2006 Vol 4, December by Inner Light Ministries

INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES JOURNAL VOLUME 17 NUMBER 4

MEDITATION –

DECEMBER, 2006

DYING THE LITTLE DEATH DAILY by Jim Gordon, President of ILM

(from the talk, Greater Depth In Meditation - 9/6/05) he one thing in life that is inevitable is death, death of the physical form. But the soul lives on! And if in our meditation we can wake up to the knowing of our own soul, and know that we are soul, not body, then when we approach that process of death of the physical we realize what is really taking place — that if anything it is a gift that is being given. It is a great gift to walk up to that door of death and to be able to leave this physical body behind one more time, and not have to come back, because you have been ‘dying a little death daily’ in meditation. The Sound and Light meditation is an action where we are experiencing death ‘right now’ in meditation: we are leaving the physical form, we are traveling as the soul into the realms of God, and then coming back into the physical body. This is an action of dying — the only additional thing with the ﬁnal death is that when we leave, we don’t return; the body stays behind and we continue the journey.

So it’s a very interesting process for those who have been practicing the Sound and Light meditation to be in the action of dying, to release the physical form when we approach that point of energy of death inside, where we break free of the physical consciousness, where we break free of the physical form, and we wake up in the soul. And in that action of awakening, we can travel the inner realms of spirit. I’ve been with a number of people who are dying who are not initiates into the Path of Sound and Light, and they are fearful, they are fearful to let go of this body and to go on to what is next, because they don’t know what’s next, they don’t know where they are going. They may have been promised certain things by their religion but they don’t know if that is really going to be happening, they don’t know what it’s going to look like. They don’t know what it looks like to leave the body, and they don’t know who is going to be there to greet them — is it going to be God, Jesus, Mohammad, the devil, who? They think, “What do I really trust out there,” and so they lie

there and they are dying but they are ever holding onto the body, they are ever doing anything they can to stay in the body. They just don’t want to let go because they don’t know what’s out there or they don’t know where they are going. “Am I going to go to heaven, am I going to go to hell, am I going to go to purgatory? Limbo? Philadelphia? What? Where?” And some people who have been meditating will, at the death of the physical body, finally, for the first time, allow themselves to go far into the experience of soul travel. These people won’t allow themselves to enter into that experience before dying, that is, in their meditation, because they don’t know what to expect beyond the physical. And then there are those initiates who aren’t meditating, and therefore aren’t truly aware inwardly of the journey of The Path of Sound and Light. They might know it only outwardly, thinking, “Gosh that sounds good; gosh I hope that’s true.” That person is living life just like those who aren’t initiated: living in the wonder, living in the fear, living in the doubt, and it’s going to cause that person to hold back. It’s going to cause that person, at the moment of death, not to trust and to move forward with that action that is the Holy Spirit, that is the “audible life stream,” that can and will lift them to their liberation. I’ve now witnessed death with a few of the initiates that we have in Inner Light Ministries. Several people have died since they received initiation, and I do know that those people who had been doing their meditation have gone higher. They may not have received full liberation, they may not have gone into the soul realm and beyond so that they no longer have to return here, but they have gone higher than they would have if they had not received initiation. And they stand freer because they stand in the Light of God, they stand in the movement of the Holy Spirit. And if they come back into incarnation here, they come back in a whole different flow, a whole different action than they have ever experienced before. Their physical body will be very different and the opportunities here will be very different, because the Grace that is the initiation will be there with them, (MEDITATION continues on page 15)

THE

PATHWAY AS A CLASSROOM

by Brian Yeakey,

Vice President of ILM

are the doorways into the higher regions.

Through the doorways of the 6th and 7th chakras we tap (from the talk, th The Pathway As A Classroom - 9/06) into the astral realm — the ‘8th grade’. The 8 grade is the beginning of the journey into what we call the “outer he Path of Sound and Light is a pathway of kingdom,” that which is beyond the “inner kingdom” of experience. That’s how we learn, through the physical body chakras. This is where we begin to experience. If we hold ourselves back from awaken beyond this physical dimension and prepare for experience, we’re not going to learn. But the greater journey into the higher realms. So, just like if we allow ourselves just to move forward, we’ll learn. the name middle school implies, spiritual grades 6-8 are It’s a lot like in school. In school when we’re done and the midway point between the physical, inner kingdom, have had all the experience we need in first grade, then and the more spiritual, outer kingdom. we go to second grade. Second grade is a whole new level of learning, and we have to be open to learn all When you’re nearly done with spiritual middle school these new things. It’s by going through those experiences is when you’ll find this Pathway of Sound and Light. that we learn, and then when we really learn it all and It starts at middle school and goes into high school and we pass the tests, we’re done with second grade and we beyond. It’s called high school, because now you’re move to third grade … where there are all these other going to go high up into the realms of spirit! And so now new things we’re learning. That’s how life is. And if you begin to move beyond the astral realm or 8th grade you allow yourself to just move forward, being open to and into the causal realm or 9th grade; you’re a freshman the experiences, you keep learning and keep growing now in spiritual high school. You’re now in another and keep moving on up through all the grades until you new school, as well as a new grade. Here is where we come to the place where we begin to move into higher ‘graduate’. levels — where, in a place in the causal realm, we can One thing to keep in mind is that on the spiritual path begin to move beyond reincarnation. There’s a greater these are inner learnings. They’re not so blatantly freedom in here, in your freshman year. Here is where obvious, like when we graduate and go from first grade choices can be made where you can now continue to to second grade in this world. Sometimes the lessons move up into the higher learning, or you can continue can be subtle, and sometimes they’re not subtle. A lot of to come back and still learn more here. So this begins times it’s subtle — when we’re done with one thing and the really higher learning: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th — the we’re now on to the next experience. However, when causal, mental, etheric, and soul realms. we ‘graduate’ from the different ‘inner grades’, or the different chakras, or the different realms of spirit, there One thing to keep in mind on this journey, as you graduate are different experiences that we move on to in each of from one grade and you go on to the next, is that you’re going to have different experiences. Don’t think your those dimensions. life is going to be the same. A lot of you get initiated In the outer world, when you’re done with first grade because you want your life to be different, and it will be. through fifth grade, or elementary school, then all of a But it may not be as obvious as you may think. sudden you’re in sixth grade — middle school. You’re in a new school — not only a new grade, but a whole And also realize you still have to walk through the new school. And on the spiritual path, that’s what the different grades. Pay attention, so that you have some first five chakras are — ‘spiritual elementary school’, level of awareness. Maybe you’ve graduated from one which we also call “the inner kingdom.” But as soon grade and you’re now in the next. Say you’ve moved as we wake up here (motioning to the “third eye center” from the causal realm and now you’re in the mental realm. between the eyebrows), that’s the ‘spiritual sixth grade’. Pay attention so you don’t keep repeating the lessons of Even though it’s still in the physical at the “seat of the causal realm or the 9th grade. Realize you’re now the soul,” it’s the beginning now of a new school, the in the 10th grade — you’ve done the causal realm and ‘spiritual middle school’ of the 6th and 7th charkas that now you’re in the mental realm and having experiences (CLASSROOM continues on page 14) 2

I NNER L IGHT M INISTRIES

CALENDAR

CLASSES & PROGRAMS: WINTER ‘06 - SPRING ‘07 PRESENTED BY JIM GORDON and BRIAN YEAKEY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS: For additional information, call 512-306-1056.

EEKLY

CLASSES:

Jim and Brian’s weekly class is held on Sundays, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm at the ILM Center, Franklin Sq. Bldg, 3724 Jefferson, Ste. 100.

Each class includes spiritual teachings, practical exercises, group discussion, and meditation. Jim and Brian help participants to become more deeply aware of the Spirit within. No charge.

C oins For Kids and Christmas Party in Austin Wrapping DAY on SUNDAY, DEC 3rd is cancelled (wrapping the gifts is not required this year).

CHRISTMAS POTLUCK PARTY: Join us for ILM’s Christmas celebration on SATURDAY, DEC 16th beginning at 4 pm at 203 Buckeye Trail in Austin, Texas. Everyone is welcome! It’s a potluck so bring a dish to share. v

PRESENTED BY BILL STRATTON IN AUSTIN, TEXAS: For additional information, call Bill at 512-218-1995.

ANCTUARY: (The following class is for participants already enrolled.) Inside each of us is the Inner Garden, or the Holy of Holies. This workshop was created in response to a number of requests to have something available that would assist each of us in the transitioning from being in a retreat to going back into the world. Throughout this course we will implement various tools and meditations from Jim and Brian’s seminars to create, and to avail ourselves of, this inner and outer jouney towards ‘sanctuary’.

DEC 9 & JAN 20

Saturday, 1-3:30 pm

ILM Center

No Charge

OING WITH GOD II: This workshop will continue the exploration of our individual focus of G Loving in our daily world from the place of Loving and Light that is, and the expansion of this consciousness

of Loving into our lives. It is about being present with our own Divinity. We will begin the class by listening to an ILM meditation CD, followed by discussion and experiential exercises. This class is open to everyone, and participation in the ﬁrst GOING WITH GOD class is not required. APRIL 22

Sunday, 2-4 pm 3

ILM Center

No Charge

(ILM Calendar continues on pages 4 - 9)

ILM presents:

in Hawaii

Sunday, January 21, 2007 HYMN OF THE PEARL with JIM GORDON and BRIAN YEAKEY

TIMES OF EVENT 9:30 am-5:30 pm

WHERE: Ohana East Hotel, Waikiki, Hawaii

Meeting Room off of lobby located on the 2nd ďŹ&#x201A;oor. Park in the Ohana East garage located at 2375 Kuhio Avenue (all day parking with validation is $3.00).

DONATION ONATION

For further information regarding this event please contact: Nadine Ferraro at 808-988-7509.

January 20 - February 17

INITIATIONS and APPOINTMENTS Jim and Brian will be available for appointments, and for initiations for those who have been approved. To schedule appointments with Jim or Brian for initiations or appointments please call 512-306-1056 and speak with Laura Doggett. 4

ILM presents:

in Michigan and in Indiana

in Kalamazoo:

Saturday, May 5, 2007

QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION with JIM GORDON and BRIAN YEAKEY

TIME OF EVENT: 1:30-5:30 PM

AT UNITY OF KALAMAZOO, 1204 WHITES ROAD, KALAMAZOO

DONATION

in Ft. Wayne:

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION with

JIM GORDON and BRIAN YEAKEY TIME OF EVENT: 7-9:30 PM

AT UNITY CHRIST CHURCH, 3232 CRESCENT AVE, FT. WAYNE

DONATION

For further information regarding these events please contact Steven McAfee at 260-485-2167.

INITIATIONS and

APPOINTMENTS

May 1-May 5 In In Ft. Ft. Wayne: Wayne: May 7-May 27

In In Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo:

Jim Jim and and Brian Brian will will be be available available for for appointments, appointments, and and for for initiations initiations for for those those who who have have been been approved. approved. To schedule appointments with Jim or Brian please call Steven McAfee at 260-485-2167. 5

Experiencing The Divine – A Meditative Retreat

facilitated by

Jim Gordon and Brian Yeakey

Austin, Texas:

COST: Single Occupancy – $500

at Red Corral Ranch Renewal Center

Wimberley, Texas Thursday, March 15 at 6 pm thru Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 1:30 pm

Double Occupancy (per person) – $400 If you would like to sign up for this retreat go to the ILM website (ilm.org) or contact ASAP: Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056.

and

PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION: Kalamazoo, Michigan: at Yarrow Conference Center

August, Michigan Thursday, April 26 at 6 pm thru Sunday, April 29, 2007 at 1:30 pm 6

COST: $275 per person

(double occupancy) If you would like to sign up for this retreat please contact: Steven McAfee at 260-485-2167.

I NNER L IGHT M MINISTRIES CALENDAR PRESENTED BY LAURA KESTEN:

For additional information, call Laura at 512-266-9400 or 512-658-4117 or email: LSKestenB@aol.com.

TORIES UNTOLD: Jim and Brian talk about Loving, Acceptance, and Forgiveness in every talk they give. In STORIES UNTOLD, through our writing, we ﬁrst-handedly get to practice and experience Loving, Acceptance and Forgiveness in the events of our lives, letting go of the past so that we can open more fully to the Divine. As a bonus, the process of writing also prepares us in the present, as well as laying a foundation for the future, keeping us more aligned and in the ﬂow of God’s Loving. These weekends are magical! Try it for one weekend and see for yourself. No experience necessary! You just have to show up!

MICHIGAN:

DEC 8-10

Yarrow Conference Center

Augusta

$125

2007: FEB 16-18, APR 20-22, JUNE 16-23, AUG 24-26, OCT 19-21, DEC 7-9

TEXAS: 2007: JAN 13-14, MAR 10-11, MAY 12-13, JULY 28-29, SEPT 15-16, NOV 10-11 ILLINOIS: 2007: JAN 19-21, MAY 25-27 and INDIANA: 2007: MAR 16-18, SEPT 21-23

LIVING PRAYER: This workshop is based on a talk Jim Gordon gave in Austin, June 2006. A This is one of my very favorites of Jim’s so I wanted to create a retreat based on his sharing. Setting clear intentions in our meditations; accepting, loving, and forgiving; putting God ﬁrst, and God only; understanding the Lord’s Prayer — these are just a few ideas that Jim touches on. We’ll listen to clips of Jim’s beautiful sharing as he takes us to greater levels of understanding and practicing Becoming a Living Prayer. FEB 25, MAR 25, APR 29, MAY 27 ILM Center

Austin, Texas

No charge

ILM COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHTS:

Join Tom and Laura at their new home at Mansﬁeld Dam on the 1st Friday of every month to watch a movie with a spiritual message. If you have a favorite movie that speaks to you, we’ll add it to our list. Come early (6 pm) and have a fresh bowl of homemade soup and slice of Great Earth bread. Movie starts at 7:00 pm. Everyone is welcomed. Bring nothing but your beautiful self. No charge.

2007: JAN 5, FEB 2, MAR 2, APR 6, MAY 4 (ILM Calendar continues on next page)

Updated Updated and and easier easier to to use use ILM ILM website website

You You don’t don’t have have to to be be in in Austin Austin to to attend attend the the Sunday Sunday classes! classes! ILM.org ILM.org — — the the IINNER NNER L LIGHT IGHT M MINISTRIES INISTRIES Website Website

ILM.org ILM.orgisisbeing beingoffered offeredto to share share the the basics basics on on ILM, ILM, an an organization organization dedicated dedicated to to teaching teaching The The Path Path of ofSound Soundand andLight, Light,and andto toenable enable everyone everyone interested interested to to purchase purchase ILM ILM books, books, tapes tapes and and CDs CDs online. online. It It isis now now simpler simplerand and faster fasterto to gain gain access access to: to: **Audio Audioversions versionsof ofILM’s ILM’sweekly weeklySunday SundayMorning MorningClasses Classesin inAustin, Austin,Texas Texas **All Allpast pastand andpresent presentILM ILMNewsletters Newsletters **Information Informationon onILM ILMInitiation Initiationinto intoThe ThePath Pathof ofSound Soundand andLight Light **Online Onlineregistration registrationfor forsome someILM ILMworkshops workshopsand andretreats retreats There There isis also also aa special special section section for for ILM ILM Initiates Initiates Only. Only. 7

I NNER L IGHT M MINISTRIES CALENDAR PRESENTED BY STEVEN MCAFEE, MIDWEST COORDINATOR: For additional information, call Steven at 260-485-2167.

Steven offers a series of weekly ILM classes in Ft. Wayne on Tuesday UESDAY CLASS SERIES: nights from 7-8:30 pm at Unity Christ Church. Each series focuses on a speciﬁc spiritual topic and runs from 4-5 weeks in length. Some of the recent topics have included: ﬁrst century Christianity and the “lost books of the Bible,” and the mystical inner path in sacred scriptures. Please call Steven for current information.

ILM

More fun community nights are on their way at Steven and Anita’s OMMUNITY NIGHT: home! We’ll provide soft drinks and munchies. Please RSVP a week ahead so we can plan appropriately. No charge. MUSIC NIGHT!: NOV 15, 2006 at 7 pm and JAN 30, 2007 at 7 pm CHRISTMAS PARTY: DEC 12 at 7 pm

“ NNER STUDIES”: A new year-long study program, INNER STUDIES will consist of monthly meetings and two full retreat weekends. Enrollment is open to anyone. The introductory meeting will be held in Fort Wayne from 2:30-5:30 pm on Sunday, Nov 12th. There is no charge, and attendance will NOT commit you to enroll in the program. At this session, the focus and structure of the INNER STUDIES program, as well as the entire meeting schedule for the remainder 2006 and 2007, will be presented. For complete details, please contact Steven. 2006: NOV 12 INTRODUCTORY MEETING (OPEN to anyone): 2:30-5:30 pm “Brigade of Light” room Fort Wayne No charge

2007: JAN 4-7 RETREAT (The following events are open ONLY to those who enroll in the yearlong program): Thrs. 7 pm-Sun. 3 pm Yarrow Conference Center Augusta, Mich. $300/person/douple occupancy FEB 4, MAR 4, APR 1

2:30-5:30 pm

WORKSHOPS:

Brigade of Light room, Fort Wayne

Donation

ESUS AND JAMES - THE UNTOLD STORY” RETREAT: This retreat will focus on the ministry of J Jesus and his brother James who became his successor after his death. We will share historical information

“

about the real role of James in the early “church,” and show textural indications that they were both spiritual teachers of the Path of Sound and Light. FEB 23-25

Fri. 7:30 pm-Sun. 3:00 pm

GilChrist

Three Rivers, Mich.

$140/person

F K : ILM’s Fort Wayne community has once again collected spare change throughC out the year to sponsor families in need at Christmastime. You are warmly invited to join us in shopping OINS

IDS

and/or wrapping the gifts at the times listed below. Pizzas and soft drinks will be provided. Please give us a call if you are planning to participate so we can plan accordingly. DEC 14

7 pm

Wrapping Party

Brigade of Light room

Ft. Wayne

UNDAY SERVICES: Steven frequently serves as a guest speaker for various churches and spiritual groups in the Fort Wayne area. If you would like him to speak to your group, please call to make arrangements. The following are presently scheduled. (Please contact Steven for dates scheduled in 2007.)

DEC 3

11 am

Brigade of Light

Ft. Wayne 8

No Charge (Calendar continues on next page)

I NNER L IGHT M MINISTRIES CALENDAR Community ILM Seminars and Events Worldwide

•

ILM ACTIVITIES in KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN:

Please contact Carolyn Dailey or Penny Miller at 269-664-3577 (or email pmiller@mei.net) for more information on the activities below.

TUDY GROUP: Each meeting begins with a 20-30 minute meditation. Then participants take turns reading THE STAFF OF THE SHEPHERD by Jim Gordon. People share, if they like, how the principles taught in the book apply to their own lives. We will keep a list of questions that may arise, and seek further clariﬁcation from Jim and Brian Note: there will be no study groups from Dec. 12th until Jan. 9, 2007.

1st & 3rd Tuesdays

6:15–8:15 pm

Judy Richards, 4715 Thistle Mill Ct., Kalamazoo

No charge

OVIE NIGHT: Come join us for a monthly community social gathering. Bring a movie you like and we’ll all choose what to watch. We may even want to go out to the movies if there’s a good one showing. Drinks and munchies provided Note: there will be no movie nights from Dec. 12th until Jan. 9, 2007.

2nd Tuesdays

6:15 – 8:15 pm

Judy Richards, 4715 Thistle Mill Ct.

No charge

ILM SEMINAR in LOS ANGELES:

•

Please contact Victoria Eng at 310-980-2224 to RSVP before coming.

The focus of each evening is on spiritual awakening, and on supporting one APE SEMINARS: another in experiencing and sharing greater Loving within ourselves and with others. These seminars will be held from Wednesdays 5:30-7 pm at Victoria and Willard Engs’ home in Beverlywood on the following dates. JAN 10 & 24, FEB 7 & 21, MAR 7 & 21, APRIL 4 & 18, MAY 9 & 23, JUNE 6 No charge

•

ILM SEMINAR in HAWAII: Please contact Nadine Ferraro at 808-988-7509, or 551-3123 (cell) for directions.

APE

SEMINARS: Share in a one-hour meditation and fellowship opportunity on: Monday evenings from 6-7:30 pm in Manoa Valley, Honolulu, Hawaii Bring friends ... newcomers are welcome. No charge.

ILM SEMINAR in LONDON, ENGLAND:

•

Please contact Nanna Brinker at 0207 485 0699 for directions.

S : Each evening will consist of a short meditation and the listening to a CD or T tape by Jim Gordon and Brian Yeakey. Join us in sharing the path of Loving and awakening into Spirit. APE

EMINARS

All are welcome. Our ILM seminars are at 42A Montpelier Grove, London NW5, on the following: Sundays at 4 pm: JAN 7, JAN 28, FEB 18th, APRIL 1, APRIL 22 No charge.

Please be aware that new programs are often scheduled after this 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.

ILM Meditation and Talk On CD NEW CD – THE TENTH DOOR

Excerpt from THE TENTH DOOR:

od is ever with us, walking with us every step of the way through our lives. God is joyful, loving, accepting, allowing, all the way through; while we on the other hand are crying, we’re in pain, we’re feeling separation, we’re longing for things in this creation. While we’re doing all these things, God is ever joyfully walking with each of us, knowing that with every step we’re getting closer to the return; with every step we’re ﬁnding greater fulﬁllment for why we came into this creation; with every step each of us is coming into the greater knowing of ourself as the creative loving being that is Soul. And one day there will be that step — and God knows it even if you don’t — where you will step forward in meditation through that “tenth door” (the “third eye center”), and then the greater journey begins … the Journey Home. That journey is an easy journey, a loving journey, an amazing journey; for on that journey, that inner journey, you will know God’s love, and you will know a greater sense of freedom than you’ve known while you’ve been in the physical body. – Jim Gordon ORDERING INFORMATION: These CDs are $10.00 plus $3 postage and handling per order (not per item). Checks may be made payable to INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES and sent to: ILM, P.O. Box 164332, Austin, Texas 78716-4332. Or you can go to our website ILM.org to order (see page 7).

Welcome to Inner Light Ministries! Introductory Packet In this packet you will ﬁnd ILM’s book LOVE AND LOVING, 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 were selected to give a newcomer a good 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: www.ilm.org (more information on page 7). 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 10

INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES MATERIALS LIST ILM AUDIO CDS & TAPES

Each CD and tape is $10.00, except for the ABUNDANCE I & II and the WAKE UP, WAKE UP! CD packets which are each $15. Only the titles with the CD icon next to it are available as a CD as well. Two titles together indicate different lectures on each side. Please place a check in either the circle or box in front of your choice(s):

CDS & TAPES ON MEDITATION CD/Tape

NEW

(2005)

THE SPIRITUAL PATH MEDITATION by Jim Gordon THE HEART OF GOD MEDITATION by Brian Yeakey

(2005)

TWO MEDITATIONS by Jim Gordon

CD/Tape

THE TENTH DOOR NEW (MEDITATION AND TALK) BECOMING SOUL LIBERATED (MEDITATION AND TALK) THE TOOLBOX (MEDITATION AND TALK) WAKE UP, WAKE UP! (MEDITATION AND TALK) KEYS OF INITIATION WITH JIM AND BRIAN (MEDITATION AND TALK) THE THREE FOLD PATH (MEDITATION AND TALK) THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE (MEDITATION AND TALK) 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 FOCUSING ON CHRIST GUARDIAN ANGELS SOUL VS EGO ANGELS (MANIFESTING) ABUNDANCE I } CD Set (MANIFESTING) ABUNDANCE II SENDING THE LIGHT AURA CLEANSING WORKSHOP AWAKENING TO YOUR INNER LIGHT and CALLING IN THE LIGHT KEYS TO INNER COMMUNICATION YOU AS A COMMUNICATOR, YOU AS A CREATOR and A MEDITATION MOVING INTO SOUL CONSCIOUSNESS and COMMUNION CEREMONY MEDITATIVE TECHNIQUES COMMUNICATION THROUGH DREAMS THE LEVELS TO SOUL AND BEYOND OUR RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD SONGS OF PRAISE TO GOD and A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF RELATIONSHIPS THE PATH OF NEUTRALITY UNDERSTANDING CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS INNER REVELATION and A FLOWER FROM HEAVEN LORD, MAKE ME WORTHY and THE MASTER IN YOUR HEART FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and RESPONSIBILITY HEALING AND COLOR THERAPY

LOTUS MEDITATION by Jim Gordon

Sacred Place Meditation Forgiveness Meditation

(1999)

THREE MEDITATIONS by Jim Gordon

(2005)

Starry Sky Meditation, A Healing Meditation & Balancing The Consciousness Meditation

(2005)

MEDITATION AND THE HEALING PROCESS

(2003)

by Brian Yeakey

PRACTICING MEDITATION – CONNECTING WITH THE DIVINE

(2003)

by Steven McAfee

(2003) (2003) (2002) (2001) (2001) (2000) (1999) (1999) (1998) (1998) (1997) (1997) (1997) (1994) (1994) (1994) (1992) (1992) (1991) (1991) (1991) (1991) (1991) (1990) (1990) (1987) (1986) (1985) (1984) (1980)

ILM BOOKS

BY JIM GORDON ($10 each) LOVE AND LOVING (REVISED) THE KNOWING OF GOD THE STAFF OF THE SHEPHERD (REVISED)

ORDER FORM (A replacement copy will be enclosed with your order.)

Name: Street Address: City & State: Daytime Phone:(

)

Check or money order enclosed Charge my: Visa MasterCard Discover American Express Card Number: Expiration Date: Signature:

Total Amount (including shipping):

ORDERING INFORMATION: Each CD and tape is $10.00, except for the ABUNI & II and the WAKE UP, WAKE UP! CD packets which are each $15. Please add $3 postage and handling per order (not per item). Checks may be made payable to Inner Light Ministries and sent to: Inner Light Ministries, PO Box 164332, Austin, Texas 78716. DANCE

THE DIVINE PLAN

by Laura Kesten,

“

ILM Minister

herever you are is exactly where you need to be.” Jim Gordon has said this over and over in his talks. It’s easy to believe this statement when our lives are going smoothly, when we aren’t experiencing any bumps in the road … but throw in some obstacles, and many of us, yours truly included, can quickly forget. We begin to doubt ourselves; we think that if we had just done it differently we wouldn’t be in such a mess; we begin to place judgment and blame on ourselves and/or others, or on God. But what if there is no blame to be placed on anyone? What if all the events of every experience are indeed exactly as they are supposed to occur according to the Divine Plan? What if “the plan” for your life is exactly what you are living? A recent experience reminded me that I am not the one in control of “the plan.” This past October, ILM offered a weekend retreat at Pokagon State Park in Indiana where Brian Yeakey, Steven McAfee and I were the presenters. The retreat was to start at 7 pm on Friday, so I figured that if I flew up from Texas early Friday morning I would be at Pokagon by 4 pm, giving me plenty of time to settle in before we started. I arrived at the Austin airport Friday morning an hour before departure. When I made my reservation I was told to give myself 90 minutes, but 60 has always been plenty of time. There was only one ticket agent working, and there were about ten people in front of me … and as I stood in line the minutes began passing by with no one moving forward. I checked my watch every few minutes, leaned on one leg, then the other, sighed, got nervous, mumbled, fretted. Twenty minutes later, I was still eighth in line. Another 10 minutes, my number jumped to five — but I had reached the legal minimum check-in time of 30 minutes prior to departure. I prayed and hoped, and tried to cut a quick deal with God that if he would just let me get on this flight, I’d check in 90 minutes ahead next time! I then tried thinking positively, that somehow I’d still be allowed on, as if that would have the power to change my destiny.

I was still fourth in line at 25 minutes before my departure. I then descended into blame — I blamed myself, I blamed the people in front of me, and I blamed the slow ticket agent. When it was finally my turn, the agent informed me that I’d indeed missed my flight. And not only that, but the next flight was oversold. She looked further and found that there were no seats out of Austin on any flight, on any airline, until 6 pm that evening! I felt the heat rise in me and my legs felt like they were going to give out from under. I was put on stand-by. An hour later, my name was not called for the flight I was on stand-by for; thus I was placed on stand-by for the next flight. Three hours later I was still waiting for a flight. Stressed and frazzled, I sat down, took out Jim’s book, THE STAFF OF THE SHEPHARD, and began reading. Immediately I felt more peaceful. And then it occurred to me that what was happening was truly out of my hands. Once I’d arrived at the airport when I did, whatever was going to happen was going to happen; I really had no more control whatsoever. When things are going smoothly in my life, I know this — that God is always in control — but turn me upside down, as happened that morning, and it’s like I have amnesia. Fortunately for me, my amnesia fell away. Letting go of any and all attachments to the outcome, I relaxed into my chair and continued reading. Three minutes later, I heard my name called; I was given a middle seat in the very last row. Then there was my luggage, which had been re-ticketed for Detroit via Dallas. Once I arrived into Dallas I booked a flight to Dayton, Ohio instead, which was a closer drive to Pokagon than Detroit. Miraculously, my bags were found and rerouted to Dayton. I arrived in Dayton, as did my bags, rented a car, drove the five hours to Pokagon, and arrived just 45 minutes before my 9 pm presentation. I’d made it! The chain of events in this experience, as in all our experiences, was partially in my control (I could have left for the airport earlier — a good idea for next time!). (DIVINE PLAN continues on page 15) 12

AWAKENING TO LOVING by Steven McAfee,

is the most direct way we have found to connect to that Loving consciously, to awaken to what it is and to learn to recognize it in whatever form it presents itself. We meditate simply to share in the Loving with God. But this path is not just meditation — it is life, a life devoted to Loving. A life that holds Loving at its very center, as its focus, intent, and purpose.

ILM Minister

ou are standing in the room of your daughter who has just given birth to her first child. You look upon her face as she gazes down at the baby infant in her arms, and you are filled to overflowing. There is a longing to speak, to convey what you feel, to openly acknowledge and share this moment. But no words come, only silent tears and tender, knowing smiles which pass between you. In that instant, you and your child, herself a parent now, connect and share something that is beyond words, beyond explanation. It is a moment that will not be forgotten for the rest of your lives.

As I ﬁrst realized my love for my wife Anita years ago, I invited her into the private spaces of my life; we made more and more time to be with one another. As we did so, our relationship ﬂourished. And now that we have been married for some years, we are still growing closer, getting to know one another beyond our illusions about each other and ourselves — ever returning to the Loving essence that moves between us. We realize that is what we want — the reality of Loving, not the illusions.

You stand in the funeral home next to your best friend who has just lost his father. He looks at you with longing in his eyes, and you wish there was something you could say to take away his pain, to ease his loss. But there are no such words. Instead, he leans upon you as you wrap your arms around him and stand with him in his sorrow.

Part of waking up to what is real is waking up to what is not. It takes time in this world to see past all the pushes and pulls of our karmas, to let go of our seemingly endless attachments to the illusions and glamours that the world deﬁnes as “love,” and to experience what Loving really is. That is why we both became initiates of Jim and Brian — because we saw in them the Loving in its purity, simplicity, and freedom. We knew the Loving they were talking about was real. They provided a very clear and genuine reference point for us to recognize pure Loving in expression. And being initiated by them was simply another step into greater fullness of awareness. In my own experience, I have found that the frequency transmitted and anchored into me at the moment of initiation is the inner reference point that is helping me to know God’s Loving more directly, without all the trappings, belief systems, and limitations the world tries to place upon it.

There are times in life that remind us of what matters. What matters is not how much money we have in the bank, not how much knowledge we have acquired, not ﬁguring everything out, not whether we are in pain or joy. It is not even about how much ‘progress’ we are making in our meditations and whether we are ‘doing it right.’ It is about experiencing the Loving that is present within us throughout it all. I am coming to realize that sharing the Loving is all we need to do, all that really matters to do, all that we really can do. That is what this path we walk in Inner Light Ministries is all about — living in the Loving more and more fully, until one day we truly wake up and know that the Loving we are experiencing is what we truly are. Each day we choose to give ourselves to the movement of Loving as it unfolds within us. That is why we choose to meditate daily, not just once a year or once a month. We meditate each day because we want to experience that Loving each day. Meditation

The more I am awakening to my “Love affair” with God, the more time and space I want to make for it. I ﬁnd that it keeps expanding and that I expand with it, gradually moving beyond my illusions and fantasies about God and about how I think spirituality should look, and into the essence of what it truly is — the simplicity, boundlessness, freedom, and joyful Loving of Spirit. 13

CLASSROOM (continued from page 2)

CONTINUED

So you may go through that for 2-3 years, or maybe for only a few months, of maybe for many years. It just depends — everybody’s different. We each have different amounts of karma on the different realms. But then when it comes to the point where we really have learned a lot of the lessons by walking through them and we complete most of that karma … you know how Jim has described ‘boring a hole’ through each of the realms. Well, that’s the boring. And the actual ‘boring the hole’ is by Loving in meditation. And through the Loving, we have the experience, and that’s how we learn. And then we graduate and move more into the causal realm.

by Brian Yeakey

there. And then you move on up to the etheric realm, and so forth. Even though we give you all the Names of God (to be used during meditation) at initiation and they open the doors so you can experience all the levels, there still is a process by which your consciousness will be more focused in one particular realm for a period of time, before it moves on up to the next realm. And, generally, that may be a couple-three years, sometimes more, sometimes less. We may spend time in each realm clearing the karma, learning the lessons, and then we complete that, we ‘graduate’, and we go to the next realm where we have more experiences there.

In the causal realm we realize it’s different now. We don’t have the same drive, and/or not all the psychic stuff we had in the beginning — there’s less of that. And then, all of a sudden, we may ﬁnd ourselves crying more. We’re getting more emotionally reactive, irritated and upset. That’s usually an indicator that we’re dealing with the karmas on the emotional/causal realm. When I went through the causal realm, I cried more in my life than I ever had. But then as it ﬁnished, and I moved more into the mental realm, I only had a few tears here and there. And mostly just tears of Loving pouring through from that point on.

If, for example, you’ve been initiated three years, and you ﬁnd yourself a little more emotional or something along those lines — realize you’re working karmas on the causal realm, which is the ‘emotional realm’, because you’ve moved beyond the astral. And so you will have different experiences on the different realms with what comes with those realms. Just walk through it. Be open to the surprises. Allow yourself to experience, because that’s how you’re going to learn and move through each of those realms.

In the mental realm we get more, well, mental. Our belief systems will kick in, we’ll have more doubts and confusion, we’ll question things, our belief systems will have us thinking or believing it to be a certain way. We’ll walk through all of that, we’ll analyze things more and all of that … just what we think — we’ll be more mental.

If you have been practicing meditation for a period of months or years and you find yourself asking, “Why am I going through what I’m going through? I thought it would be different.” Well, it is different, on another realm. And how do you know when you go from one level to another? Is it by the experience you’re having — whether it’s imaginative or emotional or mental? That can be an indicator. We’re multi-dimensional, so we’re actually always experiencing all the realms at once. But when you first get initiated into the Path of Sound and Light, we begin the journey in the 8th grade, the astral realm, which is really the beginning of the first level beyond the physical. In the astral realm you’ll likely have some experiences that may be more of a psychic nature. You may have psychic experiences. You may feel yourself a little more forceful, or pushy, or ambitious. You may have a little bit more of a drive, telling other people what to do. Or be a little harder on yourself and saying, “No, this is the way to God!”

After a while we complete all of that, and we begin to move into that great void — the etheric realm, where the ‘nothingness is’. Here we start to kind’ve feel a little ‘wandery’, going, “I don’t know. What’s going on? I don’t know. I thought I used to know so much about Spirit and this pathway, but I don’t even know anymore. I know that I don’t know anything.” But the nice thing is, when you tap into that, you also walk about with this nice sense of bliss. That’s been my experience, just some kind of high … a blissfulness. That’s what the Buddhists call Nirvana, when they talk about bliss and joy, that’s a lot of what it is about. The etheric level, the void — there’s nothing there, just kind of a ﬂoaty feeling, which is really nice.

Then you just ﬂoat on up, because you let go of more of (CLASSROOM continues on page 15)

MEDITATION (continued from page 1)

by Jim Gordon

assisting their journey towards their liberation, towards their completion of whatever needs to be completed here so that they can return home to God. That’s a big difference. The only way you are really going to get in touch with

DIVINE PLAN (continued from page 12)

that element of freedom and knowing, so that when the day of your death comes you are ready, is by going inside in your meditation and walking through all those barriers of doubt, of fear, of unworthiness, and waking up into the truth of who you really are as Divine. Then when that day of death comes, you’ll stand forward as the Divine Child of God that you are, and you’ll take the hand of God that is the audible life stream, that is the Sound and Light, and off you’ll go on your journey home to God.

is much sweeter to move through an experience, even a difﬁcult one, with loving, acceptance, and forgiveness rather than holding on to anxiety, blame, and judgment. In every experience we have in our lives, ultimately we have but one choice: whether or not to continue to stay in our loving with God through our situation … and to trust that we are indeed exactly where we are supposed to be.

by Laura Kesten

However, once set into motion events are what they are going to be; they are part of the Divine Plan set for each of us that is part of our journey back home to God. Our lives are going to unfold according to God’s plan, and it

CLASSROOM by Brian Yeakey

Unconditional Loving. That’s the Freedom. And that’s what we’ve been going for here. And then there are even higher levels once you move beyond that.

the karmas and have more experiences … and you awaken to the soul realm. Then it becomes this greater movement — The Truth of Soul and that River of Loving. Where your life now begins to move in a more participatory and loving way. You may find yourself even more active, physically even. But you find yourself doing things in a very different way. You don’t have all the attachments and the things pushing you around the way they used to. You’ll still have a little bit, because as long as we’re in the physical body there are going to be the polarities of life here. But you’re going to find, even in that, there’s going to be this movement of Loving and you’re going to walk through things in a much easier way. Where it’s not so challenging any more, because now you’re really loving the greater Truth of the Soul of who you are, which is that Loving in Spirit. Neutrality is an indicator. When you’re really living the neutrality — that’s more Soul Consciousness. There’s not the attachment to the outcomes. You’re just happy to be in the loving with whomever you’re with and wherever you are. Whatever happens is just fine with you, good or bad. Bad outcome, good outcome — that’s okay! I’ll just love it all. Really, that’s a state of Soul Consciousness. That’s a state of

I hope this answers some things for some of you. Because Jim and I also talk about the experiences on those realms, the inner signposts one sees when experiencing on those realms. But if you don’t have out-of-body experiences and see all this stuff, and many of us don’t, there are these other indicators that I’ve just presented, other types of indicators that can give you a clue, an idea of the realm you’re experiencing and working your karmas on. It is subtle, but when you really pay attention it’s not so subtle anymore. So just be aware of that. When some karmas die and they’re done, when they’re complete and you’ve learned the lesson, then you’ve passed that test and you move on to the next thing. And that “next thing” can be unfamiliar sometimes, because you are so used to doing it a certain way and you’re now having to allow yourself the process of experiencing it in a different way. That can be challenging sometimes because we’re so habitualized in the way we’ve been doing it. So a big key to the spiritual journey is what I’ve laid out here — we’ve got to allow ourselves the freedom to experience things in a new way, so we can keep growing and freeing ourselves to travel ever higher into and through the realms of spirit.

(continued from page 14)

NNER LIGHT IGHT MINISTRIES INISTRIES JOURNAL INNER

ABOUT ILM INNER 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.

The Tenth Door by Jim Gordon New CD — see page 10 for more information.

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 prayer, meditation, spiritual study, and service.

ILM:

Main Office: Jim Gordon, P.O. Box 164332, Austin, TX 78716-4332; Financial Office: Tom Beaver, P.O. Box 1086, Dripping Springs, TX 78620; Midwest Office: Steven McAfee, P.O. Box 5139, Fort Wayne, IN 46895

Inner Light Ministries Editorial and Publishing Ofﬁce P.O. Box 164332 Austin, Texas 78716-4332 Phone: 512-306-1056 Forwarding Service Requested