 Okay, I think we're live. Hi everybody. My name is Eric and I'm here with my friend David Hofmeister and Hi David, it's good to be here with you. Yeah, good to welcome all of our friends live streaming. We do enjoy these Very spontaneous Yeah, and we we titled this live stream. What is the mystical Christ Academy? Because I think there's a lot of people that have heard about it We've been putting it out and they may know a little bit about it but I thought we could just go into a little bit more depth about what it is and and what it's really for and So just the very basics I think we'll get into more details as we go but it's an eight-week program for anyone who feels drawn to To really experience what Christian mysticism is all about Opening up to Christ opening up to the experience of of yeah recognizing who we are and truth and And the program will include a lot of live elements with interactivity and and and lessons that people can go through the on a weekly basis It's it's going to be I think one of our deepest programs ever We've done a lot of program at least online because we've done a lot of programs that are in Person where people can come and just immerse with us at one of our properties But to be able to do that in a live way This is kind of a new thing that we've just started doing recently with these interactive courses So yeah, it feels exciting and and really new and I just feel grateful to be kind of on the ground floor Developing this with with our our team. We have a team of team Jesus. We're calling it Having fun with just praying and letting the spirit create this whole course and program through us So yeah, I thought maybe David if you could just share anything that comes to mind about like what is this really for? Ultimately like who who would be interested in a program like this and and why what what does it really offer? ultimately Yeah, I think in the most basic terms. This is it's kind of like a Jesus school I I actually have encountered some quite amazing Jesus school where I can feel the spirit the Holy Spirit really swirling and There's a glee and a joy and a happiness and an energy That you can really feel and I feel that with this mystical Christ Academy It's like a it's like an a Jesus school where you kind of get taken in and swept up in a lot of things that will be happening. I know you know, we've we've done a lot of Beautiful like online weekend retreats are for over five years but but this kind of incorporates an Easter online retreat and another one in May as well as bunches of lives and all types of interactive Opportunities that are part of it amazing video clips, you know, it's quite a fun experience But I think it's really for everyone to start to feel the presence of Christ in their heart You know really really get in touch with that And so over the last, you know 37 years I've I've come in contact with quite a few people that that really feel they have a very close connection with Jesus and and we'll talk to Jesus Conversationally, which is a beautiful thing and and here beautiful guidance and and Instructions and directions and I think for anyone who who really loves and adores Jesus and just follows Jesus I think that rare for deep connection that that feeling of direct intimate connection With the presence of the Christ right here with us right now is the most important thing And I think this whole Academy is just aimed at that, you know in the most simple way It's like a backdrop It's like a backdrop or going to a theater where you're always anticipating The experience because you feel like wow, I'm gonna feel that that closeness To Jesus and that's That's the greatest thing, you know for me That's that's the whole point of of all of our experiences to feel that presence of Jesus in us Through us, you know being the hands and feet Letting the light shine through living the Beatitudes living the the Beatitudes that Jesus taught us and And learning to actually forgive actually to let go of Grievances, it doesn't even matter how long-standing the grievances were They they all get lifted up and and shown away in the light the light of the Spirit So I feel it's very exciting that we're coming together for this and it feels like we're just extending a warm welcome and We all know it's just for for letting this continuing contact and connection But Jesus has flowed through, you know in the most simple way. That's that's what comes to mean Yeah I know I mean I just feel like even if nobody came to this academy It's it's just been so helpful for me and and I know it will continue to be because I mean We already have I think 50 people or more signed up, but but I keep coming back to how You know, if I think I'm creating an academy for others then it can feel a little stressful because like I gotta do a really Good job and everything but But I it's just been so healing for me to be on this team and collaborating with laverne and the others who've been helping us over at la casa de milagros and We're we've all just been in prayer every day about what what content Is going to be the most impactful and what what do we feel is the Like if we could take all of your teachings and all the teachings that are available about what Jesus taught And really distill them into the to the primary the core things that the most impactful things that That we use on a daily basis to remember for ourselves this this connection and this presence That's what we're wanting this academy to be to be kind of like a distilled, you know So that so that you don't have to spend Years and years and years to like kind of find this stuff on the internet But it's all going to be in one place like a distilled Form I remember one time you said it in this spiritual path can sometimes feel like drinking your whiskey straight and not on the rocks and You know, we're hoping it won't be too intense, but we do want it to be potent and And give people a straight shot to the present moment Yeah, yeah, that's it. I think everybody is is just Praying to have their faith expanded praying to have their trust go deeper and deeper in the Lord praying to Just feel that intimate connection Always and and just be lit up by the spirit You know to to really be the shining the light of christ I just feel like the experience of of getting in touch with With God and the kingdom of heaven within is is Just beyond words. It's indescribable. It's it's maybe I could say glorious. It's absolutely glorious and and to have that as a As a living presence. It's in your heart. It's that's just guiding and guiding and guiding that to me is what This is christian mysticism is about that's what the the mystical teachings of jesus are about and And to have a format of like wow an eight week academy where you can just scoop it in and and dive in and Share and shine with a bunch of friends who are all online Or for all of these eight weeks. It just it seems like a golden opportunity And I'm just grateful. I feel like this is just the way we live, you know, it's even as you say seemingly Putting together a building the the academy It's just been a Prayer, I feel like you and the team are just in the prayer in the prayer And and looking for the inspiration. Okay. What about what about this? What do you think? Oh, yeah? Yeah, that's it that that really touched my heart. Let's extend this And so it's kind of Over eight weeks. It's kind of a concentrated Dive deep dive into the christ presence, you know, sometimes they talk about You know in a football training camp or a military boot camp or whatever, but this is a glorious joy dive into The presence of christ and letting it just shine through Because I feel like that Love is our natural condition as god created us and and when we just relax Oh, it just comes so effortlessly and so easily it's it's the beatitudes that jesus talked about So I think for some people they they have curiosities around it or were questions Sometimes maybe they've had glimpses and have had kind of an intensity that followed the glimpse Like almost like a Uh an egoic reaction like oh my god. What was that? That was that was beyond words. That was unspeakable. That was powerful That was glorious and and this is more Opening up to dive into it very deeply. So it's it's consistent. So you have a consistent Connection with the christ and and really feel identification with with jesus Beautiful. Hmm. Yeah Yeah, I feel like my connection with jesus is really we just had this other course kind of our pilot course Uh, that just ended a few days ago or a week ago roughly and um Yeah, it was called jesus a gospel of love which is like our whole platform is called that and I feel like ever since we started it's just been a process of it's been for everyone to feel a deeper connection with jesus Because I think I know for myself and a lot of us, um, you know, we've we've it's been easier to connect with the holy spirit because it's that's like an abstract Symbol that's kind of you know, and very helpful, but I think with jesus being that he's a specific Form of the holy spirit. We could say there's something That can has the potential to take us deeper Even with on the topic of guidance how I used to think oh no, the spirit doesn't guide us specifically But then I realized that he does and and that's what we've discovered to be like the key you've been teaching this for decades that that the specific guidance from jesus and the holy spirit is kind of a key to Continuing to expand on this journey and have it feel very alive is Is to be tuning in pray listen and follow the specific guidance that we're being given So I hope this this academy will help open people up to that as well Like how can I hear the guidance more clearly and And I you know through collaboration through I think it's yeah, we seem to get drawn to people who Who resonate who are on the same path with us and these relationships seem to be so supportive In helping strengthen our own ability to really tune in and hear the guidance for ourselves Yeah, I think we live an experience of Of pray listen and follow or trust listen and follow and so for us You know guidance is just an integral part You know when when you seem to be perceiving a world where there's interpersonal relationships, there's Community or group relationships. There's issues around Finances and food and and rest and sleeping there's issues around Transportation and interactions On a lot of seeming levels You can start to feel like well the guidance is the most practical of all because that's where the The vastness of the spirit the expansiveness of the spirit Kind of trickles through any kind of ego belief system or filter and comes out as Go here go there do this do that But so much so that it happens and happens and happens and then you feel more like we call being done through You you feel less and less identified with the person or the personality And it's just you know, you're listed and carried and and done through In infinite numbers of ways, which you you don't even try to keep track of you know, it's just like you're in the river it's like You were trying to navigate as an individual and then somehow The body's like a twig that got thrown in the in the amazon river or the colorado river And the twig is just rushing along Bobbling and bouncing wherever the river would take it it it actually Feels like that but it doesn't it doesn't have the fear associated with it, you know when when you're surrendered And you've Surrendered the identification with the twig and then it's quite it's kind of a joy ride But if you're identified as the twig I can see like oh my god. I've just been swallowed up by something that's so vast. I can't Can't even imagine it that's you know, it's I think it obviously it's just ego identity identification that is scary and it's Spirit identification identification with Christ and with the Holy Spirit that That makes things really joyful, you know There's like a real joyfulness and a natural friendliness and a natural Kindness and a natural respect that comes from being lined up with spirit And that's my prayer for everyone who comes to the academy is just to give yourself over Have the faith and trust to to just yeah engage and enter in and Expect a lot of miracles if you're going to expect anything from this academy expect miracles I think it's going to be a lot of miracles Yeah, I've noticed that oftentimes people when they come to one of our events or one of our In either in person or online they the ego gets kind of stirred up The once they make the commitment to come And then And I think a lot of people take that to me. No, maybe I'm not supposed to come And yet what we've discovered is that's a good thing like the ego is getting stirred up out of its hiding place in our mind and And then it'll get projected onto onto people and on even onto the program and things like that But it it's all part of the necessary healing that has to happen to like it has to come up and out and yeah, I was thinking earlier a lot about the idea of forgiveness because obviously that's a core tenet in in awakening is is to to forgive the projections to forgive the grievances But I'd love to hear more about that process because I think I think some people think it it has to be like a Like there's a technique to it. I used to feel like I had to have a technique for forgiveness and I've come to see now that I just have to be willing Like jesus said 2000 years ago forgive and you will be forgiven and and he's he a lot of his teachings were Telling us to forgive, but when it comes to how to forgive I you know, I I realized it actually isn't difficult, but it just requires A willingness to to be wrong about my perceptions to be like a little child as he said and not think I already know What's good? What's bad? What's right? What's wrong? But maybe you could share a bit about forgiveness because I think that'll be a key I think people will the miracles will come But they may be preceded by what seemed to be like more stirring up of the ego that that has to happen for it to be cleared out Yeah, it's almost like if we If we came directly to jesus and said, you know, teach me How to forgive show me How to forgive and jesus said, okay, I will But you will have to let go of everything you believe about forgiveness Everything you've ever learned about forgiveness Everything you you were sure you had at least some aspect right about it because it's not what you think it is But it yields peace. It yields happiness. It yields joy. You'll know by the experience When you have extended the gift of forgiveness You will know by how you feel you will feel The beatitudes that jesus talked about so Initially, I remember I remember growing up christian and really reading the bible and there was one part in the bible Which was that god is no respecter of persons that stuck with me Early on god is no respecter of persons And then many years later, you know, uh, you know read miguel ruiz's Four agreements book one of the four agreements is Not taking anything personally Hmm It seems to go with god is no respect for persons and then You know starting to go deeper into this idea That maybe there's been this little dark spot in the mind that has been clouding things It was a filter that was blocking the light and maybe I need to Forgive my mind for believing in the in the speck You know how jesus even said in the bible, you know before you try to get the speck out of your brother's eyes Get the beam or the log out of your own well, maybe this beam or log Is is what needs to be released? Maybe it's not so much about person forgiving another person as much as it is is the mind Letting go of of an entire belief system of error You know, some people call it sin Some people call it grievances Some people call it darkness, you know, you can call it really whatever you want but but if if that Darkness or error or sin is a mistake to be corrected and if i'm told by jesus It is done. It is finished. It is accomplished. That's that's basically what he was sharing, you know from the cross It is finished Then it must mean that I can accept the correction for that error Through christ jesus I can accept the correction for that error through The comforter the holy spirit That's why I want to contact the presence of jesus the presence of the holy spirit is Is that I may be shown that that it is finished the error has been corrected Uh salvation is accomplished through christ jesus. Wow That's a that's an interesting phrase, but it's got it's got a vibrancy to it Yay Wow, hallelujah. Yay. Glory. Glory. Glory. So practically speaking That's what the everything's about not just mystical Christ academy, but but you might say everything That we think say and do ultimately comes down to Alignment with god surrender to an alignment with god so That the mind and I can have the mind of christ jesus as in my own mind as my own mind I can I can yield to the light of christ and let go of Errors and mistakes that that basically have been blocking the light from direct awareness So that to me is is what forgiveness really is it's it's I mean if god is pure love then It's not god that has to forgive. It's it's It's my mind for believing in separation for believing in distance between my creator and myself It's it's like really forgiving yourself in the sense of forgiving your mind Or leaving the lie of the serpent You know if we roll it all the way back to genesis, you know, and and you've got the lie of the serpent and it's like forgiveness would have to be Exposing and and voluntarily willingly saying I must have been mistaken About this because god is loves and the lie of the serpent Does not seem to love be love or feel like love The devil never feels good So, you know in ultimate sense, we're we're actually saying I'm going to forgive myself or Investing in or believing in the devil or or even giving attention To this erroneous Thought system that god really wouldn't have anything to do with I don't think it's in the end If god is pure love then pure love Uh, it's unassailable. The love of god is we'll say unassailable. What does that mean for a mind that's Praying to know god it would mean But that mind that wants to know god for that heart that wants to know god God is inevitable If the love of god is unassailable Then for one who's created by that love who who is loved by by god Then it must be that's our destiny Is to to know god our destiny is to come into that christ presence of I and the father are one Even though this world seems to present a lot of evidence that to the contrary You know, I like that acronym fear false evidence appearing real Oh, wow, that's deep if if it is false evidence appearing real then I want I want to see a witness. I want to see lots of witnesses that are reflections of Of the divinity that's that is my in my heart. That is the truth So there we go, you know, what a what a deep dive down the rabbit hole of Into the core of the bible into the core of all the great teachings that the Mystics and saints and the prophets have pointed to Let's let's just dive right smack dab into the middle of that experience. That's that's an exciting way to go To go at it. That's a good attitude to have going in Go right to the core. Yeah Yeah, that feels so good Yeah, don't we don't want to waste time just get Get to the core and Forgive and be happy. Yeah. Yeah, Jesus said that a lot. Do not tarry Do not tarry. Do not wait. Do not delay The kingdom of heaven is in hand, you know The kingdom of heaven is in hand. It's the kingdom of heaven is within Okay, those are some good pointers and instructions Then it's about really taking that faith dive that that trust dive You know to find, you know, if a man Finds a grave treasure in a land He sells everything he he has to to purchase that land so that he can have the treasure and I think that's a great metaphor for the heart like Don't store your treasures up on earth Where thief and moth Mosque and rust can come, you know where where earth is temporary earth is time and space and and why Store your treasures up. Why put your heart into the temporary when the eternal beckons The eternal is beckoning saying remember like in the lion king Mufasa from the from the skies above remember remember that mufaf mufasa Talking to simba the sun is very much like When jesus is at the river jordan, you know, and they say You know the doves descended down And landed on jesus and then And then the voice from the heaven spoke it said this is my beloved son and whom i'm well pleased That's kind of a replayed in the mufasa Simba story in the lion king, you know Remember remember remember who you are remember your true identity remember our creator Our loving father remember remember so it's kind of exciting actually You know when we when we really that's like epic This is epic. This is not You know, we're not going to look at it. Oh, well, it's going to be eight weeks And you know daily the daily things, you know, this is epic This is a journey of discovery Of what it means to live in the presence of christ and and feel the love Of god, you know, there's nothing short of that. That's for sure Yeah Well, I thought I could actually do a quick screen share just to show people our website And then show them kind of what the inside of the course looks like really briefly just anyone who's curious and If they want to get a sneak peek into what what this looks like in a practical sense So I'll just share my screen here and and show everyone This is the website that we actually uh, we set up not that long ago If I mean we've had the the url for a while But we we then put this whole new platform on there Jesus the gospel of love which you can kind of see our little logo there and then Yeah, if you visit the christ.net, we've got programs courses. We've got an online community You can visit but the Yeah, this mystical christ academy This is the website for it. We've got a 20 discount until march 26th, which is just in two days actually And you can read here. We've got just a lot of information. We've got a few videos and kind of more More information And then and also if you go down below in this youtube if you're watching this on youtube or facebook or somewhere The the the link to this is in there as well But i'll show you guys too the inside because this is the this is a What the inside looks like for the last the pilot course that we just finished about a week ago It's like a brand new online platform that we have which is super user friendly And really beautiful. We've got Like a thing on the left where you can go into the the community We're going to have an online community that all the students will be part of Where they can interact with us and with each other during the academy And then yeah, then you just go through the lessons We've just got all these lessons here and this is like the welcome chapter with kind of the preliminaries And then we're going to have a lot of live sessions. This is a what it looked like when we had a bonus live session with francis about a week or two ago and You click it takes you to a little event page and it's a zoom link and Yeah, this and then each day is just going to have lots of little videos and Journaling exercises. We're going to have guided meditations Um Yeah, I just think it's it's going to be very interactive and very easy very user friendly So you can even do it on your cell phone. You're going to have a little access to that platform there as well That's good. If you're on the go just take your smart phone with you and yeah Pop in there. So, you know, no problem Exactly. Yeah, even if you're driving to put your phone up and pop into the zoom room and you can at least And just keep your eyes on the road though at the same time Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful. I think You know, Jesus was basically teaching us how to live with Guidance of the Holy Spirit with he called it mana from heaven a lot of times, you know, he would have some pretty long Teaching sessions with some pretty big crowds and and some of us know there were some miracles associated with that You know as well, you know the fishes and the loaves multiplying one time that was a pretty drastic out of a pattern kind of experience not not typical On planet earth and and then when you start to really look at the teachings that That basically are pointing towards the kingdom of heaven within it's it's towards a a pristine glorious loving presence of light that is there for all of us however, it if it's been covered over by Make-believe laws almost like a fictitious or a fantasy land of of laws that Admittedly the humans seem to be interacting with on our part of you know laws of economics and laws of physics and and laws of supply and demand and reciprocity And laws of medicine and laws of nutrition and on and on and on the depths of the teachings of jesus though is You know if you forgive Then any laws that are not of god Vanish and disappear in the light of heaven so I think this is why um for many people they've had maybe a little curiosity or An interest in the lives of the mystics and saints, but But when you tell them well, there is a practical Christianity a very practical Christianity then that kind of raise up some curiosity like really practical Christianity wow, that's This Christianity that the teachings of jesus seem pretty radical in context of this world They seem to be calling us to another way of looking at the world or or living in another realm In a spiritual realm So practically speaking the question becomes okay Then how do I give myself over to this and i'm sure There's been curiosity with the mystics and saints, but Sometimes maybe it's like no, they're there's still a distance like you know, they're They're living their life very different than the perceived life and there could even be some skepticism or some Some feelings of discomfort Around that, you know people can say well, I'm I'm practicing Connecting with jesus every day and I'm doing the best I can but they'll say but I'm not mother Teresa And I'm I'm not gondi and I'm not st. Francis and What we're saying is that the mystics And saints even if we look at someone like mary baker ready, you know deep deeply devoted to to jesus and to practicing and living The teachings of jesus in in a very full and uncompromising way That's wonderful. That's so beautiful And I think it's helpful to be able to openly Express if you're working through things and you have a group of people there that are loving and accepting and give you A space to speak what's on your mind or speak up your feelings That's helpful Because there's an allowance and a permission That of softness a gentleness that allows for this Big kind of inner transformation that to happen that wants to happen That that we're praying to be more christlike So it wants to happen and yet we have to Have faith that it will happen and we have to have that be the center of our prayers You know, they talk about centering prayers coming coming back to that that calm still tranquil presence and letting that power ignite and and Bring forth this transformation So it's like they say in the bible the renewing of our mind. We're asking for our mind to be renewed and to Experience christ in the moment in the newness of this moment And and be lifted up by that joyful experience So I like that we have a lot of audio visuals and there's all kinds of things in this academy including lots of lives and and partaking in Like an easter retreat together and then the follow-up in in may You know, it just seems to be packed with opportunities and really What else would we want but opportunities to be christlike, you know, lots of opportunities to To realistically be christlike and I mean by that In the love and the presence of christ with the same attitudes the same be attitudes You know, we don't have to Try to aim for certain form ideals, you know and compare ourselves in a form to another person or a previous person because I think there's a lot of pressure and stress in that Comparison attempt And I think jesus is just in our heart saying i'm right here. I'm right here. I want to To be your greatest friend. I want you to merge with me. I want you to To feel what divine love feels like and yeah, we're saying yes. We're saying yes to that That beautiful invitation Yeah Yeah, I think it's it's it's good too that you know, it's not about trying to be perfect in behavior It's not about behavior at all really the behaviors seem to To change naturally or we we seem to become more kind and loving but but not through our own effort Like it does have to Like the only thing we really can do is just ask and trust and and be willing for this experience Of clearing our mind from everything that's not Christ's love and then It does feel like he kind of starts to take over our whole being like it our whole life It starts to feel more Like involuntary that you've used that word a lot that it just kind of takes over and it feels more like i'm I'm in the tractor beam of love more and more I'm so grateful for that and when i'm not in that then it can feel kind of hectic, but I I also Yeah, it kind of motivates me more to Okay, I don't like this. I I did like it that way when I was just under christ control and so I need to surrender again. I need to just trust again just ask him to help me again And that seems to be the key. It's just to ask. It's just so simple Yeah, yeah, it seems like it with the world and time and space Just the belief in the world can bring up so much intensity like it's a A struggle to keep your head sometimes psychologically and emotionally Keep your head above the water, you know to keep from feeling like you're drowning or you're succumbing to something to to to a death wish to the ego to the devil and then so I really feel like it's our our Responsibility it's our calling to To connect to that light and and let that light shine through in a way that that brings healing and brings comfort You know, I was when we were talking a little well ago I sometimes I get a a song from long ago We both love music so much and I was like, what's this song coming to mind? It was from the the group kansas You know carry on my way weird sign They'll be peace when you are done Lay your weary head to rest Don't you cry no more. I mean just that little line from that song is is like We might think of the human condition as we've forgotten The love of our heavenly creator Is like the wayward son. They'll be peace when you are done. They'll be peace when you forgive when you forgive Everything when you forgive your mind when you forgive yourself when you forgive everything that you've ever believed when you When you come with open empty Arms unto the lord thy god and feel that stillness and peace and connection They'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more this this world and time and space it's been like a veil of tears and um I think the prayer of our heart is for joy and for inner peace and for an experience where that where there are no more tears where the tears have dried up And it's just beaming sparkling eyes and beaming smiles and laughter and joy, you know Happy joy glee like children have when they're playing they're just gleeful You know that that's the prayer of our heart, you know, that's what we want to experience. I think deep inside we know that's our inheritance because because of god because God is is our creator ultimately and and because all life is in our creator eternal life is uh is our destiny And what seems to be our biological life? It seems to include a lot of opportunities for forgiveness daily opportunities or forgiveness and we we can relate to that just because of The emotional roller coaster ride that we've been through that we call the human experience and I think what's great is to come together and not be in a state of denial or not just try to affirm affirm I think there's a big allowance of allowing the darkness to come up And not repressing it and denying it and pushing it away. So that's a component of of forgiveness But in the end it's like you said it's I don't really feel in the end It's it's not so much a process as it's it's a state of non-judgment, you know, that was The teachings, I mean if you boil down the sermon on the mount to Two words it would have to be judge not or the longer version is judge not lest ye be judged, you know But just the first two words of that statement. I think that that really kind of Demonstrates or it just carries the whole essence of the Of the forgiveness that Jesus taught And he taught it obviously in more than words It was from his gentle gaze It was from his his smile It was it was from the kind gestures that he would make when he was standing in a boat and teaching or Even when he was sleeping in about one time and he woke him up lord lord We or they're telling themselves we perish we perish and then jesus appears And and calms the seas and says oh you have little faith, you know, so obviously he's pointing to a faith Something that's there like believe in me and you shall have eternal life meaning believe in this Presence this christ presence this spirit and believe in the holy spirit who will guide you He's the comfort or he will instruct you And and open your heart up to god's love In the most practical way that to me has been everything I I always feel for me jesus is so so so practical That I I learned instead of Looking to the world or looking to my past learnings to pray And turn to jesus in in a time of need in a time of emergency in a time of Unfulfillment or a feeling of lack of worth or Shame or any of the emotions that come up during the human lifetime Turn to jesus and and let jesus give the the soft gentle answer. You are beloved You are beloved of god You are A creation of the beloved of the creator and and bring us back way way way to that deep experience of of love and connection So to me, that's what the spiritual Journey is about it's really the coming to the moment of acceptance Of of opening up to align with god and and I think that's That's really the for all people in all nations and all cultures and and Obviously for christians to be christ-like And to not judge, you know is Is essential We know how it feels when we judge and it doesn't feel good And we know how it feels when we just accept And and we feel that tranquility and calmness in our heart. We we know oh this is that experience that jesus was Pointing to when he said a judge not But we don't want it just for a glimpse. We want it for eternity And and that's the beautiful message of jesus is like well actually it is It is for eternity. It is it's an eternal state Being one with god and and we want That we want to pray and pray and go into that And why not do it side by side hand in hand arm in arm, you know Why not allow the support of of our brothers and sisters of let the support of the angels come Under us if we need some wind beneath our wings, let's let a legion of angels come Under our wings and lift us up and and let's feel That it's natural. It's meant to be easy and natural to be christlike and it's it's actually very Unnatural to believe in the ego or the devil You know we we have to do flip it let the holy spirit flip it around and say no it's natural To be one with god and it's unnatural to pretend to be something else That that is not part of god It's we are creations of god Hmm Yeah We're just basking We're basking in the tractor beam and saying all right god, you know Take take me into your loving arms. Take me into your heart, you know That uh, we don't want to to play the game of the prodigal son And anymore, you know Uh, I think that was one of the parables that jesus told the most because It was such a direct parable of uh Of a son who believed he squandered You know what was given him And uh, believe he had to just be content with uh feeding the pigs and then You know, he thought oh even my My father's servants have it better than this and that was just that turn that turn turn in mind like to go back and in the same thing in the lion king when simba goes off, you know, and He meets some friends, but he tries to contend himself, you know with the eating bugs and A kuna matata No cares no worries, but underneath he's got some guilt and shame At believing he it turned his back on on his His homeland and I think that that the lion king really is is teaching this prodigal son story in a modern day context, you know for the children to see it Played out in animation in disney animation I remember when that lion king when it first came out that they said they had like 12 Collaborators that that had really worked on the movie together. Usually they just had a very small team But these are 12 writers and collaborators and and you know that experience right now with With laverne and the whole team that all the synergy and all the the faith that's gone into Letting this academy come And it's a wonderful feeling when you're working and you feel that connection With with all your collaborators, you know, I think people on sports teams talk about it and there's so many Reflections of collaboration, even though it's it's a little more of a rarity in a world of projected, you know competition and Conflict and scarcity, but but wow, that's a real Present way to feel the love of jesus is is through Collaboration we're all in this together for jesus. We're we're doing this for you jesus, you know, we're we're We are willing servants to come to know your love and experience your love directly Wow, that that says it all right there, you know, that's that's pretty simple and direct but that's I think that's what's underneath all of this for sure Yeah, it's really showing how we're all one mind too when When we're collaborating and then we're praying together and sharing all of our thoughts and then we we land on Oh, that's it. That's the idea and we we're all hearing it and Oftentimes we even hear it at the same time like oh, that's it and it's yeah Just showing us that there really is no separation. We're all We're all part of this one experience that's we are Yeah, it all clicks Yeah, we wish that on everyone, you know to be able to live your life. Whoa Do you feel it? Yes, I do. I feel it too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you know, what a contrast to a world of debates and arguments and who's right and who's wrong and consequences and all these things I think the the immediate consequences of following Jesus and the Holy Spirit is present joy and then The attempt to resist following Jesus and the Holy Spirit What a what a conundrum what a predicament and we could just call it let's just call it the human condition Because everyone's got that intuition That's there that small still voice it's there no matter what culture no matter what Religion, you know, it's that small still voice Is there and when we acknowledge it And we connect with it and we embrace it and when we follow it mainly Then that I think the joy is just so natural. It's just a bursting joy So, uh, that's been my experience. I mean people even send me Send me gifts. I'm got I got a collection of lambs and this is from Fatima. There's mother Mary The little cross on top you can kind of see there it is and this and that Little the little kneeling lambs Looking up, you know Looking up on the knees looking up That one is good. And then this last year I was like, um Oh my gosh, it gets the presence get bigger and bigger, but There's a little Baby Jesus and look at the smile on little baby Jesus you've got You know smile you see Joseph and Mary there and you see the kings and the wisemen and And and look at that happy baby Jesus You know as far as babies go I think they're known for for wedding Wedding their diapers and crying a lot but not that one. Um, My not not in my world The baby Jesus has rosy red cheeks and a big smile And and he's in he's still in the swaddling clothes. He he hasn't even got out of the swaddling clothes Yet and he's already like, yeah Love is here Be of good cheer love is here And uh, and then of course maybe 30 30 some years later, you know, he's He's using really using those words, you know, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world I've overcome temptation. I have overcome evil. I've overcome error I've overcome sadness and pain and shame and guilt and death Oh, yeah, the whole thing no wonder. He's smiling While he's still in the swaddling clothes because he's he's looks like as a baby. He's had a prophecy Uh, how how will the world end the world will end in laughter The world will end when you forgive and realize that god is all in all The world will end in happiness The world will end in joy You know, that's my experience Of my connection with jesus is it's playful. It's humorous What a sense of humor always always always looking Showing me the the light side the lighter side the comical side You know poking fun At the world, you know, sometimes i'm sharing and everything and I can't help but say Jesus is laughing or the angels are laughing or or there's a legion of angels laughing Because that's the feel that's what it feels like I feel it So i'm just letting it come through as I feel it And then people write they go Type in the comments. Yeah Angels are laughing they type in because they feel it too And and that's what we want. We want that Connection to just go on and on and on forever and ever and ever World without end If we want to see the world as the holy spirit sees it It must be a forgiven world. It must be a world without conflict and competition It must be a world without arguments Harmony feels much better than arguing You know at some point in my life. I just I just thought I I think i'm through with arguing I I think i'm actually through with debating Which can come in handy now with social media because if you're through with debating Then you can actually enjoy social media But if you've got a little twinge of Bates still left in you watch out You might walk through the fires of hell on social media With a little bit of of hesitation about whether to debate or not I have had friends, you know that they say that's my greatest temptation They tell me they go on social media They start reading the post and then they just They almost have to keep their hands off the keyboard because something wants to rear up in them And and rebel or rebuttal, you know do some rebuttal And they say whoa, this is this is great. I must get be getting closer to heaven Because I'm really watching myself. I'm not I'm not flying off the handle with these things. I'm I'm praying So that's obviously the point of social media is to pray To deepen your prayer life, you know, if anybody asks you what's what is the purpose of technology and social media? It's very simple. It's just to deepen your prayer life That's that's the simple answer right That's what everything's for it. I suppose it's also goes where we're still tempted and give us an opportunity to pray instead Yeah, yeah I think a lot of times people For a lot of christians they feel like every day. They're facing some pretty heavy temptations, but But in the end, I think that's where jesus is so confident in Our creator and our true innocence and he knows it. He knows it true and through and through so So that's where You know, we can get lighter and lighter and lighter with it and start to remember the gentle laughter of the holy spirit with whatever we're faced with but but I don't really associate temptations with some kind of dark dark wrongness. I just think Uh, they're a mistake and and they're a mistake that christ has corrected and and the holy spirit has corrected so So they don't it doesn't have the ooh kind of Heavy feeling it's it's more like Reminds me a statue. I saw one time When I was in Cincinnati of uh, I was taking a walk up steps towards this uh, St. Bernard church and there was a statue of mother mary and she She had the snake under her foot under her bare foot was The head of the snake and it had an apple in his mouth. Like it It was speechless Literally an apple filling its mouth and her foot over the top of the head of a snake You can just see the eyes and and the the mouth of the snake and you know I just laughed when I saw that because I went yeah that That is a kind of a graphic representation of uh, of Jesus's teachings, you know, be of good cheer. I've overcome the world You know, it was the snake with an apple in its mouth so I think It's just whenever we have a spec of doubt Uh, what that tries to mar our faith and that's that's what we're We're really working on is letting Jesus Help at letting the Holy Spirit lift that uh little speck Lift it up and and it's good to think of it as a speck because if God's will for us is happiness Then doubt thought must be an infinitesimal speck And and we don't need to blow it up Into something that seems big or huge Because to the Holy Spirit and Jesus it's not It's it's been handled And and we can know that it's handled if we join in prayer with Jesus and the Holy Spirit so I feel that Jesus offers when we follow Jesus our confidence grows, but it's not a confidence based on anything in the world It's just an inner confidence There's a smile that lights up our face our eyes get more sparkly and more twinkly Because of this inner confidence our faith and trust is strong not because of circumstances In the world. We're not playing that game of I'll be happy when the circumstances change It's more. I'll be happy when I'm willing To line up with God in my mind Then I that's my happiness. It's not waiting on time Waiting for circumstances to get better waiting for the conditions to get better We're we're just not interested in the waiting game anymore. You know, this is a present moment Faith connection experience Yeah Yeah, and I like the idea too that it's inevitable that it doesn't even really depend on my personal effort like My ability to be faithful or something. It's kind of Like it just it's just happening It's it's happening to all of us this kind of this the faith is growing or the faith the mind is Being drawn into the faith because it's becoming more and more painful to do anything else to You know, so that's that's comforting that okay I don't have to personally become more spiritual or better at anything even forgiveness I just have to just really It's just trusting that he's gonna kind of it's grace that saves me that saves my mind Yeah, that's it. That's the that's the part of the Lord's prayer that jumps out to me I will be done On earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily breath give us this day You know just stay in alignment with the Lord stay In the truth of God's word stay Lined up with God. Don't don't try to stray, you know, let's let's say well this prodigal son game You know is it's a game I really can pass on now I'm willing to be a passerby like Jesus said be passerby, you know, I'm willing to pass by That game because I've been shown by the Holy Spirit and Jesus that the game doesn't serve me It doesn't serve my happiness. It doesn't serve my peace and joy So that's that sounds simple, but actually when you really put it into practice You feel like a momentum strength There's a trueness behind all that it's It seems like it overturns all the laws of this world And that's why Jesus was a great wayshower because of all the miracles That seemed to just flow effortlessly through him and And I noticed in the Gospels it was the ones that had the faith And that were the believers that experienced the miracles and the healings And it is saying by your faith you are healed by your faith. You are healed Why do you call me good? Only God is good, you know, it's constantly pointing back to the creator The creator the creator the creator. It's all about the creator It's it's not about the the minutiae of Human existence. It's about the creator the spirit the eternal divine love So I know you're like me. We both we love the music. I I've been watching you on worship services You know when you're oh, which guitar and and do I need a What is it called on the bar you put on a Apo and and everything and then you just kind of like you're just all lined up like you're Like you're stepping into the batter's box for Jesus like you're you know You cleats you just dig right in there and swing that bat You've got your guitar in hand and you're ready to just groove for Jesus, you know And that's why musicians are there it is. It's right there There's my cleats in my baseball bat. That's your cleats in baseball bat You're stepping up and you're ready to go for the home run And then when worship service starts, you know, you get that smile like you've got now like here. I am I'm I'm in my element. I'm I'm Lined up and doing the thing that I was meant to do And then you can just concentrate on that ball coming in Whack just long Huge Babe Ruth kind of arcing home run Just gentle try to do the dance like ebb and almighty just do the dance around those bases like yeah Yeah, of course. Of course home run come home Leave the bases behind and come come home come full circle to As god created you come back to the truth come back to the lord So, yeah, it's exciting. You know, this We get excited. You know, we haven't we always have new variations. So this time we're calling it mystical Christ academy, you know Really saying just Come to the presence that you truly are and academy because it's it's over eight weeks, but You know sometime we take our Our nourishment bites and bite sizes and Day by days we like it to be dripped to us You know, we like it to be something we can assimilate we can we can digest we can Practice we can integrate we we don't you know, we don't don't hammer us over the head with something But give us a little bite of nourishment day by day step by step So, yeah, I think that's fun. You know, I I always find that Delightful, you know, I just kind of had my hands. Oh, okay. I can't wait to jump in for day one because You know, it's a collaboration. I like the feeling of collaborating Yeah, yeah, it's going to be fun There's going to be a lot of live sessions with thank you and other people in our community to just share from their heart and we're going to have weekly q&a sessions and Yeah, and music. I think there's going to we're going to have our worship services every sunday that'll be kind of and I think Yeah, just kind of giving people everything we can to To to dive in deep with this material That's good. I think I do get a lot of messages through there's so many platforms There's messengers and what's up and and Emails and all kinds of of platforms, but But I think a lot of times people just they want to connect they want to engage They they say David. I really want to just pour my heart out and hear what you have to say And as you go into mysticism, you know, like I was just into meditation today and Putting the music on shuffle and just drifting and higher and higher and losing track of time and space so I've done a lot of in the last 37 years a lot of questions and answers a lot of Counseling calls a lot of I mean countless I must feel almost infinite Of amount over the years, but as you go into mysticism you just start to Feel like you're merging with the light and you're just merging and merging So as jesus tells us, you know, there'll become a time when the use for words is is almost over And so I think that's really a blessing and a benefit of of this academy because Because of the engagement because of the opportunities for interactivity because people want to ask questions of Even when they're going through resistance Say what did you do or what's the spirit telling you right now or Is there can we pray together? even in an online session just pray for clarity and guidance or maybe even some specific guidance may come through Which can be like you said at the beginning can be very helpful Yeah, you know when you really need an answer that that you can move forward with That it's beyond just the presence of god loves me, but it's coming through in a way that oh, this is actually Very practically helpful As a step I can take right now so I know that's how we live in community we We just had a community call Said yesterday And I saw you in the in the back of the the chairs I could see your face in the middle there, but If afterwards they were telling me it was almost five hours It was like four hours and 40 minutes or something And I'm like really because I I just get into the joy the joy of the lord and and 30 seconds and five hours are about the same to me I I kind of I just lose track of the passage of time when I'm with The god and and that's actually the way I enjoy living. That's what I call life Is his being immersed in the presence of god's love so So, you know, that was beautiful too because there's a lot of open sharing and a lot of You know inspiring ideas and and even A doubt thought or or something a bit of darkness being expressed And that it can be embraced in the light, you know, it can just be lifted away by the holy spirit So that's to me kind of what this academy can be because It has that same opportunity for openness and for sharing and and pouring your heart out And connecting in in that deep way, you know And the lives are really great too because just when you're marinating on some Video clip you saw or some song or something that really touched your heart Then you're open and then you go on to a live and wow Voila your your heart opens even more in the live and that's kind of like Unraveling the mystery, you know, it seems that uh connection with god Seems to be the great mystery, but I think as we Have faith and develop that faith It's it starts to feel much more easy and natural And and it's the mysterious aspects just kind of fade away So it's more like it's You know, like jesus was presented with the opera In the 40 days in the desert, you know, I can you can have the whole world if you want the devil said and he's like no, thank you Uh, that's all we want. We just want to be in the No, thank you when temptation knocks on our door No, thank you No With a big smile on our face like Not fallen for it Not going to buy it Anymore and yeah, you can feel the joy and the momentum with that the strength Of walking in in christ Yeah, yeah Wow Well, I feel pretty empty. Maybe that's Coming to the end of this Yeah, yeah, that's that's it Then you were saying that that It's part of uh, we're getting close to I guess you put it out like an early bird special. So Something about 20 off. So that's nice. That's part of us Saying yeah, you know come on slip in the door and uh And get ready for it's an april 5th is the uh, It's the launch date the beginning That's right. Yep starts on april 5th with a live opening session and In the uh early bird special ends and just a couple days sunday march 26 For 20 off. So I think the link is in the description to this live stream for those of you that are Are feeling the call to join us in this next eight week adventure Yeah Love it. I love it really really grateful for this Yeah, me too me too Well, thank you so much. David that was gorgeous gorgeous conversation. I'm sorry. Yeah, we always Have fun. Oh, I'm doing live with well, I'm just gonna show up. Yeah, we just have fun showing up. We actually uh Don't know what's gonna come out, but that we don't have to know We just feel the presence That's it Okay, well, thanks everybody for joining us and we hope to see you in the academy soon Yeah Thank you so much