by Beverly Hutchinson McNeff �

s children, my brother and I used topretend we were pirates lookingfor buried treasure. We would make

a map and put abig “X” on thespot where thetreasure wasburied. We thenwould proceed tohunt for thattreasure in thewoods around ourhome in Oregon. We never really foundthe chest of gold, but we enjoyed thehunt.

Nowadays, people still play this gamewith their hand-held phones or GPS de-vices. Called geocachers,these people go out andhide trinkets and thenwrite clues for anxioustreasure hunters to followand find the booty. Onceyou find the treasure,though, you are supposedto put it back so the nexthunter can find it. It seemsto be that the fun is still inthe hunt.

What is the hunt all about? We all wan-der in the world looking for our “treasure.”We call it by many names... career, relation-ship, family, fame, but they are really allsubstitutes for purpose. We are trying tofind out why we are here; to make sense

out of our being. But, searching the worldnever quite seems to bring us the purposewe are looking for. That doesn’t mean thatwe deny the world or our participation inthe world, we just stop looking to it to giveus what we can only find within.

This year’s annual International Confer-ence on A Course in Miracles in Irvine,California is entitled, The Treasure of God.This title comes from the section in theCourse’s text of the same name and is apowerful reminder that we are what weare looking for — not in an ego sense ofour personal self importance but in thesense of our true Self value to God and toall our brothers. The true treasure wecan be.

This section also offers theCourse’s restatement of thestory of the prodigal son...

“Listen to the story of theprodigal son, and learn whatGod’s treasure is and yours:This son of a loving father lefthis home and thought he hadsquandered everything fornothing of any value, al-though he had not under-stood its worthlessness at the

time. He was ashamed to return to his father,because he thought he had hurt him. Yetwhen he came home the father welcomedhim with joy, because the son himself washis father’s treasure. He wanted nothing

A

Beverly Hutchinson McNeff

“

Beverly is the co-founder and president of MDC, one of the longest running organizations based onA Course in Miracles founded in 1978. As a student, lecturer and author on the Course since 1977,her recorded weekly commentaries on Course principles have become a wonderful source of inspi-ration and study for many around the world. Receive a FREE recording by contacting MDC.

”

Continued on Page 12

AMiracle Distribution Center Publication May / June 2010

Treasure Hunting

The Course tells usthat God wants onlyus because nothing inthis world holds anyvalue. We are Hisonly treasure.

••

••

••

••

••

••

••

Continued on Page 13

• • • • • •

s we amble along our chosenpath, we encounter manydistractions. One of the most

insidious isthe notion that

to pursue apath issufficient, thatpursuit is anend in itself. Ata local organi-zation that our church asked Gayle andme to address, the group leader told uswith a hint of pride, “We here are allseekers of truth.”

We opened the meeting with theinvitation to interrupt us at any timewith comments or questions. We thenproceeded to talk about our spiritualbeliefs and practices and we demon-strated with a volunteer couple justhow easily an issue could be resolvedwhen the couple switched from theirego minds to their connected mind.

We walked the couple through thesteps and, sure enough, it worked justas we had said it would.

So there we were, talking about thedifference between our chattering, agi-tated mind and our peaceful mind anddemonstrating fairly dramatically thepractical implications of being aware of

A

Rev. Hugh’sHomiliesSo Simple It’s Insulting

Hugh Prather

by Hugh Prather �

Together, Gayle and Hugh Prather havewritten twenty books including: MorningNotes, The Little Book of Letting Go, Standingon My Head, Love and Courage, and How toLive in the World and Still Be Happy, all avail-able through MDC.

FFoollllooww uuss oonn TTwwiitttteerr aanndd FFaacceebbooookk!!See page 11 for details

August 28•29

at theJOIN ME

CENTER'SCONFERENCE

See Page 11

2 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

...when you meet anyone,remember it is a holy encounter...

EDITOR: Beverly Hutchinson McNeffASSISTANT: Darin Zakich

THE HOLY ENCOUNTER is published bimonthly byMiracle Distribution Center to support and aid its worldwide readers in their study of A Course in Miracles. Subscriptions are available without charge, but tax-deductibledonations are gratefully received to supportthe printing and mailing expenses of this publication. A suggested donation of $24.00 ayear is invited.

Miracle Distribution Center is an internationalnon-profit organization founded in 1978, dedicated to making the teachings of A Coursein Miracles more available and to aid studentsin their practice of its transformational principles. The Center does this through itsmany free services, which are supported byyour tax-deductible donations:

THE HOLY ENCOUNTER, 32-page Catalog ofBooks and tapes, Worldwide Study Group Listings, Meetings & Lectures, Counseling Referral Service and Prayer Ministry.

Bequests & Endowments - are a way to support the Center and ensure its work intothe future. Contact the Center for further in-formation on including the Center in your will.

For more information, contactMiracle Distribution Center at:

3947 E. La Palma Ave.Anaheim, CA 92807(714) 632-9005Fax (714) 632-9115E-mail: info@miraclecenter.org. Website: www.miraclecenter.org

Articles (1,000 words or fewer) may be sent to theaddress above.

Quotations from ACIM are referenced: T=Text, WB = Workbook, M=Manual: PPP=Psychotherapy & SP = The Song of Prayer.

THE HOLY ENCOUNTER is a registered trademark of Mir-acle Distribution Center.

�2010 Miracle Distribution CenterPrinted on recycled paper

The Holy Encounter

� A new DVD set that focuses on thescribes of A Course in Miracles has justbeen released. In this three-hour cele-bration of the 25th anniversary of theCourse’s publication, held in Anaheim,California in 2001 at Miracle Distribu-tion Center’s Annual Conference, Dr.Kenneth Wapnick and Judith SkutchWhitson share their experiences withand recollections of Drs. Helen Schuc-man and William Thetford. Aug-mented by more than a hundredphotos, this DVD set gives an intimateview of the lives of the two people re-sponsible for bringing the Course tothe world. Call 1-800-359-2246 ororder it online at www.miraclecenter.org

� Giving a truly Meaningful GiftMany students of the Course havegiven a tax-deductible donations toMDC in someone’s honor or memory.If you would like to give in such a way,send your donation and request andwe will send him, her or the family apersonalized letter acknowledgingyour appreciation and support. It’s awonderful honor for that dedicatedsomeone or their family. And what ablessing it will be to those the Centerserves, for your donation will go tosupport its free services and continuethe Course’s outreach! Gifts in memory of ...Maureen Des Chenes ofMarlboro, VT in loving memory of herand their holy relationship from JohnDes Chenes; Maureen Des Chenes ofMarlboro, VT in honor of her from RevStorm of Greenfield, MA; Gary Cro-man in loving memory of my friendwho introduced the Course to mefrom Gene Paolini of Auburn, CA;Michael Timberlake Tyler in memoryof her brother from Jill Gresham ofCenterville, TX; Deb Barton of AltaLoma, CA from Golden Hanger.

� The Treasure of God That is thetitle of MDC’s 2010 A Course in Miracles Conferencewhich will takeplace in Irvine, California on August28-29. Make sure you mark your cal-

endars for this inspirational gatheringof lecturers and Course students fromaround the world. For more details,see pages 15 and 16.

� Handy Reference Now Available -Do you ever find yourself on the roadwithout your Course book? Would youlike to be reminded of your dailylesson or find a particular passage? Ifso, our new online Course will behelpful. Visit our website at www.mira-clecenter.org to see our new onlinereference text of A Course in Miracles.

� Free Podcasts! A new Miracle Moment Podcast is now online foryour free listening experience. As onelistener wrote, “Just a note to tell youhow much I enjoyed the latest podcast. Ilove the concept of focusing on my les-son rather than the experience in thisworld. Great job, you and Paul really gotthe message across!” Founder Beverlyand her husband Paul, share practicalCourse insights from their combinednearly 60 years of study! Listen todayby going to www.miraclecenter.organd clicking on Miracle Moment Podcast. An archive of past podcastscan also be found there for your listening enjoyment.

� Do we have your email address?Each month we send out an e-newsletter on the Course and Cen-ter happenings. Some months featurean article written just for our onlineaudience; others offer a free audiodownload. We also announce newitems from our bookstore and givepreviews of upcoming events. Be surewe have your email address by goingto our homepage at www.miracle-center.org and entering it there. Welook forward to continuing our con-nection!

� Save the date for our 2011 Week-end of Miracles— Our next Weekendof Miracles will take place in WestPalm Beach, Florida on April 8th and

What’s Happening

It’s Free!!Each issue of THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

is sent free to you! To keep receiving simplykeep in contact with us once a year. And remember, your tax deductible

donations help us to continue to providethis free service to you.Continued on Page 15

3May / June 2010

Heal Your Mind, Heal Your World••

••

••

••

• • • • • • • • • by Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. and Diane V. Cirincione, Ph.D. �Comments on the Treasure of God... Is there a Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow?

or the first half century of my life I,(Jerry) believed in what my culturetaught me about my purpose in life.

What I thoughtthen about mypurpose was thatif I worked realhard and got acollege educa-tion, I wouldreach a sense of wealth thatwould make me feel secure.

I believed in the statement from my parents that hard work would give me theluxuries of life: a green Austin Healey, alarge home, money in the bank and prestige in the communitywhere I lived. I believedthat there WAS a pot ofgold at the end of therainbow and that if Iworked hard enough, Iwould find that pot ofgold.

If I made enoughmoney, I would possessthat pot of gold and behappy forever. I was notaware of the ego’s mes-sage from the Coursewhich tells us to seek but never find whatyou were looking for.

So, the first half century of my life Imade what I considered a lot of moneyand had most things and trinkets moneywould buy. I sure found out that moneyand material things did not bring me last-ing peace and happiness.

In 1973, my first marriage, which lastedtwenty years, ended in divorce. I ended updepressed, agitated, drowning in guilt andfeeling hopeless. I tried to drown my painand guilt in alcohol. It was not until 1975,when I was introduced to A Course in Miracles, that I began to find another wayto look at the world and understand that

F my healing had to do with healing myown split mind.

Since I was a little boy, I have been fasci-nated with rainbows. When I became astudent of the Course, I began to look atrainbows as being the doorway to God.They were always so spectacular and allthe colors seemed to be representingsomething beyond the world, somethingthat made my soul soar.

When I founded the first Center for Attitudinal Healing, I chose a rainbow forour symbol. I actually had an artist paint arainbow on the door to my office with asky blue background. I wanted my day tobegin with the rainbow. Now I realize thatthe sun is always shining in my heart and

that there are always rain-bows in my heart making mesmile all day long.

Rainbows just seem to follow me wherever I go. Ihave spent many hours taking photos of amazingrainbows in Hawaii and Arizona.

In the early 80s, Diane andI were invited to give a seriesof talks in New Zealand. NewZealand has more sheep thanany place I had ever visited.

At the end of our visit, we were each givenrainbow sweaters. One day I was wearing

the sweater and happened to look into a mirror. That was when I made the discovery. Rather than believing that there is a treas-ure at the end of the rainbow, I discoveredthat I am the treasure! I am the treasure,and so are you and everyone who is in alife form. We are each God’s gift. What ouregos do is make us believe we are on alifelong hunt for a material treasure that isoutside of ourselves, and hide from us thatthe treasure we seek is within each of us.

Sometimes I think that what I havedone in life is traded in my Medical Degree(M.D.) for an M.O.G, which for me, meansMessenger of God. The happiness, joy, cer-tainty, state of blissfulness, and state ofeverlasting love that can only expand andfold and unfold gently upon itself is what I,and each of us, are.

We each have an opportunity every moment to remind ourselves that we arealways the rainbow, we are always the giftof God’s treasure, as we continue to focusonly on our treasure within, the presenceof the essence of Love and God within our-selves. I am convinced that is why we arehere — to shine our treasure, our light tohelp the darkness of the world we see dis-appear.

Jerry Jampolsky & Diane Cirincione

“

”

In 1973, my firstmarriage, which

lasted twenty years,ended in divorce.

I ended up depressed,agitated, drowningin guilt and feeling

hopeless.

Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. and Diane Cirincione, Ph.D., international lecturers and bestselling authors, share their insights and experiences in applying theprinciples of A Course in Miracles in our world. Jerry and Diane’s books and other items are available at www.miraclecenter.org

August 28•29

at theJOIN ME

CENTER'SCONFERENCE

See Page 11

11

Available from the Center

To Order1-800-359-ACIM(2246) or at miraclecenter.org

Finding Our Way HomeIn a deeply heartfelt way Jerry and Diane share stories oftheir spiritual journey, detours they’ve taken, and peoplewho have impacted them along their life trail.

by Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. and Diane V. Cirincione, Ph.D.

$14.95+ S&H. CA res, add sales tax

Continued on Page 11

4 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

n the last issue of THE HOLY ENCOUNTER, I presented the first fifteen daily contemplations for uncertain times.

As described lastmonth, uncertaintimes can lead to increased fearand stress, butcan also lead toincreased focus,clarity, purpose,and meaning. Thedifference is up to us and where we directour thinking. In this issue, the next fifteenthoughts for contemplation are presented,designed primarily for the workplace, butalso applicable to all areas of life. It is sug-gested that you spend time in the morn-ing and a few minutes each hour,contemplating each Course-based idea.These can be combinedwith your daily lessonsfrom the Course as well.

Day Fifteen:There is a Better Way.

Notice that when youhave no real idea whatto do, you just keepdoing the same thingsin life, and you continueto think and communi-cate in the ways you always have, ineffec-tively, from fear and an unhealed past, andwithout spiritual purpose. Believe there isanother way to go through life, and ask forit to be revealed.

Day Sixteen:Giving and Receiving Are the Same.

Perhaps more than any other spiritualtruth, this one can offer you immediate release from the bondage of the past. Ifyou want freedom, offer it. If you wantsuccess, help others. If you want happi-ness, give with a smile. Your success be-

I

Dr. Lee Jampolsky is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Carmel, CA. He is the author of several books based on A Course in Miracles. Lee canbe reached at www.DrLeeJampolsky.com

Lee Jampolsky, Ph.D.

by Dr. Lee Jampolsky, Ph.D. �Creating Meaning and Purpose in Work

• • • • • • • •

Recognizing Spirit

gins with your connection with a HigherPower, and then every interaction is per-meated with this.

Day Seventeen: Don’t Be a Fault Finder.The level of quality of every communi-

cation is always an extension of thethoughts you hold in your mind. If you fillyour mind with judgmental, angry, and re-sentful thoughts, and see value in them,you will have interactions that are filledwith conflict and a career void of success.Finding faults in others and then holdingonto them is a sure guarantee of a way tosabotage your own career growth.

Day Eighteen: One and the SameYour spiritual path is not something you

do separate from work that ends the mo-ment you encounter other people in the

work place who are a chal-lenge. We are all teachers andstudents to each other.

Day Nineteen:Utilize What is in Front of You

Though developing work-re-lated skills is helpful, in the endthere is often still somethingvital missing: your own com-mitment to utilizing what ishappening in your work —

both positive and negative — to learn thelessons God wants you to learn.

Day Twenty:Every Interaction Holds the Key

In short, what is missing in most peo-ple’s work life is a spiritual focus in everyhuman interaction. Bring prayer to worktoday.

Day Twenty-One:The One Decision that Matters

Make the decision to open your heart.Ask for the power of God’s guidance ineach and every encounter with another

living being.

Day Twenty-Two: The Paradox of Success Though none of us really want to admit

it, our egos are always looking for a returnon our investment. We all, to some degreein business and career play the game of“what do I get for doing this?” Our ego isalways looking at the potential profit andloss of every interaction. Giving only toget, which is the law of the ego, will bringyou bitterness and greed rather than suc-cess and prosperity.

Day Twenty-Three: Stop WaitingToday stop waiting, and start to live the

life you want right now. Do this by asking,“How do I want to act, and what thoughtsto do I want to have?”

Day Twenty-Four:Where Your Greatest Teacher Lives

If you are looking for a guide to happi-ness and success that is possible no matterwhat happens, then come to the presentmoment — absent of the guilt and resent-ments of the past, or the worry of the future — and ask “What is possible now.

Day Twenty-Five:Creativity and Innovation

Imagine you have three lenses you canchoose to look through whenever you interact with someone at work, or any-where in your life. The first lens is cloudedwith past memories, resentments, andguilt. When you hold it up to your eye, it ismost difficult to see what is happeningnow. The second lens is occluded withworries and fears about what will happenin the future. This too greatly reduces yourability to see clearly what is happeningright now. The third lens is of the presentmoment. It is clean and clear, allowing youto see the situation accurately and to reactto it. Creativity and innovation can onlycome from looking through this third lens.

“

”

If you want freedom,offer it.

If you want success,help others. If you

want happiness, givewith a smile.

••

••

••

••

•

5May / June 2010

Day Twenty-six: The Reality of TimeTime in its linear sequence of past and

future is an illusion. Though at first it mayseem abstract to think in this way, the direct practicality of this truth can saveyou from great suffering. The truth is thatthe past and the future do not exist exceptin your mind, and if you use them as a reference in your decision making, you see something that is not there.

Day Twenty-Seven:The Universal First Step

Your thoughts, not the situation, are theforce behind your successes and your failures. The first step in any problem solving or communication is to determinewhat you want to be thinking while youare in the midst of it. Most people nevereven realize this, yet it is the key to anysuccessful career, or for that matter any interaction.

Day Twenty-Eight: The Power of GivingSuccess comes from knowing that now

is the only time there is and each instant isfor giving. If you want a career life full ofhappiness, it is important to know thesource of happiness. Though emphasis intoday’s workplace can be focused solelyon the bottom line, profits, and personalsalary, what is needed is to recognize andharness the power of giving. When you arecreating true success you are always in-cluding giving. When you are inhibitingsuccess you are projecting a negative pastinto the present, and experiencing lackand thus not giving. When you includegiving in all you do, you will be creating apositive outcome.

�

“

”

Your thoughts, not the situation, are the force

behind your successes andyour failures. The first stepin any problem solving orcommunication is to

determine what you wantto be thinking while youare in the midst of it.

Please find my donation enclosed. I have been intending to send this giftfor over a month. It is now 1:40a.m. and I have been reading and praying forthe past hour and a half. Beverly, your article in THE HOLY ENCOUNTER(March/April 2010) on God having my back brought tears to my eyes. It hasbeen a difficult year, and I have turned to God quite often. Thank you for reminding me yet again.

I send this gift in loving memory of my friend Gary Croman who introduced me to “A Course in Miracles.”

P.S. : I promise to send more

This has been a difficult year for many, and we are honored to be here forthose in need. We appreciate every gift support no matter the amount,for it ensures that we will be here when you need us. Thank you.

“It has been a difficult year and I haveturned to God quite often. Thank you for reminding me yet again.” Gene in Auburn, CA writes about THE HOLY ENCOUNTER...

Day Twenty-Nine: God Doesn’t GossipIn your work relationships, don’t allow

your mind to be filled with thoughts of thepast in the form of gossip or sharp judg-ments. Instead, be willing to bring forththe truth about who a person is (includingyourself ) by seeing them through the eyesof Love. Then your thoughts, actions, andwords will be coming from integrity, andeffectiveness will be a natural outcome.

Day Thirty:Recognize the Heart of Spirituality.

Being mindful of your use of time holds

the key to success, boundless abundance,and infinite freedom. If all the world’s spiri-tual teachings could be summed up infour words these well may be, “Love fromthe moment.” It is this one action that canpromise to deliver you to the Kingdom ofHeaven, even at work. When this is thegoal of all of your work related interac-tions, the power of your success is beyondcomprehension. Don’t underestimate thepower that comes simply from being agood person, connected with your HigherPower.

In this issue of THE HOLY ENCOUNTER, you should have found an envelope addressed to Miracle Distribution Center.

If you appreciate this magazine (and our many other projects and services), we hope you will take a moment and return the envelope to us with acontribution enclosed.

Printing and postage costs continue to escalate, and the troubled economyhas negatively affected donations. We are counting on our readers and sup-porters to help us make up the difference.

Your gift supports all of Miracle Distribution Center’s services for A Course in Miracles students...and it’s tax-deductible.

Thanks in advance for your generosity!

The Envelope Please...

6 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

Jacob Glass has been speaking on spirituality since 1987. He is the author of Invocations: Calling Forth the Light That Heals. He lectures weekly in SantaBarbara, San Diego and Palm Springs, CA.

••

••

••

• • • • • • • •

Never Face Factsby Jacob Glass �

ou know, denial has gotten such abad rap over the past 20 years or so.And while I do understand some of

the excellent rea-sons for this, I ambringing it back,because honey,we sure can usesome good old-fashioned denialif we ever plan tostop judging according to appearances.

It was about 30 years ago that I readRuth Gordon’s autobiography and in it shesaid, “never face the facts” — because ifshe had faced the “facts” about herself shewould never have becomea great actress and play-wright. She wasn’t conven-tionally pretty, shesounded funny, she wasvery short and she didn’thave the right connectionsand all the other thingsthat the world’s egoicthought system tells us isnecessary in this life. Shesimply chose to ignore it alland go on with the busi-ness of living her dream.And let me tell you my fellow miracleworkers, it is so much worse these daysbecause we are INUNDATED with facts andthe vast majority of them are very badnews indeed. In fact, scientific studieshave shown that you should be broke,sick, homeless or dead by now. That’s justa fact.

I try to live as much of my life in denialof stressful facts as I possibly can. Actually,I do my best to not even read or hear thembecause, for me, they tend to paralyze meinto total depression and inactivity. Andanything that is really important I find outabout because unless you have no radio,no TV, no internet and don’t know another

human being, you are going to find outthe things that you need to know.

I am far more helpful to myself, othersand the world in general when I am happyand slightly out of the 24/7 bad news loop.I am more generous, kinder, more patient,highly optimistic, much, much more loving, and I also participate in the worldin more helpful ways through financialcontributions, volunteering and showingup. But given enough dire facts, I close theblinds, turn on the TV, order the pizza anddon’t leave the house for long stretches oftime. My own personal experience is that Ido not have to feel bad in order to dogood. Guilt and fear are 100% unnecessary

for me to move into action. Iam not pretending to knowwhat is true for you, but thisis my own experience ofbeing “truly helpful.”

“True denial is a powerfulprotective device. You canand should deny any beliefthat error can hurt you. Thiskind of denial is not a con-cealment but a correction.Your right mind depends onit.” (T19)

Of course Ruth didn’t literally mean weshould never face the facts. Obviously she

had faced the facts in order to even knowwhat they were! What we’re talking abouthere is not BELIEVING the facts as if thefacts have the final power. Instead we canlook at them and say to those facts, “Thathas nothing to do with me! I have con-sulted a Higher Authority, so begone be-fore someone drops a house on you!” Justas the Course quote above points out,we’re not ACTUALLY ignoring the facts orhiding them but rather we are not living atthe effect of the worldly facts and we areinvoking the power of Christ to correctand neutralize the facts. I deny the ulti-mate power of the facts, invoke DivineGuidance and Power to correct my mindand then begin affirming a greater Truth.

This is not about pretending that youdon’t have a drinking problem or ignoringthe eviction notice or turning a blind eyeto the neighbor child who is clearly beingabused. But as I always tell people, anangry, worried, hysterical savior is of nouse to anyone. It took me a long time toreally BELIEVE the Course when it says,“true empathy does not mean to join withanother in suffering.” It doesn’t even meanto join with my own ego personality in suf-fering. I can remain totally calm andpeaceful even while calling Child Protec-tive Services, declaring bankruptcy, goingthrough chemotherapy — as long as I amwilling to question my ego thoughts and

Y

Jacob Glass

“

”

My own personal experience is that Ido not have to feelbad in order to dogood. Guilt and fearare 100% unneces-sary for me to move

into action.

Available from the Center

To Order1-800-359-ACIM(2246) or at miraclecenter.org

The Crabby Angels ChroniclesA handy spiritual tool kit to soothe, uplift, guide, direct, and renewyou on your daily walk through a sometimes overwhelming worldin which it is easy to lose connection with what really matters andwhat is really true. Note: contains adult language.Paperback - 311 pages

by Jacob Glass

$22.95+ S&H. CA res, add sales tax

August 28•29

at theJOIN ME

CENTER'SCONFERENCE

See Page 11

7May / June 2010

let go of any allegiance I have to suffering,guilt and fear. I can even cry and mournwithout SUFFERING and being tormentedby it. I can let it pass THROUGH me as atemporary experience within this illusion.But this is a real discipline and I am extremely happy even when I make onepenguin step forward because I was raisedto worry and then get depressed. It wasmy emotional set-point for decades, and Iexperienced quite a bit of pain and loss formany years. Add to that being a romanticdrama queen and you’ve got a formula forvictim thinking of epic proportions.

It took some real spiritual maturity andan ever on-going spiritual practice to un-derstand that only a happy teacher (and ofcourse we are all teachers) is of any realuse here. If I am unhappy, I am literallyteaching unhappiness. If I am worried, Iam literally teaching worry. If I beat thedrum of all the dire facts in the world, I amteaching that facts are more powerfulthan miracles. Whatever I demonstrate, Iam teaching.

The early metaphysicians were very em-phatic about this and did not waver from itin quite the same way that many of usmodern miracle workers do. They taughtpositive denial as one of the foundationsof the spiritual path. Many of us are tooquick to join with others in suffering as away to show compassion, and yet I can’tfind any times where Jesus said, “Oh, pooryou, that must suck.” In fact, he was rathertough on people at times and certainlymuch of the tone of the Course can bepretty tough and strict about not allowingour minds to go unguarded.

“The disheartened are useless to them-selves and to me, but only the ego can bedisheartened. Have you really consideredhow many opportunities you have had togladden yourself, and how many you haverefused?” (T64)

At the same time, I really try to never in-validate anyone’s feelings in the least be-cause feelings just are. But I am not afraidat all to invalidate their stressful thoughtsif there is an opening for them to hear, thetiming is right and Holy Spirit gives me theinner signal to do so. In fact, the majority

Continued on Page 9

Our newest wristband presents a powerful thought from A Course in Miracles workbook lesson20, “I am determined to see.” In a vibrant teal color this band reminds us that we can find salvation in any situation if we are determined to join our minds with God. Right now we canexperience heaven because we are determined to see the truth in every person or situation.

Choose from the following wristbands...• “I could see peace instead of this” in orange• “God goes with me wherever I go” in hunter green• “I walk with God in perfect holiness” in royal blue• “I am the light of the world” in yellow, • “I am as God created me” in a light blue, • “I am sustained by the Love of God” in lime green• “I rest in God” in purpleor our newest band• “I am determined to see” in teal

These are such wonderful reminders of the truth. We hopeyou will order one or all eight and join in our awakening! Also, send us your favorite quotes from the Course. Yours might be next!

Become a Holy HelperNOW and receive your choice of one wristbandFREE along with a beautiful pin created just for our Holy Helpers!

Get Your Wristbands Today

For Only$200$200

+S&Hea.

Receive this beautiful pin FREE with your monthly gift of $20 or more to the Center.

...with one of thesewristbands!

As a Holy Helper, you make a monthly gift to MDC to guarantee that its many services are available to all those in need. Our monthly donors form the backbone of the Center’s support network. As aHoly Helper you will become part of the circle of supporters who are ensuring the futureof our work. We look forward to welcoming you as a Holy Helper of the Center.

Use the envelope provided to become a Holy Helper and request your free wristband, or donate online:

www.miraclecenter.org or by calling: 1-800-359-ACIM (2246).

NEW

am lying in my hotel room bed in Thailand doing nothing, having spenttwo grueling days (three hours each

day) getting Thaimassage — theelbow into back,foot into calf, legstretching kind ofmassage — and Iam very relaxed.My body is totallyat peace and alsomy mind. There is nothing I need, nothingI want to do, no back/elbow/ knee com-plaints, and I have no plans. What a relief— for about two minutes. Honestly, Iachieved two full minutes of total innerpeace before my mind weighed in with,“Maybe something’s wrongbecause you don’t want todo anything.” My mindwould think this since it hasbeen running me aroundfor the past few monthswith lots of plans and tasksand the worries that gowith them. I came to Thai-land to devote time topeace and joy, and duringthe last few days I have hadthe knots and tensions ofmy body removed by awonderful, matronly Thaiwoman. She smiles themost glorious smile, speaksnot a word of English, butchats cheerily with the other ladies whilethey beat the tension out of us Westernerswho all have a lot of important things todo.

When I give time for nothingness, myego disappears since it requires somethingto be “going on” in my mind to even exist.It took leaving my country (my world ofthought) for a few weeks and the help ofothers to achieve nothingness. Yet how-

I

8 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

ever I got here, I did find a quiet mind andthe peace of God flowed — for awhile. It issaid if you don’t want troublesome straycritters around, don’t feed them. Boon-docks, one of my favorite cartoon shows,portrays two ghetto kids living with theirupscale grandpa in suburbia. Grandpabrings home a 20 year-old beauty fromthe grocery store and the savvy, youngestgrandson screams, “Grandpa don’t feedher!” recognizing everything will change.

Yes, it’s okay to be still, but not too long,oh and yes, now I remember, you weresupposed to get your article for The HolyEncounter to Beverly. Did you rememberto buy organic dog food before you left?Do you suppose lack of wanting to do any-thing is a depressive sign? and on and on.

Suddenly my thoughtsthrow me into the “world,”that set of images Jesuscalls illusions.

Usually the ego’s first ap-pearance in our mind is asuspicious watchfulnessthat comes unaware unlesswe are skilled in spiritualpractice. However, we willreadily know this imaginaryidentity by the negativefeelings it produces: uneasi-ness, fear or anger. The trickis to seek a return to peaceas soon as we notice thesefeelings emerge, rather thanturn to the world to distract

us. Ego thinking would have us look out-side ourselves and away from it to theendless world of mind stimulants andnumbing agents: drugs, alcohol, sex, com-puters, Internet, television, or to special re-lationships — other people. The bestspecial distracters from peace can be hus-bands, wives, children, mothers, fathers,lovers and friends who are alternately lov-ing and disappointing, wonderful and ter-

rible. We can start thinking the behavior ofthese people create our pain. Yet Jesusteaches that we can stop blaming othersand transform these special relationshipsinto joyful, holy ones and turn T.V. watch-ing into peace, if we choose. Our mindscan be quiet while surfing the Internet. Iknow that sounds impossible, but that isthe miracle.

Perhaps you know to choose againwhen you get upset, or even spot the egowhen it starts to get suspicious, and youhave stopped blaming your wife for yourmoods. Sometimes the mind will just notshut up and behave. I have difficulty turn-ing to peace when I take on big projects— even creative ones such as working ona film project. Perhaps it is the large num-ber of “interactions” with people in theprojects. I forget to take time to return tonothingness and peace between interac-tions, and the tension mounts. After a dayof phone calls, paper work and perhaps aconflict or two, a psychic storehouse of illusion builds in my mind, and mythoughts are sped up so I hardly knowwhat I’m thinking. My body tenses up sothat a few minutes of focusing on peace atthe end of the day are not enough to trulyrelax. Most spiritual paths suggest turningto God at least three times a day in prayeror meditation, and that is certainly a ne-cessity for me to stay reasonably sanewhen I’m actively creating. I also need pe-riodic “retreats” from the world in the formof conversations or meetings with friendswho share my spiritual path, or even daysaway from normal distractions.

Sometimes we can’t run off for a “retreat” in Thailand or find friends to remind us of God. We can always stop inthe moment and think of God or peace orlove, name whatever we think is upsettingus and give it to God. We can whisper asilent request to see the situation differ-ently. We can read a workbook lesson or

“

”

The best special distracters frompeace can be

husbands, wives,children, mothers,fathers, lovers

and friends who are alternately lovingand disappointing,wonderful and

terrible.

Dick Gayton

Dick Gayton is a psychologist and writer. His new novel, The Mind Travelers (which is now a short film), and his self help book The Forgiving Place: Choosing Peace After Violent Traumaand are available through the Center. You can contact him at richardrgayton@yahoo.com

by Richard Gayton, Ph.D. �When the Mind Just Won’t Behave: Reboot

••

••

••

••

• • • • • • • • •

Emotional Healing

9May / June 2010

read one sentence from the Course’s text.Jesus promises that if we ask him to helpus during these times, he, as our elderbrother, will help. No matter how upset weget, we can choose any of these actions.

So what will I do today when I roll out ofbed? Choices, choices. I can go back togetting my body worked on, go to thebeach or work on the screenplay. Todayit’ll be easy to choose peace — I just knowit! After all, what could possibly go wrong?Oh, oh, Windows XP — or is it Word? —has just locked up my keys and is making adinging sound instead of typing letters.There goes the error message. Do I want toreport the error to Microsoft? No, but I canfeel my back tightening up. Am I going tolose the entire file?

More importantly am I going to lose mypeace?

No, I’ll just reboot — my mind that is.It’ll all be okay. “I should’ve got a Mac.No, PCs are cheaper. But they get viruses.”

Shhh! Where’s the massage lady’s number?

�

�Dear Beverly,

I can’t begin to tell you how important the study group recordings havebeen for me over the last month. I have been a listener since June 2009. Ihave a chronic disease and one of the principal symptoms is fatigue. I meantto attend the conference last year, although I didn’t sign up for it because Inever know how much I will be able to do. And sure enough, the Saturday ofthe conference I had the beginning of a five day period where I could do vir-tually nothing. It is during times like these that I really appreciate the record-ings. I have them all in a drawer in my nightstand, so even though I couldn’tfocus on a lesson or read the book, I was able to hear the Course every daythrough the†recordings.

We are honored to have you listening, Joan. These recordings havebeen so valuable to people who cannot attend study group meetingsbut still want the connection and support of A Course in Miracles. Eachweek MDC’s founder, Beverly Hutchinson (a Course student for 33 years),brings clarity and practical wisdom to the Course. These recordings havehelped thousands apply the transformative power of the Course to theirdaily lives. Won’t you join us today?

“I can’t begin to tell you how important thestudy group recordings have been for meover the last month.” That’s the sentiment of Joan in Mission Viejo, CA. She writes...

If you would like to order call or go online: 1-800-359-ACIM(2246) orinfo@miraclecenter.org

Receive aFREECD or mp3

of our meetings!Call 1-800-359-ACIM

(2246)Limited time offer

When ordering monthly, each weekly meeting on CD is $6.50 (including postage) or $5.00 on mp3!

We can charge your credit card, or debit your checking account, automatically once a month.

Never Face FactsContinued from Page 7

of my work with myself is in invalidatingMOST of my thoughts, since so many ofthem are merely echoes of the ego’sstressful limited belief system. Life withinthe illusion is too often heartbreaking andterrifying to allow my mind to just believeeverything I see, think or hear.

So yes, I DO in fact face the facts on adaily basis, but I am now much more pickyabout the ones I choose to believe in andfocus on. It is a daily discipline now for meto put my faith in remembering that onlywhat is loving is true. Some days it is defi-nitely easier than others, but I can tell youfor sure that once you get a real momen-tum going you can change your mentaland emotional set-points until happinessand joy become an easy way to join withJesus instead of trying to drag him downinto our nightmare. And every day I re-mind myself, “to heal is to make happy.”

You have probably heard about them and maybe even read them, so we decided we needed to have one. Yes, we now have a blog on our website. For those of you who don’t surf the web (is there anybody out there who doesn’t?), we thought we would print the first entry from the Center’s blog for you to read. Since this one was printed in March, there have been numerous additions. Some are about news and happenings, others are about Course insights into everyday or worldly situations. Either way, they are fun and inspirational. We invite you to read on and hopefully make our blog a visiting point on our website at: www.miraclecenter.org. See you in cyberspace!

10 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

f you are like me, you have days when,despite your best efforts, you don’tstart your day with your daily dose of

A Course in Mira-cles. The most im-portant thing youcan do for your-self in this case, ofcourse, is to let itgo and make an-other choice inthe present mo-ment to spend quality time with God andyour daily workbook lesson. We get tochoose again and reap the benefits ofthose moments spent in peace with God.

There are other dayswhen, admittedly, youdon’t put forth your best ef-fort to spend quality timewith God. We resist doingour lessons for a multitudeof excuses that maybe webelieve and maybe wedon’t. Either way, we canchoose to look back andjudge ourselves or look tothe present moment andchoose again. Sometimesthe hardest thing we can dois to push through our resistance and doour lesson. This is a gift to us and to theworld.

How can we help ourselves movethrough our resistance to start our daywith God?

• Remember a day that you didn’t startyour day with your quiet time with Godand the day turned out to be less thanto your liking. This sometimes can be agood motivator; i.e. Avoiding the painof what we don’t want often encour-

I

••

••

••

••

••

••

•

Share a Miracle

• • • • • • • • by Samantha Keith �Another Day, Another Chance

This column shares the everyday “miracles” or, as A Course in Miracles says, the “shifts in our perception” that are constantly taking place in our lives to remind us of our unity and love. We invite readers to share their “miracles” with us.

ages us to do what we know is best forus.

• Give yourself a reward for maintainingyour consistency. Pick something thatworks for you personally. It could be assimple as rewarding yourself with yourmorning beverage of choice AFTER youstart your day with God.

• Remind yourself that the morning timeinvestment can save time spent in frus-tration during the day. I know from mypersonal experience doing my daily les-son can help me move quickly pastthose pesky judgmental thoughts andfeelings when some challenge presents

itself during my day. Starting my day with my workbook lesson canmean the difference between getting stuck in the ego and letting go and having a better day.

• Be creative. If you find thatthere are specific excuses that cause you toresist starting your daywith God, then it is benefi-cial to come up with cre-ative ideas based on yourcurrent lifestyle to

support you in doing your daily lessonsconsistently. Miracle Distribution Cen-ter (MDC) has a multitude of productsthat have helped me during somerather chaotic times in my life. For ex-ample, I keep the perpetual flip calen-dar near my toothbrush so that if Ioversleep I can at least multitask andget a shot of the Course while I brushmy teeth that morning. Another trick isto keep my smaller version of myCourse textbook in my car so that if I in-

sist on driving to work before doing mylesson, then I can do my lesson after Iarrive. Sometimes we have to practiceour lessons in creative ways!

• It’s never too late to try again. So, if youhave forgotten in the busyness of life todo your lesson that morning, MDC’sPrayer Ministry (with a daily prayer timeof 4:30pm PST) is a wonderful way tojoin with others around the world. Theprayer thought changes monthly andyou can find the current one by goingto www.miraclecenter.org. But, whetheror not you have the prayer thought,you can always join your mind withGod.

These are just a few ideas that havehelped me. To be effective, it helps to thinkof ideas that speak to you and your spe-cific reasons for resistance. Of course, noneof us is perfect and things in life will pre-vent us from spending this quality timeevery day. Be kind and gentle to yourself,trust your path and just keep doing yourbest. The fruits of your labor will be veryapparent in your life in the level of peace,joy and love in your life. �

“

”

I know from my personal experiencedoing my daily

lesson can help memove quickly past

those pesky judgmentalthoughts...

Samantha Keith has been studying A Course in Miracles for ten years. MDC has been instrumental in her education of the Course since her move to California. Whenever she can, she volunteers with MDC’s prayer ministry and Study Group Listings. Do you have a lesson that you find worth repeat-ing? She would love to hear from you at smnthkth@yahoo.com!

Samantha Keith

You can extend your support for A Course in Miracles into the next generation by remembering MiracleDistribution Center in your will. Our Development staff stands ready to advise you on all forms of planned giving including wills, insurance, gift annuities and charitable trusts.

Contact us at1-800-359-2246 or at

info@miraclecenter.org

Use Your Will Power!

May / June 2010 11

�

+ S&H. CA res, add sales tax

New

The Center’s Gift Annuity CouponName _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Address_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Date of Birth _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Telephone________________________ E-mail ________________________________I’m considering donating $ ____________ to establish my annuity.

Mail to: MDC, 3947 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA 92807or email to: info@miraclecenter.org

It’s a Win - Win!Receive income for life.

Your charitabledonation is eligible forcertain tax benefits and a portionof your annuity payments may betax-free. In addition, you will receive a lifetime subscription toTHE HOLY ENCOUNTER and free admis-sion to any of the Center’s events.

The Center’s charitable gift annuityis an ideal way to give and to receive. With your charitable donation of $10,000 or more, youwill receive a high, fixed rate of return for the rest of your life. Andbest of all, payments to you are unaffected by economic downturns.Sample age Yearly Rate

60 5.0%70 5.7%80 7.1%90+ 9.5%

Age now Rate at 6550 9.8%55 8.0%

Minimum amount to establish an annuity: $10,000.00. Minimum amount for California residents: $20,000.00. For more information, please complete the form below.

Our gift annuities give us the fund-ing needed to continue our out-reach on behalf of A Course inMiracles. Please consider joining and becoming a part of our LegacyCommunity.

Or defer payment for a higher annuity rate:

“You might worry that today’s generosity couldjeopardize your plans for a comfortable retire-ment. A charitable gift annuity lets you live welland give back at the same time.”

- Kiplinger.com

“More and more people are discovering theseproducts as a neat solution to both their charitableintentions and their desire to create more reliableincome in retirement.”

- The Wall Street Journal

“Charitable gift annuities are gaining favor withretirement savers looking to blend their passionswith pension-like financial security. Depending onyour situation, they can offer attractive incomeand some nice tax breaks, even as they help favored causes.”

- The Chicago Tribune

You can now follow us onSign up with twitter.com to receive our “tweets” and learn immediately ofarticles and audio files we’ve placed online, new books in our bookstore, inspirational thoughts and other news of the Course community. We've also established a page on Facebook. Become a "fan" of the Center by visiting the page and then join in the discussion.

To sign up, just go to our home page at www.miraclecenter.org

When we develop the state of mind thatthe treasure of God is what we are, worrydisappears, thinking about the past disap-pears, and concerns about the future disappear. Is it not possible that God is thetreasure that is beyond words, and we arehere to reflect everything that God is?

Oh, I wish I would remember this everysecond that I am here. Diane and I con-tinue to struggle being “works-in-progress”like everyone else. But we are happy to report that the ego’s vise is loosening itsgrip and we continue to feel more free.

When we actually know that the treas-ure of God’s Love is within us all the time,we find it much easier not to take our-selves so seriously. We laugh a lot more,and when we find worry entering into ourminds, we remind ourselves that worry isan ego thought and not a thought thatGod puts into our minds.

I laugh at myself on this warm sunnyday as I wear my rainbow sweater and at-tempt a first draft of this article with thehope that by wearing my rainbow sweater,I will become more inspired and inspira-tional.

On the days I wear my rainbow sweater,I find that people will often remark aboutwhat a lovely rainbow sweater I’m wear-ing. I like responding, “Look again; It is notjust that my sweater is a rainbow sweaterbut that I AM THE RAINBOW; THE TREAS-URE AT THE END OF RAINBOW IS WITHINME. WE ARE BOTH THE RAINBOW AND THETREASURE JOINED AS ONE.”

How can anyone look at a rainbow andnot smile. How can you not smile whenyou KNOW you are the rainbow. We do notthink of the past or future when we look ata rainbow, we enjoy the rainbow withoutanalyzing it as our egos would stimulateus to do. Rainbows keep us in the presentand open the gate for our hearts to flowout with love, joy and zest that is beyondbelief.

Recognizing the treasure that God isand the treasure of God’s Love that iswithin us allows us to experience the realworld where there are no illusions and ourhearts are filled only with God’s Love andwith Peace, Joy and Light.

CommentsContinued from Page 3

12 THE HOLY ENCOUNTER

Treasure HuntingContinued from Page 1

else.” (T148)

The Course tells us that God wants onlyus because nothing in this world holds anyvalue. We are His only treasure. In truth, it’sthe same for us. Nothing in this worldholds any value and does not provide uswith the purpose we areseeking. This does notmean we stop participat-ing in the world. It meansthat we participate in a“new” way. As lesson 155 inthe Course’s workbooksays...

“The world is an illusion.Those who choose to cometo it are seeking for a placewhere they can be illusions,and avoid their own reality.Yet when they find their own reality is evenhere, then they step back and let it lead theway. What other choice is really theirs tomake? To let illusions walk ahead of truth ismadness. But to let illusion sink behind thetruth and let the truth stand forth as what itis, is merely sanity.”

We can still participate in this world thatis truly not our home and thereby be thetreasure that God would have us be. This ishow we become the sanity in a world ofinsanity; this is how we bring purpose to apurposeless world.

I recently heard an interview on NPRwith the Attorney General of California,Jerry Brown, which echoed these ideas.Brown is currently seeking the office ofGovernor of California. Brown alreadyserved as Governor of California from1975-1983, had an unsuccessful run forthe U.S. Senate and ran for President threetimes. After his senate run, he traveled toJapan to study Zen Buddhism. Whenasked what he learned from Buddhismthat might help him in his current run forgovernor he said, “Illusions are endless andour job as human beings is to cut themdown.”

After a very public gubernatorial youthin which he dated singer Linda Ronstadtand was dubbed “Governor Moonbeam,”Brown has been quietly serving the stateof California by returning to politics and

serving as Mayor of Oakland. It is unconventional in politics to go

“backward” (from governor to mayor,) butBrown does not see it that way. “All greatreligious traditions focus on the dangersof vanity and pride and ego, and that’s thecontinuous struggle, particularly in publiclife where there’s so much adulation andattention. It is crucial that a person seethrough the emptiness of many of the

thoughts and statementsthat people are given to.”

When announcing his candidacy, Brown said hewas best suited to be gover-nor because he is someone“with insider’s knowledge,but an outsider’s mind.”

No matter what side of thepolitical aisle you are on, thisapproach will be an interest-ing one to watch. I am notendorsing any particular

candidate but simply bringing to light thatin one of the most ego-embedded arenasaround, these thoughts are being expressed and someone is attempting toapproach politics from another way.

It can be done. We can approach lifefrom a spiritual perspective without itbeing called naive or airy-fairy. I believethat the Course has some very wise coun-sel for doing this, as we read in lesson 155:

“If truth demanded they [we who walk thisworld] give up the world, it would appear tothem as if it asked the sacrifice of somethingthat is real. Many have chosen to renouncethe world while still believing its reality. Andthey have suffered from a sense of loss, andhave not been released accordingly. Othershave chosen nothing but the world, and theyhave suffered from a sense of loss stilldeeper, which they did not understand.

Between these paths there is another roadthat leads away from loss of every kind, forsacrifice and deprivation both are quicklyleft behind. This is the way appointed for younow.”

Renouncing this world as an illusionand saying that we should not participatein it, is a useless form of denial. I am alwaysamazed when I get emails from wellmeaning Course students who tell me I amtoo focused on the world and don’t I understand that the world is an illusion, asthey use their illusory computers to send

me their corrections.Our denial of the world will not make

the world go away or prove to anyonehow spiritual we are by separating our-selves from all those deluded ones whoare cherishing the world. The only thingthat will undo the illusion is our focus onthe truth ... the love of God within us, thetreasure that we ALL are.

The path between denial of the worldand cherishing the world, as the abovepassage suggests, is new to us and willtake practice. That is why the Course’sworkbook lessons are so helpful in provid-ing us with that daily practice, but we alsojust have to begin. We can’t wait until thekids go off to college or until we retire sowe have more time for our spiritual development. If we hope to find our purpose and live a life of fulfillment, wemust start right now. Walt Disney oncesaid, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

My son, Jeffrey, has been reading theHarry Potter books, and I am reminded ofhow Harry, while he was growing up, wasnever made aware of his true wizard na-ture. When he finally finds out who he is,he has to catch up to the other studentswho had always known they were wizards.

“

”

The only thing thatwill undo the illusionis our focus on thetruth...the love ofGod within us, thetreasure that we

ALL are.

New Online ACIM Text

Handy Reference Now Available

Do you ever find yourself on the roadwithout your Course book? Would youlike to be reminded of your daily lessonor find a particular passage? If so, ournew online Course will be helpful. Youcan browse through the entire Courseand even search for selected passages.

Just go to our website atwww.miraclecenter.org

13May / June 2010

Continued on Page 15

So Harry had to start learning who he was,make mistakes and keep trying.

If you saw the first Harry Potter movie,you will remember that he had to take atrain to Hogwart’s (the wizard school) andthe train left from track “9-3/4’s.” It was nottrack 9 or 10, it was a track between thetwo. We watched as all the other Hogwartstudents walked into a place between thetwo tracks and disappeared. Harry tried towalk into that place over and over again tono avail, but he didn’t give up. Eventhough this was something he had neverdone before and was not having muchsuccess at, he kept trying until he made it.Once he made it, it became the most natu-ral thing in the world to him. Thismetaphor echoes what the Course tells uswhen it says, “It is quite possible to reachGod. In fact it is very easy, because it is themost natural thing in the world. You mighteven say it is the only natural thing in theworld. The way will open if you believethat it is possible.” (Lesson 41)

It is possible to walk a path of faith in aworld of illusions. It is possible to see thevaluelessness of the world without deny-ing your experience of it. But, it does re-quire practice and intentionality. We can’tget discouraged when the world doesn’tsupport our walk because the worldwasn’t made to support our truth, but thatdoesn’t mean that the world can’t be usedto help us awaken. The Course reminds usthat love does not condemn the illusionsof the world that we value, respectingwhat we have made, but shows us howthey can be used lovingly to help awakenus from our illusions.

My friend Jerry Jampolsky once shareda story about a meeting he had withMother Teresa. He admitted to her how hewanted to remember God every momentof the day and practice a more forgivingand patient behavior, but he kept forget-ting and falling back into old habits.Mother Teresa lovingly told him that it washis intentionality that was important, nothis acts. If his heart had the intention ofpeace and healing, he would succeed.

The Course tells us that the Holy Spiritsees only one purpose for the world andthat is our healing. When we believe thatthe world can fulfill us and bring us thehappiness and treasures we seek, we getlost in the world, and misuse it. The worldthen owns us and we “will not escape its

laws of violence and death.” (T512) This iswhere many of us feel we are now. Wehave forgotten that we are God’s treasure.We have forgotten that this world cannotdiminish us or frighten us if we allow theHoly Spirit to reinterpret the world to Hispurpose: a teaching device for bringing ushome.

Let our intention be to focus on thetreasure of God within us all. Let us notfocus on the hurts and hates we may wantto dwell on when the promise of our heal-

ing is so near. Let us not get distracted bythe world that seems so overwhelmingwhen we are promised that our salvationis at hand. It is time for us to arise in gloryand accept our Father’s opinion of us...thatwe ARE His treasure and He wants nothingelse. This awareness in our minds mayseem to change nothing in this world, butit will change us. And as our focus beginsto change, from illusions to truth from fearto love, the world will change.

So SimpleContinued from Page 1

both, when the questions and commentsstarted coming.

The remarks were all over the place,comparing our philosophy to past speak-ers’ beliefs, questioning that we had madecertain basic assumptions, disagreeingwith how we had worded certain points,and all-in-all rejecting anything we hadsaid with certainty. One person said, “Youaren’t very dynamic. We’ve heard all of thisbefore.” Although he didadd that the demonstra-tion with the couple was“interesting.”

Naturally, each of us hasour own individualprocess, and Gayle’s andmine clearly is not a goodfit for many people. How-ever, what this long-stand-ing and apparently satedgroup was challengingwas not the merit of ouranswers but the fact thatwe had answers.

With a few exceptions, the individualmembers had convinced themselves thatit’s better to seek than to find. They wereoffended that we had settled on a waythat was best for us. If your purpose is to“seek the truth,” finding the truth pulls themeaning of your life out from under you.

The beliefs that Gayle and I try to live byare quite simple. We have noticed, in fact,that they become simpler the longer wework at practicing them. Our prayers noware often only two or three words long.

Sometimes only one. But we find that westop and still our minds several times aday, not on any schedule, but wheneverwe sense that we are getting caught up insomething trivial.

In our opinion, it is not how many waysyou have of stating the truth but howcommitted you are to carrying it out mo-ment by moment that determinesprogress. Many people get caught up inlooking for better statements of truthrather than practicing what they alreadyknow.

And we all know enough.We know enough to get usthrough today. Whether it’sthe Sermon on the Mount,the Golden Rule, the TwelveSteps, or simply the desire tobe kind to those we en-counter and think of, any ofthose approaches, plus thou-sands of others that are sim-ple, familiar, and much-used,are sufficient.

Gayle and I are students ofA Course in Miracles, and here

too, if just one truth were pulled from thatscripture and sincerely lived by anyone, allpossible spiritual blessings would flowtheir way. Why? Because Truth is One. Anypart of Truth contains it all.

The following is one way of stating theideas that Gayle and I try to live by:

1. Keep it simple.2. Don’t make things worse.3. Ask for help often. 4. Having asked, trust that the One who is

“

”

However, what thislong-standing andapparently sated

group was challeng-ing was not the

merit of our answersbut the fact that we

had answers.

�

15May / June 2010

What’s HappeningContinued from Page 2

9th, 2011. Plan to join us at the beau-tiful Crowne Plaza Hotel as we exploreA Course in Miracles in this intensiveseminar consisting of lectures, guidedexperiences and music. More detailswill be provided in future issues.

�“Trust would settle every problemnow,” says A Course in Miracles, buthow do we get to the point where weare willing to trust? That is whereprayer comes in. Taking time to pray,to simply quiet our minds allows us toexperience the power of God, for the“memory of God comes to the quietmind.” When we take those quiet mo-ments during the day to have faiththat God can and will settle everyproblem now, we call upon the powerof the universe, the power of love towork miracles in our lives. We inviteyou to practice this awareness with useveryday at 4:30pm as we join with allin our prayer ministry to rememberthe power of love to transform ourlives and this world. If you have aprayer request, please send it to MDC.

�

Don’t forget to request your free, full-color bookmark which lists all thethoughts in the prayer ministry for2010.Affirmations for:May: I will step back and let Him lead

the way. (L155)June: God’s peace and joy are mine.

(L105)July: You peace is with me, Father. I am

safe. (L245)

So SimpleContinued from Page 13

with you is now helping you.5. Don’t be arrogant and think that youcan’t learn or do what God wills.6. God’s will is already your will. You al-ready want to be as happy as God wantsyou to be.7. Trust that each individual is God’s cho-sen home.8. Forgive anything you see in another thatGod did not make.9. Forgive yourself. The desire to remainguilty comes from your ego.

10. Stay in the present. God’s presence canonly be entered into now.11. Act from strength and certainty. As youhave been promised, you will awaken fromhell into heaven. 12. Heal everyone and every thing. Healthe world. Salvation depends on you. Allof God’s angels lovingly sustain you in thisGod-given assignment.

Sit quietly and ask yourself what you be-lieve. Do you want to be a better persontoday than you were yesterday? Then thatis enough. Do you notice that you are happier when you are kind rather thancontrolling? Then that is enough. Do youfind that the harsh circumstances of theworld soften a little when you meditate?Then that is enough.

Anything that comes up today, any-thing at all, cannot block you completelyfrom having some degree of peace. Be stilla moment and you will feel it. God ispeace. God embraces you in peace. Godguides you through peace. The hand ofpeace is on your forehead. Feel it now.Then hear peace speak to you these gentlewords: “Nothing is lost and no one is faraway, for I am with you always.”

�

14

Course in Miracles says miracleshappen naturally as expressions oflove. When they do not occur,

something hasgone wrong. I canattest to thattruth. Fifty yearsafter somethingwent wrong withmy marriage,here’s what hap-pened to me.

I was enjoying my high school reunion,our fiftieth, in the small town of Placerville.Once a year we see one another not as oldfolks, but as the beautiful, flirtatious, hope-ful kids we once were. Agebecomes an illusion. But atthis reunion, a thin, un-happy-looking old man ar-rived whom none of usrecognized, or even caredto approach, as he lookedso dismal. My sister-in-law,Kathy, brought him to me,holding him by one skinnyarm as if he were about torun away. “Do you knowwho this is?”

No, I didn’t. I saw onlythe wrinkled face, the largenose, the bad teeth. Butthen I looked into his eyes.“Jimmy!” I threw my armsaround his skinny body. He lookedshocked. I was too. I did not know why Ihad thrown my arms around this man whohad nothing to do with me for decades.We had married right out of high schooland bitterly divorced after six years ofquarreling. Our two sons, now grown, hadlong ago written him off as a “cranky old

A

••

••

••

••

••

••

••

••

Share a Miracle

• • • • • • • • by Helen Bonner �

Healing the Past in the Present

This column shares the everyday “miracles” or, as A Course in Miracles says, the“shifts in our perception” that are constantly taking place in our lives to remindus of our unity and love. We invite readers to share their “miracles” with us.

bastard.” But here he was. Though helooked ill, he had driven three hours fromthe San Francisco bay area, where he’dspent his life as a physicist in a radiationlab. Kathy was the first to speak. “Whatbrought you here after all these years?”

“I was lonely,” he said, with dignifiedsimplicity. The three of us stood silent,tears streaming down our faces. Some-thing in my heart opened. Was this whatthe Course calls a Holy Instant? This man Iremembered as closed off, expressing nofeelings except anger, was now admittinghis vulnerability, his need. His wife had re-cently died after years of Alzheimer’s. “Herbrain wouldn’t tell her feet what to do,” so

he carried her from room toroom in their lonely house.From the look of him, Ithought it must have takenthe last of his strength. Hehad paid his dues.

We talked for hours, butwhen I suggested we get to-gether with our sons, he fledlike a man faced with theLast Judgment, or at least along delayed demand forchild support. It would takemany more miracles to healour family, and this fright-ened man, soon to be diag-nosed with leukemia, hadonly a few months to live.

The Course says the past can be healedin the present. If we have even a little will-ingness to bring forgiveness to a situation,the Holy Spirit will enter in the form oflove. What peace that brought to me andto Jim, who died surrounded by his family.

�

“

”

I was enjoying myhigh school reunion,our fiftieth, in thesmall town of

Placerville. Once ayear we see one

another not as oldfolks, but as the

beautiful, flirtatious,hopeful kids we once were.

Dr. Bonner is the author of First Love Las and can be reached at hbonron@sbcglobal.net. Her website is hbonnerbooks.com.

Helen Bonner

Available fromthe Center

To Order

1-800-359-ACIM(2246) or at miraclecenter.org

Memories ofHelen and Bill

A 2-Disc DVD set that focuseson lives of the scribes of A Course in Miracles, Dr. HelenSchucman and Dr. William Thetford. In this three-hour celebration

of the 25th anniversary of theCourse’s publication, held in Anaheim, California in 2001 at Miracle Distribution Center’s Annual Conference, Dr. KennethWapnick and Judith Skutch Whitson share their experienceswith and recollections of Dr.’sSchucman and Thetford. Augmented by more than a

hundred photos, this DVD setgives an intimate view of thelives of the two people responsible for bringing theCourse to the world.

Two DVD’s $30.00+ S&H. CA res, add sales tax

MiracleDistribution CenterFounded 1978

3947 E. La Palma Ave.Anaheim, CA 92807

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non ProfitOrg

US PostagePAID

Anaheim CAPermit No 143

In this issue of The Holy Encounter. . .

• Beverly Hutchinson McNeff takes us “Treasure Hunting”

• Hugh Prather says it’s, “So Simple It’s Insulting”

• Jerry Jampolsky and Diane Cirincione comment on

“The Treasure of God”

• Jacob Glass suggests that we “Never Face Facts”

• Lee Jampolsky helps us create meaning and purpose in

our work

• Dick Gayton recommends that we “reboot” our minds

• And so much more!

See page 15 for more details!

An International Conference on A Course in Miracles