Spiritual Awareness

As a Reiki III Master I have practice positive healing energies on both myself and others for many year but the Spiritual awareness class had made me aware of other channels of energy as well and how to work with them.  Often what appeared at first to be heath issues has turned out to be negative energies draining the body that are being sent by others.  Thus now I cleanse the negative energies before I even start to use healing energies, often this alone restores health to the body. When I find this the case then I teach the person to do this for themselves for if we have enemies they continue sending us these negative energies as long as they have them their selves and want to blame others for it.  Using the system taught in this class I have coupled it with a positive energy of love to aid the negative person to gain healing too if they so choose.  I find seldom does the negative energy stop by just telling it to stop thus I send back what they have received and triple it if necessary so they feel the pain the are sending but then I place a crown of thorns around that individual where the thick energy is trapped from being sent out again but then I go a step forward and send an energy of white light and love through the thorns as love energy is light and can move easily and the negative is a heavy, thick energy and cannot pass through the thorns.  Thus for a while the person sending out this negative energy is weakening themselves to the point they must stop sending it out, for it only rebounds and then in the weakened stage they become still and can finally feel the strength of the love energy I am sending to them and thus not only is the person I am working with finds healing the other person does too if they are willing to let go of their anger and do so.  Often these are not bad, mean people but folks who feel trapped in life and cannot find a way out and  thus they find others to blame and send out this pain to them as a sub conscious call for help themselves. This new Spiritual Awareness has served me well and hopefully will do so for the many I am called on to help, as well.  Rev. Linda Francis ******************************* 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. 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

Prayer

Doctor of Spirituality Mid-Term Essay

      This course on the miracle of prayer has totally changed my view on prayer.  I had always thought that prayer was talking with God but never realized that prayer is also a way we show love to God and how God shows love to us.  I did not realize that we have free will to listen to God, but at some point we will all listen to God.  The revelation of love was something totally new to me.  I thought that this section would explain what love is but could not explain the meaning of love and used the analogy of breathing as why love could not be loved.  Learning that love is all-encompassing and that there is no opposite of love really shocked me since I think it terms of opposite like good/evil, wealthy/poor, etc.  I learned that we cannot have any fear if we are to show true love.  Any self-doubt and/or fear takes away from any true love we try to show.

    The way that God is described is a new concept of God to me.  I grew up in a non-denominational Christian family and had a pretty traditional of God.  To me, God looked like us, was punishing, and to be feared.  Like a lot of people, I also thought there was a heaven and hell.  Heaven was where the good people went to be with God and the bad people would spend eternity in Hell.  The concept of God being all love and all encompassing was a radically different way to look at God.  I liked how the love of God is described as pure, perfect, abundant, changeless, limitless, indestructible, joy, and peace.  Before taking this course, I never had considered myself a son of God, but now I do.  Also, I never considered Gods purpose for me which is to extend love.  I have always lived life the way I wanted to and if I didn't spread love, I didn't care.  I didn't even care if I had spread hate or other ill-will with other people.  Now I know that God's love is all-encompassing and that I need to spread it around this planet.

      The blood sacrifices in Lesson 3 got me thinking quite a bit.  How and why would God need blood sacrifices to atone for sins?  This lesson answered these questions by telling me that blood sacrifice was a human invention.  Before this lesson, I thought that God had already condemned this world for all its transgressions that have occurred and God would punish us all.  I had never considered the fact that God has already forgiven us.  The fact that this course has altered my thinking about is great because now I think that God is a loving and merciful God.  I liked how Jesus was used in the course on how perfect innocence cannot be destroyed because perfect innocence is indestructible which gave Jesus the power to overcome death.  I liked how Jesus is described as a son of God, like us, and not part of God, unlike some Christian sects who say Jesus is part of the Trinity.  Just the fact that Jesus is our brother and will help people bridge the gap between themselves and God is reassuring to me.  I too, have prayed in Jesus name and have not understood why we always said "In Jesus name we pray. Amen."   Now I know that we are calling on the power of God and remembering and calling on Jesus' promises to us.

      In Lesson 4, I learned that I was one of the many people who was using forgiveness to destroy.  I would forgive people for harming me because I felt that they were below or inferior to me.  Also, I would forgive people if they did something in return such as I will forgive you if you stop stealing from me or give back what you have stolen from me.  I have also forgiven people because I felt that they were just like me or were very similar to me and what I had done to others.  I also had used the third type of forgiveness described in this lesson as the martyr.  I would suffer in silence at the hands of other people and then have people look at what I have to go through.  I realize that these types of forgiveness are not true forgiveness because I will be expecting something in return for my forgiveness, will be letting myself still feel guilty about forgiveness, will be self condemning myself, or will be trying to destroy another person.  I never knew that true forgiveness involved mercy from God or help from God.  Also, I never considered that true forgiveness changes us and not the other person with whom we are forgiving.  I also had a real problem with forgiving people who had committed really bad acts or bad behavior.  I remember growing up and being in 6^th grade when a school shooting took place at an elementary school in our school district in Winnetka, IL.  After the shooting happened, the person that had been killed was a person that I had met the night before at a baseball game because his older brother was on my team.  I was unable to forgive the person who did the shooting because of all the harm that it caused the people involved and the community.  The family of the young boy that had been killed was very distraught and was in shambles.  This shooting scared me and robbed me of my peace but have learned in this lesson that I need God to help me forgive myself and the shooter.  Also, I let this shooter rob me of my peace of mind at the time too.  I liked how this lesson teaches how there is no sin and that we have to look through Christ's vision instead and respond with love.  I loved the 3 steps of forgiveness in this lesson too which I am working on incorporating into my life right now.

            The Holy Spirit is a concept that I have always had a problem getting.  I have always been trying to figure out what the Holy Spirit really means to me.  This course has helped a lot because it gives some symbolism of what the Holy Spirit is, such as fire being purification and wind being inspiration.  I realize now that the Holy Spirit can be represented by different symbols.  I liked the section on how the Holy Spirit functions.  I never knew that the Holy Spirit functions as a completion of the redemption of mankind or for healing our mistaken perception.  I learned also that the Holy Spirit is a mediator between our illusions and the truth and also helps us with our separation with God.  I know that there are a lot of illusions that I see and need help seeing God's truth in what is happening.  Also, I know that for myself, I need the Holy Spirit to help me bridge the separation between God and myself since I definitely am not living the Godliest life possible.  I know that the Holy Spirit is teaching me more about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, honesty, and much more since I am allowing the Holy Spirit to work within me.  As a kid, I was really impatient, angry, hateful, and would flat out lie to people.  As I have gotten older and since taking this course, the Holy Spirit has been teaching me patience, peacefulness, love, and honesty.  I still have a long ways to go and still have a lot of teaching from the Holy Spirit, but I am making good progress.  I definitely need the Holy Spirit in prayer to bridge the separation between myself and God and also for taking up my false thoughts that I have.  During prayer now, I try to be one with God instead of telling God how things need to be done and when to be done.

            In this course, I have also learned what true prayer is.  I grew up thinking that prayer was when I asked something from God and always thought that prayer began with me.  Growing up, I would ask God for many things just like asking Santa Claus to bring me many gifts for Christmas.  I never thought that prayer began with God and is a way of communicating with God and being in communion with God.  Also, I thought that my prayers were often not answered or heard by God because I never received what I had prayed for.  Now I know that prayer is to fix me and my issues and will be done in God's time.  Also, my prayers are heard by God and are also answered by God in his way and most likely the answer isn't what I wanted like a fancy car showing up in my driveway or a lot of money appearing in my bank account.  Substitution is something I also learned too.  I thought that having money or material things would bring me happiness and would often pray for money and material things but realize that I am just substituting things here for real happiness which already exists within me.

            I also learned a lot about the different levels of prayers that we use.  I never had thought about the different types of prayers as being higher or lower than another type of prayer.  I am used to using the prayer of need followed by the prayer of freedom.  I cannot recall using prayer of joining or prayers of humility when communicating with God.  With the prayer of need, I am usually asking God for help with something like helping me deal with my depression or helping someone I know that is dealing with serious illness.  I also was given a thought provoking statement about prayers for our enemies.  I never thought before that considering someone as an enemy was also reinforcing my own guilt and rejecting God since I would be rejecting one of Gods children.  Prayer of freedom is a type of prayer that I have used to help me release guilt that I have over something or to release myself from a self-imposed imprisonment of some kind.  I think I might have used some prayer of joining but not in a positive way.  I have always prayed for God to do this or that to someone who has harmed me in some way.  I now realize that this isn't something that God is going to do to one of his children.  I don't think I have used the prayer of humility because of the fear of letting things go.  For some reason, I have also felt a need to control things or a certain amount of things in my life but I know now that I have to let go and let God do his work with me so I can go do things that will be in love.

            The lesson on the power of prayer was very interesting to me.  I have read in the newspaper and have watched the news where scientific studies have shown to heal people and also increase the life expectancy of people who had strong faith and prayer.  This lesson explained to me why these studies have shown these results.  I had never considered before that each thought that I have produces a chemical reaction in the brain and that the brain does not determine between good and bad thoughts in which to produce these chemical reactions.  I also never thought about taking responsibility for my thoughts and try to change the way I think.  The sections on unanswered prayers struck home with me since I often believed that my prayers were going unanswered but now realize that my prayers are answered but not the way I wanted them to be answered.  I realize that I just maybe afraid to see Gods answer or just not be accepting of God's answer that he has provided to me.

            I liked the section on magic versus miracles since it explained the difference.  I did not realize that magic is an attempt where a person or thing would apparently use super natural powers that were exempted or overruled the laws of the universe whereas miracles appeared within the laws of the universe and are thought to be of divine origin.  I never thought that miracles were all the same.  I thought that one miracle would be greater than another but the lesson taught me the one miracle is no more difficult or harder than another miracle.  I also like how miracles can shift perception.  I could use a shift in perception from my ego's thinking to the Holy Spirits thinking.  This lesson also pointed out the miracles point out the truth and that no illusion can threaten the truth.  This lesson also pointed out that I need to be more miracle ready than I am presently ready for.  Unfortunately, I am still thinking a lot from my ego and would not recognize a miracle right now if one were to happen.

            This course so far has really jolted the way I have thought about prayer and miracles.  I have been inspired by this course to actually start reading the book A Course in Miracles.  So far, I have found this course and the book to be of great help to me and I have found it fascinating on how the book came to be.  This course is a lot easier for me to understand than the book is due to the way it is written.  I have gone to the A Course in Miracles website and now get the newsletter from the Foundation of Inner Peace.  This course has really got me thinking on how I think and pray and have located a study group that deals with A Course in Miracles.  This course is teaching me a lot and I am glad that I am taking it currently and have been incorporating things in the course into my everyday life which has been very helpful with dealing with issues such as depression, relationships, and guilt that I have.  I definitely think this course is well worth the time and effort.

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The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   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.  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.

Metaphysical Healing

Metaphysical Healing Course Final Essay Rev. Lindsay Baldassano I began this course a few months ago during a time when I was seeking to refresh my Reiki practice and further my knowledge and understanding of subtle energies and healing. I was very excited about the new seminary program being offered by ULC and am still excited to continue learning in this fashion. I have always been a student at heart and actually looked forward to having to do homework again and having the chance to collect my thoughts about a topic and put the words down, to both express the lesson and what I have taken from it. The range of topics and intensity of knowledge being passed on was impressive for an online course. Teaching such a physical practice as healing can be a challenge when done through a non-physical medium like the Internet. While this course could not provide every little nuance of the hand-on aspects of the healing work, it certainly provided the internal assessment tools to be able to discern when and how you are connected to the Divine energies. These are important tools for healers beginning on their first forays into the healing arts. The thought that the energy bodies and organs of a person is analogous to the physical circulatory system is an extremely important concept to grasp in modern energy medicine. There is a still a dichotomy of information types out in today's field in the States. We are still placed between purely intuitive energy medicine and the energy medicine concepts which are trying to be furthered by the scientific communities. I do feel that once we have a way to better talk about what is perceived and what science can prove with what equipment they have (our current equipment may not be able to read the types of information our bodies perceive and interpret naturally), we will better be able to define our energy systems and their components. It was also very exciting to hear of the advances in the field of professional Traditional healers. It is my hope that this trend continues through out the world, so that in time it is the standard, rather than the exception that we are all assessed and treated holistically. Thank you for offering this course, it was well worth the time and investment it took to make this course an option for me! ********************    The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   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.  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.

Mystical Christianity

Master of Mystical Christianity

Final Essay

Submitted By: Rev. Michael Babb

This course has truly been a paradigm changing and eye opening experience that has provided clarification for many questions and contradictions that I have encountered through mainstream Christianity and traditional interpretations of the Bible.  Mother Maryesah Karelon's excellent presentation and Questions For The Heart and Mind have combined material I had not previously been exposed to with thought provoking questions that challenged my collective Christian beliefs.  There have always been questions, but worshiping in the "traditional" religious doctrines and dogma, always left me with more questions than answers.  I am not saying this course answered all of my questions although a number of them were, but it has given me insight to a great many biblical issues and grist for thought in others.

The very first set of questions I began to seriously re-think the scriptures as they had always been presented to me.  First and foremost, was how I used them in daily life.  I realized that I have always been drawn to the love and compassionate teachings of  Jesus and evolved to a point where trying to develop a Christ consciousness is the outcome I have been searching for as opposed to simply being a "good Christian" as the various and confusing array of Christian denominations have presented the gospel.  From this point, I began to feel validation for many of my hidden beliefs such as the absence of feminine influence and the purpose of the Old Testament.  By this I mean that although women have been mentioned throughout the Bible, they never held a place in the hierarchical leadership of Christianity, which I will address later in this essay.  Relative to the Old Testament, there are too many mythical accounts of both creation and the direct communication of God in many of the stories.  For example, at the time the Ten Commandments were presented to the Jewish people, Moses was in need of a set of laws to guide and socially control a massive population that had no real cohesive set of guidelines.  I certainly cannot confirm or deny that God spoke directly to Moses and gave the Ten Commandments to him, but common sense would dictate that these commandments must necessarily form the corner stone of a cohesive society.  Otherwise, anarchy would develop as exemplified by the account of what Moses saw when he came down with the original tablets.

The lessons that had the greatest single impact on me during this course were those pertaining to Mary Magdalene, the Gnostic gospels, and the obvious absence of the sacred feminine from the Bible.  Mother Maryesah Karelon provides excellent evidence of how reference to the sacred feminine was purposely omitted from the Bible as well as an intelligent and provocative case for how both the masculine and feminine are combined in the one God.  I also found it a relief to reflect upon the possibility that Mary Magdalene represented the sacred feminine beside Jesus who was the masculine deity.  Even without the evidence presented in this course, I have always had a feeling that the love Jesus held for Mary Magdalene was the kind of love reserved for the dearest of disciples.  I so not accept any theory that they were married nor had a child together, but I am very comfortable with the presentation that she was the dearest and closest disciple of Jesus.  This course also validated that at some point, she was purposely vilified as a prostitute just as normal bodily functions of women that men do not have were deemed unclean and unworthy.  I now have a foundation from which to carry these beliefs forward in my continued studies.

This course has given me insight into Jesus as a teacher who presents a pattern for conducting our lives and how to treat one another.  Stripped of denominational dogma, Jesus' message is more of finding a path that incorporates his teachings rather than a literal road map that must be followed precisely lest we risk eternal damnation .  Combining the lessons in this course with the ones presented in the Comparative Religion course, I can clearly visualize a variety of paths, including reincarnation of the Spirit.  The oneness of Spirit and the God within has allowed further evolution in the quest to find this within myself.  The meditative exercises have been helpful in the development of a consciousness of this path and a practice of short and continual meditations throughout my day.  It has elevated my consciousness toward finding my spiritual call and being aware of things and events that give clues to this quest.  While I believe this is a life long quest, each step is a positive evolution toward releasing my spirit from the confines of ego, which may arguably be the most difficult part of the journey.

As a former college professor, I have often based the effectiveness of a course and its teacher on the quality of ongoing thought it provokes.  This course and Mother Maryesah Karelon both fit this criterion.  I am grateful that I had the blessing of taking this course and highly recommend it to others.

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The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   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.  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.

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay

Reverend Stephen J. LaJoice

Spirit Quest is a program that allows you to take a good look at yourself.  It provides tools to help overcome obstacles for a more fulfilling life. 

I was raised Roman Catholic.  I was educated in the Catholic School.  I ate, slept and lived Catholicism until I left home at 18.  

The question I ask myself is "did it make me a better person?"  In many ways it did and in some ways it did not.  While I have a solid foundation of Christian upbringing through a Catholic education I came to understand the vulnerability of living ones life within the strict confines of a structured religion.  I do have a deep acceptance of God and an understanding of the complexity of how everything in life in connected. I am generous and compassionate. I am also stuck with the "guilt "complex that needs constant work.    

I learned early in my life that religion and religious practices are molded to fit the needs and causes of man.  As man changes so does religion.  In some cases religion has a tendency to divide, promote intolerance and narrow ones focus away from the world.

In my high school years I was introduced to the art of Judo and the study of eastern spiritual philosophy.  I found practices and beliefs that helped to cultivate the spiritual aspects of life.  I learned how one understands oneself through meditation and self-reflection, how to achieve inner peace and become more tolerant and understanding of others.

I came to understand that spiritualism is a way of living.  It is traveling through life in a natural and harmonious way.  I came to understand that all things are connected, how one tug on the web of life can be felt by all creatures.  I came to understand that animals feel just as humans do. I came to understand how my actions affect others.  Say a cross word to your spouse or a friend and they feel it.  Say a cross word to your dog and the reaction is the same.  Spiritual understanding enhances ones ability to understand ones self, get along with others and to greater experience the moment.

In my early 20's I came across a poster of the Deserata written in 1692.  Its advice has been my guide for a lifetime and a mainstay for living spiritually.  It starts "Go placidly in the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence".  In today's busy world of dead lines and pressure silence is the pathway to mediation.

God has made us in his image and likeness and I believe we were put on this earth to enjoy ourselves and to nurture all we come in contact with.  A life of conflict and desperation was not in Gods design for us.  Moments of quiet reflection are needed to recharge our battery.

In the world today we are continually challenged.  Our day can be filled with stress, of the unexpected and the expected.  We balance our lives against the wants and needs of others as well as what we expect of ourselves……and there are moments when we began to feel enough is enough.

Within ourselves each of us has the desire and the need to feel inner peace.  It is the time when we need to sit back, take a deep breath, close our eyes and just let go.  Many of us choose our own mediums, such as mediation, yoga or music.  However, we choose to get there the ultimate reward is worth it.

As a young man I was plagued with migraine headaches.  At that time doctors knew very little about curing them.  The method was a strong dose of pain killers and rest.  I realized if I was to rid myself of them I would have to do it myself.  I found the way through deep meditation, relaxation and biofeedback.  I was finally able to beat the headaches back and have not suffered for many years.

As I struggled with my cure I found myself in a quiet place close to God and away from the outside world.  It was there that I met myself and began to understand the working of me.  I was able to begin to shed the skin of negative thoughts and behaviors.  I was able to develop tolerance and have that greater understanding of those around me.

Living is a full time job.  It can and does wear you down, if you let it.  If you seek to find that quiet place you will truly find the heart of peace, you will find you.

Spirit Quest has been a restatement and reminder of those precepts I learned and practiced throughout my life.  It has been an enjoyable experience.

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The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   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.  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.

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.

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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.

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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

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

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.

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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.

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Metaphysical Healing

I was excited and enrolled in the Master's of Metaphysical Healing class for two reasons. First I am a Master Level Reiki healer and use this almost daily and so I am always interested in other natural and spiritual healing methods. The class paralleled much with my professional training in the three levels of Reiki classed I was certified in a few years ago, so in this way it was a good review. At the same time it went far beyond that, as well, and added even more expertise to my spiritual healing practice. Some of it was far above my comprehension and this is one class I wished I could have taken with hand's on experience. Almost four years ago I was asked to write and illustrate a biography of the son of a African King who was visiting in the United States. Much of my art, my storytelling, and even my dress is often with an African flavor, and in past life regressions I have been told I have lived there often, and perhaps this is the reason I played with black dolls as a child instead of white ones and I have a house decorated with African art in every room, even the bathroom, and last my nickname is "Tiger;" Writing the biography of the son of a African King, I learned that King Alu had been married to an African healer and it had been his wives desire that their son come to the United States and study medicine so that he could combine his professional study with her herbal and spiritual healing. One of the illustrations of the book is a painting of the spiritual doctor gathering her herbs and carrying them in a basket on her head, telling her son as an American plane flew over that one day when he grew up that he would travel to the U.S to study medicine, and she was sure with the two combined that he would make one of the best doctors in African. Unfortunately, Dr. Alu had to return to Nigeria before I finished his book and communication in his remote village is rare with the outside world unless he travels out of the village. However, perhaps the time will come I will finish the book and travel there when it is published and I can proudly say, "Yes, I have study on a small scale, as a African healer,too." While the typical degree certificate will with this class I wished the Professor Kruger would also send us a certificate saying something to the affect of, Completed 20 weeks of study in Spiritual African Healing Methods, or at least add something to the regular degree showing the study was in African Healing Methods? Is this possible? I hope so. I want to show my publisher my certificate when my book, King Alu's Last Wish is published. Rev. Linda Francis ********************    The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   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.  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.

Comparative Religion

Universal Life Church Seminary

Master of Comparative Religion

Rev. David Hester

What you gained from this course.

I gained much from this course including but not limited to:

- a firm grounding in Comparative Religion that allows me to understand the various aspects of the different faith systems. 

- The Awesome Missions Principle: "It is imperative that as ministers, we make every effort to communicate from the perspective of those we serve."   An excellent example was given concerning the term "angel" and it not being difficult to learn to use the word "dakini" with those from Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist backgrounds.

- Minister needing to learn to serve all ages.  Obviously how you would minister (while equally important) to a five-year-old and an adult would be different.  As a Christian I have learned that most adults do not understand Christianese so how can I expect to use terms like sanctification, epistemology, etc. with a child?

What you liked best in this course.

- I could not wait to get to the sections at the end of each lesson titled: Recommended Reading.  I am still reading many of those recommendations!

- I loved the sections on holy symbols and architecture.

- I loved the simplicity of the presentation for each of the 20 lessons.

- I found the Recommended Activities each week to be great eye-opening experiences.  I had a wonderful experience learning of the Mormon Faith while I did not agree with all of its Doctrine. 

What you liked least about this course.

While I enjoyed this course I tended not to like the push toward ecumenicalism (for me the Bible warms of a one world government, religion, etc.).  Having studied the various faiths I learned that they cannot all be describing the same G-d.  Thus to try to combine them (in truth) would be impossible.  For instance the G-d of the Koran is not the G-d of the Bible.  You realize this in studying the character traits of Allah versus that of YHWH.

For me to "do that which is right" would be for me to do that which is true.  I am comissioned to "speak the truth in love" according to the Bible.  I would be unable to combine Christianity and Islam.  While I do believe that inter-faith dialogue is vital.  I have to stand for that which is true!


How you think these discourses could be improved.

These discourses could be improved by adding the apologetic of those opposing the Inter-Faith/Ecumenical Movements.  This I thought would bring another dimension to the course.


Any other comments.

I found Discourse 3's section on the Golden Rule to be most interesting.  In this section of the course we learn that Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Jainism, Native American, Taoist, Wiccan, and Zorastrianism all have the concept of the Golden Rule.  I also find this to be true of the Ten Commandments.  If this is not the proof of the existence of One G-d and the fact that we all have Eternity in our hearts I do not know what is!

Rev. Kythera Ann (at least for me) has proven the Bibles teaching on a Global Flood actually happening beyond the shadow of a doubt by sharing all of the Flood Stories from around the world.  The following is Rev. Kythera Ann herself: "Because of the consistency of this story, the current scientific geological data, the idea of a worldwide flood actually happening is very likely."  You got that right!

I enjoyed the information on the Shinto Festival called "Ontohsai" showing/sharing/mirroring the Biblical Akeda (the near sacrifice of Isaac).  This teaching portrays the concept of Substitutionary Atonement!  We cannot save ourselves! 

There were so many wonderful things about this course that its hard to put it all on paper!


Would you be interested in taking other courses from Rev. Kythera Ann?

Rev. Kythera Ann has surely done her homework and put together an excellent course tying the various faiths together showing there similarities and differences.  I would be interested in taking more of her courses.                                                                                  

All My Love,

Dave "Avery" Hester

www.davidhester.blogspot.com

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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

Christian Studies

Final Essay on The Four Gospels  

Rev. Nancy Kimes

   

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Unvarnished Gospels".  It read like a story and I was not distracted by chapter and verse, and small print like most bibles have.  It was an easy read for me and all the participants in each gospel were so alive!

At times I felt like I was walking with Jesus and witnessing the miracles of the loaves and fishes, turning water into wine, walking on water…the remarkable healings and casting out of demons. Which brings me to the point of what Jesus taught and how he wanted to save us by making us aware of a higher calling, higher understanding, and an awareness of the limitations we put on ourselves. Jesus was patient and sometimes impatient in what he was trying to teach then, and what He taught is true for us today.   

Jesus wore so many hats. He was a prophet, a counselor, a healer, a master, a psychic, a teacher, a savior and a Son of God. The works He did we can do also. And it is not Jesus but through God the Father that He (Jesus) is able to do these things.

My background is Christianity. At first, traditional teachings of the bible was the only way for me until I had an experience that changed my life. It was a visit from an angel!  For now just take my word for it because I would like to get to the meat of the Four Gospels.

It is true, that we hear more scriptures quoted from the Gospel of John regarding the four gospels, because it is direct and to the point. And, although it may seem that Jesus' portrayal in this particular gospel was out of character, I think it showed Jesus with some human characteristics which we had not seen before, at least not as pronounced, in the previous gospels. The fact that Jesus was so bold did not bother me. Wouldn't you be irritated if you had to constantly go over the lessons you were trying to teach, and  still your students didn't understand or doubted what you were saying?

This brings me to the "comforter" that Jesus said would be coming.  I do not believe this was the second coming.

Jesus, after ascending, would not physically be with them.  Jesus did not want them to feel that they would be alone and spoke of the comforter which was the Spirit of God working through each person who believed in the teachings, miracles and healings that Jesus preformed.  It brings me to the thought that when I am "spirited" (In-Spirit or inspired), moved, or motivated to do something,

things happen.

The demonstrations and miracles that Jesus did was to teach us not to be so limited in our ways or in our thinking… to go outside the box, so to speak. Since my angel experience, and it wasn't an instant transition as I had a lot to work through, I was led on a path to know my true self. It was a freeing experience for me at the time as I lived inside the box most of my life, and afraid to be who I really was. I didn't know who that person was anyway. However, traditional teachings brought me on the path for my search for truth. Much later in life, I learned to turn the knowledge I received to something I could apply in my life, and eventually saw the wisdom in it. 

Jesus knew because of His foresight who believed or didn't believe in his teachings. He states that we are not to judge least we be judged also. "And if I do judge" He states… I really don't think this is a contradiction as some may imply. My understanding is if Jesus does judge it is "right judgement" or discernment, a knowing that what He discerns is true. The meaning of "judgement"

can get so out of hand, like political correctness.

This course has given me more insight than I expected. Usually, I focus on staying neutral with no expectations except to learn what the course wants to teach me.  Previously, I did not know that Mathew, Mark, Luke and John did not live in the same timeframe as Jesus did, and I want to research that further. I started on a metaphysical path 28 years ago after my encounter with an angel. This encounter was published in the book called  "Angel Visions" by Dr. Doreen Virtue Ph.D., should you want to read about it.

Thank you for the inspiring, and mind expanding views of this course.

In His service,

Rev. Nancy Kimes

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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

A Course in Miracles

The Key is Metaphysics  by Rev. Matthew T. Volk What is Metaphysics? Prior to this course I would have thought it was some type of science. I would have been right to a degree but to bring that understanding to a sharper idea I would describe it as the Science of One. It is the great secret held from man. It is the law of attraction, connection and quantum physics all in one. Prior to the course, I was a student of all beliefs, traditions, and religions. With an open mind I have gone threw most of the major belief systems. There are many common threads in the ideas but the missing link is metaphysics. Metaphysics sets all the responsibility right on your lap. Right where it belongs. The release of guilt and understanding of positive thought and action coupled with the lessons learned allows one to excel beyond the guilt. It becomes like a trampoline in that at first it is hard to begin but once momentum is achieved there is unlimited drive. Not to say one will not fall from time to time but once you have got the momentum once thane you know how to get it back. Once you understand the principals you have no real limit to what you can achieve. Recently the global view is beginning to shift. As we are all connected on the energy level as thoughts shift more people learn these truth's the easier it is for the whole to accept. You can see the curiosity in others when they hear the word consciousness. There have been documentary films put to the mainstream. "What the Bleep Do We Know?" and "The Secret" have made the facts quite clear. This is very positive because once you hear something you can't forget it. The more people begin to see the benefits other achieve they will be drawn to question how this is done. How do they live a life where they seem to be in control, where luck is abound? Metaphysics loosens the shackles of the physical world through understanding. The more you shine, the more others will follow and the understanding will free them. It is like a chain reaction that has already begun. I dream of a world in which we can all see the only truth. Where we understand that we are all equally free. That we all work with one power source. That we shape our whole world on how wither we choose to act or react to situations. Someday perhaps we will come to an understanding that we are all blessed, rich, powerful beings who have a much greater control over the things around them than they could ever believe. Matthew T. Volk ******************************* 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 , 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