ACFIP Newsletter Issue 31

ACFIP Newsletter
Issue 31 - December 2011
Quarterly Newsletter of the Australian Centre for Inner Peace

Michael Dawson
PO Box 125, Point Lookout
North Stradbroke Island,
Queensland 4183,
Australia

Email: mdawson@acfip.org
Web site: http://www.acfip.org

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CONTENTS:

* Uncaused Happiness
* Kirtana
* Waking Up From The Dream Of “Me”
* Workshops
* Books and Audio Materials for Sale
* Links
* Inspirational Quotations

If you wish to read previous issues please go to http://www.acfip.org/newsletterarchive.html.

If your email address ends with .au I put your address on my Australian list for advance notice of workshops I am giving in Australia. If you do not want to be on this list please let me know. If you reside in Australia and want to be on this list, but you address does not end in .au, please email me and I will include it.

If you are new to the Course you might find my summaries of help.
You can find them at http://www.acfip.org/sum.html and http://www.acfip.org/art4.html

New
1. Healing the Cause -A Path of Forgiveness.
Inspired by A Course in Miracles.
This is the eBook version of the paper back.

2. A Course in Miracles - Explanations of Major Themes
New book in eBook format

3. Forgiveness - A Path to Inner Peace.
Inspired by A Course in Miracles
This is the eBook version of the paper back.

The eBook versions can be read on Kindle, iPad, Microsoft eReader, Nook, PDF readers (Mac and PC) and most eBook readers.

• Downloadable MP3s of my Healing the Cause self-help CDs now available.
See below for details.

For more details and how to purchase please visit: http://www.acfip.org/books_tapes.html

Regards

Michael Dawson

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Uncaused Happiness

God's Will for you is perfect happiness because there is no sin, and suffering is causeless. Joy is just, and pain is but the sign you have misunderstood yourself.
‘A Course in Miracles’ Lesson 101

A Story
Once there was a piece of ice floating in the ocean. It had led quite an interesting and full life, but had recently become disturbed by a sense that there was something more to life. For some time, it had been on a spiritual search and began to hear that its true reality was something called ‘water’. It started to search for this water, but was not quite sure what it was or where to find it, having been told that water was without shape, was soft, and that you could easily move through it. A great puzzle to the ice; when it examined itself, it found that it had a shape, was hard and was certainly not fluid. This prompted discussion with other bits of ice and many long debates on the subject.

In time, the ice floated into warmer water and was alarmed to find itself becoming smaller. A great fear overcame the ice, for it believed that it was dying. It started to pray for help. One day, it heard a reassuring voice say that all was well. The voice said that the ice was no different from the water in which it floated, and although this made little sense to the ice, it felt it could trust the voice. The voice explained that, instead of dying, it was becoming one with the ocean. The ice still feared it was being asked to sacrifice something - its individuality. It felt it still had things to do in the world - things to achieve, experiences to have. The voice said that it could return to the colder climates if it wished, but the oneness that it was beginning to experience would haunt it until one day it would return to these warmer climes, and finally allow itself to dissolve and join fully. It was told that no true happiness lies in the world of separation; that the only happiness worth having is uncaused happiness.

This ‘ocean’ that the ice feared is actually happiness and peace, and will always be there waiting for us.
(Thanks to the teacher Mooji for the original metaphor.)

Seek not outside yourself. For it will fail, and you will weep each time an idol falls. Heaven cannot be found where it is not, and there can be no peace excepting there. ........ Seek not outside yourself. For all your pain comes simply from a futile search for what you want, insisting where it must be found. What if it is not there? Do you prefer that you be right or happy?
T-29.VII.1 T617

Although we seemed to have achieved the goal of separation and individuality we are left feeling that there is something missing in our lives, we do not feel ‘complete’. The Holy Spirit would tell us that what is missing is the oneness with all life and God. But fearing this Voice, we have only the ego thought system to turn to. The ego tells us that there is something lacking in us and we can only find it by looking in the world for it. We try to fill the bottomless pit in ourselves by plunging into work, eating, drinking, sex, entertainment and above all, by ‘falling in love’.

If happiness is our natural state, as the Course says it is, why do so few of us experience it? We are told we are still as God created us - at one with God joyful, peaceful, and happy.

This state of happiness can only exist in unity. Our experience, however, is one of separation. We have chosen uniqueness, specialness, individuality thinking this would be an improvement upon the state of unity. But now we find ourselves unhappy. The ego counsels us that we could be happy, but we will need to search for it. Now we are caught in the trap of desire. If only we can get what we desire we will be happy. But in the natural state, we have everything. No desire exists there. In fact, happiness is the absence of desire.

We think that once we achieve the object of our desire, we will be happy and for a short time we are. But is it really achieving the object of desire that causes happiness? What is really happening is the moment the desire is fulfilled, there is no desire. With the absence of desire we also experience the absence of the ego thought system and our natural state arises. The ego is no longer blocking it, at least for a moment, and we experience happiness. So it's never the fulfillment of desire that brings happiness but simply the absence of desire.

The personal self by its very nature is constantly pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain. The ending of this pattern is the ending of the self. The ending of the self with its desires and fears enables you to return to your real nature, the source of all happiness and peace.
Nisargadatta Maharaj

If this is not understood (and few of us do understand it) then we will always turn to the ego for the solution to our unhappiness. The ego says "Seek but do not find" T-16.V.6. Of course, it never tells us this openly. It comes up with all sorts of grand plans to make us happy which never work. Instead we feel even more guilty which is its true intention. Guilt is the food of the ego. Forgiveness undoes guilt and starves the ego until it finally fades away.

This course has explicitly stated that its goal for you is happiness and peace. Yet you are afraid of it. You have been told again and again that it will set you free, yet you sometimes react as if it is trying to imprison you. You often dismiss it more readily than you dismiss the ego's thought system. To some extent, then, you must believe that by not learning the course you are protecting yourself. And you do not realize that it is only your guiltlessness that can protect you.
T-13.II.7:1-6

The purpose of A Course in Miracles is to teach us how to be at peace and happy no matter what is happening around us. It also teaches us that this is the last thing we want. One look at the state of our lives and the world will bear this out.

Why would we not want peace? There must be something we are very afraid of here - and there is. It will cost us everything we cherish: our individuality, our specialness, our need to be right, the seeming control over our lives or, in a word, our ego. The Course defines the ‘ego’ as the thought of separation, our desire to separate from God and do our own thing. The ego’s song is "I did it my way". The ego believes it knows everything needed to find happiness in the world and does not require any inner guidance, thank you. Jesus points out that we could progress quickly on the path to peace and happiness by listening to the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit, but we find the idea personally insulting (M-9.2:4). It implies that all our hard-won knowledge and experience in life counts for nothing when it comes to finding real joy. He goes further and states that if we believe we are bodies then we are insane. And how can the insane possible know how to find peace? They obviously need help from outside their deluded thought system. We are all psychotic to Jesus and all need his help to extricate ourselves from the pain and loneliness we are in.

The only way we can return to peace is to willingly give up the ego through the practice of forgiveness and turning within for help. But the ego is our creation, an idea the sleeping Son of God once thought was a very good idea (and still does). However, as the Course points out, our "tolerance for pain may be high but is not without limit." (T-2.III.3:5). To maintain the seeming separation from God is very tiring. To be at home in Heaven but pretend we are in time and space takes a lot of effort and we slowly begin to think there must be "another way".

Learn this, and learn it well, for it is here delay of happiness is shortened by a span of time you cannot realize. You never hate your brother for his sins, but only for your own. Whatever form his sins appear to take, it but obscures the fact that you believe them to be yours, and therefore meriting a "just" attack.
T-31.III.1.4:6

Each day we have a choice to make. We can say, "I want to be right and happiness is unimportant," or we can say, "I want to be happy and peaceful, I don't need to be right." We should never underestimate our desire to be right. This is how the seeming separation from God started. We thought we knew how we could have something even better than Heaven. The idea of separate beings who could play at being God sounded right. What we have discovered is a loss of peace and joy, but we don't want to admit to it, and continue to try to find that elusive happiness here in the world. We are right but no longer happy.

Each day when we awake we can see it as a classroom of forgiveness. We can understand that "I am never upset for the reason I think" (Lesson 5) and ask to see peace instead. We can learn to smile gently at the ego and take life less seriously. In this way we gradually undo the ego's grip on us and start to experience the quiet joy and peace that is always waiting for us.

(Some of the above material has been taken from the ebook A Course in Miracles - Explanations of Major Themes by Michael Dawson.)

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Kirtana

Song Lyrics from Falling Awake CD by Kirtana
(highly recommended - Michael)
www.kirtana.com

The Train Song

Just because the tracks are laid...
or just because your ticket's paid for...
and some crazed conductor
keeps on calling out your name,
you don't need to board the train.
No, you don't need to board the train.

Trains of thought will come and go,
but you are not your thoughts, you know -
so why get all caught up in where they lead?

You are who these thoughts
are passing through - don't you see.
You are who these thoughts are passing through.
Be free. Be free.

Even when you're feeling frightened,
sad or hurt or unenlightened,
you can find a peace
that underlies what passes by.
Don't mistake the weather for the sky (of your being)
Why mistake the weather for the sky?

Feelings rise then fall away -
even those you wish would stay,
so why equate your sense of self with mood?
You are who emotion
passes through - don't you see.
You are who emotion passes through.
Be free. Be free.

What a blessing to have taken birth
in this human form -
with the chance to see
that who we are was really never born,
can never die, is always free.

If Destiny decides to strike
some version of the script you like
And make a melodrama
of your endless cabaret,
you know you can still enjoy the play (yes you can) -
if you're still and you know how to play.

Just treat it like a mystery
and view it from the balcony.
Laugh and cry and stomp your feet,
but don't believe a thing.

You are who these scenes
are passing through - don't you see.
You are who this play is passing through.
Be free. Be free.

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Who Hears This Sound?
Adyashanti On Waking Up From The Dream Of “Me”
extracts from an interview by Luc Saunders & Sy Safransky
The Sun - December 2007

www.adyashanti.org

Awakening and Enlightenment:
Awakening is when you realize that what you thought you were was nothing more than a dream, and you perceive the reality outside the dream, what’s dreaming the dream of you. It’s not just a mystical experience. It is actually realizing the underlying unity of all things. It’s waking up from the dream of “me” and seeing the oneness of all things. That’s what I mean by “reality”: that oneness. The truth is that you are that unity. You are not simply a particular person in a particular body with a particular personality; you are that one reality, which manifests itself as all these seemingly separate things.

I think of as “life after awakening.” There’s this myth of “That’s it. I have that experience; I hoist my enlightenment flag, and it’s over.” Sooner or later most everybody realizes it’s not that simple. There’s a whole other phase of the spiritual life that happens after awakening, and in some ways it’s more subtle and complex and difficult to navigate.
After that initial awakening, there is almost always the work of cleaning up, of the “me” surrendering itself. I usually say that’s the beginning of the second phase of spirituality: what

Simply because you’ve had an awakening, however, does not mean you stay awake. Enlightenment, in simple terms, is when you stay awake. If the awakening is abiding, that’s enlightenment. And most awakenings are not abiding — at least, not initially.

Facing Illusions
Spiritual awakening doesn’t happen because you master some spiritual technique. There are lots of skillful meditators who are not awake. Awakening happens when you stop bullshitting yourself into continual nonawakening. It’s very easy to use disciplines to avoid reality rather than to encounter it. A true spirituality will have you continually facing your illusions and all the ways you avoid reality. Spiritual practice may be an important means of confronting yourself, or it may be a means of avoiding yourself; it all depends on your attitude and intention.
Saunders: So there is still transformational work to be done after awakening, in order to become fully enlightened.
Adyashanti: I wouldn’t call it “transformational work.” It’s just paying attention to what is. There’s no time when you’re so awake that you get to stop paying attention and go back to sleep again. I’m still capable of having a thought that’s untrue move through my mind and emotionally grab me for a second. Seeing that these thoughts aren’t true is a continual process.
You can’t just understand it with your mind, though. You’ve got to see it from your whole being. And it seems that, the more you see through these thoughts, the less often they visit, and the more you can actually express reality through your actions, through your relationships, and through who you are as a human being. I guess one could call that “trans- formational work,” but when there’s real awakening, it doesn’t feel like work. Once you see reality, once you know it, you know the whole of it. In that sense, there’s no deepening. But, at the same time, reality is like a bud that keeps opening. The petals keep re- vealing themselves. It’s not as if that bud becomes something that it wasn’t before. It just keeps showing its potential. Real- ity reveals itself more and more over time. I can’t see a limit to that, since we’re talking about something that’s inherently without limit. Who knows, though. I’m always open to being surprised. [Laughs.]

Ego:
Saunders: How do you define “ego,” and what happens to it upon awakening?
Adyashanti: To me, ego isn’t this thing that we need to get rid of. It’s like a verb: a phenomenon, a movement of thought that alters and distorts perception. It causes us to see ourselves as occupants of a world that is quite distinct and different from us, and to see everybody and everything in that world as separate from us. So that movement of mind and belief is what I would call “ego.”
After you awaken, you no longer identify with ego. You don’t see it as real. All the ways that it divides us no longer seem real or even rational, but rather like forms of insanity. Statements about the ego “disappearing” miss the mark. The ego is still there; you just see it to be an illusion.

Future Trap:
One of the best ways to avoid awakening is to let the idea of awakening be co-opted by the mind and then projected onto a future event: something that’s going to happen outside of this moment. Of course, something may happen in the next moment — something’s always happening in the next moment — but the truth lies right here and right now; it is right here and right now. This looking to the future isn’t really the fault of the spiritual practices themselves; it’s the attitude with which the mind engages in the practices — an attitude that is seeking a future end and seeing that end as somehow inherently different from what already exists here and now.

The role of the spiritual practice:
The role of the spiritual practice is basically to exhaust the seeker. If the practice does what it’s supposed to do, it exhausts our energy for seeking, and then reality has a chance to present itself. In that sense, spiritual practices can help lead to awakening. But that’s different from saying that the practice produces the awakening.
The spiritual practitioner is like someone who’s running and is really tired and wants to rest. You could say, “Well, just stop, then.” But they have this idea that they have to cross a finish line before they can stop. If you can convince them that they can just stop, they’ll be amazed. They’ll say, “I didn’t know I could stop and rest.” Or maybe they won’t hear what you’re telling them, and they’ll have to go all the way to their finish line. And after they cross it, then they’ll stop and say, “Wow! It feels really good to rest.” So awakening can come after you cross the finish line in the future, but it’s also possible to find it at any point along the way if you stop for just a moment.

Reality as a hunter:
As I see it, reality is always looking for that moment of vulnerability, when we let our guard down. It’s not looking for good people or bad people. Clearly some real scoundrels have had amazing experiences of reality, right? Some are transformed by them, and some aren’t. Reality is not operating on any moral principle. It’s looking for a moment when the seeker is exhausted. It can be prompted by some tragic event: an ill- ness, or the death of a loved one, or a divorce. Reality rushes into the crack and presents itself.

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Forthcoming Workshops on A Course in Miracles
in Australia and Germany

For up to date information on my workshops go to http://www.acfip.org/fws.html

Australia 2012 Dates

Brisbane

Relaxation Centre

BRISBANE - 1 day - Sunday 25 March 2012

9.30a.m. to 4.30p.m.

Happiness Is Our Natural State
from the perspective of A Course in Miracles

Forgiveness offers everything I want.What could you want forgiveness cannot give? Do you want peace? Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that transcends the world? Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of sure protection always? Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep, abiding comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset? All this forgiveness offers you, and more.
A Course in Miracles. Lesson 122

While we search to fulfil our desires in the expectation of happiness we block the awareness of the constant, uncaused happiness within - our natural state.

Happiness is the absence of desire; forgiveness reveals our natural state.

This workshop explores how we block this happiness and how it can be revealed.

No knowledge of A Course in Miracles is required.

VENUE:
Relaxation Centre,
15 South Pine Road
Alderley
Brisbane 4051

COST
$55

BOOKINGS:
Relaxation Centre
07 3856 3733
(Please do not book through me)

The Brisbane Relaxation Centre has informed me that many people are increasingly booking at the last moment.
I check the number of participants on Friday morning before the workshop.
If numbers are small I cancel the workshop so those the are booked can be informed and make other plans for their weekend.
If you wish to attend the workshop please book by the Thursday before.

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Germany 2012 Dates

Bonn

June 16 and 17, 2012
9.30am to 5.30pm

Surrendering to the Light: Undoing the Ego
from the perspective of A Course in Miracles

Love waits on welcome, not on time.
Release is given you the instant you desire it.
(A Course in Miracles)

The Course teaches us that we do not know the way home and need to be guided from within. Realising we know nothing about discovering our inner joy and peace, the workshop aims to explore the path of humility and surrender to allow truth to reveal itself to us.

As we approach the light our ego will become fearful and will resist its own undoing. Our minds do not want to release control and seek to be in charge of our spiritual path. Only by stopping, letting go, relaxing, trust and surrender can we fully open to the love, wisdom and peace within us.

We play our part by discovering the obstacles to love and releasing them through forgiveness.

Workshop subjects will include: the nature of the ego, no path to God, fear of love, not knowing the way, awareness, "I need do nothing", being in the present, ladder of trust and forgiveness.

Exercises will be used to help us undo the ego and move into the present moment.

No knowledge of A Course in Miracles is required.

An Evening Introductory Talk - Fri 15th June 2012
7.30pm to 9.30pm

Contact:
Albert-Schweitzer-Haus
Beethovenallee 16
Bonn 53173
tel: 0228 - 36 47 37
http://www.albert-schweitzer-haus-bonn.de

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Freiburg

June 23 and 24, 2012
10 am to 6 pm

Surrendering to the Light: Undoing the Ego
from the perspective of A Course in Miracles

Love waits on welcome, not on time.
Release is given you the instant you desire it.
(A Course in Miracles)

The Course teaches us that we do not know the way home and need to be guided from within. Realising we know nothing about discovering our inner joy and peace, the workshop aims to explore the path of humility and surrender to allow truth to reveal itself to us.

As we approach the light our ego will become fearful and will resist its own undoing. Our minds do not want to release control and seek to be in charge of our spiritual path. Only by stopping, letting go, relaxing, trust and surrender can we fully open to the love, wisdom and peace within us.

We play our part by discovering the obstacles to love and releasing them through forgiveness.

Workshop subjects will include: the nature of the ego, no path to God, fear of love, not knowing the way, awareness, "I need do nothing", being in the present, ladder of trust and forgiveness.

Exercises will be used to help us undo the ego and move into the present moment.

No knowledge of A Course in Miracles is required.

An Evening Introductory Talk - Fri 22 June 2011
8pm - 9.45pm

Contact:
Margarete Sennekamp
Winterhaldenweg 4,
79856 Hinterzarten,
Tel./Fax: 07652-917530
email: M.Sennekamp@t-online.de
www.Sophia-Institut.de

Biography
Michael discovered A Course in Miracles whilst visiting the Findhorn Foundation in 1982. He subsequently became a member of the Foundation for about six years and involved himself with healing and teaching. In 1994 he published Healing the Cause - A Path of Forgiveness which serves as an introduction to the Course. His second book, The Findhorn Book of Forgiveness (Findhorn Press) uses exercises, stories and case histories to guide the reader to inner peace through forgiveness. Michael now lives in Australia and gives workshops on the Course world-wide.

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PLEASE NOTE: The Australian Centre for Inner Peace is not a counselling or psychotherapy centre; therefore we do not offer telephone or email service or counselling, therapy, or crisis intervention for personal problems. Please see the Contacts section at the end of this newsletter.
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BOOKS AND AUDIO MATERIALS FOR SALE - by Michael Dawson

New teaching and healing materials - eBooks and downloadable MP3s:

Ebooks:

1. Healing the Cause -A Path of Forgiveness.
Inspired by A Course in Miracles.
This is the eBook version of the paper back.

2. A Course in Miracles - Explanations of Major Themes
New book in eBook format

3. Forgiveness - A Path to Inner Peace.
Inspired by A Course in Miracles
This is the eBook version of the paper back.

The eBook versions can be read on Kindle, iPad, Microsoft eReader, Nook, PDF readers (Mac and PC) and most eBook readers.

For more details and how to purchase please visit: www.acfip.org/books_tapes.html

Downloadable Mp3s:

1. Healing the Cause: Self-Help Exercises 1
This MP3 contains the identical four exercises as the CD

2. Healing the Cause: Self-Help Exercises 2
This MP3 contains the identical four exercises as the CD

3. Healing the Cause: 3 Self-Help Exercises in English with German translation
This MP3 contains the identical three exercises as the CD

For more details and how to purchase please visit: http://www.acfip.org/books_tapes.html

Books:
Healing the Cause - A Path of Forgiveness. Findhorn Press 1994
Also available in German, Romanian, French, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese.

The Findhorn Book of Forgiveness. Findhorn Press. 2003
Also available in German, French, Polish and Romanian.

For more details and how to purchase please visit: http://www.acfip.org/books_tapes.html

MP3s (see above) and CDs:
Healing the Cause:
Since 1986 I have been conducting healing workshops in the UK and abroad, and have continually experimented to find healing and forgiveness exercises that are effective. I have found that a particular exercise can be effective for one person but not another. Accordingly, I was led to develop a series of exercises. Over the years workshop participants asked if these exercises could be put onto audio cassettes and CDs so they could repeat them. This has resulted in the Healing the Cause - Exercise series - Tapes 1 to 4 (2 exercises on each tape) and CD1 and 2 (4 exercises on each CD)

CD - 3 Healing Exercises in English with German translation. 10 Euro
Content:
Ex1. Forgiving Ourselves.
Ex2. Changing Perception and Finding peace.
Ex3. Changing Perception of another - exercise for two people.

These exercises are similar to existing exercises already available on CDs but are translated into German.

Workshops:
1. Three Steps of Forgiveness.
This workshop concentrates on the process of forgiveness from the perspective of A Course in Miracles. Includes 3 healing exercises.
Recorded at the Annual Miracle Network Conference in London, November 2001. 1 hour 12 mins. One CD
2. Finding and Eliminating the Blocks to Receiving Guidance.
This talk investigates what stops us hearing the guidance that is ever present in our lives. Recorded at the Annual Miracle Network Conference in London, October 20001 hour. One CD

For more details and how to purchase please visit: http://www.acfip.org/audio.html

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CONTACTS and COURSE INFORMATION

Search Engine for ACIM Sites, Definitions and Articles by Joe Jesseph.
A Web search engine dedicated to finding discussion and definitions of terms and concepts found in
"A Course in Miracles" as well as Web sites, articles and other writings related to the Course.

Question and Answer Service from the Foundation for A Course in Miracles.
Their electronic outreach section has a question and answer service on the theory and practice of the Course. Their database of 1,400 questions and answers is searchable. They no longer take new questions as they feel all possible questions have now been put.

Foundation for Inner Peace..........................Publishers of _A Course in Miracles and responsible for the translation programme. On-line mail order.

Foundation For A Course In Miracles................FACIM is the official teaching organisation of the Foundation for Inner Peace and the copyright-holder of_A Course in Miracles and all related materials. Publishes the quarterly Lighthouse newsletter. They have extensive on-line mail order for their books, CDs and DVDs.
The Foundation was started by Kenneth and Gloria Wapnick and has moved to Temecula in California. Kenneth is my teacher of A Course in Miracles.

Their publications can also be ordered in Australia at:
Adyar Bookshop
230 Clarence Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Kenneth Wapnick ......……… Biographical information and excerpts from his writings

Kenneth Wapnick on YouTube

Glossary of ACIM terms from FACIM

"The Most Commonly asked Questions about A Course in Miracles"
by Kenneth and Gloria Wapnick

Index of Links to Miracle Studies Resources ...……....... A rich resource of materials on A Course in Miracles by an ex-staff member of the Foundation For A Course In Miracle. Joe also has a blog and has recently published A Primer of Psychology According to A Course in Miracles.

miraclestudies.net ………… A Course in Miracles Resource Web Site for ACIM Students

Search for A Course in Miracles Study Groups Around the World

Miracles Studies Australia http://www.miracle-studies.net.au lists study groups for Australia and new Zealand

Purchase ACIM on line
ACIM Historical Recordings & Video

A Course In Miracles Pen Pals:
The Miracle Network http://www.miracles.org.uk hosts a A Course in Miracles pen pals group:
To join this e-mail discussion group, send your e-mail address to e.pals@miracles.org.uk.
They will send you updated lists of other e.pals and inform them of your e-mail address.

Belief.net ACIM discussion:
This Belief.net web-based discussion is hosted by Joe Jesseph.
http://community.beliefnet.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=151

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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTATIONS

About three or four times a week I send a short quotation from some spiritual teacher or poet to people who have requested some uplifting thoughts. I have included some below. If you wish I can add your name to the email list.

How long, O Son of God, will you maintain the game of sin? Shall we not put away these sharp-edged children's toys? How soon will you be ready to come home? Perhaps today? There is no sin. Creation is unchanged. Would you still hold return to Heaven back? How long, O holy Son of God, how long?

A Course in Miracles Lesson 250

Do understand that you are destined for enlightenment.
Co-operate with your destiny, don't go against it, don't thwart it.
Allow it to fulfil itself.
All you have to do is to give attention to the obstacles created by the foolish mind.

Nisargadatta Maharaj

When you listen to the voice in your head, that
is to say, do not judge. You'll soon realize: there
is the voice, and here I am listening to it, watching
it. This I am realization, this sense of your own
presence, is not a thought. It arises from beyond
the mind.

Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now

One is more likely to awaken through surrender than through seeking to waken. The effort to awaken is the effort of ego, whereas to surrender is to give up all efforts and to place oneself in the hands of a vast force that is more powerful than any realization of non duality.
When one finally gives up one's futile attempts to make reality conform to one's own wishes, and allows it to unfold on its own terms, all the energy that was tied up in foolish attempts to manipulate the universe is freed up.

Mariana Caplan
Halfway Up the Mountain - The Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment

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Michael Dawson
PO Box 125
Point Lookout
North Stradbroke Island
Queensland 4183
Australia

EMAIL:       mdawson@acfip.org
WEBSITE:   http://www.acfip.org