2009 Vol 3, December by Inner Light Ministries

INNER LIGHT MInistries Journal December, 2009

Calming The Seas

Volume 21 Number 3

by Jim Gordon, President of ILM

(from The Solution Is Loving, April 16, 2008)

f we look at the story of Jesus approaching the disciples’ boat caught in a great storm while Jesus is walking on calm water, we can begin to see beyond the parable and understand a great teaching that the story is sharing. Jesus was walking on calm waters and wherever he stepped, the waters calmed, the storm quieted. Jesus, a spiritual teacher, was ever holding that essence of the quiet, of the stillness, of the Beingness that is God, and he offered it to others that they themselves might begin to live it all the time – every day, every breath, every moment. As Jesus approached the boat, the disciples witnessed something very profound. They had created a great storm amongst themselves and they did not have a solution. The storm was only getting bigger, the waves were growing in size, the disturbance was all upon them, and they did not have a solution, a way out of the storm, and they were afraid of sinking into the sea. They were afraid of getting caught back up in the world … and they were. So, Jesus came into the storm of their conversation, into their disturbance they had created, and Jesus calmed the sea. He brought to them centeredness, calmness, quietude once again, and helped them to see the truth in a spiritual way, through a spiritual focus, and to let go of trying to do it in the way of the world. Whenever we try to do the way of the world, we get caught up in the ‘world-wind’, in the great waves, in the disturbance that this world is ever moving in, and then we get lost, we forget, we forget the truth of who we are, the truth that dwells within us … we forget the truth that leads us back into the calm seas, into the peaceful place. And what do all spiritual teachers do? They bring Loving. It is the Loving that calms the seas; it is the Loving that brings us to that place of peace inside. And so it was with Jesus – he walked towards his disciples in Loving, and it was the Loving that calmed the seas.

In truth, if we are in disturbance in our own personal lives, if the sea of our life is in an uproar, if the waves are getting bigger and are ever trying to draw us back down into the world again, all we have to do is focus ourselves back into that centeredness, back into that place of Loving inside of ourselves, and all will become still. It is the Loving that quiets the seas. It is the Loving that lifts us above the seas so that we no longer are caught up in the storms of the world, and then we truly do live and dwell above the water, above the sea of life of this creation. But it is learning how to do that that is our spiritual quest – it is learning how to choose back into the Loving over and over, and allowing the Loving to lift us once again above our own disturbance and above the disturbance of this world, until finally we realize that that’s the truth of it. It’s easy to get caught up in our own problems, and it’s easy to get caught up in the storms of this world. There has always been famine, disease, war, hatred, bigotry upon this planet – that is the way of this creation, that is the disturbance that is ever in action here; it is the constant movement of action, reaction, more reaction, and so on, that is ever lapping in our consciousness trying to pull us back down into the disturbance. If you’ve ever been in the ocean, you know one thing to pay attention to is the riptide – that movement of a current will just drag you down and out into the ocean, and no matter how hard you struggle, it’s almost impossible to get free of it. And what do they suggest you do to get out of it? Don’t struggle against the riptide, just relax – and it is in that relaxation from the disturbance inside ourselves that we come into stillness, come back into the Loving … and then, the waters will calm. The key is to be present in the moment. Be present in God. Hold your attention in loving God and in God Loving you, and wherever you go the storms will be quieted. Choose back into the true direction that you want to go; rise above the sea of life; rise above the oceans of disturbance in this creation, and stay free as a liberated soul. .

The Game of Awareness

by Brian Yeakey, Vice President of ILM

(from Rewriting The Inner Script, June 10, 2007)

time, and then the other. Sometimes, by doing a simple physical thing like switching which leg we put in first, it can stir us to become more conscious in what we are doing.

want to share about doing things a little differently in our lives so that we can begin to break old habits. When we get habitual in our ways we can sometimes go unconscious. And, even though we are doing things that are working for us at the time we developed the habit, at some point they may no longer work for us as we awaken spiritually. By simply taking something we’ve done habitually or unconsciously that may now be coming between us and God, and doing a different action, we can open and move something within ourselves so that we can have that greater awakening or knowing of Spirit within.

I also like to play this little game out in the world. Sometimes, I’ll say, “You know what? I’m going to break the rules. I’m going to do something different than what I’m supposed to do just to see what that feels like, and see what goes on inside of me.” And sometimes, I’ll do it for fun to see what other people do and how they respond, not in a way that is in againstness or striking out, but always in a way that it is for me to have new experience, and for me to continue my awakening of learning and growing.

Remember, this pathway is really about becoming more consciously aware, about awakening; and in order to awaken spiritually, we often will need to awaken to certain things we are doing inside mentally, emotionally, imaginationally, and even physically. In paying attention, we become conscious; and it is in becoming conscious that we begin to learn and grow. When we mix things up a bit, a part of our consciousness says, “Hey, this is different!” and it grabs our attention. That’s the idea here – to grab our attention, so we begin to wake up and come to a greater understanding of those things we do, not only outside of ourselves but also within, because different physical experiences will also stir things inwardly for ourselves mentally, emotionally and imaginationally. I didn’t include spiritually in that because spiritually, it’s always the same. The Spirit of who we are is always the same in Loving; Spirit is here to journey and experience through the mind, the emotions, through the imagination, and the body, and it’s in that experience, as we take new actions and have new experience, that we continue our process of expanding and awakening spiritually.

This really is about the soul’s journey through it all. The soul is always looking for experience because it is through all of God’s experiences in all of His creations that He comes to a greater fullness in the knowing of Himself. And, since we are here in this creation of time and space, then let’s have the fullness of it. Experiment, shift things a bit, and look at this life as an adventure, as a journey of who you are – a divine spark – and begin to find new ways of doing, to have a little more fun, to experiment, to play a game. Play the game with awareness, because it is our awareness that will serve that greater purpose of our greater awakening. Change things up with intention, with attention. Do things differently in your life with focus, with purpose, and do it with lightness, and joy, and understanding of why you are choosing to do what you are doing. Our experiences then, even in time and space, can be more enlightening, more enjoyable, more of an adventure, rather than a drama, a hell, a suffering – which are elements of the mind, the emotion, the imagination, the body, and not of the soul. If we can continue to look to the soul and flow with that, then we will be living in the soul consciousness of who we are, which is Loving. And by doing so, truly, doors will begin to open within our consciousness that will allow us to have a greater experience spiritually.

We can experiment or play little games that will begin to create a shift, and no matter how small or simple it is, it becomes a new experience. For example, when we put pants on in the morning, we’ll notice that we probably automatically put the same leg in first each 2

I nner L ight M inistries

Calendar

Classes & Programs: Winter – Spring ‘10 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, 3-5 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.

Christmas Potluck Party: Join us for ILM’s Christmas celebration on Saturday, DEC 12

The celebration begins at 4 pm

at 203 Buckeye Trail in Austin, Texas. Everyone is welcome!

It’s a potluck so bring a dish to share.

Talk Now Available: Fulfillment Of The Soul Excerpt from Fulfillment Of The Soul:

wonderful thing on this journey of life is the action of Grace that comes with Initiation on the Path of Sound and Light. Of course, Grace is here for all of us, everyone, but, in the Initiation, Grace is extended in a different way. In Initiation the Grace is God’s Loving and Expression in greater fullness; that Grace is about bringing itself, as the soul, back home. And it’s not until it is time for the soul to come home that this action of Grace is extended through the Initiation. This, truly, is what the Initiation is – it is the action, the extension of Grace that assists the soul in its journey home. And part of this action of Grace – as we allow it, open to it, and invite it in, is God’s Loving coming in – assisting us in detaching and letting go, freeing up those things in the world that we have been caught up in, or have been stuck in, or have been in bondage to ... the trap. God’s Loving is what will free us; in allowing the Grace to move in and through us, the Keys of Initiation are the Keys that will open the doors to allow all of this to take place. – Brian Yeakey Order Information & Postage Payment: To order this CD and other ILM products see page 11.

(ILM Calendar continues on pages 4-11)

Experiencing The Divine –

A Meditative Workshop

facilitated by Jim

Gordon and Brian Yeakey

2010

In the following meditative workshops and retreats, Jim and Brian will be taking

you on an experiential journey into the greater knowing of your Divine Nature. They will be sharing about the meditation practice of The Path of Sound and Light to “experience the Divine.”

in Austin: at the ILM Center, 3724 Jefferson St., Suite 100:

Friday, March 19 at 6:15-10 pm* Saturday, March 20 at 9 am-6 pm* (lunch on your own) Sunday, March 21 at 9 am-1 pm.*

ILM Center and ILM Midwest Center:

For more information contact: Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or e-mail Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org.

No charge – donations are accepted.

in Fort Wayne:

Choose one of two weekend workshops at the ILM Midwest Center, #1 Weekends: 220 Insurance Ave., Suite F:

May 22-23 or #2 May 29-30

Time of Events for each weekend:

Saturday: Meditation 9 am-12 noon, and Teaching/Q&A from 2-6 pm* Sunday: Meditation 9-11:30 am, and Sharing from 11:30 am-1 pm* To register for one of these weekends please contact: Steven McAfee at 260-485-2167 or by e-mail at mcafeesa@aol.com. * Ending times are approximate. 4

Experiencing The Divine –

A Meditative Retreat 2010

in Hawaii:

St. Anthony’s Cost:

at Saint Anthony’s Retreat Center Honolulu, Hawaii: on Wednesday, August 11 at 6 pm* thru Sunday, August 15 at 1:30 pm.*

Double Occupancy (per person) - $350

For more information contact: Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or e-mail Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org.

in England: at Earnley Concourse, Earnley, Chichester West Sussex: on Wednesday, November 3 at 6 pm* thru Sunday, November 7 at 1:30 pm.* Earnley Concourse Cost:

For more information contact: Susanne Cook at 01444 870838 or Lynn Johnson at 01903 765928.

Single Occupancy - £365 To register contact: Double Occupancy of twin-bedded room Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or (per person) - £330 e-mail Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org. * Ending times are approximate. 5

ILM presents:

in Michigan and in Indiana

in Kalamazoo:

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Tuesday Study Group PPotluck haring otluckand & SSharing

with with Jim im Gordon ordon and and

Brian Yeakey

Time of Event: 5:30-8:30 pm*

Tuesday, April 21 4715 Thistle Mill Court, Kalamazoo Saturday, May 15 Open Meeting with

Jim and Brian

Time of Event: 1:30-5 1:30-6 pm*

Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts

(For further information in Kalamazoo, please contact Penny Miller at 269-664-3577 or by e-mail at pmiller@mei.net.)

in Fort Wayne:

Tuesday, April 28June 1 Tuesdays, May 18, 25 and Tuesday Classes with Jim

and Brian

Time ime of of Event vent: 7-9:30 pm* at at ILM Midwest idwest Center enter, 220 Insurance nsurance Drive rive, Suite uite F, Ft t. Wayne ayne

Donation onation

(For further information in Ft. Wayne please contact Steven McAfee at 260-485-2167 or by e-mail at mcafeesa@aol.com.)

* Ending times are approximate. 6

I nner L ight M inistries 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. Through our writing in Stories Untold, 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. These weekends are magical! Try it for one weekend and see for yourself. No experience necessary! You just have to show up!

Midwest:

MAR 26-28 JUNE 25-27 SEPT 12-18

ILM Midwest Center ILM Midwest Center Martha’s Cottage

Ft. Wayne, Ind. Ft. Wayne, Ind. Saugatuck, Mich.

$50 $50 $450

Texas:

JAN 30 (9 am-5 pm) Laura Kesten’s home Lakeway, Tex. No charge * * * Also, in Texas, there is a small group of writers that meets 2-3 times a month. This is not a workshop but a time to work on your own writing within a group setting of other writers. We meet on Thursdays from 10 am–6 pm at Laura Kesten’s home in Lakeway.

ILM Texas Community Movie Nights:

Join the ILM community at Laura Kesten’s home on the 1st Saturday of every month for fun, laughter, and to watch an uplifting movie. Come early (5 pm) and have a fresh bowl of homemade soup and slice of fresh bread. Bring a dish if you want to add to the menu. Movie starts between 6:30–7 pm. Everyone is welcome.

DEC 5: The Bear (short cartoon), and It’s A Wonderful Life 2010: JAN 9 (second Saturday), FEB 6, MAR 6, APR 3

ILM.org — the Inner Light Ministries Website Stay connected to ILM!

Open-ended Meditations

• Jim & Brian’s weekly talks – listen on-line or download to your computer or MP3 Over 100 recordings of weekly talks available • ILM Journals – the most recent issue as well as archives • Calendar of Events – find out what’s going on by geographic location or by minister • Order CDs – you can get any and all of ILM’s CDs online • “Initiates Only” section – find out about Initiates events and listen to talks for Initiates

If you ever wished the recorded meditations would not end so soon, you’ll be interested in checking out the new Open-ended Meditation page on the web site. Fourteen of Jim & Brian’s meditations have been edited so that they will simply stop playing after the beginning and you can continue to meditate for as long as you desire.

Check out our recently updated http://www.ILM.org today! 7

(ILM Calendar continues on next page)

I nner L ight M inistries Calendar Presented by Steven McAfee, Midwest Coordinator:

For additional information, call Steven at 260-485-2167 or by e-mail at mcafeesa@aol.com.

uesday Class Series: Steven offers classes in Fort Wayne on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 at the ILM Midwest Center. Part of each class is devoted to meditation and the rest of the class is a combination of ILM teachings and group discussion. The focus is upon our inner awakening to divine Loving. More fun community nights are on their way! We’ll provide soft C drinks and munchies. Please RSVP the week before so we can plan appropriately.

ILM ommunity Nights:

No charge DEC 5 7 pm Movie Night: Polar Express ILM Midwest Center Unwrap the gift of delight for yourself and the children in your life by spending a magical evening with us as we enjoy this modern classic. Cookies and hot chocolate (of course!) will be provided.

2010 JAN 9 7 pm Movie Night: Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium ILM Midwest Center No charge FEB 6 7 pm Child At Heart Gathering ILM Midwest Center No charge A fun activity for children and those who love them. ILM Midwest Center No charge MAR 6 7 pm Community Night/TBA

piritual Path In Ancient Texts: These programs are opportunities to study the history of the Path of Sound & Light throughout various times and cultures. We will be using ancient sacred texts, such as the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, the Adi Granth, and the writings of Sufi mystics, to explore the history of the Spiritual Path in greater depth and show how these texts contain references to the Unspoken Name of God and the Inner Path as their core teachings. This format and time frame will allow both personal interaction and small group discussion in addition to Steven’s presentations. FEB 6 APR 25

9 am - 12 noon 2- 5 pm

ILM Midwest Center ILM Midwest Center

Donation Donation

ILM eekend : This weekend program is open to everyone. The intent of this weekend is to provide an opportunity for local ILM people as well as those from out of the immediate area to join together for a more in-depth sharing and experiencing of the Inner Path. MAR 6 MAR 7

10 am - 5 pm (lunch on your own) 10 am - 1 pm

ILM Midwest Center ILM Midwest Center

Donation Donation

Steven occasionally serves as a guest speaker for various churches and spiritual unday S ervices: groups in the Midwest. The following is presently scheduled: Jan 17 apr 4

Regular Service Easter Service

11 am 11 am

Brigade of Light, Fort Wayne Brigade of Light, Fort Wayne

Donation Donation

Note: 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. 8

(Worldwide Calendar continues on next page)

I nner L ight M inistries Calendar Community ILM Meetings

•

and

Events Worldwide:

Kalamazoo: Call Penny Miller at 269-664-3577 or send an e-mail to pmiller@mei.net.

G : This group supports our spiritual growth with a short meditation and the study of ILM S books, CD’s or tapes. Come join us for an enriching experience of growing in our loving. tudy

roup

2nd Tuesday

4–6 pm

Judy Richards, 4715 Thistle Mill Ct., Kalamazoo

No charge

N : Fun, enjoyable evenings with ILM friends, watching favorite movies having a spiritual M message. Welcome all — yourself, friends and family members! ovie

ight

JAN 26, MAR 23, MAY 25 5:45–8 pm

Judy Richards (see above address)

No charge

hanksgiving: Share your blessings with others on Thanksgiving Day. Please bring a dish (turkey and dressing provided), and later we’ll watch a spiritual movie. Arrive between 11:00 and 1:00; dinner will be at 1:00. For more information call Penny Miller at 269-664-3577.

•

Chicago: M

eeting:

Join us for meditation. Call in advance so adequate space can be prepared for all participants.

3rd Sunday

•

Call Loretta Lassandro at 708-481-7751 or send an e-mail to lassandro6@aol.com.

3:30-4:30 pm

Dallas:

125 Warwick Street in Park Forest

No charge

Call Jason Baker at 972-571-8511 for dates, times and directions.

: Each seminar will consist of a short meditation and the listening to a Class CD by Jim M and Brian. Please check with Jason for the most current information and location. eeting

•

Colorado Springs:

eeting:

2nd Sunday

•

Call Teri Sandler at 719-359-9951 (home) or 719-661-0817 (cell).

Connect with community and listen to Jim and Brian’s weekly meditation and talks. 2 pm

Los Angeles:

(call for location)

No charge

Call Victoria Eng at 310-980-2224 to RSVP and get directions.

: The focus of each evening is on spiritual awakening and connecting to the Loving through M listening to an ILM meditation and talk by Jim and Brian.  These seminars will be held every other eeting

Wednesday at Victoria and Willard Eng’s home in Beverlywood. Call for dates

•

6 pm

London, England:

Beverlywood, Los Angeles

No charge

Call Nanna Brinker at 0207-485-0699 for directions.

: Join us for a short meditation and talk by Jim and Brian and share your favorite spiritual M poetry, music and readings. Our ILM meetings are at 42A Montpelier Grove, London NW5, and start at eeting

4 pm. Sundays Dec 12 (Christmas Potluck) Jan 10 & 31, Feb 21, Mar 14, Apr 4 & Apr 25

No charge

9 (Worldwide Calendar continues on next page)

I nner L ight M inistries Calendar Community ILM Meetings

•

Events Worldwide

(continued):

Hawaii: Call the contact person for the following events.

1. Call Nadine Ferraro at 808-988-7509, or 551-3123 (cell) for directions. eeting: Share in a one-hour meditation and fellowship opportunity.

Mondays

and

6-7:30 pm

Manoa Valley, Honolulu

No charge

2. Call Mig Gaspar at 808-638-8153 for information and directions. eeting: Listen to Jim and Brian’s weekly meditations and talks.

M Tuesdays M

7 pm

North Shore of Oahu

No charge

3. Call Brian Samo Ross at 808-247-3305 or 554-3305 (cell) for directions.

eeting:

2nd Sunday

Listen to Jim and Brian’s meditations and talks followed by a potluck. 10 am

Kaneohe, Oahu

No charge

e are always in the midst of a wonderful blessing: the blessing of Loving. In reality that is the only blessing. It is from that loving that all other blessings unfold. In the action of meditation, what we are really doing is allowing the Loving to come alive in us; we are opening to that greater fullness of God. Through meditation, the action of Loving manifests within us, unfolding through every realm of our being and in every aspect of our lives. Why? Because meditation enables us to be the living embodiment of that blessing. – Brian Yeakey

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 a 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: www.ilm.org (for more information see 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

Only the titles with the circle icon next to it are available as a CD. The rest are tapes. Two titles together indicate different lectures within CD package ath f ound nd ight or on the tape. To order please place a check mark (or a “2” if you want 2 of any title) in the circle icon (CD) or square icon (Tape) in front of your choice(s) below. You can also place an order at ILM’s website, www.ILM.org.

O S

ILM Audio CDs & Tapes

CD/Tape

An Introduction To ILM* The Action Of Initiation and The Power Of The Name Discipleship*

(1998) Guardian Angels (1998) Soul vs Ego (1997) Angels (1997) (Manifesting) Abundance I } CD Set (1997) (Manifesting) Abundance II (1994) Sending The Light (1994) Aura Cleansing Workshop Awakening To Your Inner Light and (1994) Calling In The Light (1992) Keys to Inner Communication You as a Communicator, You as a (1992) Creator and A Meditation Moving Into Soul Consciousness and (1991) Communion Ceremony (1991) Meditative Techniques (1991) Communication Through Dreams (1991) The Levels To Soul And Beyond (1991) Our Right Relationship With God Songs Of Praise To God and A New (1990) Understanding Of Relationships (1990) The Path Of Neutrality (1987) Understanding Christ Consciousness Inner Revelation and A Flower From (1986) Heaven Lord, Make Me Worthy and (1985) The Master In Your Heart From Here To Eternity and (1984) Responsibility (1980) Healing And Color Therapy

(2009) (2008)

NEW NEW

Simplicity and Journaling* The Action Of Giving And Receiving* Enter Into The Journey Of Loving* The Pathway As A Classroom* 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!* Keys Of Initiation With Jim And Brian* 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 Focusing On Christ

(2006) (2005) (2007) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2005) (2005) (2005) (1999) (2005) (2005) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2002) (2001) (2001) (2000) (1999) (1999)

Order Information & Postage Payment

* This CD set includes a Meditation and Talk.

CD/Tape

CDs & Tapes On Meditation

Two Meditations by Jim Gordon

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.

Three Meditations by Jim Gordon

(If using a credit card, write the name, address, phone number that corresponds to the card)

Lotus Meditation by Jim Gordon

{ The Spiritual Path Meditation by Jim Gordon The Heart Of God Meditation by Brian Yeakey

Meditation And The Healing Process by Brian Yeakey Practicing Meditation – Connecting With The Divine by Steven McAfee

ILM Books (Revised)

Visa MasterCard American Express

Card Number: Expiration Date:

The Knowing of God The Staff of the Shepherd

)

Check or money order enclosed Charge my:

By Jim Gordon

Love and Loving

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

(Revised)

Signature

Total Amount:

12 11

Inner Light Ministries, A Path Of Sound And Light

with

Q& A

Jim

and

Brian

(from Experiencing The Divine Meditative Retreat, October 22, 2005)

Can you give me some type of technique for getting above the mind during meditation.

(Jim) Focus inward and upward, holding your attention at the “spiritual eye center,” and chant the Name of the Lord. Chant the sacred Name over and over, and as you’re doing that inside, say, “Lord, as I chant the Name, I am loving you. I love you. I love you. I love you. And the way I say I love you is I’m speaking your Name over and over and over.” Eventually, the mind will get tired of trying to hold you down, and it will allow you to slip past it, or you will just slip past it automatically because the Loving will draw you up; it will take you up above the mind and then you’ll begin to experience a greater sense of freedom from the mind. As you hold your attention at the spiritual eye, the soul automatically has to come home. The moment you close your eyes, you immediately go back to the seat of the soul – the soul returns to itself in an instant, but then the mind begins to chatter and it draws the soul back down.

Q: I think that’s what I did not understand, because when I close my eyes I keep thinking, “Am I there? Am I focused?” And I don’t know whether I am or not.

A: (Jim) You’ll never know until you are there. So,

don’t ask the question. Just continue holding the focus at the seat of the soul and chanting the Name of God. And, there will be a day or a moment where you will have an experience where you know you have slipped above the mind; you will know because of the Light or because of the peace or because of the Sound you hear inside.

A: (Brian) Do you ever see any light? Like a purple

light?

Q: I have seen a white light.

I saw this great ball of white light and I was walking towards it like I wanted to get into it. But before I got there I became conscious, so

I don’t know whether I went into it or not. But it seemed at the time to be very important for me to merge with that light.

A: (Brian) Well, that’s it. That’s all you have to do.

That’s the journey of awakening. That’s why it doesn’t happen all at once; it’s a little bit at a time.

A: (Jim) And that was above the mind. A: (Brian) I always ask, “Well, what have you seen?”

because almost every person I’ve ever talked to has had some type of experience with the movement of God’s Loving – whether you see a white light, a purple light, a blue light, peace, loving, a warm sensation, pressures around the top of the head or forehead – that’s all Spirit. If you’ve experienced any of that – that’s it. Keep holding your focus at the spiritual eye center and allow your awareness to expand in that experience; this is how you move into the greater awakening that we are all seeking. That’s all you have to do – hold your attention as long as you can in that experience. If you see the Purple Light or the White Light, just keep holding your focus and attention on that for as long as possible. And, if all of a sudden your attention drops, just start chanting and focus upward again. Remember: it is “Wake up into Spirit,” because it’s always going to be up inside. So all you have to do is keep bringing your attention back up. Wake up, wake up and just pay attention. People have experience and yet they aren’t acknowledging it. When you start acknowledging what you do experience, it’ll begin to grow. So acknowledge what you have experienced, and then, as you acknowledge it more and more, it’ll begin to grow and intensify where you’ll come to know it more and more … and then the feelings of confusion or unawareness will begin to dissolve because now you are claiming the awareness.

he most important thing to remember is that the initiation lives in you. The initiation is not about the teacher in the world. It’s about inviting God to live within you in a very real way. It’s about the presence of the sacred Name that you keep alive inside of you by practicing your meditation. So, just as you invited the Holy Spirit to come into your life at the time of initiation, continue to invite the Holy Spirit into your life through your daily meditation. Renew that invitation, renew that initiation, renew the sacred Name because that is what will renew you. – Jim Gordon 12

Are You Listening? by Steven McAfee,

ILM Minister

down whatever we experience in meditation and to record whatever we recall from our dreams. When we write down what we recall, even if it does not seem very profound, we commonly find ourselves remembering more and more as we write, sometimes more than we originally thought we would. The practice of journal writing can serve to awaken us to experiences our soul is having on other levels that our conscious minds sometimes will ignore or forget.

he other day my three-year old grandson, Gavin, was having dinner with my wife, Anita, and I when he said, out of the blue: “Sometimes I get mad….” I asked him, “What makes you mad?” With a very serious look on his face, he answered, “It makes me so mad when people don’t listen to me.” Actually, what he said was closer to, “It mate me toe mad when d’ey don wist’n me!” Anita then asked him who wasn’t listening to him. “Kawin,” he replied. We have a teenage granddaughter named Tarrin, and because there are times when Gavin’s diction is a little difficult to understand, we thought he might be referring to her. But, she is really good with young kids and is usually quite attentive to Gavin; so we asked, “You get mad when Tarrin won’t listen to you?” Gavin began to get frustrated. “No! Not Tawin … Kawin!” Mind you, to our knowledge, he does not know anyone named Karen. Tentatively, we asked, “Karen?” Emphatically, he answered, “Dat what I toad you – Kawin!” At this point, we thought maybe “Karen” was part of a pretend story he was creating, and the conversation drifted in another direction.

Young children have not had enough time in the world to build up all the inner walls and veils that separate us from our knowing. So, when they, as soul, have an experience, even if it is on an inner realm and not here in this outer world, they accept it as real and often remember it just as clearly as they remember experiences here. Jesus exhorted us to “become as little children” in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven. One way of interpreting that is to remember that little children, like Gavin, know the reality of their direct experiences. We can, too. As I walk this spiritual path, I have been learning to re-develop confidence in what I know directly through my own experiences in meditation, in dreams, and in those waking moments of clarity when “knowing” spontaneously comes present in my awareness. I have learned to pay attention to the way Spirit shares Itself with me by daily: setting the intention to remember my dreams upon awakening and record them in my journal, taking time to reflect upon what has happened in my meditation, and continually acknowledging the movement of Spirit as it arises within me. The less I pay attention to, the less I honor the truth of my own experiences, the more I find myself feeling frustrated, resentful. But the more I learn to “listen” or pay attention to what is happening within me, the more awake I am becoming to the unseen current of Loving alive within me, calling me forward.

The next day, our daughter, Lisa, called on the telephone. She said that, after our sharing this conversation with her, she had asked Gavin who “Karen” was. He’d said, “You know – from my kool (school).” Gavin is not in school yet, but he does attend Sunday church school. So, Lisa had asked him if he meant Karen, from church. Again, he’d seemed upset that we, grown-ups, were all having such a difficult time understanding what was so obvious to him. “Not in church … in my class!” he’d emphasized. Puzzled, Lisa had asked him, “When do you see Karen?” Gavin had replied, “At night, in my class, when I sleeping.” After telling us this, Lisa asked us, “Do you think that’s weird or anything?” My wife and I laughed, thinking of how often we find ourselves attending a class, or some other kind of spiritual gathering of souls, during our dream state at night. Many people do on this path, but often will forget what has happened during their sleep.

We are each on a journey of finding the hidden spiritual gifts in every experience we encounter. Loving is the deepest essence of Soul and is ever expressing Itself. To hear its voice, we must be willing to listen, and to put that willingness into practice. Then we, like Gavin, can develop an ongoing inner life that is absolutely real to us.

For years Jim has encouraged keeping a journal to write 13

Choosing The Loving

Loving … and then there’s no fight at all. The Path of Sound and Light is about Loving. The world is constantly offering us opportunities to continuously practice the Loving. We’ve had so many opportunities that by now we should all be experts! … but it’s not always that easy.

by Laura Kesten, ILM Minister

n college, I remember learning about the “four conflicts” in man: Man against Man (Society), Man against Nature, Man against God, and Man against Himself. I was thinking about this because a great wind had come up and was blowing over the big potted plants on my deck and I was fighting against the wind to upright them. I could no better hold back the force of the wind, I thought as I was rushing about trying to right the pots faster than they were being re-blown over, than I could hold back God’s Will, or, I thought, what other people say or do. I laughed at this absurdity because that’s what I find myself still trying to do sometimes. In fact, it is Man against Man that pulls me back down and into the world the most.

Of course, it’s easy when the relationships we’re in are wonderful, when the other person also knows about the Loving, and wants to work things out through open and loving communication. These relationships can be great tools in understanding how it all works, but our lesson may be in the opportunities that present themselves when it’s not so easy, because then we get to look at our reactions, and at where the disturbance is inside of us – in the mind, the emotion, the imagination and the physical – and then, through choosing to focus our attention back on God and not on the disturbance, we can move more quickly back into the upward flow of Loving. Sometimes, when experiencing disturbance, I’ll write it all out in my journal. After I’ve released it onto the page, then I can more easily move into the Loving. By journaling it, I can see where it is that I’m reacting, and I can more easily take responsibility for my feelings, my actions, and reactions.

The moment I move into ‘againstness’, I’ve entered the world. So the trick is to stay in the Loving. The lesson is to stay in the Loving. This can be challenging because when I am feeling an againstness, there’s a part of me that says, “Come on – tell ‘em where to go. Use your words to hurt ‘em back.” When someone verbally challenges or criticizes me, or says something hurtful, it hurts my feelings – and the emotion in me is stirred up. Then, I’ll stew about it and I’ll think of things I want to say back to that person – because I know they are wrong, and I deserve to be righted … the mental has just joined forces with the emotion. Sometimes, I’ll think about what they may have really meant, how they may really feel about me – and now, my imagination has joined forces with emotion and mental. All the while, I’m feeling this in the physical as well, often developing a headache, or my shoulders will ache.

When a person says or does something that disturbs us, we have to understand that the disturbance created is inside of us. The other person has his own disturbance to work out inside of him. The moment we enter into each other’s disturbance, in that same moment we enter into the againstness by blaming, arguing, defending, criticizing, or by hurting back; this is never a win-win situation, it is never in the Loving, and the world is upon us once again. If this becomes a pattern, then interrupt it – do something different. Journaling works for me, but by whatever method you chose, take responsibility for the disturbance it has caused inside of you.

The moment we enter the realms of emotion, mental, imagination, or the physical, we’ve entered the world. We experience these four conflicts because the world is divided by polarity, or opposing forces. In polarity, there is againstness or conflict. But on a spiritual journey of going in and up, it is only the Loving that moves us in the higher direction towards, and ultimately into, the spiritual regions.

Out of those four conflicts within Man: we’ll never hold back the intentions of God; we’ll only hold back Nature temporarily. However, through Loving, we can settle conflicts with Man; and in truth, the only conflict we have the power, the capacity, and ability to change every time, is with ourselves. By taking responsibility for our own feelings, actions and reactions, by interrupting a pattern that keeps us polarized, and by moving above the againstness, we can move back into the Loving that will ultimately take us back to the Heart of God.

So, the only way to ‘fight back’ in this world … is with 14

Wishing You the Happiest of Holidays!

NNER LIGHT IGHT MInistries Inistries Journal INNER

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 prayer, meditation, spiritual study, and service.

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