| Posted: May 16 2005,17:56 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
A
Course In Miracles - A Blueprint for real change. True peace is not an
objective condition but an individual state of mind. The goal of A
Course In Miracles is peace. It is a revolutionary curriculum designed
to catalyze a paradigm shift in human consciousness through the
individual discovery of the Peace of God and extends far beyond any and
all religious or political boundaries. The healing of body, mind, and
spirit through the training of A Course In Miracles enables the
individual to overlook impulses of revenge and respond with
non-judgment and forgiveness to all apparent external and internal
circumstances. This Self-Realization catalyzes a miraculous falling
away of behaviors such as substance abuse, self abuse, abuse of others,
revenge, and criminal behavior restoring the mind to a thought system
based on love instead of fear in the re-establishment of communication
with the Will of God, our One True Universal Relationship.
A
Course In Miracles International represents many thousands of teachers
and students of the Course in virtually every country in the world who
individually, or through healing centers or transformational study
groups are discovering the peace of enlightened mind for which all
humanity yearns. Personal transformation affects our involvement in the
community and empowers our extension of ourselves in our commitment to
a better world. Since we attended the Millennium Peace Summit at the
United Nations in 2000, our organization has catapulted into a broad
range of activities promoting a culture of love and forgiveness both
nationally and internationally. More and more individuals, inspired and
motivated by their own personal experiences gained through the
application of our program are showing an increasing dedication and
commitment to peace. Teachers of A Course In Miracles are traveling to
all corners of the world invited by those seeking bright innovative
solutions to the often devastating problems of aggregate human
existence that have beset mankind since the beginning of time. As a
result, during the first half of the decade many new transformational
education centers around the world have opened and are actively
involved in our program including Medellin, Cali and Bogotá (Colombia),
Maraca Ibo (Venezuela), Wroclaw (Poland), Cuernavaca (Mexico) and
Vienna (Austria). Through our participation in the United Nations
International Day of Peace both in the United States as well as
Colombia we continue to share with our community the miracle of the
infinite possibility that occurs as we unite in a single goal of peace.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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We
cannot underestimate the dilemma that the belief in objective reality
generates in the human mind. Objective Reality is the nature of the
collective consciousness of the world. Until now, we have been content
with band-aid solutions (the proverbial rearranging of the deck chairs
on the Titanic). We have sought for worldly ‘solutions’, both political
and personal that have led to either more problems or merely a change
in the form of the problem. Neither of which answered the
underlying cause of the conflict that characterizes the human
condition.
The only obstacle is the individual’s lack of awareness
and/or unwillingness to accept responsibility as the source of the
conflict.
"As a man thinketh, so does he perceive. Therefore, seek
not to change the world, but will to change your mind ABOUT the world."
- A Course In Miracles is a curriculum of self-realization based on the
psychology of self-responsibility and the art of forgiveness.
Suggested Reading: Obstacles to Peace from A Course In Miracles ~ Chapter 19
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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Global Service:
Miracle teachers are in the active service of peace throughout the world.
September
11th - More than 30 of our teachers volunteered in those first few
weeks with the Red Coross and the Salvation Army & also offered
Healing and Prayer Services through our New York Center.
Volunteered for events at the United Nations and supporting NGO’s in peace activities including:
UNICEF Children’s’ Forum 2002 - (Volunteer Team of 12)
******
A
Course In Miracles has been active in the United Nations International
Day of Peace for the last three years. Activities include:
1.
Hosting an event with 25 representatives from different countries at
our Miracles Healing Center in Wisconsin in 2003. A Video was created
and used for promotion of IDP.
2. Hosting a large event in Bogotá,
Colombia which involved the Minister of Defense, Martha Lucía Ramírez
and many other officials and religious leaders. 2003/4
3. Participating in the World Peace Festival, New York - 2002 (Exhibitor)
4. Participating in the UN Peace Day in Central Park 2004/5 (Speaker/performer)
5. Attending a peace walk at Ground Zero with Jane Goodall. 2004
6. Our Voices, Our World -the final event of 11 Days to Global Peace 2004 (Exhibitor)
Networking and sharing the message through our website:
International Day of Peace: http://www.themiracletimes.com/IDP/International_Day_of_Peace.htm
Advents of Awakening:
Hundreds
of worldwide gatherings are taking place all around the world every
year. These re-Unions lead to a very real physical, mental and
emotional experience of the transformation of ourselves through the
recognition that each of us is a whole part of the eternally creating
source of all reality.
USA: Wisconsin Dells, New York, New Jersey,
Florida, California, Vermont, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky,
Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Utah, Michigan, New Mexico,
Massachusetts, Virginia, Wyoming , Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana.
International:
Spain, Poland, Germany, Austria, Holland, Italy, England, Russia,
Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa, France, Mexico, Thailand.
Miracles Communication Center:
Our
Communication Center offers a wealth of media on or about the Course In
Miracles Mind Training program. Available are 100s of titles of Video,
Audio, Booklets, DVD, CD-Rom, Transcripts, and Music, with many
materials translated into 15 languages including: Chinese, Croatian,
Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Persian, Portuguese,
Polish, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, and Swedish. The Communication Center
is operated on a donation basis, funded by the Miracles Endowment Fund
for A Course In Miracles with the proceeds going toward the
dissemination of the message of A Course In Miracles to the world.
Our
materials are mailed to over 100 countries including: Algeria,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Dr Congo,
Dutch Caribbean, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras,
Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, N Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
Georgia, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Samoa, Scotland, Seychelles,
Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad
West Indies, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates,
Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe.
International Conferences & Events:
Millennium Peace Summit for Religious and Spiritual Leaders, United Nations - August 2000 (Delegates)
State of The World Forum, New York - September 2000 (Exhibitor)
International Forum for Science and Religion, Brazil - November 2000 (Speaker & Exhibitor)
Convocation of World Leaders, New York - January 2001(Exhibitor)
International Forgiveness Week, Wisconsin Dells, USA - June 2001 (Host/Speaker)
Advent of A Great Awakening, The UN Church Center - June 2002(Host/Speaker)
Fiesta De Milagros, Wisconsin Dells, USA - July 2002 (Host/Speaker)
The Advent of A Great Awakening, The Maastricht Exhibition Center, Holland - September 2002 (Host)
We the People Summit for Peace, Vermont - September 2002 (Co-sponsor, Exhibitor and volunteer staff)
International Prayer Week, Wisconsin Dells - 2003 (Host/Speakers)
"Living in the Vibration of Love" Chalanda Sai Ma Lakshmi Devi with Master Teacher, Ram Dass,
Sat Santokh & Snatam Kaur, San Francisco Bay Area - August 2003 (Speaker)
Parliament of the World’s Religions, Barcelona - July 2004 (Speaker, Performer & Exhibitor)
Unlearning Intolerance Seminar On Confronting Islamophobia at the United Nations - December 2004
A Course In Miracles Online:
The
latest in global communication technology extends the message of A
Course In Miracles worldwide using satellite transmission, online
media, online classes and meditations. Our message is available in 7
languages and reaches out to more than 60 countries worldwide.
Websites: A Course In Miracles International www.acimi.com
Miracles Prisoner Ministry:
Since
the inception of the Miracles Prisoner Ministry in 1999, the goals of
nonviolence and peace have shaped the design and activities of this
Ministry. As a faith based organization, the focus of MPM is to
promote a culture of peace and nonviolence within our society through
the reintroduction of Spirituality to those incarcerated. MPM
works to bridge the gap between the individual and their Creator, which
is the source of a lack of Peace.
Without a strong spiritual
foundation, there can be no Peace of Mind for any human being.
This lack of Peace of Mind and the resultant acts of violence
upon society contributes to the atmosphere of rage and fear throughout
today’s world. Society is made up of individuals. It is
each individual’s spirituality which needs to be addressed. This
is humankind’s universal problem. This problem surpasses all language
barriers, religions, cultures and territorial boundaries. To aggravate
an already enervating situation, most seek relief through the abusive
and addictive use of both legal and illegal drugs. The results
are nightmarishly devastating.
In an attempt to address this worldwide dilemma, MPM has adopted the following Mission Statement:
Miracles Prisoner Ministry
Mission Statement
As a worldwide Ministry, it is our purpose to serve all those asking for help, who are incarcerated in any way.
As
a Faith based organization, our Ministry is founded on the teachings of
Jesus Christ in the New Testament, a 12-Step Program based on
Alcoholics Anonymous and A Course in Miracles. The Miracles Prisoner
Ministry provides inmates, families, communities, institutions &
their staff with written literature, audio/visual tapes and CD's, as
well as, on-site individualized self-help training programs.
All
services and materials presented by the Miracles Prisoner Ministry seek
to aid in the change of an inmate's mind from one of fostering hate and
fear to one fostering forgiveness, peace, self-determination and
cooperation; a process that will show every inmate that any term of
incarceration can be changed from one of futility, despair, hatred and
anger to an opportunity for positive, miraculous, inner self-change.
The
12-Step Community, in its entirety, is an integral part of the Miracles
Prisoner Ministry Program and the reintegration of former inmates into
mainstream society. Here is a real opportunity for you to personally
practice your own 12th Step.
***********
Our attendance at the
Millennium World Peace Summit at the United Nations catapulted the MPM
onto the international scene. We presented delegates and guests with
our Mission Statement as a declaration of our commitment of service to
humanity. Our gift to the summit, a small booklet of prayers
entitled "Peace, the Healing Power of Love and Forgiveness" was very
well received.
The Miracles Prisoner Ministry’s course of action has
been direct. We have developed and implemented a system of
communication (bilingual; English and Spanish) with individual inmates
throughout the United States and around the world, that offers these
men, women and, in some cases, children a genuine alternative. Here is
how it works.
1. Personal Correspondence: MPM corresponds, by
mail, with hundreds of inmates at any given time. Though
desperate and unhappy, and perhaps unwilling to receive help in the
beginning, many have accepted the Love and Forgiveness being offered
them through our letters. Each inmate who writes MPM receives a
hand-written letter from a minister/staff person and spiritual
materials for them to read. CD’s, videos, audio tapes etc. are
also available for those who have permission to receive them. No
one is ever turned away. Just a short note of Love and
Forgiveness can touch even the hardest of souls.
2. Pastoral Visits:
When possible, ministers from MPM visit inmates personally,
offering them guidance and prayer readings from the Bible, A Course In
Miracles and other spiritual materials to comfort and support them.
Depending on the individual’s true desire for help and their
openness, great strides are made in inmates finding Peace of Mind.
Often for the first time.
3. On-site training: Due to
insufficient resources, consecutive classes are limited to correctional
institutions and facilities in the Central Region of the United States.
Ministry teaching staff conducts our Spiritual Recovery Program
called "A Way Out" at these locations for all who are interested.
These weekly classes promote individual growth and healing
through self awareness. This direct personal approach has amazing
results. When inmates encounter someone from the "outside" with
similar addictions or experiences, standing before them in the
demonstration of wholeness and having been healed of the same hatred
and pain, the alterative no longer seems so impossible.
4. "A
Way Out" Spiritual Recovery Correspondence Course provides direct
personal assistance to those inmates MPM is unable to offer classes to.
This 12-Section program based upon A Course In Miracles, the
12-Step program and the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament,
generally takes about 18 months to complete. These concentrated studies
address the specific issues of each individual participant, delving
into the psychology of their addictive mind and the steps necessary for
their complete healing.
These studies seek to break down the
barriers prohibiting the individual’s spiritual growth and subsequent
peace of mind. Each inmate is assigned a personal sponsor/guide from
the MPM staff, who develops and nurtures a rapport with each inmate
ultimately leading to a level of openness, honesty and trust. This is
accomplished by maintaining written communication throughout the
duration of the Course. Upon successful completion, each participant
received a certificate of completion for their files. MPM encourages
family members and friends to participate in the program along with the
inmate, thereby facilitating the development of a support group within
the individual inmate’s personal environment. This is a genuine
introduction of spiritual recovery into the community prior to the
inmate’s release. As a faith-based volunteer organization, all
materials and staff-time must be provided to inmates free of charge.
5.
A Worldwide Website, both in English and Spanish, provides information
and a communication with the world. It allows MPM to connect with
other ministries, corrections institutions and facilities and family
and friends of inmates who are looking for help….and anyone else who
may be interested! This valuable communication tool has allowed MPM to
address the needs of individuals throughout the world, that otherwise
would have been impossible. The website allows MPM to be
multi-national.
6. Seminars/Workshops and Conferences hosted by
MPM, provide those interested with a better understanding of the
corrections system and what MPM actually does within that system.
In addition, we provide training, materials and personal guidance
to those experiencing the same lack of peace of mind and not yet
incarcerated.
7. Guest Speaker Engagements are routinely
requested of MPM ministers. Local schools and civic organizations
such as the American Legion, the Rotary Club and others, regularly
request presentations from MPM. In addition, MPM travels throughout the
nation and world as ambassadors of Peace and Forgiveness. Closer to
home, local radio stations provide time for MPM to offer ongoing
monthly broadcasts. This public exposure gives MPM the opportunity to
bring the seriousness of this situation to the attention and awareness
of the general public.
8. Networking with other ministries around
the world, represents a vital way to interact with our colleagues,
share materials, pool information, remain current within the
corrections field, as well as, join with those who are also serving
humanity by bringing about Peace in the world. MPM communicates with
ministries in Africa, Russia, Europe, Australia and others. MPM is a
member of International Network of Prison Ministries and other relevant
on-line networks for those in the prison(er) ministry field.
9.
Attending National and World Conferences keeps the Miracles Prisoner
Ministry in the corrections field on a global scale. MPM attended
as delegates, the Millennium World Peace Summit, NY and the Parliament
of World Religions in Barcelona, Spain, and others. MPM continues
to send representatives to a wide variety of related national
conferences. All of these conferences and summits provide MPM
needed information and new insights to remain current in today’s
ever-changing global environment. MPM specifically singles out
those conferences that relate to World Peace, Spirituality and the
freedom of mind.
10. Participating in national corrections
organizations is an integral part of MPM’s comprehensive professional
enhancement program. MPM belongs to a wide range of professional
organizations in the corrections and spiritual/religious fields. MPM is
a member of the American Correctional Association and the American
Chaplains Correctional Association and the Wisconsin Correctional
Association. MPM is a member of International Network of Prison
Ministries.
In its dedication to bring joy, peace and
freedom of mind to all humanity, the Miracles Prisoner Ministry, joined
with other ministries in a singleness of purpose, will continue to
foster spiritual awareness in all those seeking help. In
conclusion, the Miracles Prisoner Ministry offers to the United Nations
- to all men - Peace on Earth.
Miracles Prisoner Ministry
www.miraclesprisonerministry.org
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
UN
Spiritual Caucus, UN Values Caucus, Working with NGO’s on Peace events:
Airline Ambassadors, World Peace Prayer Society, We the World, IDP
Vigil, Pathways to Peace, Children of the Earth.
Humanity in Unity, CRS - Center for Remembering and Sharing, NYC.
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
What
new engagements are planned by your organization to promote a culture
of peace in the second half of the Decade (2006-2010)?
International Day of Peace - continued support in all our centers.
Application for NGO Status with ECOSOC.
Host sponsor of the Seeds of Transformation Conference at Bard College. June 3-5
Plans
for a movie production: The Story of A Course In Miracles - The
Search For Jesus of Nazareth
http://www.acimi.com/the_story_of_a_course_in_miracles
Satellite broadcast of the message of A Course In Miracles.
New Centers in Ecuador & Austria.
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Postal address of organization
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E-mail address of organization
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editor@themiracletimes.com
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Website address of organization
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http://www.themiracletimes.com
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Education for a culture of peace
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Education for a culture of peace
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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International
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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