Itâs pretty easy to get disturbed by what appears to be âthe world falling apart.â We can become obsessed by fear and judgment, especially if we often tune into our favorite cable news shows.
Hereâs some really GOOD ADVICE from Richard Rohr, an American spiritual writer and Franciscanfriar based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“If you will allow, I recommend for your spiritual practice for the next four months that you impose a moratorium on exactly how much news you are subject toâhopefully not more than an hour a day of television, social media, internet news, magazine and newspaper commentary, and/or political discussions.
“It will only tear you apart and pull you into the dualistic world of opinion and counter-opinion, not Divine Truth, which is always found in a bigger place.
“Instead, I suggest that you use this time for some form of public service, volunteerism, mystical reading from the masters, prayerâor, preferably, all of the above.
âYou have much to gain now and nothing to lose. Nothing at all. And the worldâwith you as a stable centerâhas nothing to lose. And everything to gain.”
When I follow Rohrâs advice, Iâm far more peaceful and loving toward others because Iâm not riled up by events I canât control. Give it a try and let me know how it works!
Gigi Langer has been sober 34 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the âQueen of Worry,â Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in SW Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Murphy.
In Worry Less Now, Gigi shares her personal journey as a prisoner of fear, worry, and substance abuse, along with practical techniques anyone can use. Award-winner with rave reviews. Amazon rating: 4.8 stars. Order it for $10.75 per copy , free USA shipping & workbook HERE. Offer ends Jan 1., 2021
Looking for inspiration and release from worry in these challenging times? Feeling a conflict between your human instincts and your divine spirit? I offer you two beautiful passages that clarify the temporary nature of struggle, and our higher power’s healing presence through it all–even during Covid!
MY VERY FAVORITE WORDS: “Worry not, my child. All earthly experiences teach only one thing: That you are forever a child of a loving God who punishes you not.”
“We are merely rendering the barriers to love harmless by walking through them together.”
The Human Experience, Part 1
Many years ago, my friend Mo recorded several passages from A Course in Miracles (ACiM); the last one was called âThe Human Experience,â but it did not come from ACiM. Do you know where it’s from?? I posted the first half of it here: A Mystery Quote: âSongs of Plenty and Songs of Want.â Here’s the second half, a true message of hope and trust. I love it so!
The Human Experience, Part 2
“Worry not, my child. All earthly experiences teach only one thing: That you are forever a child of a loving God who punishes you not.
“You’ve elected to learn these lessons so that you can be free. You can’t be free until you have faced, and then walked through, your worst fear. What your worst fear is changes from time to time.
Walking through your worst fear transforms it into an old meaningless fear. Then a new worst fear will come to take its place. Call the fear poverty, rejection, abandonment, loneliness, death, meaninglessness, or helplessness. Walk through them you will, until they are all gone.
“What you forget is that you don’t have to walk through them alone. I am here and will walk through them with you. Trust me, my child. Ask not that any specific burden be lifted. Ask instead for my presence to walk through with you. We are simply rendering the barriers to love harmless by walking through them together.
“The human experience provides all these lessons to all who walk through them. You walk through them with pain and sorrow if you choose to do it alone. Or you walk through them with peace and joy if you take me along.
The whole point of the lessons is to realize that they are dreams. You only see that when you can see from the place beyond the dreams, after you have awakened. Then you sleep again, and another dream will come to take its place, and we will walk through it. And you will awaken again to see the harmlessness of the dream.
“Ask me to guide you. Ask me not to solve what you perceive as your problems. What you perceive as problems are dreams and dreams are not real.
“Practice fearlessness, my child. Turn over all your fears to me. My way will lead you to discover the light which is already within you.
“There is nothing my love for you will not conquer. We have already traveled this path together, and we are at the end. Try to remember, my child, the song of rejoicing we heard when we arrived safely back in the arms of the Father.
“Your mind has wandered from the truth of that memory. You daydream again. The thoughts of the mind are undisciplined but the mind is at home in the heart of God. Only the thoughts drift away for a moment.
“Call to me dear soul. When you call from the part of your heart that knows we are together still, I will be there and you will be here in an instant.
“Peace and joy to you, dear one. Only joy and peace are eternal. All else is illusion. You have been to joy and peace and you do know the truth. Ask me to remember, and I will. Peace. Peace. Peace.”
Connect with God’s Love and Love One Another
Isnât that beautiful? We need not fear because comfort and courage walk with us through every experience–even those that scare our pants off! Perhaps we’re here for this very reason: to render “the barriers to love harmless by walking through them together.” Let this be the message of this holiday season.
Gigi Langer has been sober 34 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the âQueen of Worry,â Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in SW Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Murphy.
In Worry Less Now, Gigi shares her personal journey as a prisoner of fear, worry, and substance abuse, along with practical techniques anyone can use. Award-winner with rave reviews. Amazon rating: 4.8 stars. Buy signed copy HERE
I am so grateful for this fun, clear, inspiring series of 4 hour-long videos (with meditations) from Mark Anthony Lord and Aaron Abke‘s Forgive 2020 Challenge. These cool guys help us let go of guilt and resentment so we can accept life on life’s terms–in peace and gratitude. Fabulous!
This 4-part series draws on A Course in Miracles (ACiM*) to help us join a wave of love and forgiveness that sets us all free from the perceived difficulties of 2020. Each part has a video and a meditation (In the video, click on “More” to find the meditation link –you may need to download it to your “music” folder for it to play) .
Day 1 – Forgive Yourself. This series was created to support you in being a part of a wave of love and forgiveness that sets us all free from the perceived difficulties of 2020.
Day 2 – Forgive Others. How to forgive others, and why it’s so necessary for your true freedom. Learn a key teaching from A Course In Miracles: “Projection Makes Perception” What????
Day 3 – Forgive the World. Now, that’s a huge undertaking, but not when you take the time to learn what it means, as well as how and why you should do it. Check it out!
Day 4 – Forgive My Perception of God. By the way, God doesn’t need our forgiveness, for God is perfect Love. But we DO need to be released from all the projections we have placed upon God. All the false expectations, the fears, the lies we were told about God. This day helps you dissolve them all.
* A Course in Miracles is a unique spiritual self-study program designed to awaken us to the truth of our oneness with God and Love. Through the study of ACiM, we learn to heal all of our relationships through the inspired practice of forgiveness.
Gigi Langer has been sober 34 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the âQueen of Worry,â Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in SW Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Murphy.
In Worry Less Now, Gigi shares her personal journey as a prisoner of fear, worry, and substance abuse, along with practical techniques anyone can use. Award-winner with rave reviews. Amazon rating: 4.8 stars. Buy signed copy HERE
More than 30 years ago, feeling beaten down by my seedy lifestyle, I asked my mentor, Jane, how she remained so peaceful. She said she studied a book called A Course in Miracles (ACiM).
A few years later, Jane sent me Love Is Letting Go of Fear (a summary of the Course’s main principles), and I clung to it like a life raft! At 35, I was in my third marriage which was already in a shambles due to my lying and substance abuse.
Three years later, I quit drinking and asked a sponsor to help me work the Twelve Steps. It was no coincidence that she also studied ACIM, and soon included me in a study group. Since then I’ve joined a few different groups, and have found this to be the best spiritual path for me.
Why does it fit me so well? You might recall that I refer to myself as the “former queen of worry.” My study of ACIM teaches me how to dissolve my fears, anxiety, resentments, and selfishness. And, during the year 2020, I have needed every lesson it has taught me to live with peace and trust!
What is A Course in Miracles? (from Wikipedia)
The purpose of the book, A Course in Miracles (ACIM), is to bring about a “spiritual transformation. In 1965, Helen Schucman began working at a medical center as Bill Thetford’s research associate. When their weekly office meetings became quite contentious, Thetford concluded that “[t]here must be another way.” Schucman believed this interaction triggered a series of visions, dreams, and heightened imagery, along with an “inner voice” that told her: “This is a Course in Miracles, please take notes.” The next day, she explained her “note taking” to Thetford. To her surprise, he encouraged her to continue the process. Schucman said that the writing made her very uncomfortable, though it never seriously occurred to her to stop. The transcription was completed in 1977. ACIM is published by the Foundation for Inner Peace in Novato, CA.
General Principles of ACIM :Â Gigiâs Ideas (Workbook lesson number in parentheses)
A miracle is a shift in perception. We choose Godâs loving thoughts over egoâs fearful thoughts. We can align our minds with either Love or Fear.
Love: God. Spirit. The only reality. Everything that comes from love is good: e.g., peace, service, care.
Fear: The ego. Illusions. The part of the mind that knows only fear: judging, separating, attacking. God did not create the ego. It’s driven by bodily instincts for survival and competition. When people operate out of fear, it’s simply an appeal for help.
Who Am I, Really? âWeâre spiritual beings living in a human body.â
I am a beloved child of God. I am spirit. (But Iâve forgotten this.) (114)
I am not a body. I am free, for I am still as God created me. (201)
God is in my mind. My mind holds only what I think with God. (141)
Donât Trust Egoâs Thoughts
Egoâs voice is the first one and the loudest one we hear. It tells us happiness is not in God; that itâs in worldly people, places & things.
Iâm never upset for the reason I think. (5)
Iâm upset because I see something that isnât there. (6)
I see only the past. (7) I have no neutral thoughts. (23)
The world I see holds nothing I want. (128)
We Are Free
Weâre sinless in Godâs Eyes: We love ourselves and others because God does. Fear (ego) separates us from our own spirit AND one another.
When people operate out of fear, it is simply an appeal for help.
What I see is a form of vengeance (attack/defense). (22) (but it’s not true)
My grievances hide the light of the world. (69)
Thereâs Only One of Us Here
What we see in another is what we believe about ourselves. As we love and forgive others, we dissolve our sense of separation from God and our fellows. Weâre students and teachers to one other.
To give and receive are one in truth. (108)
All that I give is given to myself. (126)
Iâm not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts. (18)
How to Escape Ego and Fear
Every time weâre disturbed, we need to reject egoâs negative perceptions and ask God (Love) to help us see things differently. According to ACIM, there is no âorder of difficultyâ to either problems or miracles. They’re all the same: either misperceptions or the truth.
Gigi Langer has studied ACIM since 1988. She now attends Course study groups in Michigan and Florida. Langer is a certified facilitator of Gerald Jampolskyâs Attitudinal Healing, a program that helps children and adults struggling with disease apply the ideas from ACIM.
