Spiritual Awareness

Doctor of Spiritual Awareness

By Rev. Patricia Buben

Much of this class is organized around the fact that we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  It goes on to discuss definitions of spirit.  To me, spirit is the breath of life—the essence of a person.  It can also be described as being both immortal and intelligent energy.  As spirits, we go through lifetimes (reincarnate) to learn life lessons.  We continue to reincarnate as we have lessons to learn and when we have learned them all, we become ascended masters.  An ascended master is one who evolves to pure spirit.

The concepts of spirituality are easy and must be lived on a daily basis to become valuable.  There are many elements of spirituality that are discussed and all have aspects that are needed to develop spiritually.  The ones I liked best are:

·              Having heart or being compassionate

                 Understanding how karma works

                Learning to use your intuition

                 Reincarnation – how it works and why

                Being of service to others

                 Understanding death as a natural transition

                evolution of the earth – coming earth changes

                 Practicing meditation and several meditative techniques

                 Understanding energy and using it for healing

                Perceiving good and evil

                 Knowing thyself or "Gnothi Seauton"

                Learning how to see auras

                Developing your psychic abilities

                Being able to develop self-love

                Unconditional love for others

                learning to work with your spirit guides

Most of the concepts are very familiar to me and I have studied these concepts through research and reading a variety of books.  This course is unique in that it contains so many spiritual concepts in one place.  I especially enjoyed the different meditations and learning to work with my spirit guides.  In summary, I would highly recommend this course as it is clear, concise and all-encompassing.

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

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Metaphysical Healing

Master of Metaphysical Healing Essay

In taking this course in Master of Metaphysical Healing I quickly realized that it put my own faith, knowledge and beliefs to the test. This course has asked some very compelling questions and demands of me and although my answers may be only my perception, I will try and answer them in my final essay to the best of my honesty, belief and my own personal experiences.

As I have been blessed with my own successful practice for that past two years as a Spiritualist, conducting Angelic Readings, providing Spiritual Guidance, Past Life Regression as well as performing as a proven medium, I could have never dreamed there was so much more to learn. I became curious to the realms of Metaphysical Healing a few years ago when my daughter became violently ill due to a surgery she had replacing parts of her knee with a cadaver donor part. As I was sitting in on the consultation between her and her doctor I became extremely uncomfortable with the idea of her allowing them to place a stranger’s body part inside of her own body. As she was 18 and legally able to make her own decisions I pleaded my concerns to her but she didn’t want them to take her own parts from the back of her knee to replace what she needed as the healing process would be longer and more painful.

I asked the doctor if I could clear and bless the cadaver body parts. He could not allow this so I projected my healing and clearing light on the day of her surgery to the actual surgery room. As she lay there, waiting for them to come and get her, I had a sudden need to place my hands over my daughters head and as I did, I realized I was asking for permission and protection through the divine light of God. She became very relaxed and peaceful. She accredited this simply to a mother’s touch. I accredited this to - I had no clue what was going on but I felt a surge of love and strength flow through my hands as I thanked God for allowing my hands to be the conductor of this peace and serenity.

Two days after her surgery she became violently ill. She was vomiting and had a fever of 104. I rushed her to the hospital and they said she could possibly be trying to reject the cadaver parts or had contacted an infection. I was fear stricken. She was so very sick and incoherent. When the nurses left the room I walked behind the head of her bed and stood over her. I spoke in a whisper and told her if she could hear me to relax. I then told her I was going to ask God for his grace to heal her. I placed my hands over the crown of her head and then I moved my right hand down to her chest with my left hand on her head.

(I am right handed.) I somehow had a knowing of this infection. I asked for this infection to leave her body.

I asked for healing light to surge through her body taking the infection through my right hand and then allowing it to flow through me to my left hand and out through the crown of her head. I acknowledged that I was aware that I was simply a tool being used for this healing and that I would trust and accept whatever the outcome. I placed my trust completely within the divine and healing light of God.

Within about 15 minutes, she became wide awake and wanted to sit up. I told her to relax as I needed to clear myself of this infection. With her eyes still closed she asked,”Mom, what did you do?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, but I think I just conducted a healing. Her fever broke and she had no more nausea. When the nurses came in they said she probably just had a reaction to the anesthesia. They offered her juice but she was craving water. We went home an hour later. That was lesson one for me.

I ordered this course to learn what had happened to us that day. I wanted to learn what I had done that day and how I had done it. And then – during this course – another opportunity presented itself. This time it was my 30 year old son.

I was on Lesson 17 when we got a call from my daughter in law telling us that our son who is a bread man could not drive home and that he was experiencing terrible dizziness and numbness in his arms. She was going to pick him up from work and take him directly to the hospital as he was having symptoms of a heart attack. We met her at the hospital to pick up our grandchildren and went home. After they examined him they sent him home with a diagnosis of vertigo. He simply needed rest.

We took the kids home that night and I walked into my son’s bedroom and lay down next to him on the bed. I placed my right hand on his chest as he was sleeping and had a knowing instantly that they had missed something. I knew it wasn’t his heart. I trusted my reading capabilities but now needed to put my class knowledge to the test. I asked for permission to come into his space and as I received that permission I instantly felt a vibration from his stomach. I felt it looked like a yellow starburst, like a small sunshine in his stomach. I asked him if he had a stomach ache. He said no. and then – just as if someone had taken me by the face and screamed at me I knew he had a block in his stomach. I could see it. It made no sense to me at all as to why this would cause vertigo but I made him promise to ask our family doctor the next day to check his stomach. Our family doctor has known me for over twenty years and he is aware of what I do for a living. He doesn’t understand it - but I knew he would listen.

So, the next day, I was reading over my lessons beginning with lesson one making sure I of what I should be doing as my son was at the doctor and our doctor gave him the old once over and told him that vertigo was quite common and to take some time off. That is when my daughter in law told him that I wanted him to check my son’s stomach. Our doctor asked if I said this specifically and my daughter in law told him yes. Reluctantly, he asked my son to lie down on the table and my son was a bit embarrassed as he said you are kidding right? Our doctor simply told him that if he didn’t check his stomach that he would never hear the end of it from me.

So as he listened with a stethoscope for about three minutes, he then pressed on my sons stomach and he about came off of the table. Our doctor then turned and slammed his hand on the wall and exclaimed, “How does she do that?!!! He has a hernia!”

My daughter in law then whispered to him that I have a knowing. He exclaimed that I was a crack pot – but that I was a correct crackpot.

My son had a hernia that was about to burst and yes this will cause vertigo. And this was lesson two of many for me.

I have gone over my lessons in this class many times. I can not possibly retain all of the terms I need to remember as I use this wonderful class as a tool. I have conducted healing sessions in my session’s room and they have been successful although they have been very light healing such as a broken heart etc. Baby steps, but I don’t mind at all. I have printed out all of my lessons and I use it as my text book. And each and every time I read it I learn and retain something new.

This is a fascinating course and although I can not recite all I have learned verbatim, my hopes are that some day I will. However, my knowing of what and how to heal is there. I have learned how to identify and ground myself to listen.

It is my belief that terminal conditions do in fact exist and I think that we do have to acknowledge these diagnoses as the proof is in the pudding so to speak - however – we do not have to accept it. In other words, this diagnosis is true in that tests have revealed it is so and if this is our spiritual path out of this existence then so be it – but what if it isn’t? What if this is simply a plight or lesson for us at this time in our life - perhaps a test of faith if you will? If this is so, then I truly do believe this is where spiritual healing comes in. What do we have to lose?

Spiritual Healing in my opinion is all in the eyes of the beholder. Yes, I am aware that some do believe it is the work of the devil – whoever he is? I do all of my work within the divine light of God therefore – the devil as he is called – has no existence in my realm of healing. I have no space for him. He too – is in the perception of the beholder. I call upon God and my angels for healing, guidance and wisdom.

When I am asked if this treatment will cause pain and how does it work, I simply say, it has been my experience that spiritual healing causes no physical pain. As I am a practicing spiritualist I have only had the experience of observing emotional pain. Lots of tears flow in my session’s room and I believe that to be the body’s way of clearing emotional toxins from within one’s self. Not to worry, most healers have lots of hugs and tissues.

I do not believe that any one person has to believe in any thing or any one that you do not want to believe in, in order to be healed. However, it is more than obvious that they do believe that an illness exists inside of them, therefore, they do have a belief in some thing. That is key. It doesn’t matter what you yourself believe as much as it matters that you believe in something. I, myself believe in the divine light of healing and I can call upon my own belief to heal through my knowledge of my lessons learned through this course, faith, love and the divine light of God. I, myself allow my client to choose the ambiance they prefer to conduct our sessions, therefore, if they want candles and a darker setting - so it will be - and if they don’t – then we wont. I created my session’s room for the privacy and comfort of my clients. I can read and heal in a garage if need be. Confidentiality and complete serenity has been beautifully created for my clients comfort and privacy and they, themselves, choose what that environment will be.

As I believe that we are all here for a reason, the healers who have prescribed other treatments have done so for a reason. That reason is based upon past experience and history of possible recovery. Therefore, I am not one to criticize another healer whether they be a surgeon or doctor or???? A client’s treatment is a personal decision that only they can make. Sadly, I can not guarantee a cure, however, what I can offer is my gift of the belief that I can call upon a higher power to allow me to help and try to heal along with other healers and my fee is based upon what they can afford. It has been my experience that when we make this about money, then we take away from the true gift. Someone else who can afford it - will pay it forward. This has always been my belief and the way I conduct my sessions. Through the healing energy I have called upon based upon my faith.

The most precious gift we are given here in this place is time. That is our only risk.

Thank you for this most enlightening class that I will be studying for many years to come.

Many Blessings in Light and Love,

Marti Tote

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

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Metaphysical Healing

As a Reiki Master and long time Reiki practitioner who has studied other alternative healing modalities I thoroughly enjoyed this course although most of the information was familiar to me. It is, however, the most comprehensive of any metaphysical healing course I have read and would be beneficial to all spiritual healers, experienced or new to the practice. It certainly was a great refresher for some of the material I had forgotten. Valerie Archer's “The Healer's Oath” is exactly what I have needed to add to my Reiki classes as a guideline for attitude and action.

The most important aspect of what I learned from this course was the lesson on determining our own reality. The New Age Movement in general, of which I consider myself a member, often promotes the idea that we are totally responsible for what occurs in our lives; we brought all situations and conditions on ourselves by our either rightful or wrongful thoughts. This ideology has never made sense to me and I have seen the damage it has done to already wounded people. I have worked with young women who were victims of rape as little children and had been told they didn't have enough Jesus in their hearts or they wished the rape on themselves or their actions somehow caused it. I have seen how much despair, unhappiness and further loss of sense of self-worth this type of preaching has had on these women. I always counseled them that, as children, they did nothing to cause a criminal act to be committed on them. I explained that they, most unfortunately but absolutely through no fault of their own, just got caught up in the misguided life of someone else. Instances of rape and other abuse were easy to discuss in this way but there have been times in my own life when something really dreadful has occurred and I was vulnerable to the thought that I wished for myself a particular disaster, like a serious, permanent health problem. Logically, I couldn't believe I would have done that willingly but several people would tell me that I had and, as I said, some books I read agreed. It was extremely gratifying to have Rev. Kruger validate what I have told abused women for years. I also tremendously appreciated the opportunity to read Ted Andrews' calculation of approximately what percent of our lives we can control and Leo Rutherford's comments explaining why that is so.

I also found the information regarding the “Shadow” concept most interesting, especially, the suggestion that one can use his/her “Shadow” to assist in personal enlightenment. Perhaps teaching others to realize that their “Shadows” are archives of negativity could help them to avoid visiting that place or dwelling on what is inside it extensively and, instead, focus on more pleasant experiences.

As stated above, the entire course is relevant to my work as a Healer, was interesting, comprehensive, extremely informative and well presented. There was nothing I disliked regarding the course.

Rev. Mary McGar

This course was made available through the Universal Life Church and its online seminary.

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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.  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.

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Spirituality Course

I would like to thank Amy for all her hard work. This was a great discourse and a great discourse to help with my ministering.

One thing I learned was that, with metaphysical discussions, you can’t move too fast or too soon or you will scare off science minded people. It is easier to minister to heart minded people. Heart minded people are easier because they intuitively feel the truth of the message. We must remember that we are ministering to people who are searching for meaning. It is important, therefore, that we learn to minister to all people.

Things to look for in heart driven people: feeling oriented, intuitive, receptive to spiritual ideas, touchy-feely, warm and compassionate, accepts contradictions freely and they accept things on faith.

Things to look for in mind driven people: they are analytical, rational, and somewhat distant, reject any contradictions, logical, does not believe what he cannot see, and thinks faith to be an illusion.

I learned that it was important for the person you are ministering to, to seek knowledge. Remember to be patient, kind, accepting and remain alert to signs that you are beginning to push someone too far too fast.

This discourse talked about a lot of philosophers and their viewpoints. Some of them that were covered are: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Immanuel Kant, Schopenhauer, Fichte, Hegel and most influential are Karl Marx, Freud and Darwin.

Another point I learned was, with greater understanding of the forces motivating the people we minister to in this society, it gives us a greater ability to help them in their times of need.

Spiritualism has a lot to do with faith. We have learned many ways to minister to those who are logically minded and who reject spiritual ideas, simply because they don’t understand faith even if they reject faith.

Here’s the bottom line for me. God teaches through people. I can convey what he compels me to convey. I can be kind and giving and love all people, but I allow the power of God to flow through me, for I have no qualifications myself to minister without God. 

Rev. Nancy Rutledge

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Metaphysical Healing

Subject: Master of Metaphysical healing     First let me say that I am grateful to have this opportunity to be able to partake in the lesson.     It is understandable how throughout the ages humans have lived in fear of what they do not understand. The practice of any type of healing is as old and intriguing as the universe itself. From the first person to figure out what plant caused what reaction to the hands on faith works of today.      Slowly ideals of what is traditional for healing are changing. Sadly a lot of the indigenous tribes which have practiced traditional healing for their entire existence are slowly disappearing due to modern progress.     It is uplifting and a blessing that there are some individuals that have the awareness that all things are connected and that modern medicine and traditional medicine can co-exist. I find it interesting that no matter how you examine true healing, it is all a matter of spirituality.     It is important that any healer have a base knowledge of body function to help assess any treatment. However it is imperative that that healer also have a secure understanding that the soul and spirit must be treated as well. In treating the spirit and body we can use many different methods from hands on to spirit quests, oils and aromas, even working with energy fields. I think that the most important here is that the healer has to make the spirit and physical connection of the one in need of healing. They have to make that connection for both to receive that divine energy.      There is also another faucet to this healing triad. Let us not forget the mental aspect. Sometimes it is not always physical. Healing is also about breaking old behaviors and self destructive patterns and helping secure a spiritual connection. It may have to go as deep as a life recall in order to understand the damages so the healing process can begin or the process may be as simple as stating some loving, healing and some type of positive affirmations each day.     With all the things that happen in the medical world these days, it becomes ever troublesome to find some one to trust. This is even harder for those in the fields of Natural Healing. I truly find it appalling that some one would take such a divine gift and cause harm or give false practice. I believe that in order to respectfully assist any one in the healing process you need to make sure that they are open fully to the experience. Be certain that you have knowledge of any prior treatments, both traditional and medical. I also feel that it is imperative that you get as much back ground information (fears, traumas, etc) as they are comfortable in giving. It is my thought that you can not fully treat the person if you do not understand why they came to you in the first place.     I feel that any one making a conscious decision to pursue this path has a strict moral and spiritual obligation to adhere to the Healers Oath. Many Blessings Ed Click ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity two courses in , Wicca, several in  Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception. 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 selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.   Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spiritual Development

Essay for Doctor of Spiritual Development I was originally drawn to this course as it was probably the only one I have seen that links up NLP and hypnosis with aspects of spirituality. I have to lay my cards on the table and say at the outset that I am not exactly new to the subject of NLP. In fact, I have been associated with it now for a number of years, qualifying first as a Practitioner and, in 2009, finally achieving the status of Master Practitioner. I am also a registered hypnotherapist in the United Kingdom with a lifelong interest in that subject. However, I am aware that this is not the "be all and end all".  All systems of belief and practice have their limitations and constraints. The danger of misusing systems such as NLP is that they can achieve an almost cult-like status. NLP has its followers, its own language and jargon, its "founding fathers" and influential writers and teachers. It is tempting, although unhelpful, to live within an NLP world seeing everything in these terms. In my model of the world, I see NLP as most useful when it is integrated into everyday life and practice rather than as a belief system operating on its own (and perhaps that seems strange, coming from an NLP Master Practitioner!). To me, one of the great strengths of NLP that differentiates it from a cult is that it never seeks to assess or judge anyone's beliefs. It does not say what anyone "should" or "should not" believe. It does not question anyone's beliefs. It simply asks the question "Is this belief useful for YOU?"  If someone wants to believe in God and that belief is useful for him, that's fine. If someone prefers to believe that there is no God, and for him, that is a useful belief, that is also OK, from an NLP point of view. Now, for all of us, beliefs are really important since they affect who we are. They are the basis of our values. In other words they are part of our identity. When our beliefs about ourselves and the world are attacked or under threat, we will react in some way, even if only through a strong emotion or sense of anger. Many of the dreadful terrorist activities that have taken place in the last ten years can trace their origin to beliefs and values being under attack (or, more exactly, the perception that they are under attack). Many beliefs are formed in us when we are young. "Don't talk to strangers. They're all bad." "People are out to get you – you can't trust anyone." "Little boys should be seen and not heard" "If you don't do well in school, you'll fail in life."  "A woman's place is in the home" We are all, at least to some extent, the products of our own background and upbringing. We will have cause to follow – or else consciously reject – what our parents, teachers and mentors have told us, whether that has been done expressly or by implication. So, if a child is brought up to believe that he is clumsy, stupid, talented and clever or whatever, this belief about his capabilities will be deeply seated. And the problem is that useful beliefs and non-useful beliefs are equally powerfully rooted. Our unconscious does not know how to differentiate the one from the other. So, if I have a belief that I cannot add up a column of figures, it will, in essence become a self-fulfilling prophecy. [Some people would say that all prophecies are self-fulfilling. That is another story.] If, on the other hand, I believe that I am "good" at addition, I will almost certainly find that I am good at addition. Also, some beliefs are useful but have only a limited shelf life. It is a useful belief for a young child that he needs to check things out with his parents and cannot stand on his own two feet. Young children need protection and guidance. But that need does not and should not last for ever. The time comes when that same belief needs to be changed. The "child" is no longer a child and needs to make his own decisions. He is now independent of his parents or at least moving in that direction. That process of change can prove difficult and painful. Some aspects of personal change can certainly be difficult. But not all personal change needs be so. Some changes can be made surprisingly quickly by using appropriate techniques of NLP or hypnosis or other related disciplines. Reference has already been made to the fact that the subconscious (or the unconscious) does not make moral distinctions. It will seek to reinforce a belief that is already programmed because it thinks that if that belief is there, then it must be useful and in the person's best interests. So, the person who believes in God will look at the world for all signs of a creating and loving God to reinforce that belief. The atheist, on the other hand, will look at the evil in world and ask how a loving God could possibly allow such terrible things to happen. They will also tend to gravitate towards people who hold similar views. At a more mundane level, when a person who believes deep down that he cannot do a particular thing – and is then asked to do it – his subconscious will send him the protective message – "No, you cannot do that; remember?" The subconscious perceives that it is working for the best (and the subconscious always tries to do its best) in preventing the person from attempting something he cannot do, with all the repercussions that brings. In NLP terms, this "cannot do" is an example of a "limiting belief". Some of our limiting beliefs have been with us for a long time and may be so deeply seated that we may not even be consciously aware that we have them. (Of course there are many very useful beliefs that are also programmed in, such as that fire burns.)  Scientists have proved that, aerodynamically, a bee should not be able to fly. Of course, no one has told the bee that!  Just recently, I observed my neighbour's tabby cat running up a vertical garage wall. Again, that "shouldn't" be possible, but the cat didn't know that. I remember reading in an NLP book (unfortunately I cannot remember which one) that the most important question anyone can be asked is "What do you want?"  I remember being just a little sceptical when I first read that. However, the more I think about it, the more I realise just how insightful this statement is. If we can actually work out what it is we do actually want, we can move on from there. It is easy to drift through life without any aims, objectives or goals in mind. If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there, as the Cheshire Cat said to Alice. What NLP and hypnosis can do is to allow the conscious and the subconscious to function together, find out what the person really wants and begin the process of moving in that direction. There is no doubt that NLP received a rather bad press in the 1980s when it came to be associated with techniques used by the less reputable end of the used car market. Similarly, for many years, hypnosis was viewed with suspicion although even today it seems to be much more main stream in the USA than it does in the UK. However, if we are thinking (as we are) of the ethical uses of such techniques, we have to be aware that we only seek to help people do what they really want to do. I am sometimes asked, for example, if I can "make" someone stop smoking. The answer to that is a clear "no" – I cannot make anyone do anything they do not actually want to do. I can, however help that person to improve his clarity of purpose. But how does all fit in with the spiritual issues involved? Coming myself originally from a mainstream Christian background, I know that Christianity (and probably all the major world religions) seek to put the puzzles and challenges of life into a meaningful context. Jesus said that he had come to give life and give life abundantly. He healed many people who were sick, not only physically but mentally. It is God's purpose for us to be well and not ill. Indeed, Jesus went even further and told his disciples that they would be able to do greater things even than he had. This was a very radical statement. It is something the mainstream Christian church has not yet come to terms with. Of course, a great deal of what has just been said will clash with our rational minds. If we cannot make sense of something then it doesn't make sense – at least this is the way in which Western society has thought since the beginning of the Age of Reason. We have had a long love affair with reason and tend, culturally, to believe that reason must always triumph over feelings and intuition. If it cannot be measured, we assume only too quickly that it does not exist. (Actually Charles Dickens wrote his novel "Hard Times" to ridicule people, known at that time as "determinists" who believed that everything could, sooner or later, be measured!) Yet, the mediaeval mystics were able to recognise that something can be "true" without there being scientific proof. I can believe that the Genesis account of creation is "true" from a theological and spiritual point of view yet I can also accept that an evolutionary scientist also produces a different version of creation that is "true". If both sides in the creation argument could see that, a great deal of human energy would be saved! In the developing world, some amazing things have taken place even in my own lifetime. This is because people in some of these cultures believe that the words of Jesus are actually true. There are amazing modern accounts of healings through faith, even accounts of people being raised from the dead. This is more than we can take in the Western world.  We often block the power of the spirit with our chilly rationalism. In Capernaum, even Jesus could do no mighty works because of the unbelief of the people. Spiritually, we need to be able to tap into our mystical and intuitive sense in a new way – or else rediscover the older way. It seems (to me) that the world is full of "religion" yet is spiritually parched. There is an old Gospel hymn that has the chorus "I will pour waters on him that is thirsty" There is such a need for a time of refreshing today among all the great world religions. As a registered hypnotherapist, I know that even in a light trance, it is possible to access our true desires even, dare I say, to regress into past lives. In fact our most useful state is that area of light trance – such as when we awake in the morning. People such as Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill were able to put themselves easily into that state and came up with their best solutions as a result. In the Old Testament, many of the prophets went into trance-like states. It is said that the famous Anthony of Padua could, in such a state, bilocate, i.e. be in two places at once. Saint Teresa of Avila could get into such an ecstatic state that she actually levitated and the other nuns had to hold her down! I believe that, in the western world, our religions have become far too cognitive. Certainly where I live, in Scotland, in centuries past it was very important to know what people "thought" from a doctrinal point of view – with much less importance being placed on what they did or how they practiced, far less how they felt. Alasdair Bothwell Gordon Aberdeen, Scotland (UK) ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program. 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! ********************** 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 Course

Universal Life Church
Defining Spiritualism;

Final Essay

Rev. Kipper T. Rowen

To begin with, let me just say, and I know I’m not the first to say this, this course in Defining Spiritualism is exactly NOT what I had envisioned or expected. But to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I expected. In the same honesty, I thought I knew what “to be spiritual” and “spirituality” meant. To know the story of Jesus Christ; to know the CORRECT explanation of His parables; to know GOD’s ten commandments; to live a moral and upstanding life based on what our present day culture dictated; and finally to be able to blurt out any Scripture in any Book in my favorite Bible from memory. Then I would be wise, a sage, always having the right Scripture and band aid for every situation I would ever encounter. In short, bearing part of my soul, I would hold a position of knowledge and respect, setting me aside from all the ‘have nots.’

What I did find has in all probability been said by many students before; but I, have to say it. Socrates’ famous self-analysis statement totally rocked my foundations of what I thought my belief system was composed of. “The only thing I know is that I know nothing”. All of my lifelong attempts at gaining knowledge of a certain subject were accomplished by delving into books that taught me to ‘learn’ facts.

This course in fact actually MAKES you unlearn what you think you know. For many of us ‘old timers’, this shakes the very roots of a long life of learning experiences. We are to remember we are ministering to others and not to ourselves; as Jesus commanded; which can be found as a connecting thread through most religions I have been exposed to.

The beginning discourses, appeared to me at first glance was to just be another collection of philosophers, their theories, failures and success that contributed not only to Western thought, but also built up and in some cases, was the ultimate downfall of many governments. “What does this course have to do with me MINISTERING to others? You will notice the word MINISTERING is in all caps. This was because of my terribly distorted view of what a minister does. The word minister has so much power and purpose on its own, that all smaller case letters satisfies the need of that series of letters, to produce a word and ultimately a picture in your mind.

This I shall call the most important thing I learned from this exquisite course. What I do when I enter into a situation in which I may be asked to minister to someone. The first thing I will do before entering the room for the initial confrontation with someone ‘in pain’, is to remove any identifying and tell-tale signs that would tell anyone that I am a minister. I will enter as a new babe, with the addition of an ability to understand languages, the ability to listen and not condemn. My only tools of my ‘trade’ will be a totally open, loving and compassionate mind. An attitude and demeanor I would ask of someone entrusted to ease my suffering.

Besides the long list of contributors to Western Thought as explained; Socrates; Plato; Aristotle; Pythagoras; Descartes; Immanual Kant; (one of my favorites; Werner Heisenburg); on and on. To try to describe what I ‘learned’ from each discourse would in all reality just be retyping what was laid out for us. But then I began to feel a progressive train of thought that could very easily be redirected into a non-religious type of Christian Apologetics. defending the faith against all who would tear it down; in particularly the people who have a death grasp on their Religion of Science. But I was wrong again. What is truth for me obtained from this course may not be the same truths for you. Distilled down, what overwhelmed me the most, consists of four items; 1)As I understand it and embrace it, the statement made by Socrates; The only thing I know is that I know nothing”; 2) Socrates also said “The most important thing you can do is to know yourself” 3) The power of the collective mind is unfathomable. In the cases in the New Testament of the Bible, when Christ was attributed to the miracle of ‘healing’, there is hidden in those Scriptures an overlooked common thread. The one that comes to mind is the instance in which a woman of some age, who had been plagued by ‘an issue of blood’ for many years, approached Jesus from behind so as to not be noticed. She then touched the hem of His garment and the issue ceased.

Christ knew someone had touched Him. When He inquired who had touched Him, she could not withhold, she came forward and made herself know to Jesus who told her “…..your FAITH has healed you….” I’m compiling a booklet on the subject of Christ’s healings with respect to faith and the mind. It may never be seen by anyone, but this course has further influenced me to continue that labor of love with more interest than ever. “Your faith has healed you………………….”is repeated time and time again by Christ.

He appears to be the conduit through which the GOD mind communicates between HIS willing creation's minds”. 4) The simplest of truths for me is simply “Things are all just as they should be.” So when confronted with an apparent evil, we must remember, good cannot exist without a counterpart, evil, to give a substance to the word ‘joy’. The good balances out the evil. Nature strives endlessly toward the state of perfect balance. So the Tibetan Buddhist accept a life of cold, harsh weather, lack of food, no heat, running water, everything we take for granted, JOYFULLY. They know their reward will come when they pass. Therefore they cry at a birth and rejoice at a death/funeral. That person has attained ‘Liberation’ from this worldly suffering.

Although I’m now a Christian, I practiced Zen Buddhism for 14 years now and in my studies my teacher taught me many truths about suffering, especially that of those beautiful people in Tibet and the ones in exile. They all are fully aware of the calling of the universal mind, to bring them back to its eternity, when all lessons had been learned. To return back to the unending collective mind.

What did I like best about this course? Discourse #6 really put my mind into overdrive; Socrates et all. The contents of which cannot, and I emphasize cannot be fully drawn into the correct perspective with 2 - 3 reads. I have so been enthralled with this discourse #6 (The entire course itself), that I have put it in a protective binder to carry with me always. When something has the impact on me that this Course has had, it becomes a source of ‘spiritualism’ (how about that?) in my life and won’t ever leave.

The only point I can truthfully say, that though it isn’t a point I dislike, it is one that makes me a little uncomfortable when I read it. I firmly believe the murky water will clear as I grow. That topic was presented I believe, not so much as an accepted truth, but as a motivation for further considerations. Basically it stated that if we are simply an arrangement particulates, then if I were to shoot someone, there is only the re-arrangement of those particulates, with nothing driven from existence. Does that constitute murder?

At this point in my journey, if good and evil are two sides of the same coin making it a whole, then there must be a source in that coin where good is the only attribute on the one side of the coin, with evil the only attribute on the other, a ‘balance‘, yet separates. Therefore some experiential knowledge of good and bad must exist and in creation this ‘moral standard ‘is imparted to it by its creator.

In conclusion, let me applaud Chuck, on this wonderful course and now for his “BOMB SHELL” of a closing discourse. He not only bared his soul to us, but in my case, he also gave me the strength, to simply put it……look at myself in the mirror, the first time in such a long time, I would only be presenting a guess as to how long it’s been. His story is so amazing, not from the content, but in his ability to offer it to us as a learning experience. Coincidentally, the Doctor I see recently instructed me, in an attempt to teach me to love myself, to embrace all the things, good and bad that is/ WAS me in the last 54 years, and to make each failure as I journey, a learning experience and not another failure.” Amazing! Then I read Chuck’s testimony of his ‘40 years in the wilderness’ and yes, I had a tear or two. Thank You Chuck.

I won’t ever be the same. I won’t ever ‘shove my beliefs’ down someones throat. It’s now apparent, it’s my life’s calling to plant a mustard seed and there my job ends. I’m not a missionary, I’m not an evangelist. However I am Kip with a capitol ‘K’ now.

I’ll let my GOD, your Creator, your Gods, your Gods/Goddesses; the universal collective Mind, do what they do best; nurture what we have planted into

whatever existence requires, to balance it self. Each of us as ministers, were not at first “not ordained” then suddenly “we are Ordained” with all the knowledge we need to minister is automatically ours to expound. Just as everyone else before us, with us, and that will come after us, are on spiritual journeys, whether they know it or not, we too have our own journeys, as ministers, where every experience is one of learning. We MUST be good listeners, sometimes with a tear. It’s been my focus of late, to love everyone, non-judgmentally. Chuck you have made my journey, so much more joyful, giving me the example to follow of simple acceptance that I am me, and not anything else. Everything is just as it should be.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting 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 selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

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