 Well, we're getting very close to the top of the hour and I see David is on the couch So I'm going to pass the microphone over enjoy the day folks Beautiful Welcome Welcome to everybody. I'm so glad that you can come and join us in this virtual retreat Sorry, I had no mic I was just saying welcome to everybody so glad you could join me on this online retreat Yes, and thank you to those of you who wrote out your questions so we can go into that and explore that Thank you to each one of you who gave us your question and we are going to address them now Yeah, I really feel your hearts. Some of you have just poured out your hearts in these written questions I really feel your hearts. Some of you just opened all your hearts in these questions Some of them are metaphysical questions Others are questions about practical guidance hearing the Holy Spirit Some of the questions are very specific regarding Your current situation and what would be helpful to move beyond that perception There's even a question about having what would you say about a Holy Spirit filled marriage? That's an interesting can of worms There's a question that is still related to how to have a marriage filled by the Holy Spirit Charlotte brought a question about the wife with her partner and the iba and the difficulties that this question takes I thought I would start out today trying to give all these questions a context text. You seem to be born into a body with a very sharp slap on the rear end and some pain to start things off. That should be a hint that this place is not heaven. And then you seem to grow, the body grows and you seem to learn and uncover these instincts that you seem to have. And then at some point you start to discover there's a lot of programming and conditioning to being a human being on planet Earth. And this programming is all based on the belief in linear time. But for most of your life you're not aware of this. You think you have all kinds of specific problems about finances and health, relationships, all kinds of issues that really are not the issue. But the deepest programming is that you're here in this world to make something of yourself. So the basic, the baseline is to survive, but then you also are supposed to become a good functioning mature human being. And then after becoming the best human being you can become, then you have to die. So part of that is even preparing for death, learning to prepare yourself to die. You're supposed to have a plan for that, even cremation or get buried into the ground. You have to plan for everything. And you notice along the way that you have times that you are very confused and very disoriented. And you don't really know the source of the confusion because it just keeps coming back from time to time. So what we are learning from A Course in Miracles is that the problem is an identity confusion in the mind. And it comes from believing and thinking that you're something different than the way you truly are. And to wake up from this false identity you start to realize that there is a purpose that you have to fulfill. That you don't escape from this world through death, you have to escape through your purpose of forgiveness. And so knowing this we can start to focus on that new purpose. And also say that as you open your mind to this new purpose the ego will become more and more threatened. Because this purpose will show you and give you an experience that there is no ego. And now you see why the ego is threatened. The ego feels if you embrace this new purpose it will be gone, just obliterated. So this purpose that will help you awaken to heaven is perceived by the ego as a death. And that's why there is enormous resistance to hearing and following the Holy Spirit. Every single time you listen and follow the Spirit the ego perceives it as a march towards death. So this morning we want to use this context to help us get clearer around our questions and confusions. And I have from chapter 22 a section 4 titled The Branching of the Road. So if you study A Course in Miracles this is fairly late in the text. When you get this late in the text it's like Jesus is saying let's get down to business here. Let's really see what is important in this awakening. So I thought I could read some of this in English and I wonder, Juliana do you have a radio on the page? She has access to it. So I suppose what we'll do, I kind of like the idea of going sentence by sentence instead of paragraph by paragraph. So I like the idea of sentence by sentence, phrase by phrase, not paragraph by paragraph. Somebody asked what chapter it was. Chapter 22 and section 4, The Branching of the Road. So the first sentence is when you come to the place where the branch in the road is quite apparent you cannot go ahead. You must go either one way or the other. And so we are seeing that when you reach a place of being stuck or confused, the place where you're questioning what is the purpose of this life, or maybe you're even feeling trapped. It's not because something has gone wrong. It's just because you have come to a point where you must clearly choose the purpose for your life. And it says for now, if you go straight ahead the way you went before you reached the branch, you will go nowhere. And this is meaning that your past learning, which you have been following, will no longer serve to guide you in a helpful way. Even if you think you were the greatest traveler in the history of the world, it's not going to work from this point forward if you are using your past. Maybe you think you were Jacques Cousteau or Magellan, Christopher Columbus, it doesn't matter. It's not going to help you at all to go forward. Even if you believe you were Jacques Cousteau or Magellan or Cristobal Columbus, it doesn't matter. It won't help you move forward. Even the famous ones, they reach a point where they go, I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm supposed to be one of the best. The whole purpose of coming this far was to decide which branch you will take now. The way you came no longer matters. It can no longer serve. So basically Jesus is telling you your history is completely insignificant. It doesn't matter if you have had a good family life or a bad family life. You had a successful life or maybe your life was a complete failure. You have hundreds of friends or no friends. It doesn't matter. It's all wiped. Zero. No importance. But even though that can seem to be difficult to receive, no one who reaches this far can make the wrong decision, although he can delay. So this is very good news for all of us. You can't mess it up. The only thing you can seem to do is delay. And what is delay but standing there at the branching of the road and not going in a direction? So this is one point where to do nothing is not yet something in the mind, something that the mind can comprehend. There's an action of mind required, an action of embracing a purpose. And really, the question is, do I want to stay in this maze, this labyrinth of time and space? Or do I want to wake up to heaven and to God? That's really the issue that is confronting the mind. Has anybody seen the movie The Matrix? Yeah. And The Matrix, Nio meets the architect. And the architect says the door to the left leads back to Trinity and The Matrix. And the door to the right leads back to The Source. Yeah, this is the same branching of the road in The Matrix. Are you going to try to go back and save an interpersonal relationship? Or do you want to know your divine relationship with God? One choice leads to the past, one choice to eternity. And then Jesus tells us, and there is no part of the journey that seems more hopeless and futile than standing where the road branches and not deciding on which way to go. Yeah. This is where all the questions come from, from this very difficult point. It's really answering the question for yourself. Am I ready to serve in the plan of awakening? Or do I desire to stay asleep and dreaming? That's really what it comes down to. And if you say, I'm not ready to make that decision, then Jesus says it will seem hopeless. And if you say, I'm not ready to make that decision, then Jesus says it will seem hopeless and futile. So that means in the mind, if you refuse to answer the call, then there seems to be consequences in awareness. Not in reality, but in awareness in the mind. And so you could say that the consequences of delay are the experience of pain and suffering. You could say that delay is not necessary or essential, but delay is optional. And there's another part of the text where Jesus says, delay is unknown. In heaven and tragic in time. And we must remember that the delay is relating to that question, am I flesh or am I spirit? And we must understand that the delay is relating to that question, am I flesh or am I spirit? Am I a person or am I eternal life and the kingdom of heaven itself? Because really, with identity confusion, this is the key question. And the Holy Spirit will not hurl you into eternity. But the Holy Spirit will offer direct steps that will lead to a spiritual awakening. And we're told in the text, second paragraph, it is, but the first few steps along the right way that seem hard. For you have chosen, although you still may think you can go back and make the other choice. So the key is, for you have chosen. You take, there's a step there and your foot goes down. Have you chosen? Have you chosen? Have you chosen? You take a step there and your foot goes down and you make the decision and then the ego goes, hmm, hmm. The ego will say, hmm, you're going to regret this. What about this and this and that? How will I survive? This direction, wow, it seems to be the unknown. It's a leap of trust. It's a leap of trust. And then Jesus says, this is not so. You can't really go back and make the other choice. A choice, when you take that step, a choice made with the power of heaven to uphold it cannot be undone. Some of you remember from earlier in the text, there's a section called The Last Unanswered Question. And in that section, he has four questions. And he says, you can change your mind on the first three. You can go, oh, no, I don't think so. I'm going back the other way. I'm going back the other way. You can go, oh, no, I don't think so. I'm going back the other way. But not with the fourth question. If you answer yes to the fourth question, they're all gone. And there is no going back. Now you know why I call commitment the C word. Because when you say yes to that fourth question, there is no reversal. So what is the fourth question? Do I want to see what I denied because it is the truth? I'll say it again. Do I want to see what I denied because it is the truth? I'll say it again. Do I want to see what I denied because it is the truth? You may ask yourself, what is it that I denied? Christ, heaven, God. Do I want to see Christ in heaven and God that I denied because it is the truth? Saying yes to the fourth question is saying yes to the fourth question. Saying yes to the fourth question is saying yes to do I want the peace of God? You may remember that from the workbook. Where Jesus says, to say these words is nothing. To mean these words is everything. So Jesus ends this paragraph very positive by saying, your way is decided. There will be nothing you will not be told if you acknowledge this. It's what he says all throughout the course. I'll sing you a song. You don't have to interpret it, but I'll just sing it for you all. So if you understand English, you might get me. If you don't, Portuguese, just feel it. Feel my song. So if you understand English, you might get me. If you don't, Portuguese, just feel it. Feel my song. Once you have accepted his plan as the one function that you would fulfill, there will be nothing else. The Holy Spirit will not arrange for you without your effort. He will go before you making straight your path and leaving in your way. No stones to trip on and no obstacles to bar your way. No stones to trip on and no obstacles to bar your way. You need take thought for nothing careless of everything. You need take thought for nothing careless of everything except the only purpose that you would fulfill. Except the only purpose that you would fulfill. It's so beautiful, that song. It's very direct. And in Portuguese, let's have a little line from the Bible. Look at the lilies of the field. They neither spin nor toil. We need a Bible scholar here for this. They neither spin or struggle. Yet even Solomon is not adorned in... Even Solomon doesn't have such beautiful dress as the flower. Even King Solomon, his clothes are not anything like as good as flowers. Not even King Solomon has such beautiful dress as the flower. So, first I look for... And all else will be added unto you. All this is just helping us come to... There will be nothing you will not be told if you acknowledge this. So to summarize, if you make that choice to go towards heaven, everything that you need will come to you. Everything. And St. Francis decided to go for that. Mother Teresa decided to go for that. And now you and I are doing the same thing. So you make that step and then immediately you are a saint in training. I was looking at the acronym of that saint in training, SIT. Sounds like... I'm channeling Ramama this morning. SIT, saint in training. If you make that move, you're going for SIT. Especially if you were a big doer, a big achiever, an accomplisher, now it's SIT. Take the turn and SIT. Saint in training. So the next paragraph. And so you and your brothers stand here in this holy place. Before the veil of sin that hangs between you and the face of Christ. So let's take a look at the sin word now. Everywhere I go in the world, people do not like that word. They tell me, David, use another word. That's a terrible word. So another word is error. The veil of error. Or ignorance. The veil of ignorance. Or pride. The veil of pride. You can pick any word that you like. There is something that seems to be blocking in awareness the face of Christ. And we're not talking about a literal face here, not the face of Jesus. It's just talking about divine love. So there's some error or ignorance before standing before divine love. Standing before divine love. And then Jesus says, let it be lifted. Exclamation. Let it be lifted, he says. Raise it together with your brother. And this is really what the rest of the whole section is about. Staying in true empathy. Always joining with the Holy Spirit, looking beyond the error. You really have only one message to offer to every brother and sister that you meet. And this doesn't matter what they're saying, what the words are that they're saying to you. And this doesn't matter what they're saying, what the words are that they're saying to you. It doesn't matter whether they're smiling or frowning. Because really you just have this one responsibility is to experience their innocence. So Jesus is telling us, look past the behavior. And look past the words. And even if they're speaking from the ego, still look past all of that and see their innocence. And this is the way that you discover your own innocence as the Christ. Because you are not going to be searching for the error. You're not going to be searching for the error. Because you are not going to be searching for the error. You're not going to offer psychoanalysis. And in many, if not most cases, you won't even, you're not asked to offer advice. If the Holy Spirit wants to say something, it will come through you. But in most cases it's just divine presence radiating from your heart. In which you seek not to change anything about the form. So I'm going to drop down to the next paragraph. Where Jesus says again with an exclamation, think of the loveliness that you will see who walk with him. Capital H, who walk with Christ. And think how beautiful will you and your brother look to the other. I'm thinking of that actor, I think his name was Ricardo Montoban. You look marvelous, marvelous. I love it. Every time I hear it, you look marvelous, he says. Or spectacular. This is what he's saying. Think how beautiful will you and your brother look to the other, exclamation point. Yeah, Jesus is getting excited, you're very excited. Sentences in a row with exclamation points. How happy you will be together. After such a long and lonely journey where you walked alone. It's like, you know, when you're wearing clothes, imagine the clothes are your personality self. And you walk alone. It's like, you know, when you're wearing clothes, imagine the clothes are your personality self. And suddenly you slip out of your clothes. And you have no personality. He's saying, think how lovely you look to one another without wearing clothes. He's saying, think how lovely you look to one another without wearing clothes. And this isn't even surprising considering the ego made the body and God created the spirit. And this isn't even surprising considering the ego made the body and God created the spirit. The gates of heaven open now for you. And you now open to the sorrowful. Now he's talking about shining your light to all your brothers and sisters. He's saying, once you were sorrowful, but now you're happy. And for a little while you will shine your happiness to the sorrowful, to the way that you used to be. And for a little while you will shine your happiness to the sorrowful, to the way that you used to be. What he's really saying is you have to teach what you would learn to strengthen it in awareness. And he uses a lot of different words as like metaphors or symbols of this teaching what you would learn. He will call you a messenger. He calls you a strong protector. He calls you a willing guardian. He calls you a strong protector. He calls you a willing guardian. He's just giving you an idea. You could say you're going to be a teacher of God. Or as I said earlier, a saint in training. In which you get stronger and stronger of the awareness of the light. And so this is what this whole section is about. Making the transition from identifying with being a human being then you transition into the saint then you transition into the holy Christ. The I am presence. Before Abraham was I am. Before linear time was eternal I am is. And so really that is what is underneath all of these questions that you have written in. Because in the mind you do have a calling. And as Jesus once said, I am calling you out of the world. He was really saying I am calling you out of the past. Because in the past you feel guilty. But when you are born again or when you have a new experience of the real you then you are innocent. So I think before I start to go into some of the more specific questions that I have. So I think before I start to go into some of the more specific questions that you have, maybe we could have a song. I'm sure there will be a perfect song to remind us of this. I'm sure there will be a perfect song to remind us of this. I'm sure there will be a perfect song to remind us of this. That's the past. Even I can sing. Everyone can sing. The past is near and my time. Ten thousand years and then forever. Just bring in to a whole bunch of questions so that as we make it to the end of this session, you just have the biggest smile on your face. That you can't wipe the smile off your face. So, I will cover the metaphysical questions and the situational questions and what do I do next questions. Okay, let's start off with Lori Park. Lori, are you there? Okay, Lori Park, this is a question that you wrote in. I am confused about this idea that God waits for the return of his son. It seems to be contrary to another idea presented in Course in Miracles that God only knows me as the son that has never left him. You are onto it. It is impossible for God to wait because waiting is a time idea. So whenever we read that God is waiting for you or the angels are waiting for you, or even that Christ is waiting for you, this is what we call a metaphor. It cannot be literal. But any good tool for awakening has many steps, many rungs on the ladder. And so these metaphors are attempting to convey that God loves you and this one is almost like he will wait forever for you, he will never give up on you. Another example of a metaphor is in the Course that says God is incomplete without you. This is not literal. God is certainly not incomplete. Another one is that God weeps for his separated sons. No, God is actually not ever crying. He doesn't even have tears or eyeballs or eyelids to cry with. These are what I would call very low level metaphors. And so this is where you actually need to have a teacher that understands that everything in the Course is not literal. It's as if Jesus and Holy Spirit have lowered a ladder, a rope ladder down into the seeming separated mind, the wrong mind. And as if they are saying, grab hold of that ladder, any way you can, just grab anything. And then as you undergo your mind training, you will have expansive experiences in which the ladder falls away completely. And as if they are saying, grab hold of that ladder, any way you can, just grab anything. And then as you undergo your mind training, you will have expansive experiences in which the ladder falls away completely. As you go deeper into your process, you begin to reach a point where the ladder completely disappears. In which you transcend the metaphors and you transcend the words and the concepts. Where you transcend the metaphors, the words and the concepts. In heaven we could say, God is just pure love and pure love knows itself. It recognizes itself as pure love. And Christ is recognized as pure love. And the Holy Spirit is recognized as pure love. And in heaven there really aren't three, all three of those are actually one. And the second question was, when one appreciates something appearing as outward form, or a symbol perceived by one's senses, is she valuing that something, that something and thus attempting to call it real? Is she valuing that something, that something and thus attempting to call it real? Well, it comes down to the sense of all meaning and value is in the mind. And if you are perceiving something as symbol or something that appears to be in the world, and you see it simply as a mirror or a reflection of what is in the mind, that is a step or a metaphor of coming to an understanding that everything is mind. So, for example, let's use the idea of a loving husband or a loving wife. That can be a metaphor or a step of the mind beginning to purify and perceiving what it has already. Within itself. And you start to realize that nothing in form exists in and of itself. And this is where the metaphor starts to wash away. It could be a loving partner or a loving family or a loving cat. And you may say, thank you Holy Spirit for sending and surrounding me with so many symbols of love. Full well realizing that in order to experience unconditional love, or a gap a divine love, that your mind must transcend the symbols of love. That your mind must transcend the symbols of love and the symbols of hate. In other words, go beyond all symbols into a state of actual being. That I am presence that we talked about. So, you can be grateful for the symbols of love and also very grateful when all symbols disappear. Because there is no loss or sacrifice in the awakening. That was a very good question. It really helped us with our metaphysics, Lorie. Now Sabine Gildemeister. Hoffmeister talks to Gildemeister. Hi Sabine. So, yours is going more in terms of a question around your life situation. You wrote, I'm going to start a new phase in my life. Meaning getting retired. I'm relating to that retirement vibe myself. We always teach what we would learn. I'm getting a retirement question. It's a second one on my face. I would like the Holy Spirit to guide me since I don't have any plans yet. Sounds like me too. And do not want to make any. Except for my willingness to wake up. And study the course and related material. I've retired from that too, but for you it sounds very good. But I'm very worried and sometimes depressed about this lack of orientation. And having no longer myself constructed identity. Meaning no longer having my teaching job. Being identified with being a teacher belonging to a certain group. My colleagues at school. What could be helpful to settle in this new life? Well, your question was perfect for what we talked about in the branching of the road. Because when we were reading branching of the road, it wasn't really about making plans. Or even figuring out how your life should look in the world. It was more about giving yourself permission to open to this new purpose. In that sense, it was very lighthearted. No fixed form or no set structure. But really going inside and saying what really resonates with me? What draws me? What is it that really inspires me? What lights my mind up? The answer to those questions will like propel you in the new direction. And also you realize you don't have to rely back on your past learning or your history. It's like you have the opportunity to see the world in a whole brand new way. And perhaps be guided in very new and unfamiliar territory. But knowing that it should come with a sense of joy and happiness. Because in the job in the world there are roles and expectations. And there are limits. But when you go towards the the atonement or the light, you are giving your mind permission to see the world. You are giving your mind permission to experience life without limits. And of course the ego will be a little uncomfortable with this new direction. Many people experience a disorientation when they retire. Because they become a little accustomed to the familiar repetitions of their life and their day. And they're not quite ready for too much spontaneity. For me, after 27 years of traveling and teaching a course in miracles, I thoroughly enjoy spontaneity. And I would say now the state of beingness is more attractive than any plans. Because I've settled into a state of mind. And the worries and concerns have fallen away. But for you, I feel it's very important to really follow what resonates in your heart. And really sit with your feelings. And realize there's no rush. Now you can just kind of pause and relax and feel what you really are drawn to. And then I'll read your second question which is very related. Growing old and having less energy and more health issues is a big problem. In addition, growing old means approaching death and this terrifies me. Should I confront this fear of dying by working in a hospice or in a hospital? Where people are dying. That's a very practical question of facing the emotions of the end of the human life. When I was facing fear of sickness and of death, the Holy Spirit did guide me to work in hospice to face my emotions. But at the time I was already very deeply into a course of miracles. But at the time I was already very deeply into a course of miracles. And so my lesson was more let the Holy Spirit come through you in the most helpful way possible. And see the innocence in every patient and offer the message of innocence to every patient. And offer the message of innocence to every patient. So first I went through training to work in hospice. And then when I was in the hospice ward I would usually carry trays of food into the dying patients. And the most amazing things would come out of my mouth. You are perfectly loved by everyone and your family. What a wonderful life you have lived. You are perfectly innocent and loved by God. There's nothing to hold on to in this world. And then I would serve them the food and help them at their bedside whatever they needed. And then I would come back the next day and they were gone. They just checked out. Every day I'd come back and more checked out. I was emptying the whole hospice ward. Because the only reason to hold on to the body of the world is guilt. And I was teaching and learning perfect innocence. Telling them how wonderful they are. Giving them full permission to let go. To let go of suffering and to let go of the body. So for me this was very helpful and very convincing for my mind. Because I had to face any uncomfortable feelings I had. So that I could be used by the Holy Spirit as a miracle worker. And so if you still are having these fears about the body and energy and age. And even the fear of dying or losing the body and the world. The Spirit will give you exactly what you need to release these thoughts and beliefs. And even the fear of dying or losing the body and the world. The Spirit will give you exactly what you need to release these thoughts and beliefs. All according to how willing your mind is. So again the Holy Spirit is very practical. And all you have to do is stay very open in your prayers. And you can use one of my prayers that I always used. Holy Spirit make it obvious. It's a very good prayer. Thank you Sabin. Thank you. Since Jeff worked with everybody to turn your cameras on and put your hands up. Instead of the digital hand let's try it out. Let's give Jeff's new system a chance before we go back to the written ones. So since Jeff created a system where people should raise their hands physically instead of the digital hand. So let's give Jeff a chance to see if his system works. So if you have a question raise your hand. There now Jeff can. Marcos Marcos. I grabbed Brenda sorry I'm looking at a different screen Brenda go ahead. I can speak. Yes. Thank you everyone. Two questions I had written have already been answered. The course is going very fast for me the retreat. I do have a burning question David. In the day that I would love to live chapter 30. I would love to live in God every moment every gesture. Every word. Every thought. And it seems that this chapter is saying yes go ahead you're worthy. You can ask anything you want. So is it God or my ego that says I want my mind to be God and have no thought but God. That is that is the calling of your heart crying out with that prayer. And that is always the most important prayer. And even at the end of the prayer we can always add. Whatever seems to be blocking me from this experience bring this into my awareness. Because the course is so helpful at removing the obstacles to love's presence. I remember years ago I was working with the Course in Miracles. And I read that he said you are afraid of love. And I said to Jesus wait a minute I don't understand that at all. You're going to have to explain that to me or show that to me because I feel like I love love. To me it's the most important thing of anything. But you're telling me I'm afraid of love. So can you explain this to me? And he said well you actually all defenses are a defense against love. I said well it seems like I'm defending against certain people and certain things in the world. But now you're telling me they're all defenses against love. I said I don't understand that either. Please be simpler we need to be more simple with me. He said well if you're defending against love what are you defending for? So what do you mean? What am I defending for? He said yeah what are you protecting? Jesus said stay with me if you're defending against love what are you defending for? Or are you trying to protect yourself from being lost or from being taken away? He said I will tell you. You are protecting a self-image. You are protecting a self-concept. And the reason you are afraid of love is that you have some images that are important to you. And these images are false identities. They're idols. And you're afraid that love will take them away from you. I said okay that's very helpful. I said can you help me begin to identify these idols? Jesus said yes that's my job. I cannot take your fear away. Because that would be tampering with the basic laws of cause and effect. And it would be saying that you the Christ are helpless and powerless. But I can show you the conditions in which you've set up in your sleeping mind. To learn to choose again. To choose love instead of choosing fear. And this was pretty early on in my work with the Course. Every time I got upset or concerned or afraid I started immediately to go inside and ask myself What idol am I clinging to? What self-concept am I trying to protect? What am I attached to? What expectations am I holding on to? What beliefs am I holding on to? And so Jesus worked with me in a very fast way because I started looking within my mind for the blocks. And when I got into the habit of doing that the unwinding of the ego went much faster. Because it helped me stop blaming the world and blaming people or blaming the body, even the body and begin to come into my one responsibility which was to accept the Atonement, the correction in my mind. So I love your prayer when you want everything to be immersed in God. And then if you also add show me whatever is blocking the way that is an invitation to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Brenda. Okay, next is Marcos. Just give me a second to find Marcos on my screen here. He's on the right over there in the middle. Okay. Go ahead, Marcos. Can you hear me? Yes. I'm not so sure about the quality of the question I'm about to do. In the last months of my life I've been feeling completely lost. My work has become very confusing. The relationships with the people I love as well. I started to imagine if I could be so selfish at a level that I try to reach an Atonement higher than I could ever reach. And everything that I started studying like Quantum Physics, Astrology, Kabbalah, Metaphysics, they don't really help me. Nowadays I have a very different feeling in my heart. I have this willingness, this wish to have a new life, another life, to have a new way of being myself. And throughout my life I have studied a lot about Jesus in many channels, many ways, many pathways. What I can say by now is that I have no clue of what I have to do and I've been feeling very lost because of that. I don't know if that's really a question but it's at least a pouring out of my heart. And the course at the same time that it's being very kind and beautiful in my life. I also have the feeling it works as a bomb. Because at this point I no longer can hide what I managed to hide before. I cannot hide even for myself. Beautiful. That's good to hear, Marcus. The authentic healing starts with a cracking open and realizing that whatever served me in the past is no longer serving me. And opening to that feeling of prayer for a brand new start, brand new direction. I have a YouTube video that is titled, Studying at Course in Miracles is not enough. And what you are describing today I find is very common as I travel all over the world. I'll call it the intellectual trap to spirituality. Because yourself and myself we like to study. We like to study and study and study. And underlying belief and unconscious belief is that we can reach God through words. But words are very crude symbols. And God is not reached through accumulated learning. So for you, as it was for me, that is very humbling. And Course in Miracles has those 365 workbook lessons, which are an emphasis on practical application. They can be practiced in any situation at any time. And this is part of cracking open and becoming activated in the spirit. It requires a willingness to let go of all past patterns including study and a giving over of saying take charge of my life. Take me in the direction that will yield an expansive state of mind. So it is very much like starting completely anew and being open to going in a very new direction, a very unknown direction. I remember in my life making the prayer to the Holy Spirit saying bring it on. And I have even had a six week retreat on the island of Mallorca, Spain. I was working with a group and a small group of people and I was saying that is a very powerful prayer. And one by one the people in the group started raising their hand and their finger and going bring it on, bring it on Holy Spirit. One by one they were saying that. Well I was traveled away for about three days and when I came back nothing was the same. And after six weeks of being together in a very deep, direct prayer, these people, their lives opened up in unspeakable ways. Their lives opened up in ways that they found difficult to even speak about. Because the Holy Spirit knows the prayer of the heart before a word is spoken. And your desire that you are speaking right now to have everything changed, everything opened up is really a reflection of what is in your heart. Because you are saying show me all my relationships in a new way. You are saying it stops now, show me the next step beyond studying, show me practical application. Show me how to live a life that doesn't make any exceptions in terms of love. You are saying Lord I have lived a life of compromise, more compromises than I was even aware of. But this very day I would call to bring an end to all compromise. The first person I meet in every situation teach me how my yes to be a yes and my no to be a no. I want you more than friendships of this world, more than relationships of this world or any achievements or accomplishments of this world. May all these blocks be stripped away so that I may know the vibrancy of happiness and true joy. I want to know what true freedom feels like. And I am willing to let go of these past patterns that serve me no longer. This is truly the prayer of the heart. And as I look around the room where I am I am surrounded with people who have prayed this very prayer. I watch them bloom like flowers. I am sitting in a garden full of people that are blooming because of this prayer. They are not confused about what is valuable. It's like the parable from the Bible of a man who finds a treasure buried in a field. And he sells everything he has to get to buy that field. And to unearth the treasure. He doesn't wait. He doesn't hesitate. Because he is certain of the value of what he wants. And having made that decision, more decisions come to help him focus on his one purpose. So this is your moment, Marcos, and with your bright yellow shirt on as a symbol of opening to that sunshine, that light that we all want to experience. I would like to say, if I had sent you a text that I had written myself, you wouldn't have been able to interpret in such a beautiful way like you did. Thank you. We love you. It's not easy because I love my wife. I love my kids. I have my kids. It's not easy because I love my wife, my cats, my children. They are all coming with you. Thank you. Okay, well, it goes so fast. Michael is letting me know that it's time for us to close. And to give ourselves a little break before our movie. So some of you may want to have something to eat or go to the bathroom, relax, stretch, go for a walk. And we will all be praying for which movie the Spirit wants us to all watch together. So we will see you back very shortly. Hearts and hearts and hearts. Beautiful.