Usually I lurk on groups but I’d like to try to be at least a

little active with this one. I’m impressed with Gary’蝉

clear interest and participation.

?

I read a lot and don’t often read books twice….ever…..much

less back to back.? However I find myself rereading Disappearance

(with a highlighter and two pens).? I really don’t remember the

last time something hit me this hard.? It’蝉 actually difficult

to describe it’蝉 impact so far.

?

I bought a copy of ACIM probably about 10 years ago.? It

had a pull on me but sat on my bookshelf most of that time.

I don’t think I would have ever taken a closer look without

reading Disappearance (which I am hard pressed to

explain finding in the first place and actually reading).

?

I was a Philosophy and Religion major in college, during the

wonderful years in the first half of the ‘70s.? I read

Norman O. Brown and Castaneda; Plato and Ram Dass;

Kerouac, Kesey, and Kafka. I’ve sat in Zendos; had satsang

with gurus; tried (and tried and tried and tried) to reconcile

with the spiritual tradition into which I was born.? And I’m

still searching.? Disappearance feels very different… something

deep inside seems to have answered back.

?

I’m a 50 year old clinical social worker. I work in a state

psychiatric hospital by day and do psychotherapy in

private practice in the evenings.? Yesterday was my 24^th

wedding anniversary. We named our daughter after our

first yoga teacher and our son after my favorite rock star.

?

What I hoping for most in this group are ideas on practicing,

both formally and, more importantly, in day to day examples

of living the Course.? I will be most easily seduced into lively

metaphysical discussions and most likely bored to tears with

(excessive) swapping of quotes (from any source).? I’m always

interested in anything that augments, supplements, enhances

the ideas which have drawn us here.? For example Gary’蝉

mentioning Elaine Pagel’蝉 Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel

of Thomas.?

?

I wonder if anyone here thinks some of the other non-dualists

have worthwhile contributions to this practice (Nisargadatta

comes to mind for example).

?

It’蝉 late and I need to rest. ?I look forward to further

discussions.

?

Jim

?

?

?

?