Meditation w/ David Hoffmeister & Frances Xu

David and Frances read a section from A Course in Miracles, Lesson 157 “Into His Presence Would I Enter Now,” and at the end a beautiful song with a touch of heaven.

“This is a day of silence and of trust. It is a special time of promise in your calendar of days. It is a time Heaven has set apart to shine upon, and cast a timeless light upon this day, when echoes of eternity are heard. This day is holy, for it ushers in a new experience; a different kind of feeling and awareness. You have spent long days and nights in celebrating death. Today you learn to feel the joy of life.

This is another crucial turning point in the curriculum. We add a new dimension now; a fresh experience that sheds a light on all that we have learned already, and prepares us for what we have yet to learn. It brings us to the door where learning ceases, and we catch a glimpse of what lies past the highest reaches it can possibly attain. It leaves us here an instant, and we go beyond it, sure of our direction and our only goal.

Today it will be given you to feel a touch of Heaven, though you will return to paths of learning. Yet you have come far enough along the way to alter time sufficiently to rise above its laws, and walk into eternity a while. This you will learn to do increasingly, as every lesson, faithfully rehearsed, brings you more swiftly to this holy place and leaves you, for a moment, to your Self.

He will direct your practicing today, for what you ask for now is what He wills. And having joined your will with His this day, what you are asking must be given you. Nothing is needed but today's idea to light your mind, and let it rest in still anticipation and in quiet joy, wherein you quickly leave the world behind.

From this day forth, your ministry takes on a genuine devotion, and a glow that travels from your fingertips to those you touch, and blesses those you look upon. A vision reaches everyone you meet, and everyone you think of, or who thinks of you. For your experience today will so transform your mind that it becomes the touchstone for the holy Thoughts of God.

Your body will be sanctified today, its only purpose being now to bring the vision of what you experience this day to light the world. We cannot give experience like this directly. Yet it leaves a vision in our eyes which we can offer everyone, that he may come the sooner to the same experience in which the world is quietly forgot, and Heaven is remembered for a while.

As this experience increases and all goals but this become of little worth, the world to which you will return becomes a little closer to the end of time; a little more like Heaven in its ways; a little nearer its deliverance. And you who bring it light will come to see the light more sure; the vision more distinct. The time will come when you will not return in the same form in which you now appear, for you will have no need of it. Yet now it has a purpose, and will serve it well.

Today we will embark upon a course you have not dreamed of. But the Holy One, the Giver of the happy dreams of life, Translator of perception into truth, the holy Guide to Heaven given you, has dreamed for you this journey which you make and start today, with the experience this day holds out to you to be your own.

Into Christ's Presence will we enter now, serenely unaware of everything except His shining face and perfect Love. The vision of His face will stay with you, but there will be an instant which transcends all vision, even this, the holiest. This you will never teach, for you attained it not through learning. Yet the vision speaks of your remembrance of what you knew that instant, and will surely know again.”

Frances:
"I feel like Jesus is always pointing to the solution that is beyond this realm. And he has so much confidence that basically in every single workbook lesson He's saying, 'Today will be different. We're going to have a touch of Heaven today. And from this day forward, everything will be different.' And this is his confidence. Every time I read it, I feel he has so much confidence in us. And if we just align with that, give this moment and this day to that, then we will have a touch of Heaven. "

David:
"The ego says, ‘Don't pray. Don't meditate. You're just wasting your time. You have too many important things to do to waste your time praying or being still.’  It reminds me of that section in A Course In Miracles, 'I need to do nothing.' [T-18.VII.1.] It's an opportunity to just rest your mind and not be occupied and preoccupied with all the busy doings of the world. He is confident your way will be different. 'This is the special means this course is using to save you time.' [ACIM,T-18.VII.6.] It's funny that he gives us a Course with a Text, and a Workbook and a Manual for Teachers. And then he tucks in there in the text, 'I need to do nothing.' [ACIM, T-18.VII.1.] This is your way of saving many, many years of going in the wrong direction. You have to allow yourself to be still. You have to give your mind permission to go in the opposite direction of the ego and its frantic, riotous, destructive thoughts, and sink deep within to the Kingdom of Heaven.

There's a lot of deep meditation lessons in the workbook, such as, “My grievances hide the light of the world in me.” [ACIM, W-pI.69.1.] [Jesus] is just encouraging us. He's calling to us. 'After you have thought about the importance of what you are trying to do for yourself and the world, try to settle down in perfect stillness, remembering only how much you want to reach the light in you today, —now! Determine to go past the clouds. Reach out and touch them in your mind. Brush them aside with your hand; feel them resting on your cheeks and forehead and eyelids as you go through them. Go on; clouds cannot stop you.' [ACIM, W-pI.69.6.] 

He’ll say things like, ‘If it helps you, you can think of taking my hand. And this will be no idle fantasy.’ He says, ‘Visualize just holding onto my hand and sinking deep, deep, deep into the Kingdom of Heaven. When you think about the Present Moment, think about His presence, the presence of Christ and the presence of God. Let your mind soar inward toward this because the ego cannot stand in the light of this Presence. Listen to the Truth. 

Spirit is calling to us so deeply and Jesus has full confidence in our ability and our willingness to accept this Peace as our reality & our birthright. Jesus says in the text, 'Can you imagine what it means to have no cares, no worries, no anxieties, but merely to be perfectly calm and quiet all the time? Yet that is what time is for; to learn just that and nothing more.' [ACIM, T-15.I.1.] The whole point of learning is to accept a stillness that is so natural and Peaceful."

A beautiful and heartfelt song - Touch Of Heaven by Hillsong Worship