Miracles Principle # 7: “Miracles are everyone’s right, but purification is necessary first.” Purification, as CIM uses it, has nothing to do with the body. The body is not where the problem is. It is the mind that must be purified—and of one thought only. The one erroneous thought that must be healed is our illusory separation from God and all its related guilt issues. Another important implication here is that miracles are not something certain “holy” people do. Miracles are something we all can do. The miracle in not walking on water; the miracle is shifting from the ego’s point of view to the Holy Spirit’s. Any person who chooses can be an instrument of Spirit. The miracle is asking HS to forgive, to love through us.
Lesson 40—“I am blessed as a Son of God.” Because I am an extension of God, I am entitled to happiness. The ego has to resist this idea because its existence depends on believing I’ve separated myself from God; therefore, the ego wants me to believe I don’t deserve to be happy. Maybe it doesn’t want me totally miserable—that might prompt me to reconsider everything. But it is invested in keeping that little vein of misery running even through the best of times. Because happy says separation isn’t true. And it isn’t!
Lesson 41—“God goes with me wherever I go.” This knowledge is the real cure for all human ills, which are merely symptoms of our illusory separation from God. Our sense of loneliness, abandonment, depression, anxiety, and fear of loss all stem from one root error thought: That we have separated ourselves from God. We carry the “cure” for all dis-ease within us. It is God’s omnipresence and omnipotence. This lesson is the Course’s first introduction to the practice of meditation. Like traditional methods, it involves a focusing and clearing of the mind in an attempt to contact higher states of consciousness. The aim is not to sink down and inward in the body but rather in the mind. There is a center, a core in the mind we are seeking to find.
Lesson 42—“God is my strength. Vision is His gift.” Vision comes not from you but from the power of God in you. Therefore, you can receive it at any time and under any circumstances. Furthermore, you cannot fail to find it eventually. Why not? Because the curriculum is learning Who we are, and we have no say in establishing that. We can resist the True Vision indefinitely, but not ultimately.
Lesson 43—“God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.” I cannot see apart from God because I cannot be apart from God. Perception requires two—a perceiver and a perceived; that is duality and does not exist in Truth. What we call “seeing” is perception; it is not knowledge. Knowledge belongs to the realm of perfection, of Heaven. Without Holy Spirit (our Higher Self), perception would have remained forever false. But because God placed this link between His mind and all minds, perception can be purified so that it will lead to knowledge.
Lesson 44—“God is the light in which I see.” The light for true seeing is within us, and the goal of this lesson is to approach that light. Once again, we are taken into an experiential form of meditation—a meditation practice that Jesus makes crystal clear is exceptionally important. We are forewarned that we will find these exercises difficult at first because of our undisciplined minds. It is that very difficulty that proves our need of it, just as getting out of breath when you jog for fifty yards proves you need aerobic exercise. This exercise is clearly labeled an “attempt” at reaching the light. Just as you wouldn’t expect to complete a marathon after jogging a couple of times, the chances you’ll reach it on your first attempt are slim—but not impossible.
Lesson 45—“God is the Mind with which I think.” Underneath the murky layer of delusion we’ve laid over reality is a wholly sane mind thinking wholly sane thoughts and “seeing” only God’s perfect creation. Our real thoughts, our sane thoughts, are the thoughts we think with God. Thoughts do not leave the mind, so they must be there for us to find. With practice and determination, we can push our feet down through the mire of our ego thoughts and find solid bedrock.—peaceful and harmonious thoughts, thoughts completely in accord with the Mind of God.
Lesson 46—“God is the Love in which I forgive.” In this world of illusions, where mutual condemnation is a way of life, forgiveness is necessary—not God’s forgiveness but our own. God does not forgive because He has never condemned. Because the ego is so invested in blame, we often find it difficult, if not seemingly impossible, to forgive. No worries! We need not rely on our own resources to forgive. God’s love will remedy each and every error that is surrendered to Spirit. Our whole purpose in this world is to bring forgiveness to it. This is what returns our minds to the awareness of God.
CIM Meditation Practice Outline (Workbook Lessons 41 and 44):
1) Slowly repeat the idea for the day.
2) Sink deeply into the center of your mind.
3) Use concrete methods to pull your mind back from wandering.
Assignment: Miracles Principle #8; Lessons 47-53; Text Chapter 10, The Denial of God, pp.189-192; Text Chapter 11, The Inheritance of God’s Son, pp. 200-202.
Practical Application: Make a list of your pet ways to block extensions of love. (Examples: Avoiding eye contact; not listening or giving your full attention; not answering the phone; smoking, around non-smokers; ducking out of gatherings before anyone can start a conversation with you, etc.) Zone in on one of them and see if you can suspend that practice for one week.
No comments:
Post a Comment