INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES Journal
Letter To An Initiate
Volume 26 Number 2
Q
by Jim Gordon, President of ILM
: Jim, I’ve been thinking about fears. It seems that I bring on what I fear. I can give you dozens of examples of how I do this in my life, but the real question is how do I get out of this vicious cycle? I think this is what’s holding me up. What can I do to get out of this pattern of thinking? I need to trust and move forward. Can you help me? Dear Initiate, Fear is the one thing we all have to deal with while in this world. It is the means by which the Lord of this physical creation controls us and keeps the soul in bondage. We are the ones who have to free ourselves from his control and from the fear. Fear comes out of the action of separation. When we enter into this lower creation from the spiritual realms above, we leave the Oneness and the Loving, and we enter into a place of separation from the Loving and the Oneness with God. It is this separation that creates the fear. Having the feelings of being alone, of being abandoned, of being separate from, cause us to be fearful and reactive to our new surroundings. Fear is the anchor that keeps the soul looking down and out and imprisoned in this lower creation. We search and search for our true Home, and because this world is focused on the outer, we keep looking outside ourselves for the truth and for Home. Until we can, once again, rise above, let go and stand free of fear, we are ever trapped in this lower creation of separation. The fact is, the truth and Home are found within. That’s why meditation is the key to waking up to the truth of who we truly are and where our Home truly is. When we go inside and focus above this lower
August, 2014
creation, above the down and out focus, we begin to go inward and upward inside, and we begin to wake up to the truth of our soul, and to the realms of Spirit above, and to God. When you received initiation you received the Sacred Name, the Unspoken Name. This name is often called the Keys to the Kingdom because it is the means by which we are freed. This is God’s Name, the Hallowed Name that Jesus spoke of in the Lord’s Prayer. When we sit in meditation, we close our eyes and focus inward and upward to the Seat of the Soul. We begin to raise our awareness above the mind and this lower creation; the soul begins to wake up and become aware of itself, and it begins to realize that its true Home is inside, above all the lower elements of the lower creation. As we rise upward in our focus above the mind, we begin to see and know and feel the truth of God’s Loving for us and in us. It is this action of waking up to the truth that breaks us free of the bonds of this creation and begins to bring us out of the separation and into the Oneness and Loving. Because fear is the controlling and moving force of this lower creation, it keeps us ever focused outside ourselves, ever watching for danger, guarding against harm, and running from that which we fear. As we begin to meditate and go upward above the mind, above the lower elements of the physical, we begin to confront all those things that the mind, emotions, imagination and body have created in fear, through fear, and with fear. You have now come to a most profound part of this journey: confronting and rising above the fear. The awareness you’ve recently had is hugely instrumental to the action of your liberation. What you are now moving into, and through, is the greatest action of liberating the soul that you can do. The great and wonderful thing about all this is that you are going to see “fear” as it truly is – nothing. Fear is nothing, and that which you fear is nothing. The Bible describes this lower creation as “void and without form.” Truly (Letter continues on pages 11-12)
The Application of LAF
C
by Brian Yeakey, Vice President of ILM
hoosing to move through our fears and defenses:
PROTECTION & CONTROL
or ACCEPTANCE
FEAR & LOSS
or FORGIVENESS
SEPARATION
or LOVING
Protection & Control What are you protecting - or defending - in yourself? What are you avoiding or trying to control? Is it your feelings? Your beliefs? Your self-image? Your expectations? Your desires? Remember, whatever it is, it is inside of you! So, the question to ask is, “What is it that I am protecting, defending, controlling, or avoiding inside myself? Acknowledge and accept whatever it is that you are protecting, defending, or controlling. Be honest. Take responsibility, and take ownership for whatever it is, and realize that, in truth, it is something inside of you, not outside of yourself. Be willing to confess it to yourself, because only the truth will set you free!
Fear & Loss So, just why is it that you are protecting (or defending or controlling) yourself or someone else? Are you afraid of what will happen to you? Are you afraid of feeling shame, guilt, judgment, or fear? Are you afraid of being wrong, of getting hurt, or of hurting someone else? Are you afraid of not being loved or accepted? Are you trying to gain approval? Ask yourself, “What is it that am I afraid of losing?”
LAF
Forgive what it is that you are afraid will happen to you (or others), or what you are afraid of losing. Most importantly, forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for creating the fear. You have to let go in order to let God!
Separation
Let go of what separates you from Loving. Let go of protection, of control, of fear; let go of anything that creates separation, or a lack of loving. Move into Loving yourself! You have to love yourself in order to let go and to be freed from your fear. You have to love yourself first to allow God and others to love you!
Diagnosis: Protection + Fear = Separation
Prescription: Loving + Acceptance + Forgiveness (LAF)
Applying LAF on a daily basis = Spiritual Healing & Freedom! 2
INNER LIGHT MINISTRIES
C &P : A –F ‘14 CALENDAR lasses
rograms
utumn
all
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 the following 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.
Please take note of the dates for the ILM Monthly Classes:
Sundays: AUG 10, SEP 14, OCT 12, NOV 16 and DEC 14 Potluck: 12-1:30 pm & Class with Q&A: 1:30-6:30 pm*
Directions to Lake Travis Event Center, 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.
For additional information, call Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056.
* Ending times are approximate.
3
(ILM Calendar continues on pages 4-8)
•
Holiday Events in Austin:
Hallowe-ee-een Party
•
FRIDAY, OCT 31
It’s a batty potluck!
at 6:30 pm at Bill Stratton’s home. For further information email billstratton@ilm.org.
So prepare your gholish delight, and fly on over to Bill’s unearthly haunt, where we’ll feast Addam’s family style with a cackle and a cringe. Costumes are a plus - make us howl! (Optional, of course.) All are creepily welcome -
And as always ... beware!
C°c
Coins For Kids
O ur Coins For Kids Christmas service project is coming up ...
so if you’ve been saving your coins or wondering what you might like to do as an expression of service this year, consider participating with us as we once again go on a joyful gift shopping spree for children in need at Christmas time.
Three ways to donate: 1. Drop off your coins/donation at one of Jim and Brian’s Sunday classes by SUNDAY, NOV 16 2. Donate online by going to ilm.org and clicking on Donations in the menu list. Follow the instructions and be sure to select Coins for Kids as the Donation Type 3. Mail a check to: ILM, 3267 Bee Caves Rd, Suite 107-515, Austin, TX 78746. (Donations to ILM’s Coins For Kids are tax deductible.)
Shopping Day will be on SUNDAY, NOV 23 Meet at 9:30 am at the Super Target at I-35 and Parmer.
C°c Christmas Potluck Party: Join us for ILM’s Christmas celebration on SATURDAY, DEC 13
The celebration begins
•
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.
4
(ILM Calendar continues on next page)
•
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar in Austin:
ILM Community ommunity Potluck otluck Nights ights:
These community nights are intended for the ILM spiritual community to gather together in loving friendship at Laura Kesten’s home on the 1st Saturday of every month for fun, laughter, and great food. Everyone is welcome. Bring a dish if you want to add to the potluck. Starts 5-5:30 pm. 13210 Calf Roping Trail, Austin Park on the street or at the pool/park and walk a short block. AUG 2, SEP 6 , OCT 4, NOV 1 and DEC 6 For additional information, call Laura Kesten at 512-658-4117, or email laurakesten@ilm.org.
Austin Event Week March 21-29, 2015
March 21:
Initiates’ Meeting 1-6 pm* (For Initiates Only)
Lake Travis Event Center, 411 Ranch Road 620 South in Lakeway, TX. (See directions on page 3.)
March 22:
Open Sunday Meeting
Potluck: 12-1:30 pm & Class with Q&A: 1:30-6:30 pm* Lake Travis Event Center, 411 Ranch Road 620 South in Lakeway, TX. (See directions on page 3.)
March 23:
ILM Community Night 5-9 pm*
March 25-29:
13210 Calf Roping Trail, Austin (See information above.)
Experiencing The Divine Meditative Retreat Retreat facilitated by Jim
Gordon and Brian Yeakey
At the Purple Sage Ranch, Bandera, TX:
Time of Events: Wednesday, March 25 at 4 pm thru Sunday, March 29 at 3 pm.* To Register Contact: Laura Doggett at 512-306-1056 or email Laura at ilmadmin@ilm.org or register on our website at ilm.org. * Ending times are approximate. 5
(ILM Calendar continues on next page)
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Holiday Events in Ft. Wayne: Child At Heart Program:
•
HOWL-oween Pumpkin Transcendence Tuesday, OCT 28 at 6-7:30 pm at the ILM Midwest Center.
I t’s that time in the Midwest
for the children and children-at-heart to come together for carving and lighting up our transformational pumpkins. (More Child At Heart on next page.)
C°c
Coins For Kids Our Midwest Coins For Kids Christmas service project is coming up ... Come join the jolly ILM “elves” as we shop and wrap for our local adopted Christmas family!
Shopping Night will be on MONDAY, DEC 1.
Meet at 7 pm at Wal-Mart on Coldwater Rd. Please RSVP by Nov. 25 if you can join the shopping elves!
Gift-Wrapping Night will be on WEDNESDAY, DEC 3. 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 Christmas Party:
Join us for the Festival of Light celebration on FRIDAY, DEC 12 at 7 pm
Come light up the night! Join us for feasting and singing and making the season bright at the ILM Christmas Party. This is not a potluck, but be prepared to eat! The meal is our way of welcoming our ILM family to our “holiday home” in gratitude for the loving you bring us all year round. The gift of your presence is all that is needed to make the celebration complete! At Steven & Anita’s home in Fort Wayne. Everyone is welcome!
•
For additional information, call Steven at 260-485-2167 or email stevenmcafee@ilm.org.
6
(ILM Calendar continues on next page)
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I nner L Light M inistries Calendar Presented by Steven McAfee, Midwest Coordinator:
For additional information, call Steven at 260-485-2167 or email stevenmcafee@ilm.org. ILM Midwest Center: 220 Insurance Dr., Suite F, Fort Wayne, Indiana 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
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. AUG 5, OCT 7, NOV 18 7-9:30 pm
ILM Midwest Center
Donation
C
: More fun community events are on their way! Please RSVP the ILM ommunity Nights week before so we can plan appropriately. AUG 2
Potluck/Game night
6:30-9:30 pm
ILM Midwest Center
Donation
S -S II: F I ,H U – The 2014 WTP T P : AY W program is devoted to looking at what it is that you want in your life and deciding on practical actions you alking
he
ath
ear of
elf
tudy
arther n
igher
p
can take to support yourself by asking the questions: “What do you want? What are you doing? And do they match?” In addition to the regular Sunday afternoon monthly meetings, there will be periodic 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. AUG 3, SEP 7 2-4:30 OCT 4, NOV 15 9:30-4:30 SEP 1 12-4
Regular Meeting Day-long Meeting Labor Day Gathering
ILM Midwest Center ILM Midwest Center Kathy & Matt’s
No charge No charge No charge
S
acred Mysteries: Join Steven after the Sunday morning service at Detroit Unity for a seminar focused on the original spiritual teachings of Jesus and what he taught about the power of God’s Holy Name. There is a luncheon served between the ending of the 10 am service and the start of the workshop. AUG 24
10 am
Service, Luncheon, Seminar Unity Temple, Detroit, MI
No charge
: What’s your favorite type of retreat? Silent? Study? ContemY O R B plative? We’ll provide the space, and help you design the retreat that suits you best! Registration forms uild
our
wn
etreat
are available at the ILM Center. You may request a registration form by emailing Steven at stevenmcafee@ ilm.org. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. NOV 6 at 7 pm thru Nov 9 at 12:30 pm
GilChrist Retreat Center, Three Rivers, MI
$225 per person
S : Steven occasionally serves as a guest speaker for Brigade of Light and other Sspiritual groups in the Midwest. The following is presently scheduled: unday
ervices
AUG 17, DEC 7 11 am Brigade of Light State Street, Fort Wayne, IN AUG 24 10 am Unity Temple 17505 Second Avenue, Detroit, MI SEPT 21, OCT 19, NOV 16 10 am Unity Fort Wayne, IN 7
Donation Donation Donation
(ILM Worldwide Calendar continues on next page)
I nner L Light M inistries Calendar Community ILM Meetings
•
Kalamazoo:
and
Events Worldwide:
Call Judy Richards at 269-349-3943 or email jg.richards@charter.net.
S G : Please call Judy at (269) 349-3943 or email jg.richards@charter.net for Smore information. Meetings are combined with a potluck each month – yummy! unday
tudy
roups
AUG 24, SEP 28, OCT 26, NOV 23
M : K or email carolee12@chartermi.net. alamazoo
editations
Deerfield Beach:
4715 Thistle Mill Court
No charge
For more information please call Carolyn Dailey at (269) 327-6851
AUG 28, SEP 25, OCT 23
•
12:30-4 pm
1-3 pm
2485 Brahms Avenue, Portage
No charge
Call Victoria Eng at 310-980-2224 to RSVP and get dates and 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. eeting
Alternate Wednesdays
•
Hawaii:
6 pm
Deerfield Beach, Florida
No charge
Call the contact person for the following meetings.
1. Call Kelsie at 808-638-0380 or 808-285-6624 (cell) for directions and information.
T L C : The focus is on studying and practicing the spiritual tools, i.e. L Meditation, LAF & Taking Responsibility based on Jim’s and Brian’s talks. Note: Two locations. iving
he
oving
lass
1st Sunday 3:30-6 pm 4th Sunday 3-5 pm Friday after 1st Sunday 10:30 am-12:30 pm
North Shore of Oahu Hawaii Kai, Oahu Kula 200, Maui
No charge No charge No charge
2. Call Nadine Ferraro at 808-988-7509, or 551-3123 (cell) for schedule and directions. editation: Twice a month gathering for a two and a half hour meditation.
M
Call for schedule.
Manoa Valley, Honolulu
No charge
3. Call Kelsie at 808-638-0380 or 808-285-6624 (cell) for directions and information. editation & LAF Class: Once a month gathering for a two and a half hour meditation,
M followed by a potluck lunch and LAF Class. Join in for any part or all of the day. 3rd Sunday
•
10 am-12:30 pm Meditation North Shore of Oahu 12:30 pm-1:30 pm Potluck & 1:30 pm-3:30 pm LAF Class
London, England:
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 on M skype at 4 pm for the meditation (log on 10 minutes before). Please let Nanna know your skype name. eeting
AUG 11, SEPT 21, OCT 12, NOV 2 & 23, DEC 14 (Sundays) 8
4 pm
No charge
Excerpts on Meditation
W
by Jim
and Brian
e live in a very small part of ourselves, in our conscious minds, but there is a lot more to us than that limited conscious mind that we dwell in every day, which makes up only five to ten percent of who we really are. As long as we look outside of ourselves, as long as we look to this world for answers, we’re going to live in that small part, and we’re never going to find that fulfillment, that peace and that joy of being lined up and connected with the God within. If we can begin to close our eyes and go within, and begin to touch all the other realms and dimensions of ourselves – that’s when we’re going to begin to see who we really are. We’re much more than this physical body and we’re much more than this conscious mind. It’s up to each one of us to go out, and go in, and find it all. – Jim Gordon
W
hat does it take to bring us into the movement of the Divine? The meditation practice really is first and foremost about bringing our conscious awareness into the movement of Spirit. All we need to do is bring our attention, our focus, into that movement. When we connect into the movement of the Divine, it will bring us along the journey of life. The more we focus on that aspect of the journey, the more we will awaken to what the Divine is, to what Spirit is.
In 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 ... they do that, too, but there is so much more in those words especially when we chant them daily in our meditation. To fully realize the power that is God’s Loving, 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.
I
– Brian Yeakey
t’s just that simple. It’s just that easy to go deep inside of yourself and to touch the doorway to your Soul. It’s almost too easy. It’s almost too simple. The trick is you’ve got to do it daily. If you really want it to be effective in your life you have to do it daily! That’s the only way that the Soul can align itself with you and begin to function in this life, and begin to bring you to a point of upliftment where you’re liberated, and then, there’s no need to return to these realms of life. It’s up to you. You can read a book, you can go to lectures, you can do a lot of things, but until you stop, and sit, and go within, it’s not going to mean a whole lot. That’s the way to find God. God is there waiting to give to you in an unconditional manner, but you’ve got to ‘go in’ unconditionally and open up to His love in order to share in it. – Jim Gordon
D
on’t ever make meditation, or anything for that matter, a “have to,” or a “should.” Make it a choice. Simply choosing, you’ll begin to detach yourself from the realm of time and space, and in that, support yourself to awaken to the freedom. Even those things in your life that you feel obligated to do, that you have to participate in, whether it’s family, or friends, or your job, or whatever it may be, find that place within yourself of choosing into those activities. When you make it a choice out of your own freedom, that alone will begin to set you free spiritually.
Spirit is free. There is no “have to,” or obligation, or karmic debt, spiritually. In Spirit, it is all a choice. It’s a “choosing into” our expression and what we want to experience. So choose. Choose where you place your energy, your time, your focus. If your choosing and your wanting is to awaken to Spirit, to awaken to the Divine, to know yourself as soul, to know God, then choose that; and choose how much, how often, and in what ways, you want to experience and express that choice. It really is your choice. – Brian Yeakey 9
New CD - The Answer Is God
M Excerpt:
aybe this journey really is about just discovering the truth that God is in all things. Once we realize that, then there is no need to condemn, or judge, or make wrong any of our journey, or anyone else’s, regardless of how good or horrible it appears in the world. In truth, this world is always in perfect balance. As wonderful as it gets here, it’ll be equally as horrible. When we can understand that that’s how the balance is kept here, then we’ll have no reason to condemn any of it.
Have you had enough of the world’s good and bad? There is a way out. The way out is through the action of Loving. The meditation we teach in ILM is all about the action of Loving, of going inward and upward. That’s the way out. As Jim and I have said, “The way out is in” … you just have to know how it works to be able to do it. – Brian Yeakey For a complete listing of ILM Products and ordering information see the next page, or go to the ILM website (see below) for more information.
ILM.org — the Inner Light Ministries Website
• • • •
Jim’s and Brian’s Spiritual Sharings – listen on-line or download to your computer or MP3. 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 or Download CDs – you can order or download any and all of ILM’s CDs online. Recent CDs:
• Open Ended Meditations and Chanting – These meditations that have been edited to allow you to end in your own timing. Just added: NEW Ani Hu chanting in half hour increments up to 2 1/2 hours. • “Initiates Only” section – find out about Initiates events and listen to talks for Initiates.
Initiate’s Handbook
Initiates, remember to check out the Initiate’s Handbook in the “Initiates Only” section
of the website. 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 http://www.ILM.org today! 10
Inner Light Ministries A Path Of Sound And Light ® ILM Audio CDs
The Answer Is God NEW 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* The Pathway As A Classroom* Returning Back Into Spirit*
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, www.ILM.
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 (Manifesting) Abundance I } CD Set (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
(2014) (2010) (2013) (2008) (2012) (2007) (2007) (2009) (1998) (2005) (2010) (2009) (2007) (2009) (2008) (2006) (2005) (2007) (2006) (2006) (2006)
* This CD set includes a Meditation and Talk.
CDs On Meditation The Spiritual Path Meditation by Jim Gordon The Heart Of God Meditation by Brian Yeakey 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.
(1992) (1991) (1991) (1990) (1985)
By Jim Gordon
Love and Loving (Revised)
The Knowing of God (Revised)
This CD is the remastering of the tape “Two Meditations” with the addition of the “Golden Pool” meditation.
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(2000) (1999) (1997) (1997) (1992)
ILM Books
Lotus Meditation by Jim Gordon CD Set {
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The Staff of the Shepherd (Revised) (If using a credit card, write the name, address, phone number that corresponds to the card)
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Letter To An Initiate
(cont’d from page 1)
be reflected back to you. there is nothing here. But, how can this be when we look around and we touch something that seems solid and “real?” In truth, this is a creation by reflection, and all that we are seeing is just a poor reflection of the truth of the realms of Soul and Spirit above.
Fear is nothing more than our misdirection of focus. When we look outside ourselves, into the reflection, we have come to believe that the reflection is real, and that whatever comes to us from the outer is real. But, in truth, if you look at it closely, you’ll see that what is coming to you is you – your power, your loving, you – and it’s coming toward you from outside.
The mind is like a lens. It helps us focus and look at what is around us. The mind is a means by which we look at and experience the illusion of this reflection. Without the mind we could not see or know the reflection. It’s also the means by which the soul has been distracted from the inward focus and awareness of our own soul and our true nature, loving. If not for the mind, the reflection would not have distracted us and pulled us down into itself.
Maybe an easy way to understand this would be to imagine a pool of water and you are at the center of the pool. As you stand there the water is calm, still. Then you move a leg just a little bit and a ripple begins to move from you throughout the whole pool. Finally the ripple reaches the edge of the pool and the wall reflects the ripple/wave back toward you. You see the ripple approaching and think something outside of you is coming at you or attacking you, and so, you go into a defense mode, readying yourself for what is to come. You ready yourself to fight off the attack or defend yourself from outside forces.
So, how do we rise above the mind and overcome fear? Key to this question, there is nothing to overcome. Remember that this lower creation truly is still in its original state of nothing. So in truth there is nothing to rise up from, there is nothing to overcome, and there is nothing holding us in bondage, except our belief. Realize that fear is the power from within ourselves, and when we reclaim this lost and misdirected power of loving, we’ll then stand free of fear. This is why the Sacred Name of God is so important in this journey of inward and upward and liberating the soul. It is by holding our focus upward toward the truth inside that we’ll begin to rise above the mind and the illusion, and redirect our focus on our journey. Through meditation you will begin to know the truth of what I’m sharing. It is through meditation that you will wake up and rise above the illusion, and once again, see, know, and live into the truth of Soul, and Spirit, and God.
The thing is, you forgot that it was you who made a ripple in the pool some time ago, and do not realize that this wave that’s coming at you is your creation. You are the creator of that which you now have concern about. You worry about what its purpose is, and you begin to imagine that it is going to hurt you, kill you, fight you, or take something away from you. So you go into defense mode. We fear the unknown. We fear what we do not understand. This ripple/wave is coming from the unknown outside us. We think, “Who or what created this, and why is it sending it towards me?” We create all kinds of different stories and beliefs about the ripple and about its intentions and purpose, while all the time we are the creator of the ripple. But because we’re not aware of this, we begin to fight it and blame it. Because we feel as though the ripple has power over us, we give our power away to it. We go into reaction, and that reaction is the FEAR we created through an action. When we are confronted with the reaction of our action – the ripple returning to its creator – we react, and we get caught up in the process
What you are dealing with in fear is truly an illusion that you have given your power. You have made that which you focused on, outside yourself, powerful and commanding over you. You have given the illusion authority over your inner power of loving, and the illusion is reflecting it back to you. Remember that this creation is the realm of reflection and nothing more. So what you send out from you will ultimately 12
(Letter continues on next page)
Letter To An Initiate
(cont’d from page 12)
truly are. When you wake up to know your loving, you will know your soul; and when you wake up to knowing your soul, you will wake up to God.
of, “For every action, there is a reaction.” And yet, we created it all! We created both the action and the reaction.
The easiest way to do all this is to sit down and do the LAF daily. Do it with your self, with God – and yes we have to forgive God, and we have to ask God to forgive us for our judgments and blame we have placed on God – and we forgive ourselves for judging God. Then we forgive others around us.
This energy of the reaction is what causes the sense of fear. It is this fear that holds us in bondage. If we can stay in action, then the fear is no more. So, what is the action? The action is Loving. When we can begin to love that which is coming toward us, love the unknown, love our creations, then we’ll stand free of the illusion and rise above the separation.
Listen to ILM’s Toolbox CD set. It’s a talk and a meditation that helps people do the LAF. This is one of the quickest ways to enter into, and go through, all of this. You will most likely meet up, inside you, with a lot of things, people, judgments, fear. Know that in this action of loving it all, letting go of it all, bringing your power of loving back to you and learning how to stay centered within yourself, your truth, and your loving, that loving is the easiest way to liberate yourself. In all of this, continue daily, in every moment and breath, to love the Lord.
The fears that you’ve dealt with all your life are truly created within you, through your reaction to all those things, people, and events in your life. The key now is to go into action. Action is the solution – Loving, Accepting, and Forgiving! (LAF) The one person you want to do this with the most is YOURSELF. You gave your power of loving away when you believed the illusion, when you looked outside yourself for the answers, for the power, for the love. Now, you have to forgive yourself and reclaim all that you gave away. Then, you forgive those around you with whom you gave your power. First, you forgive yourself for giving your power away, and then you forgive those who played the game of power over you in order to take your power.
Do not look to the past to figure this all out, or try to understand the past. There is nothing to understand, and if there was, the truth is not in the past. The truth is right now; and what is right now is you, the you of today, of this moment. Find the truth in you and find the truth in this moment. What is the truth? The truth is, fear and loving are one in the same. Loving the fear will bring you into the action of dissolving the fear. Loving overcomes all things. Loving will lift you up above all things and return you to your rightful place in all of creation, in Soul, and in God.
The one thing you will find, as you move further and further into this action, is that there is nothing to fear. Fear is not real. You can dissolve fear by loving the fear. Love it all, and it all returns to love – your love – the love you gave away. Loving is how you wake up to the truth of your own soul. Your soul IS Loving. I’ve said it so many times in this way, “You are the Living Loving Essence of the Lord.” This is who you
In Loving, Jim
Note: See page 2 (Brian’s article) for an idea of how to apply the LAF.
T
he essence of Loving is anchored into your consciousness with the Name at the time of initiation. When you meditate using that Name,
the essence comes alive in your consciousness again.
13
– Brian Yeakey
The Name Of God
W
by Laura Kesten, ILM Minister
also supports me. I want to ever be experiencing the divine movement of Spirit; and I know that outwardly, in the physical, by gathering with others who also want that, who also are drawn to the power of ‘when two or more are gathered in His Name’, that I am supporting myself and will be supported by Spirit in this action. So, it’s not about how many people show up, nor even about who shows up, but that I am showing up to share my Loving.
hen I was sixteen, my 3-year-old brother became seriously ill. The doctors didn’t know what was happening or why. He was rushed to the hospital and hooked up to machines. I remember his listless body and my feeling of utter helplessness.
Sometimes I hear people say that they don’t want to go to an ILM event because Jim and Brian won’t be there. In your communities, when ILM events are offered, even if Jim and Brian can’t be there in person, remember that it is through them that this event is being offered. In truth, Jim and Brian are always present, because the Holy Spirit moves in and through them and all those they appoint to lead local community events. We truly have been given an amazing opportunity in ILM to practice the Name of God not only in our meditations, but also, in our community gatherings. Clearing a pathway to God is an inward journey, and that inward journey can be greatly supported by our outward actions.
That night, my mother gathered the family together in the kitchen, and said, “Bow your heads and pray with me.” As we grabbed hold of each other’s hands, something very powerful began to happen. I didn’t have the words at that time to say ‘it was the movement of Spirit’, but that’s what it was. She began, “Dear Lord God, Jesus said, ‘Where there are two or more gathered together in my name, there am I.’” (Mat.18:20) That was the first time I experienced the power of those words. When two or more are gathered in His Name, which is the Name of God, grace comes in; that action allows the movement of the Holy Spirit to lift karmas which otherwise might not have been lifted. In that action of my mother bringing us all together in His Name, the movement of the Holy Spirit did come in, karmas that could be lifted were lifted, probably for all of us, and my little brother did recover … but here’s the really cool thing – we don’t have to wait to have something tragic happen in our lives to ‘gather together in His Name’.
We all know that it’s important to have a “support system,” but it’s equally as important to understand what exactly will truly support our spiritual selves. Inner Light Ministries provides many kinds of support in books, cds, the website, through local community events, regional workshops, and retreats with Jim and Brian. Including this kind of support, this action with Spirit, in the design of your support system will truly support you.
When I first began walking this path and everything was new and exciting, I wanted to soak up all the experiences like a little child in wonder. I couldn’t wait until the next event happened just so I could be in that energy again. I now understand that it was because I was stepping forward into that action of supporting myself spiritually, and I was experiencing the true Loving in the movement of Spirit ‘where two or more are gathered in His Name’. That still stands true for me today. Even though I’m staff, there is no requirement that I have to be at any of the Austin events, but then I ask myself the rhetorical question, “Where else would I be?”
Begin to genuinely support yourself right now. Begin to develop a support system by saying yes more often to what ILM offers, and begin to truly see how you will be supported through grace and the movement of the Holy Spirit, lifting your karmas and filling you more with the Loving. Listen to the cds and read the books because it supports you; go to the ILM events because every opportunity to be in the movement of Spirit, to be in the Loving, and to have more karma lift is reason enough to participate; and know that Jim and Brian, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, are ever present in every action of ILM, for you and your soul’s liberation.
Each month, I offer Community Night at my home because I know it supports our ILM community, but it 14
Y
Being Who You Are by Steven McAfee, ILM Minister
teachers, we are each called to be ourselves. Only when we come to know our “self” in its reality – as Soul – can we truly come to love ourselves. Only when we really love ourselves, can we love God. Our soul IS the living, loving essence of God, and if we are not loving ourselves, we are not loving God.
ears ago, before the days of Jim and Brian in ILM, there was the time of Jim. He was the sole spiritual teacher we looked to as having a clear, direct knowing of God. We knew Jim’s loving presence, his gentleness, and his humble devotion to Spirit.
We do not awaken to our own divinity by trying to copy someone else’s. The only image we need to live up to is the Divine one within us – that radiant soul that God created us to be. While Jim and Brian both provide us with wonderful examples of living a life focused on God, their example is not to be taken as a standard against which we judge ourselves. Their example is meant to help us move through whatever we must in order to find the truth of our own Being and to live it fully. Just like they did.
When Brian came along, and it became clear that he was destined to become a spiritual teacher himself, many people compared him to Jim. Some were distressed that he was not like Jim. Brian spoke and behaved differently. Those who used Jim as a model for what a spiritual teacher “should” look like, sometimes had difficulty accepting Brian, because he was not Jim. They saw the differences. What they failed to see was that Brian was being true to himself. He was living Spirit the way Brian lives it. He, too, was devoted to God. He, too, was committed to following the Loving, no matter how he might have looked to others while doing so. He too, was ever opening to deeper experiences of God and to sharing those experiences with those longing for God and their own liberation. And, precisely because he was faithful to his own inner awareness, he grew quickly from being a disciple to becoming a spiritual teacher himself. Not only did he have to walk the Path to his own liberation, and not only did he have to agree to take on the responsibility of being a teacher; he had to also claim it to the ILM community. He had to claim what he knew to be true about himself and his role, even to those who would judge him by the standard of Jim. That was the way his own role could be fulfilled: to stand up as who he was. If Brian had tried to be Jim and do everything just like him, it would not have worked.
The way you and I will live this Path will be different from Jim, different from Brian, different from one another. Yes, the Path is One, and the way is Loving, but how we each work with that in our daily lives will be unique. If we are afraid to trust what we know inside, afraid to follow where the Loving is leading us (especially when it does not appear to be going where we expect), afraid to express the truth within us, then we are following after the illusion that we can do it some way other than our own. It is in being genuine, honest, and true to what is real inside of us that we find the source of Loving within us. Then, by following that Loving to its source, one day we will find ourselves standing in the very heart of God.
We do not awaken to our divinity by trying to copy someone else’s.
Let us, like Brian, be true to who we are and in that, be fearless in revealing our true selves, even though we may sometimes look the fool. And let us, like Jim, do it simply and lovingly before God. Like them, we will discover that the more we are willing to open up to who we are, the more we will awaken to who we are. When we surrender our “self” to the Holy Spirit of Loving, we will find the freedom to love ourselves just as we are, and in that freedom, we fulfill what we are called to do – to be God’s loving in active expression.
My point in all of this is not simply to honor Brian for stepping into the teacher role and Jim for recognizing and supporting him, but to see an important lesson in this for all of us. Though we are not all called to be 15
Inner Light Ministries
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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 Journal 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.
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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