A Course in Miracles

Achieving any objective can appear deceptively simple, and understanding the message of this course is no different.  From the beginning, we must put aside our ego and engage our higher mind, the realm of the spirit.  Our ultimate goal is happiness and salvation, and there are two essential elements we must use to get there – love and forgiveness.  And this is where it all starts to get complicated. We all desire happiness, and with happiness comes love.  That desire drives our will and our thinking.  Our ego constantly tells us that it has the answer to our desire, and provides us with plenty of illusions designed to make us happy.  But these illusions provide only temporary happiness, to be replaced by other illusions.  Happiness comes from our higher mind, not the ego, for it is a state of being in which we are immune to the troubles of the world, and protected from the world.  The ego cannot provide happiness, but only the illusion of happiness.  We desire more than illusions.  But, desire is not enough.  To achieve true happiness, we must have a conscious purpose to achieve happiness, powered by our intention to seek happiness, and our devotion to that pursuit. This is where the two essential elements come in.  Happiness requires that we love ourselves and all the rest of creation.  And, we cannot find that love until we are prepared to forgive ourselves and others for the slights we have suffered.  "Only illusions can be forgiven, and then they disappear" says A Course In Miracles (T24.III.1.2).  Accordingly, we must forgive others for the illusions we created in response to their "attacks" on us, and we must also forgive ourselves for that response.  In that way, we rid ourselves of illusions and open ourselves up to love.  But that is not enough.  We must also extend that love to all of creation.  For only by extending love to others can we give it to ourselves. And thus is happiness created and salvation attained. Love and Light, Rev. Bob Gill ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use. The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar