Happy Easter

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This Easter I am remembering my favorite childhood book about Easter. It was called, "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes." If you haven't read it, or know a child who hasn't, you might like to. It is a very simple book with lovely illustrations that haven't been altered to be more "modern" (Winnie the Pooh was. In fact, I once gave a reading to a young German man who told me he was hired by Disney to recreate the drawings).

I was enthralled by 'The Country Bunny' when I was a small child. It touched me deeply and left me filled with the wonder and awe of what can happen when our heart is in the right place and we live in the present moment, without despairing over what we do not have. It is magical and spiritual. The Country Bunny lives a clear and simple life and still one day gets to wear the golden shoes she has always been seeking!

"The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes” was published in 1939 by Du Bose Heyward, most famous for “Porgy and Bess," and illustrated by Marjorie Flack, whom you might know from “The Story About Ping.”

An Angelic Experience by Ron

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Many of you write to me instead of writing in Your Open Classroom. Here is an experience that your classmate, Ron, shared with me. He is a Quaker, also called Friends, and he was at a Quaker healing retreat. Everyone was sitting in a circle at "Worship for Healing" meeting on a Sunday morning, with an empty chair in the center, which anyone could go sit in if they felt the need to have healing energy focused on them. This is the experience Ron had that morning, in his own words. He gave me permission to post this for all of you.

"I was sitting in deep meditation and I heard someone get up and take the seat in the center. Soon after, I heard a rather loud, "Hello!" It seemed like a woman's voice and sounded a little familiar, but I still haven't been able to "place" it. I opened my eyes to see who had spoken, and no one else seemed to have heard anything, but when I looked at the person in the chair in the center, there was a being standing behind the chair which may have been an angel. I couldn't really see the face because I was looking at (her?) from the left hand side. Appeared to be fairly tall, maybe 6 feet or more, and looked like a sculpture carved out of cloud. I thought female because the clothing looked like a long dress. It had a really frilly texture, or maybe it was made of feathers. The colors were cloud colors, a mixture of shades of white, grey, blue, and pink. There was a bit of a glow like sunshine through clouds. As soon as I placed my attention there, the vision disappeared.

Over the course of the few weeks I've had to digest the experience, I've come to understand that the "hello" I heard was the angel announcing her presence, something I could have easily missed, since being in a meeting with a lot of experienced Friends has a strong sense of divine presence anyway. I also wonder if this angel has a particular relationship to me, or more to the person sitting in the chair? I know I have assistance when I am doing healing work, and I probably wouldn't be willing to do the work if I didn't. Since this was a workshop weekend for people who do healing work I'm sure everyone there also has assistance when they are doing work, so the angel could have had an association with anyone there, but it seems like I was the only one who heard the. Hello!" and I know that all of us have experiences that are unique to us because our senses are also unique to us.

I welcome your responses and look forward to more opportunities to share our journeys.

Ron Peterson

Lesson 88

Thank you for allowing this opportunity to share something from my current lesson. I am a first year student, so I am on Lesson 88, THE INCREDIBLE LIGHTNESS OF EARTH. I get so much from each lesson, and this one is no exception. This entire lesson is deep and meaningful to me, so it is hard to choose what to share, but I will try. First let me say that I love the part about our bodies being both strong and fragile at the same time, able to protect us as we go throughout our day, yet also vulnerable to harm.


The following paragraph stilled my mind. To think that there is the memory of God within me and I have forgotten the truest and purest memory of all is shocking. To know there is something in me that does remember, if only dimly—that wants to remember gives me hope for my journey back to that memory. This lets me know that there is practical memory, which I need. Then there is impractical memory, which is connected to a fictitous past and only brings me pain, which I do not need.

Lesson 88:
"Deep within you is contained the memory of God. You come to earth with this memory. It is not a human memory. It is a soul memory that has nothing to do with a fictitious past. Soul memory is in the present. It is connected to your true and absolute nature.”


I also love these words about the power of God being within me. That’s incredible to think of! It’s like the whole power of the universe is inside me, like enough to blow up a mountain, though that may be not be a good analogy because I don’t want to blow up any mountains, but you get the idea. THIS is where my faith and courage come from me. Not from the false me that doesn’t have any courage at all, but from the power of God inside me.

Lessson:
 88:
"Within you is the power of God. This is the power that guides you through life. This power gives you faith and courage to continue your journey on earth, no matter what obstacles you face. How do you know this is so for you? Because you are here. You are reading these words with a sincere desire to come closer to God.”


There is so much to learn and imbibe from this lesson. I am glad I have a whole month to do it in. Thank you for this great lesson, Indira. I take it to my heart and into my everyday living. I hope my sharing does benefit someone else. Kevin

Hanging out with angels…

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What you as a spirit are given when you come to earth are a physical body and time. Time exists for you for so long as you are in a human body, at least at the practical level. What you must decide is — how will I use this physical body while I am here, and how will I use the time I am given?

These are not small thoughts to ponder. They are large truths to make use of. How will you use your physical body and how will you make use of your time while you are here?

Your answers to these questions mean everything.

Now is new. So whatever you have done in some ‘past’ reality — doesn’t matter now. You are free to learn from the past, let it go, and move on to something new. Now.

Will you? Or are you like someone on a muddy rocky bumpy road complete with lions and tigers and bears ready to leap out at you any moment — and you see a new road — a shiny clear road filled with angelic guides —

and you say, “Oh well, that road is not for me. I must continue on this old road. I have been here for so long. Maybe if I stay here and keep on suffering, just maybe I will get somewhere. Anyway, it is too late for me to take another road. That road cannot be meant for me.”

The angels say — Take the new road!

Is this often true for you?

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Hurt is often mistaken for anger. 85% of the time, a person isn't mad at you but instead, disappointed.

Winnie the Pooh

“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?”  “Supposing it didn’t,” said Pooh after careful thought.  Piglet was comforted by this.

Romans 12:21

From "The Message"
"Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.”

 ....................................

Hmm — maybe not so easy to buy your enemy lunch — what do you think? Everything in your school is designed to make you think for yourself. You are not here in your school — or on earth — to become a blind believer — you are here to get free of the blind beliefs that are running (ruining) your life.

Here are a couple of other versions of this verse, from other translations of the Bible: "Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good." -Lamsa Bible. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."-KJV

View of Buildings, Jamstown, NY February 2016

Hi Everyone

I just took the opportunity to share something from my current lesson, 'The Incredible Lightness of Earth" in the comment section of Indira's post below. It was a good experience for me, and I found myself excited about sharing with my classmates. Speaking of "incredible" - that's what every lesson is for me, and my experience of being a longtime student in the school. So just want to say thank you from my soul to your soul for sharing the incredible lightness of earth with me. I know from this lesson that we are all souls who come to earth together for a reason. Even when we do not see each other or know each other, our souls are connected through this school. We are on the spiritual way together. Love, Kevin

Share Yourself

http://www.theclearandsimpleway.com/
The Clear and Simple Way School°☆.★°★●.*

Want to receive more? Try giving more. It works. If you work. 

I invite all students to share a favorite paragraph from your current lesson in Your Open Classroom, perhaps with a few words as to what it means to you or how you have been able to apply or see it in your own life. Thank you for sharing your spiritual understanding so that others may benefit. This is choosing to be of service to others. This is your homework. The more you give, the more you receive. The more you receive the more you have to give. This is Universal Law.

Your Open Classroom is always open.  Are you?°☆★°★●*
Readings &  Counseling by phone & in person
Seminars & The Clear & Simple Way School
email or call 323-557-8934

Beautiful Poetry

I know all of you are not poetry lovers, especially if English is not your first language, but I love the flow of this poem this morning as rain falls languidly outside my window and the mourning doves coo their early morning songs. So many poets touched something beyond the mind. They tapped into the great resources that our Eternal Self has always in store for us. Do try tapping in yourself, if not to write prose and poetry, at least to journal, write to the angels, a friend, or just yourself. You can even try writing to God. Or from God. You might be surprised at what happens. All my love, Indira aka Judy -- Oh - and here is a photo of Emily at 16. If you want to read the poem you can click below to read more.

Carl Jung

Love

This is a nice quote. Not easy for the human being though. We have so many judgments. We think we must be right. We know how other people should live their lives better than they do! In fact, we are so busy deciding how other people should live their lives, we often have no time to live our own!

It's easy to post nice quotes. Just as easy to post them and forget about them. This is what most people do, then they are on to the next thing in their multi-tasking world. Don't be like that. Take life slowly. One moment at a time. One now at a time and your life will become one wow at a time! You will be amazed and enraptured by each present moment because that is where you will be.

And don't forget to ask yourself if the words you are reading are true. Do not take the words or teachings of anyone for granted. Do not be a blind believer! Blind believers become blind deceivers. Find out for yourself what is true. Then go and live that truth.

Why?

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are all that matter in this world
you may think other things matter,
like how much money you make
if the stock market crashes
if you save face instead of losing it
Can you really lose your face?
Better pray to the God of your choice
to lose your face and replace it
with the lovely face of God
that would be a prayer of grace
a prayer worth praying
then you would know as I know
Sunflowers are all that matter in this world.

Fear not the fear!

THE CLEAR & SIMPLE WAY
http://www.theclearandsimpleway.com/

The good news is you do not have to have courage. The false self has no courage. It has nothing of its own, not even itself. The false self is like a mirage on the desert. How can a mirage claim that it has anything? The mirage claims it is an oasis; and it is nothing.

We are all walking across the desert towards a mirage that doesn’t exist. Aren’t you tired of being alone on the desert?

The angels whisper to you, Give up. Surrender. Stop. Fall to your knees. Tell yourself the truth. See through the lies you tell yourself.

Stop pretending you have courage. Stop pretending you are not afraid. Be as afraid as you are. Fear not the fear! Fear has no power over you. Fear has no power!

Be as afraid as you are. The false self is afraid that you will see it is not real. That you will see through it.

See through it! See through the mirage. The false self is not an oasis. It is a mere mirage. It doesn’t exist.

The false self is trembling even now, even as you read these words. The false self does not want you to know the truth. It does not want you to know Truth!

Truth does not require that you have courage. Truth has all the courage you need.

Happy Shivaratri Day

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1060876/11-incredible-pictures-of-hindus-celebrating-maha-shivaratri-festival/

The Maha Shivaratri Festival is celebrated by Hindus on March 7 in reverence of the Hindu God Shiva. It is said to be the day Shiva saved the universe by drinking poison and also the day he was married to the Goddess, Parvati. The festival is celebrated mostly during the day, but some hold all night vigils. Shivaratri falls today on the most holy month in the Hindu calendar.

And it's a good reason to post this brilliant picture to brighten your being. 

The inner creates the outer

The Golden Rule

Find your true self. Be that self. Don't be afraid to be who you are. Don't be afraid to express your true nature in all its glory. Don't be afraid. Stop being afraid to be who you are. Stop being afraid of other people. Within you is an innate kindness that always knows what to do. You can be yourself without being unkind to anyone ever.

The trick is to know when you are being tricked by ego. Ego masquerades as your divine nature. When you harm others, you harm yourself.

Ask yourself: Am I being kind? Am I doing unto others as I would have them do unto me? Am I causing harm? Am I following the fear in my mind or the love in my heart? Am I acting from separation or inclusion? Is my action necessary? Is it kind? Is it true?

The golden rule is a wonderful and truthful Guide: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Kalida

Cleaning The Mind

When soot blackens
the chimney of a lamp,
who would waste time yelling
at the flame for not shining
brightly enough?

Patiently clean the impurities
          from the glass of your mind,
the brilliance and beauty of
          your true Self
will illumine all around you
with the light of Love.

    -Kalidas

-One of the greatest poets and dramatists in Sanskrit. His chronicle of the kings of the Raghu clan - Raghuvamsha - the great play Shakuntala and other works depict through many characters the highest ideals of life as seen by the ancient people of Bharat.