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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 8 "THE JOURNEY BACK"
IV. THE HOLY ENCOUNTER
19 When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him, you will see yourself. As you treat him, you will treat yourself. As you think of him, you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose sight of yourself. Whenever two Sons of God meet, they are given another chance at salvation. Do not leave anyone without giving salvation to him and receiving it yourself, for I am always there with you in remembrance of you.
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK Part I ~ REVIEW II
INTRODUCTION
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
1 We are now ready for another review. We will begin where our last review left off and cover two ideas each day. The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other. We will have one longer exercise period and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.
2 The longer practice periods will follow this general form: take about 15 minutes for each of them, and begin by thinking about the idea and the comments which are included in the assignments. Devote about three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, and then close your eyes and listen. Repeat the first phase if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the practice period listening quietly but attentively.
3 There is a message waiting for you. Be confident that you will receive it. Remember that it belongs to you and that you want it. Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts. Realize that, whatever form they take, they have no meaning and no power. Replace them with your determination to succeed. Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams. Trust it to see you through and carry you beyond them all.
4 Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth, and the life. Refuse to be side-tracked into detours, illusions, and thoughts of death. You are dedicated to salvation. Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
5 Reaffirm your determination in the shorter practice periods as well, using the original form of the idea for general application and a more specific form when needed. Some specific forms will be included in the comments. These, however, are merely suggestions. It is not the particular words you use that matter.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
DAILY LESSONS
L e s s o n 87 ~ Review II
[Review Lesson 73 and Lesson 74]
<
AUDIO
><VIDEO>
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
1 Our review today will cover these ideas:
[73] I will there be light.
2 I will use the power of my will today. It is not my will to grope about in darkness, fearful of shadows and afraid of things unseen and unreal. Light shall be my guide today. I will follow it where it leads me, and I will look only on what it shows me. This day I will experience the peace of true perception.
3 These forms of this idea would be helpful for specific application:
4
This cannot hide the light I will to see.
You stand with me in light, [name].
In the light this will look different.
[74] There is no will but God's.
5 I am safe today because there is no will but God's. I can become afraid only when I believe that there is another will. I try to attack only when I am afraid, and only when I try to attack can I believe that my eternal safety is threatened. Today I will recognize that all this has not occurred. I am safe because there is no will but God's.
6 These are some useful forms of this idea for specific applications:
7 Let me perceive this in accordance with the Will of God.
It is God's Will you are His Son, [name], and mine as well.
This is part of God's Will for me, however I may see it.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections
LESSON 87
Review II ~ Lesson 73 and Lesson 74
Sarah's Commentary:
We believe we have a will, which is our own and separate from God's. This is not the truth. Our will is God's Will. This Course is about releasing the belief that we have a will separate from God's Will, and now we are being called to join with His Will so we can be happy and know we are secure in His Love. "I can become afraid only when I believe there is another will." (W.87.3.3) And when we are afraid, we attack. When we align with God's Will, we know that we are safe. "I am safe because there is no will but God's." (W.87.3.6)
We don't know our own best interests. How can we when we don't know who we are? We have chosen independence and willfulness and assumed authority over our own lives. Our willfulness has gotten us into a lot of trouble. Isn't this true? I know mine has. I get very stubborn about my point of view, having things go my way, being in control, determining my own future, planning my way through life, developing strategies for my success, making judgments, and believing I am right. In fact, being successful in the world may be the biggest obstacle to awakening. When life seems to be working for us, it keeps us invested in the illusion. However, the outcome of relying solely on ourselves is that we can never be certain of anything, and this ultimately results in fear, anxiety, and insecurity. If things don't work the way we expect, and we don't get what we want, we blame others for our failures, or we judge ourselves.
We always use something or someone, or some circumstance or event, to justify our attacks. We hold grievances, we manipulate, we demand, we seduce, and we try to get something from the person or situation. All these are forms of attack, and with attack comes more fear because now we expect retaliation. We expect someone will betray us, try to manipulate us, or demand something from us. The world becomes a threatening, fearful place. "It is not my will to grope about in darkness, fearful of shadows and afraid of things unseen and unreal." (W.87.1.3) The will that appears to be functioning in the world is part of the illusion. It is not real, and it brings us nothing but more guilt and fear.
In making the decision to ". . . use the power of my will today," (W.87.1.2) we are choosing to exercise the power of our minds to make another choice by turning away from the will that we have substituted for God's Will. Instead of choosing to listen to the ego, we remind ourselves we can choose to see any situation differently when we turn to the Holy Spirit to give us His interpretation. Someone may have said something unkind today, but we have a choice in how to perceive it. We can decide that, "Light shall be my guide today. I will follow it where it leads me, and I will look only on what it shows me." (W.87.1.4-5)
We all feel vulnerable and afraid, and we project these fears onto the world. We become fearful of what the world will do to us, so we build defenses that create even more fear. The world of separation is the result of the projection of the guilt and fear in our minds. When the mind is freed of sin and guilt through forgiveness, the world becomes a reflection of innocence. We are all here to wake up from this dream, and when we choose the Holy Spirit as our Teacher, He helps us to see every situation without judgment. Now we have no more stories. Anger is no longer justified, and all is seen as love or a call for love.
In our day-to-day lives, we grope about in darkness, afraid of things not even there, unseen and unreal.
It is a fearful state where there is no peace in our everyday condition-a condition of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Only in the light where there is true perception can we experience peace. How can we know where we are going when we are in a state of confusion and uncertainty? But now we know we can make another choice. We can choose to watch our minds and release the judgments and grievances that show up in the mind. When we are angry and frustrated with any person or situation, it is because we want to make them responsible for the guilt in our minds. It all starts with our own self-attack that we project onto others. We actually want others to betray and hurt us. We set it up that way so we could see them as the cause of our distress. In other words, we see the world as the cause and ourselves as the effect, and thus we are actually choosing to make others responsible for how we feel. This is how we enslave ourselves and see ourselves as victimized by others. Jesus is showing us that only mind is the cause of how we feel and the world is the effect. We have reversed cause and effect. We are the ones responsible for everything that seems to happen to us. We called it all forth for our healing.
"Who would attempt to fly with the tiny wings of a sparrow when the mighty power of an eagle has been given him? And who would place his faith in the shabby offerings of the ego when the gifts of God are laid before him?"
(M.4.I.2.2-3) To me, this is the same as flying on one's own, believing in our little will and resting on our own authority. Jesus says, once we have experienced the power available to us by joining with God's Will and recognizing it as our own, "it is impossible to trust one's own petty strength again." (M.4.I.2.1) With God, events unfold in miraculous ways beyond any of our own ability to plan an outcome equal to what is available when we trust in Him.
The ego wants to latch onto guilt like a dog with a bone. It is a huge temptation that feeds the ego. We make comparisons with others, seeing their guilt, and buying our own innocence at their expense. We hold grievances against others, refusing to let them go in the belief that, "No one is going to walk over me." We demand our own space, keeping others apart from us. We think of this as power and strength and maintaining our boundaries, yet whenever we attack a brother, it just guarantees that we accumulate more guilt and fear. The fear is that when we attack, they will retaliate. Now we believe that defense is necessary. It becomes a vicious circle, but the conflict is never external to our own minds. It starts within us with our own self-attacks, and when we project them outward, we experience conflict with our brothers.
When we are in conflict, we believe we each have a different will and are in competition with each other. We each try to get what we can in the relationship; we give as little as possible to get as much as possible. This is the nature of relationships guided by the ego. The truth is that we only share one will. My true will and my brothers' will are the same. Our eternal safety is guaranteed because there is only One Will I share with all my brothers. Through forgiveness, we recognize our sameness, which is a reflection of our Oneness. When we see the Christ in our brother, we know our own Self, which is One with God. When we truly desire this Oneness, we will vigilantly watch our minds for attack thoughts so they can be placed on the inner altar for healing.
Recently, I was noticing how I was slipping into ego in my relationship and taking advantage of my brother's guilt. It was such a pattern that I had not noticed it was happening. I even started thinking the relationship was maximized and I needed to move on. When I looked more closely, I realized my distress was based on my own unhappiness. When I looked at the unhappiness, I realized it had nothing to do with my brother. It was something that had to be healed within me. The turnabout came very quickly with this realization. I asked for help to choose again and no longer indulge my egoic thoughts, making my brother responsible for my condition. The reflection of my changed perspective came so quickly in my relationship that it was an immediate confirmation that the change in any relationship has to start with our own minds. I forgive my brother for what he has not done. My part is to continue to forgive my own self-attacking thoughts so I can get in alignment with God.
In summary, the progression of the ego error starts with the belief that there is another will but God's. Because of this, we become afraid of our brothers and their competing wills, and now we experience fear so we attack, and because we attack, we fear for our eternal safety. The answer is to recognize, "I am safe today because there is no will but God's." (W.87.3.2) We experience we are safe when we remember who we are. In our identification with the body, we can never feel safe, but our safety lies in our recognition ". . . that all this has not occurred. I am safe because there is no will but God's." (W.87.3.5-6) My reality is Spirit and not a vulnerable body.
Practicing this idea involves acknowledging that whatever seems to be happening to me, "This is part of God's will for me, however I may see it." (W.87.4.4) This can sound like God is willing for me to suffer a difficult situation, but this is not so. Instead, God's love and peace are behind any seeming difficulty, and we can choose that love in any situation in which we seem to find ourselves by releasing the ego's hold on us so we can experience the miracle.
Just like in the movie, Wide Awake, we can only know the truth when we are ready for it. That is why this path is not to be imposed on others. To try to impose this teaching on anyone is a form of attack. It is no different than a missionary worker, trying to change the mind of our brothers instead of focusing on our own minds. To do that is an act of violence. It is all about readiness for another way of seeing. The signs of the Spirit are as near and clear as we are ready and willing to see and hear them. In the movie, Joshua's Prayer, he was answered because it was a prayer from the heart. It reflected his true desire. Without motivation, devotion, desire, and sincerity nothing will change.
Our will, which is one with God's, has tremendous power. When we join with His Will, we can make great strides today. It is in our nature to express and extend love, and how that is expressed in this world is through forgiveness. That is what time is for. There is nothing to be done except the undoing of what we have made, which is the false self and a world where we have come to hide from God. Forgiveness removes what we have made so what God created can shine through us. See your brothers standing in the light with you and shine on all your brothers, letting the light given to you shine into their minds. This is how this fragmented Sonship is returned to Oneness, wholeness, and holiness.
Love and blessings, Sarah
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Chapter Eight
The Journey Back
<TEXT AUDIO>
Voice and Music by Martin Weber, CIMS SonShip Radio
IV. The Holy Encounter
16 Glory be to God in the highest and to
you because He has so willed it. Ask and it shall be given you because it has already
been given. Ask for light and learn that you
are light. If you want understanding and enlightenment, you
will learn it because your will to learn it is your decision to listen to the Teacher who
knows of light and can therefore
teach it to you. There is no limit on your learning because there is no limit on your
minds. There is no limit on His will to teach because He was created
to teach.
Knowing His function perfectly, He wills to fulfill it perfectly because that is His joy and
yours.
17 To fulfill the Will of God perfectly is the only joy and peace that can be fully known because it is the only function that can be fully
experienced. When this is accomplished, then, there
is no other experience. Yet the
wish for other experience will block its accomplishment because God's Will cannot be forced upon you, being an experience of total
willingness. The Holy Spirit knows how to teach this, but
you do not. That is why you need Him, and why God
gave Him to you. Only
His teaching will release your will to God's, uniting it with His power and glory and establishing them as
yours. You share them as God shares them because this is the natural outcome of their being.
18 The Will of Father and of the Son are one together
by their extension. Their extension is the
result of their oneness, holding their unity together by extending their
joint will. This is perfect creation by the perfectly created in union with Perfect Creator. The Father
must give fatherhood to His Son because His own Fatherhood must be extended outward. You who belong in God have the holy function of extending His Fatherhood by placing
no limits upon it. Let the Holy Spirit teach you
how to do this, for you will know what it
means of God Himself.
19 When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him, you will see yourself. As you treat him, you will treat yourself. As you think of him, you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose sight of yourself. Whenever two Sons of God meet, they are given another chance at salvation. Do not leave anyone without giving salvation
to him and receiving it yourself, for I am always there with you in remembrance of
you.
20 The goal of the curriculum, regardless of the teacher you choose, is
know thyself. There is nothing else to learn. Everyone is looking for himself and for the power and glory he thinks he has lost. Whenever you are with anyone, you have another opportunity to find them. Your power and glory are in him
because they are yours. The ego tries to find them in
yourself because it does not know where to look. The Holy Spirit teaches you that if you look
only at yourself, you
cannot find yourself because that is not what you
are.
21 Whenever you are with a brother, you are learning what you are because you are
teaching what you are. He will respond either with pain or with joy, depending on which teacher
you are following.
He will be imprisoned or released according to your decision,
and so will you. Never forget your responsibility to him because it is your responsibility to
yourself. Give him
his place in the Kingdom, and you will have
yours. The Kingdom
cannot be found alone, and you who
are the Kingdom cannot find
yourselves alone.
22 To achieve the goal of the curriculum, then, you
cannot listen to the ego.
Its purpose is to
defeat its own goal. The ego does not know this, because it does not know anything. But
you can know this, and you
will know it if you are willing to look at what the ego has made of
you. This
is your responsibility, because once you have really done this you
will accept the Atonement for yourself. What other choice could you make? Having made this choice, you will begin to learn and understand why you have believed that when you met someone else, you had thought that he
was someone else. And every holy encounter in which
you enter fully will teach you
this is not so.
23 You can encounter
only part of yourself because you are part of God, Who
is everything. His power and glory are everywhere, and you
cannot be excluded from them. The ego teaches that your strength is in you
alone. The Holy Spirit teaches that
all strength is in God and
therefore in you. God wills
no one suffer. He does not will anyone to suffer for a wrong decision,
including you. That is why He has given you the means for
undoing it. Through His power and glory, all your wrong decisions are undone,
completely releasing you
and your brothers from
every imprisoning thought
any part of the Sonship has accepted. Wrong decisions have no power
because they are not true. The imprisonment which they
seem to produce is no more true than
they are.
24 Power and glory belong to God alone. So do
you. God gives
whatever belongs to Him because He gives of Himself, and
everything belongs to Him. Giving of
your self is the function He gave you. Fulfilling it perfectly will teach you what you
have of Him, and this will teach you what you
are in Him. You
cannot be powerless to do this because this
is your power. Glory is God's gift to you because that is what
He is. See this glory everywhere to learn what
you are.
~ Original Hand Script of ACIM
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