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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 4 "THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL"
IV. LOVE WITHOUT CONFLICT
55 The calm being of God's Kingdom, which in your sane mind is perfectly conscious, is ruthlessly banished from the part of the mind which the ego rules. The ego is desperate because it opposes literally invincible odds, whether you are asleep or awake. Consider how much vigilance you have been willing to exert to protect your ego and how little you have been willing to expend to protect your higher mind. Who but the insane would undertake to believe what is not true and then protect this belief at the
cost of truth?
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK for STUDENTS
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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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
DAILY LESSONS
L e s s o n 41
God goes with me wherever I go.
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Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
1 Today's idea will eventually overcome completely the sense of loneliness and abandonment which all the separated ones experience. Depression is an inevitable consequence of separation. So are anxiety, worry, a deep sense of helplessness, misery, suffering, and intense fear of loss. The separated ones have invented many "cures" for what they believe to be the "ills of the world." But the one thing they do not do is to question the reality of the problem. Yet its effects cannot be cured because the problem is not real.
2 The idea for today has the power to end all this foolishness forever. And foolishness it is, despite the serious and tragic forms it may take. Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready to radiate through you and out into the whole world. It will cure all sorrow and pain and fear and loss because it will heal the mind that thought these things were real and suffered out of its allegiance to them.
3 You can never be deprived of your perfect holiness, because its Source goes with you wherever you go. You can never suffer, because the Source of all joy goes with you wherever you go. You can never be alone, because the Source of all life goes with you wherever you go. Nothing can destroy your peace of mind, because God goes with you wherever you go.
4 We understand that you do not believe all this. How could you, when the truth is hidden deep within under a heavy cloud of insane thoughts, dense and obscuring, yet representing all you see? Today we will make our first real attempt to get past this dark and heavy cloud and to go through it to the light beyond.
5 There will be only one long practice period today. In the morning, as soon as you get up if possible, sit quietly for some three to five minutes with your eyes closed. At the beginning of the practice period, repeat today's idea very slowly. Then make no effort to think of anything. Try instead to get a sense of turning inward, past all the idle thoughts of the world. Try to enter very deeply into your own mind, keeping it clear of any thoughts that might divert your attention.
6 From time to time, you may repeat today's idea if you find it helpful. But most of all, try to sink down and inward, away from the world and all the foolish thoughts of the world. You are trying to reach past all these things. You are trying to leave appearances and approach reality.
7 It is quite possible to reach God. In fact it is very easy because it is the most natural thing in the world. You might even say it is the only natural thing in the world. The way will open if you believe that it is possible. This exercise can bring very startling results even the first time it is attempted. And sooner or later, it is always successful. We will go into more detail in connection with this kind of practice as we go along. But it will never fail completely, and instant success is possible.
8 Throughout the day, use today's idea often, repeating it very slowly and preferably with eyes closed. Think of what you are saying; what the words mean. Concentrate on the holiness which they imply about you; on the unfailing companionship which is yours; on the complete protection that surrounds you.
9 You can indeed afford to laugh at fear thoughts, remembering that God goes with you wherever you go.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections
LESSON 41
God goes with me wherever I go
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Sarah's Commentary:
Yesterday's Lesson was a beautiful reminder that the truth is in our minds and there is nothing to seek and nowhere else to look for it. Jesus tells us that we can't go anywhere God does not go. He is with us, a part of us wherever we are and wherever we go because He is in our minds. Another way to say this is that we are in Him. All our problems, all worry, anxiety, sense of helplessness, the deepest misery, loneliness, abandonment, depression, intense fear of loss, and all difficulties we experience come from the belief in separation. With separation comes a belief that we have sinned and are thus guilty. We spend our lives trying to overcome these problems by things we do in the world, yet Jesus is showing us this will never work. There is nothing we can do to alleviate our problems, no matter how hard we try nor how determined we are. When we solve one problem, the next one shows up soon after and so on. Oh yes, the "cures" may alleviate symptoms, but they will never solve our perceived problems because the only real problem is our belief in separation. As a result, we hold self-attacking thoughts that are the cause of all the distress we experience. The only place we can address our problems is in our minds. Our minds are the cause and the world is the effect. We think it is the other way around.
The only "cure" is to see the problems we think we have are not real. The only cure is to reconnect to our Source. Problems of any kind are just the effects of our thoughts, and thoughts can be changed.
In the world, we seem to have many "cures" that we apply to try to fix our problems or those we see around us. We spend a lot of time trying to "figure it all out," but Jesus tells us that none of our perceived problems have any reality. They are just effects of our thinking, which arose when we thought we had separated from God. There is nothing to figure out. Yes, symptoms can be alleviated, but the source of our problems continues in our minds until they are seen for what they are. The answer is to watch our minds and release our self-attacking thoughts so they can be forgiven. Only then will we know the peace and joy given us in our creation. When problems seem to arise, we are invited to turn to the Holy Spirit for His help to reinterpret our thoughts about them.
Of course, there is no question about the pain our perceived problems create in our experience and that of others. It is not about dismissing our distress as just illusionary since we may experience tragic consequences in the dream. Our teacher acknowledges that these problems take many serious and tragic forms, yet despite this acknowledgment, he refers to the whole drama as nothing but foolishness. He calls these situations sharp-edged children's toys but he acknowledges that we do not see it this way. "We understand that you do not believe all of this," (W.41.5.1) but it does not matter if we do not believe it. We are in the beginning phases of our work with the Course, and we just commit to doing the practice asked of us and trust the process. This is a time for faith. It is about acknowledging deep within us that everything is perfect, but that perfection is hidden from us by our insane thoughts. These insane thoughts produce the world we see.
"Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready to radiate through you and out into the world. It will cure all sorrow and pain and fear and loss because it will heal the mind that thought these things were real, and suffered out of its allegiance to them."
(W.41.3.1-2) We carry the real cure for our disease deep within us. This cure heals not by overcoming the "illness," but by healing our belief in the reality of the illness. God is always with us. How could we ever, in any way, be separate from the Infinite? How could we ever be apart from All That Is? The very idea is insane and impossible.
Isn't it reassuring to know that the perfection of what we are has never changed? It can never leave us and is part of us wherever we go. It is the light we are. It is the source of all joy. It can't be destroyed, no matter how evil, flawed, or depressed we believe we are. Deep within, everything is perfect. It is the cure for all our perceived problems. There is no other cure we can invent. That is why he tells us, "You can indeed afford to laugh at fear thoughts, remembering that God goes with you wherever you go." (W.41.10.1) We have forgotten to laugh at the foolishness of our dramas. This gentle laugh reminds us of the truth of who we are. Only from outside of the dream, above the battleground, can we experience this drama as untrue. There is a light in us that resides in our right minds. It holds our radiance, and when we make space for it by releasing our blocks, a whole new world will emerge before us. We will see with Christ's vision. Holding onto our dramas simply keeps us in the story. Nothing can change until we let the story go.
We take our Self, God, our light, our joy, and our innocence wherever we go because it goes with us. Let this thought offer you assurance today that you are never alone. Take the longer practice period to go past the heavy dark clouds of your insane thoughts to reach this still, quiet place in you that is always there. This is the first meditation in the Course. Jesus is teaching us a form of Course-based meditation that starts by repeating the thought for the day, quieting the mind, turning deep within our minds, and sinking down and inward away from the thoughts of the world.
The Lesson really asks us to "Think about what you are saying; What the words mean," (W.41.9.2) Remember who walks with you. His is the "unfailing companionship that is yours." (W.41.9.3) His total commitment to us and His total protection of us is always there. Be comforted by the thought that you are never alone. We truly can rest today in the knowledge of His presence. Can you just let yourself take that into yourself and know that you don't have to wish for anything to be different? We won't find any answers "out there," no matter how hard we try. To look for them "out there" is to be in a state of continual frustration. There is no perfect job, perfect relationship, or anything that will fix us or fulfill us in a world of impermanence and change. There is no permanence on the level of form, but there is perfect protection for us in our faith in Him.
"Be quiet in your faith in Him Who loves you, and would lead you out of insanity. Madness may be your choice, but not your reality. Never forget the Love of God, Who has remembered you. For it is quite impossible that He could ever let His Son drop from the loving Mind wherein he was created, and where his abode was fixed in perfect peace forever."
(T.14.III.15.5-8) (ACIM OE T.13.VIII.79)
Love and blessings, Sarah
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Chapter Four: The Root of All Evil
<TEXT AUDIO>
Voice and Music by Martin Weber, CIMS SonShip Radio
IV. Love Without Conflict
41 You have never understood what "the Kingdom of Heaven is within you" means. The reason you have not understood it is because it is
not understandable to the ego, which interprets it as if something outside is inside, and this does not mean anything. The word "within" is unnecessary. The Kingdom of Heaven
is you. What else but you did the Creator create, and what else
but you is His Kingdom? This is the whole message of the Atonement, a message which in its totality transcends the sum of its parts. Christmas is not a time; it is a state of mind. The Christ Mind wills from the Soul
not from the ego, and the Christ Mind
is yours.
42 You too have a kingdom which your Soul created. It has
not ceased to create because your ego has set you on the road of perception. Your Soul's creations are no more fatherless than
you are. Your ego and your Soul will never be co-creators, but your Soul and
your Creator will
always be. Be confident that your creations are as safe as you are.
43The Kingdom is perfectly united and perfectly protected,
and the ego will
not prevail against it. Amen.
44 That was written in that form because it is a good thing to use as a kind of a prayer in moments of temptation. It is a Declaration of Independence. You will find it very helpful if you understand it fully.
45 In its characteristically upside-down way, the ego has taken the impulses from the superconscious and perceives them as if they arise in the unconscious. The ego judges what is to be accepted, and the impulses from the superconscious are unacceptable to it because they clearly point to the nonexistence of the ego itself. The ego therefore experiences threat and not only censors but also reinterprets the data. However, as Freud correctly pointed out, what you have repressed can retain a very active life
beyond your awareness.
46 Repression thus operates to conceal not only the baser impulses but also the most lofty ones from awareness because
both are threatening to the ego and, being concerned primarily with its own preservation in the face of threat, the ego perceives them
as the same. The threat-value of the lofty is actually much greater to the ego because the pull of God Himself can hardly be equated with the pull of human appetites. By perceiving them
as the same, the ego attempts to save itself from being swept away, as it would surely
be in the presence of knowledge.
47 The upper level of the unconscious thus contains the Call of God as well as the call of the body. That is why the basic conflict between love and fear is unconscious; the ego cannot tolerate either and represses both by resorting to inhibition. Society depends on inhibiting the latter, but
salvation depends on
disinhibiting the former. The reason you need
my help is because you have repressed your own Guide and therefore need guidance. My role is to separate the true from the false in your unconscious so it can break through the barriers the ego has set up and shine into your minds. Against our united strength, the ego
cannot prevail.
48 It should be apparent to you by now why the ego regards the Soul as its "enemy." The ego arose from the separation, and its continued existence depends on
your continuing belief in the separation. Having reduced the Soul impulses to the unconscious, the ego has to offer you some sort of reward for maintaining this belief. All it
can offer is a sense of temporary existence, which begins with its
own beginning and ends with its
own ending. It tells you this life is
your existence because it
is its own. Against this sense of temporary existence the Soul offers you the knowledge of permanence and unshakable
being. No one who has experienced the revelation of
this can ever fully believe in the ego again. How can its meager offering to you prevail against the glorious gift of God?
49 You who identify
with your egos cannot believe that God loves you.
You do not love what you have made, and what you made does not love
you. Being made out of the denial of the Father, the ego has no allegiance to its own maker. You cannot conceive of the real relationship which exists between God and His Souls because of the hatred you have for the self
you have made. You project onto your
own idea of yourself the will to separate, which conflicts with the love you feel for what you made
because you made it. No human love is without this ambivalence, and since no ego has experienced love
without ambivalence, the concept is beyond its understanding.
50 Love will enter immediately into
any mind which truly wants it, but it
must want it truly. This means that it wants it
without ambivalence, and this kind of wanting is wholly without the ego's "drive to get." There is a kind of experience which is so different from anything the ego can offer that you will never recover. The word "recover" is used quite literally here-you will never be able to cover or hide again. It is necessary to repeat here that your belief in darkness and in hiding
is why the light cannot enter. The Bible gives many references to the immeasurable gifts which are
for you but for which
you must ask. This is not a condition as the ego sets conditions. It is the glorious condition of what you
are.
51 No force except your own will is strong enough or worthy enough to guide you. In this you are as free as God and must remain so forever. You can never be bound except in honor, and that is always voluntary. Let us ask the Father in my name to keep you mindful of His love for you and yours for Him. He has never failed to answer this request because it asks only for what He has already willed. Those who call truly are
always answered. Thou shalt have no other gods before Him because there
are none.
52 It has never really entered your mind to give up every idea you ever had that
opposes knowledge. You retain thousands of little scraps of meanness which prevent the Holy One from entering. Light cannot penetrate through the walls you make to block it, and it is forever unwilling to destroy what you have made. No one can see
through a wall, but
I can step around it. Watch your minds for the scraps of meanness or you will be unable to ask me to do so. I can help you only as our Father created us. I will love you and honor you and maintain complete respect for what you have made, but I will neither honor it nor love it unless it is true.
53 I will never forsake you any more than God will, but I
must wait as long as you choose to forsake yourself. Because I wait in love and not in impatience, you will surely ask me truly. I will come in response to a single unequivocal call. Watch carefully and see what it is you are really asking for. Be very honest with yourself about this, for we must hide nothing from each other. If you will really try to do this, you have taken the first step toward preparing your mind for the Holy One to enter. We will prepare for this together, for once He has come, you will be ready to help me make other minds ready for Him. How long will you deny Him His Kingdom?
54 In your own unconscious, deeply repressed by the ego, is the declaration of your release.
God has given you everything. This is the one fact that means the ego does not exist and which therefore makes it profoundly afraid. In the ego's language, remember, "to have" and "to be" are different, but they are identical to the Soul. The Soul knows that you both
have everything and
are everything. Any distinction in this respect is meaningful only when the idea of "getting," which implies a lack, has
already been accepted. That is why we made no distinction before between
having the Kingdom of God and
being the Kingdom of God.
55 The calm being of God's Kingdom, which in your sane mind is perfectly conscious, is ruthlessly banished from the part of the mind which the ego rules. The ego is desperate because it opposes literally invincible odds, whether you are asleep or awake. Consider how much vigilance you have been willing to exert to protect your ego and how little you have been willing to expend to protect your higher mind. Who but the insane would undertake to believe what is not true and then protect this belief at the
cost of truth?
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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