It is a great joy to share my most recent interview in this series!
Gary Renard is an international, best-selling author and speaker. His four books include The Disappearance of the Universe trilogy and The Lifetimes When Jesus and Buddha Knew Each Other: A History of Mighty Companions. His speaking schedule and much information can be found at www.GaryRenard.com.
None of us are able to navigate our spiritual journey without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
There are actually 2 people, who are not really people, who helped to get me where I am. They call themselves Arten and Pursah, and they still appear to me in person and look like very real people. But they taught me as the years went on that what they really are is the Holy Spirit appearing as Arten and Pursah who, as it turned out, were the reincarnations of 2 of the disciples of Jesus, Thaddaeus and Thomas. A Course in Miracles says about the Holy Spirit, “His is the Voice for God, and has therefore taken form. This form is not His reality.” So the reality behind the appearances is Spirit, but the Holy Spirit has to take on a form in order to communicate with us. If it didn’t then we’d never be able to hear it. That form could be a Voice, or an idea, or a manifestation of any kind. But whatever it is, it’s necessary in order for us to be led home to God, which is the Holy Spirit’s function.
I do not take credit for my books, which have spread around the world for the last 16 years. Although I hold up my end of the conversations in the books, I must say it has been Arten and Pursah who have given us the best parts of the books. Their teachings are based on A Course in Miracles, and I owe any understanding of the Course that I may have to them.
Can you advise what is needed to engage more people in The Awakening / spiritual consciousness raising?
There is a certain kind of forgiveness that is taught in A Course in Miracles that does not make the illusion real. Making it real keeps it real in your mind. It keeps it stuck in place. The Course says that the Holy Spirit sees our illusions, but without believing in them. If you want to return to Spirit in your experience then you want to think like the Holy Spirit thinks. The thoughts always come first, and the experience follows. It’s this change in thinking that is necessary to join the Great Awakening.
The ego, or your false self, which believes in separation, sees separation everywhere. But the Holy Spirit thinks in terms of Oneness. So the Holy Spirit overlooks separation, and looks to the constant truth that is just beyond the temporary veil. And you must take that extra step. It’s not enough to say the world is an illusion. That will leave you feeling empty and meaningless. You’ve got to replace the illusion with something. That’s where spiritual sight comes in, which is what the Course calls Vision. True forgiveness has you think of people as not being bodies, but the immortal spirit beings that the really are. The truth of spirit is a constant, where the illusion of time and space is only temporary.
In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?
It’s not so much new beliefs as newly refined habits. Once you know the truth, which is not of this world, you must be vigilant for it. As the Course says, “Be vigilant only for God and His Kingdom.” That takes practice. You get so much into the habit of forgiveness that you would miss it if you didn’t do it. Then you know it’s becoming a part of you. Jesus could forgive people even when they appeared to be destroying his body. Most people can’t forgive people even when they appear to have done nothing to them. Do people really think they are going to attain the level of spiritual mastery as Jesus without practicing? It’s the constant practice of vigilance that leads to Mastery.
Do you have a new book that you’ve have recently launched? Please tell us more and include a link for our readers if possible!
My 4th book, The Lifetimes When Jesus and Buddha Knew Each Other, has just been released in unabridged, audio-book form. It’s over 8 hours of cutting edge, spiritual information. The best price is at Amazon. The link can be found here.
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