fear with love in the servitude of others.

Ask God to have the Holy Spirit guide you as to his will. Thank God in advance for this happening in your life. Then be patient with faith and wait for and be a witness to the change of fear to love.

Judgment, hatred and condemnation are all rooted in fear. We all have the power to project fear or to extend love into being. Be a willing person to declare your decision to let love reign over, in and through you.

The world we perceive to be as every day life happenings is so full of hustle, bustle, busyness, noise and constant brain activity, that there is not allowed a quite time to seek, hear and realize the will of God, this is the higher mind unrealized.

The practice of meditation quiets the mind to find and seek peace and the answers that you seek. Through meditation you can come to realize your connectedness as a part of the whole.

It is then you can begin to reconnect as peaceful thoughts open the gateway to the higher mind that contains the wisdom with in.

I believe that meditation is very much like prayer, it is a way to speak to God and receive answers.

When we are able to achieve this, we experience peace, wisdom and over all harmony in the mind, body and spirit. This becomes an outer reflection of an inner condition.

I experienced the relaxed constant flow of my breath to be a very pleasant state of relaxation as it helped me maintain a meditative state of mind. If you think about a stressful time in your life, you can recall that you probably inhaled and exhaled a long breath, I believe that this is the body's unconscious automatic relaxation response meant to help in the calming effect, thus brining us back into alignment. Thus defusing the stress you had experienced.

I was very pleased with the results of how to deal with the wandering of the mind during meditation, the naming of the different emotions and feeling that caused the mind to wander. The naming of the tired mind, the sleepy mind, angry mind, judging mind and ect…, this helped in bringing my focus back to my breathing thus aiding in a deeper state of relaxation.

With more practice I will come to realize the insight of the higher mind and God’s will. I am and I imagine will forever be in the process of a deeper state of awareness of the higher mind. The requirement of a cup full of discipline, a barrel full of love and an ocean of patience is a great analogy.

I had not until this course thought about my deep desires as being related to an energy force waiting to be released and born into manifestation. To think about everything that is and is to be began as a single thought is intriguing and yet so simple to understand. It makes sense because all matter began with a thought. A burning desire, to manifest that desire is determined by the amount of focus you place into the desire you have. There must be a persistent passionate focusing on that which you desire. The strength of that desire determines it’s effectiveness.

Be it to over come an addiction, to attain something, or this also can work adversely when you focus on the negative. If you dwell and focus on that which you do not want you actually bring that unwanted thing into existence. The ego will undermine your true desires with negative thoughts. In lesson six I found it very helpful to answer the questions about my desires in life. It helped me to pin point my negative and positive aspects of my present desires.

I found it to be a wonderful reminder in lesson #7 of how our lives are purpose driven, as we should always look at problems we face in life as a small part of a life long lesson for the over all life we are building. In all that we do there is a purpose, in knowing this, we should always give it our all to the moment and task at hand. This empowerment leads to yet another purpose to be fulfilled.

To serve the purpose of the lower mind (ego), or to serve the purpose of the higher mind (spirit) is a life changing decision to be made.

I have chosen to be in total servitude to the higher mind (spirit). I choose love, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, caring, putting others before myself, total servitude.

I agree in that which you try to resist makes that more persistent, thus giving it power that it doesn't have unless you give it. We must always view attacks by the ego through one's self or others, as a cry for love, compassion and understanding. As ministers, it is our higher purpose to answer this cry with the afore mentioned. We minister with these tools and it diffuses the ego's attack and casts out the ego's projection of fear and non acceptance.

Servitude is in alignment with love.

By removing any and all obstacles that prevent the Holy Spirit from shining through you, you can be in complete miracle readiness and complete true servitude for a higher purpose that is your calling in life.

The attacks from the ego must be disassociated from your thought process, this is a constant on going process that requires an attentive effort through out every second of your life.

In my opinion, this is a must to be an affective functioning, loving human being in society.

The lessons on addiction sure hit home with me, as I have been living the lie of nicotine addiction on and off for more years than I care to admit.

As I am sure we all have had some type of story to tell in this respect.

I agree that being addicted to something in life is indeed giving away of our power to an out side source. By hating it, you invest in it a power that it doesn't have unless given. To dwell on it brings it more into being. You must come to terms with the guilt factor of this thing.

Forgiveness is the home of miracles, this miracle occurs when you forgive yourself for making the mistake of attacking yourself with the addiction. Addictions are projections, an attempt to defend yourself against the guilt you feel. Release of an addiction comes when you heal your mind and take back your projections. A miracle occurs when you look at the devastation of your addiction. You have to realize that it is an illusion, it is false. The miracle awakens you from the illusion that any thing out side of you can ever attack you or have any power or control over you unless you let it. The truth will set you free. This addiction looses it's attractiveness.

The truth can not dawn on a mind filled with illusions. Willingness to let go of the ego’s purpose and latch onto the higher purpose of the Holy Spirit will change the out come of your intentions.

Let go and let God.

By not focusing on the past or future, but by concentrating on the purest form of the present.

This is where truth, love, freedom and forgiveness exist.

This attention to the present undoes the ego's investment in the past and it's affect on the present which becomes the past. There is now no blue print for the future. The total attention to the present releases the future.

An undivided mind is at peace, a mind at peace is in miracle readiness.

A mind that is not in the present moment is divided, not at peace nor in miracle readiness.

That which we pay attention to grows. A plant ignored withers, dries up and dies.

Fear and judgment are not of the present moment, they are of the past and are projected into the future, with this thought in mind you miss the present thus being of a divided mind and then love is not present. Being totally focused on the present moment gives you communion with your higher mind where love, safety and guidance abide. Attention feeds and strengthens your intentions.

The gift of visualization is so awesome.

I've learned that which is not comes to be. The physical rises from that which is spiritual.

Visualization is an attribute of your true self as a child of God. The ego wants to hide this identity of your true self. We as children of God are to let our inner light shine out ward for all to see as it becomes inspirational for all who choose to be inspired.

Magnificence is but a thought away.

By yielding to the spiritual lessons that make you stronger you can become a person with a higher purpose in life more so than you were ever aware of.

I found it very enlightening to ponder the thought of the Holiest of places on earth is where there was an ancient hatred that had become a present love.

The present. It is a gift. This very present moment is a gift from God.

All need to search their hearts and minds for unforgiveness, and forgive all inequities.

The way we can begin to heal is to know that we alone are responsible for the way we feel.

No one can make us feel any certain way. It is a choice.

It is not the past that matters, it's the present that matters.

The love, forgiveness, kindness, and compassion of the present moment is what matters.

To forgive is Devine, it heals and undoes guilt, lets go of the past and looks at the present with out condemnation.

I enjoyed the visualizing of letting go of the anger, resentment and other feelings I've allowed.

To bless is to be blessed in deed.

I first affirmed the feelings I had allowed for certain people, then I visualized a brilliant bright white light pouring down on them. This became spiritual for me as I found myself praying for all the good things and thoughts to become a part of their lives. Then I began to see an awesome cleansing of their body, mind and spirit as I visualized the blood of Jesus pouring down upon them, cleansing them and making them as clean and as white as new fallen snow. This was a very loving and heart felt spiritual experience. I have nothing but love and compassion for these people. I love them as my sisters and brothers in Christ.

I had always known that forgiving a person for what ever they had done to you was very important or it would eat you alive inside, but this was an all together different level of forgiveness. I thank you for that.

The total release I felt of letting go in this manor was comforting, it goes beyond words.

Past transgressions are but lessons to strengthen us.

Judgment of one's self or others imprisons us. The ego causes judgment, loss of peace, rejection, fear and is an illusion because it is always based on the past.

The power of positive thoughts can help in every day tasks. To focus on the task in a positive way, seeing the desired end result, seeing the joy the completion brings, makes this task at hand doable. Verses negative talk and thoughts such as, I should do this or that, or I got to get that done.

Try stating that you want to do this or that and visualize it in a positive light. If you can't see it in this light, then forget about it for now and try it again another time. Do not judge or allow any of the ego's negative talk into your thoughts. The power of thought can either drive or render your actions.

Prayer is so powerful and the medium of miracles. God listens to our hearts and knows what is best for us. I agree that when I first realized my call to ministry there was an upheaval in my life.

It was war on the floor (prayer), I went through several different stages of emotions before I experienced a humbling of the Holy Spirit. I do have to admit I had basically fell to pieces before I fell to my knees. I thank God for the huge turn around in my life, for the higher purpose in life.

I used to pray for self centered purposes and now I pray for guidance to do the will of God.

There was a time I thought God had forgotten me, I had forgotten him.

I pray for God to remove all the barriers in my life to be able to serve as he would have me serve him. I thank you God for doing such a wonderful work in me. Use me as you will.

I have come to a place in my spirituality of being thankful for all I have and have not. I pray over and about almost every thing. My glass is always ½ full, not ½ empty. Of course I have my days as we all do, then there is more war on the floor. I try to remind my self that all is his will, even if I don't like or understand it. I know that this connectedness is as important to survival as the air we breath. You take it in and let it flow out.

Without it, we die spiritually.

In regards to attachment to results from speaking to God through prayer and or meditation, I believe results from prayer is a part of life that is not always seen by us. The results we think should come about may not be what is best for us and may not be the will of God. Sometimes we do not realize results have come about until a future realization happens.

God has his own time table, and it is not our will to be done, but his will be done.

I must state that at times a wonderful knowingness hits me when I least expect it, a knowingness of all the wonderful, miraculous happenings God has allowed me to be witness to, of course this is one of those overwhelming feelings of the love and warmth of the Holy spirit from God, this is a humbling time that always brings me to my knees, if I'm not already there, and to tears of joy. It is a loving peace that is too vast for words.

This brings me to the topic of total acceptance, acceptance of all life has to offer us frees us from expectations, projection and fear. When we learn to accept things as they are, we come to understand that what is, is as it should be. We can choose to accept the will of God or reject it.

We can choose to accept the will of God with gratitude and receive the blessings God offers us.

This is what I believe is the miraculous key of total acceptance.

The thoughts we allow ourselves to have play a toll on our body.

The ego's guilt and fear with in us causes sickness to manifest in the body. The forms taken by the sickness is a metaphorical representation for the type of judgment against one's self.

By recognizing the source of the problem puts us on the path of healing.

For instance, a heart problem can be a matter of guilt that is heart felt.

Stomach problems can be something that can't be stomached. Forgiveness of a past issue releases the body from the past and opens it to new possibilities. Health is inner peace and love. Forgiveness brings inner peace to the body.

The Holy Spirit can use sickness and death for higher purposes that we don't understand.

Sickness and death can bring about a communion with the spirit instead the ego. It can also be a lesson of forgiveness and love, sickness serving a higher purpose. When this happens we gain strength to rise above the sickness, and then it becomes a blessing.

I have to state that I do view the ego in very different way than before this course.

I now realize it to be hate, unholy, selfish, judgmental, guilt and the things that are not of love and God, the purest form of love.

My husband and I are members of a motorcycle ministry, we have been married for 23 years, and I know that since we have found a higher purpose in life, we have had a much better than before relationship. Our driving force is united for servitude. I thank God for my wonderful husband and the united higher purpose he has blessed us with.

In the past we as many have, been victims of the ego's attacks on our relationship.

We allowed certain unholy thoughts, acts and words enter into our union.

Our faith has been our strength. Thanks be to God.

God has blessed us with a Holy union. This maintained through the faith we share, God' grace and love. The questions asked about personal relationships really confirmed my view of our relationship, and I thank you for that.

To produce and share a feeling that equals love multiplies more love and we all know that love is of a higher Holy purpose.

In separation of illusion and truth, we come to realize true love and happiness.

I have to agree that any and all talents are God given gifts and he is to be praised for them.

It is all for his glory, not ours. He expects us to find joy in our gifts, but also expects praise and worship.

I am a people person, I enjoy handing out tracts, witnessing, evangelizing and making new friends in the process. This a God given gift and I give him all the glory.

I plant a seed, a thought and let God help it grow. Should this person be open for more than that, I'm all for ministering. This happens with out judgment, with compassion, an open heart, ears and mind. I do rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me in all that I say and do. I am but a channel for the will of God at work. I am in servitude.

I can relate to the false gods lesson in course #20 about being addicted to a substance that is actually feeding a lie. This addiction works to keep us connected to our fears and ends up actually reinforcing them, we use this addictive substance to escape our fear of withdraw, yet our behavior increases our fear of withdraw. It is a very vicious cycle. We have made a bad choice to give away our power to an outside source. To be controlled.

We come to hate this addiction, but feel powerless to stop. We are giving power to it by focusing on it. There is only one way to expose and undo this lie.

We must decide to no longer buy into this vicious cycle of lies.

The mind had chosen to become a slave to this addiction, there for it is a decision of the mind that can break the bondage of chains of this addiction and set you free. We must separate truth from illusion.

We must bring our weakness to God and ask for his help. He gives us his strength, his strength is our truth. When you are up against what seems to be an impossible task, what else is there to do but to surrender. When you surrender your addiction to the Holy Spirit, you experience a miraculous transformation in your state of mind. Your way of thinking of your addiction changes. We no longer condemn our selves, but begin to forgive our selves.

Forgiveness rids our mind of guilt and fear. With fear and guilt gone, we have now attached our addiction to love instead of the fear and guilt it was attached to. With out an unholy purpose it takes on a new meaning.

We feel free to choose to be controlled or to be in union with the Holy Spirit's control.

Let go and let God.

Trials are but lessons to be learned from. If you fail, try, try again.

Christ calls to you and says 'My brother, choose again'

When we surrender all to God, including our addictions, this is when a miracle comes about.

This is what closes the door on weakness and opens the door to salvation and freedom.

I have thoroughly enjoyed your prayer for addiction, it was very heart felt. I have said this prayer and will continue to. Thank you for sharing this with me.

I have learned a lot about how the mind affects the body and spirit's well being.

I also have learned that having unresolved issues from the past can and will affect the present and future of the well being of the mind, body and spirit.

Thank you for your valuable insight and guidance for miracle readiness.

God Bless,

According to God's will,

In complete servitude

With love,

Your sister in Christ,

Reverend

Jeanette Buschman

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