thanks for answering so quick R
I'm pondering on something and using you for the pondering.
R said:
Alysia:
Regarding the below, I'd say that my memory of my experience influenced me, even though it wasn't conscious for a while. For example, I started to read some of those books that deny the existence of Jesus the person, but something inside told me not to trust them. Whatever the case, as I stated, I've had some experiences since my night in heaven experience that I would not of had if I remembered the experience consciously, and I needed to have these experiences. It was really something when the memory of the experience came back to me. It was as if the experience happened yesterday. I couldn't believe that I forgot it, because everything was so certain and real while I had the experience.
____
it seems strange to read denial books, maybe because you had been an atheist before the experience? would that be why you would read something like a book that denies that such a man walked here who performed miracles. That reminds me, that works are published denying the holocaust as well. I read about a 100 personal accounts of the holocaust of such minute detail I was never at doubt it happened and appalled anyone would be so certain it didn't, that they would spend so much time writing a book denying it happened. the same as JC, because wherever there is some smoke, there's been a fire, you can bet. it's just pure logic. but there's a lot of interpretations and religions, yet Christianity is the basis for a lot of religions..so hmmm. Christianity is also ontology principle, we are all family, that sort of thing. You can hardly find anyone against family of mankind theology.
what could be the purpose of denying historical events? Perhaps it's a matter of free press only and choosing well our reading material...I assume reading those books was a purpose for you too, but I don't understand atheists, because the more a person denies god, they are actually obsessed with the god question or they wouldn't even bother labeling themselves as an atheist and trying to disprove god, or the basic goodness that I see as god, that is in all of us behind the denial.
another answer for George here..when I was around 5 I was a lonely little girl, neglected and emotionally deprived. When my brother, who btw, was an atheist later on for awhile, he told me about the existence of not JC, but of a god being. He was brief because he was only 9 yrs old himself. As he talked a spirit came upon my being entering from the head and enveloping me in warmth and love and I was never lonely from that point on, but shored up so to speak. This somewhat supports George's original question, but it was more like a road sign pointing to where my life was heading.
I sometimes think it was my higher self being grounded into the small body of my self. I was so happy, speaking of happiness.
R, regarding those experiences you mention that you would not have had, if you had remembered the night in heaven, I was wondering about what you meant; it would seem you have to many accounts to write down, so u lump them into experiences.
but now you look back and see how the pieces fit together? well, I'm sure we're all interested in hearing about one or two experiences that you had to go through to get to your level of understanding why you had to forget the truth in order to find the truth.
hope I said that right.
maybe I can lead you a bit. (fat chance!)
After I read ACIM I asked with my god conversations what I should do now with my life. the slate was wiped clean so to speak. I had been ready to die because of illness in body, soul, and mind, and all that was healed up, so now there was this question to god where I should go, what to do now.
The only answer I had from ACIM was that god would take the final step for me, whatever in tarnation that meant, I was with faith that it was so.
I think the final step pertained to enlightenment, and nobody knows what enlightenment really means, so theres this little thing called patience is a virtue, in the spirit. faith, really.
so I wondered what to do in the meantime while waiting for god to take the final step. the answer I received as to specifics, was to do what I wanted to do. I started up a group to be exploring the basics of ACIM teachings, in order to become miracle minded, in order to follow JC, what he said long ago was burned in my soul, that WE WOULD DO MIRACLES! He meant US! for instance who else would he be talking about that could do miracles but us?
another leap in faith so to speak but patience and study is a constant companion. the group disbanded after a year as I had no leadership qualities and we had degenerated into a support group and I couldn't understand why nobody was a happy camper but me, but it's all good that we came together briefly. so while I was given the leeway to do as I pleased with the rest of my life by this inner voice, it was quite a freeing idea, that I could do whatever I set my mind to.
I wanted to find a mate. so with god's approval I found a few relationships where I would be studying human psychology. each relationship provided no security, but provided more insight into relationships, and I became a little like Carrie Fisher in Sex and the City, or love in the city as I'd like to call it.
each relationship defined who I was, rather than who the other was. Which is the eternal question here WHO and WHAT are we? None of us can escape the asking of that.
Know thyself. So the others taught me who I was and that is the gist of what enlightenment really is. I gave up seeking enlightenment because the act of seeking it, is the same act of denying that you can attain it. but I didn't give up studying ontology and theology, nor the idea that what JC said about us doing miracles is true, as soon as stop protesting we are not worthy to stand beside what he taught, what he said.
the miracle minded will see miracles everywhere in the smallest act of love, in the sunrise and sunset, everywhere the miracle is ready to surface for them that hold out their hands trusting.
love...I'm going to go sing karaoke, hey, how about this number, Love Can Build a Bridge. thank god for the miracle of the Judd's.
here's a Thomas Merton quote which came from Frank DeMarco, it explains the spiritual life better than me:
The spiritual life is to be earnestly pursued as though no spiritual life existed. This is the only safe and sane way to travel in the deep waters of the Spirit. Indeed, such childlike simplicity in the face of God expresses a realization that there is, in fact, no spiritual life as such separate from life itself. There is only one life, and that is God’s life which he gives to us from moment to moment, drawing us to himself with every holy breath we take.