Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest comments

Greetings Amy,I am not quite half-way through Spirit Quest, which I have found very interesting and useful in my everyday life. I am pleased with my affiliation with ULC and look forward to a life long, fulfilling relationship. I have registered myself to practice in the State of Minnesota and am in the process of establishing a healing practice as well. My spiritual life has been on a rapid rise to awareness during the last two plus years full of wondrous as well as unnerving experiences. Being a part of the ULC Ministry is definitely one of the best things that I have done. I have visited and posted on the forum for Spirit Quest, and visit as often as time allows. I appreciate your communications.

So far so good on Spirit Quest for me. I think my favorite lesson is the second discourse, although I am enjoying all I have received so far. Particularly because I come from a place where this was one of my major lessons in life. I know this one well and know how to forgive for myself. So much has been done to me, however, I feel so much release of anger since I learned this lesson years ago. I wanted to share since I read so many have a problem with this one. You can't help what others have done to you and once you forgive inside yourself, you are released and feel free to live. Just my opinion.

I do want to add that I see the word "Perfect" in every discourse. Yes, I feel we were created in a perfect image, however, we are humans and not perfect by any means. We make mistakes and go through growing pains. Nothing will be perfect. It can be close, but we are mere humans. I look at my cats and dog, the trees, the rocks, hear the wind, see the sun...to me...that is perfect and as close as we will get to it

May the Angels be with you,

Rev. Ford Jun Taketa

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay by Roberto C. Nina

ULC Seminary

Master of Metaphysics

Roberto C. Nina

Greetings!

I'm a seminary student that is always looking for God and the good in people. This course has helped me get closer to God and self. It really helped me focus and build on my strengths and improve on my weaknesses.

The whole course was very interesting but there is one thing about this course that really stood out for me. Writing down my spiritual goals really changed my life. By writing down my spiritual goals I became aware of a plan of action. This plan of action has started a chain of events, without planning or thinking about it, to heal mind, body, and spirit.

One of the miracles that I have created for myself is that now I have created a different life and a different environment. I control my environment and it doesn't control me. I have literally moved away from negativity. Don't get me wrong, we find negativity everywhere we go but I now have the tools to protect myself from negativity. Before, I used to absorb the negativity of others not knowing how to deflect it. I would become angry and impatient with myself and others. Now is a whole different ball game.

A far as disagreements with the course, it challenged my basic beliefs. Some things taught in this course clash with my core belief system. How I got around this is that I'm open to other teachings and take things with a grain of salt. What worked for me I will treasure and those things that didn't I will discard. All in all it was nice to learn about what others believe.

Metaphysics is a journey into knowledge that one should tread carefully. It is a journey that I will always be on. The fact is that I have opened a door in my life that has endless possibilities and potential for change. The change could be positive or negative. It all depends on you and what you do (especially if you invite beings into your personal space). The things that I picked and chose from the course will be helpful to tweak and improve my life. Thank you ULC for giving me tools to grow.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Metaphysics

Master of Metaphysics by Rev. Sally

Universal Life Church Seminary - Spirit Quest

Thirty Lessons seems just right and at the same time, too short for this course. The student is advised to read and practice the exercises at least three times a week. This is indeed an important part of the study.

I liked the early lesson that included dropping an energy cord, draining off the excess and later learning how to run energy. I do this as a habit now when I feed harried or stressed or even a bit too jazzed over something. This causes a calming yet energizing effect.

It was difficult to work the forgiveness lesson and while I was not successful, I am aware of the effects.

The wrap up lesson bothered me a little. The idea of giving an uninvited embryo the boot, seems counter productive. I have come to accept that as pre-borns. we choose our families and our goals for the life we are about to experience. I never considered a baby not being welcomed. I am still assimilating this issue.

As far as creating a miracle for myself, I’m not sure, I did find new ways of calming myself, opened up to new ideas and learned of places where I need work. Personal growth may be considered a miracle of human evolution.

A change in the way I can drain off energy and recognize negative or competitive energy has been helpful. Being able to send people energy, just because I learned how to do it has given me some weird feeling of power. It is not a bad thing, it is something people generally don’t do. We want to know what’s in it for us.

Finally, I enjoyed this course. I recommend it to everyone, if only one of the thirty lessons takes root, the student will be a better human.

B*B

Sally

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay by Rev. Kimberly Moe

Spirit-Quest at ULC Seminary

THIS COURSE WAS FABULOUS! I HAD NO IDEA WHAT METAPHYSICS WAS ALL ABOUT AND HOW IMPORTANT IT COULD BE I MY LIFE.

I AM A PERSON OF MAY TALENTS AND INTERESTS. I AM A BARTENDER, SOON TO RETIRE FROM THAT, FULL TIME, HAVE A PART-TIME DOG GROOMING BUSINESS, AND AM A MUNICIPAL JUDGE.

AS ELECTIONS FOR JUDGE WERE COMING AROUND, AND BEING AFRAID I COULD LOSE THE ELECTION, I DECIDED TO GET ORDAINED THRU ULC SO I COULD CONTINUE TO PERFORM WEDDINGS. I DID NOT HOWEVER, FEEL I HAD THE RIGHT TO CALL MYSELF REVEREND KIMBERLY MOE WITHOUT GRADUATING FROM THE SEMINARY. THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO START TAKING THE COURSES, SPIRIT QUEST BEING THE FIRST COURSE. IT WAS A PERFECT CHOICE.

BECAUSE OF THIS MY LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. THAT IS FOR THE GOOD OF COURSE. THE GOALS I WROTE DOWN AT THE BEGINNING HAVE NOT BEEN MET BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHANGED. THEY ARE MUCH BIGGER AND I AM GETTING CLOSE TO ACCOMPLISHING THEM. THEY ARE IN MOTION.

THE GROUNDING AND RECLAIMING MY SPACE HAS DONE ME WONDERS. A BARTENDER IS LIKE A THERAPIST. I HERE EVERYONE'S TROUBLES AND THEY LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEKING ME OUT FOR MY ADVISE. HOWEVER I ALSO USE TO TAKE THOSE PROBLEMS HOME WITH ME AND THEN COULD NOT SLEEP. I NOW PICTURE ALL THE PEOPLE I ENCOUNTERED AND THEIR PROBLEMS, PUT THEM IN AN OUTHOUSE AND BLOW IT UP. WOW DOES IT WORK. I COULD NOT

DO THIS WITH MY KIDS THOUGH, SO I PUT THEM IN A HOT AIR BALLOON AND SEE THEM FLOAT TO SAFETY ELSEWHERE. SILLY I KNOW BUT IT WORKS.

I NOW GROUND MY HOUSE, MY CAR AND MY KIDS CAR WHENEVER THEY GO SOMEWHERE AND PUT A PROTECTION ROSE AROUND IT. MY SON EVEN THANKED ME FOR IT ONE DAY.

I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHT AND QUESTION ABOUT THE SPIRIT PICKING THE BODY AND FAMILY IT WANTS TO BE BORN INTO. I TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT AS TO WHY I PICKED MY FAMILY. IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN I THINK MY CHILDREN PICKED ME TO HELP GIVE ME SELF CONFIDENCE. MY KIDS ARE THE BEST. I WOULD NOT BE WHO I AM WITHOUT THEM.

I TALKED TO ONE FATHER WHO LOST HIS SON, LEAVING THE BAR WHEN I WAS WORKING ONE NIGHT. WE TALKED ABOUT HOW HIS SONS JOB WAS FINISHED HERE. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING CRAZY BECAUSE HE HAS SEEN MIKE, AND HAS TALKED TO HIM. I TOLD HIM THEN BELIEVE HE IS THERE, YOU ARE NOT CRAZY. THERE WAS MORE TO THE CONVERSATION, BUT I REALLY BELIEVED I HELPED HIM.

THE PART ON EGO'S WAS GREAT. BEING AROUND SO MANY PEOPLE, NOW KNOWING THEIR EGO, HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THEM A LITTLE. I CAN FIGURE OUT THEIR EGO PRETTY FAST. MY BOSS'S WIFE HAS AN OVERACTIVE EGO. I HAVE TO TRY AND HAVE PATIENTS AND FORGIVENESS. I DO TRY, BUT IT IS SOMETIMES HARD.

ON THE SUBJECT OF DREAMS, I AM STRUGGLING. I GO TO BED WITH THE INTENT OF REMEMBERING THEM, BUT NEVER CAN. MAYBE MY SPIRIT IS AS EXHAUSTED AS MY BODY AFTER WORKING 16 HOURS A DAY, THAT IT JUST WANTS TO REST ALSO.

I HAVE GONE ON TO TAKE REIKI AND HAVE SINCE BECOME A TEACHER/MASTER AND AM GOING TO HOLD WORKSHOPS. HAVE GONE ON TO STUDY AND GET CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION IN DOG MASSAGE, ACUPRESSURE AND ENERGY HEALING, WITH THE GOAL OF HOLDING WORKSHOPS TO TEACH THIS ALSO. ALL WORKSHOPS WILL START OFF WITH THE THINGS I LEARNED FROM SPIRIT QUEST. I THINK THE GROUNDING IS SO IMPORTANT. JUST THAT ALONE WILL HELP PEOPLE RELAX. IT SURE HAS HELPED ME.

I TRIED THE MOCK UPS. I COULD NOT SEEM TO LET MOST OF THEM GO, EXCEPT ONE. I DID A MOCK UP OF PERFORMING MY COUSINS WEDDING BACK IN OCTOBER. LAST WEEK I GOT A CALL FROM HER ASKING IF I WOULD PERFORM THE CEREMONY IN JUNE. IT WAS EXACTLY LIKE I PICTURED IT.

MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO SCHOOL TO BE A MASSAGE THERAPIST. SO WORKS A LOT WITH THE ENERGY WORK. WE COMPARE TEACHINGS. IT IS A LOT ALIKE. WE ALSO TRY TO SEE PEOPLE'S AURA'S. THAT IS FUN.  I LOOK FORWARD TO HER COMING HOME AND US DISCUSSING WHAT WE LEARNED, THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES.

THIS COURSE HAS OPENED UP SO MANY THINGS TO ME. IT IS TO BAD WE CAN NOT TEACH IT TO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL. I THINK IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER PLACE. MY GOAL IS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN WITH WHAT I LEARNED HERE AND WITH THE REIKI AND PET MASSAGE. I KNOW I WILL SUCCEED. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PERSON THAT LIKES TO HELP OTHERS, THOSE THAT WANT IT, AND NOW I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO OFFER.

AM WEEK 11 INTO METAPHYSICS AND MIRACLES. AM ENJOYING THAT ALSO. AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE COURSES. WILL TAKE ME 5 YEARS TO GRADUATE FROM THE SEMINARY, BUT THAT IS ALRIGHT.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit-Quest

Spirit-Quest Program - Forgiveness

I received 30 discourses with different topics. My list of spiritual goals grew long. After one year now I am proud to announce that there are only few left which I am still working on.

On my free weekends I take Reiki, Healing and Meditation seminars, and I teach online classes at a British spiritual website. I found all the meditation discourses very helpful. To mention the “Protection Rose” as a good starter as well as the Chakra and the Karma Affirmations.

I was deeply impressed by “How Spirit communicates”, discourses 18 through 22. They work brilliantly with beginners trying to find their paths. This is a journey of self discovery. When we feel our own empowering Spirit we’re getting more and more receptive to Spirit around us. We become aware of a different dimension, the vibration of energy. It is a lot of practice to set this in motion but once we’ve connected we know, no matter what level we have reached in our development we all have much to offer. My students benefit from what I have learned because I keep telling them that each of us is unique, is loved and safe in the arms of the Divine. This is not typical for Europeans, so to speak. Scientists are still exploring the mysterious ways of life, especially those where they believe the mind influences the body. The mind, our invisible part of the body, and the body, our visible part of the mind don’t always work perfectly together. We have to pay attention and practice awareness.

Discourse 22 “Pictures” and 24 “Asking the right questions” are my favourites. There are always questions to be answered and I love talking in pictures.

All happens for some purpose, there are no coincidences, we know that. My life dramatically changed around the time when the “Forgiveness” letter was in my mailbox. I admit not having paid much attention to the content even though I read it. There were more important things I had to deal with. When I thought I would already know what pain is life taught me better, and what I had to experience then was beyond my imagination. My beloved partner died of cancer. What is grief? I went through all stages of it. I felt anger thinking not having done enough. I am a healer, a wise woman. People ask for my help and I couldn’t even do that anymore. Why had he come into my life showing me heavens to then suddenly leave me? Why wasn’t I capable of helping him? Believe me have I tried and I saw he was going. I didn’t want to understand, the pain was too big. Our relationship could not be repaired, not on this plane. I was told to let go, told to accept that it was meant to be. But I focused so much on what I had lost. Step by step and in between I hated him, lost motivation, lost interest in myself. This cut was so deep that I fell into the valley of never ending tears ignoring all what I had learned. As an active spiritualist I should have known that he hadn’t died to make me feel bad. And then I came upon a book where I read in the foreword that forgiveness is the greatest healer of all. Instantly, I remembered the discourse and worked several weeks on it. It said very clearly that I would hold on to bitterness if I wouldn’t forgive the person causing me sleepless nights and bad days. This had the greatest impact on me. I became friendly again and considered professional help. One year after I am still alone, still missing him, but I can smile and by the way, it was me who was sent to him making his last years beautiful. An attitude I can live on with!

Forgiving is healing, forgiveness is a choice. You have my greatest respect for bringing up not only an informative Spirit-Quest program but also an absolutely helping eye-opener. As you say in the very last line of the discourse: “forgiveness is a gift”. I am thankful for finally having received this gift.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest by Rev. Terry Clanton

Universal Life Church Seminary

Spirit Quest Final Essay

I really enjoyed these last 30 lessons on Metaphysics. Lesson #16 on speaking positive really hit home and should be a daily practice. Be aware of speaking in the positive WOW what a concept! This will take a lot of thought and practice on my part and I'm sure I'm going to have fun with it.

In trying to realize the state of perfection, we must be certain that we differentiate between suggestion and real metaphysical healing. In metaphysical healing, we are conscious that we are dealing with a universal principle or law, which takes the impress of our thought and acts upon it. We are dealing with something that cannot and does not argue. We are directing it for definite purposes, telling it to do certain things which it does.

When disturbances arise, it is important to erase every unpleasant experience from the memory; with the use of the rose or other visual substances you can erase every hard, tense thought from the mind. In doing so the mind-filled with the knowledge that there is but one divine, powerful, vital essence- can change inharmonious thoughts into ideals that heal, cleanse and uplift.

I find that my vision works better if I visualize the thing I want to blow up and Blow it up! Instead of putting in a rose and then blowing it up, but, that's just me.

Karma reinforced the notion of what goes around comes around. I appreciated the explanation that passing judgment was putting energy where it doesn't belong; turning something neutral into something charged. It's interesting to learn that everything I put energy on will create of resolve karma. I remind myself of that daily, because having judgments is a hard habit to break. I'm doing better every day.

Grounding was difficult for me. Forgiveness was eye-opening but all in all every week I received a valuable message that helps me on my journey.

Finally, I enjoyed this course. Thank you for all the work you put into putting this course together and teaching it.

Rev. Terry Clanton

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay by Rev. Timothy Spotswood

I found the Spirit Quest course to be very informative and helpful. I have been involved in religious studies for over 30 years and practicing daily meditation for over 20. So when the course starts out with lessons in meditation I decide that since I paid for the course and want to take it seriously I will study the lessons. Although, since I have been meditating for so many years, I am sure they will have some good information for beginners, but not for me. Imagine my surprise when one of the first things I read about is the ‘grounding cord’. I don’t recall ever learning about this wonderful tool. The blowing up roses is a great tool as well but I have used similar things, but I can not stress how much the grounding cord has helped me. So the first lesson learned is to keep my mind open; I might actually learn something if I let me.

For the first half of the course I was doing very well. I was reading all the lessons as soon as they came in, working on the exercises, taking lots of notes. I really felt I was making some good progress. Then, about half way through I took a vacation out of state for a couple weeks, without internet access. I knew I would be a bit behind but could readily catch up, or just stay a couple weeks behind and continue.

Unfortunately when I got back from Disney World I had not only lost my momentum, I had seemed to have lost interest in the course. I just always had other things to do instead of catching up on my reading. After a few weeks of this I decided to try and figure out what was going on. I mean I was really enjoying the course and felt I was doing well. Why would I try to convince myself I was too busy to pick it back up?

After some mediation I realized I had done this before. Many times before. Throughout my life as things start to go well for me, either in a relationship or business things always fall apart. After some contemplation I realized I was doing it to myself. Something would start to go right for me and I would do something to mess it up. As if some part of me didn’t think I deserved to be happy. I tried to determine when this started or how long I had been doing it. I could not come up with a particular event or time but I could almost see myself around pre-school age and knowing I was a bad person.

I know I am not a bad person but the feeling was very hard to overcome. I decided I had to take charge and try to overcome it. So for starters I would finish this course. As I pick up the next lesson imagine my surprise to see lesson 15 Affirmations, then 16 Speaking In The Positive. These two lessons seemed to cover what I had just spent the last two months working on. I am glad I worked on these ideas first because reading the lessons meant much more to me than if I had read them first (and probably just glossed over them)

Life is a journey. I thank you very much for this course and the help it gave me, and will continue to give me on my journey. The end of the course is not really a destination, but more a step in the right direction. I took almost 10 months to make this step, instead of 8. But I have learned patience a long time ago, and I feel it is more important to do something right, not necessarily fast.

Timothy ‘ Tukaram ‘Spotswood

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Master of Metaphysics by Rev. Carol Birdwell

I have just finished the 30-lesson course called Spirit Quest. I enjoyed this course of study very much. Throughout the months of this course, I found myself looking forward to the next lesson. In looking back, I am very surprised it has been so many months I have spent on this course.

I learned a number of lessons in this course and re-visited one I have learned elsewhere but have not used in a long time.

The tool that was re-visited, I first learned about 7 years ago in a Reiki Master workshop, and that is the use of the Grounding Cord to drop down into the center of the earth. I have never heard of this tool anywhere else but in that workshop and now, again, in this Spirit Quest course.

This has been a long course and there has been a lot of material to learn in this course. The one most important thing to me in this course has been the actual sign-off every time: You are a perfect being. God Loves You. You were created in perfection, by perfection, for perfection. Your success is guaranteed. I thrilled with this, and was overjoyed for the regular, routine reminder of it at the close of each lesson.

We started this course with setting personal goals, including a timeline for when we want the goals to be met, and taking a very deep look at ourselves, and at how hard we often are on ourselves, much harder than on other people.

We looked at our negative thinking and then at a saying my grandfather raised my mother on and she passed along to me, that “Your word is your bond.” And that was well elaborated on. We wrote other lists in our personal soul-seeking. My grandfather was born in 1881, my mother in 1918, and me in 1943, so it has been in my family a long time and in my consciousness since my early childhood in the 1940s.

I don’t have enough room to elaborate further on the course, and the lessons, but I want to be sure to tell about my favorite tool I have gained in this course.

I have enjoyed creating roses and exploding them, sending down my grounding cords, putting gunk into a golden sun and shoving it over to the ocean (400 miles from me) and seeing and hearing it go ssssssss down into the water.

The most favorite tool I learned here in this course is my little Lightworker. I created a little beauty to insert into my body to help it with healing. She looks a bit like a small fairy. She chips away at the gunk, the debris my body has built up and holds. She places the debris and gunk in something that I can take it out of my body with. Then she lovingly rubs pink healing salve all over the spots that need healing. I use her often and I greatly value that I learned about her in this course.

Thank you,

Carol Birdwell

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Essay for Spirit Quest, By Stuart J, Malkin, D.D., Ph.D.

'Spirit Quest' is an excellent distance learning course, rooted in the fundamentals of Right Action. Here are my thoughts on the subject, as seen in the light of Spiritual Alchemy.

The Alchemists of old worked over many years ... centuries ... in their quest to turn base metals into gold. At least that is the popular notion. In fact, alchemy is a blend of science and philosophy. It has been so since before the Common Era, when the ancient chemists did attempt to turn inexpensive metals into expensive ones ... but always with the underlying thoughts that their work was also symbolically related to the perfection of life.

Alchemy started in China and India, then the Egyptians developed it to a high state. They postulated that earth, air, fire and water could be combined into anything ... anything at all! That concept is translated into the notion of Spiritual Alchemy, which is that we can transform any part of our negative thinking or our unworthy deeds into something more valuable. It is a way of looking at Good, Right Action and Positive Thinking.

So, each day, each moment, reflect on how you can change the world by changing your reaction to the everyday things that confront you. Use Spiritual Alchemy! Turn any little unhappiness into happiness ... by seeing the good in everything that you possibly can!

Turn greed into charity ... instead of viewing the benefit of something to you, consider the benefit to others. Want for others ... especially those in greater need ... rather than wanting for yourself. Turn ego into admiration for others, rather than for yourself. Turn anger into contentment, by realizing that the poison of the mean spirit will do more harm than good, and that by recognizing the good in another, you are making the world a better place.

Chaos can become order, through alchemy. Using organization and doing what is right can bring sense and dignity to almost anything! It is easy to write these words but not so easy to accomplish. But, if you have the desire to bring order and beauty into your life, it can be done. And even if you do not succeed at first, you will have enriched your self-esteem and, even in some small way, energized the condition in a positive way.

Turn brutality into kindness. There is no small deed and no kindness that is insignificant. A kind word, holding the door open for someone, complementing another, thanking another or easing the pain or the effort of one who may be infirm ... all of these, no matter how small or no matter how little effort is used, are a gift to the Spirit and all make for a little more peace on the planet.

Through the power of the Spirit and Positive Thinking, do your best to disallow depression ... turn, instead, to happy thoughts. Look for the Light, the 'good side' of an issue. Visualize a happy and positive outcome of whatever it is that is causing you some mental grief. I promise you that if you think positive thoughts, they will manifest into the reality, in ways that will surprise you.

Be considerate of others rather than inconsiderate. 'Road rage' is a product of our fast paced existence and it is a dangerous phenomenon. Be considerate of other drivers ... give in to the impulse for aggression ... relax and let the other car go first, even if that driver is in the wrong!

In our lives we see many opportunities to curb aggression, to be gentle and caring. Many times we see someone 'crashing' a line of people waiting for one thing or another. They do not wait their turn because they are rude, inconsiderate, self-serving ... in other words, of mean spirit. Don?t be one of them! You be the one to stand aside and let them push and shove ... you be the one of good Spirit who is turning lead into gold.

Jealousy can become admiration. Admire the accomplishments of others ... learn from them. Don't envy them, emulate them. Be happy for the achievements of others. Be happy that those you know are contributing to the good of the planet. Love the idea that others are successful.

The 'Seven Deadly Sins', anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride and sloth can all be turned in a good thing, as we have discussed above for some of them. But whatever the negative or mean-spirited event is that you might encounter in daily life, work the wonder of Spiritual Alchemy and bathe in the positivity that you will produce!

Everyone wants to do the right thing ... it is born in us. It is a basic element of the human condition. It is only through the learned dogmas and extremist distortions of 'what is right' that we have come to this dangerous world of ours. Even the Islam murderers believe that they are doing the right thing! The problem is that the right thing is not always defined as it should be. Let's explore that.

The early Avitars had it right. If you compare the Ten Commandments with the Eightfold Path of Buddha, for instance, you will see the amazing similarities. And so it is with most of the early religious and mystical thinking. Actually, the precepts of Right Action are contained in all of the early religious and mystical writings. There are many more similarities than there are differences.

Even the Koran speaks to the similarities. Again, it is the contemporary disciples and the learned hatreds that create the dissension and violence. If Mohammed were alive, he would rebel against the extremists who rape and murder under his flag. And so would Jesus.

So, if we understand what is really right ... and if we breathe it and live it and teach it to our children, then we have a real chance to change things. And what is really right is actually easy to understand:

* Do nothing that will harm another.

* Try to be as helpful as you can to others. (This makes you a ?nice guy?... or girl ... and it is one of the best contributions towards making this a better world!)

* Work well at what you do ... be the best you can be.

* See only good in all things and all people. (Some days that can be a contest! But do your best to try to see only good. In trying, you will be a better person.)

You may recognize that these ideas are similar to parts of the Ten Commandments. Don?t be surprised. All of the early Avatars had good things to say!

It does not take a genius to see that what is really right is easy to define. And it is easy to see that what the extremists today are doing in the name of their God is not right. Right is right; it is not subject to interpretation.

The modern alchemist needs to transform behavior that is not right into behavior that is right. A daunting task for today's world, I admit. And a Utopia worth pursuing.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay by Rev. Christine Pondelli

Grounding is the most important aspect of this program for me. Through grounding, I have claimed my place in this physical world. Previously, I had always felt as if I were floundering; I was always at a loss to whether I belonged or not. My gauge was forever focused on those around me and their intentions for me. Well, I’ve learned that I belong right where I am; another’s likes or dislikes are of no consequence. All being equal and unique, I have a place no matter where I am.

Creating and destroying roses, and the protection rose allowed me to gather up the old negative energy that was draining my life. In these discourses I learned how to rid my spirit of energy that belonged to others; their thoughts and actions directed toward me that I had taken owned. This was sapping and blocking the positive energy level that I desired. Envisioning the sticky rose for ridding my space of negative energy made my spirit lighter and allowed me more focus for what I wanted to accomplish.

Karma reinforced the notion of what goes around comes around. I appreciated the explanation that passing judgment was putting energy where it doesn’t belong; turning something neutral into something charged. It’s interesting to learn that everything I put energy on will create or resolve karma. I remind myself of that daily, because having judgments is a hard habit to break. I’m doing better every day.

Forgiveness was eye-opening, specifically the phrase “its not personal”. That was instrumental in my being able to let a lot of resentment pass. Also, “holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” That is an excellent analogy. It is not easy working through pains and past hurts, but this discourse allowed me steps that help set these negative energies free. What I can’t seem to let go, I send the sticky roses around gathering up the remnants of old energy and then blow them up.

Every week I received a valuable message that helps me on my journey.

by Rev. Christine Pondelli

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Living In A New Light By Rev. Cheryl Kautzman

Master of Metaphysics - Universal Life Church As I embarked upon my journey of the metaphysical studies of Spirit Quest, I wasn't sure of what to expect or of how the teachings would pertain to my life. However, as I read the material, I soon realized that information contained in the discourses were giving my being the clarity that it so desperately needed.

Originally, I signed up for the Masters of Metaphysics program to aid me in the spiritual counsel of others and to provide me with the tools of becoming a more enlightened minister. Though I do not like to label my beliefs, many would classify me as a Wiccan of sorts, and thus, I feel that a working knowledge of metaphysics is essential to understanding and maintaining a positive relationship with the world that we live in; applying metaphysical thinking is also crucial to influencing internal reactions to the external environment. Though I learned something valuable from each lesson, I felt that there some discourses that opened my eyes up to a new way of thinking.

First, lesson 13, Your Spiritual Path, gave me more insight on how to know my true self (the self that I was born with, minus outside influences) and to recognize the need of ridding myself of false personality. By striving to know my true self, I am becoming closer to my spirit.

Discourse 15, Affirmations, has made me more aware of how harmful,ingrained beliefs can and need to be changed; though it may be difficult at times, we, as individuals have the inherent power to change our own thought systems, especially if our beliefs are based on the poisonous pedagogy acquired throughout our lives. Daily, I try to look at things from a more pure, internal perspective, rather than to eye them from previous, external influences.

A very enlightening discourse, Tools for Getting Unstuck, part 2, is filled with very useful information on encouraging one to broaden their horizons by learning new life lessons and to allow for spiritual growth by constantly challenging oneself. From this discourse, I am learning to know what I am capable of achieving from my life and how to find the courage to follow my true path. Also, the lesson has helped me to use my emotions, such as anger, in a more controlled manner, and to transform these emotions into a more positive force that I may be able to use to my benefit.

The last lesson that I would like to mention is: Money, discourse 29. This discourse is important in redifining the meaning and purpose of money and how to make and keep it. This discourse also touches on the subject of making money in a way that one enjoys; it is from the advice in this lesson that has prompted me to the reach the decision of working for myself in the very near future.

In a final survey of Spirit Quest, I have say that by subscribing to the program, I am becoming a more well-rounded individual. I have stopped trying to fit into the "rat race" by discovering the real me. I am now listening to what my spirit is telling me, and as a result, I am finding that I am more happy and comfortable with my life choices. I am more relaxed and know that it is imperative to stop to enjoy life, and, at times, still your body and mind to attune with Akashic consciousness. It is my hope that by applying the techniques presented to me in Spirit Quest, I will continue to grow spiritually and use the teachings to help others when warranted. I also want to remember and convey to the masses that sometimes the mysteries of life are the most beautiful when they remain just that -- a mystery.

By Rev. Cheryl Kautzman

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest

Metaphysics Course

Taking the Spirit Quest course has been a life-changing event for me. The course has, quite literally, saved my marriage. The course has revealed possibilities that I had never appreciated before. Spirit Quest opened a closed mind, and infused me with a desire for further personal and spiritual exploration. In addition to learning some excellent tools, like creating/destroying roses and grounding, I have come to better understand myself as a spiritual being. The course has been very interesting, thought provoking, and challenging. I have especially enjoyed the many examples discussed throughout the course, since I could really relate to them. In fact, the examples seemed eerily familiar. It was almost as if the events had actually happened to me.

The course was very well designed. I reviewed each weekly offering at least three times, as suggested, prior to the next installment. I found that certain concepts, such as Forgiveness in week 2, needed to be reviewed more often. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the concept; rather, it was usually that the lesson held particular meaning for me. The lesson on Forgiveness was especially important to me. It taught me that people are often not against you, but merely acting as a result of their own pain. This simple truth was a profound revelation for me. It enabled me to see my role in causing pain in those that I love, and it made me understand that their actions were a result of their own pain. “It” wasn’t about me; it was about their own pain and spiritual path. This realization made it much easier to forgive. The idea that “carrying a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die” really illustrated the fact that forgiveness is for you- you need to forgive, other people do not need to be forgiven. I now understand that forgiveness is a gift that you give yourself.

The idea of forgiving oneself was a truly new concept to me. The understanding that I have been acting out of my own pain allowed me to begin to forgive myself for emotionally hurting those that I love the most. I am, and always will be, still responsible for my actions. However, I have been able to let go of some of the extreme guilt that I have been taught to carry. My burden, while not lifted, has been eased. I can accept myself for who I am, and I can get on with my life.

I am grateful for the many tools embedded in the Spirit Quest course. The lesson on “Grounding” has been especially helpful to me. I was not sure that I was doing the exercise properly until I began to see the effects on my surroundings. For example, prior to a budget meeting at work, I grounded myself and the room. I got to the room early and set the energy. The meeting was to be a follow-up to a particularly contentious management meeting. I knew that division directors were coming to the meeting prepared to do battle over scare resources, while attacking the proposed staffing allocations for other divisions. I spent ten minutes grounding the room prior to anyone else arriving for the meeting. The meeting was very successful and actually quite cordial. Several managers commented after the meeting that it was one of the most productive meetings that anyone could remember.

The Spirit Quest course is unique. There is such a tremendous amount of information in the course that it deserves further study. I printed each lesson and placed them in a binder. I review the lessons periodically, and I use them as a spiritual reference guide. When I am confronted by a particularly difficult situation, I refer back to Spirit Quest. This action has helped me to remember to use the tools that I learned throughout the course.

Spirit Quest has re-awakened my desire to learn and grow as a spirit. Once again I look upon the universe with a sense of wonderment that I last had when I was a child. Spirit Quest has enabled me to transcend my personal situation and given greater meaning to my seemingly mundane daily existence. I have truly been inspired. I look forward to taking additional courses from the ULC Seminary.

Please sign me,

Reverend Aaron

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Master of Metaphysics by Rev. Michael Bland

A perfect spiritual being on a unique course

In reviewing my life I find that I have been on a Spirit Quest since my childhood. I would seek the elders of my family for words of wisdom and direction for many of my endeavors. At the age of nine I remember a time when I asked my Grandfather if he knew Jesus. He answered me with these words.

“I’m just a simple man (a retired coal miner of 50 years) if I didn’t know him I wouldn’t be standing here.” “Your Grandmother was sure to read me the Bible every night at dinner as we thanked him for our food and our happy home.” “I was thankful that we had a well that pumped sweet water for my bath and of course for us to drink.” “I was thankful that when the big mine collapsed I was just outside when many of my friends were still in the ground.” “I look around and see the grass growing on the side of the mountain that keeps the dirt in place so that our home doesn’t slide down the hill.” “I see the dew in the morning watering the world and your Grandmother waiting for me with a smile every day as I came back from the mines.” “Yes, I know Jesus, I know him very well”

As my life went on I see that the same pattern continued as I went into my teens. My Dad and I were working in the garden when I asked him “Dad, do you know Jesus?” He kept on hoeing and said these words to me. “Do you see that blossom on that tree over there?” “That’s the first sign that apples are gonna grow on the tree.” “Before that, the tender buds of the leaf were on it and then the leaves filled it to full with color. “You remember last year when we dug that hole to put your dog in his grave?” “Well look at it now it’s all covered with beautiful grass and that tree is its shade from the hot sun.” “Your mother and I lost your brother to Typhoid two years before you were born but now we have a son who’s working right here in the garden with me now.” Yes son, I know Jesus. I wouldn’t have the strength to carry on if I didn’t.”

Many years later I was driving my rig through the desert when I came up on a hitchhiker. It was too hot to be walking so I pulled over and let him in. Not much time after he was in the truck he asked me if I knew Jesus. I was a little shocked, as my mind had been on the company just before I saw him and it wasn’t in a positive direction. I was upset about some pay they had bilked me out of. I thought for a moment and said to him. “If being thankful for the air I breath and the lungs I have to breath it with with means I know Jesus, then yes I know Jesus.” He sat for a few moments then said this to me. “Jesus is the Son of God.” “God made himself flesh and then sacrificed himself on the cross that guys like you could be saved.” I looked over to see an empty seat where the hitchhiker had been setting. To say the least I was shocked. I pulled he truck over and got out, looked at the side of the truck and then back down the road. There was no one in site for fifty miles in any direction. I stood there scratching my head and jumped back in the truck. On the floor was a small Bible, which I saw had John 3:16 circled in red.

Over the course of the next year I read that Bible from cover to cover and saw the reason for this persons/angels visit with me. I hadn’t really known Jesus. I just knew about him. In the Bible I found many answers to my many questions and accepted Jesus (The Christ) as my savior.

As many of you would guess, I now had more questions. I wanted to know why things were as the are and how many things worked. I understood about Powers and Principalities but was finding no references to the roots of these subjects. Everything has roots….where are the roots? I was finding a lot of do’s and don’t do’s but the reasons for them were all so superficial in there answers. I needed the darn roots. What makes things tick so to speak. I mean the real things in life, like why does my brain work the way it does. Just telling me about the parts doesn’t tell me why they are there or what pattern they took to come to be in the form that they are in. Again I need the roots.

ROOTS

I took a course in Metaphysics through an online college and started reading about making roses and grounding cords and blowing them up. Sheesh, This writer had to have one heck of a drug supplier I thought to myself. I continued the course till one day it started to all come together. “Woe, what have we here?” “Creating Your Own Reality” That’s the title I read “Let’s start off by saying that there are no accidents and there are no coincidences in the world.” Now this person was talking like they knew what they were saying. Tell me more “God doesn’t work in mysterious ways, either. There’s nothing mysterious about it. There is a plan for everything, which continually unfolds.” Ok, Now we’re getting to some roots.” I continued to read till the lesson ended and a new plan of attack was in place. I would put this person’s idea to the test. I had already learned about the roses, the grounding cord, Forgiveness, Meditation and all the incidentals up to this point. I was on the same Quest I was before but with a different approach.

The course went on for another few months with more and more input from Competition, Chakras and Karma to Dreams, Reincarnation, Time, pain and even money.

Although the journey for understanding these questions in my life are far from over I now venture down a highway that actually gives to me what I put into it. Some of you are thinking boy this was an easy way for him to write his dissertation and just leave us hanging. On the contrary I wouldn’t do that. I will fill in the one question I hope some of you have asked by now. If he already has the answer about Christ then what is he looking for? My journey actually started as I said before at about nine. I had a vision. Yes a vision. I saw a world so overtaken with problems and food supply was very limited and very expensive. I saw a dinosaur (Brontosaurus) nibbling on a tree top that was 100 feet in the air, I heard a voice in my head saying that everything had a frequency and I had an overwhelming desire to find he how and why. Now let’s not forget I was just nine years old. I had no idea about anything much other than playing with my little cars in the dirt.

Well here it is 44 years later and I have the food problem almost licked. A few associates and I will put this information into the world’s hands this summer. The problems of this world are going to be there till Christ returns and in my opinion that won’t be very much longer. As for the dinosaur …. I don’t know! All I know is that the tree it was nibbling on was 100 foot tall in the vision. I was nine and that tree was only four-foot tall at the time. The tree is 90 foot now and still stands strong at my parent’s old house. You figure it out.

In closing I would like to leave you all with this. The world is a beautiful place and people will be people. If you let them get under your skin then you lost that battle. Fight the good fight and endure till Christ comes again. God Bless.

Rev. Michael Bland

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar