A Course in Miracles (ACIM) Podcast

"A Pure Heart and an Open Mind" - A 'The Way of the Mystic Weekend Online Revival' Movie Workshop with David Hoffmeister

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips
David Hoffmeister declares that today's workshop will dismantle the ego and say 'bye-bye to special love' on Valentine's Day.
David Hoffmeister opens the workshop by announcing it will be deep and shake the ego, focusing on dismantling special love relationships on Valentine's Day. He references Lesson 76 of A Course in Miracles, where Jesus lists ego laws including friendship, and explains that heaven knows no hierarchies like family or best friends. Hoffmeister introduces the movie featuring Ryan Reynolds as Chris, a character who embodies attempts at special love. The workshop analyzes Chris's high school humiliation when his private love desire is exposed, leading to embarrassment and a geographical cure as he moves to Los Angeles. Hoffmeister describes how Chris reinvents himself with weight loss and a job but remains trapped in people-pleasing and specialness. The analysis covers Chris's return to New Jersey, where he faces past associations and tries to win back Jamie with ego agendas, resulting in awkwardness and anger. Hoffmeister contrasts the ego's competitive, getting-based relationships with the Holy Spirit's purpose of pure giving and forgiveness. He explains that the world is a projection of the belief in competition with God, and true spiritual awakening requires discerning between the ego and the Holy Spirit. The workshop uses humor, as seen in Ryan Reynolds's performance, to expose the ego's futility. Hoffmeister concludes by highlighting how Chris eventually speaks from his heart, showing the difference when one chooses the miracle. Throughout, he interacts with a global online audience, emphasizing practical application of non-dual teachings.

As heard by us

A Valentine's movie workshop turns the friend zone into a lesson on ego, special love, and seeing every person as the Christ.

Valentine's Day gives this workshop its pressure point, as Lesson 76, "I Am Under No Laws But God's," becomes a way to examine friendship, partnership, and the ego's habit of sorting love through the past.

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Why you'd press play

For a Valentine's Day session where the friend zone meets the ego, pull up a chair.

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