“Releasing the temptation to look outside for the ‘source of love’ and instead extending the Love within is the key to lasting happiness. For Love is like a never-ending well-spring bubbling up; the more we extend It the more we are aware that we have It and are It. Love makes no distinctions and does not discriminate, for Love bathes all in its kindly Light. This is what makes Love a gift to all.”
– David Hoffmeister
Every Day Is a Blessing
When the mind lets go of roles and self-concepts, there is a natural awareness that everything is happening exactly as it should be. Nothing is out of place and all things work together for good. To quote the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, “Everything will be alright in the end. If it’s not alright, it is not yet the end.” With this awareness comes an experience that actually everything is all right. It was just the mind that thought it knew how things should look that was judging against the gift of the present moment and telling itself that “something” was not alright. When the mind concludes that there’s a problem then it instinctively tries to seek a solution, and then it’s caught in the loop of trying to fix something that never needed fixing in the first place!
I arrived at La Casa de Milagros earlier this month and am grateful to be so lovingly welcomed and joined in this experience. I’m witnessing a lot of deep transformation, inspiration, and passion for the letting go of the past and releasing roles and concepts that seemed to serve for a while, but are no longer helpful. Every day is a blessing just waiting to reveal itself!
Love,
JP
Living in the Given
“Today we begin again” is a much used phrase at La Casa these days. How glorious it is to start each day or even each moment afresh, bringing nothing from the past with us. Allowing everything to unfold as it is, knowing that everything that is appearing is for the healing of the mind. There is no need to plan or control, there is nothing to uphold, and each day is fresh and new. We are blessed to be here together holding each other’s hands as the old ways of being and thinking get undone. As past references fall away and the mind shifts more and more from doing to being, we are experiencing a new spaciousness and stillness in our days. Silent lunches and still evenings together by the fireside allow the space to drop beneath roles and personalities.
We are joined in the remembrance of who we are in Truth.
This month we saw Jenny and Greg off on their European travels and also farewelled Nikita off on a wave of gratitude. We have joyfully welcomed JP and Mel into the fold and are in continued gratitude for the joyful presence of Lisa. Everything is given and all is well.
In overflowing gratitude,
Val
New Spreaker App for David Hoffmeister!
We are pleased to announce the latest iOS Spreaker App for David Hoffmeister!
It is available from the App store here for free!
This hot-off-the-press App works on all Apple iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices. You now can keep up to date with all of David’s Spreaker posts as they become available.
Completion of Our New Gathering Space
We are very happy to announce that the new gathering space, hitherto known as the “palapa” is receiving its final touches with a large carpet, curtains, and some bright, decorative Mexican tiles at the front entrance. Melanie has already graced it with a sunrise dance!
Right from the beginning it’s been a beautiful demonstration of Spirit at work. It first came into being as a transcendent moment, experienced with David on the balcony overlooking the garden. The initial inspiration was to build a palm frond-covered structure, known in Mexico as a “palapa” for meetings or quiet moments in the shade.
It quickly took shape like something growing out of the earth. Every decision was made in Love and the perfect contractor was given who just wanted us all to be happy. He visited almost daily with a big grin on his face!
What a fantastic backdrop for us all, as everyone collaborated in one way or another. It required consistent attentiveness to the plan, as the palm leaf roof gave way to tiles and the open sides gave way to glass. It included many holy encounters with local tradesmen and projects that brought everyone together. It was used in every way to share the joy while gently bringing unseen resistances and sufferings to the surface to be released.
Now we have a beautiful welcoming space ready to receive guests in the upcoming February retreat with David Hoffmeister. Surrounded by vistas of lush foliage, bright orange bird of paradise flowers, and the gentle sounds of the burbling fountain it’s the perfect place to let go the old and open up to a whole new world!
The vision that was first felt at La Casa de Milagros was a ‘Back to the Garden’ vibe symbolizing a return to presence and innocence. This yet to be named glass enclosed space, is certainly a reflection of this innocence and transparency. It’s a beautiful room filled with Light where we can all meet afresh beyond ideas of time.
Insights from the Road Home
The Road Home to God Tourwith Ricki and I has been a journey of profound healing for both of us. We’ve come to see that, as one of Ricki’s songs (Into the Kingdom) says, it is quite a masterful plan. Each encounter, each gathering, and each day in fact holds profound lessons for the mind that, once accepted, open up a whole new, more expansive perspective on what’s truly valuable!
A great example has been the way most of our gatherings in Florida have gone, versus the way that we were expecting them to. With almost every single gathering, we would either have expectations of MANY people showing up, or expectations of only a FEW people showing up. In almost every case we were quite wrong! For the ones when we thought many would show up and only 1 or 2 people came, we were shown the perfection of it all. The Spirit reminds us that it makes no difference how many people show up or how much gets put into the donation basket by the end of the night. It’s always perfect, and the gift is always the state of mind that is experienced through our willingness to accept God as our only goal.
Ricki and I have gone through lots of very deep healings with each other as well. We started this tour at the Peace House in Cincinnati, and had several days where conflicts would arise and we wouldn’t be able to communicate for hours at a time. We’ve moved through so much together these past three months that when the conflicts arise they always dissolve very quickly. Each time we end up feeling more deeply in the Love and grateful for the lessons we seem to offer each other, just by being who we are.
Click on the link below for Erik and Ricki’s Tour dates in Florida, plus enjoy live performances from them while on the road.
Love,
Erik
Coming Events in Mexico!
Come and immerse yourself in the light and color of a whole new world at the February 2015 retreat with David Hoffmeister and Messengers of Peace.
For more info and to confirm your intention, click here.
Movie Pick of the Month
This month’s movie comes highly recommended by all at La Casa de Milagros. Enjoy!
Coach Carter (2005)
Themes: Teacher/student, assignment, authority problem, false/true empathy
Director: Thomas Carter
Actors: Samuel Jackson
Summary:
When the student is ready, the teacher appears. The call from an inner city California high school basketball team draws forth an uncompromising coach ready to take the team to the next level. To stay on the team, each member must sign a contract to show up on time for practices, be respectful, and keep their grades up. If they agree to follow the coach without question, the coach promises they will win. While the team thinks it’s about winning games, they soon find out it’s about winning at something much bigger – life.
In this world, we’ve created authority figures we can point to as the reason for our pain, misery, or discomforts in life. And yet, when we sign up to respond to our “higher calling” what usually shows up are teachers who push all our buttons so we are forced to look at all the unhealed parts of our mind. A good teacher never compromises on the teachings, delivery, or words as they are coming through him/her, nor do they practice false empathy when we seem to stumble and fall. They are not phased when the student projects onto them, and they constantly challenge the student to bring the projections back to their own mind so they can be released.
“And ye shall know them by their fruits.” Coach Carter held two school basketball records at the school and he walked out on the court to coach because he wanted to extend love to the team. When the team members aren’t fulfilling their contracts, Coach Carter locks the gym and sends them to the library to study and get their grades up. The players point fingers at one another, blaming one another and the coach for not being able to play ball. It forces them to look within to see how they failed to live up to their own contract. As they continue to trust the coach’s guidance, they begin to win games and, more importantly, to see their fruits of the mind training and the possibility of a way out of a mediocre life in the ghetto.
Coach Carter’s unwillingness to lower his standards or give in to group pressure was an impetus for the team members to step up to the coach’s level and to not give in to community or family pressure to get back on the court to win games. The coach never lowered his standards if a player wasn’t living up to the terms of his contract. When team members rebelled and left the court, they quickly saw that the choice they were making was between life, a true connection with their brothers on the court, and death on the street. It’s these contrast experiences that Spirit uses to help us see that we are either host to God or hostage to the ego, and never the two shall meet. When the true desire and commitment is there to stop playing little and to do whatever necessary to face their greatest fear – their magnitude – Coach Carter is there to welcome them back with loving arms.
We are given many signs and symbols to know when the right teacher shows up. Our part as students is to say “yes” to what’s given, keep whatever shared agreements have been made, and fully trust in what’s coming through the teacher for us. We have obviously called for a trainer whose approach, methods and single eye for winning (awakening) are going to take us all the way back Home.
