Gary's monthly message is now an audio Podcast. Please visit www.Forgiveness.tv to listen.

 

 

Some Serious Business

The pictures below were taken on the set of the movie The Serious Business of Happiness which will be released in 2006. In the film a young man seeking happiness finds people who he believes may be able to help him achieve it. They include spiritual teachers like Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now), Gary Renard (The Disappearance of the Universe) and Don Miguel Ruiz, (The Four Agreements).


Friends on the set: Gene and Arlene Sloan, Don Miguel Ruiz, Alorha Breaw, Gary Renard and Rain Breaw


Jan Cook wants to film this discussion between Gary and movie producer Michael J. Lasky.


Film star and co-writer Sean A. Mulvihill
doing a scene.


Mother Kris with the film’s scene stealer,
her daughter Morgan.


Gary needs a LOT of makeup.


Gary explains the universe in the courtyard.


The camera loves this guy!


Gary through the looking glass of the camera lens.


Film Director Larry Kurnarsky.


Gary and Sean discuss Gary’s favorite book.


Getting wired for sound.


It was a beautiful day in Marina Del Rey
for a boat scene.


The sun is setting on California.


Sean, Jan and Gary are happy after a long day’s shoot.

 

Message Archive    2005 Archive   2006


Gary at Dolphin Quest in Hawaii

 

 

January 5, 2006. Happy New Year friends, and welcome to the first weekly message of 2006. Next week the weekly messages will go back to being put online every Wednesday, so when I start traveling a lot again at the end of the month it will be the most convenient for me. And speaking of traveling, those of you who have read The Disappearance of the Universe know that my favorite place in the whole illusory world is Hawaii. And guess where my first workshop of the year on February 4th is? Hawaii!!! I’m so psyched I could pass out. That workshop is at Diamond Head Unity Church on Oahu, and the contact info is available on the Appearances page of this website in case you’re in Hawaii or you have a yearning to go there like I do (It snowed again today in Maine, and I’m not a winter person.) Not only will I be in Hawaii in February, but the next workshop is in another warm place, Ft. Lauderdale. Then, I’ll be headed for Costa Rica to do a week long workshop for Omega Institute, attended mostly by people from the U.S. Once again, the registration contact info is available at this website. Hmmm....There seems to be a pattern here. Three workshops in February and all at nice, warm locations. Yeah, I knew it was a dirty job when I got into this healing the world stuff, but somebody had to step up and volunteer.  

I’ll be pretty busy the next couple of weeks putting the finishing touches on the second book, moving to a different place down the road so I can have some more space, and getting ready to make a couple of surprise announcements. If you’d like to be on my e-mail list in order to receive personal announcements that I send out every couple of months, then you can sign up very easily on the home page of this website. Stay warm everyone! Love, Gary 

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January 11 & 18, 2006. Hi Friends, this message will be on the site for two weeks because I want everybody to see it. I’m really psyched to let you know about a movie that will be released sometime this year called The Serious Business of Happiness. The exact date of the release hasn’t been set yet, (my guess is the fall; I’ll keep you posted) but one of the reasons the movie is near and dear to my heart is because I’m in it. It’s about a real life guy named Sean who wants to know how he can live a spiritual life and still have all his friends and girlfriends and, well, he has a lot of questions. So he decides to seek out wise people he’s heard of who should be able to help him. Sean finds some pretty interesting teachers to learn from, including Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now) and Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements) who you can see in one of the pictures above.  

I flew to California in August and the production team took me to Marina Del Rey. In the scene I’m in, Sean and I go out on a boat and have a talk. I also did a scene in a courtyard. My guess is they may just include the part on the boat because the director really got into shooting the ocean and the dolphins and the sunset and stuff, but you never know. I had a great time getting a taste of the movie world, meeting Don Miguel Ruiz, who filmed his scene the same day I did (I had already met Eckhart Tolle at another time), and getting to know the people who were working on the film. This is a movie well worth seeing for anyone who’s on a spiritual path. I’ve seen some of the footage of the other teachers and it’s very well done. I hope you’ll keep an eye out for The Serious Business of Happiness. Please visit this website regularly for updates! Love, Gary

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January 25, 2006. Hi Friends, it’s with great happiness that I announce the completion of the second book with Arten and Pursah, entitled Your Immortal Reality: How to Break the Cycle of Birth and Death. The book is now safely in the hands of my publisher, Hay House, and will be available on September 1st. There are several features in the second book I think you’ll find both enjoyable and enlightening, not the least of which is Pursah’s personal presentation of the original Gospel of Thomas. Pursah actually recited all 70 of the original sayings that were in the Gospel, leaving out the 44 she says were added on at various times during the 300 years between her execution by beheading when she was Thomas in that lifetime, and the time the only copy of the Gospel we have now was buried in Nag Hammadi in Egypt. Some of the authentic sayings are also a little different when Pursah speaks them. It was quite a trip to be there and record this, and there are some mind-blowing implications to the whole thing.
 That’s just one small part of the story, and I’m very excited about the whole project. I did get to ask A & P a couple of questions people had requested that I ask; for example, what about The Mayan Calendar? Is the world really going to end in 2012? There are all kinds of fascinating things about the book, one of the most important of which is my teachers’ total unwillingness to compromise on the principles of A Course in Miracles. Participating in this project has been a great experience, and because of my travel schedule, certainly more hectic than with the first book. I’m glad I did it, but I’m also glad it’s finished!  Next week I’m off to Oahu (Hawaii!!!) for one day’s work sandwiched in between 8 days of play. It’s a dirty job, guys. Then just to make sure everybody’s covered, I’ll be headed to Fort Lauderdale to make sure it’s still warm there. I am doing a couple of workshops on this trip, and the contact info is available on the appearances page of this website. Aloha and Mahalo nui loa, Malama pono, Gary

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February 2, 2006. Hi Friends, and Happy Groundhog Day! A fresh viewing of the Bill Murray film is always in order. At the Yahoo group that discusses The Disappearance of the Universe, we made a list of our favorite spiritually themed films and Groundhog Day was consistently voted among the member’s favorites. It’s also one of mine.   

And speaking of favorites, I happen to be running around my favorite place on the illusory planet right now, Hawaii. I gave a talk and booksigning last night at Serendipity Books in Honolulu, and I’ll be doing a workshop this Saturday at Unity Diamond Head. I’m swimming with Dolphins tomorrow at Dolphin Quest, and I’ve been exploring Oahu ever since I got here on Sunday. The high temperature during the day has been around 80 degrees with sunny skies. It was snowing in Maine on Tuesday; I think I made a good move. I’d write more but hey, I’m in Hawaii. Aloha and Mahalo nui loa, Malama pono, Gary 

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February 9, 2006. Hi Friends. Well, I just flew into Ft. Lauderdale from Hawaii, and I’ll be doing a workshop on Saturday at the Church of Religious Science. If you’re thinking about being a last minute participant the contact details are on the Appearances page of this website.
 Hawaii was more than I could have hoped for. I was blessed with great weather the whole time I was there. We had a very diverse group for the workshop, including people who came from the outer Islands plus four people who flew all the way from Australia. I was amazed by the enthusiasm that surrounds the workshops. I also did a book signing and spoke at two Unity Church services on Sunday.   

I can’t begin to describe what a great time I had exploring Oahu. I went all over the Island. They say in Hawaii that you go there for the beauty, and you stay for the people. I can see why. It was a wonderful experience and I’ll be back. BTW, if you haven’t seen the pictures from the upcoming movie “The Serious Business of Happiness” then scroll down below this message. Gotta go. My buddy Gene Bogart, who speaks the voice of Arten on the audio book of The Disappearance of the Universe, is taking me out for a good time tonight. Pray for us. Love, Gary   

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February 16 and 23. Warning: The following message is an illusion. Hi Friends, after two and a half weeks on the road to such exotic destinations as Hawaii and Florida, you’d think I’d want to settle down with a good book next to the fireplace and hang around Maine for a while, right? No! Are you kidding? Maine in the winter? Get me out of here!!!  
It’s been two whole days since I returned, and even though the weather is unusually warm right now for Maine in the winter, the forecast is that it will be zero degrees by Saturday night. So the hell with reading the last three weeks mail, doing my taxes, writing a movie screenplay and engaging in shameless self-promotion. I have a stroke of luck when it comes to my schedule. Yes, it may be zero degrees here by Saturday night, but I won’t be here. Hah!
 
I’m off to Costa Rica on Friday night to do a week long workshop sponsored by Omega Institute at Sueno Azul, which is in the rain forest. This is my first rain forest gig, so to prepare myself I finally went to see King Kong. That really got me in the mood! Actually, it was a pretty amazing movie, and hopefully it will be a pretty amazing workshop. I’m describing it as: “Survivor: Costa Rica. It was beauty that killed the beast, and it was Costa Rica that killed the ego.” What d’ya think?
 
Just in case you want to hop on a jet and join me, the info is on the Appearances page of this website. By the way, that picture above was taken of me at Dolphin Quest on Oahu, Hawaii. It’s always fun to kiss a fellow Pisces. Hawaiians consider Dolphins to be very spiritual, and believe they can read our thoughts. From what I saw at Dolphin Quest, I see no reason to think they are not more intelligent than we are. And speaking of pictures, you can still see 14 pictures that were taken on the set of the forthcoming movie, “The Serious Business of Happiness” which I’m in, by scrolling down below this message.
 

This illusory message will remain on the site for two weeks because I may not be able to plug my computer into a tree. But you never know. Have a great week and keep on forgiving. Love, Gary          

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March 2, 2006. Hi Friends, I’m back from Costa Rica, where they say, “Pura Vida!” which means, “Pure Life!” I’m also flying off to Spokane, Washington for the first time this weekend to do an all day workshop on Saturday. If you have a last-minute urge to join us you can find the contact info for the workshop on the Appearances page of this website.  
Costa Rica was a joy, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner with my fellow A Course in Miracles practitioners while doing a 5-day workshop with them, getting to know them well, and doing excursions on some days. The workshop was run by Omega Institute at the Sueno Azul resort, about two hours northeast of San Jose in the rain forest. We did a tour on the river, where we saw crocodiles, monkees, and many other types of animals, and we even did a zip line course (seven different length and height ziplines, where we were sometimes hundreds of feet above the ground) and enjoyed the temperature in the 80s all week. What a blast! We also spent over 20 hours together in an open air classroom environment and deepened our experience of spirituality in such a way that I believe will last for the rest of our lives. The year has gotten off to an amazing start between Hawaii, Florida, and Costa Rica.  
 

I’m also delighted to let you know that my fellow Hay House author and colleague, Dr. Wayne Dyer, has just released a new book entitled Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling. This work will be featured on public television March 6, 2006 (my birthday!) across the United States. Be sure to watch. I’m supporting Dr. Dyer’s new book. I’m also honored that he mentions me and The Disappearance of the Universe in Chapter 3. Is there no escaping my fame? (LOL) Love, Gary 

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March 9, 2006. Hi Friends. Well, it’s been a wild year so far, spent mostly doing workshops in the tropics (and playing in the tropics; hey, you’ve gotta take advantage of those perks) and I also just got back from the Pacific Northwest where I did my first workshop in Spokane, Washington. I wasn’t there that long but what I saw of it I really liked. The people were wonderful, like all the people I meet at the workshops. I’m always struck by what a difference the book is making in people’s spiritual paths and in their study of A Course in Miracles.  

Which reminds me, I’d like to thank Dr. Wayne Dyer for writing about me and the book in his new book called, Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling. He calls The Disappearance of the Universe “fascinating” and “profound” and actually adapts some of it for the next couple of pages in his book. (See pages 29-31 of Inspiration.) He also mentions that two spiritual beings appeared to me and explained the teachings of A Course in Miracles. He said he’d let people make up their own minds about that, but he found the teachings to be worthy of consideration.  That’s cool. And I find the the teachings to be the most important thing in my life. Which is why I’m off to Austin, Texas to one of my very favorite venues, The Crossings. The Crossings started out as part of Omega Institute and then went off on its own and is doing very well. They have a great location in the hills overlooking a nice lake, and they also have a spa, swimming pool, great food and fine teaching facilities. I see on the weather report that the temperature will be in the 80s. I hate to leave the Maine winter for something like that, but if you’re going to spread the word you’ve got to travel.  I’m really looking forward to this 3-day workshop. Most of the workshops are one-day, so I get to be more in-depth at The Crossings and also when I do Omega Institute, which I just did in Costa Rica and which I’ll be doing in Rhinebeck, New York again this summer. The Rhinebeck location is great in the summer, and if you’re interested in attending you can go to the Appearances page of this website and link to more info. (See July 21-23.) BTW, there’s also a link to buy copies of the book on the homepage of this website. You can get a good price at the page it links to and also fast delivery. So if you’d like to share the book with someone that’s a great way to do it.  

I’ll be spending a lot of time traveling and teaching this year, and now that the second book is done I’ll be turning my writing time to the screenplay based on the first book. Wouldn’t it be cool if I could go to the movies, which I love to do anyway, and see Matt Damon playing me? Nah, he’s not good looking enough (LOL). Anyway, it would also make the teachings better known. Right now the book is more of an underground hit. Yes, it will sell hundreds of thousands of copies (I once confided to my first publisher, D. Patrick Miller, that Arten and Pursah had told me that), but it’s too radical and specific to be a mainstream thing unless something like a movie makes it better known. The middle of the road TV talk show hosts (who think they’re so progressive when they’re not) won’t touch it. So maybe Arten and Pursah have other avenues to get these teachings to those who are ready for them, just as has been happening all along. Well, maybe I should pack up and head out. The eyes of Texas are upon me. Maybe George will have me over to the ranch. Have a great week. Love, Gary       

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March 16, 2006. Hi Friends, today I flew into Chicago and was whisked away to the snowy suburbs just north of the city where I’ll be doing an all day workshop on Saturday. If you’re in the area and would like to be a last minute participant the contact information, as always, is available at the Appearances page of this website. It’s quite a contrast between snowy Illinois and the Lone Star State I went to last week, where the temperature was in the 80s every day. It’s fun to be in the Chicago area though, and it’s also fun to think that Monday is the first day of spring.  

The 3-day workshop I did in Austin last weekend, at The Crossings was great for me to experience, and I got to go in-depth and also share some new material from the second book. The people were wonderful, and I got a kick out of the way they shared The Disappearance of the Universe with the students who were attending other classes. The onsite bookstore had about 100 copies of the book and they sold out while I was there. The message is definitely being spread. In fact, The Crossings and I have decided to do the same length workshop twice in 2007, in March and September — so you guys in Texas as well as those around the country who like to get away to a great retreat environment, which also has a wonderful spa, may want to keep that in mind for next year. The only other in-depth workshop I’ll be doing this year will be for Omega Institute at the Rhinebeck, New York location July 21-23. Rhinebeck is a perfect place to have a 3-day summer workshop, and I’m really looking forward to going back there as well. Have a great week and keep on forgiving. Love, Gary   

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March 23, 2006. Hi Friends. Well, spring has sprung, and so have I. And there’s nothing like a new illusory project to get your heart beating in tune with the illusory universe. In this case it’s my pleasure to tell you about some beautiful “Enlightenment Cards” that my publisher, Hay House, has produced called Thoughts from The Disappearance of the Universe.

I’m honored to present to you the enlightenment thoughts that my teachers in the book, Arten and Pursah, asked me to pass along in the form of these cards. Also known as St. Thaddaeus and St. Thomas, they are very happy to help lead you to an enlightened mind, and I’m honored to play my part in sharing this message. The cards consist of mostly (but not exclusively) the quotations that were set aside in boxes on the sides of some of the pages in the book, and the artwork is beautiful. I hope you enjoy them. The cards can be purchased at the Hay House website via this link. Enjoy, and happy spring! Love, Gary

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March 30, 2006. Hi Friends, Today my dream finds me in Mesa, Arizona, where I’ll be doing a workshop this Saturday at the Unity Church. You last-minute types can find the contact info for this workshop at the April 1st listing on the Appearances page of this website. Arizona is really great (this is my second time here) and I hope to stop by Sedona for the first time on Sunday just to look around. I came here from Fort Collins, Colorado, where I spoke on Tuesday night in front of my biggest crowd ever at the Lincoln Center. It was a great experience.  

In coming weeks I’ll be telling you about the new Spanish edition of The Disappearance of the Universe, which is just starting to find its way around the world. I’ll also be telling you about two new audio tapes I’ve recorded that will be released nationally. There will be many exciting things happening leading up to the release of my second book with Arten and Pursah in September. Have a great week and keep on forgiving! Love, Gary 

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April 6, 2006. Hi Friends. Well, it was one year ago today when I started writing these weekly messages, and it really has added some fun to all of my travels and other work. I hope when you get a chance you’ll check out the weekly archives, which give kind of a running history of the last year. It’s been a real trip! 

My visit to Arizona last week was very interesting. I did a workshop in Mesa, not far from Phoenix, spoke at a Sunday morning church service, and also got to visit Sedona for the first time. It’s a pretty place. One thing, though. The Indians won’t live in Sedona because they know that all that magnetism isn’t good for your mind. In fact it can drive you a little crazy after a while. So the question is, what are all those teachers like David Hawkins and Robert Perry doing there? (LOL) Anyway, I’ve been told it won’t affect you to visit there for a week or so. So if you haven’t been there and get the opportunity to visit, I’d highly recommend it. Have a great week! Love, Gary   

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April 13, 2006. Hi Friends. This message will be repeated below in Spanish. It’s with great pleasure that I tell you about the Spanish Edition of The Disappearance of the Universe, La desaparicion del universo. I hope you will share this message with your Spanish speaking friends and relatives. More people in the world speak Spanish than English, and the Spanish were the first Europeans to come to the new world, including America. (You’ll notice the oldest buildings in California are Spanish.) Today, A Course in Miracles, which is the major teaching that is revealed in The Disappearance of the Universe, is spreading more quickly in Spanish than any other language.

 Great care has been taken to present the message of Disappearance to the Spanish speaking community of the Americas. Originally translated by Editorial Siro of Spain, I received cooperation from them in allowing a team of Spanish speaking students of both The Disappearance of the Universe and A Course in Miracles composed of Martha Lucia Constain assisted by Patricia Besada and Miguel Munevar to revise the translation so it would be clearer for Spanish speaking people in North and South America. The result is a Spanish Edition of the book that is just as clear as it was in the original English. I think this is important, because many Spanish speaking people’s introduction to the Course has come from a cult that does not really represent the message of the Course. I think it’s vital to spread the authentic message to everyone.  

In that spirit, there is a Spanish page dedicated to the book, presented by The Another Way Foundation. Also, here is a direct link to buy the Spanish Edition of The Disappearance of the Universe at Amazon.com. I know this Edition will be an important contribution to sharing the message of A Course in Miracles and my Ascended Master Teachers, Arten and Pursah, in Spanish, and I’m honored to be able to play a small role in presenting this great teaching to my Spanish speaking brothers and sisters. Love, Gary

Message in Spanish follows. Please forward! 
 Hola Amigos. Es un gran gusto hablarles de la Edición en Español de “La Desaparición del Universo” (“The Disappearance of the Universe” en Inglés). Espero que puedan compartir este mensaje con sus amigos y familiares que hablen el Español. Hay más gente que habla Español en el mundo que gente de habla Inglesa y fueron los Españoles los primeros Europeos en llegar al Nuevo Mundo, incluyendo a los Estados Unidos de América. (Inclusive, los edificios más antiguos en California son de Arquitectura Colonial Española). Hoy en día, Un Curso de Milagros, que es la enseñanza mayor revelada a través de “La Desaparición del Universo”, se está desplazando más rápidamente en el idioma Español que en ningún otro lenguaje.    

Hemos tomado muy en serio la tarea de presentar el mensaje de “La Desaparición” a la comunidad Hispano parlante de las Américas. Originalmente fue traducido por la Editorial Sirio de España, y recibí su cooperación para permitir que un equipo de estudiantes del Curso que hablan el Español, integrado por Martha Lucía Constain, asesorada por Miguel Munevar y  Patricia Besada. Siendo estudiantes de ambos Un Curso de Milagros y La Desaparición del Universo, ellos revisaron la traducción para que fuera más clara para los lectores de habla Hispana en Norte y Sur América. El resultado es una Edición del libro en Español que es tan clara como lo es en el original idioma Inglés. Yo creo que esto es importante pues mucha gente de habla Hispana ha conocido inicialmente el Curso de Milagros a través de una organización cultista que no representa realmente el mensaje del curso. Creo que es importante desplazar el mensaje auténtico a todo el mundo. Siguiendo esta idea, hay entonces un sitio web en Español dedicado al libro al cual se puede enlazar de la página principal de este sitio web. (Es presentado por “Another Way Foundation” o “Fundación Otro Camino” y pueden hacer click aquí para visitarlo. También hay un enlace directo para aquellos que quieren comprar el libro en Español de La Desaparición del Universo en Amazon.com. Yo sé que esta Edición será una contribución importante en el compartir el mensaje de Un Curso de Milagros y a mis Maestros Ascendidos Arten y Pursah en Español y es un gran honor para mi poder jugar un pequeño papel en presentar esta gran enseñanza a mis hermanos y hermanas Hispano parlantes.  Con amor, Gary
P.D. Favor compartir y reenviar este mensaje! 

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April 20, 2006. Hi Friends, I made my first trip to Delaware last week. A friend of mine said, Dela-where? But I must say I was surprised at how pretty a state it is. The green (very green) rolling hills of the horse country were beautiful. Driving past the Dupont estate over a covered bridge and heading to the University of Deleware where the workshop was held on Saturday, and then speaking at the Sunday church service at the Awakened Heart Spiritual Center, were all wonderful experiences. The people were so awesome that I’ve already arranged to go back next year. 

I want you to know that I’m very excited about my new audio CD that’s been released by Sounds True. It’s a 7.5-hour presentation that I did in a recording studio, entitled Secrets of the Immortal. I spoke longer in the studio than at most workshops, and there will be a second 2-hour presentation available within a couple of weeks. I did these CDs as though I was talking to just one person (you) and I think it’s the best recorded work I’ve ever done. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great week! Love, Gary 

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April 27, 2006

TOP TEN REASONS TO BUY THE HAY HOUSE ENLIGHTENMENT CARDS TITLED
ENLIGHTENMENT CARDS FROM THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE UNIVERSE  NOTE: Hay House has released a beautiful set of 72 cards that show statements made by Arten and Pursah. This message explains the top ten reasons you should consider acquiring this potentially important contribution to my retirement.    
1
. When reading the cards you may have enlightening thoughts because they’re enlightenment cards, which means they’re supposed to make you enlightened, so if you read the enlightened thought on the card you could have more enlightened thoughts, which could then lead to enlightenment.  2. You don’t have to think too much when you’re reading them because they’re really short.  3. Arten and Pursah said the lines in the book that are on the cards, not me.  3 and a half. As it says on the box, if you read these cards everyday it’s guaranteed to lead to enlightenment. Actually, I never said that and I don’t know how it got on the box, but it sounds really good.   4. I’ll get about $2 for every box that’s sold, which will help me with my ministry in Hawaii.  5. The designs on the cards are very beautiful. Really. Excellent artwork.   6. You can draw cards at study groups and then say what you feel inspired to say about what you just read, even if what you’re saying doesn’t have anything to do with what the card means.   7. If you don’t know how to read, the cards could help you learn. 7 and a half. 72 pick up.   8. All the other big Hay House authors have cards based on their work, and I wanted to have some too.  9. The cards could produce more interest in The Disappearance of the Universe and A Course in Miracles, which proves that the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways.  9 and a half. Coasters.   10. You can take the cards to bed with you and pretend you’re spiritual, which may impress your lover.   

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May 4, 2006. Hi Friends. First, a heartfelt thanks to Rev. Yvonne, her husband Cal and everyone at The Church Within in Indianapolis for putting on such a great workshop and making me feel so welcome. The Church Within is the coolest place there is, and it was great being there. I’m not even going to wait a year to come back. I’ll see you guys again in October!

I did a talk at the Church service on Sunday morning (I’m such an altar boy) and then after going out to lunch we went to the movies. It was one of the most intense movie going experiences I’ve ever had. "United 93" is an almost real-time recreation of events on September 11, 2001, with the main focus on the only one of the four hijacked planes to not reach its target, due to the heroic actions of the passengers. The film is so well done that as it goes on you begin to feel like you’re actually there in the plane with them. You can’t help but ask yourself what you would have done if you were put in that same situation. I think the answer is that most of us would have done the same things they did. But as a spiritual person going through the experience via the movie, your way of looking at things cannot help but be examined by you.
 
Would it be possible to forgive and do what needed to be done at the same time? I think it’s possible. Those of you who have read The Disappearance of the Universe may recall an incident I relayed late in the book about a time a man was stabbed to death at a mall I was at, and how I was able to forgive the situation and still help him and the paramedics at the same time. That’s because forgiveness is done at the level of the mind, and it’s possible to take action on the level of the world at the same time. In fact, the clear-headedness that comes as a result of forgiveness can make you MORE effective in dealing with whatever challenge confronts you in the world.
 
In the critically acclaimed “United 93,” there is no political commentary or judgment made against anyone. They are simply shown as they are. There was great ingenuity and bravery on that day on the part of ordinary people doing their jobs, and passengers thrust into a horror they never could have expected. Both “sides” are seen as devoutly religious, praying to God at the same time. By the end of the film my heart was in my mouth.
 

It doesn’t matter if you think you know the ending. You still haven’t seen it until you do. It’s not easy to get me to cry anywhere, much less at the movies, but I must admit I had a tear or two in my eye by the end of this extraordinary film. You may not want to go through such an intense experience. But if you’re up for it, “United 93” is a great film that brings to life one of the most unsettling days in American history. Is it too soon for such a film? When asked that question by Larry King on CNN, one of the relatives of the victims simply replied, “It’s too soon to forget.” That may be true, but for our own peace of mind, it’s never too soon to forgive.  If you see this film try to practice forgiveness at the same time. It may not be easy, but it certainly is good for you. I not only told myself, “It’s only a movie,” but I found myself saying that if I was one of the passengers in that situation I would have been thinking the same thing, “It’s only a movie.” A very intense movie. Love, Gary 

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May 11, 2006. Hi Friends. For this week’s message I’m going to include the e-mail that I sent out to my subscriber base today. The reason is simple: I’m really happy with these new audio CDs from Sounds True. I hope you’ll consider using them to help facilitate your journey home. Here’s the message:   

I’ve recorded 10 hours of enlightening material in the studio for Sounds True. I consider this to be easily the best recorded work I’ve ever done. It includes much material from my workshops, some new material never heard before, as well as a preview of my second book with Arten and Pursah. These are NOT audio books but audio CDs of my personal and workshop materials, put together in an intimate setting where I envisioned myself talking to just one person: you. The longer one, “Secrets of the Immortal” (more than seven hours) has already made the top 10 best sellers at Sounds True, the premier audio company of the spiritual community.

You can go to the link below and get descriptions of the CDs and even preview clips from them. The second CD, which is two and a half hours long, is titled “The End of Reincarnation” and is about no less than that — breaking the cycle of birth and death once and for all.  This CD previews some of the material from the second book, to be published on August 15th by Hay House. I hope you’ll enjoy these CDs, which include the most detailed, advanced, and personal work I’ve ever done as a speaker. Love, Gary

ps: Please go to this Sounds True link and click on the names of the titles for more details.

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May 18, 2006. Hi Friends, it was my pleasure last weekend to visit Pathways of Light in Kiel, Wisconsin for the third year in a row. Pathways is an excellent spiritual teaching organization that’s run by Reverends Robert and Mary Stoelting, who have been there since the early 1990s. Robert and Mary have been involved in the spiritual movement however, since the 1960s. Their location may be out in the boonies, but their hearts and minds are definitely in the right place.

Every time I go there we do a DVD of the workshop. I think the one we did last weekend is the best. If you’d like to preorder it you can do so through Pathways. It’s also possible to preorder my next book from them. Here’s the link.
 

One of the reasons I love Pathways of Light is that they’re into empowering people to hear the Holy Spirit’s Voice for themselves. They’re not into telling people what to do; they’re into training people to receive their own Guidance. There’s another organization in Wisconsin, which Pathways of Light should not be confused with, that’s very much into telling people what to do. It’s a cult that uses A Course in Miracles for its own purpose, rather than the empowering self-study Course it was meant to be. I’m very grateful that there are wonderful teachers such as Robert and Mary who recognize that no teacher is superior to the students, except in illusions. I’ll be back at Pathways next year, and I encourage you to give your support to Robert and Mary and the great group of people who make up their membership. Love, Gary 

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May 25, 2006 • A Fun Time at the Movies: The Da Vinci Code • Hi Friends, After getting home from Atlanta I decided to go see “The Da Vinci Code” at my local Flagship Cinema here in Auburn, Maine. I was fascinated by the inconsistent buzz I was hearing about the film. On the one hand, the reviews were almost universally negative, with critics falling over themselves all over the world to bash it. On the other hand, I watched the “Ebert and Roeper” TV show (which I recorded while on the road) and they gave the movie two thumbs up! I thought what’s going on here? These guys really know their movies, and when they agree with each other it’s usually a pretty good indicator. So I had a feeling maybe the movie wasn’t so bad after all. Besides, it was directed by Ron Howard. Anyone who can make a film like A Beautiful Mind isn’t exactly an amateur. I was looking forward to seeing who was right about this movie.  

An hour into this two and a half hour film I knew the answer. The critics around the world who have been putting down this movie are, to put it gently, full of crap. It’s a good movie. Does it really matter if some people aren’t used to Tom Hanks’ haircut? I’ve never seen him look so good. (LOL) Hanks does a credible job playing a professor. People have said his part is boring. No! Professors are not known for their charisma, but he definitely has at least a hundred fascinating things to say and do during this movie. There are interesting and even occasionally humorous performances turned in all around him. And there’s actually a lot of interesting history revealed in the film. The scene that visually dissects Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” is mesmerizing. It leaves little doubt that this great artist was making a very provocative statement about Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
 
Incidentally, the books The Da Vinci Code and The Disappearance of the Universe both came out at the same time, and my teachers, Arten and Pursah, would agree with The Da Vinci Code about J and Mary being married. They do NOT agree however, with the idea that they had children. They also emphasize that the LAST thing Jesus would have wanted people to do is be distracted by heirs in a so-called “bloodline,” which does nothing but make the body real, and which would be the opposite of what Jesus and Mary were teaching. That notwithstanding, The Da Vinci Code is full of other ideas that Arten and Pursah and both of their books would agree with. The second book, Your Immortal Reality: How to Break the Cycle of Birth and Death was finished in January and will be released by Hay House on September 1st. In it A & P talk further about Jesus and Mary, Thomas, Thaddaeus, and a great teacher named Stephen, who like Mary, was almost written out of history.  
 

The moral of this story is that Dan Brown had a book that was so big, having sold 50 million copies, that the hype about the movie was overwhelming and some people couldn’t stand it, so they were pre-conditioned to knock it. That says nothing about the movie and everything about the egos of its critics. As for me, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this interesting and entertaining film to anyone, whether they’re on a spiritual path or not. Go see it with a nice big box of popcorn in front of you, and be prepared for a fun time at the movies. Love, Gary   

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June 1, 2006: The Tao of Travel. Hi Friends, I’ve been thinking this week about the challenges of traveling all over the map to share the message. Two clear things emerge in the mind. 1) It’s worth it, and 2) Getting there is definitely NOT half the fun, especially lately. I completely enjoy meeting people who are into The Disappearance of the Universe and A Course in Miracles. In fact, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It’s not hard once you’re at the location of an event. It’s fun. If it’s not fun then you shouldn’t be doing it. However, I"m starting to understand what Woody Allen meant when he said, “Eighty per cent of life is showing up.” It’s not easy to get from Portland, Maine to Green Bay, Wisconsin in one day to do a workshop the next day, especially when the airline cancels your flight. I left my house at 6am on Friday, May12, and arrived at my destination at midnight. This was in order to do a workshop that would be recorded as a DVD the next morning!  

Part of the reason for this is the trend of most airlines to use smaller planes in order to cut costs. They want the planes to be full. Two years ago just about all the planes I flew on had at least 100 seats. Now it’s usually more like 50 seats. I’ve had airlines deliberately cancel the flight I was on in order to have two half full planes combined into one full one. When they do that they usually can’t have all the lugguge on the plane because of a weight issue, so they have an excellent solution: they just leave yours behind! These kinds of “forgiveness opportunities,” as Arten and Pursah and I jokingly refer to them, are happening with great regularity.
 

So far, I’ve managed to keep my sense of humor (most of the time.) For those of you who are familiar with the idea of The Tao, (pronounced dow) it is absolute stillness. It’s possible to have the peace of that stillness regardless of what appears to be happening in the world. As long as I know how to practice forgiveness I should be able to find that place within me. Send me your thoughts, and have a great week. Love, Gary

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June 8, 2006. Hi Friends, we had a great workshop last weekend in Cincinnati. It was my first time to Ohio, as well as Kentucky, where I was taken out to eat in Newport. Newport is on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River and Cincy is on the Ohio side. We had a really good crowd at the Garden Park Unity Church, where I also spoke at the Sunday morning Church service the next day. I never could have pictured myself speaking at Church services until I first did so a couple of years ago. But as A Course in Miracles says, “I am among the ministers of God.”  

This morning I’m headed for Ft. Myers, Florida, where I hear the temperature is in the 90s. That will be quite a contrast from Maine, where the temperatures are in the 50s and it’s pouring rain. In fact, we’re having a “Noreaster.” Hopefully the delays won’t be as heavy as the rain.
 

I’m having fun on the road, but I’m also looking forward to a few weeks off this summer before the stuff really hits the fan with the release of the second book and all of the promotional activities that involves. I’m very excited about the second book, Your Immortal Reality, which will be released on September 1st, as well as the success of my two new audio CDs at Sounds True (currently number one and number eleven in sales rankings there.) These are not audio books but recordings I did in a studio of my personal and workshop materials. Have a great week! Love, Gary  

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June 15, 2006. Hi Friends, my timing has been good this week in missing the tropical storm that just hit the Southeastern U.S. You see, I was in Ft. Myers, Florida last weekend for a workshop and got out of town and back to Maine on Monday night, just in time to miss the storm hitting Florida. Now, I’m headed off to do another workshop on St. Simon’s Island in Georgia, where the tropical storm just left in time for me to go there. It’s fun when things work out like that. Times have been busy. I taped a radio interview today, and also did a 90-minute presentation tonight on the Internet on “Paltalk.” Thanks to my friend David Fishman for setting that up.  

This weekend’s workshop in Georgia is being organized by Lucia Constain, who some of you will recognize as one of the moderators of the online discussion group that discusses the book, The Disappearance of the Universe. Lucia was also in charge of the team that translated the book into Spanish. It promises to be a great workshop in an idyllic setting, a beautiful island that is also forcast to have good weather. If you’d like to join us the contact info is on the Appearances page of this website. Have a great week and keep on forgiving. Love, Gary  

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June 22, 2006. Hi Friends. I was very happy to receive this e-mail this week from Peter Meijer who, along with his wife Vera, translated The Disappearance of the Universe into Dutch. It’s very exciting to see the message of the book and A Course in Miracles being shared around the world in this way, and I’m very grateful to all of the translators.

Dear brother Gary,
 
Your book, our translation, it sells really good and we have not done any advertising except then in a magazine in which we did a review on the book. A lot of people who haven’t read the course are now ready to read it