¡Hola, Senora Rosa

Senora Rosa is quiet and reflective, thinking of her family that she hasn't seen in too many years. How will Grace judge Senora Rosa's presence? Find out in the upcoming book for tweens, THE ADVENTURES OF THE COURSE KIDS! THROUGH FAITH AND GRACE© 

La señora Rosa es tranquilo y reflexivo , pensando en su familia que no ha visto en muchos años . ¿Cómo Grace interpretar la presencia de la señora Rosa? Descúbrelo en el próximo libro para preadolescentes , LAS AVENTURAS DE LA FE DEL CURSO KIDS - TRAVÉS Y GRACIA ©

Why I Write. Why I Sing.

Sharing my books and music are the byproducts of years of introspection, writing, discerning and seeking to know ‘the why’ of my purpose in life.

As a youngster I remember how fearful I was of the learning process.  “What if I don’t know the answers?  What if I can’t figure it out?  What if everybody else knows how to do it and I don’t?”

The ‘what ifs’ paralyzed me while I prayed for solace.  I prayed for a miracle although I didn't then know the manner in which it could be granted. 

After years of praying for some change in form...in me, in 'them'...in the process, the miracle was realized.  Not in form, but in spirit. I was essentially raised from the dead.  The shroud was lifted and Light erased the darkness that pervaded my waking, and even sleeping hours.

It was late in the game when I decided to switch my high school focus from business readiness to higher education.  I was behind my peers in taking the required courses. In my senior year, college admission hinged on a single course, chemistry.  I needed it for my NYS Regents sequence and it was required for entry into my chosen major. But fear had gripped me. I had convinced myself that I couldn’t break the code of the symbols, the balancing of equations; that I couldn’t memorize the valances or master the Periodic Table. I proved myself absolutely correct by failing the midterm…big time. Yes, it would take a miracle to pass the course and gain entry into college.

My parents, my cheerleaders and supporters earnestly backed my dreams. They invested in my aspirations emotionally and financially. The chemistry tutor they hired was (it seemed) my last hope for fulfilling my life’s hidden desire to become a teacher. 

Mr. Flynn explained, diagrammed, calculated, cajoled and then…explained again. But, Fear wrapped its cold hand over my eyes and stuck its fingers in my ears.  My frozen self perceived my teacher as a mime, he the performer, me the bewildered audience.

“Oh please, God.  Please help me,” I silently prayed as I felt myself falling back into the familiar damp, treacherous hole.

Then it happened! 

“Wait, what was that you just said,” I asked as I sat straight up, grabbed Fear’s hand and bent it backwards.  “Tell me that again, please,” I pleaded with my teacher as I peered down at Fear now trying to wrap himself around my midsection in his customary fashion. 

“Excuse me?” a bewildered and wide-eyed Mr. Flynn asked.

“That last thing you just said.  What was it?”

As my tutor ran through his explanation, I ferociously kicked Fear off of me. The preying monster lay stunned on the linoleum floor of our finished basement. I watched as he tucked his tale between his legs and ambled to the corner, sullen and dazed.

With my eyes and ears opened anew, I heard, I saw and at last, I began to understand.  By shrugging off of that tempestuous ghoul the darkness immediately turned to Light. The miracle, which simply awaited my request was at last received.

Like a starving child, I gobbled up the information my tutor was now eagerly serving me. Ladle after ladle of delicious facts and figures. “More, more!” I begged.  “Feed me, teach me more!”

***

Why did the miracle occur?   

Because “nothing real can be threatened and nothing unreal exists.” ACIM I-2:2-3

What was unreal? 

Fear, the darkness, the ghoulish ego haunting my all-too absorbent mind.

What was real? 

The Light. Love. The love my tutor shared as he joined with me and strove to break through my veil of darkness.  My courage to believe that there must be another way. And, the tenacity to call out to my Inner Source in the belief that the Answer would be given. It was, of course.

Ahhhh.  (T)herein lies the peace of God. I-2:4

Photos by Barb Adams (C) 2014

MIND over matter...

Who are we?  Really?

Are we our bodies?

Our brains?

Who is the real you? The real me?

The one who has a career?  A part-time job? The one who is out of work?

Is our real self the one who sweats and grinds to bring up a family?

Or the one who just got divorced?

Who just bought that new car?

The one with fancy clothes?  With tattered donated apparel?

Who walks the streets without a place to call home?

What is our TRUE identity?

Is it defined by how we seem to aimlessly walk around in this dream we call reality?

Are we the label we assign ourselves or others as Straight? Gay/Lesbian? Bi? Trans?

Are we Catholics? Protestants? Jews? Muslims? Hindi? Atheists? Buddhists? Native or indigenous peoples who worship the Spirits of the Land or Afterlife?

Is our real self the one that is other-abled? Able bodied? ADD? ADHD?

Is the real you or real me the one who can see? Hear? Feel? Taste? Smell?

Maybe our true Self is the one who has successfully earned a college degree.  Or the one who made it through high school.  Or the one who dropped out?  Is that our identity?  Is that who we are?

Perhaps our real identity is defined by that gorgeous figure or well-toned body. Or by that anorexic, emaciated body?

Maybe our reality is in how famous we are or how invisible we feel.

Maybe….?

Perhaps…?

Who we really are is…

STOP!   

All of that is form. All matter. All an illusion.

Our TRUE SELF is our Mind. That which supersedes all form, all matter, any illusion.

Our TRUE SELF is the ONE MIND that is in perfect union with our Source; with our brothers and sisters.

Our TRUE SELF is that which preceded the illusion of form and that which lives on after all matter has been laid aside.

It is truly…

Mind

over

matter

Bottom photo by Barb Adams (c) 2014

Meet Jamaal

Say hello to Jamaal, yet another supporting character in The Adventures of the Course KidsTM -Through Faith and Grace©, soon to be published and released by...

 So many questions pop into young Grace's head upon first encountering Jamaal and the other guests at The Hospitality House:  "Why is he here?  Where is he from?  Why isn't he staying with his family?"

Grace has difficulty moving beyond her fear.  Will Jamaal's actions help her recognize her light within?

"O Captain! My Captain!"

This past week I got word that one of my dear uncles is dealing with some very challenging health issues.  He and my aunt were a big part of my support/care system when I was growing up. They each made me feel loved, important and embraced.

Since I'm not able to make the trip to visit him right now, I wrote this valued family member a personal message of gratitude for all that he and my aunt have done for me over the years. One recollection that I shared with this man, who served his country proudly in the Navy during WWII and who then taught me how to safely drive a pleasure boat, was the selflessness and gentle strength that he demonstrated to me on the waters of Long Island Sound. By turning over control of his vessel to me, he reinforced my abilities and capabilities.

After reminiscing and offering him gratitude, I then moved on to share a spiritual message with my uncle that I hope will inspire him to, once again, be the captain of his ship as he navigates these choppy waters.

***

My dear uncle, I’d like to share some things that I know for sure:

I’m guessing that you know that I’m a spiritual person.  Not necessarily religious because of the way many church honchos have decided who and who will not receives God’s blessing. I’ve said “Phooey” to them, and have found the direct line to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, thus eliminating the middleman. 

Here are just a few things that Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit have communicated to me. What they’ve shared with me holds true for you and everyone else.

• We are One with God.  So, believing in this truism the only conclusion is that we are as God is.  We are Peace, Joy, Truth and Love. We are Eternal! If God always was and always shall be, then so are we.  If God is Spirit, then so are we.  We take on these bodies while we’re on earth so that we have a means of symbolically communicating with each other, a way of extending our love, and a means by which we can learn our lesson of forgiveness.  But we are not our bodies. We are spirit directly connected with God…as One.

• Miracles do occur!  Healing happens at the level of the mind.  If what we perceive we choose to believe, then too often we are allowing ourselves to be victims.  But if we reverse that phrase…and more importantly that belief, then we take hold of the wheel and steer our ship in the direction in which we want it to go. So instead think, What we believe, we perceive!

If we believe our bodies are sick, we reinforce that belief  and we perceive sickness. But, if we say, “Forget it.  I'm not believing that and I choose not to perceive that!  My right-thinking puts me in charge here!!” Then, we become the captains of our ship.  We activate the miracle by appealing to the liaison to the Commander-in-Chief by asking,

“Holy Spirit/Jesus, please help me to see this situation differently.   I don’t know how you’re going to do this, 

but I believe that you can and you will.” 

Then rest and believe.  

Let the Holy Spirit/Jesus take over from there.  And through your belief system have faith that they will do what God ordains them to do.

God’s Peace will be your peace.  God's Grace will be your grace. God's Wholeness will be your wholeness.  All you need to do is ask, believe, still your mind and receive.

"Seek and ye shall find

Knock and the door shall be opened. 

Ask and it shall be given 

As His love comes tumbling down.”

 Photos by Barb Adams (c) 2014

The title, "O Captain, My Captain," is borrowed from the poem of the same title by Walt Whitman (A fellow Long Islander.)

of Course Publishing

I'm proud to introduce you to my company, of Course Publishing!

The mission of of Course Publishing is to create, produce and distribute original and inspiring spiritual and educational media, materials and products related to A Course in Miracles and similar spiritual paths.

The initial book to be published by of Course Publishing, will be the first in the series, The Adventures of the Course Kids ™ Through Faith and Grace©  Our anticipated release of the book, geared toward children-tweens and their parent/caregiver/teacher, is set for mid-late October.

My company, my book and my practice are all based on A Course in Miracles. Our books, media and related products will resonate with ACIM students and those who follow similar spiritual paths.

I invite you to follow my blog so that you will be among the first to receive updates.

Through the Fog I Heard His Voice

The fog was thick and in the darkness I felt afraid.  Ghoulish images crossed my path and my instinct was to attack. I felt that if I could scream loud enough and swipe fast enough, I could rid myself of those demons. But my voice seemed to be sucked into a vast vacuum and my arms felt numb. I could barely move.

“Am I dreaming?” I heard myself ask. Yet, to whom was I speaking?

I started to cry. “I’m so scared,” I sobbed…to seemingly no one.

The fog only got thicker. My fear only intensified. And I fell deeper into the dream.

“I love you,” I faintly heard.

“What?” I asked, as I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

“I love you,” whispered the Voice.

“Who are You?” I asked as I quickly turned to see Who was speaking to me.  “And, what do You want?”

“I want you to remember who you truly are, that you were made from Love, that you are Love.  Know this and your fear will vanish.”

“What?  Who are You?”

“I am Love and I created you. 

“What?”

“You don’t have to live in that dream, in that nightmare.  But, it is your choice,” said the Voice.  “I have been calling to you through the fog, but you have continued to turn and run away. The farther you have ventured from My Voice, the more fearful you have become. Come home to Me. Come home to yourself. Then, you shall awaken and know the Truth.”

“I’m afraid!” I whimpered.

“And where has your fear taken you, but only deeper into the fog; into the nightmare.  Has that abolished your fear or simply intensified it?”

“Well, its....wait! How do I know that I can trust You?”

“Do you trust Fear? the Voice asked.

“No. Of course not.”

“Then, why do you follow him?”

“I don’t follow him!  I make up my own mind.”

“Yes, you do,” said the Voice.  “You make up your mind that you’d rather live in fear than in peace and joy.  It is by your decisions that you follow him.

“Hmmm, you’ve got a point there.  But, I don’t know You.  Why would I follow You?”

“Of course you know Me,” the Voice said ever so gently.  “I am your Joy.  I am your Peace.  I am Love and I created you in My Image.  What is there not to trust?”

“Uh, I don’t know.  What do I have to do?” I asked hesitantly.

“It’s simple,” said the Voice. All I ask is that you forgive yourself for what you perceive as your errors, and forgive your brothers and sisters for what you perceive as theirs.”

“Are you kidding me here?”  I said incredulously.  “I have sinned and there’s no way I can forgive myself for what I’ve done.  And forgive my brothers and sisters? That won't happen!  Not the way they’ve hurt me!”

“And by holding on to those grievances, and by punishing yourself,” asked the Voice, “has that made things better? Do you feel more peaceful, more joyful and loving?”

“Of course not!” I scolded.  But I can’t forgive myself for what I’ve done, and I’ll never let those guys off the hook.  They hurt me too badly.”

As those word poured out of my mouth, I began to sob uncontrollably.  “Dear Lord, help me,” I pleaded.

“Peace be with you,” the Voice breathed into me.

At once I felt my chest release. My crying subsided. “Wait, what did you just do?” I asked the Voice.

“I gave you My Peace,” came His reply.

“But…how did you do that?

“Easily,” said the Voice.  “You had a moment when you began to believe again. It was then that you were able to feel my Love.”

“Oh…my…God!” I said.

“Yes,” said the Voice.”

I laughed. The fog was lifting and I felt more awake. My mind was at peace.

“OK,” I said.  “I’ll give this thing a try, but you have to promise me that you’ll hang with me while I’m figuring all of this out.”

“No prob,” said the Voice.

I smiled.