Subject: Looking for a Spiritual Home & Seemingly Stuck
David,
I’m a Buddhist monk, though lately I’ve found myself returning to a Christ consciousness. I’m not really interested in a specific religion, being more of a generic mystic. Buddhism of the Tibetan variety used to be a path with heart, now I don’t think so, though the problem may be more with the leadership, than with the path itself. So, my question. I’ve been looking for a spiritual home for about a year and seem to be stuck. Also, I’ve been living in Ecuador for 2 years, though I know that I am needed there, I’m not sure how much longer I can endure the inertia in that culture, I seem to lack the wisdom to move forward.
With prayers and blessings
Beloved One,
Thanks for sharing what is on your heart. It sounds as if you are ready to take the next step inward. If there seems to be a struggle with the “leadership” of your path or the “culture” that seems to surround you, this is the Call to recognize that these are thoughts that no longer serve your peace of mind. In the Living Moment there are no leaders or followers, and the culture you perceive is not the cause of the feeling of inertia. Inertia is a form of the error of wishing things were different than they are. The ego mind becomes aligned and identified with a role or part and this false identity becomes familiar and comfortable. It seems to require an effort to release these associations and assumptions for they seem more real than the “unknown” Christ. Awakening is the seeming surrender of everything that seems to be “known” about this world. True religion is the experience of peace and cannot be organized or structured at all. As all beliefs in control and organization and structure are released the only awareness that remains is Being.
Meditation is an excellent path to detachment from false belief and thought. Travel is another excellent tool for exposing and detaching from preferences and expectations which arise from false belief. Stay with the feeling of inertia, move through it, and accept the gift that shines beneath it. The mind is asking for permission to experience the energy of the Divine Flow. This is your passion at heart. This is your Joy. Allow this experience into awareness and the next step will be obvious.
Blessings abound,
David
Subject: Taking the next Step
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your latest reply. I am still, however, in a state of concern for the direction of my life, career-wise, on a personal level and in relationships. Career-wise, I am applying for various positions, not really knowing which direction to throw myself…and I am also contemplating writing a book, which I have been wanting to do for a long time…about self-discovery. On a personal level, I’m on lesson 105, God’s peace and joy are mine…I still have trouble or resistance to sitting down and quieting my mind enough to hear and feel the messages of the Holy Spirit. I know that I am still holding on to past hurt and I keep handing it over to HS and am still affected by it…And, in relationships, I am having a hard time being real with others – telling exactly what I think instead of being a people-pleaser. I realize that this is so, in a way, because I am still not real with myself, some things I really do not like about myself. For instance, how I try to manipulate my environment in order for it to respond the way I want it to…but it doesn’t always respond the way I want.
Another thing that has been preoccupying me is the whole notion of giving and receiving…I want to do my part in the illumination of the planet and do not know what that is…I don’t even know who I am. Giving and receiving for me – I am starting to see this in a different light along with ACIM teachings. I am now seeing that if I am fearful and filled with judgment on myself and others then that is what I perceive and experience from within and from my environment. And if I have loving thoughts about myself and others (which does not happen very often), then that is what I am giving to the universe and am thus experiencing. I thank you, in advance for your guided response and pray that this response will be heard, listened to and felt by me…and that I will be open and receptive enough to allow for this experience to pierce through the clouds of worry, illusions that hide the Truth within…
Love
Hello Beloved One,
Thanks for your email and for sharing your thoughts and concerns. The Holy Spirit is Guiding you steadfastly inward toward our shared Purpose, and past goals and pursuits that will no longer serve you on your path. The most important question to ask about the perceived aspects of your experience (i.e., career-wise, on a personal level, and in relationships) is “What is it for?” What is the Purpose of a career? What is the Purpose of the persona or mask I hold up to please others? What is the Purpose of relationships in my world? What is the Purpose for the book I want to write? These questions are helpful in exposing the ego belief system because they aim at discovering the underlying beliefs which motivate all behavior.
Everything in this world of form seemed to have a different purpose or function. Therefore purpose did not seem unified and there appeared to be a variety of goals. Such was confusion. Such was complexity. Such was the past. Such was all the perceived hurt. This was the world which seemed to arise in the darkened glass of ego perception. Awakening to the Holy Spirit’s Perspective (Now) requires a willingness to apply the same Purpose to every seemingly separate aspect of perception: every thing and every one and every situation. Peace of mind comes from holding a single Purpose in mind, for it is single Purpose that unifies perception. Fragmented, distorted perception came from multiple desires and goals. The ego used the body and world for pride, for pleasure, and for attack. The Holy Spirit sees the body and world as temporary devices for unlearning every concept in which the sleeping mind believes, emptying the mind of false belief, and making way for the Perspective Which perceives a forgiven world.
In Awakening it becomes apparent that the ego had no unified goal or purpose. The ego was a mistaken identity. It sought to preserve itself, yet the “self” it perceived was ever changing, insecure, and had a deep sense of unworthiness. With Awakening comes the awareness that Spirit is not the ego. The ego “self” was not real for it was not created by God and thus had no basis or foundation. The ego could have been described as the belief in death, for to believe that it was possible to make a self apart from the Self God created Perfect was to believe in death. The miracle shows that since the ego had no real effects it also had no existence. It takes faith in miracles to demonstrate the unreality of the ego and the world. Where the darkness seemed to be, there is now a miracle. And as you allow the miracle to radiate through you it becomes apparent that the dreamer of the dream is not at the mercy of the dream. It dawns in awareness that the purpose for the dream has changed from death to forgiveness. The Holy Spirit’s Perspective now sees that all things work together for good, for that which is whole remains whole.
Resta is sending you a set of CDs and one of the songs from Volume 4 is “What Is It For?” This song came after a kitchen table talk we had about the question (What is it for?) as applied to the same kinds of concepts you are currently pondering: relationships, occupation, personal goals, etc.
What Is It For? (Vol. 4, #2) You can listen to the song at: https://awakening-mind.org/moc-download.htm if you are so Guided.
The next step is always obvious when it flows from a clear awareness of Purpose. Everything the Holy Spirit suggests flows from the Purpose of unified perception and seeing the tapestry of the cosmos as whole. This perception makes way for Divine Silence, and nothing is more “Productive” in the Truth than Divine Silence. Miracles will melt away your resistance to the Sweet Silence. 🙂
Blessings of Love & Joy Beloved One.
Love,
David
Subject: Thank You/Help
Dear David
Thanks so much for your non-compromising introductory writings and willingness to help.
At the end of 1997 I had an experience in the presence of a Teacher of God who said he was leaving here and going home. In that moment all I heard was this was the last chance I had and I was terrified he’d ‘leave’ without me. I then proceeded to stand still and entered into a point of grief so deep while holding onto the idea of God until ever cell in my body opened up and the idea “I’m a martyr” was exposed and in the ‘next instant I heard the voice say “You are my Son in Whom I am well pleased” The next thought that entered my mind was, “I need do nothing” In the next moment I found myself back in the room amongst these teachers of God. And I didn’t know what was going on but I felt frightened. I really thought I’d just stand still and with all my desire to know God, I would be beyond perception for ever and it would be dream over. I was confused to find myself back in the room where I’d been standing prior to wanting above all else to give up the world. I went home, forgot about everything that had happened and peace came over me filling me with a joy I’d never experienced before. That night all the chapters of ACIM rolled through my mind like a current of light. And I woke up singing with joy.
I didn’t really understand the importance of mind training and eventually I became very very fearful and so guilty that I reached a point of depression and feeling imprisoned I really didn’t know was possible. Finally when I must have made the decision, I couldn’t go on like this and used some worldly therapy to begin getting a little “currency” going activated again, I began applying the workbook and some other tools for forgiveness and I began to have glimpses of peace and happiness and “seeing” the light behind the form and feeling I was beginning to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance which was given specifically and learning to trust. I was even beginning to wake up in the morning full of joy and singing as I awoke.
Then one day I was confronted by one of my teachers who vehemently declared that all I wanted was a boyfriend and I was so rebellious and defiant, that I would only remain as potential and never bear fruit. I was absolutely devastated and again experienced lots of mixed feelings of guilt and hopelessness and fear. I threw away all trust I’d had in myself and doubted then what seemed to be miraculous experiences that had been occurring.
Since that time I have been desperately applying the lessons in an attempt to forgive myself and those involved in the situation. Intellectually I can see there was none to blame. It was a mistake and in a sense my teacher was revealing the fear I’d held since that moment in 1997, that is – I really didn’t have a sincere desire to learn and follow His direction and to know the Truth and that I wasn’t really worth the effort. I’ve been experiencing a lot of rage and self-hatred, guilt and fear – even though I’m allowing the feelings to surface they just seem to shift around between fear guilt, anger, depression and loathing but I never really seem to release them. My mind feels strained with a big lump in it and I feel like I’m in a bit of a quandary – it’s my decision to let this grievance go but it seems like I really want to hang onto it and justify my worthless, pathetic self-image in order to be right. I’m applying the work book lessons as best as I know how but nothing’s budging. I might experience a couple of seconds relief but that isn’t the peace and joy and light of God that is really available to me to share with everything. It just seems like I’m in complete rejection of the only thing that could truly help me and without a complete change of mind – 360 degree turn around, my learning is precarious if it can be threatened in any way yet it seems trust has to be developed. Any insights into how to move a stubborn mule. I kind of relate to the post “Nothing happening and not seeing” Feel like I’m full of crap and not releasing the core beliefs which are blocking my awareness to love’s presence.
Thanks
Beloved One,
Thanks for sharing your heart and your willingness to ask for Help. You have been Called to shine the Light as a teacher of God, a miracle worker. As you share the Light the Holy Spirit convinces the sleeping mind that it IS the Light. No body can tell you Who You are, yet the experience of Identity in God is inevitable. Do not look to man or woman for this recognition. There is nothing of the five senses that is reliable in recognizing the Truth of One Self. The Holy Spirit Guides unfailingly, and confidence will grow in accepting the Correction for all doubt and error. All doubt is doubt about Self.
When someone seems to tell you a lie about Self the only response from the Spirit within is gentle laughter. “Choose again and you will see this differently” washes the mind free of doubt for a willing heart and thankful mind. Outgrow the concept of an “external” teacher, and see how quickly the confidence in miracles grows. Authentic Awakening rests on trust, honesty, and integrity and is a Living demonstration of Divine Love. Role models fall by the wayside as the Inner recognition dawns. Seek not outside our Self, for all idols have fallen away before the Light of our Eternal Love.
You are the One! That is the Fact.
Love and Blessings Always,
David
Subject: The Brain/Mind Confusion
Dear David,
As a student of acim for almost a year, I have benefited greatly from its lessons and ideas. I remember reading that the brain of the human has nothing to do with the mind. Am I correct in this? As for my question, if I was hit by a truck and suffered brain damage, or had a major mental illness, or later suffered from organic brain syndrome, would I still have contact with universal mind (God)? I hope you don‘t find this too ignorant of a question and will offer a response as this has bothered me for some time……. I offer love/peace and forgiveness to all my brothers…….
Beloved One,
Thanks for writing. Yes you are correct – the brain has nothing to do with Mind. The brain, like the body & earth & stars & cosmos, is a projection of the ego or belief in separation. Everything of the cosmos was made to mimic or substitute for the Reality of Spirit. The brain was the ego’s attempt at making up a mind. The brain is temporary. The Mind Eternal. The brain is an unreal effect of an unreal cause. The Mind is One with God, the Cause or Source of All. The brain follows instructions and does what it is told to do. The Mind is the residence of God, the Holy Spirit, and Christ.
All seeming sickness is the ego belief held in mind. The mind was sick that believed the brain could have a dysfunction. Mental illness is the belief that it is actually possible to separate from a Loving Creator. Mental illness is the belief that mind can be split into both love and fear. Therefore “brain damage” or “organic brain syndrome” are nothing more than ego attempts to project the “belief problem” to form by calling the “belief problem” a “brain problem.”
“Brain damage” and “Organic brain syndrome” have no meaning to the Holy Spirit, Who looks not to effects. The Holy Spirit knows that they have no cause and therefore cannot be at all. As you work with the Holy Spirit and ACIM you will be carried to the forgiven world in the mind, and from this Perspective will perceive a reflection of Reality: a healed cosmos. The body is neutral and cannot be endowed with the characteristics of Spirit or ego. If you believe that the body can be sick you are perceiving from a wrong-minded perspective and seem to have temporarily blocked your connection with the Universal Mind of God. The miracle shows the world to you anew, and in the miracle all seeming “suffering” has gone. In the right-mindedness of the miracle suffering is impossible, for the miracle reflects the Light of the Holy Spirit Who is the Comforter and the Bridge to remembrance of God. Before healing can be accepted in mind it is necessary to realize that the one problem is a perceptual problem. The problem is the lens that you were looking through, not the specifics that were perceived through the darkened lens of misperception. “Brain damage” and “Organic brain syndrome” are specifics without a cause because all misperceptions have no real cause. God is a real Cause and Christ and Creation proceed from a real Source. Atonement is seeing that this is a Fact and that nothing else exists. But first it is important to see that all sickness is mental sickness and has nothing to do with a brain.
The ego was made by belief and is dispelled as the mind ceases to believe in it. It is really this simple. If one scrap of false belief remains held in mind the Truth of Divine Mind will seem obscured from awareness. Divine Mind simply Is and Is All that can be Known.
I rejoice in your work with ACIM and the Holy Spirit. It will bring you lasting peace and joy and happiness!
Love & Blessings,
David
Subject: The Lesson of Self-Forgiveness
Dear David,
I have been one to always get enthused with truth teachings. I would read something inspiring and right away think so and so needs to hear this. They have a problem and this will help them. Now I know I did that with my ex-husband, and then I think about it now I am sure that’s how I ended up divorced. I certainly wasn’t seeing him perfect if I thought always there was something he needed to know. I still do this, I read something you write and ego says so and so needs to hear this and I send it. Usually there is no response. The old saying don’t give advice unless asked, is what I am thinking lately. I am feeling now that these lessons are for self and shared only if asked. What are your thoughts on this.
One other question. I have numbness in my legs and have tried chiropractors and herbs etc., everything but doctors. This has been for several years. Not constant but seems to be worse. I seem to be able to see people healed when I hear of there illness and they no longer seem to have what ails them. Is this harder to do for self? I read about there is no body how do we release symptoms. Thank you so much for being there. I don’t know of anyone else to ask these type of questions.
Beloved One,
Thanks for your email. As you are willing to be helpful and are open to having Help come through you it becomes apparent that whatever is shared is always one’s own lesson. The Holy Spirit offers ideas that are helpful and always gently reminds the mind: “It is your lesson.” Miracles are involuntary, and if you find that you are trying to direct where they are offered the ego is misdirecting the effort. The Holy Spirit never seeks to fix or change anybody – only to accept our brothers and sisters exactly as they are (Spirit). This is because mind is unified and every apparent brother and sister is the same opportunity to forgive the illusion and recognize the Self. One is not a brother’s keeper, one is unified in everything one perceives. As you see him you see yourself; as you treat him you treat yourself; as you think of him you think of yourself. This applies equally to the body you think of as your own. The ego mind tries to numb the pain of the belief in separation by projecting this numbness to the body. As you forgive the insane belief in separation from God the body is used as a neutral instrument, for there is no attempt to project or reject or get rid of anything. Mind is healed as it accepts forgiveness and sees the impossibility of attack. Mind is unified and cannot attack or be attacked.
Remember this simple thought: I am not a body and my mind cannot attack, so I cannot be sick.
All Glory to God for creating Spirit Eternal and One forever!!!
Love,
David
Subject: Through the Darkness to the Light
Hi David
Well I must say I have been experiencing a lot of guilt and shame over the last week. Wow…..you know in the center of that pain I knew and applied all the concepts that I know. It was very painful…I can’t remember ever feeling such pain. I’m aware that I have announced to everyone that I’m willing to take the next step in my mind training. But wow it seems like I’m insane…I know it’s my attachment to the world. Everyday for the last week I felt like I was a dirty sinner. I know the difference, but I had to feel those feelings. My guilt is growing as I near my departure…..my feelings of unworthiness, and desirability. I know intellectually that its not true, but I’m feeling it. I must say I’m very excited about my quiet time in Hunter. Today was the day I just surrendered and began to feel and see the miracles. I was getting ready for night shift and I felt the peace and love. Then when I got on the bus this evening and a nice old lady looked and me and said,” I like it in the evening…it’s romantic” I smiled. Then she looked at me and said “your cute” I began to remember a talk you had about how you thought that Jesus thought everybody was cu-ties. I began to feel loves presence and then two little girls walked on the bus with cute on the front of their shirts. Then as I began to remember and feel loves presence a lady got on the bus and sat next to me. The lady had a quilt and all over the quilt it said, “Jesus loves you…the bible says so.” It said,” Heavens gate within” and much more. I began to realize that I was sitting in front of the bus not the back as I normally do, and I was on the early bus. Wow just the last few days I been feeling so alone and I was asking for his help. It’s nice to have his love when in the darkest of times. I love you David and will see you in a blink of an eye……
Beloved One,
Overflowing gratitude for your willingness to move through all of the emotions of darkness and inward to the Light. Thanks for your willingness to surrender to God’s gentle Guidance within and release the past. Everyone is Called though seemingly few choose to listen. Thanks for listening and following the Call of our Heart.
Peace is its own reward, Joy is natural, and Love is Who You are. I know You by your fruits and your sincerity. Thanks for showing up for God and for your willingness to know the Self that God creates forever Perfect.
I Love You forever and ever!
David
Subject: Transfer of Training Means Making No Exceptions
Thanks again, David, for all your loving help.
In this letter I’d like you to comment on my “style” of contemplation, so to speak, and then on a specific question about why the ego doesn’t disappear as soon as the root belief behind its illusory appearance is exposed as impossible.
The way I contemplate or meditate has changed a lot since receiving your help. I start simply by saying, “Holy Spirit” and almost always the first thought is “rest in stillness and silence” or something similar. Then, a series of three things begin to happen, with pauses of silence in between:
1. I contemplate the holiness of “I”, the “I” that is utterly uninvolved with my ego, the “I” that doesn’t identify itself as “I am Ben” but as “I am I”.
2. As I do this contemplation, it is periodically interrupted with the intrusion of an ego thought of some kind and when this happens I “Translate” the erroneous thought to the Truth the error was a lie about. This has so far been very easy and only takes a few seconds, after which I return to contemplating “I” in silence.
3. Anyway, it’s occurred to me several times that truly egoless “I” is 100% ONE with the Trinity (which is also 100% ONE), and that there are as yet unknown or denied ego beliefs that are blocking my full experience of this. Now even though I’m quite happy to “Translate” these ego beliefs as they come up one by one during my contemplation, a few times I thought to myself, “I’m just clipping off limbs from this tree (ego), let me Translate the root of the ego, and the whole tree will meet oblivion, including the unknown or denied “limbs” that are only part of the illusory appearance of the TREE, not part of the holiness of “I”. Why should they continue to hang around when they’ve just been proven to be nothing too?
If I’m not mistaken, the root of the ego is the belief that separation from God is possible, immediately followed by the belief that separation from God has succeeded (in the form of ego). Well, this is very easy to Translate because it is absolutely clear that God is Truth and separation from Truth by definition would be a non-Truth and hence not exist, and I then and there decide to quit believing in the existence of something that doesn’t exist.
Shouldn’t the ego dissolve into the nothingness from whence it came at that point? Why doesn’t the whole ego just disappear at that point?
Hello Beloved,
The ego does seem to dissolve or disappear when the temptation to project the belief in separation is no more. This is one’s sole responsibility – to make absolutely no attempt to project responsibility for the ego and thus accept completely the Correction for the ego that the Holy Spirit offers. Your contemplation practice is aimed at just this. You are correct that your practice seems as if you are clipping off the limbs of the ego tree. This is how it will seem as long as there is a belief that the one error is many. To release the illusion of many is to see that there can never be a hierarchy of illusions or preferences among illusions. Without a preference the truth is revealed exactly as it is. And this experience has brought an end to all questions, for Certainty is far beyond a shadow of doubt.
Workbook Lesson 79 mirrors the idea that before the ego seems to disappear the “problem” must be recognized exactly as it is (in mind) – not as it seems to be (specific in form). All spiritual practice aims at this one recognition, and linear time was made to deny this one simple recognition. Problems are not specific though that is how they seem to the sleeping mind. The Correction sees that all the problems were the same, and thus are they gone all together. Be grateful that you have given the mind permission to allow the “exceptions” it has attempted to begin to rise into awareness. Without protection you will see that they have gone, for they were all the same. Make no exceptions in your transfer of training, and you will see that truth has no exceptions.
Peace of mind is the proof that illusion has gone. Desire the experience wholly and the experience is holy. The practice or the seeking is actually the attempt to place the experience in the future. Yet the experience of Enlightenment is immediate. Anything which seems to deny this immediacy is but an opportunity for Atonement or complete forgiveness. Hope is potential. Enlightenment is actual. Hope beckons a bright future. Enlightenment rests content in the Eternal Present. Hope offers anticipation. Enlightenment IS what Enlightenment offers.
I am joined with you in making no exceptions to the truth, for there are none. Love is without an opposite and Joy is unlimited Being.
You are the One Beloved of God.
Rest in God’s Peace.
Love,
David
Subject: The Meaning behind Not Using Miracles as Spectacles to Induce Belief
Hello David!
I have a few questions for you that are on my mind…
1) ACIM says as a Miracle Principle that “Miracles should not be used as spectacles to induce belief”… If this is true, then how would you define Jesus’ miracles such as feeding the multitudes, raising the dead, etc?
2) Wayne Dyer really speaks to my soul! I see him and ACIM in perfect alignment with their teachings. Do you see the same consistency in teachings between ACIM and Ernest Holmes? And ACIM and The Unity Church?
Thank you as always for your wonderful help in poking holes (miracles) in my clouds that are blocking the Sun. I also would like to share with you a verse I came up with:
DON’T SEE THE SUN SHINING, BE THE SUN SHINING!
In Love
Beloved One,
Thanks for sharing your questions. Miracles are always only for the mind of the perceiver or dreamer (mind is one) and what seems to occur in form is merely symbolic. Miracles are for the mind that has the ears to hear, so to speak, or the willingness and readiness to behold. Seeming changes in form reflect the shift in mind of the miracle-minded, and though some of these changes seem to transcend “known physical laws,” in Reality there are no “known physical laws.” The Law of Love (Spirit) is the only Reality. Feeding the multitudes and raising the dead were symbols of the Divine Law of Love Which has no limit or lack. It is truly the beatitudes or state of mind that demonstrates the miracle has come. It is this state of mind in which consistency is possible and this is a characteristic of Awakening. “Consistent form” is a contradiction in terms, although behavior can seem to become more “stable” for the miracle-minded. The easy way to remember that miracles are not intended to be used as spectacles to induce belief is to remember that miracles are the means of Awakening for a mind that already “believes” yet is also willing to go beyond belief and “Be Still and Know That I Am.”
The teachings you mention are all very helpful stepping stones in Awakening to Oneness. The Holy Spirit will Guide you to discern the true from the false in all regards, and the deeper you seem to go you will seem to transcend all linear concepts and come to an experience that will end all doubting. The teachings you mention have Oneness as their main focus, yet there are subtleties of ego concepts that are transcended completely in Enlightenment. Your inner work with the Holy Spirit will instruct you on your inward movement and Help you lay aside every linear (past-future) concept (such as balance and process and growth and personality). You are moving steadily inward to the experience of Atonement, Christ, and God’s Love.
Thanks for your devotion to Truth!
Love Eternally,
David
Subject: Using the Holy Spirit to Dissolve Questions and Experience Certainty
David,
You mention that we need to question all assumption. What do we use in our questioning? To what do we compare our assumptions?
Let me give you an example of how I think so you can show me where I need to work. I’m going to question my assumption that I can question my assumptions:
I “assume” that questioning my assumptions means that I should undecide whether I’m right or wrong about an assumption, so I should just let it be either way. But since I can’t assume that my assumptions are correct, I can’t assume that questioning my assumptions means as much. Furthermore, since I can’t assume that I know the difference between right and wrong, or even assume such a difference exists, I couldn’t possibly judge the correctness of my assumptions.
So what am I supposed to do with this? Become a floater? Release myself from all assumption? To me that would mean disassociating from all opinions, which I can see follows the Course, but I would fail to be productive in my comfort zone: society. My reasoning for this is that due to my ego’s love of logic, I won’t have an answer for anything anyone asks me. I’d fail to be able to provide for myself or others, monetarily speaking. I’d reply to questions like “How are you considering paying back your credit card debt?” with answers like, “Oh, I have a debt?” Soon I’d be pushed out of that comfort zone and have to become a hermit. Then the question becomes, is this the kind of behavior that will ultimately free my mind, or am I failing to listen to what you’re saying but using my ego to interpret it?
Thanks for helping me out-the true me, whoever that is. I assume it’s my ego that wants to be “enlightened”-that my ego wants to pursue this because it’s a nice diversion from God’s plan. It’s own logic would tell me that enlightenment is ego suicide, but since it represents an accomplishment over other people on this planet who don’t appear to be enlightened, it keeps going.
Beloved One,
Thanks for your probing inquiry. It is only helpful to use the Holy Spirit for unveiling, exposing, and releasing assumptions. The Holy Spirit will reveal the impossibility of comparison or judgment entirely, and this is the Atonement. As one seems to train the mind (in a time process) with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will seem to judge, Guiding one very directly (with prompts and instructions) as long as one believes in specifics and situations. Your feelings are the one right use of judgment in the Awakening, and feelings of peace and joy and happiness are the barometer that lets you know you are following Divine Guidance.
The ego is the questioning aspect of the mind, but initially aiming these questions at assumptions or beliefs instead of at the projected cosmos is a helpful way of dissolving the questions. Let the Holy Spirit inspire your questions. As the ego assumptions dissolve everything flows smoothly in mind and it begins to dawn that there is no objective world apart from the mind. The ego world was subjective and based on the assumptions held in mind. Beneath all opinions and conclusions and assumptions and beliefs is the truly productive State of Mind: the Divine Silence of Being. This productivity is Creation, the State of Spirit extending forever and ever. This productivity has nothing to do with the ego construct of “society.”
The approach toward remembering Divine Creation includes yielding into or surrender into Divine Providence, seeing that every symbol is offered freely of the Holy Spirit. It does entail the thought about literally being unable “…to provide for myself or others, monetarily speaking.” It places all trust in the Holy Spirit for supplying every seeming need, such as air, food, water, shelter, transportation, words, communication devices, etc. This does not necessarily mean you will identify yourself as a “hermit” but it does mean you will recognize that you are Divinely provided for in all seeming circumstances. This thinking with the Holy Spirit will ultimately free the mind of its imaginary imprisonment. Behavior but flows from thought as thought flows from belief, so it is with belief and thought that the Holy Spirit works. You might think of behavior as a byproduct of thought, and that is why Correction is never at the seeming level of form. Think with God and be Happy is the aim of your work with the Holy Spirit. Christ is an Idea in the Mind of God.
In following the Holy Spirit you will gain Certainty by aligning with the Holy Spirit’s Purpose and making no exceptions or assumptions. Enlightenment is the awareness that only Love is real. Christ is Certain of Identity in God because Christ is the Child of God’s Identity. All Glory to the One Spirit!
Love & Joy,
David
Subject: Very Basic Questions
Dear Holy Brother,
I have read the A Course in Miracles (ACIM) book and reviewed both websites of “Foundation for ACIM” and “Awakening Mind”. First, I would like to share with you, Holy Brother, how ACIM and your websites have helped me. (As I share with you, it has been given to me) Then questions will follow which I would appreciate your guidance.
It appears that the ACIM was designed to transform one’s mind albeit awaken so that one is aware of the “ego” or “wrong mindedness”. I also understand that that I am the Son of God -my Mind is the Mind of God (and you are also the “Sons of God” as well Holy Brother(s)).
Also I understand that everything outside of me (us) that I (we) see is a projection of what is in my (our) minds. But it was a projection of our guilt onto others, which is how the seemingly vast world and cosmos was made.
Yet, according to ACIM and the Truth, the vast world or cosmos that appears before us (based on using the body’s five senses) is all false. Reason tells us that the splitting of our minds never happened. That is why, in Truth, I (we) have never “departed” from God. It is impossible to “depart” from God (or vice versa – that God departed from us). God is Whole (note “whol-e”). There is no possible escape from that God, whole and complete, because God just Is. Therefore, I am not the body. I am the Son of God. I am the Mind of God. I am the Spirit.
Jesus wanted to teach us to become aware of our mistake, that we chose the ego instead of the Holy Spirit while we “fell asleep” “mindless,” so that we can be “awakened” “mindful” with the Mind of God. Once awakened, the ego disappears. Indeed, this appears to be a “process” like peeling off the onion or petals of a flower until there is nothing left (as the ego is nothing).
I understand the above and have no doubts at all. In fact, it is very practical to be “aware” or “mindful” (meaning to look within) at times. I am also aware that the ego world does not seem to dissolve, which tells me that what is within in my mind has not changed. This means that the problem (guilt) remains within my mind.
If I am not the body and everything around me, based on my five senses, is all false, then, why can’t I simply “commit suicide” and then, instantly, I am back with God. This is silly because I understood that if I do not have a body, then, what is there is “kill” or commit suicide. Nothing! (Laughter) What I am trying to say is that I want to let go of the ego nonsense. Yet, if the ego nonsense is unreal or never existed, how can I let go of the “unreal” that never existed? Silly!
There has got to be a way (I know the quote from the Bible that Jesus is “The Way”) to dissolve the seemingly unreal stuff instantly since there is no time (time does not exist in God) instead of a “process” (which by the way is making the time real). Please share your guidance.
In the New Testament, concerning the Resurrection, it said that Jesus re-appeared to the Apostles (thus demonstrating “Resurrection” or death does not exist in the Son of God). This would also indicate (or be interpreted) that there is “life after death”. It did not seem to share the idea or teaching of what happens when the ego is dissolved (the seeming false form of body is “dead”). Please share your guidance.
Finally, with respect to miracles, do miracles appear to our senses in response to the change (or “correction”) in our Mind which is ultimately correcting the projection/perception? I understand that all worldly problems are seemingly different through our five senses, yet it is only one problem? If so, how can I change the mind (from “wrong mind” to “right mind”) when there is no wrong mind in the first place? What I am trying to say is that if there is no “wrong mind” or the ego world is false or I never “departed from God”, why does the ego appear at all? If God never sleeps (the Spirit never sleeps – “sleep” does not even exist), then, the Son of God would never sleep as well, but in the Genesis or ACIM still mentions that I/we “fell asleep” and choose the “wrong mind” (dream world). How did that happened? What is the real Truth about that notion? Please share you guidance.
Thank you Holy Brother and with Love always
Greetings Beloved One,
Visit our AwakeningInChrist Yahoo Group and you can use the “Search Archive” box near the bottom of the web site to zero in on the written answers to your questions and, more importantly, to the experiential Answer Within that ends all questions (Being Absolute Certainty).
ACIM points to an experience of the Present Moment, yet the experience of the Present Moment is beyond words (which are only symbols of symbols twice removed from Reality). My writings do the same. For the mind that desires Awakening these answers and instructions are a Course in the Simple and the Obvious. Yet if the mind desires the illusion of separation, the Course will seem difficult and frustrating to apply. Desire is the Key to forgiveness of illusions. Truth will be returned to your awareness by your desire, as it was lost in awareness by your desire for something else. Let thine eye be single is a way of saying desire only Truth and you shall experience the Truth that has no opposite. Desire healing wholly, and you are healed. For the Holy Spirit knows that the separation never happened and offers this Correction or Atonement this very instant. You are correct in stating that “process” is a way of making time real. Yet to a mind that still believes in time “process” is a gentle metaphor for allowing the seeming willingness for Awakening to grow stronger – so that unified or single desire can be grasped without a fear of loss or sacrifice. Atonement must be accepted voluntarily, and thus the sleeping mind is not “hurled into Reality.” The mind must desire to Awaken, for the Holy Spirit does not command or demand or coerce. Though Awakening is inevitable and requires only one instant of complete forgiveness, Awakening is never forced on the sleeping mind that dreams of exile from God. Miracles open the way to accepting the Correction (Atonement) without fear. For in Truth there is nothing to fear.
I was recently asked: “What is your belief in death? Do you believe in heaven and hell? Do you believe in reincarnation? Thank you for your help.” My answer to these questions is always the same and I share it now as a basis for the more subtle questions you have asked. Under the instructions and direction of Jesus Christ I have been shown and experienced that there is no death for the Spirit I Am. This world was the belief in hell, yet through forgiveness I experience Heaven as Now and see that hell was but an error, an illusion that the Holy Spirit Corrected instantly. I live in the Joy of Christ and happily shine the Light in which I am created by our Loving God. “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” means it is Now, a state of Mind that is Innocent, untouched by the error that was sin (separation from God). I invite you to a journey of Awakening to the Christ Idea that resides forever in the Mind of God. Love is real. Hell and death were the illusions. Reincarnation is a stepping stone belief to Enlightenment or Salvation. Eternity is timeless, while reincarnation is a seeming story of the “soul” and “time.” Unconscious beliefs in error and time must be questioned, forgiven and released, and you will happily see that they had no reality. Eternal Love is Reality, for God is Love and Christ is Love.
You stated: “I want to let go of the ego nonsense.” I suggest doing the ACIM Workbook. Do it with such passion and desire that for each seeming lesson that you read you EXPECT to Awaken instantly. This suggestion is truly only a prayer for unified desire, and unified desire is Creation. The Holy Instant is the gateway to Creation and the Workbook lessons were designed only as a reflection of the Purpose of Awakening and willingness to Awaken. If you apply your mind effort and willingness and try to not make exceptions to the lesson idea offered, the Holy Spirit will Guide the mind unfailingly into the awareness of the Holy Instant.
Resurrection is of the mind and for the mind, and the symbol of a resurrected body was meant only to point to a Resurrected mind (in which the ego has dissolved away). The body is a neutral symbol and truly neither lives or dies, so a “resurrected body” in this sense is a contradiction in terms. The symbol of the “resurrection” 2000 years ago was to teach that you cannot kill the Son of God, for Spirit cannot die (Being Eternal). One reaches awareness of Heaven through resurrection or healing of mind by accepting Atonement or complete forgiveness. This comes by first allowing the Holy Spirit to discern between right and wrong-minded thinking and next by accepting only right-minded thinking or the forgiven world.
You asked: “…do miracles appear to our senses in response to the change (or “correction”) in our Mind which is ultimately correcting the projection/perception? I understand that all worldly problems are seemingly different through our five senses, yet it is only one problem? If so, how can I change the mind (from “wrong mind” to “right mind”) when there is no wrong mind in the first place?” In Awakening it is important to keep the horse in front of the cart and not assume that the cart can pull the horse. Miracles and right-mindedness are the same, and this is simply seeing the false as false. Miracles and right-mindedness are the awareness that there is no causation in form and that the cosmos has not left the mind of the dreamer. If one seems to perceive separate persons, places, things, and situations one believes in the illusion of wrong-mindedness. The Holy Spirit sees the tapestry of the cosmos as one illusion, the false as false, and sees that there is nothing “outside” the mind. There is only wholeness in this “Above the Battleground” Perspective. This unified Perspective is the same as right-mindedness or the forgiven world. The change of mind of which you speak is accepting the mind’s Changelessness and Singularity. The “how” is the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit decide for God for you and you accept Atonement or “change your mind about your mind.” Your part is only willingness, for the Might of the Holy Spirit joins with this little willingness to see the world anew. Say and mean: “Above all else I want to see this differently.”
I have spoken often about the question: “How could the impossible happen?” There are many writings and tapes and CDs which address this question (the most asked question), though it must become apparent that you BELIEVE that the separation HAS happened if you watch your emotional state of mind. The assumption beneath the question is that the separation has ACTUALLY happened, and this is the belief or assumption (the ego) to question. Actually all questions arise from this belief or assumption (the ego), for the ego seemed to ask the “first question”: “What am I?” Every subsequent question implies an identity confusion and is thus a denial of Identity as Christ. The experience of Awakening is the recognition of Self as Christ, and in this Certainty there is no such thing as a question. Oneness or Love has no opposite. Heaven is a State of Being, Pure Is-ness, Eternally. All seeming questions have time-space, private minds, and private thoughts as their basis. Yet Love knows Love, and Love is All there Is. Open to the experience of Love and nothing “else” remains.
Love & Eternal Blessings,
David
Subject: What about the Holocaust?
David,
I have got a big question. When we use course principles, and please correct me if I am wrong, we say that what hurt us in the past never happened. What exactly does that mean?? For example if the course is saying that the Holocaust never happened, this is shocking and can be used by certain groups to justify anti-Jewish feelings. Can you help me to understand?
Beloved One,
Thanks for your question. Miracles collapse time and offer a Correction for all misperception. As I shared in the earlier message about the concept of abuse, the ego is the belief that it is possible to be unfairly treated. It matters not whether the error of abuse seemed to take the form of mild annoyance or mass murder, for there are not different forms of the same illusion. Forgiveness lets go of all illusions together, and in forgiveness Innocence is recognized. Forgiveness is always a gift to One Self, for only the error of attack seemed to veil the Love within. The Spirit teaches that pardon is always justified, and peace and understanding go together. Pardon what never happened and accept What Is is the pathway to the Happiness of Being Present.
The ego may seem to quote scripture and justify an “anti” feeling or opinion, yet the ego has no seeming existence or power or life unless it is believed. It is helpful to question the unconscious ego belief system in abuse and victim hood, for once it is exposed as false it disappears from awareness.
I am joined with you in forgiveness, and complete forgiveness is the awareness that the separation from God never happened. Indeed only forgiveness is a worthy goal for your time and effort, for forgiveness yields peace of mind. Nothing can prevail against a Child of God Who knows of God’s Eternal Peace.
Blessings Be Upon You Holy One.
Love,
David
Subject: “What I Can Control vs. What I Can’t Control”
Hi David,
Once you’re back, maybe you can help me to learn what I can control vs. what I can’t control. I listened to your tape “No Control over the world” as prompted by Resta, and found that it raised lots of confusion in my mind. I attach a file with my more detailed request for clarification.
When I was young, I thought I had control over everything in my life. (work, who my friends were, what I did for pleasure and time off, what I did for hobbies, etc) I thought I had no control over sickness, violence from others, war, accidents, etc.
Now that I’m getting older (52) I need to wear glasses and find I can’t see with them, or without them, my memory is failing, my ability to learn new technologies is getting more difficult, etc. I find that I have less and less control over the loss of function, and that I’m heading to where my mother is-in a wheelchair in a home. I seem to be at a loss to control the human decline. If I understand the tape, I might as well accept the fact that the body is aging and function is leaving. The mind would be at least relieved of the worry. It too is not as sharp as it was. I can’t remember people’s names and often words I know simply do not come, or come in the wrong language.
In spite of the detailed questions and resulting confusion, I did get a clear visualization after the tape, that my life is like a person on a carpet. (the carpet you spoke of which rolls up when time is done) So every decision I make on the carpet, the carpet unrolls according to my decisions. If I decide to turn right, it also turns right and unrolls before me, and if I look down the carpet I see my imagined future. If I look back over the carpet, I see my past story. If I turn left, the carpet proceeds me. When the mind dis-engages, and when it no longer sees itself as part of the person on the carpet, it appears that the whole carpet (past and present) is really a dream, since it is not in the reality of the mind who was identified with the person before. Thus you say it “is past” because it is outside of timelessness. The visualization also explains to me why there is no randomness in reality… because all there is is Mind, and mind is both love and knowledge at the same time, so once one is identified with the Big Mind, then they could never see randomness which implies action without intelligence…
Anyway, I’m sure that your words of wisdom will shed clarity on these issues, so this is lesson 1 of “How to recognize what I can control vs. what I can not control”
Beloved One,
Thanks for writing and sharing your questions and ponderings. Awakening is simply the clear awareness that State of Mind (Peace, Happiness, Freedom, Joy) is true Self Responsibility and the belief (ego) that seemed to make the cosmos has had no effect on Reality (Truth of Spirit). To live in the Present is to Be, free of the illusory limits of time-space. You can control the direction of your thinking and can therefore align with the Holy Spirit in the Present Moment. Practicing with willingness the ability to choose the Holy Spirit will yield the experience of Being, Which is far beyond the illusory concept of choice.
It is true that nothing is random. The script of the cosmos played out in one seeming “unholy instant” and was Corrected or Neutralized by the Holy Spirit. Flow with the Love of the Holy Spirit and it becomes apparent that all seeming decisions in form are already made. This is the experience of the happy dream of non-judgment. Prayer, mind watching, and forgiveness yield the experience that all form is false appearance and past, and what is past cannot be changed – only recognized as over and gone. Time and space are one illusion, and peace of mind comes the instant the illusion is forgiven or released.
Life is our Spirit Which is Eternal. The body only seems to decline and age to the ego, the belief in time. Be comforted to know that Holy Spirit will arrange time and space for the miracles you will be sharing. Our joining shows that time has had no effect on our Identity in God. Nothing can change Eternal Love. What seems to fade was never Love, for Love is Everlasting.
Continue to open to the miracles the Holy Spirit offers. Listen to the gatherings offered online, pray for the Holy Spirit’s Loving Interpretation, and everything will be revealed. Awakening is a Moment of readiness and willingness and actually has nothing to do with time at all. Give your mind permission to rest and soar in the Divinity within. Miracles offer an effortless way of flowing in the moment, and you will recognize them by the Ease through which they come. Release all attempts to control persons, places, and events, and watch with the Holy Spirit. Keep watch and there is only an experience of light-heartedness. Nothing else really matters.
Love & Blessings Now & Always,
David