A Course in Miracles with Amy Torres

28 Dec 2012 Comments Off on On This Clean Slate Let My True Function Be Written for Me

On This Clean Slate Let My True Function Be Written for Me

It’s almost January 1st. Time for a new beginning.

And where better to start than the loving classroom of A Course in Miracles? To bring in the new year right-mindedly, I’d like to share with you some phrases from the Course that are so simple and beautiful they lift the heart, bring tears to the eyes, and open the doorway to Heaven.

In one of the early lessons, Lesson 12, we’re told, “If you could accept the world as meaningless and let the truth be written upon it for you, it would make you indescribably happy.” It goes on to say, ” … you are impelled to write upon it what you would have it be. … Beneath your words is written the Word of God. The truth upsets you now, but when your words have been erased, you will see His.”

Lesson 65 gives us an exercise to help us discover the function God gave us, “On this clean slate let my true function be written for me.”

And Lesson 276, “The Word of God is given me to speak” asks and answers, “What is the Word of God? My Son is pure and holy as Myself.”

The Course explains that the entire ego thought system is based on guilt. When we allow God’s Word to be written, we discover our Innocence. This Innocence has nothing to do with naivete, purity or the body. It is the Innocence of Unity. What is Unified cannot be guilty of anything for It is Joined in an Absolute Loving State of Mind. It is a return to Love.

Ask yourself, “What is the Word of God?” Then answer, “I am pure and holy as God Himself.” This year, open to receive the Loving Message God has for you. How powerful and beautiful to be a clean slate …

If you are interested in using the ACIM Workbook practice as a means to awakening, perhaps you’d like to join us in Workin’ the Workbook. Click here to find out more.

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Undoing the Ego, Unlearning Classroom, What is A Course in Miracles?

23 Dec 2012 Comments Off on Welcome me not into a manger, but into the altar to holiness … *

Welcome me not into a manger, but into the altar to holiness … *

Isn’t it interesting that in the section in A Course in Miracles which mentions Christmas, Jesus tells us not to welcome him “into a manger” which limits him (and us) to the world? He throws tradition out the window, and, instead, reminds us to return to the altar of holiness in our Mind. That’s where Perfect Peace abides. Then he goes on to reiterate that giving is receiving–a Message on which the Course is based.

Ken Wapnick** often teaches that the Jesus of A Course in Miracles is not the Jesus of the bible. The bible-story Jesus has human emotions and works miracles that heal the body. But the Course explains that “… the name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol.” In other words, Jesus the man is part of the illusory story the ego tells. ACIM would have us understand Jesus is actually the manifestation of the Holy Spirit–as are we. For a deeper understanding of this, read the Manual for Teachers, #23. Does Jesus Have a Special Place in Healing? and Clarification of Terms #6. The Holy Spirit.

In the Song of Prayer supplement, we’re told, “Without guilt there is no scarcity.” An Innocent Mind is a Whole, Unified Mind, and a Unified Mind overflows with abundance–It extends Love, Peace and Joy naturally, because that is All There Is. Lesson 108: “To give and to receive are one in truth,” begins, “Vision depends upon today’s idea.” It’s a lesson worth reviewing during the “gift-giving” season. It offers a simple practice you might want to use:

To give is to receive. Today we will attempt to offer peace to everyone, and see how quickly peace returns to us. Light is tranquility, and in that peace is vision given us, and we can see. Begin the practice periods by saying, “To give and to receive are one in truth. I will receive what I am giving now.

Then close your eyes, and for five minutes think of what you would hold out to everyone, to have it yours. You might, for instance, say: To everyone I offer quietness. To everyone I offer peace of mind. To everyone I offer gentleness. Say each one slowly and then pause a while, expecting to receive the gift you gave.

* T-15.III.9:6
**Ken and Gloria Wapnick have been teaching A Course in Miracles from the beginning and are founders of the teaching institute, Foundation for A Course in Miracles, which you can visit at www.facim.org.

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Unlearning Classroom

16 Dec 2012 Comments Off on Even, and especially, with the Sandy Hook tragedy, practice forgiveness

Even, and especially, with the Sandy Hook tragedy, practice forgiveness

Many people, including President Obama, are weeping, feeling the unspeakable ache of the immensity of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut reverberating through our hearts.

As Course students, what do we do when confronted by human tragedy? We feel all the powerful, devastating feelings course through us. We grieve and we join, we unite and we undo. We love and we hug. We step back and let Him lead the way. We practice forgiveness.

Consider the extraordinary example of the Amish community who dealt with a very similar incident in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 2006, when a gunman shot school children, ages 6 – 13, and then killed himself in their school. Forgiveness and reconciliation was the response of the Amish community–watch the movie Amish Grace, based on the book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher.

ACIM teaches us, “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of the barriers within yourself that you have built against it” (T-16.IV.6). When we are willing to seek and find these barriers to love, this opens us to feel at our core the peace of God in any and all circumstances (even as the personality struggles). In so doing, we become the light at the end of the tunnel for others who cannot feel peace.

The Workbook teaches us how to accept guidance from the Holy Spirit and give all our barriers to Him. This purifies us and opens us as a conduit for God’s Loving Light. Transferring this Loving Light is what we can “do” when faced with something like the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown two days ago.

There is a Sufi expression, “An open heart is its own best protection.” ACIM teaches the same thing in Lessons 135 , “If I defend myself I am attacked” and 153, “In my defenselessness my safety lies.” Opening ourselves to the Beingness of God’s Loving Light makes us aware that there is an unshakable peace within us, even as the personality and the body rumbles with shock, despair and rage. Let it rumble and choose to change your mind, where all questions are always answered with Love.

Let us pray:
Holy Spirit, help us ease the pain of all who suffer by recognizing What We Already Are even as they do not. Help us see through your vision the Christ in every brother, without exception, and know that acts of violence are cries for help, that belief in death and the body is a mistake, and that we can know the Peace of God in this holy instant. Amen.

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Undoing the Ego

12 Dec 2012 Comments Off on A Spiritual Approach to Fear on 12.12.12

A Spiritual Approach to Fear on 12.12.12

One of my favorite spiritual teachers is Hazrat Inayat Khan. His words of wisdom are timeless, poetic and healing. Below is a piece he wrote that corresponds well to the teachings of A Course in Miracles. I like to say, “different teacher, same Message.” This Message is a beautiful reminder to us on 12/12/12 that, despite all our human fears, our inner truth is Loving Light.

According to metaphysics fear is caused by the lack of light. Therefore the more light there is in the heart the more fearless the heart becomes. … When a person is afraid of a dog, he gives the dog a tendency to bite him. This can be noticed so plainly in the lower creation, that every animal is afraid of another animal, and the expectation of harm makes it fear more than does the idea of the hugeness of the form or the bodily strength of another animal. Many things in life can be brought about, not only by wanting them and thinking about them, but also by fearing them, both objects and conditions.

To clear one’s mind of fear is like bringing light into a dark room, and as light is needed to illuminate a dark room so the light of the soul is necessary to clear away the thought of fear. … When one fears, this world frightens one, but when one clears one’s heart of all fear, the whole world of illusion turns into one single vision of the sublime immanence of God.

One need not say that one should fear nothing, though one may say that fear is a bad thing. There is a story of a Brahmin, a young man who was very much impressed by what his guru told him: that the whole of manifestation is the immanence of God and that, therefore, there is nothing to fear, nothing to distrust. This thought made the young man feel quite at home in the world, quite comfortable.

Then one day a mad elephant came along the road on which the young man was walking.

The men running before the elephant yelled, ‘Away, away! The elephant is coming!’ But the young man would not get out of the way. With palms joined he stood as fearlessly before the elephant as one stands before God, as his guru had told him. The consequence was that the elephant gave him a shove and he fell down. He was brought to the guru who asked him what had happened.

The young man said, ‘Guruji, you said that all is the immanence of God, and therefore, in all reverence, I stood before the elephant with joined hands.’ The guru said, ‘Did anyone tell you to get out of the way?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ ‘Why then,’ said the guru, ‘did you not stand before that man with joined hands and listen to him?’ Not to be deeply impressed by distrust does not mean that we should be over-ready to bestow our trust upon anyone, nor does giving up fear mean that we can stand in front of a moving motorcar thinking, ‘I trust it will be all right.’

What closes the doors of the heart is fear, confusion, depression, spite, discouragement, disappointment, and a troubled conscience. When that is cleared away, the doors of the heart open. … It is the open heart which receives the reflection of all impressions coming from outside. It is the open heart, which can receive reflections from the divine Spirit within.

The best practice one can make is to speak with oneself, with one’s own fear; to dispute with it, and to root out the reasons on whose foundations it rests. What generally happens is that all things one fears, one fears even to think of them. But the solution of getting above fear lies in analyzing the cause of the fear and so making it non-existent. Man by nature possesses a tremendous power hidden in his heart, the power which waits constantly to become manifest. This power is hidden by fear. The day when fear disappears, this latent power will manifest to view.

The essay you just read comes from Bowl of Saki under the title, “Do not do anything with fear; and fear not whatever you do.” If you want more words of wisdom from Hazrat Inayat Khan, look under ACIM Resources on the right side of this page and click on “Wahiduddin’s Web.”

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles

10 Dec 2012 Comments Off on The Sign of Christmas is a Star

The Sign of Christmas is a Star

“The sign of Christmas is a star, a light in darkness.” ~T-15.XI.2:1.

Let us remember, this holiday season, that Christmas (and every religious celebration at this time of year) is really about awakening to our Oneness. Oneness is holiness, and holiness is wholeness. What makes us whole? Remembering that we are Loving Light.

True love is unconditional, and it includes everyone–all our brothers, and ourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember this Light within you. Use this picture to shift your perception from the outer world to your Inner Light.

Feel how naturally the Light expands, illuminating you from within until you cannot help but radiate this luminous Love. Whether Christmas is a joyful time or a painful time for you, remember that you have an Internal Teacher Who can help ignite the spark that is always inside you. Can you feel that star of Light within you? Can you let yourself be that radiant star?

Beneath your worldly cares lies the Truth. Your Source, the life force from which you originate, is always available. Holidays are a particularly good time to tune in to Inner Guidance so that you remember what is truly important: Love. To Love and Be Loved is the “being” part of “human being.” Christ-consciousness is simply “being” an extension of God’s Love.

“Being” and “creating” are the same Loving state of Mind. There is no “doing” in Truth–the undoing practice of A Course in Miracles teaches us to step back and let our Internal Teacher, the Holy Spirit (the memory of God within us), lead the way. Jesus was a follower, and he teaches us to follow the Holy Spirit, as he did. Surprisingly, to follow is to be empowered (that’s a subject for another day). And following is an unfolding that occurs effortlessly and naturally … if we let go of everything we’ve ever believed.

Holidays are Holy Days. Holiness is wholeness. This holiday season, I offer you this prayer, inspired by A Course in Miracles. It will help you let go of everything you’ve ever believed–and shine the Love of God instead. Repeat as often as you like:

God, help me know that the Truth in me remains as radiant as a star, as pure as Light, as innocent as Love Itself. Therefore, I am a beacon of Loving Light guided by the Light Within Me. And so it is. Amen.

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Unlearning Classroom

26 Nov 2012 Comments Off on The heart must be empty in order to receive the knowledge of God.

The heart must be empty in order to receive the knowledge of God.

It is the innocent and pure soul who has a capacity for learning. When a person comes to take a lesson on any subject, and he brings his own knowledge with him, the teacher has little to teach him, for the doors of his heart are not open. His heart that should be empty in order to receive knowledge is occupied by the knowledge that he already had acquired. In order to know the truth or to know God earthly qualifications and earthly wisdom or learning are not necessary. What one has to learn is how to become a pupil.

It is the receptivity of our heart and the passivity of our mind, it is the eagerness, the thirst and hunger after truth, it is the direction of our whole life to that Ideal from who all light and truth come, that alone can bring us truth and the knowledge of God. All knowledge of the earth is as clouds covering the sun. It is the breaking of these clouds and clearness of the sky, or in other words the purity of heart, which give the capacity for the knowledge of God.

The innocence of Jesus has been known through the ages. In his every moment, in his every action, he appeared to be as a child. All the great saints and sages, the great ones who have liberated humanity, have been as innocent as children and at the same time wiser, much more so, than the worldly-wise. And what makes it so? What gives them this balance? It is repose with passiveness.

When they stand before God, they stand with their heart as an empty cup; when they stand before God to learn, they unlearn all things that the world has taught them; when they stand before God, their ego, their self, their life, is no more before them. They do not think of themselves in that moment with any desire to be fulfilled, with any motive to be accomplished, with any expression of their own; but as empty cups, that God may fill their being, that they may lose the false self.

The heart must be empty in order to receive the knowledge of God.

Bowl of Saki, November 26, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan is one of my spiritual teachers. Thank you, Murshid.

And thank you Wahiduddin for your selfless service in providing us with this priceless Bowl of Saki every day! For those of you interested in seeing more of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s teachings, which weave so well with A Course in Miracles, here’s a link: Wahiduddin’s Web

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Unlearning Classroom

26 Nov 2012 Comments Off on Cliffs at Mattituck

Cliffs at Mattituck

We dangled our legs over the precipice and gazed at the sea.
Only one star glittered in the milky night sky.
The sea bled backwards into the past,
lingered imperceptibly on the horizon,
then rose up, spreading an opaque dome over our heads
We sat, formless, on the cool sand
surrounded by night-noise and sea-shells,
savoring the immediacy of the moment.

Heading home, car lurching over pitted ground,
we passed a farmhouse growing out of the earth.
One yellow window gleamed like a cat’s eye
in the night, reminding me not to forget.

by Amy Torres in Poetry, Spiritual Psychotherapy

24 Nov 2012 Comments Off on A Place with No Name …

A Place with No Name …

Many years ago, when I was a copywriter at an advertising agency, I wrote an ad for a print campaign for Crown Royal. I don’t even remember what kind of alcohol Crown Royal is … something for fancy occasions, I think. I couldn’t have been more unsuited to do this work, ha ha. I didn’t drink and was uninterested in sales. I had been an English major in college and thought copywriting might be a career path for me.

What I actually received was an education in human nature (which led me to psychology, which eventually led me to the spiritual psychology of A Course in Miracles). All that said, I want to share a poem which came through me as the first ad of that ad campaign over 20 years ago:

A place with no name
Where time stands still
No questions asked

I was quite amazed when that inspirational haiku flowed through me! More amazed when my creative department accepted it. Astonished when the client bought it. The ads were shot on beautiful balconies in Toronto and New Orleans … the color scheme was purple and gold … and the copy was supposed to evoke a mood … Some uplifting mood all right–Spirit smoothly infiltrated the worlds of alcohol and advertising! Run that on the next episode of Mad Men.

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles

20 Nov 2012 Comments Off on Is Thanksgiving Necessary?

Is Thanksgiving Necessary?

Yes, thanksgiving is necessary–but not as a national holiday!

Use this practice from A Course in Miracles and experience the Peace, Joy and Love of true thanksgiving every day.

Be in my mind, my Father, when I wake, and shine on me throughout the day today. Let every minute be a time in which I dwell with You. And let me not forget my hourly thanksgiving that You have remained with me, and always will be there to hear my call to You and answer me. As evening comes, let all my thoughts be still of You and of Your Love. And let me sleep sure of my safety, certain of Your care, and happily aware I am Your Son.

This is as every day should be. Today, practice the end of fear. Have faith in Him Who is your Father. Trust all things to Him. Let Him reveal all things to you, and be you undismayed because you are His Son. ~Lesson 232: Be in my mind, Father, through the day.

Practice means just that. Repeat Lesson 232 over and over again. Let everything that bothers you be a reminder to practice Lesson 232. Be relentless. See what happens.

Many years ago, when I thought I had come a long way and shouldn’t be in pain anymore, I reluctantly picked up Louise Hay’s classic book, You Can Heal Your Life, and read a section called, “My Daily Work”. It turned out that even Louise Hay did daily maintenance. One line from her routine stuck with me, and I’ve used it ever since, “This is one of the best days of my life.”

I was intrigued at the idea that every day, no matter what occurred, could be one of the best days of my life. In fact, I took it one step further and revised it to, “This is the best day of my life”. How liberating! How mind-opening! As a Course student, I knew that I cannot judge anything because I truly do not know what anything is for. So no matter what seemingly happened, I could still see it as the best day of my life. What a reversal! What a shift in perception!

This is true thanksgiving. Every day is the best day of your life, because every day is a day you can use to dwell with your Father. Feel free to enjoy the holiday if that suits you. Or not. But whatever you do, remember:

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy, Thoughts on A Course in Miracles, Unlearning Classroom

10 Nov 2012 Comments Off on 12 Signs of Your Awakening Divinity

12 Signs of Your Awakening Divinity

by Geoffrey Hoppe and Tobias

1. Body aches and pains, especially in the neck, shoulder and back. This is the result of intense changes at your DNA level as the “Christ seed” awakens within. This too shall pass.

2. Feeling of deep inner sadness for no apparent reason. You are releasing your past (this lifetime and others) and this causes the feeling of sadness. This is similar to the experience of moving from a house you lived in for many, many years into a new house. As much as you want to move into the new one, there is a sadness of leaving behind the memories, energy and experiences of the old house. This too shall pass.

3. Crying for no apparent reason. Similar to #2 above. It’s good and healthy to let the tears flow. It helps to release the old energy within. This too shall pass.

4. Sudden change in job or career. A very common symptom. As you change, things around you will change as well. Don’t worry about finding the “perfect” job or career right now. This too shall pass. You’re in transition and you may make several job changes before you settle into one that fits your passion.

5. Withdrawal from family relationships. You are connected to your biological family via old karma. When you get off the karmic cycle, the bonds of the old relationships are released. It will appear as though you are drifting away from your family and friends. This too shall pass. After a period of time, you may develop a new relationship with them if it is appropriate. However, the relationship will be based in the new energy without the karmic attachments.

6. Unusual sleep patterns. It’s likely that you’ll awaken many nights between 2:00 and 4:00 AM. There’s a lot of work going on within you, and it often causes you to wake up for a “breather.” Not to worry. If you can’t go back to sleep, get up and do something rather than lie in bed and worry about human things. This too shall pass.

7. Intense dreams. These might include war and battle dreams, chase dreams or monster dreams. You are literally releasing the old energy within, and these energies of the past are often symbolized as wars, running to escape and boogiemen. This too shall pass.

8. Physical disorientation. At times you’ll feel very ungrounded. You’ll be “spatially challenged” with the feeling like you can’t put two feet on the ground, or that you’re walking between two worlds. As your consciousness transitions into the new energy, your body sometimes lags behind. Spend more time in nature to help ground the new energy within. This too shall pass.

9. Increased “self talk.” You’ll find yourself talking to your Self more often. You’ll suddenly realize you’ve been chattering away with yourself for the past 30 minutes. There is a new level of communication taking place within your being, and you’re experiencing the tip of the iceberg with the self talk. The conversations will increase, and they will become more fluid, more coherent and more insightful. You’re not going crazy, you’re just Shaumbra* moving into the new energy.

10. Feelings of loneliness, even when in the company of others. You may feel alone and removed from others. You may feel the desire to “flee” groups and crowds. As Shaumbra, you are walking a sacred and lonely path. As much as the feelings of loneliness may cause you anxiety, it is difficult to relate to others at this time. The feelings of loneliness are also associated with the fact that your Guides have departed. They have been with you on all of your journeys in all of your lifetimes. It was time for them to back away so you could fill your space with your own divinity. This too shall pass. The void within will be filled with the love and energy of your own Christ consciousness.

11. Loss of passion. You may feel totally disimpassioned, with little or no desire to do anything. That’s OK, and it’s just part of the process. Take this time to “do no-thing.” Don’t fight yourself on this, because this too shall pass. It’s similar to rebooting a computer. You need to shut down for a brief period of time in order to load the sophisticated new software, or in this case, the new Christ-seed energy.

12. A deep longing to go Home. This is perhaps the most difficult and challenging of any of the conditions. You may experience a deep and overwhelming desire to leave the planet and return to Home. This is not a “suicidal” feeling. It is not based in anger or frustration. You don’t want to make a big deal of it or cause drama for yourself or others. There is simply a quiet part of you that wants to go Home. The root cause for this is quite simple. You have completed your karmic cycles. You have completed your contract for this lifetime. You are ready to begin a new lifetime while still in this physical body. During this transition process, you have an inner remembrance of what it is like to be on the other side. Are you ready to enlist for another tour of duty here on Earth? Are you ready to take on the challenges of moving into the New Energy? Yes, indeed you could go Home right now. But you’ve come this far, and after many, many lifetimes it would be a shame to leave before the end of the movie. Besides, Spirit needs you here to help others transition into the new energy. They will need a human guide, just like you, who has taken the journey from the old energy into the new. The path you’re walking right now provides the experiences to enable you to become a Teacher of the New Divine Human. As lonely and dark as your journey can be at times, remember that you are never alone.

* Shaumbra explanation: http://www.shaumbra-in-hd.ro/en/shaumbra.html

Thank you Geoffrey Hoppe and Tobias! Your list is informative, comforting, and validating 🙂

by Amy Torres in Spiritual Psychotherapy