INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES Newsletter
Putting
Volume 27 Number 3
S
by Jim Gordon, President of ILM (from Are You Living In Service Or In Separation?, 8/30/15)
ervice has always been primary in my life, and Brian and I have tried to express about service as a primary action in this path of Inner Light Ministries. The service we ask people to stay focused on is the meditation because that is the first service – it’s putting God first, and it’s allowing God to be first in your life, in your actions, in your thoughts, in your feelings. It’s putting God first. That’s what I did as a child. I put God first, and I was always able, wanting actually, to put God first before football, before baseball, before going over to someone’s house to play, before other things – I always put God first in my time with God, in my prayerful state, in my meditative state – that was more important to me than anything else. And that’s really important for you to pay attention to, because it’s that action upon which everything else is built. It’s great to be of service to people in the world. It’s great to go out and be of service, but if you don’t have a strong foundation of loving, of forgiveness, of listening, of putting God first in that action, you’re going to find that ultimately you’re going to get burned out very quickly in service. And you’re going to feel as if you’ve gotten caught in a trap that you, yourself, have put yourself into, because it was more of a desire of the mind, the ego, to go out and prove yourself or to demonstrate yourself before the world than it was to truly be of service. When I go out and do service, when I’ve always done service, I’ve always gone out to serve God in the world, but my first action was to serve God first in me; and that’s done through meditation, and taking responsibility for yourself, and to wake up, to wake up and to pay attention. “What am I doing right now? Why am I doing this? Why am I saying this right now?” – rather than just living life in reaction and getting caught up in the whirlwind, in the storms of the
God First
December 2015
world around you. Brian and I always say, when we start introducing this pathway to people, is to put God first, spend time first with God; and it’s not just spend a week or spend a year – it’s now. Start now, and put God first in all things. And you do that by, when you get up in the morning and you do your meditation – that’s putting God before the rest of the day. Then you get up and you go do, and you take care of yourself, you get ready for your day. But, in that, through the meditation you’ve put forward your focus. You’ve brought yourself to a one-pointed focus by going inside, speaking God’s Sacred Name, focusing on that River of Loving, connecting with that River of Loving within you, and you begin to live more into that Loving all the time; and when you finish your meditation, you get up and you take that action with you wherever you go. You don’t leave what you just did in the meditation in the chair. You don’t leave ‘being connected to the River of Loving’ in the chair – “Oh, I’ll come back to it tomorrow when I sit down and meditate again.” But there are some people who do that. It’s to take that which you’ve come awake to in your meditation and take that into your life. As you do that more and more, you’re going to live into the Loving: you’re going to let go of all those things that have separated you from your loving inside; you’re going to live into the truth of who you are, and you’re going to find that peace inside that you’ve been longing for; and you will fill that emptiness up that you just can’t seem to find the means by which to do it. Money, cars, people, degrees, whatever; they don’t fill up that space, but what fills it up is you waking up to the truth of who you are as soul and start living in that flow of Loving once again. So, before you go and do service, service in the world in a bigger way, first do service unto yourself. Do the meditation. Take responsibility for your thoughts and your feelings, your actions and your reactions. Let that be an opportunity for you to take what you’ve found in meditation, the Loving, into your daily life and begin to live it into your life. Do the loving, accepting, and forgiving, first, with yourself. (See Jim’s Travel Schedule For 2016 Letter on page 17)
Looking, Learning
H
and
by Brian Yeakey, Vice President of ILM
Loving
know a lot of people who walk the spiritual pathways, or so-called pathways, and they’re always looking at other people and what they’re reflecting back to them. This isn’t about the other person. Don’t look at what other people are reflecting back to you, because they’re not! They’re projecting on you what their process is. They’re not reflecting back to you your own. They are projecting on you what their process is. And guess what you’re doing to them? You are projecting your process onto them. Is this a little clearer? I hope so, because this comes up a lot. When I hear people ask, “What are they projecting back to me?” They’re not! They’re projecting to you what their process is, and you are projecting onto them what your process is. It’s called, Don’t look to other people’s projections; look at your own projection, and learn from your reflection.
(from Awake To Your Divinity, 7/5/15)
ow you approach this action with Spirit will determine what your experience is. Even here in the physical level, if you approach Q&A with an openness, with the Loving, with vulnerability, well, guess what is returned to you? It’s like the phrase, “What goes around, comes around.” When you approach even the Q&A, look at it as an action of how you approach God and that determines what your experience is going to be. If you approach God with fear and close down, or you’re wanting to argue and are going for the fight, well, that’s what you’re going to get. If you approach God with Loving, vulnerability, openness, honesty, and giving and receiving, that’s what you’re going to get. In other words, we determine our own experience by our choices and our actions. We are truly the creator of our lives on every level. That’s what’s going on here.
That’s where the challenge is – when we feel projected upon, we go into reaction and we push back, and then we project our stuff onto them; and then they feel our projection and they react and project their stuff back onto us. And we can never get through it because we’re always butting heads and saying, “Oh my God! What is wrong with them?” And then we say, “What is wrong with me?” Nothing’s wrong with anybody. You just screwed up in the way you’re looking at it. In other words, start looking at your own projections rather than the other person’s. That itself, will begin to give you clarity and understanding of what’s going on. You don’t get the clarity and understanding when you’re caught up in what somebody else is projecting, and in trying to figure it out, and you keep personalizing it.
A lot of us are so caught up and trying to sort out all of our issues with each other – “We just can’t get along with one another.” And we’re trying to sort out our issues within ourselves – “We just can’t get along with ourselves.” We don’t like the way we think about ourselves or how we feel about ourselves – we’re always judging ourselves. Isn’t it crazy? We can’t even get along with ourselves, let alone one another. But if you understand how this works, if you can’t get along with yourself, well guess what? That’s what you’re going to be creating in the world around you. No wonder you can’t get along with anybody else, because that’s what you’re doing in yourself. Whatever we’re running in here, inside of ourselves, well this world is a reflection. It is a mirror of consciousness. That’s why you hear Jim and I refer to it as the Lake of Reflection. It reflects back to us that which we are actually running inside of ourselves.
That’s what happens. You project on one another, but then you try to personalize the other person’s projection. That will always screw us up. You cannot take on another person’s projection. That’s theirs. The challenge is that we try to take on the projections. That’s called personalizing. Everyone says, “Don’t take this personally.” Well, what they are saying is, “Don’t take this personally!” And that’s the truth because it’s their stuff that they’re about ready to dump on you. But that’s the same thing you’re doing to them. And everybody thinks, “Well, I’m not doing
The way it reflects to us is what we project onto the mirror. So, listen to what I’m saying here. What is reflected to us is what we’re doing in ourselves that we project onto the mirror. Get that straight, because I 2
(Looking, Learning and Loving continues on page 13)
INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES
C &P : W –S CALENDAR lasses
rograms
inter
pring
Presented by Jim Gordon and Brian Yeakey in Austin, Texas:
M
For additional information, call 512-306-1056.
onthly
Classes:
Jim and Brian’s meeting is held once a month on Sundays, at the Lake
Travis Event Center, 411 Ranch Road 620 South in Lakeway, TX (see directions below).
Monthly meetings include spiritual teachings, Q&A, and meditation. Jim and Brian assist participants to become more deeply aware of the Spirit within. No charge.
These meetings are live-streamed through our website, ilm.org. You will find the live-stream connection on the front page of our website. Soon, you will be able to connect to the videos of previous meetings as we go through the year. The meetings are held in the Great Hall at 1 pm and ending at 6 pm.* The Magnolia Room/dining room will be used for the caring of children, as well as for enjoying refreshments during the break. Also, the Magnolia Room doors open at 12:30 pm for those of you who would like to come early and socialize before class. Snacks will be available.
Sundays at LTEC: DEC 13, JAN 17, FEB 21, MAR 20, APR 17, MAY 15 Class with Q&A: 1-6 pm*
Directions to Lake Travis Event Center (LTEC), 411 Ranch Road 620 South in Lakeway, TX. From N. Austin/Round Rock: FM 620/ RR 620. Road name changes to FM 620 West/RR 620 West. Take ramp left and follow signs to TX 45 TOLL West. Take ramp for FM 620 W/RR 620 W. Continue on FM 620/RR 620. Arrive at 411 RR 620 South, Lakeway TX. From South Austin: Take TX-1 Loop South. Take ramp right to TX 71 West/US 290 toward Johnson City and Llano. Take ramp to TX 290 West/71 West. Keep straight on US 290 West/71 West. Keep right on TX 71 West. Turn right on FM 620 South. Continue on FM RR 620 South. Arrive at 411 RR 620 South, Lakeway TX.
Donations are welcome.
For additional information, call Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or email lauradoggett@ilm.org.
* Ending times are approximate.
3
(ILM Calendar continues on pages 4-9)
Initiates Only Meditation Retreat facilitated by Jim Gordon and Brian Yeakey
2016 The focus of the I
nitiates nitiates Only nly Meditation editation Retreat etreat is on Meditation and the
Path of Sound and Light. Each day, we’ll spend two and a half hours in meditation, as well as participate in other meditative exercises, sharings, and question and answer sessions. This retreat is open to ILM Initiates only.
in Texas: At the Purple Sage Ranch, Bandera, TX
$710/person for double occupancy & $890/person for single occupancy
Time of Event: Wednesday, March 30 at 4 pm thru Sunday, April 3 at 3 pm.*
Please make sure you’ve registered and have paid the balance of your registration fee on or before February 29, 2016.
To register, contact Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or email Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org or register on our website at ilm.org. Also, Initiates, please note the Austin Initiates’ Meeting and Dinner announcement on page 5.
in Hawaii:
at Saint Anthony’s Retreat Center Honolulu, Hawaii:
St. Anthony’s Cost: Double Occupancy (per person) - TBA
on Wednesday, July 13 at 4 pm thru Sunday, July 17 at 3 pm.* For more information contact: Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or email Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org.
If you would like to support ILM’s Scholarship Fund, please see the back page regarding donations. * Ending times are approximate. 4
(ILM Calendar continues on next page)
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar in Austin:
ILM Community ommunity Potluck otluck Nights ights:
Due to Laura Kesten’s recent move to her new home, Community Night in Austin will resume soon (TBA). Address and directions will be sent out in advance. We look forward to creating new loving ILM Community Night memories in 2016. See you then!
Holiday Potluck Party: Join us for ILM’s Holiday celebration on
The celebration begins
SATURDAY, DEC 12 4 pm at the Lake Travis Event Center
at 4 pm at Lake Travis Event Center, 411 Ranch Road 620 South in Lakeway. (See page 3 for directions.) It’s a potluck so bring a dish to share.
For additional information for this gathering, call Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056.
ILM Initiates’ Meeting and Dinner: T
Sunday, MAR 27, 2016
he 2016 Initiates Meeting will be held at the Lake Travis Event Center (see page 3 for address and directions) from 1-6 pm*, and dinner will follow at 7 pm (dinner location TBA). * Ending time is approximate.
Welcome to Inner Light Ministries Introductory Packet
In this packet you will find: ILM’s book, Love and Loving; the CD, An Introduction To ILM;
the CD, Understanding The ‘Inner’ Pathway; the CD, Lotus Meditation; ILM’s brochure, Inner Light Ministries Guidelines For Initiation And Initiates; and a copy of our latest newsletter.
All of these materials have been selected to give the newcomer a better understanding of who we are and what we’re about. If you would like an Introductory Packet for yourself, or someone else, just let us know. Call us, email us, or write us! Feel free to take a look at our website, too: ilm.org (see more information on page 10). We are happy to do what we can to assist you on your spiritual journey. Blessings of Peace, Joy and Loving To You! – Jim Gordon, Brian Yeakey, and the ILM Staff 5
(ILM Midwest Calendar continues on next page)
Holiday Events in Ft. Wayne:
Coins For Kids
Our Midwest Coins For Kids Holiday Service Project is coming up ...
Come join the jolly ILM “elves” as we shop and wrap for our local adopted Holiday family!
Shopping Night will be on MONDAY, NOV 30. Meet at 7 pm at Wal-Mart on Coldwater Rd. Please RSVP stevenmcafee@ilm.org if you can join the shopping elves!
Gift-Wrapping Night will be on WEDNESDAY, DEC 8. Meet at 6:30 pm at the ILM Midwest Center. Pizzas and sodas will be provided. Extra bows, boxes, gift tags, and tape are always welcome!
C°c
Holiday Potluck Party: Join us for the Festival of Light celebration on SATURDAY, DEC 12 at 7 pm Come light up the night! Join us for feasting and singing and making the season bright at the ILM Holiday Potluck Party. The gift of your presence is all that is needed to make the celebration complete! At Steven & Ani’s home in Fort Wayne. Everyone is welcome!
I
n the meditation practice we teach in Inner Light Ministries, it is important to understand that the “HU” or “ANI-HU,” or the Sacred Name of God given at Initiation, really are the names, or the keys, to the kingdom within. They are not just words that, when chanting them, help us to focus on God ... it does do that, but there is so much more in those to fully realize the power that is God’s Loving; and by chanting these words, the power of the Name builds, and in that, builds the power of Loving. It truly is the power of God’s Loving that awakens us and brings us into the greater knowing of the spiritual essence of who we are.
6
– Brian Yeakey
(ILM Calendar continues on next page)
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar Presented by Steven McAfee, Midwest Area Coordinator: For additional information, call Steven at 260-485-2167 or email stevenmcafee@ilm.org. ILM Midwest Center: 220 Insurance Drive, Suite F, Fort Wayne, IN 46825
uesday Class Series: Steven offers a series of weekly ILM classes intended to awaken and inspire T our loving devotion to God. Each class begins with a meditation and then moves into a period of spiritual
sharing. The classes are open to anyone. Please call Steven for more information. TUESDAYS
7-8:30 pm
ILM Midwest Center
Donation
C
ILM ommunity Nights : More fun community events are on their way! Please RSVP the week before so we can plan appropriately.
Child At Heart: These programs are opportunities for children and the people who love them to come participate in fun activities together in ILM. FEB 6 MAR 26
2-3:30 pm Be My Valentine 2-3:30 pm EGG-stravaganza
ILM Midwest Center ILM Midwest Center
Donation Donation
V
S pecial ideo Conferences: Live from Austin! Special live video presentations with Jim and Brian via the magic of technology! See YOU at the ILM Center. FEB 2, APR 26 7-9:30 pm
ILM Midwest Center
Donation
T P : The 2016 Year-Long Program will study the Spiritual Path In Ancient Texts W book that is in development by ILM. In addition to the regular Sunday afternoon monthly meetings, there alking
he
ath
will be two day-long Saturday workshops. There is no requirement to attend all the meetings to participate in the program. While the program is designed as a year-long study, it is NOT necessary to attend every month to benefit from it. No charge. Donations are welcome. JAN 3, FEB 7, MAR 6, APR 3 2-4:30 pm Regular Meeting
ILM Midwest Center
No charge
R
ith “ Walking Your Year W God� etreat: How do you walk with God in your
everyday life? This retreat can be a threshold into the rest of your year. The retreat begins on Friday at noon and ends on Sunday at 2 pm. The cost is $210 per person. Registration forms are available at the ILM Midwest Center. You may request a registration form at stevenmcafee@ilm.org. Space is limited, and advance registration is required.
JAN 29-31
GilChrist
Three Rivers, MI
$210 per person
S : Steven occasionally serves as a guest speaker for Unity, Brigade of Light, S and other spiritual groups in the Midwest. The following is presently scheduled: unday
ervices
JAN 3, FEB 7, MAR 6 10:30 am Unity of Fort Wayne Crescent Ave., Ft. Wayne Donation JAN 10, FEB 21, MAR 27 (Easter) 11 am Brigade of Light Georgetown Sq., Ft. Wayne Donation Please be aware that new programs are sometimes scheduled after the calendar goes to press, and, in rare instances, published schedules may have to be altered. For current information on any event or series, please call the presenter or contact person listed with the program. Thank you.
7 (ILM Hawaii and Worldwide Calendars continue on next page)
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar Presented by Kelsie Mc Sherry, Hawaii Area Coordinator: For additional information, call Kelsie at 808-285-6624 or email kelsiemcsherry@ilm.org.
iving The Loving: Via Skype. These classes focus on how to walk the Path of Sound and Light and L to Live The Loving in our daily lives through the study and practice of the spiritual tools that Jim & Brian share.
1st SUNDAY 10 am-12 pm 4th SUNDAY 10 am-12 pm Dates, Time & Location TBA
Doug’s on the North Shore, Oahu Kate’s in Hawaii Kai, Oahu Maui
Donation Donation Donation
V
L ive ideo Conferences with Jim and Brian: See, hear, and share with Jim & Brian live from Austin via internet technology! JAN 31, MAY 1 MAR 6
10 am-1:30 pm* Nadine & Joe’s in Manoa, Oahu 10 am-1:30 pm* Kate’s in Hawaii Kai, Oahu * Ending times are approximate.
Donation Donation
M
ILM editation & LAF Retreat: Join us for a four-day retreat focusing 100% on Spirit! Each day consists of a 2 1/2 hour meditation, sharing, Q&A, and processes to help awaken us more into the Loving. Advance registration is required. JAN 7-10, 2016
St. Anthony’s Retreat Center, Oahu
$295 double/$325 single
Community ILM Meetings & Events Worldwide:
•
Kalamazoo:
Call Judy Richards at 269-349-3943 or email jg.richards@charter.net.
S G : are held at the home of Judy Richard’s. Please call Judy for current inS formation. Meetings are combined with a potluck each month – yummy! unday
tudy
roups
JAN 24, FEB 28, MAR 27, APR 24
•
Dallas:
12:30-4 pm
4715 Thistle Mill Court
No charge
Call Gerri Barrick at 512-541-9584 or email gerlamere@gmail.com.
: Recordings by Jim and Brian are selected to keep our focus on meditation and the Path of M Sound and Light. eeting
DEC 6, JAN 10, FEB 7, MAR 13, APR 10
•
Deerfield Beach:
1-3 pm
1409 S Lamar St., Apt 751
No charge
Call Victoria Eng at 954-682-3244 to RSVP and get dates and directions.
: Watch ILM’s Austin Live Stream Sunday monthly class. In addition, a second monthly M gathering of meditation and fellowship is offered. eeting
Call for schedule
Deerfield Beach, FL
No charge
8 (ILM Worldwide Calendar continues on next page)
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar Community ILM Meetings & Events Worldwide:
•
Honolulu:
M
editation:
Twice a month gathering for a two and a half hour meditation.
Call for schedule
•
London:
Call Nadine Ferraro at 808-988-7509 or 551-3123 (cell) for dates and directions.
Manoa Valley, Honolulu, HI
No charge
Call Nanna Brincker at 0207-485-0699 for directions.
: Join us for a 2-hour meditation at 42A Montpelier Grove, London NW5 2XE, or join us M on skype at 4 pm for the meditation (log on 10 minutes before). Please let Nanna know your skype name. eeting
DEC 20, JAN 10 & 31, FEB 21, MAR 13, APR 3 V
ideo
4 pm
London, England
No charge
Conferences : Jim & Brian live from Austin via skype. Call Nanna for more information.
DEC 7, FEB 29, APR 25, JUN 20, AUG 29
L
6:30 pm
London, England
No charge
ILM Books Available On Our Website
ove and Loving are not exactly the same. Love simply IS. Loving, in contrast, is the on-going flow, or movement, of this pure quality within us. Although this may seem like a subtle distinction, it is really a very important one. - Jim Gordon
L
ife on earth is designed to help us to fully know and express God’s living consciousness within us. We are co-creators with the Divine, all pursuing our own unique and sacred journeys into the common destiny we share – the ever greater realization and expression of our oneness with God and His sacred creation. - Jim Gordon
T
he rod and the staff were tools of the ancient shepherds, used to usher their flocks of sheep along. In its symbolic meaning, the ‘rod and staff ’ refer to the many tools, or ‘instruments’, by which God ushers us, His ‘flock’, along on our journeys through life. And perhaps the most important of the ‘instruments’ by which God assists us are his many assistants, or agents, which He sends to guide, serve, and protect us on our way.
- Jim Gordon
Y
ou are not your body. You are not your emotions. You are not your mind. You are Spirit. You are Divine. - Brian Yeakey Check out our recently updated ilm.org today!
9
ILM.org — the Inner Light Ministries Website Check Out These Areas On Our Website:
Live Streaming Videos The Sunday meetings in Austin are now being streamed live. You’ll find the live stream connection on the front page of our website. The audio versions are available in the usual section, ILM Talks on Audio. On our new website, you’ll be able to connect to the videos of previous meetings as we go through the year.
Audio Talks Stayed tuned to new audio talks and meditations which are posted monthly on our website. Recently, an excerpt by Brian speaking on the Etheric Realm was posted. It’s a little over eight minutes and worth your taking the time to listen. Also, recent talks from England and Hawaii have been posted.
LAF Workbook Brian Yeakey and Kelsie Mc Sherry have created a workbook to help guide you through the process of Self Love and Love of God by way of meditation, journaling, and the Application of LAF: Loving, Accepting, and Forgiving. This workbook includes an introduction, steps for meditation, example LAF entries and space for you to answer questions as well as write about your experiences and thoughts. Additional LAF and Meditation Journaling worksheets are available in the Self-Study section of our website at ilm.org.
Go to our website, click on “Self-Study”; then, click on either of the two sub-tabs, “LAF Workbook/Journal” to download the Workbook, or click on “LAF Workbook – Weekly Worksheets” to download additional worksheets.
K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Soul K.I.S.S. is a series of weekly studies in which you can follow along and continue to grow in your spiritual development. More excerpts have been recently added. Go to our website, click on “Self-Study”.
Initiate’s Handbook
Initiates, remember to check out the Initiate’s Handbook in the “Initiates Only” section
of the website, ilm.org. Whether you are newly initiated or a long-time initiate, this most current version of the Handbook contains information that will be of special significance to you on your daily walk on the Path.
I
nitiation is the greatest treasure of all the universes.
- Brian Yeakey
Check out our recently updated ilm.org today! 10
GO GREEN! ILM is going GREEN! This will be the last hardcopy newsletter!
S tarting with the April 2016 Newsletter, the ILM Newsletter will ONLY be available online at ilm.org.
Each time a new Newsletter becomes available (3 times per year), we’ll send an email notification with a link to download the latest Newsletter in PDF format. If you would like to receive an email notification when the ILM Newsletter is available, please let us know. Send us your email address and put “Choose Green Newsletter” in the subject to ilmadmin@ilm.org. Since we are doing our best to communicate with (or update) your email address to your local
our ILM members through the internet, please send representative, or to Laura Doggett at ilmadmin@ilm.
Finally, if we don’t have your mailing address, or you’ve had any recent address changes, please notify your local representative or email that information to ilmadmin@ilm.org.org.
O
nce you realize you are sitting in the Hand of God, everything gets much easier. – Brian Yeakey
New CD
Awake To Your Divinity
Y
ou truly have been on an upward pathway, a movement of growth and change and awakening. It’s because your soul is stirred. God stirred your soul into action so that you would begin this journey homeward, inward and upward, letting go more and more of this world – the illusions of this world, the beliefs of this world, the reactions of this world; and begin to look, and walk, and see that inner pathway of Light and Sound, of Joy and Loving; and begin returning Home, back into the Soul Realm and Above, back into your true Home. And that is your success, that is your joy – to look, and know, and be, that which you are.
Meditation & Ani Hu Chant
Popular CDs
– Jim Gordon
The Answer Be Here and Be Now Living In Grace A Frequency of Change Is God For The New Millennium
For a complete listing of ILM Products and ordering information see the next page or go to the ILM website, ilm.org, for more information.
11
Inner Light Ministries
To order please place a check mark (or a “2” if you want 2 of any title) next to the title of the CD of your choice(s) below. You can also place an order at ILM’s website, ilm.org.
A Path Of Sound And Light ® ILM Audio CDs The Pathway As A Classroom*
Awake To Your Divinity Ending The Game Be Here and Be Now Living In Grace The Answer Is God Action Of The Radiant Form Keep It Simple Soul The Sacred Name Of God, Karmic Completion, and Spiritual Awakening The Greater Action Of Freedom And Liberation Know Your Self As God Knows You Fulfillment Through Loving Communion In Action The Story Of Creation Living Spirit In This Physical Creation Living Your Loving, Fulfilling Your Creativity My Journey Of Becoming A Spiritual Teacher Fulfillment Of The Soul An Introduction To ILM* The Action Of Initiation and The Power Of The Name Discipleship* Simplicity and Journaling* The Action Of Giving And Receiving* Enter Into The Journey Of Loving*
NEW
(2015) (2015) (2014) (2014) (2014) (2010) (2013)
Returning Back Into Spirit* Loving Who You Are* To Be Or Not To Be* The Living Loving Essence* The Tenth Door* Becoming Soul Liberated* ILM’s Toolbox: LAF* Wake Up, Wake Up!* The Three Fold Path* The Pearl Of Great Price* A Simple Way — The Path Of ILM Understanding The ‘Inner’ Pathway The Path Of Sound And Light Waking Up In Spirit What Separates Us From Our Loving A Frequency Of Change For A New Millennium A Soul’s Journey } CD Set (Manifesting) Abundance I (Manifesting) Abundance II Keys to Inner Communication You as a Communicator, You as a Creator and A Meditation The Levels To Soul And Beyond Our Right Relationship With God The Path Of Neutrality Lord, Make Me Worthy and The Master In Your Heart
(2008) (2012) (2007) (2007) (2009) (1998) (2005) (2010) (2009) (2007) (2009) (2008) (2006) (2005) (2007) (2006)
* This CD set includes a Meditation and Talk.
Meditation & Ani Hu Chant by Brian Yeakey
Love and Loving (Revised)
Lotus Meditation by Jim Gordon
The Knowing of God (Revised)
and Jim Gordon
The Spiritual Path Meditation by Jim Gordon The Heart Of God Meditation by Brian Yeakey
CD Set {
Meditations by Jim Gordon This CD is the remastering of the tape “Two Meditations” with the addition of the “Golden Pool” meditation.
Order Information & Postage Payment Since ILM is a spiritual pathway that is here to assist each person on their journey, our products are all available free of charge. You are welcome to order as many of the titles as you wish with the understanding that we will send you up to two of each item per order. There is a charge of $1.00 per item to cover shipping costs. In addition, donations towards replenishing the CDs and books are gratefully accepted. Checks may be made payable to Inner Light Ministries and sent to: Inner Light Ministries, PO Box 164332, Austin, Texas 78716.
(2000) (1999) (1997) (1997) (1992) (1992) (1991) (1991) (1990) (1985)
ILM Books
CDs On Meditation NEW
(2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2005) (2005) (2005) (1999) (2005) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2002) (2001) (2001)
The Staff of the Shepherd (Revised)
Gathering Love - Words Of Wisdom
(If using a credit card, write the name, address, phone number that corresponds to the card)
Name: Street Address: City & State: Daytime Phone: (
)
Check or money order enclosed Charge my:
Visa
Card Number: Expiration Date: Signature
Total Amount:
$
MasterCard
Looking, Learning and Loving by Brian Yeakey
anything wrong. It’s them, they’re the problem.” It’s called, “Stop personalizing what other people project onto you, and start personalizing what you’re projecting.” That’s all you have to deal with.
continued from page 2
talking about the same thing now in a little different way. So, that projection is where you’ve projected your life force, and all you have to do is start looking at what it is that you’ve given life to that projection. When you’re willing to start looking at that and facing up to it by getting honest and open, and acknowledge what you’re doing and what you’re projecting (that’s called acceptance, by the way), that is where all those karmas, all those lessons that you’re trying to learn, now will be learned and fulfilled because you’re finally willing to look and to learn. When we do that, then all of a sudden, when we see that projection on that mirror of life and really acknowledge it, we take ownership. That’s another way I talk about taking responsibility for our thoughts and feelings, actions and reactions. It’s called, Take ownership for your thoughts and feelings, your actions and reactions.
When you start to personalize your own projections, then you’re going to learn your lessons. When you’re willing to finally let go of what everybody else is projecting onto you, you’re going to get a lot of freedom from that alone, and then you’ll be able to see what your projections are. This is where forgiveness comes in. Often, we start with forgiveness out here, “I forgive them for what they did to me.” Well, that’s fine, but it’s not about them. But if you need to start
Whatever we’re running in here, inside of ourselves, well this world is a reflection. It is a mirror of consciousness. That’s why you hear Jim and I refer to it as the Lake of Reflection. It reflects back to us that which we are actually running inside of ourselves.
Take ownership. That is taking responsibility. Responsibility is the ability not only to respond but the ability to take ownership of these projections. And that ‘taking ownership’ is now reclaiming that which we’ve given our life force to. When we do that, there’s where the fulfillments and completion and liberation comes. This is how this works. What I am talking about here is the way life actually works. I’m not talking about a method or a way of how to do something at exclusion to anything else. I’m talking about and sharing about how life actually works. If you understand how that works, it doesn’t matter what the details are. You will be able to work with it no matter what it is. I like to call it, “Just getting real.” But ‘getting real’ only happens when we have an understanding and participate and take action. That’s why you hear us talk about engaging in life, participating, not avoiding. Spiritual liberation and freedom has nothing to do with avoiding or trying to bypass. Spiritual freedom and liberation comes with engaging (looking) and learning and Loving. That’s how it takes place – if we can really Live the Loving inside, guess what we’re going to project now onto the mirror? Loving. And that’s always going to be a nice experience, rather than the struggles and the games in the world.
there, starting there can be good because if you are caught up in somebody else’s projection on you, and you’re trying to personalize it, well, yes, forgive them. In other words, give back the projection, let go of the projection, stop personalizing and taking on what the world is telling you. Forgive the world. That in itself will hopefully, eventually (well, it will if you really do it), work. And you’ll start to get a little greater clarity now of what it is YOU are projecting onto this Lake of Reflection. When you can do that, then you can start to now learn by looking in the mirror to learn your lessons. Your lessons are simply the energy you’ve put into these projections. So now, if you go back to where I started – you are the source of power, and wherever you put your life force you give life to it. That’s called the projections. I’m 13
Where Are We?
I
by Steven McAfee, ILM Minister
Our souls, just as Jim has said, never really left the realms of Spirit. They are still there, at Home with God. But a part of our awareness – that divine spark – is on a “video call” from a distant land and is actively engaged there, to the exclusion of almost everything else. We pay more attention to what is happening there than what is happening at “home.” We get “lost” in the video activities of the other world and forget where we really are. Even when we hear God calling our name, we ignore it, or we listen for a moment and then get caught up again in the screen. It has become so familiar to us that the images on screen seem like our life. We are so caught up in the story we’re seeing that it seems there is nothing else to life but that. We must struggle to break free from the spellbinding attraction of the screen and the life it displays.
LM teaches us that we are on a journey of our soul returning to its divine Home in the realms of Spirit; that we descended into this lower creation eons ago as part of our soul’s journey to experience the entirety of God’s creation, above and below. Through initiation and living a life of Loving, the indwelling spark is ultimately liberated from its attachments in this lower creation, and returns to the spiritual creation. Yet, for years, Jim has said, “One day you will wake up and realize you have never left the heart of God.” In other words, we are already there. “If I am already there, what am I doing here and what’s the spiritual journey all about?” I had often wondered. Then, one day after an inner experience, I had a new understanding of how this works.
The soul that we are – still in our spiritual Home with God – calls to that part of our awareness that has gotten distracted and caught up in the energies of the lower worlds. WE – the soul – are not caught here. WE, as soul, are not karma-bound here. WE are already Home with God. But part of our soul’s awareness IS trapped here, bound up in all the energies of these lower realms. Our attention has been snared and no longer knows how to extricate itself.
Imagine you are sitting in your home with your loved ones, actively engaged with them. You receive a video call from someone you have not seen in a long time, who now lives in a distant country. You’re excited to learn all about what he is doing. He uses his camera to show you his environment and activities there. You become so engaged in the call that you begin focusing more on your friend’s environment than on your own; you slowly lose awareness of what is going on in your own home as you become more and more absorbed in what is happening in his. The longer the call continues, the more absorbed you become, so that eventually you do not even hear what is happening around you.
That’s why it is so important that we learn to pay attention, why where we hold our focus is so important. The return is not a return of our being, but a return of our focus. We have looked away; it is time to look back. That’s why the journey is not one of going somewhere, but one of moving our attention from a place it has been fixated, back into freedom. Ultimately, what will draw us back out of the fantasyland of our video is what I call the touch of Loving – when we experience it moving within us, we remember. The more we allow it to move within us, the more we remember. Remembering who we are reconnects the disjointed parts of ourselves by redirecting our attention to where we really are. No longer divided, we take the journey from being separate to being One: a movement not from place to place, but from sleeping to waking, from emptiness to fullness, and from being lost to being Loving.
Now, are you still there at home? Yes. But are you aware of it? No. Where is your attention? Not where you are, but where you are focused – at the other end of the video call. That is where you’re engaged; that’s where you are interacting. Now, what if someone at home calls your name? Do you hear them? Do you even notice their presence? Maybe not. Or maybe you do, and even respond, but then quickly return your attention to the screen. 14
Living and Loving
F
by Laura Kesten, ILM Minister
or most of my life, I’ve listened to the chatter in my head, believing everything it told me about myself and others. It had lots of opinions and because it said them with such authority, I’ve believed that chattering voice inside me. I thought it was giving me valuable information – assessing the situation, letting me know how to feel about the state of affairs, about myself, about others, whether it was safe, fun, miserable, good, bad. When I began the spiritual path, I listened more attentively to the details so that I could begin changing the patterns that were no longer serving me. I thought this voice was my friend. I thought this voice was telling me the truth. I thought this voice had my back. Until one day, I threw up my hands, and said, “Stop it! I’m not listening to you anymore! There aren’t enough years left in my life to get it right if I do it your way, and I don’t want to live this way anymore!” That voice always pulled me away from my loving, God’s Loving, and into the mind’s chaos.
Over and over, I’m brought to my knees in surrendering my ego. I have to give up all that I know in order to become empty of the world inside of me. Bowing before the teacher(s), before God, is something I’m finding out I have to do over and over, not necessarily as an outer expression, but as an inner action. Giving up my ego, not just the parts I want to let go, but all of it, has been painful and scary and humiliating. What I have to remind myself is that it’s the ego that experiences humiliation; and as Brian teaches, “humility-in-action” is surrendering to the flow of Spirit. Each time I turn toward God and walk through whatever the ego has me fearing, the ego has less dominion, and my soul has more freedom. And so, I walk on. Through meditation, which is truly bowing down to God every day, which is truly taking ownership of who I am as soul, as loving, and letting go of all that I am of the world, the ego can no longer have dominion over me.
Ohhh, and that nonsense chatter! But is it nonsense? That nonsense chatter is telling me something. It’s telling me all the places where I’m not loving myself, and in listening with that awareness, I can begin to love parts of me that are in separation What is paramount those That voice is the voice of ego. And and in protection. In truth, it’s not there is no negotiating or reasoning to remember is that that I’m going against the ego, but with the ego. The ego has its own that I’m choosing more into Spirit. everything melts with agenda … and so does my soul. It is my soul’s yearning to go back Which will I choose? loving. Everything Home that aligns to the truth. When my ego is in charge, it’s not always Often, when I’m in reaction and gives up its grip to easy to let go of everything I thought my focus is down and out, I’ll get loving. was the truth, but once I do, it is easy, scared, and the ego becomes bigger easy, easy to align to the real truth. and louder. I may feel embarrassed by the things Each day, several times a day, I have to choose. I may that are running me and so I may try to cover them not always know what’s running me, and even if I up, go into self-protection mode so I can’t be hurt or don’t know but have the awareness, I can start loving humiliated. The ego convinces me that if I expose it right then. What is paramount to remember is that what’s running me, if I even think about laying it everything melts with loving. Everything gives up down, or giving it up, or confessing it, that I will be its grip to loving. The simple, simple truth is that I humiliated, and so, it holds its death-grip. The ego don’t have to do anything with the ego except to love always wants position, wants to prove itself, to be all its chatter and look up, look up to God, love God, the best, to be in competition, and it always wants to receive God’s Loving, and live every moment focused be right. To go against the ego will shake things up! inward and upward. 15
I
Willing To Being Participate
by Kelsie Mc Sherry, ILM Minister
When you begin to feel, know, sense, or experience the Loving from the seat of the Soul, place the disturbance into that Loving. Now, just experience the Loving with the disturbance. Be in the Loving with it. You’re not doing anything with the disturbance except allowing it into the Loving that you are. The Loving will handle it for you.
n working more closely with Brian and the staff members of ILM, one thing has become very clear: For the growth and expansion of both my spiritual and physical life, it comes down to me being willing to participate, no matter what!
When you feel the inner peace, when you experience that there is no longer a charge associated with the disturbance, bring forth and claim the truth of who you are, as Loving, Accepting, Forgiving, Joyful, Enthusiastic, Peaceful, etc.
Recently, Brian has been sharing about being willing to look inside at our disturbances, and giving our loving attention to them to enter back into Living in Loving. No matter how uncomfortable it is, participating with our disturbances and claiming them back, rather than avoiding them, is key to bringing ourselves back into Loving with God and ourselves.
Continue moving into meditation or open your eyes. As there are many approaches to do LAF, at times I have found this one to be most effective for me because it does not engage the mind into a mental process. It does engage the Loving by bringing my attention to the Seat of the Soul, relaxing into the Loving by feeling, sensing, seeing, or knowing the presence of Loving there, and then giving whatever the disturbance is up to God by putting it into the Loving at the Seat of the Soul. Then, I let go. I surrender. I relax into the Loving that is present within me.
One way I have found to enter back into Loving with my fears and disturbances is by doing the exercise, ‘Giving It All Up To God’ in the ILM LAF Workbook and Meditation Journal. One day while in meditation, a disturbance came up and I began to give my disturbance up to God by putting it into the Loving at the Seat of the Soul, and just like that it melted away! Later, while working on the LAF Workbook with Brian, I shared this experience and we added it in as another way to do LAF. The following is the exercise:
When I put my disturbance, reaction, judgments, fears, shame, etc. into the Loving at the Seat of the Soul, the Loving transforms it into peace, joy, or into an awareness, a knowing, or a learning, and most definitely, Loving. Then I turn my attention towards receiving the Loving into me. Receiving is key! When I give, I also need to receive. Therefore, once I have given the disturbance, for example, up to God by placing it into the Loving at the Seat of the Soul, I then receive God’s Loving. I receive the Loving that is present within me, at the Seat of the Soul.
Giving It All Up to God: Put Your _________ Into The Loving (Judgment, Fear, Unworthiness, Shame, Guilt, Protection, Control...) Now that you’ve identified what it is that you are in disturbance with, that is causing your separation with God, you’re going to put “it” into the Loving ... Give it up to God. Read the following process, then close your eyes and go through it.
The action of giving can be anything from your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions, also known as your fears, protection, control, judgments, shame, unworthiness, etc., as well as your joy, peace, gratitude, loving, etc. And then receive what God wants to give you, so that you complete the action of giving and receiving.
Close your eyes and bring your attention inwards and upwards to the seat of the Soul and begin loving God. Know that you are the Loving that is loving God. There is nothing to figure out. Just keep loving God.
(Being Willing To Participate continues on next page)
16
Travel Schedule for 2016 for Jim and Brian
Dear ILMers, I want to share with you some changes in our travel schedule, as well as the ‘Experiencing the Divine’ retreats. Brian and I are looking at how to take care of ILM and all its needs as well as take greater care of ourselves. What I share here is an unfolding action that may go through a few adjustments as we go along. As we have found over the years, nothing is etched in stone and nothing in this world is permanent. After many years of traveling extensively, going to visit with different groups, Brian and I have realized that we have not been able to truly give full attention to other areas within ILM that also need our attention and action. So, we have decided that, for the next few years, we will be traveling less. This means that besides the retreat in Austin, Texas each year, we will only be traveling to one other location to hold the retreat and meet with people. We are planning for 2016 to hold the retreat here in Austin in March, and to also travel to Hawaii to hold the retreat and other meetings in July. In 2017, we are planning to have the retreat in Austin in March, and also travel to England to have the retreat and other meetings. We have not yet set the dates for the England trip. In 2018, we will again have the retreat in Austin in March, and also travel to Fort Wayne and Kalamazoo to hold the retreat and meetings. Dates will be announced as we get closer to the events. Also, we are now having all the monthly Sunday Classes broadcast live so that Brian and I can stay in contact with you, as well as continue to have the Skype open meetings with the different areas where ILM is active. Once we have the new ILM website up and running we will also have a video-on-demand section where you can watch all the Sunday Classes that have been recorded. With all this said, we are also looking at making the next few retreats Initiates Only Meditation Retreats. The reason being is that so many initiates are now waking up into higher realms and we want to support this action by having personal and close time with the initiates in a retreat setting. In this way we can better support initiates as they continue the action of liberating the soul. Much Loving, Jim
Being Willing To Participate continued By participating with the Loving, and not my mind, it is allowing those things inside of me that I have been running and hiding from to surface, and I place them into the Loving, bringing them back into balance, back into God. Being willing to
12 17
participate, and look, and giving it all up to God, into the Loving, and receiving God’s Loving into me, I am now participating with the Beloved. I am experiencing more and more being in Loving with the Beloved.
of
Core Tenets
Inner Light Ministries (ILM) God Created You (Soul)
You Are The Living Loving Essence Of The Lord One Day You Will Wake Up
And Realize You Never Left The Heart Of God
The Actions Of Soul Liberation Through ILM Meditation - Loving God and Allowing God To Love You By Focusing On The Inner Light and Sound Of God. You Do This Through Chanting The Sacred Name While Holding Your Attention At The Seat Of The Soul.
Loving, Accepting, Forgiving (LAF) - Loving, Accepting, and Forgiving Yourself, Others, and God.
Take Responsibility For Your Thoughts And Feelings, Actions And Reactions
- Acknowledge and Accept Responsibility For Your Thoughts and Feelings, Actions and Reactions (Be Honest and Take Ownership). 18
Happy Holidays! Dear ILM Community,
from the ILM Staff
Below is a list of the ILM Staff and a summary of their job descriptions. If you have a question about something in the Newsletter, on the website, with registration, with donations, with Midwest, Hawaii, and England activities, or anything else, please refer to this page and direct your question to the staff member connected to that area. Much Loving,
ILM Ministers
Jim Gordon - President & Founder: Jim has served as ILM’s spiritual teacher for many years, and as an anchor point for sharing the Path of Sound and Light through ILM, his teachings have created the foundation of ILM’s focus in the world. Jim Gordon He now supports Brian Yeakey as the spiritual teacher for ILM.
Brian Yeakey - Vice President & Spiritual Director: As successor to Jim Gordon, Brian serves as ILM’s Spiritual Teacher, sharing the Path of Sound and Light and initiating people into the meditation practice with the Sacred Name of God. As the Brian Yeakey Spiritual Director, Brian is responsible for ILM’s overall Mission and Purpose, as well as overseeing ILM’s Ministerial Program.
Laura Doggett - Administrative Assistant & Event Coordinator (lauradoggett@ilm. org): As Jim and Brian’s assistant, Laura is the contact person for information regarding ILM, ordering books and CD’s, and scheduling initiations. Laura handles registration and logistics for ILM’s Meditation retreats in Austin, Hawaii, and England, Austin events and classes, and assists ILM’s Area Representatives.
Laura Doggett
Laura Kesten - Managing Editor (laurakesten@ilm.org): Laura edits the text for the ILM Newsletters, fliers, books, workbooks, booklets, and website, as well as the audio for the CDs. She also transcribes and edits many of Jim’s and Brian’s talks and Q & A sessions for the ILM Journal and website.
Laura Kesten
Bill Stratton - Creative Visual and Audio Director (billstratton@ilm.org): Bill creates,
designs, and produces the ILM Newsletters, as well as creates fliers and ecards for local events. In addition, Bill records Jim and Brian’s Austin classes, produces audio/visual files for the production of CDs and the website, and prepares all audio files for the ILM website.
Bill Stratton
Henry De La O - Comptroller (henry@ilm.org): Henry is ILM’s Financial Administrator responsible for all accounting, record keeping, and financial reporting.
Steven McAfee - Midwest Area Coordinator (stevenmcafee@ilm.org): Steven creates
Henry De La O
and facilitates the Midwest ILM retreats, monthly workshops, and weekly classes. He, also, provides information about questions regarding ILM’s initiation process and its teachings.
Ani McAfee - Midwest Administrative Assistant (stevenmcafee@ilm.org): Ani assists
Steven McAfee
Kelsie Mc Sherry
Steven by managing logistics for all Midwest events, classes, workshops, retreats, and community gatherings, including class schedules, retreat details, calendars, fliers, and ecards. As chaplain, Ani also provides support as a spiritual caregiver for those who have experienced recent bereavement.
Kelsie Mc Sherry - Hawaii Area Coordinator (kelsiemcsherry@ilm.org): Kelsie creates, coordinates, and facilitates Hawaii area ILM classes, workshops, and retreats using ILM’s teachings and practices. Through spiritual counseling, Kelsie assists people in working with ILM’s teachings, LAF, and utilizing ILM’s LAF Workbook and Meditation Journal. 19
Ani McAfee
Inner Light Ministries
PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS
A Path of Sound and Light ®
Editorial and Publishing Office P.O. Box 164332 Austin, Texas 78716-4332 Phone: 512-306-1056
PERMIT NO. 1149
INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES Newsletter About ILM ®
I nner Light Ministries (ILM) is a non-profit
organization dedicated to teaching spiritual awakening through an inner practice of meditation. This meditation practice is an inner path through which the soul transcends the physical realms of creation to its true home in the spiritual realms within the heart of God. In spiritual teachings and literature this inner path is often referred to as “The Path of Sound and Light,” “The Path of The Holy Spirit,” “The Path of Love,” or simply as “The Path,” or “The Way.” ILM offers initiation into this meditation practice enabling one to fully experience this inner journey of awakening. To provide support for those individuals interested in this path, Inner Light Ministries offers numerous publications, materials, programs, and services, which encourage devotion to God and support a life-long practice of meditation, spiritual study, and service.
Inner Light Ministries:
Mailing List To keep our present mailing system up-to-date, please check the spelling of your name, street and city. If there is an error, please notify us by phone (512-306-1056), email (ilmadmin@ ilm.org) or by mail (PO Box 164332, Austin, TX 78716-4332).
Donations Donations to Inner Light Ministries are gratefully accepted, and help us support: 1. ILM events, production of CDs, the ILM Newsletter, and books. 2. Scholarships toward supporting members taking ILM retreats and workshops. 3. ILM’s Holiday Project: Coins For Kids. Checks may be made payable to Inner Light Ministries and sent to: 2303 Ranch Road 620 South, Ste 135-303, Austin, Texas 78734. Or to make a donation by credit card, go to ILM’s website at ilm.org. ILM is a 501(c)(3) non profit ecclesiastical organization. All donations are tax deductible.
Main Office: Jim Gordon, Brian Yeakey, P.O. Box 164332, Austin, TX 78716-4332; Midwest Office: Steven McAfee, P.O. Box 5139, Fort Wayne, IN 46895