Disciples on the ACIM Path
David is interviewed by Karen Bentley.
Meet David Hoffmeister David points out that his gatherings are more a state of mind than anything else. “As I go to the gatherings I have the willingness to show up in mind and to be truly helpful. I have no agenda. No clue what will be asked or if there will even be talking or not. Instead, I make myself available to answer questions and to facilitate the expression of the Holy Spirit, which comes through many people, not just myself. People come from so many different backgrounds, cultures and languages. Sometimes I don’t even speak the language. But translators show up, and it seems like the Holy Spirit is orchestrating the whole thing just for me to share this state of joy and peace and happiness. I’m there to join with everyone.” “Those that show up in my gatherings,
are showing up calling for help.” It’s typical for David to be asked to
address worldly concerns. Maybe the questions have to do with the dropping
of bombs, or anti-American protests, or betrayal, or loss. David offers
healing to all. “In Argentina there is a perception that the economy has
collapsed, the children are struggling and dying, the politicians and police
are corrupt. There are no stop signs in Argentina, so every intersection is
a telepathic encounter. In this setting, when I was speaking the Voice for
the Holy Spirit, people were crying. All of the discussions were not
intellectual, but you could feel the healing going on. This is typical of
all my gatherings. Another gathering in Massachusetts was no different than
that. People came. They poured out their hurts and grief about the loss of
loved ones, about children in drug rehab, about sickness, about panic
attacks, and fear of the future. So I would say that the Holy Spirit is
extremely practical and meets every questioner with what could be most
helpful. There is no formula. And there is no set answer that can be given
across the board because people’s consciousness and awareness have such a
range. But when I’m showing up, I truly show up to be only helpful. And the
Spirit flows through me. And I experience joy and so does everyone else in
the room. So typically, by the end of the gathering there are lots of hugs
and kisses. Sometimes tears. And always a feeling of lightness and joy." “There’s no standard day for me. Every day is spontaneous. I feel as if I’m in a State of constant meditation. Practices and rituals have fallen away. I feel as if I’m in a constant State of prayer. There are no prayers for specific instances and events because prayers are included in the constant State that I am. It’s staying in a State of joy, and I let that direct my day. Except for resting the body at night and watching the body during the day, there’s nothing that’s regular in my life. I’ve even let go of the distinction between sleeping dreams and waking dreams because the Holy Spirit has said really they’re all the same. I just use my stories and parables to be helpful to my brothers and sisters who I see as one with me.” “It’s the desire to know God that’s the most important thing. It’s important to follow the rituals to train your mind, but this need not take many years. I always tell people when they’re doing the ACIM Workbook to approach each lesson as if it’s their final lesson. With such passion that they expect to wake up during that lesson. My approach is based on willingness and passion and not on on frequency of reading the Course or repeatedly doing the lessons year after year.” “I have drawn a map of the mind, and
desire is in the middle. Desire is our altar. Desire is our prayer. Outside
of desire is the ring of belief. And this entire cosmos seems to arise from
this belief, the belief that it’s possible to separate from God. Outside the
ring of belief is the ring of thought, and all thoughts arise from one of
two belief systems: the ego’s and the Holy Spirit’s. Outside the ring of
thought is the ring of emotion, and there are but two emotions: love and
fear. And then we have what we call the perceptual world. And that arises
from the emotions we hold and the thoughts we think and the beliefs that
guide them. Why did this happen to me? I was able to get to the core, which
is the source of all. And I remember a quote from ACIM, which always touched
my heart: truth will be returned to your awareness by your desire as it
was lost by your desire for something else. When I first read that
quote, I knew that I must let my eye be single and come to a single desire,
and that everything else would fall into place once I had cleared the altar
of my mind.” |