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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 3 "RETRAINING THE MIND"
IX. CREATING VERSUS THE SELF-IMAGE
80 The Bible says that the branch that bears no fruit will be cut off and will wither away. Be glad! The light will shine from the true Foundation of Life, and your own thought system will stand corrected. It cannot stand otherwise. You who fear salvation are willing death. Life and death, light and darkness, knowledge and perception are irreconcilable. To believe that they can be reconciled is to believe that God and man can not. Only the oneness of knowledge is conflictless. Your kingdom is not of this world because it was given you from beyond this world. Only in this world is the idea of an authority problem meaningful. The world is not left by death but by truth, and truth can be known by all those for whom the Kingdom was created and for whom it waits.
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK
INTRODUCTION
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
1 A theoretical foundation such as the text is necessary as a background to make these exercises meaningful. Yet it is the exercises which will make the goal possible. An untrained mind can accomplish nothing. It is the purpose of these exercises to train the mind to think along the lines which the course sets forth.
2 The exercises are very simple. They do not require more than a few minutes, and it does not matter where or when you do them. They need no preparation. They are numbered, running from 1 to 365. The training period is one year. Do not undertake more than one exercise a day.
3 The purpose of these exercises is to train the mind to a different perception of everything in the world. The workbook is divided into two sections, the first dealing with the undoing of what you see now and the second with the restoration of sight. It is recommended that each exercise be repeated several times a day, preferably in a different place each time and, if possible, in every situation in which you spend any long period of time. The purpose is to train the mind to generalize the lessons, so that you will understand that each of them is as applicable to one situation as it is to another.
4 Unless specified to the contrary, the exercise should be practiced with the eyes open, since the aim is to learn how to see. The only rule that should be followed throughout is to practice the exercises with great specificity. Each one applies to every situation in which you find yourself and to everything you see in it. Each day's exercises are planned around one central idea, the exercises themselves consisting of applying that idea to as many specifics as possible. Be sure that you do not decide that there are some things you see to which the idea for the day is inapplicable. The aim of the exercises will always be to increase the application of the idea to everything. This will not require effort. Only be sure that you make no exceptions in applying the idea.
5 Some of the ideas you will find hard to believe, and others will seem quite startling. It does not matter. You are merely asked to apply them to what you see. You are not asked to judge them, nor even to believe them. You are asked only to use them. It is their use which will give them meaning to you, and show you they are true. Remember only this-you need not believe them, you need not accept them, and you need not welcome them. Some of them you may actively resist. None of this will matter nor decrease their efficacy. But allow yourself to make no exceptions in applying the ideas the exercises contain. Whatever your reactions to the ideas may be, use them. Nothing more than this is required.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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DAILY LESSON
L e s s o n 38
There is nothing my holiness cannot do.
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
1 Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance, and limits of any kind. Your holiness is totally unlimited in its power because it establishes you as a Son of God, at one with the Mind of his Creator. Through your holiness, the power of God is made manifest. Through your holiness the power of God is made available. And there is nothing the power of God cannot do.
2 Your holiness, then, can remove all pain, can end all sorrow, and can solve all problems. It can do so in connection with yourself and with anyone else. It is equal in its power to help anyone because it is equal in its power to save anyone. If you are holy, so is everything God created. You are holy because all things He created are holy. And all things He created are holy because you are.
3 In today's exercises, we will apply the power of your holiness to all problems, difficulties, or suffering in any form that you happen to think of in yourself or someone else. We will make no distinctions because there are no distinctions.
4 In the four longer practice periods, each preferably to last a full five minutes, repeat the idea for today, close your eyes, and then search your mind for any sense of loss or unhappiness of any kind as you see it. Try to make as little distinction as possible between a situation that is difficult for you and one that is difficult for someone else. Identify the situation specifically and also the name of the person concerned. Use this form in applying the idea for today:
5 In the situation involving ______ in which I see myself, there is nothing that my holiness cannot do. In the situation involving ______ in which _____ sees himself, there is nothing my holiness cannot do.
6 From time to time you may want to vary this procedure and add some relevant thoughts of your own. You might like, for example, to include thoughts such as:
7 There is nothing my holiness cannot do because the power of God lies in it.
8 Introduce whatever variations appeal to you, but keep the exercises focused on the theme, There is nothing my holiness cannot do. The purpose of today's exercises is to begin to instill in you a sense that you have dominion over all things because of what you are.
9 In the frequent shorter applications, apply the idea in its original form unless a specific problem concerning you or someone else arises or comes to mind. In that event, use the more specific form of application.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections
Lesson 38
There is nothing my holiness cannot do.
Sarah's Commentary:
The purpose of today's exercises is to begin to instill in us a sense that we have dominion over all things because of what we are as a Son of God, at one with the Mind of the Creator. Does this kind of power seem arrogant to you? Our belief in our littleness is, in fact, what arrogance really is. In Chapter 9, Grandeur Versus Grandiosity, Jesus says, "To accept yourself as God created you cannot be arrogance, because it is the denial of arrogance. To accept your littleness is arrogant, because it means that you believe your evaluation of yourself is truer than God's." (T.9.VIII.10.8)(ACIM OE T.9.VII.57) When we accept our littleness, we think we know better than God. We defend our littleness, our belief in powerlessness. Why would we do that? We do that because we are actually afraid of the power of our own minds. If we maintain our smallness, we don't have to take responsibility for our lives, our circumstances or our situation. Nor do we have to take responsibility for our biggest fear, which is we have left God by our own volition and can never return to face Him. It was our choice to leave, and now it must be by our decision this initial choice be undone. As we read in Chapter 5, "I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace. I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise." (T.5.VII. 6.7-8)(ACIM OE T.5.IX.96) We continue to decide wrongly every time we choose the ego. With this choice, we will not have peace, but when we choose to forgive, the Holy Spirit will lead us back to where we never left.
Let's look at the ego more fully. What are some of the characteristics of the ego? The ego compares, wants, strives, demands, feels guilty, wants to be special, has needs, is acquisitive, feels inadequate, unworthy, narcissistic, predatory, dualistic, hateful, angry, sensory, proud, arrogant, resentful, feels lack, powerless and much more. It is constantly talking, so if we decide to sit quietly, it will tend to disturb the quiet place with its chatter. The basic thing is when we identify with the ego, we want to get for ourselves whatever will fill our sense of lack. Yet the only thing that is ever lacking is our awareness of our holiness. The truth is we are not the ego, and nothing is lacking in who we are as the Christ. The 'you' Jesus is addressing is the awareness that is always there listening to the ego's voice but separate from it.
When we identify with the ego, we feel this lack deeply, so we try to fill it up with things in the world. The ego's most boasted gift to fill this seeming void is the special relationship. In our special relationships, we look to steal the love we think we lack, and in doing so we become predatory and competitive. I see you as having something I want or having power over me. I can only see in this way if I identify with the ego. A first step in distancing from the problems I perceive with the ego is to become aware of it. To do so is to look at it honestly. The one doing the looking is the 'you' who is not the ego. Jesus explains to us how the ego operates, and he constantly reminds us it is not who we are. The more we learn to notice honestly how we react to people and events in our lives, and simply look at our egos without judgment, the more we will heal. When we resist the ego, or we try to fight it, we make it real rather than just withdrawing belief from it or refusing to listen to its lies. If we can look at it calmly, without judgment and guilt, we will start to see how it operates in our lives. We have come to identify with it, as if it is who we are. The only truth is we have never left God and are still His One Son.
It is all about staying vigilant about our thoughts and perceptions. As we do so, we increasingly recognize our identity as a unique and separate self is not who we are. It is not helpful to take a position on the ego like "I love it" or "I hate it." What that does is make it real when all that the ego is is a meaningless thought. Our only interest should be to transcend it by forgiving ourselves for our mistaken perceptions. We are essentially wrong about everything we perceive. The reason is our assessments of everything in our lives are given us by the ego. For example, it will tell us we should be jealous, envious, upset or disturbed about a situation we experience, but we don't have to listen. We can turn to the Holy Spirit and ask Him how we could perceive the situation from a right-minded perspective. The ego made our senses to prove what we perceive is true. Now we are being called to watch our thoughts and recognize the ego is invested in having us see others as the cause of our problems, rather than see our minds are the cause. As we give these thoughts to the Holy Spirit for His interpretation, we are given a new perspective. He reminds us nothing outside of us can disturb our peace unless we give it the power to do so.
In Chapter 6, in the Section, "The Only Answer," we are told, "the ego always speaks first." (T.6.IV.1.2)(ACIM OE T.6.V.45) It is capricious and does not mean its maker well. It believes, correctly, its maker may withdraw support from it at any moment. As Jesus says, we make illusion as a result of our guilt, but do not see ourselves as the maker nor the mind as the cause. We see the cause outside and separate from our own minds, but we don't have to listen to the ego's interpretation of events. While the first interpretation is always the one the ego shows us, it will always be wrong. When we realize this, we will turn to the truth within and choose to have our misperceptions healed. Jesus reminds us if we are holy, so is everything that God created. Now all problems are solved because we see there is only one problem, which is our belief in separation. We are all the same.
A difficult situation showed up for me as I was writing this commentary. My 98-year-old mother has a diaper service, but in spite of my request earlier in the week, it turned out they were not delivered as expected. When I called them, they indicated they had encountered a difficulty, and since it was the weekend they would not be delivering. This meant I would have to go out to pick them up and deliver them myself. I am feeling imposed on. I have many things to attend to since I will be leaving for a week. As I was talking on the phone to the agent, the ego voice was telling me this should not have happened, I should be upset, and they are being irresponsible. The temptation was to listen to that voice and act on it. However, being in the middle of this Lesson commentary was very helpful to remind me no situation need be seen as negative. In the holy instant, there are no problems. I don't need to see this situation as a problem, nor make the person on the phone guilty, unless I want to reinforce the separation. It is always a choice between the ego and the holiness of who we are. Which do I want for myself today? Do I want guilt or peace?
"Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance and limits of any kind. Your holiness is totally unlimited in its power because it establishes you as a Son of God, at one with the Mind of his Creator." (W.38.1.1-3) Thus, "we will apply the power of your holiness to all problems, difficulties or suffering in any form." (W.38.3.4) It is really the same as a miracle. There are no restrictions. The reason there is nothing our holiness cannot do is it emanates from our right minds when we connect with the truth of who we are. In this situation, belief in sin, guilt and judgment are gone and we experience ourselves as eternal beings of light and love. Our holiness can be anywhere at any time with no restrictions because it is beyond time and space. Of course, we don't believe it, because we have taught ourselves otherwise. What we believe and hold true for ourselves we will defend, and what we fear we will resist. This is why we need to look at all of our interfering thoughts that block the truth. The conditioned mind has been programmed so our responses become automatic based on our conditioning, but when we pay attention to them, we can make another choice.
"There is nothing in the world that has the power to make you ill or sad, or weak or frail. But it is you who have the power to dominate all things you see by merely recognizing what you are." (W.190.5.5-6)
By choosing to do this work to heal our wrong minded perceptions, we recognize in our holiness all things are blessed along with us. David Hawkins has said it is rare to hear the truth, but it is rarer to hear it and pursue it, and thus undo the ego. We are fortunate the Course has found us, so we can hear the truth and indeed do the work to undo the ego. Jesus says, "Yet whether or not you recognize it now, you have agreed to cooperate in the effort to become both harmless and helpful, attributes that must go together." (T.4.II.5.5(ACIM OE T.4.III.29) He recognizes our attitudes are still conflicted because all attitudes are ego-based, but he assures us this will not last. "Be patient a while and recognize that the outcome is as certain as God." (T.4.II.5.8(ACIM OE T.4.III.29) Why can he say this? He can say this because our fears and doubts will not last, and we have powerful Help along the way.
When we choose to realize our holiness, and accept the Atonement (healing), the power of God is made manifest. By accepting our holiness, the power of God is made available and known to us, and there is nothing the power of God cannot do. Through my acceptance of and joining with the holiness and power of God's Love, there can be no opposite. There can be no illusion of pain, sorrow or problems, because fear and Love cannot coexist. My holiness envelops everything because my holiness is everything. It is an experience out of time and space, which sees the characters in the dream from above the battleground. This is a holy instant where there is no experience of the body. Here all problems are solved because the only problem is separation. There is no order of difficulty in miracles because all illusions are one. The size, shape or description of the problem is irrelevant. Since the guilt in the mind is the source of all pain, sorrow, and problems of any kind, when the guilt is lifted from the mind, the cause of pain must also dissipate and be seen as unreal. The mind is cause and the world is effect. "This is a course in cause and not effect." (T.21.VII.7.8)(ACIM OE T.21.VIII.77)
Recently I was on staff at a workshop and I started to feel sick. I resisted the sickness for the whole day, continuing on with supporting the process. Near the end of the day, the nausea took over and I succumbed. That evening I held in my mind the truth that there was no sickness in Love. God's Kingdom was without sickness and I affirmed that the only truth was the love that I am and sickness could not be a part of that. I denied the power of sickness to stop me from supporting others in the workshop. I woke up the next morning perfectly well. Many at the workshop indicated they held the truth about me and knew I would be fine, and I was. There was no residue of sickness at all.
Today we are asked to hold the truth about ourselves and be actively involved in a choice. What is that choice? It is to recognize the holiness that resides in the right mind, and in that recognition we are joined with the Holy Spirit, where holiness is accessed outside of time and space. It is the truth about our nature as we were created by God. Specialness and individuality disappear when we join with the Holy Spirit. Holiness can then shine through and bring blessings. Jesus invites us to choose our healing in every circumstance that arises so we can bring His holiness to every situation we encounter. That is why we are here. Life here becomes the theater for our healing. and we realize we are the ones who made up this dream and are not simply the dream figures who are puppets in this theater. We are immense, powerful beings of light and love because that is how we were created.
In today's exercises, we will apply the power of our holiness, first by accepting it as true through the Holy Spirit, then by applying it to all problems, difficulties or suffering in any form that cross our minds, in ourselves or anyone else. It is in our power because we are a Son of God, and we have His power, because we are one with His Mind and all creation. Open your mind to this potential and possibility so this thought can become more a part of you. Open your mind sufficiently today to apply it sincerely to a situation, event, or person troubling you. "In today's exercises, we will apply the power of your holiness to all problems, difficulties or suffering in any form that you happen to think of, in yourself or in someone else." (W.38.3.4) Of course, this is because "there are no distinctions." (W.38.3.5) The Lesson tells us it makes no difference if it is about us or someone else, as there is no difference since we are really One.Love and blessings, Sarah
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PAUSED FOR WEEKEND
IX. Creating Versus the Self-Image
72 Every system of thought must have a starting point. It begins with either a making or a creating, a difference which we have discussed already. Their resemblance lies in their power as foundations. Their difference lies in what rests upon them. Both are cornerstones for systems of belief by which men live. It is a mistake to believe that a thought system which is based on lies is weak. Nothing made by a Child of God is without power. It is essential to realize this because otherwise you will not understand why you have so much trouble with this course and will be unable to escape from the prisons which you have made for yourselves.
73 You cannot resolve the authority problem by depreciating the power of your minds. To do so is to deceive yourself, and this will hurt you because you know the strength of the mind. You also know that you cannot weaken it, any more than you can weaken God. The "devil" is a frightening concept because he is thought of as extremely powerful and extremely active. He is perceived as a force in combat with God, battling Him for possession of the Souls He created. He deceives by lies and builds kingdoms of his own in which everything is in direct opposition to God. Yet he attracts men rather than repels them, and they are seen as willing to "sell" him their Souls in return for gifts they recognize are of no real worth.
74 This makes absolutely no sense. The whole picture is one in which man acts in a way he himself realizes is self-destructive but which he does not choose to correct and therefore perceives the cause as beyond his control. We have discussed the fall, or separation, before, but its meaning must be clearly understood without symbols. The separation is not symbolic. It is an order of reality or a system of thought that is real enough in time, though not in eternity. All beliefs are real to the believer.
75 The fruit of only one tree was "forbidden" to man in his symbolic garden. But God could not have forbidden it or it could not have been eaten. If God knows His Children, and I assure you that He does, would He have put them in a position where their own destruction was possible? The "tree" which was forbidden was named the "tree of knowledge." Yet God created knowledge and gave it freely to His creations. The symbolism here has been given many interpretations, but you may be sure that any interpretation which sees either God or His creations as capable of destroying their own purpose is in error.
76 Eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge is a symbolic expression for incorporating into the self the ability for self-creating. This is the only sense in which God and His Souls are not co-creators. The belief that they are is implicit in the "self concept," a concept now made acceptable by its weakness and explained by a tendency of the self to create an image of itself. Its fear aspect is often ascribed to fear of retaliation by a "father figure," a particularly curious idea in view of the fact that no one uses the term to refer to the physical father. It refers to an image of a father in relation to an image of the self.
77 Images are perceived, not known. Knowledge cannot deceive, but perception can. Man can perceive himself as self-creating, but he cannot do more than believe it. He cannot make it true. And, as we said before, when you finally perceive correctly, you can only be glad that you cannot. But until then, the belief that you can is the central foundation stone in your thought system, and all your defenses are used to attack ideas which might bring it to light. You still believe you are images of your own creation. Your minds are split with your Souls on this point, and there is no resolution while you believe the one thing that is literally inconceivable. That is why you cannot create and are filled with fear about what you make.
78 The mind can make the belief in separation very real and very fearful, and this belief is the "devil." It is powerful, active, destructive, and clearly in opposition to God because it literally denies His Fatherhood. Never underestimate the power of this denial. Look at your lives and see what the devil has made. But know that this making will surely dissolve in the light of truth because its foundation is a lie.
79 Your creation by God is the only foundation which cannot be shaken because the light is in it. Your starting point is truth, and you must return to this beginning. Much has been perceived since then, but nothing else has happened. That is why your Souls are still in peace, even though your minds are in conflict. You have not yet gone back far enough, and that is why you become so fearful. As you approach the beginning, you feel the fear of the destruction of your thought system upon you, as if it were the fear of death. There is no death, but there is a belief in death.
80 The Bible says that the branch that bears no fruit will be cut off and will wither away. Be glad! The light will shine from the true Foundation of Life, and your own thought system will stand corrected. It cannot stand otherwise. You who fear salvation are willing death. Life and death, light and darkness, knowledge and perception are irreconcilable. To believe that they can be reconciled is to believe that God and man can not. Only the oneness of knowledge is conflictless. Your kingdom is not of this world because it was given you from beyond this world. Only in this world is the idea of an authority problem meaningful. The world is not left by death but by truth, and truth can be known by all those for whom the Kingdom was created and for whom it waits.
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