History of Christ Mind Eventss
The attention is not outside in the world, but inside within the field of consciousness.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Paul began to hold large Miracles Conferences around the U.S. These events brought together students of A Course in Miracles from all over the world. Many people had life-changing experiences of love and forgiveness that helped them to internalize the teachings of The Course.
As these events progressed, Paul realized that many participants were placing their attention outside themselves on the featured speakers and workshop leaders. They were not in touch with their thoughts and feelings. Often, when people were triggered, they would blame others, rather than take responsibility for their own discomfort.
Realizing the need for an experiential process in which people could face their anger and fear directly, Paul was guided to develop The Affinity Process. This Process gave participants a concrete way to practice forgiveness when misunderstandings or trespasses occurred. It helped people learn communication skills they could use in all of their relationships, and it gave people the tools they needed to build spiritual community at home.
It is a great deal more challenging to become an active participant in a forgiveness process than it is to sit on the sidelines. There is more risk, but there is also more gain.
Gradually, the mask between our public and private selves is torn away. The person we are at home becomes congruent with the person we are at spiritual events. Our wounded child and our spiritual adult meet face to face and the process of deep psychological integration begins.
As we stop projecting our fear and anger and stop blaming others for the ways in which we feel inadequate or unloved, we gradually learn to offer each other love without conditions. And this transforms every aspect of our lives.
Paul's approach to spiritual practice is heart-centered and experiential. Unlike teachers who ask people to deny or "transcend" their difficult emotions, Paul encourages people to accept and work with these emotions in an honest, straightforward manner. He asks everyone to "own" or take responsibility for what they think, feel or experience in any given moment, without giving the credit or the blame to someone else.
This is profound work. The attention is not outside in the world, but inside within the field of consciousness. This is where Christ is born, not in the world, but in our heart of hearts.