 |
|
|
ACIM Study Group Live Welcome
THIS WEEKEND'S STUDY GROUP
. This weekend's ACIM Study Group SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH at 6:00 p.m PST
Important! If the broadcast is interrupted at any time, _____________ After the broadcast, you will be able to access the audio and video recordings The video will be a large file and could take up to six or eight minutes to begin playing with a DSL connection. PODCAST The podcast will be available at the iTunes Store. There is no charge. Enjoy! _____________ INSTRUCTIONS You will notice that our Home Page has changed. Once again we have buttons on the right-hand side of the page for "Listen Now Rajcast Live" and "RajCastTV Video Now". Some of you will use them, and some of you will not, depending upon the browser and platform you are using. So, here we go: PC If you are using a PC with Firefox or Internet Explorer, you will click on the one of the two buttons on the right. If you are using a PC with Chrome, you will click on the "Play" button in the lower left-hand corner of the media player window. MAC If you are using a Mac with Firefox, you will click one of the two buttons on the right. If you are using a Mac with Safari, the broadcast will start automatically. No buttons to push. If you are using a Mac with Chrome, you will click on the "Play" button in the lower left-hand corner of the media player window. iPHONE, iPAD or iPOD TOUCH Simply click on the "Play" button in the middle of the black window and the Live Broadcast will begin. _____________
New Post Title
. . THE DIVINE ECONOMY III ––The Wings of Change–– Transitions always make demands that don’t otherwise occur, requiring one to practice the two-step–requiring him to function beyond his comfort zone and allow more good to occur than was occurring before. Resistance to these demands, brought about by laziness or the attempt to minimize change, can cause the “insistence of increase” to be arbitrarily construed as the “assertion of lack” . . . just because one doesn’t want to have to stretch! “You ask too much! You ask something of me that I cannot do. You ask me to be something I cannot be. Your gift is mean-spirited because you confront me with my inadequacy!” Or, . . . . . “You are intruding upon my space, disturbing–taking away–my peace with your persistent invitations! Stop being a pest and leave me alone!” I use the words “arbitrarily construed” because the rejection of incoming good is accomplished by means of sudden offhanded but purposeful misinterpretations of its nature and intent. And by means of this mental sleight of hand, the solitary part one plays in disenfranchising himself from the gifts of transition is totally obscured from him, by him, on purpose. Why would he do this? Because if he cannot see the exclusive part he plays in being stuck . . . it is not he who needs to change. The lesson here is: When one does the two-step and is guided to embrace and cooperate with change, he is being invited to break established patterns and let the invigoration of Life supersede the limits of his present sense of comfort. Again: One very often determines this to be uncomfortable, resulting in denial of approaching fulfillment and its life-affirming gift. And this is done in spite of the fact that taking one step at a time with patient allowance instead of active pessimism nurtures the miraculous, often in slow motion . . . even though one might have previously determined that in order for a miracle to be miraculous, it must be instantaneous. These funny little rules, these determinations, these unquestioned personal preferences, together with ignorance, combine to thwart and defeat one’s willingness to stand in receipt of God’s Will for him, while the continued practice of the holy instant, in the face of the apparently unbelievable possibilities which its practice brings to view, dissolves one’s “unbelief”–the only resistance there is. One cannot cope with, handle or control “unbelief.” It is not focused, assertive, coercive or actual. It is not formidable by virtue of any inherent integrity, logic or demonstrability. It is a hesitation. That’s all! A hesitation before giving up independence. A hesitation before abandoning the denial of one’s divinity. A hesitation before yielding to the Father. A hesitation before making commitment. While belief is an act of will, unbelief is not! But! While unbelief is the absence of willfulness–“my will be done”–it is also the absence of willingness–“Thy will be done”–and is therefore nothing more than a doldrum of inattention to be replaced by the ongoing act of attention called the two-step, the practice of the holy instant. Being in the holy instant is much less confusing and distressing than being on a timeline from the past to the future. There is less to consider, less to interpret (or misinterpret), and no place for fear or guilt. As one stands in the now, he can see the need. And, without fear or guilt interfering, he can let the steps leading to resolution of the need register with him easily. He can do this because in the now, need is the leading edge of breakthrough and fulfillment while in "time" it is the trailing edge of hesitation and unbelief. In the now, one can treat the need simply as an impartial and benign "bit of information" which says: "This marks the spot to watch for and participate in transformation, regeneration and redemption–the miraculous!" And this inspires curiosity rather than fear, together with a readiness to act in confirmation of that which is redeemed. Time, on the other hand, causing need to be seen as the trailing edge of hesitation and unbelief, tricks the attention into guilt and fault-finding, which effectively distracts one from the curiosity which it is the true function of "need" to inspire. In other words, time interferes with the miraculous, while the holy instant–"now"–precipitates it! Whether or not the miraculous is experienced as slow or instantaneous, or varies from any other criteria one has in mind, it becomes secondary to the recognition of God in what is happening and the grounding peace which characterizes the mind at one with His. The apparently impossible proves possible. The ability to understand oneself from the “point of perfection” instead of “advancing toward it,” the experience of being Whole instead of gaining Wholeness, the experience of Good as Birthright instead of something to be acquired by deserving It . . . all of these are inseparable from persisting in Listening while one’s mind is changed and one’s attachment to his unbelief–together with the safety from change that it seemed to provide–fades. ____________________ ANNOUNCEMENT
Rajpur Kingston, Washington January 18, 2012 . ____________________ IN ORDER TO SUPPORT OUR ACTIVITIES SECURE ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE BY CLICKING HERE PLEASE NOTE When you enter the amount, do not place a dollar sign ($) in the box. Doing so will interfere with the completion of the transaction. If you have any reluctance about making online contributions or would like to set up automatic monthly contributions please call Paul at 360-638-0530 any time between noon and midnight Pacific Standard Time and he will process your contribution directly. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted. Contributions made through PayPal should be made to paul@nwffacim.org PayPal is set up to deposit these contributions directly into the Foundation's account. Contributions can also be mailed directly to: NWFFACIM P.O. Box 1490 Kingston, WA 98346-1490 USA
TO EVERYONE
. Mindfulness, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh One quiet night, not too long ago, mankind slept fitfully and shepherds watched their flocks as a child was born in a stable. Other than the few in the manger, almost no one noticed . . . except for three travelers who, long before it happened that night, felt and recognized the event together with its import, and began a journey to acknowledge and honor it. These wise men brought gifts with them which they presented, together with their presence of Mind, thus substantiating, actualizing the arrival in its real Meaning, while those in the surrounding countryside continued sleeping, completely unaware. It was important that the Child's arrival be recognized and acknowledged immediately for What it was, else the gift of His presence might have been delayed in being opened. The Father's Will, unrecognized, seems not to exist at all, but as a result of the recognition and action of the wise men, the Child's Function and Purpose–the Father's gift–was established in the world. Mindfulness and charity–the extension of Love–define everything that Paul and I engage in. Do you see that your gifts of Mindfulness and charity, just as with the wise men, cause our Purpose and Function to be established "in the world"? They do! And they are essential! All of us do a dance of acknowledging and recognizing each other as we truly Are and then extending that awareness to everyone who will hear. During this Christmas season, and throughout the coming year, I invite everyone to take a more serious, grounded and common-sense attitude, in which I am the Christ and you are the Holy Sons and Daughters of God. And then, Occupy the World, you Holy Sons and Daughters of God, as Holy Sons and Daughters of God. Stop being religious human beings slumbering with your ancestors in the countryside when the presence of the Christ is actualized and speaking with you! Do not let the Voice for Truth be muffled by neglecting to bring your gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh–meaning, those things which embody and demonstrate your recognition of the real Meaning of what is happening and what you are a part of. It is not appropriate for Paul and Susan to make daily trips to the post office and bank to add the trickle of contributions which barely keep things afloat. It is not a happy lifestyle, and their gift is too valuable to be swallowed up by such tedious, mechanical, time-consuming activities. And yet, that is what they have done for the past year with gratitude to those whose support has kept things afloat. In witness of their integrity and continued devotion for almost thirty years in giving voice to the Voice for Truth, I am asking everyone who values what we are doing, everyone who recognizes what we are doing, to fulfill the role of Wise Men and tangibly demonstrate their valuing and recognition, so that the gift of our work may be more fully shared, and Paul and Susan have more time to share it! As has unfortunately become "usual," the need for support at this time of month is immediate, in the amount of $5,000 to meet current obligations. May this never have to be said again. And may the spirit of Christmas, as embodied by the three Wise Men find expression during these Holidays and beyond!
Study Group Tomorrow Night
. This weekend's ACIM Study Group SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11TH at 6:00 p.m. PST
Important! If the broadcast is interrupted at any time, _____________ After the broadcast, you will be able to access the audio and video recordings The video will be a large file and could take up to six or eight minutes to begin playing with a DSL connection. PODCAST The podcast will be available at the iTunes Store. There is no charge. Enjoy! _____________ INSTRUCTIONS You will notice that our Home Page has changed. Once again we have buttons on the right-hand side of the page for "Listen Now Rajcast Live" and "RajCastTV Video Now". Some of you will use them, and some of you will not, depending upon the browser and platform you are using. So, here we go: PC If you are using a PC with Firefox or Internet Explorer, you will click on the one of the two buttons on the right. If you are using a PC with Chrome, you will click on the "Play" button in the lower left-hand corner of the media player window. MAC If you are using a Mac with Firefox, you will click one of the two buttons on the right. If you are using a Mac with Safari, the broadcast will start automatically. No buttons to push. If you are using a Mac with Chrome, you will click on the "Play" button in the lower left-hand corner of the media player window. iPHONE, iPAD or iPOD TOUCH Simply click on the "Play" button in the middle of the black window and the Live Broadcast will begin. _____________
THANK YOU, AND . . .
. Good morning! A wonderful outpouring of love was received this past week, and to each of you who contributed to meet the need, I extend great appreciation. Thank you! The fact remains, however, that after paying the bills that could be paid, there are still a number of bills which have slipped into the past-due category, the bank account is empty of adequate funds to bring them current, and funds needed to cover end-of-the-month and first-of-the-month expenses are likewise conspicuously absent! It is a state of non-functionality! The making of the gift of this work without strings involves expense. Yet, to charge for the making of the gift in order to meet the expense is untenable. I leave those who make the gift and those who receive the gift no choice but to accept the obvious: A transactional gift is not a gift, but business! Absent of love! My task is to promote a shift of perception, a miracle! For example: The making of a gift means the giving of a "part of you." It costs you an "act of caring." An involvement with another. An abandonment of independence. This is not everyone's habit, and so my requirement stretches everyone, makes a demand for a miracle which isn't experienced as convenient or comfortable, but which is necessary. The miraculous part of it is that the "cost" doesn't deplete you, but "makes you whole." Now, it can be argued that either way, you have to pay! In other words, no matter what you call it, it's the same thing: Either a charge is made and paid, or one is finessed into some gift-oriented spiritual babble that says you aren't doing what you're doing, and a transaction occurs, anyway! This argument is the babble, not the teaching! The argument is misleading. It places the emphasis on transaction and secretly hides the real issue: The unwillingness to care, to become involved and accept the "cost" of losing the independence which is creating illusion in the first place. It would, if it could, completely distract one from the miracle of love in this specific instance and cause the loss of the transfer value which would allow it to become an effective miracle in other parts of your life. I invite everyone to consider what I have said, here, and reassess whether the non-functionality of the current situation represents an unwelcome obligation that will put you at a disadvantage, thereby calling for self-protection, or an opportunity to perceive yourself differently and respond from the love in you which, when embodied (gifted), makes you safe . . . makes you whole. This is not a theoretical teaching, to be intellectually digested and added to your reservoir of knowledge. It is the practical answer to a nitty-gritty down-to-earth call for correction! The gift needs to continue to be given! We stand ready to continue. Rajpur Kingston, Washington November 20, 2011 . ____________________ PLEASE NOTE When you enter the amount, do not place a dollar sign ($) in the box. Doing so will interfere with the completion of the transaction. If you have any reluctance about making online contributions or would like to set up automatic monthly contributions please call Paul at 360-638-0530 any time between noon and midnight Pacific Daylight Time and he will process your contribution directly. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted. Contributions made through PayPal should be made to paul@nwffacim.org PayPal is set up to deposit these contributions directly into the Foundation's account. Contributions can also be mailed directly to: NWFFACIM P.O. Box 1490 Kingston, WA 98346-1490 USA |
|
