Specialness and special teachings

A fellow spiritual seeker wrote to me:

I had been participating in an online group (MysticalPrinciples), and the "teacher" of that group spoke of a series of tapes that Joel Goldsmith made of a "secret" (closed) series of classes to his inner-circle students back in 1953.
Apparently the transcripts of these "closed" talks were so powerful, to study them (if you could get your hands on them) would lift you up and out of all illusion, the fast track! One woman in England actually typed out the transcripts of these talks, and only a few people were permitted to purchase the book form.

This "teacher" made a series of 20 talks based on these other talks, and charged for them. He insisted that only the most serious students apply, and not to pass on these teachings publicly, not quote from them on other groups etc. So it was HIS tapes for sale that I bought, and began to study.

I began to feel the "specialness" creep in of the whole thing. That only a few could access them, that they were for sale, that we were among the elite so to speak, that within the year we would be finished. Through. Fully into the next dimension of Truth. If we did EXACTLY what the teacher recommended.

God. I was taken. I paid that teacher money for those tapes, and halfway through, seeing clearly my error, threw them in the outdoor trash barrel and started a bonfire.. It was not the tapes themselves that were trash, it was the mind of "special-seeking" in myself, the mind that was duped again, that was trash.

I had felt part of a group, part of a special "thing", a communion of others, I had, temporarily gotten rid of the horrible solitariness, loneliness, I had felt for so long.

I am back to lonely. Solitary. The weight on my chest feels more okay, somehow lighter.

Now I see others making VERY special these tapes, this series of teachings. I no longer post on that, or any site, and realize I have to come upon it honestly, alone. Unspecial. Hard. Not knowing when it ends.

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Oneness and art

I had a breakthrough yesterday regarding the connection between Oneness and art. I posted it on my art philosophy site, here.

Results

Here's a good point I just read: why shouldn't you watch for results in The World after applying Advanced Forgiveness? Because when you do, you're saying these conditions are bad and these are good... in other words judging them, and that keeps it real.

Ken on YouTube

I didn't even know: it seems the Foundation For ACIM is now putting Ken wapnick videos on YouTube! Excellent.
Free content like this is a fantastic promotional tool, it's great for the Course, for FACIM, and for students.

Roger Linden Interview on nonduality

More parts to the interview here.

There's also a good interview with Tony Parsons.

I'm still trying to understand why A Course In Miracles says that you can work towards enlightenment (a no-self state) and all those other teachers claim very definitely that you can't, it just happens when it happens. Strange.

Symbols of the Separation

Not long ago I had the strong perception and revelation that I now suddenly find that DU also tells us clearly*:
As long as you believe in the reality of the World, seeing objects outside of you is a constant and painful reminder of the separation from god. (Because the seeming separation between you and the objects is symbolic of the seeming main Separation.)

This also tells us that unless somebody is genuinely awakened, then happiness in this world is false, anything looking like happiness and enthusiasm is probably more like an armour put on to copy with "life".

*I have never before had a book I can continue to hear/read new things in after half a dozen re-reads. I'm an excellent student, and almost no books made it past one re-read for me before.

A forgiveness method

I just found this old post on the YahooGroups D.U. list by Olga (looking to see if the book she mentions had already been recommended on that list), and I want to commend her for some really pertinent truths there.

Love, Eolake

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Olga wrote:

Recently I have started, inspired by "Busting Loose from the Money Game" to do a variation of an exercise in that book. Then I go to the feeling as before, and then amplify it if I can. Then I say "I take the power back now, from this miscreation. I know there is no Truth in this, this is just something I made to feel limited/vulnerable/etc. I take the power back and I feel it reintegrate and surge through me. I am Infinite Love. I am Infinite Abundance. I am Infinite Trust."

Basically I don't think letting the feeling go is enough, as you say, that could be avoidance. Allowing the negative feeling/situation is key to me, but it has to be combined with the practice of allowing of the Holy Spirits speedy intervention :). A touch of eagerness to open up to that, but not an eagereness that would constitute resistance.

Sometimes I feel a shift when I do a forgiveness process, but I would not depend on that, but trust HS is working behind the scenes wether I feel it or not. Also, as I understand it, tthe guilt is not necessarily connected to one special area, since it is really impersonal and has nothing to do with form. So, I may forgive a situation, but from that "pool" of unconcious guilt may pour in more guilt into manifestation in that particular situation, AGAIN. And we go "Oh no", but not to worry, it is all the same, and we just have to start forgiving again. Because of that there is no sure way of monitoring your advancement.

As to be "out there" or not, I don't think it matters. I'm a bit of a hermit, but my forgiveness lessons seems to come to me all the same :). Just follow guidance to the best of your ability, and then you will find the lessons that you need.

Love, Olga