You can class="hi2">anan> create an class="hi2">anan> illusion of being responsible, by positioning yourself as being an class="hi2">anan>gry an class="hi2">anan>d upset about what other people are doing. You can class="hi2">anan> make yourself seem like you are responsible by stan class="hi2">anan>ding up for people's rights or agreeing with the ways that certain people are very wrong.

This paints a picture of you as a hero an class="hi2">anan>d savior an class="hi2">anan>d as someone who does not believe in mis-treatment an class="hi2">anan>d so on, but is also hipocritical an class="hi2">anan>d irresponsible given it gives you opportunity to accuse an class="hi2">anan>d condemn an class="hi2">anan>d judge.

You can class="hi2">anan> seem like a very responsible, caring person who is deeply upset by the hurtful things people do, that your fellow man class="hi2">anan> is mis-treated by society or that certain politician class="hi2">anan>s are trying to destroy the world. But this is all a fake responsibility.

You are not responsible unless you are being responsible for yourself an class="hi2">anan>d for what you are doing to yourself, for the ways that you are using others by scapegoating them, the ways that you judge an class="hi2">anan>d condemn an class="hi2">anan>d project your own hidden guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d are owning up to being Christ. Owning up to what you have been doing to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d passing off as what other people are doing. That's real responsibility.

You don't win an class="hi2">anan>y points for finding other people guilty or being outraged or an class="hi2">anan>gry or placing the blame somewhere. That's selective judgement. Selective blame. Some set of people get to be very very wrong while other people get to be very very right. It's a huge trap an class="hi2">anan>d it's hugely dishonest.

This always happens when you believe the world is real an class="hi2">anan>d you wan class="hi2">anan>t to find a way to be more spiritual or innocent or pure or good or to uphold some high stan class="hi2">anan>dard or ideal or higher ground. But there is no higher ground in an class="hi2">anan> illusory world, it is all insan class="hi2">anan>e. The higher ground is beyond this world an class="hi2">anan>d recognizes that this world is not spiritual an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not be spiritualized by your ego.

What you may not realize is that your ego is split an class="hi2">anan>d by making some aspects of this world good an class="hi2">anan>d worthy an class="hi2">anan>d acceptable an class="hi2">anan>d other parts wrong an class="hi2">anan>d bad an class="hi2">anan>d unacceptable, you've fallen for the ego's primary trap of believing that SEPARATION is real. Separation between good people an class="hi2">anan>d bad people, between the righteous an class="hi2">anan>d the unworthy.

It doesn't matter which side you are on. It doesn't matter if you identify mostly with being goodie two-shoes, or some kind of dark evil monster. Both of them are false because they are both states of un-wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d exclusivity. They are both a lie from your ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d those being all "good" an class="hi2">anan>d nice an class="hi2">anan>d so on are just as "evil" as the evil ones. They believe in separation an class="hi2">anan>d segragation, often even more than class="hi2">anan> the rest of the crowd, an class="hi2">anan>d yet will constan class="hi2">anan>tly spout off about how segragation an class="hi2">anan>d conditional love are unfair or unwelcome.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t be right by judging judgers, or hating haters, or attacking attackers, or being an class="hi2">anan>gry at an class="hi2">anan>gry people, or hurting the hurtful. That's the ego's motto of an class="hi2">anan> eye for an class="hi2">anan> eye. There is absolutely no holiness there whatsoever. It's a fake holiness, a holier-than class="hi2">anan>-thou attitude, a pretense that you are innocent when in fact you are just as guilty because you BELIEVE in guilt.

You can class="hi2">anan> believe in guilt an class="hi2">anan>d accuse people of being guilty an class="hi2">anan>d believe that you're being pure an class="hi2">anan>d innocent by finding them guilty, but all this mean class="hi2">anan>s is you believe strongly in guilt. You try to not appear to be THE ONE who is guilty, but you can class="hi2">anan>not HAVE a belief in guilt in your mind at the same time as a belief in holiness. an class="hi2">Anan>d whatever you believe you will BE.

Rules can class="hi2">anan>not apply to other people separately from how they apply to you. Judgements can class="hi2">anan>not be given to others without judging yourself. You can class="hi2">anan>'t find someone else guilty without you believing that you are guilty. The righteous will go down in their own flames.

"Would you rather be right or happy?" - ACIM

Being happy can class="hi2">anan> only come by not finding an class="hi2">ANan>YONE guilty. Because other people ARE YOU. What applies to them applies to you. This is fundamentally different than class="hi2">anan> seeing yourself as a SEPARATE person. Separation is attack, not holiness. So are you really escaping your own attack?

Here is an class="hi2">anan> easier, simple way to go into "slow smooth breathing" as a form of meditation.

You don't have to control the breathing itself at all. In fact, that's guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to interfere with it an class="hi2">anan>d make it not smooth. I've tried that before, controlling the breathing muscles etc an class="hi2">anan>d it takes much longer to work up to a slower smoother breath.

Instead, think of a balloon. The balloon is inflated. You take the opening of the balloon an class="hi2">anan>d you open it up just a little bit, just enough to let some air seep out. You then HOLD that opening at the same amount of openness, without moving it. What happens? The balloon deflates VERY smoothly all by itself.

The smoothness an class="hi2">anan>d rate of airflow is PRECISELY controlled only by how big the opening is. It's got nothing to do with you squeezing the balloon, trying to make the balloon collapse at a certain rate, etc. So the trick here is, do not try to control the breathing ITSELF, whatsoever. All you need to do is regulate the SIZE OF THE OPENING an class="hi2">anan>d keep it steady, which is very easy.

1. Close your mouth, breathe through your nose.

2. Hold your breath for a moment then let it go. Try that a few times. There is a sensation of some muscles in the throat closing off the airway. There is also (i think) the nasopharynx which is kind of in the back of the nose, behind the soft palette. This action of holding breath closes the nasopharynx so that no air can class="hi2">anan> go in or out of the nose. So it feels like the back of the nose is closing an class="hi2">anan>d opening.

3. You have the ability to decide "how open" that thing is. This is a physical action above the throat an class="hi2">anan>d nothing to do with the lungs or diaphragm. Close it off again but not all the way. Just tighten it up a bit an class="hi2">anan>d try breathing out while it's "almost closed". You'll notice even if you try to push the breath harder to come out faster it won't. It can class="hi2">anan> only come out at a rate determined by the size of the air opening. So you can class="hi2">anan> operate this kind of like an class="hi2">anan> air valve.

4. So this is all you need to do. Just "mostly close" that "valve" an class="hi2">anan>d hold it in that position. Relax. Let your body do its own normal breathing without you trying to mess with the breathing at all. Don't push the breath or pull it or try to make it slow or an class="hi2">anan>ything. You don't need to. Just because the opening is narrower, your breath will be long an class="hi2">anan>d slow an class="hi2">anan>d smooth.

5. Relaxing your body, just let it breathe, while you hold that opening in a partly closed position. Notice how the body just naturally "inflates" long an class="hi2">anan>d slow, like a balloon that inflates by itself. Then when it's done, as you keep holding the valve partly open, it starts to deflate all by itself, like a big bag of wind which just gradually empties by itself under its own air pressure (actually the normal diaphragm action).

So I do that a while. It's MUCH easier to just hold that position of restricting the outlet, than class="hi2">anan> it is to try to man class="hi2">anan>ipulate the breathing muscles. I just hold it a while an class="hi2">anan>d let the body breathe slowly by itself. It's effortless, especially when you relax. "How slow" you breathe is entirely determined by how much you close off the airway, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else. You can class="hi2">anan> go immediately into a long slow breath without having to work up to it, an class="hi2">anan>d it takes hardly an class="hi2">anan>y effort. After a while you should feel calmer an class="hi2">anan>d your mind is "smoother".

One thing has been a constan class="hi2">anan>t throughout your whole life. You have always been you alone. You have always been a separate person, autonomous within the confines of a body, an class="hi2">anan>d not once has there been an class="hi2">anan>yone in there with you. Everyone else is just like you, in that they are unlike you, an class="hi2">anan>d unlike everyone else. an class="hi2">Anan>d never have you found an class="hi2">anan>yone who is the same as you.

This experience comes with a sense of "I am only me", completely cut off from others by a wall of bodies. an class="hi2">Anan>d that seems to suggest "I am wholly myself." an class="hi2">Anan>d yet, it is not an class="hi2">anan> experience of knowing who you are, but of being out of touch with who you are. It's an class="hi2">anan> experience of "I don't know who I am" while at the same time clutching at straws to define who you are. Looking for something to identify with, to convince yourself it is your self, because you have lost yourself.

You have been lost, confused, afraid, alone, lonely, weak, powerless an class="hi2">anan>d constan class="hi2">anan>tly bombarded with attack. an class="hi2">Anan>d every time it has been "only my self" that has experienced this - the poor-me victim. an class="hi2">Anan>d every time you have been unhappy it has seemed you are unhappy alone, afraid alone, suffering alone, sick alone, guilty alone, dying alone. an class="hi2">Anan>d not once has it seemed that an class="hi2">anan>ything you have felt within yourself has been the same as that of an class="hi2">anan>yone else at all. You haven't even had the slightest clue what an class="hi2">anan>yone else is thinking or experiencing.

This is the experience of what we might call someone who is "being an class="hi2">anan> ego". It is the automatic experience of an class="hi2">anan>yone whose sense of self is a "separated off" self. A self that is excluded, isolated, imprisoned in a body, kept apart from sharing an class="hi2">anan>ything with an class="hi2">anan>yone, an class="hi2">anan>d thoroughly limited to what the body dictates.

"This produces what SEEMS to be a wall of flesh AROUND the mind, keeping it prisoner in a tiny spot of space an class="hi2">anan>d time" Such a person has not really chan class="hi2">anan>ged in terms of their perfection, but they have chan class="hi2">anan>ged in terms of their relationship. There has been a communication breakdown between themselves an class="hi2">anan>d others. The body depicts this breakdown as a tremendous hurdle which filters an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>slates everything into confusing symbols. This is a person who once was free, but who has been locked up inside a body an class="hi2">anan>d has forgotten what it mean class="hi2">anan>s to share. Their mind seems isolated an class="hi2">anan>d unaware of an class="hi2">anan>yone else's mind.

Let's say there is no such thing as "an class="hi2">anan> ego" at all. There are only people. an class="hi2">Anan>d some of these people have decided to try to cut themselves off from others. They have done this by placing themselves inside a prison cell, an class="hi2">anan>d have tried to identify with that prison cell so that their whole sense of self narrows an class="hi2">anan>d confines to within its walls. They are a self which once was glorious an class="hi2">anan>d magnificent, expan class="hi2">anan>sive an class="hi2">anan>d unlimited, which has dimmed its light an class="hi2">anan>d condemned itself to a dungeon, to die alone an class="hi2">anan>d in solitude.

"The dreaming of the world takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, because the body seeks in man class="hi2">anan>y ways to PROVE it is autonomous an class="hi2">anan>d real. "There is no man class="hi2">anan> who does not feel that he is imprisoned in some way. If this has been the result of his own free will, he must regard his will as if it were NOT free, or the obviously circular reasoning of his own position would be quite apparent."

"For his belief in limits HAS imprisoned him."

"an class="hi2">Anan> imprisoned mind is not free by definition. It is possessed, or held back, by ITSELF. Its will is therefore limited, an class="hi2">anan>d not free to assert itself."

It is unnatural to be only yourself. Some people will model what ACIM says on the basis that, when you are awake, you are wholly yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore when you are in ego, you are not entirely yourself, or are unwhole. But this is not entirely accurate. It is more accurate to say that when you are in ego you are ONLY yourself to the EXCLUSION of others, an class="hi2">anan>d when you wake up you are waking up to being MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> just yourself. You are a whole self an class="hi2">ANan>D MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> a whole self.

The entire premise of being "in ego" or "in separation", is that you are excluded from others. You are not sharing with them. You are not identifying with them. You don't regard them as part of you an class="hi2">anan>d you see yourself as a stan class="hi2">anan>dalone, independent, self-relian class="hi2">anan>t being. Not that being self-relian class="hi2">anan>t is wrong. In fact you were created to be wholly sufficient an class="hi2">anan>d complete an class="hi2">anan>d lacking nothing, sharing the power of God. It isn't that you are "capable" that's wrong, it's that you try to be capable ON YOUR OWN.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that fundamentally the separation is really about you rejecting your inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce from God. It's about you not wan class="hi2">anan>ting to be an class="hi2">anan> effect of God. A rejection of God as your father. an class="hi2">Anan> unwillingness to acknowledge that you ONLY have what he has given you. That you do not have an class="hi2">anan>ything, nor can class="hi2">anan> you BE or DO an class="hi2">anan>ything, WITHOUT him. That everything you are, comes from him, an class="hi2">anan>d is part of him an class="hi2">anan>d shared with him. Rejecting all that God has given is what makes you "separated off".

As soon as you are separating yourself off, to be a powerful being who does not wan class="hi2">anan>t power, you immediately disempower yourself. You immediately enter into fear, because you know deep down that you have actually stripped yourself of power. You know you are not capable an class="hi2">anan>ymore. You can class="hi2">anan>'t successfully do an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING on your own, although you can class="hi2">anan> try. It will fail in some way. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you make will die. an class="hi2">Anan>d all your mis-creations will crumble. You can class="hi2">anan>'t give immortality to an class="hi2">anan>ything because you are denying it in yourself.

You can class="hi2">anan> be with God an class="hi2">anan>d be guaran class="hi2">anan>teed of success. Or you can class="hi2">anan> be without God an class="hi2">anan>d be guaran class="hi2">anan>teed of failure. Realize then that everything that you try to do ALONE, WILL FAIL.

Everything. You are fundamentally in a state of fear whenever you try to be without God, think without God, do without God, see without God, think without God, live without God. You are fundamentally rejecting success, an class="hi2">anan>d life, an class="hi2">anan>d power, an class="hi2">anan>d happiness, an class="hi2">anan>d health, by trying to go it alone. Imprisonment as a solo-self is not freedom.

What this reveals then is that, for your whole life, you've been acting LIKE an class="hi2">anan> ego. You've been trying to independently figure everything out, to understan class="hi2">anan>d what everything is, to give mean class="hi2">anan>ing to everything based on your whims, opinions an class="hi2">anan>d beliefs, an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing that you've ever done that wasn't a solo effort. Even when you did things in a team or with others, you were still alone. an class="hi2">Anan>d even your efforts to be a part of something bigger than class="hi2">anan> yourself kept you in the dark.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s there is a logical premise at work, behind every failure, an class="hi2">anan>d guaran class="hi2">anan>teeing everything you do will fail. an class="hi2">Anan>d it goes like this: IF you are a separated-off self, you LACK EVERYTHING. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore everything you do will be a mistake, will break, will be wrong, will upset you, will make you suffer, an class="hi2">anan>d will be depressing an class="hi2">anan>d frustrating. Being alone IS a limitation.

IF you are a separated-off self, you are automatically in a state of fear an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>xiety which you will not be able to get rid of. It doesn't matter how much you work on it. It doesn't matter what path you take, what you believe, what choices you make, what thoughts you have, how you feel. Nothing you do will work completely, if you do it separately. Doing it separately CAUSES you to suffer. Doing everything alone PUTS YOU IN PRISON. There is NO freedom there. Or as some may put it, "there is no rest for the wicked."

"Today's idea will eventually overcome completely the sense of loneliness an class="hi2">anan>d aban class="hi2">anan>donment which all the separated ones experience. Depression is an class="hi2">anan> inevitable consequence of separation. So are an class="hi2">anan>xiety, worry, a deep sense of helplessness, misery, suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d intense fear of loss."

See how Jesus confirms that if you are a "separated one", you WILL experience all man class="hi2">anan>ner of unhappy things. Note that he also says that since the separation, no-one has been sure of an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING...

"The intrusion of the ability to perceive, which is inherently judgmental, was introduced only after the Separation. No one has been sure of an class="hi2">anan>ything since then."

We have quite literally entered into a state of FAILURE, by participating in the separation. It is a state of being flawed, of fundamental attack, insecurity, unholiness, suffering an class="hi2">anan>d despair.

The problem then comes when you start to believe that there is something you can class="hi2">anan> DO about it, WITHIN the confines of this situation, that will make it better. You will try to fix it yourself. You will try to think your way out of it with your own thoughts. You will try to do techniques on your own. You will be the one who decides what you prefer an class="hi2">anan>d what will work for you. You will make all the wrong choices. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will always be the central figure in every single thing that you do. Your whole life will revolve around yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d you will be trying to SAVE this self at the same time.

This self will do A Course in Miracles. This self will pray. This self will try to become more spiritual. This self will try to become separately enlightened. This self will try the latest techniques an class="hi2">anan>d sample the spiritual buffet-line, looking for something it thinks it needs, something it has lost. Some kind of salvation, which will save it from all the fuck-ups an class="hi2">anan>d failures that continue to plague it. an class="hi2">Anan>d as it seeks for this, it will not find it.

"Everyone is looking for himself an class="hi2">anan>d the power an class="hi2">anan>d glory he thinks he has lost."

"Yet the ego, though encouraging the search very actively, makes one proviso; - do not FIND it. Its dictates, then, can class="hi2">anan> be summed up simply as, "Seek an class="hi2">anan>d do NOT find."

The problem is that it is this very sense of being an class="hi2">anan> isolated self that is the ENTIRE problem. The confinement, the walls that surround you, the body, the gap, the lack of communication, the broken relationship, the isolation an class="hi2">anan>d the exclusive specialness, all CONTINUE the problem. Being "separated" is the problem, the problem is NOT being a self. Because when you are separated, you are NOT being yourself.

This "self" that you are working WITHIN the confines of, trying to get IT to be holier an class="hi2">anan>d more awakened, just stays WITHIN those confines an class="hi2">anan>d does not wan class="hi2">anan>t them to ever be questioned. It doesn't consider that ITSELF, or, its way of identifying itself as "separated", is the whole problem. It's the ONE problem behind all problems. The one issue that isn't getting solved. You think you are already all of yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d only yourself.

So then some people will say that you have to GET RID OF, ie KILL an class="hi2">ANan>D DESTROY, this self, in order to be free. In order to be truly spiritual, it has to die. This is utterly bullshit. It's just an class="hi2">anan>other in a long line of solutions which separated selves have come up with for how to deal with their suffering. The whole act of trying to BE separated off is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to destroy the unlimited nature of yourself, in the first place. So making the self FULLY dead is just a continuation of that. Self needs to expan class="hi2">anan>d, not die.

"The sudden EXPan class="hi2">ANan>SION of the self that takes place with your DESIRE for it, is the irresistible appeal the holy instan class="hi2">anan>t holds."

The self does not need to be destroyed. The self needs to EXPan class="hi2">ANan>D its definition of its identity. It needs to realize that it is MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> the confined limited sense of self that it has been living under. That it is MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> ITSELF.

Because ego really is just a notion of selfishness or being self-absorbed, as though to say, putting your whole attention on YOU EXCLUSIVELY. If you being exclusive is the problem, destroying you isn't the solution. What you need is freedom from exclusivity.

"You have made much progress, an class="hi2">anan>d are really trying to make still more, but there is one thing you have never done; not for one instan class="hi2">anan>t have you utterly forgotten the body."

What Jesus is saying here is that the one thing we have never really done is question THE PRISON that we're in, the sense of what it is that has defined us as "separated". We have not brought into question whether we actually ARE separated, an class="hi2">anan>d have not been willing to realize that ALL our suffering has been CAUSED BY that sense of isolation. If I am ONLY me, then I have become separate.

Identifying WITH the body has made us narrow an class="hi2">anan>d limited. The body is narrow an class="hi2">anan>d limited. It's like an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>chor in time an class="hi2">anan>d space. When we think of it as "my self", we have to think of ourselves as narrow an class="hi2">anan>d limited. an class="hi2">Anan>d now we are small an class="hi2">anan>d special an class="hi2">anan>d selfish an class="hi2">anan>d cut off. We have to forget the body in order to expan class="hi2">anan>d the sense of self beyond the separation. The body symbolizes the separation (as a separation device), so we have to open up to being MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> a body. an class="hi2">Anan>d if I am more than class="hi2">anan> ONE body, I am more than class="hi2">anan> JUST myself.

Before the separation, every soul that was created by God in heaven, was whole, an class="hi2">anan>d also overlapped with each other. Everyone shared everything including identity. Christ is the one identity of every soul, an class="hi2">anan>d every soul is a member of that identity. I am christ an class="hi2">anan>d you are christ an class="hi2">anan>d we are one as two christs. The fundamental premise here is that everything is shared including yourself. You are you, but YOU ARE ALSO me. You are everyone. Therefore you are more than class="hi2">anan> JUST a separate being - you are not just ONE creation of God, you are all of them.

It is natural therefore that you should regard yourself as ... fully wholly yourself, an class="hi2">ANan>D fully wholly everyone. This is a normal sense of identity. You are the whole sonship. You are in fact the entire Kingdom of God. an class="hi2">Anan>d all its contents, every part of it, all its beings an class="hi2">anan>d creations, are a part of your self. This is what a natural identity is supposed to be. You, as an class="hi2">anan> individual whole being, are ALSO one with everything.

"The Kingdom of Heaven IS you."

"The sonship is your soul."

"Is he the Christ? Oh yes, along with you."

"One brother is all brothers. Every mind contains all minds."

"The separation" was nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a WITHDRAWAL of the parts of you which are shared with others, a retreat into fear, into being small an class="hi2">anan>d scared an class="hi2">anan>d vulnerable trapped in a little tiny body in a corner of spacetime. It was simply your unwillingness to SHARE YOUR SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to have exclusive ownership an class="hi2">anan>d control over who you are. It was just your attempt to break away from the family unit an class="hi2">anan>d orphan class="hi2">anan> yourself, like a black sheep who has become estran class="hi2">anan>ged an class="hi2">anan>d unwan class="hi2">anan>ted.

After the separation you simply wan class="hi2">anan>dered off "alone", as though you had been unplugged from the hive mind, disconnected from the input of spirit/soul, an class="hi2">anan>d unable to communicate with God an class="hi2">anan>ymore. You saw yourself as lacking everything an class="hi2">anan>d absent of an class="hi2">anan>ything. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you were starting out empty an class="hi2">anan>d bereft. You had nothing left but your little sense of "there's only myself left". an class="hi2">Anan>d this "only me, not you", formed your sense of identity. This is what we call "an class="hi2">anan> ego". It's not really something new you made, it's the self God created that has been locked in chains.

The one thing we therefore need to do for salvation, an class="hi2">anan>d the one thing we may never have done in our entire lives, is consider that we are NOT JUST OURSELVES. We are more than class="hi2">anan> just ourselves. To really truly SHARE with an class="hi2">anan>yone we have to BE them. We have to open up to an class="hi2">anan> identity, a sense of self, that INCLUDES OTHERS. Others have to actually become a part of you again. Not to the exclusion of you, nor calling for your destruction. You are a self who is whole, who must also reconnect to the whole.

If your every effort to go it alone an class="hi2">anan>d do everything independently of God has mean class="hi2">anan>t AUTOMATIC FAILURE, in every case, then your ONLY salvation from all forms of suffering is to stop doing everything on your own. The end of separation is simply the end of "trusting in your own strength" to the exclusion of all else. It mean class="hi2">anan>s waking up from a sense of "I am only me", to "I am us." From ME to WE. From individual, to mutual. This is what shared interests are about.

Only if I am willing to let God decide WITH me can class="hi2">anan> I be sure that the decision will be accurate an class="hi2">anan>d wise an class="hi2">anan>d certain of success. Only if I am willing to let the Holy Spirit judge the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of everything for an class="hi2">anan>d with me, can class="hi2">anan> I be sure that the mean class="hi2">anan>ing I SEE is correct an class="hi2">anan>d san class="hi2">anan>e. Only if I admit that everything I do alone WILL BE FUCKED UP, by default, can class="hi2">anan> I be open to allowing myself to be HELPED. Opening up to His Help is opening up to RECEIVE.

The Holy Spirit is there to HELP us. He is the help, because he is the notion of being more than class="hi2">anan> limited. He is unlimited, as we are in truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d to remember our unlimited nature we have to be open to allowing something MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> JUST ME to participate in everything I do, think, feel, plan class="hi2">anan>, decide, pursue, live, say, etc. Only by allowing God back into our lives, in effect, can class="hi2">anan> we resume our natural state of DOING EVERYTHING WITH HIM. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore, no longer being alone.

Everything you have ever done alone, no matter what it is, no matter how intelligent you've been, no matter how much you plan class="hi2">anan>ned an class="hi2">anan>d schemed, no matter how much you figured out or understood, no matter how man class="hi2">anan>y concepts you came up with or how accurate they were, ALWAYS produced suffering in one form or an class="hi2">anan>other. Because all of them were attempts to narrow an class="hi2">anan>d confine yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d always because of the simple fact that YOU DID IT ON YOUR OWN.

That was ALWAYS the problem, because being alone is unnatural. God did not will that you be alone, so to be yourself you must rejoin the brotherhood of light.

"For you dwell in the Mind of God WITH your brother, for God Himself did not will to be alone."

"To be alone is to be separated from Infinity, but how can class="hi2">anan> this be, if Infinity has no end?"

"There IS no end to God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son, for we ARE the universe. God is not incomplete, an class="hi2">anan>d He is not childless. Because He did not will to be alone, He created a Son like Himself. Do not deny Him His Son, for your unwillingness to accept His Fatherhood has denied you yours. See His creations as HIS Son, for yours were created in honor of Him."

"He is the Voice for God, but never forget that God did not will to be alone. He SHARES His Will with you; He does not thrust it UPON you."

"To be alone MUST mean class="hi2">anan> you are apart, an class="hi2">anan>d if you are, you can class="hi2">anan>not BUT be sick."

"To be alone IS to be guilty. For to experience yourself AS alone, is to deny the Oneness of the Father an class="hi2">anan>d His Son, an class="hi2">anan>d thus to ATTACK REALITY."

"God would not have us be alone because HE does not will to be alone. That is why He created His Son an class="hi2">anan>d gave him the power to create with Him."

"The gratitude of God Himself is freely offered to everyone who shares His Purpose. It was not His Will to be alone. an class="hi2">Anan>d neither is it YOURS. Forgive your brother, an class="hi2">anan>d you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT separate yourself from him, nor from his Father."

As you work to forgive yourself an class="hi2">anan>d recognize your own innocence, you become more loving. But you're going to find that this can class="hi2">anan>not happen in isolation.

As you increase your light, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer believe sinfulness or guilt within yourself, you're going to encounter the fact that other people still regard themselves as sinful an class="hi2">anan>d guilty.

This puts you in a position where you "have more" than class="hi2">anan> they do, an class="hi2">anan>d are in a lighter place than class="hi2">anan> they are.

"Miracles supply a lack." "Miracles are given by those who temporarily have more to those who temporarily have less."

If you were to simply "drop down" to where they are at, through false empathy, you will lose your light. You also can class="hi2">anan>'t maintain a forgiving perspective on yourself if you still run into the obstacles to peace that other people put in place.

So that mean class="hi2">anan>s that sooner or later, as you continue to ascend into the light, you're going to have to start moving past other people's guilt. Whatever their belief or darkness is, if you don't forgive it in them, you can class="hi2">anan>'t maintain your state of mind.

"When I am healed I am not healed alone."

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you begin to no longer support other people's self attack. You start to question whether they are guilty. an class="hi2">Anan>d you start to support the light in them as well. You begin to steer them towards the light, so that you can class="hi2">anan> remain in light.

As this progresses, it's going to become very natural that as you become more loving, you will automatically uplift others as well. You will have to not believe that they are guilty, in order for you to not be guilty. You can class="hi2">anan>'t have different rules for them an class="hi2">anan>d you - that's ego.

So that mean class="hi2">anan>s that you becoming healed, you begin to turn into an class="hi2">anan> instrument for healing.

"Those who are healed become instruments of healing."

This isn't even really optional, unless you wan class="hi2">anan>t to go back into darkness. By stepping into light an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing the Golden Rule, an class="hi2">anan>d developing what is now a shared interest, you literally HAVE to have a healing an class="hi2">anan>d forgiving attitude towards others in order to maintain your own. This isn't a passive state of just sitting there observing, it's an class="hi2">anan> active DOING an class="hi2">anan>d a going out an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> expressing towards others in relationship.

This positions you as a healer an class="hi2">anan>d a forgiver of others. an class="hi2">Anan>d I don't mean class="hi2">anan> in the sense that you do forgivenesses about the stuff you think other people do to you. If you have BECOME healed, you are now in a position to undo the confusion of others an class="hi2">anan>d shine past their blockages.

Your mind becomes constructive, rather than class="hi2">anan> destructive, as it realizes that only by supporting light can class="hi2">anan> it move towards heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d only by moving towards creation can class="hi2">anan> it move away from its own self destruction. This puts you in a position to constructively assist others who are trying to destroy themselves.

"By denying his mind an class="hi2">anan>y destructive potential, an class="hi2">anan>d reinstating its purely constructive powers, he has placed himself in a position where he can class="hi2">anan> undo the level confusion of others. The message which he then gives to others is the truth that THEIR MINDS are really similarly constructive, an class="hi2">anan>d that their own miscreations can class="hi2">anan>not hurt them. By affirming this, the miracle worker releases the mind from over-evaluating its own learning device (the body), an class="hi2">anan>d restores the mind to its true position as the learner."

It is not only your duty an class="hi2">anan>d role, but also your right an class="hi2">anan>d privilege, to assist others in this way, healing them an class="hi2">anan>d enlightening them an class="hi2">anan>d steering them towards their innocence.

"Having been restored to your original state, you naturally become part of the Atonement yourself. You now share MY inability to tolerate the lack of love in yourself an class="hi2">anan>d in everyone else, an class="hi2">anan>d MUST join the GREAT CRUSADE to correct it."

"It is the privilege of the forgiven to forgive."

The correct an class="hi2">anan>d effective forgiveness of yourself does lead to an class="hi2">anan> automatic function of healing on earth, in relation to others, which you share with the Holy Spirit. This function positions you as the light of the world.

"Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world."

"Do His work, for you SHARE in His function. As your function in Heaven is creation, so your function on earth is healing. God shares His function with you in Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy Spirit shares His with you on earth."

In this function, this natural role, you profess Christ. an class="hi2">Anan>d this professing or expressing of Christ is a healing function which is given to others. To those who have less light than class="hi2">anan> you, in order to raise them up an class="hi2">anan>d resurrect them.

"The Disciples were officially an class="hi2">anan>d specifically told to heal others, as Physician class="hi2">anan>s of the Lord. They were also told to heal themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d were promised that I would never leave them or forsake them. Atonement is the natural profession of the Children of God, because they have professed Me."

This is the point at which you become a miracle worker who is in service to others.

"Miracles are the maximal service you can class="hi2">anan> render an class="hi2">anan>other."

Serving, therefore, is what you automatically do, or move into doing, as your own awakening progresses. If you have received miracles then it is automatic that you will give them. To receive them you have to recognize your innocence, which you have to believe is true of everyone, otherwise it can class="hi2">anan>not be fully believed. an class="hi2">Anan>d this recognizing that the same truth (golden rule) applies to everyone makes you ready an class="hi2">anan>d willing an class="hi2">anan>d able to reinforce it in others."You can class="hi2">anan> only give the miracles you have received."

Thus you join the great crusade, you become the atonement, you are now part of the plan class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d a mechan class="hi2">anan>ism which God is using to bring about the healing an class="hi2">anan>d awakening of your brothers. As a Teacher of God you now function as part of God's way of bringing everyone home, because atonement is more than class="hi2">anan> just about your own personal salvation, it's about the salvation of the entire sonship.

Since the world does not contain an class="hi2">anan>y real causes, an class="hi2">anan>d absolutely everything is an class="hi2">anan> affect of the mind on a higher level, this shines some light on what happens when you are attacked or hurt.

If it seems that someone comes along an class="hi2">anan>d hits you, an class="hi2">anan>d a bruise forms, this is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

The person hitting an class="hi2">anan>d the formation of the bruise are not actually connected by an class="hi2">anan>y kind of linear causality. Laws of physics DO NOT EXPLAIN how the bruise gets there.

The bruise does not show up as a result of the attack.

The bruise shows up because your own mind buys into the illusion of linear cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, an class="hi2">anan>d USES the opportunity to demonstrate that the other person is the "cause" of your hurt. This is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to demonstrate that you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt, in order to prove your brother is a sinner, so that you can class="hi2">anan> get rid of your sin!

Your own mind puts the bruise in your own body, all by itself. It doesn't get there by the "causal power" of an class="hi2">anan>other person. If you believe in the causal power of an class="hi2">anan>other person, what your mind is doing is it is actually twisting itself so that it can class="hi2">anan> seem to attack itself from the outside in, through that person, an class="hi2">anan>d it is your mind which puts the bruise there.

This works in exactly the same way to how medication works, which is that you pretend that something outside of you will do something to you, your MIND decides whether or not to allow it, an class="hi2">anan>d IF it allows it, the MIND ITSELF puts the effects into the body, not the medication. All medication is a placebo. None of it has power to cause an class="hi2">anan>ything but illusions.

If the mind decides not to get well, IT WILL REFUSE the illusion of the medication an class="hi2">anan>d the medication will NOT WORK. Similarly, among those who refuse to believe in the cause-effect of certain foods, they can class="hi2">anan> eat those foods WITHOUT EFFECT even if they would hurt other people. Mind over matter!

Jesus asks us in the Course to demonstrate that we can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt, or attacked, or sick, an class="hi2">anan>d that our brother is innocent because nothing they try to do us produces an class="hi2">ANan>Y EFFECTS.

If we produce sickness in the body after eating the wrong food, or we develop a bruise after being hit, or we walk around with a broken leg due to falling out of a tree, we are ACCUSING everyone else (ie the world) of doing this to us.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s we are attempting to prove that we Can class="hi2">ANan> BE HURT. This proof demonstrates for all to see, that someone else must be the sinner, because something happened that you *appear* to not wan class="hi2">anan>t to have happened, against your will. Your demonstration of "being a victim" is actually a show that your mind puts on, for a purpose, to scapegoat the world.

What Jesus is therefore asking is, that we become invulnerable to attack, incapable of being sick, unable to be hurt, an class="hi2">anan>d that we refuse to CHOOSE to show up as damaged or broken. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that when it SEEMS in the illusion that there is a linear causality of someone hitting you, YOU DO NOT develop a bruise. When you fall out of the tree, you DO NOT break your leg. When you eat a certain food, IT DOES NOT poison you.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s you are supposed to get to where you can class="hi2">anan> SUPERNATURALLY DEMONSTRATE that you can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt, sick, damaged, or made to suffer, in an class="hi2">anan>y way, by an class="hi2">anan>y cause in the entire world! At the physical level! He is asking us to show that we are holy by showing that the Son of God Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE DESTROYED, using the body as a SYMBOL of immortality.

Here is how Jesus puts it:

"It is your thoughts alone that cause you pain. NOTHING EXTERNAL TO YOUR MIND Can class="hi2">ANan> HURT OR INJURE YOU IN an class="hi2">ANan>Y WAY. There is no cause beyond yourself that can class="hi2">anan> reach down an class="hi2">anan>d bring oppression. NO ONE BUT YOURSELF AFFECTS YOU. There is nothing in the world that has the power to make you ill or sad, or weak or frail." !!!!!!!

He also speaks of this here:

"Sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to demonstrate that you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt"

an class="hi2">anan>d here:

"A broken body proves the mind has not been healed"

an class="hi2">anan>d here:

"The central lesson is always this; that what you use the body for it will become to you. Use if for sin or for attack, which is the same as sin, an class="hi2">anan>d you will see it as sinful. Because it is sinful it is weak, an class="hi2">anan>d being weak, it suffers an class="hi2">anan>d it dies. Use it to bring the Word of God to those who have it not, an class="hi2">anan>d the body becomes holy. Because it is holy it can class="hi2">anan>not be sick, nor can class="hi2">anan> it die."

an class="hi2">anan>d here:

"(regarding your brother) But every pain you suffer do you see as proof that he is guilty of attack. Thus would you make yourself (your body) to be the sign that he has lost his innocence, an class="hi2">anan>d need but look on you (your body) to realize that he has been condemned. an class="hi2">Anan>d what to you has been unfair will come to him in righteousness. The unjust vengean class="hi2">anan>ce that you suffer now belongs to him, an class="hi2">anan>d when it rests on him are you set free (you projected your sin). Wish not to make yourself a living symbol of his guilt, for you will not escape the death you made for him."

Here Jesus is basically saying that you must not attempt to put sin an class="hi2">anan>d death onto your brother through attack of an class="hi2">anan>y kind (sickness also) because if you do, YOU will be attacked. This is the basic law of the one mind, that what you do to your brother you to do yourself. All attack is self attack. You can class="hi2">anan>not escape the consequences of your attempted attack on an class="hi2">anan>other, an class="hi2">anan>d they are not required to receive those consequences from you.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that if you demonstrate that you are sick or hurt physically IN an class="hi2">ANan>Y WAY, you are attacking your brother, trying to SHOW HIM what he must have done to you against your will, an class="hi2">anan>d are therefore projecting your sin! If you do this, you will suffer, an class="hi2">anan>d your will experience death. This also mean class="hi2">anan>s YOUR MIND *IS NOT HEALED*, therefore you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT experience peace. A broken body proves your mind is not healed. Your mind is proven to be healed when your body shows up as NOT BROKEN. Therefore, to escape death, you MUST NOT use the body for attack, thus rendering it INCAPABLE of being attacked by you or an class="hi2">anan>yone.

Whenever you attempt to use the body for attack, which mean class="hi2">anan>s, to fail to extend love through it to your brother, the body itself will become sick. The sickness in your body will directly correlate to your belief that you an class="hi2">anan>d your brother are sinners. Your attempt to project your sin will project it onto your body an class="hi2">anan>d destroy it. This is the ONLY WAY that bodies become sick. Not through external causes, not through the illusion of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, not through your brother.

We are therefore REQUIRED, an class="hi2">anan>d WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID, to demonstrate that our body is absolutely invulnerable, in order to Can class="hi2">ANan>CEL OUT the illusion of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, to PROVE that the ego's laws mean class="hi2">anan> nothing, to SHOW that our brother is as innocent as we are, an class="hi2">anan>d to TEACH that the Son of God can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt or affected by illusions in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

Can class="hi2">anan> you imagine what a miracle it will be to witness someone demonstrating this? That nothing you try to do to them works? That you can class="hi2">anan>not hurt their body whatsoever? That their body can class="hi2">anan>not even die no matter how you try to attack it? Their mind will simply project an class="hi2">anan> image of perman class="hi2">anan>ent health the whole time, IGNORING an class="hi2">anan>ything you try to do to it. an class="hi2">Anan>d by this will be PROVEN your innocence, because no sin you try to commit WORKS, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT believe that you are sinful. Thus are you set free because your attempted sin HAD NO CONSEQUENCES. This is how you set your brother free from his belief that he sinned!

This is one of the most radical teachings in the course, so I understan class="hi2">anan>d that man class="hi2">anan>y people don't believe this or don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to. But this is what Jesus has said. If your body is broken in an class="hi2">anan>y way, you are teaching vulnerability an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d sin. You can class="hi2">anan>not have sickness in the body an class="hi2">anan>d prove that you are innocent, or to be at peace. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not be at peace with death. You can class="hi2">anan>not have sickness showing up if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be awake, an class="hi2">anan>d being awake you WILL NOT show sickness to an class="hi2">anan>yone. The body MUST HEAL if the mind heals. an class="hi2">Anan>d the body will become as immortal as the mind.

Cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect at the level of the world is entirely an class="hi2">anan> illusion. THERE IS NO CAUSE in the world. Nothing causes you. Nothing is the reason why you are showing up in an class="hi2">anan>y particular form. Nothing has happened to you against your will. Nothing of this world can class="hi2">anan> be found responsible for having power over you, for "making you" be a certain way, for instigating illness, to triggering suffering, or for making your body chan class="hi2">anan>ge in an class="hi2">anan>y way at all. Not even the forces of nature or acts of nature or whatever else. NOTHING.

Your body is 100% a projected image from YOUR MIND, an class="hi2">anan>d YOU are the one that determines how it is going to show up. Not this world. Not other people. Not food or water or weather or an class="hi2">anan>ything else. We are mean class="hi2">anan>t to demonstrate that our body is completely invulnerable, completely NOT DEPENDENT on an class="hi2">anan>ything of this world, an class="hi2">anan>d incapable of being affected by this world. This will demonstrate the the mind of love has power over all illusions an class="hi2">anan>d nothing can class="hi2">anan> assail the Kingdom of God.

If we're sick, hurt, in pain, suffering, a victim, abused, damaged, missing something, lacking, attacked, upset, whatever... we are the ones who are putting it there, we are RESPONSIBLE for it, an class="hi2">anan>d no-one else has caused it. Only through this willingness to admit honestly to this truth, will you be able to access the SUPERNATURAL PROTECTION which comes from realizing the secret to salvation: "you are doing this to yourself". If you stop doing it to yourself, NOTHING ELSE WILL BE ABLE TO DO an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING TO YOU.

I'll let Jesus finish up with this section from "sickness is a defense against the truth":

"The body should not feel at all. If you have been successful, there will be no sense of feeling ill or feeling well, of pain or pleasure. No response at all is in the mind to what the body does. Its usefulness remains an class="hi2">anan>d nothing more.

Perhaps you do not realize that this removes the limits you had placed upon the body by the purposes you gave to it. As these are laid aside, the strength the body has will always be enough to serve all truly useful purposes. The body's health is fully guaran class="hi2">anan>teed, because it is not limited by time, by weather or fatigue, by food an class="hi2">anan>d drink, or an class="hi2">anan>y laws you made it serve before. You need do nothing now to make it well, FOR SICKNESS HAS BECOME **IMPOSSIBLE**.

Yet this protection needs to be preserved by careful watching. If you let your mind harbor attack thoughts, yield to judgment or make plan class="hi2">anan>s against uncertainties to come, you have again misplaced yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d made a bodily identity which will attack the body, for the mind is sick."

Illusions are not just your misperceptions "about" something.

an class="hi2">Anan> illusion is something which appears to be there, but which is not really there. It only appears to be there because you have lost sight of the whole picture, are lacking some information, an class="hi2">anan>d have taken something out of context.

Yes, in terms of your misperceptions, it could be that you are projecting something onto what's there, having illusions about it, seeing something "in" it that isn't there.

But illusions are more than class="hi2">anan> just your misperceptions. an class="hi2">Anan>d they don't only take place inside your head. They occur outside of you as well.

The body's eyes, look upon an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d as if it is really there. The world, Earth, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is a picture of something existing that doesn't exist.

"Who is afraid to look upon illusions, knowing his Savior stan class="hi2">anan>ds beside him?"

"Be not deceived by the illusions it presents of size an class="hi2">anan>d thickness, weight, solidity, an class="hi2">anan>d firmness of foundation. Yes, to the body's eyes it looks like an class="hi2">anan> enormous, solid body, immovable as is a mountain."

"Sin is a block, set like a heavy gate, locked an class="hi2">anan>d without a key, across the road to peace. 3 No one who looks on it without the help of reason would try to pass it. 4 The body's eyes behold it as solid gran class="hi2">anan>ite, so thick it would be madness to attempt to pass it."

"Everything the body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> see is a mistake, an class="hi2">anan> error in perception, a distorted fragment of the whole without the mean class="hi2">anan>ing that the whole would give."

"The body's eyes see only form. 4 They can class="hi2">anan>not see beyond what they were made to see. 5 an class="hi2">Anan>d they were made to look on error an class="hi2">anan>d not see past it. 6 Theirs is indeed a stran class="hi2">anan>ge perception, for THEY Can class="hi2">ANan> SEE ONLY ILLUSIONS, unable to look beyond the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d stopping at the outside form of nothing. "

"See how the body's eyes rest on externals an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not go beyond."

Since the body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> ONLY see illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d since the body's eyes Can class="hi2">ANan> SEE PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET EARTH, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth MUST BE an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION!

The world itself, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s it is presenting to you a temptation to believe that something is there, something is happening, which is not happening. If you fall for the illusion, you will think the world is real. If you recognize the illusion for what it is, you will not fall for it an class="hi2">anan>d will see past it or "see through" its deception.

To see through a deception you need to see the bigger picture.

If for example you have a puzzle, an class="hi2">anan>d before you solve the puzzle you do not know the an class="hi2">anan>swer, you are deceived by the form of the puzzle. Maybe it's some 3d puzzle with blocks or something that you have to twist just the right way to get them to unlock. You mess with it for hours trying to figure it out. Then finally you suddenly have an class="hi2">anan> awakening an class="hi2">anan>d SEE the TRICKERY that was being used to deceive you, an class="hi2">anan>d you suddenly realize how to overcome the illusion. You solve the puzzle instan class="hi2">anan>tly. an class="hi2">Anan>d no longer are you deceived by the illusion that it was something else.

It's the same with the world. Earth is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Believing it is real is false perception. The body's eyes were made to SEE IT as if it's really there an class="hi2">anan>d believe it's real. You have to learn the body's eyes are lying to you. an class="hi2">Anan>d you need a different kind of vision - Christ Vision - to help you to see the bigger picture BEYOND the illusion, so that you can class="hi2">anan> recognize that the illusion is a deception. Only then can class="hi2">anan> you be free of illusions, because the world itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

Your misperceptions of the world are your inability to recognize that *IT* is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. They are illusions on top of illusions. When you perceive the world correctly you will recognize it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, not a reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d illusions do not really exist. There is no world.

The truth is not information. It is not an class="hi2">anan> idea or a thought. It is not a fact, like a statement about something. It is not some piece of information you can class="hi2">anan> learn mentally through studying it. It isn't a bunch of metaphysics or a discussion.

The truth is an class="hi2">anan> EXPERIENCE. It is experiential. It is being. It is reality. You BE IT.

In order for your mind to be healed an class="hi2">anan>d for the Holy Spirit to heal you, you need to gain access to an class="hi2">anan> EXPERIENCE of the truth. This truth exists not as some downloadable information but as a sort of 'state of reality' or a 'place'... or maybe you could call it Heaven. It is an class="hi2">anan> existence. It is something you can class="hi2">anan> experience an class="hi2">anan>d live an class="hi2">anan>d be an class="hi2">anan>d unite with.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t learn truth mentally or through thought or understan class="hi2">anan>ding. It doesn't matter how proficient you become at grasping all the logic an class="hi2">anan>d metaphysics of a path like A Course in Miracles or an class="hi2">anan>y other.

In order to shift your mind from believing something that is false, to believing something that is really true, you can class="hi2">anan>not just replace one piece of information with an class="hi2">anan>other. You can class="hi2">anan>not just make affirmations or try to convince yourself. You need to find a way to COMMUNE with the truth. You need to get your mind to open up so that it can class="hi2">anan> join with the truth, access the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d allow the truth to be PRESENT in your mind.

It is the PRESENCE of the truth that heals you.

The Holy Spirit IS this presence of truth. He is not just a memory of God like some kind of file stored on a computer. He IS the presence of God. He is something you need to access, experience, join with, commune with, unite with. You do that with your very being, not your intellect.

The Holy Spirit HIMSELF is the an class="hi2">ANan>SWER that God has provided. Not an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer like, 1+1=2, that's completely powerless to do an class="hi2">anan>ything. The Holy Spirit is an class="hi2">anan> ACTIVE an class="hi2">anan>swer, a CORRECTION, an class="hi2">anan> EXPERIENTIAL an class="hi2">ANan>SWER which dispels illusions by its mere presence, an class="hi2">anan>d the atonement principle that he governs is itself a POWER which - when you are in the PRESENCE of it... shines a light in your mind. It is this light which shows you the truth.

The light of truth is what sets you free. Without the actual LIGHT, you can class="hi2">anan>'t see. Without the light, you can class="hi2">anan>'t increase your awareness. Without the light, you can class="hi2">anan>'t see what is clearly the truth an class="hi2">anan>d what is clearly false. But when you DO allow this light to enter your mind, when you allow Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d invite Him to come in an class="hi2">anan>d heal you simply by BEING WITH HIM, an class="hi2">anan>d when you open up to an class="hi2">anan>d trust Him to do whatever, an class="hi2">anan>d when you surrender your EGO, now you're getting somewhere. Now you're allowing THE an class="hi2">ANan>SWER (Holy Spirit) to be received an class="hi2">anan>d experienced, an class="hi2">anan>d His Light now shines away the darkness simply by its presence an class="hi2">anan>d by showing you - revealing to you - what is true. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is not just some an class="hi2">anan>alysis or label or description of truth, it is an class="hi2">anan> immediate LIVEABLE TRUTH - an class="hi2">anan> experiential reality.

The truth needs to be experienced, an class="hi2">anan>d in the experience of it your BEING is somewhat 'reprogrammed' just by being `shone upon`. It sheds light on who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are in truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d this truth is convincing - very convincing - even more convincing than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>y lie. Its presence has an class="hi2">anan> automatic sense of recognition an class="hi2">anan>d power to it which is far stronger than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>y dark false belief or attitude. It is when this light is PRESENT in your awareness, to an class="hi2">anan>y degree, that it shows up the flaws in what you were mistakedly believing was the truth - substitutes for the truth that you invented as snippets of information or bits of belief systems.

I have not once failed to EXPERIENCE a psychological tran class="hi2">anan>sformation, an class="hi2">anan> awareness of how OBVIOUS it is that my false belief IS false, an class="hi2">anan>d a subsequent WILLINGNESS an class="hi2">anan>d READINESS to surrender it to Holy Spirit, as a result of actually connecting to the truth - opening up to it, reaching out to it, aligning with it, resonating with it, even affirming it so that I can class="hi2">anan> get my mind to be at least a little AWARE that it exists. This is how you let the light in, an class="hi2">anan>d the light does the rest.

This is what you MUST do (Holy Spirit's words) in order to awaken from the dream - to apply A Course in Miracles to your EXPERIENCE of reality.

The Truth IS GOD.

In order to perform a miracle, your mind has to be in a state of love, because miracles are expressions FROM love. Miracle mindedness is a state of love, an class="hi2">anan>d when you express from that state your expressions have power, capable of healing others. Love is strong an class="hi2">anan>d "there is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do." Being miracle minded is the same thing as being right minded, which is equated with true perception. It's quite an class="hi2">anan> "advan class="hi2">anan>ced state".

It's not enough to be slightly loving. It's also not enough to just be caring for someone or feeling enamored. Love has to be felt deeply an class="hi2">anan>d strongly. I have to admit that I spend almost all of my time not in this state. I can class="hi2">anan> at times push myself to receive love an class="hi2">anan>d experience it, but typically there is too much fear an class="hi2">anan>d blocks to awareness. It's not possible to perform miracles in these states, an class="hi2">anan>d people who are working on purifying their minds are not miracle workers. "Miracles are everyone's right (in a state of love), but purification (to get to that state) is NECESSARY first."

I've had a few times where, for whatever reason, I've felt especially filled with love. In those moments I also feel stran class="hi2">anan>gely powerful an class="hi2">anan>d miraculous, as if the love itself is capable of doing an class="hi2">anan>ything. Without love, miracles are impossible. Love is literally an class="hi2">anan> absolutely required ingredient for miracle working. It's through being intensely loving an class="hi2">anan>d EXPRESSING from that place of strength, that you can class="hi2">anan> literally perform miracles. You can class="hi2">anan> heal the sick an class="hi2">anan>d raise the dead.

I used to think miracle working entailed far more complexity, saying the right words, having the ego be more aggressive, being adaman class="hi2">anan>t, being comman class="hi2">anan>ding etc, but without love nothing happens. Holy Spirit became very excited one time when I was sending love to someone an class="hi2">anan>d He said "that's all you need!". It seems too simple but it's not. Real love has a POWER in it. It's a supernatural power. It can class="hi2">anan> cause really extraordinary things to happen. A mind in a state of love is very strong.

The challenge then, is getting yourself into a state where you are loving enough. It's not merely an class="hi2">anan> intellectual state. Strong love must be present an class="hi2">anan>d being felt. Often it is quite difficult to get into that state, to really really love, because of all the blocks an class="hi2">anan>d fears that we have. It might even be quite an class="hi2">anan> alien state seemingly so far out of reach that we just can class="hi2">anan>'t seem to be loving enough. It requires a suspension of fear, which is love's absence, for long enough to be able to perform the miracle. Jesus even says that you might well go back to being afraid afterwards, but so long as you can class="hi2">anan> get yourself into a loving state, you can class="hi2">anan> work miracles.

Miracle DOING is an class="hi2">anan> active expression, an class="hi2">anan> act, FROM a state of love. Miracle mindedness is the readiness to express love, by being in a state of love. Love is wholeness. The perceptual content of miracles is wholeness. Perception has to be whole, purified, an class="hi2">anan>d true, in order to be loving enough to be miraculous. It's really so simple... all you need is love an class="hi2">anan>d you instan class="hi2">anan>tly are capable of performing incredible miracles, but getting yourself into such a holy state is all of the "work" of purification, learning to forgive, healing an class="hi2">anan>d letting go of past hurts an class="hi2">anan>d all the rest of it. All of the workbook lessons, which aimed toward developing Christ Vision, are trying to get your mind to be loving enough that it is miraculous.

Miracles EXPRESS only from love an class="hi2">anan>d love is powerful.

"The distinction has also been made here between "miracle-mindedness" as a STATE, an class="hi2">anan>d "miracle-doing" as its expression."

"The love of God, for a little while, must still be expressed through one body to an class="hi2">anan>other."

"The value of the Atonement does not lie in the man class="hi2">anan>ner in which it is expressed. In fact, if it is truly used it will inevitably BE expressed in whatever way is most helpful to the receiver, not the giver. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that a miracle, to attain its full efficacy, MUST be expressed in a lan class="hi2">anan>guage which the recipient can class="hi2">anan> understan class="hi2">anan>d without fear. It does not follow by an class="hi2">anan>y mean class="hi2">anan>s that this is the highest level of communication of which he is capable. But it DOES mean class="hi2">anan> that it is the highest level of communication of which he is capable NOW."

"Miracles ... They occur naturally as an class="hi2">anan> expression of love."

"ALL expressions of love are maximal."

"Miracles are a kind of exchan class="hi2">anan>ge. Like all expressions of love"

"Prayer is the medium of miracles. Prayer is the natural communication of the Created with the Creator. Through prayer, love is received, an class="hi2">anan>d through miracles love is expressed."

"Miracles are natural expressions of total forgiveness. Through miracles, man class="hi2">anan> accepts God's forgiveness by extending it to others. "

"The power to work Miracles BELONGS to you. I will create the right opportunities for you to do them. But you must be ready an class="hi2">anan>d willing to do them, since you are already able to. Doing them will bring conviction in the ability. I repeat that you will see Miracles through your han class="hi2">anan>ds through MINE. Conviction really comes through accomplishment. Remember that ability is the potential, Achievement is its expression, an class="hi2">anan>d Atonement is the Purpose."

"Expressed through you, the Holy Spirit will accept this gift which you received of Him, increase its power an class="hi2">anan>d give it back to you."

"We have emphasized that the miracle, or the EXPRESSION of Atonement, is always a sign of real respect from the worthy TO the worthy."

"The miracle is an class="hi2">anan> expression of an class="hi2">anan> inner awareness of Christ an class="hi2">anan>d acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce of his Atonement. "

"Be confident that you have never lost your identity an class="hi2">anan>d the extension which maintains it in wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d peace. Miracles are an class="hi2">ANan> EXPRESSION OF THIS CONFIDENCE. They are reflections both of your own proper identification WITH your brothers, an class="hi2">anan>d of your own awareness that YOUR identification IS maintained by extension. The miracle is A LESSON IN TOTAL PERCEPTION. By including an class="hi2">ANan>Y part of totality in the lesson, you HAVE included the whole."

"The an class="hi2">anan>swer is NEVER perform a miracle without asking me IF you should. This spares you from exhaustion, an class="hi2">anan>d because you act under direct communication the tran class="hi2">anan>ce becomes unnecessary. Because miracles are expressions of love, it does NOT follow that they will always be effective. I am the only one who can class="hi2">anan> perform miracles indiscriminately, because I AM the Atonement. You have a ROLE in Atonement, which I will dictate TO you."

"Those who witness for me are expressing, through their miracles, that they have aban class="hi2">anan>doned deprivation in favor of the abundan class="hi2">anan>ce they have learned BELONGS to them."

"We once said that there is no order in miracles because they are all maximal expressions of love."

"Help an class="hi2">anan>d healing are the normal expressions of a mind which is working THROUGH the body but not in it."

"I KNOW that miracles are natural, because they are expressions of love."

A fear years ago, I was at an class="hi2">anan> ACIM retreat an class="hi2">anan>d we were doing a breathing exercise. I became filled up with some kind of energy, which lifted my "vibration" very high. My mind started to see past the physical an class="hi2">anan>d reach out an class="hi2">anan>d started to see God BEYOND the veil. In that moment I would've left the entire world behind to be with Him.

I'll skip some details but after that, I was seeing with true perception. The amount of awareness an class="hi2">anan>d wakefulness I had was off the charts. Everywhere I looked, still seeing physical objects with my eyes, I saw God. God was in everything I saw an class="hi2">anan>d God was in my mind. My mind had expan class="hi2">anan>ded in some way, moving up the hologram, to where my ego self seemed dissipated an class="hi2">anan>d diffused into the back of my awareness, as though I had no center. My mind somehow pulled back away from the world an class="hi2">anan>d I began class="hi2">anan> to feel like I was melting into the background, one with it. I felt like I was becoming Christ.

My awareness for some days after, entailed the ability to see a profound gentleness in everything. Everywhere I looked there was unconditional love, in all things. This love seemed so whole an class="hi2">anan>d complete, no matter where I looked, that I felt I had no need to look an class="hi2">anan>ywhere else to go find an class="hi2">anan>ything. I saw it in a chair leg. In a water bottle. In the shadows on a wall.

People were still going about their business doing exactly everything in the same egoic way as before - nothing chan class="hi2">anan>ged there, because the body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> ONLY see the physical form of things. But at the same time, there was awareness of a love an class="hi2">anan>d presence. I was aware of something that it seemed no-one knew was there, even though it seemed obvious. I became so soft. God was so gentle, so soft an class="hi2">anan>d joyous. an class="hi2">Anan>d he was very, very intimate, which was shocking at first because I had previously always put God far away in the sky an class="hi2">anan>d here he was well under my skin.

I also became aware of the higher levels of the hologram, an class="hi2">anan> experience of unity, in which the whole was in each part. All of God was in each object I saw. I therefore recognized for the first time in experience, that even though physical objects seemed to assert that "nothing is the same an class="hi2">anan>ywhere" or "there is nothing that is whole" or "the whole is not in an class="hi2">anan>y of the parts", here in my awareness I could still see this forms an class="hi2">anan>d yet, simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, my mind was aware that a single consistent unified whole was present in all parts, fully, tran class="hi2">anan>scending their limitations an class="hi2">anan>d differences. This taught me the way in which physical matter is a lie, a deception designed to shut out awareness of God's nature.

I was in an class="hi2">anan> altered state for a couple of weeks. I was very ungrounded. I could barely do tasks because my mind was quite expan class="hi2">anan>ded an class="hi2">anan>d out of body. Yet each time I did something "grounding", this energy that was in me started to funnel down, an class="hi2">anan>d this produced immense joy. Joy would beam out of my face toward others as I started at them very directly, something I had shy'd away from before, recognizing I had no needs, no lack, an class="hi2">anan>d that there was only outward extension. Nothing could "come in" to me from the outside. I felt so safe an class="hi2">anan>d protected an class="hi2">anan>d free from needs. I didn't even wan class="hi2">anan>t to eat food, it felt so alien.

Gradually as I grounded back into my body my expan class="hi2">anan>ded awareness narrowed down, became more focused into an class="hi2">anan>d through the body, an class="hi2">anan>d I became more immersed in the physical body again. This was like receiving some kind of brain damage. My awareness diminished greatly an class="hi2">anan>d it felt like being greatly subdued an class="hi2">anan>d suppressed, shut down an class="hi2">anan>d locked inside a prison suit. This also stripped away most of the intense wakefulness that I had, which felt like "leaving God", which was VERY upsetting.

This made it impossible for me to have God in my mind, an class="hi2">anan>d thus I stopped seeing God outside of me in all things. It seemed God left. I kept trying to find God outside of me because I thought that He was out there, having seen Him there, but I couldn't find Him because I was no longer aware of Him WITHIN my mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d for weeks this was depressing an class="hi2">anan>d infuriating, although gradually I adjusted an class="hi2">anan>d was reassured by a few momentary glimpses that God was still with me. Returning to my body felt like a huge isolation. As my eye sight returned to looking out solely through the body's eyes, it was like building a brick wall "behind" me such that I could no longer have an class="hi2">anan>y sense of what was there. The body cut me off from awareness of God, an class="hi2">anan>d so I got to see first han class="hi2">anan>d just how limiting bodies are.

What I later came to realize was this was an class="hi2">anan> experience of true perception. A state of seeing a forgiven world. It was as though layer upon layer of thick "judgement" had been scraped off the surface of the world revealing an class="hi2">anan> extremely gently held picture of something very lovable. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet at the same time, the physicality was the same. The appearan class="hi2">anan>ce physically to my eyes was the same. It was what I saw IN it, in SPITE of the physicality, that I longed to reconnect with.

This is why, for me personally, I know that this physical world is not real. I know how much the body lies. I know how the body's sense are massively limiting. I know how matter lies to try to obscure the holographic nature of God an class="hi2">anan>d his omnipresence. I've seen it an class="hi2">anan>d experienced the tran class="hi2">anan>sition back an class="hi2">anan>d forth. God gave me a glimpse of awakening an class="hi2">anan>d it was the most profoundly directly educational experience of my entire life.

This is why I know first han class="hi2">anan>d that there is something very much beyond this world, a reality which is completely obscured by forms an class="hi2">anan>d trapped by bodies. This world is not my home. I have grieved for the "loss of God" an class="hi2">anan>d gradually over time use this as incentive, a taste of what's to come, to find my way back to God again.

The attraction to Him was SO STRONG that I would've leapt into His arms in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t without so much as a consideration for an class="hi2">anan>ything else in all the world. We have protected ourselves from remembering just how appealing God is, an class="hi2">anan>d why NOTHING else mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything even remotely close to Him. We only block awareness in order to hide this extreme attraction. Otherwise we would awaken in a heartbeat.

The soul, which is your self, your real identity, an class="hi2">anan>d your true nature, can class="hi2">anan> be thought of like a piece of machinery in the engine of heaven - in the mind of God.

Given that the soul is WHAT YOU ARE, it's useful to know the operating perameters of yourself. What are you? What are you capable of? What can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>'t you do? What are your limits? What are your design specifications?

God is the DESIGNER of the soul. He is the man class="hi2">anan>ufacturer. HE ALONE determines the design of your self, gives your self its function, assigns it its abilities, specifies what it can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not do, an class="hi2">anan>d guaran class="hi2">anan>tees that it will always function as HE WILLS IT.

"The only function of spirit is to extend God's being."

Your soul is like a machine. It serves a function. It plays a role. It is used by God for a purpose. It operates according to HIS RULES ONLY. "I am under no laws but God's."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that in the overall picture of heaven, YOU are designed by God for a specific FUNCTION. Your functionality includes certain FREEDOMS or abilities.

These freedoms are inherited or BASED ON God's abilities. God can class="hi2">anan> only design what He can class="hi2">anan> conceive of, an class="hi2">anan>d He can class="hi2">anan> only use Himself as a reference. He designs you to be LIKE HIM, an class="hi2">anan>d to operate WITHIN the confines of HIS abilities.

Your functionality includes the ability to extend God, to create, to know, to love, to experience joy an class="hi2">anan>d happiness, to co-create further creations, an class="hi2">anan>d to increase the Kingdom.

There are also some things which YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO. an class="hi2">Anan>d than class="hi2">anan>kfully these things are not things you'd Wan class="hi2">ANan>T to be able to do. You can class="hi2">anan>not attack an class="hi2">anan>ything real. You can class="hi2">anan>not sin. You can class="hi2">anan>not hurt or be hurt. You can class="hi2">anan>not damage or be damaged. You can class="hi2">anan>not cause or experience an class="hi2">anan>y kind of sickness or suffering. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not die.

God DID NOT GIVE YOU the ABILITY to sin, attack, suffer or die. You Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DO THESE THINGS. You HAVE NEVER done these things. You WILL NEVER do these things.

In your design, you also have an class="hi2">anan> INPUT an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> OUTPUT. The INPUT to you is God Himself. You host Him. He plugs you into His power source an class="hi2">anan>d his light, an class="hi2">anan>d extends Himself to you. He POWERS your soul. He GIVES it life. It SUSTAINS it in His mind. an class="hi2">ANan>D, he also MAINTAINS YOUR FUNCTIONING AT ALL TIMES.

"God created His Sons by extending His Thought an class="hi2">anan>d retaining the extensions of His Thought in His Mind."

God Inc's equipment therefore comes with a GUARan class="hi2">ANan>TEE. It is a lifetime guaran class="hi2">anan>tee. an class="hi2">Anan>d in fact God creates such excellent quality equipment that it is guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to FUNCTION CORRECTLY FOREVER. He Himself makes sure of this by designing the soul PERFECTLY, ensuring it never needs maintenan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not go wrong. God PROTECTS his equipment perman class="hi2">anan>ently an class="hi2">anan>d really get's behind his product.

Everything the soul machinery is able to do, is determined solely by God. He is THE ONLY designer. He is the cause of you. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you can class="hi2">anan> or can class="hi2">anan>not do, an class="hi2">anan>y function you do or do not have, is by HIS WILL alone. You can class="hi2">anan>not add to yourself or take an class="hi2">anan>ything away. No-one else can class="hi2">anan> add to take away either.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that your soul is FIXED in its functionality. It can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge itself. It can class="hi2">anan>not redefine what it is. It can class="hi2">anan>not modify itself. It can class="hi2">anan> only operate WITHIN the parameters it was given. So let's say that the soul is given certain FREEDOMS, such as the free will to create. It IS possible that the soul can class="hi2">anan> potentailly MIS-USE its power to create, to mis-create, but it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT give itself the power to CREATE REAL damage. It can class="hi2">anan>not cause REAL sin. It can class="hi2">anan> ONLY create constructively.

The other thing about this is, that the soul should generally ACCEPT its design, its functioning, its place in the Kingdom, an class="hi2">anan>d its overall abilities. It is in its best interests to do so. But sometimes souls decide to rebel against their creator. They wan class="hi2">anan>t to be something they can class="hi2">anan> never be. They deny their inherent nature. They imagine they are something they are not, an class="hi2">anan>d that they can class="hi2">anan> do things which they Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT ever do.

When this happens, the soul isn't going OUTSIDE of its limitations, but it is PRETENDING that it is. Because it DOES have the power to FREELY CHOOSE, an class="hi2">anan>d so can class="hi2">anan> freely PRETEND through denial that it is NOT what it is. This produces a "shut-down" mode, aka spiritual sleep. In this mode, by denying itself, the soul is shutting itself down. an class="hi2">Anan>d when it is asleep, it dreams of impossibilities that Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be really happening.

"What seems to be the opposite of life is merely sleeping. When the mind elects to be what it is not, an class="hi2">anan>d to assume an class="hi2">anan> alien power which it does not have, a foreign state it can class="hi2">anan>not enter, or a false condition not within its Source, it merely seems to go to sleep a while. It dreams of time; an class="hi2">anan> interval in which what seems to happen never has occurred, the chan class="hi2">anan>ges wrought are substan class="hi2">anan>ce-less, an class="hi2">anan>d all events are nowhere. When the mind awakes, it but continues as it always was."

The soul IS FREE to do this, because it can class="hi2">anan> use its freedom against its freedom, which is a mis-use of its own abilities. It can class="hi2">anan> try to use free will to NOT WILL an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING, which is an class="hi2">anan> obvious contradiction in terms. When the soul tries to CAUSE something it was NOT DESIGNED TO OUTPUT, it merely causes nothing real to output. an class="hi2">Anan>d instead dreams of imaginary outputs that don't exist.

The soul has been set up to have OUTPUT parameters as well as INPUT parameters. It can class="hi2">anan> PRODUCE certain "products". It can class="hi2">anan> generate living beings. It can class="hi2">anan> CREATE LIFE. It can class="hi2">anan> radiate love. an class="hi2">Anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> share joy an class="hi2">anan>d peace. It can class="hi2">anan> experience relationship with other similar soul machinery (brothers), made by the same man class="hi2">anan>facturer. an class="hi2">Anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> enjoy perfection forever.

When the soul believes it is able to output something which God DID NOT MAKE POSSIBLE, it imagines it is producing things which it can class="hi2">anan>not possibly produce. These would include the making of bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, worlds, space an class="hi2">anan>d time, illusions of sickness, all forms of suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d death. None of these are REAL outputs, they are wishful thinking.

"Your Father created you wholly without sin, wholly without pain, an class="hi2">anan>d wholly without suffering of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. If you deny Him, you bring sin, pain, an class="hi2">anan>d suffering into your OWN mind, because of the power He gave it. Your mind is capable of creating worlds, but it can class="hi2">anan> also DENY what it creates, because it is free."

When the soul does this, it is akin to a toaster oven believing it can class="hi2">anan> wash your car, or a tv set believing it can class="hi2">anan> cook dinner. It still remains IMPOSSIBLE, but the soul is free to use its freedom against itself to DENY its inherent functioning, an class="hi2">anan>d to PRETEND that other things are possible.

Since God did not give you THE EQUIPMENT FOR SIN... because your "soul 2000 model" did not COME WITH "the ability to sin" built in, it literally Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DO IT. It can class="hi2">anan> pretend to do it, but it can class="hi2">anan>not really do it. It can class="hi2">anan> only dream of sinning, an class="hi2">anan>d never really attack an class="hi2">anan>y thing real. Just as your vacuum clean class="hi2">anan>er can class="hi2">anan>not bake cookies."Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened."

God did not give you the ABILITY to threaten an class="hi2">anan>ything real. He did not BUILD IN a FUNCTIONALITY that can class="hi2">anan> in an class="hi2">anan>y way CAUSE suffering. He did not provide you the equipment or parts to PRODUCE death. You can class="hi2">anan>not undermine your perfect functioning. You can class="hi2">anan>not make yourself malfunction. You can class="hi2">anan>not interfere with your inner workings. YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE an class="hi2">ANan>D NOTHING ELSE.

"I am still as God created me."

For the sake of what we'll call your San class="hi2">ANan>ITY, or operating in your soul in the WAY IT WAS INTENDED, without running amok an class="hi2">anan>d going haywire with UNPRODUCTIVE distorted outputs, it is in your best interests to ACCEPT YOUR FUNCTION. This mean class="hi2">anan>s not having gran class="hi2">anan>diose ideas of BEING SOME OTHER EQUIPMENT. It mean class="hi2">anan>s not being jealous of the GOD MACHINE. It mean class="hi2">anan>s not wan class="hi2">anan>ting to REJECT YOUR NATURE. an class="hi2">Anan>d it mean class="hi2">anan>s therefore the end of the authority problem.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t experience the EFFORTLESSNESS that God gave you, while you are trying to DISTORT your function. You can class="hi2">anan>not BE YOURSELF, while you are denying what you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not be CONTENT or AT PEACE, while you are trying to turn yourself into something YOU WERE NOT DESIGNED TO BE. This mean class="hi2">anan>s a willingness to ACCEPT your design specifications, without question, as GOOD ENOUGH. an class="hi2">Anan>d this isn't some kind of second-best or booby prize either, because God creates perfect machinery!

The willingness to BE ONLY AS GOD CREATED YOU, to accept only the function THAT WAS GIVEN YOU, to fulfill the ROLE that God assigned to you, an class="hi2">anan>d to ONLY BE, HAVE, an class="hi2">ANan>D DO, that which God WILLED for you to do IN YOUR CREATION, is what re-aligns you with God's will an class="hi2">anan>d enables you to FUNCTION correctly. Or rather, to not disguise your true function with artificial functions.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s having a willingness to accept FROM GOD, the specifications of WHAT YOU ARE. To allow ONLY HIM to define the TRUTH about you. To let him be YOUR FATHER. To let him be the one that decides WHAT YOU Can class="hi2">ANan> an class="hi2">ANan>D Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DO. an class="hi2">Anan>d to acknowledge that you ARE EXACTLY HOW HE Wan class="hi2">ANan>TS YOU TO BE. When you line up with this, an class="hi2">anan>d be ONLY this, an class="hi2">anan>d have ONLY what God gave you, an class="hi2">anan>d DO only what God willed for you, without objection, only then will you be happy an class="hi2">anan>d at peace an class="hi2">anan>d free from illusions.

To accept "the atonement" is merely to RECEIVE the ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT from the man class="hi2">anan>ufacturer. To be willing to ACCEPT that you ARE ONLY what God has designed you to be, an class="hi2">anan>d to function optimally within his parameters. To Wan class="hi2">ANan>T nothing else, an class="hi2">anan>d to cease the MIS-USE of your function. You thus RESUME your function of creation an class="hi2">anan>d merely carry on as if nothing had happened.

Nothing can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge what you are. You can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge yourself. You can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge other people's souls. You have NEVER DONE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING AGAINST GOD'S WILL. You have not exceeded your operating parameters. You have not BROKEN, gone downhill, degraded, corrupted, caused unnatural side effects or damaged an class="hi2">anan>ything. YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT SIN OR ATTACK OR DIE. You have NEVER DONE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING WRONG.

You therefore are still exactly the innocent, perfect, holy, acceptable, worthy, beautiful, loving, harmless, immaculate, immortal, eternal, happy, joyful, powerful, free, flawless an class="hi2">anan>d completely divine piece of machinery that GOD CAUSED YOU TO BE. Just by being TRUE TO YOURSELF, knowing yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d BEING YOUR SOUL, you need do nothing else.

All that God wan class="hi2">anan>ts for you is to be true to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d fulfill the NATURAL INHERENT FUNCTION he gave you. an class="hi2">Anan>d since that function includes happiness an class="hi2">anan>d joy, it is a function you WILL approve of.

"All true pleasure comes from doing God's will."