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Most people on a spiritual path (or who study A Course in Miracles) “get” the idea that what they see in the world is coming from their mind, thoughts, feelings and beliefs. It’s fairly common knowledge nowadays that the world you think you see is nothing more than a reflection of the thoughts you hold in mind.
But …
What most people do is make themselves guilty about it.
They get cancer and think “I caused this” and then they try to figure out how to “change their mind” so they don’t have cancer.
Today, I want to give you a new way to think about everything that seems to happen to you (along with a writing exercise and practice) so that you feel excitement, peace and joy over all the events in your life – no matter how terrible they seem at first.
Instead of saying “I caused this” (problems, accidents, loss, sickness, pain) which makes you a victim, guilty with shame, say this instead:
“I REQUESTED THIS.” Click To Tweet
A Course in Miracles gives us The Responsibility for Sight Prayer, which point-blank tells us that everything that seems to happen to me, I asked for and received as I have asked.
BOOM!
I requested it. This is why I am happy all the time. Because whatever comes my way, I feel a deep curiosity and excitement over whatever is unfolding. I know that only good has come to me and that a happy outcome is certain.
The Responsibility for Sight
A Course in Miracles
We have repeated how little is asked of you to learn this course. It is the same small willingness you need to have your whole relationship transformed to joy; the little gift you offer to the Holy Spirit for which He gives you everything; the very little on which salvation rests; the tiny change of mind by which the crucifixion is changed to resurrection. And being true, it is so simple that it cannot fail to be completely understood. Rejected yes, but not ambiguous. And if you choose against it now it will not be because it is obscure, but rather that this little cost seemed, in your judgment, to be too much to pay for peace.
This is the only thing that you need do for vision, happiness, release from pain and the complete escape from sin, all to be given you. Say only this, but mean it with no reservations, for here the power of salvation lies:
I am responsible for what I see.
I choose the feelings I experience, and I decide upon the goal I would achieve.
And everything that seems to happen to me I ask for, and receive as I have asked.
Deceive yourself no longer that you are helpless in the face of what is done to you. Acknowledge but that you have been mistaken, and all effects of your mistakes will disappear.
It is impossible the Son of God be merely driven by events outside of him. It is impossible that happenings that come to him were not his choice. His power of decision is the determiner of every situation in which he seems to find himself by chance or accident. No accident nor chance is possible within the universe as God created it, outside of which is nothing. Suffer, and you decided sin was your goal. Be happy, and you gave the power of decision to Him Who must decide for God for you. This is the little gift you offer to the Holy Spirit, and even this He gives to you to give yourself. For by this gift is given you the power to release your savior, that he may give salvation unto you.
–A Course in Miracles
We all came here as powerful creators and healers, forgot who we are, believed we are bodies and then spent days and weeks and years identifying with the body as our self.
So we requested to wake up to our True Self – and often the often only way to get our attention is through sickness, accidents, death, people pushing our buttons.
“I requested this” is a game-changer because so often we think “how could I have avoided this? ” and “how did I cause this?” (cancer, problems) and “how can I make this go away?” and “if only the situation or people were different, then I would be happy and at peace” and that is completely missing the gifts there for you.
YOU REQUESTED IT.
WRITING EXERCISE & PRACTICE
Get some paper or a journal and a pen.
Write down all your problems, difficulties, accidents, all the things you wish would go away or be different, all the things you are trying to heal, fix or change, all the things that make you upset or angry.
When you are finished, look over your list and say to yourself: I REQUESTED THIS.
On another piece of paper or another page in your journal, write down all the gifts, messages and lessons that have come to you because of the sickness, event, pain, difficulty or problems.
We request the events in our lives for one of two reasons:
1. The first reason: You are not showing up fully and authentically, you are doing things you don’t want to do (staying in a job or relationship that is long over, for example) or you’re afraid to do things that are in your heart because you are afraid of being criticized, afraid of failure, afraid of putting yourself out there. So you stay hiding inside the body – and you “request” accidents, sickness, pain, problems – so that you don’t have to work, so you don’t have to show up, so you get the love you are too afraid to ask for, you get taken care of.
A tough pill to swallow, but that’s one reason.
2. The second reason: You’re in a growth period and not growing. The Life and Light of you – which is your True Self – is in expansion and you’re trying to contain it (again, because of fear). And so you request an event that will teach you trust, patience, gentleness, open-mindedness, joy, how to ask for help, how to ask for what you want, how to get clear on what you want, how to be present every day. Perhaps the gift is time off for stillness and rest. You learn how to be a better listener, or you suddenly feel that life is short and you want to spend the rest of your days living life fully and authentically, being more bold, taking more risks.
No one asks for cancer or a car accident, but you might be asking for time off, humility, compassion, more love, someone to care for you, a period of rest. You as Spirit may be requesting for you to stop doing things alone by yourself and to start asking others for help.
EVERYTHING THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO YOU … IS A GIFT.
You don’t need to get sick or have problems or accidents. You could just start asking for help. You could start taking time off. You could leave that job that you hate. You could stop doing things you don’t really want to do,but are only doing because you feel you “should” or because you feel obligated or because you are people-pleasing. And start doing the things you really want to do.
Be okay with criticism, failure and with life shifting out of your control.
All events are designed to wake you up and shake you up and dislodge you from your fixed position as a body-identity.
Most people, unfortunately, just will NOT do this on their own. They need something to blind-side them from out of nowhere. I can say from deep personal experience, the worst things to happen to you are actually the best things to happen to you if you take the time to find the gifts in there. You requested this. So don’t try to fix it, improve it or make it go away. Embrace it. Welcome it. Rejoice that the thing you requested is upon you – and great change is here for you
Be a detective and find out what gifts have come to you, by your request.
See how all the events in your life are opportunities for growth, healing and expansion.
My suggestion is always the same: get a copy of A Course in Miracles and do what it says.
If you would like additional help from us, there are lots of great programs here at the Teachers of God Foundation to support you in your journey: The 40-Day Program, Living in Purpose, ACIM 365, and True Prosperity.
We would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below on the gifts you have been given by your request.
I LOVE YOU.
Lisa Natoli
Lisa Natoli is the Creator of The 40-Day Program for Transformation (it’s free!) and the Founder of The Healing Cure: An approach to healing using the light within you, your holiness, the mind-training of A Course in Miracles and a commitment to identify and BE your True Self. https://www.lisanatoli.com
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33 Comments on “I Requested This”
Wow Lisa – you just bring awareness to the forefront in the most incredible ways!!! I love I Requested This. If you request something you are responsible for it when it shows up in your experiences. This is like the prelude to I Am Responsible part of the Course’s message. Makes it so much easier accept the reason why this experience is in your life. Thanks again Lisa for another “aha”!!! Much love
Wow, this was so helpful Lisa. I am currently being asked to leave my home through a landlord/tenant battle. It has turned my world upside down. and worry and concern consumed me and now I am very sick, still having to wait to hear the outcome and then take the leap into a new apartment. But yes, I may not be aware of this, but somehow I did request this. I like to think that I requested the ego-mind over Holy Spirits, and the effects are showing up in my life. But being reminded today that everything is a gift, and all events are here to support us for our greater good, that this is happening “for” me and not “to” me. This simply change of mind freed up a huge space in my chest. I am responsible–I know this. And here and now, here within this seeming horrible time, and will choose again and see that there is something grand that could take place here. And that if I choose to look at all of my life with hope and certainty, they hope and certainty will follow me all of my days.
Thank you Lisa
I requested a heart attack and stroke, with distorted vision. I have difficulty walking. So far I cannot see the gift in any of this. All I can see is that these conditions cannot determine my happiness, which is my choice, but I knew that before. So I just give up thinking I know anything. Used to think I was a teacher of God, but I certainly am not a good example. Study A Course in Miracles for 30 years and get a heart attack and stroke! Yea! My only consolation is that I know the thing that got these conditions is not who I am.
Gorgeous Margaret! You are an AMAZING teacher of God! I love this message from you – that you see that none of it can affect your happiness, which is your decision. I love you so much. Did you see the video talk I gave as a follow up to this? It goes into a little more detail. We don’t request the specifics (heart attack, stroke, distorted vision, difficulty walking) but we do request to come to this place where you have arrived to see: this is not who I am. YOU ARE A PERFECT TEACHER OF GOD. You are the light of the world.
get so happy when I read. I totally agree with everything you say, I really experience life – relationships, illnesses, crises with your description.
Thank you for clarifying everything in words, it makes me so happy!
Thank you Lisa for being there for us! Love ! Miro
Thank you Miro! I love you xoxo Lisa
Lisa, I love this, and personally I get it…I was brought up as a child going to a Science of Mind church and learned at a young age that we truly do request it. What I struggle with now, at 58, is this quote from above, “Rejoice that the thing you requested is upon you – and great change is here for you”….You already know that my daughter is going through chemotherapy right now for a very scary aggressive (high recurring type)cancer as a 27 year old. Yes, I just gave her body power over her LIGHT. But the thing is, I don’t look at her and see disease, I look at her and see her light. IT IS SO OBVIOUS IN HER. It always has been. She is so loving to all people and accepting and literally attracts people of all ages to her .. like moths to a flame. I witness IT ALL THE TIME. She exudes love and light and confidence and calmness. My other two kids are type A, driven, a little OCD, not as healthy and if anything, they have requested monumental wake up calls many times. But not Sallie, she is the opposite of that. It blows our minds, because I do really easily understand all that you are saying. I’m in week four of your healing cure and everything makes sense, it’s beautiful and I get it, I live that way, and without even really knowing what I know or what you know and teach, Sallie lives this way too. I can’t believe that going through what she is currently going through (her body is going through) is something that should have happened because she requested it. Does Spirit, use others to teach a lesson to the masses? At the demise of that person? How can this be the “best thing to happen?” Anyway, thanks for listening to my rambling….I’m just trying to figure it all out. Thank you thank you, I’m grateful so so so grateful every single day, all day. Much love to you.
I’d like to share what she wrote on her social media….I think you will like it. 🙂
My Long Crazy Hair has always been one of my most defining PHYSICAL characteristics. It’s what people know me for…it’s always been MY THING. Shaving my head helped me to realize the good headspace that I’m in. Without my hair I still feel 100% me. I wasn’t sure how I’d react to losing it, so It’s pretty cool to have learned that I’m ok without it. It’s nice to know that my personal identity is secure in the essence of my being. I feel safe in my mind. It’s fun to be able to change AND stay the same. Now completely bald the sentiment still stands. I challenge everyone to shake it up a bit. TRY TO LET GO of something you’ve been holding on to due to fear of change. What you alter may be temporary but the lesson you learn can have an everlasting impact. You might just surprise yourself. 🙂
I know it’s easy to get caught up in outer appearances. It can be difficult to detach from the physical. Therefore I think it’s important to remind ourselves daily…….
We are so much more then our hair.
We are so much more then our skin, our makeup, and our clothes.
We are so much more then our body.
We are our mannerisms and our expressions.
We are our personality and our uniqueness.
We are the sound of our laugh and the melody of our voice.
We are the language we use and the way that we speak.
We are the wideness of our smile and the stories in our eyes.
We are the sum of our experiences and the knowledge we possess.
We are the theories and ideas we share.
We are the thoughts and opinions we express.
We are our compassion and our grace.
We are the way we communicate and the connections that we make.
We are the authenticity of our character and how we carry ourselves.
We are our vulnerability and our fortitude.
We are what we choose to hear and what we let ourselves see.
We are our memories and our lessons learned.
We are the energy we exude and the feelings we create.
We are our truth and the inspiration that we give.
We are the time we make for others and how we spend our days.
We are our ambition and our passions.
We are our inner voice and our outward actions.
We are the decisions that we make and the strength of our convictions.
We are the range of our emotions and our ever-changing moods.
We are the patience we show and the support we give.
We are what gets us up in the morning and our sacred dreams at night.
We are the places we have been and the beauty we have witnessed.
We are the positivity we generate and the impact that we make.
We are the wildness of our spirit and the skip in our step.
We are the risks we have taken and the successes we have earned.
We are our morals and our intentions.
We are the way we interact with strangers and how we treat our friends.
We are the days we have lived and the moments we remember.
We are our acts of kindness and how we view the world.
We are the way we dance.
We are the hugs we give.
We are the love we show.
We are the warmth we share.
We are how we make others feel.
We are what cannot be taken away.
We are what does not leave us.
We are the things we cannot help.
We are so much more then our body.
that is beautiful wonder if she ever thought about writing a book?
Oh my God – this rocks!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!
I love you Robin. I’m just seeing this message her now. Spirit is not outside of us. There is not a “something else” that is teaching us a lesson. I used to think I was being punished or tested. In the quiet, we receive the answers to all questions, any doubt or confusion. For me, sometimes the gift is simply to see the preciousness of life and I don’t want to miss a minute of it, because we never know how long we have with the ones with love – and so it brings us into tremendous compassion, presence, being present, celebrating every moment. Sallie is a gift to the world, and so are you Robin.
Hello Lisa, I love this reminder. It brings up so much to release and to love. IT is indeed a blessing to be able to stay in love moment to moment. I am certainly learning to trust Source. When fear rises up to stay in the space of love. It is required in all situation that we think are out there. My study of the ACIM has shifted to one of renewed interest. I have learned to say” Thank you” even when I’m unsure. I know all is a gift and asking that I look upon it without judgement. A big ask:) But I get great reminders and one more chance to make amends.
I thank you for your Light!! xoxoxox
Sharon
Hi Lisa. I’ve been healed of anxiety thru ACIM but after encountering the actual painful situation again… I still am looking for love outside of me and I am at a loss as to where or to whom to turn to. I’ve been thru a few years of counseling and am doing fabulous (no panic attacks) and I keep handing issues over to the Holy Spirit. But I must be missing something since I’m not where you’re at (If I must be honest!).
Maybe this just needs more time?! Any insights?
Thank you.
I really love this! I have always said that depression, bi polar, bulging discs were the best things to happen to me. They WERE my periods of greatest inner work and healing.
I am learning now that I don’t need to suffer and I can be guided lovingly by Jesus/Holy Spirit WITHOUT needing something to make me!
I love this exercise Lisa! Thank you God for all of this! Thank you for always answering my prayers and requests
This lesson has been such a revelation for me. On some level I thought I understood that I was responsible for my problems, illness etc…little did I know that there is a gift in all of this. No guilt and victim no more. I thank you for being here for me and so many others. Wow, Wow Thank you thank you Lisa.
So amazing. All I can say is thank you. Sincerely, thank you so very much.
Thank you Lisa for “helping me to see it differently”. This simple way of seeing what I thought was the biggest mistake I could have ever made, as the biggest gift instead removes years of guilt and shame. You are the voice for God. Namaste.
Hi Lisa, I would like to know where these words are in the book ACIM (Fip-version and Circle of Atonement version) With love, Anne
Wow! I still have to contemplate a bit more about it but what I can say I applied it this week!
Two days ago all my current issues came together and let me feel so tense like never before.
The one issue is dog barking in the neighbourhood, , migraines and sleeping problems.
At the highest level of the tension I broke out in tears and told my husband:
And I don’t give up my attitude that every experience is for my healing!!!
For the dog barking a solution showed up and the other issues are work in progress but I am very determined to stick to this attitude!
I first heard it from Mooji, then Rumi, recently from David Hoffmeister and it always struck me and now you!
Wonderful. I am excited!Will still read more carefully through it! Thank you!
💙💖🧡💛♥️
I don’t understand why I would request so much lack in my life. I am experiencing such a lack of money that I don’t know where my next meal is coming from or the money to pay my bills.
I feel such fear and loneliness.
I forgot to ask, why would so many difficulties show up at the same time. My lack of money to pay my bills and eat, my hip replacement surgery and my lack of love being in a verbally abusive relationship.
I am trying so hard to understand.
Dear Lisa,
Many thanks for your amazing tipps and guidance through the fogs on the way to the light. I have two questions:
1. how can i found out, if something i dont like to do, i still should do because i always learn something. Or when is it ok to say ‘no’ but maybe then reject the gift behind the problem? How to know?
2. A little organisational issue: When you quote the course like above, would it be possible to mention the exact reference? I would love to read it in my language and also read more of the passage..
Thank you for all.
Love
Maja
Thank you Lisa, this is really helping me today, when I needed to just sit in Holy Beingness.. And now to jornal as you suggest…so helpful. Love you, Lisa!
WOW! These words were straight from God. Exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Grateful. Thank you.
Hi Lisa I love the post. We are not the cause of it we are the effects!
Lisa, I’m grateful for you. I’m learning, waking up to my Truth. Recently, I watched a video of your interview with Byron Katie, which led me to “The Work”, and more learning, awakening! Yep, I’ve been hiding. Many years of living from fear, because I’ve believed certain thoughts. I will continue to do the work, to remember my holiness, shift my perceptions, and pray to undo the harm I have caused my body & mind. I’m so glad we’re connected, I love that I can watch the Friday morning ACIM meetings & the many videos available, thank you so so much. I too have felt suicidal for many years, like Byron Katie did.and I allowed my body to become overweight and (in my mind) unattractive, because it keeps men away. All I knew since the age of 5 was that I was a piece of meat. Powerlessness, being a victim, and shame ruled my life. Brene’ Brown is a wonderful teacher, too!!
Since taking your 40 day transformation course, I have felt more joy and appreciated more blessings, been blessing others.
I’ve sent donations & enjoyed more play in the sun. So, a work in progress as far as my body & mind go. Practice, practice, practice.
With love & gratitude, Laura
I did the exercise from the blog and listed all the problems I have and all the traumas I’ve been through. At first, I couldn’t see any gifts but then it was like “there is nothing in this world I want”! I don’t want the drama, the pain, the lack, the fear, the disappointments, frustrations etc. I want peace and joy and abundance and love.
Now I feel like I’m caught in some kind of limbo state not knowing what to do next!
Love this huge lesson. You are taking me home. Blessed be!
Lisa, I love this, I intend to barrow pieces for this Sunday’s Message at “Unity Williamsburg Spiritual Center” Pat Cooper’s congregation . . .
Lisa,
Isn’t it true that we are just reviewing a script that was written (by ego, aka “us”) long ago and is in reality already over? So in a way, everything is predestined, with an exception being that we are able to collapse time and space by practicing forgiveness, as Gary Renard speaks of in Disappearance of the Universe. I would love to hear your thoughts on this as I find it confusing. Thank you.
Eye opening point of you that I requested all my “problems” I have to admit that it is a very attractive way of thinking because it solves all “problems” but it is so hard to accept it maybe because it is not true. It is like saying “today is a sunny day” without seeing a Sun on the sky. Should I lie to myself whatever myself is to feel better? Lie will never work. Lie was never working for me. Where is the truth. I am quite puzzled now.
I am holding onto a relationship that is over and not being invited to occasions I would previously been invited. Possibly what is coming up is the fear of being alone. The opportunity in this is to allow for freedom and space to be authentically me rather than trying to fit into another person’s world. The freedom to expand and create new friendships and be open to change whatever that looks like. Bring it on with <3
events call us home to who we really are …yes! thank you for this insight…helpful
your wisdom and understanding is much appreciated
love to you
dory