Garden
The Quiet Garden of Forgiveness
Love, too, would set a feast before you, on a table covered with a spotless cloth, set in a quiet garden where no sound but singing and a softly joyous whispering is ever heard. T-19.IV.A.16:1
“There is a garden at the foot of this lovely statue with masses and masses of soft white lilies and little paths between to slowly walk and talk with Jesus. There is a fountain nearby and the forever trickling sound of water reminds us to leave the desert of wrong-minded thinking.” (Winnie)
Forgiveness is truly at the heart of the practice of A Course In Miracles. All of us have had moments of shifting our perception of a difficult situation, and finding peace. On this page I offer you the space to tell us about the stories that have stayed in your mind, times when you felt a real change occur in the way you were looking at a problem or upset. Maybe you were encountering aggressiveness in somone, or were being judged and belittled. Perhaps it was a loved one who had left you, or even a pet that had died. Or maybe there was fear, a threat in your life to you or to a loved one. In all these situations, at one time or another you have found peace beyond the pain, release from shame and sadness, and comfort and freedom in their place. There was always a presence there with you, the company of one who loves you and guides you to see differently. If you have had moments of finding that clear presence, please share it with us here.
A little more technically speaking, these would be moments when you reversed the projection and saw that the problem was not outside you, but with you, your perceptions and thoughts. A sudden moment of clarity perhaps when you saw that the upset was having pushed Love away, and not really what was happening outside you. Or perhaps it was just a moment when despite the upset or problem, you felt safely accompanied and that helped you remain unaffected by the problem, to get a little distance from it.
Please try to write concisely if your story requires a lot of explaining (and teach me something about brevity!). Also, please try to share from the heart and not from the head. It is always nice to hear the simple sincerity behind these inspiring stories.
re.350; I resemble that remark.(-;
I had got a group-on offer of a haircut on a new place. When I entered, my heart fell down into my stomach: an angry-looking male “boss” who just shook his head when I smiled. But a 7-feet tall slim pink-dressed young smiling man got my heart to rise again – he had a woven silver belt too, and looked like 16. We clicked at once, and he gave me a hair-wash that was indescribable delicious – just his touch made my scalp relax instantly. I told him he had healing hands, we talked about the healing arts – and then the dragon entered: pitch black colored hair in a completely wild and weird fashion. She told me her name was Glinda and she was from Albania. I told her what I wanted and I soon understood that she had not understood me at all.
When I encounter people with this kind of energy, I become very young and energetically lie down flat with my belly up. The feeling in the place was dark and scary – when I am writing this, I recognize the atmosphere from a lingerie-shop in Germany I visited while my husband had some errands with the authorities. I was 23 then, and quite a sight. When I entered, the lady in the shop looked at me and got an indescribable look on her face – like a tiger waiting for her kill. I froze – and then I heard behind the curtain somebody breathing fast and short. I “saw” through that curtain and saw a man, waiting for his prey. I sensed a clear warning inside -”get out and pretend everything is OK.”
I smiled and pretended I needed to fetch something and got out. I think I just avoided to be caught and sold into white sex-slavery.
The atmosphere around the two Albanians yesterday had the same feel about it – and when I sit here, writing in the sun, I fully take in the degree of my terror, being “in the hands” of that hairdresser.
She did mostly the opposite of what I asked, she did not smile once, and I had to hold her hand back physically to stop her when she wanted to spray my hair.
Outside in the sun, I was shivering and feeling very small. The evening and night was unbearable scary, and so I rose and sat in my living-room with the text of The Course. I prayed to be helped to see how this woman was the Son of God, and not the ogre of my story.
T-5.III.2. The Holy Spirit is the idea of healing. 2 Being thought, the idea gains as it is shared. 3 Being the Call for God, it is also the idea of God. 4 Since you are part of God it is also the idea of yourself, as well as of all His creations. 5 The idea of the Holy Spirit shares the property of other ideas because it follows the laws of the universe of which it is a part. 6 It is strengthened by being given away. 7 It increases in you as you give it to your brother. 8 Your brother does not have to be aware of the Holy Spirit in himself or in you for this miracle to occur. 9 He may have dissociated the Call for God, just as you have. 10 This dissociation is healed in both of you as you become aware of the Call for God in him, and thus acknowledge Its being.
T-5.III.3. There are two diametrically opposed ways of seeing your brother. 2 They must both be in your mind, because you are the perceiver. 3 They must also be in his, because you are perceiving him. 4 See him through the Holy Spirit in his mind, and you will recognize Him in yours. 5 What you acknowledge in your brother you are acknowledging in yourself, and what you share you strengthen.
I recognized how I somehow was subconsciously accusing myself of being a dangerous unscrupulous human being, cold as ice – and I did not want to strengthen that perception, and again meeting it outside myself as my projection. I asked to see her as God sees her – and images were presenting themselves quickly. The more I saw, the more I could see her innocence beneath all that hardness – and how awful it must be to live under such a burden of self-hate. I saw the degree of her self-denial .
T-5.III.9.5 What you perceive in others you are strengthening in yourself.
T-5.IV.1. What fear has hidden still is part of you. 2 Joining the Atonement is the way out of fear. 3 The Holy Spirit will help you reinterpret everything that you perceive as fearful, and teach you that only what is loving is true.
“Only what is loving is true.” That means that this image of a criminal belongs in my mind -and I have held on to it to push Love away. But it is not TRUTH. I am shaken by this insight: I am glad I have the ability to “see” what others are up to – but that does not mean that what I see is TRUTH. That ability no doubt saved me in Germany – but still, it is only “true” in the world. And since the world springs from my mind, it is proper that I ask for help in seeing her Spirit now – seeing through the illusion of hardness and cold, to the essence within. I feel a burning wish to TRULY see.
I hear a “clangg.” It is a green polished stone on the end of a thin red ribbon: it surrounds a book- mark my daughter gave me many years ago.I put inside ACIM. She made it for me – and when I am aware of its design now, at the signal of the “clang”, I know that she made it for this moment.
It has three layers. The outer is cardboard, and is covered with drawn thorns, meandering all over the bookmark. At the end, she has cut a hole in it: it allows us to look into the next layer – a bit of painted silk. A sort of soft pinkish/orange loving flower is looking at me, smiling – I am looking at the reality behind the illusion of thorns and suffering.
If the cut-out wasn’t there, I would never got the idea that this truth and beauty was behind it all the time. I start to shiver and cry, and a feeling of Presence is here.
The backside of the bookmark is also cardboard – painted in the same essence-color as The Flower. A small ribbon in the same rose-red color is framing the whole bookmark.
Here is my choice: where do I go for my reality – the thorns or the flower?
do I believe in the reality of evil – or could I choose to remember the Truth of the pink Heart we all share?
In the spirit of reading a mystery novel;…..Ohhh go for the heart …..come oooooonnnnn you can do it gooooo foooorrrr the heeeeaaaarrrtttt!(-:
Nina, I love how you stopped her from spraying your hair!!!
Wow….Nina that was quite some story about your imminent capture and fortunate escape from the white sex slave trade posing as a lingerie shop.
The one about your questioning forgivness and your process with boundaries before it was something we all deal with. Bernard’s long post to you about it had such great wisdom and and your wisdom revealed from within along with using the text about how it’s ok to say no.., and the clang of the bookmark leading you to the heart and Pam cheering you over the finish line was a thrilling and potent to the heart read.
“The best thing we can do is to remind ourselves that nothing here in form can be perfect, and it’s not perfection in form that we really want. It’s the perfect intention of forgiveness we want, of releasing ourselves from our own judgment which has removed pure Love from our minds. The judgment on others is not the problem, so I think you can relax. What’s eating you is the judgment of yourself which seems to have taken away Love from you at those moments when these people do not conform.”
So right on!!!
My little forgiveness story has a start with a hair dressing groupon coupon too. I bought it last April when I was making good money and at the time bought it as a gift for someone else to use.
I was having so much fun with the gay Eygptian hairdresser in SF the night of the full moon, the rain began lightly, the storm was supposed to hit the next day. It was just the two of us in his beautifully decorated salon as I was his last appointment. He was a sweetheart who nutured new graduates from beauty school and we talked all over the map about life with meaning. I got home at 10pm with umbrella in hand ….here is the cut and paste from my email sent out Tuesday after learning all the facts on Monday.
Subject line: My beautiful Saab convertible declared totaled from the wee hours Sunday am bigger than forecasted High tide ) :
here i was all happy with my long overdue haircut and color ( ;
…just a few months away from the final payment of 7 years worth of payments. i’ve been here by the water 7 years and have had my tide chart awareness practice, days in advance of impending high tides, work well with moving my car to higher ground successfully all this time….however…
this sat night driving in around 10pm in the rain, i noticed all the other, always vigilant to moving before the high tide neighbors parked. I have a new spot, due to the new neighbor downstairs who was parked in my old one. I’d had the thought about parking out on the higher ground area as i was driving in, in the rain, but saw their cars as i drove to the back, knew the highest tide’s were to be the next three nights.
the tide was two feet higher than predicted , due to the moon and the big storm. my old spot would have been ok
it’s the whole low electrical/computer wiring issue and the salt water came in just enough to make both the front and back carpets wet and didn’t come up that high. the battery and fuses were fine, it was the electrical that wouldn’t let the car start in the am. My new neighbor downstairs checked all of those for me Sunday am. He said it’s a quick elecrical fix you need. all the mechanics i called yesterday to get second and third opinions told me there is no such thing as a quick electical fix it’s an oxymoron. Insurance companies have learned just to call a salt water damaged car totalled and sure enough the estimater who exanined my car called it that. i called another one, my Saab mechanic, just as i was typing this and he made me feel better about just letting it go. he told me how his business is hurting and he had to let his great other mechanic go. He said salt water damage is like cancer, you might be able to fix it, but it can spread and continually keep causing problems. he said his grandfather used to tell him, if you can fix it with money, it ain’t worth worrying about. we had a really comforting to me conversation.
there were a good number of, experienced with high tide sausalito live by the water car owners, hearing their cars were deemed totaled Monday.
i’m going through mixed emotions about it all. the woulda coulda shoulda’s, and why didn’t i just park out where i usually do a night “earlier”. There is also the knowing i for sure don’t know the bigger picture and what is the blessing in this. since i’m still looking for more work, one might be using the insurance money for more pressing immeadiate living needs. It’s not going to be alot since my car is older (2001) and was not in perfect shape from two recent minor dings. One mechanic warned me how little they’ll try to pay me and all the research and steps to take to help thwart that and get a bigger settlement.
i went to my acim group last night and learned one of my pals there had the same, declared totaled from water years ago- that had her upgrade to her car that better advertised her biz and grew it. With that car just very recently, there was another driver at fault accident, it was declared totaled, and she only had one last payment to go. she got a good settlement, got a prius and has payments again.
i told myself all day yesterday, you wanna talk truly mournful water damage…think sendai japan
well folks that’s the lastest little new circumstance news from me. i still have so much to be grateful for regardless of all the other circumstances i’ve been dealing with before this. i can tend to isolate a bit around challenges and so i’m just sending this out so you’ll keep me in your thoughts and send me some good ones xox michele
ps: I sent this out early last night and learned it wasn’t a successful send. the thing that is the biggest challenge for me today is resisting calling myself…stupid stupid stupid….here’s how stupid I was…i didn’t even recognize my own car alarm that went off repeatedly for a while in the night..by then the storm had hit and it was howling rain, i was wondering who the hell in the neighborhood wasn’t attending to theirs, but didn’t want to get up to check.
So villager friends it’s a week later, I got alot of good responses from my post and learned I can even buy it back, that people do that from their insurance companies, and sometime fix the problem. I talked to a mechanic who told me what the possible fixes could be if i do buy it back. I do remember the lessons following this Let me recognize my problems have been solved as a* had mentioned in his post. i still run the scene by of what if’s I hadn’t been lazy in bed, I was still just drifting off to sleep, and not wanting to pull out my umbrella and get my hair messed and seeing it was my car alarming seeing the water coming up high but racing down in time to move my car. I could have saved it most likely if I’d gotten up. If i could have driven it out I could have saved it. my downstair neighbor, a mechanic showed me how low on the outside of my car where the alarm was located. i wasn’t aware of the full perigee moon that was adding force to the tide. I wasn’t thinking high tide water. It’s weird because i always before take account of storms factoring in the height of the tide. There was high wind i wasn’t aware of taking place hours before the medium rain I saw driving in. I saw the outdoor mats on my deck had been wind tossed when I came in, another sign I didn’t pay attention to. The wind had hit earlier while i was in the salon in SF had calmed down while I drove in and then came back in the night.
I don’t get to have the financial enjoyment of reaching the no more car payments for this so much fun to drive to drive and beautiful car I had. i bought it used from a former sweetheart who put a fabulous sound system in it. But the truth is i have much bigger pressing challenges than this so this settlement money could be a blessing. I just don’t have the backup in funds to use it the way I would if I was full time employed and just able to take on car payments once again.
The main thing is forgiving myself for not listening to my first thought about just park out on higher ground a night early of the highest tides and trust there is a reason I was so stupid to make the choices I did when I possibly had a chance to save it if I’d gotten up and walked out there in the building force storm.
I have a rental car to use during this settlement process my insurance covers for me. I typed alot above to you all here in the village, but i have been able to put it out of my mind a great deal.
{{{{Michele}}}}
My forgiveness story is about losing my about to be paid off car in the high tide. ha ha i crack me up, cause i’m giving my story a new marquee so it will hopefully reach a bigger audience in case another hair story didn’t hold interest. honest truth . being behind a very slow driver is an annoyance challenge for me.
Dear Village friends – what wonderful stories!! You’ve been working over time; many thanks for sharing your tales and adventures with us. We learn from it all.
Nina, wow, what a story. The thorns or the flower!!! Doesn’t it all come down to that? And what’s even more amazing – the thorns aren’t even really real… We can only eventually end up choosing the flower, the lovely blossom that was there present for us, budding around us with its soft petals all the time.
Michele, well, at least it was just a car, and not something more important. You sound wonderfully peaceful and detached from it – such a great lesson for us all. Many thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Wish I were there to lend you my car!!
Nina and Michelle, ditto Bernard, thanks for your great stories. Yes, we all learn from them.
Lots of hugs to all the Village.
Lisi
I was thinking about rev.Myron Jones’ blog through the workbook-sessions – she recently shared a way of forgiving that has helped me a lot, because of its simplicity. If she had had such a calamity happen to her, she would search for the thought behind it. I thought, what would be mine, if i were in M’s situation? answer:” I am being attacked and I am innocent victim of nature’s power.”
I am forgiving that thought now, before something like that happens 🙂
Had a visit yesterday which I seems to enjoy, but which seems to have mixed up a lot of rage. I had a dream where I fought with my former Expr.Arts-teacher (ah, could be an ego-symbol) – and we both used our teeth to bite through the others bones ( I still remember the force in my jaw, and the thought: “I am going to crush you so you cannot crush me!” )Around us stood a multitude who moaned each time a bone was crushed – “Oh now, how CAN they…”
Reading my dream now, I recognize ego fighting ego to be stronger and mightier than, because feeling/being crushed is unspeakable awful.
And the thought would be “I am under attack and must defend myself” – and boy do i forgive that thought. The thought itself is silly – but I see how I INSTANTLY believe it.
Now forgiven. See- the Universe IS disappearing!
MICHELE – post 361 was for you
Whoa, Nina, I’m sure glad you’re universe is disappearing because it’s scarin’ the hell outta me! Hehe. Hope you’ve got good teeth.
yes – the question is what is left – who is writing this – hmmm…and since the Universe already has gone, I might as well enjoy the “movie”…just read a post in the D.U group (Gary renard’s group on Yahoo) where someone used this insight to just meditate on evertyhing: that tennismatch is already over, so the outcome doesn’t mean a squitch – so I can just enjoy the play whil it is playing – and i can detach from the idea that the outcome of my sending manuscrips matter – the outcome has already happened, and the script is made, so I can as well enjoy it – it’s a choice, isn’t it
Hi Friends~ From time to time I visit other sites. Below is from a site that “crucifies” Ken IMNSHO. Of course, it’s all about how this effects “me” and bringing it all back to my mind where I can choose the Teacher of Love. I have learned many things visiting this site, the main lesson being that people will crucify anyone who threatens their existence. I have learned from visiting this site how Ken Wapnick makes more sense, and answers every and any question in an acceptable yet gentle manner – as well as completely satisfying to my ever questioning ego. The people on this site, take things Ken says out of context to try to prove him wrong and all kinds of things – never succeeding in doing anything accept to flaunt their own ego identity (which of course is a reflection of mine, and too, is a major lesson for “me.”) Anyway, I have run across the same contradiction as written below, and since it is the one and only time I can see a contradiction in what Ken says, I was wondering if you all could give me some help with this. I do not share on the site, I only visit to read, and will not share anything learned from here – I’m asking for my own – we’ll call it curiosity for lack of a better word. The youtube video is the one regarding “The Holy Spirit.” Thanks, love and gratitude to all always, melody
From Wapnick’s Q&A page from his book The 50 Miracle Principles from 1992:
Q: “If the separation is an illusion, and the Holy Spirit came into
existence to solve that, is not the Holy Spirit an illusion?”
A: “No, because God created Him. It is a good question, though. The
Course’s answer is that when the separation is totally healed and the Holy
Spirit is no longer needed, He still exists because God created Him. And
then the Course says that He returns to Heaven and blesses our creations
(T-5. 1.5:7).”
Q: “But it seems like He was created to solve a problem that
does not exist.”
A: “That is right, and because he was created by God — which really means
He is an extension of God — once He is created, He cannot disappear. His
is an illusion, for it is to correct a problem which is
inherently illusory, which means that this function, too, must be an
illusion, as is the in which the of His Love is experienced
by us.”
Q: “But He is one of us …”
A: “No, He is not one of us. We are part of the Second Person of the
Trinity — Christ — and the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity.
On another level, of course, the Trinity is One. Nonetheless, A Course in
Miracles does speak of “Levels of the Trinity” (T-3.IV.1:7). This is more
than a fine, theological distinction. It is important to correct the idea
that the Holy Spirit’s Voice is our own. This is similar to the belief that
we are God, which the Course quite clearly states we are not. To believe
that God’s Voice is our own, let alone that we are God Himself, is just
another expression of the basic separation belief that got us all in trouble
in the first place.”
[i.e., We are not God, but, as Christ, we are God. God is “First
Cause,” but what He caused to come into being is an extension of His own
being, not separate from Him; is of His Spirit and one with Him:
——————————————————————————————————————————
Excerpts from one of Ken’s latest videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqsRjlL2iI0
“…Again, I’m emphasizing that the Holy Spirit in and of itself is an
illusion. He’s obviously an extremely helpful part of the illusion but in Heaven
there’s no Holy Spirit…Another way of understanding the Holy Spirit is that
the Holy Spirit is truly our self, our right minded self that appears to be
separated as long as we believe we’re separated from our Source…”
is this not just a matter of “defining” The Holy Spirit from the First and second level? from the first, all is One, so no trinity – but from our, 2 level, there seem to be three
I think?
Hi Melody, I am confused by the attacks on Ken. Last night I went to the only group in my area, a new one that formed recently, and they propounded the ‘sparkly’ version as Bill Thetford’s only true version. My sister-in-law asked me where she could take some classes on the Course in Miracles near her hometown (Honolulu), and so I went to the web . . . to see what’s what in her area. I feel like any recommendation to study the Course entails giving advice or at least an opinion about this lurking controversy.
I’ve noticed that Ken never bad mouths others. He will say, though, that the bible and the Course are not the same, and he’s just teaching the Course. The folks in this group I’m going to combine the Bible and the Course and Joel Goldsmith. I TRY to just look down and stay silent. One new person said he wondered why there are so many versions, and, yet, my mouth popped off with “The ego loves separation.” (It also loves b*tch slamming the others.) I’m just not ready to be ophelia. I’m just not able to see their point of view as the one they need to have right now. And I’m concerned about steering my sister into finding her own guidance, too, I think. Toss her to the wolves and see if she can get a bead on Truth without my guidance. (heh, heh)
Now, today, I’m thinking about ‘my’ being upset, them being wrong, Ken being right, me being right. Should I just stop going to it? What is this for? Forgiveness or to continue seeing us as separated from Oneness?
I wish we had coincided our visits to Temecula, but since you’ll be going to the next one, and it is one of the more informal ones, would you please get an answer from Ken – or Lorel – or Jeff – about how we can be at peace with this. I think Joe Jesseph wrestled with this. Do you know if his later writings talked about it? Maybe it is just sitting on the couch with J, wrapping duct tape across my mouth and fake it like I am Ophelia, until I make it.
I think I had a roll of blue duct tape around here somewhere, off looking for it.
Oh, and about the different Holy Spirit definitions – is he real – a part of us – not us, etc. I’ve seen how different attacks on him love to pull apart the semantics of different things he says, and thus prove he is wrong about whatever. And then they are right. All of the nit-pick definitions that students attempt to get Ken to clarify are all crazy-talk from the ego. He is so holy in his patience as he takes these questions. I keep thinking the real answer would be – would you quit trying to define the divine into word definitions. It is so easy for someone to define it one way in 1992 and express it another in 2002. We want so bad to understand all the truth in the symbol, and a word yet – the symbol twice removed. But he takes every question and answers it with such kindness, okay – and an occasional jab at the non-seriousness of the demand to know.
{{{Winnie}}} Thank you for all your typing, and typing, and typing. I bet by now, you are enchanted with reliving the lectures. I can hardly wait .. . you are now up to when I had to leave to take care of my little granddaughter. I sure hope your campy-van gets ready pretty soon — hopefully, at exactly the right time.
Hi All – Thank you to Nina and Katrina – you both had great points about the levels, and defining something in 1992 – 2002 – or 2012! It always gets back to, I think – bringing it from the form, back to the decision making mind, and asking to learn from the Teacher of Love in our right mind. Of course with my “ping pong game” I vacillate frequently – however, that’s part of the process – and I do so much more frequently now “trust the process.” As has been said here so often, it’s all about separation, and the decision made in the non temporal mind – one problem, one solution. Dialing 534 “I’m never upset for the reason I think” and “I could see peace instead of this.”
There are so many times that I ask J/HS to please take me to the truth – that *I don’t believe this Course – and ask to be shown the way. Thus far….when the resistance abates…understanding and peace happen…..and *I’m led further and further into the depths of ACIM.
Joe Jesseph was sort of a mentor for me, and instrumental in not only introducing me to Ken, and having me go to Temecula, for the first time in November, 2007 but through private emails, his explanations to my many questions were filled with patience and answers that I really resonated with. My husband and I feel privileged that we not only met him personally, in November 2007 (less than a year before he died) but the three of us became friends, and we were planning on visiting him in Cambria about 15 months later. We had our plane tickets and everything, but Joe died about four months prior to the planned trip. We went to Temecula instead. Thankfully, Joe lives on in his book, and through so many of his writings on the internet. What was it that you think he struggled with, Katrina – and if you could “phrase the question” so I don’t forget what my dilemma is when I go to Temecula in April – I will do my best to attempt to get an answer. That is the very least I can do after precious Winnie’s gift. Jeez…..that was a subtle attack on myself….which I won’t take too seriously… 🙂
I really think IMNSHO that because Ken is teaching us how to look at the hate – 100% hate of the ego belief system – and our choice for it at the level of mind, that is why many people want to “crucify him.” He also consistently tells us that we will never understand this Course as a body with a brain, – but only as a decision making non temporal split mind with the power to choose. “I am not a body. I am free. I am still as God created me.”~lesson 199 is very threatening to the ego – which is an embodiment of who we think we are except for holy instants at a time.
I’m so grateful to Bernard, Jaime, Joe Jesseph, Ken, all of you – as we teach what we most need to learn – and learn through the teaching…..and we are all teaching and learning all the time. What we are teaching and learning is – what choice *we* have made in the mind, outside of time and space.
I’ll quit now, as I’ve been known to keep blah blahing to the point of confusion! 🙂 Doesn’t make me a guilty sinner…just a little bit silly! 🙂
With Gratitude and Love for you all, m
Dear Melody-
Thanks for writing down that detailed post. I liked reading about your experiences, how you started with Ken and hearing about Joe (though I had never heard of him until you and Katrina mentioned his name)….found it very helpful – my mind feels lighter today..so thanks again.
Hi Melody, during the copyright trial, Joe attempted to defend Ken via some internet posts under a nom-de-plume. Ken was able to bring peace to his mind, apparently helping him understand that Ken did not need to be defended. (Probably something along the lines of — in my defenselessness, my salvation lies.) I was just wondering if Joe ever shared anything about how to peaceably hear the attacks, and remain at peace, and offer no response. And, I guess, that is the question that I’d like to have asked in Temecula. Even if it is just a lesson to repeat inside my head each time I hear the attack coming.
I had met Joe in Temecula, also — maybe Spring 2008. I was elated he was coming to Cambria. He didn’t want to do a group here in SLO, (that may be the bead of wisdom I’m seeking, I guess). He loved walking the cliffs above the ocean and writing poems about the driftwood benches someone had built along the bluffs. It was a beautiful world he was living in when he accepted the invitation to ‘leave’ this life. The local paper said he had fallen, and I thought – my gosh, from the bluffs? — but no, a house fall is all. How many lightbulbs do you need to change before you go home?
Lovely and comforting post, Katrina – thank you. I love this “how many lightbulbs do you need to change before you go home?”
Joe didn’t share with me exactly the answer to the question you ask above, however he did share with me how his intellectual understanding meant nothing to him without (paraphrasing) moving from his head to his heart. He also shared with me less than a year before his death, that he realized he wasn’t going to accept the Atonement once and for all in this lifetime – and was at peace with that. In other words, he was an excellent example for me, of one who knew and could teach in a very concise way the metaphysics of the Course – knew them backward and forward, was a psychologist as well as a writer – yet realized if he couldn’t put the Course to work for him in his every day life, none of the intellectual understanding mattered. His honesty and really “looking” and “watching” his choice for the ego thought system in his mind, without judgment or condemnation is what helps me to do the same. It’s hard to put into words, but for me, like Ken, yet in a very different way – he taught by example as well as by his writing.
Because looking at my choice for the ego belief system, and the hate involved – was so difficult in the beginning (I was mainly looking with the ego, which isn’t looking at all) Joe helped me by his example, as I am helped by many teachers (helped in a very unusual way at times :)) to not take myself too seriously. This, I continue to realize is instrumental in getting through the illusory (yet seemingly very real) blocks of guilt in my mind, to the Love, not of this world that is beyond that – at least for holy instants (sometimes even hours) at a time!
Love and Gratitude to all,
melody
Loving this dialogue ladies. Please don’t stop.
Thanks for the conversation about Joe Jesseph. I found his Xanga site a few months before his passing and was really bummed (read BIG forgiveness lesson) when his daughter deleted most everything except the posting about his recently published book. Some photos and some jazz music are left but all the wonderful, IMHO, warm personal teachings/musings are gone. I haven’t joined beliefnet where I know he posted but I have enjoyed miracle studies . net. I’m about halfway through his book “A Primer of Psychology According to A Course In Miracles”. The book I find to be helpful and I like it but as the title suggests a bit more academic in style than his blog was but not overly so,excerpt from Joe’s book, chapter 6:
“One might ask how it is that we can agree upon what we preceive in the world at large. If I am projecting the world I see, why is it that this world seems to be the same as that seen by others? The answer to this question is that first, we do not see the same world in the sense that we do not share the same interpretation of what is preceived. One person may think George is a nice guy and another may hate him. However, the fact that we can agree that there’s a George out there comes from the fact that we share one mind, and it is that mind which has projected the world at large, making a consensual validation possible. But because the mind seems to be fragmented, we seem to have private worlds with private meanings projected from an individual mind. For this reason, Jesus meets us where we believe we are in our dream of separation. It is pratical to think in terms of our individual projections, because that is where we must start with the process of forgiveness.”——“……eventually it becomes apparent…….we are actors playing out a script mutually written and mutually agreed upon……[in a seemingly massive script of permutations,combinations, and subplots of specialness]. this last in brackets being massivly paraphrased by me ’cause i’m being lazy but to give you the gist of where he was heading and his ending the section with “Course” quotes about it all being a mental review of what is already over and gone and then presenting similar insights from other historical figures. Anyhow I’m a liken it.(-:
Anyone aware of any other sites where Joe may have posted? I ask because his blog was listed as ralphjos.
Hi again to all~
Pam, Joe moderated a discussion group from 1999-2005, and wrote on there extensively. If you google course talk yahoo groups it should take you there. If you go to the very beginning to when it started, you’ll see Joe’s name pretty quickly. 🙂
Thanks Melody.
Annie, Pam, Melody, a*, and alllll —
Yes, I find lots of old goodies on Course Talk. This included when I discovered I had losts Vol. two of Ken’s Journey thru the lessons. Yippee, tomorrow is lesson 91, and I will be back into the printed form that I love so much, what with its great screen contrast and battery life, to say nothing of how it feels next to my heart — and I can kiss it, too.
2 things that rankle my peace at the study group are the King Ken comments, and that pedestalled ‘sparkly’ edition revered as Thetford’s blessed version. So, last night I GOT UP in the middle of the night to research when those came out. (Thanks to Jamie’s history line, and details on the web about when the JCIM (same as ‘sparkly’, named because it was printed, not ever actually published, with a sparkly print on the cover). And when I found info, at the bottom of each long detailed explanation was this ubiquitous name – Joe Jesseph. Once I had the timelines in my head, I felt at peace, and drifted smiling off to sleep.
Here’s the best I can relate of what I found:
1965 – 1971 Bill & Helen do Course/Workbook/Manual
1972 – They make an effort to organize & put in manuscript for, and take to Cayce institute to comment, and obtain promise not to show anyone.
1972 – 1975 Ken and Helen do their thing.
1975 – Judy Skutch comes along, is expectedly overjoyed with this magnificent teaching. She photocopies galore and gives to Calif psychology folks. It is beloved by all, and copyright discussions start to get serious.
Meanwhile, back at the Farm, Chuck Anderson gets his Endeavor cult underway, with Bible and AA studies.
1982 – Endeavor adds ACIM as main emphasis on their teaching, and why you have to give up all your worldly connections, family, (and give all your possessions to them.)
~2000 – Endeavor people visit Cayce library where they are allowed to view, but not remove, and they actually steal the manuscript Bill & Helen left with there. They type it up and have it printed and distribute it. It has many names: Sparkly, JCIM, Hugh Lynn Cayce version, Thetford’s version, …?)
2000 – Penguin (and Ken/Judy) try to draw a line on defining the copyright to keep ACIM teachings clear and not infiltrated with spontaneous Holy Spirit channelings. Injunction filed against Endeavor.
2000-2001(?) With the lawsuit, the original Urtext is put into the Court record which only named litigants can read, with signed legal commitments not to distribute. Now, how can that stop Endeavor folks? Nope, can’t, and the Urtext hit the web. (Note: my comments on Endeavor are influenced by a 2002 weeklong visit there and a personal meeting with Chuckee AKA Master Teacher. scarey, not sparkly.)
Peace to such foolishness? Yep, that is all I wanted. First, though, I had to let my ego have all the linear-time-conscious info it wanted. Then, I had to look with Jesus to see that whoever had whatever version is not my be-hoo-sis, because HS will handle this. I decided I am happy with my 2nd edition, and once it is entirely underlined (hee, hee), I’ll just get the 3rd edition, and just smile happily at study groupers who seem to be afraid of Ken’s loving teachings. I can go to the group, or not go to the group. Either way, I just need my opportunity to forgive. How I will act differently? When I have gained an understanding of some part of the course, and I go to blurt it out, I am going to try to NOT start with the phrase, “Ken says, …”. I think that might be where people get upset. Lovingly, katrina
PS. I think old time ACIM students would just like to bury this whole story. But as long as it persists, and study groups stir up the confusions, it seems appropriate to just have a simple timeline and explanation. Being ignorant and confused seems to make more of it than there is. And when we who are blessed to be open to Ken’s understanding and love of this teaching use his name as an ultimate authority, all the others seem to think they need to ban together to defend their understandings. I’m going undercover and see if loving works better.
Hi, folks. I’m on the road for a few days and just loving all this. Keep it going. And I love hearing about Joe whom I did not know of while alive, although I hear he was a very loving spirit. I loved hearing about his self-honesty, knowing he was not going to accept the Atonement this time, and yet so capable of teaching it clearly.
Wow Katrina! Great undercover work! Hi Bernard – and all!
Just to add, Ken did a 5 day workshop in Atlanta Georgia either 2005 or 2006-not sure! In that workshop, questions were asked about all of the different editions, etc. Well, you’d have to hear it – but – bottom line is that Ken, true to form, always answered in a calm peaceful way every single question (there were many) that was asked! And! At the end he said “not to feel guilty no matter what version you resonate with…..and NOT to feel guilty about reading any of the editions!” Gotta tell ya….IMNSHO……the man is truly a symbol of peace….over and over and over…..!!
🙂
PS I’m very grateful to have met a friend and long time student of Ken’s at the November 2007 academy who lives in the Chicago area! We meet for lunch monthly – AND she has every single thing ever done by Ken and shares everything with me!!! Wasn’t at the Atlanta workshop, but heard it on CD thanks to Nancy’s generous sharing with me!!!
Thanks so much, Melody, for sharing those comments from Ken about valuing all the versions. He is such a loving example of forgiveness.
If anyone is interested, there is an edited and enlarged transcript from a session of the workshop, held in Atlanta in 2007
http://acim-archives.org/Publishing/editing_history.html
I re-discovered it on Lucia’s ACIM World Study group site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ACIMWorldStudyGroup
ooh ooh ooh i wanna put my tuppence-worth in !
{ high-fives with Melody and Katrina and everyone else about Ken`s wonderful example to us}
Katrina … I chuckled away when i read your timeline
Some years ago while in second-hand bookstores, i kept discovering “sparkly” editions of the Course. Being sparkly….. well of course, i was instantly attracted and confused at the same time. I loved my old blue book but hey this pretty cover was very appealing to cute lil winnie. Although i must say, something did not feel right. Anyways i bought one but got rid of it shortly after.
At the time the Foundation`s Q and A service was still active so i submitted a question to Ken asking about it. Unfortunately i couldn`t figure out how to find out if my question got answered and i gave up trying.
I eventually discovered that as a result of the BCW {Big Copyright War}, it was decided by Ken that the Sparkly edition was allowed to be published and distributed in Australia and New Zealand only, and that it had to be free. I think that the Master Bater……. er i mean the Master Teacher, had lots of cronies over here …tee hee – gawd i love being wicked ! …Edit away Bernie if i`m being too naughty…..
The Foundation that prints these books in Australia is actually in my home state. On their website it has a big picture of the sparkly book set against a background that continues a pretty blue starry sky. Down the bottom where the author`s name goes, it says “Jesus”.
Under the picture it says these words – > ”
PREFACE
“It is the Word of God, to be kept holy forever…”
“This time there will be no failure, no loss of truth, no
misunderstanding and no misinterpretation.
I will direct its growth as it reaches from the paper on which
it was written into the hearts for which it was intended.”
(Special Message 12/31/1975)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
[Winnie-note … Right away it is implying the book is special and holy. This is directly in juxtaposition with the content of the Course.]
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The website goes on to say ->
“About the “sparkly” book
Two additional pages appeared in the Preface to the first edition of the “sparkly” book. While not included in this second and current edition now on offer the following is an extract:
As preface to this edition of A Course in Miracles, we acknowledge our realization of the truth of the words spoken to us through Helen Schucman as those of Jesus, “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
To you and all our brothers, we offer this edition of his A Course in Miracles.
The task of editing, deciding which material would be excluded from the original dictation and that to be included in the published version, was entrusted to William Thetford. The edit of the Text used herein is Bill’s, as he was directed by Jesus. The Workbook and Manual are as close to the unedited generation of “scribed” dictation from Jesus to Helen as is available to us at this time.
Similarly, the CAPITALIZATION and hyphenation of some of the words, along with the use of parenthesis and punctuation, remain consistent with the style of the “scribes” used in the source material.
We recognize and honor the original intent of our Savior Jesus to be known as author with Helen as a “just” scribe whose name is not to be associated with authorship, but with the willingness to hear his voice and take notes.
“Do not attempt to break God’s copyright,
because His Authorship alone can copy right.”
(UR Text, 12/11/1965)”
…………………………………
I feel that underlying the words -> “The task of editing…….was entrusted to William Thetford”, there is a barely disguised hatred of Ken, building to almost a curse by the time one gets “Do not attempt to break God`s copyright”….And of course it is not surprising that Ken should have “powerful” enemies.
In the same passage Jesus is called “our Saviour” making him special and different from us, and again this is completely incompatible with the Course content.
There are a lot of ACIM teachers who talk about their way of interpreting the Course.
I like that Ken insists that he doesn`t “interpret” the Course. He says that he just tells us what it says.
Big loving hugs to all xxooox
p.s. How blessed are we that to teach this Course we don`t have to say a single word about it to anyone, thereby avoiding any and all controversy..{happy sigh}
P.p.s….. I am not trying to denigrate the urtext. I just think that by highlighting that quote from the urtext either as a preface to a book or by using it on the home page of a website is misleading.
I like the way Ken uses the analogy of a tap that has not been used for some time to describe how Helen`s hearing was a bit off at first. An unused tap needs to run for a while to discharge the rusty and discoloured water before it runs pure.
xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoo
Thanks again Ladies!
And to see Anne in Tn post, well, it just warms my heart (:
Winnie – – wonderfully filled gaps for me in my understanding of the “sparkly edition” – you are such a dear and my thanks to you for this! Anne, that workshop in Atlanta may very well be the one I was talking about where Ken answered so many questions about the copyright etc. – and I’m almost positive the questions were asked by Lucia! Only problem is, when I clicked on the link, I couldn’t find where to get to the workshop! It’s probably me, but I’m wondering if that edited version of the workshop, isn’t exactly Lucia’s questions about the copyright and different versions! If so, my village friends, I think you’d find it most interesting!
Love and Gratitude to all, m
Tennessee {{Anne}}, So good to see you! Guess I’m going to have to get a Yahoo account seem to be alot of stuff in the groups.
They are not just in Australia anymore. The “Course in Miracles Society” here in my ‘backyard’ Omaha, Nebraska. They publish what they call the original edition. It has a black cover with a “x-mas” star center top and a string of pearls somewhat zig-zagged across from top to bottom. They also sell the JCIM version. Not my cup of tea but if your curious http://www.jcim.net
My dear Village friends, thank you so much for this so great and so enjoyable dialogue about the Course and about our beloved teacher, Ken. And Anne in Tn, the transcript is great, thanks.
Lots of hugs to all the Village,
Lisi
Winnie, the rambling insertion of that preface to the Sparkly version is typical of MT(B)-Chuck’s teaching style. And his proclivity to ‘insert’ stuff — like J’s book needs his insertions, shows the need for the copyright. As far as the text goes, when you see that it went to Cayce institute in 1972, then logically it was the version that Ken first was given to read by Helen and Bill, which he loved and wanted to make his life work. So, I can see why he has no beef with the version itself. When Ken did the next edit with Helen, he said that anyone who knew Helen would know she was the boss of the edits and he just typed. Left to his own, he might have just left it alone. When I’ve looked at differences, they seemed trivial, and I didn’t really care which one was which. We’re talking 700 pages that give you 2000 examples of about 10 principles. The principles are the same, no matter what you are reading. The naughty part of me loves all the personal stuff in the Urtext. It tricks my ego into thinking it’s getting something for itself. Sex and Freud, and all. And I love the cross-outs and inserted change of words. Makes my feelings of weaknesses and uncertainties feel like they had them too. (Their grammar structure was always better than mine, though. PhD’s and stuff like that.)
Pam, I noticed the Omaha distribution and thought of you and Laura. Today’s web lists North Dakota as the happiest US state to live in, and I thought that they must have met you and Cody. I may have to send my son there to find a job. Best time is Summer, you think?
I’ll read Lucia’s link – thanks so much, Anne in Tn, glad you are here, and Lisi is back.
I read the full article by Ken, in Anne in TN first link to acim-archives(re. #383), and it answers alot of the questions asked here about the forgiveness aspects as well as level of form stuff. I found it very helpful. Thanks again TN Annie.
Well I don’t know Katrina,what kind of work does he do? Summer is best if it is outdoor stuff.
Hi everyone. Glad to be able to make a contribution. Thanks for your warmth and love. And, thanks Winnie for all the notes!
{{Pam}} I rang the “Sparkly” people yesterday and apparently they do not have the funds to print any more books….maybe that`s why went to Nebraska ? Anywho I checked out their website – >
About ~ COURSE IN MIRACLES SOCIETY
Course in Miracles Society [CIMS] is an international group of Course students and teachers organized to discover, authenticate and propagate
the Divine Teachings of A Course in Miracles.
As students, we seek to increase our knowledge of Jesus’
words and to deepen our experience of His teaching.
As teachers, we work to circulate the message of A Course in Miracles throughout the world by our words, deeds and by the example of our lives.
………………………………………..
It`s easy to see how Jesus` message 2000 years ago became lost so quickly. It doesn`t make any difference that now we have printing presses to publish accurate accounts. Everything here is a two-edged sword.
Big hugs to you Anne in Tn – your gravatar is so pretty ….
Katrina – loved your post – thank gawd we have such a healthy understanding of the “naughty part” of ourselves…
hugs to Lisi, Melody, Annie and Bernard and everyone xoxoxo
The gravatar came from Jamie. I think he was talking about Ken tickling. It made me smile.
The Course says: “T-18.I.8. Let them all go, dancing in the wind, dipping and turning till they disappear from sight, far, far outside of you. 2 And turn you to the stately calm within, where in holy stillness dwells the living God you never left, and Who never left you.”
Hey Katrina maybe this is why the people in North Dakota are so happy the “sparkly” people picked Nebraska as their base of operations and left them alone.
Read the news today – oh, boy! (beginning of Beatles tune but still rings true!) – about the burning of the Koran in FLA. Read about the church’s comments which seemed like the lead pastor was against such nonsense while other ‘Rev’s’ there were part of the ‘attack.’ Meanwhile 20 dead in Afganistan and many more injured! It just became so apparent the power of one little thought – and how it can grow and grow…..which is the topic of Ken W’s weekly video – so it really has me embracing the importance of my doing this work – for myself, yes, but also so it may help heal the minds of my brothers who are One with me that do not ‘understand what they do.’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12XNE4yRIGs
Jean
Hey Jean – welcome!! Glad you’re here, I think you’ll enjoy this wonderful site and all of the villagers!
Thanks for sharing the great video on here!
wow Anne in Tn – now i don`t just think its pretty – I think it`s perfection !
Thanks for the video Jean and welcome to you xoxo
{{Warmest Welcome to Jean, Anne in TN}}
Melody, Katrina, Pam, Bernard and everyone ~
Wow what a wonderful feast of long and detailed posts I’ve so enjoyed with personal history stories of beloved course teachers, loving Bernard’s latest post about Acceptance…and I still have Winnie’s Temucula workshop notes to read and savor.
What a long on and on tedious post I wrote about my totaled car…good grief…major editing was in order thanks for not judging me and being kind about it.
The total blessing behind losing my car, was that I had a very empathetic adjuster who had had her own car totaled three times and I ended up with a much better car. I never could have gotten the settlement amount I did if I had tried to sell it as it was before the high tide damage. I found a much better condition same model car a year older with almost 20K less miles, new tires and had been garaged. I like the two tone color better and the interior as well. My insurance will cover it, no car payments and with money left over. I’m buying it from a sweet gay man who has been a car guy all his life since childhood and he worked for kellyblue book for 16 years. He’s recovering from lymphoma and we talked about living in the moment and being grateful as I test drove it. Everyone involved has been especially kind and generous to me.
I’m really grateful to see all the sharing about the course we love with such long time students posting. Thank you and Love to All xoxox