Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

# All the way to heaven

I love the weight of certain sentences, as if a profound truth dropped within the mind that immediately sinks to the heart-level of action. A Course in Miracles is filled with such words, sentences that are often strung together in a phrase that thrills me to the soul. These are the words that inspire me to live the Course, dedicating my life to their purpose of awakening. Here's an example of words that have such an impact. They carry the weight of holiness about them, urging the immediacy of surrendering to the truth that's being told:

There is but one interpretation of motivation that makes any sense. ²And because it is the Holy Spirit’s judgment it requires no effort at all on your part. ³Every loving thought is true. ⁴Everything else is an appeal for healing and help, regardless of the form it takes. ⁵Can anyone be justified in responding with anger to a brother’s plea for help? ([ACIM, T-12.I.3:1-5](acim.org/acim/chapter-12/the-judgment-of-the-holy-…)

once read, I knew these words were true, although part of my mind lagged in responding. The ego certainly doesn't want to believe them. To do so would be a call to change, relaxing judgment and releasing all resentments. There would be an almost instant healing, a prevailing calmness that survives every emotional storm - and the ego's reactions would serve no purpose other than being an opportunity to return to our natural state of loving-calm.

Only appreciation is an appropriate response to your brother. ²Gratitude is due him for both his loving thoughts and his appeals for help, for both are capable of bringing love into your awareness if you perceive them truly. ³And all your sense of strain comes from your attempts not to do just this ([ACIM, T-12.I.6:1-3](acim.org/acim/chapter-12/the-judgment-of-the-holy-…)

the Holy Spirit's plan is so simple in its offer of salvation. Only loving thoughts are true, and anything else serves for the purpose of awakening. Having first read this, many years ago, I thought, yes, I can do this. And, of course, failed in almost every attempt. But this is mind training, an entire course that's teaching me the use of miracles. I don't have to be good at this. I only have to practice. Saint Catherine of Siena said "all the way to heaven is heaven" and that's my great reminder. My every moment of remembering, every instant that I practice - that's the entirety of my awakening.

⁴Every appeal you answer in the Name of Christ brings the remembrance of your Father closer to your awareness. ⁵For the sake of your need, then, hear every call for help as what it is, so God can answer *you.* ([ACIM, T-12.I.7:4-5](acim.org/acim/chapter-12/the-judgment-of-the-holy-…)

today, as in every day....all the way to heaven.

~

I love you, Eric

19 hours ago | [YT] | 12

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

# Certain of the outcome

so this is the Jesus of my heart, not inherited from former church days, nor made up to suit my present needs. This is a Jesus that reveals himself to me, an ongoing presence that whispers comfort through the dark and guidance for my days. Yesterday I wrote of leaving the church at a young age and mistakenly believing that I left Jesus behind too. I quoted the wonderful passage from A Course in Miracles on how Jesus waits for us, sure of our return, and will then teach us to be like him.

and that seems to be the first lesson,

patience.

Jesus waits for us, everyone, no one excluded. Even me, at my very worst, and Jesus was still just a choice away, available. This is the intimacy of Jesus and why I never truly walked away. It was impossible for me to do so, a mistaken belief that I could leave my own heart-space. Jesus waited for me where he always resided, quiet, patient, assured of my remembering him.

and now he offers to teach me to be like him.

that's the patience of Jesus,

always certain of the outcome.

Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait, and wait without anxiety. ²Patience is natural to the teacher of God. ³All he sees is certain outcome, at a time perhaps unknown to him as yet, but not in doubt. ([ACIM, M-4.VIII.1:1-3](acim.org/acim/manual/patience/en/s/814#1:1-3))

Jesus is patient with me because he already knows who I am, and he now urges me to look deeper within myself too, seeing the very same Christ we share, and then patiently, with infinite kindness and care...I am asked to see Christ within others as well.

everyone.

with no exceptions.

to practice being infinitely patient with myself and others,

completely certain of the outcome.

I begin to see with Jesus.

~

I love you, Eric

1 day ago | [YT] | 15

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

# He waited:

I left Jesus behind at the end of 9th grade, my last year at Catholic school, believing there was little need to think of him from then on. My spiritual life shaped up from teenage years reading Carlos Castaneda, Alan Watts, Chögyam Trungpa, and exploring various mystical traditions. There was little room for the traditional figure of Jesus. In my mid 20s I began hearing references to a transformational book called A Course in Miracles and thought I should consider it with a browse. Within the book, Jesus found me again, not right away, but through the course of continuous returns to the pages. This was a different Jesus than experienced before, infinitely compassionate, patient, and with the single greatest promise that was ever made to me...

³If you want to be like me I will help you, knowing that we are alike. ⁴If you want to be different, I will wait until you change your mind. ([ACIM, T-8.IV.6:3-4](acim.org/acim/chapter-8/the-gift-of-freedom/en/s/1…)

so Jesus had waited for me.

and now he offered to help me be like him. Which was something beyond my understanding at the time, intriguing, and so sweetly offered that my heart immediately accepted. Yes, I wanted to be like *this Jesus*, filled with a loving-kindness that only a forgiving mind could afford to extend. What I quickly discovered was that this was a means of awakening, every bit as demanding as any Zen discipline, a mindfulness practice of continuous forgiveness, a yogic path of pure devotion.

What could you want forgiveness cannot give? ²Do you want peace? ³Forgiveness offers it. ⁴Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that transcends the world? ⁵Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of sure protection always? ⁶Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep abiding comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset?

All this forgiveness offers you, and more.

([ACIM, W-122.1:1–2:1](acim.org/acim/lesson-122/forgiveness-offers-everyt…)

this was my path, Jesus had waited for me and I was now ready. My commitment has never wavered, although my practice has often been unsteady. Through the years, and no matter what's happened, Jesus has extended his love to me, never once causing my faith to falter. He believes in me. He is infinitely patient. He loves me.

he tells me that we are alike.

and finally,

I believe him

~

I love you, Eric

2 days ago | [YT] | 18

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

**To trust this silence:**

a stormy November morning, 4:00 am, and the usual writing themes play through my mind. As lightning flashes outside, I wait for my own sudden strike of inspiration to reach the page. Some mornings are just quiet in their giving though, and subtle insights are more forthcoming than a great flash of words. What I love is the holiness experienced here, a whisper, and then a length of silence before I hear anything more. I've learned to trust this silence, coming to know the importance of not rushing through the sacred space between each word.

this is where the Holy Spirit speaks to me.

the space between thoughts.

and listening now,

I write these few words.

~
I love you, Eric

3 days ago | [YT] | 23

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

Sincerely so,

and without compromise, no longer content with a better version of the same dreamed up world - I truly only want the peace of God. In A Course in Miracles, Lesson 185, I'm reminded that to say these words means absolutely nothing. Without a pure conviction, they're just another hollow prayer asking for an upgrade within the dream. But to mean them, sincerely so, and even for an instant....that's my salvation.

yes, I truly want the peace of God.

with my memory of God completely restored.

and that's my only prayer.

~
I love you, Eric

4 days ago | [YT] | 22

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

# An Opportunity

post election morning, coffee at hand, and a brand new page before me. I love that life offers me its pure potentiality each morning, an opportunity to write something from a fresh point of view. This is as true with elections as it is with writing, there's a possibility present that's never been offered before - at least not in this particular form. What we have now is the opportunity for cooperation, balance restored and a real chance to forgive our way into something truly stunning in its depth of understanding each other. It's not wishful thinking, it's here within our grasp, erasing sides and seeing the wholeness of reality. But what we need is vision, we need compassion, and again we need forgiveness.

it's the only way forward.

Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. ²It does not pardon sins and make them real. ³It sees there was no sin. ⁴And in that view are all your sins forgiven. ⁵What is sin, except a false idea about God’s Son? ⁶Forgiveness merely sees its falsity, and therefore lets it go. ⁷What then is free to take its place is now the Will of God. ([ACIM, W-pII.1.1:1-7](acim.org/acim/workbook/what-is-forgiveness/en/s/63…)

we have trapped ourselves in a story repeatedly told about ourselves. There's no possibility of moving forward when we hold these views so tightly. Forgiveness, true forgiveness, is the vision of reality that doesn't cling to stories formerly told about ourselves or others - it's the fresh potentiality of each moment, an allowing of the resurrection through the refusal to continue to crucify each other. There's no exceptions to this opportunity of vision, we see everyone as equally whole, and more so, we continuously bear witness to our original innocence before a single story was ever told. Again, with no exceptions made. I love that we can do this, that our worst thought about another can be forgiven and in that very same moment they offer us our salvation.

of course we can do this.

it's the only reason we're here.

yes, it's easy for me to say this right now, my "side" won and I see a brighter future. But it's always been a possibility and I've held this same hope through every election. It's not about sides. It's about forgiveness and an opportunity to be truly helpful.

and it starts right now.

this morning...a brand new page.

let's write something beautiful, something true.

~

I love you, Eric

5 days ago | [YT] | 36

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

# It's who we are:

kindness is the way, and also, it's the natural outflow of my practice. Early in life I was told to be kind, in Catholic grade school it was stressed as a means of reaching heaven, and my parents were kind by example. So it was an easy path to follow along.

later, life growing harsh, kindness seemed to matter less. Or at least it seemed to. The truth is that life just grew busy, hurried, and kindness often fell to the wayside of my rush. Fortunately I was saved from the curse of an overly busy life, meditation and A Course in Miracles slowed me down and brought me the gift of patience. Not that I was, or am, always faithful to this gift. But I am, however, sincere in my commitment and practice.

more so,

kindness is my natural state of mind.

yours too.

we only have to choose the right internal teacher.

love,

or fear.

the first is our natural state of mind, our God-source, kind by its very nature. The second choice is the ego and it's always wrong, loud, and in a hurry. So we retrain ourselves to notice the results of our choice, and then begin to keep our focus on the one that truly brings us joy. A simple practice, but not always so easy at first. Yet kindness is our practice, being true to ourselves is our only concern - so patiently, infinitely kind, we choose again, and then again.

until we remember:

³Holiness created me holy.
⁴Kindness created me kind.
⁵Helpfulness created me helpful.
⁶Perfection created me perfect. ([ACIM, W-67.2:3-6](acim.org/acim/lesson-67/love-created-me-like-itsel…)

it's already what we are.

always.

~

I love you, Eric

6 days ago | [YT] | 26

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

**Initiated:**

I love when a guest appears on my YouTube channel and shares a lesson from A Course in Miracles that is particularly meaningful to them—it feels like an initiation into their deepest practice, a heartfelt act of extending their most sacred gift. Yesterday's guest, John Crotty, brought me Lesson 78, a focus on letting miracles replace all grievances. It's been a vital lesson in my practice and now brought back to me in a quiet initiation from a new friend.

so today, this is my practice, my entire curriculum:

³Let me behold my savior in this one You have appointed as the one for me to ask to lead me to the holy light in which he stands, that I may join with him. ([ACIM, W-78.7:3](acim.org/acim/lesson-78/let-miracles-replace-all-g…)

and with this may you, whoever might read these words, be initiated into this chain of forgiveness. Today we work miracles together, seeing the light of Christ wherever we go.

and so it is,

amen.

~

I love you, Eric

1 week ago | [YT] | 33

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

**Beautiful consistency:**

being a teacher has been on my mind lately, specifically, teaching A Course in Miracles. I'm very fortunate to have so many great Course teachers come to my YouTube channel and sit down and have a conversation with me. Each guest leaves me changed for the better, opening me up to a new presentation and fresh look at how the Course is offered. There's also a beautiful consistency here, with metaphysical concepts being clearly explained, and most importantly, they've all been living examples of the Course's teaching. I absolutely love these conversations.

I'm learning how to be a teacher.

but what I'm really learning from my guests, as well as my internal teacher, is how to more fully open up to my own divine expression - to truly teach love by accepting it as my only reality. Each guest has given me a glimpse of their individual curriculum and then gently guided me to see mine more clearly. The Course, even after years of continuous study, is still making itself known to me. Yet I've been given a clear objective:

⁹Teach only love, and learn that love is yours and you are love. ([ACIM, T-6.III.4:9](acim.org/acim/chapter-6/the-relinquishment-of-atta…)

so now my wish is to step into my own beautiful consistency, fully accepting my role as a teacher of God, wherever that leads me, and however it might unfold. My only agenda is to teach love, fully from my heart to yours, and I have no idea what this might look like. But I have so many beautiful examples to follow. Thank you guests. Thank you teachers. I love you.

~

I love you, Eric

1 week ago | [YT] | 22

Just a Yogi | A Course in Miracles & Inner Peace

**Teacher:**

that I'm a teacher of God, my directive clearly given, and that everything else is simply details. To be honest, it has taken me a while to arrive here, accepting this position, as if my own self-worth was questioning its very consideration. My mistake was in the details, believing that a scholarly knowledge of A Course in Miracles is somehow more important than the subject of the heart. Yet recently my heart has heard the call, bursting open in understanding and a willingness to extend more and more love. I am a teacher of God because there is nothing else to possibly be.

and I accept this fully now,

joyfully,

stepping into my role...and teaching only love.

~
I love you, Eric

1 week ago | [YT] | 27