COMMENTS ON “ARE WE SPIRITUAL YET?”
Did you read my article ARE WE SPIRITUAL YET? You can review it here
http://www.personal-growth-with-corinne-edwards.com/are-we-spiritual-yet/
I am a Life Coach and the article was inspired by clients who would come in carrying a copy of The Secret. They were all obsessed with the idea of the Power of Intention.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe in that power.
But what I was finding is that all they were doing was “intending.” When I would ask where is their resume for that great job, they had not put it together yet. It was almost as though they thought their work was done and they were waiting for UPS (or the Universe) to arrive with the job to their door.
So, that was pretty much my focus and my “intention” in the article.
I was amazed at the reaction to the article. The “comments” were more interesting that the posting! It seemed like I had pushed “Hot Buttons” for many people. Fascinating!
In case you missed the comments, I thought I would include them here. The Internet is alive and well.
Thanks for everyone who commented. You are the stars of this article. Not me!
1. Pam Pulvertaft said on October 25, 2007 at 1:10 pm
If you really, really want your life changed, try asking Jesus Christ into your life and you will find that He is much, much more that you think now or thought when you were seven. He changes lives like no one else can - I know! He changed mine and I am spiritual, peaceful, happy and content in all circumstances because He loves me and He IS God! You really, really don’t know what you are missing!!! Nothing else can compare to Him - He is real - not some “disembodied spirit named Seth” - He is all in all - whether you believe it or not. Don’t judge God by religion - God hates religion! Religion is just man trying to be what he thinks God wants him to be - trying to be good. Christianity is God reaching to man saving him and loving him even though we are not good. It’s really quite exciting! A wonderful journey of which I never tire! Love you Corrine - hope you still love me too-lol Pam
2.
Dear Pam -I consider Jesus a very close friend and I depend on this friendship in my daily life.Thank you for your beautiful comment!Love,Corinne
3.
Amen
4.
Dear Dick -That was the shortest and most profound comment I have ever received.Thanks1Love,Corinne
5.
Wanting. And action. Yes indeed. No substitutes. I am wondering, though: after ACIM, is The Secret not a step back? Strongly desiring certain things to happen in The Dream? Instead of forgiving The Dream and letting the HS direct life?
6.
Dear Eolake -Thanks for your comment. Happy to connect with you.The Secret is based on the work of Esther and Jerry Hicks. Look up their book, The Power of Intention. Or their website. It is interesting. They were not included in the Secret because the publisher wanted too many rights to their material. Their work is helpful. Coming from a different direction from ACIM but interesting. Very much like the Seth materials.I think the book serves its purpose. Might get a certain type of person going on their life.When I had a TV show, I interviewed more than 400 personal growth authors. Every one of them had a “nugget” of information people could use.There is nothing on the planet to compare with A Course in Miracles. I think it is important to note that it is a spiritual thought system and not a religion.As far as wanting things as we live in the “Illusion,” I think it is like my nine year old grandson who plays video games. Loves them. He knows they are not real but he still wants to win the game. Then he goes out and shoots some baskets in the driveway. He knows he is not in the NBA but he still enjoys getting the ball in the basket.My thought is that if we are in the “game” here, why not play it to win!Come back soon!
7.
“My thought is that if we are in the “game” here, why not play it to win!”Fair enough. I think, though, that there is tendency to see Mind-Over-Matter as being *spirituality*, when its most of the time simply Playing the Game better. It looks like spiritual progress, but it just gets you to higher levels in the video game, and will never get you out of it. Some of the most heinous and materialistic people in history have used “The Secret” very successfully. They weren’t spiritual; they were just hot-shots on the joystick.
8.
Oh… and like you say, your grandson sometimes quits the games console and goes out. A Course in Miracles is the way to do just that, so you’re not stuck in the game forever.
9.
One last thought on the discussion.What if the whole thing is just a game? In the meantime, most of us are just trying to get through the night. The whole illusion thing seems very real to us.ACIM is a vey complicated spiritual process.I have facilitated nine years of study groups in my home. Not including a program in a jail and with prostitutes.In
We are very good friends. I met people where they were. My friend took them where they wanted to go.We laugh about it as people transited my group to hers and sometimes back to me.We are all doing the best we can. That is the important part.Who is counting anyway?
10.
So Pam, Just HOW do you know what god hates? And what did I do so bad that I have to be “saved” ….
????? And, my dear, he is not “ALL”.
11.
Corinne, you are a scream … How did you get to be so aware at age 7? It took me until I was 18 before I could break out of the sick confines of Catholicism. I am now a total recovered catholic, but it has taken me many years, and I suspect many, many lifetimes to free myself of its power and control. I cannot believe I ever fell for this rap. I have always loved what George Carlin said about Catholics eating meat on Friday …. “What about all the Catholics doing time on the meat rap?” An answer anyone?
12.
Ok I said that was my last thought on ACIM. You know, when I wrote this article, I thought that I was talking about the new craze about the Power of Intention.My point was that you have to do SOMETHING. NOT JUST VISUALIZE IT.I did not think I would mobilize all the answers from born agains and students of ACIM.The ACIM people talk a lot about our living in the illusion.
I understand it. I have studied long and diligently. Comments, which are not shown on this blog, came from the
I was quite surprised.So, maybe my last word is an article I wrote about doing a ACIM program in Cook County Jail.These inmate students lived, two at a time in a 8×10 cell with a 2″ mattress, a blanket and a toilet.Do you think it would impress them if I said this was all an illusion?Here is my article.http://www.personal-growth-with-corinne-edwards.com/jail-time-a-spiritual-program/You decide. I feel we have to meet our fellow brothers where they are. Not where we think they should be.
13.
Mary Beth - Actually He is ALL
14.
Pam, He is not all to me; he is not all to Jews; he is not all to Islamics; he is not all to Buddhists and he is not all to the millions of atheists on the planet.Therefore Pam, he cannot be all - except to you. and that should be good enough for you. And for cryin’ out loud, do NOT tell me that I have to be “saved” by him or I’ll burn forever.Mary Beth
15.
He is Who He is - truth is truth whether you believe it or not. Sorry I started this “debate” had no intention of doing that - but Corrine will get traffic from it anyway. lol
16.
Pam - Debates are great, do not shy away from them. Arguments are different from debates. Whatever works for you - works for you and if you find joy and peace in your choice: I honor that and want the same from you. Enjoy what you have found and just keep it sacred for you. I’ll do the same for me.
Love and light to you.
17.
I stumbled over here and found the post a little bit interesting, but not that much since it underscores things that already resonated with me.However, in reading the comments this has become a lot more interesting. Oftentimes people believe in their religion so deeply that they identify with it… and the religion becomes a validation of their existence.So often people get caught up in being “right,” that they lose sight of being joyful.Anytime, any day (and particularly during ‘debates’), if we stop to ask ourselves “What is the most compassionate perspective for myself and all others in this situation?” we may find answers far different than the automatic words we spew out of our mouths (myself included).
18.
Dear Chris -Thanks for stopping over! You are right - the comments were really interesting. I touched some people’s “hot buttons!”- When my main intention in the article is that you had to get off your couch and DO SOMETHING!At least that what I thought I intended!
19.
Two books that rocked my world: Seat of the Soul and Illusions. Sometimes it is best to go back to the basics to help you get over yourself. Maybe it’s time I go re-read those again these many years later. I’ve come to realize in my middle years that my mother has been the greatest teacher of all, teaching me to learn compassion, patience, and the notion that we all do the best we can. I’ve come to love my mother not from her actions, but from what her actions have forced me to learn. Sometimes our teachers are strange bedfellows indeed.
20.
Dear Michelle -Oh! I forgot about Illusions! I have to find it.I remembering staying up late reading it and then instead of going to bed, I read it again!
21.
PS Michelle -Your mother was a tremendous influence in your life.I wrote an article lately on what would have been my mothers 97th birthday.In case you missed it -http://www.personal-growth-with-corinne-edwards.com/luck-from-a-lady-happy-birthday-mom/
22.
Chris — I can be a wonderful compassionate soul some of the time - but I have really come to grips with the truth — I am a human and there is part of me that is tacky, petty, greedy, mean and stupid — some of the time - but I recognize that now that I have recovered from my birth religion (catholic) - I can really be compassionate with the person in my life who always needed it the most - and never got it –ME. ME. ME.
In closing! All I can say is to echo the AA motto -
KEEP COMING BACK!
Dear Corinne,
I loved this blog. It’s interesting for me to read about how many people were inspired by God/Jesus as young children. Memories of my childhood are that of survival…praying for God’s help and never seeing his power. It was not until I was a mature adult that I found A Course in Miracles, and you as my teacher, that I began having quality in my life. Coming from Love in my life gives new meaning to functioning in this world. In addition, I always have the power of intention, but work tirelessly to get there
Sening Love,
Sondra
Faith is what caused thousands to die in Guyana to a death cult in 1977. Currently, authorities are trying to persuade a similar death cult out of a cave in Russia. Faith has an enormous body count. In each case, the made claims to truth that were unfounded in reality.
I remember ACIM, and its relentless assault on objective perception and the primacy of reality. At its fundamentals, it begs the question of assuming God’s existence as axiomatic before it sets out any new principles. As a result, it is the foggiest and most subjective presentation of the emotionalism that is the foundation of the anti-scientific, anti-conceptual collection of unfounded metaphysical claims like: past lives, astral projection, ESP, and the like.
I recall someone posting, “Whatever works for you - works for you.” This is a dangerous proposition because it encourages turning a blind eye to reality. So, the latest psychic is really no different from the visions obtained from a methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) trip. Both methods impair the brain and its functioning.