Fall Program
 2024

What's in the Way is the Way
by

Mary O'Malley
 

A  Practical Guide For
Waking Up to Life

Study Guide for

Groups
Heart Circles

Dear Study Group Companion,

Welcome to the “What's In The Way Is The Way” Heart Circles and study groups. Heart Circles are experiential gatherings of soul companions who:

• Support, nourish and inspire one another's spiritual journeys. 
• Share and learn together.
• Hold each other in prayer during the week.
• Use the daily Three Centers Meditations.

Reading assignments for this year's study are taken from “What's In The Way Is The Way” by Mary O'Malley. This is a book that focuses on specific spiritual questions that can transform our lives and help us evolve to a deeper level of consciousness. Using the material in this book can bring about useful and beneficial change in our lives, and indeed in the world.

Insights and discoveries are shared and reading materials are discussed in each Heart Circle gathering. You may want to keep a journal of your thoughts each week. We celebrate your participation and anticipate the resulting spiritual transformation to come for us all. In the Love of The One, expressing as the All.

Rev. Jere

Confidentiality: Everything discussed in the Circle stays within the Circle.  “What you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.”

Commitment:  Study companions arrive on time prepared to

participate by having read the material beforehand

Sharing:  Study companions refrain from offering advice and

attempting to “fix” anyone's life challenges.

Time:  Study companions are mindful to keep their sharing brief and to the point so that all companions have an opportunity to share equally.

Ice Breaker First Meeting

Study Group Companion Introductions

Pair up with the person next to you and spend a few minutes interviewing each other using the topics below. You will be introducing your partner to the group so you may want to take notes in the space provided below.

Interview Topics

            * Name:

            * Length of time attending Unity in the Gold Country:

               * Prior experience, if any, with other 7 week study groups at UGC or elsewhere:

               * Reason for feeling called to participate in this Heart

     Circle:

          * What you would like to gain from participating in this Heart Circle:

Week One: It's All Okay-It's Truly Okay & Getting to Know the Meadow

Week 1 : Foreword and Introduction pgs. 1-8

Chapter 1 It's All Okay-It's Truly Okay pgs. 9—24

Chapter 2 Getting To Know The Meadow pgs. 25— 44

Weekly Affirmation —”Love is not something I need to find, but who I really am.”

1. On a scale of 0-10 (10 great) how would you rate your sense of well-being? P. 2
2. Are you still caught up in the game of fixing yourself or do see through that* P. 5.
3. What are you struggling with right now. What if it is tailor made for you? P. 3 
4. Discuss the Joseph Campbell quote on page 4. Can you just be curious about your life?
5. Did you resonate with the idea of ‘the meadow’? Share your life experience of it. P.11
6. What clouds obscure your view of your life, preventing access to the meadow? P. 12
7. Discuss your experience of your unique storyteller. P. 14
8. Discuss the ideas on P. 18
9. Reflect on and discuss the section of material on pages 25-27.
10. Discuss the topics of peace and joy as presented on P. 30
11. Discuss the central theme of the book that ‘life is for you.’
12. Discuss the sections on the qualities of the meadow that spoke to or challenged you. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week? Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).
     
13. Suggested Practice for Week One: October 6 — October 12

• Each day practice the resonating prayer
• Each day start your day with the weekly affirmation at the top of the page above.
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 19-21 and 40-44
• Each day practice being in the meadow and notice when you are in the clouds of your mind.

Week 2 : Fear -It's Nothing To Be Afraid Of. pgs. 45—66

Weekly Affirmation — “Fear-it's nothing to be afraid o/.”

1. Have you been able to disidentify with the stories your story teller creates. P 45
2. Share the childhood experiences that molded your fears. P. 47
3. Do you remember a time before your fears? P. 48
4. Discuss the core wounds of invasion and abandonment.
5. Remembering a fearful childhood experience can you notice the story being told. P. 48
6. How has the ‘mind-made-me’ influenced your life and your story teller? P. 49
7. Is awareness just a better story teller? Discuss
8. Discuss your experience of the ‘your-child-made-me’ exercise on page 50
9. Share an adult experience of fear that you had. What did you learn from it? P.52
10. Discuss your experience of fearing your fears. Hoe have you tamed your fears? P. 53
11. What % of the time are you reacting to life as opposed to responding to life7 P. 56
12. Have you identified the core fears of your story teller? P. 58
13. You are the loving presence that your fears have been waiting for.’ Discuss what was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week? Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Two: October 13 —19

• Each day practice the resonation form of prayer.
• Each day start your day with the weekly affirmation at the top of the page above.
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 61-65.
• Each day practice being in the meadow and notice when you are in the clouds of your mind.                                          '
• Each day notice the fears of your story teller.

Week 3 :   You Are Not Alone     pgs. 67—88 The Spells            pgs. 233—239

Weekly affirmation — “I am not alone.”

1. Discuss the quote on pages 67-68 from Oprah Winfrey. Share your experiences of this.
2. Discuss the foundational spells that you identify with. Share your experiences of them. P6g
3. Discuss the operational spells that you identify with. Share your experiences of them. P.69
4. Discuss the hidden spells that you identify with. Share your experiences of them. P. 69
5. Share your thoughts about the exercise on page 70.
6. Share your thoughts about the exercise on page 70.
7. While doing the exercise on P. 73 were you able to step outside of your spells?
8. Discuss the spell of control on page 73.
9. Share your thoughts on the section What Is God? Do you relate to God as a verb7 P.77
10. Share your response to Beck's story. Do you have anything similar? P. 79-80
11. The power of a question isn't in the answer, it is in the question itself." Discuss
12. Practice open-ended questions. Write them down. Share what answers came.
13. Do you recognize that life is smarter than you and can help you? Share examples. P. 84
14. Read the spells on pages 233-239. Discuss and share what you identify with. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week7
15. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Three: October 20—26

• Each day practice the resonating form of prayer.
• Each day start your day with affirmation at the top of the page above. Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 84-88
• Each day ask an open ended question. Tal‹e note of the question and await an answer. Each day ask life to show you your spells. Be prepared as challenges may arise.
• Each day notice that the more you look, the more you unhook. P. 77

Week 4 : The Healing Power of Curiosity       pgs. 89—110

Weekly Affirmation — “There is healing power in curiosity.”

1. Have you made inroads in discovering what your clouds are7 P. 89
2. Discuss the metaphor of ‘the doors’ on page 90.
3. How open are you to discovering your natural okayness? P. 92
4. Do you find it challenging to give yourself your own attention? P. 93
5. What is your relationship with curiosity* P. 91
6. Are you always trying to fix your minds problem; which ones repeatedly? P. 95
7. Discuss the sections about control on pages 94-95. How do you experience this7
8. What is your experience with focused attention? P. 96
9. How is your ability to relate to what you are experiencing rather than relate from it?
10. What is the core story of your 'chiId-made-me’ based on ‘life isn't safe?’ P. 99
11. What beliefs does your story teller have that cause your neuroticism? P. 101
12. Are you able ‘to meet’ your feelings as opposed to just feeling them7 P. 102
13. How well are you able to see your stories and spells in real time. P. 104
14. What is your relationship with your body? P. 103-104 
15. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week? 
16. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Four: October 27—November 2

• Each day practice the resonating form of prayer.
• Each day start your day with affirmation at the top of the page above.
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 105-110 Take time to feel your feelings, see your feelings and honor them as needed.
• Take time to look and observe your story teller in action. Notice the spells in play.

Week 5 : Directly Experiencing Life pgs. 111—136

   Weekly Affirmation — “My body is my teacher.”

1. Reflect on the poem on page 111 and share your thoughts on this.

2. What does ‘what's in the way Is the way’ mean to you? P. 112

3. What things or situations do you tighten around mostly? P. 112

4. Where in your body do you experience discomfort or resistance? What is your resistance taking care of7 P. 115

5. “Suffering comes from believing your stories about what is happening.” P. 113 Discuss

6. “Your storyteller manages your discomfort so you don't have to feel it.” P. 121 Discuss

7. “Your challenges are/or you.” What do you think of that? How are they/or you. P 122

8. Discuss the five great teachers. P 125. Which one is your greatest teacher?

9. Have you learned the ’art of the you-turn’? P. 113

10. “Do I prefer to grow up and relate to Life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear7

11. “Consciousness is the ability to see and be with what is, without needing it to be any different.” What does that mean to you? P 123

12. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week?

13. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Five: November 3- 9             

• Each day practice the resonating form of prayer.
• Each day start your day with the weekly affirmation at the top of the page above. 
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 61-65. 
• Spend some time noticing your discomfort and your resistance. 
• Practice being with your immediate experience and not trying to change anything.

Week 6 : All Is Welcome Here  pgs. 137 - 162 All Is Well-Come Here pgs. 163 - 184

Weeky Affirmation —“All is welcome, all is well- come here.”

1. Are you able to tune in to the accepting energy of your heart7 P. 138 
2. Do you give your spells your compassionate attention7 P. 139 . 
3. Do you have a similar story to share like Krista's account on P. 141? 
4. What wounds do you carry and what might be their purpose? P. 142
5. Discuss the wisdom in the section “I SEE YOU” on P. 144-148
6. What is asking to be seen in your life right now? P. 147 
7. Can you identify the main conditioning you took on as a child. P. 148-151 
8. The meadow of your being is love’. P. 157 Can you access it? If not, why not? 
9. Discuss the insights around the ‘three layers’ on pages 163-164 
10. Do you get the most important truth that you are the meadow? P. 165 
11. How useful did you find the four tools of awakening on P. 166.
12. What is the one thing in your life that ‘isn't okay’ P. 176
13. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week?
14. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Six:  November 10 — 16.

• Each Day practice the resonating prayer
• Each Day start your day with the weekly affirmation at the top of the page above.
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 19-21 and 40-44

Week 7 : Life Is For You pgs. 185—204

Weekly Affirmation — “Life is for me.”

1. Are you experiencing your life more without turning it into problems P. 185
2. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because it is the experiencing you are having”. Discuss this in relations to your current life experience.
3. Which of the six phases of consciousness is your life mostly seen by you? P. 186-193
4. Do you often feel victimized by life, or did you in the past* How did that change? P187-88
5. Have you been able to create the reality you've wanted P. 189
6. What does the phrase “life is happening to you” mean to you? P. 189
7. Do you agree that “we see things not as they are but as we are’? P. 190
8. Can you go along with the idea that “life happens for you” If not, why not P. 190-191
9. Have you learned to give your reaction the attention it needs to let go P. 191
10. Discuss Tolle's remark “You're not in the universe, you are the universe”. P. 192
11. Have someone read the meditation ‘Your Story’ on page 195 then share your thoughts.
12. Have you learned to trust life yet? What helped you do that P. 197
13. Do you believe that you have neve left the meadow? Share your thoughts P. 199 What was the most important insight or quote from the material this week
14. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week Seven: November 17 - 23

• Each day practice the resonating form of prayer.
• Each day start your day with the weekly affirmation at the top of the page above. Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 200-204.
• Ask Life right now to give you the experiences that is most helpful for your life.
• Sit and practice opening your heart and trusting life as it is right now.

1. “This is the work of a lifetime.” Discuss P. 205 
2. Do you now have the ability to trust that Life will help you with your challenges? P. 205 
3. Do you have a clear understanding that your spells cause you more suffering? P. 207 
4. There might you still be caught in your reactions to your life? P. 207 
5. What is the resistance to saying ‘let it be?’ P. 208 How do you get past it?
6. In sofiening around a spell do you feel it pass through you? Share any experiences. 
7. Share any spells you are aware of unhooking from. P. 210                                                                                                                           
8. Would you say you have started to experience life more due to this book P 211 
9. What do you think of the definition that awakening is ‘relaxing into Iife’ P. 211 
10. ‘Your mind's true function is to be fully here for Life, not to control it.’ P. 212 
11. Are you willing ‘to die into life?’ Discuss this concept. P. 213 
12. The love affair you have longed for you whole life is with yourself.’ Discuss P. 215 
13. What has been the single greatest insight the book has given you? 
14. Write a page of a summary of what this book's message was for you.  
15. What was the most important quote or insight you had from the material this week? 
16. Close the meeting with the Three Faces of God benediction and hand motions (inside cover).

Suggested Practice for Week 8: November 24—30

• Each day practice the resonating form of prayer
• Each day review the key points and remembering session on pages 220-226.
• Each day start your day with affirmation at the top of the page above.
• Do the meditation outlined on page 213.