Metaphysics Course

This blog has essays from the Metaphysics Courses offered through the Universal Life Church. We have a variety of courses that are available in the area of metaphysics.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Celestine Prophecy

Insights into Awareness Final Exam
by Rev. Jean Pagano
The rise of the middle class and the accumulation of wealth made possible by the Industrial Revolution slowly but surely moved man out of the fear of religion that categorized the Middle Ages and into the waiting arms of materialism. As people gathered more and more goods, man turned less and less towards his spiritual nature. As a result, man became disconnected, disconcerted, and closed to the spiritual world around him/her.
        Interestingly enough, at some indeterminate point, strange events and coincidences began to occur to individuals. Many of these people kept these coincidences to themselves, fearing the label of "strange" or "bizarre". Yet others, unafraid of the stigma of being different, began to speak to other people about their experiences and they discovered a remarkable thing – others were having the same experience!
            This awareness that "we are not alone in this" gave rise to the fact that the petty local and regional "possession" issues that ruled mankind from the Iron Age forward were secondary to a more global awareness. This awareness is a realization that we have a global or cosmic responsibility and destiny to fulfill. When a person talks about global warming, for example, this is the awareness of a cosmic or global issue. The energy that we direct towards these cosmic goals is something that has not been seen in a long time, if ever. With the advent of particle physics we see that there is much more to matter than just substance, there is also energy entering the equation. The world is made up of energetic particles so, by the use of our will and our desire, we believe that we can move the world, if ever so slightly, by the use of intent. Since we have begun speaking to our friends, neighbours, and confidants about our esoteric issues, it now occurs to people that if one person's energy may make a difference, then many peoples' energies will make an even bigger difference! Now, as enlightened and connected individuals, we can use energy to accomplish wonderful things. Interestingly enough, people using energy for positive purposes should work; however, people working for negative ends may also be able to manipulate energy.
            These negative ends are basically employed for a number of reasons; however, they have been the source of conflict from the beginning of time. The coveting of energy is essentially the same as the coveting of property since we have established that substance can be reduced down to energy. Because of the descent into interests surround substance or material things, we, as a people, have become adrift and seemingly disconnected from the Divine, the divinities, or perhaps the Source. By reconnecting ourselves to the energy flow that pulses within us, we also approximate a connection to the mystical and the Divine. The Second Coming, as I see it, is the realization that what we have been looking for all along is to be found within ourselves – we only need to look.
    Once we understand that the source bubbles up from within ourselves, we can begin to reintegrate our own energy flow into our need for energy, thereby freeing us from having to take energy from others. This is not a short-term project, but will take some time to deprogram within ourselves. Knowing and understanding control dramas helps the individual to learn how to avoid the dramas all together and rely on ourselves and the universal source(s) for the energy we need.
            Somewhere along in this process of reintegrating ourselves with ourselves, we come to understand that we are given this source of energy for a reason, not just for-the-heck-of-it. There is a mission and a goal to which we apply this energy. This is the hardest task of all. Deep inside, we all fear that there is no reason and that there is no purpose for our journey through the wheel. Yet, we strive to discover this for it feels as though we are being pulled along, drawn to the centre. What we find there, of course, is one of the Great Mysteries. 
            We discover, in the company of like-minded-energetic-beings, that we resonate, not only with ourselves, but with the pulsations that arise when such energy bodies come together. As part of the process of making this world a better and more vibrant place, we pass along the things we have learned and experienced to those who we sense are ready to learn and understand. Here too, one must use their intuition to find the right person for such an approach.
            Finally, with such a tapping-into the energy source, one may find that the entire cosmic physic shifts as more and more people become aware of their energetic potential. The ultimate (perhaps Utopian) goal is that everyone is moving towards the same energetic potential. When and if this happens, the entire paradigm of life-as-it-is will shift and change. A new world will have arise, from within the individual to form something even more remarkable. It is a dream and a possibility.
            This was a very enjoyable course. There is a lot of reading in the lessons but they are very much worth the time. The journey through the insights is well presented and then the ensuing discussion does focus on peripheral topics that are relevant to the whole. I found the course wholly enjoyable and well worth the large amount of time required for completion.

**********************

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar                              

Celestine Prophecy

Insights into Awareness Final Exam
by Rev. Jean Pagano
The rise of the middle class and the accumulation of wealth made possible by the Industrial Revolution slowly but surely moved man out of the fear of religion that categorized the Middle Ages and into the waiting arms of materialism. As people gathered more and more goods, man turned less and less towards his spiritual nature. As a result, man became disconnected, disconcerted, and closed to the spiritual world around him/her.
        Interestingly enough, at some indeterminate point, strange events and coincidences began to occur to individuals. Many of these people kept these coincidences to themselves, fearing the label of "strange" or "bizarre". Yet others, unafraid of the stigma of being different, began to speak to other people about their experiences and they discovered a remarkable thing – others were having the same experience!
            This awareness that "we are not alone in this" gave rise to the fact that the petty local and regional "possession" issues that ruled mankind from the Iron Age forward were secondary to a more global awareness. This awareness is a realization that we have a global or cosmic responsibility and destiny to fulfill. When a person talks about global warming, for example, this is the awareness of a cosmic or global issue. The energy that we direct towards these cosmic goals is something that has not been seen in a long time, if ever. With the advent of particle physics we see that there is much more to matter than just substance, there is also energy entering the equation. The world is made up of energetic particles so, by the use of our will and our desire, we believe that we can move the world, if ever so slightly, by the use of intent. Since we have begun speaking to our friends, neighbours, and confidants about our esoteric issues, it now occurs to people that if one person's energy may make a difference, then many peoples' energies will make an even bigger difference! Now, as enlightened and connected individuals, we can use energy to accomplish wonderful things. Interestingly enough, people using energy for positive purposes should work; however, people working for negative ends may also be able to manipulate energy.
            These negative ends are basically employed for a number of reasons; however, they have been the source of conflict from the beginning of time. The coveting of energy is essentially the same as the coveting of property since we have established that substance can be reduced down to energy. Because of the descent into interests surround substance or material things, we, as a people, have become adrift and seemingly disconnected from the Divine, the divinities, or perhaps the Source. By reconnecting ourselves to the energy flow that pulses within us, we also approximate a connection to the mystical and the Divine. The Second Coming, as I see it, is the realization that what we have been looking for all along is to be found within ourselves – we only need to look.
    Once we understand that the source bubbles up from within ourselves, we can begin to reintegrate our own energy flow into our need for energy, thereby freeing us from having to take energy from others. This is not a short-term project, but will take some time to deprogram within ourselves. Knowing and understanding control dramas helps the individual to learn how to avoid the dramas all together and rely on ourselves and the universal source(s) for the energy we need.
            Somewhere along in this process of reintegrating ourselves with ourselves, we come to understand that we are given this source of energy for a reason, not just for-the-heck-of-it. There is a mission and a goal to which we apply this energy. This is the hardest task of all. Deep inside, we all fear that there is no reason and that there is no purpose for our journey through the wheel. Yet, we strive to discover this for it feels as though we are being pulled along, drawn to the centre. What we find there, of course, is one of the Great Mysteries. 
            We discover, in the company of like-minded-energetic-beings, that we resonate, not only with ourselves, but with the pulsations that arise when such energy bodies come together. As part of the process of making this world a better and more vibrant place, we pass along the things we have learned and experienced to those who we sense are ready to learn and understand. Here too, one must use their intuition to find the right person for such an approach.
            Finally, with such a tapping-into the energy source, one may find that the entire cosmic physic shifts as more and more people become aware of their energetic potential. The ultimate (perhaps Utopian) goal is that everyone is moving towards the same energetic potential. When and if this happens, the entire paradigm of life-as-it-is will shift and change. A new world will have arise, from within the individual to form something even more remarkable. It is a dream and a possibility.
            This was a very enjoyable course. There is a lot of reading in the lessons but they are very much worth the time. The journey through the insights is well presented and then the ensuing discussion does focus on peripheral topics that are relevant to the whole. I found the course wholly enjoyable and well worth the large amount of time required for completion.

**********************

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar                              

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

A Course in Miracles

WHO AM I

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
These words are from the King James Bible in the passage of John 1.

When I was young I went this way and that way playing in life. As I grew older I learned responsibility, and hither and yon became quests of learning and establishing beliefs I would live by. One of these quests led me to the point of my very substance. My root of roots, of the Metaphysical side of the human and who I am. The spiritual side of the Physics that makes us all whole as it were.

I will in this text try to keep it simple as life itself is but a simple vapor, but also to go in depth to the degree of understanding as we are a very unique and complex being.
Stay with me now. This will be I hope for you one of the most important bits of information that a person can find.

As I had said before I was on a quest in my life. I had enough of Preachers who didn't know their job,. Preachers who were in the category of total hypocrite. Those that would answer my questions with " It's a mystery or you'll have to wait to ask God about that one sonny". Then smile and walk away not even one bit concerned that I was bleeding inside. I wanted answers. Did I get saved and that's it? Was that all there was. Wait till I die and go to some Mansion in the sky? What's up with that? Is being a Christian the same as I was before but with a new title? I had to find out for myself.

Years went by I joined the military, did my hitch and then went back to work as a truck driver. 23 years later I was still asking Preachers the same questions. Who actually is God. Why does it say he knew me before I was born. Why did he love me? What is the real meaning of life. Come on already......doesn't anybody know? Am I to just grow up learn to work and then die? There's got to be more to life than this. Just gotta be.
I read books, asked questions, surfed the net.

Then one day an amazing truth hit me. How could I have been so blind? Why, if God is the God of everything, couldn't I just ask God. No, that would be too simple and besides if God is a God of everything think of the time on hold just waiting for an answer. lol

I quit with my foolish thinking and got down on my knees, humbling myself before the almighty. God, I said, I know your there and I know what your word says as I have read it over the years and searched for these answers. I know you are the great I AM. Can you help me now and answer my questions? Then I added, I know your probably busy handling world hunger and wars and such, but if you could take just a minute of your time and just tell me what I am really here for I would appreciate it.

Well I didn't get hit by a lightning bolt or anything but I did get a picture in my mind and these words.

"seek and you'll find"

Ok, now was I just told the same thing that the preachers had said or was there a deeper meaning to what I heard? Maybe I imagined it. Maybe it was just me hearing what I thought I would hear. Then it happened.

"Be still and know that I Am God"

A still, small voice said that inside my head? heart? soul? Well, where ever it was, I heard it..............more years went by and I learned to pray and ask questions in the same manner as before. but as time went on I saw a pattern that never failed. I would praise God for who he was, thank him for what I had and then tell him where I was in my situations. Then I would wait and the answers would come.That's right ...the answers.
What answers?

All answers.

Well at the risk of being a bit shallow and vague I will leave this all as it is written. If you want answers I have given you the formula for life. If your too blind then maybe you just shouldn't see anyhow. But the answers are in the writing above if you'll just ponder and realise the answer to WHo Am I is actually I AM.

Thank you and my your voyage be safe and full of Love.

REF: John 3:16

--Rev. Michael

********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

A Course in Miracles

WHO AM I

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
These words are from the King James Bible in the passage of John 1.

When I was young I went this way and that way playing in life. As I grew older I learned responsibility, and hither and yon became quests of learning and establishing beliefs I would live by. One of these quests led me to the point of my very substance. My root of roots, of the Metaphysical side of the human and who I am. The spiritual side of the Physics that makes us all whole as it were.

I will in this text try to keep it simple as life itself is but a simple vapor, but also to go in depth to the degree of understanding as we are a very unique and complex being.
Stay with me now. This will be I hope for you one of the most important bits of information that a person can find.

As I had said before I was on a quest in my life. I had enough of Preachers who didn't know their job,. Preachers who were in the category of total hypocrite. Those that would answer my questions with " It's a mystery or you'll have to wait to ask God about that one sonny". Then smile and walk away not even one bit concerned that I was bleeding inside. I wanted answers. Did I get saved and that's it? Was that all there was. Wait till I die and go to some Mansion in the sky? What's up with that? Is being a Christian the same as I was before but with a new title? I had to find out for myself.

Years went by I joined the military, did my hitch and then went back to work as a truck driver. 23 years later I was still asking Preachers the same questions. Who actually is God. Why does it say he knew me before I was born. Why did he love me? What is the real meaning of life. Come on already......doesn't anybody know? Am I to just grow up learn to work and then die? There's got to be more to life than this. Just gotta be.
I read books, asked questions, surfed the net.

Then one day an amazing truth hit me. How could I have been so blind? Why, if God is the God of everything, couldn't I just ask God. No, that would be too simple and besides if God is a God of everything think of the time on hold just waiting for an answer. lol

I quit with my foolish thinking and got down on my knees, humbling myself before the almighty. God, I said, I know your there and I know what your word says as I have read it over the years and searched for these answers. I know you are the great I AM. Can you help me now and answer my questions? Then I added, I know your probably busy handling world hunger and wars and such, but if you could take just a minute of your time and just tell me what I am really here for I would appreciate it.

Well I didn't get hit by a lightning bolt or anything but I did get a picture in my mind and these words.

"seek and you'll find"

Ok, now was I just told the same thing that the preachers had said or was there a deeper meaning to what I heard? Maybe I imagined it. Maybe it was just me hearing what I thought I would hear. Then it happened.

"Be still and know that I Am God"

A still, small voice said that inside my head? heart? soul? Well, where ever it was, I heard it..............more years went by and I learned to pray and ask questions in the same manner as before. but as time went on I saw a pattern that never failed. I would praise God for who he was, thank him for what I had and then tell him where I was in my situations. Then I would wait and the answers would come.That's right ...the answers.
What answers?

All answers.

Well at the risk of being a bit shallow and vague I will leave this all as it is written. If you want answers I have given you the formula for life. If your too blind then maybe you just shouldn't see anyhow. But the answers are in the writing above if you'll just ponder and realise the answer to WHo Am I is actually I AM.

Thank you and my your voyage be safe and full of Love.

REF: John 3:16

--Rev. Michael

********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Friday, November 14, 2008

Metaphysics

Dear Amy,

Thank you for all the Spirit quest program. I wanted to focus my 300 word final on Discourse #29 MONEY!!! I guess that gives it away. The exclamation point that is. I consider myself a spiritual being living and adapting to a overly materialistic world. In a way materialism is part of our being. We possess our body and organs so life as we know it is biased towards materialism. What I appreciated about this session is that you where not resisting money and you where reflecting that like everything else its what you do with it. I think I have gotten to a point that I believe you either have it or don't and live a wondering monk's life. That is not a choice since I chose to be a proactive part of this world and am married with two wonderful children (9mos and 5yrs old). So I am committed. So how can I make friends with money since I actually would like to have a lot of it and I want all the luxury and freedom that comes with it?



First focusing on the idea that money is good but my impression of people that have it is not very good. I have not met many people that accumulated wealth that I truly respect. The people that are making a lot of money today in especially in sales and money mgt world are mostly fake and are just gaining peoples trust to get their way. So I need to earn my keep by doing what I believe and am good at in the most sincere matter and not getting disappointed when people don't believe me. I need to use the rejection as a learning experience and not try to save or savor it. I need to move on with that learning experience to the next relationship and sharing of my story and why I am doing what I do.



Another great point was about doing what you love. I love helping people and helping them overcomes their obstacles. I should have become a psychologist but I didn't because I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I have all these ideas and things in my head that I need to bring to life but get stuck after the creation part. After it is created then the only motivation is money and I don't follow through. I love working with people so I need to stick it out and reach out despite the rejection. I need to put my self in their position and as I get more confident and can prove my sincerity I will gain the like minded people that can see through me and can place their trust in me.



So I will stop procrastinating and don't try to make money evil so I don't have to earn it.



Thanks,

KS

**********************

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Metaphysics

Dear Amy,

Thank you for all the Spirit quest program. I wanted to focus my 300 word final on Discourse #29 MONEY!!! I guess that gives it away. The exclamation point that is. I consider myself a spiritual being living and adapting to a overly materialistic world. In a way materialism is part of our being. We possess our body and organs so life as we know it is biased towards materialism. What I appreciated about this session is that you where not resisting money and you where reflecting that like everything else its what you do with it. I think I have gotten to a point that I believe you either have it or don't and live a wondering monk's life. That is not a choice since I chose to be a proactive part of this world and am married with two wonderful children (9mos and 5yrs old). So I am committed. So how can I make friends with money since I actually would like to have a lot of it and I want all the luxury and freedom that comes with it?



First focusing on the idea that money is good but my impression of people that have it is not very good. I have not met many people that accumulated wealth that I truly respect. The people that are making a lot of money today in especially in sales and money mgt world are mostly fake and are just gaining peoples trust to get their way. So I need to earn my keep by doing what I believe and am good at in the most sincere matter and not getting disappointed when people don't believe me. I need to use the rejection as a learning experience and not try to save or savor it. I need to move on with that learning experience to the next relationship and sharing of my story and why I am doing what I do.



Another great point was about doing what you love. I love helping people and helping them overcomes their obstacles. I should have become a psychologist but I didn't because I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I have all these ideas and things in my head that I need to bring to life but get stuck after the creation part. After it is created then the only motivation is money and I don't follow through. I love working with people so I need to stick it out and reach out despite the rejection. I need to put my self in their position and as I get more confident and can prove my sincerity I will gain the like minded people that can see through me and can place their trust in me.



So I will stop procrastinating and don't try to make money evil so I don't have to earn it.



Thanks,

KS

**********************

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Spirituality

Dr. of Spirituality – The Miracle of Prayer

Rev. Ernest Kayorie

I would like to thank the Reverend Loretta Siani for putting together the materials that have comprised the course on Spirituality and the Miracle of Prayer.  The work that this course required is perhaps the most important curriculum that anyone could engage in during their lifetime. It was an interesting journey into one's own definition of what spirituality can mean and how important it is to apply that to your life.  The conclusion that this writer has achieved did not come without its own brand of pain.

After reading the course faithfully for about six sessions, I came to the conclusion that it was not for me.  The materials were well written and presented in an excellent format, but it didn't make sense to me.  Here was another "do it and you'll feel better" program  and also this one based on the Course of Miracles materials with Jesus as the prime teacher.  Get serious, I thought, I have better things to do then waste my time on this again.  The last time I tried to delve into the Course of Miracles, it didn't make sense.  It was too wordy and convoluted in a lot of ways.  It wasn't me…… on and on and on……

After stewing about this for about a week, the next lesson arrived and I decided to finish what I had started.  I read the lesson and then suddenly, it happened.  The words started to make sense,  It was as if someone turned a light on.  When that occurred, it gave me time to clear my mind long enough to realize that all the while I was protesting, my ego was sitting back self satisfied that it had successfully averted another attack on its supposed supremacy.   Happily the words conveyed in the course abided and their healing energy broke through.  The remaining weeks were an interesting and evaluative experience.

Slowly…. subtly…the words of counsel gleaned from the lessons made continued sense to me and the affirmations reminded me of the strength of those words.  Many of the superficialities that I allowed to become important to me fell by the wayside.  It's amazing how trapped we become by them and by societal standards.  It reminds me of the story related by Joseph Goldstein, co founder of the Insight Meditation Society who stated how difficult it was to remain faithful to his Buddhist vows after he decided to return to the United States after spending many years as a cloistered monk in Asia. 

Although I felt that it was important to mention that Jesus was the source of the knowledge conveyed through the Course, I realize now  that  is not important.  It doesn't matter what your particular philosophy or theology is because this is a curriculum of living and understanding that bypasses all the intellectualizing and hence rationalizing that keeps us "in bondage" slavishly following tired old ways of doing things.  If we just listen to the simple message, we will be transformed and made new and that's what is important.  With this new insight, each day is a renewed journey and hopefully, I can sustain that renewal for awhile. 

I'm re-reading many works that have been put aside and as I do that, I realize that the similarity of their messages is amazing.  .  I don't know whether I have learned anything earth shattering about prayer but I hope by reminding myself of my potential as a "son of God", I will begin to realize the import of that statement that "of myself, I can do nothing, but with God, all things are possible" and that has to be a powerful prayer.

**********************

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.


Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar