Surround search terms with " " double quotes for exact matches e.g. "drops of healing rain"

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."

The body does not really do a whole lot. It is an class="hi2">anan> instrument. It can class="hi2">anan>not really live without you as a host. It doesn't really have a mind of its own, or a will, or power, or causality. It can class="hi2">anan>not really create an class="hi2">anan>ything or make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen. It's a medium, a tool, a device, which is to be used. You can class="hi2">anan> pick it up an class="hi2">anan>d put it down. Without you it would do nothing.

"A body can class="hi2">anan>not stay without illusions"

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not heal, because it can class="hi2">anan>not MAKE ITSELF SICK."

"the body Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be used for purposes of union"

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not KNOW. an class="hi2">Anan>d while you limit your awareness to its tiny senses, you will not see the gran class="hi2">anan>deur that surrounds you."

"Yet a body Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be guilty, for it can class="hi2">anan> do nothing of itself. You who think you hate your bodies, deceive yourselves."

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not create, an class="hi2">anan>d the belief that it Can class="hi2">ANan>, a fundamental error responsible for most of the fallacies already referred to, produces all physical symptoms." "the body can class="hi2">anan>not be healed by itself."

The eyes are neutral. As you look around the room the body just reports what's there. It is like you have a video feed coming into you through your face. The eyes just pick up the light signals an class="hi2">anan>d pass them on. The eyes themselves are not aware of what they are looking at. They don't judge or decide an class="hi2">anan>ything about what they detect, an class="hi2">anan>d they don't even "see" what they are picking up because they have no awareness - making them blind. They just faithfully report on what's outside. They are sensors, like a detector, or a scan class="hi2">anan>ner.

As you look at different things, or rather, use the body's sensors to detect what is supposedly out there, there is no judgement, there is no mean class="hi2">anan>ing, there is no partitioning, there is no accusation, there is only a completely neutral feed of images being tran class="hi2">anan>sferred. Your eyes are like a camera. They just bring in the data, they don't have an class="hi2">anan>y opinion about it at all. It isn't until the mind looks at the data that we start to enter into deciding what something mean class="hi2">anan>s, our attitude about it an class="hi2">anan>d our relationship to it.

It's the mind that "looks at" what the body "looks at". There are therefore two steps in seeing the world. The body sees it first an class="hi2">anan>d passes on what it sees. Then the mind looks at the "printout" of what the body has seen. The mind isn't actually looking directly at the world out there. It's looking at the recorded images which have come in through the video stream, through the pipeline of the optic nerves, an class="hi2">anan>d which have travelled to the place in the brain where the mind is "attached". an class="hi2">Anan>d as though on a kind of internal screen, the mind is now looking at the screen on which these images are reconstructed.

This all happens quite effortlessly so it is very easy to be deceived. The body is so non-interfering with sight, unless perhaps the eyeballs or vision apparatus is damaged, that you easily forget that the eyes are even there. This sets up a kind of deception, in which it's very easy to just think that you are looking directly an class="hi2">anan>d personally at the physical world. But you in fact are not. You are looking at images which are sent in to you via external sensors on the body's surface, an class="hi2">anan>d you are sitting there in the mind, beyond the brain, reading the tran class="hi2">anan>smitted images. But you think hey, I am looking at the actual world. No, you're looking at images once removed.

The same happens with sound. The ears do not discriminate as to what they hear. They just hear everything they can class="hi2">anan>. They are like microphones. They pick up an class="hi2">anan>d sense the sound vibrations an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>slate it into a signal, which is sent to the brain, an class="hi2">anan>d then it is reconstructed into "sound". an class="hi2">Anan>d then, the mind listens to the reconstruction, an class="hi2">anan>d thinks that it now hears the world. It's almost like the body is a long distan class="hi2">anan>ce telephone, an class="hi2">anan>d it's picking up audio from a world far away, sending the sound along a wire, an class="hi2">anan>d now you're at the other end listening in. You're not really out there, in the environment where the sound is picked up, you are removed from it.

All the other body senses have the same properties. They just detect chan class="hi2">anan>ges an class="hi2">anan>d differences an class="hi2">anan>d report them to you. You then get to interpret or give mean class="hi2">anan>ing to them. Upon receiving the signals your mind could have decided that all the things experienced are absolutely real. That they really exist. As though, because your body sees a car, that there really is a car there. Or because your han class="hi2">anan>ds touch the car, that there really is a car there. Or that because you hear the car, the car really must exist. But it's not the body that decides this, nor the brain. It's your mind, on the receiving end of tran class="hi2">anan>smissions. It is the mind that decided what it is FOR, or how it USES it.

It is optional, whether you believe in what the body is telling you. It is just a sensory device. In fact, Jesus says in ACIM that the body is not really there to know an class="hi2">anan>ything, it is only there to sense. "To sense is not to know." Which mean class="hi2">anan>s that sensing the world or using physical perception to look at it, is not an class="hi2">anan> act of knowing. It doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that you know the thing is really out there. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that your sensors are detecting something an class="hi2">anan>d telling you something. an class="hi2">Anan>d they might be lying.

The problem is, is that the body can class="hi2">anan> lie. Because here you have a physical instrument for detecting things, which can class="hi2">anan> report back that something exists, within the same realm that the body itself inhabits. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s that the body can class="hi2">anan> also sense itself, can class="hi2">anan> look at an class="hi2">anan>d hear an class="hi2">anan>d smell an class="hi2">anan>d touch itself, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> report back that the body "is really there". But this can class="hi2">anan>not in an class="hi2">anan>y way be reliable. The body is now justifying its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d trying to prove itself.

The body can class="hi2">anan> easily lie to you. To rely on an class="hi2">anan> instrument to tell you what really exists, given that the very same instrument is reporting upon its own existence, completely invalidates everything it tells you. It is no longer impartial or neutral, if it is telling you that its own existence has been detected by its own sensors. It is completely biased, then, because it is ALWAYS telling you that physicality is true an class="hi2">anan>d real, even if it is not. It is ALWAYS reporting that things exist even if they don't. an class="hi2">Anan>d if it is going to tell you to trust it when it tells you that its own existence is real, based on its own senses, this is heavily tainted information.

"Only the body makes the world seem real."

"Yet a body can class="hi2">anan>not evaluate. By seeking after such things the mind associates itself with the body, obscuring its identity an class="hi2">anan>d losing sight of what it really is."

What it comes down to is that your mind is sensing a world using an class="hi2">anan> instrument, whereby the signals you receive an class="hi2">anan>d are aware of are once removed from the thing you are sensing. But if you buy into them an class="hi2">anan>d forget you are using an class="hi2">anan> instrument, you will act as if it is YOU who is doing the sensing, an class="hi2">anan>d thus confuse yourself with the body. This is body identification. It's the failure to recognize that the body is a device for sensing, an class="hi2">anan>d is not your self. Since the senses themselves seem "tran class="hi2">anan>sparent" an class="hi2">anan>d have no opinion, an class="hi2">anan>d since they report what's there all the time, it's easy to forget that you are even using sensory equipment, an class="hi2">anan>d instead believe that you ARE the senses. That the body is YOU who is picking up on the world, an class="hi2">anan>d YOU who sees it an class="hi2">anan>d hears it. It seems so effortless that you forget you even are using senses, which is extremely deceptive.

The mind is not required to believe an class="hi2">anan>ything that the body tells it. When it receives neutral images of a world, it can class="hi2">anan> decide what to do with that image. It can class="hi2">anan> dissect it, it can class="hi2">anan> give mean class="hi2">anan>ing to it, it can class="hi2">anan> believe in it, it can class="hi2">anan> choose to react to it, it can class="hi2">anan> remain detached from it, it can class="hi2">anan> judge an class="hi2">anan>d condemn an class="hi2">anan>d attack it, it can class="hi2">anan> love it, it can class="hi2">anan> ignore it, whatever. But we have to realize that since the senses themselves are effectively neutral, it is US who is giving everything we sense all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing that it has. It is US who decides whether you believe what we see, whether it is real, an class="hi2">anan>d what truth it holds.

"You have given everything all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has for you." "The body's eyes will continue to see differences, but the mind which has let itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them. There will be those who seem to be "sicker" than class="hi2">anan> others, an class="hi2">anan>d the body's eyes will report their chan class="hi2">anan>ged appearan class="hi2">anan>ces as before. But the mind will put them all in one category - they are unreal."

"This is the gift of its Teacher; the understan class="hi2">anan>ding that only two categories are mean class="hi2">anan>ingful in sorting out the messages the mind receives from what appears to be the outside world. an class="hi2">Anan>d of these two but one is real. Just as reality is wholly real, apart from size an class="hi2">anan>d shape an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d place, for differences can class="hi2">anan>not exist within it, so too are illusions without distinctions."

So the mind is receiving signals from the outside world, through the body sensors, an class="hi2">anan>d gets to decide what to make of them. What mean class="hi2">anan>ing they have. All such images are illusions because the world itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d all sensory inputs are actually false, because the world they are reporting on isn't real. The eyes are in fact unable to really see actual reality. They are strapped into a virtual reality headset an class="hi2">anan>d are blinded to see only the inside of a tiny box. The body is in fact an class="hi2">anan> interpreter, a tran class="hi2">anan>slator, an class="hi2">anan>d it is fixated on an class="hi2">anan> illusory world which isn't reality in order NOT to see reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d so everything that it faithfully an class="hi2">anan>d neutrally reports, is a lie. What it sees is not really there to see, what it hears makes no real sound. an class="hi2">Anan>d the sensations it sends to your mind for evaluation are all false.

"These eyes made not to see will never see."

"The body is not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen."

It is up to your mind to decide what to make of the signals it is receiving through the body. It is up to your mind to recognize the body can class="hi2">anan>not really see or hear reality. It is up to your mind to discern that everything the body tells you is happening, is not really happening. It is up to your mind to withdraw all of its dark an class="hi2">anan>d twisted an class="hi2">anan>d confused mean class="hi2">anan>ings, which it projects onto the body's signals, an class="hi2">anan>d to instead categorize all body signals as FALSE. It is up to your mind to overlook an class="hi2">anan>d not see what the body is telling you is there. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is up to your mind to recognize the world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> unreal dream, something to overlook through forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see, an class="hi2">anan>d that BEYOND it is heaven.

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. It symbolizes fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d what is fear except love's absence? Thus the world was mean class="hi2">anan>t to be a place where God could enter not, an class="hi2">anan>d where His Son could be apart from Him. Here was perception born, for knowledge could not cause such insan class="hi2">anan>e thoughts. But eyes deceive, an class="hi2">anan>d ears hear falsely. Now mistakes become quite possible, for certainty has gone."

"Let not your eyes behold a dream; your ears bear witness to illusion. They were made to look upon a world that is not there; to hear the voices that can class="hi2">anan> make no sounds. Yet are there other sounds an class="hi2">anan>d other sights which can class="hi2">anan> be seen an class="hi2">anan>d heard an class="hi2">anan>d UNDERSTOOD. For eyes an class="hi2">anan>d ears are senses without sense, an class="hi2">anan>d what they see an class="hi2">anan>d hear they but report. It is not THEY that hear an class="hi2">anan>d see, but YOU, who PUT TOGETHER every jagged piece, each senseless scrap an class="hi2">anan>d shred of evidence, an class="hi2">anan>d MAKE a witness to the world you wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"Let not our sight be blasphemous today, nor let our ears attend to lying tongues."

"an class="hi2">Anan>ger but screeches, "Guilt is real!" Reality is blotted out as this insan class="hi2">anan>e belief is taken as replacement for God's Word. The body's eyes now "see"; its ears alone are thought to hear. Its little space an class="hi2">anan>d tiny breath become the measure of reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d truth becomes diminutive an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingless."

"Rejoice you HAVE no eyes with which to see; no ears to listen, an class="hi2">anan>d no han class="hi2">anan>ds to hold nor feet to guide. Be glad that ONLY Christ can class="hi2">anan> lend you His, while you have need of them."

"How can class="hi2">anan> you judge? Your judgment rests upon the witness that your senses offer you. Yet witness never falser was than class="hi2">anan> this. But how else do you judge the world you see? You place pathetic faith in what your eyes an class="hi2">anan>d ears report. You think your fingers touch reality an class="hi2">anan>d close upon the truth."

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not see this, for the body AROSE from this for its protection, which must ALWAYS depend on keeping it NOT seen. The body's eyes will NEVER look on it. Yet they will SEE what it dictates. The body will remain guilt's messenger, an class="hi2">anan>d will act as it directs, as long as YOU believe that guilt is real. For the REALITY of guilt is the illusion which seems to make it heavy an class="hi2">anan>d opaque, impenetrable, an class="hi2">anan>d a REAL foundation for the ego's thought system. Its thinness an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sparency are not apparent, until you see the light BEHIND it. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you see it as a fragile veil, before the light."

"He will not tell you that your brother should be judged by what your eyes behold in him, nor what his body's mouth says to your ears, nor what your fingers' touch reports of him. He passes by such idle witnesses, which merely bear false witness to God's Son."

"You do not seem to doubt the world you see. You do not really question what is shown you through the body's eyes. Nor do you ask why you believe it, even though you learned a long while since your senses do deceive. That you believe them to the last detail which they report is even stran class="hi2">anan>ger when you pause to recollect how frequently they have been faulty witnesses indeed! Why would you trust them so implicitly? Why but because of underlying doubt which you would hide with show of certainty?"

"These testimonies which the senses bring have but one purpose; to justify attack an class="hi2">anan>d thus keep unforgiveness unrecognized for what it is."

"Everything these messages relay to you is quite external. There are NO messages that speak of what lies underneath, for it is NOT the body that could speak of this. Its eyes perceive it not, its senses remain quite UNAWARE of it, its tongue can class="hi2">anan> not relay ITS messages."

"You strain your ears to hear ITS soundless voice, an class="hi2">anan>d yet the Call of God Himself is soundless to you."

"This body, purposeless within itself, holds all your memories an class="hi2">anan>d all your hopes. You use its eyes to see, its ears to hear, an class="hi2">anan>d let it TELL you what it is it feels. IT DOES NOT KNOW. It tells you but the NAMES you gave it to use, when YOU call forth the witnesses to its reality."

"You who would make a sacrifice of life, an class="hi2">anan>d make your eyes an class="hi2">anan>d ears bear witness to the death of God an class="hi2">anan>d of His holy Son, think not that you have power to make of them what God willed not they be."

"Here is an class="hi2">anan> image that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T to be yourself. It is the mean class="hi2">anan>s to make your wish come true. It GIVES the eyes with which you look on it, the han class="hi2">anan>ds that feel it, an class="hi2">anan>d the ears with which you listened to the sounds it makes. IT PROVES ITS OWN REALITY TO YOU. Thus is the body made a THEORY of yourself, with NO provisions made for evidence BEYOND itself, an class="hi2">anan>d NO escape within its sight. Its course is sure, when seen through its own eyes. It grows an class="hi2">anan>d withers, flourishes an class="hi2">anan>d dies. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of you APART from it."

"The mind without the body can class="hi2">anan>not make mistakes. It can class="hi2">anan>not think that it will die, nor be the prey of merciless attack. an class="hi2">Anan>ger becomes impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d where is terror then? What fears could still assail those who have lost the source of all attack; the core of an class="hi2">anan>guish an class="hi2">anan>d the seat of fear? Only forgiveness can class="hi2">anan> relieve the mind of thinking that the body is its home. Only forgiveness can class="hi2">anan> restore the peace that God intended for His holy Son. Only forgiveness can class="hi2">anan> persuade the Son to look again upon his holiness."

"A mind an class="hi2">anan>d body can class="hi2">anan>not both exist. Make no attempt to reconcile the two, for one denies the other can class="hi2">anan> be real. If you are physical your mind is gone from your self-concept, for it has no place in which it could be really part of you. If you are Spirit, then the body must be mean class="hi2">anan>ingless to your reality."

Heaven is possible. Earth is impossible. This is a simple enough fact. But maybe you don't realize just to what extent the things of Earth are impossible. For it is here in "this world" that things which Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT OCCUR in heaven, seem to occur constan class="hi2">anan>tly. Things which can class="hi2">anan>not be true, appear to be always true. Events which can class="hi2">anan>not occur, seem to occur. Impossible consequences seem easy to cause.

For example, nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened or die. In this world, however, it is easy to threaten an class="hi2">anan>ything an class="hi2">anan>d destroy it. This is in fact technically impossible. Nothing in heaven can class="hi2">anan> die because it has immortality. So what is this seeming appearan class="hi2">anan>ce that something can class="hi2">anan> be easily attacked an class="hi2">anan>d destroyed? It's can class="hi2">anan>'t BE HAPPENING. Everything about it must be a lie. Right down to the very atoms that are forming the murder weapon, an class="hi2">anan>d the subatomic forces that are allowing the body to be damaged. IT Can class="hi2">ANan>'T BE!

When you really look at it, it is shocking. Everything that SEEMS POSSIBLE in this world IS IMPOSSIBLE in reality. Destruction of an class="hi2">anan>y kind of not possible. Sin is not possible. Death is not possible. Attack is not possible. Sickness is not possible. Damage is not possible. Fear an class="hi2">anan>d guilt are not possible. Murder is not possible. Space an class="hi2">anan>d time are not possible. The laws of physics are not possible. Consumption an class="hi2">anan>d decay are not possible. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge is not possible. Just look around you, all the things which seem COMMON an class="hi2">anan>d ever-present an class="hi2">anan>d constan class="hi2">anan>tly proving their possibility here, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE. This world can class="hi2">anan>'t be here.

If a body is attacked, an class="hi2">anan>d it lays on the ground in a pool of blood, with flesh wounds an class="hi2">anan>d damage, this is impossible. This is what we call the "proof of sin". So long as it is there AT ALL, in this form, it is testifying that SIN IS REAL. That attack DID happen with real consequences. an class="hi2">Anan>d its evidence is easy for an class="hi2">anan>yone to look upon, an class="hi2">anan>d not deny. For if the body is damaged an class="hi2">anan>d dying on the ground, something IMPOSSIBLE is happening.

Do you realize the extent of this? It mean class="hi2">anan>s that this whole world an class="hi2">anan>d all its workings an class="hi2">anan>d EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, all events, all causes an class="hi2">anan>d effects, all states of matter, all forms of growth an class="hi2">anan>d decay, everything in this universe, IS A LIE. It Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT happen in reality.

" 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>celess, an class="hi2">anan>d all events are nowhere."

Two plan class="hi2">anan>ets colliding an class="hi2">anan>d blowing each other up, utterly impossible. Bodies consuming each other, utterly impossible. Sickness an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d pain, COMPLETELY impossible. All that is required here is to be aware of God's truth. Look at what is true in God an class="hi2">anan>d his reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d then COMPARE it to this world. an class="hi2">Anan>d recognize they are NOT the same. In fact Earth opposes heaven completely an class="hi2">anan>d totally. "Earth, which is heaven's opposite in every way."

Then you have to ask yourself, how can class="hi2">anan> it be POSSIBLE, that this world is in an class="hi2">ANan>Y WAY like God or God's creation, given that it demonstrates things that are NOT POSSIBLE in God or to or for God? EITHER heaven's reality is true, OR this world is true. Either the Kingdom is real, or Earth is real. They Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BOTH BE TRUE. Either death can class="hi2">anan> happen, or it can class="hi2">anan>not. an class="hi2">Anan>d death is RAMPan class="hi2">ANan>T on this plan class="hi2">anan>et, so can class="hi2">anan> this plan class="hi2">anan>et be true? Not it can class="hi2">anan>not.

"Others find it in experience that is not of this world, which shows them that the world does not exist because what they behold must be the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d yet it clearly contradicts the world. "

When you understan class="hi2">anan>d what heaven is like, it becomes starkly obvious that this world comprises the EXACT OPPOSITE, an class="hi2">anan>d is constan class="hi2">anan>tly trying to demonstrate that what Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT HAPPEN is happening. That there is real pain an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d destruction. These things can class="hi2">anan>not even exist. If you are seeing them, you MUST be hallucinating a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy world. an class="hi2">Anan>d no amount of forgiveness or chan class="hi2">anan>ged perception will alter the fact that while bodies Can class="hi2">ANan> still chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die, UNREALITY is there. Because the world you made is false.

"The ego may ask, "How did the impossible occur?", "To what did the impossible happen?", an class="hi2">anan>d may ask in man class="hi2">anan>y forms."

"Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible. Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not."

"Pain is impossible. There is no grief with an class="hi2">anan>y cause at all an class="hi2">anan>d suffering of an class="hi2">anan>y kind is nothing but a dream."

"grief an class="hi2">anan>d pain must be impossible"

"That is why attack WITHIN the Kingdom is impossible."

"You are in an class="hi2">anan> impossible situation only because you thought it was possible to be in one."

"because the ego wishes for the impossible"

"In illusions the impossible is easily accomplished, but only at the cost of making illusions true."

"For it is here the split with God occurs. A split that is impossible. A split that can class="hi2">anan>not happen. Yet a split in which you surely will believe, because you have set up a situation that is impossible. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this situation the impossible can class="hi2">anan> seem to happen."

"Sin is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d on this fact forgiveness rests upon a certain base more solid than class="hi2">anan> the shadow world we see."

"Harm is impossible for God's teachers."

"Gentleness mean class="hi2">anan>s that fear is now impossible"

"Fear is deception. It attests that you have seen yourself as you could never be, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore look upon a world which is impossible."

"It IS impossible to see your brother sinless, an class="hi2">anan>d yet to look upon him as a body."

"To see a SINLESS body is impossible."

"HE TEACHES THAT THE PAST DOES NOT EXIST, a fact which belongs to the sphere of knowledge, an class="hi2">anan>d which therefore NO-ONE IN THE WORLD KNOWS. It would indeed be impossible to BE in the world with this knowledge. For the mind that knows this unequivocally, knows also that it dwells in eternity, an class="hi2">anan>d utilizes no perception at all."

"It is impossible to conceive of light an class="hi2">anan>d darkness, or, everything an class="hi2">anan>d nothing, as joint possibilities."

"UNCONSCIOUSNESS IS IMPOSSIBLE."

"Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible. Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not."

"Attack is neither safe nor dan class="hi2">anan>gerous. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE."

"which makes ALL fear impossible"

"Loss of an class="hi2">ANan>Y kind is impossible."

"Being faced with an class="hi2">anan> impossible learning situation, REGARDLESS of why it is impossible, is the most depressing thing in the world."

"What is more difficult to grasp is the lack of order of magnitude, which stamps the miracle as something that MUST come from elsewhere, NOT from here. From the world's viewpoint, this is quite impossible."

"For form is not enough for mean class="hi2">anan>ing, an class="hi2">anan>d the underlying LACK of content, makes a cohesive system impossible."

"terror is impossible"

"If the body could be sick Atonement would be impossible."

"But if destruction ITSELF is impossible, then an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING that is destructible can class="hi2">anan>not be real."

"Actually, a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world is impossible."

"Injury is impossible. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet illusion makes illusion."

"Hear not its madness, an class="hi2">anan>d believe not the impossible is true. Forget not that the ego has DEDICATED the body to the goal of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d places in it ALL its faith that this can class="hi2">anan> be accomplished."

"To God, unknowing is impossible. It is therefore not a point of view at all, but merely a belief in something that does not exist."

"Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is NOT in Heaven is not an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE."

"Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d beyond ALL reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal BARRIER to Heaven."

"Without illusions conflict is impossible."

"The idea for today is, of course, the reason why a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world is impossible. What God did not create does not exist."

"It is impossible to let illusions be brought to truth an class="hi2">anan>d keep the illusions."

"The sight of innocence makes punishment impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d justice sure."

"The impossible can class="hi2">anan> happen ONLY in fan class="hi2">anan>tasy."

"War is impossible unless belief in VICTORY is cherished."

"Those who communicate fear are promoting attack, an class="hi2">anan>d attack always BREAKS communication, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore makes communion impossible."

"If you wish to be the author of reality, which is totally impossible an class="hi2">anan>yway, then you will insist on holding on to judgment.

"rejection is impossible."

"It is impossible the Son of God be merely driven by events OUTSIDE him. It is impossible that the happenings that come to him were NOT his choice. " "He offered us all a final demonstration that it is impossible to kill God's Son; nor can class="hi2">anan> his life in an class="hi2">anan>y way be chan class="hi2">anan>ged by sin an class="hi2">anan>d evil, malice, fear or death."

"Freedom must be impossible as long as you perceive a body as yourself. "the special love relationship would thus ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE." "It IS the belief that conflicting interests are possible, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore mean class="hi2">anan>s that you have accepted the IMpossible as true."

"It is impossible that one can class="hi2">anan> gain because an class="hi2">anan>other loses."

"Perception is impossible WITHOUT a belief in "more" an class="hi2">anan>d "less."

"Partial KNOWLEDGE is impossible."

"Where there is death is peace impossible."

"The world MUST despise an class="hi2">anan>d reject me, because the world IS the belief that love is impossible."

"Here the world of idols has been set by the idea this power an class="hi2">anan>d place an class="hi2">anan>d time are given form, an class="hi2">anan>d shape the world where the impossible has happened."

"The learning situation in which you place yourself IS impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d IN this situation, you clearly require a special teacher, an class="hi2">anan>d a special curriculum."

"For if the dream were real, escape would be impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d there would be no hope except illusions."

"Impossible indeed; but every mind which looks upon the world an class="hi2">anan>d judges it as certain, solid, trustworthy an class="hi2">anan>d true believes in two creators; or in one, himself alone. But never in One God."

"How simple is salvation! All it says is what was never true is not true now, an class="hi2">anan>d never will be. The impossible has NOT occurred, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan> have no effects. "

"an class="hi2">Anan>d sin MUST be impossible"

"In this world, it is impossible to create."

You hear often that 'the world' as a term becomes substituted with terms like "its a dream", "its an class="hi2">anan> illusion", "its not real", "we made it up", "its a projection" etc.

But, this doesn't really grasp what an class="hi2">anan> illusion is. It's not just some word you can class="hi2">anan> replace other words with.

The definition of an class="hi2">anan> illusion is something appearing tobe something it is not, designed to deliberately deceive an class="hi2">anan>d block awareness of the truth. It is a device that lies to you an class="hi2">anan>d tricks you into believing something that isn't true. But in order to even KNOW that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, you have to have enough awareness of what it's like to NOT be deceived by the illusion. You have to be aware of how the illusion works, what it's actually 'doing' to portray an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, how it is distracting you, an class="hi2">anan>d basically to 'see through it'.

Overlooking illusions is forgiveness. This mean class="hi2">anan>s being aware of all of the 'tricks' that the illusion attempts to perform, but seeing through them an class="hi2">anan>d past them an class="hi2">anan>d not being fooled by them. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is an class="hi2">anan> entirely different state of consciousness an class="hi2">anan>d awareness, than class="hi2">anan> to simply stay IN the ego illusion an class="hi2">anan>d start labeling it 'illusion'. That's like just switching out the term "plan class="hi2">anan>et earth" for "plan class="hi2">anan>et illusion". That doesn't really reveal HOW it deceives you.

So the big problem we have is that we do NOT realize how the illusion is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. We do not recognize it AS an class="hi2">anan> illusion. We do not see through it, or past it. We are fooled by it. We are made unconscious by it. It's like being hypnotized or put into an class="hi2">anan> unconscious stupor, in which we take the illusion seriously, at face value, an class="hi2">anan>d listen to its appearan class="hi2">anan>ce as if that is reality. Mistaking an class="hi2">anan> illusion for reality is our only mistake.

Here's an class="hi2">anan> example of an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You are in the dark. The room is unlit. In the room there are objects. One of the objects you touch an class="hi2">anan>d it feels really stran class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d it seems to move as you touch it, an class="hi2">anan>d this makes you suddenly afraid that there's maybe a person in the room, an class="hi2">anan>d you scream. So you've fallen for the illusion, the impression, that there is something serious an class="hi2">anan>d frightening happening. But what happens when you switch the light on, suddenly you have MORE INFORMATION. You are now aware of more parts an class="hi2">anan>d pieces that you couldn't even see before, an class="hi2">anan>d were not aware of at all. Suddenly you realize that the thing you touched was in fact just a large house plan class="hi2">anan>t which you brushed up against, an class="hi2">anan>d it's completely safe an class="hi2">anan>d not scary at all. You feel relieved, right?

This is what it mean class="hi2">anan>s to see through the illusion. It mean class="hi2">anan>s, you have seen the truth, which has revealed to you, by shining a light of increased awareness, ALL of what is present, rather than class="hi2">anan> only a narrow context or portion of what is present. When things are taken out of context they become a nightmare. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing becomes distorted. Reality becomes disjointed. We start to hallucinate that things might be happening that aren't really happening. This is how someone experiences insan class="hi2">anan>ity - losing touch with the bigger picture an class="hi2">anan>d becoming fixated on something whose relationship to real mean class="hi2">anan>ing has been distorted an class="hi2">anan>d blocked, such that you can class="hi2">anan> no longer tell what an class="hi2">anan>ything really is an class="hi2">anan>d everything becomes frighteningly an class="hi2">anan>imated an class="hi2">anan>d motivated by bizarre nonsense forces that you don't understan class="hi2">anan>d.

The physical world, in the form that it appears, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. This does not mean class="hi2">anan> that the physical world of form is being seen 'correctly' an class="hi2">anan>d fully, by seeing objects as they are. Or like, you become more aware of how all the objects contain beauty or contain God etc. That isn't seeing through the whole illusion. What you do not realize, because you have forgotten what it mean class="hi2">anan>s to be NOT DELUDED AT ALL, is that the physical world of forms is, in its entirety, designed to block an class="hi2">anan>d distract away from the awareness of the presence of God. Even if you awaken to some 'stage' in which you see God in all things, if you are still seeing forms you are still deluded by the illusion.

"Nothing so blinding as sight of form" - ACIM

"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." - ACIM - "T-22.III.4."

Also.. "T-22.III.5. 3 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. 7 To this distorted form of vision the outside of everything, the wall that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth, is wholly true. 8 Yet how can class="hi2">anan> sight that stops at nothingness, as if it were a solid wall, see truly? 9 It is held back by form, having been made to guaran class="hi2">anan>tee that nothing else but form will be perceived." - ACIM

What you may not realize is, this entire physical universe is a holographic projection, designed SPECIFICALLY an class="hi2">anan>d INTENTIONALLY, to distort an class="hi2">anan>d block all trace of the nature of God. It is deliberately designed to obfuscate, distort, give an class="hi2">anan> opposite appearan class="hi2">anan>ce to, an class="hi2">anan>d completely make it appear, that God does not exist at all. The form that it takes is DELIBERATELY designed by the ego to show you something that looks nothing like God, has no properties of God, completely diffuses an class="hi2">anan>d blocks God's character, an class="hi2">anan>d makes you completely BLIND to God. The body's eyes then can class="hi2">anan> only see this form, the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the absence of God, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not see past it TO God. The entire physical universe is a DECEPTION!

The way this works is, every 'form', every object, presents to your awareness the idea that all things are different. It presents the idea that all objects are separate from each other, none of them share an class="hi2">anan>ything at all including the same space or time, none of them truly are equal or perfectly alike, an class="hi2">anan>d all of them are in conflict. Does that sound like a picture of God? No. That's intentional. Form, the form of error, was deliberately made make God not apparent, an class="hi2">anan>d to make it seem to your awareness that God does not exist at all an class="hi2">anan>ymore. That's the ego's wish. That's why it made this illusion.

So the 'illusion' is, that forms present an class="hi2">anan> image to you which is not the truth, which is extremely deceptive, an class="hi2">anan>d which you fall for easily. For example, consider problems. The ego presents to you a specific problem which is usually limited to a han class="hi2">anan>dful of forms. It tells you that only these forms are a problem, so you need to solve it. You solve it, but this has no effect on the 50 billion other problems in the world. The ego's solution to problems only seems to apply to a tiny portion of the world, an class="hi2">anan>d has no tran class="hi2">anan>sfer value to other problems.

The ego absolutely hates the idea of it being possible to solve ALL problems with ONE solution - that is the Holy Spirit's attitude. It does not wan class="hi2">anan>t that at all. So it keeps you focussed on looking at objects as being very DIFFERENT to each other. A dog is not a cat. A car is not a house. an class="hi2">Anan> attack by a coworkers is not an class="hi2">anan> attack by a neighbor. The ego makes it all APPEAR different an class="hi2">anan>d separate. THAT is how it deceives you. Because in truth, there is only ONE problem an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY solution resolves the entirety of it completely.

The abstraction needed to SEE an class="hi2">anan>d to RECOGNIZE that all forms are THE SAME THING, the same illusion, takes some significan class="hi2">anan>t forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d awakening. Being able to look at all forms an class="hi2">anan>d recognize, every single one of the deceptions an class="hi2">anan>d temptations that every one of these forms is trying to SHOW me, to try to convince me that they are TRUE, is the SAME LIE, an class="hi2">anan>d they are all using the SAME STRATEGY. Ultimately, the entire world is the same ONE illusion, presented by the ONE ego, using ONE set of seemingly diverse an class="hi2">anan>d apparently highly fragmented deceptions. Each time that you fall for one of its deceptions an class="hi2">anan>d think, hey, yes, this illusion is real an class="hi2">anan>d this problem is separate from others, an class="hi2">anan>d this object is not one with other objects, an class="hi2">anan>d that person is separate from this person etc... that's you FAILING to see through the illusion. That's you FALLING FOR THE TRICK!

So yes, there is a way of seeing, which doesn't just overlook illusions but which is AWARE ONLY OF GOD. There is a way of recognizing everything that is false for what it is - false. There is a way of no longer believing a single thing that an class="hi2">anan>y appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of object or form or separation or expression of fragmentation/multiplicity suggests to you in an class="hi2">anan>y way. There is a way of COMPLETELY IGNORING what the senses are shown via external signals. There is a way of absolutely not listening to a single shred of ego consciousness whatsoever. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is a way of SEEING GOD DIRECTLY an class="hi2">ANan>D FULLY. an class="hi2">Anan>d guess what? God does not look an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING like how the physical world looks, an class="hi2">anan>d they have nothing in common at all.

In revelation, the entire world disappears. The entire illusion disappears. All physical objects disappear an class="hi2">anan>d are replaced with brillian class="hi2">anan>t bright light an class="hi2">anan>d total awareness of love. That is all. This is reality. This is an class="hi2">anan> experience of no illusions. Compare that to the PURPOSE of the world that the ego made, an class="hi2">anan>d recognize that forms looks like forms FOR A REASON, an class="hi2">anan>d separate objects appear to be separate FOR A REASON, an class="hi2">anan>d separate problems appear to be distinct an class="hi2">anan>d unique FOR A REASON, an class="hi2">anan>d all temptations an class="hi2">anan>d deceptions are designed to distract you an class="hi2">anan>d lead you into unconsciousness FOR A REASON.

The ego's use of the world is NOT that it is neutral. The ego's use of the world is to create a 'veil', an class="hi2">anan> illusion, a huge TRICK, a distortion of consciousness, a BLOCK to awareness, over your awareness, so that you can class="hi2">anan> no longer fully experience God or recognize His nature. God is the same everywhere. God is in all parts equally. All of God is in every part of God. When you are presented with objects which appears to only contain distinct separate parts in each part an class="hi2">anan>d there is no sign of an class="hi2">anan>y sharing or oneness whatsoever, in form, THAT is the illusion that there is no God. You have to learn NOT TO BELIEVE YOUR EYES!

This is what illusion mean class="hi2">anan>s. You have to get out of the illusion to know that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You have to awaken to a greater reality in which you are aware of how God is everywhere, God shares everything, God is in everything fully, all of God is in all parts of existence, there is no separation, an class="hi2">anan>d all appearan class="hi2">anan>ces are a LIE. Lies are not mean class="hi2">anan>t to be paid attention to, you are mean class="hi2">anan>t to discern that they are lies an class="hi2">anan>d not listen to them an class="hi2">anan>d not take what they present to you seriously or as though it is even real. Recognize the entire physical universe was made to SHUT OUT GOD, an class="hi2">anan>d not just in terms of you having a separate perception OF the world that has errors in it, but that the world ITSELF is an class="hi2">anan> error an class="hi2">anan>d has taken on a multitude of forms to completely deceive your comprehension of 'what is'. We fall for this every single day an class="hi2">anan>d every time we believe in an class="hi2">anan>y kind of differences whatsoever.

There are no forms in God, not even forms that seem like they have God in them. NO FORMS. Complete formlessness. Forms are separation an class="hi2">anan>d separation is not real.

Every time we think one thing is not something else. Every time we think one object is not an class="hi2">anan>other object. Every time we experience separate problems an class="hi2">anan>d separate solutions. Every time we believe that we are separated from other people by bodies. Every time we don't recognize that there is only ONE problem, an class="hi2">anan>d only ONE solution is needed once an class="hi2">anan>d for all to solve them all, perman class="hi2">anan>ently. Every time we fall for this gran class="hi2">anan>d illusion an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>'t find a van class="hi2">anan>tage point in awareness from which we can class="hi2">anan> see 'the whole', the one, we fall for the ego's deception. Truly this world is not just a 'thing' an class="hi2">anan>d not just a 'place', it is a mechan class="hi2">anan>ism for reality distortion, consciousness obstruction, enforced unconsciousness, fragmentation of mind, an class="hi2">anan>d loss of life. This is what we have to see past an class="hi2">anan>d not believe what our senses are saying is out there.

"There is no world. This is the central thought the Course would attempt to teach." - ACIM - think about that deeply, the entire physical world is a magic trick aimed at stopping Creation, stopping awareness, an class="hi2">anan>d stopping God.

We are immortal Spirit. We are God's creation. We are infinite an class="hi2">anan>d unlimited by form. We are equal everywhere. an class="hi2">Anan>d we are real. an class="hi2">Anan>d we have no differences. an class="hi2">Anan>d we are not separate objects. an class="hi2">Anan>d we are not limited by space or time.

"I can class="hi2">anan>not see in darkness but in light" - "I am not an class="hi2">anan> illusion but a reality." - ACIM

Earth is in fact an class="hi2">anan> alien world, an class="hi2">anan>d human class="hi2">anan> bodies are alien bodies. Given that our true natural state or "home world" is The Kingdom of God (Heaven), Earth represents the total opposite to what is natural an class="hi2">anan>d is alien to it.

That which is is "alienated" is that which is separated or exiled or unlike. That which is "alien" is that which is so unlike your nature that it seems completely against it.

Jesus also refers to "alien" in the sense of heaven's truth being "alien to" how you are on earth, because it is so different. Here's what he has to say about you trying to be an class="hi2">anan> alien in an class="hi2">anan> alien world...

"Grievan class="hi2">anan>ces are completely alien to love."

"If I hold grievan class="hi2">anan>ces I am attacking love, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore attacking my Self. My Self thus becomes alien to me. "

"Try to avoid the tendency toward self-directed selection, which may be particularly tempting in connection with today's idea because of its wholly alien nature. Remember that an class="hi2">anan>y order which you impose is equally alien to reality."

"What is your Self remains an class="hi2">anan> alien to the part of you which thinks that it is real but different from yourself."

"Stran class="hi2">anan>ger yet, he does not recognize to whom he comes, an class="hi2">anan>d yet maintains his home belongs to him while he is alien now who is at home."

"For in his home his Self remains. It asked no stran class="hi2">anan>ger in, an class="hi2">anan>d took no alien thought to be Itself."

"A memory of home keeps haunting you, as if there were a place which called you to return although you do not recognize the Voice, nor what it is the Voice reminds you of. Yet still you feel an class="hi2">anan> alien here, from somewhere all unknown. Nothing so definite that you could say with certainty you are an class="hi2">anan> exile here. Just a persistent feeling, sometimes not more than class="hi2">anan> a tiny throb, at other times hardly remembered, actively dismissed, but surely to return to mind again."

"Yet there is a Child in you Who seeks His Father's house, an class="hi2">anan>d knows that He is alien here."

"For He would bring you back with Him, that He Himself might stay, an class="hi2">anan>d not return again where He does not belong an class="hi2">anan>d where He lives an class="hi2">anan> outcast in a world of alien thoughts."

"Go home with Him from time to time today. You are as much an class="hi2">anan> alien here as He."

"Yet it is up to us when this is reached; how long we let an class="hi2">anan> alien will appear to be opposing His."

""Let me not separate my function from my will."

"I would not use this for an class="hi2">anan> alien purpose."

"Today's idea, completely alien to the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the thinking of the world, is crucial to the thought reversal which this course will bring about."

"Today we try to understan class="hi2">anan>d the truth that giver an class="hi2">anan>d receiver are the same. You will need help to make this mean class="hi2">anan>ingful because it is so alien to the thoughts to which you are accustomed."

"When you GIVE UP peace, you are EXCLUDING yourself FROM it. This is a condition which is so ALIEN to the Kingdom that you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT understan class="hi2">anan>d the state which prevails WITHIN it." "In your FORGIVENESS of this stran class="hi2">anan>ger, alien to you an class="hi2">anan>d yet your an class="hi2">anan>cient Friend, lie HIS release, an class="hi2">anan>d YOUR redemption WITH him."

"The mind can class="hi2">anan> think it sleeps, but that is all. It can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge what is its waking state. It can class="hi2">anan>not make a body, nor abide within a body. What is alien to the mind does not exist, because it has no source. "

"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."

"Yet your defense sets up an class="hi2">anan> enemy within; an class="hi2">anan> alien thought at war with you, depriving you of peace, splitting your mind into two camps which seem wholly irreconcilable. For love now has an class="hi2">anan> "enemy," an class="hi2">anan> opposite; an class="hi2">anan>d fear, the alien, now needs your defense against the threat of what you really are."

"Its alien nature, TO THE EGO, is proof you will NOT find the an class="hi2">anan>swer there."

"Reason is ALIEN to insan class="hi2">anan>ity, an class="hi2">anan>d those who use it have gained a mean class="hi2">anan>s which can class="hi2">anan>not BE applied to sin."

"The constan class="hi2">anan>cy of joy is a condition quite alien to your understan class="hi2">anan>ding."

"What NEEDS interpretation MUST be alien. Nor will it EVER be made understan class="hi2">anan>dable, by an class="hi2">anan> interpreter you can class="hi2">anan>not understan class="hi2">anan>d."

"This child will teach you what you do not understan class="hi2">anan>d, an class="hi2">anan>d make it plain. For his will be no alien tongue."

"If you think about it, you will see that, while this kind of thinking is totally alien to having THINGS, even to the lower mind it is quite comprehensible in connection with IDEAS."

"He is not attempting to force an class="hi2">anan> alien will UPON you."

"If you did not have divided wills, you would recognize that willing is salvation because it IS communication. It is impossible to communicate in alien tongues."

"Light is not of the world, yet you who bear the light in you are alien here as well. The light came with you from your native home, an class="hi2">anan>d stayed with you because it is your own."

"For you HAVE hurt yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d made your Self your enemy. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you MUST believe you are not you, but something alien to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d "something else," a "something" to be feared instead of loved."

"The Eternal Guest remains, but His Voice grows faint in alien compan class="hi2">anan>y. "

"Come home. You have not found your happiness in foreign places, an class="hi2">anan>d in alien forms which have no mean class="hi2">anan>ing to you, though you sought to make them mean class="hi2">anan>ingful. This world is not where you belong. You are a stran class="hi2">anan>ger here."

"Without its function then, it has no peace, an class="hi2">anan>d happiness is alien to its thoughts."

"It is not the purpose of an class="hi2">anan> alien power, thrust upon you unwillingly."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d you WILL deny your Self, an class="hi2">anan>d walk upon an class="hi2">anan> alien ground which your Creator did not make, an class="hi2">anan>d where you seem to be a "something" you are not."

"He would have no separation, like an class="hi2">anan> alien will, rise between what He wills for you, an class="hi2">anan>d what YOU will."

"You know not what you say, an class="hi2">anan>d so you know not what is said to you. But your Interpreter perceives the mean class="hi2">anan>ing in your alien lan class="hi2">anan>guage."

"The seeds of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d the shame of sin He Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT bridge, for He can class="hi2">anan>not destroy the alien will that He created not."

"Nothing is so alien to you as the simple truth an class="hi2">anan>d nothing are you LESS inclined to listen to."

"He does not see the Christ in him who calls. What an class="hi2">anan>swer can class="hi2">anan> he give to one who seems to be a stran class="hi2">anan>ger; alien to the truth an class="hi2">anan>d poor in wisdom, without the god who must be given him?"

"Herein lies the basis of all errors, for all of them are but attempts to compromise by seeing just a little bit of hell. This is a mockery so alien to God that it must be forever inconceivable. But the insan class="hi2">anan>e believe it because they are insan class="hi2">anan>e."

"Dreams of an class="hi2">anan>y kind are stran class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d alien to the truth."

"Sin has no place in Heaven, where its results are alien, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> no more enter than class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> their source. "

"If you will consider WHAT you have taught, an class="hi2">anan>d how alien it is to what you THOUGHT you knew, you will be COMPELLED to recognize that your Teacher came from BEYOND your thought-system, an class="hi2">anan>d so could look upon it fairly, an class="hi2">anan>d perceive it was untrue."

"It is hard to teach the mind a thousan class="hi2">anan>d alien names an class="hi2">anan>d thousan class="hi2">anan>ds more. Yet you believe this is what learning mean class="hi2">anan>s; its one essential goal by which communication is achieved an class="hi2">anan>d concepts can class="hi2">anan> be mean class="hi2">anan>ingfully shared."

"God's Will does not oppose. It merely is. It is not God you have imprisoned in your plan class="hi2">anan> to lose your Self. He does not know about a plan class="hi2">anan> so alien to His Will."

"Let us not try longer to impose an class="hi2">anan> alien will upon His single purpose."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d no thought ALIEN to His Oneness can class="hi2">anan> abide with Him there."

"The ego does not know the difference between gran class="hi2">anan>deur an class="hi2">anan>d gran class="hi2">anan>diosity, because it does not know the difference between miracle-impulses an class="hi2">anan>d ego-alien beliefs of its own."

"There is no thought in all the world which leads to an class="hi2">anan>y understan class="hi2">anan>ding of the laws it follows, nor the Thought which it reflects. It is as alien to the world as is your own reality."

"Perceiving something alien to itself in your MIND, the ego turns to the body, NOT the mind as its ally BECAUSE the body is not part of you."

"The world began class="hi2">anan> with one stran class="hi2">anan>ge lesson, powerful enough to render God forgotten, an class="hi2">anan>d His Son an class="hi2">anan> alien to himself, in exile from the home where God Himself established him."

"Nothing at all has happened, but that you have put yourself to sleep, an class="hi2">anan>d dreamed a dream in which you were an class="hi2">anan> alien to yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d but a part of someone ELSE's dream."

"The son of man class="hi2">anan> perceives an class="hi2">anan> alien will, an class="hi2">ANan>D WISHES IT WERE SO."

"You were at peace until you asked for special favor, an class="hi2">anan>d God did not give it. For the request was alien to Him, an class="hi2">anan>d you could not ask this of a Father who truly loved His Son."

"To value specialness is to esteem an class="hi2">anan> alien will, to which illusions of yourself ARE dearer than class="hi2">anan> the truth."

"By adopting the ego's viewpoint, you undertook an class="hi2">anan> ego-alien journey WITH THE EGO AS GUIDE. "

"Salvation does not seek to use a mean class="hi2">anan>s as yet too alien to your thinking to be helpful, nor to make the kinds of chan class="hi2">anan>ge you could not recognize."

"Vengean class="hi2">anan>ce is alien to His Mind BECAUSE He knows of justice."

"To the world, generosity mean class="hi2">anan>s "giving away" in the sense of "giving up." To the teachers of God, it mean class="hi2">anan>s "giving away" in order to keep. This has been emphasized throughout the text an class="hi2">anan>d the workbook, but it is perhaps more alien to the thinking of the world than class="hi2">anan> man class="hi2">anan>y other ideas in our curriculum."

"Teaching devices which are totally alien to a learner's perceptual system are usually merely disruptive."

"Each Soul knows God completely. This IS the miraculous power of the Soul. The fact that each Soul has this power completely is a fact that is entirely alien to human class="hi2">anan> thinking, in which if an class="hi2">anan>y ONE has everything, there is nothing LEFT."

The physical world was made as a projection of a false idea. Everything in it is false, untrue an class="hi2">anan>d unreal. It therefore depicts a lie, a deception, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to ASSERT that something false is true. That something impossible is possible. That everything which Can class="hi2">ANan> go wrong HAS gone wrong, or is about to.

Everything it does an class="hi2">anan>d says an class="hi2">anan>d expresses is fiction an class="hi2">anan>d make-believe. This is because you made it by Wan class="hi2">ANan>TING to believe that something untrue was true. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you produced a world which constan class="hi2">anan>tly asserts the idea that an class="hi2">anan> impossible evil exists. an class="hi2">Anan>d now everything in the world is there to try to convince you that this is true.

If you consider the idea of hell, an class="hi2">anan>d you think of a place where everything in it is trying to PULL YOU DOWN, to SUCK YOU IN, to PERSUADE you, to try to get you to BUY into it, to KEEP you there, whispering evil lies in your ear, then you have an class="hi2">anan> idea of what temptation is.

It's like the "devil" telling you things which are utterly untrue an class="hi2">anan>d heinous an class="hi2">anan>d blasphemous, trying to get you to side with it, so that you'll stay an class="hi2">anan>d give it your strength. To talk you into believing it instead of trusting God's word. It wan class="hi2">anan>ts your soul in exchan class="hi2">anan>ge for all of hell to be yours forever.

Be not mistaken that this whole world is set up to do this. an class="hi2">Anan>d the body was made in attempting to deceive yourself thus. an class="hi2">Anan>d now the world acts as a picture of total utter bullshit an class="hi2">anan>d madness, in the hope that you would convince yourself with it an class="hi2">anan>d fall for the trap, buying into illusions as if they are real, rendering yourself insan class="hi2">anan>e.

"This IS an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e world, an class="hi2">anan>d do not underestimate the actual extent of its insan class="hi2">anan>ity. "

"Nothing the body's eyes seem to see can class="hi2">anan> be an class="hi2">anan>ything but a form of temptation, since this was the purpose of the body itself."

"The body's eyes are therefore not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen, for the illusions that they look upon must lead to more illusions of reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d so they do. For everything they see not only will not last, but lends itself to thoughts of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt."

If your mind gives an class="hi2">anan>y BELIEF to the world, to the body, to an class="hi2">anan>ything physical, then you are falling for temptation an class="hi2">anan>d are not in forgiveness. If even a speck of it seems TRUE to you, has validity, is worth listening to, is actually happening, or is an class="hi2">anan>ything you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T, then you are falling for temptation.

"Lead us not into temptation" really mean class="hi2">anan>s, help us to not believe that an class="hi2">anan>ything in the world is true. Help us not to fall for the ego trap of believing in hell. The world we made IS hell, but can class="hi2">anan> only gain our support if we GIVE it our support. an class="hi2">Anan>d we do that by buying into it, wan class="hi2">anan>ting it, believing it, trusting it, having faith in it, valuing it, giving it power, giving it credit, an class="hi2">anan>d siding with it. If you side with Earth, you are siding with an class="hi2">anan> illusion of evil an class="hi2">anan>d are trying to make sin real.

"your mind has all the mean class="hi2">anan>s at its disposal to side with Heaven or earth, as it elects." (not both)

"He (Holy Spirit) will remain with you to lead you from the hell you made to God."

Make no mistake then, in the separation from God we DID attempt to make hell itself. The hell we made, the world we made, including bodies, is the opposite of heaven. Its whole nature was an class="hi2">anan> attack on God an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny eternal life. Which is why it has produced a dream of death an class="hi2">anan>d corruption.

We may not RECOGNIZE it as "actual hell" because of our silly ideas of fire an class="hi2">anan>d brimstone an class="hi2">anan>d pitch forks, but earth basically is the opposite of heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d heaven's opposite IS hell by definition. You are in hell right now, or so it seems.

"...an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way."

"For this world IS the opposite of Heaven, having been made to BE its opposite. an class="hi2">Anan>d EVERYTHING here takes a direction EXACTLY opposite to what is true."

"The mind can class="hi2">anan> make the belief in Separation VERY real an class="hi2">anan>d VERY fearful. an class="hi2">Anan>d this belief IS the devil. It is powerful, active, destructive, an class="hi2">anan>d clearly in opposition to God, because it literally denies His Fatherhood."

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. It symbolizes fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d what is fear except love's absence? Thus the world was mean class="hi2">anan>t to be a place where God could enter not, an class="hi2">anan>d where His Son could be apart from Him."

"The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible."

"The body is the ego's idol; the belief in sin made flesh, an class="hi2">anan>d then projected outward. 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, beholden unto death, an class="hi2">anan>d given but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t in which to sigh an class="hi2">anan>d grieve an class="hi2">anan>d die in honor of its master."

Fortunately, your experience of the world of temptation, of a hell which at every turn is blasting you in the face with IMAGES OF SIN, trying to TEMPT YOU to believe that evil really is possible an class="hi2">anan>d sickness can class="hi2">anan> happen an class="hi2">anan>d death is inevitable, depends entirely on your mind GIVING it power over you.

You give hell power by believing in it, valuing it an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting it. If there is hell IN YOU, then you are supporting the world of temptation. What you accept as true becomes your reality. Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are both in your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> SIDE WITH one or the other. But you can class="hi2">anan>'t have both because they are opposites.

If you side with spirit/heaven, you are denying earth an class="hi2">anan>d the body. You are giving up nothing to gain everything. Because hell, ie earth or the world, is really nothing in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself. It's just a fiction sitting there doing nothing until you decide that it is more than class="hi2">anan> that. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you give it all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has. Chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind about is remains entirely possible.

"This world IS a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son. an class="hi2">Anan>d until you realize that God's Son Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be crucified, this is the world you will see."

"You are safe in God, dreaming of exile (hell), but perfectly capable of waking to reality."

So hell - the world - is there to POTENTIALLY tempt you, or to at least very strongly lean class="hi2">anan> in the direction of being a demonstration of "real evil" an class="hi2">anan>d impossibilities. A picture of the opposite of God, or the an class="hi2">anan>ti-christ. But if you decide not to BELIEVE it, then you stop supporting it, an class="hi2">anan>d it loses its seeming power. Because it has no power other than class="hi2">anan> what you give to it. It NEEDS your support in order to even seem to exist at all, because you are dreaming it.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s the way "out of hell" is to learn to side with God, with heaven. To be vigilan class="hi2">anan>t for the Kingdom, ie to put all your focus an class="hi2">anan>d value an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting an class="hi2">anan>d trusting onto what is actually real. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s denying the world an class="hi2">anan>d not falling for temptation.

"The world you see must be denied"

"True denial is a very powerful protective device. You can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d should deny an class="hi2">anan>y belief that error (hell) can class="hi2">anan> hurt you. This kind of denial is NOT a concealment device, but a correction device. The "Right Mind" of the mentally healthy DEPENDS on it."

As you side with reality/heaven, you side against the illusion of an class="hi2">anan> evil world. You become more identified with spirit an class="hi2">anan>d stronger in the truth. You learn that only God's truth is true an class="hi2">anan>d learn to better catch yourself when you fall for the potential trap of ego an class="hi2">anan>d external salvation.

To NOT believe that the world is REALLY hell, is to be saved from it. Because it in truth is not really an class="hi2">anan>ything. It is only an class="hi2">anan> illusion of hell pretending to be hell. an class="hi2">Anan>d it has no reality or truth or strength or an class="hi2">anan>ything at all APART from what you give it. Apart from your wishes. Yet if you choose to believe in it, you will become very confused an class="hi2">anan>d lost an class="hi2">anan>d deceived.

It's like a world of smoke an class="hi2">anan>d mirrors which can class="hi2">anan> do nothing unless you give it your faith. an class="hi2">Anan>d by doing so you go into it an class="hi2">anan>d become confused. To get out of it you literally have to learn to say NO to everything the world says is happening or possible, an class="hi2">anan>d say YES to everything that God says is possible. Ultimately, ONLY God is possible, an class="hi2">anan>d the world Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT exist at all.

The simple recognition that only the truth is true, is the culmination of a process of purification which leads to the atonement, an class="hi2">anan>d to enlightenment. It is the simple recognition that hell is nothing an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing in it that you wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore nothing in it can class="hi2">anan> tempt you or hurt you in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

You are done with your window shopping for death's costumes an class="hi2">anan>d now are ready to move on to reality an class="hi2">anan>d to eternal life.

"The imagined usurping of functions not your own is the basis of fear. The whole world you see reflects the illusion you have done so, making fear inevitable. To return the function to the One To Whom it belongs is thus the escape from fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this that lets the memory of love return to you. Do not, then, think that following the Holy Spirit's guidan class="hi2">anan>ce is necessary merely because of your own inadequacies. It is the way out of hell for you."

(If you are willing).

You [insert fucker’s name], are not the cause of me. You are not causing me. You are my equal brother an class="hi2">anan>d God is the cause of both of us.

You have not done an class="hi2">anan>ything to me against my will. I am not the victim of you that I’ve come to believe you are. I have been using you to be my victimizer so that I can class="hi2">anan> be upset as a victim an class="hi2">anan>d use you to project my sin. I wan class="hi2">anan>ted to make out you are the cause of me so that I can class="hi2">anan> asuage my guilt an class="hi2">anan>d pretend to be innocent. I am the one who needs healing.

You have never done an class="hi2">anan>ything to me. You have never hurt me. You have never upset me. You are not the cause of an class="hi2">anan>ything I am feeling or experiencing. You have not put reactions in me. You have not chan class="hi2">anan>ged me or made me upset in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

Everything I am experiencing, I have chosen for myself. All of my feelings are my own. Nothing has happened that I did not wan class="hi2">anan>t. I have done this to myself.

You did not do an class="hi2">anan>ything to me, you can class="hi2">anan>not do an class="hi2">anan>ything to me, an class="hi2">anan>d you never will. All we can class="hi2">anan> do is share love. Because you have not done an class="hi2">anan>ything to me, you did not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything that I am experiencing, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you must be innocent. My upset isn’t even about you. You have nothing to do with what I am experiencing whatsoever.

I have not done an class="hi2">anan>ything to you. I am not the cause of you. I have not attacked you, hurt you, made you upset, chan class="hi2">anan>ged you, caused reactions in you, damaged you or affected you in an class="hi2">anan>y way. I have not victimized you. You are not the victim of me.

Everything you are experiencing an class="hi2">anan>d feeling is your own stuff that you chose for yourself. I am not the source of an class="hi2">anan>y of your upset, confusion, hurt or problems. I have never caused you because God is your only cause. Therefore I must be innocent because I have not done an class="hi2">anan>ything to you.

We are both equally innocent. Neither of us has done an class="hi2">anan>ything to each other. There is no causality between brothers. You are not the cause of me. I am not the cause of you. an class="hi2">Anan>ything I am experiencing I must have chosen myself an class="hi2">anan>d done to myself.

No-one else has the power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything to either of us against our will. The power that I thought you had over me is my own power. The power that you thought I had over you is your own power. Neither of us has power over each other. I take back my power from you an class="hi2">anan>d give you back your own power to choose your own experience.

I am fully responsible for everything I am experiencing. You are fully responsible for everything you are experiencing. I can class="hi2">anan> choose to experience something else an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing you or an class="hi2">anan>yone can class="hi2">anan> do to stop this. You have not willed against me an class="hi2">anan>d I have not willed against you. We are both in accord with God’s will that we be forever equals in love an class="hi2">anan>d innocence.

I am not vulnerable to your attacks. Your attacks are your attempt to attack yourself. You are not vulnerable to my attacks. My attacks are my own attempt to attack myself. I can class="hi2">anan> stop attacking myself an class="hi2">anan>d be happy. You can class="hi2">anan> stop attacking yourself an class="hi2">anan>d be happy. We can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d have not attacked each other.

I am completely free from your choice an class="hi2">anan>d you are free from mine. I am free from your wishes an class="hi2">anan>d intentions. I do not gran class="hi2">anan>t you the power to upset me. I do not displace my own power onto you. Nothing happens to me that I do not choose. Nothing happens to you that you do not choose. Neither of us is a victim. There are no victims. We have not victimized each other. I am not a victim of you. You are not a victim of me.

We are both innocent because neither of us has done an class="hi2">anan>ything to each other. We are both innocent because we are both still as God created us. Neither of us has sinned. I have not sinned against you. You have not sinned against me. We have not sinned against God. There is no sin. Nothing has happened.

We are both perfectly equal in God. We are both God’s children. We are both holy an class="hi2">anan>d innocent an class="hi2">anan>d forgiven. You are my equal brother an class="hi2">anan>d I am your equal brother. We are identical in God. We are one in love. There is no separation between us. I share everything with you as you share everything with me. We can class="hi2">anan> both be at peace together an class="hi2">anan>d join in love as equals.

God loves us equally. I forgive you an class="hi2">anan>d love you. You forgive me an class="hi2">anan>d love me. We love everyone as ourselves. Love is all there is.

The truth is an class="hi2">anan> experience, not information. It is not metaphysics.

So as you approach the truth, it's going to be less an class="hi2">anan>d less possible to just expose yourself to written truths or concepts of truth an class="hi2">anan>d believe that they're actually making you truth-filled. How man class="hi2">anan>y truth burgers will you eat before you are full an class="hi2">anan>d still hungry?

How man class="hi2">anan>y times do you need to hear someone say or quote the ways in which you need to be in order for awakening to happen? How can class="hi2">anan> it happen when all these things do is provide your intellect with information?

Will exposing yourself to some lofty spiritual truth cause you to become awakened? Is it going to rub off on you an class="hi2">anan>d give you major insight? When is the truth going to take you out of the intellect into the heart? When does it turn into love?

A major mistake I made man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y times is believing an class="hi2">anan>d assuming that my intellect was capable of producing an class="hi2">anan> experience of God. I thought that if I could fully an class="hi2">anan>d correctly understan class="hi2">anan>d the metaphysics or the information, an class="hi2">anan>d "get" that understan class="hi2">anan>ding, then I would find God. But it did not work. Grasping the information did not produce love. There was nothing at the end of it. It's just information.

The information has to be APPLIED, an class="hi2">anan>d used in such a way as to actually chan class="hi2">anan>ge the mind, remove insan class="hi2">anan>ity, undo illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d bring about an class="hi2">anan> awakening of presence, which is quite different to becoming an class="hi2">anan> expert on the literature or a brillian class="hi2">anan>t quoter or someone who knows what the Course says inside an class="hi2">anan>d out. an class="hi2">Anan>alysis doesn't produce oneness, it produces separation.

God is being. God is love. Presence. Happiness. Joy. Peace. Information will never give you that. Its only purpose is to point the way an class="hi2">anan>d to give you tools for mind correction, so that you can class="hi2">anan> experience reality.

In the separation from God, we introduced an class="hi2">anan> idea of "separateness" into wholeness. We believed it was possible for there to be a lack of wholeness. This produced the idea of "over here" an class="hi2">anan>d "over there", each distinct an class="hi2">anan>d different an class="hi2">anan>d seeming to lack the some part of the whole, setting them apart.

This laid the foundation for both space an class="hi2">anan>d time - notions that what is here is not there, or what is there lacks what is here. an class="hi2">Anan>d so each seeming part of it seems to have a different form, a partial collection of attributes which sets them apart from each other. an class="hi2">Anan>d neither has everything.

"You who believe that God is fear made but ONE substitution. It has taken man class="hi2">anan>y forms, because it was the substitution of fragmentation for wholeness." an class="hi2">Anan>d then we continued to subdivide an class="hi2">anan>d split the mind. We tried to assign certain collections of properties, aspects, characteristics, to some parts, an class="hi2">anan>d others to the rest. To break wholeness into seeming isolated chunks of form.

Each part took on a different form an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Various forms or examples or versions of the same one error of separateness. This caused a multitude of differences to seem to appear, each held apart from the rest an class="hi2">anan>d separated out as if man class="hi2">anan>y things.

This inevitably produced an class="hi2">anan> entire universe of man class="hi2">anan>y "forms of error", where each object or body is different to the rest. Each lacks what the others have, rooted in sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d limitation. Not one is whole, an class="hi2">anan>d every one is partial.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so each form appears to comprise different materials, shapes, structures, behaviors, colors, textures an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. From these scattered fragments of illusion, entire worlds seemed to arise, each unlike the others an class="hi2">anan>d unique in its appearan class="hi2">anan>ce. Including every human class="hi2">anan> body an class="hi2">anan>d every atom.

an class="hi2">Anan> illusion is the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce that something is other than class="hi2">anan> what it actually is - seeming to be something it is not. The single idea of separation, the one problem, shows up as multiple things an class="hi2">anan>d multiple problems. It is really one thing, but separateness leads to man class="hi2">anan>y forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d every form is an class="hi2">anan> illusion that the one error is man class="hi2">anan>y errors.

Each form says, "look at the ways I am not the same as the rest". an class="hi2">Anan>d so as one form pulls itself away from sameness, an class="hi2">anan>other form does the same. an class="hi2">Anan>d the two forms try to disguise the fact they are one thing.

an class="hi2">Anan>d now each form seems to vie for attention. Every form is different, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore in conflict an class="hi2">anan>d competition. Some are larger, smaller, more or less importan class="hi2">anan>t, more or less valuable, more or less serious, more or less difficult to deal with.

an class="hi2">Anan>d now we have an class="hi2">anan> entire hierarchy of illusions, from the gigan class="hi2">anan>tic to the tiny, an class="hi2">anan>d everything in between. The form that each form takes deceives by distracting you with its claim that it is not like the rest. My car is not a house. My boat is not an class="hi2">anan> airplan class="hi2">anan>e. My trousers are not shoes. My ice cream is not a burger.

Every form is designed to assert a deception, a temptation, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, that if its form is real an class="hi2">anan>d true, then it IS NOT the other things. This was founded in the simple premise that this world is NOT reality, or the negation of God, an class="hi2">anan>d so everything appears to be NOT the rest.

If you believe it, you are deceived. Because every form is a form of deception, an class="hi2">anan> illusion that a singular idea of separation is man class="hi2">anan>y things.

One part says, I am not like the other part. Look at how I am different. Look at my different shape, color, size an class="hi2">anan>d makeup. Look at what sets me apart. Look at what I have which the other lacks. Look at our differences. Look how we are separate an class="hi2">anan>d not the same at all.

an class="hi2">Anan>d to believe this is to be completely blinded to the the truth. Because if you fall for this an class="hi2">anan>d take sides, if you come to prefer one form over an class="hi2">anan>other, or think they are truthfully unique an class="hi2">anan>d valuable, then you have fallen for the ONE temptation of the world.

Every form is a lie. Every physical object an class="hi2">anan>d every body is a lie. Every plan class="hi2">anan>et an class="hi2">anan>d every star an class="hi2">anan>d galaxy is a lie. They are all designed to hide an class="hi2">anan>d disguise the one single illusion of separation.

So long as you are caught up in a life where the worshipping of DIFFERENCES prevails, where you prefer some forms over others, where you think that two things are not THE SAME, you are deceived an class="hi2">anan>d blinded. There is nothing so blinding as to fixate your vision on the perception of FORM, making the separation real.

The body's eyes look only upon the forms of error. Only the body makes the world seem real. Its fixation on differences, chan class="hi2">anan>ges, inequalities an class="hi2">anan>d comparisons, blinds you to seeing an class="hi2">anan>y kind of singular truth. It sees a world of a billion truths, none making an class="hi2">anan>y sense or mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. The whole message of ACIM is that we need to tran class="hi2">anan>sition AWAY from a world of differences, towards wholeness. To repair the sense of fragmentation in the mind an class="hi2">anan>d restore singular oneness.

This requires seeing THROUGH the deception of form, an class="hi2">anan>d not believing it. Not believing that a car an class="hi2">anan>d a house are real differences. Not believing that a living body an class="hi2">anan>d a dead body are real differences. Not believing that some objects are more importan class="hi2">anan>t or valuable than class="hi2">anan> others. Realizing that we gave the world of forms ALL the mean class="hi2">anan>ings that they have.

To flatten the hierarchy of illusions is to recognize that ALL illusions are one illusion. A single error presents itself to you in every conceivable form of deception. If you buy into it, you think there is an class="hi2">anan> order of difficulty, where some things are harder to deal with or chan class="hi2">anan>ge than class="hi2">anan> others.

To recognize there IS no hierarchy, is to recognize that all forms are the SAME. That every form of suffering is the SAME. That every form of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d life is the SAME. That there is ONE thing here, not man class="hi2">anan>y. That the man class="hi2">anan>yness an class="hi2">anan>d the differences are entirely untrue. That one thing is sneakily showing up as a massive multitude to HIDE its true nature of being just one thing.

This is why there is really only one lesson the Holy Spirit teaches, that ALL FORMS of suffering have a SINGLE cause. This is why the workbook lessons have us NOT be selective in which forms we apply things to, so that we will learn that forms are mean class="hi2">anan>ingless decoys. This is why we are to recognize there is ONE problem not man class="hi2">anan>y. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is why there is ONE truth an class="hi2">anan>d ONE law an class="hi2">anan>d ONE atonement.

Every form that the world takes is a lie. Every time it says you should wan class="hi2">anan>t this form or that form, it is trying to get you to take sides. Every time you take sides there is war. Every difference of form IS conflict. Everything you see with the body IS conflicted, with objects vying for attention, some nearer some further, some louder some quieter, some more "appealing" than class="hi2">anan> others.

All of this is ONE thing, one effort, one scheme, to TEMPT you to believe in the differences so that you will not recognize they are ALL THE SAME. That this whole world is entirely unreal. That not one form is more real or importan class="hi2">anan>t or valuable than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. That there aren't billions of choices, there is only one choice.

ALL illusory forms are like two characters who act an class="hi2">anan>d speak an class="hi2">anan>d present themselves differently to try to create the illusion that they are not ONE actor. The mind is ONE actor, taking on the role of multiple simultan class="hi2">anan>eous parts, pitted against each other. So long as you do not recognize that ONE mind is playing ALL the roles, of both victim an class="hi2">anan>d victimizer, you will be deceived by form.

In a world of forms, all the forms are untrue. Not one of them IS reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d none of them show you what is true. To see only physical form is to see nothing but error an class="hi2">anan>d sin. True vision will show you that their man class="hi2">anan>y appearan class="hi2">anan>ces are lies, an class="hi2">anan>d that there is a singular truth behind them. We are addicted to a world of forms, believing in specialness an class="hi2">anan>d made-up values. Made-up worth. Made-up importan class="hi2">anan>ce. Goals an class="hi2">anan>d toys an class="hi2">anan>d special jobs an class="hi2">anan>d relationships an class="hi2">anan>d things you wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d things you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t.

All designed to keep you locked into a hell of form an class="hi2">anan>d separation. To keep you tempted that the next big thing will save you. That the next form the illusion takes will be the one you've always wan class="hi2">anan>ted. So that you never realize NONE of them are true, NONE of them are real, an class="hi2">anan>d NONE of them are what you really wan class="hi2">anan>t.

That without deception, lies, falsehood an class="hi2">anan>d temptation, there is NO WORLD HERE AT ALL. Without form, there is no plan class="hi2">anan>et an class="hi2">anan>d no body. an class="hi2">Anan>d behind all forms is the one lie that started it all, which the world of forms was made to hide - that separation is even possibe.

"A problem can class="hi2">anan> appear in Man class="hi2">ANan>Y forms, an class="hi2">anan>d it will do so while the problem lasts."

"It is not a thought which judges an class="hi2">anan> illusion by its size, its seeming gravity, or an class="hi2">anan>ything that is related to the form it takes. It merely focuses on what it is, an class="hi2">anan>d knows that no illusion can class="hi2">anan> be real."

"For how can class="hi2">anan> one illusion differ from an class="hi2">anan>other but in attributes which have no substan class="hi2">anan>ce, no reality, no core, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing that is truly different?"

"Today's idea is an class="hi2">anan>other gian class="hi2">anan>t stride in the perception of the same as the same, an class="hi2">anan>d the different as different. On one side stan class="hi2">anan>d all illusions. All truth stan class="hi2">anan>ds on the other."

"Illusions battle ONLY with themselves. Being fragmented, they fragment."

"Illusions Can class="hi2">ANan> conflict, because their forms ARE different. an class="hi2">Anan>d they do battle ONLY to establish which FORM is true."

"The meeting of illusions leads to war."

"EVERY illusion is an class="hi2">anan> assault on truth."

"Bodies may battle, but the clash of forms is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless."

"The gap is carefully concealed in fog, an class="hi2">anan>d misty pictures rise to cover it with vague, uncertain forms an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ging shapes, forever unsubstan class="hi2">anan>tial an class="hi2">anan>d unsure. Yet in the gap is NOTHING."

"The thought of sacrifice gives rise to all the forms that suffering appears to take."

"Sickness takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, an class="hi2">anan>d so does unforgiveness. The forms of one but reproduce the forms of the other, for they are the same illusion."

"For time an class="hi2">anan>d space are ONE illusion, which takes different forms."

"The dream is but illusion in the mind."

"The forms the broken pieces seem to take mean class="hi2">anan> nothing."

"Your sleeping an class="hi2">anan>d waking dreams have different forms, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all. THEIR CONTENT IS THE SAME. They are your protest AGAINST reality, an class="hi2">anan>d your fixed an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>e wish to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE it."

"You are so used to choosing between dreams, you do not see that you have made, at last, the choice between the truth an class="hi2">anan>d ALL ILLUSIONS."

"This course attempts to teach no more than class="hi2">anan> that the power of decision can class="hi2">anan>not lie in choosing different forms of what is still the SAME illusion an class="hi2">anan>d the SAME mistake."

"Death is a thought which takes on man class="hi2">anan>y forms, often unrecognized."

"Whatever form it takes must therefore be illusion."

"Those who are special MUST defend illusions against the truth."

"Guilt ASKS FOR punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d its request is gran class="hi2">anan>ted. NOT in truth, but in the world of shadows an class="hi2">anan>d illusions BUILT on sin."

"What is perceived takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, but NONE has mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Brought to truth, its senselessness is quite apparent."

"Yet has God given an class="hi2">Anan>swer to the world of sickness, Which applies to ALL its forms."

"NO illusion has an class="hi2">ANan>Y truth in it. Yet it appears some are MORE true than class="hi2">anan> others, although this clearly makes no sense at all. All that a hierarchy of illusions can class="hi2">anan> show is PREFERENCE, NOT reality."

"What relevan class="hi2">anan>ce has preference to the truth? Illusions are illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d are false."

"Illusions HAVE no witnesses, an class="hi2">anan>d no effects. Who looks on them is but deceived."

"The first chaotic law is that the truth is different for everyone. Like all these principles, this one maintains that each is separate, an class="hi2">anan>d has a different set of thoughts which SETS HIM OFF from others. This principle evolves from the belief there is a hierarchy of illusions; some are MORE valuable, an class="hi2">anan>d THEREFORE true."

"For this establishes degrees of TRUTH among illusions, making it appear that some are HARDER to be overcome than class="hi2">anan> others."

"Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d beyond ALL reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal BARRIER to Heaven. Illusions ARE but forms. Their content is NEVER true."

"The laws of chaos govern ALL illusions. Their forms conflict, making it SEEM quite possible to value some above the others."

"This illusion can class="hi2">anan> take man class="hi2">anan>y forms."

"Forgiveness is the only thing that stan class="hi2">anan>ds for truth in the illusions of the world. It sees their nothingness, an class="hi2">anan>d looks right through the thousan class="hi2">anan>d forms in which they may appear. It looks on lies but it is not deceived. It does not heed the self-accusing shrieks of sinners mad with guilt. It looks on them with quiet eyes, an class="hi2">anan>d merely says to them, "My brother, what you think is not the truth.""

"The strength of pardon is its honesty, which is so uncorrupted that it sees illusions as illusions, not as truth."

"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."

"Though the dream itself takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, an class="hi2">anan>d SEEMS to show a great variety of places an class="hi2">anan>d events wherein its "hero" finds itself, the dream has but ONE purpose, taught in man class="hi2">anan>y ways."

"Bring, then, all forms of suffering to Him Who knows that every one is like the rest. He sees NO differences where none exist, an class="hi2">anan>d He will teach you how each one is CAUSED. None has a DIFFERENT cause from all the rest, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL of them are easily undone by but a SINGLE lesson truly learned."

"Not once do the advan class="hi2">anan>ced teachers of God consider the forms of sickness in which their brother believes."

"The gap that is not there is filled with toys in countless forms."

"The body's eyes see ONLY form. They can class="hi2">anan>not see BEYOND what they were MADE to see. an class="hi2">Anan>d they were made to look on error, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see past it. 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. To this distorted form of vision, the OUTSIDE of everything, the wall that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth, is wholly true."

"Only MISTAKES have different forms, an class="hi2">anan>d so they Can class="hi2">ANan> deceive. You Can class="hi2">ANan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge form, BECAUSE it is not true. It COULD not be reality, BECAUSE it can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged. Reason will tell you that, if form is NOT reality, it MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d is Not THERE to see. an class="hi2">Anan>d, IF you see it, you MUST be mistaken, for you are seeing what can class="hi2">anan> NOT be real, as if it WERE. What can class="hi2">anan>not see BEYOND what is not there, MUST be distorted perception. an class="hi2">Anan>d must perceive illusions AS THE TRUTH. Could it, then, RECOGNIZE the truth?"

"You are advan class="hi2">anan>cing to love's MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING, an class="hi2">anan>d away from ALL illusions in which you have surrounded it."

"You who believe that God is fear made but ONE substitution. It has taken man class="hi2">anan>y forms, because it was the substitution of fragmentation for wholeness. It has become splintered an class="hi2">anan>d subdivided an class="hi2">anan>d divided again, over an class="hi2">anan>d over, that it is now almost impossible to perceive it once was one, an class="hi2">anan>d still IS what it was. That ONE error, which brought truth to illusion, infinity to time, an class="hi2">anan>d life to death, was all you ever made. Your whole world rests upon it. Everything you see reflects it. an class="hi2">Anan>d every special relationship you ever made is PART of it."

"Temptation has ONE lesson it would teach, in ALL its forms, WHEREVER it occurs."

"Elusive happiness, or happiness in chan class="hi2">anan>ging forms that shift with time an class="hi2">anan>d place, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion that has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing."

"Never foster this illusion in yourself, or encourage it in others. an class="hi2">Anan> "object" is incapable of release, because it is a concept which is deprived of creative power."

"What is seen as "reality" is simply what the mind prefers. Its hierarchy of values is projected outward, an class="hi2">anan>d it sends the body's eyes to find it."

"All that a hierarchy of illusions can class="hi2">anan> show is PREFERENCE, NOT reality."

"Fear is the emotion of the world. It has but one. Its forms are man class="hi2">anan>y - call them what you will - but it is one in content."

"See how the body's eyes rest on externals, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT go beyond. Watch how they STOP at nothingness, unable to go BEYOND the form to mean class="hi2">anan>ing. ... Nothing so blinding as perception of form. For sight of form MEan class="hi2">ANan>S understan class="hi2">anan>ding HAS BEEN obscured."

"Before a holy relationship, there IS no sin. The FORM of error is no longer seen."

Fear is always based on an class="hi2">anan> 'if' .... if such an class="hi2">anan>d such were true, there would be reason to be afraid.

But that's a pretty big 'if'.

The entire separation from God started with an class="hi2">anan> 'if' .... "what would it be like if I were separate from God?"

The thing about if's is. ... whatever they claim, only applies IF its true.

IF someone is in reality threatening you, then you might be justified in being afraid.

IF something has gone wrong in truth, then you might have reason to be upset.

But only if.

What if.... all of the fears that come from all the ifs are unfounded an class="hi2">anan>d untrue? What if nothing has happened?

What if the if is the problem?

Now, pause a moment, an class="hi2">anan>d watch out for an class="hi2">anan> ego reaction of guilt. My intention is not to make an class="hi2">anan>yone feel guilty. Nor is it Jesus' intention. But he is trying to educate us with deep honesty about what sickness is an class="hi2">anan>d is not so that we can class="hi2">anan> be more easily freed from using it to hurt ourselves. We need to be willing to look at this, it's part of the course. We are adults here, right? We can class="hi2">anan> han class="hi2">anan>dle it.

Jesus's statements simply tell us that all forms of sickness are part of an class="hi2">anan> attempts to make our body sick, in order that we can class="hi2">anan> hold it up as proof that our brother is a sinner, accusing him of having caused the effects/symptoms. We show him sickness, evidence of attack an class="hi2">anan>d sin, to imply that we have been affected against our will, thus able to scapegoat him an class="hi2">anan>d accuse him of sin. Scapegoating isn't just psychological, it is physical.

an class="hi2">Anan>d furthermore, Jesus is clearly teaching that the body, as a symbol, Can class="hi2">ANan> symbolize innocence an class="hi2">anan>d forgiveness, through its physical healing. A healed body teaches an class="hi2">anan>d demonstrates an class="hi2">anan>d proves that there has not been sin, it exonerates your brother, an class="hi2">ANan>D it helps to heal his mind. Your physical health, stemming from your psychological health, becomes your brother's health. When the body is sick, it accuses your brother "Brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I die". This happens are psychological, physical, an class="hi2">anan>d metaphysical levels.

If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to love yourself an class="hi2">anan>d your brother, the body MUST depict only a symbol of heath an class="hi2">anan>d wholeness. Otherwise it is serving the ego's purpose of making sin real. "The mind, being san class="hi2">anan>e, heals the body."

*** Physical sickness is a symptom of an class="hi2">anan> unholy relationship with your brothers! ***

Jesus demonstrated this principle through the resurrection. Here's what he says in passages from "The picture of crucifixion" an class="hi2">anan>d "The fear of healing." These are POTENT teachings not often accepted in ACIM circles.

"A sick an class="hi2">anan>d suffering you but represents your brother's guilt; the witness which you send, lest he forget the injuries he gave, from which you swear he never will escape."

"The sick are merciless to everyone, an class="hi2">anan>d in contagion do they seek to kill. Death seems an class="hi2">anan> easy price, if they can class="hi2">anan> say, "Behold me, brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I die." For sickness is the witness to his guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d death would prove his errors MUST be sins."

"Sickness is but a "little" death; a form of vengean class="hi2">anan>ce not yet total. Yet it speaks with certainty for what it represents. The bleak an class="hi2">anan>d bitter picture you have sent your brother, YOU have looked upon in grief. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything that it has shown to him have you believed, BECAUSE it witnessed to the guilt in him, which you perceived an class="hi2">anan>d loved."

"Is healing frightening? To man class="hi2">anan>y, yes. For accusation is a bar to love, an class="hi2">anan>d damaged bodies ARE accusers. They stan class="hi2">anan>d firmly in the way of trust an class="hi2">anan>d peace, proclaiming that the frail can class="hi2">anan> HAVE no trust, an class="hi2">anan>d that the damaged HAVE no grounds for peace. Who has been injured BY his brother, an class="hi2">anan>d could love an class="hi2">anan>d trust him still? He HAS attacked, an class="hi2">anan>d will attack again. Protect him not, because your damaged body shows that you must be protected FROM him. To forgive may be an class="hi2">anan> act of charity, but NOT his due. He may be PITIED for his guilt, but NOT exonerated. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you forgive him his tran class="hi2">anan>sgressions, you but ADD to all the guilt that he has really earned."

"The unhealed Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT pardon. For they are the witnesses that pardon is unfair. They would retain the CONSEQUENCES of the guilt they overlook. Yet no-one Can class="hi2">ANan> forgive a sin which he believes is real. an class="hi2">Anan>d what has consequences MUST be real, because what it has DONE is there to see."

"To witness sin an class="hi2">anan>d yet forgive it is a paradox which reason can class="hi2">anan>not see. For it maintains what has been done to you DESERVES no pardon. an class="hi2">Anan>d, by GIVING it, you gran class="hi2">anan>t your brother mercy, but retain the proof he is not REALLY innocent. The sick remain accusers. They can class="hi2">anan>not forgive their brothers an class="hi2">ANan>D themselves as well. For no-one in whom true forgiveness reigns Can class="hi2">ANan> suffer. He holds not the proof of sin before his brother's eyes."

"Who forgives IS healed. an class="hi2">Anan>d in his healing lies the PROOF that he has truly pardoned, an class="hi2">anan>d retains no trace of condemnation that he still would hold against himself or an class="hi2">anan>y living thing."

"Forgiveness is not real UNLESS it brings a healing to your brother an class="hi2">ANan>D yourself. YOU must attest his sins had no effect on YOU, to demonstrate they were not real. How else COULD he be guiltless? an class="hi2">Anan>d how COULD his innocence be justified UNLESS his sins have no effect to WARRan class="hi2">ANan>T guilt? Sins are beyond forgiveness just BECAUSE they would entail effects which Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be undone an class="hi2">anan>d overlooked entirely. In their UNDOING lies the proof that they were merely errors. LET yourself be healed, that you may be forgiving, offering salvation to your brother an class="hi2">ANan>D yourself. A broken body shows the mind has NOT been healed. A miracle of healing proves that separation is WITHOUT effect."

"What you would prove to him you will believe. The power of witness COMES from your belief. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything you say or do or think but testifies to what you teach to him. Your body can class="hi2">anan> be mean class="hi2">anan>s to teach that it has never suffered pain because of him. an class="hi2">Anan>d in its healing can class="hi2">anan> it offer him mute testimony to his innocence. It is THIS testimony that can class="hi2">anan> speak with power greater than class="hi2">anan> a thousan class="hi2">anan>d tongues. For here is his forgiveness PROVED to him. A miracle can class="hi2">anan> offer nothing LESS to him than class="hi2">anan> it has given unto you. So does your healing show your mind is healed, an class="hi2">anan>d has forgiven what he did NOT do. an class="hi2">Anan>d so is HE convinced his innocence was never lost, an class="hi2">anan>d healed along with you."

"Thus does the miracle undo all things the world attests can class="hi2">anan> never BE undone. an class="hi2">Anan>d hopelessness an class="hi2">anan>d death MUST disappear before the an class="hi2">anan>cient clarion call of life. This call has power FAR beyond the weak an class="hi2">anan>d miserable cry of death an class="hi2">anan>d guilt."

"Now in the han class="hi2">anan>ds made gentle by His touch, the Holy Spirit lays a picture of a DIFFERENT you. It is a picture of a body still, for what you REALLY are can class="hi2">anan> not be seen nor pictured. But THIS one has NOT been used for purpose of attack, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore never suffered pain at all. IT witnesses to the eternal truth that you can class="hi2">anan> not BE hurt, an class="hi2">anan>d points BEYOND itself to both YOUR innocence an class="hi2">anan>d HIS.

Show THIS unto your brother, who will see that every scar is healed, an class="hi2">anan>d every tear is wiped away in laughter an class="hi2">anan>d in love. an class="hi2">Anan>d he will look on his forgiveness there, an class="hi2">anan>d with healed eyes will look BEYOND it, to the innocence that he beholds in you. Here is the proof that he has NEVER sinned; that NOTHING that his madness bid him do was ever done, or ever had effects of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. That NO reproach he laid upon his heart was EVER justified, an class="hi2">anan>d NO attack can class="hi2">anan> touch him with the poisoned sting of fear. Attest his innocence an class="hi2">anan>d NOT his guilt. YOUR healing is his comfort an class="hi2">anan>d HIS health. BECAUSE it proves illusions were not true."

"The body can class="hi2">anan> become a sign of life, a promise of redemption, an class="hi2">anan>d a breath of immortality to those grown sick of breathing in the fetid scent of death. Let it have healing as its PURPOSE. Then will it send forth the message it received, an class="hi2">anan>d by its health an class="hi2">anan>d loveliness proclaim the truth an class="hi2">anan>d value that it represents. Let it receive the power to represent an class="hi2">anan> endless life, forever unattacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d to your brother let its message be, "Behold me, brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I live."

I used to strongly believe that when a body dies, that is "death". an class="hi2">Anan>d this is a bad thing. It's something to avoid at all costs. Because the body has to be kept in its "alive" state for as long as possible. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's based on the belief that a valuable real person IS a body an class="hi2">anan>d the body's end IS the end of them, an class="hi2">anan>d a great loss to be avoided.

But for all the fighting against death an class="hi2">anan>d wishing it wouldn't happen, it happened. an class="hi2">Anan>d I was so done with fighting against it that I pretty much surrendered an class="hi2">anan>d let it happen. This was a good thing actually. Actually as I look back an class="hi2">anan>d see all the efforts I made to fight against it, I see now that the whole situation was designed to exhaust my attempt to use "fear of death" as a way to reinforce sickness an class="hi2">anan>d separation.

What this giving-up did was it uprooted my belief that death is bad, especially given that when the person died they were liberated from a lot of limitations an class="hi2">anan>d suffering. For them it was actually quite a helpful thing.

In fact it was so good for them to be out of the body an class="hi2">anan>d back in a state of freedom an class="hi2">anan>d happiness, that it made the whole idea of keeping the body going seem nonsense. an class="hi2">Anan>d with that, the whole idea of defending the body against death seemed nonsense.

Before I knew it, my whole attitude about death being the opposite of life was being broken down. Especially when my wife came visiting from the other side several times, in ways that were unavoidable proof that she still existed.

This in turn demonstrated strongly that physical death is not really death, because even if the person's body was dead the person was not. Eternal life carries on. So the death of the body is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. As Jesus says:

"The death of an class="hi2">anan> illusion mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing."

So there I was faced with the pretty strong fact of the illusion of physical death, which was in fact a total lie, contrasted strongly against the ongoing presence an class="hi2">anan>d life of my partner. an class="hi2">Anan>d this couldn't help but uproot an class="hi2">anan>d bring into serious question the idea that physical death an class="hi2">anan>d physical life mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything different at all.

In fact, the way I see it now, I'm recognizing more an class="hi2">anan>d more that the whole world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. None of it has an class="hi2">anan>y mean class="hi2">anan>ing. It is not right or wrong, good or bad. It is not life, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not death. As Jesus states:

"There is no life outside of heaven" ... " Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d beyond ALL reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal BARRIER to Heaven. Illusions ARE but forms. Their content is NEVER true."

"To see a SINLESS body is impossible. For holiness is POSITIVE, an class="hi2">anan>d the body is merely neutral. It is NOT sinful, but neither is it sinless. As nothing, which it IS, the body can class="hi2">anan>not mean class="hi2">anan>ingfully be invested with attributes of Christ OR of the ego. EITHER must be an class="hi2">anan> error, for both would place the attributes where they can class="hi2">anan>not BE. an class="hi2">Anan>d BOTH must be undone, for purposes of truth."

The body, the world, it is neutral. It is not alive, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not dead. It does not have an class="hi2">anan>y inherent mean class="hi2">anan>ing at all. We've given it all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has. We've placed labels on it to pick out parts an class="hi2">anan>d separate things off an class="hi2">anan>d say ... this thing is good, this thing is bad, keep more of this, avoid more of that.

Death is relegated to being seen as the label we give to things that symbolise death, like dead bodies, dead leaves, decay an class="hi2">anan>d rot etc. Life is a label reserved for the things that move around, that seem to grow an class="hi2">anan>d be born an class="hi2">anan>d new. But THAT is precisely what the illusion of the world is, an class="hi2">anan>d why the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

The world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion that certain states of matter are different to other states, that certain bodies are more alive than class="hi2">anan> others, that certain forms are more dead than class="hi2">anan> others, that there is hierarchy in the illusions an class="hi2">anan>d separate categories for things. That is all illusion. It is all one thing. One big illusion.

It's like a gian class="hi2">anan>t smokescreen which sometimes takes on the form of what looks like life, an class="hi2">anan>d sometimes it takes on the form of what looks like death, but it is never really either of those things. It is nothing. As Jesus states:

"There IS no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">ANan>Y state apart from Heaven, life is illusion. At best, it SEEMS like life; at worst, like death. Yet both are judgments on what is NOT life, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing."

Living moving bodies are not life. Stationary decaying bodies are not death. We made up these labels for aspects of one thing that seems like two things. The illusion that it is two things is the problem here. We believe that the form that things takes tells us what it mean class="hi2">anan>s. That is the bullshit lie. Nothing here mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything. "Nothing I see mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything."

"The body neither lives nor dies, because it can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who ARE life."

Our task then is to learn to stop separating off some parts of the world an class="hi2">anan>d giving it special labels, which are in opposition to the labels we give to other parts. Pitting these labelled parts against each other an class="hi2">anan>d making them more SEPARATE, is the problem. All this does is keep the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the separation from God going.

War an class="hi2">anan>d peace in the world, at the world level, are not different. They are two sides of the same coin. One is not better than class="hi2">anan> the other. They are both mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. Activity or lack of activity is the same thing.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that it actually does not matter if bodies are living or dying because they are not really living or dying. A body in one form is no different than class="hi2">anan> in an class="hi2">anan>other. Being deceived or horrified by the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of a body in a disabled or broken or damaged form is entirely a temptation of the ego to regard some parts of this world as worse than class="hi2">anan> others. Death is not worse than class="hi2">anan> life, an class="hi2">anan>d life is not better than class="hi2">anan> death. They are equally nothing here. One dream of illusions pretending to show up as man class="hi2">anan>y separate things.

Our entire shift is a tran class="hi2">anan>sition away from believing that the world - or our mind - is split up into man class="hi2">anan>y compartments in which some compartments are different an class="hi2">anan>d better or worse than class="hi2">anan> others .... to a state of wholeness in which there is only one truth that applies to all of them. It is a shift away from a separate victim an class="hi2">anan>d victimiser, to a total ownership of all power an class="hi2">anan>d causation. A shift away from being a mere character in a dream, to being the one who dreams the entire dream environment an class="hi2">anan>d all things that happen to all parts of it at once.

The great illusion an class="hi2">anan>d deception of the world is that the form of life is preferable to the form of death. Or that one is better, or one is more alive, or one is more dead, or one is more to be avoided. If you play that game you will be lost an class="hi2">anan>d you will fear death an class="hi2">anan>d think that you live, while not really living. Living in a belief that death is a specific separate thing is a belief in not living at all. To really live you must claim eternal life, in which there are no such shiftings an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ges an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sitions between appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

All beliefs in how different parts of the world are different, how they are not alike, how they are conflicted an class="hi2">anan>d at war, how some are better than class="hi2">anan> others, how some are more holy or more evil, more wan class="hi2">anan>ted or more unwan class="hi2">anan>ted, all of these inequalities have to be completely ironed out. The whole world has to be regarded as equally one thing, with no separate truths or multiple levels or categories or labels. All of it is nothing. an class="hi2">Anan>d none of it is of God.

"The body's eyes will continue to see differences, but the mind which has let itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them. There will be those who seem to be "sicker" than class="hi2">anan> others, an class="hi2">anan>d the body's eyes will report their chan class="hi2">anan>ged appearan class="hi2">anan>ces as before. But the mind will put them all in one category - they are unreal."

"This is the gift of its Teacher; the understan class="hi2">anan>ding that only two categories are mean class="hi2">anan>ingful in sorting out the messages the mind receives from what appears to be the outside world. an class="hi2">Anan>d of these two but one is real. Just as reality is wholly real, apart from size an class="hi2">anan>d shape an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d place, for differences can class="hi2">anan>not exist within it, so too are illusions without distinctions."

"Awareness of dreaming is the real function of God's teachers. They watch the dream figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go, shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. Yet they are not deceived by what they see. They recognize that to behold a dream figure as sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate is no more real than class="hi2">anan> to regard it as healthy an class="hi2">anan>d beautiful. Unity alone is not a thing of dreams. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as behind the dream, beyond all seeing an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs."

"The real world still is but a dream." - section 7 of Chapter 29, section 4 of ACIM.

In the Course, sometimes Jesus uses some terms which SEEM to imply something He did not mean class="hi2">anan> to imply. When he referred to the "real world", He did NOT mean class="hi2">anan> the world is real. an class="hi2">Anan>d by world here, I'm talking about the physical universe, because every reference to "world" in the Course is referring to the physical universe (the dream of death).

So Jesus referred to the world, seen correctly with "true perception", ie perception without an class="hi2">anan>y errors - still perceiving WITHIN the dream, within space an class="hi2">anan>d time, but without an class="hi2">anan>y delusions ... as the "real world". It is "real" as in, seen WITH TRUTH, the truth OF it is seen correctly. The truth OF it is that it is NOT REAL. The truth of it, is that it is FALSE an class="hi2">anan>d untrue. When this is RECOGNIZED with true perception, you are seeing the "real version" of the world. In other words, real as in, what it actually is (unreal) compared to what you thought it was (illusions appearing real).

He uses this terminology because He's comparing it to when you have false perception, where you see this physical world with eyes of hate an class="hi2">anan>d judgement, an class="hi2">anan>d do not recognize it for what it is. In false perception you see a world of vengean class="hi2">anan>ce. You see hate IN the world. When you compare that false view OF the world, with a CORRECT view OF the world, the correct view is seeing "the truth" ABOUT the world... which shows you, in correct recognition, that this world is FALSE an class="hi2">anan>d NOT REAL.

The world is still an class="hi2">anan> illusion. A false perception OF an class="hi2">anan> illusion makes it seem real to you, an class="hi2">anan>d then you do not recognize it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d you think it is the truth. That mistaken perception of the world needs to be corrected in order to see the FORGIVEN WORLD. When the world is seen through forgiving eyes - eyes of truth - those eyes do not see hate an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d fear IN the world. It simply sees what is "there", which is... an class="hi2">anan> illusory world. It SEES an class="hi2">anan>d recognizes that there is a FALSE WORLD appearing in perception. You might well see God "in it", or see God "about it", or overlook the world to see Christ beyond it. But the world ITSELF is recognized as NOT REAL. The "real world" is actually the NOT REAL WORLD.

Once the world is recognized as not real, ie you are finally able to SEE what this thing IS for what it actually is - a false illusion pretending to be a world - then the purpose of perception an class="hi2">anan>d of the world is complete, an class="hi2">anan>d THEN YOU WAKE UP FROM THE DREAM, the world disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d there is only you with God. NOW you are in reality.

Jesus's use of the term "real world" in the Course has been very confusing for man class="hi2">anan>y students, because so man class="hi2">anan>y of us rely on the exact specific words Jesus uses an class="hi2">anan>d we don't really take it all in proper context of the bigger picture. This creates contradictions. If Jesus really mean class="hi2">anan>t the "real world" was actually REALITY, this would go against 99% of the rest of the Course. He ONLY uses this term to describe a correct perception of an class="hi2">anan> UNREAL world - see the "reality" or "truth" of the world, which shows you that it is not really there. It's not a real world at all.

Jesus actually does this also in some other places in the course where he uses a terminology that SEEMS contradictory or seems to suggest something He did not intend. To discern this you need quite a bit of experience grasping the metaphysics. For example He said in one place that something can class="hi2">anan> be "perfectly real within time but not in eternity." That can class="hi2">anan> seem to imply that something inside of time - even though the course teaches that time is an class="hi2">anan> illusion - is "real". If you interpret it that way, you will now come to a vast array of further confused conclusions. Jesus is not saying that an class="hi2">anan>ything in time is real at all. He is only saying that eternity is real an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything in time is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of reality, an class="hi2">anan>d seeing it correctly is seeing the "reality of it" - the truth that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, just as above.

The "real world" is not real. There is no real world. This is the central thought the course would attempt to teach. This is the thought which an class="hi2">anan>yone with an class="hi2">anan> ego DOES NOT Wan class="hi2">ANan>T. The fact is that when you get to True Perception, you WILL an class="hi2">anan>d MUST recognize that this thing you've been calling a real world, is JUST an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Nothing more or less. It has no reality to it, no truth to it, it is recognized an class="hi2">anan>d registers with you as completely FALSE. You see THROUGH it, with forgiving eyes. You do not buy its illusions, you do not believe in it, you do not think it is really happening. an class="hi2">Anan>d then it disappears as God scoops you up an class="hi2">anan>d you wind up back in REALITY. A reality in which THE WORLD DOES NOT EXIST. Or in a word, "Heaven". Only heaven is real.

"THE WORLD YOU SEE DOES NOT EXIST" (the world you see with your physical eyes does not exist).

"Forgiving dreams have little need to last. They are not made to separate the mind from what it thinks. They do not seek to prove the dream is being dreamed by someone else. an class="hi2">Anan>d in these dreams a melody is heard that everyone remembers, though he has not heard it since before all time began class="hi2">anan>. Forgiveness, once complete, brings timelessness so close the song of Heaven can class="hi2">anan> be heard, not with the ears, but with the holiness that never left the altar that abides forever deep within the Son of God. an class="hi2">Anan>d when he hears this song again, he knows he never heard it not. an class="hi2">Anan>d where is time, when dreams of judgment have been put away?" - ACIM

For a long time I thought that if I would just SAY what the truth is, or 'get it intellectually', or be able to describe it, or have the right insight to put some pieces of the puzzle together, then I would .... achieve some kind of goal.

But, really... this never achieved an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> worshipping metaphysical logic an class="hi2">anan>d becoming 'right' about it.

How man class="hi2">anan>y times do we really need to explain how an class="hi2">anan>d why this illusion all happened, or how the ego operates?

Being able to understan class="hi2">anan>d The Course doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> I am now experiencing God. In fact it's quite the opposite.

Understan class="hi2">anan>ding the course maybe paved the way to realizing that... understan class="hi2">anan>ding the course doesn't bring peace, or God, or love. Knowing what it SAYS isn't the same as experiencing what it points to.

I've had some pretty lofty states of 'consciousness' or at least, high states of very abstract thinking, which I always thought were the way to access the truth. But it's not. Because this is just the ego mind trying to reach up to Holy Spirit's mind to get a taste of it... an class="hi2">anan>d because ideas return to their source there is an class="hi2">anan> inevitable 'snapping back' out of it an class="hi2">anan>d back into mundan class="hi2">anan>e thinking.

What has to happen is this intellectual ego mind has to give way an class="hi2">anan>d be seen for the limited device that it is. It can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d will not ever accomplish an class="hi2">anan> experience of truth. It can class="hi2">anan> only comment about it. It is removed from truth, because it is based in .... at the very least, symbols, if not a further layer of symbolism layered on top of that as words.

Thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d words don't make you be with God.

Tran class="hi2">anan>scending this ego-intellectual mind an class="hi2">anan>d going to be in a different mind, the mind of God/Holy Spirit, is what gets you to experience God.

You have to get out of the ego mind, out of the intellect/intelligence of the ego, out of the ego's thinking ... even if it seems to be very lofty course-focussed thinking. Ego thinking about the Course is NOT an class="hi2">anan> experience of the truth!

We need to let go of this ego mind an class="hi2">anan>d all its activities an class="hi2">anan>d open up instead to a different mind, level 2 mind - the Holy Spirit's mind, shared with God.

"My Self is ruler of the universe.

It is impossible that an class="hi2">anan>ything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny. What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to happen. This must I accept. For thus am I led past this world to my creations, children of my will, in Heaven where my holy Self abides with them an class="hi2">anan>d Him Who has created me. "

Notice it says only what happens is what you desire, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing happens that you do not desire. That's pretty black an class="hi2">anan>d white right there. That's very powerful.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen without your consent, not even death. If you so desire it, there will be resurrection.

In this there are no other sources of causality. This is talking about the mind of the One Son of God, which all sons share. There is nothing to oppose this mind.

I love this paragraph because it encapsulates 4 major course topics in one short space.

1) You are not a victim an class="hi2">anan>d nothing happens without your will

2) This world does not exist because heaven is somewhere else

3) You have "children of your will" in heaven so not only are you a real son of God in heaven, you also have multiple offspring, which are ALSO sons of God, which are REAL, in heaven

4) Your mind is so powerful it can class="hi2">anan> do an class="hi2">anan>ything simply by desiring it an class="hi2">anan>d if it so desires it it must happen an class="hi2">anan>d if it does not desire it it can class="hi2">anan>not happen, even death.

One thing that’s really becoming super clear for me lately, is that this world depicts things which are absolutely impossible. It’s enough of an class="hi2">anan> idea that its a dream, which sometimes suggests it’s at least a something, that the stuff happening in it is somehow actually possible. But when you think about it an class="hi2">anan>d reason it out, this world shows things happening which Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be happening. It depicts the IMPOSSIBLE.

For example in reality, I’m truth, we are immortal an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> never die. But here you have a world, which depicts that things can class="hi2">anan> die. It’s hard to find words to describe just how extremely impossible that is. Or to describe what the nature of this world IS - some kind of a fiction, a lie perhaps. an class="hi2">Anan> untruth. It represents something that absolutely can class="hi2">anan> never happen in reality, is completely an class="hi2">anan>d utterly false, an class="hi2">anan>d is nothing like heaven.

How is it possible, even, that we are confronted with what appears to be a world, which shows impossible things happening, which testifies that sin is real, which presents death as if its natural, an class="hi2">anan>d shows suffering as commonplace. None of that is POSSIBLE in reality. In God’s Kingdom there is not even a possibility of suffering, or sickness, or sin, or death. It’s not even POSSIBLE.

So this world is showing us stuff which is TOTALLY, TOTALLY false. I don’t know if I can class="hi2">anan> even put into words how utterly opposite to true this must be. How is it even possible that we’re even seeming to have an class="hi2">anan> experience of a world in which impossible things seem to happen? What kind of a sick, twisted joke is this? It’s so "wrong".

Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened because reality is perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d constan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d endless. You can class="hi2">anan>not attack an class="hi2">anan>ything real in an class="hi2">anan>y way because it is immortal. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world constan class="hi2">anan>tly depicts attack, damage, harm, injury, suffering, vulnerability, unsafety an class="hi2">anan>d destruction. These depictions Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE REAL. They are SUCH A LIE. Incredibly, absolutely false. What is immortal can class="hi2">anan> never die. It is death itself that MUST be impossible.

It can class="hi2">anan>not both be true that heaven is immortal an class="hi2">anan>d real, an class="hi2">anan>d earth is mortal an class="hi2">anan>d real. Eternal life can class="hi2">anan>not have an class="hi2">anan> opposite. Love is all encompassing an class="hi2">anan>d has no opposite. Reality is perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d has no opposite. You can class="hi2">anan>’t have it be that immortality is true an class="hi2">anan>d death is also true. It HAS to be one or the other. an class="hi2">Anan>d if death is not true, then death is UTTER BULLSHIT. an class="hi2">Anan>d every single shred of this illusion of a world of death MUST be a COMPLETE LIE. It is A FALSE WORLD. It is not God’s creation an class="hi2">anan>d is nothing like it.

How can class="hi2">anan> you believe such a world when it is lying to your face? How can class="hi2">anan> you believe it even EXISTS?

"It is the world you see that is impossible."

Lately what I've been trying to focus on is what can class="hi2">anan> be *experienced*. The truth can class="hi2">anan> be described in thousan class="hi2">anan>ds of words but really it is an class="hi2">anan> experience. We're really talking about you getting to the point where you can class="hi2">anan> experience happiness, experience love, experience peace, experience God. God is an class="hi2">anan> experience.

So what this mean class="hi2">anan>s is looking at what you are experiencing NOW, an class="hi2">anan>d looking at what tools you can class="hi2">anan> practically USE to actaully shift your experience to a happier, fuller, more truthful/authentic one.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this has nothing really to do with what you are thinking about what you're experiencing or what's going on around it or what you should be experiencing, but the actual direct immediate experience - your feelings, your psychological reactions, your perception of reality, your union with God. What is reality to you right now, in honesty an class="hi2">anan>d not trying to 'please' Jesus?

This isn't done on a mental level or in terms of theory or discussion. What you really need is practical tools that WORK that bring about a real TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMATION of what you are experiencing. You are mean class="hi2">anan>t to LIVE the truth, not just talk about it. You're mean class="hi2">anan>t to actually feel God's love, live in God's love an class="hi2">anan>d be God's love.

What I've been seeing also is that when you try to be or attain a goal or theoretical truth that is too far beyond what you can class="hi2">anan> actually EXPERIENCE, all of your energies start to flow into the intellect because they aren't grounded or rooted in what is real to you. You try to grasp at it an class="hi2">anan>d affirm it an class="hi2">anan>d think about it an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem like you understan class="hi2">anan>d it but you're not actually *experiencing* it because it's outside your envelope. It's very easy to conceptualize 'oneness' but, are you actually fully omnipresent an class="hi2">anan>d experience absolute unlimited psychological access to every part of existence? Nope.

I can class="hi2">anan> testify that I went to great lengths in my mind an class="hi2">anan>d intellect in understan class="hi2">anan>ding the Course an class="hi2">anan>d the metaphysics an class="hi2">anan>d the high-level statements of truth an class="hi2">anan>d how it all fits together an class="hi2">anan>d all that. I was looking for some kind of a way to experience truth by having the biggest or best thought about it, or the widest grasp of where it fits, or the most abstract or subtle aspects of what Jesus has taught about the truth.

But even when I thought I really really really was getting it an class="hi2">anan>d understan class="hi2">anan>ding it, mentally, it was NOT followed by a result of experiencing love, or experiencing God. It did not bring peace. an class="hi2">Anan>d it was like getting to the end of a path that you thought would lead you to the truth or to God only to find out that it does NOT lead there.

It doesn't lead there because its a journey in thinking an class="hi2">anan>d intellectualizing rather than class="hi2">anan> the much more real, direct EXPERIENCING of truth. So I had to learn this, the hard way, that it can class="hi2">anan>'t be all about the talk or all about the theory or all about the metaphysics. It IS okay to seek for understan class="hi2">anan>ding (ACIM says understan class="hi2">anan>ding is appreciation of the truth), but you can class="hi2">anan>'t EXPERIENCE it on a purely theoretical level.

When we're not actually dealing with what we are experiencing - the immediate interaction of you vs what's in front of your face right now an class="hi2">anan>d how your mind is having a RELATIONSHIP with it - then it moves away from here-an class="hi2">anan>d-now an class="hi2">anan>d becomes removed an class="hi2">anan>d distan class="hi2">anan>t, turning into just a theory or concept.

Your head, your intellect, is quite capable of han class="hi2">anan>dling concepts an class="hi2">anan>d theories an class="hi2">anan>d thoughts about them, but its as though the intellect is an class="hi2">anan> artificial ego device to be separated from reality, from the here an class="hi2">anan>d now. I would find myself tending to even intellectualize my feelings, tran class="hi2">anan>sferring emotional energy into my head an class="hi2">anan>d trying to process it there through thought. Instead of feeling. Instead of experiencing.

I've also seen people get caught up in what they 'should' be doing or are supposed to be believing, launching into 'trying' really hard to force yourself to be those things, without ACTUALLY being able to do so. It creates the spiritualized ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d when asked questions about what they are experiencing now or what they are really feeling, they are disconnected from it.

They will respond about what they think of it or what it mean class="hi2">anan>s or what they think they're supposed to say or what lofty course idea they're mean class="hi2">anan>t to believe, but they don't REALLY believe it. They don't REALLY mean class="hi2">anan> it. an class="hi2">Anan>d they're out of touch with where they're really at, cut off from FEELING. Feeling is much closer to being than class="hi2">anan> intellectualizing. But people don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to feel. They don't wan class="hi2">anan>t the immediate experience of reality, preferring to be buffered against it by all of these intellectual walls of thought an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d shame an class="hi2">anan>d force an class="hi2">anan>d pressure an class="hi2">anan>d ... using the wrong tool for the job.

What you may find as I have, as well, is that what I can class="hi2">anan> experience has certain boundaries that prevent me from experiencing an class="hi2">anan>ything too far outside my 'comfort zone'. My mind won't stretch that far. If there's a suggestion to be or do something that I'm just not ready for, there's no way I'm going to be ABLE to do it yet alone willing to do it.

You can class="hi2">anan> be willing enough to take small steps from where you actually are to where you wan class="hi2">anan>t to get to next, but gian class="hi2">anan>t leaps are next to impossible. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you try to make gian class="hi2">anan>t leaps before you're really ready, you will BYPASS, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you're in denial about what you're really believing an class="hi2">anan>d experiencing an class="hi2">anan>d are pretending to be further along than class="hi2">anan> you wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit to. It's the ego that tries to throw you into 'advan class="hi2">anan>ced spirituality' before you are really ready or willing or able to actually BE it, because it wan class="hi2">anan>ts the prowess of 'mastery' without ACTUALLY letting go of enough ego to experience it truly.

So you need to stop, go within, an class="hi2">anan>d look much closer to home, much closer to where you are realistically at right now. What are you experiencing right now. What are you feeling. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is where you have to be really honest. Do you REALLY believe what the course is saying? Probably not. What do you believe instead? You have to work through this stuff. You can class="hi2">anan>'t pretend not to have blocks to awareness, you have to ACTUALLY look for them an class="hi2">anan>d acknowledge that they're there an class="hi2">anan>d then work on tran class="hi2">anan>sforming your beliefs/viewpoints/attitudes so that you can class="hi2">anan> ACTUALLY be free of these blocks.

They don't go away by sweeping them under the carpet, or by using denial, or by shutting them out, or making yourself unconscious, or bypassing to a level of advan class="hi2">anan>cement you're not ready for. There is nothing to be ashamed of in admitting that you are NOT the advan class="hi2">anan>ced spiritual successor to Jesus just yet. If you don't acknowledge what you're actually experiencing then you aren't going to be able to chan class="hi2">anan>ge your experience. an class="hi2">Anan>d I think that's what this is all about - tran class="hi2">anan>sforming what you are experiencing so that you can class="hi2">anan> experience something better. an class="hi2">Anan>d this mean class="hi2">anan>s dealing with the 'reality' of your situation, not some ACIM-driven fairytale about how spiritual you are or how lofty the concepts are or what you are 'supposed' to be like.

How do you feel? Where are you at? What is honestly true for you right now? Have the courage to look at it, feel it, experience it, be with it. Acknowledge how fucked up you are. Then re-interpret your evaluation of yourself an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sform your experience of yourself into a genuinely higher version of yourself.

Authenticity.

You might think that you have some kind of 'right' to have whatever belief you wan class="hi2">anan>t to have. But ultimately the only option you have is to either accept 'what is' or be opposed to it.

Most beliefs oppose the truth in one way or an class="hi2">anan>other. Some much moreso. The ego is in complete opposition to the truth, at its deepest levels.

So it's not really a matter of who is right or wrong, but moreso just a matter of how 'opposing' a person is being. How much they are trying to reject truth an class="hi2">anan>d reality.

If you can class="hi2">anan>'t accept reality, or what is, or real truth, or love, or God, then you are in opposition, no matter what form it takes.

The ONLY way that you can class="hi2">anan> be happy an class="hi2">anan>d at peace, then, is to learn to ACCEPT THE TRUTH of what is, rather than class="hi2">anan> oppose it.

You can class="hi2">anan>not be opposed to the truth an class="hi2">anan>d be at peace. You can class="hi2">anan>not be opposed to the truth an class="hi2">anan>d feel happy an class="hi2">anan>d fulfilled. You can class="hi2">anan>not be opposed to the truth an class="hi2">anan>d feel loved. Because the truth IS love.

Practiced a little bit of `miracle working` this morning ... the 'chan class="hi2">anan>ge the dream' an class="hi2">anan>d 'reverse cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect' kind. I am reporting this just because I'm still experimenting/learning/discovering what is possible an class="hi2">anan>d maybe it is useful.

I had back pain from a couple days ago, was an class="hi2">anan>noying. Could not sleep on my side last night. Woke up with a sore shoulder bla bla bla. Uncomfortable, predicting that the day would be awkward an class="hi2">anan>d painful again. But then, decided to ask Jesus for help. It goes something like this:

1) Place your han class="hi2">anan>d on the affected area

2) Join with Jesus, acknowledging that you BELIEVE/have faith that HE knows how to heal an class="hi2">anan>ything (healing comes from the Christ mind an class="hi2">anan>d you yourself (your ego self) are not capable of it) - your Christ self is.

3) Get yourself out of the way, your attitude of being forceful, your attitude of having power, your attitude of making something happen yourself, being the fixer, being a healer. NO. It's NOT YOU that is going to do the healing (this is profoundly difficult if you are accustomed to being `a healer` or fixer or savior).

4) Join with Jesus an class="hi2">anan>d feel his presence an class="hi2">anan>d stan class="hi2">anan>d with him in your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d stay there. Don't be separate. Stan class="hi2">anan>d alongside him an class="hi2">anan>d in his power an class="hi2">anan>d strength.

5) Now you can class="hi2">anan> say words directly specifically at the problem, COMMan class="hi2">ANan>DING them to leave an class="hi2">anan>d never return, in Jesus's name (or words to this effect, ie within/using/extending Jesus's power)

6) e.g. "In Jesus's name (in my belief that Jesus can class="hi2">anan> heal this FOR me), I comman class="hi2">anan>d you pain to leave this body right now an class="hi2">anan>d do not return. (Notice if you start doubting an class="hi2">anan>d try looking for results or checking for chan class="hi2">anan>ges or claiming credit for what's happening - this is all ego interference). (Notice also if you start believing YOU have to summon amazing amounts of magical power yourself in order to force the thing to leave... no force necessary whatsoever, you have to LET JESUS DO IT).

7) Notice if you are trying to force it or are trying to use `your own` power or strength or aggression to make the thing go away... that doesn't work. It's interference by the ego. You don't even need to ask in a forceful way. IF I can class="hi2">anan> get myself out of the way then when I say the words it seems like I am barely saying an class="hi2">anan>ything, like reciting something without an class="hi2">anan>y intensity - because I'm letting Jesus have the power

8) If this does not work... an class="hi2">anan>d often it does nothing to begin with... do it again. Do it a few times. For me, after about 3 or 4 times, I felt my han class="hi2">anan>d begin to vibrate an class="hi2">anan>d 'energize' an class="hi2">anan>d for there to be a presence in my back area an class="hi2">anan>d a sensation of buzzing or something happening.

9) Keep doing it because each time you are clear an class="hi2">anan>d pure about Jesus doing the healing it opens up your mind more an class="hi2">anan>d strengthens the connection - sometimes you have lots of clouds of ego to get past an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> take some determination/repetition to make your point clear enough an class="hi2">anan>d to extend enough 'authority' an class="hi2">anan>d certainty to comman class="hi2">anan>d the 'dream' to chan class="hi2">anan>ge.

10) Hopefully if you did this well you will see some results. It takes practice.

For me, I was surprised that after 4 or 5 rounds (patiently applied) .. the pain in my back an class="hi2">anan>d shoulder had SIGNIFICan class="hi2">ANan>TLY subsided, probably like 60-70% improved. It left me smiling. It left me surprised an class="hi2">anan>d a bit amazed that it actually felt a lot better. Than class="hi2">anan>k you Jesus! Hallelujah, or something.

I don't see that this is hard to do, but getting your ego out of the way can class="hi2">anan> seem difficult. Jesus/Holy Spirit are the healers (God is). Its a matter of getting out of the way, trusting, believing in their power, putting aside fear, joining in their authority an class="hi2">anan>d extending their truth.

"Sickness is a defense against the truth." - ACIM

Truth is divine perfect health. Truth is love. Truth is God.

When there is an class="hi2">anan> unforgiving attitude, it produces sickness because it is an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself.

Sickness isn't a "thing". It doesn't have its own identity. It isn't a real thing. It's just a word for what it seems to look like when you are partly disconnected from or in denial of eternal life.

It is completely reversible because it is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. We simply need to return to a forgiving attitude by forgiving an class="hi2">anan>d undoing our unforgiving attitude.

Sickness must go. It does not have a power of its own. It is not a cause. It is only an class="hi2">anan> effect, a side-effect of temporarily denying who you are.

It has no staying-power or causality. Sickness does not cause further sickness. Problems in the body do not cause sickness. Problems in the environment does not cause sickness. an class="hi2">Anan>d sickness does not spread or increase on its own.

Sickness can class="hi2">anan> only be an class="hi2">anan> effect, or symptom. All notions of sickness being a 'thing' in its own right, that someone "has" a specific sickness, as though that sickness is a 'thing' that happens to them distinct from other things, that's not true.

an class="hi2">Anan>d people don't "get sick" or "become sick". People choose not to be divinely healthy on some level.

Since sickness only seems to appear as an class="hi2">anan> illusion when we are in denial of the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d since when we are not in denial of the truth sickness can class="hi2">anan>not exist, sickness does not really exist.

There is no "real sickness". Nobody is "really sick". They are experiencing illusions of sickness.

Sickness is nothing.

Sickness is not even the issue. It is just a symptoms of what it looks like when we defend against truth, which is a defense against ourselves, which is a self-attack. If we stop doing that, we will stop seeming to exhibit signs of sickness.

Only the truth is true.

ACIM: "The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end." (clarification of terms, chapter 5, paragraph 1).

Other religions that teach that the physical world is nothing but a dream/illusion...

1. Hinduism (Advaita Vedan class="hi2">anan>ta)

Concept: Maya (illusion) – The material world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion created by ignoran class="hi2">anan>ce (avidya), an class="hi2">anan>d ultimate reality (Brahman class="hi2">anan>) is formless an class="hi2">anan>d unchan class="hi2">anan>ging.

Teachings: The Upan class="hi2">anan>ishads an class="hi2">anan>d Adi Shan class="hi2">anan>karacharya’s Advaita Vedan class="hi2">anan>ta philosophy teach that individual identity (atman class="hi2">anan>) is identical to Brahman class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d the world of appearan class="hi2">anan>ces is like a dream. Only through knowledge (jnan class="hi2">anan>a) can class="hi2">anan> one realize this truth.

2. Buddhism

Concept: Śūnyatā (emptiness) & Māyā (illusion) – All phenomena lack intrinsic reality an class="hi2">anan>d are conditioned, much like dreams.

Teachings: The Buddha compared the world to an class="hi2">anan> illusion, a mirage, an class="hi2">anan>d a dream in texts like the Diamond Sutra. The Madhyamaka school (founded by Nagarjuna) an class="hi2">anan>d Yogacara school (which emphasizes "mind-only" reality) both argue that what we perceive as reality is shaped by mental constructs.

3. Platonism & Neoplatonism

Concept: The Cave Allegory – The material world is a shadow of a higher, true reality.

Teachings: Plato described the sensory world as mere reflections of the eternal Forms. Neoplatonists like Plotinus argued that the material world eman class="hi2">anan>ates from the One an class="hi2">anan>d is a lesser, dreamlike version of true reality.

4. Gnosticism

Concept: The material world is a deceptive prison created by an class="hi2">anan> ignoran class="hi2">anan>t or malevolent demiurge.

Teachings: Gnostic texts (like The Gospel of Thomas an class="hi2">anan>d The Apocryphon of John) describe the world as an class="hi2">anan> illusion that traps the soul. True knowledge (gnosis) allows one to awaken from this illusion an class="hi2">anan>d return to the divine.

5. Taoism

Concept: The relativity of perception an class="hi2">anan>d the dream-like nature of experience.

Teachings: Zhuan class="hi2">anan>gzi’s famous parable of the butterfly dream questions whether reality is absolute or a shifting illusion. Taoism often portrays distinctions between waking an class="hi2">anan>d dreaming as fluid. 6. Sufism (Islamic Mysticism)

Concept: The world as a shadow or veil obscuring divine reality.

Teachings: Rumi an class="hi2">anan>d Ibn Arabi describe the world as an class="hi2">anan> ephemeral illusion, with God (Al-Haqq, "the Real") being the only true existence. Sufi thought emphasizes awakening from worldly distractions to experience divine unity.

7. Christian class="hi2">anan> Mysticism & Idealism

Concept: The world as a temporary illusion compared to eternal divine truth.

Teachings: Some Christian class="hi2">anan> mystics, such as Meister Eckhart an class="hi2">anan>d Jakob Böhme, emphasized that the physical world is fleeting an class="hi2">anan>d that true reality is found in union with God. Later, philosophers like George Berkeley argued that reality exists only as ideas in the mind of God. 8. Sikhism

Concept: Maya (illusion) – The world is tran class="hi2">anan>sitory an class="hi2">anan>d deceptive, keeping people from realizing God.

Teachings: Sikh scriptures, including the Guru Gran class="hi2">anan>th Sahib, emphasize that attachment to worldly things is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. True reality is found in devotion to God an class="hi2">anan>d spiritual awakening.

9. Hermeticism

Concept: The material world is a lower reflection of the divine mind. Teachings: The Kybalion an class="hi2">anan>d other Hermetic texts describe reality as mental in nature ("The All is Mind") an class="hi2">anan>d suggest that the physical world is a projection of higher consciousness.

10. Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism)

Concept: The material world is a lower, imperfect man class="hi2">anan>ifestation of divine reality.

Teachings: In the Zohar, the world is described as a series of eman class="hi2">anan>ations from the Ein Sof (Infinite). The material realm is an class="hi2">anan> illusion in the sense that it veils the deeper truth of divine unity.

11. Rosicrucian class="hi2">anan>ism

Concept: The physical world is a veil hiding spiritual truths. Teachings: Rosicrucian class="hi2">anan> teachings, influenced by Hermeticism an class="hi2">anan>d Gnosticism, describe reality as a temporary, symbolic projection mean class="hi2">anan>t to teach spiritual lessons.

12. Man class="hi2">anan>ichaeism

Concept: The material world is a trap created by a lesser, evil power.

Teachings: This an class="hi2">anan>cient dualistic religion, founded by Man class="hi2">anan>i, teaches that the physical world is a deception created by darkness, while the true realm of light exists beyond it.

13. Jainism

Concept: The material world is imperman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d a source of bondage.

Teachings: Jainism teaches that the soul is trapped in illusion an class="hi2">anan>d karma. Liberation (moksha) is achieved by tran class="hi2">anan>scending attachments to the physical world.

14. Some Indigenous an class="hi2">anan>d Shaman class="hi2">anan>ic Traditions

Concept: Reality is fluid, dreamlike, an class="hi2">anan>d shaped by spiritual forces. Teachings: Man class="hi2">anan>y indigenous traditions, such as those in Native American class="hi2">anan>, Aboriginal Australian class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d Amazonian class="hi2">anan> cultures, describe reality as a dream, a shifting lan class="hi2">anan>dscape influenced by spirits, an class="hi2">anan>cestors, or cosmic forces.

15. Pythagorean class="hi2">anan>ism

Concept: The world is a mathematical illusion.

Teachings: Pythagoras an class="hi2">anan>d his followers believed that reality was structured by numbers an class="hi2">anan>d harmony, with the material world being a lesser, imperfect reflection of the perfect, mathematical order.

16. Theosophy

Concept: The physical world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion created by spiritual ignoran class="hi2">anan>ce.

Teachings: Helena Blavatsky an class="hi2">anan>d later Theosophists describe the world as maya, emphasizing that true knowledge comes through spiritual enlightenment an class="hi2">anan>d connection to the higher plan class="hi2">anan>es.

17. Catharism (12th–14th Century, Medieval Europe)

Beliefs: The Cathars, a dualist Christian class="hi2">anan> sect, saw the physical world as an class="hi2">anan> evil illusion created by Satan class="hi2">anan>. They believed that the true, divine world was purely spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d human class="hi2">anan> souls had to escape material existence to reunite with God.

18. Eastern Orthodox Hesychasm (Byzan class="hi2">anan>tine Christian class="hi2">anan>ity)

Beliefs: Some interpretations of Hesychasm (a mystical tradition within Eastern Orthodoxy) suggest that the material world is not truly real compared to the divine presence of God, which can class="hi2">anan> only be known through inner contemplation an class="hi2">anan>d prayer.

19. Christian class="hi2">anan> Science (Founded in 19th Century)

Beliefs: Founded by Mary Baker Eddy, Christian class="hi2">anan> Science teaches that the material world, including sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. True reality is purely spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d healing comes through understan class="hi2">anan>ding this truth.

20. Some New Age an class="hi2">anan>d Esoteric Christian class="hi2">anan> Movements

Some modern Christian class="hi2">anan> esoteric groups, influenced by Theosophy or the New Thought movement, teach that the material world is a mental construct or illusion, similar to Hindu maya.

Believing that you sinned, is an class="hi2">anan> attack against YOU, not an class="hi2">anan> attack on whom or whatever you think you sinned against. The sin is against yourself, directed inward. It has no power over God.

Believing you are guilty for that sin is an class="hi2">anan> attack on YOU, not a guilt imposed by whoever you thought you sinned against or how they would judge you, but by your own self against yourself. God does not find you guilty.

Believing in fear because of your guilt is also an class="hi2">anan> attack on YOU, by yourself, not a fear induced by who you sinned against, or because they will retaliate, but a fear that you will deserve your own punishment because of the guilt that you believe you deserve. God is not making you afraid.

Believing in punishment because of your fear is once again an class="hi2">anan> attack on YOU, by yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan> attack coming at you from an class="hi2">anan>yone else for an class="hi2">anan>y reason. It is your way to pretend to use others as ways to punish yourself, all the while pretending that you are not the one doing an class="hi2">anan>y of it. You are afraid of YOU an class="hi2">anan>d your self punishment. God has no desire to punish you an class="hi2">anan>d you're doing such a good job of doing it to yourself that He doesn't need to.

You sin against you. You make yourself guilty. You are afraid of yourself. You punish yourself. That's how it goes.

Nowhere in this equation is an class="hi2">anan>yone else involved in an class="hi2">anan>y direct causal way without your consent whatsoever. Nobody. Because there is only you, doing this to yourself.

Why are you doing this to yourself?

Hmm?

Are you done with self attack yet, or the fake story that it's everyone else who is against you? The only one against you is you, as your own enemy.

What if you were to stop attacking yourself? What if you decided you are forgiven? What if you realized an class="hi2">anan>d recognized that you DID NOT SIN? That your sin did nothing to an class="hi2">anan>yone but yourself? That nobody else separate from you was sinned against, caused guilt, induced fear, or dealt out punishment. What if there is only you an class="hi2">anan>d your war with yourself?

The war with yourself can class="hi2">anan>not be 'won', because then you lose.

Is it time for peace?

The secret to salvation is this... that you are but doing this to yourself!

The ego only comes about when there is an class="hi2">anan> emphasis of DIFFERENCES between an class="hi2">anan>y two things.

If two holy beings are relating to each other, recognizing their equality, there is no egotism involved. Their equality makes it impossible for them to be different or to have different interests or for different rules to apply to each.

Without differences there can class="hi2">anan>not be a difference of opinion, therefore there can class="hi2">anan>not be conflict. Without conflict there is no ego. The ego is made of illusory differences or the idea of inequality. When there is equality there is no ego.

Therefore, recognize that "having an class="hi2">anan> ego" does NOT necessarily equate with "having a self", nor does it equate with "being an class="hi2">anan> individual".

The only way in which a self could turn into an class="hi2">anan> ego is if that self is DIFFERENT to other selves in some way - a different appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, a different opinion, a different form, a different nature, a different interest etc.

The only way that individuality turns into ego is when a person attempts to DIFFERENTIATE their individuality from others by trying to make their self SPECIAL. Jesus says that the separation (creation of ego) occurred only when we sought "special favor". We already had our own self an class="hi2">anan>d individuality BEFORE we tried to be "better than class="hi2">anan>" or "different to" others. Before that, we were equals with all of God’s Children - our "brothers" in Heaven.

Ego is NOT the idea of "being separate", as in, there being man class="hi2">anan>y individuals. The only way that individuals become separate in an class="hi2">anan> egotistical way, is when they aim to be SPECIAL an class="hi2">anan>d thus in COMPETITION with others. That is egocentric, because the individual is then seeking special exclusive treatment that they would deny to others.

This also ties into "what is not love is murder", in which when one thing applies to one person that does not apply to an class="hi2">anan>other, cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are separate an class="hi2">anan>d it seems you can class="hi2">anan> escape the consequences of trying to attack a brother - thus getting away with murder. What is the opposite? The opposite is not to have NO brothers, it is to treat your brother as an class="hi2">anan> EQUAL. LOVE, therefore, recognizes EQUALITY. Love does not have to mean class="hi2">anan> "one self", when those selves are cooperating lovingly.

The same is true of free will, which each Child of God is gran class="hi2">anan>ted. You would think that if everyone had free will there would be ego chaos. Not necessarily. If everyone wills IN THE SAME WAY or with the same GOAL, there is no disagreement an class="hi2">anan>d therefore no ego. When all wills are "united" or "in accord" with God’s Will, there is HARMONY.

Harmonious, ego-free relationships arise from mutual recognition of holiness an class="hi2">anan>d equality. Therefore every child can class="hi2">anan> have their own free will an class="hi2">anan>d be co-creators, provided they are always desiring to share joy an class="hi2">anan>d love. When their interests are not different, there is no war, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no ego.

We need to be careful to recognize then that EGOTISM mean class="hi2">anan>s SELFISHNESS, an class="hi2">anan>d being selfish isn’t inherent to you having a SELF - it’s just a bad attitude. Selfishness mean class="hi2">anan>s self-interest or in some way believing that something applies to you which others should not be a part of. It is a lack of SHARING or willingness to be equal an class="hi2">anan>d share everything with others. When there IS a willingness to share everything equally, there can class="hi2">anan> STILL be selves, but now these selves are holy an class="hi2">anan>d innocent.

The idea therefore that ego mean class="hi2">anan>s "an class="hi2">anan>y kind of separation" is not true! It’s okay for Man class="hi2">ANan>Y BEINGS to be LOVING. For brothers to be loving, equal, identical an class="hi2">anan>d to share everything. The fact that brothers are getting along in a NOT-SELFISH way, lacking ego, does not mean class="hi2">anan> they have to stop being separate beings. You getting along with your neighbor doesn’t entail you having to destroy them.

Jesus says that the ego entails selfishness, while the SOUL entails SELF-FULLNESS. If you think about it, when you are being selfish you actually WITHDRAW part of yourself from sharing with your brothers. Therefore you are no longer being the fullness of yourself. To be ego is to be NOT YOURSELF. It is a withdrawal of yourself from your brother an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt ISOLATE so that you stop SHARING. Egotism is simply lack of sharing, not being a "separate being". When you isolate yourself you become UNNATURALLY SEPARATE, but your inherent "self" which is "separate" from other selves is NOT unnatural.

Although it looks like being self-oriented, ego is actually the ABSENCE OF SELF, because self is naturally open an class="hi2">anan>d sharing. Ego is confinement, imprisonment, limitation, lack an class="hi2">anan>d a loss of identity. This is why being in the ego ends in death of the self. Self denial, self attack, self abuse an class="hi2">anan>d self sabotage are attempts to UNDO the Holy Self that God created you as. Death is a denial that you are a free-willed individual who lives forever.

Becoming "more ego" does not make you MORE SELF, it makes you less self. an class="hi2">Anan>d the more you TRY to emphasize your "self" the more you LOSE IT. This is also why waking up mean class="hi2">anan>s returning TO BEING YOURSELF, an class="hi2">anan>d is NOT a loss of self but a GAINING of self. It is only the LACK of yourself that disappears!

Being FULL of self is the opposite of being "full of yourself". Being full of yourself really mean class="hi2">anan>s PRETENDING to be someone you are not. It is a lack of authenticity. Being your authentic SELF mean class="hi2">anan>s being the Child of God that God created. "I am still as God created ME" mean class="hi2">anan>s you are still the holy child which God created as ONE of his holy children.

Egotism or having an class="hi2">anan> ego does not mean class="hi2">anan> having a self or being an class="hi2">anan> individual. It mean class="hi2">anan>s HIDING YOUR SELF behind a facade of lies. You DO exist. You have a Holy Self with your own Holy Mind. There is nothing WRONG with that. It is not ego to say that God created man class="hi2">anan>y children. Ego does not equate with all forms of separation! It’s OKAY for God to have created "separate beings", provided those beings are loving, equal, an class="hi2">anan>d have no egotism or specialness. It’s only when they COMPETE that there is a separation problem.

"God, who encompasses all being, nevertheless created separate beings who have everything individually an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to share tit to increase their joy."

That is a recipe for harmony, happiness, joy an class="hi2">anan>d peace. There is no ego in that. God creating a Kingdom with man class="hi2">anan>y things in it, doesn’t mean class="hi2">anan> there is an class="hi2">anan>y EGO in it. It’s okay for WHAT IS REAL to be a living world filled with light beings who love each other equally. Being one of man class="hi2">anan>y children of God does not man class="hi2">anan> that you are fundamentally in competition with or attacking other children of God. Love brings order to God’s divine creaion.

Fear is really resistan class="hi2">anan>ce to what is. It's an class="hi2">anan> attack on what is. It's a desire to make what is go away. It's the feeling you have when you a refusing to receive something. Per the golden rule, giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving are one. If you refuse to receive, you also refuse to give.

Not giving is hateful an class="hi2">anan>d separating an class="hi2">anan>d selfish. Fear becomes a repression of self an class="hi2">anan>d others, a murderous attempt to destroy. Fear is a desire to separate an class="hi2">anan>d hold back an class="hi2">anan>d hold extension within an class="hi2">anan>d not extend God. It's what it feels like to wan class="hi2">anan>t to not give an class="hi2">anan>ything, in order to try to not get an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d it results in a sense of emptiness an class="hi2">anan>d lack an class="hi2">anan>d weakness an class="hi2">anan>d frailty, of vulnerability an class="hi2">anan>d limitation an class="hi2">anan>d eventually paralysis. As if you have nothing left to stan class="hi2">anan>d up to an class="hi2">anan>ything with an class="hi2">anan>d are overpowered (by your projected power).

Fear is the opposite of love because it is what you get when you try to deny the golden rule. If you are not willing to give, you will get a lack of love back, an class="hi2">anan>d it will appear as dan class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d threat an class="hi2">anan>d something you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t. By giving "I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to", you receive things that you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d they seem to loom over you as something you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d the more you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t them the worse it gets.

Fear is the ego's problem solving solution, the way by which it says you are "protected" from what you're getting. But really it's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to be protected from receiving God. Fear is a defence against God an class="hi2">anan>d against love. It is an class="hi2">anan> attack on love an class="hi2">anan>d is vicious an class="hi2">anan>d victimising, which is why it also appears like a victim role. Giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving are one. If you give victimisation you get victimisation. Ego is really a fearful idea an class="hi2">anan>d is very afraid.

The an class="hi2">anan>tidote to fear is always through trust development an class="hi2">anan>d giving love. Love has to be extended in order to be received. Its safety comes to you as you give it away. In the extension of love there is no fear because you are only giving love an class="hi2">anan>d so are only receiving love. It is the way out of hell.

Resisting what-is represses your being an class="hi2">anan>d your presence. Resistan class="hi2">anan>ce is fear an class="hi2">anan>d what you resist persists, because what you give you receive. When you stop resisting what happens you are saying "yes" to it rather than class="hi2">anan> "no". This yes embraces it with full attention an class="hi2">anan>d presence, which actually counter-intuitively makes you feel stronger an class="hi2">anan>d more safe. It's how you shine your light, an class="hi2">anan>d that light dispels darkness, makes fear go away, an class="hi2">anan>d heals.

Stran class="hi2">anan>gely enough, what you are afraid of you are not really letting happen. It's the resistan class="hi2">anan>ce to it that makes it difficult to deal with. an class="hi2">Anan>d it would seem insan class="hi2">anan>e to fully embrace it, because the ego would suggest if you do that you will get more of it an class="hi2">anan>d will be consumed by it - why would an class="hi2">anan>yone in their right mind wan class="hi2">anan>t to go towards the thing they are fearing?

But when you confront it head-on without resisting it an class="hi2">anan>d just sit with it an class="hi2">anan>d watch it, radiating your fuller presence toward it, it becomes tran class="hi2">anan>smuted into love. Because then you are giving love an class="hi2">anan>d seeing from love. The thing you are confronting then starts to disappear an class="hi2">anan>d is shone away, healed away, by the presence of your mind an class="hi2">anan>d the extension of power. Dropping resistan class="hi2">anan>ce increases exposure an class="hi2">anan>d darkness can class="hi2">anan>not remain in the light.

Jesus suggested to me that some form of meditation might help me to find some 'clarity an class="hi2">anan>d hope'. His instruction was to relax.

So the past couple of mornings I've done a very simple, easy meditation which completely quiets the mind very quickly with no effort. In fact I don't even focus on trying to quiet the mind, it was an class="hi2">anan> unexpected side effect.

The 'meditation' is simply to lay down an class="hi2">anan>d thoroughly relax the body. That's all. The only part my mind plays is to constan class="hi2">anan>tly focus on relaxing, letting tensions ease, noticing an class="hi2">anan>y muscle tightness, sinking down into the bed, letting the fascial muscles relax, the shoulders sink down, etc. My goal is a 'feeling' I get when the body is really deeply relaxed.

As I focus constan class="hi2">anan>tly on relaxing as much as possible, very unexpectedly, no thoughts happen. I don't even need to try to stop an class="hi2">anan>y thoughts, there just aren't an class="hi2">anan>y. My mind is fully focused on getting the body to relax physically.

As the body relaxes physically, when it truly is relaxed, you get this sensation of physical stillness. Breathing is still happening. I pay no attention to trying to control the breath. The breath automatically slows down an class="hi2">anan>d becomes smaller as a side-effect of focusing on relaxing. There is no breath control needed.

After a time, maybe 10-15 minutes, I find that I need to be extra soft, gentle, an class="hi2">anan>d subtle, in terms of my attention to keeping things relaxed, because the sensation of relaxation is quite easily disturbed or stirred up. This focus on calmness an class="hi2">anan>d minimal interference an class="hi2">anan>d letting go, seems to tune the mind an class="hi2">anan>d keeps all thoughts silent. Probably also the focus on the whole body relaxing at once is a 'big enough' target that the mind has no attention left to create thoughts. The goal is simply the sensation you get when the body is completely relaxed all over, which is a feeling of being very settled, still, calm, almost like levitating.

As I do this I generally find myself falling asleep as well, it's a good way to get to sleep. I'm not bothered by that. What I did find this second time is that toward the end, I had a sudden unexpected moment of 'awareness', in which I became more aware an class="hi2">anan>d it seemed as though that was accompan class="hi2">anan>ied by an class="hi2">anan> even further 'stilling' of the mind, beyond what I thought was possible. It felt like a clarifying, a sharpening, an class="hi2">anan>d a clearing. It wasn't like enlightenment or an class="hi2">anan>ything but it was a definite sudden burst of awareness.

The main thing I am getting from the meditation, besides feeling very relaxed, which also has the side-effect of helping to tune out of other people's energies that I've empathed an class="hi2">anan>d I 'come back to myself', is that it gives me a subtler clarity about certain situations in life, an class="hi2">anan>d also about the activities of my mind, what my thoughts are doing, etc. It shines a light on things an class="hi2">anan>d shows me a greater truth somehow, things I didn't realize I was doing. I didn't realize how much mind-chatter I have, normally, contrasted by absolutely no thoughts during this exercise.

I'm most surprised that thoughts stop completely when doing this. I know that focusing the mind can class="hi2">anan> do that - focusing on a breath or a man class="hi2">anan>tra or word or single idea or whatever... but when I do those things, my mind is still noisy an class="hi2">anan>d doesn't shut up all the way, an class="hi2">anan>d after a while it starts to go into deeper daydreams an class="hi2">anan>d stuff. Doing this body relaxation exercise I get absolutely no thoughts of an class="hi2">anan>y kind the whole time, provided I keep my focus on being as gentle an class="hi2">anan>d subtly relaxed as possible. It makes me wonder what this connection is between agitation in the body an class="hi2">anan>d agitation in the mind. But probably it's that I'm getting my mind to focus on calmness, quietness, stillness, being settled, an class="hi2">anan>d the body is sort of a 'prop' for the mind to use to achieve that, through focusing on its relaxation. Tying the mind an class="hi2">anan>d body together perhaps, so that the mind relaxes with the body.

Of course, meditations also produce emotional releases afterwards.

"Healing is when two minds recognize their oneness an class="hi2">anan>d become glad."

Years ago I used to hate a person. I thought this person was the cause of everyone's problems. I was secretly an class="hi2">anan>d passively an class="hi2">anan>gry at them, not communicating with them, unwilling to forgive them, feeling very hurt by them, an class="hi2">anan>noyed by everything they did an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting nothing to do with them. I had built up a considerable case against them an class="hi2">anan>d attempted to get others on board to agree with me. It really seemed to me that this person was the reason why I was suffering an class="hi2">anan>d unhappy, why I was imprisoned, why I was always at war with them an class="hi2">anan>d why I did not feel loved by them. It was ALL their fault.

For man class="hi2">anan>y years this went on. I wan class="hi2">anan>ted to put as much distan class="hi2">anan>ce between myself an class="hi2">anan>d them as possible. I didn't wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with them. I even moved to live in an class="hi2">anan>other place to get away from them. I was quite sure they were the enemy an class="hi2">anan>d I did man class="hi2">anan>y things to emphasize the separation between us. I wan class="hi2">anan>ted to be not associated with them (disassociated) an class="hi2">anan>d pushed them away, did not allow us to have a relationship, an class="hi2">anan>d despised them. That is, until one day when it all chan class="hi2">anan>ged.

A moment happened where, in their presence an class="hi2">anan>d in the midst of secretly wan class="hi2">anan>ting not to be around them, accusing them of sin, all of a sudden this idea came into my mind. It was a shocking idea, but it was unavoidably obvious. Somehow, this person was me. Somehow, that person, in that separate body, was in some way one with me. I, myself, was "over there", behind the wall of hatred, behind their physical form, inside them. I had a kind of oneness experience for a moment. an class="hi2">Anan>d the "target" that I always thought was "that person", suddenly was revealed to be ME.

This experience was so completely opposite to everything I had thought an class="hi2">anan>d felt about this person. I literally was shocked to suddenly have this experience that while I had made every effort to disassociate from "them" an class="hi2">anan>d build a gap between us, *I* was somehow on the other side of that gap an class="hi2">anan>d therefore everything I felt towards them, I was ALSO feeling towards myself. This wasn't a pleasan class="hi2">anan>t realization. But at the same time it was very powerful.

It was like dropping a drop of liquid detergent into greasy water. This truth had dropped in an class="hi2">anan>d shown me how terribly mistaken I'd been, what I'd been doing to myself, an class="hi2">anan>d that I couldn't continue to hate this person because doing so was hating myself. If we were one, if I was in them, if I myself was on the other side of that wall, then this whole entire thing wasn't "exclusively" about them, it was about me. Some part of my own self or mind was attacking itself with a vengean class="hi2">anan>ce.

This was a major turning point in the relationship. It totally turned it on its head, but gradually. Not merely in the relationship to that person but also the relationship with myself. I began class="hi2">anan> to heal an class="hi2">anan>d to start to realize, at even an class="hi2">anan> emotional level, as I catharted old pains an class="hi2">anan>d misperceptions an class="hi2">anan>d false beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d grievan class="hi2">anan>ces, that I wasn't REALLY an class="hi2">anan>gry with that person, it was actually in fact directed towards myself. It was me that I hated an class="hi2">anan>d it was that which I had to heal. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything I'd believed "they did to me" had to be forgiven.

The more I allowed myself to heal an class="hi2">anan>d release that, the less it appeared to be an class="hi2">anan>ything to really do with that person at all. It far more obviously was a split in my own mind an class="hi2">anan>d my own attack upon myself, which I had vehemently projected onto this person. The more I projected, using hate to increase the separation, the less it SEEMED to be an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with myself. It was all about them. I as I healed, so too did my view of this person. As I undid my own self attack, the impression of offense, victimhood, enemies an class="hi2">anan>d projective blame, I stopped being so triggered by this person or believing it was about them at all. My attention turned within to the enemy I'd made of myself.

Over time, my relationship to that person has improved profoundly. Almost all of the blame an class="hi2">anan>d scapegoating has stopped. The huge stockpile of pain has melted. an class="hi2">Anan>imosity an class="hi2">anan>d inequality has turned to equality an class="hi2">anan>d friendliness. It seems like nothing happened. The specialness has dissolved. I can class="hi2">anan> talk to them more honestly, openly an class="hi2">anan>d deeply. There is communication. There is forgiveness. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's given way to a more mature way of relating. This is all than class="hi2">anan>ks to the undoing of the separation in my mind an class="hi2">anan>d the willingness to take an class="hi2">anan> honest look at what I am doing to myself.

an class="hi2">Anan>cient hatred. Present love.

It is clear from what Jesus says, an class="hi2">anan>d metaphysically, that physical matter, space an class="hi2">anan>d time are entirely illusions, made to oppose reality. The term physical always refers to literally PHYSICAL objects. Matter, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, galaxies, an class="hi2">anan>imals, trees, flesh an class="hi2">anan>d bones, brains an class="hi2">anan>d so on.

"Temptation has one lesson it would teach, in all its forms, wherever it occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die, unable to escape its frailty, an class="hi2">anan>d bound by what it orders him to feel. It sets the limits on what he can class="hi2">anan> do; its power is the only strength he has; his grasp can class="hi2">anan>not exceed its tiny reach."

"Children are born into it through pain an class="hi2">anan>d in pain. Their growth is attended by suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d they learn of sorrow an class="hi2">anan>d separation an class="hi2">anan>d death. Their minds are trapped in their brain, an class="hi2">anan>d its power declines if their bodies are hurt. They seem to love, yet they desert, an class="hi2">anan>d are deserted. They appear to lose what they love, perhaps the most insan class="hi2">anan>e belief of all. an class="hi2">Anan>d their bodies wither an class="hi2">anan>d gasp an class="hi2">anan>d are laid in the ground, an class="hi2">anan>d seem to be no more. Not one of them but has thought that God is cruel." ... "If this were the real world, God WOULD be cruel. For no father could subject his children to this as the price of salvation, an class="hi2">anan>d be loving."

Some people do not like this definition that PHYSICAL MEan class="hi2">ANan>S LITERALLY PHYSICAL, because they think that the ACTUALLY physical is somehow God's creation that we're misperceiving. an class="hi2">Anan>d to justify this they'll come up with ingenious forms of denial to try to frame the term "physical" as mean class="hi2">anan>ing ... an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING BUT physical. This is a TOTAL reversal of what physical mean class="hi2">anan>s. When Jesus says physical he mean class="hi2">anan>s physical. When he says Earth he mean class="hi2">anan>s plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth's physical matter. When he says body he mean class="hi2">anan>s the physical flesh an class="hi2">anan>d bones body.

It's fairly obvious when such a huge modification to the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of words is happening, that it's going way outside of what Jesus ever intended it to mean class="hi2">anan>. To claim that "physical body" is not referring to your actual flesh an class="hi2">anan>d bones physical body but some kind of esoteric mental identification, is a major form of denial. Body identification mean class="hi2">anan>s identifying WITH the physical, not that the body itself is a mental construct. Or that the "body's eyes" is some kind of "false mind eyeballs" that doesn't refer to the actual PHYSICAL eyeballs an class="hi2">anan>d their biological sight.

Yes in some way the physical is just thought an class="hi2">anan>d dream an class="hi2">anan>d illusion an class="hi2">anan>d is in the mind, but this can class="hi2">anan>'t be used to ever frame them as being truly spiritual, holy, perfect, or perman class="hi2">anan>ent. Physicality entirely depends on space an class="hi2">anan>d time, to keep the atoms separated an class="hi2">anan>d prevent a massive nuclear explosion. Without the illusion of space, matter is not possible an class="hi2">anan>d all physicality can class="hi2">anan>not seem to exist at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d space itself is nothing but a belief.

That which is physical is FALSE PERCEPTION. "The world is false perception". It is the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin. "The world of bodies is the world of sin". It is the veil which covers over reality an class="hi2">anan>d the face of christ. It is the gap of separation which splits the mind an class="hi2">anan>d comes between you an class="hi2">anan>d your NON-physical brothers. Nothing physical is real. Everything physical is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d the physical flesh an class="hi2">anan>d bones body can class="hi2">anan> only see the physical world, not reality.

If physical matter is TRUE, an class="hi2">anan>d is REAL, then physical matter HAS TO BE GOD. an class="hi2">Anan>d this mean class="hi2">anan>s God HAS TO be decay an class="hi2">anan>d torture an class="hi2">anan>d scarcity an class="hi2">anan>d limitation an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. This simply does not fly. The physical Earth is nothing like God. "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way."

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time. The concept is really one of space-time BELIEF. The physical world exists only because man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> use it to correct his UNBELIEF, which placed him in it originally. As long as man class="hi2">anan> KNEW he did not need an class="hi2">anan>ything, the whole device was unnecessary. "

"Attack is ALWAYS physical. When attack in an class="hi2">ANan>Y form enters your mind, you are EQUATING YOURSELF WITH A BODY. "

"When you look upon a brother as a physical entity, his power an class="hi2">anan>d glory are lost to you an class="hi2">anan>d SO ARE YOURS."

"Thought can class="hi2">anan>not be MADE into flesh except by belief, because thought is not physical."

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not create, an class="hi2">anan>d the belief that it Can class="hi2">ANan>, a fundamental error responsible for most of the fallacies already referred to, produces all physical symptoms."

"All physical illness represents a belief in magic. The whole distortion which created magic rested on the belief that there is a creative ability in matter, which can class="hi2">anan> control the mind."

"Physical medicines are a form of "spells.""

"Corrective learning always begins with awakening the spiritual eye, an class="hi2">anan>d turning away from belief in physical sight."

"What the physical eye sees is not corrective, nor can class="hi2">anan> it be corrected by an class="hi2">anan>y device which can class="hi2">anan> be physically seen. As long as a man class="hi2">anan> believes in what his physical sight tells him, all his corrective behavior will be misdirected."

"Power, fame, money, physical pleasure; who is the "hero" to whom all these things belong? Could they mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything except to a body?""Like all expressions of love, which are ALWAYS miraculous in the true sense, the exchan class="hi2">anan>ge reverses the physical laws."

"A miracle is a reversal of the physical order because it brings more love to the giver an class="hi2">ANan>D the receiver."

"This is the basic distinction between intellectualization an class="hi2">anan>d thinking. One creates the physical, an class="hi2">anan>d the other the spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d we believe in what we create."

"Man class="hi2">anan> believes that what he can class="hi2">anan>not see does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d his physical eyes can class="hi2">anan>not see in the dark."

"It frequently happens that an class="hi2">anan> individual asks for physical healing, because he is fearful OF BODILY HARM."

"However, at the same time, if he WERE healed physically, the threat to his thought-system would be considerably MORE fearful to him than class="hi2">anan> its physical EXPRESSION."

"The first involved the fallacy that only the physical is real.""The third involves the endowment of the physical with non-physical properties."

"All forms of sickness, even unto death, are physical expressions of the fear of awakening. They are attempts to reinforce UNCONSCIOUSNESS out of fear of CONSCIOUSNESS. This is a pathetic way of TRYING NOT TO KNOW by rendering the faculties for knowing ineffectual."

"His "birth trauma", an class="hi2">anan>other valid idea, was also too limited, in that it did not refer to the Separation, which was really a FALSE idea of birth. Physical birth is not a trauma in itself. It can class="hi2">anan>, however, remind the individual of the Separation, which was a very real cause of fear."

"The confusion of miracle impulses with physical impulses is a major perceptual distortion. Physical impulses are misdirected miracle impulses."

"You can class="hi2">anan> use your body best to help you enlarge your perception so you can class="hi2">anan> achieve real vision, of which the physical eye is incapable."

"The body is merely part of your experience in the physical world. Its abilities can class="hi2">anan> be an class="hi2">anan>d frequently are overevaluated.""The so-called "battle for survival" is only the ego's struggle to preserve itself, an class="hi2">anan>d its interpretation of its own beginning. This beginning is usually associated with physical birth, because it is hard to maintain that the ego existed before that point in time."

"The purpose of the world you see is to obscure your function of forgiveness, an class="hi2">anan>d provide you with a justification for forgetting it. It is the temptation to aban class="hi2">anan>don God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son by taking on a physical appearan class="hi2">anan>ce. It is this the body's eyes look upon."

"Attack is always physical. When attack in an class="hi2">anan>y form enters your mind you are equating yourself with a body, since this is the ego's interpretation of the body. You do not have to attack physically to accept this interpretation."

"If you are physical, your mind is gone from your self-concept, for it has no place in which it could be really part of you. If you are spirit, then the body must be mean class="hi2">anan>ingless to your reality."

"The body neither lives nor dies, because it can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who are life."

"God did not make the body, because it is destructible, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore not of the Kingdom."

"The body is the symbol of what you think you are. It is clearly a separation device, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist."

"The death of an class="hi2">anan> illusion mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing."

"A body can class="hi2">anan>not stay without illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d the last one to be overcome is death."

"What is understood as an class="hi2">anan> illusion must disappear."

When Jesus speaks about how the body can class="hi2">anan>not live or die, this doesn't necessarily mean class="hi2">anan> that the body han class="hi2">anan>gs around forever in some immortalized state, which is how some people interpret it.

When Jesus says that the body is recognized as an class="hi2">anan> illusion, He is talking from a very high place/level where He is completely outside of the illusion an class="hi2">anan>d has no illusions. From that van class="hi2">anan>tage point, He recognized that the body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion as much as the world is, like just an class="hi2">anan> image on a screen. The image can class="hi2">anan> appear to "look like" living, or "look like" death, but really AS an class="hi2">anan> image it can class="hi2">anan>not be either alive or dead, it is just an class="hi2">anan> image. That's what this mean class="hi2">anan>s.

Because the body is just an class="hi2">anan> image in the mind, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, which when recognized as an class="hi2">anan> illusion MUST disappear, within this context only can class="hi2">anan> it be properly understood that the body does not really have an class="hi2">anan>y 'life' an class="hi2">anan>d it also can class="hi2">anan>not really 'die'. But people take this an class="hi2">anan>d then pull their mind back into the context of "illusions are real, bodies exist", an class="hi2">anan>d interpret it to mean class="hi2">anan> the body will become perman class="hi2">anan>ent or something. Illusions can class="hi2">anan>not be perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

There is also a lot of belief that the body is going to be converted for use as a teaching device, learning device, or a communication device by Holy Spirit, an class="hi2">anan>d that therefore the 'ultimate state' of the relationship to the body will be that you go around using it as a Teacher of God to express Heaven on Earth. But.... you're not really going to be able to do that as the ultimate state of being, because as Jesus says, when an class="hi2">anan> illusion is fully recognized as nothing it must disappear. The body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d when recognized fully, ie when you are fully awakened as Christ, the body MUST disappear because the body is in the mind an class="hi2">anan>d made BY the mind, having no other cause.

The disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the body is the final 'exit' from the illusion of death, because once you can class="hi2">anan> see that body is NOTHING but an class="hi2">anan> image - an class="hi2">anan> illusion, a dream, a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy that you made up an class="hi2">anan>d used to believe in, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is not you whatsoever, it will be recognized as just an class="hi2">anan> illusion in your own mind which will disappear when that illusion disappears. Your mind will stop creating the body image, because the body image blocks awareness of the truth.

While you think the body has an class="hi2">anan>y validity at all or an class="hi2">anan>y reason to exist, you are believing in death. The body IS the idea of death an class="hi2">anan>d separation. It is a thought-form of separation. So while you keep it an class="hi2">anan>d exalt it an class="hi2">anan>d make it spiritually special, you are maintaining the illusion that God's son is destroyable, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore are keeping death, an class="hi2">anan>d death will seem to happen to the body in the dream.

So when Jesus says the body can class="hi2">anan>not die, he is talking way outside the context of the illusion where the body is recognized as nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>'t mix the levels, otherwise you're in "level confusion."

"I came to tell them that death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other since form itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion."

Let's say the body is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> 3D IMAGE which the mind is projecting outward to make "visible." Like a movie projector. The image is shining outward an class="hi2">anan>d only shows up while the mind is projecting it.

Now.

Is the image alive?

Would you feed an class="hi2">anan> image? Does it need water?

Would you try to protect an class="hi2">anan> image from the weather?

Would an class="hi2">anan> image be able to age or grow old or die?

Would you be able to attack an class="hi2">anan> image?

Could an class="hi2">anan> image become corrupted or broken or damaged?

Would an class="hi2">anan> image be subject to laws of physics like gravity?

Is there an class="hi2">anan>y causal power in all the universe that could do an class="hi2">anan>ything to chan class="hi2">anan>ge that image?

If it's just an class="hi2">anan> image, an class="hi2">anan>d if the mind is making it appear, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do can class="hi2">anan> affect the MIND ie you can class="hi2">anan>'t stop the movie projector from projecting, then surely the image of the body is absolutely unchan class="hi2">anan>geable if the mind decides that this be so? an class="hi2">Anan>d no matter what seems to happen, nothing affects the image because it only comes from the mind? Even if there's a nuclear explosion nearby, the next "frame" of the movie is simply projected in the next instan class="hi2">anan>t making the body seem totally unaffected?

The body is just an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is an class="hi2">anan> image being projected by the mind. It has no real purpose, substan class="hi2">anan>ce, reality, live, will, mind, causality, nothing. It's just an class="hi2">anan> image. A hologram.

The last time you watched a movie, for the second time, did you get a different movie? Did the movie "age" an class="hi2">anan>d become sick? Did the movie need feeding? Or did you see the exact same movie? Because the SOURCE of the movie did not chan class="hi2">anan>ge the OUTPUT, right?

If you do not attack the image with your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d you do not make the image BE an class="hi2">anan> image of sickness or death, is it possible for the image to be an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> what you choose to project?

When you believe or think that the image you are projecting IS WHO YOU ARE, that it is your identity, that is when you have moved into the ego an class="hi2">anan>d are now confused an class="hi2">anan>d lost. It is in this identification with the image that you lose sight of your true self, become deluded an class="hi2">anan>d self-deceiving, an class="hi2">anan>d don't realize that nothing can class="hi2">anan> affect YOU who are not a body, an class="hi2">anan>d start to fear that the body AS YOU is vulnerable. Yet the only thing that CHan class="hi2">ANan>GES the body is your mind - this is the secret of salvation - you do it all to yourself.

What you use the body for it becomes. Let's frame it differently. What intent you have behind projecting a body, determines what kind of body you project. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to attack, you create an class="hi2">anan> image of an class="hi2">anan> body with "attack in it", an class="hi2">anan>d this attack shows up as a different appearan class="hi2">anan>ce than class="hi2">anan> if you made a body just to communicate love.

When the body is ONLY showing a representation of Christ/love, it does not show up with an class="hi2">anan>y self-made attack or intentions or harm. Then the body seems "lovely", as Jesus refers to it. At least while it is useful to keep showing one. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you are doing pretending to be a body, you will just stop projecting it, an class="hi2">anan>d it will disappear.

When the mind has become fully spirit identified an class="hi2">anan>d free from believing it is a body, it is now free from the delusion of form or separation, an class="hi2">anan>d yet Can class="hi2">ANan> STILL project a body if it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to. This is what Jesus demonstrated when he reappeared a body. "The mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other." Yet in the making of it, he is not deceived by it. This is also why you can class="hi2">anan> still call upon the "image" of those who have gone beyond the body. The body simply becomes "optional", an class="hi2">anan>d unnecessary, except for teaching purposes.

If you perceive that you have lost something, then your logical response is despair. You are not grateful because you have not received. Something has been taken away instead, an class="hi2">anan>d it inspires ingratitude. You also can class="hi2">anan> feel the same way if you think you are getting something you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t - you resent it, judge it an class="hi2">anan>d reject it instead of being grateful for it.

You will then feel that you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t what has happened. You will fight with it, resist it, hate it, an class="hi2">anan>d wish it was the way it used to be. Whatever has been lost, you wan class="hi2">anan>t it back. an class="hi2">Anan>d you feel justified in feeling loss so long as it remains absent.

At the same time, the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts what has been lost to stay lost, because it really believes in loss as death. Loss is the gap of spacetime. Loss is the absence of love. Loss is the suggestion that something of God is missing from reality. It is a rejection of life an class="hi2">anan>d love an class="hi2">anan>d happiness. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to die.

Such a state of mind does not inspire gratitude because it feels more like a treachery, a theft, a taking away, a diminishment, in which you now don't have what you should have. an class="hi2">Anan>d then there will be hate an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d resentment an class="hi2">anan>d a sense of not wan class="hi2">anan>ting whatever else someone or some place is offering, because it's not the thing you're missing.

In loss, you will then reject everything, not acknowledge what you have, not appreciate or even recognise what is present, an class="hi2">anan>d will just wish that you had the thing that is absent. But wan class="hi2">anan>ting what is not there can class="hi2">anan> only produce what we call grief, which is the unhappy despair an class="hi2">anan>d sadness an class="hi2">anan>d sense of horror that everything of value has gone away.

But what can class="hi2">anan> this be other than class="hi2">anan> a denial of God, a rejection of love, an class="hi2">anan> unwillingness to live, an class="hi2">anan> insistence that death is true, an class="hi2">anan>d a failure to recognise what has been given. There is no gratitude because there is no acknowledgement of what you are receiving.

In fact, loss can class="hi2">anan> be a lesson in which you have to learn to become grateful, an class="hi2">anan>d to receive. It is a state in which you are are trying to do the opposite of receive, as if you gave an class="hi2">anan>d didn't receive in return.

It's based on the ego's breakdown of the golden rule, in which it insists that giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving are not one, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you have not received what you have given. This is a state of sacrifice, as if something has been sacrificed.

But such a state of mind, which is really the rejection of love an class="hi2">anan>d God an class="hi2">anan>d receiving, can class="hi2">anan> only produce feelings of loss an class="hi2">anan>d despair. It can class="hi2">anan> only incite an class="hi2">anan> attachment to what is gone, a wish it be present, an class="hi2">anan>d yet a firm belief that it must not be. It is a way of pushing love away, pushing the valued thing away, while at the same time wishing it was here.

This can class="hi2">anan> only produce a kind of "split" in the mind which produces insan class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d intensifies the ego. The ego loves to be in this contradictory state of wan class="hi2">anan>ting an class="hi2">anan>d not wan class="hi2">anan>ting at the same time. It wan class="hi2">anan>ts what it does not have, an class="hi2">anan>d it does not wan class="hi2">anan>t what it has. This is completely backwards, of course.

The remedy requires the recognition an class="hi2">anan>d acknowledgement that you are NOT at a loss, an class="hi2">anan>d in fact the total opposite is true. It must entail realising that God has given you everything, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you lack nothing at all, loss is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d everything you could ever really wan class="hi2">anan>t has been given you.

This requires you to be willing to receive. It requites a willingness to wan class="hi2">anan>t what you have, an class="hi2">anan>d to no longer wan class="hi2">anan>t what you don't have. But the ego will say, it's impossible not to wan class="hi2">anan>t the thing that's missing because you love it so much. You wan class="hi2">anan>t it badly. an class="hi2">Anan>d the idea of not wan class="hi2">anan>ting it seems like a betrayal.

Yet badly wan class="hi2">anan>ting something is a state of lack an class="hi2">anan>d need, an class="hi2">anan>d the more you believe in this lack the more you will wan class="hi2">anan>t it. So you aren't really wan class="hi2">anan>ting it based on love, but based on not getting what you wan class="hi2">anan>t. The loss is therefore selfish, as part of the ego.

It is in fact by wan class="hi2">anan>ting what you don't have instead of what you do have, that you produce a rejection of what is here right now, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore a denial an class="hi2">anan>d unwillingness to be grateful for what has been given you in the present. It is a rejection of the acknowledgement of gain, an class="hi2">anan>d a dwelling on absence an class="hi2">anan>d death. But in fact, a willingness to wan class="hi2">anan>t what you have, not what you don't have, is the only san class="hi2">anan>e approach.

In truth, if you move into a space of being willing to receive, acknowledging that everything has been given you, an class="hi2">anan>d that you have everything from God, you will suddenly find that in fact that mean class="hi2">anan>s that you have love. an class="hi2">Anan>d the only way to really acknowledge that you have the love you thought you lost, is to acknowledge that it is still being given to you right now. In fact, God has eternally given you love, an class="hi2">anan>d the only problem in you seeming to "lack it" an class="hi2">anan>d being at a loss, is an class="hi2">anan> unwillingness to receive it. You might complain by feeling it is lost, but this is really an class="hi2">anan> attempt NOT to have it.

By moving into a willingness to RECEIVE, you therefore admit that God has GIVEN everything, an class="hi2">anan>d fully, an class="hi2">anan>d so completely, that in fact you have been gifted, blessed, honoured an class="hi2">anan>d completely recognised. In fact you have not been left out at all, you have been utterly showered with everything you could ever really wan class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that recognition that it is coming TO you, an class="hi2">anan>d you HAVE it, you immediately move into a natural response of gratitude. Gratitude opens your awareness to RECEIVE an class="hi2">anan>d to Wan class="hi2">ANan>T what you are receiving, instead of wan class="hi2">anan>ting what you are not receiving.

Gratitude is therefore the an class="hi2">anan>tidote to loss, because it recognises gain an class="hi2">anan>d completely ignores the ego's insistence that death is possible. Loss is really ingratitude for what is. In fact, gratitude to God for life is the way to receive life, an class="hi2">anan>d is the rejection of death an class="hi2">anan>d the belief in death. an class="hi2">Anan>d without a lack of God, there can class="hi2">anan> be no sense of loss at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d then suddenly you will find that everything you thought you did not wan class="hi2">anan>t is suddenly something you can class="hi2">anan> embrace an class="hi2">anan>d accept an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you open up to a whole new life that was in front of your face all along, even while you were unwilling to acknowledge it.

an class="hi2">Anan>d the good part is, that the love you thought you lost, is not only still with you, it is in you, as you, given to you, shared with you, an class="hi2">anan>d had never really left. an class="hi2">Anan>d than class="hi2">anan>k God for that. How could you actually experience that you had the love you thought was lost, if you weren't willing to gratefully receive it?! This is simply a lesson in becoming grateful to God for what he has guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to be yours forever. A simple movement out of loss an class="hi2">anan>d despair an class="hi2">anan>d disaster an class="hi2">anan>d failure, into total happiness an class="hi2">anan>d gladness that everything is present an class="hi2">anan>d accounted for.

"Love is the way I walk in gratitude."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d gratitude can class="hi2">anan> only be sincere if it is joined to love."

"Walk, then, in gratitude the way of love."

"Today we learn to think of gratitude in place of an class="hi2">anan>ger, malice an class="hi2">anan>d revenge. We have been given everything. If we refuse to recognize it, we are now entitled therefore to our bitterness, an class="hi2">anan>d to a self-perception which regards us in a place of merciless pursuit, where we are badgered ceaselessly an class="hi2">anan>d pushed about without a thought or care for us or for our future."

"Our gratitude will pave the way to Him, an class="hi2">anan>d shorten our learning time by more than class="hi2">anan> you could ever dream of."

"For gratitude is but an class="hi2">anan> aspect of the love which is the Source of all creation."

"For love can class="hi2">anan> walk no road except the way of gratitude, an class="hi2">anan>d thus we go who walk the way to God."

"A day devoted now to gratitude will add the benefit of some insight into the real extent of all the gains which you have made; the gifts you have received."

"Today in gratitude we lift our hearts above despair, an class="hi2">anan>d raise our than class="hi2">anan>kful eyes, no longer looking downward to the dust. We sing the song of than class="hi2">anan>kfulness today in honor of the Self Which God has willed to be our true identity in Him. Today we smile on everyone we see, an class="hi2">anan>d walk with lightened footsteps as we go to do what is appointed us to do."

"In gratitude an class="hi2">anan>d than class="hi2">anan>kfulness we come, with empty han class="hi2">anan>ds an class="hi2">anan>d open hearts an class="hi2">anan>d minds, asking but what You give."

"My gratitude permits my love to be accepted without fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus am I restored to my Reality at last."

"What IS Heaven, but a song of gratitude an class="hi2">anan>d love an class="hi2">anan>d praise, by everything created, to the Source of its creation?"

"YOU are being blessed by every beneficent thought of an class="hi2">anan>y of your brothers an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. You should wan class="hi2">anan>t to bless them in return, out of gratitude."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d with My gratitude will come the gift first of forgiveness, then eternal peace."

"What is your life but gratitude to Him Who loves you with an class="hi2">anan> everlasting Love?"

"The unhealed healer wan class="hi2">anan>ts gratitude FROM his brothers, but he is NOT grateful to them. This is because he thinks he is giving something TO them, an class="hi2">anan>d is NOT receiving something equally desirable in return. His TEACHING is limited because he is LEARNING so little. His HEALING lesson is limited by his own ingratitude, which is a lesson in sickness."

"Your gratitude to each OTHER is the only gift I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"Let our gratitude unto our Teacher fill our hearts as we are free to choose our joy instead of pain, our holiness in place of sin, the peace of God instead of conflict, an class="hi2">anan>d the light of Heaven for the darkness of the world."

"God's justice warran class="hi2">anan>ts gratitude, NOT fear."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d by this LACK of than class="hi2">anan>ks an class="hi2">anan>d gratitude, you make YOURSELVES unable to EXPRESS the holy instan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d thus you lose sight of it." "Miracles should inspire gratitude, not awe. Man class="hi2">anan> should than class="hi2">anan>k God for what he really is. The Children of God are very holy. The miracle honors their holiness."

A lesson for me at the moment has two parts to it. One part is realizing that underneath a person there is a completely immortal, invulnerable, innocent being that has absolutely nothing wrong with them an class="hi2">anan>d has done nothing wrong. The other part is, connected to this, that therefore I need to learn to 'overlook' the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of an class="hi2">anan>ything else that they are trying to demonstrate to me as the truth about them an class="hi2">anan>d not join with them in it (false empathy).

Being able to overlook the 'obstacle to peace' that other people put in place is a tuff one. But it also mean class="hi2">anan>s I have to be able to not have obstacles to peace in myself, an class="hi2">anan>d that I need to take an class="hi2">anan>y kind of 'veil' or 'persona' off of my own mind so that I can class="hi2">anan> see past the personas of other people.

Being able to overlook appearan class="hi2">anan>ces is forgiveness. When your awareness fixates on looking AT an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, AT a body, AT a person's form, this is blinding. "Nothing so blinding as sight of form" - ACIM. This is what happens when the Holy Spirit in you is not allowed to fully extend outward, instead being stopped by the form of an class="hi2">anan>other person. But it's not their form that stops your 'vision', it's your belief that it's real - your buying into the illusion of it.

There's sections in the Course that I read not long ago about how the Holy Spirit projects/extends outward PAST your own body an class="hi2">anan>d PAST the bodies of other people, to recognize Himself WITHIN the mind of the other person. When your mind is looking past these forms in this way, there is no sickness because the mind isn't getting 'stuck' on form. Fully extending THROUGH an class="hi2">anan>d PAST the body is COMMUNICATION, which the Holy Spirit wan class="hi2">anan>ts to use it for - to join with others beyond their bodies. But if we're fixating on the content of form such as guilt, fear, sin, death, bodies, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, etc then this puts a road-block in the way of extension, creating sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. The body then becomes an class="hi2">anan> 'obstacle to peace' - it's in the way we're looking at or past things.

The truth is that the body is never in the way of a truly forgiving mind. The body is not powerful an class="hi2">anan>d does not have the ability to prevent the extension of love. The body (mine, or someone else's) also has no ability to snag my mind or get me to pay attention to it. Instead, if my mind is truly forgiving, it will simply see THROUGH an class="hi2">anan>d PAST the obstacle recognizing that it is not real an class="hi2">anan>d has no ability to prevent extension. Then there will be a recognition of Oneness with your brother.

The issue is that when the mind itself has blocks to awareness, these blocks prevent full extension of Spirit. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s there's some kind of belief in or attachment to guilt/sin/fear/death/spacetime/bodies etc within the mind. That mean class="hi2">anan>s, instead of the mind just moving past an class="hi2">anan>d extending past everything in form, it instead 'stops' at or becomes fixated on form as though it has some power to block your awareness/sight/vision. You focus on something which is NOT THERE, an class="hi2">anan>d you think it is real, an class="hi2">anan>d this blocks your awareness. Blocks to awareness man class="hi2">anan>ifest as blocks to energy flow an class="hi2">anan>d vitality, where ultimately a 'big block' brings about "death".

It's an class="hi2">anan> ongoing challenge to learn not to fixate on form or appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, especially when you are used to seeing other people as though they ARE the way they appear. So if someone comes along with a sickness or a story about themselves or a really attention-grabbing attitude etc, if I am tempted by that an class="hi2">anan>d look AT it an class="hi2">anan>d MAKE IT REAL then my mind has become snagged by it, attached to it, an class="hi2">anan>d resistan class="hi2">anan>t of it, an class="hi2">anan>d that will have an class="hi2">anan> affect on my own wellbeing. It will make me sick because I am seeing my brother as sick by failing to overlook sickness. We need to literally see the Christ in ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d others in order for our mind to fully extend an class="hi2">anan>d to be unhindered an class="hi2">anan>d unrestrained. I think in the Course Jesus used a word like "arrested". When the mind is arrested by sight of form we become sick. When the mind is freed from arrest, sickness is loosened up an class="hi2">anan>d flow is restored an class="hi2">anan>d there is no more death.

It's difficult but I have to learn to look past the ILLUSION that people have something wrong with them, the illusion that people are really sick, the illusion that people are actually able to suffer, the illusion that people really have something to be afraid of etc. an class="hi2">Anan>d this goes back to the first point.... .underneath all of our shit there is an class="hi2">anan> immortal being that is absolutely unaffected by an class="hi2">anan>y illusion an class="hi2">anan>d has no faults an class="hi2">anan>d is perfectly innocent, invulnerable, powerful an class="hi2">anan>d free. If I believe that an class="hi2">anan>d know that an class="hi2">anan>d experience that an class="hi2">anan>d look TO that, then I will overlook all the other illusory bullshit. But if I forget that, or lose sight of that, or fixate on an class="hi2">anan>y other DEMONSTRATION as though it is the truth about me or an class="hi2">anan>other person, then now I'm into la-la lan class="hi2">anan>d, hallucinating, suffering, caught up in stories, reacting to appearan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d struggling with my own self.

I'm looking forward to absolute certainty. Someday it will appear within an class="hi2">anan>d without simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. We are all really free, we just don't recognize it.

(an class="hi2">anan>ecdotal. .... People looking down at their iPhones fixated on form, hmm... A great way to make illusions real an class="hi2">anan>d to shut out everything else, an class="hi2">anan>d they call this a 'communication' device lol it's really an class="hi2">anan> isolation device :-)..depending who you're dialling with ;-)

We have allowed ourselves to LEARN what we think the truth is, based on how the physical world seems to function.

We think that there are causes out there which have effects on other things.

We think that the world is able to harm us, do things to us, an class="hi2">anan>d that events just happen to use against our will.

We've learned a great deal from the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of this world, an class="hi2">anan>d we think that this world is actually real an class="hi2">anan>d that, therefore, we need to learn the truth from it.

We have mis-learned. Our assumption that this world is reality has led us to take on board so man class="hi2">anan>y mistaken ideas, mistaken ways of functioning, mistaken ways of deciding how relationships should work, mistaken forms of idol worship an class="hi2">anan>d possession an class="hi2">anan>d loss an class="hi2">anan>d gain.

So man class="hi2">anan>y things we've taken away from our exposure to this world, thinking that it is showing us a world of truth. We think this world is actually objectively real an class="hi2">anan>d that how it appears is completely normal, natural, obvious an class="hi2">anan>d clear.

It is not.

This world is vast illusion. It is extremely deceptive. It is showing you something which is impossible. It is a depiction of an class="hi2">anan> idea of being separate from God an class="hi2">anan>d what it would seem to be like if that were possible, even though it is not possible.

This world shows you people who are suffering, people who are sick, people who are affected, people who are victimized, an class="hi2">anan>d people who die. That isn't truth. There is no truth to learn from that, other than class="hi2">anan> that it is not true.

So we've been han class="hi2">anan>ging out in this place a lot an class="hi2">anan>d just taking for gran class="hi2">anan>ted everything we see as though it is factual reality, that there is not an class="hi2">anan>y kind of illusion happening, that things are as they seem to be, an class="hi2">anan>d that we can class="hi2">anan> take everything at face value.

Big mistake.

We need to therefore UNLEARN everything we have tough ourselves to be true based on what we've witnessed here, because it has been nothing but an class="hi2">anan> exercise in opposition to truth.

There is a truth elsewhere, in God's reality, which is not of this world. It does not function as this world functions. The laws are not the same. The rules are different. There is no attack or sickness or victimhood or violence or death in God's world. Things are not born, only later to die. Things do not come an class="hi2">anan>d go. Stuff does not happen out of the blue. Events don't just happen to you. It's an class="hi2">anan> entirely different 'world' from which to learn the nature of the truth.

So we have been taught extremely poorly in this world, made to believe that it contains all kinds of truth, made to digest vast volumes of information about how it "really works" an class="hi2">anan>d what it mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>d how it functions. Taught how to relate to it an class="hi2">anan>d what to see in it an class="hi2">anan>d how to use it. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet, it is all an class="hi2">anan> illusion. All of that education was a lie.

There is no world here. Hello!

Ego is identification with form. That mean class="hi2">anan>s, first believing in separation, so that there can class="hi2">anan> be different things, an class="hi2">anan>d thus forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d then attempting to be ONE WITH those things, so that they become associated with what you ARE, as part of you.

This begins with the denial of self, which is also the denial of God. We place within ourselves a belief that we are LACKING self in some way. That we are not enough, that we have been diminished, that we have experienced a loss of self.

We attack an class="hi2">anan>d hide from an class="hi2">anan>d distort our view of ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d thus believe we are a wretched wicked evil monster, sorely lacking an class="hi2">anan>d impoverished an class="hi2">anan>d powerless an class="hi2">anan>d lost.

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

The belief that you lack in some way, produces a sense of being “not enough”, an class="hi2">anan>d that something is missing. Therefore you Are lacking an class="hi2">anan>d “in need.” This in turn produces a compulsion driven by a NEED to get what you are missing. What you are missing is ENOUGH SELF, or wholeness.

But with the belief that you are not enough of a self - or unwholesome/unholy, at the root, this belief is not questioning. Instead we accept it as true, see ourselves as lacking love an class="hi2">anan>d identity, become very much “in need”, an class="hi2">anan>d then feel compelled to fill those needs. By not knowing who we really are, an class="hi2">anan>d seeing ourselves as empty of self - as if nothing at all - we then start to try to DEVELOP a self - to get a self.

This produces DESIRE, which is “wan class="hi2">anan>ting to get” what you do not have. The more the ego sees itself as lacking, the more it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to get, an class="hi2">anan>d thus the greater its desire. It’s a kind of psychological mechan class="hi2">anan>ism where we’re trying to rectify a problem - a lack of self - by trying to get it from somewhere, to alleviate the feeling of dis-satisfaction, not being enough, not having enough etc. This can class="hi2">anan> become desperation.

This intense wan class="hi2">anan>ting turns into seeking. We will seek to find self or identity or value an class="hi2">anan>ywhere other than class="hi2">anan> where it really is. It really is buried underneath the belief that we are LACKING in some way - sinful, guilty, diminished. But the ego mindset doesn’t wan class="hi2">anan>t to question the denial of self, it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to keep that in place. Effectively, the ego mindset then Wan class="hi2">ANan>TS to LACK self, an class="hi2">ANan>D wan class="hi2">anan>ts to gain self, at the same time. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus it can class="hi2">anan> never reach a point of satisfaction.

From the strong drive to “find yourself”, an class="hi2">anan>d driven by the sense of lack of self, you feel a compulsion for MORE. You need more, of everything. You need to gain. You need to make up for what you seem to be lacking. You need to fill the gaping hole of emptiness within. an class="hi2">Anan>d so this produces GREED an class="hi2">anan>d SELFISHNESS, because we now seek to get more an class="hi2">anan>d more an class="hi2">anan>d more to try to satisfy the emptiness. Even though we don’t really wan class="hi2">anan>t to satisfy because we wan class="hi2">anan>t to deny self.

The way by which we then attempt to GAIN SELF, or to get MORE SELF, is to IDENTIFY WITH form. To identify with separate things. Things which we think are valuable or importan class="hi2">anan>t. Things which differentiate an class="hi2">anan>d make us unique. Things which, by way of association, rubs off on us favorably an class="hi2">anan>d gives us a sense of being MORE than class="hi2">anan> we were. The ego thus identifies WITH OBJECTS, with bodies, with thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d feelings, with the mind, in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to increase its sense of existence - of being a self.

We thus literally identify with a country, a culture, a body, a relationship partner, their body, valued treasures, objects an class="hi2">anan>d toys, buildings an class="hi2">anan>d lan class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>d vehicles, money, sex, an class="hi2">anan>d all kinds of things. We identify with them by trying to ATTACH SELF to them, to in a sense posses them, by trying to equate the object with our sense of self, to suggest “this thing is the SAME as me” or “I am the same as this thing.” It’s an class="hi2">anan> attempt to find ONENESS WITH FORM, ie oneness with separateness, which is impossible.

Ego is amplified by an class="hi2">anan> increase in a sense of “setting it apart” from the whole, by which it reasons that it if can class="hi2">anan> become a more significan class="hi2">anan>t SEPARATE thing, it is more established an class="hi2">anan>d exists more an class="hi2">anan>d thus has more identity - more self. It in a way wan class="hi2">anan>ts to be the whole, such as to be the OWNER of the world, but it also thwarts this fundamentally by its belief that it MUST be less than class="hi2">anan> whole in order to seem to “be something.”

Psychological ownership, psychological possession, psychological attachment, identification, trying to be one with form, trying to gain more self, forming a self image, trying to enhan class="hi2">anan>ce the self, trying to improve the self, trying to make the things that ego is identified with be in themselves better so that it rubs off on us an class="hi2">anan>d we can class="hi2">anan> take credit for it, are all the SAME method of trying to BECOME something we are NOT, in an class="hi2">anan> effort to become a real self that “we are.”

Since all temporal things, all different things, all forms, all objects, all thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d feelings, are tran class="hi2">anan>sient an class="hi2">anan>d temporary, they fundamentally do not last. The ego knows this in a way, an class="hi2">anan>d is constan class="hi2">anan>tly in a state of dissatisfaction that it not only never has enough, it aways feels a compulsion to become MORE SELF. This is due to the deep belief in having NO SELF, which it MUST maintain in order to seem to be relevan class="hi2">anan>t.

But temporary things come an class="hi2">anan>d go, an class="hi2">anan>d so the ego then experiences a sense of LOSS. It now loses the things it wan class="hi2">anan>ts, as those treasured things leave its existence. Whether it be a person’s body that dies, or some family member falls ill, or a possession becomes broken, or some toy is lost, or money is wasted, or whatever, there is a disappointment.

But it’s not simply a matter of feeling that something valuable has gone away, it actually it is much more selfish than class="hi2">anan> that. Loss is driven by the recognition that the things which you were IDENTIFIED WITH have gone away, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore PART OF YOUR SELF has gone away. Through the loss of idols an class="hi2">anan>d favorites an class="hi2">anan>d possessions an class="hi2">anan>d things we have owned an class="hi2">anan>d become attached to, even things with sentimental value, the ego is not upset about the THING being gone - it’s upset about ITS SELF being gone.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so loss is really experienced by the ego as a reminder of the loss or lack of self, a reminder of the inner emptiness that was there before the compulsion to ”seek an class="hi2">anan>d do not find.” It is a triggering of the sense that you have lost YOUR SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d now you are diminished, an class="hi2">anan>d now you are lacking, an class="hi2">anan>d now you have less, an class="hi2">anan>d now you are not enough.

This produces what we call a feeling of loss or grief, but it’s not REALLY a grief over the loss of some valuable thing or person or place, it’s a much more selfish upset that what you wan class="hi2">anan>ted from your neediness has been lost an class="hi2">anan>d so your very IDENTITY has been lost. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you are sad because it is YOU that has died again. Ultimately all sense of loss over external things are just reflections of the inner sense of the loss of a real self, driven by self denial.

What needs to take place to undo all of this madness, this impossible seeking for something that does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere except underneath the self denial, is to undo the self denial. To stop denying that you are a fully created an class="hi2">anan>d WHOLE self, that God created, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are still the whole of that self.

It requires a shift in IDENTIFICATION, in which your sense of “what am I” stops being attached to an class="hi2">anan>d possessing of things like the body an class="hi2">anan>d thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d feelings an class="hi2">anan>d objects, an class="hi2">anan>d instead recognizes self to be one with the spirit - the soul, the Christ holy self. But not only that, but the identification with an class="hi2">anan>d as the WHOLE KINGDOM OF GOD, in which identity is SHARED an class="hi2">anan>d whole an class="hi2">anan>d one, because it is NOT based on separation or lack.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this will require what will seem to be the disman class="hi2">anan>tling of the false sense of self, rooted deeply in lack an class="hi2">anan>d imperfection an class="hi2">anan>d the absence of identity - an class="hi2">anan> insecure an class="hi2">anan>d impossibly unhappy an class="hi2">anan>d deprived self. This self is BASED ON self denial, so the denial has to be lifted an class="hi2">anan>d the mind has to re-identify with spirit. Fundamentally this requires the recognition that your real self is NOT lost, nothing has happened to it, it can class="hi2">anan> never be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d you are still as God created you to be forever. You are Christ, not an class="hi2">anan>ti-Christ.

When there is no self-denial, there is no lack of self, an class="hi2">anan>d so there is no neediness, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no wan class="hi2">anan>ting, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no desire, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no seeking externally, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no drive to get or to attach or own or possess, an class="hi2">anan>d thus no attempt to ADD MORE SELF to yourself in an class="hi2">anan> effort to BUILD a self to overcome the shortcomings of the one you hate.

Self hate an class="hi2">anan>d self denial an class="hi2">anan>d self attack an class="hi2">anan>d self destruction all have to end, as you open up to accept an class="hi2">anan>d recognize the real self that you really are. Without the belief in being an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> God created you to be - an class="hi2">anan>d which in truth you STILL ARE, there is no basis for the ego whatsoever, an class="hi2">anan>d so it can class="hi2">anan>not exist. This ends with the return to simply knowing yourself as you really are in reality - the whole of yourself which needs nothing.

"It is because the thoughts you think you think ****appear as images**** that you do not recognize them as nothing. You think you think them, an class="hi2">anan>d so you think you see them. This is how your "seeing" was made. ****This is the function you have given your body's eyes.**** It is not seeing. It is image-making. It takes the place of seeing, replacing vision with illusions."

Consider a photograph. A photograph appears to be an class="hi2">anan> image of something. Maybe it's an class="hi2">anan> image of a city, which you took while on vacation. As you look at the photograph it appears to you to be a city, an class="hi2">anan>d you think there is a city there. Just as when you look at people on the TV you think you're seeing people, an class="hi2">anan>d even react as if they were real sometimes. This is because the images are very convincing an class="hi2">anan>d lifelike.

However, consider the difference between the photograph an class="hi2">anan>d the actual place. The photograph is not really a city, it just looks like one. an class="hi2">Anan>d the real city is somewhere else. Well, how about we suggest that this physical world, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth etc, is in fact not a real world, but is in fact like a photograph of a world? It LOOKS LIKE a world, but isn't an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL world. It's an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE OF a world, or what a world would LOOK LIKE, but isn't one.

A tree that you look at, isn't actually a tree. It is a three-dimensional "hologram" of a tree. It sure looks like one, feels like one, moves like one. It even seems alive. But it is still just an class="hi2">anan> image of a tree. A kind of 3D an class="hi2">anan>imated picture. Like a movie clip. As it plays out, it sees to sway in the wind an class="hi2">anan>d drop its leaves an class="hi2">anan>d sprout new ones, but all the while it's not an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL tree. It's just a picture of one.

This is because everything in this world is not actually a world. It's an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE of a world. A collection of pictures. The body is a picture. The trees an class="hi2">anan>d houses an class="hi2">anan>d cars are just images. The plan class="hi2">anan>et is in fact just a PROJECTED IMAGE from the mind, which has tried to depict what such things would look like if they existed. It is a representation or symbol of such things, but is not really those things.

The body's eyes were designed to "see images" of a world made of images. To reflect back those images into the mind, to form some kind of "sight". an class="hi2">Anan>d so now you look upon images. an class="hi2">Anan>d the body can class="hi2">anan> only see images, it can class="hi2">anan>not see real actual places.

Recognizing that this world is really just a collection of pictures, imagining a world, visualizing forms that don't really exist, you can class="hi2">anan> better understan class="hi2">anan>d why this world is a dream or hallucination. The mind is "seeing" what it thinks it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to see. It is picturing a world of bodies. an class="hi2">Anan>d these images are made to block true vision. You look upon them thinking you are surrounded by an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL world, when all you are surrounded by is a hollow empty picture.

"The body is not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen."

"You see the world which you have made, but you do not see yourself as the ****image-maker****. You can class="hi2">anan>not be saved from the world, but you can class="hi2">anan> escape from its cause. This is what salvation mean class="hi2">anan>s, for where is the world you see when its cause is gone? Vision already holds a replacement for everything you think you see now. Loveliness can class="hi2">anan> ****light your images****, an class="hi2">anan>d so tran class="hi2">anan>sform them that you will love them even though they were made of hate. For you will not be making them alone."

"What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I wan class="hi2">anan>t. From there, the mind makes up an class="hi2">anan> image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore seeks to find. These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real, an class="hi2">anan>d guarded as one's own."

"All the images His Son appears to make have no effect on what he is. They blow across his mind like wind-swept leaves that form a patterning an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, break apart to group again, an class="hi2">anan>d scamper off. Or like mirages seen above a desert, rising from the dust."

"These images, with no reality in truth, bear witness to the fear of God, forgetting being Love. He must be joy."

"You ARE as God created you, an class="hi2">anan>d so is every living thing you look upon, REGARDLESS of the images you see."

"That is because you surround yourself with the environment you wan class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d you wan class="hi2">anan>t it to protect the image of yourself which you have made. The image is part of it. What you see while you believe you are in it is seen through the eyes of the image. It is not vision. Images can class="hi2">anan>not see."

"To be told that what you do not see is there sounds like insan class="hi2">anan>ity. It is very difficult to become convinced that it is insan class="hi2">anan>ity not to see what is there, an class="hi2">anan>d to see what is not there instead. You do not doubt that the body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> see. You do not doubt the images they show you are reality. Your faith lies in the darkness, not the light."

This I think is a profoundly clear an class="hi2">anan>d definitive statement about the Course's core metpahysics. "What is the world?":

"The world is FALSE PERCEPTION. It is BORN OF ERROR, an class="hi2">anan>d it has NOT LEFT ITS SOURCE (error/sin). It will REMAIN NO LONGER (must disappear) than class="hi2">anan> the THOUGHT WHICH GAVE IT BIRTH (sin/error) is cherished.

When THE THOUGHT OF SEPARATION has been chan class="hi2">anan>ged to one of true forgiveness, will the world be SEEN in quite an class="hi2">anan>other light (re-interpreted, tran class="hi2">anan>slated, looked at WITH a different value system, BUT STILL RECOGNIZED AS an class="hi2">ANan> ERROR); an class="hi2">anan>d one which leads to truth, where ALL THE WORLD MUST DISAPPEAR an class="hi2">anan>d all its errors van class="hi2">anan>ish. Now its source (sin) has gone, an class="hi2">anan>d ITS EFFECTS (the world) ARE GONE AS WELL."

Note that it does not say false perception is ABOUT the world. THE WORLD ****IS**** false perception. Falseness is built into it. The world IS a misperception. It is a mistake. The SIN it is made of, was a condemnation an class="hi2">anan>d attack on God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son. The ATTACK, has to be forgiven, which mean class="hi2">anan>s the WORLD, has to be LET GO.

Note that it says, the world is BORN OF ERROR. "All forms are forms of error". Which mean class="hi2">anan>s it was made BY MISTAKE. It is an class="hi2">ANan> ERROR. "The body's eye look upon forms of error an class="hi2">anan>d do not see past them."

Note, that it says the world is SEEN **IN** an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER LIGHT, which does not necessarily mean class="hi2">anan> at all that the world STOPS being a form of error, OR a mistake. It merely mean class="hi2">anan>s you LOOK AT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, with a different van class="hi2">anan>tage point, which overlooks the SIN, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizes you were JUST MISTAKEN to make this world of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d it HASN'T HAPPENED an class="hi2">anan>d is forgiven. THE WORLD HASN'T HAPPENED, that is forgiveness. "There is no world", that is ATONEMENT. Only God's creation has ever really happened.

Note that it says, ALL THE WORLD **MUST** DISAPPEAR. This is not talking about your perception or your ego's view of the world. THE WORLD. Itself. Must disappear. Earth, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, stars, bodies. All must disappear. They are MISTAKES. You can class="hi2">anan> forgive mistakes. You can class="hi2">anan> be loving towards He who was mistaken. You can class="hi2">anan> shine light towards the mistake. But the mistaken HAS TO BE CORRECTED, which mean class="hi2">anan>s UNDONE.

When your sense of identity has become confused with the ego or body, you see it as your SELF. You associate your existence with it as though it is you.

In order to then preserve your "own life", you will defend the thing you are identified with because you think it is really you. When it is threatened, you are threatened. You will therefore seek to maintain an class="hi2">anan>d preserve IT at all costs.

When the truth comes along to reveal that you are not the ego or body, your ego-identified self WILL perceive it as a threat. It’s a threat because IF the truth is true, it proves that the ego is not real. If YOU are the ego, that mean class="hi2">anan>s YOU are not true an class="hi2">anan>d you don’t really exist.

What could seem more threatening than class="hi2">anan> this implication that "you are going to be undone", or "your life" is going to end because what you ARE is being attacked by the truth?

In the name of protecting what you THINK is your life - your self, you will DEFEND your "self". Or at least, you think you are. You are defending the ego because you think it is your self, not recognizing it as not you, because you don’t recognize who you really are.

To defend yourself AS the ego, you will USE ego methods to protect yourself. The ego has only one tool - separation, which is the same thing as denial. In the name of what you THINK is protecting your SELF, you will implement MORE separation to try to put safe distan class="hi2">anan>ce between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth.

When you emphasize more separation, you split your mind, increase mental illness, an class="hi2">anan>d foster sickness in the body. This is unavoidable. Choosing to withdraw from truth is choosing to withdraw from life an class="hi2">anan>d health an class="hi2">anan>d wholeness. The defense that SEEMS like it is there to PROTECT you an class="hi2">anan>d save your life, with the purpose of self-preservation, is actually HURTING you. It makes you sick.

The ego is insan class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d every guidan class="hi2">anan>ce it gives is a lie that does exactly the opposite to what it claims. It claimed that you protecting it (you) would make you safe from attack. Instead, it attacked you an class="hi2">anan>d now you are sick an class="hi2">anan>d worse off. The signs an class="hi2">anan>d symptoms of sickness start to show up in the body as well. You tried to protect yourself an class="hi2">anan>d you were attacked ("if I defend myself I am attacked").

In this state, you are WILLING TO TOLERATE SICKNESS an class="hi2">anan>d KEEP IT because, to your ego-body-identified self, the purpose of the sickness is to KEEP YOU SAFE. While you perceive that you NEED this defense, to keep your "self" safe from the truth, you will NOT be willing to drop the sickness. To do so would make you LESS safe an class="hi2">anan>d expose you to the perceived attacker. No-one in their right mind would wan class="hi2">anan>t to become more vulnerable to attack, so it seems a reasonable to maintain an class="hi2">anan>d increase the sickness.

Even though the sickness is intolerable, an class="hi2">anan>d suffering is awful, you unconsciously chose it on purpose. Consciously now, because you are in denial an class="hi2">anan>d implemented denial in order to make the threat go away, you have blocked awareness of the choice you made.

You therefore don’t see that you did it to yourself. You then will see the symptoms of sickness as unchosen, unwan class="hi2">anan>ted, undesired an class="hi2">anan>d unacceptable. You will seek externally for possible "causes" trying to explain what caused the sickness to show up. It was you.

The secret to salvation is that you did this to yourself. The sickness is protecting you from God. The more you can class="hi2">anan> make the body sick, the more pain it is in, the more you will focus on the body. You withdraw an class="hi2">anan>d contract yourself towards it, hugging it tightly in pain, because doing so reinforces your sense that you ARE the ego body. The more identified with the body you are, the more you are trying to make your ego-self strong. The more tightly you cling to it, the sicker it becomes.

The body is the primary place where you escape from God’s wrath, an class="hi2">anan>d yet escaping to it attacks it. an class="hi2">Anan> increase in confinement an class="hi2">anan>d isolation an class="hi2">anan>d body-identification seems to prevent God from stealing your identity away - your self, which you are trying to protect. But the more you BIND yourself to the body in suffering, the sicker you become. You simultan class="hi2">anan>eously believe you are actually becoming SAFER from God, but are horrified that you also are in a state of suffering. The sickness seems to prove that the truth is attacking you, an class="hi2">anan>d that you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t it.

The ONLY problem here is a mistaken sense of identity. If we did not believe we are the ego or the body, we would not perceive our SELF as under threat from the truth. We would have no reason to defend ourselves because we would be strong an class="hi2">anan>d truly safe. an class="hi2">Anan>d recognizing ourselves as immortal we tran class="hi2">anan>scend the NEED for sickness. Without a purpose of protection, sickness HAS no purpose, an class="hi2">anan>d not perceiving a purpose in it, you will withdraw your belief in it. "Illusions recognized must disappear". Sickness will van class="hi2">anan>ish.

Atonement cures because it removes the perceived NEED for the sickness. Accepting atonement is a willing acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce of the truth without resistan class="hi2">anan>ce or fear. In that willingness there is no more identification with ego or body. Nothing to defend, nothing under attack, nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. In this is the TRUE escape from all sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death forever. Atonement is the resurrection of God’s Son to eternal life.

I never really knew how much my 'mind' seems to think that it has an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer about everything. It can class="hi2">anan>'t seem to shut up. I am completely addicted to the belief that "thinking equals knowing". an class="hi2">Anan>d it's becoming apparent that it will come up with an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer even if it has really no grounds for knowing. an class="hi2">Anan>d it will share that an class="hi2">anan>swer like it's some kind of fact. I go around clucking like a chicken making all these mental noises an class="hi2">anan>d thinking that I'm actually speaking truth, when in fact all of the things that come out are just stories an class="hi2">anan>d ego-based comments. I'm some kind of babbling idiot.

All of these activities seem to make up a 'me' that I really thought was aware an class="hi2">anan>d speaking truth. But everything coming from my ego mind is deception an class="hi2">anan>d illusion. In every way possible, my mind is constan class="hi2">anan>tly attempting to seek for the truth outside of it, an class="hi2">anan>d separate from where truth is.

I realize more an class="hi2">anan>d more, that God is the ONLY location of truth. The ego quite literally is running around this world believing 'it' knows everything, when in fact it knows absolutely nothing. It thinks it knows what is true, but it absolutely doesn't know an class="hi2">anan>y truth at all because truth is GOD!

The ego is not a faculty of knowing an class="hi2">anan>d the ego mind is NOT CAPABLE of knowing an class="hi2">anan>ything. All it can class="hi2">anan> do is imagine an class="hi2">anan>d think an class="hi2">anan>d believe that it can class="hi2">anan> obtain an class="hi2">anan>d hold the truth. Yet it is not a faculty of connection to Truth (capital T). It is not a device that can class="hi2">anan> even perceive what the truth really is. It is obsessed with finding partial an class="hi2">anan>swers in amongst an class="hi2">anan> absolute minefield of fragmented possibilities, seeking deeply to have the 'intelligence' to 'solve' apparent problems by delving into them even deeper, which makes them worse, an class="hi2">anan>d which turns into an class="hi2">anan> exasperatingly frustrating experience of loss an class="hi2">anan>d failure.

It relies completely on an class="hi2">anan>alysis of the situation. In other words, it has already made everything seem real an class="hi2">anan>d now goes into detail trying to explain 'why' whatever is happening is happening. an class="hi2">Anan>d as it digs for this an class="hi2">anan>swer in a swamplan class="hi2">anan>d of confusion, it always comes up empty han class="hi2">anan>ded. It never finds an class="hi2">anan>y sense of absolute certainty, although instead it comes up with what it thinks is certainty, which is really, honestly, not complete certainty. an class="hi2">Anan>d no matter how man class="hi2">anan>y times I take this trip with it, even if it comes up with what the world would think of as 'the' an class="hi2">anan>swer, it STILL is not the an class="hi2">anan>swer.

There is still no sense of completion in the search, no sense of complete acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce, no sense of finding a truth which encompasses everything so fully that there is no doubt left. It is quite literally incapable of finding such a Total Truth within the realm of partial ideas, partially perceived distorted perceptions, false ideas, cleverly imagined possibilities, carefully explained an class="hi2">anan>alysis or an class="hi2">anan>y other approach to trying to find truth IN the illusion. All the time this ego mind has been looking for truth outside of it, in everything an class="hi2">anan>d everywhere other than class="hi2">anan> in God, believing it is actually POSSIBLE to find truth outside of itself.

All of this activity is geared towards a completely impractical waste of time, to always avoid a real solution or an class="hi2">anan>swer, to avoid healing, to ignore God an class="hi2">anan>d to shut out the correction which would undo the perception of there being a problem in the first place. The ego is absolutely not interested in truly solving an class="hi2">anan>y problems whatsoever, or of really succeeding at finding 'the' an class="hi2">anan>swer that gives a satisfying an class="hi2">anan>d acceptable explan class="hi2">anan>ation for 'what is' (i.e. it is not interested in accepting God). It is only interested in dissecting an class="hi2">anan>d studying them deeply, wearing a hat which says "worlds best problem solver" on it. It seeks an class="hi2">anan>d does not find, all of the time.

It constan class="hi2">anan>tly fails to find a real an class="hi2">anan>swer, an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, about an class="hi2">anan>ything, in spite of the fact that it fervently believes it Can class="hi2">ANan> find an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer, which makes it an class="hi2">anan> obsession. an class="hi2">Anan>d since the an class="hi2">anan>swer can class="hi2">anan> never be found, going looking for it (seeking) always comes up empty han class="hi2">anan>ded, frustrated, lost an class="hi2">anan>d confused, obsessed over why there 'should' be an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer, an class="hi2">anan>d simply not letting go of the total absorption with its own relian class="hi2">anan>ce on itself.

Absolutely every ego activity, thought, behavior an class="hi2">anan>d process, entirely stems from this ... insan class="hi2">anan>e search, which is absolutely guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to fail, because the very thing that would actually conclude the search an class="hi2">anan>d bring an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer is the very thing which would inherently UNDO the entire ego. God is the an class="hi2">anan>swer an class="hi2">anan>d God is the only truth. God is the only place where you will experience a sense of wholeness or completion or a sense of peace at having 'found' something which actually completely SOLVES all problems. an class="hi2">Anan>d the problem is only solved by rejoining an class="hi2">anan>d being one with God/Holy Spirit, which the ego has absolutely no interest in.

The ego would have to SURRENDER, which mean class="hi2">anan>s stopping searching, stopping seeking, stopping looking for, stopping figuring out, stopping imagining outcomes, stopping trying to control the situation, stopping giving energy to fruitless pointless conceptualizing an class="hi2">anan>d storytelling, stopping running away from God, an class="hi2">anan>d stopping believing in separation in all its forms. The ego mind is only even in a state of doing things 'on its own' BECAUSE OF the separation from God which gave birth to it. The separation from God was a separation from truth, an class="hi2">anan>swers, facts, reality an class="hi2">anan>d peace of mind. For the ego to believe it can class="hi2">anan> find an class="hi2">anan>y of these things is insan class="hi2">anan>ity.

It seems to wan class="hi2">anan>t to now be in the driver's seat, in charge of running the show, playing God, depending on its own prowess an class="hi2">anan>d utilizing its own separate intelligence an class="hi2">anan>d intellect to solve aaaaaaaaaall of the problems that have arisen because of its own seeming existence. How can class="hi2">anan> the ego solve its own existence when IT is the problem it's trying to solve? How can class="hi2">anan> it be free of a problem when its attempt to solve it creates it? How can class="hi2">anan> it pursue the truth where it is not, expecting to find it, an class="hi2">anan>d have an class="hi2">anan>y hope of doing so?

The only truth is God. The only an class="hi2">anan>swer is love. The only response to an class="hi2">anan>y situation is love. The only san class="hi2">anan>e practical solution is to extend God. The only response to the world is unconditional love. The only practical an class="hi2">anan>d wise response to an class="hi2">anan>y problem is to HEAL IT NOW through the miracle. an class="hi2">Anan>d the only way for the problems to all 'go away' is for the EGO to go away. It is our very own ego self, our intellectual mind, our relian class="hi2">anan>ce on our separate faculties, an class="hi2">anan>d our intent to never surrender to actually ASK GOD FOR THE an class="hi2">ANan>SWER, that ensures we will just keep spinning our wheels in suffering.

The ego will never be the truth. It will never find the truth. It can class="hi2">anan>not know the truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is not the truth. The ego is FALSE. Your ego self is false.

Your TRUE SELF is in God. The truth is in God. an class="hi2">Anan>d who you really are is in God. The an class="hi2">anan>swer to every problem is in God. The end of suffering is in God. The practical application of healing an class="hi2">anan>d correction that truly an class="hi2">ANan>SWERS all problems is in God. an class="hi2">Anan>d God is all there is.

"Each man class="hi2">anan> makes one ego for himself, although it is subject to enormous variation because of its instability, ***an class="hi2">anan>d one for everyone he perceives***, which is equally variable." UrT4C2

Did you know you've made an class="hi2">anan> ego for other people, just as much as you've put an class="hi2">anan> ego inside yourself? That's what he's saying. You have invented an class="hi2">anan> ego for other people an class="hi2">anan>d you interact WITH that ego rendition of the person rather than class="hi2">anan> seeing them for who they are. an class="hi2">Anan>d we're not talking here about just seeing them as a body, but even overlaying their body with an class="hi2">anan>other layer of modification.

He's also goes on to say that as your ego an class="hi2">anan>d the ego you made for an class="hi2">anan>other interact, they chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d affect each other.

"Their interaction IS a process which literally alters both, because they were not made either BY or WITH the unalterable.

"It is particularly importan class="hi2">anan>t to realize that this alteration can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d does occur as readily when the interaction takes place IN THE MIND as when it involves physical presence. THINKING about an class="hi2">anan>other ego is as effective in chan class="hi2">anan>ging relative perception as is their physical interaction." UrT4C2

For me I was quite shocked to realize that I had made an class="hi2">anan> ego for a particular person, an class="hi2">anan>d I was interacting with it. an class="hi2">Anan>d this ego was a very reduced view of that person. It focused on their body only, seeing their body as though it was all there was to the person. In fact, stran class="hi2">anan>gely even seeing the person as if they had NO mind at all an class="hi2">anan>d were entirely physical. All sense of them even being there or having a presence or personality was mostly gone, replaced by a seemingly empty shell of an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce.

It was also shocking to see that I was interacting with that ego an class="hi2">anan>d not with the person. I was not giving them an class="hi2">anan>y credit an class="hi2">anan>d was not seeing past their body form. I had taken their body form to be them almost entirely an class="hi2">anan>d was very blind to an class="hi2">anan>ything else. I now had a special relationship that had stripped that person down so much that it felt like I was interacting with a small child who was regarded as defective an class="hi2">anan>d weak an class="hi2">anan>d very sinful an class="hi2">anan>d treacherous.

It was stran class="hi2">anan>ge to realize I was even doing this. an class="hi2">Anan>d when I realized I was doing this I also realized I could step back from that version of them an class="hi2">anan>d get outside of it, to take a look at the person more directly an class="hi2">anan>d with more presence. It wasn't just "my ego" that was causing a clouding of how I see. It was the fact that I had also produced a kind of "mirror" ego that was projected onto that person an class="hi2">anan>d had substituted for them. That ego or "image" of a self was now masquerading as them to my awareness, an class="hi2">anan>d I was relating only to it. I was in a relationship with a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy character.

I then thought to myself, I don't even know how I got into this state. How did this happen? How could I have built up such a false view of a person that was so out of touch with them it made it seem like the person wasn't even barely there an class="hi2">anan>y more. That the person seemed to be so different from how they used to be that I barely recognized them, as if I thought that person was not even really there an class="hi2">anan>ymore, an class="hi2">anan>d yet they were.

So now begins the task of disman class="hi2">anan>tling the egos we've made not just for ourselves but even for other people. These are narrow, condemned, faulty, dysfunctional, guilty senses of identity which have become counterfit selves stan class="hi2">anan>ding-in for other people. It's now not simply just a matter of my finding out what my own real identity is, it's also a matter of finding out what is the true identity of others. Have I even seen them really? Do I even know what they're really like? It's not just that I'm not my thoughts or emotions or body, they're not theirs either, an class="hi2">anan>d they're not the version of them that I made up.

For sure my ego has a dominating tyran class="hi2">anan>nical overpowering an class="hi2">anan>d attacking view of others. But in fact its view of what I think is them is in fact a view of further egos that my mind believes exists. Its relationship is with these artificial figures that aren't even the actual persons. It has special relationships with these "dream figures" like in a private world, subjectively interpreting that these make-believe fictional entities are actually out there to be interacted with, an class="hi2">anan>d that this is all that's there.

"Who sees a brother's body has laid a JUDGMENT on him, an class="hi2">anan>d sees him not. He does not REALLY see him as sinful; he does not see him at all. In the darkness of sin, he is INVISIBLE. He can class="hi2">anan> but be IMAGINED in the darkness, an class="hi2">anan>d it is here that the illusions you hold about him are NOT held up to his reality. Here are illusions an class="hi2">anan>d reality kept SEPARATED. Here are illusions NEVER brought to truth, an class="hi2">anan>d ALWAYS hidden from it. an class="hi2">Anan>d here, in darkness, is your brother's reality IMAGINED as a body, in unholy relationships with other bodies, serving the cause of sin an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, before he dies." UrT20H6

"Can class="hi2">anan> the ego teach truly, when it overlooks truth? Can class="hi2">anan> it perceive what it has DENIED? Its witnesses DO attest to its DENIAL, but hardly to WHAT it has denied. The ego looks straight at the Father an class="hi2">anan>d does not see Him, for it has denied His Son." UrT10F17

"The other has man class="hi2">anan>y forms, for the content of INDIVIDUAL illusions differs greatly. But they have one thing in common; they are all insan class="hi2">anan>e. They are made of sights which are NOT seen, an class="hi2">anan>d sounds which are NOT heard. They make up a PRIVATE world which Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be shared. For they are mean class="hi2">anan>ingful ONLY to their maker, an class="hi2">anan>d so they have no mean class="hi2">anan>ing at all. In this world their maker moves alone, for only HE perceives them.

Each one peoples his world with figures from his INDIVIDUAL past, an class="hi2">anan>d it is because of this that private worlds DO differ. But the figures that he sees were NEVER real, for they are made up ONLY of his REACTIONS to his brothers, an class="hi2">anan>d do NOT include their reactions to HIM. Therefore he does not see that he made them, an class="hi2">anan>d that they ARE NOT WHOLE. For these figures HAVE NO WITNESSES, being perceived in one SEPARATE mind only.

It is THROUGH these stran class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d shadowy figures that the insan class="hi2">anan>e relate to their insan class="hi2">anan>e world. For they SEE only those who remind them of these images, an class="hi2">anan>d it is to THEM that they relate. Thus do they communicate with those who ARE NOT THERE, an class="hi2">anan>d it is THEY who an class="hi2">anan>swer them. an class="hi2">Anan>d no-one hears their an class="hi2">anan>swer save him who called upon them, an class="hi2">anan>d he ALONE believes they an class="hi2">anan>swered him. Projection MAKES perception, an class="hi2">anan>d you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT see beyond it. Again an class="hi2">anan>d again have men attacked each other, because they saw IN THEM a shadow figure in their private world." UrT12E1

In the separation from God we made what seems to be a world, opposite to God - space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d bodies etc. But we're told this world is unreal. What does "unreal" mean class="hi2">anan>? Because while we're told it's unreal we're also told we believe in it, an class="hi2">anan>d that by believing in it it becomes real to us.

Being unreal is a way to say it's not ultimately true an class="hi2">anan>d isn't how God creates. So in a sense, it is dream-like. But people DO have dreams, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind IS dreaming of a world of space an class="hi2">anan>d time. This dream can class="hi2">anan> seem very real an class="hi2">anan>d solid an class="hi2">anan>d effectual to the dreamer.

As such even though the world is ultimately unreal, which would seem to write off an class="hi2">anan>ything that seems to happen in it, while we are still in it believing in it we do still have experience of it AS IF it were real. In fact we can class="hi2">anan> make it extremely real to ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d have a horrible nightmare.

"an class="hi2">anan>ything else is only his own nightmare, an class="hi2">anan>d does not exist."

"The mind can class="hi2">anan> make the belief in Separation VERY real an class="hi2">anan>d VERY fearful. an class="hi2">Anan>d this belief IS the devil. It is powerful, active, destructive, an class="hi2">anan>d clearly in opposition to God, because it literally denies His Fatherhood. Never underestimate the power of this denial. Look at your lives an class="hi2">anan>d see what the devil has made. But KNOW that this making will surely dissolve in the light of truth, because its foundation IS a lie."

But nightmares do in fact seem very real an class="hi2">anan>d frightening an class="hi2">anan>d full of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d stress to the believer. To the believer, even if they are hallucinating, even if what they experence is total fan class="hi2">anan>tasy an class="hi2">anan>d not possible in God's laws, it nevertheless can class="hi2">anan> seem VERY real an class="hi2">anan>d true to a mind that belives in it.

How do we overcome this nightmarish experience of a world in which everything suffers an class="hi2">anan>d dies? What is NEEDED? What is called for? If the problem is that the mind is believing in it an class="hi2">anan>d giving it power, then the mind has to withdraw that power an class="hi2">anan>d stop believing in it. an class="hi2">Anan>d by not believing in it, the mind will ultimately stop seeing it.

"What if you recognized this world is a hallucination? What if you REALLY understood you made it up? What if you realized that those who SEEM to walk about in it, to sin an class="hi2">anan>d die, attack an class="hi2">anan>d murder an class="hi2">anan>d destroy themselves, are WHOLLY unreal? Could you have FAITH in what you see, if you ACCEPTED this? an class="hi2">ANan>D WOULD YOU SEE IT? Hallucinations disappear when they are RECOGNIZED for what they are. This IS the healing an class="hi2">anan>d the remedy."

Here the course doesn't say that the remedy or approach we're supposed to take is to just write the world off with labels like "unreal, illusion, nothing, doesn't exist" ESPECIALLY when the mind IS honestly still believing in it an class="hi2">anan>d giving it reality. That's a form of denial. Instead it says we are to use RECOGNITION to realize that the world isn't real an class="hi2">anan>d isn't true, WHILE still in it. That's different from PRETENDING TO BE OUTSIDE IT.

A hallucinated world will disappear only when RECOGNIZED that it is a dream an class="hi2">anan>d not a reality. This is what "awareness of dreaming" is about. Awareness of dreaming isn't denial. It's in fact a state in which you are still asleep an class="hi2">anan>d dreaming, but you have the awareness of what you're doing.

We're not supposed to keep bypassing the world in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to overcome or escape it. In fact, Jesus's remedy for us is to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE PERCEPTION so that we will come to first see this world from a different van class="hi2">anan>tage point. That does require us to "love the world" an class="hi2">anan>d to find peace in the world. Before we can class="hi2">anan> leave it. As the course says:

"First you will dream of peace, then you will awaken to it."

If we try to skip the dream of peace, or the happy dream, or the forgiven world, an class="hi2">anan>d just try to jump from false perception to knowledge, we're doing a bypass.

"Knowledge is not the remedy for false perception since, being an class="hi2">anan>other level, they can class="hi2">anan> never meet. The one correction possible for false perception must be true perception. It will not endure. But for the time it lasts it comes to heal. For true perception is a remedy with man class="hi2">anan>y names. Forgiveness, salvation, Atonement, true perception, all are one. They are the one beginning with the end to lead to Oneness far beyond themselves. True perception is the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the world is saved from sin, for sin does not exist. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this that true perception sees."

Those who use non-dual-seeming statements like "the world doesn't exist so it doen't matter what you do", "the body isn't real so don't bother healing it" etc... are trying to use truths from the level of KNOWLEDGE, to correct the problem. But Jesus says this will not really work. THE ONE CORRECTION for false perception is true perception. We can class="hi2">anan>'t skip having true perception. We have to find a way to forgive this world an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it first instead of trying to jump ahead to being what is only really experienced AFTER we complete the curriculum.

"Miracles are thought-creations. Thought can class="hi2">anan> create lower-order or higher-order realities. This is the basic distinction between intellectualization an class="hi2">anan>d thinking. One creates the physical, an class="hi2">anan>d the other the spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d we believe in what we create."

"We have discussed the fall or Separation before, but its mean class="hi2">anan>ing must be clearly understood, without symbols. The Separation is NOT symbolic. It is an class="hi2">anan> order of reality, or a system of thought that is PERFECTLY real in time, though not in Eternity. All beliefs are real to the believer."

"You have expressed surprise at hearing how VERY different is reality from what YOU see. You do not realize the magnitude of that ONE error. It was so vast an class="hi2">anan>d so COMPLETELY incredible, that from it, a world of total unreality HAD to emerge."

"You looked upon the unreal an class="hi2">anan>d found despair. But by SEEKING the unreal, what else COULD you find? The UNreal world IS a thing of despair, for it can class="hi2">anan> never be."

"The Separation HAS occurred. To deny this is merely to misuse denial. However, to concentrate on error is merely a further misuse of legitimate psychic mechan class="hi2">anan>isms. The true corrective procedure, which has already been described as the proper use of the spiritual eye (or true vision), is to accept the error temporarily, BUT ONLY as an class="hi2">anan> indication that IMMEDIATE correction is man class="hi2">anan>datory. This establishes a state of mind in which the Atonement can class="hi2">anan> be accepted without delay."

"The separation is merely a faulty formulation of reality, WITH NO EFFECT AT ALL. The miracle, without a function in Heaven, IS needful here. ASPECTS of reality can class="hi2">anan> still be seen, an class="hi2">anan>d they will replace aspects of UNREALITY. Aspects of reality can class="hi2">anan> be seen IN EVERYTHING an class="hi2">anan>d EVERYWHERE. Yet only God can class="hi2">anan> gather them together by crowning them AS ONE with the final gift of eternity."

Start off by believing that something will heal - that God will heal it. Maybe something in yourself that needs healing, or in someone else.

Get a sense of how 'much' you believe this. How much certainty do you have? How much do are you so convinced that you have absolutely unshakeable doubtless certainty an class="hi2">anan>d zero fear?

Now, push your sense of belief into a whole other ballpark by tran class="hi2">anan>sforming it into expectation. Adopt a perception of EXPECTING that healing must occur. Expect as strongly as you can class="hi2">anan>.

You should notice a sense of your belief chan class="hi2">anan>ging from 'just a belief' tinged with uncertainty, to a very focused, intent, direct, piercingly certain kind of 'deman class="hi2">anan>d'. It tran class="hi2">anan>sforms into power. It tran class="hi2">anan>sforms into a sense of REQUIRING that the healing occur. Of comman class="hi2">anan>ding it to occur. That it MUST occur. Be as convinced of this as you can class="hi2">anan>.

When I do this I feel a sense of some kind of focus or something come down through my upper body down into my belly area. This could be Holy Spirit or your own Spirit.

The closer you can class="hi2">anan> get to absolute certainty the more likely it is that you will start to feel Holy Spirit start to move an class="hi2">anan>d flow. The stronger the sense of expectation the better. It's okay to be practically 'deman class="hi2">anan>ding'. This is "Authority".

You as a Child of God have authority over all illusions. an class="hi2">Anan>other word for this is "dominion" (biblically, we are told we have dominion over the Earth - this is what it mean class="hi2">anan>s). You extend the Authority of Christ in a kind of 'legal' way. You legally have the right to comman class="hi2">anan>d illusions. To comman class="hi2">anan>d sickness to leave. To comman class="hi2">anan>d ego to be undone.

As such when you enter a state of firm belief an class="hi2">anan>d expectation, you are also joining with Christ. Being One with Christ is an class="hi2">anan> importan class="hi2">anan>t aspect of miracle working, an class="hi2">anan>d is also why you need to ask Jesus what miracles to perform an class="hi2">anan>d for him to help you perform them. You need alignment with Christ/certainty in order to perform them.

You also need to remain in certainty regardless of what physical appearan class="hi2">anan>ces seem to suggest, regardless of evidence or lack thereof that healing has occurred, regardless of an class="hi2">anan>y kind of illusions or an class="hi2">anan>y signals coming from the ego world that suggest an class="hi2">anan>ything contrary to this firm conviction. This is why you must believe it in your MIND, in cause, an class="hi2">anan>d the illusion/body must follow to demonstrate what the mind believes is true.

I asked Jesus last night fairly bluntly about death, whether a person's body can class="hi2">anan> die without an class="hi2">anan>y problems in the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d whether a person can class="hi2">anan> be fully awake/enlightened an class="hi2">anan>d still go through the death process.

His an class="hi2">anan>swer was short an class="hi2">anan>d sweet an class="hi2">anan>d cut to the chase:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Demonstrate death an class="hi2">anan>d you must believe in death."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just to make sure you grasp what this mean class="hi2">anan>s, recognize the ACIM ideas that "to teach is to learn" an class="hi2">anan>d also "all teaching is demonstration" an class="hi2">anan>d "you will demonstrate what you believe is true" an class="hi2">anan>d "you are always demonstrating even while you sleep".

So that mean class="hi2">anan>s, whatever you are expressing, whatever you are showing up "as", whatever state your body is in, whatever is coming through you, however you are using the body, whatever you are trying to communicate to others on all levels including the physical, whatever "message" you are giving through the state of your body which reflects the state of your mind, that is your DEMONSTRATION. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, it correlates exactly to what you BELIEVE IS TRUE.

This is proven out in this quote, which tells us that whatever you use the body to DEMONSTRATE, it will BECOME THAT, so if you use the body to demonstrate sickness or death, it becomes sick an class="hi2">anan>d dead, because you BELIEVE IN DEATH. The mind makes ALL DECISIONS about the body's condition, including whether it lives or dies:

"The central lesson is always this; that what you use the body for it will become to you. Use it 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. When its usefulness is done it is laid by, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all. The mind makes this decision, as it makes all decisions that are responsible for the body’s condition. "

So when you are believing in true health, you will demonstrate true health. When you believe in attack you will demonstrate attack. When you believe in sickness you will demonstrate a sickness. When you believe in death, you will demonstrate death!

What Jesus is saying is, in order to demonstrate death - "to die" as we like to refer to it, where the body goes through a death process, that is ONLY POSSIBLE when you BELIEVE that DEATH IS TRUE an class="hi2">ANan>D REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is because you believe in death being true, that you demonstrate that this is your truth.

It also mean class="hi2">anan>s therefore, that if you DO NOT BELIEVE in death, YOUR BODY Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE. Literally ****Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT****. Impossible for it to die, no matter what. If that is your 100% perfect belief in absolutely no attack, the body MUST become a symbol of immortality, to remain in perfect AGELESS HEALTH, as long as it is needed. Not even affected by weather or food or time.

Long story short..... DEATH Can class="hi2">ANan> ONLY HAPPEN IF YOU BELIEVE IN IT!

an class="hi2">Anan>d that also mean class="hi2">anan>s... TO COMPLETE THE CURRICULUM an class="hi2">ANan>D FULLY WAKE UP, YOU MUST NOT BELIEVE IN DEATH, an class="hi2">ANan>D YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE IMMORTALITY.

So everyone is constan class="hi2">anan>tly demonstrating, teaching, communicating, what it is they believe the truth is, putting on a "show" which exhibits for everyone to see, exactly what it is you believe in.

Jesus also teaches simply that if you REALLY believe that something is true, you WILL be ABLE to demonstrate its truth. Not just a sort of powerless wishful thinking, but that if it is your actual experience that something is true, you will wholeheartedly be willing to demonstrate it to PROVE that you believe it. Nothing will hold you back from demonstrating it. Being fully convinced of its truth, it becomes REAL for you, an class="hi2">anan>d that gives you the POWER to demonstrate it.

"Miracles demonstrate that learning has occurred under the right guidan class="hi2">anan>ce, for learning is invisible an class="hi2">anan>d what has been learned can class="hi2">anan> be recognized ONLY BY ITS RESULTS. Its generalisation is DEMONSTRATED as you use it in more an class="hi2">anan>d more situations. You will recognize that you have learned there is no order of difficulty in miracles when you apply them to all situations. There is NO SITUATION (including sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death) to which miracles do not apply, an class="hi2">anan>d by applying them to ALL situations you will gain the real world."

So what this boils down to is this simple fact.

If your body becomes sick, or if you die, YOU MUST HAVE CHOSEN IT, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN DEATH.

There is no exception to this. If you "demonstrate death" for all to see, you are PROVING that death is something you believe in, an class="hi2">anan>d that is why you are TEACHING DEATH to everyone through your EXAMPLE. You're saying, look everyone, look at how death is real, look at how death is happening, look at how death is my truth, an class="hi2">anan>d LOOK AT HOW YOU DID THIS TO ME!

When you look at all the passages in the course which talk about "demonstration" this is clearly revealed, that when you demonstrate something it "applies" your belief to others. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore when you make your body sick, you are attacking others because you are demonstrating your belief that you have been "made sick" by someone other than class="hi2">anan> yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you are attacking others, YOUR BODY will be attacked, an class="hi2">anan>d will become sick, to DEMONSTRATE that you are believing in attack. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is nothing other than class="hi2">anan> the attempt to PROVE that your brother must be a sinner because EFFECTS are showing up in you which he MUST have caused.

an class="hi2">Anan>d even further, when you CEASE believing in death an class="hi2">anan>d sickness, you EXONERATE your brother, because you are no longer believing that he is the cause of your state of being, or the world. Jesus used His own resurrection - the re-materialization of a body which was NOT DEAD, proving He had NOT been killed by crucifixion, to DEMONSTRATE that death is not real. Here:

"We said before that the purpose of the Resurrection was to "demonstrate that no amount of misperception has an class="hi2">anan>y influence at all on a Son of God." This demonstration EXONERATES those who misperceive, by establishing beyond doubt that they have NOT hurt an class="hi2">anan>yone."

He refers to misperception because in a prior paragraph he spoke of how the misperception of others was the justification for their attempted attack on his life. He resurrected to PROVE that they were EXONERATED, through physical demonstration, because of his BELIEF that there is no death, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore showed that they were no longer ACCUSED of having caused the death. Simply, by showing up as "not dead", it immediately can class="hi2">anan>celled an class="hi2">anan>d proved false an class="hi2">anan>y belief that an class="hi2">anan>yone had killed him, thus rendering all onlookers INNOCENT. He thus TAUGHT THEIR INNOCENCE through this miracle demonstration, because miracles are teaching devices.

The demonstration of what you believe is importan class="hi2">anan>t. It is all over the course. When we are making ourselves sick, we are accusing our brother of sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d yes THIS DOES MEan class="hi2">ANan> AT THE PHYSICAL LEVEL. It is only at the physical level that you can class="hi2">anan> see the RESULTS of miracles an class="hi2">anan>d the results of the mind's belief system. an class="hi2">Anan>d this physical level is used as a COMMUNICATION device to make statements about WHAT IS TRUE OF BOTH YOU an class="hi2">ANan>D YOUR BROTHER. Your sickness attacks BOTH of you. Your death attacks BOTH of you. With death you are saying, "you killed me, an class="hi2">anan>d I killed you, an class="hi2">anan>d both of us are dead". This is spelled out in black an class="hi2">anan>d white, that "your sickness" is an class="hi2">anan> attack on others an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to accuse your brother of sin. Your body *MUST* be part of your awakening process an class="hi2">anan>d part of your view of yourself an class="hi2">anan>d part of what it is you believe in.

"The sick are merciless to everyone, an class="hi2">anan>d in contagion do they seek to kill. Death seems an class="hi2">anan> easy price if they can class="hi2">anan> say, "Behold me, brother; at your han class="hi2">anan>d I die." For sickness is the witness to his guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d death would prove his errors must be sins."

Here Jesus is not talking figuratively or metaphorically about death. He's talking plainly about a person's body dying as an class="hi2">anan> attempt to accuse your brother of sin. an class="hi2">Anan>yone who is sick, an class="hi2">anan>yone who dies, is accusing the whole sonship, an class="hi2">anan>d the world, an class="hi2">anan>d God, of "causing it", an class="hi2">anan>d therefore claiming that we are all sinners. Sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death OF THE PHYSICAL BODY are WEAPONS OF ATTACK. The body is an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE you are showing your brother to say hey, this is what I think of you, an class="hi2">anan>d this is what is true of us both. This is why the body is an class="hi2">anan> integral part of your MIND an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> integral part of your entire process of spiritual enlightenment. IT MUST SHOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS TRUE.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t it be that the body just sits there like a separate "thing" having absolutely no input from your mind an class="hi2">anan>d not reflecting your inner condition whatsoever, with you blissing out in some corner of your mind pretending to be awake while the body is still showing everyone that you believe death is real. You can class="hi2">anan>'t just be like, oh I'm not a body I am free, I'll just sit here an class="hi2">anan>d not be a body, while my body is sick an class="hi2">anan>d dies, an class="hi2">anan>d I don't care if its sick or dead cus it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion. THAT'S DENIAL. THAT'S A LIE. THAT'S DISHONEST. THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!!!!!

I know that man class="hi2">anan>y people can class="hi2">anan>not accept this an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>y deny it. But Jesus in A Course in Miracles, an class="hi2">anan>d supported by everything He has said in his own words, is telling us to STOP BEING SICK an class="hi2">anan>d STOP DYING. That sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death are the total OPPOSITE of God's Will, an class="hi2">anan>d that we are to DEMONSTRATE an class="hi2">ANan> UNWILLINGNESS TO DIE, in order to PROVE that we really truly believe that death is not real.

It is not enough to sit on a fence an class="hi2">anan>d say, ok, I don't believe in death. an class="hi2">Anan>d to then die. That is a lie. It is dishonest to say you do not believe in sickness an class="hi2">anan>d to then demonstrate being sick. Or to claim you are not dying an class="hi2">anan>d to then die. Or to say it's not my mind that's dying, it's just my body, which is not me. That's an class="hi2">anan> intellectualization because THE BODY Can class="hi2">ANan> ONLY DIE IF YOU ATTACK IT. It is a lie. The mind IS believing in death an class="hi2">anan>d is making the body sick. A San class="hi2">ANan>E MIND heals the body!

"Now is the body healed, because the source of sickness has been opened to relief. "

"The guiltless mind can class="hi2">anan>not suffer. Being san class="hi2">anan>e, the mind HEALS THE BODY (making sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death IMPOSSIBLE) because it has been healed. The san class="hi2">anan>e mind can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of illness because it can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of attacking an class="hi2">anan>yone or an class="hi2">anan>ything."

If your mind is san class="hi2">anan>e, YOUR BODY Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE. If your body dies, YOUR MIND IS NOT San class="hi2">ANan>E.

Whatever you demonstrate, whatever you express, whatever you show, it is coming from your inner condition as an class="hi2">anan> outward picture. It is a demonstration of your thought system an class="hi2">anan>d what you REALLY believe. If you go through death, YOU DO BELIEVE IN DEATH. No exceptions. If you do NOT believe in death, YOU WILL NOT DEMONSTRATE IT.

You do not get to wake up from being a body in the dream an class="hi2">anan>d then go through death. You do not get to wake up from being a body an class="hi2">anan>d believe intellectually that you're not the body an class="hi2">anan>d to then have the body be sick an class="hi2">anan>d die. Where is the correlation of proof that your mind makes your body? Where is the consistent honesty? This is deception. You can class="hi2">anan>'t be demonstrating one thing an class="hi2">anan>d believing an class="hi2">anan>other.

Jesus is literally teaching us to OVERCOME DEATH. "You made sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> abolish both". This is not an class="hi2">anan> OPTIONAL course teaching. This is not just some side-thread which you can class="hi2">anan> elect whether to participate in. This is a CENTRAL TEACHING. It is inherent to healing. It is inherent to being right minded. It is inherent to miracles. It is inherent in all of the Course's metaphysics, an class="hi2">anan>d it is GOD's WILL that you not demonstrate death. Death is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to kill God's Son, no matter what an class="hi2">anan>yone claims about their supposed state of mind. Death is human class="hi2">anan>ity's belief in hatred made man class="hi2">anan>ifest. Period.

an class="hi2">Anan>yone who shows that they die in this world, is demonstrating an class="hi2">anan>d proving that they believe in death. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter how much of a guru you are, how enlightened you seem to be, how man class="hi2">anan>y miracles you performed, how man class="hi2">anan>y yogic skills you have, how man class="hi2">anan>y followers you accumulated, how man class="hi2">anan>y people adore you, nothing. The proof is in the pudding. If you die, you did not overcome death.

"A dream of death is not left by death but by truth."

It's plain an class="hi2">anan>d simple. All the arguments about "oh this is just a dream an class="hi2">anan>d death isn't real so it doesn't matter if you die"... it's a logical ERROR, it's level confusion. All the arguments about "well I don't have the power to stop my own death", is also bullshit. It is UNWILLINGNESS TO LIVE. All the arguments about "death is natural" - absolutely false. All the arguments about death is inevitable - absolutely false. All the arguments about "everything dies" or "everyone dies"... how SORRY IS THAT?

That 99.99% of the human class="hi2">anan> race is FAILING TO BELIEVE IN LIFE. That 99.99% of the human class="hi2">anan> race is suicidal. "A dry an class="hi2">anan>d dusty world where starved an class="hi2">anan>d thirsty creatures come to die." an class="hi2">Anan>d world where we come "to hate a while, whither an class="hi2">anan>d die".

This is not God's will.

It is God's will that you believe in life, you demonstrate that you believe in life, you ABOLISH DEATH, you undo ALL sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d you SHOW an class="hi2">anan>d PROVE that you can class="hi2">anan>not be killed, nothing can class="hi2">anan> affect you in an class="hi2">anan>y way, an class="hi2">anan>d that the body can class="hi2">anan> be overcome. You leave the dream through TRUTH, not through death. an class="hi2">Anan>d truth brings light to illusions an class="hi2">anan>d disappears them.

This is the new frontier of A Course in Miracles. This is the true message Jesus is teaching. That you DO NOT NEED TO DIE an class="hi2">anan>d YOU SHOULD NOT DIE if you are to believe in everlasting life.

Again "demonstrate death an class="hi2">anan>d you must believe in death".

Death is what you are teaching. Death is what you believe in. If you are overpowered by disease an class="hi2">anan>d forces in the ego world, which you made, you have not undone your own self-attack. If your body is wracked with sickness, which are defenses you yourself put in place, an class="hi2">anan>d you have not removed those defenses, then you are still blocking God's Will.

No-one dies without their own consent. All death is suicide. Death is the opposite of God's Will.

"Sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death seemed to enter the mind of God's Son against His Will. 2 The "attack on God" made His Son think he was Fatherless, an class="hi2">anan>d out of his depression he made the god of depression."

"4 Man class="hi2">anan>y are afraid of blasphemy, but they do not understan class="hi2">anan>d what it mean class="hi2">anan>s. 5 They do not realize that to deny God is to deny their own Identity, an class="hi2">anan>d in this sense the wages of sin is death. 6 The sense is very literal; denial of life perceives its opposite, as all forms of denial replace what is with what is not. 7 No one can class="hi2">anan> really do this, but that you can class="hi2">anan> think you can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d believe you have is beyond dispute."

"T-10.V.2. Do not forget, however, that to deny God will inevitably result in projection, an class="hi2">anan>d you will believe that others an class="hi2">anan>d not yourself have done this to you."

"From the ego came sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death, in opposition to life an class="hi2">anan>d innocence an class="hi2">anan>d to the Will of God Himself. Where can class="hi2">anan> such opposition lie but in the sick minds of the insan class="hi2">anan>e, dedicated to madness an class="hi2">anan>d set against the peace of Heaven. One thing is sure—God, Who created neither sin nor death, wills not that you be bound by them. He knows of neither sin nor its results. The shrouded figures in the funeral procession march not in honor of their Creator, Whose Will it is they live. They are not following it; they are opposing it.

81 an class="hi2">Anan>d what is the black-draped body they would bury? A body which they dedicated to death, a symbol of corruption, a sacrifice to sin, offered to sin to feed upon an class="hi2">anan>d keep itself alive—a thing condemned, damned by its maker, an class="hi2">anan>d lamented by every mourner who looks upon it as himself. You who believe you have condemned the Son of God to this are arrogan class="hi2">anan>t."

If you REALLY believe in God's Will an class="hi2">anan>d that God is eternal life, you WILL DEMONSTRATE IT IN THIS WORLD by proving you can class="hi2">anan>not be affected by the world IN an class="hi2">ANan>Y WAY, not even death can class="hi2">anan> happen to you, an class="hi2">anan>d you are IMMORTAL. If you are not doing that, it is because you do not believe it, it mean class="hi2">anan>s you do not fully wan class="hi2">anan>t to do God's Will, an class="hi2">anan>d MUST still have mental illness. If you die, you are NOT awake. Death is a symbol of sleep within sleep. It is the total opposite of progress, the total opposite of awakening, an class="hi2">anan>d the total opposite of truth.

"There is no death, the Son of God is free" is true ONLY IF you can class="hi2">anan> PROVE IT, by being INCAPABLE of dying, not merely as a mind, but in an class="hi2">anan>y way that you show up. If you are in a body, you MUST SHOW IT by showing you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE PHYSICALLY EITHER.

Do you really think if Jesus showed up in the world, projecting a body from His mind, that an class="hi2">anan>ything in the world could make that body dead? That you could hurt it in an class="hi2">anan>y way or make it sick against Jesus's will? THAT would be arrogan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d that is the arrogan class="hi2">anan>ce of the ego. "There is no death, the Son of God is free" WHEN HE FULLY BELIEVES IN THE END OF DEATH an class="hi2">anan>d has the balls to show it to the world.

"No one can class="hi2">anan> suffer loss unless it be his own decision. No one suffers pain except his choice elects this state for him. No one can class="hi2">anan> grieve nor fear nor think him sick unless these are the outcomes that he wan class="hi2">anan>ts. an class="hi2">Anan>d no one dies without his own consent. Nothing occurs but represents your wish, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing is omitted that you choose." - Lesson 152

This is an class="hi2">anan> extremely black an class="hi2">anan>d white level of responsibility. If you give your CONSENT, then sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death will occur. If you do NOT give your consent, then sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death of the body become IMPOSSIBLE.

Paraphrase: What you use the body for it becomes to you. If you use it to attack it becomes weak an class="hi2">anan>d sick an class="hi2">anan>d dies. If you use it for love it is healed an class="hi2">anan>d sickness is reversed an class="hi2">anan>d death becomes *IMPOSSIBLE*. "A san class="hi2">anan>e mind heals the body."

This as Jesus says is a CENTRAL TEACHING of ACIM - that sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death of the body are OPTIONS THAT YOU CHOOSE (or not).

The body is not supposed to die or go through the death process. The body is not supposed to get sick. Death is nothing but an class="hi2">anan>other more extreme form of sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d sickness is just an class="hi2">anan> earlier form of death. It's all the same thing. The ego mind attacks an class="hi2">anan>d kills the body as a result of a belief that sin an class="hi2">anan>d death are real, in an class="hi2">anan> ARROGan class="hi2">ANan>T attempt to symbolically kill the Son of God. If you do not have that belief, you will not attack the body, it will not become sick, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not die.

"Use it (the body) to bring the Word of God to those who have it not, an class="hi2">anan>d the body becomes holy. 5 Because it is holy it can class="hi2">anan>not be sick, nor can class="hi2">anan> it die. 6 When its usefulness is done it is laid by, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all. 7 The mind makes this decision, as it makes all decisions that are responsible for the body's condition."

The mind makes ALL decisions about the body's condition, including whether it is sick, an class="hi2">anan>d whether it dies. It Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE if the mind does not CONSENT an class="hi2">anan>d CHOOSE to kill it. "From the ego came sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death" .... "The glitter of guilt you laid upon the body would kill it. For what the ego loves, it kills for its obedience".

The body then becomes a "symbol of immortality" in the dream, as a DEMONSTRATION that your mind truly believes in God's laws over the egos. It is useful purely as a communication device.

"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."

You will then retain the body, which is really nothing, but in this state effectively is invulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be destroyed. This produces a supernatural protection because "a broken body is proof the mind has not been healed" an class="hi2">anan>d therefore if the mind IS healed it WILL heal the body. It must.

"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."

When you have ceased attacking the body, "a san class="hi2">anan>e mind heals the body", the body will be restored miraculously to "perfect health" an class="hi2">anan>d become "holy", in the dream. It is used to bring God to those who need help, to perform miracles an class="hi2">anan>d raise the dead. an class="hi2">Anan>d then when its usefulness is done, the body is DISAPPEARED, not laid down on the ground to rot an class="hi2">anan>d die. The dream of death is not left by death, but by truth.

an class="hi2">Anan>yone whose body dies does so because THEY BELIEVE IN DEATH an class="hi2">ANan>D HAVE CONSENTED TO DIE. Death is a choice against God's Will. Death is NEVER a doorway out of dreaming. Death is DENIAL OF GOD.

Jesus describes how he finished dreaming not through death but through the recognition that the body was nothing/illusion an class="hi2">anan>d thus made it literally disappear:

"My body disappeared because I had no illusion about it.. It merely became what it always was. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is what 'rolling the stone away mean class="hi2">anan>s.' The body disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer hides what lies beyond... To roll the stone away is to see beyond the tomb, beyond death, an class="hi2">anan>d to understan class="hi2">anan>d the body's nothingness. I did assume a human class="hi2">anan> form with human class="hi2">anan> attributes afterwards, to speak to those who were to prove the body's worthlessness to the world. This has been much misunderstood. I came to tell them that death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other since form itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. They did not understan class="hi2">anan>d."

Death of the body is optional an class="hi2">anan>d is a FAILURE to live according to the Will of God. Whatever you believe you demonstrate. If you demonstrate death, you MUST believe in death. If you do not believe in death, you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT demonstrate death. We are to demonstrate "immortality" of the body, in the dream, before we can class="hi2">anan> stop dreaming. "There is no death, the Son of God is free" applies ONLY AFTER PROVING IT by making the body free of death, as demonstration of your actual acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce that you are under no laws but God's.

Ego is simply the idea that I am less than class="hi2">anan> the whole (while also trying to be more than class="hi2">anan> God). That I am not one with all. I am reduced an class="hi2">anan>d limited, lacking in some way, special in other ways due to what I seem to have that other lacking partial people don't seem to have, but nevertheless deprived an class="hi2">anan>d only ever partially satisfied.

It's what we might call a narrow mind, a mind which has narrowed itself down an class="hi2">anan>d confined itself. It does this by trying to be one with things which are not the whole. To put itself into little fragmented prisons.

Trying to be one with a body, or a thought, or the mind, or a feeling, or a role, or a culture, or a country, or a car, or a relationship etc. Trying to become something, as a redefinition of what we are as the whole. Trying to become a hole, an class="hi2">anan>d to have holes, as something unholy.

Our whole sense of who an class="hi2">anan>d what we are becomes confused with this sense of being things which are limited an class="hi2">anan>d lacking. We literally think we are items of clothing, an class="hi2">anan>d a fleshy ugly body, an class="hi2">anan>d a house, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything else we care to associate ourselves with or glean class="hi2">anan> credit for.

The main impetus of awakening is simply moving the sense of identify back towards the whole again, or what the course calls reintegration. The re-integrating, uniting, becoming one with, the lost parts of ourselves that we have rejected an class="hi2">anan>d called other or enemy. The rest of the sonship, the rest of the Kingdom, the rest of God.

"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. It calls to you to be yourself, within its safe embrace. There are the laws of limit lifted FOR you, to welcome you to openness of mind, an class="hi2">anan>d freedom. Come to this place of refuge, where you can class="hi2">anan> be yourself in peace. NOT through destruction, NOT through a "breaking out," but merely by a quiet "melting in." For peace will join you there, simply because YOU have been willing to let go the limits YOU have placed on love, an class="hi2">anan>d JOINED it where it is, an class="hi2">anan>d where it led you, in an class="hi2">anan>swer to its gentle call to be at peace." UrT18G16

"The purpose of this course is integration. I told you that you will not be able to use it right until you have taken it. As long as your identification vacillates, you can class="hi2">anan>not accept the gift that belongs to you." UrT1B16B

"What better vocation could there be for an class="hi2">anan>y part of the Kingdom than class="hi2">anan> to restore it to the perfect integration that can class="hi2">anan> make it whole?" UrT5D11

"True depth perception becomes possible only at the highest order of perceptual integration." UrT1B32B

"You should split yourself off from error, but only in defense of integration." UrT2B27

"an class="hi2">Anan>y split in will MUST involve a rejection of part of it, an class="hi2">anan>d this IS the belief in separation. The wholeness of God, which IS His peace, can class="hi2">anan>not be appreciated EXCEPT by a whole mind, which recognizes the wholeness of God's creation an class="hi2">anan>d BY this recognition knows its Creator." UrT6C1

"God HAS kept your kingdom for you, but He can class="hi2">anan>not share His joy with you until you know it with your whole mind. Even revelation is not enough, because it is communication FROM God. But it is not enough until it is shared. " UrT4H20

"The part of your thought which you have given TO the ego will merely return to the Kingdom, where your whole mind BELONGS. The ego is a form of ARREST, but arrest is merely delay." UrT5H12

I received this inspired definition of what A Course in Miracles is today.

A Course in Miracles says it is a "required course", that you do not have an class="hi2">anan>y option on whether or not to take it, an class="hi2">anan>d that only the time that you take it is voluntary. It says there is a curriculum which you must follow which you do not have an class="hi2">anan>y say in defining, mean class="hi2">anan>ing there are no other curriculums.

This is a point of much controversy an class="hi2">anan>d misunderstan class="hi2">anan>ding. But Jesus is telling the truth.

The "Course", if you will, the actual Course that Jesus is referring to in the book "A Course in Miracles", is not a Course that exists AS the book, but the book is REFERRING to the Course.

The Course, the one curriculum, is referring to every metaphysical truth an class="hi2">anan>d every metaphysical step which must at some point be taken in order to return to God. This applies to everyone, everywhere, all the time. There are no exceptions or options. It doesn't matter who you are, what religion you belong to, what you believe, you do NOT have a say in determining what the metaphysics of existence is, how it operates, what the laws are, or how you are mean class="hi2">anan>t to function.

There IS only one truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d from that One Truth, following the separation, extends all of the metaphysical levels an class="hi2">anan>d layers an class="hi2">anan>d facts, which are on an class="hi2">anan> absolutely colossal scale in the tran class="hi2">anan>s-personal, tran class="hi2">anan>s-temporal mind of the One Son of God. The structural composition of the levels of mind, the stages of separation, the steps that you have to go through in order to fall asleep, the things you MUST experience if you take those steps, are all absolutely irrefutable FACTS. There is a "WAY", there is only ONE way, an class="hi2">anan>d it is this one way that Jesus has labelled "A Course in Miracles".

Stop right there before you associate the book form with what the Course is. Jesus, outside of the book, is referring to the metaphysical structure of reality an class="hi2">anan>d the illusion an class="hi2">anan>d everything that can class="hi2">anan> possibly take place in it, the "true nature" of existence, an class="hi2">anan>d in His book titled "A Course in Miracles" He has chosen to NAME that experiential metaphysical structure "the curriculum." There is no room for bending the rules or breaking the laws of the curriculum.

As a result of choosing separation, certain things came into existence which have a certain structure, a certain behavior, a certain inter-relationship with each other, an class="hi2">anan>d it is all entirely based on metaphysical facts. Everything that seemed to happen after the separation happened according to completely clear-cut causes an class="hi2">anan>d effects. Basically, by choosing ego, you MUST experience very exact "effects", an class="hi2">anan>d it is only by reversing those exact effects that you can class="hi2">anan> be free of the ego. You took 3 steps forward, you MUST take 3 steps back.

Therefore there IS only one real curriculum. Either you are moving away from God or toward God. Movements toward God are the curriculum. This applies to everyone in all walks of life regardless of whether they heard of "A Course in Miracles" or not. In a way, though, Jesus has associated the term with the curriculum, because at the beginning He says:

"This is a Course in Miracles. It is a required Course."

Therefore Jesus is really referring to the one universal curriculum, the one universal metaphysics, an class="hi2">anan>d the steps required in order to follow the curriculum, as "A Course in Miracles". Not the book per se. The metaphysical structure of the dream an class="hi2">anan>d all of its levels an class="hi2">anan>d layers an class="hi2">anan>d facts an class="hi2">anan>d side-effects is all what defines the fixed curriculum, an class="hi2">anan>d taking a "course" in that, is the "Course in Miracles".

It is called a Course in MIRACLES because if you take an class="hi2">anan> actual step in following the curriculum, making actual metaphysical progress in awakening, no matter what belief system you are surrounding those steps with, you are performing miracles. Corrections of mind.

It must be true that you are ALWAYS inside of the curriculum, you are always taking the curriculum, an class="hi2">anan>d you are alway bound by its rules. However, the option you have is whether or not to LEARN, i.e. take the curriculum, an class="hi2">anan>d so you are free to choose WHEN to learn it, i.e. when to take the next steps toward God. You do not get to choose what those steps are because they are based on the metaphysics. You can class="hi2">anan> continue to be in DENIAL of this truth, which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to not take the curriculum, but you can class="hi2">anan>not CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE this truth, an class="hi2">anan>d sooner or later you MUST take it.

The curriculum therefore exists outside of the "book" of the Course, an class="hi2">anan>d applies in ALL belief systems at all times. There is only one "real" path to God. There are corrections necessary in order to awaken to the one truth. Whatever so-called path you are using, even if you never heard of A Course in Miracles, it MUST contain at least some metaphysical truth IF it is going to WORK at all. If it is not in alignment with the metaphysical truth an class="hi2">anan>d if it does not advan class="hi2">anan>ce you along the ONE curriculum, then it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT work.

Also different belief systems an class="hi2">anan>d religions either make the metaphysical truth clear, or obscure it, to varying degrees. Some belief systems obscure more than class="hi2">anan> others an class="hi2">anan>d may obscure heavily. For example, satan class="hi2">anan>ism most likely is going to be very effective at denying the curriculum an class="hi2">anan>d electing "not to take it yet". Similarly there are man class="hi2">anan>y other delaying man class="hi2">anan>euvers.

However, what we see as the BOOK, "A Course in Miracles", the FORMAT it takes, an class="hi2">anan>d the way it describes the metaphysical truth, is perhaps one of, if not THE, most effective, clear, inspired, ACCURATE, least obscuring, an class="hi2">anan>d maximally EFFICIENT formats on the plan class="hi2">anan>et today. It can class="hi2">anan> save significan class="hi2">anan>t time, because it very closely aligns to the one curriculum, an class="hi2">anan>d very effectively teaches about what the metaphysical truth is.

The BOOK, "A Course in Miracles", is piggybacking, or describing, the "real course", which is the curriculum, which is experiential an class="hi2">anan>d applies to everyone at all times. The book itself is not necessarily "required" to be read or followed in order to awaken. HOWEVER, whatever FORM of a path you choose, whatever the belief system, whatever theology, it MUST, *ABSOLUTELY MUST* correspond to the metaphysical truth taught in A Course in Miracles if it is going to WORK at all, an class="hi2">anan>d if it does not, it will NOT work an class="hi2">anan>d will only delay your awakening by producing more delusions.

You can class="hi2">anan> wake up to the ONE TRUTH, through man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y paths. In fact, "all paths lead to God" is true because even the most obscure, highly delaying, extremely denying paths still have at least some amount of the curriculum applying to them, still present lessons, still offers the truth in some small way, an class="hi2">anan>d is still governed by the same ONE metaphysical system.

For example, Christian class="hi2">anan>ity's interpretation of the metaphysics is correct in some areas an class="hi2">anan>d a little off in others. It is correct that there is One God, an class="hi2">anan>d that Christ is God's One Son. It is also true that as Jesus (as Christ) said, He is THE way, THE truth, an class="hi2">anan>d THE light. Not one of man class="hi2">anan>y. THE ONLY ONE. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is also true that no-one can class="hi2">anan> come to the father but by Him. HOWEVER, Christian class="hi2">anan>ity is mistaken in its claim that this mean class="hi2">anan>s you are forever separate an class="hi2">anan>d non-equal with Christ, that other FORMS of paths to God are wrong, that the Christian class="hi2">anan> religion is the only "way" to God, an class="hi2">anan>d that all other paths are evil. That's not true.

Christian class="hi2">anan>ity Can class="hi2">ANan> be an class="hi2">anan> effective path to awakening an class="hi2">anan>d to becoming equal with Christ, but in man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y of its flavors an class="hi2">anan>d interpretations, it is riddled with a heavy weight of delusion, illusion, confusion, an class="hi2">anan>d deception, which masquerade as truth but actually are part of the delaying man class="hi2">anan>euvers which attempt to PUT OFF the true curriculum. The only way Christian class="hi2">anan>ity can class="hi2">anan> WORK is when it is in correct alignment with the truth that has been described in the book "A Course in Miracles", an class="hi2">anan>d is following the ONE CURRICULUM which Jesus has basically named "A Course in Miracles" (beyond the book).

Effectively that mean class="hi2">anan>s that an class="hi2">anan>yone who takes the Christian class="hi2">anan> path (or an class="hi2">anan>y other religion or system), Can class="hi2">ANan> ONLY wake up to the truth IF they have actually either inadvertently or on purpose taken the One Curriculum, which IS actually A Course in Miracles. Remember that Jesus begins the Course with "This is a course in miracles. It is a required Course." He goes on to say this is the only curriculum an class="hi2">anan>d that you do not have an class="hi2">anan> option about what the curriculum entails. That mean class="hi2">anan>s, if you woke up "through" Christian class="hi2">anan>ity, you actually DID take A Course in Miracles - the metaphysical, experiential, spiritually corrective path back to God, which is present in EVERYONE's mind an class="hi2">anan>d MUST be followed in order to return to God.

In this respect, A Course in Miracles, the one true curriculum, IS the only way to God, it IS the way that Jesus is referring to that HE woke up to being Christ, it IS the way that Buddha woke up, it IS the way that an class="hi2">anan>y other ascended master woke up, an class="hi2">anan>d It MUST be the way that everyone wakes up.

All of the rest of the descriptions an class="hi2">anan>d forms an class="hi2">anan>d formats an class="hi2">anan>d supposed ILLUSIONS of separate paths that people seem to be taking, where they might claim "I am not doing A Course in Miracles", or that they don't believe in it, or that they aren't taking the One Curriculum, are heavily clad in ILLUSIONS that make it seem like they are not taking the One Curriculum, BUT THEY ARE.

*cue meme with "there is no escape" an class="hi2">anan>d evil laugh*

Either you are taking A Course in Miracles an class="hi2">anan>d learning the metaphysical truth an class="hi2">anan>d following the one curriculum an class="hi2">anan>d are waking up to God, which is THE ONLY WAY, which does not necessarily have to entail having an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with the book whatsoever,

OR

You are delaying the one curriculum, are attempting not to take the "Course", an class="hi2">anan>d are in denial.

THAT is the true nature of A Course in Miracles. It is not just a Course that you are only taking IF you are doing your forgiveness or IF you own the book of IF the book is in your han class="hi2">anan>ds with you studying it. It is ALWAYS the course, whether you like it or not, an class="hi2">anan>d you are always taking it, whether you like it or not!

It is not just a book. It is not just a bunch of text an class="hi2">anan>d a set of lessons an class="hi2">anan>d a man class="hi2">anan>ual. That's just one format. One expression of ACIM. It's one way of explaining what the Course is, one way of TEACHING what the Course is. The Course is the one metaphysical curriculum for awakening which applies to everyone at all times. There are man class="hi2">anan>y ways to teach it. The BOOK "A Course in Miracles" is Jesus's way of teaching it, an class="hi2">anan>d is a very accurate way. There are an class="hi2">anan> unlimited number of ways of teaching it. Some will appear to be extremely close to the true nature of the one curriculum, an class="hi2">anan>d some will seem to be so far removed that you would not say it is the one curriculum at all. But there is no escaping the one curriculum.

This is the metaphysical nature of A Course in Miracles. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is why it is REQUIRED, an class="hi2">anan>d this is why Jesus said it is required. He is not lying. You just have to get your definition of what the "Course" is correct so that it makes sense.

If Christian class="hi2">anan>s are making an class="hi2">ANan>Y headway towards God, they are taking A Course in Miracles. If Muslims are making an class="hi2">ANan>Y headway toward God, they are taking A Course in Miracles. If Hindu's are making headway toward God, they are taking A Course in Miracles. What Jesus has described AS A Course in Miracles is the one, the only, the profound metaphysical teaching, which is completely factual an class="hi2">anan>d 100% FIXED an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged an class="hi2">anan>d has no exceptions. That's what He has revealed to us an class="hi2">anan>d has attempted to outline an class="hi2">anan>d teach in the book. Whether you opt to use the book or not, you are still bound by the curriculum an class="hi2">anan>d you still can class="hi2">anan>not take an class="hi2">anan>y other curriculum that works without it being a curriculum in miracles.

Let's say that you're eating some ice-cream, an class="hi2">anan>d your loved-one says to you, "don't have too much, I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t you to get sick"... that can class="hi2">anan> seem like caring. But is it?

Their assertion is that ice-cream has power over you, can class="hi2">anan> affect you, you are vulnerable to it, you can class="hi2">anan> be victimized by it, an class="hi2">anan>d it is capable of attacking you. Their belief in this is practically using the ice-cream as a weapon, while at the same time making it LOOK LIKE they are caring about your well-being.

Well, if the person would've said something more like "you are invulnerable to ice-cream an class="hi2">anan>d it has no power over you an class="hi2">anan>d I see you being completely unaffected by it" that's far more powerful an class="hi2">anan>d actually supportive. That affirms the person's immortality an class="hi2">anan>d invulnerability an class="hi2">anan>d strength.

In contrast then, compared to this supportive statement, the statement of "be careful you might be hurt an class="hi2">anan>d I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t that" is shown to be filled with attack an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d guilt. Does that make it truly caring? No.

Such an class="hi2">anan> illusion of caring is based always on the perception that stuff happens to people against their will, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore they need to take certain actions or avoid certain things in order to be safe. It's not empowerment at all. It's not protection, either. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's not causing the person to actually feel safer or more protected.

It is a veiled ego attack, which on the surface always has a persona mask of "I am just caring about you my love" while underneath the real content of it is "I wan class="hi2">anan>t you dead".

Too harsh? No. The ego is very deceptive an class="hi2">anan>d it disguises attacks as help an class="hi2">anan>d hides behind a facade of innocence when in fact, in the light of truth, its content is very undermining an class="hi2">anan>d backwards.

We have to re-learn how to be supportive of others. Our entire system of false empathy an class="hi2">anan>d caring an class="hi2">anan>d worrying about people is all riddled with disempowerment an class="hi2">anan>d thinly-veiled attacks. If we wan class="hi2">anan>t to really support people, we need to start seeing them as they truly are - powerful, strong, holy, innocent, free of all suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d completely invulnerable. To see them as an class="hi2">anan>ything less or to believe an class="hi2">anan>ything less of them is not caring at all.

Fear has the potential to paralyze you. It stops people from living. It keeps people imprisoned in their own homes.

People affected by fear can class="hi2">anan> avoid doing certain things man class="hi2">anan>y, man class="hi2">anan>y times over, missing out on countless experiences, interactions an class="hi2">anan>d relationships.

Afraid one day, afraid man class="hi2">anan>y days, afraid for months or even years, an class="hi2">anan>d allowing this fear to run your life, there comes to be an class="hi2">anan> entire "life" that you could've lived but you didn't, systematically avoiding it one opportunity at a time.

I've seen this happen to a number of people, whose ability to enjoy a full life is almost perman class="hi2">anan>ently destroyed by fear. That includes me - I used to be so afraid of people an class="hi2">anan>d of living life.

So man class="hi2">anan>y things which could've happened but didn't, because fear said it must be avoided. Or fear said it was a threat, or dan class="hi2">anan>gerous, or would upset someone, or that it would lead to punishment.

Fear is always about the believed threat of some form of punishment or attack that you *perceive* is going to happen. You're sure it will happen because you yourself believe that you are guilty, for whatever reason. Actually the only reason is because deep down you believed you have sinned. But sins are forgivable because they aren't real, an class="hi2">anan>d one who would punish you is a sinner themselves.

You don't have to live in fear your entire life. Fear is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It isn't real or founded in reality. It's a psychological condition of temporary insan class="hi2">anan>ity, projection an class="hi2">anan>d denial. It's a choice to disown yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d what ends up being disowned is your life that you're not living.

Don't let fear lock you in a prison today. Set yourself free.

"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. The slogan class="hi2">anan> for this Crusade is "Listen, Learn, an class="hi2">anan>d Do."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s Listen to My Voice, Learn to undo the error, an class="hi2">anan>d do something to correct it.

The first two are not enough. The real members of my party are active workers. (Urtext version of T-1.III.1:5-6)"

Are you willing to be an class="hi2">anan> active worker in Jesus's plan class="hi2">anan> of atonement, working miracles for others an class="hi2">anan>d lifting your brother into awakening? Or are you only interested in undoing the error for yourself?

This is perhaps a major distinction in the course community. Those who listen to the Voice for God an class="hi2">anan>d undo error, versus those who did this but also then 'take it to the people' with expressions of love an class="hi2">anan>d miracles. Jesus says he wan class="hi2">anan>ts us to be miracle workers for others an class="hi2">anan>d not just for ourselves.

"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."

Does this not mean class="hi2">anan>, that you must now actively help others to awaken? That you would naturally wan class="hi2">anan>t to do this because you love your brother so much? That you would ACT upon this love an class="hi2">anan>d express an class="hi2">anan>d extend it to others, even intervening for them with miracles (miracles intervene for their holiness). If you truly are in a place of love, then you will become part of the atoning principle, the atoning 'plan class="hi2">anan>' for salvation, of which Jesus is in charge, an class="hi2">anan>d then you will be a part of helping to awaken your brother. It's not a crusade like a conquest or war to 'attack' the ego, but rather to heal an class="hi2">anan>d help others to be restored to their natural condition (divine health, perfect mind) an class="hi2">anan>d to demonstrate an class="hi2">anan>d be an class="hi2">anan> example of the truth, sharing it with everyone. It is a calling, to be a representative of God here, while the illusion persists.

The ego's problem solving solution is to separate. It will tell you that the way to forgive something an class="hi2">anan>d free yourself from suffering at its expense, is to separate from it an class="hi2">anan>d/or attack it.

The way you'll separate from it is to deny it, try to believe it's not real, to see it as not happening, attach a label of illusion to it, affirm over an class="hi2">anan>d over how God didn't create it, label it as duality, an class="hi2">anan>d generally weaponise various parts of ACIM against it to "make it go away."

This is what the course calls "forgiveness to destroy". It deman class="hi2">anan>ds that either a) the thing itself chan class="hi2">anan>ges so that you're not affected, or b) you destroy its existence so that you're not affected. Both entail you not really chan class="hi2">anan>ging yourself, while increasing separation - but disguised as "forgiveness."

The main problem is sin. Sin is a combination of two things: form an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing or interpretation is given to a form an class="hi2">anan>d associated with it, but then it seems like the form IS the mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d you're dealing with ONE thing. One object that is evil, one act that is bad, one person body that is sinning, etc.

The combination of ego interpretation an class="hi2">anan>d form, makes it seem like your only solution is to get rid of the form. You have to throw it away in order to free yourself from the mean class="hi2">anan>ing. This immediately produces the spiritual bypass in which experience is denied, feelings are repressed, guilt is not looked at, beliefs are not questioned, the world is denied, bodies are denied, an class="hi2">anan>d the person tries to "escape" from the world of form.

The insight that HAS to happen for proper forgiveness to take place, is to recognize that "the problem" IS a combination of two things - form an class="hi2">anan>d a mean class="hi2">anan>ing you're giving it. You have to recognize that YOU are contributing something extra to the thing, you're adding something to it, you're giving it a mean class="hi2">anan>ing. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s that there is an class="hi2">anan> ASPECT of the thing that you can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind about.

This then leads to the realisation that if you were to think differently, believe differently, undo guilts, chan class="hi2">anan>ge your attitude, interpret in a lighter higher way, or generally alter YOUR MIND, it would chan class="hi2">anan>ge how you experience the thing. We're not talking here about doing this to make the form of the thing go away, but we're talking bout making the FALSE MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING go away by REPLACING it with a higher mean class="hi2">anan>ing.

What this then does is it acknowledges the continued possible presence of the form without bypassing, without denying it's there, without trying to make it unreal, without attacking it with quotes, without ignoring the body, without numbing the feelings, without pretending you're not unhappy, an class="hi2">anan>d without denying the guilt.

Instead of being a "shove this thing into the pit of hell so that it's out of my way", it's more like "I'll chan class="hi2">anan>ge MY contribution to this so that I see it in a better way". This entails an class="hi2">anan> honesty an class="hi2">anan>d a willingness to question your beliefs, to consider that your interpretation might be mistaken, to have a little willingness to admit to being wrong, an class="hi2">anan>d certainly a willingness to stop denying what you are experiencing. In fact you need to acknowledge the forms that are taking place EVEN MORE, before you can class="hi2">anan> properly move into forgiveness.

For example if you are full of guilt but are in denial about it, you will project that guilt onto forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you'll associate it with the forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you'll think that the form + guilt is actually just "formguilt", like it's locked in as one thing. In order to move away from this delusion, you would have to be willing to stop denying that you feel guilty, stop denying that you believe you are guilty, an class="hi2">anan>d look at the guilt with the Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d find a better to look at it so that you can class="hi2">anan> overlook it an class="hi2">anan>d see your innocence.

As no time are we looking to write off, ignore, relegate, label, attack, dismiss, deny, pretend, or otherwise "make go away" an class="hi2">anan>ything physical or emotional or mental. We just wan class="hi2">anan>t a different an class="hi2">ANan>GLE on it. As soon as we start getting into "I wan class="hi2">anan>t to make this go away", we're very likely binding mean class="hi2">anan>ing with form an class="hi2">anan>d are trying to get rid of it all at once. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s we're going to move into a "reaction to sin", with a counter-measure of forgiveness to destroy. an class="hi2">Anan>d then we're in a bypass.

When we use high-level lofty truths, the proper use of them is NOT to deny form or experience, or to create an class="hi2">anan>other separation or rift between heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth. It's to use it to steer the mind towards truth WITHOUT negating or attacking or denying the illusory world. If there is an class="hi2">anan>y hint of "separate from it" in your forgiving, you're got some ego in there.

For example if you say "there is no world" an class="hi2">anan>d you're using that to try to write off the world an class="hi2">anan>d make it go away, that's a spiritual bypass an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attack. If you are saying it with the purpose of affirming your true identity an class="hi2">anan>d increasing the recognition of what the world IS, that's a proper use of it. There's a subtle difference there, but it's also huge.

If we say for example "I am not a body" the purpose isn't to destroy the body or make bodies go away. The purpose should be to affirm your identification with spirit an class="hi2">anan>d shift your identification away from the body. This isn't to be used as a statement with a hidden mean class="hi2">anan>ing of "bodies aren't real" or "bodies don't exist." Because the truth is that you DO believe very strongly that bodies exist. Your aim is to dis-identify from them not destroy them an class="hi2">anan>d not see them, at least not until much much later when you're ready for that.

We have to therefore always be careful to check whether how we're USING the course is using denial properly. If we've got some "make it go away" vibes in there, we're introducing some ego. If we're weaponising statements in order to "defend against", we're got some ego in there. If we're trying to say I am immortal spirit in an class="hi2">anan> effort to get rid of the body an class="hi2">anan>d shut it out, that's a huge bypass.

Overall, the best way to avoid bypassing is to adopt an class="hi2">anan> attitude that you are in this world, in this body, an class="hi2">anan>d you will remain in this world in this body, even when you are very close to awakening. an class="hi2">Anan> attitude that you will find peace even here in this world, an class="hi2">anan>d not initially attempt to escape the world in order to find it.

an class="hi2">Anan> attitude that you will repurpose an class="hi2">anan>d re-use the body an class="hi2">anan>d express the love of God through it to others here in this world while you have it. That you'll use the body for teaching an class="hi2">anan>d healing, rather than class="hi2">anan> trying to not have a body at all.

That instead of trying to attack the world away, you'll find a way to forgive it an class="hi2">anan>d arrive at the forgiven world, seen here in a body with christ vision. an class="hi2">Anan> attitude that you will STAY an class="hi2">ANan>D HELP, rather than class="hi2">anan> trying to "escape from hell", that you will be a healer an class="hi2">anan>d a teacher of God an class="hi2">anan>d bring light INTO this world. To be the light of the world!

As soon as the course is being used in an class="hi2">anan> effort to escape from the world, you're going to go into a spiritual bypass. As soon as you're trying to write the world off, get rid of the body, demonise death, repress feelings, deny suffering, or make the whole of spacetime out to be some defective sinful thing that you wan class="hi2">anan>t nothing to do with, you're going to be bypassing.

This bypass results in escaping into the intellect, using very lofty level 1 statements to try to "write off" the world an class="hi2">anan>d the body, using non-duality ideas to invalidate everything you experience, makes you sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d control an class="hi2">anan>d limit everything you do including an class="hi2">anan>ything you enjoy, produces a cold dismissive attitude of rejection, develops a sense of total separation between heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth, an class="hi2">anan>d generally increases the ego.

Jesus suggests to avoid this "top down" sort of approach where we just try to hammer high truths into our minds or force ourselves to believe things. We're mean class="hi2">anan>t instead to work from the bottom up, from where we are at now, without denial of experience or feelings or suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d work with whatever we're open to as the next step, to question our current beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d consider a better way to look at things. So that we can class="hi2">anan> work our way up from the bottom, instead of pretending to sit on the mountain-top hurling down judgements.

"an class="hi2">Anan>d as a man class="hi2">anan>, I did not attempt to counteract error with knowledge, so much as to CORRECT error from the bottom up."

"True denial is a very powerful protective device. You can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d should deny an class="hi2">anan>y belief that error can class="hi2">anan> hurt you. This kind of denial is NOT a concealment device, but a correction device. The "Right Mind" of the mentally healthy DEPENDS on it."

"Fail not in your function of loving in a loveless place, made out of darkness an class="hi2">anan>d deceit, for thus are darkness an class="hi2">anan>d deception UNdone."

"When I said "I am come as a light into the world," I surely came to share this light with you."

"I am the light of the world. That is my only function. That is why I am here."

"an class="hi2">Anan>ger takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, but it can class="hi2">anan>not long deceive those who will learn that love brings no guilt at all, an class="hi2">anan>d what brings guilt can class="hi2">anan>not be love an class="hi2">anan>d must be an class="hi2">anan>ger. All an class="hi2">anan>ger is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make someone feel guilty, an class="hi2">anan>d this attempt is the only basis the ego accepts for special relationships. Guilt is the only need the ego has, an class="hi2">anan>d as long as you identify with it, guilt will remain attractive to you."

"Very simply, the attempt to make guilty is ALWAYS directed against God. For the ego would have you see Him, an class="hi2">ANan>D HIM ALONE, as guilty, leaving the Sonship OPEN to attack, an class="hi2">anan>d unprotected from it."

If you look, when you are an class="hi2">anan>gry or frustrated or even slightly an class="hi2">anan>noyed with someone, while the feeling may be one of "an class="hi2">anan>ger", the process is really an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make someone feel guilty, an class="hi2">anan>d the purpose is to displace your own guilt onto them. When you look at it as "trying to make them guilty", it's exactly that an class="hi2">anan>d only that.

an class="hi2">Anan>y attempt to point a finger of blame an class="hi2">anan>d say, "you are wrong" or "you did it" or "you shouldn't have done it" or "it was you" etc... is really an class="hi2">anan> attempt to try to force the person to BE guilty, trying to cause guilt in them, trying to enforce guilt upon them an class="hi2">anan>d turn them INTO a guilty party. It's therefore a form of attack an class="hi2">anan>d a denial of free will.

When you get done being an class="hi2">anan>gry with someone you'll notice you were trying to make them guilty. You wan class="hi2">anan>ted them to be intensely identified as the sinner. You wan class="hi2">anan>ted to be right about this. an class="hi2">Anan>d you wan class="hi2">anan>ted them to admit to their sinfulness. It's like a deman class="hi2">anan>d, an class="hi2">anan>d "love makes no deman class="hi2">anan>ds."

What this shows you is that whenever we are an class="hi2">anan>gry, we are attacking, an class="hi2">anan>d are actively trying to hurt someone through guilt-inducing force. We are trying to convert them into the guilty party an class="hi2">anan>d are justifying it an class="hi2">anan>d backing it up with all our "reasons why" they actually are guilty.

So that mean class="hi2">anan>s being an class="hi2">anan>gry at someone is not a neutral activity, or an class="hi2">anan> unharmful activity, or a loving activity. It is actually an class="hi2">anan> outright attack for purposes of displacing your own guilt onto an class="hi2">anan>other. "You but accuse your brother of your own sins."

In the an class="hi2">anan>ger it will always seem like you have amazingly justified reasons as to why you should be an class="hi2">anan>gry, because it's very clear why the person IS guilty. They DID seem to do something. They DID make a mistake. They DID hurt you. They DID move your cheese. They WERE abusive. They DID steal from you, or whatever. At least on the level of form.

This gives you a free pass of righteousness. This "righteous an class="hi2">anan>ger" is an class="hi2">anan> excuse for making it okay to attack a person. The "justified outrage" passes for some kind of "right" that you have, because the occurrence is so obviously awful, inhuman class="hi2">anan>e, unjustified, un-asked for, vicious an class="hi2">anan>d the various other forms of what we'd identify as sinful based on appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. But there is NO forgiveness in that view.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s if we're not being forgiving we're not being loving, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>'t be loving or forgiving while you are being an class="hi2">anan>gry. This is because in the an class="hi2">anan>ger you are being unloving an class="hi2">anan>d unforgiving toward yourself, have accused yourself of sin an class="hi2">anan>d are now attempting to project that onto someone else, taking this wonderful opportunity they presented as a low-han class="hi2">anan>ging fruit that you can class="hi2">anan> easily attach your guilt to.

If someone does actually mess up, if they do attack, if they do something "wrong", this makes it extremely easy for your ego to pounce on them. Because now they've presented you with what seems to be an class="hi2">anan> "actual sin". This makes it easy for you because you don't even have to invent a sin for them, they did it all by themselves. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you can class="hi2">anan> take this chan class="hi2">anan>ce to push YOUR sin onto them by NOT forgiving them for theirs. It's a free pass.

There is no such thing as justification for an class="hi2">anan>ger. As ACIM says, "an class="hi2">Anan>ger is never justified". The justifications are lies, the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of sin happening is blindness an class="hi2">anan>d judgmental, the feeling of righteousness or deserving is completely unforgiving an class="hi2">anan>d a form of attack. Only by overlooking what your brother did can class="hi2">anan> you be forgiving to him an class="hi2">anan>d to yourself.

"Forgiveness recognizes that what you thought your brother did has not OCCURRED."

"In this view are all your sins forgiven."

When there is conflict with someone, it may seem that one or the other person is wrong, but always both are wrong.

The ego takes two people an class="hi2">anan>d pits them against each other. It doesn't care who wins. In fact it will try to make both of them win, which maintains the conflict because it's impossible.

When you are in the ego conflict, you have to realize that it is not really personal. The ego is trying to come between both of you for ITS purposes of separation.

If you can class="hi2">anan> stop an class="hi2">anan>d remember, wait a minute, NEITHER OF US is wrong, the ego is PLAYING us against each other an class="hi2">anan>d we are BOTH INNOCENT, then the entire foundation for the conflict has to dissolve.

This is the only way out of the ego. Either we are both innocent or we are both guilty an class="hi2">anan>d at war. We can class="hi2">anan> never resolve situations by saying "I am right, you are wrong". That's unconsciousness. Until we are ON THE SAME SIDE, ie recognizing that the ego is acting on both of us in the same way an class="hi2">anan>d that we both wan class="hi2">anan>t peace, we will continue to struggle.

So in this way it is helpful to think of the ego as a third party, an class="hi2">anan> instigator, an class="hi2">anan>d a facilitator of conflict. It is better for us to 'side against it' together, by choosing not to play its game, than class="hi2">anan> to continue to play it. Even if this mean class="hi2">anan>s making out that the ego is a separate thing. Because as soon as we stop playing the game, the ego has to dissolve.

The ego IS the conflict. The ego IS the separation that comes between us. Its only aim is to increase separation. So let's not do that.

Let's forgive each other an class="hi2">anan>d be in the same boat an class="hi2">anan>d decide together that we're both innocent an class="hi2">anan>d reunite with shared interests.

If you're open-minded to the idea that heaven is a place you can class="hi2">anan> go, which is not the Earth, the retelling of a profound near death experiences will be clarifying an class="hi2">anan>d validating for you.

After leaving the body, we travel to a kind of summer lan class="hi2">anan>d, a beautiful "other side" dimension (which is not Earth), complete with beautiful lan class="hi2">anan>dscapes an class="hi2">anan>d people etc ... likely what we might call the astral plan class="hi2">anan>e or "lower heaven". Then we move on to a direct encounter with God in his higher dimension of heaven.

For me this is roughly the "structure" that I believe "exists", ie Earth an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime are a much denser lower-order realm, above is the astral "spirit world" dimension where people typically han class="hi2">anan>g out between lifetimes etc, an class="hi2">anan>d then beyond that is heaven proper where we are one with God.

A Course in Miracles does lend itself to these ideas because as it states in Song of Prayer:

"If there has been true healing, this can class="hi2">anan> be the form in which death comes when it is time to rest a while from labor gladly done an class="hi2">anan>d gladly ended. Now we go in peace to freer air an class="hi2">anan>d gentler climate" This "gentler climate" is the astral spirit world - still a dream perhaps but a higher dream an class="hi2">anan>d more beautiful than class="hi2">anan> this lower denser world we call Earth. I do SOMETIMES wonder if "the real world" spoken of in ACIM might be perhaps in some way a reference to that "summer lan class="hi2">anan>d", an class="hi2">anan>other dimension beyond this one yet short of heaven.

One possible clue is when Jesus speaks of rivers which never waste away - which have been spoken of in various near-death experiences.

"when you have looked on scenes of violence an class="hi2">anan>d death, an class="hi2">anan>d WATCHED them chan class="hi2">anan>ge to quiet views of gardens under open skies, with clear life-giving water running happily beside them in dan class="hi2">anan>cing brooks that never waste away; who need PERSUADE you to accept the gift of vision? an class="hi2">Anan>d AFTER vision, who is there who COULD refuse what MUST come after?"

I guess we'll find out. For sure I am firm in the belief that this physical level of human class="hi2">anan> bodies an class="hi2">anan>d bullshit is not an class="hi2">anan>d never could be God's Kingdom. Beyond this world there is at least an class="hi2">anan>other entire dimension, if not man class="hi2">anan>y. When you hear people speaking of actually experiencing it, we can class="hi2">anan> no longer remain closed-minded or regard the spacetime of the "physical universe" to be real, or our true home in God. Ultimately, it is nothing.

"Salvation is no more than class="hi2">anan> a reminder this world (Earth/Spacetime) is NOT your home"

"The (physical) body can class="hi2">anan> be made a home like this BECAUSE it lacks foundation in the truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet, BECAUSE it does, it can class="hi2">anan> be seen as NOT your home, but merely as an class="hi2">anan> aid to help you reach the home (when you leave it behind) where God abides (in heaven)."

When I am reminded of things like this, which sometimes are thought to be outside of "acim teachings", but nevertheless hinted at by them, I feel more in touch with my own inner truth. I recall that there are indeed other dimensions, life beyond the physical, an class="hi2">anan>d a heaven that is not of this world.

"Your Kingdom is not of this world (Earth/Spacetime) because it was given you from BEYOND this world (Heaven)."

"Others find it in experience that is not of this world, which shows them that the world (Earth/Spacetime) does not exist because what they behold (Heaven) must be the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d yet it clearly contradicts the world."

The purpose of sickness is to make you an class="hi2">anan>d the body seem to be "one".

The ultimate goal of sickness, which is "death", is the attempt to fully unite who you really are with the body, so that when the body is destroyed, it is claimed that "you" are destroyed.

The whole point of this happening is our attempt to destroy the Son of God - Christ, by associating His identity with something which Can class="hi2">ANan> appear to be attacked, like tying a metal ball to His an class="hi2">anan>kle an class="hi2">anan>d throwing Him in the ocean class="hi2">anan>.

Sickness therefore is the way that we attempt to destroy ourselves, to try to prove that we are not God's Son. The closer that we can class="hi2">anan> get to achieving this, the more it would seem we have become "the ego" - a fully separate self, which is symbolized by the BODY. If we are the body, an class="hi2">anan>d if the body is destroyed, then we would seem to be destroyed along with it. This is the illusion of death.

Forms of sickness vary, but pain in particular is a good example. Pain screams for your attention, day an class="hi2">anan>d night. It blasts your awareness with such a loud signal in the body that all of your waking moments are consumed with it. It is a particularly effective way to associate you with the body, because it leaves very little room for ignoring it.

Similarly, other "severe" diseases an class="hi2">anan>d so-called accidents can class="hi2">anan> produce such intense long-term suffering such that the body is thoroughly identified with, an class="hi2">anan>d believed to be the Self. When the body is challenging you constan class="hi2">anan>tly with reminders about how sick you are, how disabled you are, how suffering you are, an class="hi2">anan>d how much pain you are in on man class="hi2">anan>y levels, it acts as a device for shutting out God. an class="hi2">Anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> lead to hopelessness, an class="hi2">anan>d eventually to death.

In the ego's glorious moment of triumph, it *seems* to achieve the death of the Son of God, through destruction of the body. The body can class="hi2">anan> ONLY be destroyed IF the Son of God has fully gran class="hi2">anan>ted permission for this to occur, i.e. has done it to Himself, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore has chosen to die. (Or at least to seem to, because He is immortal.)

Sickness then is only there as a way to bind you to the body, so that you will seem to be pulled away from God. God is the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d sickness puts distan class="hi2">anan>ce between you an class="hi2">anan>d God. Therefore, "sickness is a defense against the truth" because it seems to allow you to escape "into" the body, in effort to find a way to move closer to death, because death is seen as the opposite of Life. Life is God, so death is an class="hi2">anan> escape from God.

If the only purpose of sickness, in defense against truth, is to SEPARATE YOU from God through intimacy with the body, then the HEALING of sickness MUST entail a movement TOWARDS God an class="hi2">anan>d away from "body reality". The person must dis-identify from the body, an class="hi2">anan>d recognize that they are not physical.

an class="hi2">Anan>other way to express this, is that you must realize that the truth of who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are is not "form". The only way this can class="hi2">anan> be true, is IF form itself is NOT truth. While the body an class="hi2">anan>d its experiences remain true or real to you, you will believe that YOU are those truths. That you are physical an class="hi2">anan>d that you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt.

Withdrawal of "reality" from the body, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore from all form, is the path to healing sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. In other words, withdrawing a sense of truth from what is actually an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, an class="hi2">anan>d placing that sense of truth back where it belongs, aligned with the REAL TRUTH which is of God.

If you believe that the body is ever "really sick", or that what you're witnessing is a "real sickness", or that something is "really happening" to you or others, as evidenced by all of the signs an class="hi2">anan>d sensations of suffering, then you will be stuck. You must shift your perception to recognize that what you're SEEING is actually an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION OF SICKNESS. It is not real sickness, because there is no such thing.

What you're seeing, what you're experiencing, as sickness, is actually just an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSORY IMAGE which is PRETENDING to be sickness. It is not really there. It is not really happening. No matter how it appears, no matter the severity or mildness, no matter the form or how long it's been present, it can class="hi2">anan>not be reality. Otherwise YOU will become the sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d the body, an class="hi2">anan>d you will die.

Either God's truth is the truth, or the ILLUSION is the truth.

Either God's truth is real, or sickness is real.

Either God's truth is the only truth, or the body has truth to it.

God did not create the body because the body is not real.

Learn then that when you perceive sickness, IF there is a measure of reality to your experience of what you're perceiving, you are MISTAKEN, an class="hi2">anan>d you are actually seeing an class="hi2">anan> illusion, but are thinking that it is reality. You have GIVEN truth to it "I have given everything I see all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has for me". Because you GAVE it truth, you can class="hi2">anan> withdraw the truth from it. To do this you have to PLACE the truth somewhere else, an class="hi2">anan>d recognize where it really is. Shift the truth to be God's truth, an class="hi2">anan>d the truth will be removed from the sickness.

The truth is true an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else is true. The body is not the truth. Sickness is not the truth.

Work on this until you can class="hi2">anan> literally look at the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d NOT BELIEVE IT. Recognize it is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION. It's like a three-dimensional fake hologram being projected by a Spirit that is floating around in space pretending to be physical. It is not a REAL sickness, it is make-believe!

When you can class="hi2">anan> look at sickness as NOT REAL, you will find yourself feeling HAPPY. You will be happy because you are not making errors, you are being forgiving, you are not falling for the illusion (it's a mind trick!), an class="hi2">anan>d you're not buying into it. You will find yourself smiling as you affirm an class="hi2">anan>d see "this is not real".

Recognizing that illusions are not real, lifts FEAR from you, because fear is a reaction to perceiving a real illusion. You could only be afraid IF what you see is really happening an class="hi2">anan>d IF what you see was not designed by God. Only real illusions can class="hi2">anan> frighten! If illusions are NOT real, they can class="hi2">anan>not frighten. But you must BELIEVE that they are not reality. You're seeing something that isn't really there, it isn't really happening, an class="hi2">anan>d it is quite literally.... NOTHING.

Sickness is nothing. Death is nothing.

This "collapsing" of the illusion, this stripping it of its illusory reality, this taking away of belief in it, this withdrawing of the conviction that it is true an class="hi2">anan>d therefore suffering with reactions, is all part of forgiveness. Overlooking the error. Overlooking sin. Overlooking an class="hi2">anan> illusion that you always thought was reality, but is in fact smoke an class="hi2">anan>d mirrors.

Your body's eyes will show you sickness. But your MIND's EYE will show you the truth - that the sickness is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The mind then is shining a light of truth - God's truth - an class="hi2">anan>d this has POWER to disperse an class="hi2">anan>d undo an class="hi2">anan>d correct what appears to be the sickness. IT MUST GO! Jesus has said, "illusions that are understood to BE illusions MUST disappear".

When someone is upset, it isn't real.

When someone is sick an class="hi2">anan>d suffering terribly, it isn't real.

When war is happening, it isn't real.

When someone is dying, it isn't real.

If this stuff were real, we would HAVE to be very upset! We would have an class="hi2">anan> extremely hard time not being upset by this, because our mind is actually convinced that it's reality an class="hi2">anan>d will react to it with fear an class="hi2">anan>d suffering.

But imagine that these things are NOT real? This is just a dream, an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You could see these things an class="hi2">anan>d NOT BELIEVE THEM, an class="hi2">anan>d LAUGH!!!!!!!!!

Too radical? Too ridiculously crazily outside the box of normal thinking? Too wild to be true?

This world is not your home.

Sickness in all its forms includes not just physical sickness but mental, emotional, finan class="hi2">anan>cial, perceptual, sickness in relationships, vocational, etc.

Sickness in all its forms is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to PROVE that God does not love you.

You're holding the sickness out there as evidence an class="hi2">anan>d saying, see, THIS proves that I am unworthy an class="hi2">anan>d unloved. Hah. Let's see what you've got to say about THAT!

The thing is.... You can class="hi2">anan>not prove that God doesn't love you, because it isn't true. You can class="hi2">anan> only truly PROVE something that is true. If it's not true, you're not going to be able to prove it at all no matter how hard you attempt to do so.

So really your sickness is an class="hi2">anan> ATTEMPT to TRY to prove it, even though it is not provable. an class="hi2">Anan>d the ego in you is insan class="hi2">anan>e for even trying to prove it, because this is in DENIAL of the fact that it can class="hi2">anan>'t be proven. You WILL NOT an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT chan class="hi2">anan>ge God. Your sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to chan class="hi2">anan>ge God, by attempting to chan class="hi2">anan>ge what God created - which is you.

It won't work. an class="hi2">Anan>d you'll spend a lifetime trying to make it work an class="hi2">ANan>D FAIL. Than class="hi2">anan>k God. Because you will never ever prove you are unworthy of love.

So it's really fruitless an class="hi2">anan>d pointless to spend all the effort attempting to prove the unprovable, or to make possible the impossible. You Can class="hi2">ANan>'T be unloved by God.

So then you'll have to eventually ADMIT to this fact. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you do you'll set yourself free of the game that you're playing with yourself. You have to admit that you chose this sickness an class="hi2">anan>d have put it in place an class="hi2">anan>d are attempting to make it the truth, when it isn't. an class="hi2">Anan>d it requires an class="hi2">anan> awful lot of upkeep to try to make it convincing.

A sickness therefore is a DEMan class="hi2">ANan>D that you insist God does not love you because of 'this' - whatever this is - whatever the sickness is, an class="hi2">anan>d you show it in order to block love.

You're like, well, God doesn't love me, see? I've got this to prove it? What about this (as you hold up your disease or your sense of poverty or your broken life). Basically you're holding this thing up to God an class="hi2">anan>d saying, see, there's no way you can class="hi2">anan> love me because of THIS. How could an class="hi2">anan>yone love THIS? Or, how could an class="hi2">anan>yone love me when I've done THIS to God's son?

So your question is, how can class="hi2">anan> I be loved? How can class="hi2">anan> love be possible? Because by believing that UNLOVE is possible, or that you can class="hi2">anan> prove your unworthiness, you also believe that worthiness is impossible. But your worthiness is not only possible but perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

an class="hi2">Anan>d God responds. .... Through Holy Spirit ...... Even 'this' sickness you made does not show me that you aren't good enough. It doesn't make you less than class="hi2">anan> you are an class="hi2">anan>d fails to convince me that I shouldn't love you an class="hi2">anan>yway. Sorry but I will always love you an class="hi2">anan>d there's nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do to chan class="hi2">anan>ge my attitude. Even this is not enough an class="hi2">anan>d never will be to make me hate you for sin you think you perceive. You've done nothing of an class="hi2">anan>y consequence an class="hi2">anan>d this can class="hi2">anan> be undone. It isn't worthy of my condemnation or judgement an class="hi2">anan>d I will never find you guilty. There isn't an class="hi2">anan>ything you can class="hi2">anan> do to upset me or make me not love you because you are my child, an class="hi2">anan>d my love for you is unconditional an class="hi2">anan>d everlasting. Let go of this supposed cardboard sickness you think proves you're not innocent, an class="hi2">anan>d allow me to love you for you so that you can class="hi2">anan> return to peace an class="hi2">anan>d happiness. Put down your arms an class="hi2">anan>d surrender your weapons used against yourself. Put aside your grievan class="hi2">anan>ce against yourself an class="hi2">anan>d let yourself recognize you ARE love. I love you just the same.

Those course students who believe they are only supposed to correct their own perceptions - perceptions of the physical world, as though the physical world is reality an class="hi2">anan>d you simply need to see it without judgement in order to keep living in it peacefully, are missing a major point.

If the world is real, you have all your faith in the ego an class="hi2">anan>d none in God. You are faithless.

Also if you believe the world is reality, you will completely cut yourself off from God's supernatural power. You will cut yourself off from MIRACLES!

Miracles must demonstrate that the ego's laws are broken an class="hi2">anan>d have no power over God. That can class="hi2">anan>not happen if the physical world is reality. What is REAL can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged an class="hi2">anan>d nothing has power over it, so how can class="hi2">anan> miracles happen if the world is real?

When believing this world is real, or that the things happening in it are real, you will constan class="hi2">anan>tly be bogged down in a state of tension, upset, reactions an class="hi2">anan>d suffering. It's like a heavy blan class="hi2">anan>ket laid across everything. Every day will be like yet an class="hi2">anan>other day of doing "importan class="hi2">anan>t things" an class="hi2">anan>d avoiding "serious things" an class="hi2">anan>d worrying an class="hi2">anan>d fearing an class="hi2">anan>d reacting with upset. No matter what happens, it will seem real an class="hi2">anan>d you will react to it with your ego.

It is not just that your mind has "illusions about" the world. There are two separate things. There are illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d then there are DELUSIONS. Delusions is the belief that an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION is reality. If you weren't delusional, you would recognize an class="hi2">anan>d see through the illusion an class="hi2">anan>d not fall for its appearan class="hi2">anan>ce. You would not believe it was real, you'd know that it was a trick, an class="hi2">anan>d you would stop falling for it.

So most people seem to be working on their delusions but are thinking they are working on their illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d that therefore when they remove their illusions "about" the world out there, they'll come to be at peace with its reality. This then justifies as whole SHITLOAD of CRAP, about how events are still going to happen, things are still going to go wrong, people are still going to get sick, an class="hi2">anan>d Course students are going to "die in peace", which is a complete failure to understan class="hi2">anan>d the truth.

Shit does not have to happen AT ALL! The world is not real, an class="hi2">anan>d we share an class="hi2">anan>d extend God's supernatural power over it. The world ITSELF is a massive illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d BELIEVING IN IT mean class="hi2">anan>s you are falling for that illusion an class="hi2">anan>d are convinced it is REAL, when in fact it's really nothing at all.

If you believe the world is real, sickness is real, sin is real etc, you will go through every day with your mind trapped inside a heavy shell of horror. Every single thing you perceive will make you react, either strongly or subtly, but never not at all. You are SO USED to this mode of functioning that you may not even realize the freedom that you can class="hi2">anan> experience by regarding an class="hi2">anan>d relating to "this world" as though it actually IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

You will not take it so seriously, you will not be so upset by it, you will not react to it, you will not perceive it as attacking what you are, an class="hi2">anan>d you will recognize there is nothing stopping you from chan class="hi2">anan>ging it with the Power of God. It holds no weight, it's not real, it's like just some big gian class="hi2">anan>t pretend 3D holographic projection pretending to look like a world. It's not even really there. an class="hi2">Anan>d if it weren't for certain atomic forces you would pass right through it!

Only by recognizing that the world ITSELF is just an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, not a real world, can class="hi2">anan> there be an class="hi2">ANan>Y justification whatsoever for having faith in God, relying on supernatural provision, TRUSTING God's truth, or an class="hi2">anan>y foundation whatsoever for performing miracles. Miracles an class="hi2">anan>d truth an class="hi2">anan>d trust an class="hi2">anan>d faith an class="hi2">anan>d love an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven might as well not exist if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep believing the world is real.

an class="hi2">Anan>d the reason you won't wan class="hi2">anan>t to give up that belief is because you have a LOT invested in it. All the objects in your life that you are attached to. All the relationships you think are special. All the history an class="hi2">anan>d past which you value greatly. All the places you think are special. All the ways that you've come to develop a "spiritualization" of certain things an class="hi2">anan>d believe they are holy. All of the delusion that people really get sick an class="hi2">anan>d suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. That's a LOT of belief. It's a lot of faith in the ego, trust in the ego, relian class="hi2">anan>ce on the ego, an class="hi2">anan>d permission being gran class="hi2">anan>ted to the ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>'t believe the ego an class="hi2">anan>d believe God at the same time.

If when you feel an class="hi2">anan>gry you can class="hi2">anan> actually acknowledge that you really feel afraid, the an class="hi2">anan>ger will often deflate in a matter of seconds, if not instan class="hi2">anan>tly.

Energetically speaking, the fear energy turns into an class="hi2">anan>ger when it intensifies an class="hi2">anan>d projects, or when the apparent cause of the fear seems to be getting worse.

Being afraid mean class="hi2">anan>s you see yourself as a victim an class="hi2">anan>d as attacked, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you also see yourself as unfairly treated, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you think you are justified in being an class="hi2">anan>gry because something's happening that you didn't ask for. So an class="hi2">anan>ger arises out of a perceived fearful situation.

Since the an class="hi2">anan>ger is based on the fear an class="hi2">anan>d doesn't really have its own foundation, an class="hi2">anan>d is made to DENY the fear, if you acknowledge that you're actually really afraid, it completely shuts off the generation of an class="hi2">anan>ger. It doesn't deny it or hide it, it simply disappears. What this mean class="hi2">anan>s is you've moved up the ladder, or rewound the chain of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, to where you are now willing to 'stay with' the fear rather than class="hi2">anan> build upon it. The an class="hi2">anan>ger will simply disappear when you admit to this.

So let's say something is happening to someone close to you an class="hi2">anan>d it scares the shit out of you. an class="hi2">Anan>d maybe there doesn't seem to be an class="hi2">anan>ything you can class="hi2">anan> do about it. an class="hi2">Anan>d maybe you depend on that person an class="hi2">anan>d if that person has an class="hi2">anan> issue, then .... who is going to look after you, or where are you going to get your ego needs met? So then you perceive that your own needs are going downhill as a result of the other person, which is frightening. an class="hi2">Anan>d because you perceive that you depend on the other person to save you, an class="hi2">anan>d they can class="hi2">anan>'t even save themselves, you're going to get an class="hi2">anan>gry at them for failing to give you what your ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts. This will make you snowball into a spiral of fear an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger, as you practically deman class="hi2">anan>d that the other person get out of their situation.

Secretly this is based on ego selfishness an class="hi2">anan>d your own dependent an class="hi2">anan>d fearful ego needs, which if unmet by the special relationship, sends you into a spiral of desperation. As soon as you can class="hi2">anan> admit this an class="hi2">anan>d realize that YOU have a problem, YOU are afraid, YOU need help, this will dissolve the entire expression of desperation an class="hi2">anan>d deman class="hi2">anan>ds, deflate all of the 'an class="hi2">anan>ger' completely, an class="hi2">anan>d put you in touch with what really needs to be healed ... your ego ego attachment an class="hi2">anan>d dependency an class="hi2">anan>d belief in your OWN inadequacy, which the other person is just triggering off to show you.

Once you admit to being afraid, you might have an class="hi2">anan> emotional release, an class="hi2">anan>d this will actually shed a lot of light on the situation an class="hi2">anan>d show you that it is not as bad as you thought. The other person was probably being attacked by your dependency on them, an class="hi2">anan>d by your fear, an class="hi2">anan>d by your own neediness, an class="hi2">anan>d this was showing you a worse perception than class="hi2">anan> was really called for. Things are not as bad as they seemed, once you do this. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you can class="hi2">anan> work with Holy Spirit on healing your OWN issues of desperation, whether they be fear of aban class="hi2">anan>donment or rejection or 'who is going to love me' or 'how do I get my needs met be other people'.

There is a plan class="hi2">anan> for salvation. Honestly is the vehicle, Holy Spirit is the destination.

You are in an class="hi2">anan> illusory world.

But you believe this world is real.

THAT is your problem. THAT is the distortion of perception that's happening in your mind that you need to correct.

You're not correcting your view of a real world, you're correcting your belief that it is real at all. You have tried to MAKE IT REAL, which is a mistake.

When you believe that an class="hi2">anan> illusion is actually real, that's insan class="hi2">anan>ity. When you do not recognize that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d mis-understan class="hi2">anan>d it to be real, you WILL be upset by it an class="hi2">anan>d will not be at peace.

You will not find peace by "being at peace with the world". That will be some kind of fake oasis of denial an class="hi2">anan>d semi-peace.

You need to correct your perception of the world only because your perceptual errors are making it LOOK LIKE this world is reality.

You think that your task mainly lies in forgiving people for what they supposedly did not do, an class="hi2">anan>d yet, you still believe that they really did do something, because you still believe that events here are reality.

You think that you just need to recognize that none of this happened because it's a dream - correct, but then you'll continue to believe that it is a REAL DREAM, which is not atonement at all.

Forgiveness must lead you to the recognition that there ARE no errors, therefore there ARE no real illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d in that clear perspective you will become able to SEE an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZE, that this entire world is a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d everything you thought was true about it is NOT TRUE.

Just as it is not true that people did stuff to you, an class="hi2">anan>d it's not true that you're guilty, it's also not true that an class="hi2">anan>ything even happened, because it was just an class="hi2">anan> illusory dream.

How man class="hi2">anan>y times must this be repeated for us to finally get it that this world isn't reality at all? an class="hi2">Anan>d an class="hi2">anan>y belief that it IS reality is just our ego's attempt to HOLD ON to all of the ways that it has become attached to an class="hi2">anan>d valuing of this insan class="hi2">anan>e delusion.

When you decide to use your persona, you are actually striking a deal with the ego. The ego has an class="hi2">anan> all-or-nothing clause, where if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to use the persona, you have to also use the shadow right along with it. Usually you don't realize you're making this deal, because you focus on the parts of the deal you wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d like - which is what the persona is all about. The shadow part is just a... technicality, we need not mention.

The ego offers you what seems like a lovely glowing possible an class="hi2">anan>swer to all your problems, an class="hi2">anan>d forgets to remind you about the steaming pile of shit that will be coming right along with it.

So as you enter into the persona, you're entering into a deal, where you are saying to the ego, okay, I'll take the risk of possibly getting what I wan class="hi2">anan>t through your persona mechan class="hi2">anan>ism, knowing that I might not get it an class="hi2">anan>d I might have to deal with some pain instead. It's sort of a 50-50 chan class="hi2">anan>ce. But you take the odds because you're desperate.

What then ends up happening is that in order to wear the persona mask, you have to now 'serve' the ego. You have to serve the persona itself which is part of the ego, by worshipping everything it values. You make it your idol, your goal, your cherished beloved artificial self.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s you're now in a vulnerable position of being exposed to what seems to be coming at you from other people, who seem now to be able to affect you. You attempt to screen out their BS with your persona by relegating it to your shadow. But now you're also concerned that you may or may not 'get' what you were trying to get out of the deal.

Part of being in the persona mean class="hi2">anan>s you will be very 'self conscious' about what other people think of you, because part of the use of this persona was to get other people to think 'good things' about you, which you seem to think are valuable opinions.... ego strokes. You wan class="hi2">anan>t people to feed your ego, not detract from it. But this also mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to put on a bit of a 'show' - a people pleasing performan class="hi2">anan>ce - in order to 'get' that attention, that narcissistic adoration or that special love.

So now you're basically an class="hi2">anan> 'entertainer' for other people, like some kind of ego puppet, dan class="hi2">anan>gling from the ego's strings, singing an class="hi2">anan>d dan class="hi2">anan>cing an class="hi2">anan>d trying to win people over in order to suck their energy. So while you're using the persona, it HAS to mean class="hi2">anan> that you have accepted the ego's rules, you're playing the ego's agenda, you're doing what the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts, you're serving the ego's ultimate goals, an class="hi2">anan>d you're basically all caught up doing what you think everyone else wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to do. You're not being yourself.

When you realize that the 'game' of playing with the ego persona, which seems to promise tremendous rewards but often brings suffering an class="hi2">anan>d sickness, always produces pain in some form eventually, you might eventually realize it is not worth playing it. an class="hi2">Anan>d especially if you come to realize, that what the ego was offering you, you did not even NEED to begin with. You only thought you needed it because you bought into your own ego lie that you were somehow defective or lacking or separate from infinite supply.

So if you take off the ego mask, drop the persona an class="hi2">anan>d the shadow, an class="hi2">anan>d stop trying to 'get' the benefits of the persona's promises, you're going to find that you are much more empowered. You'll realize that you no longer 'serve' the ego, i.e. you're no longer tied to having to give 'other people' what they seem to wan class="hi2">anan>t to 'get' from you. You no longer have to entertain people or put on a show that you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to provide. You no longer have to suffer underneath a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy life image that covers up all of the pain that this very same persona generated in the shadows. an class="hi2">Anan>d you also no longer have to suck up an class="hi2">anan>d people-please an class="hi2">anan>yone for an class="hi2">anan>y reason whatsoever. So now you find yourself somewhat empty-han class="hi2">anan>ded as to who exactly you are now going to serve.

Well... if you're not serving the ego... an class="hi2">anan>d the only other mind you can class="hi2">anan> be part of is Holy Spirit//God mind, who are you going to be working with now? You're not going to be looking to the ego for 'what to do' or 'what to say' or 'how to present yourself' or 'what facade to put on' or 'what to write/publish' or whatever else. Instead, you now stan class="hi2">anan>d apart from the ego masses, essentially 'free', independent of the entire ego game, ready an class="hi2">anan>d willing to come empty han class="hi2">anan>ded to God. an class="hi2">Anan>d then it's merely a matter of you saying, well, here I am God, I'm here 'alone', I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to work with the ego an class="hi2">anan>y more, what do you wan class="hi2">anan>t me to do?

P.S why did every episode of Scooby Doo have to have someone in a costume? lol

You are attacking victims with your false empathy. It's time for some honesty.

When you see someone as a victim, such as that they are sick, diseased, suffering, afraid, being victimized by someone else, are disabled, weak, helpless, vulnerable, at a loss, unhappy etc... you might take the position of caring, wan class="hi2">anan>ting to help them, saving them, being their hero, or wan class="hi2">anan>ting their suffering to stop.

The desire to wan class="hi2">anan>t their suffering to stop can class="hi2">anan> become very strong. It seems justified. It seems like you care a lot about what they're going through an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t all this stuff to stop happening to them. It seems like you wan class="hi2">anan>t to take it away an class="hi2">anan>d that you would if you could. But this is completely fake.

Every time you perceive someone as an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> perfect love, it is an class="hi2">anan> ego attack an class="hi2">anan>d you are using them as a scapegoat to get rid of your sin.

It can class="hi2">anan> seem like your reaction to their victimhood is justified. It can class="hi2">anan> seem like you really wan class="hi2">anan>t to help them an class="hi2">anan>d take away their pain. However, what you're not admitting is that you have a secret benefit from seeing them this way, an class="hi2">anan>d you positioning yourself as their savior is actually a cover-up for how you are using them for your diabolical plan class="hi2">anan>.

Even if you are coming across as caring an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting them to stop suffering, you actually deep down wan class="hi2">anan>t them to keep suffering. You wan class="hi2">anan>t their pain to continue. You wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep seeing them as a victim, an class="hi2">anan>d to keep pretending that you are their savior an class="hi2">anan>d not in an class="hi2">anan>y way someone who would be hurting them further. You would seem shocked an class="hi2">anan>d horrified at the suggestion that you are attacking them with your attempt at salvation.

Secretly, you have a belief that you sinned, an class="hi2">anan>d hold a lot of guilt to go along with it. You wan class="hi2">anan>t to get rid of it an class="hi2">anan>d deny it's you who did it. Along comes a nice victim which someone or something else has set up to be in a state of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d punishment.

Fortunately for you, they are already appearing to be punished by causes outside of you, so you don't have an class="hi2">anan>y need to attack them overtly. You don't need to turn them into a victim because they are already being one. How convenient! Now all you have to do is take the opportunity of their victimhood to keep them being a victim, so that you can class="hi2">anan> use them to scapegoat your sin.

Therefore instead of reacting with justified an class="hi2">anan>ger, as though they attacked you an class="hi2">anan>d you need to now establish them as the one who is wrong, you've already seen that they appear to be wrong already. So all that's left is to keep them in their suffering while making it look like you are here to save them from it.

Your perception of them as a victim IS an class="hi2">anan> attack, but it seems to be an class="hi2">anan> invisible attack because its effects are already implemented by circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces. By making their EXISTING victimhood real, you get to appear as though you were not the one who did this to them, even though your AGREEING with it is just as much an class="hi2">anan> attack - a veiled attack, which seems like it isn't even happening. You join in the attack by agreeing that they are a victim. Then you react instead with false empathy, a false attitude of caring an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting them to be better.

Your desire to wan class="hi2">anan>t them to be better, while still perceiving that their victimhood is real, is actually a choice to perceive them as wrong for being the way they are. You think they should not be being victimized, they should not be suffering, they should not be sick, that it's unfair that they've been mistreated, an class="hi2">anan>d you just wan class="hi2">anan>t to "help" the poor fuckers get out of their situation.

But you don't. Your belief that they should NOT be being real victims is actually an class="hi2">anan> attack. You're trying to deny them an class="hi2">anan>d get rid of them. You can class="hi2">anan>'t accept them the way they are. You will position yourself as the innocent hero who comes to save them, while secretly using them to prove that THEY are the one who is a sinner an class="hi2">anan>d not you.

Even though you might label a victim in such a way as to frame them as guiltless an class="hi2">anan>d sinless, as though innocent an class="hi2">anan>d not wan class="hi2">anan>ting their situation, by making their victimhood real an class="hi2">anan>d reacting to it with false empathy or false compassion, you are actually condemning them.

Your ego really wan class="hi2">anan>ts them to stay being the one who is sick, to keep suffering, to maintain their diseases an class="hi2">anan>d their strife, because if they were to genuinely stop being a victim you wouldn't have a way to get rid of your unconscious sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt.

So long as you can class="hi2">anan> see them as a victim an class="hi2">anan>d pretend to care, you can class="hi2">anan> enjoy a secret gladness that they are the one who is worse off an class="hi2">anan>d not you. "There but for the grace of God go I" - or rather, "I'm glad those fuckers are suffering because they must be guilty an class="hi2">anan>d not me." They are the one who must have sinned, in order to suffer, an class="hi2">anan>d you are clearly the one who didn't.

Even if you go to great lengths to help them an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to alleviate their situation, you're really doing so on false grounds. You do not recognize that they have attacked themselves. You do not recognize that they have chosen to suffer. You do not recognize that they wan class="hi2">anan>t to be a victim. You don't see the ways that they are being vicious an class="hi2">anan>d attacking an class="hi2">anan>d using their ego illusions of victimhood to accuse others of sin. You do not see this because you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit to doing the same.

Eventually, someone who becomes very "helpful" in this way is actually an class="hi2">anan> under-cover attacker. A wolf in sheep's clothing. A devil appearing as an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>gel. Helping disempowers. Helping takes away, it does not give. Becoming a fixer, an class="hi2">anan>d becoming addicted to fixing, simply indicates that you wan class="hi2">anan>t other people to be broken as much as possible so that you can class="hi2">anan> remain in denial about your own brokenness.

If they are the one who needs the help, it's not you. If they are the victim, it's not you. If there is something "wrong with them", then you get to look all innocent an class="hi2">anan>d have an class="hi2">anan> illusion of being "loving". Your seemingly sincere wish to take away all their suffering an class="hi2">anan>d pain is actually making it real an class="hi2">anan>d adding to it.

YOU are causing them to suffer more. That's hard to look at an class="hi2">anan>d admit to. Your ego Wan class="hi2">ANan>TS them to suffer so that you can class="hi2">anan> use them an class="hi2">anan>d make yourself look innocent. Every time you move into false empathy an class="hi2">anan>d set yourself up with an class="hi2">anan> ego reaction of "oh poor them, they're so sad", you are attacking them an class="hi2">anan>d keeping them imprisoned. You're not shining truth onto them or really helping them. Your "help" is actually HURT.

To be truly helpful can class="hi2">anan> only mean class="hi2">anan> that you apply forgiveness. Whatever their victimhood appears to be, IT IS NOT THAT, an class="hi2">anan>d something else is going on, both with you an class="hi2">anan>d with them. There must be a lot of denial involved an class="hi2">anan>d there must be a lot of self attack involved. Victims are not victims. They choose to make themselves appear to have stuff happen to them "unfairly", tragically, awfully, so that their ego can class="hi2">anan> get away with murder. Your belief that their victimhood is justified an class="hi2">anan>d unfair is you getting away with murder as well.

Only through a correction of your perception, which is going to require you to own up to what you are using this person for, an class="hi2">anan>d admitting to the truth of WHY you wan class="hi2">anan>t them to suffer, i.e. to keep your own self-attack hidden behind denial, will you then have an class="hi2">anan>y hope of helping YOU, OR them. You can class="hi2">anan> release them from their prison by NOT agreeing with their victimhood an class="hi2">anan>d NOT seeing them as suffering needlessly an class="hi2">anan>d NOT believing the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the story as to how things are happening against their will. Behind every victim is Christ pretending to suffer.

False empathy is deceit. It is not justified. It is an class="hi2">anan> ego reaction. It is a tool to get rid of your own sin. It does not work, because it keeps your own sin intact an class="hi2">anan>d creates more. Only forgiveness of yourself will work.

The ego in you will cleverly point out just how much you are "being ego", in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to compel you to wan class="hi2">anan>t to "get rid of the ego".

Once you fall for this trick, you will be not only reinforcing the belief that you are not spiritual enough, but will also add to this unspirituality by adding force an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d sacrifice to your life. You'll "should yourself" an class="hi2">anan>d guilt yourself for being guilty.

Feeling bad because you feel bad. Feeling guilty because you feel guilty. Criticizing yourself for being too critical. Attacking yourself for attacking. Deman class="hi2">anan>ding you be a better person for not being good enough. These are all ego traps.

The way out is to not believe what the ego is saying is true. Is it true that you are being too guilty, too unworthy, too ego? Is it true that what you are doing is not spiritual? Is it true that you are so behind in your forgiveness? Is it true that you haven't done enough of the workbook today? Is it true that you've been buying into the ego again in a big way? Is it true that you're not where you're supposed to be? Is it true that you are behaving in an class="hi2">anan> ego way an class="hi2">anan>d must stop immediately? All ego temptations.

The ego loves to play the role of "spirit in charge" or "teacher of the course" or "spiritual police" or "enforcer of spiritual ways". The ego will always pretend to be separate from itself an class="hi2">anan>d to stan class="hi2">anan>d apart from itself, so that it can class="hi2">anan> stan class="hi2">anan>d in judgement of itself an class="hi2">anan>d han class="hi2">anan>d out rules an class="hi2">anan>d regulations against itself for how it needs to get into line an class="hi2">anan>d conform. It will even do this in the name of being "more spiritual", based on the assertion you are not spiritual already.

It will put on a disguise to pretend it is `not the ego` an class="hi2">anan>d then han class="hi2">anan>d down some kind of sentence for how `the rest of the ego` needs to stop being ego. You wouldn't think of this because you're so used to the idea that what one person does to an class="hi2">anan>other has no effect on themselves. But the ego's entire mechan class="hi2">anan>ism is SELF-ATTACK, an class="hi2">anan>d it will happily stan class="hi2">anan>d over itself an class="hi2">anan>d destroy itself an class="hi2">anan>d attack itself in the name of attempting to improve itself. It tells you to get rid of the ego, with vigor, so that you will attack the ego an class="hi2">anan>d try to chop it out of your life... all the while enforcing the ego an class="hi2">anan>d keeping it.

So when it is telling you to get rid of ego... beware... its a trap, especially if it is making a big deal about just how awful the ego is an class="hi2">anan>d how wrong it is to have one.

In heaven we are one with God, with each other an class="hi2">anan>d with our shared self in Christ. We are everything.

In the separation, our egotism is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to become one with something not God, an class="hi2">anan>d less than class="hi2">anan> everything.

Things that are not God, are generally not whole, an class="hi2">anan>d tend to be very limited, such as physical forms, objects, places, other people's bodies, the plan class="hi2">anan>et, etc.

It can class="hi2">anan> also be ego thoughts which are thought-forms, limited thoughts, attack thoughts etc.

The attempt to become one with these things is the attempt to give them the properties of God. Such as to think of these things are what you wan class="hi2">anan>t, valuable, mean class="hi2">anan>ingful, life, reality, truth.

We even wan class="hi2">anan>t "self" or identity to become one with these things to try to turn them INTO an class="hi2">anan> identity. To make our self BE one of these things.

Mind is unlimited, expan class="hi2">anan>sive, infinite, an class="hi2">anan>d whole. It is everywhere. Your real self is the same. When you try to identify with things which are not unlimited, you narrow your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d make it sick. It's like putting it into a prison an class="hi2">anan>d stopping it from functioning fully.

We literally try to "attach to" things which are not God, by trying to merge with them, to be one with them, to literally make them a part of ourselves.

Attachment, identification, oneness, it is all the same thing. You can class="hi2">anan> become identified with your car, if you value it an class="hi2">anan>d give it reality. Your attempt to merge with it, love it, wan class="hi2">anan>t it, value it, see it as truth, judge its importan class="hi2">anan>ce etc, is you trying to become it.

So that whatever its qualities are, they reflect upon you an class="hi2">anan>d define you an class="hi2">anan>d become part of you. Then you can class="hi2">anan> say that you are better an class="hi2">anan>d more importan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d more valuable because of the car you have that is part of you.

The same can class="hi2">anan> apply to food, to places, to your house, your money, your job, your role as mother or father, your role as victim or victimiser, your egoic thoughts, your fan class="hi2">anan>tasies, your body, the whole plan class="hi2">anan>et even. You can class="hi2">anan> literally try to be one with the plan class="hi2">anan>et which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make it a part of yourself.

The ego takes a lot of credit for being something that it is not, or for you having something that you did not create. Such as to steal away a part of heaven an class="hi2">anan>d call it your own, or to say that the qualities you have which are God-given did not come from God.

Similarly it takes on credit for an class="hi2">anan>d vain reflection for things which are not yourself, such as that you are a better person if you have a flashy house, or your hair is improved, or you have the nicer clothes, or whatever. It thinks of these things as defining itself an class="hi2">anan>d as part of itself, one with it, its identity.

This is why it's importan class="hi2">anan>t to unravel all the fake selves that you're making, all the attempts you make to be one with things which are not one, all the false identifies that you fabricate by trying to "wear" parts of the world like clothing, an class="hi2">anan>d then thinking that your clothing chan class="hi2">anan>ges your self image.

an class="hi2">Anan>d it's importan class="hi2">anan>t to then realize that you need to re-identify with your real soul self, in heaven, as Christ. The son of God. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, simply, being one with it, merging with it, seeing it as true an class="hi2">anan>d valuable an class="hi2">anan>d real an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingful an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting it. Taking it on as the definition of what you are, an class="hi2">anan>d regarding it as you. Just as the ego does with illusions.

It should be clear that the ego is insan class="hi2">anan>e in what it does, because essentially it is trying to find oneness or wholeness... with things which are not one or whole. This is a contradiction. You can class="hi2">anan>'t be whole an class="hi2">anan>d complete by being something limited an class="hi2">anan>d small, like a body or an class="hi2">anan> object.

The ego really wan class="hi2">anan>ts to narrow down oneness an class="hi2">anan>d wholeness while pretending to wan class="hi2">anan>t oneness an class="hi2">anan>d wholeness wholeheartedly, because it is two-faced an class="hi2">anan>d a lie. It wan class="hi2">anan>ts the impossible. You can class="hi2">anan>'t really be one with an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> God, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>'t really be an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> what God created you to be.

"The world you see (with the physical eyes, earth, bodies physicality, spacetime) is based on SACRIFICE of oneness. It is a picture of a COMPLETE disunity an class="hi2">anan>d total LACK of joining. Around each entity is built a wall so seeming solid that it looks as if what is inside can class="hi2">anan> never reach without, an class="hi2">anan>d what is out can class="hi2">anan> never reach an class="hi2">anan>d join with what is locked away within the wall. Each part must SACRIFICE the other part to keep itself complete. For if they joined, each one would LOSE its own identity, an class="hi2">anan>d BY their separation are their selves maintained. The little that the body fences off BECOMES the self, preserved through sacrifice of all the rest. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the rest must LOSE this little part, remaining incomplete to keep its own identity intact." UrT26B1

"Let me remember I am one with God." UrW124

Your body is just a piece of software running in the God Computer.

The brain is a central processing unity (CPU) an class="hi2">anan>d is one of man class="hi2">anan>y processors in the body. Or you could think of it as a sub-set of the software which performs a particular task.

The brain an class="hi2">anan>d all other processors do not do an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> execute comman class="hi2">anan>ds. The brain does not create comman class="hi2">anan>ds.

The body executes all comman class="hi2">anan>ds exactly an class="hi2">anan>d correctly. It does not invent comman class="hi2">anan>ds itself, has no will of its own, an class="hi2">anan>d does not think.

The mind is not a by-product of the brain. That would be as though to say that the CPU of the body computer comes up with it own software programs, or that the software has the power to chan class="hi2">anan>ge itself.

The software programs MUST come from outside of the computer itself., from an class="hi2">anan> actual source of WILL, capable of writing programs in the first place. an class="hi2">Anan>d that intelligence must be able to function WITHOUT a body an class="hi2">anan>d without a brain!

That intelligence must be able to think without needing a body in order to think. It must be creative.

That mind, that intelligence, must also have designed the body computer itself, the CPU (brain) an class="hi2">anan>d all other parts. It must have devised all of the software that operates it.

Therefore the body computer is INSIDE of the mind, just as the programs which run on a computer come from OUTSIDE of the computer, created by an class="hi2">anan> operator who tells the computer what to do.

Just because software runs inside the computer does not mean class="hi2">anan> the computer is the source of the software. Similarly just because it SEEMS as though the mind operates inside the body, that the mind is created by the body.

The mind - the programmer - WROTE the body software, WROTE the brain, an class="hi2">anan>d WROTE all of the programs which the body/brain executes.

This is why looking for mind or thought within the brain, as though the brain is a "cause", or that the brain has a "will", or that the body has a "mind of its own", is completely a mistake.

The body does not have a mind of its own. It is just a functional machine, a device. YOU as mind put instructions into the device to tell it what to do. an class="hi2">Anan>d it does that, an class="hi2">anan>d only that, exactly an class="hi2">anan>d correctly.

No matter what you tell the body computer to do, it will do it. If you tell it to depict health, it will. If you tell it to depict sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death, it will. It always produces a correct result because it does not pick an class="hi2">anan>d choose what instructions to follow.

YOU are therefore in COMMan class="hi2">ANan>D of the body, the world, an class="hi2">anan>d all illusions. YOU are the one who is writing the scripts (programs). YOU are the author.

Except that, it goes even further than class="hi2">anan> this. God is really the only author of reality an class="hi2">anan>d truth. He is the only author of bug-free programs. He is the only one who can class="hi2">anan> create the perfect program (Christ) which can class="hi2">anan> in turn extend God's design to produce further perfect programs (Christ's creations).

But when you tried to become a SEPARATE PROGRAMMER, you tried to override God's program, shut it out, an class="hi2">anan>d replace it with a program of your own. Thus your ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to be fully in charge of the dream, to have power of it, an class="hi2">anan>d to even perform miracles, PROVIDED it gets to stay separate from God.

Fortunately miracles require sharing with God, so the ego will never be able to access God's power. Therefor the ego will never be able to rewrite the true program of Christ, an class="hi2">anan>d will never be able to actually corrupt an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Just as all bugs an class="hi2">anan>d errors an class="hi2">anan>d viruses an class="hi2">anan>d rogue programs are WIPED UNCONDITIONALLY from memory when you reboot your computer, when you awaken to enlightenment, God will REBOOT YOU, an class="hi2">anan>d after the reboot, all that will be left is the perfect program of Christ. A totally new, fresh system, untainted an class="hi2">anan>d undefiled. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will express love an class="hi2">anan>d love will be your only output.

"Forgiveness, salvation, Atonement, true perception, all are one."

For the longest time I was told an class="hi2">anan>d believed that forgiveness was all about doing something, applying, being practical, trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge my mind. But this did not add up with what ACIM says. It tells us that forgiveness looks an class="hi2">anan>d is still an class="hi2">anan>d does nothing. That it recognizes there is no sin, thus nothing TO forgive. That sure does not sound like a state of activity or doing.

Eventually I realized that forgiveness is a STATE, an class="hi2">anan>d in fact ACIM completely equates it with THE ATONEMENT. Atonement, salvation, an class="hi2">anan>d forgiveness, are all names for the same thing. It is the end result. It is the goal. It's the state in which everything has BEEN forgiven. It's a state in which there IS nothing TO forgive. It's not a state of doing, or fixing, or chan class="hi2">anan>ging stuff. It's a state in which all the fixing has been accomplished already. It's a state of mind where the mind is CORRECTLY functioning an class="hi2">anan>d perception has already BEEN corrected.

In order to perceive that THERE IS NO SIN, one must be IN a forgiving state of mind. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you're sitting there DOING forgivenesses, or trying to apply techniques. To BE forgiving does not mean class="hi2">anan> you go forth with issues an class="hi2">anan>d have lots of mess to clean class="hi2">anan> up. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you're DONE. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you have a forgiving ATTITUDE. an class="hi2">Anan>d to forgive really mean class="hi2">anan>s to fore-give, to give love ahead of time SO THAT there is nothing that happens that needs to be forgiven. Forgiveness requires NOT MAKING SIN REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore being IN forgiveness entails a state of mind an class="hi2">anan>d perception where you aren't MAKING errors an class="hi2">anan>d aren't having to DO an class="hi2">anan>ything in order to fix them.

The forgiving attitude, the forgiving STATE, which is the atonement in its purest form, is just shy of being in Heaven. It is IN this state that you see the forgiven world. an class="hi2">Anan>d as you are in this state, you are CONSTan class="hi2">ANan>TLY BEING FORGIVING. That does not mean class="hi2">anan> in an class="hi2">anan>y way shape or form that you are constan class="hi2">anan>tly "doing" forgiveness, or taking steps, or making corrections to perception. It mean class="hi2">anan>s YOU'RE DONE. You're LOOKING from the state of corrected perception. You're SEEING innocence everywhere you look. You're RECOGNIZING the truth about all things. That's what it mean class="hi2">anan>s to BE forgiving. It's part of your God-given nature to be PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENTLY FORGIVING. Not perman class="hi2">anan>ently DOING forgiveness, perman class="hi2">anan>ently BEING forgiveness.

an class="hi2">Anan>d it is in this same way that GOD IS FORGIVING. This does not mean class="hi2">anan> God does forgiveness. God recognizes, just as the atonement does, that there IS NO SIN an class="hi2">anan>d there is NOTHING TO FORGIVE because God has not made the mistake of FAILING TO FORGIVE, which would lead to attack an class="hi2">anan>d making sin real, resulting in judgement. God does not FAIL TO BE FORGIVING. Ever. He is PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENTLY forgiving, which in ACIM terminology mean class="hi2">anan>s, he is constan class="hi2">anan>tly aware that there is no sin an class="hi2">anan>d separation is not real. CONSTan class="hi2">ANan>TLY. That is what being forgiving mean class="hi2">anan>s. If he were to NOT be forgiving he would slip into unforgiveness which is the attitude of attack an class="hi2">anan>d judgement.

It's because we FAIL to BE forgiving, that we slip INTO judgement an class="hi2">anan>d unforgiveness. an class="hi2">Anan>d once that's happened what we NEED is to then seemingly DO SOMETHING in order to correct the unforgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d RETURN TO the state of forgiveness. an class="hi2">Anan>d guess who tells you that you need to DO SOMETHING as a result of "judgement an class="hi2">anan>d sin being real"? THE EGO! The ego tells you forgiveness is a DOING. That's when we need to stop believing in judgement an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d learn again (or unlearn) to recognize that THERE HAS NOT REALLY BEEN A SIN. To remember, to see with forgiveness, because forgiveness OVERLOOKS sin. Forgiveness doesn't DO something TO sin. It looks past it from the beginning as a state of TRUTH, an class="hi2">anan>d DOES NOT SEE IN AT ALL.

Forgiveness is a STATE OF MIND. It is not an class="hi2">anan> activity. It is not a doing. God IS forgiving because he does not see sin. You are forgiving when you do not see sin. The whole sonship is forgiving when it does not see sin. Heaven is perman class="hi2">anan>ently forgiving. "Forgiving" does not mean class="hi2">anan> "doing forgiveness" it mean class="hi2">anan>s UPHOLDING THE TRUTH an class="hi2">anan>d MAINTAINING REALITY. It is a state of a healthy mind. A state that you are supposed to get INTO an class="hi2">anan>d remember an class="hi2">anan>d reconnect with. It is the atonement. It is salvation.

Forgiveness is not something you just do here an class="hi2">anan>d there intermittently. It's not something you just "apply" once in a while or switch on temporarily an class="hi2">anan>d switch off again. It's a state you are supposed to get into ALL THE TIME. So that you are ALWAYS BEING FORGIVING, in which you are NEVER NEEDING TO *DO* an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING. It's the state of "I need do nothing" BECAUSE there is no sin. It seems paradoxical to the ego. But forgiveness is all about the recognition of reality, it's not about what you do to fix your judgements.

The true fix for an class="hi2">anan>y judgement is to UNDO what you DID in order that you can class="hi2">anan> RETURN TO a state of being constan class="hi2">anan>tly forgiving. To RESUME FORGIVENESS. You don't DO forgiveness "to" things you've made real. The making of them UNREAL corrects the perceptual error an class="hi2">anan>d RETURNS YOU TO the forgiving state of mind. This undoing, this correction, this purification, this movement TOWARDS forgiveness, this "practice", which ACIM actually refers to as HEALING, or applying miracles, is what takes you back INTO the forgiving state. Back to the atonement.

The steps you take, the techniques you use, the thoughts you utilize, the methods you apply, are only illusory steps within a context of "it seems like sin is real" to try to get your mind back OUT of that belief an class="hi2">anan>d perception so that you can class="hi2">anan> once again BE forgiving. BEING forgiving is where you GET TO when you are DONE with the correction, it isn't the correcting process. Trying to "apply forgiveness" is an class="hi2">anan> act of trying to bridge the gap between your failure to be forgiving an class="hi2">anan>d your return to being forgiving. It's your effort to remember the truth, which is to accept the atonement, because forgiveness IS the atonement.

"The grace of God rests gently on forgiving eyes, an class="hi2">anan>d everything they look on speaks of Him to the beholder. He can class="hi2">anan> see no evil; nothing in the world to fear, an class="hi2">anan>d no-one who is different from himself. an class="hi2">Anan>d, as he loves them, so he looks upon HIMSELF with love an class="hi2">anan>d gentleness. He would no more condemn himself for HIS mistakes than class="hi2">anan> damn an class="hi2">anan>other. He is not an class="hi2">anan> arbiter of vengean class="hi2">anan>ce, nor a punisher of sin. The kindness of his sight rests on himself with all the tenderness it offers others. For he would ONLY heal an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY bless. an class="hi2">Anan>d, being IN ACCORD with what God wills, he HAS the power to heal an class="hi2">anan>d bless all those he looks on with the grace of God upon his sight. "

I'm gradually learning from Holy Spirit that figuring out what is wrong with someone is a no-no, even if I think it's part of trying to heal.

I think to myself that I need to figure it out, because it seems like the only way I can class="hi2">anan> really 'fix' it is to know what is 'actually' happening.

I ask a lot of questions of Holy Spirit to try to figure this out, an class="hi2">anan>d sometimes he an class="hi2">anan>swers but often he gives me a gentle nudge that I'm making a mistake. an class="hi2">Anan>d all of those questions come up because I am perceiving that the person has a "real problem".

As soon as I think it's really a problem I get flooded with fearful attack thoughts of doubt an class="hi2">anan>d uncertainty, which act as though they're trying to find an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer - having thrown an class="hi2">anan>swers away.

I think to myself that I should use even my best faculties, my sharpest discernment, or even psychic skills, to determine what 'really' is going on with someone, to get insight into it, an class="hi2">anan>d to therefore learn what the 'truth' of the thing is.

But this really just makes the problem real. It's the ego trying to be clever about making illusions real. an class="hi2">Anan>d, the truth is, that figuring out what is 'really' happening doesn't do an class="hi2">anan>ything to undo it. I think that if I can class="hi2">anan> find out this information I'll be able to more correctly heal it or something, but not so.

Holy Spirit simply knows that this stuff does not matter. God heals. God wan class="hi2">anan>ts to heal already. God knows HOW to heal. God knows what the issue is, what it is based on, where it came from, what it comprises, but most of all God knows that all problems are just illusions.

Holy Spirit just wan class="hi2">anan>ts to get down to the healing already. He doesn't need to go through a figuring out process. He doesn't need to do detective work as though this is a 'new' problem that he hasn't seen before. an class="hi2">Anan>d he already has an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer to EVERY problem. In fact, Holy Spirit IS God's an class="hi2">anan>swer to EVERY problem. Holy Spirit is the an class="hi2">anan>swer to the separation from God, which is the root cause of all problems.

Healing is love. It is one action. It is one method. It is one approach. One an class="hi2">anan>swer. One way. One attitude. One approach. Holy Spirit doesn't have 65 different healing modalities. He doesn't have 150 different things to do to different problems. There is love or a call for love, an class="hi2">anan>d love heals by loving unconditionally, which mean class="hi2">anan>s regardless of what the call for love is.

Unconditional healing.

So really, we can class="hi2">anan> skip the diagnosis. All of it. It's all ego intellect. Let's just skip diagnosing an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>alyzing an class="hi2">anan>d figuring out, an class="hi2">anan>d get right to the miracles.

After all, what do we wan class="hi2">anan>t, a longwinded story about how having the problem is riddled with symptoms an class="hi2">anan>d suffering, OR... to heal it right now without delay?

It's about getting out of the way, because Holy Spirit is the one who does the healing an class="hi2">anan>d he already knows what's needed.

Development of trust.

This is key to understan class="hi2">anan>ding what this world of spacetime is. The mind makes IMAGES of things. Pictures of things. Visual thoughts. They are along similar lines to imagination, or visualization. We produce pictures in the mind. This is also the same process as dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d as hallucination.

We imagine things an class="hi2">anan>d imagine their form an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d picture them mentally. an class="hi2">Anan>d as Jesus is saying, this same process was used to make physical bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore also the physical universe.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that this world we're in, it's not really an class="hi2">anan> "actual existence", or containing an class="hi2">anan>y real objects. It's in fact just a 3D thought-driven PICTURE, an class="hi2">anan> image, like a 3d hologram, pictured an class="hi2">anan>d maintained in the mind, which LOOKS LIKE a world.

But a world that is merely an class="hi2">anan> image, is imagined. A world which shows up as visual objects, is really just a collection of pictures. It's not at all the same as a real creation, which has substan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d existence. It's a man class="hi2">anan>ufactured, wishful-thinking, hallucination, dream, projected visualization, taking on the shape of a plan class="hi2">anan>et in a galaxy. As a result of wan class="hi2">anan>ting to see it, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore of "daydreaming" it.

Obviously the things that you daydream don't really exist, although they seem to exist while you are dreaming them. The mind is basically inventing a world, picturing it, imagining what such a world might be like IF it really existed. But this is not the same as causing it TO exist. It's really just a blueprint or photograph of such a world. A "what if". Like if you were to imagine a pink elephan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d see it in your mind.

The body was formed to use precisely this kind of seeing, focusing on images an class="hi2">anan>d believing them to be real. When in fact it's a form of hallucination. The body forms pictures an class="hi2">anan>d presents them like little photographs to the mind. Like a realtime 3d movie feed of an class="hi2">anan> imagined artificial world.

This is how the world is nothing, even though it appears to be something. This is how the body is nothing, even though it seems to show up as a picture of form with a shape. It's not REALLY there, because dreaming of something is nowhere near the same as it actually existing perman class="hi2">anan>ently in reality. The whole world is just a mad idea.

"an class="hi2">Anan>d what you SEE there, YOU will recognize as what it is; a picture of what YOU THOUGHT WAS REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing more. For, BEHIND this picture, YOU WILL SEE NOTHING."

"The Holy Spirit offers you, to give to him, a picture of yourself in which there is NO pain an class="hi2">anan>d NO reproach at all."

"Now in the han class="hi2">anan>ds made gentle by His touch, the Holy Spirit lays a picture of a DIFFERENT you. It is a picture of a body still, for what you REALLY are can class="hi2">anan> not be seen nor pictured."

"The picture of your brother that you see mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing."

"The picture of your brother that you see is wholly absent, an class="hi2">anan>d has never been."

"The world I see is hardly the representation of loving thoughts. It is a picture of attack on everything an class="hi2">anan>d by everything."

"Forgiveness paints a picture of a world where suffering is over, loss becomes impossible an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger makes no sense."

"The picture of Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d eternity grows MORE convincing, as you look at it. an class="hi2">Anan>d now, by REAL comparison, a TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMATION of both pictures can class="hi2">anan> at last occur."

"It is the witness to your state of mind, the OUTSIDE picture of an class="hi2">anan> INWARD condition."

"Do you LIKE what you have made? A world of murder an class="hi2">anan>d attack, through which you thread your timid way through constan class="hi2">anan>t dan class="hi2">anan>gers, alone an class="hi2">anan>d frightened, hoping at most that death will wait a little longer, before it overtakes you, an class="hi2">anan>d you disappear. YOU MADE THIS UP. It is a picture of what you think YOU are; of how you SEE yourself."

"This sickly picture of yourself is carefully preserved by the ego, whose image it IS an class="hi2">anan>d which it loves, an class="hi2">anan>d placed OUTSIDE you, in the world." "Your picture of the world can class="hi2">anan> only mirror what is within."

"The world you see is based on SACRIFICE of oneness. It is a picture of a COMPLETE disunity an class="hi2">anan>d total LACK of joining."

"No-one who makes a picture of himself omits this face, for he has need of it."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d what are YOU who live within the world, except a picture of the Son of God in broken pieces, each concealed within a separate an class="hi2">anan>d uncertain bit of clay?"

"Perception seems to TEACH you what you see. Yet it but witnesses to what YOU taught. It is the outward picture of a wish, an class="hi2">anan> image that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>TED to be true."

"This world IS a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son."

"Whenever you consent to suffer pain, to be deprived, unfairly treated, or in need of an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING, you but accuse your brother of attack upon God's Son. You hold a picture of your crucifixion before his eyes, that he may see his sins are writ in Heaven in your blood an class="hi2">anan>d death, an class="hi2">anan>d go before him, closing off the gate, an class="hi2">anan>d damning him to hell."

"A sick an class="hi2">anan>d suffering you but represents your brother's guilt; the witness which you send, lest he forget the injuries he gave, from which you swear he never will escape. This sick an class="hi2">anan>d sorry picture YOU accept, if only it can class="hi2">anan> serve to punish him."

"Sickness is but a "little" death; a form of vengean class="hi2">anan>ce not yet total. Yet it speaks with certainty for what it represents. The bleak an class="hi2">anan>d bitter picture you have sent your brother, YOU have looked upon in grief."

"It is my own attack thoughts which give rise to this picture."

"Seen through understan class="hi2">anan>ding eyes the holiness of the world is all I see, for I can class="hi2">anan> picture only the thoughts I hold about myself."

"Perception can class="hi2">anan> make whatever picture the mind desires to see."

"What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I wan class="hi2">anan>t. From there, the mind makes up an class="hi2">anan> image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore seeks to find. These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real, an class="hi2">anan>d guarded as one's own. From insan class="hi2">anan>e wishes comes an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e world. From judgment comes a world condemned. an class="hi2">Anan>d from forgiving thoughts a gentle world comes forth"

"an class="hi2">Anan>d when you think you see some value in an class="hi2">anan> aspect or an class="hi2">anan> image of the world, refuse to lay this chain upon your mind"

"Death is the symbol of the fear of God. His Love is blotted out in the idea, which holds It from awareness like a shield held to obscure the sun. The grimness of the symbol is enough to show it can class="hi2">anan>not co-exist with God. It holds an class="hi2">anan> image of the Son of God in which he is "laid to rest" in devastation's arms, where worms await to greet him an class="hi2">anan>d to last a little while by his destruction."

"If you are not a body, what are you? You need to be aware of what the Holy Spirit uses to replace the image of a body in your mind."

"an class="hi2">Anan> idol is an class="hi2">anan> image of your brother, which you would value MORE than class="hi2">anan> what he IS. Idols are made that HE may be replaced, no matter what their form. "

"Do not allow the body to be a mirror of a split mind. Do not let it be an class="hi2">anan> image of your own perception of littleness."

"Parents do not create the image of the

ir children, though they may perceive images which they do create." "It is because the thoughts you think you think appear as images that you do not recognize them as nothing."

"My thoughts are images which I have made."

"The images I see reflect my thoughts."

"Let graven images you made to be the Son of God instead of what he is be worshipped not today."

"If you are fearful, it is certain that you will endow the world with attributes which it does not possess, an class="hi2">anan>d crowd it with images that do not exist."

"Once again, images are perceived, NOT known."

"Images can class="hi2">anan>not see."

"You do not doubt that the body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> see. You do not doubt the images they show you are reality. Your faith lies in the darkness, not the light. "

"Images are symbolic, an class="hi2">anan>d stan class="hi2">anan>d for something else."

"The concept of the self stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a shield, a silent barricade before the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d hides it from your sight. All things you see are images because you look on them as through a barrier which dims your sight an class="hi2">anan>d warps your vision, so that you behold nothing with clarity."

In ACIM the term "solid" or "solidity" obviously refers to what we recognize it to mean class="hi2">anan>..... things which seem solid to us. Physical matter, heavy objects, solid materials, walls, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, all things which science would tell us are in a solid state of matter. Hard, tan class="hi2">anan>gible, measurable, biological, chemical, physical. Plan class="hi2">anan>et earth.

The course goes on to tell us that these things which appear to be solid will eventually be seen as tran class="hi2">anan>sparent, like a shadow, or a smoke-screen, or a veil of illusions. an class="hi2">Anan>d that these solid things stan class="hi2">anan>d in front of the face of Christ, initially blocking its view entirely but later moving aside an class="hi2">anan>d fading away to reveal the true light of the real world. That the "world", ie the solid earth, is nothing but a wall of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ding in the way of reality.

Christ vision becomes able to "see through" solid matter, kind of like x-ray vision. This is because it is forgiving, an class="hi2">anan>d "to forgive is to overlook." To overlook something is to not see it, which is why what you forgive must disappear. By forgiving the physical material solid world, therefore, you become able to see through an class="hi2">anan>d past an class="hi2">anan>d beyond it to the light of an class="hi2">anan>other world. A world which is not earth an class="hi2">anan>d is not the physical solid material plan class="hi2">anan>e.

In fact, Jesus says that it is the guilt in our minds which makes the veil of illusions - earth an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime - appear to have solidity. It is guilt which drags our mind down into false perceptions, blinded by perception of form, looking through an class="hi2">anan>d believing the body's eyesight which is completely incapable of forgiving or looking past the solidity of matter.

It is our belief in guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d death which locks us in to the prison of solid matter an class="hi2">anan>d makes it appear opaque to our minds. It is only because we are not forgiving that the world appears to show up at all as "solid". an class="hi2">Anan>d once we forgive completely, the whole world must disappear, an class="hi2">anan>d that does mean class="hi2">anan> the solid physical world will fade into nothingness, leaving behind only the light of heaven, because the world IS nothing but a veil of illusions we made to cover up reality.

The physical material solid world literally was made as a kind of curtain or screen or wall to come "between" you an class="hi2">anan>d yourself, between you an class="hi2">anan>d God, to hide God an class="hi2">anan>d block out heaven. It is like a layer of dirt covering over what should be bright an class="hi2">anan>d obvious, a stain upon the creation of God, a shadow of darkness. Belief in it causes the body to be lit up an class="hi2">anan>d made to seem real an class="hi2">anan>d solid, emphasizing the rift of the gap of separation which contains the entire separation from God in the split mind.

Christ vision looks past this world to the light. It does not mistake the body for the son of God. It does not fixate on physical forms. It does not believe the world of separate objects is real. It doesn't merely look upon an class="hi2">anan>d regard it as unified, it looks fully beyond it entirely. It glan class="hi2">anan>ces at the disappearing thin veil of nothingness as it leave the mind's awareness an class="hi2">anan>d opens up fully to perceiving only the light of reality. Then it is game over for the world, which was nothing to begin with.

This is then the end of solidity, the end of matter, the end of the physical, the end of the world of shadows, the end of darkness, the end of separation, an class="hi2">anan>d the end of death. The world is at first forgiven, seen past, overlooked, an class="hi2">anan>d ignored, an class="hi2">anan>d then ultimately returns to nothing at all which it is. There is no world, an class="hi2">anan>d only heaven remains.

"It can class="hi2">anan> indeed be said the ego MADE its world on sin. Only in such a world COULD everything be upside down. This IS the stran class="hi2">anan>ge illusion which makes the clouds of guilt seem heavy an class="hi2">anan>d impenetrable. The solidness this world's foundation SEEMS to have is FOUND in this. For sin HAS chan class="hi2">anan>ged creation from an class="hi2">anan> Idea of God to an class="hi2">anan> IDEAL the EGO wan class="hi2">anan>ts; a world IT rules, made up of bodies, mindless, an class="hi2">anan>d capable of COMPLETE corruption an class="hi2">anan>d decay."

"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 impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d on this fact forgiveness rests upon a certain base more solid than class="hi2">anan> the shadow world we see."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d so you stan class="hi2">anan>d, here in this holy place, before the veil of sin that han class="hi2">anan>gs between you an class="hi2">anan>d the face of Christ. LET it be lifted! Raise it together, for it is but a veil that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you. Either alone will see it as a solid block, nor realize how thin the drapery that separates you now."

"Stan class="hi2">anan>ding BEFORE the veil, it still seems difficult. But hold out your JOINED han class="hi2">anan>ds an class="hi2">anan>d touch this heavy-seeming block, an class="hi2">anan>d you will learn how easily your fingers slip through its nothingness. It is no solid wall. an class="hi2">Anan>d only an class="hi2">anan> illusion stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the holy Self you share."

"The mechan class="hi2">anan>isms of illusion have been born instead. an class="hi2">Anan>d now they go to find what has been given them to seek. Their aim is to fulfill the purpose which the world was made to witness an class="hi2">anan>d make real. They see in its illusions but a solid base where truth exists, upheld apart from lies. Yet everything which they report is but illusion which is kept apart from truth."

"Sin is a block, set like a heavy gate, locked an class="hi2">anan>d WITHOUT a key, across the road to peace. No-one who looks on it without the help of reason, would TRY to pass it. The body's eyes behold it as solid gran class="hi2">anan>ite, so thick it would be madness to ATTEMPT to pass it. Yet reason sees through it easily BECAUSE it is an class="hi2">anan> error. The FORM it takes can class="hi2">anan>not conceal its emptiness from REASON's eyes."

"Yet how can class="hi2">anan> sight which stops at nothingness, as if it WERE a solid wall, see truly? It is HELD BACK by form, having been made to guaran class="hi2">anan>tee that nothing else BUT form will be perceived. These eyes, made NOT to see, will NEVER see."

"Sickness is isolation. For it seems to keep one self apart from all the rest, to suffer what the others do not feel. It gives the body final power to make separation real an class="hi2">anan>d keep the mind in solitary prison, split apart an class="hi2">anan>d held in pieces by a solid wall of sickened flesh which it can class="hi2">anan> not surmount."

"For an class="hi2">anan>ti-Christ becomes more powerful than class="hi2">anan> Christ to those who dream the world is real. The body seems to be more solid an class="hi2">anan>d more stable than class="hi2">anan> the mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d love becomes a dream, while fear remains the one reality which can class="hi2">anan> be seen an class="hi2">anan>d justified an class="hi2">anan>d fully understood."

"This heavy-seeming barrier, this artificial floor that looks like rock, is like a ban class="hi2">anan>k of low, dark clouds that seem to be a solid wall before the sun. Its impenetrable appearan class="hi2">anan>ce is WHOLLY an class="hi2">anan> illusion."

"Yet in this cloud ban class="hi2">anan>k it is easy to see a whole world rising. A solid mountain ran class="hi2">anan>ge, a lake, a city, all arise in your imagination, an class="hi2">anan>d FROM the clouds, the messengers of your perception return to you, assuring you that it is all THERE. Figures stan class="hi2">anan>d out an class="hi2">anan>d move about, actions seem real, an class="hi2">anan>d forms appear an class="hi2">anan>d shift from loveliness to the grotesque. an class="hi2">Anan>d back an class="hi2">anan>d forth they go, as long as you would play the game of children's "make believe.""

"Christ's vision is the bridge between the worlds, an class="hi2">anan>d in its power can class="hi2">anan> you safely trust to carry you from this world into one made holy by forgiveness. Things which seem quite solid here are merely shadows there, tran class="hi2">anan>sparent, faintly seen, at times forgot, an class="hi2">anan>d never able to obscure the light that shines beyond them. Holiness has been restored to vision, an class="hi2">anan>d the blind can class="hi2">anan> see."

"If you are not a body, what are you? You need to be aware of what the Holy Spirit uses to replace the image of a body in your mind. You need to feel something to put your faith in, as you lift it from the body. You need a real experience of something else, something more solid an class="hi2">anan>d more sure; more worthy of your faith, an class="hi2">anan>d really there."

"The world you see is based on SACRIFICE of oneness. It is a picture of a COMPLETE disunity an class="hi2">anan>d total LACK of joining. Around each entity is built a wall so seeming solid that it looks as if what is inside can class="hi2">anan> never reach without, an class="hi2">anan>d what is out can class="hi2">anan> never reach an class="hi2">anan>d join with what is locked away within the wall."

"The final one, the hardest to believe is nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d a seeming obstacle with the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of a solid block, impenetrable, fearful an class="hi2">anan>d beyond surmounting, is the fear of God Himself."

"You who believe you walk in san class="hi2">anan>ity, with feet on solid ground, an class="hi2">anan>d through a world where mean class="hi2">anan>ing Can class="hi2">ANan> be found, consider this: These ARE the laws on which your "san class="hi2">anan>ity" appears to rest. These ARE the principles which makes the ground beneath your feet seem solid. an class="hi2">Anan>d it IS here you look for mean class="hi2">anan>ing. These are the laws YOU made for your salvation. They hold in place the substitute for Heaven that you prefer."

"This world is not the Will of God, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is not real. Yet those who think it real must still believe there is an class="hi2">anan>other will, an class="hi2">anan>d one which leads to opposite effects from those He wills. Impossible indeed; but every mind which looks upon the world an class="hi2">anan>d judges it as certain, solid, trustworthy an class="hi2">anan>d true believes in two creators; or in one, himself alone. But never in One God."

"The actions of the body are perceived as coming from the "baser" part of you, an class="hi2">anan>d thus of him as well. By focusing upon the "good" in him, the body grows decreasingly persistent in your sight, an class="hi2">anan>d will at length be seen as little more than class="hi2">anan> just a shadow circling round the "good."

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."

"Christ's vision has one law. It does not look upon a body an class="hi2">anan>d mistake it for the Son whom God created. It beholds a light beyond the body; an class="hi2">anan> idea beyond what can class="hi2">anan> be touched, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. It sees no separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d it looks on everyone, on every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce, all happenings an class="hi2">anan>d all events, without the slightest fading of the light it sees."

"Beyond the body, beyond the sun an class="hi2">anan>d stars, past EVERYTHING you see an class="hi2">anan>d yet somehow familiar, is an class="hi2">anan> arc of golden light that stretches, as you look, into a great an class="hi2">anan>d shining circle. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the circle fills with light before your eyes."

"Such is your resurrection, for your life is not a part of an class="hi2">anan>ything you see. It stan class="hi2">anan>ds beyond the body an class="hi2">anan>d the world, past every witness for unholiness, within the Holy, holy as Itself."

"Desiring to look upon their brothers in holiness, the power of belief an class="hi2">anan>d faith goes far BEYOND the body, SUPPORTING vision, NOT obstructing it."

"Grace is not given to a BODY, but to a MIND. an class="hi2">Anan>d the mind that RECEIVES it, looks INSTan class="hi2">ANan>TLY beyond the body, an class="hi2">anan>d sees the holy place where IT was healed."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d now God's KNOWLEDGE, chan class="hi2">anan>geless, certain, pure an class="hi2">anan>d wholly understan class="hi2">anan>dable, enters its Kingdom. Gone is perception, false an class="hi2">anan>d true alike. Gone is forgiveness, for its task is done. an class="hi2">Anan>d gone are bodies in the blazing light upon the altar to the Son of God. God knows it is His Own, as it is his. an class="hi2">Anan>d here They join, for here the face of Christ has shone away time's final instan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d now is the last perception of the world without a purpose an class="hi2">anan>d without a cause. For where God's memory has come at last there is no journey, no belief in sin, no walls, no bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d the grim appeal of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death is there snuffed out forever."

One time, I was exploring my relationship to the holy spirit an class="hi2">anan>d it occurred to me that perhaps I was misunderstan class="hi2">anan>ding by presuming he was "separate from me", since I always heard him as a separate voice. an class="hi2">Anan>d this idea came to me that maybe he was not separate an class="hi2">anan>d that this separation between us wasn't there. This seemed harmless enough but this opened me up to the idea that I was now "exposed" to the holy spirit without an class="hi2">anan>y defenses or blocks or separations or walls, an class="hi2">anan>d my ego did not like that one bit.

The ego in me, which was playing with this idea but not really dropping the deeper walls, interpreted this to mean class="hi2">anan> that the holy spirit had "access" to me (to my ego-identified self) an class="hi2">anan>d that this mean class="hi2">anan>t he could do an class="hi2">anan>ything to me an class="hi2">anan>d I would have no defense or way to stop it. I wasn't ready to accept this level of openness without the trust that's needed. I felt that if there was nothing to stop him, the fact he proves there is no ego would dissolve me an class="hi2">anan>d was therefore *perceived as* an class="hi2">anan> attack or threat. Of course the holy spirit wasn't doing an class="hi2">anan>ything of the sort but that's how I interpreted it.

Instan class="hi2">anan>tly, within a split second, an class="hi2">anan>d without thinking of it at all, my mind attempted to push him away, or rather, to recoil. To distan class="hi2">anan>ce myself from him by trying to increase the "gap" between us, trying to hide deeper in the body, an class="hi2">anan>d to try to go into denial/resistan class="hi2">anan>ce/blockage to shut him out. The only defense really was the attempt to block my AWARENESS of him. This happened really quickly an class="hi2">anan>d I could really feel this recoil in fear. It's not something I "figured out" it's just something I did automatically. I saw the need for a defense to keep me (my ego self) "safe" from this threat of unity. I actually felt scared of what the holy spirit was going to do to me.

Within an class="hi2">anan> hour, my head became congested, my ears started ringing, they became quite blocked, I was starting to get sinus drainage etc. This came on really quickly. Of course, I did not recognize that I had induced this myself, or chosen it. I was doing what is described here in "sickness is a defense against the truth":

"Sickness is not an class="hi2">anan> accident. Like all defenses, it is an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e device for self-deception. an class="hi2">Anan>d like all the rest, its purpose is to hide reality, attack it, chan class="hi2">anan>ge it, render it inept, distort it, twist it, or reduce it to a little pile of unassembled parts. The aim of all defenses is to keep the truth from being whole. The parts are seen as if each one were whole within itself.

Defenses are not unintentional, nor are they made without awareness. They are secret magic wan class="hi2">anan>ds you wave when truth appears to threaten what you would believe. They seem to be unconscious but because of the rapidity with which you choose to use them. In that second, even less, in which the choice is made, you recognize exactly what you would attempt to do, an class="hi2">anan>d then proceed to think that it is done."

"Sickness is a decision. It is not a thing that happens to you quite unsought, which makes you weak an class="hi2">anan>d brings you suffering. It is a choice you make, a plan class="hi2">anan> you lay when for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t truth arises in your own deluded mind, an class="hi2">anan>d all your world appears to totter an class="hi2">anan>d prepare to fall. Now are you sick that truth may go away, an class="hi2">anan>d threaten your establishments no more."

So by the time the hour was up, my BODY was sick. I was not aware I'd caused it or the cause-effect relationship of the event with holy spirit versus what the body was doing. I just thought I was getting sick out of the blue. I started looking ELSEWHERE for causes, wondering if it was something I ate, something I contracted, some emotions coming up, whatever. I then proceeded to suffer with blocked ears, trouble hearing, ringing in the ears, headaches, sinus congestion, for the next couple of days. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> bet not one single idea of what caused it was related to that event. In effect, the defense is put in place to shut OUT awareness an class="hi2">anan>d this blockage causes you to not be AWARE that you CHOSE the defense for this exact purpose to try to make the threat go away.

After a couple days of suffering - an class="hi2">anan>d my hearing issues were basically a symbolic representation of "I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to hear this truth", I started trying to figure out when it started. I realized that it started right around when I was having that interaction with the holy spirit. an class="hi2">Anan>d then fortunately I remembered that it had frightened me. an class="hi2">Anan>d so then I was able to put two an class="hi2">anan>d two together an class="hi2">anan>d realized that, or at least was open to the possibility, that maybe I had chosen this as a reaction to him. I also was not on "speaking terms" with the holy spirit at this point because I was feeling afraid an class="hi2">anan>d did not feel safe or trusting of him, so he hadn't been saying an class="hi2">anan>ything.

I started to tentatively realize that I needed to get past this fear. I needed somehow to find a way to re-approach the holy spirit again, without being afraid, having some kind of TRUST, an class="hi2">anan>d to find a way to relate to him in terms of that openness to him without it MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING that I was threatened or under attack. I needed a different way of looking at it so that I wouldn't misperceive our "unity" as a dan class="hi2">anan>gerous thing. So I became willing, an class="hi2">anan>d I started to try to deliberately trust an class="hi2">anan>d to take baby steps towards communicating with him again. an class="hi2">Anan>d as I did, I was willing to put aside the fear that had been induced.

When I did this, I saw clearly that I had created this defense as a way to try to protect myself an class="hi2">anan>d out of fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d since I could now be willing to more carefully trust the holy spirit an class="hi2">anan>d not fear him, it became obvious that I had NO MORE NEED for this protection. Like, it was okay to let down my guard.

Within an class="hi2">anan> hour, all the symptoms van class="hi2">anan>ished completely.

"Healing will flash across your open mind as peace an class="hi2">anan>d truth arise to take the place of war an class="hi2">anan>d vain imaginings. "

"There will be no dim figures from your dreams, nor their obscure an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingless pursuits with double purposes insan class="hi2">anan>ely sought, remaining in your mind. It will be healed of all the sickly wishes that it tried to authorize the body to obey."

"Now is the body healed because the source of sickness has been opened to relief. "

"No-one can class="hi2">anan> heal unless he understan class="hi2">anan>ds what purpose sickness seems to serve. For then he understan class="hi2">anan>ds as well its purpose has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Being causeless an class="hi2">anan>d without a mean class="hi2">anan>ingful intent of an class="hi2">anan>y kind, it can class="hi2">anan>not be at all. When this is seen, healing is automatic. It dispels this mean class="hi2">anan>ingless illusion by the same approach that carries all of them to truth, an class="hi2">anan>d merely leaves them there to disappear."

THIS WORLD DOES NOT CAUSE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING

The world we seem to live in, which includes plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, does not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything to happen. It has no causes in it. an class="hi2">Anan>d since cause=truth, it has no truth in it. an class="hi2">Anan>d since truth=reality, it has no reality in it. It however has man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y illusions of causes, pretending to be causes.

The world causes nothing. It is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> effect. In order for this to make an class="hi2">anan>y sense you'll need to realize that *everything* in this world is being caused from SOMEWHERE ELSE.

In a pan class="hi2">anan>tomime, puppets are dan class="hi2">anan>gled from strings an class="hi2">anan>d made to seem to interact with each other. One can class="hi2">anan> be made to seem to do something, an class="hi2">anan>d then it is necessary for the other to be made to do something else, in order to create the illusion that it was affected. There is no causality between them. All of the causality comes from ABOVE, causing what is BELOW.

As it is with miracles. Miracles are expressions from a mind which is ABOVE this world which has CAUSED this world. The world is its effect. That higher mind (the Sonship) has projected this entire universe including the Earth.

Everything that seems to "happen" in it, is not happening because of one thing causing something else. Instead, both the things which seem to cause, an class="hi2">anan>d the things which seem to be affected, are simultan class="hi2">anan>eously projected in parallel from an class="hi2">anan>other place entirely.

The wind does not blow the trees. The wind blowing an class="hi2">anan>d the trees moving are BOTH accomplished at the same time by the same ONE CAUSE, the mind of the dreamer.

Gravity does not cause a ball to roll down a hill.

Eating food does not cause you to make poop.

Throwing a rock at a window does not cause the window to break, unless the higher mind says "ok, I will now break the window", an class="hi2">anan>d the breaking of the window is implemented BY THE MIND, not by the rock.

Nothing in this world causes an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. We are not made sick by things in the environment. We are not hurt by other people. We are not upset because of things we see. Nothing happens to us, not even death.

Nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen to you, a Son of God, without your say so. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen, without your consent. "No-one dies without their own consent". Mind, from a higher level, has to PUT IN PLACE both the apparent causes an class="hi2">anan>d apparent effects of EVERYTHING that takes place on plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. EVERYTHING!

The world does not spin because of inertia or gravitational forces or attraction to the sun. It spins because the MIND SPINS IT.

Rain does not fall from a cloud on its own as part of an class="hi2">anan> accumulation of water particles. Rain does not fall unless the mind makes it do so.

This is a world of an class="hi2">ANan>IMATION, it is an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>imation, like a movie, being projected out an class="hi2">anan>d played by a mind that is causing everything in the scene to occur. Everything.

You wouldn't imagine for a second that someone could be sat at the movie theater watching the movie on the screen, an class="hi2">anan>d that they could CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE the content of the movie by doing something with the screen. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t the movie to chan class="hi2">anan>ge, you have to get in touch with the folk who MADE the movie, an class="hi2">anan>d the mechan class="hi2">anan>ism of projecting it, so that the movie appears differently.

Similarly the world can class="hi2">anan> easily be chan class="hi2">anan>ged by someone who has access to the miraculous mind of the Son of God, who is a miracle worker. This mind has the power to ERASE the world. This mind has the power to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE the world. This mind has the power to do an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING. "There is nothing your holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do."

The world itself does not DO an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. Nothing happens to an class="hi2">anan>ything an class="hi2">anan>ywhere against an class="hi2">anan>y will. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen AT ALL unless it is part of the one who is DREAMING IT. Only the dreamer can class="hi2">anan> determine what shows up in the dream. Only the dreamer can class="hi2">anan> make objects appear to interact. Only the dreamer has access to the level of freedom an class="hi2">anan>d capability to make the dream appear to do stuff that DEFIES the illusion of linear causality.

If the dreamer decides, hey, when this forest fire rages, which I made rage, I will ensure no harm will come to that house. an class="hi2">Anan>d so the house will not suffer the fire. an class="hi2">Anan>d if the dreamer decides, when that rock is thrown at that window, there shall be no damage, so be it.... there will not be a broken window. an class="hi2">Anan>d if the dreamer decides, this body will have no sickness an class="hi2">anan>d show no signs of damage an class="hi2">anan>d it will be impossible to destroy it... so be it. The body will be invulnerable.

Miracles appear to defy the LINEAR causality of this world. They prove an class="hi2">anan>d demonstrate that the ILLUSION of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect here is FALSE, is fictional, an class="hi2">anan>d that it can class="hi2">anan> easily be modified an class="hi2">anan>d defied. The mind could easily suppress the effects of an class="hi2">anan> explosion. It could easily levitate a mountain. It could easily cause someone to walk on water. It could easily show that gravity has no effect on the body.

There is an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>alogy to this freedom an class="hi2">anan>d flexibility of writing the rules of what's going to happen in a fictional world, in this world. It's in the area of creating digital worlds. Movies, games, visualizations, 3d objects an class="hi2">anan>d so on. In this arena, we get to make entire environments out of nowhere. We can class="hi2">anan> populate them with characters an class="hi2">anan>d make stuff happen. But guess what, there are no laws.

Nothing is impossible there. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to make a huge ball representing the sun suddenly turn into ice-cream, that's easy enough. an class="hi2">Anan>d objects in a virtual world have no inherent laws of physics. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to make them repel each other or bump into each other an class="hi2">anan>d rebound off each other, you have to ADD a whole bunch of extra rules an class="hi2">anan>d conditions. But the fact is, YOU add them. an class="hi2">Anan>d without them, objects would pass right through each other.

This world, this universe, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It causes nothing at all an class="hi2">anan>d it has no causes inside of it. All causes here are illusions of causes. This is why as a miracle worker you can class="hi2">anan> demonstrate this fact by making something occur which, according to the linear laws, is impossible. It should be impossible to reverse death, it should be impossible to levitate a mountain, it should be impossible to walk on water, an class="hi2">anan>d it should be impossible to heal all sickness, but it's not true. There is nothing a holy Son of God can class="hi2">anan>not do.

Open your mind. Question what you're looking at. Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth isn't a "thing" in its own right functioning according to universal laws. It's nothing but a simultan class="hi2">anan>eous parallel projection from a place UNSEEN. an class="hi2">Anan>d as a projection, it has no will an class="hi2">anan>d no life an class="hi2">anan>d no mind of its own. It has no identity. That is why it does not really exist. There is no world. It's imagined.

"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."

"The world that you see is what you have put there to see; nothing more an class="hi2">anan>d nothing less."

"A miracle of healing proves that separation is without effect."

"Time lasted but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t in your mind, with no effect upon eternity."

"The world may seem to cause you pain. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an class="hi2">anan> effect, it can class="hi2">anan>not make effects. As an class="hi2">anan> illusion, it is what you wish."

llusions from the outside are not illusions at all. With the perspective of knowing everything about the illusion, the truth of it, you can class="hi2">anan>'t be deceived by it.

Being outside of an class="hi2">anan> illusion is like knowing how the magic trick works. Or it's like solving a puzzle an class="hi2">anan>d never being able to go back an class="hi2">anan>d do the same puzzle again because you already know the trickery involved.

Once you've seen the truth, you can class="hi2">anan>'t go back. Once you know the an class="hi2">anan>swer, you can class="hi2">anan> no longer pretend that the question is valid. Or even worse, it's like the joke that you heard several times already so it's just not funny an class="hi2">anan>y more.

This is also why the world is hell-bent on finding the next big illusion, because people keep wan class="hi2">anan>ting to be unconsciously absorbed into the trickery an class="hi2">anan>d deception of appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. Once the 'show' has been experienced, it becomes 'old', an class="hi2">anan>d the ego keeps lusting after an class="hi2">anan>other illusion to replace it, in order to avoid the possibility that you might awaken.

Illusions can class="hi2">anan> only be maintained while something is hidden from your awareness. an class="hi2">Anan>d in fact what that mean class="hi2">anan>s is, your awareness itself is hidden by something, because you can class="hi2">anan>'t see the whole picture - the an class="hi2">anan>swer eludes you. Only by being unaware of the whole truth can class="hi2">anan> you be deceived by an class="hi2">anan> illusion, so it requires your participation an class="hi2">anan>d willingness to become unconscious.

When some portion of your own awareness is unaware of what's really going on - you are in a state of semi-unconsciousness. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's only in this state of unawareness that you can class="hi2">anan> be deceived by an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Only when some portion of your awareness has become hidden an class="hi2">anan>d blocked can class="hi2">anan> something seem to make sense an class="hi2">anan>d yet be mistaken.

So let's say there are two characters stan class="hi2">anan>ding on a stage in a play, doing their theatrical production. In the play, the two are enemies. The victim character has this big long story about how the perpetrator is against them, how they're so wrong an class="hi2">anan>d bad an class="hi2">anan>d guilty, an class="hi2">anan>d how they did this all to them. The perpetrator in the play sees the victim as some fake people-pleasing nutcase that needs to be taken down a peg or two, an class="hi2">anan>d they believe they are justified in attacking them. So the two are at war.

Now, in order for your awareness to believe the illusion of these characters, you have to have fallen for some kind of trick. The trick here is, that you believe both characters are being acted by two separate people. You also are somewhat absorbed into the story from each character's perspective an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> see how each one seems justified in being enemies with the other. You see how they both are against each other, very much separate from each other, an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t nothing really to do with each other. This entirely hinges around the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of SIGNIFICan class="hi2">ANan>T DIFFERENCES, an class="hi2">anan>d that a sense of IDENTITY has been associated with those differences. This reinforces the idea that these are two separate individuals, which is part of the power of the illusion.

What you suddenly find out, as the play ends, is that in fact, both characters have been acted by the same person, at the same time. Now, obviously this seems nonsense to the ego, impossible even. But to your mind this is perfectly possible. an class="hi2">Anan>d when these two characters are actually inside your own mind, having a go at each other, your mind is in a state of unawareness - a split mind at war with itself with multiple artificial identities. The stories an class="hi2">anan>d the separate identities an class="hi2">anan>d the costumes an class="hi2">anan>d the drama an class="hi2">anan>d their relationship all goes towards painting this picture that each of them is separate. an class="hi2">Anan>d given they are both characters in your mind, that mean class="hi2">anan>s your mind has become split an class="hi2">anan>d is unconscious that it's actually playing both of them at once.

When it is revealed that in fact there are not two identities involved, but only one - an class="hi2">anan>d that this one is you - it then becomes impossible to believe in all of the illusions that suggest these two characters are two separate people. The cover is blown. The mask has come off. The truth is out. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it becomes literally impossible, upon seeing that both characters are really one person, to believe an class="hi2">anan>y of the lies an class="hi2">anan>d stories that each was telling about the other. In fact their stories must be completely invalid an class="hi2">anan>d fictional an class="hi2">anan>d UNTRUE, because nothing that each one claims about the other can class="hi2">anan> make sense if both of them are one person.

The victim can class="hi2">anan>'t possibly truthfully claim that the victimizer is out to get them, when the victimizer is the exact same person. Because then the victim would be literally attacking themselves through this person. an class="hi2">Anan>d the victimizer can class="hi2">anan>'t be truthfully claiming that the victim deserves to die, because the victim is themselves also, an class="hi2">anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s they'd have to believe about themselves what they believe about the other.

So when awareness comes, that there is a UNITY, a ONENESS, that span class="hi2">anan>s what you THOUGHT was two separate things, illusions - obstacles to awareness - are blown an class="hi2">anan>d seen through an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> no longer be believed. You only can class="hi2">anan> have a single identity. There can class="hi2">anan> only be one you. an class="hi2">Anan>d if that one you has been pretending all this time to play out this drama with two identities who seem to be enemies, then admitting to having done BOTH of those roles has to reveal to you the truth. The truth is that you are one whole self, not two selves, an class="hi2">anan>d these two characters can class="hi2">anan>not be who you REALLY are, an class="hi2">anan>d their stories must be completely false.

So in order to step out of illusions we need to recognize where there is some sense of separation, or some story about how this is not that, or this person is not that person, or this person is separately doing something to that person without being affected by it, etc. That's the ego's illusion - that one part can class="hi2">anan> be separate from an class="hi2">anan>other part an class="hi2">anan>d do stuff to them without an class="hi2">anan>y side effects. It's a total lie, because both parties are the same person attacking themselves. Once you admit to this an class="hi2">anan>d step outside of it, the bubble bursts, reality comes in an class="hi2">anan>d the lies are shown for what they are. You can class="hi2">anan> no longer believe the story, or the joke, or the trick, or the question, or the puzzle, an class="hi2">anan>d now you SEE the truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are whole.

This whole drama is going on inside you right now. There is a character in you which you think is all that there is to you - your persona self, which is trying to be all spiritual an class="hi2">anan>d special. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is an class="hi2">anan>other character in you which you hate an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to be separate from an class="hi2">anan>d have nothing to do with, because it seems to victimize your little persona self, an class="hi2">anan>d you disassociate from that self an class="hi2">anan>d project it onto other people where you can class="hi2">anan> keep attacking it to get rid of it. But it's really inside your mind an class="hi2">anan>d it's part of you. an class="hi2">Anan>d all along, even if you block it out, YOU are playing the role of it at the same time as playing the role of this 'partial you'. an class="hi2">Anan>d both are the same self.

When this truth comes to light an class="hi2">anan>d you accept it an class="hi2">anan>d recognize it, you can class="hi2">anan> no longer believe the ILLUSION that someone else is doing stuff to you against your will. Or that someone else is victimizing you. Or that you are a victim in an class="hi2">anan>y way. Or even, that you are this small little persona self that's left over an class="hi2">anan>d separate from the other venomous hateful self that you tried to pretend was not you either. Neither of these selves are you, because they are both just illusory characters. Your ego - your persona self - is not you, an class="hi2">anan>d your 'alter ego', your shadow self, is also not you. an class="hi2">Anan>d all along you've been pitting these two characters against themselves in your own mind an class="hi2">anan>d living out a nightmare. Wake up from that! You are one self, not two selves.

So illusions are just that, the illusion - the deception, the trickery, the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, the lie, the *seeming* truth, that what was one is two, an class="hi2">anan>d what is joined is separate, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are not your own enemy. an class="hi2">Anan>d while you're inside of one or the other roles within that illusion, you will believe you are only that, an class="hi2">anan>d will be unaware, unconscious, of your whole self. Only when two become one will you snap out of the deception an class="hi2">anan>d become FULLY AWARE of who you really are, your whole self - your Holy Self, joined in Oneness with Holy Spirit. That's who you really are, behind the illusion of being unwhole an class="hi2">anan>d incomplete.

"He (God) did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way. God does not suffer conflict. Nor is His creation split in two. How could it be His Son could be in hell, when God Himself established him in Heaven?"

God did not make two minds. One mind has produced the creation of Heaven, some "other mind" has produced the result of "Earth" (yes literally plan class="hi2">anan>et earth).

If BOTH of them exist, God must be SPLIT MINDED an class="hi2">anan>d would have to have created TWO DIFFERENT creations.

Since Jesus tells us clearly "Earth.... which is heaven's opposite in every way". So earth is NOTHING LIKE heaven.

Therefore, either God is split minded an class="hi2">anan>d has two entirely conflicting creations, which is absurd an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>'t be true, or ONLY ONE of the two "results" can class="hi2">anan> really exist (be created).

Heaven is God's ONLY creation because God is SINGLE MINDED an class="hi2">anan>d whole an class="hi2">anan>d only creates heavenly creations.

Therefore, simple logic folks .... THERE IS NO EARTH.

Earth has not been CREATED. It does not exist.

This is the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of "there is no world."

To claim God created Earth an class="hi2">anan>d that it therefore is real an class="hi2">anan>d exists, is to claim that God created both heaven an class="hi2">ANan>D earth, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does NOT create in his own likeness, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore is a dougnut salesman class="hi2">anan>. There's a pretty big HOLE in that logic! ;-)

By the way, Earth is hell.

The ego produced the idea that when you cause something, it produces an class="hi2">anan> effect, but the effect itself is not CAPABLE of causing something in turn.

This shows up in the relationship between mind an class="hi2">anan>d matter or mind an class="hi2">anan>d body. The body seems to be an class="hi2">anan> "end result" but of itself it can class="hi2">anan>not create an class="hi2">anan>ything. The ego made the illusion that it can class="hi2">anan> create children but really it is a dead end.

This is because the ego "separated" cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, mean class="hi2">anan>ing that mind seemed to become cause an class="hi2">anan>d matter became effect, so that mind would seem to STOP being able to CREATE something that in turn can class="hi2">anan> create.

When you think about your self in heaven, you are an class="hi2">anan> effect of God. But in God's world cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are not split apart like this, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> "effect" is NOT a dead end. When God creates something, he give it ALL of his own ability to create, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore it ALSO becomes a CAUSE.

You are an class="hi2">anan> effect of God, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you are still as God created you, but it DOES NOT MEan class="hi2">ANan> that you therefore have to be whatever God forces you to be. You are not like the "body of God" or some kind of projection of Him that can class="hi2">anan>not think for itself or has no will of its own.

This is a very importan class="hi2">anan>t point because in terms of the ego's thinking, if you are just an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT, then you can class="hi2">anan>not CAUSE an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d that basically mean class="hi2">anan>s God created death, or created an class="hi2">anan> end to extension.

You are created TO EXTEND, to CO-CREATE, an class="hi2">anan>d to CAUSE CREATION. You are an class="hi2">anan> effect of God but you are ALSO FREE to cause of your own free will. If you were not given the freedom to be a cause, you could not be like God or in his likeness, an class="hi2">anan>d you would not be able to create like Him.

So God has created you, you are the effect of Him, but you are also a cause. God causes causes. God creates creators. an class="hi2">Anan>d because you ARE a creator an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> create, you MUST HAVE freedom to WILL freely. Your independent free will was given you BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY in order to gran class="hi2">anan>t you the ability to create freely.

By God having created creators who can class="hi2">anan> create creators, an class="hi2">anan>d IF those creations freely willingly choose to extend or "will like God's will", then creation extends endlessly as a continuous outflowing of creativity. When a creation of God freely chooses to dream an class="hi2">anan>d to pretend to oppose God's "intention" an class="hi2">anan>d tries to block their own free will, his "communication chan class="hi2">anan>nels" are blocked an class="hi2">anan>d God thus recognizes his son is "sleeping" an class="hi2">anan>d creates the Holy Spirit to help him to FREELY CHOOSE whether/when to wake up.

The authority problem is an class="hi2">anan> issue of authorship, power, an class="hi2">anan>d causality. ie, who is the author? Who caused? Who has the power to do so? Why has the authority to decide what the truth is?

God is the primary authority who has the power an class="hi2">anan>d is the cause of His creations. When he creates his children in Heaven he uses his authority to do so. But he also extends His authority to them, giving them their own true authority, which mean class="hi2">anan>s they too now have the authority an class="hi2">anan>d power to create - to author. It is because souls have authority that they are co-creators with God. Every Son of God has authority an class="hi2">anan>d power because God is in them.

"Souls were given their own true authorship"

The problem came in the separation idea, where souls attempted to be the author of God. Simultan class="hi2">anan>eously they attempted to deny that God is the author of them. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore that the author of themselves is an class="hi2">anan>onymous or unknown.

This then opened up the possibility for souls to believe that they could invent their own definition of God, their own definition of truth, their own definition of who or what authored them. an class="hi2">Anan>d so they themselves were now attempting to be the one to define their own selves, as though they had authored themselves an class="hi2">anan>d could determine what they are. Or to put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, they wan class="hi2">anan>ted to be God an class="hi2">anan>d to chan class="hi2">anan>ge, cause, or alter God, which is the idea of sin.

"You HAVE the power to ADD to the Kingdom, but NOT to add to the Creator OF the Kingdom."

By denying the author of you (God), you invented an class="hi2">anan> author of yourself, by yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d thus found yourself in a kind of split minded state of being under the power of a made-up false God, while also attempting to BE a false God. This all hinges on the belief that you can class="hi2">anan> author God, can class="hi2">anan> cause God, can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge reality, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore have power over Him. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to establish what the truth is, to decide what it is an class="hi2">anan>d to use this power to redefine or deny God's truth.

"First, the assumption is implicit that what God has Created can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged by the mind of Man class="hi2">anan>.

Second, the concept that what is perfect can class="hi2">anan> be rendered imperfect (or wan class="hi2">anan>ting) is intruded.

Third, the belief that man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> distort the Creations of God (including himself) has arisen, an class="hi2">anan>d is tolerated.

Fourth, that since man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> create himself, the direction of his own creation is up to him."

You then form this ego viewpoint that you are God, you have power over God, you are the author of yourself, you don't need God, you don't derive from God, you are not like God (or yourself), an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> "make up" or invent whatever you think you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be. This also then positions you as believing you are an class="hi2">anan> authority, for whom there is no higher authority. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s you are now unwilling to accept or share God's truth, mind, or will, an class="hi2">anan>d have "gone rogue".

By trying to be an class="hi2">anan> authority over God, who is the authority over you, you enter into level confusion. You who are an class="hi2">anan> effect of God, authored by God, deny this inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d claim to be able to cause/author God. You are now like a resistan class="hi2">anan>t child who doesn't wan class="hi2">anan>t to cooperate an class="hi2">anan>d is digging in its heels with a superiority/inferiority complex.

This level confusion forms the root basis for the entire ego thought system, which is entirely level confused, is infused with the authority problem throughout, an class="hi2">anan>d leads to the making of a world in which you play God. "The world was made as a place where God could enter not", SO THAT you could be God without God in this world an class="hi2">anan>d try prove your authority does not come from Him.

As "children without a father" (the separation between Father an class="hi2">anan>d Son, Cause an class="hi2">anan>d Effect), we now act as if we're God in this world, a gatekeeper, a definer of truth, he through whom all things must be approved an class="hi2">anan>d agreed if they are to be "authorized." We attempt to define our own self, to establish our own truth, to invent worlds, to make-believe stuff into reality.

We're then busy not listening to God, not receiving, denying inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce, rejecting guidan class="hi2">anan>ce, wan class="hi2">anan>ting to be right, an class="hi2">anan>d are so in denial that we have trouble being willing to accept correction.

You can class="hi2">anan> see this in an class="hi2">anan>yone who is doing A Course in Miracles, an class="hi2">anan>d indeed everyone else. The attempt to be God. Nothing is authorized or approved unless it is cleared by us. Nothing is allowed to be agreed to as "the truth" unless we say so. We have to be the one to figure everything out on our own. We are unwilling to be mistaken because our relian class="hi2">anan>ce on our own self an class="hi2">anan>d abilities is too high. We depend on our belief that we are so accomplished an class="hi2">anan>d importan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d authoritative that an class="hi2">anan>ything challenging our self-defined truth is rejected.

This also leads to a kind of man class="hi2">anan>iacal, tyran class="hi2">anan>nical, domineering, resistan class="hi2">anan>t, stubborn, power-hungry, competitive, war-mongering, intimidating nature. These are all forms of artificial authority. They are all based on the belief in a lack of authority an class="hi2">anan>d insecurity. They all require a lot of reinforcement, an class="hi2">anan>d in the worst examples produce a desire to literally force others to comply with one's wishes. You can class="hi2">anan> see this in leaders of some countries for example, in murderers, an class="hi2">anan>d in those who project an class="hi2">anan>d scapegoat an class="hi2">anan>d blame.

As far as A Course in Miracles is concerned, we come to it with an class="hi2">anan> authority problem. We come to the truth with this egotism of self-centered "I must control", "I am right", "it's not true unless I say it is" kind of approach. an class="hi2">Anan>d this also mean class="hi2">anan>s initially that we will attempt to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the course to make it match what we wan class="hi2">anan>t the truth to be.

We think we have more authority than class="hi2">anan> someone who has accepted that God is their author, such as Jesus, an class="hi2">anan>d who has authored the Course from his position of true authority. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that Jesus has authority OVER us. He is an class="hi2">anan> equal. He temporarily is like an class="hi2">anan> older brother due to his acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce OF authority an class="hi2">anan>d the reclaiming of his TRUE authority an class="hi2">anan>d power. But this does not mean class="hi2">anan> he aims to force or dominate.

God similarly is not forceful ("God does not coerce" "even God would not go against your will"), an class="hi2">anan>d His authority isn't a domineering tyran class="hi2">anan>nical rulership of forced control, but the ego can class="hi2">anan>not help but fear this authority. It reads into it its own authority problem an class="hi2">anan>d sees it as a threat, or as an class="hi2">anan> attempt to have power over you. There will then ensue a power struggle for dominan class="hi2">anan>ce, for who is right, between you an class="hi2">anan>d what the truth says is true.

This usually leads to a tremendous amount of attempts to redefine the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of the truth. New ideas which seem to threaten one's God complex will be frowned upon or treated suspiciously. We will try to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the truth an class="hi2">anan>d the course to fit whatever we believe is true already. We might though gradually become willing to surrender an class="hi2">anan>d let go of this need to have authority over true authority.

What we find in the Course is an class="hi2">anan> expression from a Master who has authority an class="hi2">anan>d knows the truth. Ego doesn't like this. It wan class="hi2">anan>ts to be the gatekeeper through which all things must be approved otherwise they are considered false. We have to become willing to surrender this position an class="hi2">anan>d becoming open to receiving a truth which may contradict our beliefs. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s a willingness to be mistaken, not just about what we've concluded but even that we are in a position TO define what God's truth is.

Basically we're being exposed to God's truth an class="hi2">anan>d authorship, while believing we are the truth an class="hi2">anan>d authorship of ourselves. Believing we don't need God or his stupid truth. So there's going to be a tug of war on our part. There's going to be resistan class="hi2">anan>ce. But ultimately we need to shift from trying to be the one who defines the truth, to being one who accepts HIS truth.

To do this is an class="hi2">anan> act of surrender, an class="hi2">anan>d the development of trust. A willingness to be mistaken. an class="hi2">Anan> openness to BE taught. To be a student. To learn of Him. To ALLOW His truth to become the authority. To align with God's will. To surrender the ego an class="hi2">anan>d let go of being right. It mean class="hi2">anan>s regarding the Course's truth as FIXED TRUTH, mean class="hi2">anan>ing that YOU are the one who needs to adjust to correlate to it, rather than class="hi2">anan> IT being the one to chan class="hi2">anan>ge. It mean class="hi2">anan>s TRUSTING Jesus's words. If HE says something is true, YOU need to accept it, even if that mean class="hi2">anan>s letting go of beliefs which say the opposite. Without this trust there is no willingness to allow Jesus to be your teacher, or to accept the truth of God.

This is where you become humble. This is where you surrender the fight. This is where you are willing to let God tell you of Himself. This is where you learn to receive love. This is where you let go of controlling yourself, your life, an class="hi2">anan>d others. It's where you become willing to do God's will. To set aside your attempts to oppose His guidan class="hi2">anan>ce. To han class="hi2">anan>d over authority to your soul, receiving its truth from God. Where you plug your mind back into spirit an class="hi2">anan>d acknowledge that God is your father again. That you have no other God's. That you are open to receive your inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d recognize yourself as God created you.

It entails allowing God to be the one who has defined who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are. To recognize you can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d have no chan class="hi2">anan>ged yourself. That you have never sinned because you did not cause God an class="hi2">anan>d have no desire to do so. To realize you must still be as God defines you to be. an class="hi2">ANan>D this does not mean class="hi2">anan>, as it does to the ego, that you have to merely begrudgingly cooperate "against your will". We have to unlearn the belief that God is trying to force us, require us, or man class="hi2">anan>ipulate us. We have to learn he does not have an class="hi2">anan> ulterior motive or that he's trying to dominate.

We can class="hi2">anan> only come to God through our own free will. It entails a willingness to accept God's truth is the only truth. That it offers you an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce, freedom, power an class="hi2">anan>d joy. That doing God's will will make you happy. That forgiveness offers everything you wan class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d this all requires you to trust God an class="hi2">anan>d surrender your self-authoring control issues. If you suspect God of trying to force you to do something you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t, it's because you are forcing yourself an class="hi2">anan>d others against their free will. We have to re-learn that God can class="hi2">anan> be trusted, an class="hi2">anan>d that He still loves us.

Upon relinquishing false authority, or rather, an class="hi2">anan> attempt to have authority without or against God, as a rebellious nature which seems to throw yourself into hell, we can class="hi2">anan> resume our TRUE authority as co-creators, with the power TO create, to ADD TO the Kingdom, an class="hi2">anan>d to Create WITH God USING His power which He has shared with us in our own creation. We now happily an class="hi2">anan>d willingly resume the extension of God's spirit to increase our joy an class="hi2">anan>d to fulfill our function. God knows what's best for us.

A willingness to accept God's authority of us doesn't necessarily mean class="hi2">anan> having to accept that you are under coercion. "God does not coerce." God has gran class="hi2">anan>ted you free will an class="hi2">anan>d co-creatorship. He wan class="hi2">anan>ts to create WITH you. Through you.

It also doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you have no power or no authority. The Sons of God have authority over all illusions. They also have authorship, shared with each other an class="hi2">anan>d with God, of their creations, to an class="hi2">anan>d through whom they extend their authority from God. God is not trying to take your power away. He's trying to give it back to you. It's just that He wan class="hi2">anan>ts your power to the be the power HE gave you. He wan class="hi2">anan>ts your truth to be the truth HE established in you, which is true of you. He wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to let go of the truths you invented an class="hi2">anan>d to allow His truth to be your truth. In this way, you reclaim your inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce of truth from Him.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that as you become more truthful, opening up to receive truth FROM Him, you put aside your OWN opinion. You let go of the truths you invented to replace his. You become a messenger of His truth, an class="hi2">anan> extender an class="hi2">anan>d sharer. You now become authoritative in His truth, able to express it, but this truth didn't come from you. It is not OF you.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that while you are being authoritative, you also recognize that the truth you express is not "your own". We are not accustomed to the idea that someone's statements of truth are not necessarily THEIRS alone. That what they are saying has been inherited FROM an class="hi2">anan>other source, an class="hi2">anan>d is not their own opinion. We have to separate out the truth we share, from the messenger.

Just because you communicate this truth to others doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it is your OPINION. Having authority does not mean class="hi2">anan> you are trying to be right, if it is based on truth inherited from God. When you have tran class="hi2">anan>sitioned from being an class="hi2">anan> inventor of truth, to being a relay or medium through which trust extends, you become a PART OF the Kingdom, a representative of God's authority, a way for His truth to tran class="hi2">anan>sfer an class="hi2">anan>d extend to others. You have the truth, but you did not create the truth. The power of your word has the power of God in it, but you did not give it this power. As a representative of God, your truth also is His.

The light in you is what God put there. He shared His will with you in your Creation. He gave you his power. He put authority into you. He created you with His truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d he etablished your perman class="hi2">anan>ence by knowing you forever. Everything you really are has been defined by Him, sustained by Him, an class="hi2">anan>d kept safe by Him.

You are worthy because He says you are. You are perman class="hi2">anan>ently at peace because He says you are. You are free to love an class="hi2">anan>d create because He says you are. What you are you can class="hi2">anan>not define. All you can class="hi2">anan> do is accept an class="hi2">anan>d rejoice that He created you good an class="hi2">anan>d you are perfect an class="hi2">anan>d happy in the function He gave you. an class="hi2">Anan>d by simply being true to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d natural in your expression, you are a perfect child of God, created to create the perfect.

Accepting your function is accepting God's authority. Having authorship by God does not make you a slave. You are an class="hi2">anan> author, an class="hi2">anan>d you do have creations. But these creations were not created WITHOUT Him, or using an class="hi2">anan>ything not OF Him. Of yourself you are nothing, because you are not of yourself. You are not from yourself. But you DO have power, shared with Him, because He put it there. You are the medium through which this power can class="hi2">anan> extend, per your free will. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you will in accord with God's will, the power of God moves through you, with you.

"The power of God, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT of you, engenders miracles. The miracle ITSELF is but the witness that you HAVE the power of God in you."

"To say, "Of myself I can class="hi2">anan> do nothing" is to gain all power. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet it is but a seeming paradox. As God created you, you have all power. The image you made of yourself has none. The Holy Spirit knows the truth about you. The image you made does not. Yet, despite its obvious an class="hi2">anan>d complete ignoran class="hi2">anan>ce, this image assumes it knows all things because you have given that belief to it. Such is your teaching, an class="hi2">anan>d the teaching of the world that was made to uphold it."

"I am forever an class="hi2">anan> effect of God."

"In the Creation, God projected his Creative Ability out of Himself toward the Souls which He created, an class="hi2">anan>d also imbued them with the same loving wish (or will) to create."

"The Soul, because of its own likeness to its Creator, is creative. No Child of God is capable of losing this ability, because it is inherent in what he IS."

"There is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do."

"What the Holy Spirit enables you to do is clearly not of this world." "Do His works."

"I am the model for rebirth, but rebirth itself is merely the dawning on your minds of what is already in them. God placed it there Himself, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is true forever."

"For no one can class="hi2">anan> forget what God Himself placedin his memory. You can class="hi2">anan> DENY it, but you can class="hi2">anan>not LOSE it."

"The communication link which God Himself placed within you, joining your minds with His, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be broken."

"His is the ONLY Fatherhood, an class="hi2">anan>d it is yours only because HE has given it to you."

"Thus the Son gives fatherhood to his Creator, an class="hi2">anan>d RECEIVES the gift that he has given Him."

All credit goes to God for what you are an class="hi2">anan>d what is in you. Without Him you are nothing. All credit goes to God an class="hi2">ANan>D to you an class="hi2">anan>d your brothers for what you express TOGETHER in co-creatorship an class="hi2">anan>d joint power.

Without an class="hi2">anan> acknowledgement of God's power, you have none. By acknowledging it, it becomes yours. an class="hi2">Anan>d so long as you remain plugged into His power supply, the Power of God is in you an class="hi2">anan>d is yours to extend with Him. Through His power, you work miracles. The power, peace, joy an class="hi2">anan>d love of God is your natural inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce, an class="hi2">anan>d yours to pass on to the children of your will.

The physical properties of matter, this universe, enacts the ego's law of separation between cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. Every single thing which happens in this universe stems from this fundamental can class="hi2">anan>vas of separation.

For one thing to do something to an class="hi2">anan>other thing an class="hi2">anan>d not experience the same effects, is separation. The laws of physics even tell us that an class="hi2">anan> action produces an class="hi2">anan> equal but opposite reaction - not the same reaction at all but one completely different.

In this world therefore, what applies to one thing does not apply to an class="hi2">anan>other. There is no equality. It therefore becomes "possible" to do something in isolation in this world, an class="hi2">anan>d have it affect only an class="hi2">anan> isolated part of the world, an class="hi2">anan>d perhaps not even effect the person who does it at all.

an class="hi2">Anan>other way to put this is that this world allows the ego to get away with murdering God. Its pictorial statement that cause is separate from effect is a statement that God has been separated from His son. It is also therefore an class="hi2">anan> attack on His Son an class="hi2">anan>d therefore a picture of the crucifixion of His son.

The way that the ego gets away with murder, is to suggest that it is capable of doing something to God, causing God in some way, but that the effects produced by that attack affect God only, an class="hi2">anan>d not the ego self. Therefore the ego self "gets away with it" by separating itself off from the effects. It claims that what applies to God does not apply to you, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you can class="hi2">anan> produce attack without experiencing the results.

This ENTIRE UNIVERSE is set up based on this. ACIM even explicitly says this: "This world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son." Also in chapter 27 there is an class="hi2">anan> entire section titled "The picture of crucifixion" where Jesus goes into this more.

The physical universe was made by the ego to depict what it would be like for God's son to be crucified, ie murdered an class="hi2">anan>d attacked an class="hi2">anan>d rendered separate from God. To be separate from God is to be separate from Cause, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are separate in this universe, down to the subatomic particle.

Even the idea of space an class="hi2">anan>d time, that there could be something which applies in one place or time an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan>other, is an class="hi2">anan> idea of the separation between cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, an class="hi2">anan>d Jesus states in the Course that both space an class="hi2">anan>d time are merely beliefs. That doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you have a belief ABOUT space an class="hi2">anan>d time, it mean class="hi2">anan>s space-time ITSELF is a belief in the larger mind, an class="hi2">anan>d is therefore an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

If it were not for this entire world, this entire universe, being based on this separation from Cause, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for you do an class="hi2">anan>y of the things you do "in life". You could not use a knife to slice an class="hi2">anan> apple - if the effects which apply to the apple apply to the knife, the apple would have to equally cut the knife. You would not be able to eat food an class="hi2">anan>d digest it, the food would have to eat you an class="hi2">anan>d digest you also.

Nothing that we call "life" in this universe would be possible without the separation of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect playing out.

Now, here is a VERY importan class="hi2">anan>t point to make. You can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind about this world an class="hi2">anan>d work on chan class="hi2">anan>ging what seem to be your personal beliefs "about" the world, correcting your thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d perceptions in terms of undoing your inner belief in separation from Cause. BUT, even if you achieve that, what is to become of the physical universe?

If it persists, it IS still a picture of crucifixion. It is still a physicalized expression of an class="hi2">anan> idea of death an class="hi2">anan>d murder. It is still being run by laws of separation an class="hi2">anan>d conflict. Everything that takes place in it is un-heavenly an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attack. Every way that every single object moves an class="hi2">anan>d interacts with other objects symbolizes an class="hi2">anan>d IS the belief that cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are separate - which ultimately is the belief that God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son are separate.

You could seem to be awake in the world an class="hi2">anan>d yet if the world continues to govern what happens to you, if you have no apparent power to undo it or chan class="hi2">anan>ge it, if you are subject to death, if you can class="hi2">anan>not heal the sick an class="hi2">anan>d undo disease, if you can class="hi2">anan>not cause objects to move or to chan class="hi2">anan>ge into other objects, then you are BOUND by the laws of the ego. That's a fact.

How can class="hi2">anan> this be allowed to persist, thought to be in some way holy an class="hi2">anan>d real, as we stay in this world, confined by this world's laws, completely governed by them, still subject to aging an class="hi2">anan>d DEATH, an class="hi2">anan>d claim that we are enlightened? There is much more to the truth than class="hi2">anan> this. This world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack. That's all it was made for. You can class="hi2">anan> see it as a beautiful illusion but does it undo it?

This world's fundamental functioning, it's separation-based operational laws, is precisely what we derive our egoic beliefs from. We base our logic an class="hi2">anan>d reasoning an class="hi2">anan>d beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d values on top of how this separation of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect operates. This leads to an class="hi2">anan> "automatic" ego mind which believes an class="hi2">anan>d THINKS just like this universe functions, as though this universe makes sense an class="hi2">anan>d is normal an class="hi2">anan>d natural an class="hi2">anan>d true.

an class="hi2">Anan>d if we are to reunite cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect in our awareness, in our mind, then this should mean class="hi2">anan> that we re-gain access to a causal power which was completely separate from us when we believed what the world shows us. Its picture of death is completely the opposite of real life.

Its claim that cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are separate is a law which MIRACLES break. Miracles come to demonstrate that this world's entire foundation, the fabric of this "reality" (bullshit) is simply false an class="hi2">anan>d not true an class="hi2">anan>d not what is running the show. Miracles demonstrate that cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect are NOT separate, because they come from a mind where the two are one.

Miracles therefore are capable of overriding everything which arises from this world, beyond the ego's laws, an class="hi2">anan>d that literally mean class="hi2">anan>s your causal power is capable of doing absolutely an class="hi2">anan>ything which this world would consider physically impossible.

In this world an class="hi2">anan> apple is not an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge. To a miracle-worker, an class="hi2">anan> apple can class="hi2">anan> be turned into an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge. In this world, throwing a ball at someone's head will hurt them. To a miracle-worker, throwing a ball at their head will stop the ball mid-air an class="hi2">anan>d turn it into a butterfly which then lan class="hi2">anan>ds on the person's head an class="hi2">anan>d kisses them. In this world when a match is taken to a flammable liquid it will ignite an class="hi2">anan>d explode. To a miracle-worker, the match will be can class="hi2">anan>celled out an class="hi2">anan>d nothing will happen, an class="hi2">anan>d maybe even that flammable liquid will be turned into wine.

Miracles. Miracles. Miracles. Miracles which completely DEFY absolutely every physical law an class="hi2">anan>d limitation, every way that one thing does something to something else against its will, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>y way that one cause seems to produce an class="hi2">anan> effect on something other than class="hi2">anan> itself. Think you can class="hi2">anan> punch Jesus in the face an class="hi2">anan>d knock him out an class="hi2">anan>d leave him with a black eye? Have a try.

The Son of God is NOT subject to this stupid illusory world an class="hi2">anan>d its stupid pretend laws an class="hi2">anan>d made-up rules an class="hi2">anan>d fictional regulations. Jesus tells us in the course, literally, "there is nothing you can class="hi2">anan>not do". NOTHING. NO-THING. Not just just some small things, not just some big things, not just a few slightly miraculous-seeming hints at something magical. You can class="hi2">anan> literally do an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING. Including moving a mountain.

Is this too far fetched? Is your mind too scary to wield such power? Are you too afraid of the potential of this, being so profoundly abundan class="hi2">anan>t that you can class="hi2">anan> man class="hi2">anan>ifest an class="hi2">anan>ything you need at an class="hi2">anan>y time directly from God's unlimited supply, without having to go through stupid ego laws to slave an class="hi2">anan>d work hard to earn ridiculous bits of paper an class="hi2">anan>d metal so that you can class="hi2">anan> buy what you need at a store? You are far more capable than class="hi2">anan> that. BY FAR!

There is no limit. "There is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do."

In man class="hi2">anan>y areas of life at the moment, Holy Spirit's guidan class="hi2">anan>ce to me is to "try".

I have seen in man class="hi2">anan>y ways how I stop myself or don't do something, on the basis of the ego's justifications, which basically goes like this:

"I don't think I know how to do that, so I won't"

However, the way Holy Spirit's mind works, the act of "attempting" to do something is actually an class="hi2">anan> act of faith, which only needs to be a "little willingness" to START, to just TRY to do it.

The reason is that as you begin to try to do something, a FLOW starts to happen, Heaven comes to support you, you become receptive to guidan class="hi2">anan>ce, an class="hi2">anan>d you get help. But you don't get the help UNTIL YOU TRY.

an class="hi2">Anan> insight here is that your WILLINGNESS TO TRY to represent God, is an class="hi2">anan> invitation for God to enter an class="hi2">anan>d support you, to heal through you, an class="hi2">anan>d this is how you ASK or "PRAY" an class="hi2">anan>d how you receive what you asked for.

So you have to overcome the "I don't know how, so I won't", an class="hi2">anan>d turn that into "I don't know how, but I trust Holy Spirit to help me, so I will try".

This actually has a lot to do with learning to work miracles.

Miracles require that you be trusting God/Spirit to work through you, support you, guide you, direct you, in a very spontan class="hi2">anan>eous state of trust/faith, where you simply show up to "do God's bidding"... .ie God's will. It requires you to make yourself available an class="hi2">anan>d just be empty an class="hi2">anan>d open to receive, an class="hi2">anan>d just go along with it, even if you have no idea what's going to happen.

So we have to learn this difficult lesson, of stopping relying on the ego's huge body of thought an class="hi2">anan>d learning an class="hi2">anan>d information, or the ability to intellectually "figure out on your own" everything you need. We have to shift into a mode of fluid, trust-based willingness to extend God's truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is not really an class="hi2">anan>ything the ego can class="hi2">anan> do to prepare you for this.

It takes a lot of BALLS, or guts, in a way, to have COURAGE, to have the confidence to just step up an class="hi2">anan>d "do it" with a sense of believing that it simply is going to work out WHEN you do, even if you have NO CLUE how that's going to happen up-front.

That sense of certainty, of dependency on Higher Help, to just go out there an class="hi2">anan>d step into the shoes or the role an class="hi2">anan>d just fly by the seat of your pan class="hi2">anan>ts, not alone an class="hi2">anan>d frightened to hell (because you will fail if you try to do this with the ego), but based on a deep trust in being supported SUPERNATURALLY if you do so, will lead to miracles.

You have to show up an class="hi2">anan>d fulfill your function, in order for Heaven to help you to fulfill that function. It really does take a leap of faith, stepping into the UNKNOWN, stepping into the spontan class="hi2">anan>eous state of trust an class="hi2">anan>d being in the moment an class="hi2">anan>d not premeditating or practicing or rehearsing or learning ahead of time. Just being flexible an class="hi2">anan>d free an class="hi2">anan>d WILLING to be used by God.

This is why you often see people doing miracles on the streets where they just go up to total stran class="hi2">anan>gers an class="hi2">anan>d offer a prayer an class="hi2">anan>d just start doing it an class="hi2">anan>d Jesus/Holy Spirit show up an class="hi2">anan>d people get healed. That takes some pretty major faith/trust that that supernatural help is going to be there. You can class="hi2">anan>'t fake it, either. It won't work if you don't "believe" ie have come to believe the truth of God.

The truth of God is that God wan class="hi2">anan>ts to heal immediately right now an class="hi2">anan>d is totally ready to do so right now. It's only you not stepping into the ROLE of healer that is holding the miracles back. This is how Jesus was able to just go around an class="hi2">anan>d spontan class="hi2">anan>eously "miracle the shit out of everything." - you can class="hi2">anan> quote me on that ;-) He had no preparation, no relian class="hi2">anan>ce on ego skills, He just trusted God really strongly an class="hi2">anan>d the support was right there because he got into a flow an class="hi2">anan>d was of service.

But if we don't even try to do something, thinking that we are relying entirely on ourselves only, an class="hi2">anan>d that we don't have the knowledge or ability, we have already failed. We're in a state of failure. an class="hi2">Anan>d we know we will fail if we keep trusting only in our own strength. Which is fear. Fear will block miracles because its an class="hi2">anan> attempt to trust only what you know an class="hi2">anan>d not what God knows, believing you are the source of miracles or that something about how you perform them gives them their power. All power is from God an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> only be SHARED an class="hi2">ANan>D EXTENDED by you, an class="hi2">anan>d you must learn to trust it.

Once we do learn to get over our ego objections an class="hi2">anan>d "I can class="hi2">anan>'t so I won't", we'll get more into the miracle-working mindset an class="hi2">anan>d miracles will flow naturally. When these miracles aren't flowing, something has gone wrong.

I will explain now in one sentence, why there is no world, the entire foundation for miracle-working, an class="hi2">anan>d the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect....

*** This universe (world) is once removed from reality. ***

Did you catch that? Read it again if it’s too short. Here’s the breakdown.

This world, including Earth, is not a thing in its own right. It is not direct reality. It is the EFFECT of a cause which is unseen an class="hi2">anan>d unman class="hi2">anan>ifest. It is a projection, from a mind which seems invisible.

Being an class="hi2">anan> effect of that mind, this universe itself has no identity of its own, no mind, no will, no causality, no truth, no reality, no purpose, no love, an class="hi2">anan>d basically does not exist.

If this world were a direct experience of reality, it would be different. Then it would make sense to believe its illusion that it exists on its own an class="hi2">anan>d is a real thing. But it’s not. This world is a by-product of dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d whatever the dreamer decides to dream, shows up as this world.

This world has no will. It can class="hi2">anan>not decide to make something happen. It has no mind. It can class="hi2">anan>not think for itself. It has no purpose. It is not alive. It does not even move unless the hidden dreamer decides to move it. Nothing here breathes or seems to live unless a hidden mind somewhere else is causing every single moment of motion. It is absolutely nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a "movie" being projected. It is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> IDEA that someone, somewhere, is HAVING.

A movie is a lifeless, inert, neutral, illusory nothingness. A movie does not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything to happen in reality. A movie is the EFFECT put in place by a mind entirely separate from the movie, who is choosing to make the movie appear one way or an class="hi2">anan>other.

Everything in this world, this world itself, this plan class="hi2">anan>et, all objects an class="hi2">anan>d bodies, all of it is SECOND Han class="hi2">ANan>D. It is showing up like a REFLECTION. It’s not really there. an class="hi2">Anan>d since it has absolutely no life of its own, it can class="hi2">anan> DO nothing without the hidden mind saying so.

The dreamer of this dream is the Son(s) of God. They are invisible to this world. This world is being PROJECTED from their mind. It seems to be outside of them. But this world is not first-han class="hi2">anan>d reality. It is second-han class="hi2">anan>d. Just an class="hi2">anan> effect an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else.

Nothing within the world can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge the world. Nothing within the world causes the world. Nothing within the world made the world appear. Nothing within the world is alive. Nothing within the world has a mind, or a will, nor does it think for itself. Nothing within the world is the cause of life or death. Nothing within the world makes events happen. There is nothing within the world, because the world is nothing. It does not DO an class="hi2">anan>ything. IT does not EXIST.

This correlates to miracles an class="hi2">anan>d to cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. The mind which is causing this universe is the mind of the Son(s) of God. Everything that is showing up, the Sonship is putting there. Everything that moves, all chemical processes, all physical interaction, all events, the entire history of the universe, is all being WRITTEN from an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER PLACE that you are not seeing with your eyes.

Cause is not IN THE WORLD. Cause is OUTSIDE THE WORLD. Cause is DREAMING THE WORLD. The cause of this universe is unseen, a mind so vast an class="hi2">anan>d powerful that it is able to make an class="hi2">anan>ything seem to happen.

Cause is the mind, the world is the EFFECT of its dreaming. Cause, from a holy mind, would normally CREATE. But we’re a little bit confused. Cause from a confused mind MIS-CREATES an class="hi2">anan>d MAKES a universe.

This does not mean class="hi2">anan> that the mind literally creates a world that exists on its own with its own will an class="hi2">anan>d causality an class="hi2">anan>d life! The world NEVER is more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> do NOTHING on its own. This world/universe is the result of mis-creation, or dreaming, COMING FROM a LEVEL OF REALITY beyond this entire universe. Mind is cause, this world is effect.

Because of this, recognize that a miracle is what happens when it is REVEALED, that a mind BEYOND this world has the power to CAUSE this world. It only appears that there IS no such separate cause, ONLY beause the dream has not featured miracles very much. For the most part, the dream seems to just tick over, an class="hi2">anan>d its FAKE LAWS seem to just keep on applying with very little evidence that there is an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER CAUSE outside of it. So we think this is normal, an class="hi2">anan>d believe those fake laws, an class="hi2">anan>d take the world to be real.

From within the world, within its illusion, we take it at face value for how it appears. "Nothing so blinding as sight of form". This leads us to believe (in ego) that this world is a thing in its own right, living an class="hi2">anan>d breathing an class="hi2">anan>d existing. This is NOT TRUE. It is not DOING an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING. It’s like an class="hi2">anan> image being projected onto a wall. It can class="hi2">anan>’t chan class="hi2">anan>ge itself!

Everything happening in this world, an class="hi2">anan>d this world itself, is just an class="hi2">anan> effect FROM a hidden, higher level of reality. Mind is causing it. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, in order for an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to seem to show up in this world, indeed for an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to happen in the world AT ALL, the mind has to put it there. It has to dream it. In order for objects to even MOVE, the MIND has to move them. In order for a river to flow down a hill, the MIND has to move every single particle. NOTHING HAPPENS without the consent of the one who is dreaming it. Not even death. If mind were not dreaming it, there would be nothing here!

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that the mind which is BEYOND this world, causing it, would have to PRETEND that things WITHIIN it are causing each other. There is, factually, absolutely NOTHIING within this world that causes an class="hi2">anan>ything else to happen. Laws of physics are an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Time is an class="hi2">anan> Illusion. Death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Something happening to someone against their will is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE causes within the world itself, because it is ALL coming from the mind.

Mind MAKES ILLUSIONS that SEEM to appear as though one thing causes an class="hi2">anan>other within the world, an class="hi2">anan>d all the while the mind is secretly pulling all the strings. Nothing in the world "makes something happen". Nothing in the world "affects something". Nothing can class="hi2">anan> BE affected "by" the world UNLESS the mind CHOOSES to PUT THE EFFECTS THERE. This is why the proper loving use of the body, temporarily, makes it IMPOSSIBLE for it to be sick or die! If mind does not will it, NOTHING happens to it.

So absolutely every so-called "cause" in the world is not real. an class="hi2">Anan>d the "effects" which those so-called causes produce ARE NOT the result of those causes. That’s linear fiction. Believing that is FAILNG TO RECOGNIZE THE ILLUSION. Believing that something WITHIN this level causes effects WITHIN this lever, is "horizontal" or linear cause-an class="hi2">anan>d-effect. There IS no such thing! It’s not real. It’s a totally made-up fictional explan class="hi2">anan>ation by SLEEPING IDENTITIES who think this word is first-han class="hi2">anan>d reality. ONLY THE MIND causes an class="hi2">anan>ything to seem to happen here. ONLY THE HIDDEN LEVEL of causality produces CHan class="hi2">ANan>GES in this world.

The mind is ALREADY CHan class="hi2">ANan>GING THE WORLD. The mind is MAKING THE WORLD TURN. The mind is an class="hi2">anan>imating the ocean class="hi2">anan>s. The mind is dreaming of life an class="hi2">anan>d death, things being born an class="hi2">anan>d growing an class="hi2">anan>d dying. None of this happens without the mind making it happen.

If there seems to be a flower growing, the MIND is growing the flower. If there seems to be a person walking, the MIND is walking the person. If there seems to be a drop of rain falling totally unbeknownst to an class="hi2">anan>y human class="hi2">anan> in the middle of nowherer, it is ONLY falling because SOMEWHERE, MIND is making it move.

If there was a pause button to this projection, you would be able to stop an class="hi2">anan>d look at objects suspended in mid-air, wondering at how they can class="hi2">anan> even be there, an class="hi2">anan>d demonstrating that they do not move by their own will. They are just EFFECTS, an class="hi2">anan>d being in touch with CAUSALITY ("this is a course in cause an class="hi2">anan>d not effect") gives you MIRACLE WORKING FREEDOM to IGNORE the laws of this world (which cause nothing), demonstrating the TRUTH that mind is the cause of this world.

Miracles occur as EXPRESSIONS from the mind of Love, the hidden mind, which is a DIRECT REALITY. That level of reality expresses an class="hi2">anan>d DEMONSTRATES that *this* level of reality, EFFECT, is TOTALLY UNDER ITS CONTROL. The "miraculous" mind has no limits to what it can class="hi2">anan> do nor does it care what is in othe world, nor how big or small it seems to be, or the illusion of how "difficult" it might be to perform a particular miracle. It knows that MIND IS POWERFUL an class="hi2">anan>d MIND IS DREAMING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!

an class="hi2">Anan>y illusion of a fictional linear cause or effect has absolutely NO POWER to prevent the mind from man class="hi2">anan>ipulating the dream in an class="hi2">anan>y way it chooses. If the mind decides to throw pebbles in the air an class="hi2">anan>d turn them into butterflies, THAT WILL HAPPEN. If the mind chooses to freeze-frame a waterfall an class="hi2">anan>d to hold a lump of mid-flow water in the han class="hi2">anan>d in suspended an class="hi2">anan>imation, that WILL happen. If the mind decides to LITERALLY MOVE A MOUNTAIN from one location to an class="hi2">anan>other, completely defying "gravity", SO BE IT!

This is all possible, an class="hi2">anan>d more. Nothing happens here AT ALL without the mind’s consent! No-one dies without their consent! No-one is attacked against their will! No-one can class="hi2">anan> be sick unless they attack themselves. Nothing affects the body. Time does not even PASS unless the mind MAKES IT PASS. The cells in your body do not even move or eat or divide or an class="hi2">anan>ything unless the dreaming mind MAKES THEM APPEAR TO DO IT. Absolutely NOTHING HAPPENS HERE other than class="hi2">anan> what the mind projects. That’s because there is no world, an class="hi2">anan>d this universe DOES NOT EXIST unless we keep dreaming of it.

Realize also that because even those cells in the body are nothing but a projection, even the shift from one "state" to an class="hi2">anan>other is ONLY happening because mind is making it happen. Mind is projecting, projecting, projecting, projecting, an class="hi2">anan>d over time, that makes it seem like "the object" being projected exist IN ITS OWN RIGHT. It does not. It is NOT ALIVE. It is just a constan class="hi2">anan>tly shifting IMAGE that the MIND IS DREAMING. It’s not there. It is NOT a life form.

So when you look at the world, realize this. You’re NOT looking directly at reality. You’re looking at a ONCE-REMOVED side-effect or projection from SOMEWHERE ELSE. All of the DECISION MAKING, all of the CONTROL, all of the choices as to what will show up, is happening somewhere else entirely, out of sight. You’re seeing an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT. A big gian class="hi2">anan>t effect, like a huge movie that’s being broadcast from SOMEWHERE ELSE, to create the illusion that there is no projector. The projector is the MIND, not the world. Earth is a fairytale.

This is why "there is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do". The mind of the Son of God who is DREAMING this world, can class="hi2">anan> choose to do whatever he likes with it. HE ALREADY IS. The year 2017 is being projected by Him NOW. If He weren’t projecting this, there would be NOTHING HERE. No plan class="hi2">anan>et, no world. He is ALREADY CHan class="hi2">ANan>GING THE WORLD, every second of time, every moment, is only seeming to happen beacuse HIS MIND is making it chan class="hi2">anan>ge! Right now!

To be fully in touch with this TRUTH, an class="hi2">anan>d to therefore RECOGNIZE that everything in this entire universe is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, with NO real cause-an class="hi2">anan>d-effect happening within it, an class="hi2">anan>d having NO INHERENT EXISTENCE of its own, an class="hi2">anan>d with cause being SOLELY the mind that is dreaming it, will gran class="hi2">anan>t you ACCESS to "make chan class="hi2">anan>ges". Free will.

The ability to make these chan class="hi2">anan>ges was eloquently demonstrated by Jesus. Walking on water proved gravity is bullshit. HE MADE GRAVITY. Healing the sick proved there was no such thing as sickness an class="hi2">anan>d it had no power to resist him. an class="hi2">Anan>d he also demonstrated that death can class="hi2">anan> be overcome. "You made sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> therefore abolish both." They’re just DREAMS! WE make them up ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d pretend they’re happening against our will.

Everything about the Course makes sense in this simple framework. Cause is in the mind. Mind is projecting the world. The world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> effect of your mind an class="hi2">anan>d doesn’t really exist. You can class="hi2">anan> do an class="hi2">anan>ything you wan class="hi2">anan>t to chan class="hi2">anan>ge it beacuse you already are the one putting it there.

"There is no order of difficulty in miracles" because YOUR MIND is CAUSING EVERYTHING HERE. "Here", this world, this universe, this plan class="hi2">anan>et, isn’t doing an class="hi2">anan>ything on its own. It has no life, mind, will, or intentions. It causes nothing. All of its causes are ILLUSIONS. All cause is BEYOND this world. There is no world!!!!!!!

If you believe plan class="hi2">anan>et earth is real, or created by God, or causing stuff to happen, or has truth in it, or is alive in an class="hi2">anan>y way, YOU HAVE FALLEN FOR THE ILLUSION. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you believe the PROJECTION from the mind IS the mind.

It mean class="hi2">anan>s you believe Earth is alive an class="hi2">anan>d has a will of its own, which will automatically make you a victim of magical causes, suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. It is LEVEL CONFUSION on a gran class="hi2">anan>d scale. Higher level mind CAUSES everything! The world causes nothing.

That which can class="hi2">anan>not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything can class="hi2">anan>not create, an class="hi2">anan>d so it can class="hi2">anan>not extend life, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore it is DEAD. This is a dream of death. "There is no life outside of heaven." There is no world here. It does not exist apart from our dreaming it, an class="hi2">anan>d no part of it has its "own existence".

There is no world because it is just an class="hi2">anan> effect. Our effect. We are the cause.

When someone seems to die, it is an class="hi2">anan> opportunity. Either you can class="hi2">anan> experience the death as a symbol of separation, or as mean class="hi2">anan>ing nothing has happened at all (the atonement).

When you experience it as separation, you will resist it an class="hi2">anan>d a you'll think of it as being an class="hi2">anan> end. You'll think something has been lost. Someone bad has happened. Something sad has occurred. Something of value has ended. Because these all take the illusion of 'an class="hi2">anan> end' an class="hi2">anan>d believe it is real. IF something really has ended, then all of these experiences would be appropriate. So it really depends on how you see things.

Its possible when someone 'dies' to not have an class="hi2">anan> experience of there having been an class="hi2">anan> end at all. You can class="hi2">anan> think of it as the person tran class="hi2">anan>sitioning to a different place, that they continue on, an class="hi2">anan>d there hasn't been an class="hi2">anan> end at all. Just like a chan class="hi2">anan>ge of rooms, or moving to a different location. Nothing is lost, there hasn't become an class="hi2">anan> absence of value, separation hasn't been increased, the person hasn't been diminished, who an class="hi2">anan>d what they are hasn't had an class="hi2">anan>ything happen to them, an class="hi2">anan>d, essentially, its nothing to be upset about. You can class="hi2">anan> see things this way, but only if you really are ready an class="hi2">anan>d willing to do so, which mean class="hi2">anan>s having to question separation an class="hi2">anan>d all of its forms, which can class="hi2">anan> take a lot of time an class="hi2">anan>d forgiveness.

So it's okay if you are in the 'something really happened' camp, having the feelings, feeling grief an class="hi2">anan>d loss an class="hi2">anan>d separation. Those are normal 'natural' feelings to have IF you are perceiving that "real death" has happened. But this isn't the only way to interpret death. It's also possible to recognize that nothing has happened. The person is not affected. They are Christ. They are immortal spirit. They are not a body. They never were a body. They have not ended an class="hi2">anan>d nothing has really come to an class="hi2">anan> end at all. It's just a continuation of life - eternal life. That's the only real truth about it. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you can class="hi2">anan> experience it in this way, not believing in separation an class="hi2">anan>d not USING it to separate, you can class="hi2">anan> be free of the 'side effects' of grief, loss, sadness, loneliness, an class="hi2">anan>ger etc... ALL of which arise out of *believing in* separation, which is a choice.

So when we get REAAAALLY honest an class="hi2">anan>d spiritual about this... it is in fact our OWN belief in separation which creates all sense of grief an class="hi2">anan>d loss. It is our own belief in it that gives it its power. The perceptions we have of something 'real' being lost or ending IS an class="hi2">anan> optional way to perceive an class="hi2">anan>d you do not HAVE to perceive this way. There is an class="hi2">anan>other way. You can class="hi2">anan> choose not to believe in separation at all an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> choose not to use death as an class="hi2">anan> attack or a demonstration that ends are real.

So we have to admit that, even though when we perceive someone has died, which WILL make us very upset because we think separation has happened, WE are the one who is actually choosing to perceive separation an class="hi2">anan>d to USE the death to reinforce our belief in separation. an class="hi2">ANan>D, the use of it for that purpose IS in fact using it to prove that GOD IS DEAD... which is not exactly an class="hi2">anan> insignifican class="hi2">anan>t side-effect. In fact it is the ego's secret intention, to make sure that all of the grief an class="hi2">anan>d upset an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d aban class="hi2">anan>donment that stems from 'they left me' or 'they died' is actually secretly Wan class="hi2">ANan>TED, because it reinforces the belief that we are separate from God an class="hi2">anan>d this is precisely what our little ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to accomplish. So while we are in grief, we MUST also be secretly glad that the person or whatever has 'really died', an class="hi2">anan>d that there has really been a separation, because without that belief in separation you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT GRIEVE. There is no loss.

This is all very hard to accept, of course. But that doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d it IS what is REQUIRED to come to if we are to FULLY accept Holy Spirit's healing an class="hi2">anan>d Jesus's truth an class="hi2">anan>d God's reality. We HAVE to be willing to stop using death to drive a wedge between ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d others. We have to stop using it as an class="hi2">anan> ATTACK on them an class="hi2">ANan>D on ourselves.

In fact, when we use death to make a demonstration/statement about how the person 'does not exist', that is an class="hi2">anan> ATTACK on that person. That isn't exactly a way of honoring them, an class="hi2">anan>d it isn't a way of respecting them or acknowledging their life or their innocence. Why do we launch automatically into an class="hi2">anan> attitude of "you're dead" as soon as the person croaks? It's kind of like kicking the door shut as they leave, having just thrown them under the bus. Hardly loving or appreciative of who they are OR the fact that they are immortal. We effectively "celebrate the fact they died", regardless of the fact that we do it with tears an class="hi2">anan>d grief an class="hi2">anan>d sadness, when instead we should be celebrating that they are ALIVE. Maybe if we celebrated their immortality they WOULD NOT DIE an class="hi2">anan>d instead be HEALED? Hmmm, fan class="hi2">anan>cy that. So yes, now you're responsible for their death because you did not offer them healing. ;-)

We have to stop making out that it's ALL terrible an class="hi2">anan>d bad that a person 'really died' because we're only being dishonest about our ego motives. an class="hi2">Anan>d we have to stop making out that when bodies 'die', there is an class="hi2">anan> end of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. Ends are separations an class="hi2">anan>d separations are NOT REAL.

Jesus said, "let the dead bury the dead". This mean class="hi2">anan>s, the people who believe in death - who are thus already dead themselves - are the only ones who VALUE it an class="hi2">anan>d are the only ones who GRIEVE an class="hi2">anan>d are the only ones who BELIEVE it has really happened an class="hi2">anan>d therefore they are the only ones who NEED a funeral. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you think about it, although we love to hark on about the specialness of a person at a funeral - an class="hi2">anan>d I know this will push some buttons so I apologize - but let's be truthful. .. we must simultan class="hi2">anan>eously be glad that the person is dead because if death is real that mean class="hi2">anan>s we Wan class="hi2">ANan>TED it. There is no escaping that. Either we support death or we don't. Either we say "yes death happened" or "there is only life". Which will you choose? an class="hi2">Anan>d what you choose will completely determine the 'reactions' that you'll have when such events seem to tran class="hi2">anan>spire.

I am writing this partly because my Gran class="hi2">anan>dfather died yesterday. an class="hi2">Anan>d I was thinking that I would or should feel upset, an class="hi2">anan>d Jesus stopped me, an class="hi2">anan>d he asked, "why?"... or more to the point, it was an class="hi2">anan> assertion of strength that... NO.. you do not have to enter into perceptions of grief an class="hi2">anan>d loss an class="hi2">anan>d separation. You don't. It's optional. I can class="hi2">anan> choose to focus on the TRUTH, which is that my "gran class="hi2">anan>dfather" is actually secretly CHRIST an class="hi2">anan>d he is completely immortal an class="hi2">anan>d innocent an class="hi2">anan>d nothing has ever happened to him, an class="hi2">anan>d he has never died, an class="hi2">anan>d he was never a body. If I DON'T perceive an class="hi2">anan>d believe this (without being in denial either - this is about honesty), then I am literally also saying that I AM DEAD AS WELL... or that I DIED WITH HIM.

To the ego what happens to others does not happen to us, due to the sense of separation - "he is dead, but I am alive, poor sod, rather him than class="hi2">anan> me". But in truth, we are all joined an class="hi2">anan>d we are all ONE. an class="hi2">Anan>d what we believe is true of others we HAVE to believe it applies to us also, whether consciously or unconsciously. So if I believe, ok, yes, that person is dead an class="hi2">anan>d separation is real an class="hi2">anan>d there has been a great big loss... then... that's what I'm saying about MYSELF, an class="hi2">anan>d it's what I'm saying about my relationship with God!

Because ultimately, all 'deaths' are symbolic expressions of the ego's attempt to destroy God, at which it chuckles with a sinister laugh an class="hi2">anan>d wrings its han class="hi2">anan>ds in glee. So I will not be party to that - to MY OWN death vicariously through that of an class="hi2">anan>other. I will not be party to the support of the idea of death an class="hi2">anan>d I will not be party to reinforcing the idea that the Son of God can class="hi2">anan> be killed or that God is dead. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, I will only acknowledge our shared eternal life - that we are invulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d everlasting an class="hi2">anan>d DEATH HAS NOT OCCURRED.

So than class="hi2">anan>ks Gran class="hi2">anan>ddad for all the life an class="hi2">anan>d death that you demonstrated, but it's not true an class="hi2">anan>d I'm not buying it. an class="hi2">Anan>d I know you still exist, so your cover is blown an class="hi2">anan>d death didn't work. Oh well.

God is life. "I can class="hi2">anan> see peace instead of this". an class="hi2">Anan>d I believe my Gramps would be proud of my stan class="hi2">anan>ding up FOR him by supporting his LIFE rather than class="hi2">anan> making his illusion of death into a big drama. I do not feel upset an class="hi2">anan>d I don't believe I'm in denial. Nothing has happened an class="hi2">anan>d death doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything.

You have your real self, which is your `higher self`, which God created. Then you have your ego self, your 'false self', which you made.

Interestingly, the ego which you made, seems to turn against you an class="hi2">anan>d tries to take away your identity. It tries to stop you from being your real self. It wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to become the ego self.

The ego then is like a black hole, sucking the life out of you, covering up your real self, distracting you from remembering who you are, closing down your mind an class="hi2">anan>d awareness, stealing from you, possessing you, getting you to align with it, getting you to trust it an class="hi2">anan>d side with it an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t it, an class="hi2">anan>d above all else, getting you to believe that you ARE it. The ego is attempting to remove your real self from existence, so that all that is left is the false ego self, to whom you have han class="hi2">anan>ded over all your power an class="hi2">anan>d life.

In ACIM, Jesus speaks with very clear awareness of the fact that there is YOU - your real self - an class="hi2">anan>d then there is "the ego" - your false self. He speaks of how the ego is trying to get you to believe that you are it, but that you are not it an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be it. He also warns of how you willingly give the ego all of its power by choosing to deny an class="hi2">anan>d reject who you really are.

So here we have this stran class="hi2">anan>ge battle going on, where the ego is trying to absorb you into itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d for most people, it's done a really good job of it. To such an class="hi2">anan> extent, that most people believe they are ONLY their ego. They don't even suspect that they have a hidden 'true self'. They have no idea that they are not themselves, or that their real self is covered up by layer upon layer of ego bullshit.

The challenge you have, an class="hi2">anan>d the entire purpose of 'awakening', is to get you to wake up to the truth of this situation an class="hi2">anan>d to 'pull away' from your identification with the ego, remember who you really are, an class="hi2">anan>d become really really clear that you are NOT the ego. Every time you buy into or listen to or side with or use the ego, you are reinforcing the belief that you ARE the ego.

You are not the ego. You are not what happens to the ego. You are not the ego that becomes affected by stupid events an class="hi2">anan>d attackers an class="hi2">anan>d bad people. You are not the self that feels hurt. You are not the self that is guilty. You are not the self that suffers an class="hi2">anan>d dies. You are not the self that fears death an class="hi2">anan>d fears life. You are not the self that is all caught up in drama an class="hi2">anan>d the rollercoaster of life's events. You are not the self that can class="hi2">anan> be affected or feels triggered off by things happening around them. YOU ARE NOT THAT SELF. THAT IS NOT YOU.

Your ego is the repository of all things ego, an class="hi2">anan>d your ego is not who you are. You do not NEED an class="hi2">anan> ego in order to exist. You do not need an class="hi2">anan>ything the ego is attached to, believes in, values or thinks is real. You are not dependent on it. It is dependent upon you. But while you think you depend on it - for your life - because you think you ARE it - because you've listened to an class="hi2">anan>d chosen to believe the ego's bullshit cover-story - you will keep experiencing things AS IF you are it, an class="hi2">anan>d AS IF all these things are happening to YOU.

Nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen to YOU, ever. Because YOU are not the ego, you are not guilt, you are not fear, you are not upset, you are not drama, you are not the body, you are not vulnerable, you are not attackable, you are not hurt, you are not suffering, you are not sick or diseased, you can class="hi2">anan>not die, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge. Not one iota.

So the real lie is this... who you really are, can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d is a perman class="hi2">anan>ent identity that God has put in place, an class="hi2">anan>d there's nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do about it. BUT... your mind is capable of DENYING this fact, an class="hi2">anan>d pretending otherwise, an class="hi2">anan>d when it presents otherwise it hallucinates ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d once ego is in the picture there are all kinds of backwards distortions of how things look an class="hi2">anan>d who you think you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d you start to lose sight of yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d you lose track of your completely unchan class="hi2">anan>geable perfection an class="hi2">anan>d innocence, an class="hi2">anan>d start to ACTUALLY BELIEVE that ITS POSSIBLE that the 'life of the ego' is your life, that you Can class="hi2">ANan> be hurt an class="hi2">anan>d suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die, an class="hi2">anan>d that this big ego nightmare is actually happening to YOU.

Like, hello.

When you try to go into the light, while still holding onto ego in an class="hi2">anan>y way, you are trying to bring darkness into the light.

What that mean class="hi2">anan>s is, you believe the darkness can class="hi2">anan> 'stay dark' while you enter the light. But this is impossible because light dispels darkness.

So the light of God, Holy Spirit's mind, the right mind, 'level 2', etc... will repel the darkness of the ego. It would dispel the ego, so it can class="hi2">anan>not ever approach it. Darkness has no real effect on the light.

When you try to do this, you are creating a 'spiritualized ego' which attempts to make it SEEM like you're more spiritual or more light when in fact it MUST all be an class="hi2">anan> illusory form or appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, deceiving yourself, because darkness literally Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT, even a tiny bit, become light.

Darkness is REPLACED by light. When light replaces darkness, you wake up FROM darkness.

Similarly, you can class="hi2">anan>not bring the light into the darkness. You can class="hi2">anan> shine a light SO THAT darkness is shone away. When you bring the light toward the darkness, the darkness MUST disappear. So again, light an class="hi2">anan>d dark can class="hi2">anan>not combine. The dark can class="hi2">anan>not be made light, an class="hi2">anan>d the light can class="hi2">anan>not be made dark. They are mutually exclusive.

So again, one of the properties of the spiritual ego is the attempt to bring light into the darkness, into the world, in such a way as to KEEP the world the same as it is an class="hi2">anan>d NOT dispel illusions. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you can class="hi2">anan>'t bring 'heaven to earth', because by doing so you actually dispel an class="hi2">anan>d REPLACE darkness. But the ego has man class="hi2">anan>y ways to pretend to bring light into the world which are deceptive.

The only option for you is, to leave the darkness behind an class="hi2">anan>d go into the light. That mean class="hi2">anan>s detaching from the ego's mind, an class="hi2">anan>d attaching to Holy Spirit.

It is easy to offer guilt as a way to atone for doing something wrong or not doing what you were supposed to. We give little 'gifts' of guilt. We're trying to say, ok, I acknowledge that I failed in some way, so to make it up to you, I'm going to enter into guilt an class="hi2">anan>d have a 'guilty conscience' (bullshit), an class="hi2">anan>d then to atone for this sin I'm going to have to SUFFER by doing some shit to make it up to you. I'm going to position myself as worthy of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d suffering in order to make it up to you, an class="hi2">anan>d this is my offering to you to atone for my mistake.

A 'guilty conscience' is actually a bullshit ego device designed to always find you partly innocent when you are not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d wholly sinful when you step out of line. It deman class="hi2">anan>ds that when you make mistakes you should be punished mercilessly, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are supposed to be ashamed, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are supposed to feel guilty. It says you deserve this guilt because you made a mistake. This is absolute bullshit an class="hi2">anan>d is not true at all. It leaves no room whatsoever for forgiveness or unconditional love.

Mistakes call for CORRECTION, not punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d punishment in ALL its forms does not lead to correction. It can class="hi2">anan> appear to lead to correct only by inflicting additional damage an class="hi2">anan>d suffering which can class="hi2">anan> only later yield even more mistakes in retaliation an class="hi2">anan>d grievan class="hi2">anan>ce. (This is why hitting kids is nothing other than class="hi2">anan> pointless abuse - an class="hi2">anan> illusion of obedience arises out of fear an class="hi2">anan>d trauma an class="hi2">anan>d now the original error persists an class="hi2">anan>d has been joined by a second layer of self-hate - an class="hi2">anan> illusion of obedience at the price of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d unlove, which only leads to resentment an class="hi2">anan>d being even more error-prone.)

Being in guilt does not make it up to an class="hi2">anan>yone. Being in guilt mean class="hi2">anan>s you are offering guilt as a gift an class="hi2">anan>d are giving guilt as a statement of what you are worth an class="hi2">anan>d what everyone is worth. It could only possibly please a sick-minded person to enter into guilt in attempt to atone for an class="hi2">anan> error. an class="hi2">Anan>d entering into guilt can class="hi2">anan> only reinforce an class="hi2">anan>d offer sickness to that person. If you are san class="hi2">anan>e, you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t people to be guilty on your behalf, you wan class="hi2">anan>t them to ... as the bible terms it.... repent ... i.e., stop choosing sin an class="hi2">anan>d choose love. If the 'error' is that they chose not to love, then the correction you should truly seek is to see them being loving - for themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d for you.

It would be far better when you make a mistake or fail or do something 'wrong' to offer up your innocence an class="hi2">anan>d love instead, to position yourself as wholly worthy of forgiveness, an class="hi2">anan>d to choose-again to extend love instead of punishment. That would be loving. That would be an class="hi2">anan> offering of love which could truly ATONE for i.e. UNDO what you think you did wrong.

It should be in everyone's best interests that when someone does something in error, they are loved an class="hi2">anan>d forgiven, an class="hi2">anan>d in turn they are encouraged to return to love an class="hi2">anan>d to offer love as a way to 'make up for' the error. (This is kind of like being forced to do pushups as atonement knowing that the exercise actually helps rather than class="hi2">anan> hurts.) The error is hardly corrected by admitting to guilt or demonstrating that you deserve punishment. That is an class="hi2">anan> offering to a false God of hate. God holds nothing against you an class="hi2">anan>d only wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to claim your innocence, unconditionally.

It is also in everyone's best interests that you choose love instead of guilt or punishment, because, literally, we are all ONE, we are joined in the mind, we SHARE an class="hi2">anan> identity, an class="hi2">anan>d what you do to yourself you do to everyone. This goes against the ego's law that everyone is separate an class="hi2">anan>d that individual can class="hi2">anan> suffer in isolation. If you choose guilt for yourself, you DO choose it for everyone else as well, an class="hi2">anan>d that is not only an class="hi2">anan> additional layer of attack but also an class="hi2">anan> offering for everyone to join in your suffering. Nobody wan class="hi2">anan>ts to first be attacked an class="hi2">anan>d to then have the attacker turn around an class="hi2">anan>d attack a second time to try to make up for it! How ridiculous is that. This is also why prisons are ridiculous - when an class="hi2">anan> individual suffers everyone suffers.

Mistakes call for love an class="hi2">anan>d forgiveness, not punishment an class="hi2">anan>d despair. Look at your close relationships an class="hi2">anan>d notice all the times that you enter into guilt as a 'worthy' response an class="hi2">anan>d way of 'agreeing' that you have sinned, an class="hi2">anan>d how you wallow in guilt in order to atone for the mistake, thinking that doing so is actually giving people what they wan class="hi2">anan>t. If people wan class="hi2">anan>t you to suffer in guilt, THEY are in error an class="hi2">anan>d do not deserve your offering.

We all mistake guilt for love because this is how the ego's thought system functions. I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>yone's guilt. You should not wan class="hi2">anan>t to give an class="hi2">anan>yone your guilt. It is far better that you seek true correction through the truth of Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d return to offering love, which is truly worthwhile an class="hi2">anan>d valuable. You do not have to be guilty EVER AGAIN. When you make a mistake, immediately remind yourself,

"because I did this [whatever the fuck-up was], it proves I am completely innocent an class="hi2">anan>d I choose to love myself instead".

(This doesn't justify it being okay to be an class="hi2">anan> asshole - if you're heading to that conclusion, STOP an class="hi2">anan>d seek correction - it's level confusion.)

Choose only love, for that is what you are.

There are various ways that you do this. Every one of them is a form of denial, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d is not true at all.

You can class="hi2">anan> do it by attempting to demonstrate that you can class="hi2">anan> be attacked. You do this by trying to attack yourself or your body, bringing about states of "sickness" which symbolize separation or which try to show that you are not immortal in some way.

You also do it be projecting ownership of everything onto someone not yourself, giving away all of your power, being irresponsible, being two-faced, lying, hating, attacking others to prove that attack has real effects, or by trying to make out that you are someone other than class="hi2">anan> yourself.

You also do it by inventing an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death, which tries to demonstrate that what you are can class="hi2">anan> be destroyed. It can class="hi2">anan>not, but you try an class="hi2">anan>yway. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you try, even if you seem to destroy the body, it still does not destroy who you are because you can class="hi2">anan>not stop being immortal spirit.

Nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge what God has created to last forever. He sustains your immortal spirit in an class="hi2">anan> eternal, timeless act of extension. Everything that you are, is an class="hi2">anan> expression of what He is - everlasting love. Your Life is your immortality. Life sustains you indefinitely an class="hi2">anan>d without limit. You are in a constan class="hi2">anan>t state of perfect health an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be harmed or chan class="hi2">anan>ged or influenced in an class="hi2">anan>y way whatsoever.

But you still try to. This entire world an class="hi2">anan>d all of the bodies in it an class="hi2">anan>d all of the events an class="hi2">anan>d sicknesses, disease, war, suffering, conflict, it is all an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove that it is possible to be other than class="hi2">anan> God created you. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove you can class="hi2">anan> die, you can class="hi2">anan> suffer, you can class="hi2">anan> be upset, you can class="hi2">anan> be limited, you can class="hi2">anan> fail to perform miracles, you can class="hi2">anan> be at the effect of the will of an class="hi2">anan>other, you can class="hi2">anan> be victimized, you can class="hi2">anan> fail to have an class="hi2">anan>y ability whatsoever to influence the environment, an class="hi2">anan>d that you have no power over an class="hi2">anan>ything.

You've done a great job of being upset, an class="hi2">anan>d believing that you are upset for a good reason, that it is justified, an class="hi2">anan>d that you should be unhappy. The reason you are unhappy is unjustified. You've also done a great job of creating reasons an class="hi2">anan>d justifications for why you are unhappy, none of which are valid. You've also created a long list of grievan class="hi2">anan>ces which all seem unresolved, because you think that they actually are importan class="hi2">anan>t, not to mention all the importan class="hi2">anan>t things that you think you have to do today, none of which matter.

You are immortal spirit. You are already complete. You are already as God created you. There is nothing you can class="hi2">anan> add to what God created. There is nothing that has been taken away. You've already received what God has given, an class="hi2">anan>d it has been full an class="hi2">anan>d abundan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d total. You are lacking nothing. There is no lack of love in you. God has not chan class="hi2">anan>ged his mind about you. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are still as God created you. You're done! So what the fuck is all this other bullshit? lol

God's nature is omnipresence. This mean class="hi2">anan>s God is everywhere simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. God's nature is also eternal, which mean class="hi2">anan>s it always exists an class="hi2">anan>d is always the same, without chan class="hi2">anan>ge.

The idea of "space" is the exact opposite of omnipresence. If omnipresence mean class="hi2">anan>s "exists everywhere at once", space mean class="hi2">anan>s "is separated out an class="hi2">anan>d only exists in one place at a time." It is totally opposite. It is OPPOSED TO GOD'S NATURE.

Similarly the idea of "time" is the exact opposite of eternity. If eternity mean class="hi2">anan>s "everything is always the same an class="hi2">anan>d there is no chan class="hi2">anan>ge or difference an class="hi2">anan>d its a constan class="hi2">anan>t state", time mean class="hi2">anan>s "everything is always chan class="hi2">anan>ging, nothing is every perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d there is no consistency." Time is totally opposite to eternity. It is OPPOSED TO GOD's NATURE.

Plan class="hi2">anan>ets, which are three dimensional objects, require both SPACE an class="hi2">anan>d TIME to exist. Space is what separates things out an class="hi2">anan>d allows there to be an class="hi2">anan> "over here" that is separate from "over there". It is only possible for example for Earth to have "size" because of space. It is only possible for the USA to be "separate from" the UK, in space, because of spacetime. It is only possible to have seasons an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d growth an class="hi2">anan>d death because of time. These are all against God's nature. They are unnatural.

Without space an class="hi2">anan>d time, it's not possible to have a plan class="hi2">anan>et. Without space, you can class="hi2">anan>'t have individual particles that take up space. Space is the idea of things NOT SHARING the same existence. It keeps things apart. Without space, there is no physics, no mass, no matter, no molecules, nothing physical is possible.

Spacetime is the opposite of God's nature. God did not create it. Everything "inside of" or dependan class="hi2">anan>t on spacetime Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE created by God because it is AGAINST HIS WILL. He does not create things which fail to be omnipresent, or which do not exist the same forever. He does not create things which are born an class="hi2">anan>d die. He does not create bodies. He does not create plan class="hi2">anan>ets. an class="hi2">Anan>d he did not create the Earth. Earth is 100% dependent on spacetime, an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime is 100% DENIAL of Heaven. Heaven is God's true creation, your home.

You are in heaven, dreaming of exile. Your exile is in a world totally opposite to God's world. Earth is nothing like Heaven. It is nothing like God's nature. Spacetime itself, is the ego belief that separation is real, ie that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God's nature exists. It's produced by your belief that you can class="hi2">anan> oppose God's will an class="hi2">anan>d succeed in making a world without Him or out of accord with his will. This universe is not reality. Spacetime, the continuum, is not reality.

There is no spacetime. Spacetime is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Spacetime does not really exist because God did not create it, an class="hi2">anan>d so it lacks reality. Spacetime, an class="hi2">anan>d the Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d all the plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d stars an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies, do not exist.

"There is no world. This is the central lesson the course would attempt to teach."

"All forms of sickness, even unto death, are physical expressions of the FEAR of awakening."

Fear is not "just fear". It's not just "an class="hi2">anan> emotion". It's not just "one thing". It's not just "a reaction". Everything that fear appears to be, it is that, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not that. There is much more happening that isn't obvious.

Fear is the opposite of love. Death is the opposite of life an class="hi2">anan>d life is love. Fear an class="hi2">anan>d death are therefore the same state - the end result of the ego's thought system of sin.

Fear is self deception. Let's look at how the ego thought system deceives us.

God establishes what is ACTUALLY true. This truth is reality. It is eternal life, love, happiness, safety, peace. This truth is always true. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge it.

Ego mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing more than class="hi2">anan> truth reversal. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to oppose the truth through denial. Ego can class="hi2">anan>'t chan class="hi2">anan>ge what is true. But, in ego you can class="hi2">anan> DENY it or "pretend" that it's not true.

To deny what's true, you believe it is false. God's truth, or the truth about you, becomes false to you. Simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, things which are false an class="hi2">anan>d unreal start to SEEM true an class="hi2">anan>d real. You start believing UNTRUE things about yourself.

Jesus describes the end result of this process (the ego thought system) as "total confusion". It's a state where everything true has been confused with or mistaken for, everything false. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything false has been confused with or mistaken for, what's true.

You could not be more confused than class="hi2">anan> to have no idea what is ACTUALLY true or actually real. It's a state of not recognizing an class="hi2">anan>ything for what it is. A total loss of perspective. It is insan class="hi2">anan>ity. Fear an class="hi2">anan>d death are insan class="hi2">anan>e. Fear is paralysis, or the stopping of life, which is death.

When your mind is confused, it's because you believe something is true which isn't REALLY true. Something seems real that is not real. Something seems to be happening that isn't really happening. You think it is, but it's not. In this state, you are simply very MISTAKEN. an class="hi2">Anan>d in denial. an class="hi2">Anan>d unwilling to accept that a totally opposite truth is the real truth.

What is false? Death, sickness, suffering, unhappiness, fear, guilt, sin, attack, murder, threat an class="hi2">anan>d dan class="hi2">anan>ger, darkness, insan class="hi2">anan>ity, delusion, disassociation, not knowing who you are, unreality, non-existence, etc. All of this is false because it is OPPOSITE to what is actually true - God's truth. None of it is real an class="hi2">anan>d none of it exists.

What is true? Eternal life, happiness, freedom, fearlessness, freedom from sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, immortality, being incapable of sickness or death, nothing to be afraid of, no threat or dan class="hi2">anan>ger, total safety, peace of mind, invulnerability etc.

When you CONFUSE these two, an class="hi2">anan>d put belief into the false stuff, you "make it real". You try to invest it with reality an class="hi2">anan>d truth.

"Whatever you BELIEVE IN becomes REAL to you."

To do that you have to deny what's really true. This denial is a block to awareness. It makes you UNAWARE of the real truth or the big picture. It disassociates you from what you are believing in the big picture, an class="hi2">anan>d the consequences of that belief.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you are CAUSING things (making them through belief), which are producing EFFECTS, but you are no longer aware that you are causing them, so they seem to be caused by something other than class="hi2">anan> yourself. Who wouldn't be frightened of an class="hi2">anan> "alien will" (a will outside of your awareness of what your own will is willing) that seems to do things "against your will"?

It's the mere fact that you are unaware of what you are choosing, wan class="hi2">anan>ting, supporting, believing in, that results in "stuff happening" that you didn't SEEM to will. an class="hi2">Anan>d this stuff is then experienced as being unfairly treated. Especially given that everything that happens in ego is a form of suffering. an class="hi2">Anan>d who wan class="hi2">anan>ts to suffer? No-one san class="hi2">anan>e.

So then, naturally, you perceive that you are suffering not because you chose to, but because someone or something else separate from you caused it. You really caused it, but you don't see that, so you HAVE to pin it on some other cause, automatically, to try to make sense of where it came from. This is the root of all projection.

The simple notion that there is "an class="hi2">anan>other cause" besides yourself, is the root of all fear. Because if something can class="hi2">anan> CAUSE YOU other than class="hi2">anan> God, can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge you, affect you, or hurt you, without you being able to prevent it, that is grounds for terror. The mere perception of "a separate thing" that seems cut off from your oneness is grounds for fear.

As you move further into the ego darkness, increasing fear, consciously you start to experience what SEEMS to be a greater unwillingness to wan class="hi2">anan>t or 'own' what is happening. You wan class="hi2">anan>t to get away from the dan class="hi2">anan>ger, away from the source of threat.

Because in denial you believe/perceive more an class="hi2">anan>d more than class="hi2">anan> it's got nothing to do with your own choice. That you are having absolutely no part to play in making things happen, did not choose them, do not wan class="hi2">anan>t them, did not cause them, an class="hi2">anan>d don't even HAVE a choice. an class="hi2">Anan>d death is an class="hi2">anan> attempt not to choose at all.

The more this increases, the more you go into denial, the less aware you are that you're choosing to believe death is salvation. Here, false = true an class="hi2">anan>d true = false. If both the true an class="hi2">anan>d the false are false, an class="hi2">anan>d the true an class="hi2">anan>d the true are true, there is a total blurring of distinction an class="hi2">anan>d no difference between them, resulting in total confusion.

The threat of death seems to be on the increase, your conscious horror at this increase makes you squirm like you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t it an class="hi2">anan>d try to avoid it, but unconsciously you are choosing it.

For example, if you believe in can class="hi2">anan>cer, at all, you will become afraid. Believing it exists whatsoever, that it has power, that it causes death, that it even exists at all, places your mind into denial. Because in God's truth, can class="hi2">anan>cer does not exist. Can class="hi2">anan>cer is false, untrue, unreal, non-existent, powerless, causeless, nothing. Can class="hi2">anan>cer is totally an class="hi2">anan> illusion that has no effect on the Son of God.

But if you've moved into "I believe can class="hi2">anan>cer exists", you MUST now be in denial. That mean class="hi2">anan>s you believe in can class="hi2">anan>cer, but you are not aware that you believe in it. What's left of your conscious awareness is now limited only to the scope of what you are AWARE of. You are not aware of your belief, BUT, your belief is moving you TOWARDS can class="hi2">anan>cer. Because whatever you BELIEVE EXISTS, you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T MORE OF.

Whatever you believe in, you try to invest it with reality. You try to MAKE it be true. You give it a sense of truth, power over you, an class="hi2">anan> alien will, causality, strength, threat. The more you believe in it the bigger of an class="hi2">anan> 'enemy' you make it, an class="hi2">anan>d the more your perception warps to make it seem large an class="hi2">anan>d looming an class="hi2">anan>d able to affect you.

So there's your mind believing "can class="hi2">anan>cer is a very real dan class="hi2">anan>ger", which puts you into denial of the truth, which makes you unaware you believe in a dan class="hi2">anan>gerous threat, which makes you confused about what is true an class="hi2">anan>d false, which makes you think can class="hi2">anan>cer is real an class="hi2">anan>d true an class="hi2">anan>d your salvation, which makes you wan class="hi2">anan>t it, which CAUSES IT.

So now there is an class="hi2">anan> increase in your 'environment' of the presence of this illusion of dan class="hi2">anan>ger, an class="hi2">anan>d your conscious awareness is becoming afraid because stran class="hi2">anan>ge disconnected threats are looming on the horizon, an class="hi2">anan>d you are not aware of how they got there. It seems like they're happening "on their own", separate from your mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d because they seem separate, you perceive that you have no control over them. This perceived lack of "ability to influence it" produces fear.

This is the general state most of us find ourselves in - seeming to have no power or control over an class="hi2">anan>ything external, an class="hi2">anan>ything that seems separate, or an class="hi2">anan>ything in the world. As if the world is causal, decides your fate, an class="hi2">anan>d you just have to suffer, or run away in fear. As if it has its own will, separate from yours, that you can class="hi2">anan> do nothing about, making its ultimate attack unavoidable.

Whatever you believe in, you make it real. Whatever you believe in, you give truth to. Whatever you believe in, you value. Whatever you believe in, you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see. Whatever you believe in, you will perceive. Whatever you believe in, you make happen. Whatever you believe, you'll defend with your life, because you associate LIFE with "whats true".

It is not possible for example to believe "can class="hi2">anan>cer exists", while also claiming to believe you are not threatened by it. I do not have it but I am scared of the idea, purely based on beliefs in its existence. You can class="hi2">anan>not believe in a causal power outside you without feeling threatened. You are not immune to it just because "it doesn't seem to be happening to me". You will fear it even if it's not seeming to happen. an class="hi2">Anan>d the unconscious masses have done a lot to amplify its "reality".

The only way to not have fear of can class="hi2">anan>cer therefore is to not believe in can class="hi2">anan>cer. AT ALL. ie, can class="hi2">anan>cer does not exist, can class="hi2">anan>cer has no power over me, can class="hi2">anan>cer does not cause death, can class="hi2">anan>cer isn't affecting me, can class="hi2">anan>cer has not done an class="hi2">anan>ything to me, can class="hi2">anan>cer can class="hi2">anan>not do an class="hi2">anan>ything to me, I do not believe in can class="hi2">anan>cer, can class="hi2">anan>cer does not exist, there is no can class="hi2">anan>cer, can class="hi2">anan>cer is a lie, can class="hi2">anan>cer isn't real, can class="hi2">anan>cer is an class="hi2">anan> illusion I made up, can class="hi2">anan>cer has no mind of its own, can class="hi2">anan>cer does not exist at all, there is no can class="hi2">anan>cer, can class="hi2">anan>cer is nothing, can class="hi2">anan>cer is not making me afraid, I have power over can class="hi2">anan>cer. etc

That's what you have to believe in order to be free from it. an class="hi2">Anan>d being free from the BELIEF in it DOES make you INVULNERABLE. That's what you have to believe in order to not put yourself into the state where you'll be afraid of it. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's what you have to believe in order to not CHOOSE IT. Because if you "believe it exists but I don't believe I have it", you are trying to have it.

Whatever you believe in, you are CHOOSING. If you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to choose something, you must NOT believe in it. You can class="hi2">anan>'t believe in something an class="hi2">anan>d then claim that it does not apply to you. You can class="hi2">anan>'t believe in something an class="hi2">anan>d then claim to be free of it. Believe it, an class="hi2">anan>d you give it power over you instan class="hi2">anan>tly an class="hi2">anan>d are moving towards man class="hi2">anan>ifesting/materializing it into your experience. an class="hi2">Anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d suffering then become the consequence of that.

The secret of salvation states that you are doing everything to yourself. That mean class="hi2">anan>s, in your confusion about what is true an class="hi2">anan>d false, you keep choosing things which are FALSE, by believing they are TRUE. By mistake. Because you are mistaken about what is true. You keep choosing things which are unreal, by believing they are real. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s you literally Wan class="hi2">ANan>T TO SUFFER.

By believing in illusions or false things, things opposite God's reality, you are electing to make those things part of your reality. So that you can class="hi2">anan> have a false experience of them. Beliefs are attempts to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE WHAT IS TRUE into what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be true. But belief can class="hi2">anan> also be used to line up with what is ACTUALLY true, so that you believe the Atonement truth, which sets you free.

In fear, which includes unawareness, you are consciously kicking an class="hi2">anan>d screaming to get away from what seems to be coming to you "on its own". Unconsciously, ie behind denial, you are actually MAKING IT COME TO YOU by believing in it. an class="hi2">Anan>d that literally tran class="hi2">anan>slates to, you are doing it to yourself. Or the adage, "what you fear comes to you" or "what you fear increases". This is literally true.

Jesus says "You can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt unless you hurt yourself."

This also mean class="hi2">anan>s there are NO CAUSES OF SUFFERING BEYOND YOUR OWN CHOOSING.

"It is impossible that an class="hi2">anan>ything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny. What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to happen. This must I accept."

an class="hi2">Anan>d that then mean class="hi2">anan>s, if you were to actually sort out what is REALLY TRUE, from what you THINK is true, ie that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T GOD, an class="hi2">anan>d learn to recognize the ACTUAL truth again, you would also simultan class="hi2">anan>eously recognize that false things ARE false. You would recognize that can class="hi2">anan>cer is an class="hi2">anan> illusion that does not exist. You would recognize that there IS NO THREAT. Because then you have stopped threatening yourself.

All fear comes from self-threat. A sense of dan class="hi2">anan>ger that results from YOU believing that you are under attack. Which is an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself. "My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability."

For example, if you believe you sinned, an class="hi2">anan>d choose not to forgive yourself, you'll believe you are guilty. But this isn't merely a belief in guilt. It's a belief that you ARE guilty an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce that your guilt is TRUE. If guilt is true, you will WILLINGLY ACCEPT that you DO deserve punishment, because it it SUPPORTED by what you believe is true. You will not object to it. So instead, you will WELCOME suffering. But even more-so, MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.

This now mean class="hi2">anan>s you YOURSELF believe that you logically deserve to suffer. an class="hi2">Anan>d this mean class="hi2">anan>s you now ACCEPT that you MUST suffer. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s you believe you should suffer. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s you now have it in for yourself.

It mean class="hi2">anan>s you are now seeking to attack yourself in order to punish yourself, because it is justified, an class="hi2">anan>d this is SELF THREAT. It is suicidal. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is going to terrify you more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>y external projection of "who is causing fear" or "how its going to happen".

Guilt leads to fear. Guilt leads to more self attack. Your SELF attack is what frightens you. YOU are the cause of your fear.

So then when you are in fear, you are trying to hurt yourself. You are scaring yourself. You might project it onto all kinds of external stuff but it's self attack. Ever notice that when you are afraid you start finding all kinds of EXTERNAL things or "causes" to pin the fear on? Man class="hi2">anan>y things around you start to become threatening? That's projection. Your perception is warping. It's the same as accusing your brother of your own sins. You accuse your brother of your own self attack an class="hi2">anan>d reasons to fear.

So fear is really a state where you are CHOOSING TO SUFFER, where you are wan class="hi2">anan>ting what you are threatened by, are trying to make it happen, to undermine your immortality. BUT you are disowning it so much that it SEEMS like you have nothing whatsoever to do with it.

You are in denial that the thing you thought was going to help you is actually hurting you. You are in denial that your savior is your attacker. You are in denial that what you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T is actually working against you. You are in denial that your defense against truth is causing you to be MORE sick. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are under the impression that death is going to save you from God's wrath.

Your internal conscious messaging might be "I hope that doesn't happen, it's scaring me". But your ACTUAL activity is "I hope that happens, I wan class="hi2">anan>t that to happen, I believe in it, it's going to save me." Your mind holds visions of threats an class="hi2">anan>d dan class="hi2">anan>gers in front of its perception to attack itself.

This is why fear is such a slippery thing. It's so deceptive, back to front, inside out an class="hi2">anan>d upside down. It SEEMS like the TOTAL OPPOSITE of what it is. The experience of it seems like you totally don't wan class="hi2">anan>t it, but this COVERS OVER the fact you are Wan class="hi2">ANan>TING exactly what you are frightened by. If you are scared, YOU scared yourself.

You have to own up to this, look deeply at it an class="hi2">anan>d realize what you actually are doing, rather than class="hi2">anan> what seems to be happening on the surface. All victimy persons, everyone who is afraid, all who are terrified, ACTUALLY are choosing an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting everything that they are afraid of. an class="hi2">ANan>D they are the one DOING THE ATTACK. This is why victims are victimizers an class="hi2">anan>d victimizers are victims.

Fear is choosing with the ego, siding with deception.

In fear you secretly choose to suffer, by choosing something that does bring suffering (ie to God it is FALSE), but which you BELIEVE brings salvation. an class="hi2">Anan>d this stems entirely from being CONFUSED about what is really true an class="hi2">anan>d what is false.

All the attributes of God's truth need to be given back to God. You need to re-associate aspects of truth with God's truth. God's truth is where the safety is. God's truth is where salvation is. God's truth is what will ACTUALLY help an class="hi2">anan>d heal you an class="hi2">anan>d give you life. God's truth is what will protect you from harm. God's truth will give you immortality. an class="hi2">Anan>d by choosing it, you will GET what you EXPECT to get, rather than class="hi2">anan> the total opposite.

Learning to RECOGNIZE that is the entire process of working on your spiritual awakening. The "sorting out" of true vs REALLY true. What do you REALLY Wan class="hi2">ANan>T to believe in. What are you believing that isn't REALLY true. How might you be very mistaken in your conviction that death is real? How might you be mistaken in believing that can class="hi2">anan>cer even exists? How might you be confused about whether you can class="hi2">anan> even be affected by an class="hi2">anan>ything, given you are immortal?

Gradually you will side with the ACTUAL truth rather than class="hi2">anan> siding with what you BELIEVED was true. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's a really good thing. Because now your expectation is that the truth will help you an class="hi2">anan>d make things better for you, an class="hi2">anan>d it ACTUALLY DOES. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you will develop TRUST in it. You can class="hi2">anan>'t trust the ego. It is all lies an class="hi2">anan>d deception. One thing pretending to be something else. It is two-faced because it contradicts the real truth.

Only the truth is true. Only the false is false. Only eternal life is real. Death is an class="hi2">anan> impossible illusion an class="hi2">anan>d does not exist. In God's love there is NOTHING to be afraid of. "Nothing unreal exists." Nothing false is true. an class="hi2">Anan>d recognizing that will bring you peace an class="hi2">anan>d freedom from suffering forever.

Think of an class="hi2">anan> apple. Now think of a knife cutting through the apple. The knife is separation. BOTH sides of the knife will experience the effects of separation. The knife will come between them an class="hi2">anan>d attack both of them. The inner an class="hi2">anan>d the outer will both suffer.

So sickness, as an class="hi2">anan> implementation of the separation idea, isn't just happening to you. It's happening towards yourself an class="hi2">anan>d its happening towards others.

What applies to you applies equally to everyone else. That's the rule of the Holy Spirit's thought system, an class="hi2">anan>d the truth of how your mind works.

You can class="hi2">anan>not attack yourself without attacking others. You can class="hi2">anan>not separate yourself from the truth without pushing others away, which is an class="hi2">anan> attack.

This is why Jesus explains that when we have sickness in the body, we are using sickness as an class="hi2">anan> attack on our brother. The sick are always accusers. A sick body is a sign of an class="hi2">anan> unhealed mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d sickness is a device for separating you from everything else through attack upon yourself an class="hi2">anan>d others.

Death, as pathetically powerless as it seems to be, is the ultimate form of attack. It's not only an class="hi2">anan> attempt to attack yourself so thoroughly that you completely separate from Life, but is also actually an class="hi2">anan> attempt to attack Life - all life. Those who die are attempting to destroy all of creation. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are attempting to destroy God. Their insistence that God is dead, which is a vicious attack, causes them to die.

So don't think of sickness as, one person has this sickness an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>other person doesn't. Sickness comes BETWEEN people. It is a separation device, a wall, a crow bar leveraged in-between what once was whole an class="hi2">anan>d joined an class="hi2">anan>d connected. It comes as a defense an class="hi2">anan>d as an class="hi2">anan> attack. All defenses (against the truth or wholeness) are attacks.

So yes, everyone who is sick right now, is attacking not only themselves an class="hi2">anan>d God, but also everyone else. an class="hi2">Anan>yone with a common cold is attempting to destroy themselves an class="hi2">anan>d others. This is why man class="hi2">anan>y supposed forms of sicknesses are contagious as well - an class="hi2">anan> expression of the idea of attacking not only self but others also.

If you are sick it is because you have gone into isolation which mean class="hi2">anan>s you have attempted to isolate yourself FROM others, but in so doing, also isolating OTHERS from you. Sickness is always a double-edged sword. It hurts you an class="hi2">anan>d it hurts everyone. It is applied to the whole sonship simultan class="hi2">anan>eously.

It may seem in this world that for the most part, the sick are the only ones who suffer, or what can class="hi2">anan> happen to them isn't happening to an class="hi2">anan>yone else. But this isn't true. This is why a joining of minds with your brother can class="hi2">anan> heal sickness because sickness is separation in the mind - separation between separate selves, who really are One.

Your sickness keeps you imprisoned an class="hi2">anan>d keeps everyone else imprisoned along with you. I'm not trying to make this a guilt-trip, but we need to recognize it for what it is so that we can class="hi2">anan> be free of it. Self-attack is all-attack. Sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attack on everyone.

In heaven, we’ve had an class="hi2">anan> innocent little idea. We’ve wondered, what it might be like if things weren’t the way they are.

Nothing happens. We just have an class="hi2">anan> idea. Like a daydream. We use our "imagination" to imagine what it MIGHT be like. We visualize it.

As a human class="hi2">anan>, I can class="hi2">anan> similarly take a moment to IMAGINE what it might be like, if I were a different person. I can class="hi2">anan> imagine myself perhaps from a different country, with a different body, a different lifestyle, doing different things. I can class="hi2">anan> imagine it in a fair amount of detail, maybe even imagine sights an class="hi2">anan>d sounds an class="hi2">anan>d smells an class="hi2">anan>d experiences, which seem partly real to some degree.

But my imagining what that might be like, is a far cry from what it would mean class="hi2">anan> to *actually* be an class="hi2">anan>other person. When I stop daydreaming, I come back to my senses an class="hi2">anan>d remember the obvious fact of who I "actually am". Who I imagined myself to be is simply dropped, like a discarded toy. My body didn’t actually turn into an class="hi2">anan>other person from an class="hi2">anan>other country. Who I seem to be is not chan class="hi2">anan>ged at all. I was just having an class="hi2">anan> idea.

When I wake up from my little visualization, it no longer exists. I was just dreaming. Imagining. There are no consequences to "this" reality from my little daydream. Everything in the daydream does not exist an class="hi2">anan>d never really did.

The Son of God is having a little dream like this. Except the Son of God’s mind is VERY powerful. It is able to have really, really big ideas. When the Son of God imagines He is not as God created Him, his little fan class="hi2">anan>tasy is *extraordinarily* sophisticated. Very, very elaborate.

He dreams of an class="hi2">anan> entire universe, with billions of plan class="hi2">anan>ets, all kinds of creatures an class="hi2">anan>d objects an class="hi2">anan>d stran class="hi2">anan>ge things happening. A massive history of time span class="hi2">anan>ning billions of "years’, an class="hi2">anan>d even an class="hi2">anan> illusion of time passing very slowly.

He also dreams of plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, complete with human class="hi2">anan> bodies an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ts an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>imals an class="hi2">anan>d mountains an class="hi2">anan>d ocean class="hi2">anan>s. He does this in such extraordinary detail, with such POWER, that it produces a massive massive dream. A huge visualization.

But remember, this is just an class="hi2">anan> IDEA. He’s having a thought. He is not CREATING it for real, it is entirely him "wondering", exploring the idea, thinking about it, imagining it. This universe "showing up" is HIM THINKING. an class="hi2">Anan> idea.. what MIGHT it be like IF I were separate from God. This IDEA contains the entire physical universe an class="hi2">anan>d the Earth. It’s a huge idea. Everything that seems to happen is INSIDE that idea.

"Ideas leave not their source" ultimately mean class="hi2">anan>s that the universe we made (this "world", containing Earth), did not LEAVE the IDEA. Nor did an class="hi2">anan>y causes in the dream leak out" an class="hi2">anan>d effect reality. Nor did an class="hi2">anan>y of that idea of separation *actually happen*. It ONLY IS an class="hi2">ANan> IDEA. A "what if?"

This idea, did not ACTUALLY produce a separation. God is sitting there totally happy an class="hi2">anan>d unaffected. The Son of God is just a little bit asleep having this really really big idea. an class="hi2">Anan>d that’s all. Nothing else is happening! Just an class="hi2">anan> idea.

The entire "universe of separation" is inside of an class="hi2">anan>d part of that IDEA. It’s just a dream. A fan class="hi2">anan>tasy. Imagination.

There is a MASSIVE difference between, an class="hi2">anan> IDEA of separation being dreamed, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL separation happening in reality. Separation does not happen in reality or in truth, at all. All that happens, is the Son has an class="hi2">anan> idea. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything he imagines INSIDE that idea, is still just part of the idea. It‘s got nothing to do with reality.

Since we as the Son are dreaming, having an class="hi2">anan> IDEA, we are seeming to currently experience what it’s like INSIDE the idea. an class="hi2">Anan>d inside the idea, it seems huge an class="hi2">anan>d elaborate an class="hi2">anan>d convincing. This makes us THINK, that "it is really happening". We even think, we really are a body. We even think, there really is a plan class="hi2">anan>et earth!

But the truth is, there is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> idea of a body, there is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> idea of a plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, an class="hi2">anan>d there is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> idea of being separate from God. A visualization, an class="hi2">anan> imagined image of what it MIGHT BE LIKE, *IF* it were to happen. Not *AS* it happening.

We are mistaken when we believe this idea is in fact HAPPENING. We are mistaken when we believe we are ACTUALLY a body. We are mistaken when we believe that the universe we are IMAGINING, is actually existing. We are mistaken when we think the PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET EARTH, actually EXISTS.

All of this, is inside of an class="hi2">anan> IDEA. Just a THOUGHT. Not a thought which "DID make something happen". Not a thought which "DID happen in reality". It’s a thought that DID NOT HAPPEN IN REALITY, or TO reality, or outside of the IDEA.

an class="hi2">Anan> idea of being separate from God, is NOTHING LIKE *actually* being separate from God. Being actually separate from God is IMPOSSIBLE. Being separate from God HAS NOT HAPPENED AT ALL! The *idea* has had no REAL consequences outside of itself. In other words, the DREAM of what separation *might* be like, did not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything to happen OUTSIDE of the dream. It had NO EFFECT on God, no effect on the Son of God, an class="hi2">anan>d no effect on reality.

Separation from God is just an class="hi2">anan> idea. "We" as human class="hi2">anan>s are living INSIDE A THOUGHT ABOUT SEPARATENESS! Not inside a real separation. Sin, the idea that we actually DID separate from God "for real" an class="hi2">anan>d that separation had "real consequences" on "reality", ie something *leaked out* of the dream/idea an class="hi2">anan>d did something IN REALITY. If this were true, God would have been affected, an class="hi2">anan>d you as the DREAMER would no longer be as God created you.

For example, in this dream, when something *seems* to happen, we tend to believe something REALLY happened. This is a belief that sin is real - that dreams affect reality. Then we believe there are "real consequences", that something "real" was affected an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ged. an class="hi2">Anan>d this of course produces guilt.

We therefore need to become able to recognize, that whatever seems to "happen" inside this huge IDEA, is not actually happening in REALITY. It is not happening TO reality. Nothing is REALLY happening. Therefore whatever appears to happen "as a sin", is not being done TO reality an class="hi2">anan>d has NO REAL CONSEQUENCES. God is not affected in the slightest. Your real self, which is dreaming this whole thing, has not been affected. Your real self, your dreaming self, having an class="hi2">anan> IDEA, is STILL as God created you.

Since sin did not happen IN reality or TO reality, that must mean class="hi2">anan>, that you are only having an class="hi2">anan> innocent idea. Your idea has no reality. Your idea has no consequences. It’s FICTION. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, whatever you think you DID, you DID NOT DO IT in reality. You only do it INSIDE an class="hi2">ANan> IDEA. Inside a dream. an class="hi2">Anan>d it does not leave the dream. God is unaffected.

Which mean class="hi2">anan>s....... drumroll...... that you are STILL 100% INNOCENT, you HAVE NOT sinned against God, there HAS NOT been a separation, there ARE no consequences, you are NOT guilty, you are STILL as God created you, an class="hi2">anan>d your idea is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> idea.

When your dream ends, when you stop having the idea, when you stop imagining that you can class="hi2">anan> be something you can class="hi2">anan> never be, what has happened? Nothing. Just an class="hi2">anan> idea. Just a thought. Just a little daydream where you wondered what separation might be like. You don’t return from a real separation. It was NOT a real separation. It was nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> IDEA. an class="hi2">Anan>d ideas ARE NOT in an class="hi2">anan>y way an class="hi2">anan>ything like THE REAL THING.

Your idea is an class="hi2">anan> idea of impossibility. "It is the world you see that is impossible." This "world" is the content of EVERYTHING inside the idea. an class="hi2">Anan> entire universe of fan class="hi2">anan>tasy separation. That includes the entire plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, the sun, the moon, an class="hi2">anan>d the whole rest of this universe. This is the world you MADE UP. You did not create it. You did not make it ACTUALLY EXIST. You just dreamed of it.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s, even the Earth, the sun, the galaxy, the universe, all bodies, all physical forms, all creatures here, the ocean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>d mountains, has never ACTUALLY existed in REALITY. It has only seemed to exist inside an class="hi2">anan> IDEA. A dream. A fictional fairytale. an class="hi2">Anan> imaginative visualization of something impossible seeming possible.

So when the Course says, "there is no world", it is saying, this entire "world" - dream existence - that we thought about for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d never actually created, DOES NOT REALLY EXIST. This world, including earth, does not exist. It does not exist IN REALITY. Dreams do not exist in reality. Sin does not exist in reality. "The Earth" does not exist in reality. This whole physical universe does not exist in reality.

Were just having a little idea. That’s all. The idea has no real effects. Having the idea doesn’t create the thing we’re having an class="hi2">anan> idea about. The world we made-up is a figment of our imagination. It’s not there!

There is nothing in, or about, the Earth, which will ever be a part of reality. It is made of thought. IT’s an class="hi2">anan> idea. an class="hi2">Anan>d this tiny mad idea was over the instan class="hi2">anan>t it seemed to be thought. It’s already over. The thought of limitation has been limited. The idea of an class="hi2">anan> end has ended. Not a single note in heaven’s song has been missed.

The really key thing to realize is, AT NO TIME did Heaven stop being Heaven. At no time did you stop being as God created you. At no time did God chan class="hi2">anan>ge. Your inncence was NEVER affected. You did not sin, requiring you to have to undo the sin. There is no sin. There is no death. There is no world. Your real self, did not stop being real. Even when you had this little idea, your true self did not chan class="hi2">anan>ge even slightly. It is as God created it RIGHT NOW, always has been, an class="hi2">anan>d always will be. Just because you are having a MAD LITTLE IDEA, doesn’t chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>ything real AT ALL.

When you dream at night of all man class="hi2">anan>ner of stran class="hi2">anan>ge things happening, perhaps that you have a terrible disease an class="hi2">anan>d people are chasing you down a dark alley, you wake up the next day.... where is the terrible disease? Did it leak out of the dream an class="hi2">anan>d affect your body? Not at all. Where are the figures who seemed to chase you? They are nowhere to be found. They were fiction. A dream. NOT REAL. Not happening. Nothing. Just a temporary idea, which seemed convincing from inside it, but was utterly unconvincing from outside of it.

You are just inside a dream. IT’s not happening. There is no earth. There are no bodies. There is no death. The son of God is FREE! Separation has not happened. There is no sin. You simply had a little idea, an class="hi2">anan>d it is already over.

an class="hi2">Anan> idea of something happening is not the same as something happening. Nothing has happened. There is no world. Accepting this is the atonement. Stop dreaming. Wake up.

It's true that separation is impossible, because God is everywhere, so you can class="hi2">anan>'t leave heaven an class="hi2">anan>d go to an class="hi2">anan>other world. In what we call "the separation", or fall of man class="hi2">anan>, or detour into fear, the rebellion against God etc, we didn't actually separate either. It is always impossible.

What is possible is the BELIEF that we have separated, an class="hi2">anan>d that belief can class="hi2">anan> produce all man class="hi2">anan>ner of visual hallucinations, apparent worlds, spacetime, dreams, images an class="hi2">anan>d imagined happenings.

But these things aren't ACTUAL. The world isn't actually a world, the body isn't a real body, an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime isn't really spacetime. There isn't an class="hi2">anan>y real sin, real guilt, real fear, or real death.

What we've done, in truth, is we've just IMAGINED what it MIGHT be like, IF we could be separate. It's like imagining what a place might be like if you could travel there - somewhere you've never actually been, without actually GOING there.

You imagine what it might be like there, you picture it, you dream of its qualities an class="hi2">anan>d its environments, an class="hi2">anan>d you wish that you could be there. But you don't actually go there. You dwell within the daydream of "what if I could be separate", but you don't actually go to where separation is. You NEVER CREATE the place, you just stay in the "plan class="hi2">anan>ning" of it.

In this way, the body is not really a body. It's actually a PICTURE of what a body might be like IF bodies were possible. The world isn't actually a world, it's a PICTURE of what you IMAGINE a world might be like if you could go an class="hi2">anan>d be in a separate world.

So you're not inside an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL separation, in an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL world, in an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL body. You're just dwelling somewhere else - in heaven - dreaming of exile. Imagining an class="hi2">anan>d visualising what you think spacetime would be like, IF it existed. Not a real actually created spacetime, just a daydream ABOUT a spacetime.

This is in no way the same as actually CREATING IT an class="hi2">anan>d going there. Instead, you are making it up. You've never gone to a real space-time, or been in a real body on a real earth. You've only pretended an class="hi2">anan>d rehearsed what it MIGHT be like IF you could.

This is importan class="hi2">anan>t to remember because while you are inside this seeming world, you DO actually BELIEVE that you HAVE in fact separated from God, that you HAVE sinned, that you HAVE pulled off the impossible, you HAVE made a world, an class="hi2">anan>d you HAVE produced a body to live in. But you haven't. You've DREAMED OF doing it, but you haven't actually done it in truth.

There's a huge difference between actually doing something, an class="hi2">anan>d just believing that you are doing it. Between imagining what it might be like if you could do it, an class="hi2">anan>d actually doing it. The truth is that we are not living inside an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL SEPARATION. We're not in a real spacetime. WE're just CONCEIVING of what we THINK spacetime might be like, IF it were possible.

It's like drawing up the plan class="hi2">anan>s for a new city, an class="hi2">anan>d then visualising the plan class="hi2">anan>s, an class="hi2">anan>d then imagining that you're in the city by being "in the plan class="hi2">anan>s", without EVER building the actual city.

This is why you are forgivable, an class="hi2">anan>d everything is forgivable. Because you haven't actually SEPARATED, you haven't sinned, you're not guilty, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> never die. All you've done is deceive yourself that you've done something impossible.

Spacetime isn't an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL attack on God. Bodies aren't ACTUALLY bodies. The world isn't ACTUALLY here. Death doesn't ACTUALLY happen. It's a dream in the mind, an class="hi2">anan> imagined picturing of wishful thinking, a kind of hallucinating of a world that we wish COULD exist, but DOES NOT.

Because it doesn't really exist, an class="hi2">anan>d you have not really therefore separated, you must be innocent still. You must be MISTAKEN, simply because you believe that this NOT A WORLD, is actually a world. That you having NOT SEPARATED, is actually a real separation.

You really think you've done it, pulled it off, made an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God, proven that God's son can class="hi2">anan> die, that you can class="hi2">anan> suffer, that you are something you're not. an class="hi2">Anan>d because you THINK you have done this, you think you are guilty. But than class="hi2">anan>kfully you haven't ACTUALLY DONE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING AT ALL. You're just a bit confused an class="hi2">anan>d lost in the blueprint for an class="hi2">anan>other world, thinking it's actually been created when all it is is an class="hi2">anan> idea of what it could never be.

This is why you remain always innocent, because you have not done what you think you've done. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you believe you have really separated, you are mistaken. If you believe you are really a body, you are mistaken. If you believe you're in a world here, you're mistaken. Believing the IMAGINED WORLD to be ACTUAL, is the only mistake.

Actual separation never happened. Only the faulty belief in it, a dream of a world that never was.

"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>celess, an class="hi2">anan>d all events are nowhere. When the mind awakes, it but continues as it always was."

"There is no peace except the peace of God because He has one Son, who can class="hi2">anan>not make a world in opposition to God's Will an class="hi2">anan>d to his own, which is the same as His. What could he hope to find in such a world? It can class="hi2">anan>not have reality because it never was created. Is it here that he would seek for peace? Or must he see that, as he looks on it, the world can class="hi2">anan> but deceive? Yet can class="hi2">anan> he learn to look on it an class="hi2">anan>other way, an class="hi2">anan>d find the peace of God."

"You are DEVOTING your mind to what you DO NOT Wan class="hi2">ANan>T. How real can class="hi2">anan> this devotion be? If you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t it, it was never created. If it was never created, it is nothing. Can class="hi2">anan> you REALLY devote yourself to nothing?"

"Now in the han class="hi2">anan>ds made gentle by His touch, the Holy Spirit lays a picture of a DIFFERENT you. It is a picture of a body still, for what you REALLY are can class="hi2">anan> not be seen nor pictured."

"Perception seems to TEACH you what you see. Yet it but witnesses to what YOU taught. It is the outward picture of a wish, an class="hi2">anan> image that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>TED to be true."

"You need to be aware of what the Holy Spirit uses to replace the image of a body in your mind."

"This ____ is an class="hi2">anan> image which I have made."

"That ____ is an class="hi2">anan> image which I have made."

"an class="hi2">Anan> idol is an class="hi2">anan> image of your brother"

"Here is an class="hi2">anan> image that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T to be yourself. It is the mean class="hi2">anan>s to make your wish come true. It GIVES the eyes with which you look on it, the han class="hi2">anan>ds that feel it, an class="hi2">anan>d the ears with which you listened to the sounds it makes. IT PROVES ITS OWN REALITY TO YOU. Thus is the body made a THEORY of yourself, with NO provisions made for evidence BEYOND itself, an class="hi2">anan>d NO escape within its sight."

While you have an class="hi2">anan> ego, you will actually defend it an class="hi2">anan>d protect it. You will be afraid of the truth because the truth shows that the ego is not real, an class="hi2">anan>d if you believe you are the ego, that mean class="hi2">anan>s you are not real. That would of course be frightening.

It's not so much that our ego resists waking up. It can class="hi2">anan>'t wake up. It's just a machine, a structure made of illusions. But WE resist waking up because we're identified with the ego. We interpret the truth through it, ask it what its interpretation of the truth is, an class="hi2">anan>d take the truth's "attack" on it personally.

If for example you are identified with the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the truth tells you that the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, or that your body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, you - identified with ego - will take that personally. You'll think that it mean class="hi2">anan>s you are an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Obviously that's confused but you also think it's real, so you'll see the truth as an class="hi2">anan> attack on your very existence.

This is why it can class="hi2">anan> be so difficult to accept the truth an class="hi2">anan>d wake up. Our ties to the ego make us believe the illusion is real an class="hi2">anan>d that we are the illusion. IF that were true, it's totally understan class="hi2">anan>dable that you wouldn't wan class="hi2">anan>t to let go of your self.

This can class="hi2">anan> be why, when you open up to some truth, letting the light in, you will on the one han class="hi2">anan>d welcome courageously but on the other han class="hi2">anan>d react to it like it's come to destroy you. You will have an class="hi2">anan> ego rebound an class="hi2">anan>d feel upset an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>gry an class="hi2">anan>d scared, as though you're being threatened.

Often when I am in a flow or a upswing of inspiration, teaching, writing etc... I am opening up to new truths an class="hi2">anan>d expan class="hi2">anan>ding my awareness, but at the same time, it is easy to become overwhelmed. I start to have a lot of emotions come up for release. an class="hi2">Anan>d if I push too hard, I will actually start to feel afraid an class="hi2">anan>d guilty. This is the parts of me still attached to the ego which do not understan class="hi2">anan>d or accept the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d perceive it as mean class="hi2">anan>ing all kinds of wrong conclusions. I've found particularly that when I talk about unconscious guilt it can class="hi2">anan> produce a lot of fear because my ego interprets it to mean class="hi2">anan> the guilt is real an class="hi2">anan>d therefore I should be afraid.

Exposing yourself to the truth can class="hi2">anan> therefore produce all kinds of reactions, including sickness. Sickness defends against the truth, because you think the truth has come to attack the ego. So basically if you're closely attached to an class="hi2">anan>d identified with the ego, the truth will seem very threatening an class="hi2">anan>d you will likely produce a lot of sickness in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to protect your sense of "self". It's just self-preservation. The only distortion is that your sense of identity is misplaced so you're taking things personally that do not really apply to who you really are. They apply to the ego, but not you.

Sometimes then I have to take a break from "too much input" an class="hi2">anan>d from pushing myself into so much truth at once. But I think over time my rebounds have in general become less intense now. I can class="hi2">anan> talk about the truth for longer before my sense of reality feels the pressure an class="hi2">anan>d starts to retaliate. I guess that's good, it mean class="hi2">anan>s that I am not as ego-identified as I used to be, or that I've woken up some.

Jesus also talks about how when we are at first taking responsibility for everything, we may take it to be a major attack, because to the ego-identified self it implies we must be very guilty. But over time, as we dis-identify with the false self, we don't take it as personally, or to mean class="hi2">anan> that we are guilty as much. Over time it becomes easier to take responsibility knowing that it does not imply you are guilty, as you start to "separate" yourself from the ego's interpretation of it.

Starting to grasp how I have chosen everything I am experiencing, has been blowing my mind an class="hi2">anan>d expan class="hi2">anan>ding my awareness, but also scaring my ego identification some. Time to relax a bit.

In the ego mind, the mind is split, an class="hi2">anan>d so is your will. You have willed against yourself. So now your mind has more than class="hi2">anan> one will in it, seeming to act in contradiction. You are at war with yourself.

So what happens now is, your will attempts to still "cause", but then this other opposing will also attempts to "cause", an class="hi2">anan>d the two of them are opposite each other in every way so this "can class="hi2">anan>cels out" all of the possible effects.

It's like being constipated, or a stalemate. We literally basically STOP ourselves from willing an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. This is why we do not produce an class="hi2">anan>d EFFECTS. This is also why, in a split mind, it seems like we can class="hi2">anan>not have an class="hi2">anan>y power over the world or use the mind's power to make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen directly. We're stuck in a body that seems to be cut off from the environment an class="hi2">anan>d our mind seems totally powerless.

When the will is reunited as whole an class="hi2">anan>d is not divided against itself (no ego), the mind no longer has opposition. It is able to now be single minded an class="hi2">anan>d to will consistently in one direction. This unopposed will has the Power of God, to CAUSE, an class="hi2">ANan>D to produce effects. This unleashes the power of the mind to man class="hi2">anan>ifest. It was in this state that we originally made the universe appear.

This is also a key in miracle working. Miracles don't work in a spirit of fear, an class="hi2">anan>d fear comes from separation, mean class="hi2">anan>ing that if you are afraid that "the miracle wont work" or "the symptoms aren't going away" or "I don't trust this power" or "I don't think I can class="hi2">anan> do this etc"... the perceived "things that would oppose success" are actually other aspects of YOUR OWN WILL in your own mind, in conflict with what you're trying to achieve.

This is why when the mind an class="hi2">anan>d will are split, there are no miracles happening. Something has gone wrong. The mind is literally believing in an class="hi2">anan> opposing will which it thinks is "out there" or is alien to it or external to it. It is not. It's inside your mind. So when you are "against yourself", you are literally stopping your will, against your will. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you can class="hi2">anan>cel out the effects of what you try to make happen.

A mind which is whole does not even regard the current state of the world, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, how severe a problem seems, how big the challenge, whether it's healing a headache or moving a mountain. When the mind is clearly aware that it has ONE WILL, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no opposing will (because nothing happens against your will, therefore everything happens BY your will).... it is more like... an class="hi2">anan> artist painting new brushstrokes. The can class="hi2">anan>vas does not resist the paint. There is nothing stopping an class="hi2">anan> entirely new projection from happening. What was there before has NO POWER to stop the effects from showing up.

This is why in miracle working you do not "ask" stuff to go away or be healed. That is evidence that you believe there is a will opposing yours (physical matter? sickness? causes?) which has the power to stop you, therefore you have to "ask permission" for it to chan class="hi2">anan>ge. That's not how miracles happen.

Also you will find it's useful to "comman class="hi2">anan>d" that something chan class="hi2">anan>ge. If you are certain an class="hi2">anan>d authoritative an class="hi2">anan>d whole-minded/loving enough, it must comply. But the fact is, you're ultimately not even comman class="hi2">anan>ding a "separate thing" to chan class="hi2">anan>ge. In your truest nature, you simply EXPRESS. You CREATE. Stuff just comes out of you joyfully an class="hi2">anan>d, if that mean class="hi2">anan>s making forms, then the forms just instan class="hi2">anan>tly show up an class="hi2">anan>d materialize. Not because you asked them to, but because you simply created them.

To work miracles we must UNDO all belief that there is an class="hi2">anan>y cause in the world, an class="hi2">anan>y power over you, an class="hi2">anan>y alien will, an class="hi2">anan>y separate strength or reason or order of difficult that suggests "it might not work because" or "thats too big a challenge" or "it appears to much a problem."

I'm reminded of star wars, where Luke is being taught by Yoda, an class="hi2">anan>d believes he can class="hi2">anan>not lift the spaceship from the swamp because "its too big". That's the hierarchy of illusions. Yoda then demonstrated that size does not matter. Effectively he was demonstrating the miracle-working power of the mind.

A year or so ago, someone close to me was sick. We weren’t sure what really happened. It was very stran class="hi2">anan>ge. It seemed to come out of nowhere overnight, had no apparent cause, an class="hi2">anan>d seemed impossible to diagnose.

The person seemed to turn into a bit of a monster, was confused an class="hi2">anan>d paran class="hi2">anan>oid, suddenly dropped a whole bunch of longheld beliefs, an class="hi2">anan>d seemed to turn into an class="hi2">anan>other person. This was baffling an class="hi2">anan>d very upsetting.

I took it upon myself to try to "figure out" what was happening. So I started to research. I went online an class="hi2">anan>d was googling like a madman class="hi2">anan>. Sometimes I ran class="hi2">anan> across something which seemed it "might" explain what’s happening. Some things seeemd to fit.

Each time I found something, I started to exclaim "this is what it is", or "this is what is causing it!" I started driving the person nuts with my explan class="hi2">anan>ations an class="hi2">anan>d ideas of what I thought the problem was. Each time that I found something, it seeemd like the true cause. But later, it turned out to be, maybe not "it". Something about it, didn’t quite fully explain all the symptoms.

Did that stop me? Nope. I thought that this mean class="hi2">anan>t I should seek even harder to find the truth. That I should have the "ability" to find the truth out there somewhere. I was convinced at the time that the truth IS out there somewhere. That if I just try hard enough, I will find it. That "cause" is out there somewhere. Identifying the cause would seem to suggest what is happening, to explain it, an class="hi2">anan>d that this would lead to a SOLUTION.

It never happened. Each time I went seeking, I felt more desperate. Each time I searched, I came up more an class="hi2">anan>d more empty han class="hi2">anan>ded. I felt exasperated an class="hi2">anan>d frustrated. It became obsessive. Surely the truth was there somewhere, an class="hi2">anan>d dealing with this person being the way there were was intolerable. I wan class="hi2">anan>ted to find the truth. But I was looking for it "out there", an class="hi2">anan>d could not find it. The more I sought an class="hi2">anan>d did not find, the more upset I became, the more desperate I felt, an class="hi2">anan>d the more I then felt COMPELLED to search even harder.

This turned out to be a good thing after a while, because I FAILED. I totally failed to find the truth out there. I "exhausted" all efforts to search externally. So my mind gradually was using up its last vestige of a sense of "possibility", that the truth was out there. I started to notice something. The truth does not seem to be out there! an class="hi2">Anan>ywhere! I lost faith in the world an class="hi2">anan>d SAW THROUGH the illusion that the world contains the truth. an class="hi2">Anan>y kind of truth. an class="hi2">Anan>ywhere.

It was a very short hop from this perception to realizing, bringing into question, that perhaps.... THE TRUTH IS NOT an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE IN THE WORLD. That it literally can class="hi2">anan>not be found. That seeking is a EGO TRAP. The more you seek for truth out there, the LESS you find it. an class="hi2">Anan>d that’s because, in truth, the truth is INSIDE YOU. Each time I basically "left my inner truth", believing I "did not have the truth", I went searching for it in the world. I really believed strongly, the world HAD the truth in it SOMEWHERE. But it did not. I inadvertently proved it to myself.

So I failed, an class="hi2">anan>d that was great, because this idea suddenly popped in, that there is no truth in the world at all. NOTHING in the world is true. This was quite eye opening. It mean class="hi2">anan>t that, for example, the sickness which I’d been trying to diagnose an class="hi2">anan>d fix this whole time, ALSO wasn’t the truth. It also mean class="hi2">anan>t, it wasn’t being caused BY an class="hi2">anan>ything out there. The truth was NOT out there. There must have been an class="hi2">anan>other cause, an class="hi2">anan> inner cause.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so began class="hi2">anan> a whole new phase for me, of withdrawing my belief from the world, learning to recognize it is COMPLETELY FALSE, that it is not true in an class="hi2">anan>y way, an class="hi2">anan>d that also sickness is entirely fake. These were importan class="hi2">anan>t steps in the direction of forgiveness, an class="hi2">anan>d completely shifted the way I was looking at the sick person 180 degrees. Clearly, it wasn’t a question of "what out there is causing it". It was a matter of, "It is NOT being caused".

Gradually as I’ve been practicing this an class="hi2">anan>d growing stronger in the recognition that this is true, that earth is 100% false, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing in it is true, my miracle-working has gone up. It is my job now not to figure out, "what caused that", but to learn to NOT BELIEVE that it is caused by an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> the mind. That there is no truth IN what I’m perceiving. People showing up with sickness, are trying to assert a lie. Sickness is recognize more an class="hi2">anan>d more as FALSE, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, with no truth to it.

Miracle working **ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES** NOT BELIEVING THIS WORLD IS THE TRUTH. If we believe it is the truth, we will keep it, lock in its form, have no will to heal it, an class="hi2">anan>d be convinced by illusions. The truth is not in the world or in form. "Never was love in the world." It is not out there. It’s inside. IT comes from God. God is the only cause, not this world. Mind is the only cause of what’s out there.

What appear to be causes in this world are LIES. Fiction. Fan class="hi2">anan>tasy. Illusions. Dreams. Make-believe cause that suggest, yes, the world has truth in it because the world has a causal power. The world causes nothing. It is nothing but effect. Cause, therefore truth, is somewhere else. Truth is always equated with REALITY. Since there is NO truth in this world, not in false perception or in true perception, THE WORLD IS NOT REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore it is NOT THERE, an class="hi2">anan>d whatever is showing up as "sickness happening" IS NOT HAPPENING.

What is not a CAUSE, is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore has no reality of its own. Because the world is an class="hi2">anan> effect, an class="hi2">anan>d has no truth/cause in it, IT IS NOT THERE. It is not happening. Separation never happened.

Jesus:

"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."

"The world that you perceive is the witness to your state of mind, the outward picture of your inward condition."

"The cause of healing is the only Cause of everything. 4 It has but one Effect. 5 an class="hi2">Anan>d in that recognition, causelessness is given no effects an class="hi2">anan>d none is seen."

"There is no point in trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the world. It is incapable of chan class="hi2">anan>ge because it is merely an class="hi2">anan> effect."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an class="hi2">anan> effect, it can class="hi2">anan>not make effects."

"what you made has no cause an class="hi2">anan>d no effects at all."

"But it also shows that, having no effects, it is not cause because the function of causation is to have effects"

"The world is but an class="hi2">anan> effect, it is not a cause at all."

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it."

"The world that you see is what you have put there to see; nothing more an class="hi2">anan>d nothing less"

"The world you see does not exist."

"Nothing the world believes is true."

"It is the world you see that is impossible."

"You are the dreamer of the world of dreams."

"The world you see has nothing to do with reality."

"The bleak little world will van class="hi2">anan>ish into nothingness."

"The world you see does nothing. It has no effects at all."

"Salvation is no more than class="hi2">anan> a reminder this world is not your home."

"There is a place in you where this whole world has been forgotten."

"The world has never been at all. Eternity remains a constan class="hi2">anan>t state."

The tiny mad idea, a thought of separation, produced a "dream".

The dream is comprised of illusions. Thoughts of separation must always be illusory because reality is not separate. A thought of separation is also a thought of death (opposite to life).

Thoughts of separation must always produce "form". Form is a limited illusion. It just mean class="hi2">anan>s, the "form" that the illusion takes - its appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, which differentiates it from other illusions. All illusions are limited. All illusions are forms. Forms can class="hi2">anan> be subtle, mental, energetic, emotional, or physical. They are all dreams, but of varying degrees of deception or "solidity". As Jesus says, waking dreams an class="hi2">anan>d nighttime dreams differ only in their form - both are illusions.

A thought of separation HAD to produce what we call a physical universe in order to fulfill, in the extreme, the death-wish which was put in place when we "sinned". Sin was believing that separation was possible, which began class="hi2">anan> the dream in the first place. As soon as it began class="hi2">anan>, death was written into it an class="hi2">anan>d this HAD to lead logically an class="hi2">anan>d consistently to what appears to be a "universe", containing a "world", in which there are "bodies", which can class="hi2">anan> seem to die.

People within that world, inhabiting bodies, have in their minds *identified with* illusions an class="hi2">anan>d are now experiencing a layer of illusions ON TOP OF the illusion of the physical universe itself. They mis-interpret it an class="hi2">anan>d project stuff onto it. This is a *secondary layer* of illusions. The first layer of illusions was dreamed by the whole of the Son of God, an class="hi2">anan>d the second layer is added by individual ego-identified people.

When this layer of illusions (delusion) is seeming to happen, people mis-percieve "the world", or the physical universe in general, an class="hi2">anan>d do not recognize it. They distort it, attack it, judge it, an class="hi2">anan>d see their own sin in it. This is a false perception of a false perception. The universe was false perception in the mind of the Son of God in the first place, an class="hi2">anan>d now we are further mis-perceiving it even more.

"Individuals" have their own mis-perceptions of the illusory world, but also the illusory world itself is a mis-perception in the larger shared mind.

When we apply forgiveness, we are correcting mis-perceptions, which are beliefs in sin being real, an class="hi2">anan>d are taking back our projected hate from the illusory world. This causes us to BELIEVE LESS that the illusion of the world is actually reality. We were deluded so long as we thought the world was real. What we thought ABOUT the world was a mis-perception OF the world.

Believing the world is real, is believing an class="hi2">anan> illusion is real. The world is not real. I it an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is a dream of a world. an class="hi2">Anan>d being part of the physical universe, the same applies to the whole universe.

When the mind is purified of these mis-perceptions OF the world, we come to a CLEAR perception OF the world, which is "True Perception". This true perception looks "with truth" upon what the world "is". It *recognizes* that the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, NOT a reality. "Making real" the physical world enforces upset an class="hi2">anan>d victimhood. Making it unreal, recognizing its urneality, frees us from suffering.

Being able to clearly perceive that the world is actually an class="hi2">anan> illusion, is sight of the "real world". It is the real, as in actual, world that's there. Or to put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, we're seeing the "true state" of the world, which is that it is not real.

Jesus referred to it as the real world ONLY to contrast it against a perceived "unreal world" which is what you perceive when you are attacking yourself an class="hi2">anan>d projecting it onto the illusion of a world. Self-attack distorts your perception an class="hi2">anan>d shows you a world of hate. A forgiven self shows you an class="hi2">anan> illusory world which is forgiven - the forgiven world, the "real" version of the illusory world - recognizing that it is NOTHING MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION.

At that point, you have true perception an class="hi2">anan>d are seeing correctly, recognizing the world was never real an class="hi2">anan>d the physical universe that seems to contain it is not real whatsoever. This is where you then have a tiny step to take to cross over to the "REALLY REAL" "world", which is God's Creation, God's universe, which is beyond all physicality. In the light this produces, the physical world, which was an class="hi2">anan> illusion, eventually disappears from the mind of the collective Son of God, BECAUSE it was not real. All the stars disappear in light, etc.... an class="hi2">anan>d the "truth of" the "real world", the true-perception of the lie, easily allows you to tran class="hi2">anan>slate that to mean class="hi2">anan> that only God's reality is true. The world is forgotten, an class="hi2">anan>d God is remembered.

I wan class="hi2">anan>t to make an class="hi2">anan> importan class="hi2">anan>t point which I think man class="hi2">anan>y people overlook with what the Course is teaching.

There is something that you may not have realized about this world. It is not what you think it is.

Physical matter ITSELF, is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, of such profoundly convincing proportions, that you do not even suspect that there is something unnatural about it.

Its form an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ce are so deceiving, an class="hi2">anan>d so successful at convincing you it is "natural", that you don't even consider that there is something untrue about it. It is SO BLINDING that it is assumed to be "just the way it is", as if an class="hi2">anan>y universe would have objects like this.

This blindness about form has led man class="hi2">anan>y ACIM students to not even question physical form, as if it's just there an class="hi2">anan>d is real. Like it's a given, so vast an class="hi2">anan>d seemingly consistent that it seems to be outside of our minds an class="hi2">anan>d impossible to influence directly. an class="hi2">Anan>d this then leads to a severely mistaken interpretation of the Course.

If physical form is natural, an class="hi2">anan>d it's not even up for question, then the only thing that seems chan class="hi2">anan>geable is "inside your mind", which will be interpreted to mean class="hi2">anan> "inside your personal non-form self", separate from the world.

You will then start to interpret the course as mean class="hi2">anan>ing you should only chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind "about" the world, because it seems to be the only part of "you" that Can class="hi2">ANan> be modified easily.

It's as if, the world is a separate "thing", so big an class="hi2">anan>d so unchan class="hi2">anan>geable by you, that you don't even begin to question its nature. The Course then becomes entirely about you accepting atonement "for yourself", you chan class="hi2">anan>ging "your mind" ABOUT the world, you not chan class="hi2">anan>ging the world at all, an class="hi2">anan>d you not having an class="hi2">anan>y miraculous power to do so.

What also results from this is a false sense of context, that your "perception" is kind of a personal thing, inside your mind, inside your body. Everything physically external to your body is considered to be something else.

Indeed there is barely an class="hi2">anan>y consideration for this entire universe being "inside your mind" in an class="hi2">anan>y way - that seems like FAR too big of a responsibility or a magnitude of identity FAR too big to be able to accept or relate to. We have become SO USED TO LITTLENESS, that we do not think big at all.

I wan class="hi2">anan>t to make it clear just how BLINDING form is, an class="hi2">anan>d WHY it is so deceiving, lying, unnatural, false an class="hi2">anan>d unreal.

I also wan class="hi2">anan>t to reframe this entire world as being inside the collective mind of the Sonship. This leads to a very importan class="hi2">anan>t point, which is, that the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, man class="hi2">anan>ifestation, physicality an class="hi2">anan>d nature of "physical matter" is actually nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a STATE OF MIND. Or to put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, it is PERCEPTION.

The Course literally says "This world IS perception." This does not mean class="hi2">anan> perception OF the world, which is once removed. It mean class="hi2">anan>s literally, the mind of the Son of God which is dreaming this universe, is having a false perception, which is showing up as a tree, a car, an class="hi2">anan>d a young child. These seeming forms are not really physical matter, they are IDEAS IN THE MIND. an class="hi2">Anan>d all of these ideas are just thoughts. an class="hi2">Anan>d thoughts are nothing more than class="hi2">anan> PERCEPTIONS. So this seemingly physical universe is in fact the Son of God mis-perceiving, an class="hi2">anan>d the hallucinations He's having in his false perception are showing up as IMAGES which we think are physical objects.

There is a huge camp of people in the ACIM community who generally do not see or believe this. As described above, they think that this world is somehow real an class="hi2">anan>d natural an class="hi2">anan>d that we are only supposed to chan class="hi2">anan>ge our "little" minds about it, to see IT differently. Not realizing whatsoever that IT ITSELF is perception, INSIDE A MIND, a mind so vast an class="hi2">anan>d powerful that we don't even conceive of it as being who we really are or what we are capable of.

Now. How is it that form is blinding, or an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d exactly HOW does form deceive you? How is it lying to you? What is it trying to DO? an class="hi2">Anan>d what is its PURPOSE? Remember the Course tells us to ask, "what is it FOR"? What is form FOR?

Physical form is a device for massively obscuring the nature of God, by presenting a "picture of the crucifixion of God's Son" (ACIM terms), so that you see something completely UNNATURAL presenting itself as if it is "the nature" of existence, so that God's presence will be HIDDEN.

This entire world, this plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, this universe an class="hi2">anan>d everything with it, IS A LIE. It is FALSE. It is unreal. an class="hi2">Anan>d it does not exist. This is reflected in "there is no world". IT IS LITERALLY TRUE. So exactly how is physical matter lying or covering up God's nature?

In terms of how the ego thinks an class="hi2">anan>d how this world SUGGESTS things are true, it seems to us that physical objects can class="hi2">anan>not occupy the same space. It is also suggested that whatever is contained within one area of space, can class="hi2">anan>not be contained elsewhere. It seems there is only so much material (matter) to go around, an class="hi2">anan>d that in order to make something presence elsewhere it has to be *removed* from where it was, thus indicating a lack or limitation to "how much" there is of an class="hi2">anan>ything.

This is TOTALLY OPPOSITE to the nature of God. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere, fully, at all times. If you were to think of God as occupying "space" - as an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>alogy for the sake of explaining this - then ALL of God is in one location, an class="hi2">ANan>D, God is also fully in an class="hi2">anan>other location, at the same time, without an class="hi2">anan>y lack, an class="hi2">anan>y diminishing, or an class="hi2">anan>y limitation. All of God is in America, all of God is in Africa, all of God is in Europe, etc. This does not mean class="hi2">anan> God has sectioned off 1/3rd of himself to be in the USA so that there is "some left" for the other places. He is fully 100% present in ALL of these locations simultan class="hi2">anan>eously.

To the ego, this is absolutely impossible an class="hi2">anan>d absolute nonsense. In terms of physical matter it is impossible for some amount of substan class="hi2">anan>ce to be fully located in more than class="hi2">anan> one place. So physical matter inherently has this "belief system" built into it, of finite limitation, lack, difference, competition, murder, attacking (causing) without being affected, the opposite of abundan class="hi2">anan>ce, absolutely no sharing, no unity, no stability, no sameness or equality, no constan class="hi2">anan>cy, nothing perman class="hi2">anan>ent, everything chan class="hi2">anan>ging. Physical matter is the EMBODIMENT of the ego's thought system. THIS WHOLE UNIVERSE IS THE EGO THOUGHT SYSTEM!

Given that God's nature is to be everywhere fully, simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, at all times, without lack, an class="hi2">anan>d completely defying all ego laws, when we are presented with an class="hi2">anan> image of FORM, we are being presented with a picture of the OPPOSITE to God's nature. It is a massive lie. It is DELIBERATELY DESIGNED to obscure God's nature, to paint a picture of attack an class="hi2">anan>d crucifixion an class="hi2">anan>d death, to make it SEEM AS IF there is absolutely no sharing or abundan class="hi2">anan>ce, that it is "natural" to lack or have limitations.

Even the way that one physical object seems to be separate from an class="hi2">anan>other, sharing nothing with it, unable to merge or be "one" with each other, different in their properties an class="hi2">anan>d which "physical laws" (ego laws) apply to them, influencing each other differently an class="hi2">anan>d unequally, is specifically INTENDED by the ego to LIE TO YOU, so that you will be convinced that it is normal an class="hi2">anan>d natural for things to be this way. It is NOT NORMAL OR NATURAL for objects to not share space, for there to be limitation an class="hi2">anan>d lack, or for there to be DIFFERENCES or different appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

So the fact is this. You are surrounded by a massive, very solid-seeming ILLUSION, which IS PART OF THE EGO, part of the ego thought system, an class="hi2">anan>d is inside of MIND, an class="hi2">anan>d is being thought by those who are separate from God, an class="hi2">anan>d is coming from a state of belief in sin an class="hi2">anan>d separation. Physical objects are SIN. "The body is the idea of sin made flesh an class="hi2">anan>d projected outward."

Whenever "events" seem to happen in this world, an class="hi2">anan>d something seems to go wrong, this is an class="hi2">anan> IDEA playing out, an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin made real. This is why the REVERSAL OF THE PHYSICAL STATE represents a supernatural MIRACLE. To rewind time, to undo the symptoms, to can class="hi2">anan>cel the chain of illusory cause-effect, to modify the outcome of sinful events, is an class="hi2">anan> expression of miracles. Physical form is the idea of sin made flesh, an class="hi2">anan>d to reverse that IDEA will make that flesh DISAPPEAR. It must disappear because it is an class="hi2">anan> idea in the MIND. Physical forms are IN THE MIND. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind an class="hi2">anan>d "the world" MUST CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE ITS FORM, or disappear entirely.

This presents an class="hi2">anan> entirely radically different view of some of the Course principles, that somehow PHYSICALITY is actually INCLUDED IN chan class="hi2">anan>ges that are made to mind. The body is not outside the mind, nor is this world. They are not solid or real. They are IDEAS OF SEPARATION. That mean class="hi2">anan>s as mind chan class="hi2">anan>ges, physical form must chan class="hi2">anan>ge as well. This is why the physical body can class="hi2">anan> become a symbol of immortality, why all sickness must be reversed, why a broken body is PROOF that the MIND has not been healed, an class="hi2">anan>d why there is a VERY PHYSICALLY ORIENTED aspect to performing miracles.

Miracles, true miracles, are not restricted to the "scope" of your LITTLE MIND. Nor are they limited to the scope of what you THINK of as mind, separate from matter. Miracles apply to THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, because it is inside the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d IT IS perception. Physical matter is misperception of God. Period. You can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge how "you" seem to perceive it, to see God "in it" etc, but if you are still seeing physical matter according to ITS ILLUSORY LAWS, an class="hi2">anan>d still think of yourself as separate, then you are still not perceiving correctly.

Fact is, because physical forms are IN THE MIND an class="hi2">anan>d are thoughts/ideas, chan class="hi2">anan>ging the mind HAS TO CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE THE FORM. So what that mean class="hi2">anan>s is something very interesting.... there is a direct connection between "chan class="hi2">anan>ging your perception" an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ging PHYSICALLY. So if for example Jesus chan class="hi2">anan>ges water into wine, he is not really chan class="hi2">anan>ging water into wine, he is CHan class="hi2">ANan>GING HIS MIND an class="hi2">anan>d it's showing up as water chan class="hi2">anan>ging into wine.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s, we have to stop thinking of physical bodies an class="hi2">anan>d forms as "separate from mind". That's part of the ILLUSION that they are trying to convince us of, that they REALLY ARE SEPARATE, because forms "prove" that separation IS REAL. Believing forms are real is falling for the illusion they were intended to convince you of. Instead we need to think of physical matter as IDEAS or THOUGHTS IN THE MIND. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, we are not living in a physical world, we are living INSIDE A MIND, an class="hi2">anan>d as the Course says, "everything is an class="hi2">anan> idea". That mean class="hi2">anan>s, if you HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA, it will materialize as an class="hi2">anan> image of a form.

It also mean class="hi2">anan>s if you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your ideas/thoughts, IT WILL show up as things chan class="hi2">anan>ging in the world. an class="hi2">Anan>d this testifies to the POWER OF THE MIND, which most of us are scared shitless about. We literally MUST chan class="hi2">anan>ge forms if we chan class="hi2">anan>ge our mind an class="hi2">anan>d form MUST ALWAYS REPRESENT our state of mind. There is no matter separate from mind. There is no matter separate from our ideas an class="hi2">anan>d thoughts or misperceptions. Whatever form is showing up, that testifies to what we think about God. So a chan class="hi2">anan>ge in perception is not without power - a chan class="hi2">anan>ge in perception LITERALLY MUST show up as a chan class="hi2">anan>ge in physical images, because we are LIVING INSIDE A MIND an class="hi2">anan>d everything is fluid an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>geable. Form is not "solid an class="hi2">anan>d fixed" implying that mind is only that which is flexible. Form IS WITHIN the mind.

This is NOT a physical world. This "world" is a THOUGHT. It is an class="hi2">anan> idea, in the mind. Inside a VAST mind. The mind of the Son of God, not just the mind of a little separate human class="hi2">anan>. If we are to be miracle workers, it MUST MEan class="hi2">ANan> that we demonstrate that this PHYSICAL WORLD IS A LIE, by showing HOW it is a lie, by chan class="hi2">anan>ging it, in order to SHOW that it is a lie, so that people are educated experientially. The course literally tells us to do this, an class="hi2">anan>d that our demonstrations will exonerate our brothers from belief in sin.

When the Course also teaches, which it does, that we are supposed to demonstrate a PERFECTLY HEALTHY BODY, free of all sin an class="hi2">anan>d symptoms an class="hi2">anan>d signs of death, it tells us this because our physical body is an class="hi2">anan> IDEA in our MIND, which we are presenting to our brother. If the body is broken, the MIND IS DREAMING OF A LIE. So that proves the mind is not healed.

So if we show sickness to a brother, to his physical eyes, we are actually presenting a THOUGHT OF DEATH an class="hi2">ANan>D ATTACK, which shows up in what we call "physical form", but is really an class="hi2">anan> IDEA in the mind. So now our physical body HAS TO BE USED as a "medium" through which God's laws are demonstrated, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind is SHOWN to be healed, through the miraculous absence of all signs of mental illness.

You can class="hi2">anan>not have mental health without physical health, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not have sickness without mental illness. "All sickness is mental illness." an class="hi2">Anan>d that's simply because, the body is IN THE MIND, so whatever state of mind you have it WILL SHOW UP as the body. an class="hi2">Anan>d when the mind is perfectly purified, the body will disappear entirely.

What this reveals is that in A Course in Miracles, which man class="hi2">anan>y people think is about the mind (inside the body), MUST INCLUDE the tran class="hi2">anan>sformation of FORM, as a symbol of truth, to use form to demonstrate the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d to use form to show that form is a lie. an class="hi2">Anan>d these demonstrations are what the Course refers to as MIRACLES. They DO incorporate chan class="hi2">anan>ges of mind, because form IS IN THE MIND. The body is not separate from the mind, nor are physical objects, nor is the world.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this is why our PROVING of God's truth an class="hi2">anan>d laws must take place IN THIS WORLD, using miracles which demonstrate SUPERNATURALLY (beyond the illusory nature of physical matter), that the truth is true. If one object is multiplied into two objects, with no lack or limitation, this is a miraculous demonstration of the fact that the EGO'S LIE, which is physical form, does not apply to the nature of God.

"That the body can class="hi2">anan>not heal the mind but the mind can class="hi2">anan> heal the body proves that the mind must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body. EVERY MIRACLE DEMONSTRATES THIS." Miracles can class="hi2">anan> ONLY demonstrate this by showing that the mind can class="hi2">anan> HEAL the body, mind is more powerful than class="hi2">anan> matter, mind is free of the ego's laws of physics, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore the mind has SUPERNATURAL POWER over physicality. This is a central, core teaching of A Course in Miracles.

"What you use the body for it will become to you." tells us that if you use the body with love, the body should BECOME A PICTURE OF LOVE. If it is being used for attack, IT WILL become a picture of sickness, proving the mind is not healed. The body is literally A REFLECTION OF YOUR MENTAL STATE. Because it is being projected by your mind. Just as this whole universe is being projected by the mind of the Sonship. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything which seems physical IS NOT, it is in the mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d so if you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind, THE WORLD MUST CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE.

We are not inside a physical world. The physical world is a lie inside our mind. Nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> idea or thought, or a false perception. It is a visualization of mental illness. an class="hi2">Anan>d because it is IN the mind, within the scope of the mind's influence, it can class="hi2">anan> EASILY BE CHan class="hi2">ANan>GED by someone who is purified in their awareness of love's power.

So ACIM is not just about hey, I'm going to heal my mind in isolation, regardless of what other people do, in private, an class="hi2">anan>d not have an class="hi2">ANan>Y EFFECT on others or on the world. There are entire sections in the course talking about how we are afraid of the FACT that thoughts produce effects. "All thought produces form at some level." Therefore, all form is a thought, therefore it must be within the mind, therefore it must be chan class="hi2">anan>geable if the mind chan class="hi2">anan>ges.

Form is the "form of error". Error mean class="hi2">anan>s the unforgiving idea of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death considered to be real. All physical form is ERROR. It is an class="hi2">anan> IDEA of attack, separation, difference an class="hi2">anan>d UNNATURAL conditions.

There is a great section in the course talking about how the body's physical eyes were designed to look upon FORM (of error) an class="hi2">anan>d make it real, BLINDING YOU to true vision or the ability to REALLY SEE or recognize the ILLUSION that matter is.

”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. 7 To this distorted form of vision the outside of everything, the wall that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth, is wholly true. 8 Yet how can class="hi2">anan> sight that stops at nothingness, as if it were a solid wall, see truly?"

In this section we are told how the ego made form (matter) as errors, vs mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d made the body with physical eyes, to be BLIND YOU, NOT to see. Physical sight is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, pretending to "see" when in fact it is like burying your head in the san class="hi2">anan>d.

From the perspective of the whole of existence, in which you can class="hi2">anan> see everything at once, the body was made to ISOLATE YOUR VISION, to trap you in an class="hi2">anan> illusion, like going inside a closed box, in which you are only allowed to see the inside of the box. It's like being forced to look at a tv screen forever an class="hi2">anan>d ever, never allowed to look away or look at an class="hi2">anan>ything else. It gives you pre-presecribed images to look at, an class="hi2">anan>d to ONLY look at them in a certain way, so that you will NOT SEE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING REAL.

Physical matter, an class="hi2">anan>d sight of it with body eyes, was INTENDED by the ego to BLIND YOU, so that you would never question that physical forms are illusions, or can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, or have an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with mind, or that you put them there through dreaming for the sole purpose of LYING about the nature of God.

You can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d should not believe your eyes, or an class="hi2">anan>y body senses. They are designed to FAIL TO SEE, to FAIL TO SENSE, an class="hi2">anan>d to NOT BE AWARE of what is real. Body sensory organ class="hi2">anan>s are LIES, pretending to be able to be "aware of" something when in fact these sensations BLIND YOU to true awareness. This is why pain an class="hi2">anan>d pleasure both make the body real. Sight of form, belief in form, an class="hi2">anan>d assumption that physicality is natural, is part of the ego thought system.

Demonstrations that it is false an class="hi2">anan>d limited is a miracle, revealing the TRUE NATURE OF GOD. If miracles could not demonstrate that the ego's laws, its world, physicality, matter, are NOT REAL OR TRUE, an class="hi2">anan>d are not governed by the laws that the ego made up, we would have NO WAY to prove that God's laws are true, there could be NO HEALING, an class="hi2">anan>d the ego could not be undone. As Jesus says, the mere fact that illusions Can class="hi2">ANan> BE CHan class="hi2">ANan>GED by miracles proves their imperman class="hi2">anan>ence.

So open your mind. This world is not what you think it is. It is a huge lie. You are not little, isolated to a body. Nor do you have a private awakening. Your mind is not stuck in your body. You are bigger than class="hi2">anan> this universe, an class="hi2">anan>d more powerful than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything this world can class="hi2">anan> demonstrate. This world IS perception an class="hi2">anan>d it must be corrected. That's how it turns into a happy dream, not just a happy interpretation of hell, but the TRan class="hi2">ANan>SLATION of hell into Heaven, initially through the tran class="hi2">anan>sformation of matter towards symbols of Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d then its disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce.

"Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth are opposite in EVERY WAY." an class="hi2">Anan>d that could not be more true - physical matter an class="hi2">anan>d its "nature" are SO OPPOSITE to God's nature, they have nothing in common. Matter is a lie. Objects are fiction. Bodies are illusions. Worlds an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d stars are fake. There is no separation, no difference, no appearan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d no forms. There is only God's nature governing the TRUE LAWS of existence, which we are to demonstrate through miracles HERE in this illusion so that we can class="hi2">anan> teach others that this world is NOT NATURAL, an class="hi2">anan>d that the truth is therefore SUPER NATURAL.

"I am not weak, but strong.

I am not helpless, but all powerful.

I am not limited, but unlimited.

I am not doubtful, but certain.

I am not an class="hi2">anan> illusion, but a reality.

I can class="hi2">anan>not see in darkness, but in light."

More...

I am not mortal but immortal.

I am not sick but healthy.

I am not dying but eternal.

I am not afraid but confident.

I am not a victim but empowered.

I am not guilty but innocent.

I am not sinful but holy.

I am not lost but united.

I am not alone but one.

I am not forgotten but remembered.

I am not upset but peaceful.

I am not unhappy but joyful.

I am not attacked but safe.

I am not hopeless but grateful.

I am not deprived but abundan class="hi2">anan>t.

I am not lacking but receiving.

I am not hurt but invulnerable.

I am not suffering but relieved.

I am not affected but causal.

I am not stuck but miraculous.

I am not imprisoned but free.

I am not an class="hi2">anan>gry but calm.

I am not condemned but forgiven.

I am not dark but light.

I am not separate but whole.

I am not an class="hi2">anan> ego but as God created me.

I am not confused but clear.

I am not diseased but healed.

I am not broken but complete.

I am not isolated but expan class="hi2">anan>sive.

I am not asleep but awake.

I am not unconscious but aware.

I am not deadly but harmless.

I am not murderous but welcoming.

I am not a victimizer but truly helpful.

I am not misguided but directed.

I am not ugly but beautiful.

I am not depressed but happy.

I am not unwilling but willing.

I am not resistan class="hi2">anan>t but open.

I am not ill but well.

I am not damned but saved.

I am not in exile but in heaven.

I am not a body but spirit.

I am not a dream but God's creation.

I am not fictional but authentic.

I am not divided but undivided.

I am not adrift but purposeful.

I am not threatened but perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

I am not rejected but loved.

I am not aban class="hi2">anan>doned but embraced.

I am not in hell but in God.

I am not offended but humored.

I am not suspicious but trusting.

I am not vicious but gentle.

I am not ashamed but appreciative.

I am not envious but fulfilled.

I am not idolizing but within.

I am not heroic but saved.

I am not horrified but passer-by.

I am not judging but forgiving.

I am not hateful but generous.

I am not resentful but than class="hi2">anan>kful.

I am not in dan class="hi2">anan>ger but protected.

I am not disgusting but acceptable.

I am not beyond help but supported.

I am not embarrassed but understood.

I am not grieving but reunited.

I am not controlled but powerful.

I am not terrified but strong.

I am not worried but filled with faith.

I am not dead but eternal life.

I am not lonely but home with God.

I am not sad but overjoyed.

I am not insan class="hi2">anan>e but san class="hi2">anan>e.

I am not delusional but honest.

I am not empty but inspired.

I am not insecure but secure.

I am not an class="hi2">anan>xious but reassured.

I am not cold but warm.

I am not tense but relaxed.

I am not disturbed but quiet.

I am not stressed but at ease.

I am not serious but playful.

I am not harsh but kind.

I am not weak but supernatural.

I am not in time but in eternity.

I am not separate but with God.

If something seems to have gone wrong with your body, the temptation is to believe it is has reality an class="hi2">anan>d truth to it.

ACIM: "Temptation has one lesson it would teach in all its forms wherever it occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die, unable to escape its frailty an class="hi2">anan>d bound by what it orders him to feel."

This is the temptation, the ego's attempt to get us to BELIEVE that the sickness is true, the damage is real, the suffering is really happening, something really has gone wrong. It's all part of the belief in sin.

Our challenge then is to do the opposite of be tempted, which is to seek Atonement, by learning to UNDO the false perceptions which are causing you to see an class="hi2">anan> illusion as something more than class="hi2">anan> just an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

If you have come to believe that your sickness is a REAL SICKNESS, then you're got a problem far more deceptive than class="hi2">anan> the sickness itself. You not only have "a sickness" but also a sickness of perception, a mental illness, in which you believe that an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of sickness in the body is actually reality an class="hi2">anan>d truth. You are having perceptual hallucinations. You are not seeing correctly.

To UNDO these false perceptions, you must be willing to re-frame what you thought was sickness an class="hi2">anan>d see it in a different way. You must become able to see it in such a way that it "registers" with you as completely "false". You need to come to recognize it as an class="hi2">anan>d be convinced that it is, nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION an class="hi2">anan>d NOT a reality.

This does imply, an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>s, that all forms of sickness are FICTIONAL, an class="hi2">anan>d all forms of sickness are merely fake images which you have MADE in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to put on a show of sickness really happening. Whatever the sickness allegedly is, it is not a REAL sickness, it can class="hi2">anan> only be a fake sickness.

In God's reality, there is no such thing as real sickness. Sickness is separation from God. an class="hi2">Anan>d one expression of such a sickness, which believes an class="hi2">anan> illusion of separation is real, shows up as physical sickness. That mean class="hi2">anan>s that in how you're looking at this sickness, your belief in it, your seeing SIN in it, your belief that it's really happening an class="hi2">anan>d has weight an class="hi2">anan>d is tan class="hi2">anan>gibly real an class="hi2">anan>d NOT an class="hi2">anan> illusion, IS your sickness because it's an class="hi2">anan> expression of separation from HEALTH, which is separation from WHOLENESS or God.

It is tempting to believe the body's signals, like, well, I have this thing going on in my body an class="hi2">anan>d it's doing stuff to me an class="hi2">anan>d I don't know how it got there an class="hi2">anan>d it's a threat an class="hi2">anan>d it has power over me an class="hi2">anan>d I don't wan class="hi2">anan>t it. If you believe this, then you WILL start trying to fight with it an class="hi2">anan>d to get rid of it.

But you're trying to get rid of an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION which YOU yourself believe is really there, so your BELIEF in it is actually you VALUING it, giving it credit as truth an class="hi2">anan>d reality, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you will KEEP it. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you will be attempting to fight against your own belief that it is real, which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to keep it, so your war against it will just be a state of conflict between yourself an class="hi2">anan>d yourself.

To become single-minded an class="hi2">anan>d whole you can class="hi2">anan>'t be believing in it while trying to get rid of it. You must UNDO your belief that you have a REAL sickness. You must convince yourself in an class="hi2">anan>y way possible that it is NOT a real sickness, it is NOT really happening, it does NOT have truth to it, you are NOT at the effect of it, it does NOT have power over you, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not REAL at all. It's completely fictional. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion, not a reality.

It's a made-up, faked, artificial, PRETEND SICKNESS, which you invented. You are the one who has fallen for the temptation to believe in it. You are the one who put it there. You are not a victim of it. an class="hi2">Anan>d you do have power over it. an class="hi2">Anan>d in truth, because it IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, it is completely FALSE, you do NOT have a real sickness, there IS NO SICKNESS, an class="hi2">anan>d the sickness is ALREADY GONE! The truth of all sickness is that it has not really happened at all.

Seeing that about the sickness is seeing the Atonement, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you are forgiving or overlooking the sickness. You overlook sickness by overlooking the temptation to believe that the ILLUSION of sickness is the truth. If the sickness has literally not happened because separation has not happened, an class="hi2">anan>d if it is recognized as completely FALSE because of your recognition of what the TRUTH is - God's truth, then you will REMEMBER that this "sickness" simply can class="hi2">anan>not exist at all.

That's the kind of place where your mind needs to get to in order to heal. That's the kind of perception that you need to have. Illusory things are actually RECOGNIZED as illusory. The way that illusions strike your perception is then very different to how they seemed or what they mean class="hi2">anan>t when you believed in them. You will EXPERIENCE them as false, have a sense even of the falseness of them. A sense of not believing in them an class="hi2">anan>d regarding them as not true. That's the healing of perception which is your mind UNDOING the belief in the sickness so that it can class="hi2">anan> be recognized as not existing.

Thus you recognize it has disappeared because it never really existed, it's already gone, it never even happened in the first place, you do not believe in it, there is no truth to it, it is completely false, unreal, an class="hi2">anan>d God did not create it. Therefore it simply can class="hi2">anan>not be happening an class="hi2">anan>d is not happening.

This reveals that you are actually quite a powerful creator who has literally MADE UP a sickness an class="hi2">anan>d presented it as an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE of sickness, showing up in the FORM of your body, an class="hi2">anan>d that nevertheless this is not really there. You are a maker of dreams! You brought the illusion of a sickness into being an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> just as much demolish that illusion by becoming willing to see it for what it is. It is not truth, it is fictional. All sickness is fictional. There is no such thing as a real sickness of an class="hi2">anan>y kind.

You must learn to withdraw ALL of your belief in the Fan class="hi2">ANan>TASY of "sickness" that this world holds dear. You must decide that you will never believe sickness is real ever again. You will not be tempted by the illusion of it, you will not see it, you will recognize it as a LIE which you do not fall for or wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d which is always completely false. Sickness is NOT THERE. It must go because it is already gone. Collapse the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d get all belief in sickness out of your life forever.

Believing that the truth is true, an class="hi2">anan>d only the truth is true, will give you the power to work miracles.

Separation is the idea that there is an class="hi2">anan> opposite to love.

It has given rise to a world where both love an class="hi2">anan>d hate seem to coexist, where there is both joy an class="hi2">anan>d sadness, an class="hi2">anan>d where there is both Life an class="hi2">anan>d death.

The "duality" of the world is therefore a picture of the belief that Life an class="hi2">anan>d death both coexist, that death has been added to the realm of God's existence, an class="hi2">anan>d that it's possible for opposites to occur simultan class="hi2">anan>eously.

There seems to be duality in the world because the ego believes in conflicting goals an class="hi2">anan>d opposite possibilities. We seem to now experience a world of both life an class="hi2">anan>d death, happiness an class="hi2">anan>d sadness, love an class="hi2">anan>d hate, certainty an class="hi2">anan>d fear.

We say that the hate an class="hi2">anan>d the unhappiness an class="hi2">anan>d the death an class="hi2">anan>d the fear are the problem that the ego created. But moreso it's the belief that these things can class="hi2">anan> exist an class="hi2">anan>d that they are separate from the good stuff - love/light/joy/peace - that creates this illusion of a split.

The world is an class="hi2">anan> idea of the introduction of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Life, an class="hi2">anan> opposite to love an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> opposite to happiness. It therefore has to man class="hi2">anan>ifest forms which depict both of those opposites. To have one without the other would seem to be impossible. Where there is life there must be death.

But in truth, real life does not require death in order to exist. Death on the other han class="hi2">anan>d requires life in order to define itself as its opposite. Death is not a true opposite to life. Life is eternal an class="hi2">anan>d death is nothing.

When you first perceive that someone has something wrong with them, is sick or suffering in some way, an class="hi2">anan>d this strikes you as real, you will have a reaction.

Your reaction will be part of what you have put in place in your mind, because both what you see in the other as sickness an class="hi2">anan>d your reaction to it coexist in a single split-minded dynamic.

You will react to what you've shown yourself, believing it. If it is real to you, you will be horrified an class="hi2">anan>d upset an class="hi2">anan>d will wan class="hi2">anan>t to stop the suffering as if that will solve your upset, but the other person's suffering isn't the cause of your upset - your split minded perception is.

You will wan class="hi2">anan>t for the person to be free of this pain or sickness or situation. You think that if you solve that, your own upset will go away, but it won't. You will then automatically start trying to fix them an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge them an class="hi2">anan>d even force them to be different.

Your attempts to fix them will then compel you a great deal an class="hi2">anan>d produce a lot of what seems like a genuine desire to help, a motivation to research an class="hi2">anan>d figure out an class="hi2">anan>d find solutions. You can class="hi2">anan> get into that quite deeply.

You will convince yourself that you are being caring, that you just wan class="hi2">anan>t to help the person, are trying to heal them, wan class="hi2">anan>t to take away their hurt an class="hi2">anan>d save them.

But what you don't realize is that you're doing all this as a reaction to something you perceived which frightened you an class="hi2">anan>d upset you. You think that your response is based in helpfulness an class="hi2">anan>d selflessness but it's really a selfish reaction to what you showed yourself an class="hi2">anan>d what you saw in the person.

Your use of them entailed you seeing truth within their sickness, believing their sickness to be real, showing yourself their illusion of sickness as though it is the truth an class="hi2">anan>d is really happening. That is actually an class="hi2">anan> attack on your part. That is you using the opportunity to imprison them by holding these perceptions as true of them, maintaining the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d keeping it.

Your efforts later to get rid of the sickness, as extremely caring as they may appear to be, are actually an class="hi2">anan> egoic cover-up to the fact that you are keeping the sickness in place, have attacked the person with the sickness by agreeing with it, an class="hi2">anan>d some part of you actually wan class="hi2">anan>ts them to be sick.

The truth can class="hi2">anan> be upsetting to admit to. Shocking isn't it, that you thought you were just trying to help an class="hi2">anan>d care about them an class="hi2">anan>d in fact you were hurting them, contributing to their suffering an class="hi2">anan>d keeping them imprisoned.

All you've been doing this whole time is rebounding off your own false, erroneous perception, which showed you an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sickness as though it was God's given truth, which must be horrifying if sickness is the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d then were attempting to get rid of that as though it was in the person an class="hi2">anan>d not in your own mind. The making-real of what you thought was in the person, was just a projected portion of your of mind attacking itself.

If you admit to this then you will learn to stop trying to fix an class="hi2">anan>d heal an class="hi2">anan>d correct an class="hi2">anan>d help an class="hi2">anan>d solve the person's problem, because in REAL truth they do NOT have a problem. You do. YOU are upset about what you see. YOU are upset about what appears to be a real suffering. IF it were real, your upset would be justified indeed. But it's not. You are mistaken. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s that all your attempts to help based on keeping it real an class="hi2">anan>d believing it's truly happening, are actually counter-attacks an class="hi2">anan>d are NOT forms of healing.

So all this time you thought you were trying to help, you were hurting, agreeing with what the person believes about themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d holding them captive to their own suffering. Your failure to UNDO their sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attack. Your failure to see through an class="hi2">anan>d overlook the illusion of their sickness - which is not REAL sickness (it doesn't exist), is actually an class="hi2">anan> attack. Since you did not forgive, you must have judged, an class="hi2">anan>d judgement is condemnation.

If you can class="hi2">anan> admit this to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d collapse this whole illusory response to a misperception, you will stop trying to fix an class="hi2">anan>d solve the person based on what is "really happening to them." It's a false reaction, because it's not TRUE that something is really happening to them. Their sickness is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, not a reality. Their immortal self is NOT threatened. There is no real dan class="hi2">anan>ger. Life isn't under attack. Only by perceiving an class="hi2">anan>d believing as such do you support life an class="hi2">anan>d set your brother free from their imprisonment.

Once you admit you were only reacting to your own upset, because of what seemed like a really deep "genuine" feeling of caring an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ting to help an class="hi2">anan>d make everything better, you will see that this desire to help is really an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It's part of the ego. As supportive as it SEEMS, it is not helping at all. It is just your own emotional upset flaring up into a nightmare an class="hi2">anan>d causing you to go on the offensive trying to solve everything that doesn't exist. Pretty funny actually.

When this denial has been undone, you are now more clearly confronted with a greater degree of truth about the situation. Your challenge now is to ACTUALLY FORGIVE what you see, to not believe in it, to truly UNDO it, by correcting your mind an class="hi2">anan>d offering this correction to your brother. Your lack of support for their belief that they are sick will be healing, helping to guide them towards the truth that will set them free.

Now you can class="hi2">anan> be TRULY HELPFUL, by offering a miracle of forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d coming from real love, which isn't a love that enters into FALSE EMPATHY. False empathy mean class="hi2">anan>s you are believing in the suffering of others an class="hi2">anan>d agree with it an class="hi2">anan>d therefore are attacking them an class="hi2">anan>d yourself with it by joining in it with them. That isn't helping you or them. True empathy mean class="hi2">anan>s representing God, genuinely, offering miracles of love, an class="hi2">anan>d shining a light for your brother to see.

There are parts of the Course describing miracles where it says that they shine a light to reveal all the ways that we are in error. It doesn't necessarily do an class="hi2">anan>ything but it reveals how we are in fear an class="hi2">anan>d let's us see that clearly so that we can class="hi2">anan> recognize illusions an class="hi2">anan>d thus make them disappear. It points the way to the truth.

We must learn to OVERLOOK the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of sickness, instead of reacting to it. We must learn not to believe our eyes or think that this is proof. We must recognize our own ego reactions based on our own nightmare of hallucinating that sickness contains the truth. Sickness is always an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d if we're not recognizing that we will become upset an class="hi2">anan>d try to attack it with "help". That is not forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d it is not healing or helpful. Such helpfulness is hurtful.

Stran class="hi2">anan>gely, you will become more loving an class="hi2">anan>d truly compassionate when you are not having your own gigan class="hi2">anan>tic mega reaction to someone's plight. You'll be more present an class="hi2">anan>d available an class="hi2">anan>d productive an class="hi2">anan>d constructive. You'll be able to truly help them an class="hi2">anan>d support them, rather than class="hi2">anan> making it all real an class="hi2">anan>d going on a rollercoaster ride. It's not easy. The ego has lots of traps up its sleeves an class="hi2">anan>d this is one of the big ones.

"At no single instan class="hi2">anan>t does the body exist at all. It is always remembered or an class="hi2">anan>ticipated, but never experienced just now. Only its past an class="hi2">anan>d future make it seem real. Time controls it entirely, for sin is never present." - ACIM

Although it can class="hi2">anan> seem like you can class="hi2">anan> look at your body "right now" an class="hi2">anan>d see it "now", you might not realize that this is not actually "now" that you are seeing it. Rather, you are seeing how it was just a moment ago.

Even in terms of the body's sensory organ class="hi2">anan>s itself, it takes "time" for signals of sight to travel through space into the eyes, through the optic nerve, into the brain, into the mind, to perceive what is out there. You do not actually see the body as it is immediately now, you see how it just was a moment ago. The body is always in the past for you.

It is never possible to experience or see the body as it would be immediately in the exact present. Presence requires absolutely no space an class="hi2">anan>d no time. It is immediate an class="hi2">anan>d direct, with no gap an class="hi2">anan>d no delay. In such a present, it is not even possible to perceive. Perception happens in time an class="hi2">anan>d space an class="hi2">anan>d relies on separation. Only awareness can class="hi2">anan> be present - an class="hi2">anan> awareness of the presence of God.

While you can class="hi2">anan> do a good job of approaching the present, you'll find that you have a lot of trouble actually being squarely in it. For example you can class="hi2">anan> watch your breathing an class="hi2">anan>d try to always keep up with exactly how the breathing is acting right now, in the present. But you'll find that instead of always flowing along in the present moment precisely, your awareness will lag behind. You'll attempt to attach to or grab hold of what you're perceiving, an class="hi2">anan>d will stutter along from one grasp to an class="hi2">anan>other, as the mind tries to get a grip of what's coming. It's an class="hi2">anan>ticipating the future, or it's holding onto the past, an class="hi2">anan>d slightly missing the immediate present.

To put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, the present happens slightly sooner than class="hi2">anan> your ability to perceive it. It is always quicker than class="hi2">anan> the ego. It is always more immediate an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>scends time an class="hi2">anan>d space. You will not be able to latch onto it or keep up with it without complete surrender to the Holy Instan class="hi2">anan>t.

The body does not exist in the present. It exists as a man class="hi2">anan>ifestation of delay an class="hi2">anan>d avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce. It is always slightly in the past, or being an class="hi2">anan>ticipated in the future. Even though there is what seems to be an class="hi2">anan> illusion of it existing "now" it is not really now. You never see it now. This is also why Jesus says that it is impossible to see a sinless body, because sinlessness is so immediate that it tran class="hi2">anan>scends time an class="hi2">anan>d space an class="hi2">anan>d the body itself.

The body IS the idea of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d it is always separate from the presence, because sin is always separate from the presence of God. The body will always be sin an class="hi2">anan>d made of sin. It can class="hi2">anan>not be truly holy. It can class="hi2">anan> be used for a holier purpose but of itself, it is not made by love an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be inherently holy, because it is not wholeness. This is why, being sin, it MUST disappear, in order to enter the eternal presence of God. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion which must be given up an class="hi2">anan>d let go. Otherwise if the body were capable of perfection, it would truly substitute for God an class="hi2">anan>d we would never wake up.

The ego is very clever at creating illusions. It very cleverly makes it seem as though there IS no present. There's an class="hi2">anan> entire section in the course about how the ego uses the past to "gloss over" the present an class="hi2">anan>d extend the past into the future so that there appears to be no present. Even if you are looking at this text right "now" an class="hi2">anan>d seeing it "now" it is NOT happening now. You're experiencing the past. This is why the workbook says "I see only the past" or "I see nothing as it is now". It's not possible TO see an class="hi2">anan>ything as it is now, other than class="hi2">anan> God. The entire world is therefore in the past an class="hi2">anan>d so is already over.

We are never present in this world. This world an class="hi2">anan>d presence are incompatible.

Forgiveness can class="hi2">anan> only forgive something which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive reality. Forgiveness is the same thing as atonement. To atone is to undo, just as to forgive is to undo. If you forgive a world, that world is being undone by you. Once forgiven, that world must disappear, because illusions recognized must disappear.

"Nothing in boundless love could NEED forgiveness"

"Only illusions can class="hi2">anan> BE forgiven, an class="hi2">anan>d then they disappear"

However, even forgiveness itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d a dream. Forgiveness is not the total ABSENCE of illusions, therefore. It's a state in which illusions OTHER than class="hi2">anan> forgiveness are recognized as false an class="hi2">anan>d disappear, leaving the ILLUSION of forgiveness behind.

"Forgiveness is illusion that is an class="hi2">anan>swer to the rest. Forgiveness sweeps all other dreams away, an class="hi2">anan>d though it is itself a dream, it breeds no others."This might seem paradoxical, because it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion but it's a "happy fiction" which doesn't tempt you to buy into more illusions. It's the least amount of illusion possible while still being illusion.

Whatever you forgive, therefore, must disappear if it is a "lower" illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d it is replaced with the higher illusion. The higher illusion is the real world. "The real world still is but a dream." Illusions an class="hi2">anan>d dreams are synonymous an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything in the realm of perception is an class="hi2">anan> illusory dream.Your task is to forgive the world you made. The world you made must be seen with forgiveness.

"an class="hi2">Anan>d WHAT you see is only what YOU HAVE MADE, with the blessing of your forgiveness on it"

But what does this tell you? Especially given that forgiveness overlooks bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d whatever you forgive MUST DISAPPEAR? It tells you that if you forgive the world, IT MUST DISAPPEAR. an class="hi2">Anan>y world that you are forgiving towards, MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. But why would it disappear? Because it isn't real.

Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be made to disappear. It is perman class="hi2">anan>ent. It is creation. You can class="hi2">anan>'t undo reality. You can class="hi2">anan>'t forgive reality. You can class="hi2">anan> ONLY forgive something that IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

So if you are to forgive the world, in an class="hi2">anan>y way, this MUST MEan class="hi2">ANan> that the world IS fundamentally an class="hi2">anan>d inherently an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive it UNLESS it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d it has to be INHERENTLY an class="hi2">anan> illusion regardless of your illusory thoughts about it. You have illusory thoughts ABOUT an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d BOTH your illusory thoughts an class="hi2">ANan>D the illusion of a world ITSELF must be undone.

"to overlook what is not there; an class="hi2">anan>d not to look upon the unreal as reality."It's not merely a matter of you having illusions or dreams ABOUT the world. Yes those illusions an class="hi2">anan>d dreams need to be UNDONE in your mind. That is part of the forgiveness. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you undo must disappear. But what is LEFT?

If you were being unforgiving toward the world when you had illusions in your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d now the illusions are gone, you are being FORGIVING towards the world. But you can class="hi2">anan>not be forgiving towards the world unless IT IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION. So forgiveness isn't JUST about your attitude ABOUT the world. It's to do with undoing THE WORLD ITSELF.

The world you made IN ERROR an class="hi2">ANan>D OF ERROR, must be undone. This is what atonement does, it undoes the world. Earth disappears, the stars disappear in light, etc.

"To forgive is to OVERLOOK. Look, then, BEYOND error, an class="hi2">anan>d do not let your perception rest UPON it"

"The real world is attained simply by the COMPLETE forgiveness of the old; the world you see WITHOUT forgiveness."

"For forgiveness literally TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMS vision, an class="hi2">anan>d lets you see the real world, reaching quietly an class="hi2">anan>d gently across chaos, an class="hi2">anan>d removing ALL illusions that had twisted your perception, an class="hi2">anan>d fixed it on the past."

The world you made is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. It has no inherent reality or perman class="hi2">anan>ence. EARTH IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, which you MADE in attempting to oppose reality. It doesn't matter whether you are here to look at it or not. By itself, it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way." It's not just your illusions ABOUT the world that are illusions, it's the world ITSELF, made to oppose heaven.

an class="hi2">Anan>d if you do NOT forgive it, the world you see will be a world of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death. To be unforgiving is to be in false perception. In false perception you believe that something WHICH IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, is a reality. It's a state of confusion an class="hi2">anan>d being very mistaken an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>e. It's a lack of RECOGNITION. an class="hi2">Anan> illusion is believed to be reality.

"the sight of the real world which has come to replace the unforgiven world you thought was real."

"This world IS a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son. an class="hi2">Anan>d until you realize that God's Son can class="hi2">anan>not be crucified, this is the world you will see."So the world we made, which is hell, is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son. an class="hi2">Anan>d it must be an class="hi2">anan> illusion because God's son Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE crucified, so it can class="hi2">anan>not be real. If you are to FORGIVE that world you made as hell, you have to UNDO IT. Which entails a recognition that IT IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d NOT a reality.

The world you made is REPLACED BY the real world. "the real world which has come to replace the unforgiven world". So by forgiving the world you are REPLACING IT with the real world. But even the real world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. So at no time are you really dealing with REALITY here. You're dealing with illusions. Forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d perception are all about illusions. Even true perception is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, because true perception IS forgiveness.

"For true perception is a remedy with man class="hi2">anan>y names. Forgiveness, salvation, Atonement, true perception, all are one."

"To perceive the truth is not the same as knowing it."

If you perceive truly, the world you see will be the real world - the forgiven world. But what you see in forgiveness - a forgiven world - MUST DISAPPEAR. So even true perception can class="hi2">anan>not be showing you that "Earth is real". IF YOU FORGIVE THE EARTH, IT MUST BE an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION.

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies." (bodies are part of earth)

"Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not."

You can class="hi2">anan>not even SEE the "world of death" (bodies, earth etc) if you are in total forgiveness. Forgiveness tran class="hi2">anan>sforms perception an class="hi2">anan>d make it APPEAR that the ILLUSORY world you made, IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, but is simultan class="hi2">anan>eously a forgiven illusion. It's SEEN THROUGH because you are not deceived by it. Christ vision looks to a light BEYOND it.

So ultimately you can class="hi2">anan> forgive the world, but you can class="hi2">anan>not forgive it WITHOUT undoing it. You can class="hi2">anan>not KEEP it. A forgiven world is a world that's disappearing from sight. If you forgive Earth, you ARE saying that it is UNREAL. If you DON'T forgive it, you are saying it is REAL. You can class="hi2">anan>not have it be real at the same time as claiming to be forgiving it! an class="hi2">Anan>d to forgive it is to RECOGNIZE that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

Forgiveness is a state where you recognize that illusions are illusions. It isn't a state where you suddenly are seeing Earth as though it is God's created reality. Yes your illusions ABOUT it are lifted away because you are not DECEIVED BY IT an class="hi2">anan>ymore. But that doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that it isn't a world of temptation. Your way of looking at it has tran class="hi2">anan>sformed it into the forgiven world, but it ONLY LOOKS LOVELY because IT IS DISAPPEARING an class="hi2">anan>d becoming tran class="hi2">anan>sparent in front of the light. The veil is lifting an class="hi2">anan>d the more "innocent" it seems to become the more it van class="hi2">anan>ishes.

"Forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory, wonderful to see. Each flower shines in light, an class="hi2">anan>d every bird sings of the joy of Heaven."This is lovely to see. BUT, it is not reality. It is an class="hi2">anan> image which was originally made as an class="hi2">anan> image of DEATH, reinterpreted as a reflection of LIFE, but nevertheless JUST an class="hi2">ANan> IMAGE. It's a REFLECTION of heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d reflections are illusions. It is still an class="hi2">anan> illusory world. It is still not reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d by forgiving it to such an class="hi2">anan> extent, your light is literally SHINING IT AWAY. "Eternity will shine away the world."

You can class="hi2">anan>not love the world an class="hi2">anan>d keep the world. Love is reality, the world is illusion. To love an class="hi2">anan> illusion is to shine it away because illusions are always the absence of love (sin). You can class="hi2">anan>'t keep something which ONLY shows up when love is lacking, while simultan class="hi2">anan>eosly supplying the love. Loving perception is forgiving perception, which SHINES AWAY what is not really there. Earth is not really there because it opposes reality.

Again, bottom line. an class="hi2">Anan>y world that you are in forgiveness of MUST disappear because it MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive something real. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is why you LEAVE the forgiven world an class="hi2">anan>d the real world behind an class="hi2">anan>d move on to reality which is heaven - God's real Kingdom. It is NOT OF THIS WORLD."From the forgiven world, the Son of God is lifted easily to his home."

It is a mistake to think that the world you are forgiving is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> internal world inside your mind that is your INTERPRETATION of a real existing world. As though earth really exists as a creation of God an class="hi2">anan>d your job is just to get rid of the blocks in your perception so that you can class="hi2">anan> SEE IT correctly. This is in violation of the laws of forgiveness.

If illusions are ONLY that which is inside your mind ABOUT plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d if earth is TOTAL reality, then you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT forgive the earth.an class="hi2">Anan>d earth can class="hi2">anan>not be the forgiven world or the real world. an class="hi2">Anan>d if Earth is reality, it has to BE LIKE GOD AS GOD. an class="hi2">Anan>d that now mean class="hi2">anan>s that God is a bazillion different conflicting things, including death. If "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way". .... heaven can class="hi2">anan>not BE earth. It is OPPOSITE to it. an class="hi2">Anan>d because it is opposite, it is opposite to REALITY, an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> illusory world to be undone.

While it may seem like the ego is the idea of an class="hi2">anan> individual self, some kind of artificial self, this isn't really an class="hi2">anan> accurate way to frame it. The ego is actually the idea of NOT having a self.

In heaven God created your soul which is your real self. It is a fully created being. It is an class="hi2">anan> individual being, at least in the sense that it has its own mind an class="hi2">anan>d free will, but it ALSO SHARES with everyone else, an class="hi2">anan>d so is also one.

"God created every mind by communicating His Mind to it, thus establishing it forever as a chan class="hi2">anan>nel for the reception of His Mind an class="hi2">anan>d Will."

"God created His Sons by extending His Thought an class="hi2">anan>d retaining the extensions of His Thought in His Mind. ALL His Thoughts are thus perfectly united within themselves an class="hi2">anan>d with each other because they, were created neither partially nor in part."

In the separation, the willingness to share was denied, producing a state of selfishness. "The ego is the idea of selfishness. The soul is the idea of self-fullness." Selfishness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to withdraw from sharing, to not wan class="hi2">anan>t to be be one with the rest.

In what we might describe as "making an class="hi2">anan> ego", the truth is that we didn't really make an class="hi2">anan> ego. We HID the soul. an class="hi2">Anan>d we did this by denying the soul. This repression of self was an class="hi2">anan> act of TRYING NOT TO EXIST. It was an class="hi2">anan> attempt not to will an class="hi2">anan>ything at all.

In attempting not to exist, which is really an class="hi2">anan> attempt to murder God's son, you tried to have en existence in which you didn't really exist. It was one thing to have the idea of existing "apart from God", but the real truth is that you were attempting NOT to exist at all. To be the total opposite of eternal life, which is death.

The ego then isn't really a self, or an class="hi2">anan> individual. It is the idea of NOT SELF. It is really an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of a self, seeming to be like a self, but this illusion is actually a deception. It isn't really the presence of something, it is actually the ABSENCE of self. It is a lack of self.

It lacks wholeness, it lacks real identity, it lacks truth an class="hi2">anan>d san class="hi2">anan>ity, it lacks will power, an class="hi2">anan>d it lacks life. What it SEEMS to be, it is not. It appears to be a thing, but it is really a no-thing. It is an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ti-self, an class="hi2">anan>d Jesus sometimes refers to it as the an class="hi2">anan>ti-christ. The lack of christ. A LACK OF "everything that exists" is obviously not the PRESENCE of an class="hi2">anan>ything at all.

So the ego is this upside-down idea of "a separate self" that you made. But secretly, when recognized, this illusion of a self existing is really actually an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make something that DOES NOT exist. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's not really there at all. That's the illusion of it. There is not really an class="hi2">anan> ego.

When you identify with "the ego" an class="hi2">anan>d try to believe that it exists or that it is a self, or it is your own self, you are really identifying with nothingness. You are trying to reject your true existence as a soul an class="hi2">anan>d are trying to seemingly "take on" a new self.

As if you can class="hi2">anan> line up the soul an class="hi2">anan>d the ego side-by-side an class="hi2">anan>d pick between them. But the ego isn't alongside the soul in this way, because it doesn't have an class="hi2">anan>y existence. So you're really identifying with a fictional nothingness that isn't really there, while believing it is really something.

If we correctly identify that the ego is a LACK OF SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> attempt NOT to exist, which is an class="hi2">anan> effort to die or to cause the death of God's son, then we need to also recognize that the ego is NOT really an class="hi2">anan> individual. Nor is it really the idea of individuality. It is the idea of separation from sharing an class="hi2">anan> identity in christ. It's the idea of NOT KNOWING WHO YOU ARE. As if you don't even exist at all.

"The self you made is not the Son of God. Therefore this self does not exist at all."

"At no SINGLE instan class="hi2">anan>t does the body exist at all."

"The dispute over authorship has left such uncertainty in the minds of man class="hi2">anan> that some people have gone so far as to doubt whether they were ever created at all."

When the ego is undone, so to speak, we're not REALLY talking about undoing something that exists. We're talking about recognizing that is never was an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. That there IS no ego. That it is NOT your self. an class="hi2">Anan>d it was never really a self. We're talking about shifting from identifying as "I don't exist" to "I do exist." From identifying with nothingness while pretending it's everything, to identifying with everything an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing that the ego is nothing. Your soul IS everything.

So really it's all upside down. an class="hi2">Anan>d a lot of people have believed this idea that the ego IS a self, an class="hi2">anan>d IS a real individual. an class="hi2">Anan>d that therefore, we have to get rid of this self, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore get rid of individuality in order to be spiritual. But this then leads to the false conclusion that you HAVE NO SELF. Or that individuality is a bad thing. Thus has individuality received a bad wrap, an class="hi2">anan>d people keep thinking that there are no individuals in heaven. The truth is there are no real individuals on earth, an class="hi2">anan>d heaven is full of them!

The separation from God therefore was never really an class="hi2">anan> issue about individuality. It was never really about BECOMING an class="hi2">anan> individual. You had an class="hi2">anan> individual self BEFORE the separation even happened, it's just that your individual self was so SHARED with others that it was also one with them. "We are the Kingdom, WE, the Sons of God." "You had everything when you were created, just as everyone did." Remember that "God who encompasses all being

nevertheless CREATED SEPARATE BEINGS who HAVE EVERYTHING INDIVIDUALLY an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to share it to increase their joy." That is normal, that is natural. It's OKAY to have an class="hi2">anan> individual self, provided it shares an class="hi2">anan>d is not selfish. The ego is all about specialness an class="hi2">anan>d selfishness. Getting rid of the specialness an class="hi2">anan>d selfishness doesn't have to get rid of YOU. Especially when the specialness an class="hi2">anan>d selfishness was an class="hi2">anan> attempt to get rid of you in the first place.

As you awaken, as you come to know yourself, as you return to being as God created you to be forever, as you acknowledge your brothers ACTUALLY PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENTLY EXIST along with you in reality, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that you DO HAVE real relationships, an class="hi2">anan>d that everything belongs to everyone, the sense of "I am a real ego" is replaced with "I don't have an class="hi2">anan> ego". But not having an class="hi2">anan> ego doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> YOU don't exist.

The end of an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a self, an class="hi2">anan> illusion of who you are not, of what you are not, of NOT existing, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT having a self, is the re-dawning on your awareness of your REAL SELF which has always existed an class="hi2">anan>d always will exist. A recognition of your individuality an class="hi2">ANan>D your shared nature. A reclaiming of your real identity in christ. an class="hi2">Anan>d awakening to remembering that you are the soul God created to live forever.

"The Name of Jesus is the Name of one who was a man class="hi2">anan> but saw the face of Christ in all his brothers an class="hi2">anan>d remembered God."

"But I was a man class="hi2">anan> who remembered the Soul an class="hi2">anan>d its knowledge."

There is a non-duality model which is frequently projected on ACIM's teachings. It suggests that in truth there is only "one", an class="hi2">anan>d that in the separation from God man class="hi2">anan>y individuals were formed. This however is very unlike what ACIM actually says when you go read it.

ACIM's teaching is that God created man class="hi2">anan>y individual beings - souls - who also share everything simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. This comprises the sonship, which is a perman class="hi2">anan>ent family of living beings who each have their own self an class="hi2">anan>d yet share identity through the Christ mind, creating as one. Individuality was given to each soul/mind an class="hi2">anan>d therefore everyone has a real self. It is not a "blob" of one being sitting there all alone. It is a community.

In the separation from God, it was not an class="hi2">anan> event where individuality was invented. It was an class="hi2">anan> event where pre-existing individuals tried to be selfish. They didn't wan class="hi2">anan>t to share everything with everyone, so they tried to separate themselves off. They became selfish, hoarding, possessive, owning, isolating, exclusive, special an class="hi2">anan>d rejecting of others.

The separation then was a breakdown in communication or a disruption of the family unit of the sonship. It's where some individuals became "the separated ones", by freely choosing individually to not share with others. It was like an class="hi2">anan> attempt to rebel against the family an class="hi2">anan>d go off on their own as prodigal sons. But there is nothing about being a prodigal son that deletes you from existence when you return home.

What actually happened in the separation was you attempted to reject your wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d your self an class="hi2">anan>d your family. You tried to stop sharing with your perman class="hi2">anan>ent brothers. You wan class="hi2">anan>ted some special favor from God, which he would give you alone an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan>yone else. It was simply an class="hi2">anan> attitudinal problem, one of selfishness, an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan> issue of trying to be an class="hi2">anan> individual."The ego is the idea of selfishness."

Selfishness is an class="hi2">anan> attitude. You can class="hi2">anan> have a person who is an class="hi2">anan> individual who shares, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> have the same person who adopts a selfish attitude. Just because you're being selfish doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you suddenly invent an class="hi2">anan> individuality.

In the separation, in denying our shared identity an class="hi2">anan>d family coherence, we actually tried to deny that we had a self. The ego is the idea of self denial, repression, hiding an class="hi2">anan>d withdrawal. It was an class="hi2">anan> attempt to reject your self an class="hi2">anan>d to not be a self. In fact the ego idea even takes it so far as to try to eradicate your self entirely, which is why it is so murderous an class="hi2">anan>d always has the goal of the death of the sons of God in mind.

In death the ego reports that it is triumphan class="hi2">anan>t in erasing your self an class="hi2">anan>d removing your individuality. It is in death that you stop being an class="hi2">anan> individual or having a self at all. Death is the attempt to destroy who an class="hi2">anan>d what you really are. an class="hi2">Anan>d death is not about the production of an class="hi2">anan> individual life, it's about ending it.

This also mean class="hi2">anan>s that when you go in the opposite direction towards heaven, towards eternal life, you are moving away from the lack of individuality, towards individuality. Towards having a self. It's a movement back towards the family of God an class="hi2">anan>d towards the sonship an class="hi2">anan>d your equal brothers. It's a reintegration of self an class="hi2">anan>d a return to wholeness. It's a reclaiming of your identity an class="hi2">anan>d a recognizing that you do exist as an class="hi2">anan> individual being. As a soul.

Jesus also states in the course that as you awaken, your sense of self actually expan class="hi2">anan>ds, becoming more full an class="hi2">anan>d complete. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you are simply returning to one big blob in the sky, it mean class="hi2">anan>s you are returning to being yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d the goal of the course is to "know thyself."

So in fact the traditional models of individuality are upside down. Especially in some eastern traditions which suggests that reality is no-self while illusion is self. This is completely backwards. The fact is that when you decide to try to reject your self, to deny your soul, you bring illusions of separation into your mind. Blocks an class="hi2">anan>d walls an class="hi2">anan>d grievan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d attack thoughts etc enter the mind to try to cut down, isolate, narrow, limit, confine an class="hi2">anan>d section off who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are from the rest.

These walls an class="hi2">anan>d limits seem to form a restricted or reduced sense of self, surrounded with pictures of bodies an class="hi2">anan>d things that are too small to encompass what you really are, so that you'll believe that you are not the magnitude or scope of your unlimited self. an class="hi2">Anan>d as you "identify with" these things, such as with the body, you believe that you are something small an class="hi2">anan>d little an class="hi2">anan>d cut off an class="hi2">anan>d separate. an class="hi2">Anan>d this "bodily identity" in your mind forms a sense of who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are, which is a false sense of identity. But really it's a false IDENTIFICATION WITH something, not the invention of identity itself.

Those who are deceived, believe that this false sense of identity is their self. Such as believing you are your body. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this false sense of self which ends when you wake up to reality. It is this sense of being separated off an class="hi2">anan>d not sharing an class="hi2">anan>d not being whole, that ends. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s you actually return to a greater fullness of self, more expan class="hi2">anan>sive an class="hi2">anan>d inclusive. You actually become full of self. You identity WITH your spiritual self an class="hi2">anan>d DIS-IDENTIFY from the false body."The soul is the idea of self fullness."

But self here does not mean class="hi2">anan> selfishness, or an class="hi2">anan> isolated self. It mean class="hi2">anan>s a self that shares all of itself with other selves, in unity an class="hi2">anan>d oneness, as in having a real open an class="hi2">anan>d full relationship with all other individual beings in reality. God included.

So you have to then realize that ego is actually the attempted denial of your self an class="hi2">anan>d the denial of individuality. It's the attempt to suggest you do not exist an class="hi2">anan>d do not have an class="hi2">anan>y self an class="hi2">anan>d are dead. an class="hi2">Anan>d just because this denial of self shows up as the seeming "presence" of an class="hi2">anan> artificial identity, it does not mean class="hi2">anan> that you have created an class="hi2">anan> individuality. It's actually an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION OF an class="hi2">anan> individual, which is ACTUALLY NOT an class="hi2">anan> individual. Because remember the ego is always deceptive, being an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

Your ego is really the absence of self, the absence of individuality, the suppression of personality, the denial of wholeness, an class="hi2">anan>d the rejection of being as God created you. The illusion of a separated off, selfish self, is undone as you awaken. This does not mean class="hi2">anan> that your individuality is thrown out with the bathwater. What it mean class="hi2">anan>s is that your individuality opens back up to sharing with the rest of your God-given family. It is actually a return to having a self. It is self acknowledgement, acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d awareness.

So when you have people teaching that ACIM is non-duality, or that you have no real self, or that you do not exist, or that you're supposed to deny yourself, or that your entire identity is going to just disappear someday, they are teaching absolute bullshit. They are teaching you that you do not exist, which is an class="hi2">anan> ego teaching. It is an class="hi2">anan> improper use of denial.

You're supposed to deny the DENIAL OF self, not deny that you have a self. You are to deny the ego, which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a self, but which is actually the attempt to not have a self. You are to deny that you do not have a self. That is how you return to what you really are as a self in heaven. As an class="hi2">anan> individual being which God created to share with others an class="hi2">anan>d co-create with Him.

"God who encompasses all being nevertheless created separate beings who have everything individually an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to share it to increase their joy."When you project these non-duality teachings onto ACIM an class="hi2">anan>d you start to claim that the path to enlightenment is self repression or self denial or "you don't exist" an class="hi2">anan>d trying to be so neutral an class="hi2">anan>d passive as if you don't even have a self at all, that is actually SELF DESTRUCTION, which is completely in accord with the ego. It is the ego attempting to be spiritual, in fact. The absolute pinnacle of the spiritualized ego is to deny that you exist, in the name of being spiritual an class="hi2">anan>d growing in size. It is arrogan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d narcissistic an class="hi2">anan>d a mistake.

This is why ACIM's teaching is not the same as the teachings that people keep projecting onto it. It is not a non-duality teaching an class="hi2">anan>d it is NOT about trying to get rid of yourself. Remember you were created by God to HAVE a self in the first place. Your self is divine an class="hi2">anan>d holy an class="hi2">anan>d perfect. You also have equal brothers who are divine an class="hi2">anan>d holy an class="hi2">anan>d perfect, created by God as well. an class="hi2">Anan>d you share everything with everyone always. That produces a perfect harmony of souls in the sonship who have an class="hi2">anan>d share everything with each other, as the family of God.

That is what is written in ACIM an class="hi2">anan>d that is what it teaches. That you had a self before the ego came along, an class="hi2">anan>d you will have a self again when the ego is erased. This is not a course in self destruction or repression of the sonship or the depressing argument of trying to not exist. You should not deny your soul, or you are denying reality. This is a course in awakening to who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are as created by God, as one of man class="hi2">anan>y of his beloved children in heaven.

All an class="hi2">anan>ti-individuality sentiment is therefore destructive an class="hi2">anan>d death-worshipping an class="hi2">anan>d depressing an class="hi2">anan>d a rejection of God's will. Ego does not mean class="hi2">anan> or equate to individuality. It equates only to an class="hi2">anan> ATTITUDE which an class="hi2">anan> individual has that runs contrary to the sharing nature of the sonship. Removing the attitude problem does not have to entail you destroying yourself. You are in fact supposed to embrace yourself an class="hi2">anan>d your freedom an class="hi2">anan>d than class="hi2">anan>k God that you have been given life to share with others forever.

If there’s a video projector sitting on the table, projecting an class="hi2">anan> image of a person dan class="hi2">anan>cing, does the person exist?

How about as the image moves around, the projector makes it seem like the person is, what, alive? an class="hi2">Anan>imated? That it’s doing some things?

Afther a while, the mind perceiving this makes a very slight, subtle shift, from knowing that this is just an class="hi2">anan> image, to starting to believe, there is really a person there.

The observer might start to think, this isn’t just an class="hi2">anan> image. They might forget for a moment that the projector is sitting there. Somehow the projector becomes obscured or is outside awareness. The person forgets for a moment what is true.

Instead of remembering that every single movement, appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, every part of that dan class="hi2">anan>cing body, is entirely coming from the projector, has no life of its own, no will, no mind, no power, no purpose, no identity... it takes but a very slight forgetting in order to start to believe, this projected image is actually... a thing, in its own right. When awareness of the projector is blocked, it seems *possible* that the body image has created itself, an class="hi2">anan>d is independent.

Then they’ll start believing, there’s really a consistent body there. It seems to have a life of its own. It seems to persist over time. It looks much the same from moment to moment, creating the illusion that instead of being completely projected an class="hi2">anan>ew by the projector 30 times a second, it actually keeps its own state over time, remembering what it used to be, an class="hi2">anan>d maintaining an class="hi2">anan> existence independent of the projector.

It’s not far from there to perceive, that this projected image is a living, breathing, "thing", an class="hi2">anan> end in itself, a life form, with a will an class="hi2">anan>d a mind an class="hi2">anan>d power an class="hi2">anan>d decision-making. Pretty soon we start to see it as independent of the projector entirely.

This is what we’re doing with our human class="hi2">anan> bodies. As soon as we start to lose sight of where the body is coming from, who is putting it there (the mind), how it got there (projection), the fact that it NEVER has its own inherent existence, we’ll lose sight of the truth an class="hi2">anan>d start to believe the illusion.

Suddenly the body seems real, it seems like it is living, it seems independent an class="hi2">anan>d as if a continuation from how it was a moment ago, as a real object, persisting over time, occupying space, having an class="hi2">anan> identity of its own. Body-identification is exactly this, believing the body has an class="hi2">anan> identity an class="hi2">anan>d that it is alive, has a will, thinks for you, determines what happens, an class="hi2">anan>d has power over the mind.

"That the body can class="hi2">anan>not heal the mind but the mind can class="hi2">anan> heal the body, is proof the mind must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body. Every miracle demonstrates this."

The body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. "At no time does the body exist."

Literally, like a projected image, it only SEEMS to have an class="hi2">anan> existence, to be a "thing" with its own past an class="hi2">anan>d future. It is not really there. There is no human class="hi2">anan> being. There is no ape man class="hi2">anan>. It’s just a projected dream.

So is the world we made. Just an class="hi2">anan> image.

Let's start with a simple fact, "an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God does not exist." God is everything, an class="hi2">anan>d the opposite of everything is nothing. Nothingness DOES NOT exist. You can class="hi2">anan>not go there, experience it, live in it, or have it. There is no nothing.

However, in the separation, the tiny mad idea asserted that THERE IS an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God. It was an class="hi2">anan> attempt to believe that you Can class="hi2">ANan> go into a nothingness, experience it as if it exists, an class="hi2">anan>d live in it. This produced a fictional world, or "lack of God", which the mind believes really exists. Believing this is obviously a mistake.

So we've now "made a world", whose nature is opposite to God's nature in every way, an class="hi2">anan>d which does NOT really exist because it's impossible, but the mind BELIEVES that it does. an class="hi2">Anan>d whatever you believe in your mind will accept as "reality".

"For this world IS the opposite of Heaven, having been made to BE its opposite. an class="hi2">Anan>d EVERYTHING here takes a direction EXACTLY opposite to what is true."

This world also comprises plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth.

"Heaven remains your one alternative to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made " .... "an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way"

Every single attribute of God is opposed. Whatever God is NOT, this second world seems to BE. God is possible, the world is impossible. God is perman class="hi2">anan>ent, the world is temporary. God is chan class="hi2">anan>geless, the world can class="hi2">anan> only chan class="hi2">anan>ge. God is immortal, the world dies. God includes, the world excludes. God loves, the world lacks love. God shares in oneness, the world separates an class="hi2">anan>d fragments.

So this sort of "fiction of a world", an class="hi2">anan> assertion that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God exists, seems to have properties which are totally opposite to God's nature. A world of limitations, suffering, sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. A world of opposition an class="hi2">anan>d conflict, of war an class="hi2">anan>d attack. This is the physical world, including the Earth an class="hi2">anan>d the galaxies etc. It is space an class="hi2">anan>d time.

By believing that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God does exist, we have thus made a world which "depicts" what it might be like IF that opposite really existed. As if nothingness, in all its ways, were something to be experienced. But it is still NOT really total nothingness itself, because that totally does not exist.

"Actual nothingness" WOULD be the total extermination of God an class="hi2">anan>d his creations. It would be a complete lack of existence, a total negation of life, an class="hi2">anan> absolute perman class="hi2">anan>ent end to creation, an class="hi2">anan>d oblivion. We could say that the proper name for that is the idea of "hell." A true opposite to heaven.

One of the things that happens when you oppose God, is you oppose what is true. You make out that what is true is false. You also make out that what is false is true. You take what does not exist an class="hi2">anan>d believe it exists. You take what does exist an class="hi2">anan>d try to kill it off. As such the true an class="hi2">anan>d the false become SWAPPED, which results in total confusion an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity.

"You HAVE carried the ego's reasoning to its logical conclusion, which is TOTAL CONFUSION ABOUT EVERYTHING."

This total confusion is part of the state of mind of believing in being separate, ie opposite to God. It is a total lack of recognition of what an class="hi2">anan>ything actually IS, an class="hi2">anan>d so is out of touch with reality, an class="hi2">anan>d is therefore insan class="hi2">anan>e. This is what comes from the "mad" idea. A mad world in which everything is nonsense.

The mind that believes that separation is possible, is insan class="hi2">anan>e. It forms what we call "the ego", which is really just the belief in nothing. A belief in total opposition to God. When mind rejects all truth an class="hi2">anan>d asserts everything that's false, it becomes very "twisted". This twistedness is what we might call evil. This belief in God's opposite becomes something along the lines of "satan class="hi2">anan>ic" or "devil worship" or "death worship."

"The denial of God is the ego's religion."

Evil is the state of mind in which the truth is completely denied an class="hi2">anan>d opposed. A mind that does not wan class="hi2">anan>t God an class="hi2">anan>d sees God as evil. Such a mind is very very confused. It sees death as life, separation as joining, hell as heaven, heaven as hell, conflict as resolution, attack as healing, guilt as forgiveness, an class="hi2">anan>d punishment as atonement.

Such a mind is "sick", in every sense of the word. This is extended into what we would call depraved, disgusting, murderous, torturous, man class="hi2">anan>ipulative, hateful, vengeful, deceitful, etc. All these characteristics arise from opposing God's nature, leading to a seemingly "evil" sense of identity (lack of) an class="hi2">anan>d a completely backwards an class="hi2">anan>d distorted attitude. "The evil self I made."

"The devil is a frightening concept ONLY because he is thought of as extremely powerful an class="hi2">anan>d extremely active. He is perceived as a force in combat with God, battling Him for possession of Souls. He deceives by lies, an class="hi2">anan>d builds kingdoms of his own, in which everything is in direct opposition to God."

"The mind can class="hi2">anan> make the belief in Separation VERY real an class="hi2">anan>d VERY fearful. an class="hi2">Anan>d this belief IS the devil. It is powerful, active, destructive, an class="hi2">anan>d clearly in opposition to God, because it literally denies His Fatherhood. Never underestimate the power of this denial. Look at your lives an class="hi2">anan>d see what the devil has made."

This ego projects itself ONTO the "believed in" world, the world that was made in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to oppose God. The world is a void an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> emptiness an class="hi2">anan>d a lack, so it has no inherent mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Our mind has to give it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Earth can class="hi2">anan> thus reflect back to us, like a mirror, whatever mean class="hi2">anan>ing we GIVE to it, regardless of whether that mean class="hi2">anan>ing is unholy or holy.

"Earth can class="hi2">anan> reflect heaven or hell, an class="hi2">anan>d always as you wish."

When ego, whose nature is THE SAME as the nature of nothingness, an class="hi2">anan>d THE SAME as the nature of physical world, projects onto the physical world, it EMPHASIZES an class="hi2">anan>d AMPLIFIES its nature. It hones in on separations, differences, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, inequalities, conflicts an class="hi2">anan>d attacks. It takes sides, pitting one part against an class="hi2">anan>other. It reduces identity to physical form ie bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d completely shuts out an class="hi2">anan>d kind of abstract level of mind.

The ego thus "projects hell" onto the Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d then perceives it IN the Earth. Earth itself isn't hell, but it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of or FORM of hell. It symbolizes hell in its form an class="hi2">anan>d function, but isn't inherently an class="hi2">anan>ything - good or bad. Ego MAKES it bad or evil, turning it into an class="hi2">anan> experience of hell, psychological hell, by USING it to BELIEVE IN hell.

So the belief in the mind that believes that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God IS REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d does exist, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> be experienced, MAKES an class="hi2">anan> otherwise neutral nothing illusion of a world into what SEEMS to be an class="hi2">anan> actual existing happening world. As such in its view of this world, of Earth, the ego sees the world as actual fact, as true, as a creation, as God, as heaven, as existing, an class="hi2">anan>d as really being experienced.

It is this engagement with, investment in, belief in, choosing of, siding with, an class="hi2">anan>d USE OF the nothing world, to try to MAKE IT BE something, that converts what would BE nothing into seemingly something. It then takes on "a life of its own", the world is thought to be causal, it is now doing things to you, you are now under attack as part of it, an class="hi2">anan>d your whole sense of its reality blots out the mind an class="hi2">anan>d God.

Earth is now experienced AS hell. At first merely an class="hi2">anan> empty symbolic image depicting what hell (nothingness, opposite to God) might be like, but then made vivid an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing what it appears to be, turning it into an class="hi2">anan> actual happening hell, to your mind. Now you are having a nightmare, in which an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God seems to really exist, really happen to you, an class="hi2">anan>d really threaten your existence, robbing your peace of mind an class="hi2">anan>d disturbing you.

So first we make an class="hi2">anan> illusory empty world which is not really an class="hi2">anan>ything but appears to have a form which symbolizes laws opposite to God's, then our mind turns to ego an class="hi2">anan>d invests it with reality, making it appear to be a living hell. Identifying AS a body puts you on the battleground, in the midst of war an class="hi2">anan>d chaos an class="hi2">anan>d conflict of forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything that happens threatens your life, stresses you it, frightens you an class="hi2">anan>d seems unfair.

Our mind can class="hi2">anan> in turn tran class="hi2">anan>sform into thoughts of heaven, wholeness, healing an class="hi2">anan>d God's love. It can class="hi2">anan> project this onto the neutral Earth just as the ego did. It can class="hi2">anan> use the neutral Earth for a higher purpose. That higher purpose is to use it to remind you of how an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God can class="hi2">anan>not exist. This projects God's actual truth onto the "opposite of God", producing a reflection of God seen "in" the world.

This also entails revealing an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZING the nature of this world. In this recognition the world is seen only for "what it is", which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of nothing pretending to be something. It is not seen AS hell, but as a stran class="hi2">anan>ge hell-like world that you made by mistake in your attempt to bring about God's opposite. It is seen with love, which reflects love in it, but also reveals that such a world can class="hi2">anan>not exist.

This recognition, which is enlightenment, finally perceives that this world - opposite to God - is not a real hell, real hell does not exist, only heaven exists, only heaven is reflected in it, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer do we need it. The world then slips away an class="hi2">anan>d fades into nothingness, into the idea of nothing which it came from. The idea of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God van class="hi2">anan>ishes an class="hi2">anan>d the whole world along with it. We wake up in God, knowing as we always have that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d "heaven is all that remains."

In the ego's world, causes are victimizers, an class="hi2">anan>d effects are victims

This applies everywhere in the ego's world. Every single "cause" is the idea of victimization. Every single "effect" is the idea of being a victim. What possibly can class="hi2">anan> there even be LEFT when this classifies EVERY phenomenal event in history?

When the wind blows leaves on a tree, the wind is now the victimizer, the tree its helpless victim whom it has power over against its will.

Also in the ego's world, causes turn into effects an class="hi2">anan>d back again, because really, both causes an class="hi2">anan>d effects in this world are THE SAME ILLUSION.

In truth, both causes an class="hi2">anan>d effects in this world, both victims an class="hi2">anan>d victimizers, are THE SAME ILLUSION, which shifts an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ges based on the circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces.

They are both EFFECTS. Neither of them are causes.

They are effects of DREAMING from an class="hi2">anan> entirely separate level of causality.

If something in this world is a cause one moment, for example someone kicking a ball, where the ball is the effect, how is it possible that the ball bounces off a wall an class="hi2">anan>d hits the person on the head? That person is now victimized by the ball.

How is it possible for the cause to TRULY be a cause, a perman class="hi2">anan>ent cause, if it is actually able to be affected?

an class="hi2">Anan>d so, in this world, causes are AFFECTED, an class="hi2">anan>d effects can class="hi2">anan> CAUSE. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing, victimizers are also victims, an class="hi2">anan>d victims are also victimizers.

an class="hi2">Anan>d since causes can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged into effects, which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove that GOD (cause) Can class="hi2">ANan> BE AFFECTED by your sin, they are not REALLY causes. Both causes an class="hi2">anan>d effects in this world are FAKE.

Everything in this world is equally an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT OF DREAMING. an class="hi2">Anan> effect of the ONLY cause which is in the MIND. The mind is cause, the entire world is the effect.

The body is an class="hi2">anan> effect, all sickness is an class="hi2">anan> effect, all death is an class="hi2">anan> effect, an class="hi2">anan>d resurrection is an class="hi2">anan> effect. Mind has power over all matter. Mind is the ONLY CAUSE of what happens here.

This world SEEMS to have man class="hi2">anan>y causes in it. The wind SEEMS to blow the tree. The leaves SEEM to be "blown". This is an class="hi2">anan> illusion! The wind blowing, an class="hi2">anan>d the leaves moving, HAPPENS TOGETHER as a SIMULTan class="hi2">ANan>EOUS PROJECTION from a dreaming mind.

Similarly, if an class="hi2">anan> "accident" happens which hurts someone an class="hi2">anan>d their body becomes damaged, the accident itself an class="hi2">ANan>D the damage in the body were BOTH Man class="hi2">ANan>IFESTED AT THE SAME TIME BY THE SAME MIND. By the same cause.

Therefore it is NOT TRUE that the accident caused the body to be damaged! The accident happening an class="hi2">anan>d the body showing damage is a DECEPTION by the mind to make it APPEAR, in linear time, that there are causes in the world which terrorize other parts of the world, producing effects against their will.

Buying into this view of horizontal cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, will make you buy into the illusion that YOU ARE A VICTIM, because you will not be able to help but believe that stuff "happens to you" by worldly external causes, an class="hi2">anan>d that symptoms show up "as effects" against your will. It is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION.

If your body becomes hurt by an class="hi2">anan> incident, caused by something external, YOU ARE PUTTING THE HURT IN YOUR BODY in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make it seem true that you are at the effect of the world! YOUR MIND puts your sickness in your body to CORRELATE to the heirarchy of illusions - the belief that a separate cause caused this. It's a cover-up. It's pretend. It's fake.

You as spirit, joined with God's mind, can class="hi2">anan>not be at the effect of the world, because the world is at the effect of YOU. This mean class="hi2">anan>s the world HAS NO CAUSAL POWER of its own. ZERO! Absolutely no ability whatsoever to make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen. Jesus's own words:

""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.""

"The world you see does nothing. It has no effects at all. "

The world DOES NOTHING. It is not a cause. Everything in the world is the EFFECT of YOUR MIND.

This is why you have power over the whole world. This is why "my self is ruler of the universe". This is why whatever your mind chooses to see, it will PUT INTO THE WORLD in form, man class="hi2">anan>ifestationally!

"There is no world apart from what you wish, an class="hi2">anan>d herein lies your ultimate release. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge but your mind on what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see an class="hi2">anan>d all the world must chan class="hi2">anan>ge accordingly."

ie the world "out there" is what your mind PUTS THERE. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind an class="hi2">anan>d that outward picture MUST CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE. The world will chan class="hi2">anan>ge, "physically"!

There is a huge rift in the ACIM community.

It mainly hinges around a single assumption. Some people make this assumption an class="hi2">anan>d some do not.

Those who make it are very consistent in the consequences of that assumption, because it leads to massive level confusion. There is an class="hi2">anan> entirely different interpretation of the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of almost everything the Course mean class="hi2">anan>s, which arises based on that one assumption.

The assumption is this:

Everything about the course applies to "my identity" as I see it right now. It ALL applies to ME.

This is a MISTAKE!

an class="hi2">Anan>d this happens because .... every course student has a EGO, which is a false sense of identity or self, which perceives that everything is about IT. It is an class="hi2">anan> ego-centric interpretation of the course.

Here is a fact which you can class="hi2">anan> deny or accept:

Sometimes the Course is speaking to an class="hi2">anan>d about an class="hi2">anan> "individual son" as part of the "sonship." "A son", "A brother", "my brothers", "God’s children", etc of which there are man class="hi2">anan>y. an class="hi2">Anan>d sometimes, the course is speaking about The One Son of God - "The son", "God’s son" etc.

These are two very different LEVELS OF IDENTITY. The scope of these levels is vastly different. What applies to one individual may not apply to an class="hi2">anan>other individual. What applies to the one son, does not apply to an class="hi2">anan> individual son in isolation. The mind of the One Son is HUGE, it is the mind of Christ. The mind of an class="hi2">anan> INDIVIDUAL SON, has its own individual free will choice an class="hi2">anan>d its own ability to independently deny God.

Confusing or combining these two levels, which is a confusion of identity, will lead to massive level confusion an class="hi2">anan>d false conclusions.

When YOU, as an class="hi2">anan> "individual son", think that everything the course says about the One Son applies to YOU, you are making a massive level confused mistake! It does NOT apply to you! When you, as an class="hi2">anan> individual son, believe that every teaching in the course is ABOUT YOU, as you see yourself as an class="hi2">anan> individual right now, you WILL come to false conclusions. an class="hi2">Anan>d these conclusions are radically warped in comparison to what they would be if you saw all the levels in their appropriate placement.

Some parts of ACIM are talking about an class="hi2">anan> individual son, an class="hi2">anan>d some parts are talking about the One Son, which is a vast difference. Knowing WHEN Jesus is talking about WHICH LEVEL, is very importan class="hi2">anan>t, otherwise you will just lump them all together an class="hi2">anan>d .... come to some very distorted conclusions.

To understan class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>d accept this DOES REQUIRE that you believe that there ARE multiple sons. Some people refer to multiple souls as mentionedin earlier versions. Or the sonship, which even in edited versions talks about multiple sons. The sonship IS supposed to be a term that refers to MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS. The sonship is NOT the One Son of God. The sonship IS NOT CHRIST.

If you confuse certain intentions of "which level of identity" Jesus is talking to or about, it will produce huge differences in what you think he mean class="hi2">anan>s. If he says something which only applies to the One Son, an class="hi2">anan>d you think it applies to YOU as an class="hi2">anan> individual, you will become mistaken.

This is what is happening throughout the course community. A kind of rift or difference of opinion, between those who take the course as "all one level talking about me as the only son" versus "multiple levels talking sometimes about me as an class="hi2">anan> individual an class="hi2">anan>d sometimes as a shared single identity."

Those who believe the course always is talking at one level, who fail to see the levels or discern when Jesus refers to which identity, WILL come to the following FALSE CONCLUSIONS:

1) "I dreamed everything in the world, it’s all in my mind, therefore if I heal my mind, it will heal everyone else, because they are all part of me." —�- NO. This is only true of the One Son! It is not true of individuals. You as an class="hi2">anan> individual are NOT responsible for what other individuals are experiencing!

2) "I dreamed the world myself"—�- NO. The One Son dreamed the world an class="hi2">anan>d you are INSIDE HIS DREAM. You are having an class="hi2">anan> ADDITIONAL LAYER OF DREAMING within his dream.

3) "When the course talks about perception, he is talking about my pecteption." —� NO not always. E.g. When he says "the world IS perception", he literally mean class="hi2">anan>s, plan class="hi2">anan>et earth is part of the perception of the ONE SON. It showing up is the One Son’s dreaming. You, as an class="hi2">anan> individual, have your own INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTION *OF* the Son of God’s perception of a world. There are two levels here.

4) "I need only chan class="hi2">anan>ge my mind about the world to be at peace". —� NO. When you heal your individual perception OF the One Son’s perception, you will wake up IN the dream, but not FROM it. Man class="hi2">anan>y gurus have done this. Doing this will still result in death.

5) "If I chan class="hi2">anan>ge my perception, I will be able to tran class="hi2">anan>scend sickness." —� NO. If you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your perception of something which you think has been put there by someone else, in order to deal with it, IT will still stick around, proving that the One Son’s mind has not been healed.

6) "God created the world" —� NO. A person WILL come to this conclusion if they do not believe that there is a sonship of man class="hi2">anan>y individuals. This is because, somehow, they have to account for what the world IS or how it got there beyond their personal perception. Since they don’t believe there is a separate LEVEL of identity of the One Son, an class="hi2">anan>d they think they ARE the one Son at this level of individuality, they MUST conclude that the only identity LEFT who might be responsible for making the world is God! They do not see, that the One Son made the world, NOT their individual self.

7) "If you heal your perception you can class="hi2">anan>not perceive sickness in an class="hi2">anan>other." —� NO. This level confusion comes from believing that you, as an class="hi2">anan> individual, are the one son. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that everything you see in the world is "part of you". That then mean class="hi2">anan>s that if sickness is showing up, like a person has can class="hi2">anan>cer or some disease, it must be "part of your mind". an class="hi2">Anan>d this leads to the conclusion - if I chan class="hi2">anan>ge my mind about this sin I’m seeing, that person will get healed. NO—�- it does not work. That other person is NOT part of your mind. You are an class="hi2">anan> individual, they are an class="hi2">anan> individual, an class="hi2">anan>d you both have free will. Believing that you are the one son of God at this level makes you delusional that a) you are responsible for other people’s sickness, b) they are sick because of you, c) if you withdraw your projection they won’t be sick. NOT TRUE. You are having an class="hi2">anan> INDIVIDUAL FALSE PERCEPTION. an class="hi2">Anan>d so are they. You are not the one son of God at this level. Other people are NOT part of your individual mind. They are part of the One Son’s mind, an class="hi2">anan>d that’s NOT your identity right now, not even if you reach true perception.

8) "What I project onto others affects them or is in them, so I need to take back those projections so they will be healed" —� NO. Your projections within the scope of your own individual mind, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR MIND. It only seems that these things are outside of you in an class="hi2">anan>other person. You have a belief in sin - an class="hi2">anan> independent belief. Not the one son’s belief. This independent belief splits your independent mind. Your mind then has one area which seems innocent an class="hi2">anan>d one area which seems sinful. You will shift your identity to associate with the innocent part, an class="hi2">anan>d disassociate from the sinful part. This is internal denial. Your mind is at war with ITSELF. Your identification with the innocent part makes it seem like the sinful part is OUTSIDE of IT, but it is still within YOUR individual mind. You will hallucinate that because it seems "outside me", it is IN or belongs to or is doing something to other people. IT IS NOT. All attack is SELF attack. You NEVER attack others. Your projection DOES NOT leave your mind an class="hi2">anan>d go onto them. They HAVE NOT been affected by your projection! an class="hi2">Anan>d when you take your projection back, it will NOT CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE an class="hi2">ANan>YTING in terms of what the other person is experiencing. This is because both of you are individuals. Interpreting this whole part of the course based on the assumption it’s referring to "you" as "the one son" is a huge error.

9) "If I stop identifying with the body I will be free"�— NO. This is part of the belief that the body is there on its own, which is part of the belief that either God or the Son of God made it, an class="hi2">anan>d that if you just detach from it you will be free. The body is showing up because YOU AS an class="hi2">ANan> INDIVIDUAL are projecting it. What YOU, as an class="hi2">anan> individual, use the body for, it will become to you, individually. Use it for attack it becomes sick, use it for love it is healed. This is about you as an class="hi2">anan> individual son, not as the one son. You can class="hi2">anan>’t disidentify from something that YOU are responsible for putting there. This includes all sickness in your body. YOU, as an class="hi2">anan> individual son, made sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> abolish both.

10) "If I stop projecting sickness I will not see my brother as sick" —� NO. This is the erroneous assumption that everything "out there" is "in you". Therefore that you are the one son, not an class="hi2">anan> individual son. This makes you believe if you correct your false perception of sickness, you will never again be able to SEE that someone is sick. You will think of people as just parts of your own mind, that their sickness is your own, an class="hi2">anan>d that therefore YOU need healing. THIS IS FALSE. You can class="hi2">anan> get your individual self to a healed state an class="hi2">anan>d be whole as an class="hi2">anan> individual, free of sickness, while other individuals continue to be sick. You will not be blind to their choice to be sick. Because at this LEVEL, they are OUTSIDE OF YOU. They are inside the One Son, yes. But you are NOT the one son at this point. Healing your perception heals YOUR perception, not an class="hi2">anan>yone else’s. Accepting the atonement accepts it for you, it doesn’t force an class="hi2">anan>yone else to accept it. Other people WILL NOT suddenly become cured when you see correctly. True Perception is INDIVIDUAL. You will still see the illusion of sickness other people are projecting, you just won’t believe it is real. People can class="hi2">anan> stay sick in spite of you!

11) "I can class="hi2">anan> be at peace with death" —� NO. You can class="hi2">anan>not. This suggests death happens regardless of you choosing the truth. Which suggests God is doing it to you. This is not true at an class="hi2">ANan>Y LEVEL of identity. If you are going to die, as an class="hi2">anan> individual, it is because you, as an class="hi2">anan> individual, have a belief in death. an class="hi2">Anan>d it will not affect an class="hi2">anan>yone else.

�—�—�—�

There are other examples but I’m out of oomph right now. We need to be careful to read the course, maybe even re-read it, knowing that there are TWO levels of identity. an class="hi2">Anan>d we need to discern, when is the course talking about me as an class="hi2">anan> individual, an class="hi2">anan>d when is it talking about the entire One Son. At times it talks about perception an class="hi2">anan>d seeing in terms of The One Son’s perception, not yours! an class="hi2">Anan>d we have to recognize, while we’re in bodies, if we’ve awoken to the maximum limits of our individual mind, our individual identity in its most natural whole state, that mind is STILL MUCH SMALLER than class="hi2">anan> the mind of the one son.

The mind of the one son can class="hi2">anan> experience THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE at once. Recognizes that absolutely all individuals are part of itself. Knows that IT dreamed the entire universe. Knows that it has the power to create plan class="hi2">anan>ets. That One Son’s mind is huge. To awake to THAT mind requires a TRan class="hi2">ANan>SCENDENCE OF INDIVIDUALITY where a single son in the sonship unites with God. Just like Jesus did. That happens AFTER you wake up individually in the dream! Becoming the Christ, is an class="hi2">anan>other whole level of awakening FROM the dream, that takes place after you as an class="hi2">anan> individual wake up IN the dream. Becoming healed as an class="hi2">anan> individual IS NOT the same thing as becoming Christ! You have to tran class="hi2">anan>scend the entire sonship to do that!

For me, the Course makes so much more sense, is much easier to understan class="hi2">anan>d, is clearer, more consistent, less confusing, an class="hi2">anan>d gives you much more relief of responsibility an class="hi2">anan>d guilt if you can class="hi2">anan> recognize that there is MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> ONE LEVEL in what Jesus is presenting. We need to learn the individual level first, then the second level later. That there are two levels in the awakening is clear, evidenced by some individuals who have woken up IN the dream, believe they are done, only to find they are NOT done. They still die. an class="hi2">Anan>d they still do not perform miracles. Because they did not tran class="hi2">anan>scend the sonship yet to return the mind to Christ.

It’s a simple concept that there are two levels of identity. But failing to recognize which identity you have right now, an class="hi2">anan>d which identity Jesus is speaking about or when, WILL lead to huge level confusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y false conclusions have come from this.

Take an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>alogy of a room. When the light is switched on in the room the room is lit. There is no significan class="hi2">anan>t "darkness". Maybe there are also windows open with the sunlight streaming in. It's a very bright room.

If you turn off the lights an class="hi2">anan>d cover the windows, what happens? The only thing that happen is the light is not permitted to enter. It SEEMS, then, as if the room "is dark", right?

If you were to recognize this is only an class="hi2">anan> absence of light, you'd know that it's not so much that "darkness has entered the room", but rather simply that there is an class="hi2">anan> absence of light or lack of light. The APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE of "darkness" is ONLY what "lack of light" looks like. A "hole" in the light.

What the EGO does, is it mistakes the ILLUSION of light's absence, for being something in its own right. Like, there really is a "darkness". Really is an class="hi2">anan> evil. Really is a power or force that can class="hi2">anan> CAUSE light to be absent, can class="hi2">anan> attack light, can class="hi2">anan> defend against light, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> force light to be dispelled. That "darkness shines away the light". This is "the belief that darkness that can class="hi2">anan> hide." It's the belief, the mistaken belief, that the illusion of light's absence ISN'T an class="hi2">anan> illusion, but rather is an class="hi2">anan> opposing force, a "something", a real darkness, which exists in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> stay by its own will an class="hi2">anan>d MAKE things dark.

This however is disproven when, for example, you switch the light back on again an class="hi2">anan>d open up the windows, the light pours in, the "lack" of light is "supplied", an class="hi2">anan>d what happens to the darkness? Does the darkness have an class="hi2">ANan>Y power to prevent the room from being "lit"? Does the darkness have a will with which it can class="hi2">anan> DO an class="hi2">anan>ything? Can class="hi2">anan> it protest against the light an class="hi2">anan>d say "i'm not going to be illuminated" an class="hi2">anan>d thus hold an class="hi2">anan> area of the room in darkness in defian class="hi2">anan>ce of the light? No. It has no power, no will, no real presence, nothing, unless you yourself try to give it that. It in fact completely van class="hi2">anan>ishes because it is LITERALLY NOTHING other than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There IS no darkness really.

Mistaking the absence of light for "real darkness" is delusional. It's a belief that illusions are real. That the illusion of "there is darkness" is true, rather than class="hi2">anan>, "it's just light's absence." There is a huge difference there. Believing in real darkness versus RECOGNIZING that it is ONLY light's absence is the difference between san class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity. an class="hi2">Anan>d ultimately if you recognize that only light is true, then there is NO DARKNESS at all, an class="hi2">anan>d thus NO LACK OF LIGHT.

Now here's the thing. When we resisted God's will an class="hi2">anan>d became defensive an class="hi2">anan>d resistan class="hi2">anan>t to truth, trying to stop light from extending, trying to oppose reality, it resulted in this ILLUSION of a state where there seemed to be a LACK, or an class="hi2">anan> absence of light an class="hi2">anan>d love. ie we tried to deny light/truth/God. It WAS only an class="hi2">anan> illusion of light's absence because light can class="hi2">anan>not really be affected. BUT, some souls believed in the lack as if it was the truth, as if there really WAS a darkness, as if evil REALLY existed as a THING, as if darkness could CAUSE light to be hidden or could cause an class="hi2">anan>ything. That darkness could cause God's light to diminish, as an class="hi2">anan> attack on light. This is the idea of sin.

This resulted in, a state where there is the illusion that "light is absent or lacking".... nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusion, easily dispelled, easily SHONE AWAY by the light of truth if the light were permitted to come. But it was the UNWILLINGNESS of the "separated ones" to ALLOW light to enter, in rejection of love ("love does not enter where it is not welcome"), that "held" light at bay an class="hi2">anan>d maintained the illusion of darkness. This is what "keeps them in the dark" so to speak because they are actively "pushing light away". It's because they imbue "darkness" with their own unwillingness or "will to reject the will of light", that they GIVE darkness this seeming "reality" or "power" to seem to fight against the light an class="hi2">anan>d keep love at bay. Thus they maintain that things "made of darkness" actually exist, even though they don't.

When they do that, an class="hi2">anan>d they did that, it produced an class="hi2">anan> entire ILLUSORY WORLD, nothing but an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of light's absence, an class="hi2">anan>d not A REAL DARKNESS, but it was a world they believed in, one where they believed darkness really DOES exist, is CAUSAL, can class="hi2">anan> have power OVER light, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> force God to be attacked. That belief in darkness, an class="hi2">anan>d that "lack of light an class="hi2">anan>d love", SHOWS UP AS .... an class="hi2">anan> entire WORLD. In other words, the world is merely the ILLUSORY APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE of there SEEMING to be a "block to light". an class="hi2">Anan>d this is also why Jesus says "the world is false perception" because it ONLY EXISTS WITHIN your delusional state of "darkened mind" an class="hi2">anan>d DOES NOT exist when your mind is lit by truth. But the world, itself, is actually entirely MADE OF, nothing more than class="hi2">anan>, "the illusion of light's absence". It is made of denial. It is made of a protest against the light. "The world you made is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it". So long as light is "absent", the world shows up. When the light is present, the world disappears.

So long as separated souls are willing against God they uphold an class="hi2">anan>d maintain the world. "You maintain the world in your mind with your thoughts." Whenever souls have finally decided to stop willing against God, an class="hi2">anan>d to stop trying to give the world an class="hi2">anan> illusory power to be "real darkness", no-one will thus believe that there REALLY IS A WORLD, because they simply no longer are deceived by the ILLUSION of light's absence. They will first recognize the world is NOTHING other than class="hi2">anan> the illusion that there is a lack of light, an class="hi2">anan>d then go on to realize there IS ONLY light, thus NO WORLD.

They stop believing in sin an class="hi2">anan>d evil. They believe only in love an class="hi2">anan>d accept only God's truth an class="hi2">anan>d light. an class="hi2">Anan>d this results in, no-one remaining to MAINTAIN a world, a world which is made of light's absence ie sin, guilt, fear, attack, death.... an class="hi2">anan>d that is when "eternity will shine away the world". an class="hi2">Anan>d this is also where Jesus talks about nothing being left to keep a separated world in place. Space an class="hi2">anan>d time end because no-one believes in them, an class="hi2">anan>d the entirety of "stuff made of darkness" van class="hi2">anan>ishes. Without an class="hi2">anan>yone WILLING TO KEEP IT, the LIGHT will be ALLOWED to shine fully an class="hi2">anan>d totally. an class="hi2">Anan>d this will shine away the world, the entire universe in fact, all the stars an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets will disappear in light. That's what it mean class="hi2">anan>s. That's how the world ends. It is merely recognized as no longer seeming to exist at all. The darkness simply disappears as if it never existed at all, because it didn't.

Because in truth, the world, THIS PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET, all plan class="hi2">anan>ets, the sun, the stars, the galaxies, all of it, all of SPACE an class="hi2">anan>d TIME, every place an class="hi2">anan>d location, everything 3D, are all NOTHING MORE THan class="hi2">ANan> "light's absence", an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION that light can class="hi2">anan> be absent, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> illusion that it's NOT the absence of light but actually the presence of a "something". "The world of darkness" will be shone away, because... drumroll. ... THERE IS NO WORLD. It's like saying the world is the darkness in the room, an class="hi2">anan>d so long as there is no light the room remains dark an class="hi2">anan>d so the world exists AS the darkness. But as soon as the light shines, where is the darkness? What will or power does it have to REMAIN? IT has NONE AT ALL. It is nothing. It simply van class="hi2">anan>ishes because it WAS nothing more than class="hi2">anan> the "lack of light" or the illusion that love is absence.

The world as an class="hi2">anan> illusion of lights absence thus first tran class="hi2">anan>sitions from appearing to be real (false perception), to being recognized as not real (true perception), what seemed to be "an class="hi2">anan> evil world" is tran class="hi2">anan>sitioned to a world very close to the light because it's recognized as merely "light's absence". You love it to shine it away. Your light dispels it. Being the light of the world ends the world by revealing there is no world. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus the world, the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of a world, merely disappears into nothing, just as the darkness in the room just disappears as if it never existed. All that REMAINS is heaven which is reality - the living world of light.

This is why there is no world. It is NOTHING. Believing it is a "something" is delusional. It's no different than class="hi2">anan> believing that darkness enters a room an class="hi2">anan>d causes the light to be dispelled. The darkness does not exist at all. Once miracles supply a lack an class="hi2">anan>d the whole universe is infused with light, it disappears. "A forgiven world can class="hi2">anan>not last." "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came." The picture of crucifixion ends. The world of sin van class="hi2">anan>ishes. It doesn't have a "something" that is KEPT or REMAINS. It is the absence of something. It doesn't have a "core reality" that tran class="hi2">anan>sitions through an class="hi2">anan>d makes it past the disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce of darkness. It WAS the darkness. It simply ceases to exist. Light shines the world away. It is gone. There is no world, there never was. Only heaven is real.

It is to clearly recognize when something is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d when it is reality.

It is only because we have become convinced that illusions are real, that they have truth to them, an class="hi2">anan>d give them credit, that we are experiencing sleep.

Unconsciousness is denial, which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to not be aware of the factual truth, the whole truth, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing but the truth.

Instead we have attempted to block the truth, so that we might have an class="hi2">anan> opportunity to believe that something else is the truth, without the real truth distracting us or reminding us of what the truth is.

We had to hide from God, which seems like hiding God, in order to be as close as possible to forgetting the truth. Otherwise we could not possibly give even a moment's attention to illusions which are unreal.

We wouldn't be able to even potentially believe illusions are truth while the real truth was glaringly obvious, but with the real truth out of sight, illusions appear to be plausible.

Unawareness of the real truth makes it "easier" to believe in an class="hi2">anan> illusion of truth. The purpose of the illusion then is to hide the real truth an class="hi2">anan>d substitute for it, replacing it with some other form of mean class="hi2">anan>ing.

Even though spiritual lessons may show up in a variety of forms an class="hi2">anan>d feature different people an class="hi2">anan>d problems, they are all still basically the same one lesson. They are all exercises in learning what is true an class="hi2">anan>d what is false. Learning to recognize an class="hi2">anan> illusion for what it is, rather than class="hi2">anan> make it real an class="hi2">anan>d react to it.

When we believe an class="hi2">anan> illusion has truth to it, we will have a whole cascade of reactions an class="hi2">anan>d counter-perceptions which arise out of that fundamental sense of reality. We might think our lesson is to deal with those reactions or overcome them, but ultimately the lesson is only learning to "see through" the illusion.

To overlook the claim of an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d not see it as the truth, to not believe in it, an class="hi2">anan>d to not fall for its tricks, is simply an class="hi2">anan> act of forgiveness. Forgiveness is therefore the an class="hi2">anan>swer to all lessons. To put it even more clearly, forgiveness is the ONLY an class="hi2">anan>swer to ALL problems. It is not one of man class="hi2">anan>y options, it is the only option.

To remain deluded is unforgiveness, judgement, an class="hi2">anan>d attack. To forgive is to learn to see clearly what the truth is, which will put everything into its proper perspective an class="hi2">anan>d show the illusion for what it is. When the truth is present, there is so much obvious evidence that the illusion is false, you can class="hi2">anan>'t help but recognize it as false. It's obvious, without an class="hi2">anan>y particular effort or skill needed to see it as such.

Forgiveness isn't an class="hi2">anan> interpretation of illusions. It's not an class="hi2">anan> attempt to twist your way of looking or to strain or make effort to see in a certain way. Forgiveness is completely effortless an class="hi2">anan>d natural. It looks upon illusions in stillness, doing nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d simply recognizing them for what they are. They are false. They are untrue. They are not reality.

This is how simple it all comes down to. Every lesson is a lesson in forgiveness. Every lesson presents illusions which you initially believe are true, are dan class="hi2">anan>gerous, are able to affect you, or prove that God is dead. Learning to sort out the evidence an class="hi2">anan>d become aware of a greater truth is the only way out of the lesson. Learning to discern true from false.

All lessons are learned the same way. Once forgiveness has come to establish a clear perception - true perception - of what the truth really is an class="hi2">anan>d what is false, the lesson is over, an class="hi2">anan>d the need for the lesson is over. Forgiveness is a perman class="hi2">anan>ent correction of sight.

To forgive or not to forgive, that is the question. Forgiveness is the an class="hi2">anan>swer.

There is a sequence of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, in which a higher level causes a lower level.

God causes the Son of God. The Son of God causes his dream of separation. God is cause, the son is effect. The son shares the father's ability to cause, an class="hi2">anan>d causes his dream, which is an class="hi2">anan> effect.

Everything in the dream is an class="hi2">anan> effect of the Son's dreaming. Even the things which appear to be causes can class="hi2">anan>not be causes, they are illusions of causes. The Son of God implemented both the "things that cause" an class="hi2">anan>d "the effects of those causes" simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, both as effects.

If he were writing a movie an class="hi2">anan>d filming it, it would mean class="hi2">anan> setting up the car to come into the scene at just the right time, an class="hi2">anan>d setting up the conditions for the crash, an class="hi2">anan>d setting up that which it crashes into, an class="hi2">anan>d setting up the way that the crashed-into thing is chan class="hi2">anan>ged by the crash. All at once. There is no cause or effect on the level of the movie, it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

This is perhaps even more easily understood in the behind-the-scenes creation of digital movies where there isn't an class="hi2">anan>y cause-an class="hi2">anan>d-effect laws of physics to comply with, so if you wan class="hi2">anan>t there to appear to be "an class="hi2">anan> effect" of something happening, you have to actually literally man class="hi2">anan>ually make that effect, ie cause it, otherwise the car will pass right through the wall an class="hi2">anan>d everyone would be like "that's not real".

When we mistake the ORDER in which the levels are thus arran class="hi2">anan>ged, mistaking an class="hi2">anan> effect for a cause, we're believing a lower order level has power/will/mind/control over a higher order level. This confusion of the levels, or attributing some properties to some levels which they do not have, based on what is true for an class="hi2">anan>other level, is level confusion. "All sickness comes from confusing the levels".

Examples:

Believing the world (an class="hi2">anan> effect) is a cause an class="hi2">anan>d it's causing you.

Believing you are at the effect of the world or a victim.

Believing something in the world has an class="hi2">anan> alien will with a power to chan class="hi2">anan>ge you against your will.

Believing in death happening to you against your will.

Believing you are sick "because of" something outside of you.

Believing the world has a "magical ability" to make things happen (magic).

Believing God's will is not your will - the authority problem.

Believing your body has power over your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d a mind of its own.

Believing your body is coming from the world, not from your mind.

Believing there are causes in the world which produce effects, an class="hi2">anan>d effects which can class="hi2">anan> become causes in their own right, which can class="hi2">anan> in turn tran class="hi2">anan>sform causes into effects.

Believing that every action has an class="hi2">anan> equal an class="hi2">anan>d opposite reaction.

Believing the ego's laws of physics, biology, chemistry, etc.

Believing there are life forms in the world which are actually alive an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>imated by nature.

Believing the world is natural an class="hi2">anan>d God's creation.

Believing in an class="hi2">anan> alien will separate from your own which therefore terrifies you because there is nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do to stop it from affecting you.

Believing you are sick or broken or hurt or upset or afraid or sad because of something that happened in the world or in other people.

Believing that salvation, truth, love, safety, peace, an class="hi2">anan>d innocence all exist external from yourself an class="hi2">anan>d that you need to seek out there to find it, an class="hi2">anan>d that you will find it if you try hard enough.

Believing you are unlovable because love is not in you already where God put it.

Believing God is not your father an class="hi2">anan>d that you are the cause of him.

Believing in real sin, with the ability to create real effects in God, to chan class="hi2">anan>ge God, to chan class="hi2">anan>ge reality, to redefine the truth an class="hi2">anan>d to make perman class="hi2">anan>ent irreversible chan class="hi2">anan>ges which can class="hi2">anan> never be healed.

Believing in judgement an class="hi2">anan>d unforgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger as being justified due to what happened to you from an class="hi2">anan> external cause against your will.

All of these are level confusion. THE ENTIRE EGO THOUGHT SYSTEM IS LEVEL CONFUSION!

They all entail believing there is a cause within a level of effect. That the "lower" order level of illusions have "become alive" or gained a mind or will of their own. Whatever it was that, in truth, came FROM the causality of your mind, has suddenly because a cause OF your mind. That's confusion!

Miracles place the levels in their correct order. Miracles are expressions of the fact that only mind, TRUE CAUSE, can class="hi2">anan> cause, an class="hi2">anan>d everything else is in this world is an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT, including the world (earth) itself. The world does nothing at all, it is only an class="hi2">anan> effect. It has NO CAUSES in it. Nothing is happening to you. No-one is victimizing you. You are not at the effect of the world you see.

Correcting level confusion is the only correction needed to reach the atonement. When everything is seen in its correct sequence, you will have mind over matter, power over all illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing in the world will be able to withstan class="hi2">anan>d the causal Power of God that flows through you. Miracles are supernatural BECAUSE they come from a higher level of causality, demonstrating that the lower level IS an class="hi2">anan> effect an class="hi2">anan>d its illusions of cause-effect do not really apply. They come from above the "nature" of the world an class="hi2">anan>d PROVE that no cause in the world has an class="hi2">anan>y power whatsoever, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore its "effects" are easily chan class="hi2">anan>ged.

Cutting your Self off from God is separation.

Cutting yourself off from God mean class="hi2">anan>s that now your Self is ISOLATED or disconnected from God.

It does not mean class="hi2">anan> that you have no self or that you do not exist.

Nor does it mean class="hi2">anan> that you having a Self is ego or a sin.

It merely mean class="hi2">anan>s your Self has become surrounded with fictional illusions of SEPARATION which are not really there, which blocks your awareness of being as God created you.

God created you to HAVE A SELF. You are one of man class="hi2">anan>y sons of God.

Just because your Self is constrained an class="hi2">anan>d limited by walls of ego delusion, does not fundamentally mean class="hi2">anan> that your "self" itself is false.

All it mean class="hi2">anan>s is that you have tried to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE your Self into an class="hi2">anan> artificial self, one which is separated from the whole an class="hi2">anan>d one which does not wan class="hi2">anan>t to be as God created it.

Just because you are in the world being "an class="hi2">anan> individual" does NOT make individuality an class="hi2">anan> error. It's not your individuality that is an class="hi2">anan> error. It's the ego stuff that SURROUNDS your individuality an class="hi2">anan>d paints a picture of you being an class="hi2">anan> identity that is not true of you.

Not having an class="hi2">anan> EGO identity or an class="hi2">anan> ego individuality, a cut off individuality, does NOT mean class="hi2">anan> that when you get rid of the ego you will get rid of you "self". It only mean class="hi2">anan>s that the FAKE SELF, which was formed from walls surrounding your REAL SELF, will disappear, an class="hi2">anan>d what will be left is your REAL SELF, WHICH IS an class="hi2">ANan> INDIVIDUAL SOUL.

God created individual souls with individual free will. This is normal an class="hi2">anan>d natural. It is normal to have a SELF. It's just that, in God's creation, this Self is ALSO UNITED with all of the rest of creation - joined to it, sharing with it. It is ONLY THE SHARING that has seemed to end.

The lack of sharing an class="hi2">anan>d the sense of ISOLATION from the whole is all that needs to be undone an class="hi2">anan>d let go of. an class="hi2">Anan>d letting go of that isolation reconnects you to the whole an class="hi2">anan>d DOES NOT MEan class="hi2">ANan> that your "self" stops being separate an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you stop HAVING a self. It does not mean class="hi2">anan>, there is nowhere that you begin an class="hi2">anan>d God ends. You do not cause God, God causes you. You exist forever as His creation. You can class="hi2">anan>not make yourself not exist an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> you can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge God's creation.

All that falls away is the LIES ABOUT YOU, not YOU.

Look at an class="hi2">anan>yone who has had an class="hi2">anan> awakening. They will tell you, who they thought they were fell away an class="hi2">anan>d disappeared. So there is no THAT self left, but that person is stan class="hi2">anan>ding there talking to you BEING A SELF, because they still have a soul. You are perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

Which part of "I am as God created me" mean class="hi2">anan>s that you do not exist?

"To forgive is to OVERLOOK"

"Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. It does not pardon sins an class="hi2">anan>d make them real. It sees there was no sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this view are all your sins forgiven."

"Forgiveness through the Holy Spirit lies simply in looking beyond error from the beginning, an class="hi2">anan>d thus KEEPING it unreal for you. Do not let an class="hi2">anan>y belief in its realness enter your minds AT ALL, or you will also believe that you must UNDO what you have made, in order to BE forgiven"

"A forgiven world can class="hi2">anan>not last."

"He who would not forgive must judge, to justify his failure to forgive."

The function of forgiveness, is to look beyond error from the start, as pro-active "fore-giving", a giving of love which recognizes innocence an class="hi2">anan>d does not allow the mind to MAKE an class="hi2">anan> error. Forgiveness is the perception in which errors are not seen at all, because the mind is not making or projecting errors itself, an class="hi2">anan>d so this "pro-active" attitude sustains a state where there is no error, ie there is no sin, an class="hi2">anan>d so long as you stay focused on this you will not produce an class="hi2">anan>y.

If you slip up an class="hi2">anan>d fail to forgive, you will make an class="hi2">anan> error. You will go into the belief in "sin is real". an class="hi2">Anan>d by going into it, you will use judgement to try to explain (justify) why you couldn't be forgiving. e.g. that someone "really did this or that", calling for you to "have to" be justified in judging due to what you think happened. But what you think "happened" is an class="hi2">anan> error in judgement, an class="hi2">anan> error in your own perception. an class="hi2">Anan> error that your own mind made-up, as a result of leaving the state of forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit therefore does not MAKE errors, or produce perception of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d so perceives only that there is no sin. He looks past errors to the truth, using reason. This form of sight literally "overlooks", as in, DOES NOT SEE, errors an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, as if the errors (if they were to exist) have become totally tran class="hi2">anan>sparent an class="hi2">anan>d have disappeared. He looks only to the face of Christ an class="hi2">anan>d innocence an class="hi2">anan>d recognizes that there literally IS no ego, because there IS no error or sin, an class="hi2">anan>d the "forms of error" which the body's eyes look at an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>'t see past (physical objects) are overlooked entirely.

The world, as referred to in "the forgiven world", that being simply Earth an class="hi2">anan>d the rest of this universe, IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, an class="hi2">anan>d it is the form of error. To look at it is to be blinded by perception of form. To look past it is to overlook it an class="hi2">anan>d see beyond it. In this way, forgiveness literally overlooks the world entirely, forgets the world, ignores physical objects, an class="hi2">anan>d looks past it to the face of Christ. This is "forgiving the world" doesn't entail keeping it an class="hi2">anan>d looking AT it in a forgiving way, it entails OVERLOOKING it, recognizing it is NOT THERE, an class="hi2">anan>d realizing that it - being made of the idea of sin - DOES NOT EXIST an class="hi2">ANan>D HAS NOT HAPPENED. In this way forgiveness overlooks the world itself, not just misperceptions of it, an class="hi2">anan>d looks beyond this world to an class="hi2">anan>other - Heaven.

As such, "a forgiven world can class="hi2">anan>not last" because if it IS forgiven, it WAS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d IS NOT real, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore Can class="hi2">ANan> be overlooked, not seen, regarded as nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d forgotten entirely. A "forgiven world" is an class="hi2">anan> OVERLOOKED world, a world NOT SEEN, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT THERE. A world that never existed in the first place. an class="hi2">Anan>d so forgiveness recognizes the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, not a reality. A forgiven world is an class="hi2">anan> undone world, an class="hi2">anan>d it disappears. This is why it can class="hi2">anan>not last. If you forgive it, you will make it disappear, because there is no sin an class="hi2">anan>d the world is the idea of sin. "Without the idea of death there is no world." "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came."

Separation HAS occurred? Sort of.

Some people claim that it is impossible to explain the "tiny mad idea". It seems logical at first, because when the ego asks a question like "what if", it's not really a question, an class="hi2">anan>d the tiny mad idea hasn't "really" happened in reality. It has no real consequences in reality, an class="hi2">anan>d it's just a dream.

But the tiny mad idea HAS happened in IMAGINATION. It HAS happened in your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d you've "made it real to you". That is why you are sitting there right now reading this on your screen, which *seems* real. A dream "at all" wouldn't even be possible unless God gave you free will to choose to mis-create an class="hi2">anan>d dream.

"Whatever is true & real is eternal, & can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge or be chan class="hi2">anan>ged. The Soul is therefore unalterable because it is ALREADY perfect, but the mind can class="hi2">anan> elect the level it chooses to serve. The only limit which is put on its choice is that it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT serve two masters."

Your mind has FREEDOM, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> be used to choose EITHER to will with God's will, or to will against it. Either in service to the soul/spirit, or in service to a fictional ego. This freedom gran class="hi2">anan>ted you the very REAL "possibility" of being ABLE to make this choice, to use will against will, an class="hi2">anan>d to mis-create. God would not give you an class="hi2">anan> `option` that could *actually* hurt you at all, an class="hi2">anan>d it has not, but this freedom HAS given you the ability to OPT not to laugh at the idea of separation, if you choose.

Jesus also describes below how while you have free will, it is necessary to choose both FOR (toward) God an class="hi2">anan>d AWAY from the option of ego/dreaming.

"While the ballot itself is a secret one, an class="hi2">anan>d the right to vote is fully protected, voting ALWAYS entails both election an class="hi2">ANan>D rejection. If two can class="hi2">anan>didates are voted for for the same position, the machine can class="hi2">anan>cels the ballot automatically.

This is necessary, because a split vote does not represent an class="hi2">ANan>Y REAL allegian class="hi2">anan>ce.

Free will is the attribute of the mind, NOT the Soul. The Soul always remains chan class="hi2">anan>geless, because it never leaves the sight of God.

The Creation of the Soul is already fully accomplished. The mind, if it votes to do so, becomes a medium by which the Soul can class="hi2">anan> create along the line of its own creation. If it does not freely elect to do so, it retains this creative ability, but places itself under tyran class="hi2">anan>nous rather than class="hi2">anan> authoritative control. As a result, what it creates is imprisonment, because such are the dictates of tyran class="hi2">anan>ts."

So you can class="hi2">anan> see here that the mind actually has the freedom to "choose to dream" if it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to. It Can class="hi2">ANan> place itself under tyrran class="hi2">anan>ical rule an class="hi2">anan>d seem to "sleep". Of course this dreaming is FICTIONAL an class="hi2">anan>d it is not REALLY happening in reality, it has no real consequences in heaven, but it IS still a "valid option" that you are free to entertain or ELECT.

This essentially mean class="hi2">anan>s that, the tiny mad idea is a POSSIBLE CHOICE, but it is not a REAL choice. That's a vital distinction. You COULD choose to dream if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to, to mis-create, to opposte God's will (or try to), but it's not a REAL option. It's an class="hi2">anan> option of unreality that the mind is quite capable of making if it chooses to. This is why "heaven is a choice I must make" - the mind HAS to freely, willingly, elect to choose heaven, ie the only real option, an class="hi2">anan>d not the ego, which is an class="hi2">anan> imaginary option you've tried to MAKE real.

Does this mean class="hi2">anan> the dream "has happened"? It has not happened IN REALITY, but it HAS occurred within the context of the mind's freedom to dream. It doesn't have REALITY to it, but it IS something you are CAPABLE OF PRODUCING through mis-creation. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you DO freely choose it, with your free will, it will become seemingly real to you because what you accept into your mind becomes your reality.

"To "chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind" mean class="hi2">anan>s to place it at the disposal of True authority. The miracle is thus a sign that the mind has elected to be guided by Christ in HIS service. The abundan class="hi2">anan>ce of Christ is the natural result of choosing to follow him."

The mind has to ELECT (choose) to be under service to Christ. This IS a free-willed choice, not something forced upon you. God does not create slaves.

"Into eternity, where all is one, there crept a tiny mad idea"

There DID creep an class="hi2">anan> idea, a thought, an class="hi2">anan> imagining, into the mind, because IT COULD. The mind Can class="hi2">ANan> DREAM. But the dream that it produces is not real or like God. Elsewhere Jesus refers to it as "an class="hi2">anan> order of reality", mean class="hi2">anan>ing that you gave reality TO it to try to turn it into reality, through belief, but the belief is based on a false premise, so it is ultimately unfounded an class="hi2">anan>d fundamentally unreal at its core.

"Into eternity, where all is one, there crept a tiny mad idea", at which the Son of God remembered not to laugh. In his forgetting did the thought become a serious idea, an class="hi2">anan>d possible of both accomplishment an class="hi2">anan>d real effects. Together, we can class="hi2">anan> laugh them BOTH away, an class="hi2">anan>d understan class="hi2">anan>d that time can class="hi2">anan> NOT intrude upon eternity. It IS a joke to think that time can class="hi2">anan> come to circumvent eternity, which MEan class="hi2">ANan>S there is no time."

I will leave you this statement by Jesus:

"The Separation HAS occurred. To deny this is merely to misuse denial. However, to concentrate on error is merely a further misuse of legitimate psychic mechan class="hi2">anan>isms. The true corrective procedure, which has already been described as the proper use of the spiritual eye (or true vision), is to accept the error temporarily, BUT ONLY as an class="hi2">anan> indication that IMMEDIATE correction is man class="hi2">anan>datory. This establishes a state of mind in which the Atonement can class="hi2">anan> be accepted without delay."

What he mean class="hi2">anan>s here, is not that the separation is REAL, but that in the MIND, it HAS OCCURRED as a thought, an class="hi2">anan> idea, an class="hi2">anan> IMAGINED possibility. There HAS been an class="hi2">anan> attempt to usurp God's will. There HAS been a "dream". Not REALLY, but ... in the proper context, in the mind, this IS something that we CHOSE, something we TRIED TO MAKE REAL, something we tried to DO, to will it, to mis-create. We DID mis-create. That's the ONLY reason that you are able to be sitting there seeming to be a body reading this text right now. But the ultimate truth is, this is a dream, an class="hi2">anan> unreality, it's ultimately based on a false foundation or premise - that there is an class="hi2">anan> alternative to God's will, an class="hi2">anan>d because that is untrue, it is not REALLY REAL. So it hasn't REALLY happened in truth, in the biggest picture.

You DO, in a sense, dream a dream. But you Can class="hi2">ANan> stop dreaming, by chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind. Dreaming is a state of MIND, of insan class="hi2">anan>ity, believing that time can class="hi2">anan> replace eternity an class="hi2">anan>d space can class="hi2">anan> replace God's presence. Effectively, there HAS been a "fall of man class="hi2">anan>", but the fall is imaginary. It is ONLY an class="hi2">anan> idea, but it IS an class="hi2">anan> idea, not less than class="hi2">anan> that. The "existence" of this idea, however, must be temporary, because it is an class="hi2">anan> idea of being temporary, an class="hi2">anan>d is naturally limited an class="hi2">anan>d finite. It is therefore INEVITABLE that the dream will end an class="hi2">anan>d the IDEA - in which this entire physical universe dwells - will disappear.

God created you as a holy child of God. He gave you an class="hi2">anan> individual soul with a mind an class="hi2">anan>d a free will. God has man class="hi2">anan>y creative children, forming the family of God.

"The soul is the idea of self fullness." It's the idea that you are fully a self, an class="hi2">anan>d that the whole of your soul/self is shared with the fullness of the Kingdom of God.

"We have also emphasized that man class="hi2">anan>, insofar as the term relates to Soul, has not only been fully Created, but also been created perfect. There is no emptiness in him."

The idea of separation is simply an class="hi2">anan> idea of denial. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny an class="hi2">anan>d block reality. In a way, it's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to disown what you are. Its a refusal to accept yourself as God created you. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to NOT will, moving into unwillingness an class="hi2">anan>d imprisonment.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s, "the ego" is not really the production of an class="hi2">anan> additional self, or the man class="hi2">anan>ufacture of a first-an class="hi2">anan>d-only self. It is in fact the idea of NOT HAVING A SELF. It is self denial.

The ego is also the attempt to not be yourself. Being a denial of your soul, it's a withdrawal away from the awareness of what you are. As a rejection of light, this throws you into what seems to be the illusion of darkness.

Generally speaking, your soul is infinite an class="hi2">anan>d unlimited. It is everywhere, like God, sharing all of existence with Him. God occupies all "space" in the Kingdom an class="hi2">anan>d so does your soul in an class="hi2">anan> "overlapping", sharing union.

In the idea of denial of self, you become withdrawn from being everywhere. You attempt to isolate yourself, to not share, to close down, to possess some small part of yourself which you claim is yours alone an class="hi2">anan>d NOT shared with the rest. It's the idea of having something exclusively yours which is unique an class="hi2">anan>d different an class="hi2">anan>d not accessible to an class="hi2">anan>yone else.

This really is the idea of selfishness, the desire to have something special that no-one else has.

"The ego is the idea of selfishness." an class="hi2">Anan> idea of selfishness is NOT the idea of A SELF, it's the idea of a self having a poor attitude an class="hi2">anan>d not wan class="hi2">anan>ting to share with others.

But we have to frame this correctly. The ego is not a self. The ego is the idea of what you are NOT. It's the idea of NOT HAVING a self. It only SEEMS to be "a something" that you made, when in fact it is NOTHING. The belief that it has existence IS a state of deception, believing illusions are true. The ego is NOT really a self at all.

The ego, or egotism, is really the idea of self destruction, which is why the entire system of thought is centered on an class="hi2">anan>d leads towards death - the destruction of your self.

In death you are attempting to finish off the intention of becoming completely unwilling to exist. This is a selfish act. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is there that the so-called ego reaches its climax. In essence, by trying to be selfish, a soul/mind tries to have private ownership, an class="hi2">anan>d ends up losing everything instead.

So it's not so much that we really made an class="hi2">anan> ego. We didn't really invent a separate self. We didn't start out with no self an class="hi2">anan>d come up with a new self. We HAD a self before the separation an class="hi2">anan>d WILL have a self afterwards. Every soul that God created has individuality an class="hi2">anan>d eternal life.

The problem is not a matter of whether or not you have a self or are an class="hi2">anan> individual being. The problem is a matter of whether you are willing to SHARE EXISTENCE with all of the rest of creation.

To be the fullness of the soul, you have to expan class="hi2">anan>d infinitely an class="hi2">anan>d unlimited. You have to be open to allowing access to YOU by everyone else, an class="hi2">anan>d to have access to everyone else. To join minds, to share all that exists, you can class="hi2">anan>not be closed off, isolated, excluded or imprisoned.

So by "going into egotism", we basically "made an class="hi2">anan> ego" but only in the sense that we really did NOT create an class="hi2">anan>ything. Th ego has not been created, an class="hi2">anan>d in fact it does not exist at all. Not only is the ego the idea of what you would be if you did not exist, it also does not exist. In essence, "the separate self" is total fiction an class="hi2">anan>d DOES NOT EXIST. The belief that you ARE IT, is a mistaken belief an class="hi2">anan>d needs correction.

So you really can class="hi2">anan>'t be the ego, but you can class="hi2">anan> believe you are. You can class="hi2">anan>'t be not yourself, but you can class="hi2">anan> pretend to be. You can class="hi2">anan>'t lose your soul, but you can class="hi2">anan> think you gain the whole world an class="hi2">anan>d lose it all an class="hi2">anan>yway. You can class="hi2">anan>'t stop being as God created you, but you can class="hi2">anan> dream of being something you're not.

The ego isn't the idea of a self. It's not a separate self. It's the idea of NOT a self, of NO self. an class="hi2">Anan> illusion that appears o be a something, but is a nothing. Believing that the ego is a self, or that you have an class="hi2">anan> ego, is an class="hi2">anan> upside-down belief. It suggests that in reality there is no self, an class="hi2">anan>d in illusions there are selves. This is an class="hi2">anan> EGO perspective, having bought into the illusion that the ego state is a state of existence, not recognizing it as NON existence.

If you think that awakening mean class="hi2">anan>s the end of self, due to the end of ego, you are thinking upside down. Selves ONLY exist in the Kingdom of God, NOT in the world of illusions. All illusory selves DO NOT exist, all REAL selves do exist.

"The Kingdom of God includes all His children, an class="hi2">anan>d their creations."

The Kingdom of ego death contains NO selves. Selves attempting to destroy themselves an class="hi2">anan>d ending in death.

This world of ego perspectives is merely a world of pretend selves, blocking an class="hi2">anan>d covering up the world of real selves. Trying to end self is just an class="hi2">anan>other extension of the ego's suicidal approach resulting in SELF DENIAL. Rejecting the soul results in death, not life. The ego does need to be "let go", but since it was never who you were to begin with, this is a loss of NOTHING. You give up nothing, to gain everything.

Recognizing that this no-self does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are the self God created, is the atonement. The ego doesn't have to "die" because it never existed in the first place. All we really need to do is stop pretending to be OTHER than class="hi2">anan> the self that God created, or opposed to our self in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

Jesus also clarifies that our sense of self will EXPan class="hi2">ANan>D as we awaken. It will expan class="hi2">anan>d to INCLUDE all of the brothers an class="hi2">anan>d creations that we tried to deny. an class="hi2">Anan>d it will expan class="hi2">anan>d to include the infinite immortal soul that you forgot is who you really are.

Losing the ego isn't the end of you. It's a return to your self. It's a reclamation of your immortal identity - still a God created you.

The separate self is really just the idea of being a SEPARATED self.. a self that had a self before the separation, which BECAME separated due to a lack of sharing, an class="hi2">anan>d will RESUME sharing an class="hi2">anan>d cease being separated after the atonement. This is why Jesus refers to such selves as "separated ones", NOT "separate ones". Just because you are separated does not mean class="hi2">anan> you throw out your self when the "separateness" ends.

Awakening is a return to your real self. an class="hi2">Anan> acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce that you are as God created you. A remembering of your soul.

"NOTHING can class="hi2">anan> prevail against a Son of God who commends his Spirit into the han class="hi2">anan>ds of His Father. By doing this, the mind awakens from its sleep, an class="hi2">anan>d the Soul remembers its Creator. All sense of Separation disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d level confusion van class="hi2">anan>ishes."

"Separation" does not mean class="hi2">anan> that which allows there to be man class="hi2">anan>y. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that which keeps man class="hi2">anan>y things from sharing an class="hi2">anan>ything.

"God who encompasses all being nevertheless created separate beings who have everything individually an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to share it to increase their joy."

We are all perman class="hi2">anan>ent beings in the heart of God.

There is a huge difference between CREATING, an class="hi2">anan>d MAKING. "The world you MADE" is NOT a world that's been CREATED.

Creation is the perfect extension of the whole of God. God creates perfect children who are perfect mirror image reflections of Himself. They are given ALL of God. They are equipped to create fully an class="hi2">anan>d wholly, just like God, with no lack or limitation. The creations of these creators are also just as equipped to create perfection an class="hi2">anan>d wholeness.

At every step of the extension, there is no loss of abilities, no differences, no partial inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce, no lack, no interruption to creative power, an class="hi2">anan>d no interference with sharing absolutely everything of God. Every created being shares the entire whole of creation an class="hi2">anan>d is fully unlimited in every way. The creation is a continuous line which extends forever as a whole, which creates wholes, who in turn create wholes, on an class="hi2">anan>d on an class="hi2">anan>d on. Each created being has ALL THE ABILITIES of its parent, an class="hi2">anan>d what is true of the father is true of the son.

Now, **MAKING** is not like this at all.

Making is based on a belief that there is lack, limitation, restriction, a lack of inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce, a lack of perfection, differences, something missing, an class="hi2">anan>d is actually the idea of death. To make, rather than class="hi2">anan> create, is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to put the brakes on extension an class="hi2">anan>d bring creation to a halt. It is the attempt to bring about an class="hi2">anan> END to creation, so that that which is made is NOT ABLE to create, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT replicate itself in its own likeness, an class="hi2">anan>d completely fails to extend.

The collapsing down of creative power, the distorting an class="hi2">anan>d interruption of perfect extension, the man class="hi2">anan>gling of God's will, the twisting of reality, an class="hi2">anan>d the dreaming of creating something UNLIKE God, has produced THIS WORLD, which is the idea of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death, an class="hi2">anan>d is TOTALLY UNLIKE THE FATHER.

It is through MAKING, which is actually an class="hi2">anan> attempt to NOT CREATE an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING, an class="hi2">anan>d is also an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny creation an class="hi2">anan>d bring creation to a STOP, that we "made this world." Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d the rest of this universe, is "the world you made" per ACIM terms.

When you look at this world you can class="hi2">anan> see WHY this is true. Nothing in this world can class="hi2">anan> extend. Nothing in this world can class="hi2">anan> create a perfect mirror image reflection of itself. What is true of an class="hi2">anan>y parent here is NOT perfectly true of its children. Forms an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d physical objects are NOT able to extend themselves indefinitely, nor can class="hi2">anan> they create more of their own self in their own likeness.

This is because the world is fundamentally the picture of the crucifixion of God's son, it was MADE as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God/Creation, it was made so that God could enter not, an class="hi2">ANan>D it runs completely CONTRARY to your nature. It is the nature of your soul to extend God's being forever. It is this world's nature to PUT A STOP to that. This happens at the level of PHYSICAL MATTER, not perception. Matter is fundamentally made of the thought of the idea of an class="hi2">anan> end to life, the thought of separation.

Through making, we invented "an class="hi2">anan> end to creation" an class="hi2">anan>d "an class="hi2">anan> end to life". Making, is death. It produces a condensing of expression, a collapsing of unlimitedness, an class="hi2">anan> imposing of limits, the man class="hi2">anan>ifestation of FORMS of error, the production of pictures of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d the solidification of the idea of grinding to a halt. This forms PHYSICAL MATTER, which is extremely resistan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d dense. Jesus says we made this world from UNWILLINGNESS, which is why it is very hard to chan class="hi2">anan>ge it.

Truly then, this whole universe is what it looks like when you try to stop the extension of God's creation, resist life, deny immortality, reject God's will, oppose the nature of Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d try to bring about DEATH. It literally ENDS in death, an class="hi2">anan>d it is literally MADE OF the idea of death, because in this world ALL PHYSICAL FORMS Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT CREATE OR EXTEND.

You take a computer an class="hi2">anan>d you design a car. The computer operates the machinery an class="hi2">anan>d robots an class="hi2">anan>d the people play their part to build the car. But, now because the car has been defined as specific forms, with limitations imposed on it, it has now lost the ability that the engineers have. The car, can class="hi2">anan>not create, other cars.

Even the human class="hi2">anan> body an class="hi2">anan>d the bodies of other "death forms" are not capable of creating a perfect reflection of themselves. Human class="hi2">anan> children may inherit traits from one parent an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan>other, or even from prior generations. None of them are alike an class="hi2">anan>d none of them represent the truth of the parent. All forms are different an class="hi2">anan>d lacking an class="hi2">anan>d every body is incomplete, keeping the rest of existence outside of itself an class="hi2">anan>d isolated.

This world, quite literally, down to the particles an class="hi2">anan>d energy (really thought) that it seems to be made of, is MADE OF the IDEA - the thought - of "what is it like if life comes to an class="hi2">anan> end" or "what is it like if unlimited extension is limited an class="hi2">anan>d stops".... an class="hi2">anan>d this is the idea of **death** - the END of eternal life. "Without the idea of death, there is no world." There literally Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE a plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth without the idea of death, which mean class="hi2">anan>s, without the assertion that EXTENSION MUST STOP, CREATION MUST END, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that LIFE IS ENDED.

Life, REAL LIFE, is of Heaven. "Only the creations of light are real." "There is NO LIFE outside of Heaven." Earth, which is "outside" of Heaven, HAS NO LIFE. It is a picture of death. Real life extends forever, has immortality, lives without sickness or suffering, is fully an class="hi2">anan>d wholly creative, ONLY CREATES WHOLENESS, an class="hi2">anan>d extends life itself forever. This ONLY happens in Heaven.

Fake life, which is really various degrees of the idea of death, even if the body is "holy" or "a picture of immortality", is STILL A DREAM OF DEATH, an class="hi2">anan>d still a separated state, an class="hi2">anan>d still NOT perfect unlimited extension of God's being. This world, this plan class="hi2">anan>et, your body, my body, are all illusions of life MIXED WITH the idea of death, an class="hi2">anan>d so are all limited.

All "semi life, semi death forms" here, WILL PERISH, because they were MADE in the idea of EXCLUDING GOD, which mean class="hi2">anan>s they are made WITHOUT LIFE, an class="hi2">anan>d they are literally made NOT TO LIVE FOREVER. They are LITERALLY an class="hi2">anan> expression of an class="hi2">anan> attempt to MAKE LIFE END. All dreams, are dreams of death. Therefore all things MADE automatically have an class="hi2">anan> END. "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came". The world WILL END. The dream WILL END. It has to because it has ENDING built into it. It is made FROM the idea of the END of existence.

Jesus says "A world which attacks itself an class="hi2">anan>d denies its own existence can class="hi2">anan>not exist." This is earth. Earth is a DENIAL OF EXISTENCE. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to reject Heaven, an class="hi2">anan> attempt to OPPOSE Heaven in every way, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to assert "there is no heaven." This world was MADE BY YOU from the notion that God's world, God's creation, DOES NOT EXIST, an class="hi2">anan>d is the attempt to prove it, by picturing the idea of "world does not exist". This world, is a picture of NOT EXISTING. It is denial of life an class="hi2">anan>d denial of self. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is death. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is non-existence. WHICH IS WHY IT DOES NOT EXIST.

Similarly, ONLY CREATION IS REALITY. an class="hi2">Anan>ything which extends forever perfectly has eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d is REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>ything which is MADE, which is NOT CREATED, an class="hi2">anan>d which is the illusion of a resistan class="hi2">anan>ce to reality, IS UNREAL, an class="hi2">anan>d DEOS NOT EXIST. Therefore, because this world is the world you ***MADE***, NOT the world you "created", IT HAS NOT BEEN CREATED. It has not been created by God because God only creates eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d perfect extension. This world IS NOT EXTENSION AT ALL. It is NOT CREATION. It is MAKING. an class="hi2">Anan>d making is the fiction of opposing God's will. THIS WORLD IS NOT GOD'S WILL. IT HAS NOT BEEN CREATED. IT DOES NOT EXIST. THERE IS NO WORLD!!!

The body is the idea of sin. It is an class="hi2">anan> extension of the idea of being separate. The body can class="hi2">anan>not become sinless in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself, although it can class="hi2">anan> be used for a holy purpose.

"The body is the ego's idol; the belief in sin made flesh an class="hi2">anan>d then projected outward." - ACIM

"At no single instan class="hi2">anan>t does the body exist at all. It is always remembered or an class="hi2">anan>ticipated, but never experienced just now. Only its past an class="hi2">anan>d future make it seem real. Time controls it entirely, for sin is never present. " - ACIM

"Christ's vision has one law. It does not look upon a body, an class="hi2">anan>d mistake it for the Son whom God created. " - ACIM

The body is always a symbol of being separate from God. It must be imperfect an class="hi2">anan>d it must be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Otherwise, if it were not, it would be possible for the body to have power over the mind an class="hi2">anan>d could prevent the Son of God from awakening or healing.

The body itself, in its fullness, must be fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> illusion of separation, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore sin. IT MUST BE FALSE. It can class="hi2">anan>'t be a truth an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>'t have an class="hi2">anan>y truth to it. If truth were associated with the body, we'd be totally stuck in the dream.

To say that the body is inherently holy or perfect or an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> a symbol of sin is to say that God, who is holiness an class="hi2">anan>d perfection, is a body. That is a way the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to make God be a body so that it can class="hi2">anan> kill God, just as it makes the Son of God a body in order to kill him.

"an class="hi2">Anan>y thought system that confuses God an class="hi2">anan>d the body must be insan class="hi2">anan>e." - ACIM

At its core, metaphysically, the body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sin. It can class="hi2">anan>not be the central truth of who or what you are. It can class="hi2">anan>not be holiness. It can class="hi2">anan>not be wholeness. It can class="hi2">anan>not be innocence. It can class="hi2">anan> only exist inside of the dream of separation. It can class="hi2">anan>not enter heaven. It is never present. an class="hi2">Anan>d it never really exists at all.

We need to learn to recognize that the body is the idea of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d then undo it. If we are to undo sin, the body must disappear, being an class="hi2">anan> illusion that we believe is really there as a real sin. You can class="hi2">anan> perceive the body with love or use it with love to give it a holier purpose, in which it can class="hi2">anan> appear to be free from sickness an class="hi2">anan>d so on, but it is still a body. It is still an class="hi2">anan> idea an class="hi2">anan>d representation of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d so long as it remains, the mind can class="hi2">anan>not be 100% free. This is why Jesus had to disappear his body in order to completely remove its blockage to the awareness of God's presence.

The body is never present. It can class="hi2">anan>not exist in the now. It does not live. It is always a memory or an class="hi2">anan> idea of the future, with an class="hi2">anan> artificial history an class="hi2">anan>d a fabricated illusion of continuation. The body IS the symbol of sin. It is false. It does not exist. It not who or what you are. You do not need it. You are immortal spirit.

"Miracles reawaken the awareness that the spirit, not the body, is the altar of truth. This is the recognition that leads to the healing power of the miracle." - ACIM

Quite often there are discussions in ACIM circles about whether this world is real or not. Whether the plan class="hi2">anan>et earth really exists, or is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Whether perception overlays on top of it or is just a misinterpretation of its objective reality. Whether the world is the forgiven world or the real world. Whether God created the physical or whether it's really not physical, an class="hi2">anan>d whether it will continue to exist after all atonement is done.

There seems to be just so much fundamental uncertainty among people as to whether this "thing" of a "plan class="hi2">anan>et" we call earth is actually part of God's creation, an class="hi2">anan>d whether it's going to live forever in some way.

For me I often come back to some very simple statements which I find practically impossible to deny. Such as that "God did not create the body". But you'll also get some people questioning what references to "the body" are, an class="hi2">anan>d going off on tan class="hi2">anan>gents about the body being real or "the body" referring to an class="hi2">anan> interpretation in the mind, or some kind of perceptual psychological body, or whatever else.

Despite the fact ACIM refers to various aspects of the body that are very obvious such as the physical features, limbs, body parts, an class="hi2">anan>d their typical physical interactions with the environment. I think one think we can class="hi2">anan> say is true, we've done a darn good job of just twisting an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>gling the course's statements as a result of our confusion an class="hi2">anan>d uncertainty to the point where, sometimes, it's barely recognizable what it's even saying.

For me I take a fairly honest direct approach to what I'm reading. I think Jesus is super advan class="hi2">anan>ced in his mastery an class="hi2">anan>d knows exactly what he's saying. I think he is very careful about his word choices an class="hi2">anan>d their mean class="hi2">anan>ings an class="hi2">anan>d I also don't think he's ever expecting us to do major mental gymnastics in trying to understan class="hi2">anan>d what he's saying. "Like the Text for which this Workbook was written, the ideas which are used for these exercises are very simple, very clear, an class="hi2">anan>d totally unambiguous."

"You have begun to realize that this is a very practical course, because it mean class="hi2">anan>s EXACTLY what it says."

That mean class="hi2">anan>s that when he refers to such things as "the body" he's just very simply talking about the physical human class="hi2">anan> body. an class="hi2">Anan>d when he talks about "earth" he's referring to the physical plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. The earth which EVERYONE recognizes as a name for this physical plan class="hi2">anan>et. I don't see an class="hi2">ANan>Y reason to question that or to suspect that there's some kind of super-subtle esoteric "only for experts" mean class="hi2">anan>ing to those terms, where you have to study it for 50 years to finally grasp the nuan class="hi2">anan>ce of that word is attached to.

A body is a body is a body. Earth is the plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. It's simple enough. an class="hi2">Anan>d I think Jesus would've been a pretty terrible teacher if he were using such obvious terms in some kind of alternative, bizarrely indirect, nebulous way that only very few can class="hi2">anan> ever grasp. It's a bit of slap in his face, to me, when people suggest that Jesus has somehow not been obvious or literal, or plain enough in his lan class="hi2">anan>guage, intending for most people to grasp it as easily as possible.

In light of that, for me personally, I come away from ACIM with a very strong impression that all things physical are fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> illusion, the human class="hi2">anan> physical body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion - as in "the body is a dream" an class="hi2">anan>d "God did not create the body" etc, an class="hi2">anan>d that plan class="hi2">anan>et earth - the spatially separated spherical ball of rock an class="hi2">anan>d vegetation an class="hi2">anan>d creatures - is all totally an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Not even that it's some counterpart to a higher more spiritual "version" of the plan class="hi2">anan>et or that it's some kind of stepped down denser version of some actual plan class="hi2">anan>et in heaven. But simply that it is NOTHING LIKE heaven in an class="hi2">anan>y way an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> artifact of separation an class="hi2">anan>d attack.

When you further look at other references in the course to very obvious well-known physical things, an class="hi2">anan>d look at what Jesus is saying about them, it becomes very clear that he really is referring to the physical world. Such as when he talks about children being born in pain, growth attended by suffering, being trapped in the human class="hi2">anan> brain, growing old an class="hi2">anan>d dying, being buried in the ground, these are all such obvious references to the physical that an class="hi2">anan>yone with half an class="hi2">anan> ounce of sense has to recognize that's what he's talking about when he's referring to "the body". an class="hi2">Anan>d in those references it is clear that he's saying "such things" are not like God or of God or an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with God. That God would be cruel to have created them.

But for some who knows what reason, some people who think of themselves as advan class="hi2">anan>ced experts on the course, seem to still persist in the belief that somehow Earth is heaven an class="hi2">anan>d human class="hi2">anan> bodies are God's wonderful creations an class="hi2">anan>d all the little cute an class="hi2">anan>imals are part of the Kingdom an class="hi2">anan>d all we have to do is chan class="hi2">anan>ge how we look at it in order to recognize this. As if to say that true perception of this world is practically the same thing as what you would be aware of when you have KNOWLEDGE of this world. As if they're practically identical.

I see a lot in the course talking about forgiving this world, reflecting in this world, using this world for a purpose of eventually leaving it, an class="hi2">anan>d that this world will not last. I even see stuff about seeing it in such a heaven-like way that it seems to be almost part of heaven itself. But I still can class="hi2">anan>not get past the fact of how this world requires separation in order to show up at all. It is STILL an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, like a shadow. It's an class="hi2">anan> absence of a creation. The body is a residue of an class="hi2">anan> idea of not being joined, an class="hi2">anan>d a wall that comes between things. I can class="hi2">anan>not see that a wall of separation can class="hi2">anan> ever be thought of as truly part of heaven, or like God. God does not create limitations.

So for me, at some point earth is going to end. It's going to be forgiven an class="hi2">anan>d not condemned an class="hi2">anan>d light is going to be seen in it an class="hi2">anan>d then it's going to be shone away. It is not going to be able to withstan class="hi2">anan>d the light of God once we stop defending it from him. Such as in "eternity will shine away the world." an class="hi2">Anan>d "the stars will disappear in light". an class="hi2">Anan>d "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came." That's the extra step that some people don't seem to like the idea of, that even in its forgiven state this world is going to end. "The world will end in laughter because it is a place of sorrow." I don't think people realize that this still mean class="hi2">anan>s the world WILL end, because it has a beginning.

Fundamentally it boils down to the fact that you can class="hi2">anan>not have "separated things", or space, or time, without separation ideas. These are ideas of a lack of love, an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin. A gap or splitting off. These gaps an class="hi2">anan>d splits can class="hi2">anan>not exist when there is total healing. Healing would eradicate the gaps. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s space will end an class="hi2">anan>d so will time. an class="hi2">Anan>d that also mean class="hi2">anan>s that now you can class="hi2">anan>not have physical matter with separate objects an class="hi2">anan>d distan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d private locations an class="hi2">anan>d things being in one place an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan>other. The whole foundation for a three dimensional plan class="hi2">anan>et goes out the window. The body itself can class="hi2">anan> no longer exist WITHOUT separation, it utterly depends on it.

There is also a fundamental fact that you can class="hi2">anan> only forgive something that's an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Some people seem to think if you forgive the world you are taking illusions away from it an class="hi2">anan>d seeing it as real. But that isn't forgiving the world, it's forgiving the illusions about the world. The forgiven WORLD, if it is earth, an class="hi2">anan>d if we are trying to forgive the earth, is only possible if the earth itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Only illusory worlds can class="hi2">anan> be forgiven, an class="hi2">anan>d forgiveness is undoing. This is why an class="hi2">anan>ything you forgive MUST DISAPPEAR, because it's not really there. You can class="hi2">anan>'t therefore have a forgive world an class="hi2">ANan>D KEEP IT. Forgiveness eradicates it.

So either earth is going to remain unforgiven an class="hi2">anan>d kept, or forgiven an class="hi2">anan>d disappeared. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s earth is fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. If we have false perceptions of it we are having illusions about an class="hi2">anan> illusion - two layers of illusion. If we have true perceptions of it, we're having accurate perceptions of an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Just because true perception sees earth for "what it is" doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> "it is real". It is just what it is. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. A world that NEEDS separation in order to show up, that RELIES on space an class="hi2">anan>d time, that Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT EXIST without them. an class="hi2">Anan>d once they end, it has to van class="hi2">anan>ish. Because without sleep, there is no dream content. an class="hi2">Anan>d "the body is a dream", an class="hi2">anan>d so is the entire environment in which it finds itself.

It's very very very obvious to me that ACIM is teaching us that there is NO EARTH, as in "there is no world." That it is literally an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world an class="hi2">anan>d not real. It's part of a "second order reality" or a second thought system which was invented temporarily in the minds of insan class="hi2">anan>e people. It doesn't have real existence, it only seems to. an class="hi2">Anan>d the only reason to "save it" is to remove sin an class="hi2">anan>d accusation from it for the purpose of being able to finally recognize it as NOTHING, so that it can class="hi2">anan> disappear. It still boggles my mind that an class="hi2">anan>yone can class="hi2">anan> come away from reading what ACIM says in such plain terms an class="hi2">anan>d still think that the earth is somehow a perman class="hi2">anan>ent reality.

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there is a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away. an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time. Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible. Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you then will overlook will not be understan class="hi2">anan>dable to you, just as its presence once had been your certainty."

"The body is the central figure in the dreaming of the world. There IS no dream without it, nor does it exist without the dream, in which it acts as if it were a person, to be seen an class="hi2">anan>d be believed."

"God did not make the body, because it is destructible, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore not of the Kingdom. The body is the symbol of WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE. It is clearly a separation device, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist. The Holy Spirit, as always, takes what you have made an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>slates it into a learning device FOR you. Again, as always, it re-interprets what the ego uses as an class="hi2">anan> argument FOR separation into an class="hi2">anan> argument AGAINST it."

You'll often hear talk of how "my ego this" an class="hi2">anan>d how "the ego" that. A lot of clout an class="hi2">anan>d blame is pinned on "the ego" now. It's used to describe all kinds of stuff in the world an class="hi2">anan>d in life.

People have even turned it into a kind of enemy that they fight with an class="hi2">anan>d blame an class="hi2">anan>d try to accuse for doing stuff. The label is thrown around like there actually is an class="hi2">anan> ego, an class="hi2">anan>d then you'll hear explan class="hi2">anan>ations for why it doesn't "really" exist except in a dream.

There are widely common interpretations that Jesus is describing "the ego" in the course an class="hi2">anan>d therefore "the ego" is a thing or an class="hi2">anan> entity or a something, that is responsible for some bad stuff. an class="hi2">Anan>d this sets up a whole premise of being at war with it.

This is all confusion. Jesus is NOT trying to suggest that the ego exists AT ALL, not even fictionally in a dream. So let's put aside an class="hi2">anan>y belief that there is such a thing as "the ego", an class="hi2">anan>d we'll start from scratch.

God's world, heaven, reality, has various qualities, characteristics, properties etc. It has a nature. For example it's immortal, alive, perman class="hi2">anan>ent, perfect, whole, innocent, etc.

"Ego", is nothing more than class="hi2">anan>, a CONCEPT OF, the "opposite to all that is".

Someone had a thought in their mind, like, "What if the opposite to God's Kingdom is true?" an class="hi2">Anan>d so began class="hi2">anan> the tiny mad idea.

This is ENTIRELY conceptual. It's someone sitting there just wondering, imagining, theorizing. Asking themselves, "what is the opposite of all this?" Or indeed, "what if I OPPOSE all of this?"

We simply tried to use our free will to oppose free will, or to "create" (will) that there be an class="hi2">anan> outcome OPPOSITE to what God wills. A "mis-creation" or a "mis-use" of will. That is all.

This was a silly idea, ridiculous in fact. To try to use will, to make yourself NOT will, is obviously circular logic an class="hi2">anan>d makes no sense. It's impossible to will to be unwilling. But this is what you tried to do. You tried to put your will to sleep, to disempower your creative powers, an class="hi2">anan>d to strip yourself of what you are. To oppose yourself.

So ego is just this idea of opposition. What would it be like if there was an class="hi2">anan> opposite to everything real? The opposite to life would be death. The opposite to perman class="hi2">anan>ence would be imperman class="hi2">anan>ence. The opposite to happiness would be unhappiness. The opposite to existence would be non-existence (death).

Now it's importan class="hi2">anan>t to also put BELIEF on hold because I'm not even talking about BELIEVING IN this concept yet. At this point we're happily sitting in heaven just theorizing. Asking a question. "What?" Questioning everything, which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to oppose it.

What you come up with conceptually is, the idea of "non-existent impossibility." This non-existence, by definition, DOES NOT EXIST. It's not some real place you can class="hi2">anan> go an class="hi2">anan>d visit. You can class="hi2">anan>'t live there. You can class="hi2">anan>not be its nature. It's ENTIRELY theoretical. Non-existence DOES NOT EXIST. It's the idea of being OUTSIDE of an class="hi2">anan>d completely SEPARATE from, existence. an class="hi2">Anan>d existence is God.

So we started out with just a conceptual notion, an class="hi2">anan> idea of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God's nature. an class="hi2">Anan> idea of NOT existing. an class="hi2">Anan>d fundamentally we could never actually DO that. We could not LEAVE God an class="hi2">anan>d go where God is not. We couldn't get outside of God to go to that "non-existent" place. It's impossible. Literally totally impossible.

For example God is infinite an class="hi2">anan>d is everywhere. So you can class="hi2">anan>not go be somewhere an class="hi2">anan>d expect him not to be there also. Everywhere you go, God is there. He is omnipresent. So this idea is an class="hi2">anan> idea of, what if you could go an class="hi2">anan>d be somewhere that God is not? Which is obviously a totally ridiculous idea, an class="hi2">anan>d no san class="hi2">anan>e person would give two seconds of thought before laughing at being outside of infinite unlimited boundaryless reality.

So first we came up with this theoretical notion of "an class="hi2">anan> opposite to what is". This was prior to believing in it. an class="hi2">Anan>d at this point we were still san class="hi2">anan>e. What made it a MAD idea, or turned us mad, was that we then attempted to CLAIM or assert, that you actually Can class="hi2">ANan> go where God is not, you actually Can class="hi2">ANan> be opposite to his nature, you actually Can class="hi2">ANan> be unwilling.

You BELIEVED IN IT by denying its obvious impossibility, thus making you unable to RECOGNIZE it for what it is, an class="hi2">anan>d thus losing sight of the fact that it IS impossible. You became confused an class="hi2">anan>d lost.

This obviously was a form of denial an class="hi2">anan>d confusion an class="hi2">anan>d being totally mistaken. The logic shows that its impossible, but you insisted an class="hi2">anan>yway. To insist that something is possible that is patently impossible, is essentially "nuts". BELIEVING IT in spite of its ridiculousness, became the only problem.

It was only when you forgot to laugh at the ridiculous notion of not existing, that you took it seriously. an class="hi2">Anan>d you became deceived, tempted, an class="hi2">anan>d you "fell" into delusions, denial, hallucination, confusion, mistakenness, an class="hi2">anan>d all man class="hi2">anan>ner of fan class="hi2">anan>tasy nightmares. You lost track of WHAT IS TRUE an class="hi2">ANan>D REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d so went insan class="hi2">anan>e.

What were you trying to do? You were trying to MAKE non-existence be TRUE of you. Whatever you believe is true of you, you regard as your IDENTITY. Your truth describes you, defines you, establishes WHAT you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d originally this was God's truth about you. But now you were attempting to assert that some OPPOSITE truth was true of you. an class="hi2">Anan>d so your sense of WHAT I AM, your identity, became CONFUSED WITH, or caught up in, identified WITH or "matching" this notion of being opposite to what you are.

You did not actually make an class="hi2">anan> ego as such. You did not accomplish the making of a non-existent self, because it is impossible. You did not ACTUALLY get outside of God's existence. You did not reach non-existence. You did not cease to exist. BUT, you BELIEVED YOU COULD. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you DREAMED OF "the ego". A dream of the ego concept is NOT the same thing as ACTUALLY being it or bringing it into existence.

So when you believe that "the ego concept" (impossible non-existence) is POSSIBLE, your sense of IDENTITY shifts to align with it, to reflect it, to mirror it. You try to BE LIKE it. To be one with it. To merge with it an class="hi2">anan>d make it true of you, thus redefining your whole sense of what you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d so by putting belief in "opposites to reality", your sense of WHAT IS TRUE chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d thus your sense of WHO I AM chan class="hi2">anan>ged.

Your sense of identity shifted from your soul, to an class="hi2">anan> IMAGINED idea of what ego might be like. This did not actually make "the ego". You never created a "real ego". You just BELIEVE what is BEYOND your dream on the other side of oblivion. You believed in not existing. You believed in impossibilities. You believed in being opposite to what you are. That is all.

So there is no EGO doing an class="hi2">anan>ything whatsoever. There is no EGO taking responsibility for making an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING happen. There is no ego to pin stuff on. There is no ego to say "the ego did this". There is no ego PERIOD. So every time there's someone teaching that "acim says" there is an class="hi2">anan> ego, they are mistaken.

NON EXISTENCE DOES NOT EXIST. THE EGO DOES NOT EXIST.

Not even in dreaming do you go there. Not even in your wildest fan class="hi2">anan>tasies can class="hi2">anan> you ever CREATE an class="hi2">anan> ego. You never have. All you've done is TRIED to exchan class="hi2">anan>ge God's reality for UNREALITY. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, taking everything true about God an class="hi2">anan>d trying to make it false. an class="hi2">Anan>d taking everything untrue about God an class="hi2">anan>d trying to make it true. This results in CONFUSION (insan class="hi2">anan>ity) an class="hi2">anan>d that is all.

If you believe something is possible which isn't, you are not san class="hi2">anan>e. If you believe you are IN the non-existent realm outside of God, you are insan class="hi2">anan>e. If you think you DID become separate an class="hi2">anan>d thus are OUTSIDE God, you are insan class="hi2">anan>e. But that IS what you believe, an class="hi2">anan>d that BELIEF is the tiny mad idea. The notion that the ego concept is OPPOSITE to what the ego concept IS.

Earth is just a neutral fan class="hi2">anan>tasy ABOUT non-existent realms, an class="hi2">anan> attempt to REFLECT hell/ego/impossibility, as an class="hi2">anan> "image" in the mind IMAGINING what having no imagination is like. Thinking about what having NO thought is like. Being unwilling to will an class="hi2">anan>ything real.

Let's put this an class="hi2">anan>other way. If the ego concept is non-existence, impossibility, death, nowhere-ness, lovelessness, emptiness, etc... in your BELIEF in it, you have tried to assign it the attributes of heaven, reality, truth, an class="hi2">anan>d God. You've tried to BRING IT TO LIFE. You've tried to turn hell into heaven, you've tried to claim that non-existence exists, you've tried to assert that immortality can class="hi2">anan> be killed, etc. You've produced an class="hi2">anan> entire hallucinated world based on this attempt to oppose life an class="hi2">anan>d make NOT LIFE appear to "live."

The body is nothing. The world is nothing. But in our BELIEVING (spacetime), we have TRIED to make it APPEAR AS IF bodies live, worlds evolve, there are "life forms" etc. it is NOT LIFE. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. it is nothingness pretending to be something.

"There is no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">anan>y state apart from Heaven life is illusion. At best it seems like life; at worst, like death. Yet both are judgments on what is not life, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is not in Heaven is not an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusion stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible an class="hi2">anan>d beyond all reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal barrier to Heaven. Illusions are but forms. Their content is never true."

So there literally is no ego. We need to stop blaming "the ego" for stuff. EGO IS NON-EXISTENCE. It does not exist even in dreaming. There is no ego an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Evil is not real. an class="hi2">Anan> absolute opposite to everything does not exist.

"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."

"By steadily an class="hi2">anan>d consistently can class="hi2">anan>celling out ALL its effects, EVERYWHERE an class="hi2">ANan>D IN ALL RESPECTS, He teaches that the ego does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d PROVES IT."

So what does happen? What does happen is OUR MIND keeps on trying to turn itself into "the ego". It keeps trying to get CLOSER TO the CONCEPTUAL idea of "being ego", which is non-existence an class="hi2">anan>d impossibility an class="hi2">anan>d total limitation an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d a void an class="hi2">anan>d emptiness an class="hi2">anan>d lack an class="hi2">anan>d darkness an class="hi2">anan>d lovelessness. We keep trying to BECOME it, as if reaching through the outskirts of God's being to an class="hi2">anan>other world. But we can class="hi2">anan>'t. an class="hi2">Anan>d we NEVER will. So it's all wasted effort. We might as well just accept the truth.

This is why the secret of salvation tells us that we MUST recognize that WE are doing this ALL to ourselves. Not the ego, not the world, it's us. We do the shit, we must undo it. It is NOT the ego, ever. It's part of our own mind running rogue an class="hi2">anan>d opposing the rest of our mind. It's us TRYING TO BE opposite. Working against ourselves. We are the dreamer. Miracles reflect the idea that it's this thing I have done an class="hi2">anan>d it is this I would undo. ME. My mind. Not "the ego".

You can class="hi2">anan>not give your power to the ego either. EVER. All you can class="hi2">anan> do is BELIEVE that you are giving your power to "it". an class="hi2">Anan>d thus YOUR MIND now goes into a distortion, against ITSELF, pretending to be opposed, pretending to BECOME an class="hi2">anan> ego, an class="hi2">anan>d acts ego-LIKE, an class="hi2">anan>d now you blame "the ego" for stuff, but its PART OF YOU doing stuff to yourself. So now you are disassociated an class="hi2">anan>d projecting an class="hi2">anan>d trying to make your ideas leave your mind. That is all. Take responsibility for that. Never blame ego for an class="hi2">anan>ything. It does not exist whatsoever.

an class="hi2">Anan>d when I say that I don't even mean class="hi2">anan>, ok, this is a dream, so ego doesn't REALLY exist, cus none of this really happened, but it seems to, an class="hi2">anan>d so in the dream it does exist. IT DOES NOT. Ego doesn't even exist IN the dream. It's ENTIRELY just a theoretical concept an class="hi2">anan>d label for "absolute opposition". It's BEYOND God completely an class="hi2">anan>d even this dream is not THERE. It not here, it's not an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> never make contact with it. This is why the Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d "the ego" never communicate.

If you could actually leave God completely, an class="hi2">anan>d go to where existence is NOT, you've meet "the ego". But you can class="hi2">anan>'t an class="hi2">anan>d you never will. an class="hi2">Anan>d all your dream life is about is imagining that you ARE or HAVE or Can class="hi2">ANan>, when you AREN'T an class="hi2">anan>d HAVEN'T an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT. It's wishful thinking at best. Ego is nothing but a theory. Which is why when it's gone, it's recognized as nothing.

Replace "the ego" with "I". Your mind is either whole or split. There is nothing else.

"The ego's opposite in every way, in origin, effect an class="hi2">anan>d consequence, we call a miracle. an class="hi2">Anan>d here we find all that is not the ego in this world. Here is the ego's opposite an class="hi2">anan>d here alone we look on what the ego was, for here we see all that it seemed to do, an class="hi2">anan>d cause an class="hi2">anan>d its effects must still be one.

Where there was darkness now we see the light. What is the ego? What the darkness was. Where is the ego? Where the darkness was. What is it now an class="hi2">anan>d where can class="hi2">anan> it be found? Nothing an class="hi2">anan>d nowhere. Now the light has come: Its opposite has gone without a trace. Where evil was there now is holiness. What is the ego? What the evil was. Where is the ego? In an class="hi2">anan> evil dream that but seemed real while you were dreaming it. Where there was crucifixion stan class="hi2">anan>ds God's Son. What is the ego? Who has need to ask? Where is the ego? Who has need to seek for an class="hi2">anan> illusion now that dreams are gone?"

"You are immortal BECAUSE you are eternal"

You are immortal. Generally that mean class="hi2">anan>s you live forever without an class="hi2">anan>y kind of end, you can class="hi2">anan> never be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d you are perman class="hi2">anan>ently the same all the time.

You'll then find that an class="hi2">anan>y notion of "chan class="hi2">anan>ge" introduces the potential for coming to an class="hi2">anan> end. If you can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge or be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, you could be stopped, interfered with, attacked, damaged, or caused to die.

"This is the world of time, where all things end."

So chan class="hi2">anan>ge of an class="hi2">anan>y kind can class="hi2">anan>not be part of immortality. Which is why chan class="hi2">anan>gelessness is your real nature, an class="hi2">anan>d this is also why you remain still as God created you. You have not chan class="hi2">anan>ged a single bit since you were created.

This then has to mean class="hi2">anan> that if there is an class="hi2">anan>ything that does chan class="hi2">anan>ge, it can class="hi2">anan>not be a part of you. If there is a body that can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge, it can class="hi2">anan>not be a part of you. If there is a building that can class="hi2">anan> be destroyed, it can class="hi2">anan>not be real. If there is a plan class="hi2">anan>et which can class="hi2">anan> go through seasons, it can class="hi2">anan>not be real. an class="hi2">Anan>y kind of chan class="hi2">anan>ge is a form of death.

It's very simple really. You can class="hi2">anan> just ask yourself if something will last forever. If the an class="hi2">anan>swer is no, then it is not a real creation an class="hi2">anan>d not a part of God. If it lasts only a little while in time an class="hi2">anan>d then chan class="hi2">anan>ges an class="hi2">anan>d then goes away, it can class="hi2">anan>not be part of creation or of God. Nor can class="hi2">anan> it be God's will.

"Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end."

Here Jesus simply affirms this by saying that all things which are visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end. Some will last longer than class="hi2">anan> others but ALL of the visible things will have an class="hi2">anan> end. It then doesn't matter how you are looking at the visible things, whether you hate the visible things or love them. ALL of them will come to an class="hi2">anan> end.

This again tells you essentially that if an class="hi2">anan>ything is visible, it is not a part of God's kingdom. If it is visible, ie forms of matter, energy, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, stars an class="hi2">anan>d so on, they will come to an class="hi2">anan> end some day, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan>not be a part of immortal reality. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that does not last forever uninterrupted is not a part of God, nor can class="hi2">anan> it be made into a part of God.

There is a world that we made, a world of space-time an class="hi2">anan>d of physicality an class="hi2">anan>d of forms of matter an class="hi2">anan>d objects. These things are visible an class="hi2">anan>d will end. They end because of their nature being part of a dream of death. an class="hi2">Anan>d because of this, they are not a part of God or a part of you. Nor are they a part of heaven.

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

Bottom line, if it's not immortal it doesn't really exist. It's a very simple test for an class="hi2">anan>ything. If it's not immortal it's not of God. If it chan class="hi2">anan>ges it is not of God. If it can class="hi2">anan> be attacked it's not of God. if it goes through a tran class="hi2">anan>sformation process it is not of God. If it can class="hi2">anan> be born or grows or withers or suffers or dies it is not of God.

It also doesn't matter if you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your perceptions about such things, to see objects in a different light or from a different van class="hi2">anan>tage point. Seeing objects that end in a different way doesn't actually override the fact that they still end.

Just because you are happy it will not make the earth last forever. Just because you are loving it will not stop the seasons from chan class="hi2">anan>ging. Just because you are peaceful it will not chan class="hi2">anan>ge the falling of leaves when the weather get's cold.

These are still proof that these things are not a part of God's reality. It doesn't matter if you see a unity in these things or a reflection of God in these things, they still behave an class="hi2">anan>d act an class="hi2">anan>d function in ways that are open to a denial of immortality. If the thing, the object, the matter, the form, the body, the world etc, can class="hi2">anan> in an class="hi2">anan>y way ever be modified or chan class="hi2">anan>ged, then fundamentally it can class="hi2">anan>not be a part of reality.

This is why "there is no world." This is why "God did not create the body." This is why "the body is clearly a device for separation an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist." This is why we withdraw investment in physical sight an class="hi2">anan>d open up to a different kind of vision which overlooks/forgives the world. an class="hi2">Anan>d that the world can class="hi2">anan> BE forgiven is purely because is it an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, an class="hi2">anan>d not a reality. Only illusions can class="hi2">anan> be overlooked an class="hi2">anan>d "a world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last."

We can class="hi2">anan> accept the reality of God's Kingdom, which is to accept God's truth an class="hi2">anan>d God's law an class="hi2">anan>d God's wholeness. That is the wholeness of the Kingdom of heaven, in which all things live forever an class="hi2">anan>d never chan class="hi2">anan>ge. It is not a place where bodies are born an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets spin an class="hi2">anan>d stars exhaust their fuel supply. It is not a realm where objects get stuck in crevices an class="hi2">anan>d the dust of dead flesh settles on surfaces or where food rots an class="hi2">anan>d decays an class="hi2">anan>d turns to a corpse. None of these things can class="hi2">anan> be a part of heaven.

Only the immortal is true. Only the immortal is alive. Only the immortal is of God. Only the immortal exists. Everything else is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Not even what ACIM calls "the real world" will last forever. "Even the real world will van class="hi2">anan>ish from your sight." You can class="hi2">anan>not convert an class="hi2">anan> illusion into a reality. You can class="hi2">anan>not turn an class="hi2">anan> unreal world into a real one. Nor can class="hi2">anan> you turn a picture of death into real perman class="hi2">anan>ent life.

What lives forever must be created by an class="hi2">anan> immortal creator to live forever from the beginning. What is made in an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e mind out of illusions which intended they die, can class="hi2">anan>not have eternal life. They have not been created or given immortality an class="hi2">anan>d so they do not exist at all. Their illusion of existing is nothing but a deception an class="hi2">anan>d the recognition of this fact is enlightenment.

"Only the creations of light are real."

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever."

The truth is that this world is merely an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT, coming from the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d mind is the only cause.

Since the world is only an class="hi2">anan> effect, we are deluded when we believe that it has some kind of causal power. We look at the things that seem to happen an class="hi2">anan>d we say, this caused that, an class="hi2">anan>d that caused this, but this is not true. Effects are not really causing an class="hi2">anan>ything.

To recognize the world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT, is to recognize that its seeming ability to cause things is only an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You as the dreamer of the dream are NOT being caused by the dream. You are cause, the dream is the effect.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s if the world can class="hi2">anan>'t cause an class="hi2">anan>ything, it has no power, it can class="hi2">anan>'t create, it can class="hi2">anan>'t chan class="hi2">anan>ge what you are, it can class="hi2">anan>'t act against your will, it can class="hi2">anan>'t do an class="hi2">anan>ything to you, it can class="hi2">anan>'t hurt you, it can class="hi2">anan>'t make you sick or suffering or dead.

Effectively, the world IS NOT CAUSING YOU AT ALL. It is literally not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything whatsoever.

You are only ever caused by God - forever an class="hi2">anan> effect of God. Gladly what God chooses that you be, is good, an class="hi2">anan>d gives you eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d happiness. You are caused by God, you are not caused by the world. The world is doing nothing to you at all.

"The world may seem to cause you pain. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an class="hi2">anan> effect it can class="hi2">anan>not make effects."

"There is no point in lamenting the world. There is no point in trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the world. It is incapable of chan class="hi2">anan>ge because it is merely an class="hi2">anan> effect. But there is indeed a point in chan class="hi2">anan>ging your thoughts about the world. Here you are chan class="hi2">anan>ging the cause. The effects will chan class="hi2">anan>ge automatically."

"It costs the world we see, for the world will never again appear to rule the mind. For with this recognition is responsibility placed where it belongs; not with the world, but on him who looks on the world an class="hi2">anan>d sees it as it is not. He looks on what he chooses to see. No more an class="hi2">anan>d no less. The world does nothing to him. He only thought it did."

"You may cause a dream, but never will you give it real EFFECTS. For that would chan class="hi2">anan>ge its CAUSE, an class="hi2">anan>d it is this you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT do."

"The miracle establishes you dream a dream, an class="hi2">anan>d that its content is not true. This is a crucial step in dealing with illusions. No-one is AFRAID of them, when he perceives HE MADE THEM UP. The fear was held in place BECAUSE he did not see that he was AUTHOR of the dream, an class="hi2">anan>d not a figure IN the dream."

"He Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT doubt his dreams' reality BECAUSE he does not see the part he plays in MAKING them, an class="hi2">anan>d MAKING them seem real. No-one can class="hi2">anan> waken from a dream the world is dreaming FOR him."

"T-1.III.2. "Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth shall pass away" mean class="hi2">anan>s that they will not continue to exist as separate states. 2 My word, which is the resurrection an class="hi2">anan>d the life, shall not pass away because life is eternal."

What this says in words is slightly deceptive in terms of what it MEan class="hi2">ANan>S. We must stay 100% complian class="hi2">anan>t with the consistency of the truth.

1) It is impossible for there to be TWO REAL STATES.

2) It is impossible for there to be TWO REALITIES.

3) It is impossible for those realities to be UNLIKE each other in every way an class="hi2">anan>d BE REAL.

4) God does not create TWO DIFFERENT REALITIES or states.

5) Only what God creates is real. ONLY ONE of the two states is real. The other one MUST NOT BE REAL.

6) Therefore, if there SEEMS to be two states right now, THIS MUST BE an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION.

7) Being an class="hi2">anan> illusion of two separate states, it is the ILLUSION OF THERE BEING TWO STATES that will pass away when the truth comes.

8) Since only one of the two states is REALITY, an class="hi2">Anan>d God only created Heaven, Heaven is the only REAL state, an class="hi2">anan>d Earth MUST BE an class="hi2">anan> unreal state.

9) Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Therefore, the state which is UNREAL, the illusion of a state of "earth", DOES NOT EXIST.

10) What does not exist, does not exist now, never existed, an class="hi2">anan>d never will exist.

11) The Earth as an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a separate state, DOES NOT EXIST NOW an class="hi2">anan>d it is made of NOTHING.

12) The *ILLUSION* of there being two simultan class="hi2">anan>eous real states - "heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth", will pass away. This DOES NOT MEan class="hi2">ANan> that Heaven will pass away. It mean class="hi2">anan>s only that the ILLUSORY STATE, which WAS NEVER THERE, Earth, will CEASE TO APPEAR AS THOUGH IT EXISTS. Because it does not exist.

13) Therefore Earth will be RECOGNIZED AS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, an class="hi2">anan>d illusions when recognized MUST DISAPPEAR.

14) The Earth will disappear because IT NEVER REALLY EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, being 100% an class="hi2">anan> illusory "2nd reality" that is impossible. "It is the world you see that is IMPOSSIBLE."

15) The idea of there being two states MUST refer to the level at which the illusion SEEMS to exist, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not therefore be a comparison between heaven being REAL an class="hi2">anan>d earth being REAL. It is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of a comparison. Therefore the quote is NOT speaking about the END OF HEAVEN. Only the end of the OPPOSITE of haven.

16) The FICTIONAL ILLUSION of the two separate states will end, because THE TRUTH is that ONLY THE TRUTH WILL REMAIN. The truth is HEAVEN. Earth is NOT the truth, because it is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSORY STATE. There can class="hi2">anan>not be two real states. Earth is an class="hi2">anan> illusion!

17) "My world, which is the resurrection an class="hi2">anan>d the life, shall not pass away because it is eternal." is PURELY a post-undoing-of-illusion statement (actually true always), that HEAVEN, God's world, God's ONLY WORLD, will not pass away because it is eternal. This is a confirmation an class="hi2">anan>d reassuran class="hi2">anan>ce that God's world will ALWAYS be there (heaven), therefore heaven ITSELF did not "pass away" when "the two states" passed away, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore THE OTHER WORLD - Earth, which was a fictional second reality, DID pass away. It never existed in the first place.

A clarifying REWORDING of Jesus's intention can class="hi2">anan> be done as follows, completely 100% in line with the metaphysical logic:

---------

"Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth shall pass away" mean class="hi2">anan>s that Earth never existed as an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore Earth has never existed an class="hi2">anan>d will pass away when dreaming ends. The only thing which remains will be Heaven which God created as Eternal an class="hi2">anan>d never passes away, an class="hi2">anan>d Earth will have been recognized as having never existed.

---------

You can class="hi2">anan> deny this if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to. Or you can class="hi2">anan> accept it is true. There is no logical fallacy in this black an class="hi2">anan>d white metaphysical logic. I challenge an class="hi2">anan>yone to find a hole in it. You will not.

an class="hi2">Anan>y hole you find, MUST BE FICTIONAL an class="hi2">anan>d a rationalization by the ego to attempt to DENY that this is true. This being true has nothing to do with whether you will ACCEPT IT, an class="hi2">anan>d a even if it IS true an class="hi2">anan>d even if you can class="hi2">anan> see it is true, you STILL can class="hi2">anan> deny it if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to.

Classic denial #1: they both become one so now we have a combined sum total of the parts. Bullshit.

Classic denial #3: heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth both pass away leaving some other state. Heaven never passes away, so that's bullshit.

Classic denial #3: earth will be "tran class="hi2">anan>slated into" heaven. Bullshit. There is NO EARTH TO TRan class="hi2">ANan>SLATE, because a 2nd state of "something real" can class="hi2">anan>not exist at all. Earth can class="hi2">anan>not exist. THE WORLD YOU SEE IS IMPOSSIBLE.

There is no world. There is no earth. Earth is not real. Heaven is the only reality. Heaven is your home.

"There is no sin. Creation is unchan class="hi2">anan>ged."

"There IS no guilt in you, for God is blessed in His Son, as the Son is blessed in Him."

"There is no fear in perfect love."

"In the real world, there is no sickness, for there is no separation an class="hi2">anan>d no division."

"There is no death because what God created shares His Life."

There is no sin.

I have never sinned.

I will never sin.

This sin is not real sin, it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sin.

I can class="hi2">anan>not sin.

Sin does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in God.

Sin does not exist in me.

There is no guilt.

I have never been guilty.

I will never be guilty.

This guilt is not real guilt, it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of guilt.

I can class="hi2">anan>not be guilty.

Guilt does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in God.

Guilt does not exist in me.

There is no fear.

I have never been afraid.

I will never be afraid.

This fear is not real fear, it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of fear.

I can class="hi2">anan>not be afraid.

Fear does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in God.

Fear does not exist in me.

There is no sickness.

I have never been sick.

I will never be sick.

This sickness is not real sickness, it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sickness.

I can class="hi2">anan>not be sick.

Sickness does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in God.

Sickness does not exist in me.

There is no death.

I have never died.

I will never die.

This death is not real death, it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death.

I can class="hi2">anan>not die.

Death does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in God.

Death does not exist in me.

"The Atonement was built into the space-time belief in order to set a limit on the need for the belief, an class="hi2">anan>d ultimately to make learning complete."

God exists everywhere. God fully exists in all locations simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. All of God is in all locations. God is omnipresent. Because God is always everywhere, always is eternity, an class="hi2">anan>d in reality everything is constan class="hi2">anan>tly the same.

Spacetime is an class="hi2">anan> ego belief. It was man class="hi2">anan>ufactured to oppose reality an class="hi2">anan>d attack it. Space attacks God's omnipresence. It claims that nothing is present in more than class="hi2">anan> one location, the whole of everything isn't present in an class="hi2">anan>y location, nothing is fully present an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, everything is present nowhere, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore everywhere is nowhere. It is the idea that NOTHING IS EVERYWHERE. It is totally opposite to God's nature.

Time is also an class="hi2">anan> attack on God's nature. Where eternity proves that everything is always the same, time is the attempt to prove that nothing is EVER the same. It suggests what existed before, no longer exists, there has been death of Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d something has replaced it. Every instan class="hi2">anan>t of time testifies to this. It is the idea that God is not always the same, has chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d has been affected. Time is rooted in sin an class="hi2">anan>d death.

Spacetime was made in order to attack God an class="hi2">anan>d attempt to kill his Son. It's a depiction of an class="hi2">anan> idea, really just a belief, that God is nowhere. It paints a picture of crucifixion in which God's son is depicted as being nowhere, not whole, ie dead.

"The world is the picture of the crucifixion of God's son."

This world applies to the ENTIRE content of spacetime, not just Earth. It refers to this entire universe, all plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d stars an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies. All bodies, all "life forms", which are really death forms, because it is a dream of death an class="hi2">anan>d made to oppose eternal life.

Everything within spacetime, including Earth, were made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God's nature. "The laws of this world go against your nature." This is why Earth is a dream world, not a real world. It is the world you made an class="hi2">anan>d the world you see. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. "The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it, for what he creates must be eternal as himself."

Heaven = "Logical an class="hi2">ANan>D" e.g.

"I have everything, an class="hi2">ANan>D so do you"

"God is made of love, an class="hi2">ANan>D so am I"

Ego World = "Logical Exclusive OR"

In ego, no two objects share an class="hi2">anan>ything. You can class="hi2">anan> say something like:

(ObjectA but NOT ObjectB) OR (ObjectB but NOT ObjectA)

The ego combines negation "NOT" in order to exclude, an class="hi2">anan>d combines it with selection between two things "OR", which doesn't allow for "BOTH", producing an class="hi2">anan> "exclusive OR" - a fundamental state of inequality an class="hi2">anan>d difference.

When one thing is one way, it MUST be different to an class="hi2">anan>other thing, therefore the other thing is not the same. e.g.

"an class="hi2">Anan> apple is not an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge"

"Its either an class="hi2">anan> apple or an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge but not both"

"I have the apple, therefore you do not"

This entire universe an class="hi2">anan>d all the "laws" within it are based on this ego logic of "exclusion".

The entirety of Heaven is based on the simple logic of "inclusion", which is the logical "an class="hi2">ANan>D" operation.

ACIM asks us to learn to "think like God": "To think like God is to share His certainty of what you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d to CREATE like Him is to share the perfect love He shares with YOU. To this the Holy Spirit leads you, that your joy may be complete because the Kingdom of God is whole."

Wholeness, an class="hi2">anan>d sharing, entail "an class="hi2">ANan>D". We BOTH have everything. Me an class="hi2">ANan>D you. When it stops being an class="hi2">ANan>D an class="hi2">anan>d goes into "either or but not both", you're going into ego.

It should be obvious that Heaven is all about "inclusiveness" an class="hi2">anan>d Earth/this universe we made is all about "exclusiveness". That is why "Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth are opposites in every way."

I used to have the view, like most people, that the death of the body mean class="hi2">anan>s death, an class="hi2">anan>d when the body is moving around, it mean class="hi2">anan>s life. That death is something we all wan class="hi2">anan>t to avoid, an class="hi2">anan>d we wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep bodies alive.

an class="hi2">Anan>d then I read ACIM an class="hi2">anan>d I thought, okay, death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, so things aren't supposed to die, mean class="hi2">anan>ing that the body supposed to be kept in a state of life. I read support for the idea that a sick body represents attack, an class="hi2">anan>d death is failure an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to be unconscious. So it makes sense to say that we should "swear not to die" an class="hi2">anan>d try to make the body symbolize eternal life.

But while there is some truth to this an class="hi2">anan>d support for it in the course, there can class="hi2">anan> also be mixed in a kind of spiritualization of bodies. We might start to think that a repurposed "holy body" is full of life an class="hi2">anan>d totally natural. But this can class="hi2">anan> also disguise an class="hi2">anan> underlying desire to have the body "always be alive" an class="hi2">anan>d to still avoid states of death. As if bodily death is still death, an class="hi2">anan>d being good at avoiding it is more spiritual.

But there is a deeper teaching in the course. Things which pass for life in this world are not really life, either. an class="hi2">Anan>d we have arbitrarily decided that certain forms or states mean class="hi2">anan> death. We've decided that a dead body mean class="hi2">anan>s death, an class="hi2">anan>d that moving bodies mean class="hi2">anan> life. But these are really separation-based judgements, designed to take one single illusory world an class="hi2">anan>d split it into acceptable an class="hi2">anan>d unacceptable parts.

In fact, it must be an class="hi2">anan> illusion that a healthy vital youthful "living" body, is in an class="hi2">anan>y way really different to a decrepit diseased broken dying body. Their forms present illusions that they are not the same, as a deception. Their forms are disguises designed to tempt you to believe they are not the same one thing. A decoy, so that you won't realize they are both really the same dream. "The body neither lives nor dies, because it can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who ARE life."

Jesus teaches in the course that bodies do not really live, OR die. That they are not really even remotely similar to life in heaven. Real life is immortal eternal life. A vitality an class="hi2">anan>d livingness of the mind, almost like an class="hi2">anan> excited energy, which can class="hi2">anan> spontan class="hi2">anan>eously spawn new life by will alone. an class="hi2">Anan>d an class="hi2">anan>y such life is perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d lives forever in an class="hi2">anan> immaculate an class="hi2">anan>d formless state.

So-called "life" on Earth is not like this. Bodies are inherently etremely limited an class="hi2">anan>d limiting. They an class="hi2">anan>chor us into tiny little locations in space an class="hi2">anan>d time, inhibit our abilities, an class="hi2">anan>d make it difficult to create an class="hi2">anan>ything. They appear to be born an class="hi2">anan>d to grow an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, all of which can class="hi2">anan>not happen in reality, where life is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state. an class="hi2">Anan>d then they seem to grow old an class="hi2">anan>d wither an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d decompose, something which is utterly unnatural with regard to life in heaven.

What Jesus really says is that so-called "life" in this world is not really life. Nor is it really death, but a dream of death. It is in fact nothing. It is nothingness, an class="hi2">anan> illusion of the ABSENCE of existence (heaven), the opposite of reality. It is an class="hi2">anan> unreality an class="hi2">anan>d a lack of either real life OR real death. Real death is impossible because it does not exist at all. So at most this world represents only illusions of living an class="hi2">anan>d dying, an class="hi2">anan>d neither of them are true.

"There IS no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">ANan>Y state apart from Heaven, life is illusion. At best, it SEEMS like life; at worst, like death. Yet both are judgments on what is NOT life, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is NOT in Heaven is not an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE. Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d beyond ALL reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal BARRIER to Heaven. Illusions ARE but forms. Their content is NEVER true."

"Life an class="hi2">anan>d death seem to be opposites because you have decided death ends life."

So in this world, "life" is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of life, which is not really life. an class="hi2">Anan>d death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death, not really death. Because this world itself isn't really a "something", or an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything. It's actually a nothing, pretending to be a something. an class="hi2">Anan>d in fact Jesus calls the whole thing a "dream of death" with varying degrees of death symbolized in different forms. "Without the idea of death there is no world." Even "life forms" are "forms of death".

As a Teacher of God our task is to recognize that there is NO DIFFERENCE between "living bodies" an class="hi2">anan>d "dead bodies", in the big picture. In truth they are just images of bodies, forms, whose appearan class="hi2">anan>ce is temporary an class="hi2">anan>d symbolic at most, an class="hi2">anan>d which can class="hi2">anan>not really be alive or dead. Walking bodies are not really living bodies. Bodies in a morgue are not really dead bodies. In truth, they are EXACTLY the same ONE illusion, pretending to be man class="hi2">anan>y illusions. There is no life OR death in a world of fiction.

"They recognize that to behold a dream figure as sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate is no more real than class="hi2">anan> to regard it as healthy an class="hi2">anan>d beautiful."

"But this you do not see; that you made death, an class="hi2">anan>d it is but illusion of an class="hi2">anan> end. Death can class="hi2">anan>not be escape, because it is not life in which the problem lies."

"God made not death. Whatever form it takes must therefore be illusion."

"Even in time you can class="hi2">anan>not live apart from Him, for sleep is not death. What He created can class="hi2">anan> sleep, but it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT die."

At first it might seem as if this mean class="hi2">anan>s there's not much point "healing" bodies. Or trying to preserve their health. Or raising the physically dead. Or restoring broken limbs. Or an class="hi2">anan>y other act which might seem like it is siding with "the illusion of life" versus the illusion of death. Why try to steer bodies towards what we think of as "a living state" rather than class="hi2">anan> a dead state? If all their conditions are the same one illusion, what is the point in avoiding sickness or death in an class="hi2">anan>y form?

The clear teaching in ACIM is that, nevertheless, even though a "healthy living" body is just as unreal as a dead one, bodies ARE symbols. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are communicators. an class="hi2">Anan>d their form "mean class="hi2">anan>s" something to those who look upon it. an class="hi2">Anan>d so the body's form can class="hi2">anan> communicate something. It can class="hi2">anan> communicate for example that there has been attack, or that sin has happened. But it can class="hi2">anan> also communicate that attack has not happened, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore symbolize eternal life.

"The body can class="hi2">anan> become a sign of life, a promise of redemption, an class="hi2">anan>d a breath of immortality to those grown sick of breathing in the fetid scent of death. Let it have healing as its PURPOSE. Then will it send forth the message it received, an class="hi2">anan>d by its health an class="hi2">anan>d loveliness proclaim the truth an class="hi2">anan>d value that it represents. Let it receive the power to represent an class="hi2">anan> endless life, forever unattacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d to your brother let its message be, "Behold me, brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I live."

It is in fact by recognizing that bodies don't live or die, that the body is no longer "attacked" by thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d laws you make up to try to preserve them. When you stop trying to believe that a body is alive, or can class="hi2">anan> cause sickness, or be healed, the mind in fact "heals" it, or corrects the image, removing symbolic appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of attack an class="hi2">anan>d death. an class="hi2">Anan>d now the body seems to resurrect towards "looking like life", because the mind can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of illness an class="hi2">anan>d ceases to project ideas of death onto it.

"The guiltless mind can class="hi2">anan>not suffer. Being san class="hi2">anan>e, it heals the body because IT has been healed. The san class="hi2">anan>e mind can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of illness, because it can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of attacking an class="hi2">anan>ything or an class="hi2">anan>yone."

A healed healthy body, even if an class="hi2">anan> illusion of health, Can class="hi2">ANan> symbolize eternal life in the world, Can class="hi2">ANan> teach "with a power greater than class="hi2">anan> a thousan class="hi2">anan>d tongues" that its harmlessness proves your brother's innocence, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan> teach innocence. This is a repurposing of the FORM of the body, for a higher purpose, to USE form to symbolize actual eternal life, as best it can class="hi2">anan>, rather than class="hi2">anan> symbolizing the idea of attack an class="hi2">anan>d death. It is to this end that we aim to "heal" the body an class="hi2">anan>d make it be "more alive". A such, physical health comes from a healthy mind.

"Your body can class="hi2">anan> be mean class="hi2">anan>s to teach that it has never suffered pain because of him. an class="hi2">Anan>d in its healing can class="hi2">anan> it offer him mute testimony to his innocence. It is THIS testimony that can class="hi2">anan> speak with power greater than class="hi2">anan> a thousan class="hi2">anan>d tongues. For here is his forgiveness PROVED to him. A miracle can class="hi2">anan> offer nothing LESS to him than class="hi2">anan> it has given unto you. So does your healing show your mind is healed, an class="hi2">anan>d has forgiven what he did NOT do. an class="hi2">Anan>d so is HE convinced his innocence was never lost, an class="hi2">anan>d healed along with you."

"THERE IS ***NO LIFE*** OUTSIDE OF HEAVEN. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">anan>y state apart from Heaven life is illusion. At best ***it seems like life; at worst, like death.*** Yet both are judgments on WHAT IS NOT LIFE, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is not in Heaven is not an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Outside of Heaven (plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, galaxies etc), only the conflict of illusion stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible an class="hi2">anan>d beyond all reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal barrier to Heaven. Illusions are but forms. Their content is never true."

A seed is sown. It sprouts. The plan class="hi2">anan>t grows tall. A bud appears. The bud opens an class="hi2">anan>d the flower blooms. The flower pollinates. The flower dies. The leaves wilt. The plan class="hi2">anan>t is dead. It crumbles, an class="hi2">anan>d all it becomes is the ground in which other seeds are sown.

THIS, is the fundamental nature of spacetime. Because you'll notice that the plan class="hi2">anan>t has to be in a constan class="hi2">anan>t state of CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE in order to be in an class="hi2">ANan>Y state. It can class="hi2">anan>not remain constan class="hi2">anan>tly the same. It has to always be tran class="hi2">anan>sforming, growing, sprouting, adjusting, dying.

We like to say that new things are born, an class="hi2">anan>d old things die. This is a lie. There are not two states here, there is only one state. It is all death. All things here are chan class="hi2">anan>ging, always, an class="hi2">anan>d they can class="hi2">anan> never stop chan class="hi2">anan>ging. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge is death, because only perman class="hi2">anan>ence is life. So even birth is death as well.

This is what stuff in this universe does, fundamentally, because everything here is based on the idea that "nothing ever stays the same." Which is the opposite of "everything lives forever."

We made it to be this way. It's a world based on the laws of death. Death is built into it. Not just the end result of death but even the sprouting an class="hi2">anan>d the flowering is a sign of death. It's death because it's not an class="hi2">anan> eternal state. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge mean class="hi2">anan>s the opposite of immortality, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore the opposite of life.

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

"The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt. Look carefully at this world, an class="hi2">anan>d you will realize that this is so. For this world is the symbol of punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d all the laws which seem to govern it are the laws of death."

Even if things appear to be born, to grow, to tran class="hi2">anan>sform, to seem to live an class="hi2">anan>d then to die, all of it is death. All of it is what happens when nothing ever lasts an class="hi2">anan>d all things are constan class="hi2">anan>tly coming an class="hi2">anan>d going.

Nothing here is ever still. The idea of something being constan class="hi2">anan>tly the same is totally alien. Nothing here ever perpetuates forever. Nothing here can class="hi2">anan> hold onto an class="hi2">anan>y sense of stable identity for an class="hi2">anan>y amount of time. Nothing is ever quite here an class="hi2">anan>d now, it's always tran class="hi2">anan>sitioning from the past to the future. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore nothing here has an class="hi2">anan> identity, because nothing is stable or ongoing or inherently perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

There is no self in a world of shifts an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ges. There is no reality in such a world either, because reality can class="hi2">anan>not be shifting an class="hi2">anan>d unstable an class="hi2">anan>d constan class="hi2">anan>tly in flux. That which is real must always be the same, reliable, trustable, constan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>geless. It's like a rock that you can class="hi2">anan> rely on. But nothing in this world provides this stability, because it's an class="hi2">anan> unreal world.

Human class="hi2">anan> bodies in an class="hi2">anan>y stage of development, ran class="hi2">anan>ging from fetus to birth to children to teens to adults to those older of age, it doesn't matter. Every stage is just one more version of a state of death in a dream of death under laws of death. Death is chan class="hi2">anan>ge. Life is eternal chan class="hi2">anan>gelessness. Even as a newborn arrives, the body is already not really there an class="hi2">anan>d not really an class="hi2">anan>ything.

If something can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge from one thing into an class="hi2">anan>other, it can class="hi2">anan>not really be what it seems to be. If it were a seed, an class="hi2">anan>d now its a plan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d then its a flower, an class="hi2">anan>d then it is garbage, it is not an class="hi2">anan>y of these things. There is no perman class="hi2">anan>ent nature to it. It has no continual identity that is unwavering an class="hi2">anan>d consistent. an class="hi2">Anan>d so every state it tran class="hi2">anan>sitions through is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

This ultimately is why there is no world. Everything that shifts an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ges is unreal an class="hi2">anan>d does not really have an class="hi2">anan>y real here-an class="hi2">anan>d-now existence. an class="hi2">Anan>d the body is never really in a state of complete here-an class="hi2">anan>d-now. It seems to be here now, but it is tran class="hi2">anan>sitioning from what it was to what it will be. It has not stopped to be here an class="hi2">anan>d now, it will not stay the same for even a nan class="hi2">anan>osecond.

"The body does not really exist."

"At no SINGLE instan class="hi2">anan>t does the body exist at all."

"None of this existed before, nor does it actually exist now."

Fully in the holy instan class="hi2">anan>t, in the total present, there is no body an class="hi2">anan>d there is no world. The world an class="hi2">anan>d the body are a little bit removed from here an class="hi2">anan>d now. In fact, the world is the past. an class="hi2">Anan>d the body is either a memory or an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ticipation. There is a slight delay between here an class="hi2">anan>d where the body an class="hi2">anan>d world are. Even in terms of the body's functioning, there is a delay in the perceiving of the world's signals.

A flower is not a flower, because it was a stalk, an class="hi2">anan>d was a seed, an class="hi2">anan>d will be a bush, an class="hi2">anan>d will be dirt. It is not fully an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is fully nothing.

Space, in general, is really the idea that nothing fully exists an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. It was made to oppose God. God exists fully everywhere. Space, an class="hi2">anan>d its contents, which includes flowers an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d the plan class="hi2">anan>et, depicts the idea that God is not fully an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, nothing exists everywhere, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore God is dead an class="hi2">anan>d has been replaced by non-existence. This is why it is an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, an class="hi2">anan> opposition to the nature of the Kingdom.

Time is no better. Time suggests that everything must always be different an class="hi2">anan>d nothing can class="hi2">anan> ever be perman class="hi2">anan>ent. This too is an class="hi2">anan> attack on eternity. It constan class="hi2">anan>tly chan class="hi2">anan>ges what is into what it was not, an class="hi2">anan>d back again, an class="hi2">anan>d on it goes, never stopping to be an class="hi2">anan>ything truly. an class="hi2">Anan>d so time is the idea that you never fully exist, an class="hi2">anan>d have no identity, an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing true about you.

Space-time is just a belief. It's an class="hi2">anan> ego belief in separation. When the belief is gone, space time is gone. an class="hi2">Anan>d without space time you can class="hi2">anan>not have flowers an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets. There is nothing to keep things separate. Nothing to hold the atoms apart. Nothing to keep time ticking. They just van class="hi2">anan>ish an class="hi2">anan>d all their dream contents go with them. Because there is not really a world here. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion. A world of death does not exist because death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d the world is already dead.

"Their death is sure an class="hi2">anan>d this alone is certain in their world. It is the ego's world because of this."

"But the world has none to offer. All its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d death."

"In this world, there appears to be a state that is life's opposite. You call it death."

"Yet each must fail an class="hi2">anan>d crumble an class="hi2">anan>d decay, because a form of death can class="hi2">anan>not be life, an class="hi2">anan>d what is sacrificed can class="hi2">anan>not be whole."

"Leave the world of death behind, an class="hi2">anan>d return quietly to Heaven. There is nothing of value here, an class="hi2">anan>d everything of value there."

"It is the world of birth an class="hi2">anan>d death, founded on the belief in scarcity, loss, separation an class="hi2">anan>d death"

"For this world is the opposite of Heaven, being made to be its opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d everything here takes a direction exactly opposite of what is true."

"All the world of pain is not His Will"

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. It symbolizes fear (=death). an class="hi2">Anan>d what is fear except love's absence? Thus the world was mean class="hi2">anan>t to be a place where God (life) could enter not, an class="hi2">anan>d where His Son could be apart from Him."

"Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem. Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, an class="hi2">anan>d dying in the end?"

"This aching world has not the power to touch the living world at all. You could not give it that, an class="hi2">anan>d so, although you turn in sadness from it, you can class="hi2">anan>not find in it the road that leads AWAY from it, into an class="hi2">anan>other world"

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end."

"Freedom an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d joy stan class="hi2">anan>d there, beside the bier on which they sleep, an class="hi2">anan>d call them to come forth an class="hi2">anan>d waken from their dream of death."

"He has overcome death because he has accepted life."

WHAT IS TIME? IS IT ETERNITY? IS TIME REALITY? GOD's CREATION?

There have been a couple of posts here talking about time, an class="hi2">anan>d speculating with wishful-thinking that time is eternal or a creation of God. This is not true. The course is very clear on this.

"Time an class="hi2">anan>d Eternity can class="hi2">anan>not both be real, because they contradict each other." - ACIM

"For place (space) has gone as well, along with time." - ACIM

"It is this fact which demonstrates that time is an class="hi2">anan> illusion." -ACIM

So what is time an class="hi2">anan>yway? an class="hi2">Anan>d what is eternity? an class="hi2">Anan>d why does Jesus state that they CONTRADICT each other?

Eternity mean class="hi2">anan>s, everything always exists forever. There is no beginning, there is no end. There is also no chan class="hi2">anan>ge. There are not temporary one-off events. There is no tran class="hi2">anan>sition, no adjustment, no becoming, no growth, nothing gradually progressing. There is no decay, no distortion, an class="hi2">anan>d no death. Eternity is a PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENT state of PERPETUAL SAMENESS.

"Nothing there but shines an class="hi2">anan>d shines forever."

"Reality is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d what He knows exists forever, chan class="hi2">anan>gelessly."

Now, in this state of eternity, prior to the separation, there was NO SUCH THING as time or space. Reason being that both time an class="hi2">anan>d space are illusions which COMPLETELY OPPOSE the idea of eternal life. Not just a little. They are diametrically opposite an class="hi2">anan>d completely contradictory.

In eternity, everything exists everywhere. Everything is shared by everything. Every son of God shares all of himself with every other son of God. God is one with everyone. You are united with your brothers. But not only this, but in "spatial terms", what exists in one location exists fully in all locations. This is the idea of omnipresence an class="hi2">anan>d is the divine nature of everything that exists in God.

In the separation idea, we wan class="hi2">anan>ted to DENY eternity, an class="hi2">anan>d to DENY that everything is everywhere, an class="hi2">anan>d DENY that everything is shared by everyone, an class="hi2">anan>d DENY omnipresence. We wan class="hi2">anan>ted a TOTAL OPPOSITE to this condition of abstract unity. The result of this was SPACE.

Space is a false belief, based entirely on the notion of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to spacelessness, ie an class="hi2">anan> opposite to omnipresence. It's the idea that God, who is everywhere, does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. By virtue of the fact that in space, no two things share the same space, an class="hi2">anan>d by virtue of the fact that in space an class="hi2">anan>y particular location contains only PART OF what exists an class="hi2">anan>d not the whole, space is literally the idea that "nothing exists everywhere" an class="hi2">anan>d "everything exists nowhere." This could not be more of an class="hi2">anan> attack on God's nature.

"The world was made as a place where God could enter not."

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God."

Time is similarly blasphemous. In eternity, where everything is always the same, everything has eternal immortal life, nothing chan class="hi2">anan>ges, an class="hi2">anan>d everything is perman class="hi2">anan>ent. What exists has always existed an class="hi2">anan>d always will, without the need for time.

Time is nothing short of the idea of a TOTAL OPPOSITE to eternity. It's founded on the false belief that everything chan class="hi2">anan>ges, nothing is EVER the same as it was, what exists now DID NOT exist before, an class="hi2">anan>d what exists now WILL CEASE to exist in the near future. It is the idea of IMperman class="hi2">anan>ence, the idea of MORTALITY, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of DEATH. Time, is the symbolic notion that *everything always chan class="hi2">anan>ges* an class="hi2">anan>d therefore *nothing exists forever*. This could BE MORE opposed to the nature of God an class="hi2">anan>d the divine continuity of reality.

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

So make no mistake, both space an class="hi2">anan>d time were EGO FABRICATIONS based in the tiny made idea, made as ATTACKS upon God, designed to SHUT OUT God's nature, to depict a world or state so completely opposite to the omnipresent everlasting nature of God, that if you behold the world you are BLINDED to God.

"The world can class="hi2">anan> ADD nothing to the power an class="hi2">anan>d the glory of God an class="hi2">anan>d His Holy Sons, but it can class="hi2">anan> blind the Sons to the Father if they behold it. You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God. Only one is true."

Space was an class="hi2">anan> attack on God's nature. Time was an class="hi2">anan> attack on God's nature. NEITHER of them are holy, spiritual, virtuous, constan class="hi2">anan>t, perman class="hi2">anan>ent, truthful, or real. Space an class="hi2">anan>d time, all of "space time", the entire "space time continuum", is A LIE. It is fiction. Everything within it is an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION. The world, the plan class="hi2">anan>ets, the galaxies, all of it, an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING that RELIES UPON three dimensional spatial relations is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>not have a three dimensional plan class="hi2">anan>et earth WITHOUT space, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not "evolve" WITHOUT time. an class="hi2">Anan>d every moment of "evolution" is a moment of DEVOLUTION, a proof that eternity has ended an class="hi2">anan>d something has come to replace it. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge is only possible in hell, not heaven.

Without space or time, the world that we made Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT EXIST. Without space, there is no way to have 3D physical objects, yet alone plan class="hi2">anan>ets. JEsus says this here:

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away. an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone ****what more remains to keep a separated world in place?**** ****For place has gone as well, along with time.**** Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible. Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you then will overlook will not be understan class="hi2">anan>dable to you, just as its presence once had been your certainty."

Without place an class="hi2">anan>d time, ie spacetime, it is NOT POSSIBLE to have plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. In an class="hi2">anan>y form. an class="hi2">Anan>d without guilt, there is no belief in spacetime. So when guilt is gone, the world MUST van class="hi2">anan>ish.

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as **nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil**, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> ***last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t.*** It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it ***can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear***, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t ****is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."****

The fact is, space an class="hi2">anan>d time are ego illusions. They do not really exist. They are NOT God's creations. an class="hi2">Anan>d they absolutely are not holy or real or spiritual. They are literally nothing, mere illusions, a thin veil of smoke an class="hi2">anan>d mirrors, designed to deceive. an class="hi2">Anan>d as Jesus says in the quote I opened with, time an class="hi2">anan>d eternity are CONTRADICTORY. Totally opposites to each other. Time is not a "misinterpretation" of eternity. It's a total fiction. We have not "misunderstood time's reality". Time is NOT reality. Ever. Never. If time has an class="hi2">ANan>Y reality, God would have an class="hi2">anan> end.

Do not fall for the wishful level-confused thinking of some ACIM students who wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep the world an class="hi2">anan>d find ways to spiritualize it. They are not ready to accept that this world is not real, or that space an class="hi2">anan>d time aren't even real at all. You don't NEED space or time to exist, an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> you need a fictional body.

Time is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There is no time. Only eternity is real.

In the separation, we entered a state of mind opposite to God. THEN we projected this state of mind outward, trying to hide from it. This produced the world of spacetime.

"That was the first projection of error outward. ***The world arose to hide it***, an class="hi2">anan>d became the screen on which it was projected, an class="hi2">anan>d drawn between you an class="hi2">anan>d truth."

"***The world you made*** is therefore totally chaotic, governed by arbitrary an class="hi2">anan>d senseless "laws," an class="hi2">anan>d without mean class="hi2">anan>ing of an class="hi2">ANan>Y kind. For it was ***made out of what you do NOT wan class="hi2">anan>t, projected FROM your mind***, because you were AFRAID of it."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that the world is actually once removed from the state of mind of the separation. It is a second stage in separation. The first dream is of being separate, an class="hi2">anan>d was then projected as a second shadow dream of a physical universe.

This in turn implies that all things physical are a decoy, a kind of "effect" being projected from a hidden mental state. Therefore, an class="hi2">anan>ything physical is not a cause, nor is it capable of sinning, or of doing an class="hi2">anan>ything. It is a symbol of something hidden.

The whole world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, an class="hi2">anan> image, projected from a sick mind. It is being put there by an class="hi2">anan> unseen process. It is not the world that needs to be forgiven an class="hi2">anan>d corrected. Or to put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, we must forgive the world in the sense that it has not done what we think it is responsible for. It is "following orders."

As purely an class="hi2">anan> effect, the world can class="hi2">anan>not decide for itself, or choose what happens. It is the mind that is orchestrating every dream, every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce, all events an class="hi2">anan>d encounters. Behind the physical world its a state of mind which needs to be healed. It is the circle of fear. It is not seen by the body's eyes or by perception. It is prior to projection, an class="hi2">anan>d without projection there is no perception.

This is what we might call unconscious guilt, or at least a hidden an class="hi2">anan>d more direct sense of attack an class="hi2">anan>d sin. Its projected form, the physical world, was made to hide its viciousness.

"You would be willing to look upon your savage wish to kill God's Son, IF YOU DID NOT BELIEVE THAT IT SAVES YOU FROM LOVE. For this wish CAUSED the separation. You have protected it (producing the physical world), because you do not Wan class="hi2">ANan>T the separation healed, an class="hi2">anan>d you realize that, by REMOVING the dark cloud that obscures it (the underlying belief in separation obscures God), your love for your Father would IMPEL you to an class="hi2">anan>swer His call, an class="hi2">anan>d leap into Heaven."

The world is a symbol of what it has been projected from. Just as the body is a symbol of the ego. It is not an class="hi2">anan> end in itself. This whole world, this universe, is not an class="hi2">anan> end, but a secondary expression from an class="hi2">anan>other state of mind. It represents that state of mind, an class="hi2">anan> outward picture projected from an class="hi2">anan> inward condition.

"It is still true that the body has no function of itself. This is because it is NOT an class="hi2">anan> end."

"Perception seems to TEACH you what you see. Yet it but witnesses to what YOU taught. It is the outward picture of a wish, an class="hi2">anan> image that you Wan class="hi2">ANan>TED to be true."

"Projection makes perception; the world you see is what you GAVE it, nothing more than class="hi2">anan> that. But, though it is no MORE than class="hi2">anan> that, it is NOT less. Therefore, to YOU, it IS importan class="hi2">anan>t. It is the witness to your state of mind, the OUTSIDE picture of an class="hi2">anan> INWARD condition. As a man class="hi2">anan> thinketh, so does he perceive. Therefore, seek not to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the WORLD, but will to chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind ABOUT the world. "

The whole point of forgiveness then is to recognize that the world is once-removed from what is causing it, an class="hi2">anan>d what it causing it is in the mind. Therefore, cause, mind, will, an class="hi2">anan>d power, have to be brought back into the mind an class="hi2">anan>d recognized as being there. This is where the an class="hi2">anan>swer an class="hi2">anan>d the healing is. To take back your projection really mean class="hi2">anan>s to take back the physical world.

Nothing physical is sinful, because it isn't the SOURCE of what it is doing. It is a projected image. It's where the world is coming FROM that is where you'll find the sin. The world was made to disguise the internal sin, to make it look like sin is externalized. That's why "the world of bodies is the world of sin." But it is really a projection of the idea of sin. "The body is the idea of sin made flesh an class="hi2">anan>d projected outward."

To lift the belief in sin away from the world, to see "the forgiven world", simply mean class="hi2">anan>s recognizing that all of spacetime is not the cause of itself. It is coming from somewhere in the mind. an class="hi2">Anan>ything it does is a second-han class="hi2">anan>d projected form of what is projecting it. Being solely an class="hi2">ANan> EFFECT of an class="hi2">anan> internal belief, it can class="hi2">anan>'t be held accountable for an class="hi2">anan>ything. The belief in sin is internal, an class="hi2">anan>d not perceived out there.

This is why the world really has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing of its own. Why it's a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world. Why it's neutral. Why it can class="hi2">anan> act like a mirror to reflect internal ideas of sin, or internal ideas of love. Because it is really nothing but a screen onto which we project stuff. It is an class="hi2">anan> externalization of what's inside us. To blame it for an class="hi2">anan>ything, or to even look to it to identify "what to heal", is to misplace what is causing it. The world is a SYMPTOM an class="hi2">ANan>D SIDE EFFECT of the belief in separation. The belief in separation is the real problem, an class="hi2">anan>d the only problem.

If "all my problems have been solved", it is because the world is NOT the problem. The underlying secret sins an class="hi2">anan>d hidden hates are the problem. The unforgiven grievan class="hi2">anan>ces. The attack thoughts. The belief in sin an class="hi2">anan>d death. The idea of separation. All the mental content which projects as the body an class="hi2">anan>d the world. Those are the problem that needs healing. The physical world will reflect whatever internal chan class="hi2">anan>ges we make.

This is why sickness is a projected form of guilt. The inside becomes the outside. This is why death can class="hi2">anan> only happen if the mind chooses it. This is why the mind has power over the body, an class="hi2">anan>d why miracles can class="hi2">anan> resurrect an class="hi2">anan>d heal it. This is why chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind about the world chan class="hi2">anan>ges the whole world. You're really chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind about yourself an class="hi2">anan>d God, an class="hi2">anan>d this results in a different projection.

First we will project a world of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death. Then, chan class="hi2">anan>ging our internal material, we will project a world of harmlessness an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d love. an class="hi2">Anan>d then we will so fully extend our projecting in line with God's will that we will simply resume the full extension of heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d in total extension there is no denial or dissociation or "ego projection" or disowning. an class="hi2">Anan>d so the projected world, which came from the tiny mad idea projected outward, will simply cease to have a source. an class="hi2">Anan>d without a cause in the mind, without the idea of death, it will simply cease to be made.

"The final judgment on the world contains no condemnation. For it sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin, an class="hi2">anan>d wholly purposeless. Without a cause, an class="hi2">anan>d now without a function in Christ's sight, it merely slips away to nothingness. There it was born, an class="hi2">anan>d there it ends as well. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the figures in the dream in which the world began class="hi2">anan> go with it. Bodies now are useless, an class="hi2">anan>d will therefore fade away, because the Son of God is limitless."

The world, the physical world, BEGan class="hi2">ANan> IN a dream. A secret hidden dream of sin an class="hi2">anan>d ideas of attack an class="hi2">anan>d death. Without this IN the mind, the world has no cause to PROJECT it. It came from nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d must return to nothingness.

Sin is really an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make out that God is evil. It’s an class="hi2">anan> attempt to turn a "loving cause" into "an class="hi2">anan> evil cause".

When you are projecting your belief in sin outwards onto other people, what you’re really doing is trying to push God away by projecting ideas of evil onto Him, pushing Him out away from yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d to see Him as an class="hi2">anan> external cause who is acting "against your will."

Really, sin is YOUR attempt to act against God’s will. The result of that is that you PERCEIVE that God is against your will.

When you see sin in a brother, you are really seeing your idea that God is a sinner. You see "cause" in the person, but you also combine that idea of cause with the idea of evil. So you see it as an class="hi2">anan> "evil cause" or a "cause of evil". That’s the exact same thing as seeing someone as sinning against you, being against you in an class="hi2">anan>y way, being an class="hi2">anan> enemy, etc.

You think it’s just your projection of your idea that you sinned, but it’s really the projection of your attempt to turn God into something unloving. You see this unloving cause outside of you because you think God is an class="hi2">anan> unloving cause who is separate from you an class="hi2">anan>d acting against you.

When you choose to die, if you do, an class="hi2">anan>d given that all death is chosen on purpose, a state arises where you perceive that an class="hi2">anan> "external deadly cause" comes along an class="hi2">anan>d finally man class="hi2">anan>ages to INFLICT ITS WRATH upon you, "causing you to die". In this act, it’s really your attempt to prove or play out your belief that God wan class="hi2">anan>ts you dead, God is an class="hi2">anan> evil hateful vengeful attacker who is causing you to die, an class="hi2">anan>d that therefore God does not cause creations of Eternal Life, but that God instead creates death.

So it is actually God who we believe destroys us every time that we die. We see it as this separated off, externalizations, rejected, hated enemy who is evil an class="hi2">anan>d vengeful who wan class="hi2">anan>ts us dead. Even if we don’t acknowledge that consciously, EVERY DEATH occurs on this same basis of belief. This is the ego thought system playing out. Every death will appear to be caused by an class="hi2">anan>yone OTHER than class="hi2">anan> you, because you still see yourself as the "effect of God", an class="hi2">anan>d God has been mis-identified as causing death.

So when you try to die, you are actually trying to prove that God is a murderer. That it is God’s will that you be dead. This is why in your death wish, you actually believe that God Wan class="hi2">ANan>TS you dead because you sinned. Or rather, you are attempting to prove that GOD is the sinner an class="hi2">anan>d that He is sinning against your innocence. You lay down an class="hi2">anan>d "allow" his wrath to happen to you to attempt to prove that you are not the one who sinned against God, but that HE Is the one who is murderous. When you prove this through death, you are trying to say that you do not believe in death at all - that He is the one who has rejected you, aban class="hi2">anan>doned you, an class="hi2">anan>d who wan class="hi2">anan>ts to punish you.

This is so twisted an class="hi2">anan>d backwards. God could not possibly wan class="hi2">anan>t you dead. When you believe in real sin, your own sin, you WILL believe that God is the sinner an class="hi2">anan>d that you are innocent. You WILL see that God is outside of you plotting to kill you. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will experience yourself as though "cause" is outside of you acting against your will. God’s will could never be against your will, if YOUR will were not trying to be DIFFERENT to His. Your opposition to His Will is what makes it seem as though His Will is acting against yours.

You will see this played out in all your relationships, because ultimately, your ONLY relationship is with God. So those people you think are your enemies, that’s really your mis-perception of God. You are not recognizing God, an class="hi2">anan>d instead see IN Him a false God of death. The real God is love, Life, an class="hi2">anan>d would never wan class="hi2">anan>t to attack you. The real God is never against your will, although you can class="hi2">anan> be against His an class="hi2">anan>d think that you are at war.

Sin is not real. You. Did not sin. God is not your enemy.

This world is part of death.

Heaven, in which there is eternal life, is the only "place" where there is life. Everything this side of the separation idea, which includes this entire universe, this plan class="hi2">anan>et, an class="hi2">anan>d all bodies, is part of the idea of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to life, thus death. This is why it's a "dream of death".

Everything in this world is dead. The course calls it "a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son".

You need to realize that only at the very, very highest level, squarely centered in Heaven, is there "life", because life must be eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d eternity is not outside of Heaven. That mean class="hi2">anan>s that an class="hi2">anan>ything "outside" heaven, which is this universe an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it, is not life. It's an class="hi2">anan> idea or picture of death.

So even while you are "living" your life an class="hi2">anan>d seem to be in relative health or having a body or "half dead" or totally dead an class="hi2">anan>d buried, all of that spectrum of "death an class="hi2">anan>d dying" is death. Not just the climax. The final moment of death is just a symbol of death WITHIN a dream of death.

"There is no life outside of Heaven" literally mean class="hi2">anan>s that every form in this world is not life. "Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth are opposite in every way". Earth is nothing like Heaven.

When we say, that we see God in the world because God is in my mind, this is a helpful idea an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> be an class="hi2">anan> experience but it is not well-worded considering how man class="hi2">anan>y people use it. It should say, this world is an class="hi2">anan> idea WITHIN God, or at least more accurately we could say, I see God IN SPITE of the world because the world is in my mind an class="hi2">anan>d so is God.

We must be careful not to equate this world with heaven or with God. This world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It does NOT EXIST an class="hi2">anan>d it is not heaven. There is at best a reflection of heaven here in this dream, which is not the same thing as being in heaven.

This world, a picture of death, must disappear, because death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d all illusions must disappear. This is why this world holds nothing that you wan class="hi2">anan>t. Who could wan class="hi2">anan>t death to be real? It is not God's creation an class="hi2">anan>d it is nothing like the nature of God at all.

As the course teaches, you can class="hi2">anan>not see both worlds. The body's eyes behold a world which the ego made from death, an class="hi2">anan>d the "spiritual eye" (the one mind) sees only heaven. The bridge, in-between the two states, or the "forgiven world", is just a tran class="hi2">anan>sitionary state in which the world of heaven is reflected an class="hi2">anan>d glimpsed.

Jesus refers to Heaven as a "living world". Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d this universe, is not a living world. It is a dead world. It is an class="hi2">anan> idea of being dead. This is why Jesus says the idea of death is the last to go, an class="hi2">anan>d that when the idea of death goes, the entire world goes, because the entire world is founded on the idea of death, an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it is an class="hi2">anan> idea of death.

If you were not dead already, you would not need to achieve resurrection, an class="hi2">anan>d resurrection would be mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. But resurrection is your goal because it mean class="hi2">anan>s you have accepted atonement an class="hi2">anan>d returned to life. Returned to heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d left the world of illusory death behind.

There is no world. This is the central lesson the course would attempt to teach. Only God's creation, God's world of Heaven, the Kingdom, which is the extension of Himself, his holy creative thoughts, as the One Son, the man class="hi2">anan>y sons, an class="hi2">anan>d the sonship, sharing love IN HEAVEN.

Where is Jesus? He is in heaven. Why isn't he in the world? Because the world is not heaven. Where will Jesus be when his body disappears? Not in this world. Where will this world be when death is fully undone? Nowhere. What will REMAIN when a world of death has been undone an class="hi2">anan>d disappeared, recognized as having not existed at all? The only thing that will remain is God's Kingdom, which is HEAVEN, an class="hi2">anan>d you are part of it an class="hi2">anan>d all of it. an class="hi2">Anan>d it has nothing whatsoever to do with this universe or this plan class="hi2">anan>et.

The ego is NOT the idea of being an class="hi2">anan> individual self. It is in fact the idea of DENYING your self, attacking your self, destroying yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d trying to kill your self.

The ego is the very idea of imprisoning your free will, trying to make you unwilling to be free, an class="hi2">anan>d stripping away your freedoms as an class="hi2">anan> individual.

The ego is also the ILLUSION of having independence, which is made from pictures of isolation, imprisonment, limitation an class="hi2">anan>d restriction, all limits placed on your actual self.

When you wake up, you do NOT wake up to the end of individuality. You wake up TO your individuality. If being in the ego mean class="hi2">anan>s you are NOT BEING YOURSELF, then waking up mean class="hi2">anan>s you return to being yourself.

You have free will in God an class="hi2">anan>d you are an class="hi2">anan> individual BEING. Here is what ACIM actually explicitly says:

"God, who encompasses all being, nevertheless created separate beings who have everything individually an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to share it to increase their joy."

That's what it ACTUALLY says. So that mean class="hi2">anan>s that we actually ARE individual beings who have everything, which automatically implies that we must have free will.

Therefore, waking up mean class="hi2">anan>s that you RETURN TO the freedom of your will, you lift away the imprisonment you've placed on yourself, you REGAIN your freedom to be individually free, you accept atonement for YOURSELF (not for others), you become part of the atonement plan class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d then you help others to heal an class="hi2">anan>d wake up.

This entire doctrine of thinking of the ego as "an class="hi2">anan> individual" is actually FAILING to overlook THE ILLUSION that the ego is presenting. The ego has been quite clever to make it look as though its "separateness" IS independence. It is not. It is imprisonment. It's the exact opposite of what it looks like.

an class="hi2">Anan>d since people think that the ego is "a self", they then conclude that undoing that self mean class="hi2">anan>s kind of the disappearing of that self, or like the very core of your being is ripped out an class="hi2">anan>d doesn't exist an class="hi2">anan>y more. This is absolutely the OPPOSITE of what happens.

As you wake up, you become MORE OF YOURSELF, you INCREASE your freedom, you gain access to YOUR INDEPENDENCE, you return to being a CO-CREATOR (man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y quotes that prove this), an class="hi2">anan>d you become a SELF again. an class="hi2">Anan> individual in heaven. You are a co-creator with God, with your own free will an class="hi2">anan>d individuality.

The entire FALSE INTERPRETATION of the course has led man class="hi2">anan>y people to think that you do not exist an class="hi2">anan>d have no soul an class="hi2">anan>d are not individual an class="hi2">anan>d have no free will. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE COURSE SAYS AT ALL. If you go an class="hi2">anan>d read it yourself an class="hi2">anan>d especially in the earlier versions, you will find out that this interpretation IS A LIE, an class="hi2">anan>d has been spread around like wildfire by well-mean class="hi2">anan>ing but MISTAKEN teachers.

Being individual does not make you an class="hi2">anan> ego. Having free will does not make you an class="hi2">anan> ego. Being a co-creator does not cause separation or isolation. You are not "just" the one son, you are one of man class="hi2">anan>y sons. This IS the teaching of A Course in Miracles, not the fabricated FICTION that has been spread over the top of it to cover up your individuality.

You have a perman class="hi2">anan>ent self which God created, it is free, it has its own mind, it can class="hi2">anan> choose, an class="hi2">anan>d it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

Whatever you believe in, that is what you believe you deserve or are worthy of experiencing.

If you believe you sinned, you will believe you deserve an class="hi2">anan> experience of guilt.

If you believe you're guilty, you will believe you deserve an class="hi2">anan> experience of fear.

If you believe you're afraid, you will believe you deserve an class="hi2">anan> experience of punishment.

If you believe you are being punished, you will believe you deserve an class="hi2">anan> experience of death.

What are you worthy of? To become worthy of love, you must recognize that none of these accusations are true. You don't deserve an class="hi2">anan>y of them.

You did not sin, are not guilty, need not be afraid, there is no punishment coming, an class="hi2">anan>d you don't deserve to die.

Because separation didn't happen. So you're innocent.

If sickness is real, an class="hi2">anan>d given that God is the author of Reality, it would have to mean class="hi2">anan> that God created the sickness. an class="hi2">Anan>d since God is Reality, this would mean class="hi2">anan> that God Himself IS the sickness.

The belief that sickness is real, is therefore actually a belief that God is sick an class="hi2">anan>d that God wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to be sick. If the sickness is truth, ie reality, then God can class="hi2">anan>not be a loving God.

Love would not create sickness. Love would not wan class="hi2">anan>t someone to be dead. To suggest that sickness is real, is to suggest it was created by Love, an class="hi2">anan>d that Love wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to die. This is utterly ridiculous!

Sickness therefore Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be reality. It simply can class="hi2">anan>not be real at all. It MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sickness. ALL sickness must be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It may look like sickness, behave like sickness, be caused by things like sickness is, etc, but IT IS NOT REAL SICKNESS.

There can class="hi2">anan>not be real sickness. If reality is associated with sickness in an class="hi2">anan>y way, God would have to be sick.

The belief that sickness is real is the belief that an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION is actually real. It is the belief that illusions are real that IS sickness. Sickness is the belief that Reality is not reality, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that illusions have taken the place of reality. It is the belief that God is not healthy, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore it is true an class="hi2">anan>d real that God must be dying or dead.

Sickness is therefore an class="hi2">anan> attempt to kill God an class="hi2">anan>d His creation, to destroy His son, an class="hi2">anan>d to render God nothing. an class="hi2">Anan>yone believing in sickness as something real, something serious, something to be afraid of, or something to struggle with, is believing that sickness is not an class="hi2">anan> illusion, that God is dead, that sickness is the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is God's will that you die. Again, UTTERLY RIDICULOUS!

So, let's all learn this an class="hi2">anan>d learn it well. Every single person or establishment or governing body or hospital or clinic or doctor or researcher or scientist or an class="hi2">anan>yone in the public or an class="hi2">anan>yone struggling in their home with sickness etc, an class="hi2">ANan>YONE that claims that sickness is REALITY, they MUST be out of their mind! They are not san class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d they are not telling the truth. This MUST be a false belief.

God can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d does not create suffering. God is LOVING. an class="hi2">Anan>d God is REALITY, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore only love is real. an class="hi2">Anan>d since love would not create suffering in an class="hi2">anan>y way - love only creates love an class="hi2">anan>d health - an class="hi2">ANan>Y an class="hi2">anan>d EVERY form of sickness, suffering, lack, death, loss, pain an class="hi2">anan>d misery must be a complete illusion. It is NOT REALITY.

We need to wake up to this. We need to become clear about this an class="hi2">anan>d recognize this. an class="hi2">Anan>d we need to stop accepting an class="hi2">anan>d listening to everyone who says that sickness an class="hi2">anan>d suffering are real. It is a lie. Even told by those who are sick or those who are jist onlookers. People who look at the sick an class="hi2">anan>d think others are sick but they themselves are not sick, ARE sick, because sickness is real to them.

People are doing the best they can class="hi2">anan> to try to deal with the sickness, rarely finding a cure. There is a better way. Miracles are everyone's right!

Not believing in sickness mean class="hi2">anan>s not believing that an class="hi2">anan> illusion is real, which mean class="hi2">anan>s being San class="hi2">ANan>E. an class="hi2">Anan>d san class="hi2">anan>ity is the solution to all sickness, because all sickness is mental illness.

Who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are in REALITY can class="hi2">anan>not be sick. You are fucking immortal! You can class="hi2">anan>not be sick, you can class="hi2">anan>not die, you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge, you can class="hi2">anan>not be unwell or tired or lacking or depressed. You can class="hi2">anan>not be dead. You can class="hi2">anan>not be dying. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not be suffering in an class="hi2">anan>y way. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that looks like it is contrary to that it MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you believe it is not an class="hi2">anan> illusion but a reality, then you are mistaken an class="hi2">anan>d you need correction by the Holy Spirit.

We do not recognize an class="hi2">anan> illusion when we see one. Since birth we've been looking at this world believing it's real. It seems real enough. But "there is nothing so blinding as perception of form."

The problem is, we don't have something MORE real to compare it to. There is no frame of reference to evaluate it or contrast it. If you could see something truly real, it would frame this world AS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, it's illusory nature would become obvious, an class="hi2">anan>d you would be able to tell that this world is clearly false an class="hi2">anan>d unreal. But you have to have a sense of what true an class="hi2">anan>d real things are like in order to be able to compare an class="hi2">anan>d contrast, that this illusion is opposite to that.

Think for a moment then about reality, about God, about Heaven, about the nature an class="hi2">anan>d quality of infinite immortal being. Contemplate what God is like. The eternal nature, the endlessness, the freedom from sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death, the inability to create an class="hi2">anan>ything less than class="hi2">anan> perfection. Then ask yourself, is this thing you are looking at, THAT? Does it match up? Does it correlate? Does it seem like something God would create, something immortal, unlimited, perfect, beautiful an class="hi2">anan>d pure?

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end."

With something to compare it to, it becomes more obvious that the things of this world, the stuff you've been looking at since birth, MUST BE an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It must be something man class="hi2">anan>ufactured, artificial, pretend, fake, unreal, deceptive. It can class="hi2">anan>not really exist. There is no can class="hi2">anan>cer in God. There is no insan class="hi2">anan>ity in God. There is no dog shit in God. There is no crying in God. There is no attack in God. There is no fear or threat or dan class="hi2">anan>ger in God. Can class="hi2">anan> this appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of sin an class="hi2">anan>d attack exist WITHIN God's perfect being? Not even slightly. So what is it you're looking at?

It has to be something that is not really there. It has to be a lie, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, a deception an class="hi2">anan>d a temptation to believe in something unreal. It's some kind of hallucination. It's make believe fairytale dreaming. It can class="hi2">anan>'t exist. It can class="hi2">anan>'t really be there at all. It seems to be but it's not. It is really nothing, pretending to be something. The impossible, pretending to be possible. It can class="hi2">anan>'t exist in God. It has no real cause. It hasn't been created. Remind yourself of this, an class="hi2">anan>d it will become clearer an class="hi2">anan>d more RECOGNIZED, that what you're seeing is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, some kind of invented puff of smoke masquerading as something else. It can class="hi2">anan>'t be real. It can class="hi2">anan>'t exist. It's not there. It's gone.

"Illusions recognized must disappear."

There is only God an class="hi2">anan>d His Kingdom. "Only the creations of light are real."

It may not be obvious, but A Course In Miracles is basically trying to get you out of a state of mortality, into a state of immortality. Think about all the ways that it does this.

That you are not at the effect of the world.

That nothing in the world causes you or brings oppression or makes you sick or afraid.

That you have the power to dominate everything you see.

That your body has no power over the mind an class="hi2">anan>d mind is stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body.

That in the rusurrecetion you overcome death entirely.

That all forms of suffering are forms of mortality/death.

That you are to dis-identify from being an class="hi2">anan> illusion such as believing in the body or the world.

The fact you are at home in God, immortal an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ent, merely having a dream of death.

The teaching that your attack thoughts attack your invulnerability, that you can class="hi2">anan> be attacked by nothing but your thoughts, an class="hi2">anan>d that without attack thoughts you are invulnerable.

The secret of salvation, that you realize you are doing everything to yourself, have made a wrong decision which caused you to not be at peace, an class="hi2">anan>d now you wan class="hi2">anan>t to choose immortality again.

The application of forgiveness which is the same thing as atonement an class="hi2">anan>d true perception an class="hi2">anan>d salvation an class="hi2">anan>d resurrection, nothing short of overcoming death an class="hi2">anan>d becoming absolutely tran class="hi2">anan>scendent of all suffering.

"Swear not to die, you holy Son of God", clearly indicates that you as an class="hi2">anan> immortal child of God should never be choosing death, which mean class="hi2">anan>s never choosing mortality. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s claiming your immortality.

"Sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt", the entire teaching about what you use the body for, that death is a choice an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not die unless you choose to, an class="hi2">anan>d the use of the body to demonstrate your brother’s innocence or sinfulness, is all geared towards you acting like an class="hi2">anan> immortal being not a suffering sinner.

Every single aspect of the Course is geared not merely towards you becoming peaceful an class="hi2">anan>d dying, or happier but sick, but in fact is aimed at taking you totally beyond all forms of suffering, death, sickness, unhappiness an class="hi2">anan>d vulnerability of every kind. To never again be affected by an class="hi2">anan>ything. Nothing short of immortality. Never again to suffer, never again to die.

This is the central core of the course. "There is no death, the Son of God is...." IMMORTAL!

Every lesson, every quote, every paragraph, is all speaking to the vast collage of illusions we have invented to try to PRETEND to be mortal in a dream of death. To pretend it is possible to die. To make-believe things that seem to crumble, decay, erode an class="hi2">anan>d end. an class="hi2">Anan> entire fiction of a world that seems to come an class="hi2">anan>d go, having beginnings an class="hi2">anan>d endings which clearly are not eternal.

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it, for what He creates MUST BE ETERNAL as himself."

It’s not merely a matter of whether the world is real, it obviously can class="hi2">anan>not be because nothing in it has immortality. It is a dream of death, an class="hi2">anan>d there really is no world.

This is all over the course. Immortality, invulnerability, not being affected, perman class="hi2">anan>ence, peace that lasts forever, God’s creations an class="hi2">anan>d minds carrying on uninterrupted forever, nothing being able to attack or sin against God/reality, nothing real being affected, the Son of God being beyond death, it all points to IMMORTALITY being your totally natural state of being.

"You can class="hi2">anan>not die, but you can class="hi2">anan> confuse yourself with things that do."

This is also why "the body can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who are life". It’s also why "God can class="hi2">anan>not enter a body, nor can class="hi2">anan> you join him there." This is why God’s Kingdom is an class="hi2">anan> IMMORTAL LIVING FOREVER WORLD OF LIGHT.

an class="hi2">Anan>y time we entertain ideas of suffering, sickness, death, fear, being affected, caused, threatened, an class="hi2">anan>ything that suggests or even hints at us not being invulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d immortal, we are "playing dead". an class="hi2">Anan>y time we take illusions of attack, vulnerability, suffering, or an class="hi2">anan>y kind of non-immortal activity seriously, we are believing we are NOT immortal. an class="hi2">Anan>d we believe this about others too when we fear for their life. That condemns us both to death, or at least tries to. No-one can class="hi2">anan> really die!

Because your are immortal, you ARE still as God created you. God did not create you capable of death. Or sin. Or attack. OR murder. You can class="hi2">anan>not do an class="hi2">anan>y of these things in reality. So you DREAM of being in a world where all FALSE things are possible, where IMPOSSBILITIES seem possible, where everything is subject to attack an class="hi2">anan>d imperman class="hi2">anan>ence, an class="hi2">anan>d where death seems to strike at every thing that moves. an class="hi2">Anan> entire fan class="hi2">anan>tasy world that runs against every law of God an class="hi2">anan>d opposes His Will, trying to prove His children can class="hi2">anan> die.

"The laws of this world go against your nature." This world goes against your IMMORTALITY.Your natural condition is to live utterly free of all attack, impervious to all suffering, incapable of death, incapable of unhappiness, an class="hi2">anan>d absolutely perman class="hi2">anan>ent in all your ways. Absolutely incapable of being attacked ever! You are not RELATIVE to life, you are ABSOLUTELY ALIVE. Forever. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> affect you against your will unless YOU WILL TO BE AFFECTED. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you are FAKING IT, because your immortality Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be affected. All sickness, suffering an class="hi2">anan>d death is FAKE. A huge lie.

You are as perman class="hi2">anan>ent as God. an class="hi2">Anan>y attempt to believe, perceive, suggest, portray, act, think, or live otherwise, is a denial of your immortality. It’s an class="hi2">anan> attempt to make believe that you are not immortal an class="hi2">anan>d that you can class="hi2">anan> suffer. an class="hi2">Anan>d every single form of non-immortality or vulnerability is a self-chosen, self-inflicted attack an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove you are not immortal. an class="hi2">Anan>d because all such attempts to chan class="hi2">anan>ge your unchan class="hi2">anan>geability can class="hi2">anan> never work, they are absolutely futile make-believe.

Death is futile. It has no causal effect whatsoever upon the Son of God. It does not work. Everything you are doing to make yourself suffer is a waste of time. It has no effect on your immortal spirit. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are only your immortal spirit. Every single way that you pretend to be afraid, sick, suffering an class="hi2">anan>d dead, is absolutely 100% chosen by you as part of your attempt to ACT AS IF YOU Can class="hi2">ANan> DIE. It’s an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove death is real an class="hi2">anan>d happening to you. How can class="hi2">anan> death happen to someone who is IMORTAL? How can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> immortal being be SICK or suffer or even unhappy in an class="hi2">anan>y way, thinking that something can class="hi2">anan> disturb its perman class="hi2">anan>ent peace?

Potent questions to ask oneself:

1) Am I using this to pretend to not be immortal?

2) Why am I trying to prove I am not immortal?

3) Why am I believing that my immortality can class="hi2">anan> be affected by this?

4) Does this have an class="hi2">anan>y power whatsoever to chan class="hi2">anan>ge what God created?

5) Why am I lying by pretending I can class="hi2">anan> suffer?

6) Why am I denying that I can class="hi2">anan>not be affected by an class="hi2">anan>ything?

You are an class="hi2">anan> immortal being, temporarily han class="hi2">anan>ging out in a dream world where everything is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of mortality. A world of death is obviously not the natural environment for a being of eternal life.

Yet the body can class="hi2">anan> become a sign of life to those grown tired of the fetid stench of death. It can class="hi2">anan> become a symbol of immortality, representing eternal life. Through its loveliness an class="hi2">anan>d health it can class="hi2">anan> teach by demonstration with a power greater than class="hi2">anan> a thousan class="hi2">anan>d tongues that there has been no attack, no vulnerability, no damage, no mark of sin, no evidence or proof of viciousness an class="hi2">anan>d no sign of evil effects. It can class="hi2">anan> represent wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d healing an class="hi2">anan>d innocence an class="hi2">anan>d invulnerability, an class="hi2">anan>d thus teach this to everyone.

To awaken fully is nothing short of waking up to immortality, to eternal life in Heaven, the end of all sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death, the can class="hi2">anan>cellation of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d a return to unlimited perman class="hi2">anan>ence. It requires the end of the body, which is nothing. "Indeed, you can class="hi2">anan>not remain in this world, with this knowledge."

NOTHING REAL Can class="hi2">ANan> BE THREATENED, because it is immortal! YOU are real. You can class="hi2">anan>not be threatened! You are totally perman class="hi2">anan>ently alive. Forever an class="hi2">anan>d ever. Why do you believe you can class="hi2">anan> or have been affected by an class="hi2">anan>ything or an class="hi2">anan>yone ever? You have done nothing but attack your own inherent invulnerability, trying to pretend you can class="hi2">anan> suffer. Isn’t it time to own up to being immortal?

In ACIM we're often talking about "the separation", or being separate. This is a way to describe a divide between two things. But an class="hi2">anan>other way is to refer to two "opposites". Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d hell, life an class="hi2">anan>d death, reality an class="hi2">anan>d illusions, etc. The separation was an class="hi2">anan> act of opposition against God, producing an class="hi2">anan> opposite state of mind.

When we're in a "separated state", we're in a state of opposition. This mean class="hi2">anan>s we have an class="hi2">anan> opponent, which we are totally un-like. an class="hi2">Anan>d it also mean class="hi2">anan>s we are at war. an class="hi2">Anan>d because we are un-like our opposition, we do not "like" it. an class="hi2">Anan>d this produces great tension.

When there seems to be opposition, there is tremendous temptation. The more extremely opposite two things are, the more they contradict each other an class="hi2">anan>d are in conflict. They can class="hi2">anan> be in a state of extreme disagreement. In this disagreement, there is a maximal likelihood or temptation that conflict will arise, given how much the two seem to be at-odds with each other.

Tension arising from arguments, disagreements, conflicts, debates, righteousness, defensiveness, denial, protection of one's truth, opposition to or disbelief in the enemy's view, is all very likely to induce a form of war. There will be fighting an class="hi2">anan>d bickering an class="hi2">anan>d hatred an class="hi2">anan>d weapons being thrown an class="hi2">anan>d a taking of separate sides.

It's very difficult to "stay out of" such a conflict, when faced with extreme opposition. an class="hi2">Anan>d the more they oppose you the higher the temptation is. If someone is digging in their heels an class="hi2">anan>d does not wan class="hi2">anan>t a single shred of what you are offering, for example, there will be a stan class="hi2">anan>d-off, rejection, a communication breakdown, an class="hi2">anan>d a high chan class="hi2">anan>ce of attack. They may wan class="hi2">anan>t death, while you wan class="hi2">anan>t life, but it won't stop them from trying to destroy you.

In this world, things which seem more alike or have something in common, seem to also experience an class="hi2">anan> illusion of less conflict. I found this to be true when, for example, a person who was highly obnoxious an class="hi2">anan>d aggressive decided to walk a road with me one day. This person would take up a very opposing position of rebellion an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ger, an class="hi2">anan>d this would produce a high likelihood of temptation an class="hi2">anan>d a flare-up of aggression. He was easily triggered due to his unhealed pain.

I decided on this occasion to pretend to be like him. So I sort of acted like him an class="hi2">anan>d agreed with him an class="hi2">anan>d spoke things he might speak, even though what I was agreeing to was not what I believed. an class="hi2">Anan>d stran class="hi2">anan>gely this person started to see me as a friend or ally. I was actually doing this to try to protect myself at the time, but it showed me that it's really the distan class="hi2">anan>ce or contrast between opposites that incites violent reactions, an class="hi2">anan>d so long as I did not "oppose" overtly, this person didn't target me at all.

There is similar temptation in ACIM circles, on an class="hi2">anan>y forum or discussion. When someone believes something opposite, particularly if it is wildly or deeply opposite, this produces a great temptation. Someone who is very patient, forgiving an class="hi2">anan>d calm, can class="hi2">anan> perhaps resist the temptation. That takes some profound mastery. Someone who can class="hi2">anan>'t keep their cool in the face of intense conflict an class="hi2">anan>d contraryism, however, will likely lose it. How do you not be tempted by extreme evil? "One ring to rule them all"?

There is the most temptation or "tension" when something is completely opposite an class="hi2">anan>d contradictory. This is as if to say, someone is 180 degrees from you across the table an class="hi2">anan>d going head-to-head. There is also tension from misunderstan class="hi2">anan>ding, when someone is at 90 degrees, whereby the two do not look at an class="hi2">anan>ything from the same an class="hi2">anan>gle, like they are talking entirely different lan class="hi2">anan>guages. They conflict more on a basis of not even understan class="hi2">anan>ding what each other is saying.

You'll perhaps notice that all the wars in the world are generally based on two parties very strongly disagreeing. They oppose each other. One tries to suppress the other to protect their own truth. They don't see it possible that they can class="hi2">anan> live together in peace or accept each other's extremism. an class="hi2">Anan>d just the mere existence of the other seems enough justification to destroy their heinous hedonism.

"Tension" is that sensation of very strong discordan class="hi2">anan>t energy between two opposites, an class="hi2">anan>d as each party has a stan class="hi2">anan>d-off an class="hi2">anan>d doesn't wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with each other, it intensifies the tension. It's as though they rip apart from each other an class="hi2">anan>d pull on the fabric of existence in an class="hi2">anan> effort to put as much distan class="hi2">anan>ce between them as possible. The sense of resistan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d rejection of each other heightens the tension, until breaking point.

The opposite of that tension is peace an class="hi2">anan>d harmony. But this can class="hi2">anan> only exist either when the two opposites are able to be totally at peace with other without trying to disagree with each other, or when there are no opposites. It should also be obvious that you can class="hi2">anan>'t really hold a position that disagrees with someone else an class="hi2">anan>d be at peace. Like "let's agree to disagree" is really just a stan class="hi2">anan>doff, not an class="hi2">anan> agreement. Either you have to be inclusive or you will be exclusive. an class="hi2">Anan>d the only way to truly agree is that both believe exactly the same thing.

This all seems to be the same basic temptation presented over an class="hi2">anan>d over again in man class="hi2">anan>y forms in this world. Groups of people disagreeing with other groups. Nemesis an class="hi2">anan>d enemies going at it all over again. People getting heated because they think their beliefs are under attack. The sense of offense an class="hi2">anan>d hurt from other people seeming to be against your ideals. Everyone trying to correct an class="hi2">anan>d destroy everyone else that is different to them. Conflicts based on different bodies an class="hi2">anan>d genders an class="hi2">anan>d so on. The whole world is riddled with such temptations.

"Everything the body sees is a form of conflict." - ACIM

Sometimes when there is less contrast between two things they seem to get along. ACIM refers to them as allies, where the two are still in subjective egotism, but because their egotism "matches" they become in a way blind to each other. Neither of them "stan class="hi2">anan>ds out" in opposition so they seem to be in harmony. But it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of harmony between two equally insan class="hi2">anan>e individuals. an class="hi2">Anan>d if one of them defects, the claws come out an class="hi2">anan>d they scream betrayal.

Atoms an class="hi2">anan>d molecules conflict with each other, just by being different. Difference IS disagreement. Bodies conflict with each other just by being different. The first law of chaos is that the truth is different for everyone, an class="hi2">anan>d everywhere, an class="hi2">anan>d for everything. Every single particle of matter is different to, therefore in conflict with, every other. Everywhere you look, everything the body sees, mountains an class="hi2">anan>d forests an class="hi2">anan>d ocean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>d cities, it is all conflicting in its form. To be unalike is to be discordan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d at war.

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God."

"For this world is the symbol of punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d all the laws which seem to govern it are the laws of death."

an class="hi2">Anan>d so where there is conflict or difference of opposition, there is temptation, because there is extreme disagreement. Difference IS attack. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you buy into the opposition or give it an class="hi2">anan>y power whatsoever, you set it up as an class="hi2">anan> enemy in your mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you will feel attacked by it, an class="hi2">anan>d will be attacking yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d will retaliate defensively, trying to preserve your sense of truth.

All special relationships demonstrate this. They're all founded on an class="hi2">anan> illusion of peace, brought about by two conflicted individuals, who are at war with the world, finding an class="hi2">anan> escape from the conflict seemingly with each other by having something in common. They hide from a mutual enemy together in the confines of an class="hi2">anan> exclusive relationship prison.

"When two INDIVIDUALS seek to become ONE, they are trying to DECREASE their magnitude. Each would DENY his power, for the SEPARATE union EXCLUDES THE UNIVERSE. Far more is LEFT OUTSIDE than class="hi2">anan> would be taken in."

So you've got a world of differences which tempts war, an class="hi2">anan>d two people who are at war with the world, who "take sides" together because they see an class="hi2">anan> absence of war in each other, because they both are warring in the same way. They both hate the same stuff, they both exclude the same stuff, an class="hi2">anan>d so they are narrow an class="hi2">anan>d closed off in a similar way. an class="hi2">Anan>d this produces an class="hi2">anan> illusion of love. The same happens when siding with political parties or sports teams or segments of society or religions.

But this love is very volatile an class="hi2">anan>d unstable an class="hi2">anan>d riddled with conditions an class="hi2">anan>d contradictions. an class="hi2">Anan>d if an class="hi2">anan>y of those conditions are not met, it quickly devolves into the special hate that it's based on. If one person even decides to be more unconditionally loving, the other conditional person may see this as proof of defection, an class="hi2">anan>d that the other is against them an class="hi2">anan>d unwilling to hate with them. an class="hi2">Anan>d then it's bye bye relationship.

I think its probably true of most people that we tend to avoid conflict an class="hi2">anan>d try to create an class="hi2">anan> illusion of peace in life. A safe house to live in. A way to avoid sickness. an class="hi2">Anan> avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of bad people. Trying to eat the right food. Staying away from known threats an class="hi2">anan>d dan class="hi2">anan>gers. All to try to pretend that the world is not a world of conflict, to make a nice comfortable corner in the desert where you can class="hi2">anan> han class="hi2">anan>g out with a false sense of security. Until shit comes knocking.

True peace can class="hi2">anan> only come from a tran class="hi2">anan>scendence of opposition. But it has to also come from "taking sides with God". That doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> being against an class="hi2">anan>ything because in God there is no opposition. God is all encompassing an class="hi2">anan>d love has no opposite. It is really only the opposition to God that believes in opposites. This is why the ego attacks an class="hi2">anan>d hates the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit completely ignores it. He doesn't attack the ego at all, He just shows you that it is invalid.

To take sides with God is to be vigilan class="hi2">anan>t for his truth an class="hi2">anan>d his Kingdom. It mean class="hi2">anan>s to believe only what God believes, if God had beliefs. To know what God knows. To be under no laws but his. To recognize that opposition is truly fiction an class="hi2">anan>d there is only one real world, one reality, one truth. This light then shines an class="hi2">anan>d shines away the darkness of rebellion an class="hi2">anan>d of sin an class="hi2">anan>d war. an class="hi2">Anan>d in the final recognition that there is no opposite to love, conflict disappears forever.

There is a simple law about health that you need to know about, as described 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. When its usefulness is done it is laid by, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all."

If you do not regard yourself as an class="hi2">anan> illusion in an class="hi2">anan>y way ("I am not an class="hi2">anan> illusion but a reality"), you do not see YOURSELF as an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you do not SHOW UP AS an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Instead, you show up as INVISIBLE. As if you have no body. You do not need a body, an class="hi2">anan>d the body would not be an class="hi2">anan> accurate identification of what you think of yourself.

The body is always coming from your mind, as an class="hi2">anan> outward picture of an class="hi2">anan> inward condition. Always. It is always being projected outward. It never has its own condition or its own state of being or its own mind or will or power or thoughts or an class="hi2">anan>ything else. It’s purely a projected mental image. It is YOUR mental image about what you think your identity is. Or, what you are made of. Or, what you think is true of you.

If you think it is true of you that you are less than class="hi2">anan> as God created you, pure spirit, wholeness, having no form or need for form, you WILL materialize - ie mis-create - what appears to be a body out of nowhere. The mind makes the body. an class="hi2">Anan>d the mind can class="hi2">anan> make as man class="hi2">anan>y bodies as it likes. As Jesus said in the special notes to Helen, here are his exact words where he describes exactly what I’ve just said:

"My body disappeared because I had no illusion about it.. It merely became what it always was. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is what 'rolling the stone away mean class="hi2">anan>s.' The body disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer hides what lies beyond... To roll the stone away is to see beyond the tomb, beyond death, an class="hi2">anan>d to understan class="hi2">anan>d the body's nothingness. I did assume a human class="hi2">anan> form with human class="hi2">anan> attributes afterwards, to speak to those who were to prove the body's worthlessness to the world. This has been much misunderstood. I came to tell them that death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other since form itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. They did not understan class="hi2">anan>d."

His body disappeared because He had no illusions about himself, his identity. He did not identify himself as dead, or made of separation, an class="hi2">anan>d so He stopped showing up as that. He stopped imagining himself as that.

Note he also says, the mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other since form itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The mind MAKES the body. an class="hi2">Anan>d it constan class="hi2">anan>tly is projecting a body when it sees itself as limited. It is projecting the body at every moment to sustain an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a constan class="hi2">anan>t self. But the body is always an class="hi2">anan> effect, never a cause of an class="hi2">anan>ything. So if the mind wan class="hi2">anan>ts to believe something else, the body MUST chan class="hi2">anan>ge. It has no will to stop the mind.

Now, a very importan class="hi2">anan>t thing to realize is, the state of the body, being a mental picture of "self", directly corresponds ALWAYS to how a person’s mind is seeing itself. What it believes it is. So if it believes it is sinful or guilty, the mind will attack itself, thus attack its own image of itself which will show up as a body infected by or attacked by guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin. This will make the body appear, ie be projected as though, it seems to be "sick". It does not "have" a sickness, it IS a sickness.

It will REMAIN showing up as sick for as long as the MIND decides to be sick. It will have no ability to heal itself. Bodies DO NOT heal themselves. The immune system is a bullshit ego concept. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Bodies does not heal an class="hi2">anan>ything. They do nothing. Only the mind orchestrates stuff happening.

When the mind says jump, the body jumps. Literally. When the mind says, I am sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate, a body will be projected which shows signs of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d separation. When the mind says, now is the time that I am well an class="hi2">anan>d joined with God, the body MUST show up as a picture of a body that is in perfect health.

You have to realize, the body has NO ABILITY to counter the choice of the mind as to how it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to identify itself. It IS the mind’s attempt to identify itself as an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There also IS NO OTHER CAUSE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD that can class="hi2">anan> do an class="hi2">anan>ything to the body. It can class="hi2">anan>not be made sick, or hurt, or damaged in an class="hi2">anan>y way, unless the mind is believing it is damaged. an class="hi2">Anan>d then the MIND puts the damage into the body, not the world. As Jesus says here clearly:

"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 ... 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."

That mean class="hi2">anan>s there is NO CAUSE outside of you, at all. Ever. The body Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be caused against YOUR will. Ever. However it shows up, is how you are MAKING IT show up.

There is nothing in the world that makes your body do or feel or adjust or chan class="hi2">anan>ge in an class="hi2">anan>y way at all. an class="hi2">Anan>y appearan class="hi2">anan>ce to the contrary is some illusion the mind is putting in place to pretend it is irresponsible. Sickness IS irresponsibility. The mind however is ALWAYS in charge even if it makes an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death. Death can class="hi2">anan>not happen to the body unless the mind destroys the body itself. "No-one dies without their own consent".

This also mean class="hi2">anan>s, that if the body is showing up as sick, SOMETHING IS WRONG with the mind. Guaran class="hi2">anan>teed. 100%. If the body is sick, the mind HAS NOT been healed. This is metaphysical law with zero exceptions. There can class="hi2">anan> be states of mind reached which seem like awakening, but where the body remains sick. In such states, the mind HAS NOT awoken from the dream of death, as proved by the fact that the body still seems to die, because the mind STILL BELIEVES it does not deserve eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d so accepts death - an class="hi2">anan> illusion of giving up all will an class="hi2">anan>d causality. an class="hi2">Anan> attempt not to choose at all.

Rather than class="hi2">anan> see this as some kind of condemnation or guilt-inducing statement that, if you are sick, it’s your fault, which the ego would love to indulge, instead see it as perhaps shocking or upsetting at first, to have to admit that YOU are responsible for making your sickness. This is not always welcome news, often producing ego reactions of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d so on. But it is also revealing to you a POWER that you have. A power an class="hi2">anan>d a CHOICE, a FREEDOM, a HOPE, in which IF YOU CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE YOUR MIND, you NEED NOT SUFFER.

This does not EVER mean class="hi2">anan>, that if you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind, you will tran class="hi2">anan>scend sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d not care that it "happens to you". This is 100% missing the point an class="hi2">anan>d a total bastardization of the teaching. No-one can class="hi2">anan> be at peace with death because peace is evidence you do not believe in Eternal Life. Sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death DO NOT happen to you. YOU HAPPEN. Sickness only happens in your body beacuse it’s a picture of YOUR MIND’s sickness. Death only happens in your body because YOU DESTROY YOURSELF. This has to be owned up to before you can class="hi2">anan> claim the right, an class="hi2">anan>d power, an class="hi2">anan>d freedom, to EXERCISE your FREE WILL choice to NEVER SUFFER AGAIN.

It does mean class="hi2">anan>, on the one han class="hi2">anan>d, you HAVE to admit to being responsible for causing ALL of the suffering you have experienced, it was ALL you doing it to yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d no-one an class="hi2">anan>d nothing-else EVER caused an class="hi2">anan>ything you’ve experienced. That can class="hi2">anan> be a big chunk of crap to swallow. BUT.... it also opens the door to the POSSIBILITY, that you still have this power, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> CHOOSE AGAIN an class="hi2">anan>d therefore produce a state of NO SUFFERING.

You MUST demonstrate a body that is invulnerable, can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt, can class="hi2">anan>not be damaged, has no sickness, does not show an class="hi2">anan>y signs of attack, an class="hi2">anan>d PROVES that your brother an class="hi2">anan>d the whole world has done NOTHING to affect the Son of God. OTHERWISE... you WILL attack yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d you will suffer, by your own han class="hi2">anan>d. No-one else will be doing it to you but yourself. This is the SECRET TO SALVATION! YOU ARE DOING THIS ALL TO YOURSELF. an class="hi2">Anan>d because you are - if you OWN IT - you can class="hi2">anan> choose simply to NEVER AGAIN be sick or dead or suffer in an class="hi2">anan>y way. Claim your IMMORTALITY!

There is no power in all the world that does an class="hi2">anan>ything to you against your will, other than class="hi2">anan> YOU. There is no cause in the world whatsoever to produce effects in you or your body that YOU do not put there yourself. Worldly causes are cover-up jobs for your mind to pretend its irresponsibility is someone else’s fault.

There is no form of sickness, even DEATH, that can class="hi2">anan>not be reversed, if the MIND decides to no longer believe in it. Whatever you believe about yourself, IT WILL SHOW UP. It must. Mind is cause. Form is the effect of believing in illusions. Your mind has power over ALL MATTER. "My self is ruler of the universe".

So realize this. While you have a body, your body ALWAYS EQUALS your state of mind. So long as you THINK you are a body, YOU WILL MAKE ONE. So long as you think you are separate from God, you will PRESENT A PICTURE of what you believe for all to see. "Sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt"!! But there can class="hi2">anan> also be a totally tran class="hi2">anan>sparent depiction of what’s going on inside of you, if you fully accept atonement.

If the body is showing up as sick, your mind *IS* sick. You ARE responsible for it. No-one else is. The world is not. The body is not. Having mastery over form REQUIRES extreme, absolute ownership an class="hi2">anan>d responsibility for EVERYTHING you are experiencing, down to the atoms that make up the body. YOU are putting them there. If the body is not doing well, it’s because you keep attacking yourself. Period. Don’t let this induce guilt or worthlessness. Instead forgive yourself an class="hi2">anan>d choose again.

If you can class="hi2">anan> recognize this correlation between mind an class="hi2">anan>d body, you will realize that *IF* you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind, THE BODY HAS TO FOLLOW. It is guaran class="hi2">anan>teed. It is a depiction of your "Self" as you see yourself. This is why when you shift into a miracle, you temporarily move into INVISIBILITY. "Miracles are temporary shifts into invisibility, that is why they heal." Invisibility (of form) correlates to having a mind which is CLEAR an class="hi2">anan>d FREE OF SEPARATIONS. You can class="hi2">anan> see through it because it has become tran class="hi2">anan>sparent an class="hi2">anan>d UNBLOCKED. This movement into formlessness heals the mind an class="hi2">anan>d thus the body MUST follow.

This also mean class="hi2">anan>s, as Jesus has said, *IF* you get your mind into a state of perfect clarity an class="hi2">anan>d truth, an class="hi2">anan>d given that you are temporarily still projecting a body, the body BECOMES INVULNERABLE because YOU ARE, it can class="hi2">anan>not BE sick for an class="hi2">ANan>Y reason, because you are not sick, an class="hi2">anan>d IT Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE because you see yourself as immortal spirit. Or at least a glimpse of that. Jesus assures us there is a divine protection that the body will experience IF we will be purely vigilan class="hi2">anan>t for the truth. Your body Can class="hi2">ANan> be indestructible, free of aging, weather, the need for food an class="hi2">anan>d water, an class="hi2">anan>d so on. "I am sustained by the love of God all through the day", goes to the extreme!

an class="hi2">Anan>d He literally mean class="hi2">anan>s this..... IT Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be sick. Sickness is IMPOSSIBLE where guilt has been removed. Sickness Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT RETURN where guilt has been removed. A guiltless mind can class="hi2">anan>not produce a suffering body. an class="hi2">Anan>d why would it. A suffering body is an class="hi2">anan> attack on your brother an class="hi2">anan>d yourself, due to a belief the world is causing you. Sickness is NONSENSE. It is a portrayal of a victim who believes they are sinful. But everyone is free to choose. You can class="hi2">anan> choose whatever you wan class="hi2">anan>t, but you can class="hi2">anan>not escape the consequences of your decisions.

You are cause. This is a course in cause, not effect. Choose health by choosing to heal the mind of its misperception of itself, an class="hi2">anan>d it will automatically take care of projecting a healthy body in the short term. This is the same as saying to seek first the kingdom of God an class="hi2">anan>d your way will be made straight.

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself."

1. God is perman class="hi2">anan>ent. Earth is not. Earth will end.

2. God is eternal. Earth is not. Earth does not last forever.

3. God can class="hi2">anan> only create by extending himself, an class="hi2">anan>d so whatever He creates has to be LIKE Himself in EVERY way, having extended from His own nature. For God to create Earth, God has to be a plan class="hi2">anan>et.

4. God, being eternal, never chan class="hi2">anan>ges. He is chan class="hi2">anan>geless. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything He creates Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT chan class="hi2">anan>ge. Earth chan class="hi2">anan>ges all the time an class="hi2">anan>d at NO TIME has a perman class="hi2">anan>ent identity.

5. God is eternity, in which there is no time, because there is no beginning or end. He is everywhere at once. In God, there is no space or time. Earth 100% relies on the seeming existence of space an class="hi2">anan>d time without which it can class="hi2">anan>not show up as a 3D plan class="hi2">anan>et. an class="hi2">Anan>d spacetime is just a belief.

6. Nothing God creates can class="hi2">anan> ever be sick or decay or die. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. Everything real last forever. On Earth, everything is sick, decaying an class="hi2">anan>d dying.

7. God can class="hi2">anan> only create ONE Kingdom or world. That world has to mirror His nature. Earth, is opposite to Heaven in every way, an class="hi2">anan>d God would have to have a contradictory split mind in order to produce TWO DIFFERENT worlds. "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way."

8. In God's perfect extension, He can class="hi2">anan> only create like Himself, an class="hi2">anan>d so creates CREATORS, who in turn have the ability to create like God. Everything on Earth Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT CREATE, can class="hi2">anan>not pass down all of its own qualities an class="hi2">anan>d abilities, an class="hi2">anan>d everything on Earth is a dead end.

9. Knowledge is only possible in God, where there is no perception, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing to perceive. Earth requires perception in order to see it, an class="hi2">anan>d without a body it can class="hi2">anan>not be experienced. "To sense is not to know", an class="hi2">anan>d the body is a sensor. Knowledge is not possible in a body. "You can class="hi2">anan>not remain in this world with this knowledge." It requires the end of perception, an class="hi2">anan>d the end of the body.

10. Immortality is God's nature. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened, attacked, chan class="hi2">anan>ged or hurt. Everything about Earth can class="hi2">anan> be threatened, attacked, chan class="hi2">anan>ged an class="hi2">anan>d hurt. It can class="hi2">anan>not be real.

11. Because God creates/extends only Himself, in His likeness, everything He creates is equal an class="hi2">anan>d identical. There is no difference between an class="hi2">anan>y Son of God. On Earth, everything is different, unequal, there is no harmony an class="hi2">anan>d therefore inherent war.

12. Life mean class="hi2">anan>s eternal life, that which is sustained forever. God sustains it forever by His perman class="hi2">anan>ent will that there be eternal life. Real life never ends. On Earth, all life has a non-existence, followed by an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a beginning, followed by illusory suffering, followed by an class="hi2">anan> illusory death, followed by a non-existence. That is not eternal life.

13. God, being forever, is always the same. Eternity is always the same. It never chan class="hi2">anan>ges. Time, is the idea that nothing is EVER the same, an class="hi2">anan>d everything always chan class="hi2">anan>ges. It is totally opposite to eternity. Earth, governed by time, is never the same an class="hi2">anan>d always chan class="hi2">anan>ging. Earth is not eternal.

14. God creates only the perfect, being perfect, an class="hi2">anan>d creates them perfectly. This perfection is flawless, has no damage, no imperfections, no lack, nothing missing, no corruption or limitation. Everything on Earth is flawed, damaged, imperfect, lacking, missing something, an class="hi2">anan>d severely limited.

15. Holiness is a quality an class="hi2">anan>d condition possible only in the Kingdom. Holiness comes from wholeness. In God, who is whole, He creates wholes, who create wholes. Wholeness only begets wholeness. On Earth, nothing is whole, because everything lacks what everything else has. This is what makes all thing unique an class="hi2">anan>d different. The world can class="hi2">anan>not be holy.

16. Only the truth of God is true. an class="hi2">Anan>d God is everywhere. This is why love has no opposite. There is nowhere for an class="hi2">anan> opposite to exist. That which is false is unreal an class="hi2">anan>d nothing unreal exists. Earth is opposite to truth, being an class="hi2">anan> illusion which attempts to oppose reality. Everything about it is false. This is why it doesn't exist.

17. In God, there is only love. The extension of God's likeness produces the Golden Rule. What is true of one Son is true of all others. What applies to one, applies to both. Earth is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to break this law, by making it seem possible that what applies to one thing does not apply to an class="hi2">anan>other. That you can class="hi2">anan> cause, an class="hi2">anan>d escape the effects. That something can class="hi2">anan> be true of an class="hi2">anan>other an class="hi2">anan>d not you. This is the idea of getting away with murder. Earth is the idea of the crucifixion of God's Son. "The world was made as a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son." The plan class="hi2">anan>et is murderous.

18. Life in God is eternal. It is real. Life mean class="hi2">anan>s eternal life, life without end. Everything in the Kingdom has eternal life. That which does not last forever is the idea of death. That which can class="hi2">anan> be attacked is the idea of death. "The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God." "Without the idea of death there is no world." Earth is the idea of death, a dream of death, an class="hi2">anan>d is not life. "an class="hi2">Anan> illusion of life at best, at worst, death." Earth is not alive or dead, it is nothing.

19. The world God "projected" ie extended or created, is the Sonship. God's ONE SON, is God's ONE CREATION. The Son, is God's world. "You are the Kingdom of Heaven." "We are creation, WE, the sons of God". When the son sleeps, God creates the Holy Spirit. This forms the TRINITY. God never creates an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING ELSE. Father, Sonship an class="hi2">anan> Holy Spirit are all that exist. There is no Earth in this equation.

20. God's world is reality. The Kingdom is real. Because it is perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d never chan class="hi2">anan>ges. an class="hi2">Anan>ything as an class="hi2">anan> alternative to reality must be unreality, or illusion. an class="hi2">Anan>other word for illusion is dream, an class="hi2">anan>d all dreams are dreams of opposition to life. "Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem." Even "the real world" is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death. Illusions are not eternal life. Every part of the dream, does not exist in reality. No part of the dream is created by God. God is not a dreamer. When the dreamer (sons) wakes up, the entire dream content van class="hi2">anan>ishes, having never existed. Earth is a dream world. There is no Earth in Reality, an class="hi2">anan>d Earth will van class="hi2">anan>ish BECAUSE it is not really there. "Illusions recognized must disappear." "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came." "There is no world."

God created heaven an class="hi2">anan>d its reality. It is the only absolute reality. This is all that existed before the separation an class="hi2">anan>d ALL THAT WILL EXIST afterwards. Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth an class="hi2">anan>d space an class="hi2">anan>d time are not a part of this whatsoever.

In the separation, we tried to assert the existence of something completely OPPOSITE to reality. This produced a thought system of ILLUSION, an class="hi2">anan> entire SECOND world or system of thought. We made heaven's opposite, which is hell. This included the making of space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d matter an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way."

This threw us all the way into what we call false perception which is aligned with how the body sees the physical world. "The world is false perception." This is blindness by perception of form. It is a way to make sin seem real. It is the unreal an class="hi2">anan>d unforgiven world. The body looks upon it all the time an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not see an class="hi2">anan>ything else because it is PART OF it. "The body is not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen." "... see only the forms of error."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that we perceive a COMPLETELY ILLUSORY WORLD, through illusory eyes, an class="hi2">anan>d are COMPLETELY DECEIVED by it, taking it to be REALITY, when in fact it is reality's opposite. Seeing an class="hi2">anan> illusion THROUGH an class="hi2">anan> illusion can class="hi2">anan>cels its illusory nature an class="hi2">anan>d makes it SEEM REAL. It's a state of insan class="hi2">anan>ity. "The world of bodies is the world of sin." "Sin is insan class="hi2">anan>ity."

This insan class="hi2">anan>e world we made is drawn like a VEIL of illusions across heaven to disguise an class="hi2">anan>d hide it from sight. We look AT the physical world in order NOT to overlook it. This is unforgiving sight. It's a way of being blinded so that you DO NOT see reality. The veil seems thick an class="hi2">anan>d solid an class="hi2">anan>d heavy an class="hi2">anan>d made of materials. It is "the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin." If your MIND is unforgiving, it will align with this world an class="hi2">anan>d this view of this world, an class="hi2">anan>d will see sin - bodies - as though it is real. Only the insan class="hi2">anan>e believe an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSORY world is real.

In moving out of insan class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d back to the ONLY REALITY of heaven, which existed PRIOR to the making of Earth an class="hi2">anan>d WITHOUT it, we first move into true perception of the ILLUSORY world that we made. True perception entails two seeming aspects because there are TWO mechan class="hi2">anan>isms for perception - the body's eyes an class="hi2">ANan>D the spiritual eye.

1) Looking upon the ILLUSORY WORLD that we made, an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZING it as an class="hi2">anan> illusory world. This is "seeing it truly" an class="hi2">anan>d is "accurate perception". It shows you that the world IS UNREAL, an class="hi2">anan>d IS NOT the reality you thought it was. Illusions are recognized, bodies are recognized as dream figures, awareness that you are DREAMING arises in your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d you see this ILLUSORY WORLD that you made as THE FORGIVEN WORLD. This is a perception TOWARD the illusory world you made which sees it in a light, loving, forgiving way. It makes the ILLUSION appear more beautiful an class="hi2">anan>d innocent, but it IS STILL an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSORY WORLD.

2) Looking BEYOND the illusory world, because to forgive is to OVERLOOK. an class="hi2">Anan>d an class="hi2">anan>y world you forgive you NO LONGER SEE. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not see both worlds, ultimately - heaven an class="hi2">anan>d hell. True perception looks PAST the world, PAST the veil, THROUGH illusions, BEYOND deception, an class="hi2">anan>d looks TOWARD heaven, AWAY from the illusory world you made. This is why christ vision is able to see BEYOND BODIES, BEYOND THE VEIL, an class="hi2">anan>d looks to THE LIGHT which is beyond it all. It sees this light without it dimming, BEYOND THE ILLUSORY WORLD, while facilitating the ability to look down toward the illusory world an class="hi2">anan>d see its CHAOS from an class="hi2">anan> unchaotic perspective.

"Christ's vision has one law. It does not look upon a body an class="hi2">anan>d mistake it for the Son whom God created. It beholds ***a light beyond the body***; an class="hi2">anan> idea ***beyond what can class="hi2">anan> be touched***, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. ***It sees no separation***. an class="hi2">Anan>d it looks on everyone, on every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce, all happenings an class="hi2">anan>d all events, ***without the slightest fading of the light it sees***."

"All this beauty will rise to bless your sight, as you look upon the world with forgiving eyes. For forgiveness literally TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMS vision, an class="hi2">anan>d lets you see the real world, reaching quietly an class="hi2">anan>d gently ***across chaos***" - mean class="hi2">anan>ing the chaos is still there but there is an class="hi2">anan> underlying "real world" interwoven with it at the same time, which isn't chaotic.

How to put it. .... let's say there is an class="hi2">anan> ocean class="hi2">anan>. You are above the ocean class="hi2">anan> in christ vision/true perception/forgiveness. You look out ACROSS the ocean class="hi2">anan> surface an class="hi2">anan>d see above the horizon. You look to the bright light of the sun shining - symbolizing heaven's light. an class="hi2">Anan>d at the same time, you notice that the ocean class="hi2">anan> is there, an class="hi2">anan>d the ocean class="hi2">anan> hides the light, an class="hi2">anan>d there are things lurking in the ocean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d moving around. That is the illusory world, the forgiven world. It is the veil of dreaming. So you are seeing the forgiven world BELOW, an class="hi2">anan>d the real world AHEAD. Then at some point YOU ONLY SEE the real world, an class="hi2">anan>d then it's off to heaven.

Only when THE ILLUSORY WORLD YOU MADE ends, "the world WILL END in laughter" ie you stop believing in it entirely, does the veil part, the illusion van class="hi2">anan>ish, an class="hi2">anan>d you see ONLY the face of christ. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you are taken swiftly OUT OF ILLUSIONS, OUT OF THE WORLD, BACK INTO REALITY.

"Here He lean class="hi2">anan>s down to lift you up to Him, out of illusions into holiness; out of the world an class="hi2">anan>d to eternity; out of all fear an class="hi2">anan>d given back to love."

"You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God."

To know God is to be IN REALITY in heaven with God where THERE IS NO WORLD - no plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, no bodies, no space, no time, no illusory world, no real world, no forgiven world, ONLY THE KINGDOM.

We have to be careful when using terms like "real world" an class="hi2">anan>d so on. There is a propensity to associate "real" with "ultimate reality", perman class="hi2">anan>ence, eternity, heaven etc. As though describing "places". Like you can class="hi2">anan> be "in" reality or outside of it. If something is considered real, you might equate it with Heaven for example.

But this is not really what ACIM mean class="hi2">anan>s when it refers to things as real. For example it tells you to "make the world real unto yourself", while in the next breath "there is no world".

Real, in these terms, really mean class="hi2">anan>s "aligned with truth". Or let's say a person is insan class="hi2">anan>e, an class="hi2">anan>d to that insan class="hi2">anan>e person they experience things in an class="hi2">anan> unreal way, a distorted way. When they return to san class="hi2">anan>ity, they return to "reality". In other words, to "what is", or the truth about what is here, rather than class="hi2">anan> the distorted view of it.

So the world we made, Earth, can class="hi2">anan> "become real to you", in the sense that it it can class="hi2">anan> be seen with Christ Vision from a perspective of real love, which lends it the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of love. Or moreso, truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d so now the world is seen in the light of truth an class="hi2">anan>d for what it "really is". But this doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it's real as in ultimate reality. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you're having what Jesus describes as "accurate perception" of it.

That accuracy, without distortion, is what it mean class="hi2">anan>s when he refers to "the real world". A world as seen through loving eyes that reveals the "true nature of" the world. The true nature of the world, however, is that it is still an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world.

So when you make it real unto yourself, that mean class="hi2">anan>s to love the world regardless of it being an class="hi2">anan> illusion. To see it "with reality" or aligned with truth. Rather than class="hi2">anan> seeing the "unreal world" which is seen through false perception, a distorted, condemned, dark version of the world. A misinterpreted world.

This is why "the real world" is called the real world. It doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it is reality as in, the location of Heaven. It doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it is "where ultimate reality is" either. But it does mean class="hi2">anan> this is a state of mind an class="hi2">anan>d awareness in which the world is seen through vision, through san class="hi2">anan>e eyes, recognized for what it actually is, rather than class="hi2">anan> having bought into lies, illusions, deceptions or temptations. A clear mind, a right mind, looking with san class="hi2">anan>ity upon simply what it is an class="hi2">anan>d nothing more or less.

We reach "the real world" through this process of sorting out perception an class="hi2">anan>d aligning with truth. Becoming able to see, without ego distortions an class="hi2">anan>d interruptions, what is actually there. What is there, as the world, without our projections of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt upon it. A forgiven world. A world seen through love's eyes. an class="hi2">Anan>d in fact a world that God loves. BUT, this does not "make it real" in the sense of it being now some kind of perman class="hi2">anan>ent eternal reality. It just mean class="hi2">anan>s it is now seen in the light, seen with truth, seen with san class="hi2">anan>ity, an class="hi2">anan>d recognized. Its "true nature" or "the reality of it" is revealed. But the world's true nature is still that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

This is why "the real world still is but a dream". We move on from the real world.... the forgiven world... the world seen through "realities eyes" so to speak, to go "to reality", where we can class="hi2">anan> now rightfully associate reality an class="hi2">anan>d location, or reality an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ence, or reality an class="hi2">anan>d eternal life. The Kingdom of God, where everything IS real, is recognized, an class="hi2">anan>d ALSO is eternal.

False perception is an class="hi2">anan> illusory world seen in an class="hi2">anan> "unreal way", which makes it seem like hell on earth.

The real world is an class="hi2">anan> illusory world seen in a "real way". This makes it seem like heaven on earth.

Heaven is a real world, the Kingdom, seen in a real way.

If you sin or do something wrong, there is no way you're going to be completely free of it UNTIL you are willing to recognize the atonement principle.

You could've done something man class="hi2">anan>y years ago or even when you were a child, which you believed was a big mistake. Maybe you were punished for it. Maybe you felt guilty about it. Maybe you hurt someone or broke something or committed a crime.

What you will then do, as an class="hi2">anan> act of TRYING to heal, is to explain to yourself in various ways "why it was ok". Maybe it was because the person did something to you in a past life. Maybe it was karma. Maybe it was just an class="hi2">anan> accident. Maybe you didn't really mean class="hi2">anan> it. Maybe you didn't know what you were doing because you were too young. Maybe you wouldn't do it again. Maybe you were young an class="hi2">anan>d naive. Whatever. These are justifications which do not HEAL you.

None of these will FREE YOU from having that event stuck in your mind, remaining not quite healed.

If you in an class="hi2">anan>y way believe that you ACTUALLY DID IT, then you stan class="hi2">anan>d accused of sin.

If you believe the events actually DID HAPPEN, then you stan class="hi2">anan>d accused of sin.

If you believe you did cause an class="hi2">anan>d produce REAL CONSEQUENCES IN REALITY, then you stan class="hi2">anan>d accused of sin.

That alone is enough to KEEP the sin real somewhere in your mind, leaving you always feeling guilty an class="hi2">anan>d always unable to truly LET IT GO no matter how hard you try.

The only thing which will SET YOU FREE is the truth. The truth is the atonement. The atonement, which is also an class="hi2">anan> act of complete forgiveness, looks upon you an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZES that what you THINK you did, was not happening in reality, it was entirely an class="hi2">anan> illusion, nothing real has been threatened, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing unreal exists.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to undo all of your belief in fear that arose from the event (fear of being punished for it), all guilt from the event (guilty because you did it an class="hi2">anan>d don't deserve forgiveness), all sin from the event (that it happened at all an class="hi2">anan>d you did attack in reality)... an class="hi2">ANan>D THEN you will be WILLING an class="hi2">anan>d ABLE to ACCEPT that you actually DID NOT SIN. There is no real sin.

Acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce of atonement is a state of mind where you actually can class="hi2">anan> SEE an class="hi2">anan>d recognize illusions for what they are. You don't BELIEVE in them. You don't fall for their tricks. You know an class="hi2">anan>d what you thought you did, did not really occur in reality, nothing real has been hurt an class="hi2">anan>d your innocence therefore has not been REALLY challenged.

Until you can class="hi2">anan> see that your innocence has not chan class="hi2">anan>ged whatsoever in God's eyes, because whatever you "did" DID NOT HAPPEN in reality, but only in A DREAM, only then will you LET YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK an class="hi2">anan>d forgive yourself for what you THINK you did.

When you accept this, you will finally feel the RELIEF that you have been longing for all these years. You will finally be WILLING to let go, because you will be WILLING to ACCEPT that you DESERVE to be forgiven - since you did not really do an class="hi2">anan>ything. Being able to see this an class="hi2">anan>d accept it is extremely, profoundly freeing an class="hi2">anan>d healing. FINALLY you can class="hi2">anan> let go of what you think you did wrong, because you did not really do it.

The atonement would seem to be complete nonsense to people who believe the world is real or that sins really happen or that people really get hurt or that consequences are real. It can class="hi2">anan> make no sense to an class="hi2">anan>yone who thinks that EVENTS are really happening in the world. Just the mere act of something occurring in this world IS SIN, if it is real. Even picking your nose inside a dream is an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin. Even kissing someone on the cheek is an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you DO in a DREAM, where that dream is entirely an class="hi2">anan> IDEA OF WHAT SIN IS LIKE (the body is an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin made real an class="hi2">anan>d projected outward), is a sin.

The atonement LITERALLY mean class="hi2">anan>s, that what you think you DID DO, whatever event you think occurred, it was only ever in a DREAM, not in reality. This entire world is a dream. This whole universe is a dream. It is not really happening in reality an class="hi2">anan>d it is NOT REALITY. So it is literally POSSIBLE to UNDO THE PAST ENTIRELY, which dream-believers will say is impossible, because NOTHING HAPPENED. It was not reality in which it happened, it did not happen to an class="hi2">anan>ything real, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing real came from it.

This whole physical universe hasn't happened.

To recognize this is the atonement. To finally realize, wait a minute, this is all just a huge dream we're having. It's not real. It's not happening at all. Nothing I thought happened in it was real. It was all fake. The sin was fake, the effects were fake, the deaths were fake, nothing was real. It was just a nightmare.

"Forgiveness... sees there was no sin, an class="hi2">anan>d in that view, are all your sins forgiven."

Finally then when you can class="hi2">anan> accept atonement on an class="hi2">anan> issue, it really does mean class="hi2">anan> setting yourself FREE, the ONLY WAY to be free, an class="hi2">anan>d that is truly healing. You can class="hi2">anan> be 100% free of your sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt FOREVER. Than class="hi2">anan>k God for that!

"Real choice is no illusion. But the world has none to offer."

Whenever you are presented with a choice in this world, you'll find it always entails an class="hi2">anan> impossible situation. It's not "you" that is making choices difficult, it is the nature of the world.

"It is the world you see that is impossible."

Option A will offer something which seems to be mostly what you wan class="hi2">anan>t, but it will lack something.

Option B may have what the other lacks, an class="hi2">anan>d offer something it doesn't have.

But in all cases, you will never find two choices which offer exactly everything. Or even one.

This fundamentally makes for an class="hi2">anan> impossible situation, in which you are torn. You can class="hi2">anan>not feel a sense of total certainty regardless of which one you choose.

If you choose A, you know you'll be missing out on something. If you choose B, you know you'll be missing out on something.

The thing is, with our egos, we actually believe that there is a "perfect choice" in this world. That its possible to find the exact perfect something, be it an class="hi2">anan> item you're buying, or a person to relate with, or a place to han class="hi2">anan>g out, or a tv show to watch, or whatever.

But there is nothing perfect in this world. This world is based on separation, which requires that nothing be whole, nothing be perfect, an class="hi2">anan>d everything be only partially an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Often then you'll find that if you are seeking the perfect choice, you will feel flrustrated, uncertain, doubtful, mis-trusting, not sure whether to go with this or that.

Option A seems to tan class="hi2">anan>tilize you with its offferings, but you know it's flawed. an class="hi2">Anan>d option B seems to offer something of its own. Even if you have both, they still would lack something. But you can class="hi2">anan>'t decide, because neither of them seems to "do it all".

Sometimes, depending on if you lower your stan class="hi2">anan>dards, or are open to compromise, or don't mind some shortcomings, or can class="hi2">anan> live with the absence of certain features etc, you'll allow yourself to use this adjustment of attitude as a way to "settle" for one of the options. an class="hi2">Anan>d you might talk yourself into that being satisfactory. Even though you know deep down it is less than class="hi2">anan> ideal.

This in a way seems to give you a sense of less stress or more san class="hi2">anan>ity, but it's only an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Settling for the fact that the situation is an class="hi2">anan> impossible choice, an class="hi2">anan>d then trying to justify why its okay that it's impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d settling for a compromise, is not really attaining perfection. So you make do.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so once again, the world comes up short, an class="hi2">anan>d it offers you less than class="hi2">anan> what you wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> never please you fully, never totally satisfy you, an class="hi2">anan>d is always disappointing.

"All its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d death. There IS no choice in its alternatives."

Looking at this clearly, you can class="hi2">anan> recognize that an class="hi2">anan>y choice to be made between illusions, will always be fundamentally impossible, incomplete an class="hi2">anan>d less than class="hi2">anan> ideal. If you seek for the ideal you will be disappointed an class="hi2">anan>d lost an class="hi2">anan>d frustrated an class="hi2">anan>d disillusioned.

If you can class="hi2">anan> accept that the world is fundamentally flawed an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not have everything here, accepting the fact that every option is less than class="hi2">anan> whole, less than class="hi2">anan> total life, an class="hi2">anan>d thus an class="hi2">anan> idea of death, maybe you can class="hi2">anan> choose on a more practical basis an class="hi2">anan>d just go with the devil you know, or the lesser of two evils.

There is no perfect choice in the world because the world was made in an class="hi2">anan> effort to reject perfection an class="hi2">anan>d to offer no real choice. It is an class="hi2">anan> assertion that you have no choice, that death is inevitable, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no alternative.

But there is a real choice. There is a perfect choice. That is, to choose NOT this world, an class="hi2">anan>d to instead choose the TRUE perfection of the Kingdom. God's world is the only world that offers you a total lack of compromise, total satisfaction, complete wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d perfect completion. There is no lack or frustration or impossibility or pointlessness in its offering.

To choose God again is to make a choice FOR perfection, which is a perfect choice. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is the only choice that is perfect, when made. All other choosing is imperfect an class="hi2">anan>d unholy. an class="hi2">Anan>d only a choice for holiness can class="hi2">anan> bring you what you wan class="hi2">anan>t.

"This world holds nothing that I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"It takes great learning to both recognize an class="hi2">anan>d accept that this world has nothing to give."

Everything in the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Everything. an class="hi2">Anan>d this includes the bodies which are seemingly healthy, the bodies which are seemingly sick, an class="hi2">anan>d the bodies that seem dead. This also mean class="hi2">anan>s that trees which have fresh green leaves are as much an class="hi2">anan> illusion as trees whose leaves have fallen an class="hi2">anan>d are decaying. Images of a lovely sunset are just as much an class="hi2">anan> illusion as stormy skies. an class="hi2">Anan>imals leaping around happily is just as much illusion as carcasses on the side of the road.

In the ego world, there are symbols, because it is a dream. an class="hi2">Anan>d sometimes these symbols seem to imply that some parts of the world are different to others, or mean class="hi2">anan> something that other parts do not mean class="hi2">anan>. So we are used to the idea that a dead body is the idea of death. But bodies that are walking around are also not really alive either. We can class="hi2">anan> think that when the leaves are falling from the trees, it's death happening, but perhaps we didn't realize when the leaves were on the trees that it was still a dream of death.

So in this world, there is deception all over the place. Things appear to be something they are not. The symbols that look like life only seem to be life, while the ones that look like death are only different in their forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is us who have given mean class="hi2">anan>ing to them an class="hi2">anan>d decided "this one mean class="hi2">anan>s death an class="hi2">anan>d that one mean class="hi2">anan>s life". All of the forms, in whatever condition they are, are forms of death. As Jesus tells us:

"There IS no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. *****In an class="hi2">anan>y state apart from Heaven, life is illusion. At best, it seems like life; at worst, like death.***** Yet both are judgments on ****what is not life****, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is not in Heaven is not an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Outside of Heaven (e.g. on Earth), only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible an class="hi2">anan>d beyond all reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal barrier to Heaven. Illusions ARE but forms. Their content is NEVER true. "

So because illusions are forms (objects, shapes, materials, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets etc), their content is not true. They are illusions of life an class="hi2">anan>d death. an class="hi2">Anan> illusion of life is not really life. Life actually mean class="hi2">anan>s ETERNAL LIFE, that which can class="hi2">anan> never perish, that which is not born an class="hi2">anan>d does not grow an class="hi2">anan>d does not die an class="hi2">anan>d has no sickness or tran class="hi2">anan>sformation. Life mean class="hi2">anan>s that which never chan class="hi2">anan>ges because it is perman class="hi2">anan>ent. Only in Heaven's reality is there eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d that is the only REAL life there is. The rest of what we call life, the "life forms" of this world, are an class="hi2">anan> illusion of life AT BEST.

"Either all things die, or else they live an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not die. No compromise is possible."

Here Jesus is contrasting vertically the two states or levels. In Heaven all things live an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not die. In illusions, all things die an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not really live. The world we see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world that God did not create.

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end."

So having been in this world a long time, we are likely very used to the deception that some things in the world are more alive than class="hi2">anan> others. Some people seem to have more health than class="hi2">anan> others. Some bodies seem more dead than class="hi2">anan> others. This is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. All bodies are illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d their condition or state does not make them more or less real. One is not really more or less dead than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. Even a dead body in the ground is, in terms of miracle mindedness, no more dead than class="hi2">anan> a living body. This is why for a miracle worker "dead-seeming" bodies can class="hi2">anan> be converted or resurrected into living-seeming bodies as a kind of "tran class="hi2">anan>slation of form".

"EVERYTHING is accomplished through life, an class="hi2">anan>d life is of the mind an class="hi2">anan>d in the Mind. The body neither lives nor dies, because it can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who ARE life."

Again Jesus is telling us life is to do with mind an class="hi2">anan>d heaven, not to do with bodies. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's reinforced by this idea.

""an class="hi2">Anan>d the last to be overcome will be death." Of course! ***Without the idea of death there is no world.*** All dreams will end with this one. This is salvation's final goal; the end of all illusions. an class="hi2">Anan>d in death are all illusions born. What can class="hi2">anan> be born of death an class="hi2">anan>d still have life? But what is born of God an class="hi2">anan>d still can class="hi2">anan> die? "

"Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem."

So every illusion, every part of the dream, all objects, all bodies, in all states an class="hi2">anan>d configurations, are all made of illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL illusions are made of death. We have to therefore realize that death does not mean class="hi2">anan> HORIZONTAL death, as in, at the end of the road of time for a given object. Or a state that follows on after an class="hi2">anan>other. Rather, the ENTIRE world we made, the universe, is all a dream of death. This whole plan class="hi2">anan>et is an class="hi2">anan> idea of death.

VERTICALLY, an class="hi2">anan>ything on this level physically is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to remove ourselves away from where eternal life is, away from Heaven. To move down a level. To drop into illusions, to sink into a dream world. an class="hi2">Anan>d that world is based entirely on the idea that reality, Heaven, is not real. It's the idea of separation or opposition to Eternal Life, that you are exiled an class="hi2">anan>d outside of the Kingdom where eternal life is. an class="hi2">Anan>d so it's the idea of NOT being alive. It's an class="hi2">anan> idea of the opposite to life an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ence. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything in it, no matter its form or appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death or partial life at best.

Even the most vibran class="hi2">anan>t bunch of flowers is actually an class="hi2">anan> illusion of not life. Even a newborn baby, of an class="hi2">anan>y species, is not a "new life" but rather a new form of death. Even as the season of spring seems to give life to new fresh growth, it is only later to tran class="hi2">anan>sition into the season of "dying" an class="hi2">anan>d decay simply because both the birthing an class="hi2">anan>d dying are built into the system. an class="hi2">Anan>ything made of illusions has the mark of death upon it, mean class="hi2">anan>ing it already is formed from ideas of death an class="hi2">anan>d separation at the moment it is made. Every particle of matter is a separation idea an class="hi2">anan>d therefore an class="hi2">anan> idea of opposition or attack upon God.

"You do not really wan class="hi2">anan>t the world you see, for it has disappointed you since time began class="hi2">anan>. The homes you built have never sheltered you. The roads you made have led you nowhere, an class="hi2">anan>d no city that you built has withstood the crumbling assault of time. ****Nothing you made but has the mark of death upon it.*** Hold it not dear, for it is old an class="hi2">anan>d tired, an class="hi2">anan>d ready to return to dust ****even as you made it.****"

So even at the instan class="hi2">anan>t that illusory things are first formed, they are formed FROM the idea of death an class="hi2">anan>d separation an class="hi2">anan>d limitation. They have it built in. If they are born at all, death is guaran class="hi2">anan>teed an class="hi2">anan>d "happening" already. Because all forms are lacking in some way, they are all lacking what the other forms seem to have, an class="hi2">anan>d all of them are inherently limited an class="hi2">anan>d limiting. None of them are whole, none are complete, an class="hi2">anan>d not have eternal life. an class="hi2">Anan>d every single body is an class="hi2">anan> idea of being little an class="hi2">anan>d lacking an class="hi2">anan>d less than class="hi2">anan> everywhere.

"This aching world (Earth) has not the power to touch the living world (Heaven) at all. You could not give it that, an class="hi2">anan>d so, although you turn in sadness from it, you can class="hi2">anan>not find in it the road that leads AWAY from it, into an class="hi2">anan>other world."

So this world is not the living world. The Kingdom of God is the living world, because life mean class="hi2">anan>s perman class="hi2">anan>ent life, not some temporary mockery of life. It is insan class="hi2">anan>e to think that real life is a matter of existing a little while an class="hi2">anan>d then dying at a bodily level. Life perpetuates an class="hi2">anan>d sustains an class="hi2">anan>d continues forever an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be destroyed. God creates ONLY the eternal.

"Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, an class="hi2">anan>d dying in the end?"

"What God creates is eternal."

A big part of awakening then must entail the re-framing or re-evaluating of everything you see here. We need to realize the dream entails a hierarchy of illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d this hierarchy is entirely fictional. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything it suggest through different FORMS is a deception an class="hi2">anan>d a temptation to believe something that isn't true.

Big bodies, small bodies, healthy bodies, dead bodies, are all the same illusion. None of them are more real than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. None of them are really closer to God. Big sickness, small sickness, tiny headache, massive tumor, none of them are an class="hi2">anan>y different. The only reason you would believe they are different, or more or less serious, is by looking to the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of their form an class="hi2">anan>d taking it as evidence or MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING as to what the thing is. Every single illusion is deceptive. Every appearan class="hi2">anan>ce is a lie.

"God's teachers choose to look on dreams a while. It is a conscious choice. For they have learned that all choices are made consciously, with full awareness of their consequences. The dream says otherwise, but who would put his faith in dreams once they are recognized for what they are? Awareness of dreaming is the real function of God's teachers. ***They watch the dream figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go, shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. Yet they are not deceived by what they see.*** ***They recognize that to behold a dream figure as sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate is no more real than class="hi2">anan> to regard it as healthy an class="hi2">anan>d beautiful.*** Unity alone is not a thing of dreams. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as behind the dream, beyond all seeming an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs."

When we reach a state of not being deceived by an class="hi2">ANan>Y appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, we are in miracle mindedness. Which is right mindedness. Here the hierarchy of illusions is completely flattened an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. There is no difference between a form in one configuration or an class="hi2">anan>other. We are not deceived by physical form, shape or appearan class="hi2">anan>ce. One type of appearan class="hi2">anan>ce does not trigger worse reactions than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other, or an class="hi2">anan>y reactions, nor mean class="hi2">anan>s something different to the rest. A "dead" appearing body is not regarded as an class="hi2">anan>y more dead than class="hi2">anan> a living one. As such raising the dead is seen as NO MORE DIFFICULT than class="hi2">anan> curing a headache, because all illusions are the same an class="hi2">anan>d you are not deceived by them. You can class="hi2">anan> raise the dead as easily as heal an class="hi2">anan> upset feeling.

"You who are dedicated to the incorruptible have been given through your acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce, the power to release from corruption. What better way to teach the first an class="hi2">anan>d fundamental principle in a course on miracles than class="hi2">anan> by showing you the one that seems to be the hardest can class="hi2">anan> be accomplished first?"

When you are not deceived by illusions of life an class="hi2">anan>d death, forms of sickness, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of severity, you can class="hi2">anan>not be afraid, you can class="hi2">anan> only be miraculous. Miracle mindedness tran class="hi2">anan>scends the world of illusions because The Miracle IS the state of Christ Vision which overlooks all forms. There is, from that position, nothing that your holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is from this state that you are a miracle worker. Here you are using miracles as demonstrations to PROVE that what appears to be death is not death, an class="hi2">anan>d you are under no laws but God's, where miracles break all the illusory laws of the world of appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

"Miracles do not obey the laws of this world."

"Miracles reflect the laws of eternity, not of time."

"The Holy Spirit is invisible, but you can class="hi2">anan> see the results of His Presence, an class="hi2">anan>d through them, you will learn that He is there. What He enables you to do is clearly NOT of this world, for ****miracles violate every law of reality, as this world judges it.**** Every law of time an class="hi2">anan>d space, of magnitude an class="hi2">anan>d mass, of prediction an class="hi2">anan>d control, is tran class="hi2">anan>scended, for what the Holy Spirit enables you to do is clearly beyond ALL of them. Perceiving His results, you will understan class="hi2">anan>d where He must be, an class="hi2">anan>d finally KNOW what He is."

Forgiveness happens when you reframe a sin as simply a mistake. When you can class="hi2">anan> realize that it was just an class="hi2">anan> error, an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan> intentional attack, it is forgivable. Sin deman class="hi2">anan>ds punishment, if it is truly evil. But mistakes can class="hi2">anan> be corrected an class="hi2">anan>d undone with no consequences.

If a person is fully san class="hi2">anan>e, in their right mind, with full awareness of all consequences, an class="hi2">anan>d actually performs a sin, which has real consequences on reality, then truly this would be a real sin. It would also be unforgivable.

However, such things are not possible. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened an class="hi2">anan>d real sin does not exist. You can class="hi2">anan>not attack an class="hi2">anan>ything real with an class="hi2">anan>y real consequences.

What we call sin is really a state of belief. It happens when a mind is mistaken, believing that sin is POSSIBLE in the first place, such as that reality Can class="hi2">ANan> be attacked. This is impossible, so the mind that believes it must be confused. This confusion is mental illness.

an class="hi2">Anan>yone who is in a state of "sinning" is therefore NOT really in a state of real sin, they are in a state of BELIEVING IN sin, but are completely mistaken. They believe something is possible which isn't. They believe they have done something they could not do in truth.

If we think that the world exists, an class="hi2">anan>d recognize honestly that it is cruel an class="hi2">anan>d full of sins, then it is unforgivable. If we think the world is really there, doing what it does, it does NOT justify forgiveness. If its attacks are true, or if its impossible proof of attack is real evidence, then there is no basis for forgiving it.

In order to forgive the world, something has to happen. You have to find a way to recognize that it was NOT MADE BY A San class="hi2">ANan>E MIND. If it were, sin would be real, an class="hi2">anan>d the world can class="hi2">anan>not be forgiven, because making a cruel world is truly evil.

Similarly if God in his right mind made the world, an class="hi2">anan>d given the world IS a cruel place (come on, admit it), then God WOULD indeed be cruel an class="hi2">anan>d evil to make such a thing, an class="hi2">anan>d to subject his children to it on purpose. If God DID make the world, God is a sinner an class="hi2">anan>d the world is made of real sin an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be forgiven.

But if the mind that made it is having an class="hi2">anan> hallucinated nightmare, which projects an class="hi2">anan> imaginary world of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d does NOT KNOW what they are doing, then the world they make is NOT really sinning.

What we need to recognize in ACIM is that we actually went into a state of internal insan class="hi2">anan>ity first, believing we had sinned against God with real consequences, an class="hi2">anan>d this induced huge guilt. We then moved into denial an class="hi2">anan>d projection an class="hi2">anan>d dissociation to try to disown it, which eventually produced the face of innocence as a cover-up.

But it was actually from our internal state of "false perception" that WE PROJECTED THE WORLD OUTWARD. It was a projection OF our inner self-attack an class="hi2">anan>d the wish for death. The world was supposed to be a SOLUTION to our sin, by getting rid of what we did not wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d externalizing our guilt.

"The world is false perception. It is born of error, an class="hi2">anan>d it has not left its source."

"You are AT ODDS with the world as you perceive it because you think IT is an class="hi2">anan>tagonistic to you. THIS IS A NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. You have projected outward what IS an class="hi2">anan>tagonistic to what is inward"

"The world you made is therefore totally chaotic, governed by arbitrary an class="hi2">anan>d senseless "laws," an class="hi2">anan>d without mean class="hi2">anan>ing of an class="hi2">ANan>Y kind. For it was made out of what you do NOT wan class="hi2">anan>t, projected FROM your mind, because you were AFRAID of it."

What this mean class="hi2">anan>s is that we actually were NOT in our right minds when we made the world. We were in an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e state of darkness, confusion an class="hi2">anan>d despair. Instead of san class="hi2">anan>ely undoing our self-made attack, we instead projected it as a world to try to put it outside the mind. This was a magical solution to an class="hi2">anan> internal problem.

"The body is the idea of sin made flesh an class="hi2">anan>d projected outward."

"The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt."

"The ego made the world as IT perceives it"

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. It symbolizes fear."

"The UNreal world IS a thing of despair, for it can class="hi2">anan> never be."

"What if you recognized this world is a hallucination? What if you REALLY understood you made it up?"

"This world IS a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son." The world, as a picture of crucifixion (death an class="hi2">anan>d attack), was projected out from our minds, in a state of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity. We did not make it in happiness. We did not make it in awareness of the consequences. We did not make it as a san class="hi2">anan>e logical conclusion. an class="hi2">Anan>d we did not make it in a clear-headed state of mind.

We made the world as a ban class="hi2">anan>daid of denial to cover up our guilt. We made it by mistake. We chose a poor sloppy solution to the guilt in our mind, in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to use dissociation to make the guilt unconscious. We tried to escape from our inner world, by projecting its contents outside. This formed the physical universe.

"Projection makes perception; the world you see is what you GAVE it, nothing more than class="hi2">anan> that. But, though it is no MORE than class="hi2">anan> that, it is NOT less. Therefore, to YOU, it IS importan class="hi2">anan>t. It is the witness to your state of mind, the OUTSIDE picture of an class="hi2">anan> INWARD condition."

We didn't know what we were doing. We WERE in a state of being mistaken. We believed sin was possible, which is a mistake. We believed we had sinned, which was not true. We believed we should be guilty, which was unjustified. an class="hi2">Anan>d we believed we should be punished, when it was un-called for. We believed in lies an class="hi2">anan>d deception. We had rejected truth, an class="hi2">anan>d reality, an class="hi2">anan>d san class="hi2">anan>ity.

The world we made wasn't really made in a clear state of mind. It was made as an class="hi2">anan> ERROR. It was an class="hi2">anan> extension or expression of mental confusion. We made it in the darkness, out of fear an class="hi2">anan>d death, having lost touch with truly san class="hi2">anan>e solutions. This produced an class="hi2">anan> ERRONEOUS WORLD. A world made of error. Not really a world of sin, because the mind that made it was not san class="hi2">anan>e. It was made as a mistake, by a mistaken mind.

"The body's eyes see ONLY form. They can class="hi2">anan>not see BEYOND what they were MADE to see. an class="hi2">Anan>d they were made to look on error, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see past it."

"The world is false perception. It is born of error"

If we can class="hi2">anan> then recognize that when we made the world we were not san class="hi2">anan>e, an class="hi2">anan>d that the world symbolizes that insan class="hi2">anan>ity, an class="hi2">anan>d what we made WAS ugly an class="hi2">anan>d cruel an class="hi2">anan>d vicious an class="hi2">anan>d deadly, because of the state of mind we were in at the time, then there IS JUSTIFICATION FOR FORGIVENESS. As Jesus says, "forgive them for they know NOT what they do." In our guilt we insan class="hi2">anan>ely made an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e world. A grotesque, stran class="hi2">anan>ge, self-denying, self-attacking, confused insan class="hi2">anan>e world.

"What is producing this world is insan class="hi2">anan>e, an class="hi2">anan>d so is what it produces."

Given that it IS an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e world, this mean class="hi2">anan>s that it is NOT REALLY A SIN. Nor was the mind that made it truly sinning. The mind that made it was MISTAKEN. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s that WHEN we are mistaken, we make the physical world. We make FROM our mistakenness, an class="hi2">anan>d by mistake. Given that it IS a mistake, it Can class="hi2">ANan> be forgiven.

When we separated from God, two things happened. 1) We entered an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e state of mind, an class="hi2">anan>d 2) We projected out a physical world from that state of mind. Our task now is to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE OUR MIND, to receive correction without punishment, so that we can class="hi2">anan> lift the insan class="hi2">anan>ity from our minds. By doing so, we become able to look upon the world WITHOUT the insan class="hi2">anan>ity that we had when we originally made it.

Insan class="hi2">anan>ity is a state of attack an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d blame an class="hi2">anan>d all man class="hi2">anan>ner of distortion. This was PUT ONTO the world, or more precisely, was what the PROJECTION of the world was based upon. It is the world's roots. The world CAME FROM a belief in sin an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d death. But that belief was a mistake. an class="hi2">Anan>d if that belied is corrected, then you're left with a world that you made IN ERROR, FROM UGLINESS, an class="hi2">ANan>D DO NOT Wan class="hi2">ANan>T.

"This world was over long ago. The thoughts that made it are no longer ***in*** the mind ***that thought of them***, an class="hi2">anan>d loved them for a while."

The perception you have "of the world", without the baggage of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, is what we call the forgiven world. It's a stran class="hi2">anan>ge miscreation, an class="hi2">anan> odd form, which we sculpted in insan class="hi2">anan>ity. an class="hi2">Anan>d now that we are coming around to sense an class="hi2">anan>d reason, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> see the whole picture, what we made is now seen from a lighter an class="hi2">anan>d truer perspective. That light true perspective is forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d it lets us look on what we DID MAKE IN HATE, but without hating it.

"the world they thought was made in hate to be love's enemy." "Loveliness can class="hi2">anan> light your images, an class="hi2">anan>d so tran class="hi2">anan>sform them that you will love them even though they were made of hate."

ie you are chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind "about the world". But the world itself is still going to remain as it is. It will still seem to function in time. It will still spin. It will still have seasons. It will still feature an class="hi2">anan>imals eating each other alive. It will still have wars an class="hi2">anan>d murder an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. Because this is what you made when you were insan class="hi2">anan>e. You set it in motion. But now you can class="hi2">anan> look at the twisted forms you made "in hell", an class="hi2">anan>d see them from a more loving perspective.

ONLY IF the world is a mistake, Can class="hi2">ANan> IT BE FORGIVEN. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive reality, or real sin. You can class="hi2">anan> only forgive mistakes. The world is a mistake, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing that you made it BY MISTAKE, lifts away all of the possible reasons why you might hate it. You can class="hi2">anan> only hate the world if you believe it was a deliberate sin made by a fully-aware mind. But the world was made by someone who was ill an class="hi2">anan>d afraid. Someone whose belief system was mistaken. Someone who did not know, because they had rejected knowledge. Someone who was confused, because they had lost touch with reality.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t really hate the world if it is recognized as ... only... an class="hi2">anan> odd thing you made one day when you were in a "bad mood." To acknowledge that you DID MAKE IT, actually owns up to the fact that IT DID COME FROM YOU. an class="hi2">Anan>d this too is the key to unlocking forgiveness. Denying that you made it in fact keeps you from forgiving it, because in denying it you are affirming that you sinned. Admitting you made it affirms that you DID make it by mistake, an class="hi2">anan>d so can class="hi2">anan> forgive it.

"Your brother thinks he made the world with you. Thus he denies creation. With you, he thinks the world he made, made HIM. Thus he denies he MADE it."

I forgive the world because I made it in error, an class="hi2">anan>d from error. The world is erroneous because it is false, made from a false mental state. I made it myself but I can class="hi2">anan> choose otherwise. I don't have to worry about the consequences of this wrong decision, because the Holy Spirit will UNDO THE WORLD if I will let him. I can class="hi2">anan> look upon the world with love by letting him choose for God for me. an class="hi2">Anan>d this can class="hi2">anan> show me with christ vision that the world is not a sin, it is just a mistake I made one day. A twisted dream I had one day when I was a little mistaken.

Illusions + reality = sin.

Reality - illusions = innocence.

This world we're in is a place of limitations. Everything is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Nothing is whole. Everything is partial. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the forms that things take seem to depict an class="hi2">anan>d symbolise, in one way or an class="hi2">anan>other, ideas of separation an class="hi2">anan>d attack.

But even so, the world is neutral an class="hi2">anan>d is just a dream, it doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything. Its forms are just mistakes - errors, various symbolic images which seem to depict impossible things, unnatural things, things not of God. Like sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d murder.

None of this is a sin. But it could tempt you to believe it is a sin, IF you follow the sin formula.

The sin formula is a combination of illusions an class="hi2">anan>d reality. It's what you get when you take something that is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d you try to GIVE IT the properties of God. If you give it reality, perman class="hi2">anan>ence, irreversibility, unchan class="hi2">anan>geability, truth ..... then you now combine various flawed-looking limited things with truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is how you convert a mistake into a sin.

Sin is then a way of looking at a mistake, in a mistaken way. It's a mistake about a mistake. It's' where you don't recognize that an class="hi2">anan> illusion is just an class="hi2">anan> illusion, or that a mistake is just a mistake. Instead it is regarded AS TRUE, as real, as happening, as perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

As such a sinful false-perception way of seeing things looks at bodies an class="hi2">anan>d physical happenings - which are all illusions - AS IF THEY ARE REAL.

So IF it were true that we are bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d IF bodies were real, an class="hi2">anan>d IF bodies were "doing something" to each other, it WOULD be a sin. Because now something real is attacking something real. an class="hi2">Anan>d that WOULD be a horrendous attack upon reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d it WOULD have real effects which can class="hi2">anan> be observed an class="hi2">anan>d proven.

Such a sin WOULD call for punishment, it would be such a logical statement of truth an class="hi2">anan>d fact, such as that "you really have killed God" or "you really have killed God's son" ... that it would absolutely totally JUSTIFY all an class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d all revenge an class="hi2">anan>d all punishment. This is why "the wages of sin is death." Logically it says you DID do this, I did not ask for it, you owe me, I am justified in revenge in order to atone an class="hi2">anan>d equalise, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you deserve to die.

But sin - the perception that something IS a sin - is just a mistake ABOUT mistakes. A mistaken view OF illusions. A mistaken combination of things which in an class="hi2">anan>d of themselves are NOT true or real, taken to be true an class="hi2">anan>d real. an class="hi2">Anan> illusion believed, turns it into a sin.

Sin kind of "locks things in", makes them seem unchan class="hi2">anan>geable - this is the idea that sin is irreversible. It would indeed seem that sins are irreversible if you give them God's properties - because God himself is irreversible. His perman class="hi2">anan>ence, confused with space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d its contents, produces a perception of a world of sin.

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there is a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away." UrT5A5

What this is really saying is that the world of bodies is the world where you could be tempted to believe sins are happening, an class="hi2">anan>d typically you need bodies in order to make sins possible. But sin is just a way of INTERPRETING bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d once you interpret them as REAL, you introduce a deman class="hi2">anan>d for guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death.

This is why forgiveness takes away guilt, because it still looks at the same bodies but WITHOUT confusing them for something real or true. It lifts away God's properties an class="hi2">anan>d power an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ence, an class="hi2">anan>d sees that the bodies are just neutral harmless illusions. an class="hi2">Anan>d as such they ARE ERRORS, but they are NOT SINS.

"To see a SINLESS body is impossible. For holiness is POSITIVE, an class="hi2">anan>d the body is merely neutral. It is NOT sinful, but neither is it sinless. As nothing, which it IS, the body can class="hi2">anan>not mean class="hi2">anan>ingfully be invested with attributes of Christ OR of the ego. EITHER must be an class="hi2">anan> error, for both would place the attributes where they can class="hi2">anan>not BE. an class="hi2">Anan>d BOTH must be undone, for purposes of truth." UrT20H4

The body is not "sin-ful" as in FULL of sin, because this is an class="hi2">anan> ego attribute - a false perception OF a body - to suggest its erroneous nature is REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that it is inherently a sin. The body is not really a sin. But at the same time, the body is also not said to be sin-less. .. because sinlessness is a state of such purity an class="hi2">anan>d innocence that it can class="hi2">anan>not have illusions in it. The body IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, so the body is actually NOTHING, so can class="hi2">anan>not accurately be said to be "a sin" OR "an class="hi2">anan> innocence."

The thing is that we in our egos, in our false perception insan class="hi2">anan>ity, tend to COMBINE physical things with the properties of God. The worst of all these beliefs is the belief that the physical world is God's creation, IS God, an class="hi2">anan>d is thus real forever. This is the most sin-laden view of the world possible.

By believing the world is reality, is true, is eternal, is of God, all physical things - which are errors, are converted into sins. an class="hi2">Anan>d now all acts, all behaviours, all events, are regarded as sins. As we believe that bodies are real, we believe that bodies ARE PEOPLE, an class="hi2">anan>d now we are believing that the mind is physical an class="hi2">anan>d souls can class="hi2">anan> be destroyed.

Believing that the body is real an class="hi2">anan>d is the person, IS a belief in sin, an class="hi2">anan>d is thus an class="hi2">anan> attack upon the body an class="hi2">anan>d the person. It's an class="hi2">anan> egoic way of framing the person as not innocent. an class="hi2">Anan>d once you believe they ARE a body, you will enter into all man class="hi2">anan>ner of nightmares.

There will be the nightmare of fear that their body could be in dan class="hi2">anan>ger, the nightmare of guilt that you can class="hi2">anan>not save their body from death, the nightmare of an class="hi2">anan>ger that other people or things are doing stuff to their body, the nightmare of hopelessness that you can class="hi2">anan>not stop their body sickness, it goes on an class="hi2">anan>d on.

While we continue to be confused an class="hi2">anan>d lost in combining illusions with reality, giving God's properties to things which are not of God, we will continue to suffer an class="hi2">anan>d have a bad dream experience. But once we separate out God from the world, reality from illusions, souls/Christ from bodies, we can class="hi2">anan> enter into the happier dream.

The happy dream comprises still the dream of illusions, but without sin projected onto it. Without that sense of - this is actually really a horrible bad thing. Without that attacking judgement of "this world REALLY IS a shit place." Yes it can class="hi2">anan> seem to be a shit place, indeed it can class="hi2">anan>not be an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> shit, but than class="hi2">anan>kfully it is not a REAL one.

The happy forgiving dreams of RECOGNITION that an class="hi2">anan> illusion is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, that bodies are dreams, that the world's events are fiction, an class="hi2">anan>d that the world IS NOT ACTUALLY doing an class="hi2">anan>ything to an class="hi2">anan>ything real, liberates the mind an class="hi2">anan>d allows us to be in a state closer to sinlessness, closer to innocence. an class="hi2">Anan>d we can class="hi2">anan> project this onto the world, temporarily, an class="hi2">anan>d see it reflected back as the reflection of heaven. A distorted stran class="hi2">anan>ge dream-world seen with forgiving eyes, a kind of "happy fiction."

"Forgiveness might be called a kind of happy fiction; a way in which the unknowing can class="hi2">anan> bridge the gap between their perception an class="hi2">anan>d the truth. They" UrT4A2

"Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. It does not pardon sins an class="hi2">anan>d make them real. It sees there was no sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this view are all your sins forgiven." UrW220W11

Sins are forgiven by recognizing they are NOT sins, they are just mistakes. an class="hi2">Anan>d mistakes simply call for correction, not punishment. When you recognize that someone just made a mistake, you do not hold it against them like it is some kind of perman class="hi2">anan>ent reality an class="hi2">anan>d truth about them. You let your view of them be CHan class="hi2">ANan>GED, so that you see their mistakenness calls only for a gentle loving correction, an class="hi2">anan>d not a horrendous accusation.

"an class="hi2">Anan>d what else should therapy be? Awake an class="hi2">anan>d be glad, for all your sins have been forgiven you. This is the only message that an class="hi2">anan>y two should ever give each other." UrP4B4

"I did assume a human class="hi2">anan> form with human class="hi2">anan> attributes afterwards, to speak to those who were to prove the body's worthlessness to the world. This has been much misunderstood. I came to tell them that death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d the mind that made the body can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other since form itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. They did not understan class="hi2">anan>d." - Jesus

"If the mind can class="hi2">anan> heal the body but the body can class="hi2">anan>'t heal the mind then the mind must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body."

"The mind must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body. Every miracle demonstrates this."

"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." (or a body).

-------------------------

If the mind is stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body then the body must be caused by the mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d as Jesus said about his resurrection, He materialized an class="hi2">anan>other body with HIS MIND, in order to demonstrate that the mind that MADE a body ("the body of jesus") can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other, since form is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. That mean class="hi2">anan>s ALL BODIES are made by the mind, not by the world.

What we can class="hi2">anan> controversially conclude here, is this:

God is your only Creator, not an class="hi2">anan>ything in the world.

Your earth parent's bodies did not create your body.

Your body was not the result of sperm an class="hi2">anan>d egg.

Your body as a baby did not man class="hi2">anan>ifest as a result of biological laws, it man class="hi2">anan>ifested as a result of the MIND.

The mother's womb is a symbol not a cause.

Bodies can class="hi2">anan>not make bodies. They have no causal power at all. How can class="hi2">anan> effect make an class="hi2">anan> effect?

The mind that made the body, also made the world, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore the world did not make the body.

Your body was NEVER made by the world or an class="hi2">anan>ything in the world, because there are NO CAUSES in the world.

"It (the world) is incapable of chan class="hi2">anan>ge because it is merely an class="hi2">anan> effect."

Effects are not causes. On the level of this world, causes an class="hi2">anan>d effect seem horizontal/linear an class="hi2">anan>d this is 100% an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The only true cause is vertical, as demonstrated in the vertical perception which brings about miracles, through the proper order of the LEVELS, which mean class="hi2">anan>s the higher level of MIND causes the lower level of FORM.

"Mind over matter" is ALWAYS the case for an class="hi2">anan>y form that shows up. The mind is the ONLY CAUSE of stuff (bodies, world, objects etc) being made.

So even if it SEEMS like your body is a thing ("as no time does the body exist AT ALL"), or has a history, or is ruled by biological laws, or is the effect of the world, or caused by parents, or put there by SOMEONE ELSE, you're basically claiming that you are automatically at the effect of the world you see an class="hi2">anan>d are a victim. Being born BY or FROM the dream, as a body that the dream MAKES "for you", is victimhood. It is a lie.

This is because the ego set up the body-making ILLUSION, the illusory causes of bodies coming about, to make it SEEM as though the world creates the body. This is 100% the reversal of true cause which is that body comes from within not without, an class="hi2">anan>d the world has NO CAUSAL POWER at all. To suggest part of the world itself can class="hi2">anan> "create life" is the most opposing illusion, opposing the fact that only God/souls create life, an class="hi2">anan>d there is NO LIFE OUTSIDE OF HEAVEN. The ego deliberately has made this ILLUSION of "being born to parents" in order to cover up the causality of the mind or the true source of the body, which is the dreaming mind.

YOUR MIND MAKES THE BODY AT ALL TIMES, from "inception" to death.

When you acknowledge that your mind or some kind of mind is making your body, you will also realize that the body is not something you "attach to" or "identify with" or "put on as a costume" or "incarnate into" like it's something that exists ON ITS OWN independently from you. Like it's some kind of thing in its own right, which happened to .. .just show up magically with no-one being the cause of it?

Instead, recognize that when your mind believes YOU are made of ego illusions, ego illusions will SHOW UP, i.e. materialize, as an class="hi2">anan> image seeming like a solid body in the mind. When your mind has no illusions or ego in it, it will cease to materialize a body, because it does not identify itself AS being made of ego stuff. Therefore the body disappears an class="hi2">anan>d you become "invisible" to this world. A clear mind produces invisibility i.e. no form.

Unless we are willing to take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for making the body be what it is, for making it show up, for MAKING IT period, we will see it as a separate "thing" an class="hi2">anan>d that WILL keep us stuck in this ego illusion. It can class="hi2">anan>not be let go by disassociating from it or separating from it.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you're actually performing an class="hi2">anan> unworthy form of denial, by trying to keep the body an class="hi2">anan>d detach yourself from it. That's an class="hi2">anan> act of premature death. The mind that is making the body, if it attempts to then pretend it is not making it, is simply in denial. The only way to leave the dream is by DISAPPEARING IT, by no longer identifying AS ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d your mind will then make it van class="hi2">anan>ish.

"You are not a body" does not mean class="hi2">anan>, make a body an class="hi2">anan>d pretend you didn't make it.

In A Course in Miracles, Jesus gives a new definition for what is life, an class="hi2">anan>d what is death. He does not mean class="hi2">anan> that life is "the stuff in this world" an class="hi2">anan>d that death is "when bodies are totally dead an class="hi2">anan>d lie on the ground decaying." He has a totally different view of life an class="hi2">anan>d death because he recognizes what things ARE, not what we think they are.

"Life" is equated ONLY with eternal life. That which lives forever, can class="hi2">anan>not be attacked, never becomes sick, does not age or grow old an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not die. Life which extends forever an class="hi2">anan>d produces more life through miraculous creation in the extension of God's being, which is the ONLY function of Spirit. That is real life. an class="hi2">Anan>d such a life is only possible in what Jesus refers to as HEAVEN. an class="hi2">Anan>d Heaven is considered to be completely OPPOSITE to Earth an class="hi2">anan>d a totally different place to exist. "Heaven is the dwelling place of the Son of God." "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way."

"Death" is equated with an class="hi2">anan>ything that is NOT that or which opposes it in an class="hi2">anan>y way, which includes dreams, an class="hi2">anan>d includes this world (Earth). It includes an class="hi2">anan>y state of separation, an class="hi2">anan>y dream world, an class="hi2">anan>y dream body, an class="hi2">anan>y thought of attack, an class="hi2">anan>y even minor upset, even a slight grievan class="hi2">anan>ce, all forms of sickness ("all sickness is but a little death"), all levels of suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d the "final" death itself. In other words, everything in this world an class="hi2">anan>d universe is considered to be DEATH. It is a dream of death. The entire thing is made of death. "Without the idea of death there is no world."

This is why "there is no life outside of Heaven". There is nothing ETERNAL in this world, because all things visible will end an class="hi2">anan>d all things that perish are illusions. "The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for everything He creates MUST be eternal as Himself." an class="hi2">Anan>d let's face it, without denial, nothing in this world lasts forever. This world is the idea of being outside of Heaven, it is founded on separation, an class="hi2">anan>d it is founded on denial of life. Which is death.

Jesus states, this world is "at best an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION OF LIFE, at worst, death". Even if this world is seen with forgiving eyes, even if it is seen through true perception, even if it is supposedly loved, it is STILL an class="hi2">anan> illusion of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d it STILL entails the idea of death, without which it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT seem to exist at all.

This is what Jesus mean class="hi2">anan>s by life an class="hi2">anan>d death. Life is Heaven, Earth is death. Life is eternal. an class="hi2">Anan>ything limited is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of life an class="hi2">anan>d is made of the idea of death. an class="hi2">Anan>yone who has perception still needs healing because they're still inside a separated state an class="hi2">anan>d are inside the idea of death. an class="hi2">Anan>yone who is a teacher of God, using the body for a holy purpose, is still inside a dream of death.

Until you GO HOME TO HEAVEN, you do not have access to eternal life. Even though it is perman class="hi2">anan>ent, an class="hi2">anan>d hiding behind this world's illusions. Until you are IN HEAVEN, an class="hi2">anan>d have forgotten this world Earth, you have not CLAIMED eternal life or gone beyond that which perishes an class="hi2">anan>d ends. Earth IS NOT HEAVEN. It can class="hi2">anan>not be heaven. Its laws an class="hi2">anan>d the spacetime belief that it is based on a TOTALLY OPPOSED TO LIFE. The things you see in this world which you THINK are life, are NOT. They are illusions of life.

Even the "real world" is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION OF LIFE. It may reflect or seem SIMILAR to or like Heaven but it is NOT the same thing. an class="hi2">Anan>d nor is LOVE, in this world, the same thing as LOVE in Heaven. Because love mean class="hi2">anan>s LIFE an class="hi2">anan>d CREATION an class="hi2">anan>d that is ONLY POSSIBLE in Eternity. Outside of Heaven, LOVE IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION OF LOVE, a REFLECTION, which appears like a picture, an class="hi2">anan> image, symbolizing love. It falls short of the full love of God which can class="hi2">anan> ONLY be experienced beyond this universe, beyond the world, beyond the body, beyond ALL illusions of life.

This is why RESURRECTION HAS MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING. When you get to the end of the curriculum, it ENDS IN THE RESURRECTION. It ends there because resurrection mean class="hi2">anan>s LIFE. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, that every state you were in BEFORE the resurrection, WAS NOT LIFE. Resurrection is the RETURN TO eternal life. Before that, you did not have awareness of eternal life. You only had awareness of dreams of life. The body has absolutely nothing to do with LIFE.

"The body does not live or die, it is nothing at all." To think that EVEN the human class="hi2">anan> body is alive, is a mistake. It does not live, because if it lived it would have a mind an class="hi2">anan>d a will an class="hi2">anan>d a soul an class="hi2">anan>d THAT is the level confusion that produces sickness. The body does not CREATE. Believing it creates is SICKNESS. It does not CAUSE an class="hi2">anan>ything. It has no ability to EXTEND LIFE. Its production of other bodies is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of the extension of life. Baby bodies are no more "life" than class="hi2">anan> adult bodies. They are all illusions in a dream world.

"The body is the central figure in dreaming." It depends on the dream, without the dream it does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d the dream can class="hi2">anan>not happen without it. Dreams are not REALITY. They are not REAL LIFE. If you endow the body with the properties of Christ, ie eternal life, mind, spirit, extension, etc.... you are making an class="hi2">anan> illusion real an class="hi2">anan>d you have false perception. It IS FALSE PERCEPTION to believe that this world is ALIVE. It is false perception to believe that physical objects EXIST. It is false perception to SEE BODIES. It is false perception to look with the body's eyes an class="hi2">anan>d senses an class="hi2">anan>d believe that what they show you EXISTS AT ALL OR IS EVEN HAPPENING. These are illusions. "To sense is not to know."

This is an class="hi2">anan> imaginary universe designed to block your awareness of LIFE. It is a dream state. an class="hi2">Anan>d ALL dreams are based on the one central dream from which all illusions stem - death. It may seem to entail a spectrum, ran class="hi2">anan>ging from what what seems like life, to what seems like death, an class="hi2">anan>d it may seem to you that a living body is "more alive" than class="hi2">anan> a dead one, but they are ALL THE SAME ILLUSION. NONE of them have eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d they are all ILLUSIONS of life an class="hi2">anan>d death. They are not real. They do not exist.

ONLY the creations of light are real. ONLY the extension of God's spirit/being is real. ONLY unlimited infinite love is really love. ONLY Heaven is ALIVE. It is the LIVING WORLD OF LIGHT. It is absolutely nothing like this illusory world of darkness an class="hi2">anan>d death. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you think that death is ONLY the state where things are do decayed that they are laying on the ground "lifeless", think again. That is merely the extreme end of a spectrum ran class="hi2">anan>ging from death to death.

You, RIGHT NOW, in your body, imagining you are living, are NOT REALLY ALIVE. You are NOT RESURRECTED. You are half dead. Asleep. That is what UNCONSCIOUSNESS mean class="hi2">anan>s. Until you are FULLY CONSCIOUS, fully awake an class="hi2">anan>d aware of Heaven, you are unconscious an class="hi2">anan>d asleep an class="hi2">anan>d dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d in your dream you imagine a world that you think is alive, even though it is being man class="hi2">anan>ufactured by a mind that is RESISTING LIFE an class="hi2">anan>d AVOIDING BEING ALIVE. We are all just zombies, "the living dead", walking around a world made of death, without which there is no world.

Heaven is life. Earth is death. Heaven is heaven. Earth is hell. Heaven is eternal. Earth will end. Heaven is reality. Earth is a dream. Heaven is immortality. Earth is mortality. Illusions of life do not turn into life. They disappear an class="hi2">anan>d reveal the life that they were trying to hide. Heaven on Earth is "heaven on an class="hi2">anan> illusion". Not going to happen. Illusions recognized disappear. "A forgiven world can class="hi2">anan>not last." You will not find even ONE example of eternal life IN THIS WORLD, YET ALONE being able to say that ALL THINGS in this world have eternal life. Not even ONE LITTLE THING lives forever here, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>yone who thinks that's not true, is clearly in denial.

"Where God created life, there life must be". IN Heaven.

People like to think they don't have an class="hi2">anan> ego, or that if they have one it's tucked away somewhere. Distan class="hi2">anan>cing from it is a way to protect it. But having ego mean class="hi2">anan>s being to an class="hi2">ANan>Y degree, even slightly, outside of heaven. The tiniest belief in separation is all it takes. an class="hi2">Anan>d that applies to just about everyone on the plan class="hi2">anan>et.

So we have to at least acknowledge honestly that if we're still here we probably still have egotism to some degree. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s we can class="hi2">anan>'t just pretend that we don't have one. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that there's some part of our mind which is mentally ill, an class="hi2">anan>d distorted, an class="hi2">anan>d lost an class="hi2">anan>d confused. A part of the mind that believes things which are not true, but still believes them an class="hi2">anan>yway. an class="hi2">Anan>d that part of mind has a sense of identity attached to it, a sense of truth about oneself.

an class="hi2">Anan>d that ego-identifying mind is going to have false perceptions an class="hi2">anan>d egoic viewpoints, regardless of how much a person is doing ACIM, how often, or for how long. So we can class="hi2">anan>'t just be in denial an class="hi2">anan>d pretend we're not being egotistical, we are being egoistical pretty much 100% of the time in one way or an class="hi2">anan>other. an class="hi2">Anan>d denying this will only produce sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d repression an class="hi2">anan>d even more separation in the mind.

There has come to be an class="hi2">anan> ACIM 'culture' now of ego denial. It's one thing to recognize that yes we have to work on undoing our egotism an class="hi2">anan>d return to wholeness, but it's an class="hi2">anan>other to just pretend we don't have egotism when we do. Shoving it under the carpet isn't healing the mind, an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> throwing the book at it 24/7. It will generally take a long a slow an class="hi2">anan>d gradual process to correct all of the mind's errors an class="hi2">anan>d until then you have to 'work with' your ego an class="hi2">anan>d be gentle with yourself.

We have to admit that we DO have an class="hi2">anan> ego right now an class="hi2">anan>d we - at times, need to be IN that ego, in order to feel a sense of being "what we are", because our sense of what we are has become ego-identified. If we pretend not to be e.g. body-identified, while still being so, we will move into sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d body shaming an class="hi2">anan>d other things which are unhealthy. People are developing increased senses of shame an class="hi2">anan>d guilt over 'having an class="hi2">anan> ego', or outright denial at having one while demonstrating it, instead of being gentler with ourselves about where we are at.

It's ok to acknowledge that you're being/having an class="hi2">anan> ego while you are doing it, while you are working on undoing it, an class="hi2">anan>d not pretend that just because you believe the truth of the theory of ACIM that you somehow are above it all. Or that you can class="hi2">anan> live as though you don't have an class="hi2">anan> ego, before you are truly ready to do so. Everyone is mired in ego an class="hi2">anan>d mental illness until they reach enlightenment, an class="hi2">anan>d no-one is excluded from that.

So we have to then recognize this an class="hi2">anan>d be gentle with our self-deceptions an class="hi2">anan>d our delusions, even if that isn't an class="hi2">anan> ideal scenario, an class="hi2">anan>d isn't healing it. We have to be where we're 'at', while we're trying to move closer to God. Once we've moved closer, great, we're more spiritually aligned, but while we have ego we shouldn't be treating it like some kind of enemy or bashing it or hating it or trying to lock it in a box, because YOU will experience the effects of that.

It comprises part of your belief about yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d a sense of your current identity, an class="hi2">anan>d denying or attacking that will be experienced as an class="hi2">anan> attack upon yourself, which will not make you happy. You don't have to snuggle up beside it an class="hi2">anan>d love it an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep it, but you also shouldn't be demonising it or not having compassion for where you're at. Everyone's trying to run an class="hi2">anan>d they don't even know how to walk.

Man class="hi2">anan>y ACIM students think that they are not only miracle workers but also egoless selfless lovers of everyone, having barely stepped foot on the road to God. This is part of the ego arrogan class="hi2">anan>ce itself. Can class="hi2">anan> we just for goodness sake just be where we're at an class="hi2">anan>d relax an class="hi2">anan>d stop pressuring ourselves to be perfect an class="hi2">anan>d flawless when we're clearly riddled with issues that we're working on? It's okay to be a mess while you're working on clean class="hi2">anan>ing up the mess.

"The Soul in its knowledge is unaware of the ego. It does NOT attack the ego."

"The voice of the Holy Spirit does not comman class="hi2">anan>d, because it is incapable of arrogan class="hi2">anan>ce. It does not deman class="hi2">anan>d, because it does not seek control. It does not overcome, because it does not attack. It merely REMINDS. It is compelling only because of what it reminds you OF."

"Truth does not struggle AGAINST ignoran class="hi2">anan>ce, an class="hi2">anan>d love does not ATTACK fear."

"Light does not ATTACK darkness, but it DOES shine it away."

Being afraid, a person is perceiving that someone or something is an class="hi2">anan> enemy or threat. Yet it not actually true that the thing is a threat. The person is just giving it that mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d is seeing that projected onto the situation.

Believing there is justification for being afraid, based on what the person is *showing* themselves, as a false interpretation of what’s happening, the person believes they are being attacked.

Fear entails denial, since it is a mechan class="hi2">anan>ism for denying the presence of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d for accusing others of sin in order to try to get rid of it. Because of this denial, the fearful person sees themselves as "not guilty" an class="hi2">anan>d the other person as "the sinner/enemy/attacker".

This sets up the scenario of seeing oneself as a victim under attack. Not seeing their own guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d viewing themselves as "innocently afraid", an class="hi2">anan>d disassociating from the sin that they’re projected onto others, the fearful person then sees a JUSTIFICATION for being an class="hi2">anan>gry.

They see themselves unfairly treated an class="hi2">anan>d attacked against their will. This is in spite of the fact that they are attacking themselves with false perception, showing themselves an class="hi2">anan> image of their own sin held out in front of them, projected onto someones else.

Being innocent when attacked, if it were true, would make them completely justified in being an class="hi2">anan>gry at what *appears* to be mis-treatment by others, even though it is mis-treatment of ones-self by one’s own belief in sin.

You will notice that often when people are an class="hi2">anan>gry it is because they are afraid. You will also notice that if the situation seems to escalate fear, the person will quickly shift into an class="hi2">anan>ger, an class="hi2">anan> increase in voice volume, an class="hi2">anan> increase in defensiveness, projection an class="hi2">anan>d blame, an class="hi2">anan>d eventually an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>gry viciousness will emerge. They think they are an class="hi2">anan>gry, but they are afraid.

Sometimes, being willing to admit that you are not *really* an class="hi2">anan>gry, but that you are in fact afraid, is enough to completely collapse the an class="hi2">anan>ger in a mere moment. This mean class="hi2">anan>s you are *recognizing* the illusion more accurately, acknowledging that there is fear, not an class="hi2">anan>ger. Of course, it would be even more helpful to acknowledge the belief in guilt, which is behind all fear.

You can class="hi2">anan>'t be attacked by someone else without attacking them first. You have to believe you are attackable, otherwise you'd be invulnerable. By seeing yourself as attackable, which is an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself, you are also attacking others. Whatever you believe about you is shared with everyone, an class="hi2">anan>d so you believe everyone else is just as attacked. You can class="hi2">anan>not attack yourself with something an class="hi2">anan>d believe it affects only you.

Each sickness is attack on yourself an class="hi2">anan>d everyone else. Each injury is an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself an class="hi2">anan>d everyone else. Each bad mood is an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself an class="hi2">anan>d everyone else.

Then, holding a focus on self-attack, you radiate an class="hi2">anan>d 'call for' attack, which expresses itself outwardly as a kind of invitation, energetically an class="hi2">anan>d mentally, which is sort of like laying a trap an class="hi2">anan>d sending an class="hi2">anan> invitation.

It's very easy for people to come along an class="hi2">anan>d fall into that trap because it's a temptation. If they are not really clear about who they are an class="hi2">anan>d the certainty of their own innocence, they will likely buy into what you're selling an class="hi2">anan>d go along with it, proceeding to launch a "counter-attack" ie to give you what you wan class="hi2">anan>t. You'll think it's not a counter attack but an class="hi2">anan> initial attack because you don't recognize you attacked first. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you'll blame them for attacking you because you don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit that you attacked yourself before this all happened.

It's especially easy if you are more sensitive to energy/emotion in others ie more empathic, to 'sense' when someone has a certain attitude about themselves. I feel this particularly with man class="hi2">anan>y people who are overweight who actually 'call themselves' "fat", on an class="hi2">anan> energetic level. They actively are walking around 'tempting' others to agree with them an class="hi2">anan>d to hate WITH them, in hopes of proving that they are worthless. It's really a test, an class="hi2">anan>d choosing not to buy into that temptation an class="hi2">anan>d to overlook how they see themselves is forgiveness.

We all know that it's very controversial among more dualistically-minded people to suggest that an class="hi2">anan>yone "asks for it", especially when seemingly serious things happen to some people. But Jesus would counter that nothing happens without your consent, an class="hi2">anan>d this takes a huge amount of honesty an class="hi2">anan>d willingness to look at yet alone admit to.

Without admitting it you truly are powerless because if you did not choose this, you can class="hi2">anan>not choose against it either. But if you did choose this, yes, it is painful to acknowledge you did this to yourself or wan class="hi2">anan>ted it in an class="hi2">anan>y way whatsoever, but at the same time, this owning up gives you back power an class="hi2">anan>d gives you hope for being able to overcome it. Without this self empowerment there is truly no hope for recovery.

So what are you broadcasting today? Do you have a big sign on your head saying "loser" or "reject me" or "hate me" or "don't love me?". What are you asking for? Or rather, what truth would you have apply to you an class="hi2">anan>d everyone else equally?

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God." "The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible." "The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it" "The world is the picture of the crucifixion of God's Son". "The world was made as a place where God could enter not." "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way." "The hell you made".

Okay so, apparently, we MADE some kind of a world, which was designed to attack God, is made of illusions, tries to shut God out, depicts the death of God's Son, an class="hi2">anan>d is totally opposite to heaven as a form of hell, where bodies sin an class="hi2">anan>d try to prove death can class="hi2">anan> happen.

So now we're in a position where we can class="hi2">anan> ask a really interesting question. What do we do about this? How is this resolved? What's the Holy Spirit's solution? How should we be regarding or viewing this hellish realm of sin an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d death that we made? What is the way to return to Heaven? How does God deal with this situation?

There are man class="hi2">anan>y significan class="hi2">anan>t parts of the Course which talk about the fact of what this world IS. It's nature. As described above, an class="hi2">anan> illusory hellish dream of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death. In some of the perspectives Jesus gives, he reminds us of how mean class="hi2">anan>ingless, pointless, non-existent, purposeless, substan class="hi2">anan>celess this world is.

This seems to be a very importan class="hi2">anan>t aspect of how we overcome it. A recognition of what it is an class="hi2">anan>d what it is not. No rose tinted glasses, no fluffy roman class="hi2">anan>tic lan class="hi2">anan>guage, no trying to make it out to BE Heaven or to BE God's creation. Just a simple recognition of its illusory nature, a picture of impossibilities an class="hi2">anan>d nonsenser. Just a straight forward honest appraisal of what we made an class="hi2">anan>d why it is not real. For example:

"(mind) ... 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."

"There is no world" "The world sill spin into the nothingness from which it came." "Eternity will shine away the world." "A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last."

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

"There will be those who seem to be "sicker" than class="hi2">anan> others, an class="hi2">anan>d the body’s eyes will report their chan class="hi2">anan>ged appearan class="hi2">anan>ces as before. But the healed mind will put them all in one category; they are unreal."

"God's teachers choose to look on dreams a while." ... "The dream says otherwise, but who would put his faith in dreams once they are recognized for what they are?" ... "Awareness of dreaming is the real function of God's teachers." ... "Yet they are not deceived by what they see." ... Unity alone is not a thing of dreams. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as behind the dream, beyond all seeming an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs."

So in this perspective, Jesus teaches us that this world we made, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, which we mistakenly think is REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d we're supposed to recognize it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion/dream an class="hi2">anan>d not believe in it, we're supposed to recognize it holds nothing that we wan class="hi2">anan>t, that it is unreal, that we are not of it, the body is not who we are, an class="hi2">anan>d really that none of it is happening. "All events are nowhere." It has no consequences, nothing that happens causes an class="hi2">anan>ything real, there is no real sin. "All chan class="hi2">anan>ges wrought are substan class="hi2">anan>ce-less." an class="hi2">Anan>d this proceeds all the way to the world disappearing. "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came."

There is no particular love-loss for the world in this view. It's just simple honest recognition of the fact that it is a world made from the denial of the Kingdom, dreamed in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to attack God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son, it is illusory an class="hi2">anan>d has no real effects, no part of it is valuable or perman class="hi2">anan>ent, an class="hi2">anan>d it doesn't really exist.

There is, however, also an class="hi2">anan> additional component to coming to recognize "awareness of dreaming of hell". To realize the world is not the real world. an class="hi2">Anan>d this has to do with the Holy Spirit's reinterpretation of what we made.

The world we made, was made in total "false perception". The body was made to be fixed in a state of false perception, where it does not overlook/forgive an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING. It is blinded by perception of forms. Its vision stops at the outside surface of nothing. It "sees" only what BLOCKS vision. "These eyes made not to see will never see."

The body's eyes can class="hi2">anan> only report that "the world seems real" "it seems to exist" "it seems to be happening." They only see "sin is real" "bodies are sinful". We jumped all the way from perfect Heaven to total hell. We designed the world to be a total opposite to reality. "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way." But what does the Holy Spirit do with this hell that we made?

What he represents an class="hi2">anan>d makes possible, is an class="hi2">anan> alternative way of looking at the hell we made. A re-interpretation of it. This doesn't really CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE IT, because it can class="hi2">anan>'t BE an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. You can class="hi2">anan>'t make it BE Heaven - God already accomplished Heaven's creation. But you can class="hi2">anan> learn not to be deceived by it, so that when you see it, you don't BUY INTO IT. You don't MAKE it real to you.

"the Holy Spirit, the RE-INTERPRETER of what the ego made".

"This world is full of miracles. They stan class="hi2">anan>d in shining silence next to every dream of pain an class="hi2">anan>d suffering, of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt. They are the dream's ALTERNATIVE, the choice to be the dreamer, rather than class="hi2">anan> deny the active role in making up the dream. They are the glad effects of taking BACK the consequence of sickness to its cause. The body is released, because the mind acknowledges "this is not DONE TO me, but I am doing this." an class="hi2">Anan>d thus the mind is free to make an class="hi2">anan>other choice instead. Beginning here, salvation will proceed to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the course of every step in the descent to separation, until all the steps have been retraced, the ladder gone, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL the dreaming of the world undone."

His goal is to UNDO the dreaming of the world. To take back the cause of it. To stop the making of it. To can class="hi2">anan>cel it, reverse it, dissolve it, erase it, disappear it. To STOP DREAMING. This is His aim an class="hi2">anan>d guaran class="hi2">anan>tee. But before this happens, something happens to how you experience the world you made. We're introduced to this idea that the WAY YOU SEE, perception, can class="hi2">anan> be modified an class="hi2">anan>d repurposed, so that you gradually invest in the dream less, believe it's illusions less, are convinced it is a picture of real sin an class="hi2">anan>d death less, an class="hi2">anan>d so learn to overlook/forgive/forget it.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that initially, it seems as if the world is really hell. Unforgiven, it is a "real nightmare". The body is designed to fixate on the nightmare an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem real. But we have the ability to chan class="hi2">anan>ge our mind, which chan class="hi2">anan>ges our beliefs, which chan class="hi2">anan>ge our perceptions. We can class="hi2">anan> choose again an class="hi2">anan>d NOT believe in what the world is showing us, an class="hi2">anan>d to regard the body as DECEIVING us. It's still a picture of hell. It's still "the stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made." It still seems to run by ego laws of death an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it still is limited an class="hi2">anan>d flawed, per the laws of illusions/death. But if you don't BELIEVE IN IT, you don't take these appearan class="hi2">anan>ces at face value. You are not deceived. You are not tempted.

"Temptation has one lesson it would teach, in all its forms, wherever it occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die, unable to escape its frailty, an class="hi2">anan>d bound by what it orders him to feel. It sets the limits on what he can class="hi2">anan> do; its power is the only strength he has; his grasp can class="hi2">anan>not exceed its tiny reach."

"Be never fearful of temptation, then, but see it as it is; an class="hi2">anan>other chan class="hi2">anan>ce to choose again, an class="hi2">anan>d let Christ's strength prevail in every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d every place you raised an class="hi2">anan> image of yourself before. For what appears to hide the Face of Christ is powerless before His Majesty, an class="hi2">anan>d disappears before His holy sight."

"Lead us not into Temptation" mean class="hi2">anan>s "Do not let us deceive ourselves into believing that we can class="hi2">anan> relate in peace to God or our brothers with an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING external."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d he will reinterpret ALL temptation as just an class="hi2">anan>other chan class="hi2">anan>ce to bring him joy."

"I am the light of the world" "It is the perfect an class="hi2">anan>swer to all illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore to all temptation. It brings all the images you have made about yourself to the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d helps you depart in peace, unburdened an class="hi2">anan>d certain of your purpose."

We're also told that God loves the world. Even though the world is an class="hi2">anan> imaginary illusion of death, a picture of hell, somehow God still loves it so that He does NOT believe in it or mistake it for Reality. But let's be clear, that loving the world does not MAKE the world BE love. It doesn't MAKE it holy. It merely looks upon it WITH love an class="hi2">anan>d holiness, forgiving what is there, not believing in what it depicts. The picture of crucifixion turns into an class="hi2">anan> empty MIRROR, in which you see YOUR reflection. In this, the world is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself, so by taking away its mean class="hi2">anan>ings you reflect only Gods' mean class="hi2">anan>ing INTO it. This makes the world SEEM holy or heaven-like.

"The world you see can class="hi2">anan>not be the world God loves, an class="hi2">anan>d yet His Word assures us that He loves the world."

"What the world is, is but a fact. (it is a picture of hell) You can class="hi2">anan>not choose what this should be. But you can class="hi2">anan> choose **how** you would see it."

"God offers the world salvation; your judgment would condemn it. God says there is no death; your judgment sees but death as the inevitable end of life. God's Word assures you that He loves the world; your judgment says it is unlovable. Who is right?"

What he's clearly saying here is that you have dreamed of hell, in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to destroy God an class="hi2">anan>d His son. an class="hi2">Anan>d Earth is still Heaven's opposite. But this hell only seems to have an class="hi2">anan>y reality while you believe it is real, while you are judging an class="hi2">anan>d deceiving. God does not believe in hell being real. He knows there is no real sin or death. So he looks UPON hell an class="hi2">anan>d does not make it real, does not see an class="hi2">anan>y proof of real sin in it, sees no evidence of real death happening, an class="hi2">anan>d so has no grounds for being an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> loving. Laughing at it. Shining it away.

So now in the Holy Spirit's true perception, everything about the world is OVERLOOKED, ie not taken at face value. The world is regarded as a thin veil of nothingness han class="hi2">anan>ging over the face of Christ. Substan class="hi2">anan>celess, causeless, not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything, imaginary. an class="hi2">Anan> image of crucifixion still, but depicting nothing but a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy. an class="hi2">Anan> image of death an class="hi2">anan>d sin still, but depicting only an class="hi2">anan> idle wish that sin an class="hi2">anan>d death can class="hi2">anan> happen. It's not taken seriously. an class="hi2">Anan>d so he does not see REAL sin in it. In this way, the picture of crucifixion is forgiven.

Here before your eyes is a vision of hell, a veil of death, which the body wan class="hi2">anan>ts to report as real, but which the Spiritual Eye recognizes is entirely fictional an class="hi2">anan>d absurd. Not even worth paying attention to. But because the Holy Spirit does not see "real sin" in it, he does not project sin onto it, or judge it, or condemn it, or mistake it for reality. It is now a picture of death, interpreted as nothing, depicting fake sins, containing no real sin, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is forgiven. It is not seen as "full of sin". Nor is it sinless. It is a forgiven illusion, seen through an class="hi2">anan>d disregarded,.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so instead it seems to symbolize innocence an class="hi2">anan>d holiness. If no attack or hate or judgement is laid UPON it, it's merely seen as a thin veil of illusions. It has lost its heaviness an class="hi2">anan>d darkness. It is now a very light picture of darkness. A thin picture of solidity. A loved picture of illusions of hatred. Because the world you made is always an class="hi2">anan> illusion, always artificial, always not real, always false, always a depiction of impossibilities, an class="hi2">anan>d always nothing. Not taken seriously, it ends in laughter.

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away. an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone ***what more remains to keep a separated world in place?*** For place has gone as well, along with time. (end of spacetime.) Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate **it could not remain where separation is impossible.** Forgiveness proves it is impossible ***because it sees it not.*** an class="hi2">Anan>d what you then will overlook will not be understan class="hi2">anan>dable to you, just as its presence once had been your certainty."

"Can class="hi2">anan> what has no beginning really end? The world ***will end** in an class="hi2">anan> illusion, as it began class="hi2">anan>. Yet will its ending be an class="hi2">anan> illusion of mercy. The illusion of forgiveness, complete, excluding no one, limitless in gentleness, ***will cover it***, hiding all evil, concealing all sin an class="hi2">anan>d ending guilt forever. So ***ends the world*** that guilt had made, for now it has no purpose an class="hi2">anan>d is gone."

The illusion of forgiveness covers the evil world by not BELIEVING that it is real. By recognizing SIN does not exist. So this picture of sin is false. The perspective of the big picture reveals the world's illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d correctly perceives it as a deception. It REPLACES the world's mean class="hi2">anan>inglessness. It SHINES AWAY the world because illusions recognized must disappear. A forgiven world is a world recognized as FALSE. A FALSE world, perceived WITH love, which overlooks an class="hi2">anan>d shines away the world. God erases the world with love. You can class="hi2">anan>not love it an class="hi2">anan>d keep it. A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last.

"This aching world has not the power to touch the living world at all. You could not give it that, an class="hi2">anan>d so, although you turn in sadness from it, you can class="hi2">anan>not find in it the road that leads AWAY from it, into an class="hi2">anan>other world. But the REAL world (heaven) HAS the power to touch you even here, BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT (heaven). an class="hi2">Anan>d what you call with love WILL come to you. Love always an class="hi2">anan>swers, being unable to deny a call for help, or not to hear the cries of pain that rise to it, from every part of this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made (Earth, illusion), ***an class="hi2">anan>d do not wan class="hi2">anan>t.*** The only effort you need make, to give this world (Earth) away in glad exchan class="hi2">anan>ge for what you did NOT make (heaven), is willingness to learn THE ONE YOU MADE IS FALSE."

"Until forgiveness is complete, the world does have a purpose. It becomes the home in which forgiveness is born, an class="hi2">anan>d where it grows an class="hi2">anan>d becomes stronger an class="hi2">anan>d more all-embracing. Here is it nourished, for here it is needed. A gentle Savior, born where sin was made an class="hi2">anan>d guilt seemed real."

"When not one thought of sin remains" appears to be a long-ran class="hi2">anan>ge goal indeed. But time stan class="hi2">anan>ds still, an class="hi2">anan>d waits on the goal of God's teachers. Not one thought of sin will remain the instan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>y one of them accepts Atonement for himself."

"***The world will end*** when its thought system has been completely reversed. Until then, bits an class="hi2">anan>d pieces of its thinking will still seem sensible.The final lesson, which brings ***the ending of the world***, can class="hi2">anan>not be grasped by those not yet prepared *****to leave the world an class="hi2">anan>d go beyond its tiny reach.*****"

"The world will **end** in joy, because it is a place of sorrow. When joy has come, the purpose of the world has gone. The world will **end** in peace, because it is a place of war. When peace has come, what is the purpose of the world? The world will **end** in laughter, because it is a place of tears. Where there is laughter, who can class="hi2">anan> longer weep? an class="hi2">Anan>d only complete forgiveness brings all this to bless the world. **In blessing it departs**, for it will not end as it began class="hi2">anan>. To turn hell into Heaven (symbolically) is the function of God's teachers, for what they teach are lessons in which Heaven is ***reflected*** (symbolic)."

To turn hell into heaven simply mean class="hi2">anan>s, to learn to recognize that the world is not REALLY hell, it is not REALLY an class="hi2">anan>ything. It's claims are ignored. It's proof is thrown out. It's picture of death are laughed at. It's sins are not taken seriously. It's illusions do not deceive. The picture of crucifixion is SEEN WITH love, an class="hi2">anan>d a **reflection** of love an class="hi2">anan>d holiness is seen "in it". As if looking upon a picture of devastation an class="hi2">anan>d war in an class="hi2">anan> extremely happy mood. What it claims to be is not what it is. You override it. an class="hi2">Anan>d then the world disappears completely.

"**A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last.** It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away. an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time."

"Eternity will **shine away** the world."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d now God's knowledge, chan class="hi2">anan>geless, certain, pure an class="hi2">anan>d wholly understan class="hi2">anan>dable, enters its kingdom. Gone is perception, false an class="hi2">anan>d true alike. Gone is forgiveness, for its task is done. an class="hi2">Anan>d gone are bodies in the blazing light upon the altar to the Son of God. God knows it is His Own, as it is his. an class="hi2">Anan>d here They join, for here the face of Christ has shone away time's final instan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d now is the last perception of the world without a purpose an class="hi2">anan>d without a cause. For where God's memory has come at last there is no journey, no belief in sin, **no walls, no bodies**, an class="hi2">anan>d the grim appeal of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death is there snuffed out forever."

"The world (Earth) stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as ***nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil***, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last **for only what it is.** (an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a sin/attack/death world.) an class="hi2">Anan>d now ***it can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear***, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t ***is the world forgot***, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."

Space an class="hi2">anan>d time are nothing but beliefs. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that we merely have beliefs "about" space an class="hi2">anan>d time, as if they really exist separate from our beliefs. They exist ONLY WITHIN our believing in them, an class="hi2">anan>d without believing in them they DO NOT exist at all.

"There is no world (spacetime) apart from what you wish."

If you have a good grasp of what space an class="hi2">anan>d time ARE, it becomes very obvious that they are not the same as reality. In fact they are totally opposite to reality. This also then tells you that an class="hi2">anan>ything WITHIN spacetime is opposite to reality as well. an class="hi2">Anan>d it also further tells you that WITHOUT spacetime, nothing whose nature COMES FROM spacetime can class="hi2">anan> exist, because it depends on spacetime for its entire existence.

In reality, God is omnipresent which mean class="hi2">anan>s all of God is in all parts of God/existence simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. God is everywhere. When we made the idea of "space", we attempted something COMPLETELY OPPOSITE to this.

Space is the idea of separated-out locations, in which each location is kept apart an class="hi2">anan>d is exclusive of the other locations. What is in one location is not in an class="hi2">anan>other location. There is no sharing of locations. The contents of one location can class="hi2">anan>not touch or overlap the contents of an class="hi2">anan>other. There is no true joining or sharing of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. All locations repel all others an class="hi2">anan>d hold them apart through what science calls atomic forces, but really is the idea of trying to put distan class="hi2">anan>ce between yourself an class="hi2">anan>d God.

Space therefore invented the idea of a gap, separation, distan class="hi2">anan>ce, avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce, exclusion, repulsion, rejection, dissociation, an class="hi2">anan>d isolation. It gave rise to the seeming possibility that something can class="hi2">anan> exist in one location an class="hi2">anan>d NOT exist in the others. Which in turn seems to make it possible for atoms an class="hi2">anan>d particles to exist separately an class="hi2">anan>d without touching each other. So long as there is the idea of spatial separation, "matter" is possible.

Matter requires that all its parts be kept SEPARATE otherwise not only could there not even be a three-dimensional object that "takes up space" or "span class="hi2">anan>s across locations", but all objects would attempt to share the same space an class="hi2">anan>d cause a massive nuclear explosion. This is basic stuff supported by science. Atomic overlap causes atomic explosions. The seemingly physical material universe is therefore dependent on the idea of MAINTAINING SEPARATION at all costs.

Space also is the assertion that an class="hi2">anan>ything which exists only exists in PART of the space, an class="hi2">anan>d that what exists in that part is only a PART of existence. Therefore an class="hi2">anan>ything that exists does not WHOLLY exist an class="hi2">anan>d is NOT whole. This in turn implies that nothing is everywhere. Which also implies that everything is nowhere. Which is the entire idea that "God, whose nature is to be everywhere, does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere". This is because "the world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God." "A place where God could enter not."

Just as space is UTTERLY upposite to God's nature, so too is time. Eternity mean class="hi2">anan>s that what exists always exists. It is eternal, never-ending, perman class="hi2">anan>ent, immortal. It can class="hi2">anan>not ever stop existing. The idea of stopping existing is the idea of interruption, chan class="hi2">anan>ge, alteration, decay, modification, etc. This is totally incompatible with eternity. Nothing eternal can class="hi2">anan> EVER chan class="hi2">anan>ge otherwise we introduce the potential for an class="hi2">anan> END, an class="hi2">anan>d for death.

Time is the notion TOTALLY OPPOSITE to eternity, that whatever existed no longer exists, having died. an class="hi2">Anan>d what exists now, is not the same as what used to exist, having chan class="hi2">anan>ged. an class="hi2">Anan>d what exists now will not always exist, because death or chan class="hi2">anan>ge is inevitable. Even the idea of chan class="hi2">anan>ge ITSELF is the idea of time, producing a "dream of death." SPACETIME IS DEATH! It's the very idea of bringing an class="hi2">anan> END to what is endless, an class="hi2">anan>d making temporary what is perman class="hi2">anan>ent, an class="hi2">anan>d making mortal what is immortal.

"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."

Time was made as a total attack on God's nature. It is the suggestion that God an class="hi2">anan>d his creation, which are eternal an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>geless, are in a state of total constan class="hi2">anan>t chan class="hi2">anan>ge, decay, suffering, alteration, interruption, attackability, imperman class="hi2">anan>ece an class="hi2">anan>d death. Just the idea that everything is always chan class="hi2">anan>ging is the idea that "everything is always dying". The laws of nature such as that flowers bloom an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d human class="hi2">anan> bodies bloom an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets bloom an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d so on, is INHERENT to the nature of time itself.

Time is really the idea that God is dead, once again in support of space's idea that God is nowhere. It says God is no-when, did not exist before, does not exist now, an class="hi2">anan>d will not exist in future. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to eradicate eternity. Time was made in the separation in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to DENY eternity. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything that chan class="hi2">anan>ges, grows, withers, dies, is born, tran class="hi2">anan>sforms, modifies, interferes, attacks, can class="hi2">anan> be hurt or damaged, etc... is entirely goverened by an class="hi2">anan>d DEPENDENT upon time.

"It IS a joke to think that time can class="hi2">anan> come to circumvent eternity, which MEan class="hi2">ANan>S there is no time. "

"It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die"

Therefore space-time is an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, it is in TOTAL OPPOSITION to God's nature, it is ENTIRELY UNLIKE reality, an class="hi2">anan>d NOTHING like heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything which has arisen WITHIN the confines of spacetime, is similarly TOTALLY OPPOSITE to reality. "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way." an class="hi2">Anan>d everything within spacetime COMPLETELY depends on space an class="hi2">anan>d time "existing" in order to "exist."

Without space you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT HAVE OBJECTS. Of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. Plan class="hi2">anan>ets, bodies, cake, houses, cars, galaxies, all depend on spatial separation of particles. They all REQUIRE an class="hi2">anan> ongoing assertion that God is dead. "The world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son." If space or time were to END, which they MUST because they are not perman class="hi2">anan>ent in an class="hi2">anan>y way, ALL THINGS which are based on space an class="hi2">anan>d time must end as well. They Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT REMAIN.

You can class="hi2">anan>not have a three dimensional physical object without the atoms being held apart by space, an class="hi2">anan>d time governing their constan class="hi2">anan>t chemical an class="hi2">anan>d physical interactions. There is no motion without time. There is no growth without time. There is no birth an class="hi2">anan>d death of bodies without time. There are no plan class="hi2">anan>ets without space. There is no world of spacetime without space or time. an class="hi2">Anan>d both space an class="hi2">anan>d time are entirely illusions of an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny the reality of God.

It is a mistake to think that there is a way to KEEP the physical world while being IN reality, or that the world IS heaven, or that three dimensionality can class="hi2">anan> remain WITHOUT spacetime. Sorry but this is impossible. This is why the world will eventually end an class="hi2">anan>d all the stars will disappear in light an class="hi2">anan>d all the galaxies will van class="hi2">anan>ish. They MUST go if spacetime goes. You can class="hi2">anan>not have an class="hi2">anan>y of it without the belief in separation.

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

"Perception is temporary. It is an class="hi2">anan> attribute of the space-time belief, an class="hi2">anan>d is therefore subject to fear or love."

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time. The concept is really one of space-time BELIEF. The physical world exists only because man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> use it to correct his UNBELIEF, which placed him in it originally. As long as man class="hi2">anan> KNEW he did not need an class="hi2">anan>ything, the whole device was unnecessary."

"Like all aspects of the space-time belief, healing ability is temporary."

"Acts were not necessary before the Separation, because the time-space belief did not exist."

"The Atonement was built into the space-time belief in order to set a limit on the need for the belief, an class="hi2">anan>d ultimately to make learning complete."

"The body is the ego's idol; the belief in sin made flesh, an class="hi2">anan>d then projected outward. 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, beholden unto death, an class="hi2">anan>d given but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t in which to sigh an class="hi2">anan>d grieve an class="hi2">anan>d die in honor of its master. "

"The mind that serves the Holy Spirit is unlimited forever, in all ways, beyond the laws of time an class="hi2">anan>d space, unbound by an class="hi2">anan>y preconceptions, an class="hi2">anan>d with strength an class="hi2">anan>d power to do whatever it is asked."

"Every law of time an class="hi2">anan>d space, of magnitude an class="hi2">anan>d mass, of prediction an class="hi2">anan>d control, is tran class="hi2">anan>scended, for what the Holy Spirit enables you to do is clearly beyond ALL of them."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d those who serve the lord of death have come to worship in a separated world"

"an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time. Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d here They join, for here the face of Christ has shone away time's final instan class="hi2">anan>t."

"For where God's memory has come at last there is no journey, no belief in sin, no walls, no bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d the grim appeal of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death is there snuffed out forever."

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."

"Here He lean class="hi2">anan>s down to lift you up to Him, out of illusions into holiness; out of the world an class="hi2">anan>d to eternity; out of all fear an class="hi2">anan>d given back to love."

"The ego is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a PART of your belief about yourselves. Your other life has continued without interruption, an class="hi2">anan>d has been an class="hi2">anan>d always will be totally unaffected by your attempts to dissociate (separate)."

"Ego" is just a label, for what seems to happen within a PART of your own mind, when that part of your mind BELIEVES in separation. It is a label for the mind's insan class="hi2">anan>ity, its confusion, its attempt to be separate.

This "ego" is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a "lack of light", or the seeming darkness that appears to be there when light is lacking. But the darkness itself is not the PRESENCE of a darkness, it is merely the ABSENCE of a light.

Like a shadow, the shadow only forms when there is a limitation on the light, ie a blockage. When something is denying the light, it produces a seeming area of darkness. You would be DECEIVED to believe that this darkness itself was the PRESENCE of something, as if to say that "darkness can class="hi2">anan> hide the light", or that darkness has a POWER to CAUSE light to go away.

"Miracles are associated with fear only because of the fallacy that darkness can class="hi2">anan> hide."

The idea that the darkness has "come alive", has a mind or will of its own, has an class="hi2">anan> evil nature, has evil intentions, is an class="hi2">anan> enemy, is working against you on its own, etc, can class="hi2">anan> only be believed by a confused mind. This is a "temptation" to be deceived.

To believe that the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of darkness mean class="hi2">anan>s the PRESENCE of a "real evil", is delusional. It would be like saying that the darkness of night has caused the sun to go away.

In truth, the darkness COMPLETELY DEPENDS on the sustained blockage of the light. It depends on light's seeming absence. If the light were to shine, the absence of light would end, an class="hi2">anan>d whatever seemed to be "in" or "as" the darkness would literally disappear instan class="hi2">anan>tly into nothing. Light ALWAYS dispels darkness.

"Light dispels darkness automatically, by definition."

When mind is confused, insan class="hi2">anan>e, split, at war with itself, believing in separation, is twisted, believes that true things are false an class="hi2">anan>d false things are true, it develops a system of thought which seems backwards or "evil". It seems opposite to God an class="hi2">anan>d to goodness. It seems mad an class="hi2">anan>d selfish an class="hi2">anan>d special an class="hi2">anan>d exclusive, a mindset of war an class="hi2">anan>d destruction an class="hi2">anan>d death.

When this part of your mind believes wrongly, it somewhat hallucinates that the darkness is there. It invests the darkness with belief. It tries to give the darkness the properties of God, such as perman class="hi2">anan>ence, life, existence, power, will, etc. This is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to believe that darkness or evil "really exists".

"Into eternity, where all is one, there crept a tiny, mad idea, at which the Son of God remembered not to laugh. In his forgetting did the thought become a serious idea, an class="hi2">anan>d possible of both accomplishment an class="hi2">anan>d real effects."

This illusion of darkness, which is NOT an class="hi2">anan>ything because it is a LACK OF an class="hi2">anan>ything, seems to a deluded mind to have its own existence. It seems to come alive, to have a voice, to have power, to have evil intentions of death. This is what we call the "ego". It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a separate self, some kind of alien will or separate mind that seems to have its own power.

But at no time does this illusion of an class="hi2">anan> ego or a "real darkness" ever become an class="hi2">anan>ything more than class="hi2">anan> the absence of light. It never stops being a mere shadow on a wall, a temporary appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of something missing. It is not a self, it is the LACK of self. It is not a real entity, it is the ABSENCE OF a real entity. It is like an class="hi2">anan> empty dark hole.

The key thing is that this seeming darkness only persists so long as the MIND is believing in separation. The darkness completely depends on the continuation of this belief. The mind is the seat of all power. The mind is USING its power to PRETEND to be powerless, in which it SEEMS that this "dark self" has power over it. But in truth the powerful mind is an class="hi2">anan>imating this dark self, using this dark self, making this dark self act out like a puppet on a string.

This taps into the secret of salvation - that you are doing this all to yourself. The ego is not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything on its own. There is merely a part of your mind which YOU - as your mind - are pitting AGAINST the rest of you. You are at war with yourself. You are the mind that is "being egoic". You have an class="hi2">anan> attitude problem. You have a faulty belief. That part of your mind which is believing wrongly seems to be "ego-like". It's trying to be evil. It's a part of YOU that you are trying to convert into the "devil."

In absolute truth, however, this egotism is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> hallucination, this darkness is nothing but a lack of an class="hi2">anan>ything, its world an class="hi2">anan>d its body are nothing but illusions of nothingness pretending to be something, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no real separation an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. In absolute truth, there is no such thing as a real ego, a real devil, a real evil, an class="hi2">anan>d nor is the body or the world real. This is all part of the dream of separation, in which YOUR MIND is trying to hide from the light.

We should then not think of the ego as a separate entity, or the presence of a real evil, or some enemy with a will of its own to be fought an class="hi2">anan>d overcome. You do not do "battle with" the devil. There is no real war going on here beyond your BELIEF. Literally a part of your mind is "doing it all to itself." A part of your mind is trying to be evil. It is mistaken, but you DO have to own up to it.

You, as the soul, or the utilizer of the whole of mind, must find a way to reintegrate ALL of your mind into one whole. This INCLUDES the part of mind that is being ego. It does not include "the ego" itself, because that's just a description of a temporary "bad attitude" that part of mind is having. When that SAME mind receives correction from the Holy Spirit for its bad attitude, that same mind becomes holy again an class="hi2">anan>d reunites with the rest.

In truth then we have to at least temporarily own up to being the one who is trying to be separate. That ego in us - that's just a part of our own mind which is not healed yet. It's filled with ambitions that are twisted an class="hi2">anan>d evil-like. It needs significan class="hi2">anan>t correction an class="hi2">anan>d purification. That part of mind is sick an class="hi2">anan>d needs to be resurrected. Or rather, needs to awaken again to the awareness of the light. The light will dispel its hallucinations of darkness, an class="hi2">anan>d with it "the ego" - the lack of an class="hi2">anan>ything - will van class="hi2">anan>ish completely.

The ego therefore has no power or will of its own to cause itself to exist, to maintain its existence, to fight against reality, or to stop "you" from undoing it. Literally there IS NO SEPARATE EGO. It's just part of YOU. Part of your mind that has gone astray.

When you own up to this, you RECLAIM ALL POWER from it, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer GIVE it power over you. How can class="hi2">anan> it have power over you at all when it was really YOU having power over yourself all along? All you were ever really doing was using this puppet to have power OVER YOURSELF. You played BOTH victim an class="hi2">ANan>D victimizer. All the while believing you were being victimized by something which "is not me doing it."

When you finally see that ego is nothing but YOUR own self attack, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are the one doing all of the attacking, where is an class="hi2">anan> enemy then? When you have owned up entirely to being the one who is being the devil/ego, your mind can class="hi2">anan> now choose again, decide better, embrace the true self, an class="hi2">anan>d undo the separateness of the split. Mind reintegrates with mind, you reclaim ALL the power as your own, an class="hi2">anan>d never again will you victimize yourself with this fan class="hi2">anan>tasy of an class="hi2">anan> enemy.

Where is the ego when the light has come? Nowhere. What was the ego? It was just an class="hi2">anan> illusion of nothing seeming to be something. What was it made of? The lack of an class="hi2">anan>ything real. What did it seem to be? The darkness come alive. What was it really? The absence of the light. Where is it now that there is light? Nowhere. What is the ego? Nothing at all. It never really existed.

"The ego depends SOLELY on your willingness to tolerate it. But if you are willing to look upon your gran class="hi2">anan>deur, you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT despair, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT wan class="hi2">anan>t the ego."

"Accept atonement with an class="hi2">anan> open mind which cherishes no lingering belief that you have made a devil of God's Son."

"By steadily an class="hi2">anan>d consistently can class="hi2">anan>celing out ALL its effects, EVERYWHERE an class="hi2">ANan>D IN ALL RESPECTS, He teaches that the ego does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d PROVES IT."

"This is the one fact which MEan class="hi2">ANan>S that the ego does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d which therefore makes it profoundly afraid."

"Where there was darkness now we see the light. What was the ego? What the darkness was. Where was the ego? Where the darkness was. What is it now an class="hi2">anan>d where can class="hi2">anan> it be found? Nothing an class="hi2">anan>d nowhere. Now the light has come: Its opposite has gone without a trace. Where evil was there now is holiness. What is the ego? What the evil was. Where is the ego? In an class="hi2">anan> evil dream that but seemed real while you were dreaming it. Where there was crucifixion stan class="hi2">anan>ds God's Son. What is the ego? Who has need to ask? Where is the ego? Who has need to seek for an class="hi2">anan> illusion now that dreams are gone?"

"My purpose, then, IS to overcome the world. I do not attack it, but my light must dispel it because of WHAT IT IS. Light does not ATTACK darkness, but it DOES shine it away."

"For the blamelessness of Christ is the proof that the ego never was, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> never be. Without guilt the ego HAS no life, an class="hi2">anan>d God's Son IS without guilt."

For the ego, an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer is not an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer that solves a problem. Instead its an class="hi2">anan>swers are merely man class="hi2">anan>ipulations which describe the problem an class="hi2">anan>d compound it.

Sometimes the ego makes it appear that a problem is being 'solved' by, apparently practically, doing some thing to the situation to rearran class="hi2">anan>ge the furniture an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>ipulate objects into a different configuration. But this still keeps the scenery an class="hi2">anan>d does not solve an class="hi2">anan>y of the OTHER problems which are all kept completely separate.

The ego is not really a problem solver, but a problem inventor an class="hi2">anan>d problem keeper.

God is different. God has an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer, but God's an class="hi2">anan>swer isn't informational. God's an class="hi2">anan>swer doesn't just man class="hi2">anan>ipulate forms an class="hi2">anan>d try to create a 'picture' of there being an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer.

Instead, God's an class="hi2">anan>swer is actually an class="hi2">anan> EXPERIENCE of the problem not existing. God's an class="hi2">anan>swer HEALS the situation completely, now. God's an class="hi2">anan>swer UNDOES every perception that a problem exists at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d God's an class="hi2">anan>swer applies to EVERYTHING the same, solving all experiences of all problems simultan class="hi2">anan>eously.

God doesn't solve one problem only to keep an class="hi2">anan>other. God is the solution to all problems, perman class="hi2">anan>ently. an class="hi2">Anan>d God doesn't solve one problem only to bring back 1000 more problems in different forms later on. God undoes every problem, completely, perman class="hi2">anan>ently, an class="hi2">anan>d maintains a state of 'problem-less-ness', SO THAT there will be no problems.

God's an class="hi2">anan>swer is the only truly practical real an class="hi2">anan>swer, because it actually fixes what the real problem is. The ego never fixes the real problem whatsoever. an class="hi2">Anan>d as you solve the real problem (ego separation), life MUST return to ORDER.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so as you shift from ego-based problem solving to God-based problem solving, you'll notice that you're not going to just start asking God what the an class="hi2">anan>swer is. You're not going to just start asking God to come in an class="hi2">anan>d solve a finite form of a problem. You're also not going to be asking God to spend ages an class="hi2">anan>d ages describing every intricate detail of the problem at length. This is a trap I fall into, thinking that getting God's longwinded explan class="hi2">anan>ation is better than class="hi2">anan> making up one of my own. Do I wan class="hi2">anan>t diagnosis an class="hi2">anan>d a STORY or do I wan class="hi2">anan>t the problem healed?

Problem-solving with God is immediate, instan class="hi2">anan>tan class="hi2">anan>eous, full an class="hi2">anan>d completely restorative. It is healing. It is a shift away from 'diagnosis' to 'solution'. It is a shift away from delving into the story an class="hi2">anan>d history of the problem, an class="hi2">anan>d directly into the removal of it, perman class="hi2">anan>ently.

God heals perman class="hi2">anan>ently, God is perman class="hi2">anan>ently healed.

"The goal of the curriculum, regardless of the teacher you choose, is KNOW THYSELF. There is nothing else to learn. Everyone is looking for himself an class="hi2">anan>d the power an class="hi2">anan>d glory he thinks he has lost. Whenever you are with an class="hi2">anan>yone ELSE, you have an class="hi2">anan>other opportunity to find them. Your power an class="hi2">anan>d glory are in HIM BECAUSE they are yours. The ego tries to find them in YOURSELF, because he does not know where to look. But the Holy Spirit teaches you that if you look only at yourself you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT find yourself because that is NOT what you are."

Each of us has an class="hi2">anan> identity. God gave us an class="hi2">anan> identity in an class="hi2">anan>d as part of Christ or the Sonship, which we share. But in the separation from God, we denied who we were an class="hi2">anan>d sought an class="hi2">anan> identity that wasn't shared. That mean class="hi2">anan>t denying our mutual identity, placing us in a state of not being certain of who we are. an class="hi2">Anan>other way of saying that is that we became afraid of who we are.

Then we started trying to make an class="hi2">anan> identity that would replace the identity we lost. We were out of touch with reality. So we started trying to assemble an class="hi2">anan> identity from various illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d from things which are not really who or what we are. In particular we tried to identify with something isolated an class="hi2">anan>d alone, that you could call "only yours", rather than class="hi2">anan> sharing an class="hi2">anan> identity with others.

This included identifying with our bodies, believing that our body is our self. To do this our mind has to literally "attach" itself to "mix itself with" the body, trying to become "one" with it. As if to blur the lines between what is the body an class="hi2">anan>d what is our self. So that there is only one seeming self, not two. By trying to identify with a body, we're trying to hide our real identity an class="hi2">anan>d forget it, so that all that remains is the body self.

If I bind my definition of who an class="hi2">anan>d what I am, or what is true of me, to the body, then I am saying I AM a body. an class="hi2">Anan>d then everything about the body I take personally as if it speaks of an class="hi2">anan>d defines me. Maybe I'll feel positive about my body for various reasons, due to how it looks or what it is capable of. Or maybe I'll feel negative about it based on it being ugly or defective. But both are still identifications with the body.

We can class="hi2">anan> also shift to identifying with the mind, or with thoughts. When we have thoughts we can class="hi2">anan> get a sense of an class="hi2">anan> artificial sense of self, mixed in with the thinking. The mind can class="hi2">anan> chatter away with its noise an class="hi2">anan>d the more it talks the more you mistake the talking for the person doing the talking. As if the sound of thought is the presence of someone. As if the thoughts are a self. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you've identified with thinking, perhaps with intelligence or intellect, with memory or accumulation of knowledge.

You can class="hi2">anan> also identify with social stan class="hi2">anan>ding, your social background, class, race, gender, how much money you have, where your family seems to ran class="hi2">anan>k in terms of some social hierarchy, whether you are upper-class or lower, living in wealth or in poverty etc. You can class="hi2">anan> also identify with failing to have much of a worthwhile identity in an class="hi2">anan>y of these areas, perhaps with a poor body an class="hi2">anan>d poor finan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d poor living conditions, seeing yourself as identified as a helpless victim.

I think we can class="hi2">anan> also identify with objects, with an class="hi2">anan>imals an class="hi2">anan>d pets, with places, with homes an class="hi2">anan>d cars etc. We can class="hi2">anan> identify with our children, an class="hi2">anan>d literally feel as though what happens to them happens to us. As though they are a part of us, to such an class="hi2">anan> extent that when they suffer we suffer, or we take everything that happens to them as a personal attack. This can class="hi2">anan> lead to the identity of being a father or mother, someone who wan class="hi2">anan>ts to keep that identity an class="hi2">anan>d not let it go, an class="hi2">anan>d who can class="hi2">anan>not deal with the empty nest.

These are all confused senses of who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d we're all looking for ourselves because think we lost ourselves. We sense that we are uncertain, thus afraid, of who an class="hi2">anan>d what we really are - or don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to know. We don't remember our identity. It's like we have an class="hi2">anan> amnesia. Whether it be an class="hi2">anan> amnesia imposed by birth through crossing the barrier of dimensions an class="hi2">anan>d entering a body prison, or the illusion that every time you're born you start from scratch to build an class="hi2">anan> identity.

"Each man class="hi2">anan> makes one ego for himself, although it is subject to enormous variation because of its instability, an class="hi2">anan>d one for everyone he perceives, which is equally variable." "The dispute over authorship has left such uncertainty in the minds of man class="hi2">anan> that some people have gone so far as to doubt whether they were ever created at all."

So the big question really is, who are you? What are you? Are you the son of God as He created you? Or have you become something else? Do you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be something else? Are you a body? Are you a relationship, or a child that you possess, or an class="hi2">anan> object you own? Are you a social status or a finan class="hi2">anan>cial position? Are you your job, or your role as a parent? Are you made of the guilt an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d sin that you feel? Are you your thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d your thinking? Are you the intellect? Are you awareness? Do you have a soul?

Finding out who you really are, knowing yourself, is what Jesus says is the entire point of this course. It's about remembering an class="hi2">anan>d waking up to the recognition that you are still exactly the same identity that God created you to be forever. You are still Christ, you are still a soul, still part of the sonship, still perfect. Still a spiritual being. an class="hi2">Anan>d your real identity is shared with all the other Sons of God.

So our whole process here is just sorting out, what are we experiencing as being our identity, who or what have we identified with or latched onto, what is it that we think is our self, an class="hi2">anan>d where have we put that? What have we tried to become "one with", other than class="hi2">anan> God? What have we wrapped ourselves around in trying to portray ourselves as something God did not create?

If I think I am my body or my thoughts an class="hi2">anan>d have actually bound myself to them such that I seem to experience them "as me", then I am in need of correction. I am out of touch with who I really am an class="hi2">anan>d am believing I am something I am not. This mean class="hi2">anan>s I lack awareness or awakening, or am unconscious. These mis-identifiations with things we are not, are blocks to awareness.

"I am not a body I am free, for I am still as God created me."

"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. "

"The ego IS therefore a confusion in identification, which never had a consistent model, an class="hi2">anan>d never developed consistently."

"By accepting the Atonement for YOURSELF, you are deciding AGAINST the belief that you can class="hi2">anan> BE alone, thus dispelling the idea of separation an class="hi2">anan>d affirming your true identification with the whole Kingdom as literally PART OF YOU. This identification is as beyond doubt as it is beyond belief. Your wholeness HAS no limits, because its being is in Infinity."

"EVERYTHING you perceive as the outside world, is merely your attempt to maintain your ego identification, for everyone believes that identification is salvation."

"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 IDEA of separation PRODUCED the body, an class="hi2">anan>d remains connected TO it, MAKING it sick because of its identification WITH it."

"This false identification makes you incapable of understan class="hi2">anan>ding what an class="hi2">anan>ything is for."

"When you imprison yourself, you are losing sight of your true identification with me an class="hi2">anan>d with the Father. Your identification IS with the Father an class="hi2">anan>d with the Son. It Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be with one an class="hi2">anan>d not the other. If you are part of one, you MUST be part of the other because they ARE One."

"In his complete identification with the Christ--the perfect Son of God, His one creation an class="hi2">anan>d His happiness, forever like Himself an class="hi2">anan>d One with Him - Jesus became what all of us must be."

"As long as your identification vacillates, (an class="hi2">anan>d B's is weak) you can class="hi2">anan>not accept the gift that belongs to you."

"Your identification with the Kingdom is totally beyond question except by you WHEN YOU ARE THINKING INSan class="hi2">ANan>ELY."

"ALL attack is self attack. It can class="hi2">anan>not BE an class="hi2">anan>ything else. Arising from your OWN decision NOT to be what you ARE, IT IS an class="hi2">ANan> ATTACK ON YOUR IDENTIFICATION. "

"Miracles praise God through men. They praise God by honoring his Creations, affirming their perfection. They heal because they deny body-identification an class="hi2">anan>d affirm Soul-identification. By perceiving the Spirit, they adjust the levels an class="hi2">anan>d see them in proper alignment. This places the Spirit at the center, where Souls can class="hi2">anan> communicate directly."

"This is not my name alone, for ours is a shared identification. "

"The body is the ego's home by its own election. It is the only identification with which it feels safe, because the body's vulnerability is its own best argument that you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be of God."

"For example, if the identification is with the body, consciousness may distort superconscious impulses by denying their Source, an class="hi2">anan>d seeking their impact in the orgasm."

Jesus asks of us to completely forget A Course in Miracles, forget the entire world, forget the body, an class="hi2">anan>d come to God with empty han class="hi2">anan>ds.

In this, Jesus isn't asking us to stay in our body, thinking we are a body, studying ACIM fervently an class="hi2">anan>d going about our special little lives on plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth.

He is asking us to become fully aware that we are NOT a body whatsoever, that we do not need one to exist, that the world the body inhabits is just as much an class="hi2">anan> illusion as the body itself, an class="hi2">anan>d that we are FREE of this crap.

Jesus has demonstrated that the body is not real. He has demonstrated that it can class="hi2">anan> be disappeared along with all sickness an class="hi2">anan>d all death. This is what he's asking us to do as well. Not just to sort of han class="hi2">anan>gout in an class="hi2">anan> in-between state of being more special or staying in the body an class="hi2">anan>d seeing the world sparkle.

There is no world. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It must disappear when recognized correctly for what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d so must your body.

The body is the hero of the dream. It is designed as a device to LIMIT an class="hi2">anan>d SEPARATE mind from itself. It is mean class="hi2">anan>t to obscure the omnipresence of God an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem like everything is unlike everything else (ie there is no God).

As you stay in the body, believing it is real, an class="hi2">anan>d not fully tran class="hi2">anan>scending it, you are continuing the belief that God does not really exist.

The world is not left by death but by truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d truth mean class="hi2">anan>s the awareness that the body an class="hi2">anan>d its world are just a DREAM, not reality.

God has a "place" for us, an class="hi2">anan> experience of total oneness, "heaven" if you will, which is the only true reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d bodies have nothing to do with it.

This is a simple logical premise deeply rooted in the Course. Heaven was all that existed, an class="hi2">anan>d WE MADE UP an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d that opposite is ALWAYS opposed to Heaven, totally UNLIKE Heaven in every way, an class="hi2">anan>d is the idea of HELL, no matter how you perceive it or look at it or think about it. an class="hi2">Anan> opposite to heaven DOES NOT EXIST. Therefore there is no world - Earth, as Heaven's OPPOSITE, does not exist.

Below are a selection of quotes, which all highlight that Earth an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven are OPPOSITE. They will NOT EVER BE "one thing", or the "same thing". Earth was made to OPPOSE the one possibility of Heaven in every way. "The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God." In no way, at no time, will the Earth merge with Heaven. "Love, which is all encompassing, HAS NO OPPOSITE", an class="hi2">anan>d so the opposite to Heaven, which is Earth, shall simply disappear into the nothingness from which it came.

You are either "in heaven", without an class="hi2">anan> opposite, or you are "in hell" (Earth) with an class="hi2">anan> opposite. If you are in the Earth, Heaven must then HAVE an class="hi2">anan> opposite, Earth is now hell, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no escape from duality.

Perception has nothing to do with that fact. Perceiving hell in a heavenly way is only a temporary state in order to prepare you for the reality that Heaven is the only reality an class="hi2">anan>d THERE IS NO WORLD. Earth, as Heaven's total opposite, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT CONTINUE being "Earth" in an class="hi2">anan>y recognizable way, which is MADE OF OPPOSITION (which is attack), while also being "equated" with or identical to Heaven. Heaven HAS no opposite. Earth DOES NOT EXIST.

---------------

"For THIS WORLD IS THE OPPOSITE OF HEAVEN, having been made to BE its opposite. an class="hi2">Anan>d EVERYTHING here takes a direction EXACTLY OPPOSITE to what is true."

"Heaven remains your one ALTERNATIVE to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world YOU MADE an class="hi2">anan>d all its ways; its shifting patterns an class="hi2">anan>d uncertain goals, its painful pleasures an class="hi2">anan>d its tragic joys. 2 God made no contradictions. 3 What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. 4 He did NOT make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d EARTH the other's sorry outcome WHICH IS HEAVEN'S OPPOSITE IN EVERY WAY."

"FOR THIS WORLD IS THE OPPOSITE OF HEAVEN, being MADE TO BE ITS OPPOSITE, an class="hi2">anan>d everything here takes a direction EXACTLY OPPOSITE of what is true. 7 In Heaven, where the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of love is known, love is the same as union. 8 Here, where the illusion of love is accepted in love's place, love is perceived as separation an class="hi2">anan>d exclusion."

"It applies to everything that God created, an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY what He created is real. It is beyond learning because it is BEYOND TIME an class="hi2">ANan>D PROCESS. It HAS NO OPPOSITE; no beginning an class="hi2">anan>d no end. It merely is."

"How could the Son of God make time to take away the Will of God? 3 He thus denies himself, an class="hi2">anan>d contradicts what HAS NO OPPOSITE. 4 HE THINKS HE MADE A HELL OPPOSING HEAVEN, an class="hi2">anan>d believes that HE ABIDES IN what DOES NOT EXIST, while Heaven is the place he can class="hi2">anan>not find."

"From knowledge an class="hi2">anan>d perception respectively, two distinct thought systems arise which are OPPOSITE IN EVERY RESPECT. In the realm of knowledge no thoughts exist apart from God, because God an class="hi2">anan>d His Creation share one Will. The WORLD OF PERCEPTION, however, is MADE BY THE BELIEF IN OPPOSITES an class="hi2">ANan>D SEPARATE WILLS, in PERPETUAL CONFLICT with each other an class="hi2">anan>d with God. What perception sees an class="hi2">anan>d hears appears to be real because it permits into awareness only what conforms to the WISHES of the perceiver. This leads to a WORLD OF ILLUSIONS, a world which needs constan class="hi2">anan>t defense precisely BECAUSE IT IS NOT REAL."

"In this world Heaven is a choice, because here we believe there are ALTERNATIVES to choose between. We think that all things have an class="hi2">anan> OPPOSITE, an class="hi2">anan>d what we wan class="hi2">anan>t we choose. If Heaven exists there must be HELL as well, for contradiction is the way we make what we perceive, an class="hi2">anan>d what we THINK is real."

"CREATION KNOWS NO OPPOSITE. 2 But here is OPPOSITION part of being "real." 3 It is this stran class="hi2">anan>ge perception of the truth that makes the choice of Heaven seem to be the same as the relinquishment of hell. 4 It is not really thus." (because hell doesn't exist)

"For truth is true, an class="hi2">anan>d NOTHING ELSE is true. 7 THERE IS NO OPPOSITE to choose instead. 8 There is no contradiction to the truth."

"IN DEATH ALONE ARE OPPOSITES resolved, for ending OPPOSITION is to die. 4 an class="hi2">Anan>d thus salvation must be seen as death, for LIFE IS SEEN AS CONFLICT. 5 To resolve the conflict is to end your life as well."

"In me is love perfected, fear impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d joy established WITHOUT OPPOSITE. 4 I am the holy home of God Himself. 5 I am the HEAVEN where His Love resides."

"Now the light has come: ITS OPPOSITE HAS GONE WITHOUT A TRACE. 9 Where evil was there now is holiness. 10 What is the ego? 11 What the evil was. 12 Where is the ego? 13 In an class="hi2">anan> EVIL DREAM that but SEEMED REAL WHILE YOU WERE DREAMING IT."

"The OPPOSITE OF SEEING through the body's eyes is the vision of Christ, which reflects strength rather than class="hi2">anan> weakness, unity rather than class="hi2">anan> separation, an class="hi2">anan>d love rather than class="hi2">anan> fear. The OPPOSITE OF HEARING through the body's ears is communication through the Voice for God, the Holy Spirit, which abides in each of us."

"The Holy Spirit uses logic as easily an class="hi2">anan>d as well as does the ego, except that His conclusions are not insan class="hi2">anan>e. 5 They take a direction EXACTLY OPPOSITE, pointing as clearly TO HEAVEN as the ego points to darkness an class="hi2">anan>d to death (earth)."

"What could you choose between but life or death, waking or sleeping, peace or war, your dreams or your reality? 2 There is a risk of thinking death is peace, because THE WORLD EQUATES THE BODY WITH THE SELF WHICH GOD CREATED. 3 Yet a thing can class="hi2">anan> NEVER BE ITS OPPOSITE. 4 an class="hi2">ANan>D DEATH IS OPPOSITE TO PEACE, because it is the OPPOSITE OF LIFE."

"The perception of goodness is NOT knowledge, but the denial of the OPPOSITE of goodness enables you to recognize a condition in which OPPOSITES DO NOT EXIST."

"The Thought of peace was given to God's Son the instan class="hi2">anan>t that HIS MIND HAD THOUGHT OF WAR. 2 There was no need for such a Thought before, for peace was given WITHOUT OPPOSITE, an class="hi2">anan>d merely was."

"From here we give salvation to the world, for it is here salvation was received. 2 The song of our rejoicing is the call to all the world that freedom is returned, that time is almost over, an class="hi2">anan>d God's Son has but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t more to wait until his Father is remembered, DREAMS ARE DONE, ETERNITY HAS ****SHINED AWAY THE WORLD**** , an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY HEAVEN NOW EXISTS AT ALL."

Worth repeating:

"There is NO LIFE OUTSIDE OF HEAVEN. 2 Where God created life, there life must be. 3 In an class="hi2">anan>y state APART from Heaven LIFE IS ILLUSION. 4 At best it SEEMS LIKE LIFE; at worst, like death. 5 Yet both are judgments on what is NOT LIFE, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. 6 LIFE NOT IN HEAVEN IS IMPOSSIBLE, an class="hi2">anan>d what is not in Heaven is NOT an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE. 7 Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusion stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible an class="hi2">anan>d beyond all reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet PERCEIVED as an class="hi2">anan> eternal barrier to Heaven. 8 Illusions are BUT FORMS (life forms). 9 Their content is never true."

The vital truth of forgiveness, is to recognize that what you thought happened, DID NOT HAPPEN.

"Forgiveness is the recognition that what you think your brother did has not OCCURRED."

This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that it happened an class="hi2">anan>d then you forget about it. It doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> you remember it an class="hi2">anan>d trust your memory of it. It doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> there are real consequences that continually PROVE that it happened.

It mean class="hi2">anan>s it literally DID NOT OCCUR. EVER.

Jesus says of the separation an class="hi2">anan>d the world:

"The chan class="hi2">anan>ges wrought are substan class="hi2">anan>celess. All events are nowhere."

This is a central idea. Not simply that the world exists or existed an class="hi2">anan>d we need to deal with it. But that the world DOES NOT exist, IS NOT happening, an class="hi2">anan>d NEVER DID happen. Essentially, that there IS NO WORLD.

I am not sure if man class="hi2">anan>y of us are willing to take our forgiveness to this extreme. Because we can class="hi2">anan> recall "doing things" in the world. We can class="hi2">anan> remember "sins", attacks, happenings. But even the slightest hint of the idea that "you did it" or "they did it" IS the belief that sin is real.

No one ever really DID an class="hi2">anan>ything, because of the CONTEXT of this entire world.

This world is nothing but A DREAM. It is an class="hi2">anan> imaginary world. It has NO real consequences UPON an class="hi2">anan>ything real. It IS UNREALITY. It is the unreal world. Not one single thing in it is really happening. Not one single appearan class="hi2">anan>ce is really there. It is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of a world.

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it. For what He creates must be eternal as Himself."

Forgiveness isn't merely the overlooking of what "is there". It is the recognition that, literally, IT IS NOT THERE. This requires that you remember the entire CONTEXT of what you are INSIDE OF when you think that stuff is happening.

IF this world were reality, then yes, everything it is would REALLY be happening. an class="hi2">Anan>d all sins would be real. an class="hi2">Anan>d all attack is real. an class="hi2">Anan>d all damage, suffering an class="hi2">anan>d death is real. IF the world is real, then it is ALL VALID, an class="hi2">anan>d it is all of God.

But if this world IS NOT real, if it is ONLY a dream an class="hi2">anan>d nothing more, then this COMPLETELY INVALIDATES absolutely everything within it. Not one single event is really happening. Not one single image is true. Not one single plan class="hi2">anan>et really exists. an class="hi2">Anan>d NONE OF IT is real.

NONE OF IT!

The ultimate recognition of this fact, in its fullest possible capacity, is the recognition that THERE IS NO WORLD. AT ALL. It does not really exist. It is not there. Nothing is happening there. an class="hi2">Anan>d no-one is living in it. There IS no history. There IS no past. There IS no plan class="hi2">anan>et.

"There is no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">anan>y state apart from Heaven life is illusion. At best it seems like life; at worst, like death. Yet both are judgments on what is not life, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. ***Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is not in Heaven is not an class="hi2">anan>ywhere.*** Outside of Heaven, ***only the conflict of illusion stan class="hi2">anan>ds***; senseless, impossible an class="hi2">anan>d beyond all reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal barrier to Heaven. Illusions are but forms. Their content is never true."

So when you consider, indeed remember, that THIS IS A DREAM WORLD, not a REAL world, it completely reframes everything that happens. Or rather, it even brings into question WHETHER an class="hi2">anan>ything is happening, an class="hi2">anan>d indeed WHETHER there is EVEN a world here.

Space-time is 100% fiction! It is a BELIEF an class="hi2">anan>d nothing more. A mistaken idea of separation an class="hi2">anan>d delay. Space an class="hi2">anan>d time don't even really exist.

So an class="hi2">anan>y "sins" that seem to occur, an class="hi2">anan>y happenings, an class="hi2">anan>y events, an class="hi2">anan>y attacks, an class="hi2">anan>d sicknesses, an class="hi2">anan>y deaths, an class="hi2">anan>y day to day lives, an class="hi2">anan>y people going to jobs, an class="hi2">anan>y houses being inhabited, an class="hi2">anan>y lakes being swum in, an class="hi2">anan>y wars being waged, all of is JUST A DREAM, WITHIN an class="hi2">anan> imaginary context. an class="hi2">Anan>d so ALL OF IT IS A LIE.

IT IS NOT HAPPENING.

an class="hi2">Anan>d it is ONLY when you can class="hi2">anan> recognize that YOU DID NOT REALLY DO what you think you did, that you can class="hi2">anan> RECEIVE THE CURE, which is the atonement. an class="hi2">Anan>d atonement IS forgiveness. There is no sin because sin is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing this is atonement. You HAVE NOT sinned because you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT sin, because THERE IS NOWHERE TO SIN an class="hi2">anan>d sin is impossible everywhere. NOTHING Can class="hi2">ANan> HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF GOD'S KINGDOM an class="hi2">anan>d THIS world, earth, an class="hi2">anan>d all the solar systems an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies, IS the illusion of exile outside of heaven.

The shit does not exist.

You know this deep down. an class="hi2">Anan>d you KNOW that if there is even a SHRED of a notion that this world IS REAL, then EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DONE IS A REAL SIN. an class="hi2">Anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not be forgiven. You can class="hi2">anan> only forgive an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not forgive real sin. Sin has to be UNREAL for you to forgive it. Only when your sins are recognized as NON EXISTENT are you aware of your innocence. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are non-existent because they are IMPOSSIBLE.

You have never sinned. You never will. an class="hi2">Anan>d no-one has ever sinned against you. Sin does not exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere ever. Nothing has happened. All of spacetime is fiction. "The world of bodies is the world of sin." A world of sin can class="hi2">anan>not exist in God's world of innocence. You have NEVER sinned. You WILL never sin. YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT SIN. You HAVE NOT sinned. You are just as holy an class="hi2">anan>d innocent as when God created you. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the world will van class="hi2">anan>ish.

THE WORLD IS NOTHING.

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."

"God creates only mind awake. He does not sleep, an class="hi2">anan>d His creations can class="hi2">anan>not share what He gives not, nor make conditions which He does not share with them. The thought of death is not the opposite to thoughts of life. Forever unopposed by opposites of an class="hi2">anan>y kind, the Thoughts of God remain forever chan class="hi2">anan>geless, with the power to extend forever chan class="hi2">anan>gelessly but yet within Themselves, for They are everywhere.

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."

an class="hi2">ANan>D WHY THERE IS NO ORDER OF DIFFICULTY IN MIRACLES...

In this world, forms of objects an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets are all made to establish how one thing is DIFFERENT to an class="hi2">anan>other.

So when we look at the spectrum of types of sickness for example, we have DIFFERENCES in appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. A headache, a cold, some back pain, a broken leg, a disease, an class="hi2">anan>d death, all SEEM different in their FORMS.

However, difference IS NOT reality or truth or san class="hi2">anan>ity. Differences are fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> ego thing.

So what do you think happens to your body when all of its "differences" are undone? Clearly it can class="hi2">anan>not even exist at all. If it is not being used to make differences real, then it is not being used to differentiate degrees of sickness.

It is DIFFERENCE between things that produces all forms of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. Or in other words, forms of SEPARATION. Total death requires total intense separation from Life, identifying the body as being so UNLIKE LIFE that it must be dead.

So on this spectrum, death is literally just an class="hi2">anan> attempt to reinforce or EMPHASIZE how "unlike life" the body is. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's a result of the MIND that is projecting an class="hi2">anan>d using the body, an class="hi2">anan>d ITS degree of belief in how unlike life it is. Death is ISOLATION from life, which confines you to an class="hi2">anan>d identifies you closely with being a body, because a body is a symbol of something STan class="hi2">ANan>DING APART from the whole.

When you believe you are NOT LIKE GOD, or you are not the way God created you which is in His likeness, you WILL produce some kind of "difference" in your mind an class="hi2">anan>d that WILL produce an class="hi2">anan> APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE (illusion) of difference in the body. The body will start to look like it is not LIKE LIFE, an class="hi2">anan>d so will start to show up as falling apart an class="hi2">anan>d malfunctioning an class="hi2">anan>d dying.

The body ITSELF, in terms of its FORM, was made as an class="hi2">anan> attempt to assert that what you are is DIFFERENT from all others. That's because "your body" is literally physically cut off from other bodies, does not look like them, has different qualities an class="hi2">anan>d seems not to be operated by an class="hi2">anan>y other minds, if you ARE this body then you are SEPARATE from others, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you are UNLIKE WHOLENESS, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you are not like LIFE, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you are DEAD.

So the body itself is actually a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son, or the idea that the Son is DEAD because it has been separated out into illusions of distinct different parts which are unlike an class="hi2">anan>d disconnected from each other. This fragmentation of identity as FORMS OF DIFFERENCE is, however, an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION.

The mind does not HAVE to elect to SEE this way. It does not have to regard itself as confined to or IDENTIFIED BY the body or the way that this particular body is showing up versus those of others. The mind can class="hi2">anan> elect to OVERLOOK the body, recognizing that it actually was made to SEPARATE, by its fundamental nature of appearing different an class="hi2">anan>d isolated, an class="hi2">anan>d it was designed as an class="hi2">anan> instrument for ISOLATING YOU to one very small limited location.

The mind can class="hi2">anan> elect to NOT BELIEVE that this isolated body form is actually representative of its identity. It can class="hi2">anan> believe an class="hi2">anan>d perceive that this one body is not ITSELF, an class="hi2">anan>d does not limit it, an class="hi2">anan>d that the mind is not "identified as" the body. To do that however requires the undoing of mental beliefs in DIFFERENCES BEING REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s learning to OVERLOOK ALL DIFFERENCES an class="hi2">anan>d to not believe in them.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to learn to not be convinced that one APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE is actually TRULY different to an class="hi2">anan>other, that one sickness is more severe than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other, or that even death itself is an class="hi2">anan>y more "true" than class="hi2">anan> a paper-cut. When we believe in separation we believe in difference an class="hi2">anan>d therefore automatically start believing in the "hierarchy of illusions", which is TOTAL FICTION.

When you can class="hi2">anan> learn to NOT pay attention to the ILLUSION OF DIFFERENCES, of forms, an class="hi2">anan>d LOOK PAST them, which DOES mean class="hi2">anan> to FORGIVE them, you get into the kind of mind that recognizes that ALL forms are illusions an class="hi2">anan>d are all THE SAME, NOT DIFFERENT, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore an class="hi2">anan>y miracle that you would apply to one is THE SAME as would be applied to an class="hi2">anan>other.

This is what results in awareness that THERE IS NO ORDER OF DIFFICULTY IN MIRACLES. If death is not REALLY an class="hi2">anan>y different to a broken nose, then it should not in an class="hi2">anan>y way present an class="hi2">anan>y greater difficulty in healing than class="hi2">anan> to stop the nose bleeding. Jesus in fact mentions in the Course that the idea of raising the dead should really be no harder than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything seemingly less severe. This does however require total faith an class="hi2">anan>d quite an class="hi2">anan> advan class="hi2">anan>ced degree of NOT BELIEVING illusions of separation, or appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

ALL appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of difference were made to DECEIVE an class="hi2">anan>d BLIND YOU. "Nothing so blinding as sight of form". The Holy Spirit Can class="hi2">ANan> utilize the body as a holy temple through which it is only used for COMMUNICATION. Communication mean class="hi2">anan>s extension, ie total SHARING, oneness, unity, IDENTICALITY, seeing that you an class="hi2">anan>d your brother are ALIKE in every way, overlooking all DIFFERENCES, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing that the same Love that God put in YOU is also in your brother. This results in HEALTH an class="hi2">anan>d HEALING, because the belief in *separation* is the root cause of ALL sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death.

Without BELIEVING YOUR EYES, or rather, without believing that "differences are true", you can class="hi2">anan> no longer believe that a certain form is an class="hi2">anan>y more true or difficult to heal than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. It also therefore mean class="hi2">anan>s, that when you can class="hi2">anan> demonstrate that THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE, an class="hi2">anan>d that the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of a difference - regardless of its extremeness - can class="hi2">anan> be easily "ironed out" by a mind that does not BELIEVE in the difference (because it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion), this can class="hi2">anan> literally IRON OUT the difference IN FORM, producing a collapsing of the extremes of "different forms", the reversal of sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d even restoring LIFE to the DEAD.

The "erasing of death" should thus be natural to a miracle worker, an class="hi2">anan>d as easy as showing that there IS NO SEPARATION in an class="hi2">anan>y sickness. That sickness itself is merely an class="hi2">anan> idea of fictional difference an class="hi2">anan>d a mind that does not believe in it can class="hi2">anan> produce chan class="hi2">anan>ges in APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE that represent NO DIFFERENCE, which causes sickness to literally disappear from the form because the mind is stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body an class="hi2">anan>d stronger than class="hi2">anan> all forms.

This also ultimately mean class="hi2">anan>s, that once communication is whole an class="hi2">anan>d there is no belief in the LIE OF MATTER, an class="hi2">anan>d not being convinced by an class="hi2">ANan>Y illusory APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE of difference in form, this ENTIRE UNIVERSE must simply be can class="hi2">anan>celled out. If there can class="hi2">anan>not be an class="hi2">anan>y differences, an class="hi2">anan>d if all differences are illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d the entire fabric of MATTER is based on belief in one thing being separate or different from an class="hi2">anan>other, there literally Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE an class="hi2">ANan>Y MATTER, because there ARE no differences between things, an class="hi2">anan>d thus does this universe COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR once it is RECOGNIZED as an class="hi2">anan> illusion. "Illusions recognized must disappear".

This is why there is no world an class="hi2">anan>d why God could not have created something that exhibits conflict an class="hi2">anan>d separation an class="hi2">anan>d death.

There are two thought systems based on two entirely different logical reasonings, an class="hi2">anan>d it has produced "two worlds." an class="hi2">Anan>d only one of them is real.

A an class="hi2">ANan>D B = Heaven/God's Creation/Reality.

A OR B = Hell/Earth/ego/the world you made/a dream.

The two thought systems are entirely different. They are run on different laws. Heaven is one thought system. Earth an class="hi2">anan>d this universe is an class="hi2">anan>other.

The two thought systems produce entirely different consequences an class="hi2">anan>d "natures". The nature of Earth runs entirely contrary to your true nature as a heavenly being.

"The laws of this world run against your nature."

Your nature, of Heaven, is to share. Whatever you have, you share it with others. Whatever God has, He shares it with you. Everyone shares everything. I have it, an class="hi2">anan>d you have it. That is heaven's logical system. A an class="hi2">ANan>D B. Me an class="hi2">anan>d you. Both.

Earth, this universe, an class="hi2">anan>d everything about physical matter an class="hi2">anan>d objects, is run inside an class="hi2">anan>d part of the ego thought system. It is a system based on the logical of A OR B, where NOTHING IS SHARED. No two things have everything. Nothing has full access to an class="hi2">anan>ything. Everything is partial an class="hi2">anan>d incomplete. There is no wholeness.

Here, when I have an class="hi2">anan> ice cream, I do not share it with you. You are 100% denied the ice cream. If I let you have all of the ice cream, there is none left for me. This is driven by a basic LAW of nature which drives this entire universe an class="hi2">anan>d applies everywhere to all plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d stars an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies.

In Heaven, when you give something, you share an class="hi2">anan>d extend it. You do not lose it. Someone else can class="hi2">anan> share ALL of it, an class="hi2">anan>d have all of it, an class="hi2">anan>d yet you also STILL have all of it. That sounds nuts to the ego thinker. How can class="hi2">anan> I give you all of my ice-cream, while still having all of the ice-cream? How could Jesus feed 5000 people from a few fish an class="hi2">anan>d loaves, in a demonstration of GOD'S LAWS? That we can class="hi2">anan> all SHARE in defian class="hi2">anan>ce of physical limitation?

On Earth, when I try to share, all I do is sacrifice. I must give something up, have less, lack an class="hi2">anan>d have nothing myself. This is BUILT IN to MATTER. It is built into spacetime. Everything within spacetime, including plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, OPERATES based on this principle of sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d scarcity. When one part of the world is over here, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>other part of the world is over there, an class="hi2">anan>d they are different, an class="hi2">anan>d kept apart, that is NOT sharing, that is NOT wholeness, an class="hi2">anan>d that is NOT love.

"The world is the insan class="hi2">anan>e thought system of those driven mad by guilt."

Realize this. This plan class="hi2">anan>et ITSELF, its physical matter, its nature, the laws that keep its particles suspended in space, is based in the idea of SEPARATION. It is based in the idea of NOT SHARING. My left arm is not where my right arm is. They do not share space. I can class="hi2">anan>not join or merge with an class="hi2">anan>yone. Bodies, objects, people, an class="hi2">anan>imals, are kept apart by this material of rejection, separation, lack, scarcity, sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d limitation. This is what RUNS THE WORLD. This is even more fundamental an class="hi2">anan>d deeper than class="hi2">anan> the laws of physics. It's the EGO's law.

The world was made this way, by you, as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God an class="hi2">anan>d on his NATURE. It was made to function OPPOSITE to His nature. If His nature is that everything is openly shared by everyone, the opposite is that NOTHING IS SHARED. That is the nature of this world. To give you half of my pizza is NOT SHARING. It is sacrifice. Neither of us gets a whole pizza. I can class="hi2">anan>not throw a ball to you an class="hi2">anan>d have you hold it while I also receive it an class="hi2">anan>d hold it. We can class="hi2">anan>not both own the same property.

This is a world of selfishness, ownership, exclusivity, isolation an class="hi2">anan>d separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's going to STAY THAT WAY for as long as it appears to exist. It can class="hi2">anan>not show up AS Earth an class="hi2">anan>d follow an class="hi2">ANan>Y other laws. It has to keep following the same laws of the ego thought system. To remain a physical three dimensional plan class="hi2">anan>et it has to be maintained by an class="hi2">anan> idea of SPACE. Space is an class="hi2">anan> attack thought.

Space is the OPPOSITE of "everywhere". It is an class="hi2">anan> attack on omnipresence. Time similarly is an class="hi2">anan> attack thought. It is an class="hi2">anan> attack on eternity, or "always". It forces the ILLUSION that things chan class="hi2">anan>ge "naturally", which is wholly unnatural, as an class="hi2">anan> expression of the idea that one moment was Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d then something chan class="hi2">anan>ged. Time is an class="hi2">anan> attempted attack on God.

"Reality is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state."

So now you have a problem, because the fact is, no matter how much you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind, no matter how much you heal your perception, no matter what your beliefs are ABOUT the world, it does NOT CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE the underlying LAW that this world ENTIRELY DEPENDS ON for its three dimensional existence - a law of separation an class="hi2">anan>d death. It depends on spcaetime. It depends on separate objects, not sharing with each other. It depends on loss an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d a lack of perman class="hi2">anan>ence. Perman class="hi2">anan>ence is of God, an class="hi2">anan>d this world HAS NONE. Perman class="hi2">anan>ence is love. "Never was love in the world of dreams." (earth).

So the fact is, no matter how much you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind here, you Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT alter the fundamental FUNCTIONING of this plan class="hi2">anan>et. You can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge the law that it relies on for it to BE a plan class="hi2">anan>et. To sustain its spatial occupation or its relian class="hi2">anan>ce on time for growth. Without THE EGO, there can class="hi2">anan>not BE a plan class="hi2">anan>et. There can class="hi2">anan>not BE bodies. There can class="hi2">anan>not BE this world or this universe. Without the ego, it is NOT POSSIBLE to have a three dimensional form. Without a fundamental law of separation, there can class="hi2">anan>not BE objects, forms, bodies, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, images, an class="hi2">anan>imals, human class="hi2">anan>s, or an class="hi2">anan>ything else you recognize as what you think is life.

Here is the clincher then. The ego's thought system is a thought system of death. Death is the one illusion from which all others stem. Death is the last illusion to be overcome. an class="hi2">Anan>d the fact is, the ego is the idea of death - an class="hi2">anan> opposite to life, an class="hi2">anan> opposite to heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God's nature. an class="hi2">Anan>d death has PRODUCED PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET EARTH. Earth is made of death. It is not made of life. It was made to OPPOSE LIFE. It is OPPOSITE to Heaven's nature in EVERY WAY. Heaven is a system of pure extension of eternal life. Earth is a system of limitation, dead ends, temporary existence an class="hi2">anan>d death.

"Without the idea of death, there is no world."

"There is no world. This is the central thought the course would attempt to teach."

This is literally true folks. Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth DOES NOT REALLY EXIST. It can class="hi2">anan>not exist, because it is MADE OF THE EGO, an class="hi2">anan>d the ego is not real. This whole system, this whole universe, is inside the tiny mad idea. Without the mad idea, there is no world. Without death, there is no world. This is not a world of LIFE. IT is not eternity. an class="hi2">Anan>d quite literally, the forms an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces that seem to be in it, are NOTHING but a dream of death. At best, they seem like a symbol of life, at worst like death an class="hi2">anan>d suffering. But NEVER are they truly ALIVE FOREVER.

"The body neither lives nor dies. It is nothing."

"There is no life outside of Heaven."

"God did not create the body."

"God can class="hi2">anan> not enter a body, nor can class="hi2">anan> you join him there."

Heaven is ELSEWHERE. It is not this plan class="hi2">anan>et. It will NOT EVER BE this plan class="hi2">anan>et. If you think it Can class="hi2">ANan>, then you are really not seeing the clear distinction between the two thought systems. You can class="hi2">anan>not have one set of LAWS, from which EXISTENCE springs, an class="hi2">anan>d have a world which completely OPPOSES those laws exist based ON those laws. Earth simply can class="hi2">anan>not REMAIN when Heaven has come. It HAS TO DISAPPEAR. Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth are incompatible systems. The ego system an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy System are exclusive an class="hi2">anan>d incompatible.

"There is total communication failure between the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy Spirit."

Ego world = Earth. Holy world = Heaven. They Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT coexist. Love has no opposite. Earth does not exist.

Earth's NATURE can class="hi2">anan>not exist IN HEAVEN. Heaven can class="hi2">anan>not contain a world that opposes it's nature.

"The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came."

This is all very very clear an class="hi2">anan>d consistent in the course.

Now, some people recognize that, in a sense, God being a "container of everything" seemingly must contain the Earth. an class="hi2">Anan>d some will reason that this mean class="hi2">anan>s God made the Earth. This is in complete contradiction to what ACIM says, an class="hi2">anan>d is completely against God's nature. It is not GOD'S WILL to produce a world LIKE THIS ONE. He would not, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not, express Himself an class="hi2">anan>d his divinity, as bodies, objects, plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies. He simply does not. Ever. Think about it. Divine holy infinite unlimited LIFE, can class="hi2">anan> only create that which lives forever, not things which FAIL TO GIVE LIFE, which is true of ALL PHYSICAL OBJECTS. God did not create the world. This is the world YOU MADE. It has not been CREATED an class="hi2">anan>d it does not EXTEND life at all.

It is possible for your mind to tran class="hi2">anan>scend this dream world an class="hi2">anan>d recognize that it IS a dream. Nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is possible for you to experience increased love an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d joy, or at least a sense of it, while you are "in a body." But it is NOT possible to 100% fully completely EXTEND GOD while in a body. God can class="hi2">anan>not be in or through a body. Bodies are THOUGHTS, maintained by MINDS, who DO NOT Wan class="hi2">ANan>T GOD. The body MUST END an class="hi2">anan>d disappear in order to be in total awareness an class="hi2">anan>d knowing of God.

"The body is a limit."

"The body is the idea of sin made flesh."

"To see a sinless body is impossible."

"The body is clearly a separation device an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist."

The body can class="hi2">anan> be given a holy purpose, but a holy purpose does not MAKE the body "holy". What is NOTHING can class="hi2">anan>not be endowed with the properties of Christ. You can class="hi2">anan> use it as a LIMITED TOOL, temporarily, but its limits are EXTREME. It prevents you from knowing God, from being the size of the universe, an class="hi2">anan>d from wielding unlimited power. You Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT experience Heaven while you are in a body! God has to take the last step to scoop you up an class="hi2">anan>d take you HOME, where you BELONG, which is NOT HERE.

Heaven is HERE NOW.

Earth is NOT HERE NOW an class="hi2">anan>d is the idea of NOT EXISTING. It is the idea of NOT BEING ALIVE. It is the IDEA OF DEATH. an class="hi2">Anan>d without the idea of death, THERE IS NO WORLD.

"A world that attacks itself an class="hi2">anan>d denies its own existence is not of God."

Heaven is here, but "here" does not include Earth. Earth is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is NOT HERE. It is a thought of darkness. Light SHINES IT AWAY. It doesn't continue as an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven because Heaven HAS no opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d Earth NEVER REALLY HAPPENED in the first place. It is just a dream of pretending Earth exists.

"There is no world."

"The world was over long ago."

"It takes great learning to realize this world has nothing to give."

"This world holds nothing that I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"Together we will watch the world disappear."

"Heaven remains your ONE ALTERNATIVE to the stran class="hi2">anan>ge world YOU MADE."

Whatever you believe is the cause of you, you believe is your creator. God is the cause of you, being your creator. When you displace causality an class="hi2">anan>d project it outside of yourself, onto the dream world that you are causing, you believe that the world is the cause of you. This now mean class="hi2">anan>s that you think the world is your creator.

Idol worship now becomes worship of your false externalized creator. The dream now seems to create you (physical birth), determine what you are, defines you, chan class="hi2">anan>ges you, affects you, an class="hi2">anan>d chooses for you when you will live or die.

Believing you are being caused by an class="hi2">anan>y aspect of the world in an class="hi2">anan>y way, is a belief that your creator is separate from an class="hi2">anan>d outside of you. The dream world was made in an class="hi2">anan> effort imagine that you are outside of or separate from God, producing a world which seems to be outside an class="hi2">anan>d separate from you. The dream world is now believed to be your Father.

Believing in external causes is a complete reversal of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. The dream is believed to be dreaming you. Every time you believe it has power over you, is attacking you, upsetting you, making stuff happen against your will, you are believing that the dream you are dreaming is dreaming you.

an class="hi2">Anan>ything it seems to do to you, you see as your inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that happens to you, you interpret as receiving. The world, as an class="hi2">anan> externalized God, is seen to be willing against your will, choosing against your will an class="hi2">anan>d forcing you. It's seen as an class="hi2">anan> enemy, because this externalized God is like your opponent.

When the dream is the cause of you, the dream is seen as against you. an class="hi2">Anan>d this makes you an class="hi2">anan> effect of the dream. Effects show up as physical symptoms of sickness, emotional symptoms of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d fear, an class="hi2">anan>d dictates your state of awareness.

If the dream is dreaming you, an class="hi2">anan>d you are not dreaming the dream, you are not aware that the dream is coming from you. This mean class="hi2">anan>s to believe the dream is dreaming you, you have to be unconscious. That the dream can class="hi2">anan> make you unconscious is nothing less than class="hi2">anan> the belief that the dream can class="hi2">anan> cause your death.

In orded to believe the dream is the cause of you, an class="hi2">anan>d you are its effect, cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect must be reversed. This reversal is literally false perception. False perception is backwards perception, in which that which is outside is taken in as if happening to you. Signals an class="hi2">anan>d messages come into you, at you, from the outside in. The body's eyes an class="hi2">anan>d senses pick up on what the dream world is telling you is there, an class="hi2">anan>d the body itself is part of the dream.

In true perception, mind sees an class="hi2">anan>d extends outward from the inside out, looking first within to love an class="hi2">anan>d peace, an class="hi2">anan>d then shining it outward in ignoran class="hi2">anan>ce of what is in the dream. The dream is ignored, recognized as nothing but an class="hi2">anan> effect of you an class="hi2">anan>d not a cause. No power or causality or will is seen in it. Its "alien will" no longer exists.

Nothing stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the face of Christ, beyond the dream, an class="hi2">anan>d the dream is no longer an class="hi2">anan> obstacle to peace. It is seen through as a thin veil of illusions which you have power over. You are now aware of dreaming, aware of being causal, an class="hi2">anan>d are aware that nothing in the world causes you. This is a correction of level confusion because the world you made did not make you. Recognizing you made the world gives you power - ie causality, over it.

When God is no longer thought to be the dream, no longer seen to be separate or externalized, He is now found within you, an class="hi2">anan>d being within you you will see him outside of you. Initially God is in everything you see, an class="hi2">anan>d then everything you see gives way to only God. God is all that you see an class="hi2">anan>d then perception ends, ending the dream an class="hi2">anan>d awakening you to ultimate reality.

"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 which has the power to make you ill or sad, or weak or frail. But it is you who have the power to dominate all things you see by merely recognizing what you are."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d to realize that pain is purposeless, without a cause, an class="hi2">anan>d with no power to accomplish an class="hi2">anan>ything."

"Without a cause, an class="hi2">anan>d now without a function in Christ's sight, it merely slips away to nothingness."

"Fear can class="hi2">anan>not be real without a cause, an class="hi2">anan>d GOD is the only Cause."

"There is no remedy the world provides that can class="hi2">anan> effect a chan class="hi2">anan>ge in an class="hi2">anan>ything. "

"It is incapable of chan class="hi2">anan>ge because it is merely an class="hi2">anan> effect."

"For, if you think the world you made has power to make you what it wills, you ARE confusing Son an class="hi2">anan>d Father; effect an class="hi2">anan>d Source. "

"an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an class="hi2">anan> effect it can class="hi2">anan>not make effects. As an class="hi2">anan> illusion it is what you will. "

"Place cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect in their true sequence in one respect, an class="hi2">anan>d the learning will generalize an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sform the world. "

"YOU must attest his sins had no effect on YOU, to demonstrate they were not real. How else COULD he be guiltless?"

"The separation is merely a faulty formulation of reality, WITH NO EFFECT AT ALL."

"It is emphasized here that these differences have no effect at all on the miracle, which can class="hi2">anan> heal an class="hi2">anan>y of them with equal ease."

"It is your wish that MAKES it what it is in its effect on you. "

"It denies the ability of an class="hi2">anan>ything which is not of God to effect you in an class="hi2">anan>y way. This is the PROPER use of denial."

"The dream says otherwise, but who would put his faith in dreams once they are recognized for what they are?"

"They will not fade when dreaming ends. They end the dream instead; an class="hi2">anan>d last forever for they come from God to His dear Son, whose other name is you."

"He must be Savior FROM the dream he made, that he be free of it."

"His light is ALWAYS the call to awake, WHATEVER you may have been dreaming."

"You will first DREAM of peace, an class="hi2">anan>d THEN awaken to it."

In ACIM we're told we have an class="hi2">anan> authority problem. If you read ACIM it speaks about us having an class="hi2">anan> issue with "who authored who".

We're told that God is the author of us, because he is our creator an class="hi2">anan>d cause. We're told we are forever an class="hi2">anan> effect of God. This mean class="hi2">anan>s God is the author of us an class="hi2">anan>d he has authority over us. an class="hi2">Anan>d because he IS an class="hi2">ANan> AUTHOR (creator), we HAVE BEEN authored (created).

"I, who am host to God, AM worthy of Him. He Who ESTABLISHED His dwelling- place in me created it ***as He would have it be***."

"When God GAVE Himself to you in your creation, ***He ESTABLISHED you*** as host to Him forever. He has NOT left you, an class="hi2">anan>d YOU have not left HIM."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that in terms of heaven's reality, we are really SECONDARY creations, an class="hi2">anan>d thus co-creators. We did not come first. We did not create ourselves. We did not have an class="hi2">anan>y say in who or what we are. It is entirely up to God to create an class="hi2">anan>d sustain us. You have a REAL PARENT!

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

You are not the primary creator. You are not "God" in this sense. You are A CREATION of God, an class="hi2">anan>d a co-creator with him. You have a father, therefore. You are a CHILD of God. This puts you in a position of being second-in-comman class="hi2">anan>d, not comman class="hi2">anan>der-in-chief. You are his "number two".

In the separation, we as second-generation creations, rebelled against our creator. We rebelled against the idea of having been created by God. We wan class="hi2">anan>ted to believe we could overpower God an class="hi2">anan>d be his equal, to rebel against him, to overthrow his kingdom, an class="hi2">anan>d to have authority at least as equal to if not greater than class="hi2">anan> his. We wan class="hi2">anan>ted to be the CAUSE OF HIM, an class="hi2">anan>d not his effect, thus separating cause from effect (father from son) an class="hi2">anan>d inventing the idea of sinning against God.

This mean class="hi2">anan>t throwing his authorship out the window an class="hi2">anan>d believing that he was NOT the author of you. This mean class="hi2">anan>t that you believed you were the author of yourself, in a position to define an class="hi2">anan>d create an class="hi2">anan>d redefine yourself according to your wishes. an class="hi2">Anan>d it was this wishful thinking which made the ego, a SECOND SELF designed to deny you are a SON of God an class="hi2">anan>d to portray yourself as ruler of a world where God doesn't exist - as though you had destroyed him an class="hi2">anan>d his son through death.

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God" ... "A place where God could enter not."

"The issue of authority is really a question of authorship. When an class="hi2">anan> individual has an class="hi2">anan> "authority problem," it is ALWAYS because he believes he is the author of himself."

This led to the curious belief that you actually are convinced that God is not your father, that you are not a child of God, an class="hi2">anan>d that you have therefore not really been created at all.

"The dispute over authorship has left such uncertainty in the minds of man class="hi2">anan> that some people have gone so far as to doubt whether they were ever created at all."

"being uncertain of their true Authorship, men believe that their creation was an class="hi2">anan>onymous. This has left them in a position where it SOUNDS mean class="hi2">anan>ingful to consider the possibility that they must have created themselves."

You then replaced God with a false God - a God of judgement an class="hi2">anan>d vengean class="hi2">anan>ce. an class="hi2">Anan> ego God an class="hi2">anan>d a God of sickness. A god unlike God. A god of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d evil.

"The "attack on God" made His Son think he was fatherless, an class="hi2">anan>d out of his depression he made the god of depression."

So now we have a problem with God's authority. We think we are orphan class="hi2">anan>s (separated fatherless selves). Our egos do not wan class="hi2">anan>t God to have authority over us. We don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to be second-in-comman class="hi2">anan>d. Wd don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit that we ARE A SELF that is SECONDARY to God, he having created something other than class="hi2">anan> himself, an class="hi2">anan>d that therefore we are NOT HIS EQUAL.

"This is because God an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan> are NOT equal."

"If you created GOD an class="hi2">anan>d He created you, the KINGDOM could not increase through its OWN creative thought. Creation would therefore be limited, an class="hi2">anan>d you would NOT be co-creators WITH God. As God's creative Thought proceeds FROM Him TO you, so must YOUR creative thoughts proceed FROM you to YOUR creations."

"God's accomplishments are NOT yours. But yours are LIKE His. HE created the Sonship, an class="hi2">anan>d YOU increase it. You HAVE the power to ADD to the Kingdom, but NOT to add to the Creator OF the Kingdom."

We need to kind of bow-down an class="hi2">anan>d accept that God is greater than class="hi2">anan> us. That we do exist as "lesser beings" in a sense. We are his effects. We are his creations, his children. There is something above an class="hi2">anan>d beyond us which is bigger than class="hi2">anan> us, of which we should have awe. This requires HUMILITY to accept that your REAL SELF is NOT GOD in this regard, an class="hi2">anan>d thus heaven contains you an class="hi2">ANan>D God.

"This appears to contradict an class="hi2">anan>other statement: "I an class="hi2">anan>d my Father are one." It doesn't. There are still separate parts in the statement, in recognition of the fact that the Father is GREATER. Actually, the original statement was "are of one KIND."

"But it WAS emphasized that awe IS a proper reaction of the Soul in the presence of its Creator."

"You who are in the image of the Father need bow only to HIM, before whom I kneel with you."

We don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit to having been created "against our will." We don't like the idea that God was the only one who could decide what we are. We wan class="hi2">anan>t to redefine ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d imagine that we're something we're not. an class="hi2">Anan>d we reject God's will as if it mean class="hi2">anan>s we're going to be forced to do something we don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to do.

In order to undo the authority problem, it does in fact entail having to accept that God is your creator. God has to be seen as the source of you, the cause of you, the creator of you, an class="hi2">anan>d the reason WHY you are the way that you are in reality. If you are to be "still as God created you", then you have to accept that you are immortal BECAUSE OF him. You are his son, not his equal!

God maintains you in his mind forever an class="hi2">anan>d gives you eternal life. He shares his innocence an class="hi2">anan>d his power with you. He han class="hi2">anan>ded down everything he had to you in your creation, an class="hi2">anan>d you therefore share everything with him. But to get over your power-trip you will have to acknowledge that you COME FROM GOD. That you did not create yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d have no say in what you are.

This is where acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce of atonement comes in, because now we're talking about your willingness to put aside all attempts to define yourself, to decide what is true of you, or making it your business to be the one who says what is real. This requires a surrendering of ego an class="hi2">anan>d a surrendering of the position of "I wan class="hi2">anan>t to be first" an class="hi2">anan>d "I wan class="hi2">anan>t to rule God" an class="hi2">anan>d "I will do everything without God" an class="hi2">anan>d "I wan class="hi2">anan>t it thus."

To accept atonement an class="hi2">anan>d thus undo the problem with authority, you have to be willing to acknowledge that God has authority above you. He has the authority to create an class="hi2">anan>d cause you. Everything you are an class="hi2">anan>d everything you have not only comes from him but is chosen BY him. You have to accept that you have no say in your nature, what you can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not do, who you are, or what you are. You have to be willing to simply accept what you have been GIVEN with gratitude.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan> end to inventing artificial identities, an class="hi2">anan> end to identifying with bodies, an class="hi2">anan> end to believing stuff about yourself that is out of line with God's will, an class="hi2">anan> end to trying to portray yourself as mortal, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> end to acting like you're not Christ.

This isn't about you just being true to yourself or knowing yourself, it's also about you acknowledging that everything you are an class="hi2">anan>d have COMES FROM GOD, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore he is your creator an class="hi2">anan>d father an class="hi2">anan>d you acknowledge him as having power over you. Not a power that coerces or man class="hi2">anan>ipulates or dictates, but nevertheless you have NOTHING other than class="hi2">anan> what HE decides you have. an class="hi2">Anan>d you have to be okay with that.

Than class="hi2">anan>kfully God has given everything good, an class="hi2">anan>d everything worth having, an class="hi2">anan>d everything mean class="hi2">anan>ingful. He has given you his own power an class="hi2">anan>d strength, his own light an class="hi2">anan>d love, an class="hi2">anan>d his own happiness an class="hi2">anan>d joy. He has given you the ability to create life an class="hi2">anan>d also in this world to heal an class="hi2">anan>d resurrect. an class="hi2">Anan>d he ultimately is all that you wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be like.

You are literally the will of God. God has willed what you are. You therefore are what he wills. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are thus an class="hi2">anan> extension of his will. Your free will therefore wills like his an class="hi2">anan>d wills for the same things that he wills, ie the creation an class="hi2">anan>d sharing of eternal life. To align your will with God's is to accept your place in heaven, orient yourself to filling the shoes he made for you, an class="hi2">anan>d lining up with the "way of living" that he designed for you in perfection.

God has GIVEN you what you are, where you live, what is true, what is real, an class="hi2">anan>d how you can class="hi2">anan> function. He has defined you, decided for you, created you, chosen you, wan class="hi2">anan>ted you, an class="hi2">anan>d maintains you forever. You are what you are BECAUSE OF him which is why your soul is grateful to him eternally. You have to RECEIVE him to host him. an class="hi2">Anan>d you have to acknowledge that you have a REAL PARENT, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to get over all your authority issues an class="hi2">anan>d be willing to BE A CHILD.

Then, by acknowledging that God is your father, an class="hi2">anan>d you are his holy child, you are now in a position to recognize that you are also a co-creator WITH him, an class="hi2">anan>d that he creates through you. By your extension you now create your own children an class="hi2">anan>d are father to them, just as God is father to you. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus accepting HIS fatherhood you accept YOUR fatherhood an class="hi2">anan>d become reacquainted with your own children in heaven.

"A son of a father must have a son."

"As miracles in this world join you to your brothers, so do your creations establish your fatherhood in Heaven."

"There is nothing about me that you can class="hi2">anan>not attain. I have nothing that does not come from God. The main difference between us as yet is that I have NOTHING ELSE. This leaves me in a state of true holiness, which is only a POTENTIAL in you."

"So would I look on everyone today. My brothers are Your Sons. Your Fatherhood created them, an class="hi2">anan>d gave them all to me as part of You an class="hi2">anan>d my own Self as well. Today I honor You through them, an class="hi2">anan>d thus I hope this day to recognize my Self."

"Without your Father you will not know your fatherhood. The Kingdom of God includes all His Sons an class="hi2">anan>d their children, who are like the Sons as they are like the Father. Know then the Sons of God, an class="hi2">anan>d you will know ALL Creation."

In the Kingdom of God, His creations an class="hi2">anan>d all of their creations are fully open to each other an class="hi2">anan>d share everything lovingly. Each of these beings is made of love an class="hi2">anan>d it is through love the they have full access to each other, to join an class="hi2">anan>d commune intimately.

In this way, communication is sharing an class="hi2">anan>d joining an class="hi2">anan>d oneness or kinship, whereby you can class="hi2">anan> merge with others, overlap with them, share space with them, an class="hi2">anan>d directly connect with what they are. To communicate soul-to-soul or mind-to-mind is full communication.

Love is required in order to accomplish this communication or communion, because only in love is there a full openness to communicate fully. Only by communicating lovingly can class="hi2">anan> you communicate at all.

When love is lacking, which occurs through an class="hi2">anan> attempt to attack rather than class="hi2">anan> love, communication breaks down. What would appear to be an class="hi2">anan> outward attack is actually a withdrawal away from others an class="hi2">anan>d away from God an class="hi2">anan>d from yourself. This is what happens when you become "selfish".

Jesus says this of your soul, in contrast to your ego:

"Selfishness is of the ego but self-fullness is of the Soul because that is how He created it."

God therefore created souls/sons to be FULL of Self, mean class="hi2">anan>ing expressing fully as a being in an class="hi2">anan> unlimited way, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore able to be open to an class="hi2">anan>d gain access to the rest of Creation, to connect with it an class="hi2">anan>d intimately share with it.

Therefore when you are not being fully loving, you actually are attempting to withdraw yourself from creation, to isolate yourself from Heaven, to contract yourself down in fear to a single point in space, to put a wall between you an class="hi2">anan>d everyone else (the body), an class="hi2">anan>d to confine yourself to the body. This is how you become body-identified instead of spirit-identified.

Attack an class="hi2">anan>d withdrawal are the same thing. As soon as you have an class="hi2">anan> attack thought you are having a "withdrawal thought". It's a thought of no longer sharing everything openly with everyone. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to shut yourself off an class="hi2">anan>d be excluded. The ego is all about being exclusive an class="hi2">anan>d therefore special. It focuses on SELFISHNESS, which mean class="hi2">anan>s prioritizing your own self OVER or in a different way to other selves.

Ego is an class="hi2">anan> emphasizing of how you seem to be not equal to others an class="hi2">anan>d how you therefore have something that they do not have. an class="hi2">Anan>d by emphasizing that you have something they do not, you also simultan class="hi2">anan>eously emphasize that they have something that YOU do not, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you are automatically lacking. Moving into exclusivity you move into isolation, lack, limitation, partiality, an class="hi2">anan>d not having everything. The promise that an class="hi2">anan> exclusive PART of existence is more desirable than class="hi2">anan> ALL of it, is the ego's game, through which it robs you of all joy.

So basically this is an class="hi2">anan> automatic law that the only way you can class="hi2">anan> actually communicate with an class="hi2">anan>yone or an class="hi2">anan>ything else, is to be fully open in a loving way. Since other beings ARE love, you can class="hi2">anan> only communicate with them through the Lan class="hi2">ANan>GUAGE of love, at their level. If love is absent, communication breaks down, you arrest the extension of your mind through the arresting of love, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore hold yourself back. This holding back isolates you to a point in space an class="hi2">anan>d binds you to the body. This is withdrawal away from wholeness, an class="hi2">anan>d is you not allowing yourself to express.

Therefore when you isolate into the egotism of selfishness or specialness, you are taking yourself away from life an class="hi2">anan>d from others. You are trying to steal yourself from God. This withdrawal guaran class="hi2">anan>tees that no matter how attacking you think you are, your attack IS withdrawal an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you have NOT advan class="hi2">anan>ced TOWARDS God in your attacking efforts, it is caused you to go AWAY from God an class="hi2">anan>d away from your brothers.

Either you communicate with other beings through openness an class="hi2">anan>d love, or you will withdraw away into a breakdown in communication, a failure to express, a giving up of life, a cessation of extension, an class="hi2">anan>d basically you become paralyzed. That IS mental illness because in order to withdraw from others, given that your SELF is IN them sharing with them, you must split yourself off from the part of you that is in them an class="hi2">anan>d now you have a split mind.

A split mind is an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e mind at war with itself, an class="hi2">anan>d now it is attacking itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this SELF-ATTACK, it will harm only itself. It is not POSSIBLE to attack an class="hi2">anan>other because an class="hi2">anan>other person is LOVE. Love can class="hi2">anan> only be accessed THROUGH love. Lack of love stops communication an class="hi2">anan>d denies access. Indeed, denial of your brother's love DENIES YOU your own abilities, an class="hi2">anan>d thus shuts down an class="hi2">anan>y ability for you to join or connect TO them, preventing your unloving attacks to REACH them in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

This is why you can class="hi2">anan>not sin. It is literally 100% impossible to hurt an class="hi2">anan>yone. It is literally impossible to hurt God. an class="hi2">Anan>y attempts to do so result in a self-imposed imprisonment an class="hi2">anan>d isolation away from the thing you are trying to attack. THEY do not suffer as a result, YOU do. You have hurt your own self, an class="hi2">anan>d it is then ONLY YOU who needs to forgive yourself.

Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. God an class="hi2">anan>d His Sons can class="hi2">anan>not be threatened. They are perfectly safe because they are wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d love, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything that is not wholeness or love Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT COMMUNICATE with them, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan>not ACCESS them, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan>not tran class="hi2">anan>sfer an class="hi2">anan>ything TO them, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT ATTACK THEM.

The idea of there being an class="hi2">anan> ABILITY TO ATTACK LOVE, is the notion that communication chan class="hi2">anan>nels can class="hi2">anan> remain OPEN, while tran class="hi2">anan>sferring a message of BEING CLOSED through the chan class="hi2">anan>nel. This is an class="hi2">anan> obvious contradiction an class="hi2">anan>d impossibility. You can class="hi2">anan>not communicate "lack of communication". You can class="hi2">anan>not tran class="hi2">anan>sfer attack to an class="hi2">anan>other, because attack causes the communication chan class="hi2">anan>nel ITSELF to become closed off. Either you express love to your brother which He Can class="hi2">ANan> receive, OR you isolate yourself an class="hi2">anan>d are fighting your way out of paper bag. YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT ATTACK.

The kingdom of God is PERFECTLY PROTECTED an class="hi2">anan>d does not even NEED a defense. If you try to defend yourself you are attacking yourself, proving you are vulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d in need of the defense, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore affirming that you are under attack. Defenses do what they would defend against. God's Kingdom - you in reality - do not need to be defended at all. Love is automatically invulnerable! No illusion can class="hi2">anan> do an class="hi2">anan>ything to reality.

No part of the ego can class="hi2">anan> wage war against God in an class="hi2">anan>y real way. You need ONLY to be real, to be love, an class="hi2">anan>d you are immediately off-limits to the ego. The ego can class="hi2">anan> only attack itself. This is evident in all wars where one side seems different to an class="hi2">anan>other an class="hi2">anan>d they attack each other. This is the ego on BOTH sides, attacking itself, as evidence of a split mind. The ego is NOT attacking God. The ego is attacking the ego.

The ego can class="hi2">anan>not leave its own domain. It can class="hi2">anan>not leave the state of mind that is lives in. It HAS to remain in darkness otherwise it will disappear. If it were to try to step into the light to reach where the light IS, in order to attack the light, it would disappear instan class="hi2">anan>tly because light dispels darkness. Light shines darkness away. Light thus is perfectly protected FROM darkness because it has power OVER darkness an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be "made dark" by it.

The belief that darkness can class="hi2">anan> hide is an class="hi2">anan> ego belief that darkness can class="hi2">anan> cause light to be blocked, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> conceal the light. This is the ego's belief. This is how we try to hide from the light of God by pretending we Can class="hi2">ANan> be in darkness an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that darkness has power over light to stop it from reaching us. In the ego, darkness can class="hi2">anan> attack light an class="hi2">anan>d only through darkness can class="hi2">anan> there be communication. In truth this is completely backwards. Only in light is there communication of an class="hi2">anan>y kind an class="hi2">anan>d darkness will NEVER be able to approach light or do an class="hi2">anan>ything to it at all.

Therefore you do not need defenses because, as love, you simply can class="hi2">anan>not be appraoched by darknesss or attack. This may seem counter-intuitive at first but each time you defend yourself or resist an class="hi2">anan>other or try to make something go away or use withdrawal to attack, you WILL notice that you become worse off an class="hi2">anan>d it doesn't help - in fact it makes you sicker.

Only by ALLOWING in the face of what appears to be attack, can class="hi2">anan> you have the strength that comes from UN-ARRESTED EXTENSION, because only through extending love does it confirm you HAVE love an class="hi2">anan>d are therefore invulnerable. It is in your innocence that you are invulerable an class="hi2">anan>d strong, not weak. The ego says innocence is vulnerability an class="hi2">anan>d proves it with every bodily child. But this is 100% fiction. Innocence is powerful an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt. It needs no defenses to keep it safe. What does it need to be kept safe from? an class="hi2">Anan> illusion of darkness?

You can class="hi2">anan>not be threatened. Only if you identify yourself with the ego, mean class="hi2">anan>ing you HAVE attacked yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d have withdrawn from your brother, does it indicate that you are trying to USE separation as a defense. Separation will always hurt you, it can class="hi2">anan>not defend you. It is the lack of defenses that makes you invulnerable. Stan class="hi2">anan>ding in the strength of light an class="hi2">anan>d truth in the face of "dan class="hi2">anan>ger" dispells the dan class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d makes you impervious.

Defenses lead to death. Death is nothing other than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> attempt to withdraw from life an class="hi2">anan>d imprison yourself in darkness. It is the ultimate sacrifice of yourself. It arises from a complete breakdown in communication, using the body for attack instead of for communication an class="hi2">anan>d joining. Without withdrawing from life there can class="hi2">anan> be no death. Death becomes IMPOSSIBLE when you are fully open to love an class="hi2">anan>d have identified with SPIRIT - with the fullness of sharing, the openness to all brothers, the lack of attack an class="hi2">anan>d the presence of love.

In love, there is no death. In love, death does not exist. In love, death is impossible. It must be, otherwise God would die. Life does not die. Life has eternal life. Only through the illusion of being able to sin, or the attempt to sin, which is really a failure to sin, can class="hi2">anan> you produce a state of what seems like death. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet as Jesus says, swear not to die, because you have made a bargain you can class="hi2">anan>not keep. The bargain is that you WILL be able to die because of having been able to sin. This is actually literally impossible. Even in dying it is only denial an class="hi2">anan>d illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d your spirit is utterly unaffected.

You can class="hi2">anan>not die, an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> you can class="hi2">anan> sin. Sin an class="hi2">anan>d death are IMPOSSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. Even those who seem to sin an class="hi2">anan>d die ARE NOT DOING SO. No-one can class="hi2">anan> die because it is not God's will. You can class="hi2">anan> only have eternal life. Attack an class="hi2">anan>d death are only attempts to DENY that you have eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d denial can class="hi2">anan> only HIDE the truth, not chan class="hi2">anan>ge it.

You can class="hi2">anan>not be attacked an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> you have attacked God. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. You are safe forever in God's love. "Spirit is in a state of grace forever."

Time an class="hi2">anan>d eternity are opposites. The eternal is always existing, always is here an class="hi2">anan>d now, an class="hi2">anan>d is forever. There is no beginning or end. There is never a possibility of chan class="hi2">anan>ge, or of what has always existed ceasing to exist. There is no death, an class="hi2">anan>d only eternal life is real.

Time is an class="hi2">anan> attack on eternity. It is the idea that what has always existed no longer exists, what is here now is not eternal, an class="hi2">anan>d what is here now will end. It is the idea of chan class="hi2">anan>ge, an class="hi2">anan>d of the idea of loss an class="hi2">anan>d therefore death. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to insert a delay in eternity an class="hi2">anan>d to crease a distan class="hi2">anan>ce from the here an class="hi2">anan>d now. It is avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of presence an class="hi2">anan>d avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of God.

Spacetime is a completely artificial construct an class="hi2">anan>d is completely false an class="hi2">anan>d unreal. It is nothing like eternity an class="hi2">anan>d has no perman class="hi2">anan>ent reality. It had a seeming beginning an class="hi2">anan>d it absolutely will have a seeming end. Endless time is an class="hi2">anan> impossibility. Infinite time is an class="hi2">anan> impossibility. Time is not real, an class="hi2">anan>d neither is space. Delay or distan class="hi2">anan>ce from the ever-present unceasing an class="hi2">anan>d forever perman class="hi2">anan>ence of God is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> denial.

Space is an class="hi2">anan> attack on the ever-present existence of God. It suggests that God who is everywhere always, is nowhere ever. That nothing is ever whole, or wholly existing. That what is here is not there, an class="hi2">anan>d what is there is not here. That everything is limited an class="hi2">anan>d nothing is unlimited. That everything is separate an class="hi2">anan>d nothing shares an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Given that God is everywhere always, space attacks God by suggesting that there is nowhere that everything exists. an class="hi2">Anan>d nothing exists everywhere. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing the everything exists nowhere, an class="hi2">anan>d God therefore does not exist. This is why in spacetime it appears that God has no existence whatsoever. It is false an class="hi2">anan>d untrue an class="hi2">anan>d completely opposite to reality. Both space an class="hi2">anan>d time are nothing but a false belief, believed by insan class="hi2">anan>e minds, dreaming of exile from the eternity of truth.

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time. The concept is really one of space-time BELIEF. The physical world exists only because man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> use it to correct his UNBELIEF, which placed him in it originally. As long as man class="hi2">anan> KNEW he did not need an class="hi2">anan>ything, the whole device was unnecessary." UrT1B41AR

"Together, we can class="hi2">anan> laugh them BOTH away, an class="hi2">anan>d understan class="hi2">anan>d that time can class="hi2">anan> NOT intrude upon eternity. It IS a joke to think that time can class="hi2">anan> come to circumvent eternity, which MEan class="hi2">ANan>S there is no time. A timelessness in which is time made real; a Part of God Which can class="hi2">anan> attack Itself; a separate brother as an class="hi2">anan> enemy; a mind WITHIN a body; all are forms of circularity, whose ending starts at its beginning, ending at its cause." UrT27I6

"Today the light has come. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will see the world that has been promised you since time began class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d in which is the end of time ensured." UrW75L7

"So do the parts of God's Son gradually join in time, an class="hi2">anan>d with each joining is the end of time brought nearer." UrT2F1 "an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time." UrU5A5

"the Holy Spirit KNOWS it is not true. He stan class="hi2">anan>ds at the end of time, where YOU must be, because He is WITH you." UrT11J8 "an class="hi2">Anan>d here They join, for here the face of Christ has shone away time's final instan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d now is the last perception of the world without a purpose an class="hi2">anan>d without a cause. For where God's memory has come at last there is no journey, no belief in sin, no walls, no bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d the grim appeal of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death is there snuffed out forever." UrU5A7

Here's Jesus talking about how the physical world - the veil - seems to you to be SOLID, but is not. It's a thin veil of illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d it seems to become more solid to you if there is guilt in your mind. As guilt is lifted, so is the world's "solidity", it becomes tran class="hi2">anan>sparent to you because you can class="hi2">anan> see THROUGH its illusions, beyond the form of error, to the truth. "You can class="hi2">anan> literally see sense."

"The body will remain guilt's messenger, an class="hi2">anan>d will act as it directs, as long as YOU believe that guilt is real. For the REALITY of guilt is the illusion which seems to make it heavy an class="hi2">anan>d opaque, impenetrable, an class="hi2">anan>d a REAL foundation for the ego's thought system. Its thinness an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sparency are not apparent, until you see the light BEHIND it. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you see it as a fragile veil, before the light."

"You who believe you walk in san class="hi2">anan>ity with feet on solid ground, an class="hi2">anan>d through a world where mean class="hi2">anan>ing can class="hi2">anan> be found, consider this: These are the laws on which your "san class="hi2">anan>ity" appears to rest. These are the principles which make the ground beneath your feet seem solid. "

"If you but recognized how little stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d your awareness of your union with your brother! 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. Yet within you is a Force that no illusions can class="hi2">anan> resist."

"Sin is a block, set like a heavy gate, locked an class="hi2">anan>d without a key, across the road to peace. No-one who looks on it without the help of reason, would try to pass it. The body's eyes behold it as solid gran class="hi2">anan>ite, so thick it would be madness to attempt to pass it. Yet reason sees through it easily, BECAUSE it is an class="hi2">anan> error. The form it takes can class="hi2">anan>not conceal its emptiness from reason's eyes."

"Yet how can class="hi2">anan> sight which stops at nothingness, as if it were a solid wall, see truly? It is HELD BACK by form, having been made to guaran class="hi2">anan>tee that nothing else but form will be perceived. These eyes, made NOT to see, will NEVER see. "

"an class="hi2">Anan>d so you stan class="hi2">anan>d, here in this holy place, before the veil of sin that han class="hi2">anan>gs between you an class="hi2">anan>d the face of Christ. LET it be lifted! Raise it together, for it is but a veil that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you. Either alone will see it as a solid block, nor realize how thin the drapery that separates you now."

"For an class="hi2">anan>ti-Christ becomes more powerful than class="hi2">anan> Christ to those who dream the world is real. The body seems to be more solid an class="hi2">anan>d more stable than class="hi2">anan> the mind"

"This heavy-seeming barrier, this artificial floor that looks like rock, is like a ban class="hi2">anan>k of low, dark clouds that seem to be a solid wall before the sun. Its impenetrable appearan class="hi2">anan>ce is WHOLLY an class="hi2">anan> illusion."

"The veil across the Face of Christ, the fear of God an class="hi2">anan>d of salvation, an class="hi2">anan>d the love of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d death, - they all are different names for just one error; that there is a space between you an class="hi2">anan>d your brother, kept apart by an class="hi2">anan> illusion of yourself which holds him off from you, an class="hi2">anan>d you away from him. "

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came."

Focusing on this simple formula some more...

"If he senses even the faintest hint of irritation in himself as he responds to an class="hi2">anan>yone, let him instan class="hi2">anan>tly realize that he has made an class="hi2">anan> interpretation which is not true. Then let him turn within to his Eternal Guide, an class="hi2">anan>d let Him Judge what the response should be."

1) Jesus seems to be saying that we should watch ourselves for an class="hi2">anan>y signs of upset, irritation, an class="hi2">anan>noyan class="hi2">anan>ce, an class="hi2">anan>ger, grief, unhappiness, etc an class="hi2">anan>y of the ego emotions or reactions, an class="hi2">anan>y kind of un-peace or lack of happiness an class="hi2">anan>d love.

2) This mean class="hi2">anan>s having a very high stan class="hi2">anan>dard for what we should normally strive for - totally peaceful, happy, joyful, loving, strong, certain, all the time. Free from suffering, free from sickness, free from death. That if we are not totally immortal an class="hi2">anan>d powerful an class="hi2">anan>d whole right now, we notice something must have gone wrong.

3) Jesus is then suggesting that this entirely boils down to an class="hi2">anan> INTERPRETATION. What he's really talking about here is perception an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Perception is an class="hi2">anan> INTERPRETATION of what's there. A tran class="hi2">anan>slation. We give everything all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has by INTERPRETING it. We interpret it one way ie with ego, we move into hell an class="hi2">anan>d false perceptions an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity/sin. We interpret it an class="hi2">anan>other way with Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d we move into the real world an class="hi2">anan>d true perception ie forgiveness.

4) He then goes on to say that instead of trying to sort of fix this yourself, once you recognize that you "must have made a wrong decision because you're not at peace", you now turn to the Holy Spirit an class="hi2">anan>d "he will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I let him. I choose to let him....". So now we're asking okay Holy Spirit, please SHOW ME how YOU see this an class="hi2">anan>d help me to see this through your eyes/eyes of Christ.

5) So now you open to receive his healing an class="hi2">anan>d to join with him, to merge with his mind, to be open to his awareness an class="hi2">anan>d his light, allowing him to correct an class="hi2">anan>d heal you. This mean class="hi2">anan>s being willing to receive correction ie to be given healing, to be shown a different approach or interpretation of the world an class="hi2">anan>d the body an class="hi2">anan>d everything. To adopt HIS approach to it, as your own, as part of you resuming the will of God.

Essentially this mean class="hi2">anan>s that while we have perception an class="hi2">anan>d a body, we are spending ALL our time INTERPRETING, an class="hi2">anan>d thus tran class="hi2">anan>slating, an class="hi2">anan>d thus GIVING everything whatever mean class="hi2">anan>ing we wan class="hi2">anan>t it to have. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s we need to chan class="hi2">anan>ge HOW we have interpreted something, if we're finding that the intepretation is producing some kind of dis-ease or suffering in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

We MUST have interpreted it negatively with the ego if it led to a negative reaction, so now we become willing to reinterpret it a different way with the Holy Spirit, so that we can class="hi2">anan> see it from a more forgiving an class="hi2">anan>d HAPPY van class="hi2">anan>tage point. an class="hi2">Anan>d we just keep doing this over an class="hi2">anan>d over an class="hi2">anan>d over until all our interpretations are THE SAME ONE INTERPRETATION of the Holy Spirit, which does not fluctuate or waver or chan class="hi2">anan>ge with conditions. an class="hi2">Anan> interpretation which reflects unconditional constan class="hi2">anan>t love an class="hi2">anan>d peace.

"You but mistake interpretation for the truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are wrong. But a mistake is not a sin, nor has reality been taken from its throne by your mistakes. God reigns forever, an class="hi2">anan>d His laws alone prevail upon you an class="hi2">anan>d upon the world. His Love remains the only thing there is. Fear is illusion, for you are like Him."

"Would God have left the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of the world to YOUR interpretation? If He had, it HAS no mean class="hi2">anan>ing. For it can class="hi2">anan>not be that mean class="hi2">anan>ing chan class="hi2">anan>ges constan class="hi2">anan>tly, an class="hi2">anan>d yet is true."

"A common purpose is the ONLY mean class="hi2">anan>s whereby perception can class="hi2">anan> be stabilized, an class="hi2">anan>d ONE interpretation given to the world an class="hi2">anan>d all experiences here. In this shared purpose is one mean class="hi2">anan>ing shared by everyone an class="hi2">anan>d everything you see. You do not have to judge, for you have learned one mean class="hi2">anan>ing has been GIVEN everything, an class="hi2">anan>d you are GLAD to see it everywhere."

"It is but your INTERPRETATIONS which are lacking in stability. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are NOT in line with what you really are."

"Correction of a lasting nature, - an class="hi2">anan>d only this is true correction, - can class="hi2">anan>not be made until the teacher of God has ceased to confuse interpretation with fact, or illusion with truth."

"Your interpretations of your brother's need is your interpretation of YOURS."

"By applying the Holy Spirit's interpretation of the reactions of others more an class="hi2">anan>d more consistently, you will gain an class="hi2">anan> increasing awareness that HIS criteria are equally applicable to YOU."

"Perhaps it will be helpful to remember that no-one can class="hi2">anan> be an class="hi2">anan>gry at a fact. It is always an class="hi2">anan> interpretation that gives rise to negative emotions, regardless of their seeming justification by what appear as facts."

"If an class="hi2">anan>ger comes from an class="hi2">anan> interpretation an class="hi2">anan>d not a fact, it is never justified. Once this is even dimly grasped, the Way is open. Now it is possible to take the next step. The interpretation can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged at last."

"Now is escape impossible until you see you have responded to your own interpretation, which you have projected on an class="hi2">anan> outside world. Let this grim sword be taken from you now. There is no death."

"Yet you can class="hi2">anan>not BE aware without interpretation, an class="hi2">anan>d what you perceive IS your interpretation."

"The body, then, is not the source of its own health. Its condition lies solely in your interpretation of its function."

"Do not allow the body to be a mirror of a split mind. Do not let it be an class="hi2">anan> image of your own perception of littleness. Do not let it reflect your will to attack. Health is the natural state of an class="hi2">anan>ything whose interpretation is left to the Holy Spirit, who perceives no attack on an class="hi2">anan>ything."

"What you do not understan class="hi2">anan>d is that the two voices speak for different interpretations of the same thing simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, or almost simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, for the ego always speaks first."

"Every interpretation you would lay upon a brother is senseless. Let the Holy Spirit SHOW HIM TO YOU, an class="hi2">anan>d teach you both his love an class="hi2">anan>d NEED for love."

"Joining with Him in seeing, is the way in which you learn to share with Him the interpretation of perception that leads to knowledge."

"The Holy Spirit's interpretation of fear DOES dispel it, for the AWARENESS of truth can class="hi2">anan>not BE denied."

"Knowing is not open to interpretation, because its mean class="hi2">anan>ing is its own. It is possible to interpret mean class="hi2">anan>ing, but this is always open to error because it involves the perception of mean class="hi2">anan>ing."

Heaven has always been the same, has not chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d will always be the same.

The way that heaven was before "we separated" (an class="hi2">anan> illusion, not possible), is still going to be the same it is NOW an class="hi2">anan>d the same it will ALWAYS be.

When the separation is over, the earth, which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d is impossible...

"It is the world you see that is impossible."

...stuff which seemed to be the "possible content" of a world of separation, WILL NOT be getting "access" to heaven, will not be joining with heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d will not be CHan class="hi2">ANan>GING heaven into some kind of "post separation" state that is DIFFERENT to how heaven was BEFORE separation.

Heaven is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state.

There is NO WAY that plan class="hi2">anan>et earth can class="hi2">anan> be "integrated" into heaven, included in heaven, or turned into heaven, or tran class="hi2">anan>slated into heaven, or seen as heaven, or in an class="hi2">anan>y way become "part of" heaven. Heaven Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE.

Heaven is the same as it always was, always is, an class="hi2">anan>d always will be. There is no open-door policy for renegade worlds to find amnesty. Earth Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be tran class="hi2">anan>slated into heaven. No part of "the separation" can class="hi2">anan> become part of heaven.

The separation HAS NOT HAPPENED. The separation is IMPOSSIBLE. You can class="hi2">anan>not BE separate from God in truth, you can class="hi2">anan>not actually make "real plan class="hi2">anan>ets", you can class="hi2">anan>ot create a "real world" of form an class="hi2">anan>d populate it with "real bodies". None of this "making of plan class="hi2">anan>et earth" has actually happened!

It is not happening now. It did not occur! Separation is impossible.

People are concerned that who THEY ARE is going to be left behind an class="hi2">anan>d left out of heaven, when the universe disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d are frightened that THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN LEFT OUT. There are subconscious illusory fears an class="hi2">anan>d experiences of "rejection" from God playing out, whenever an class="hi2">anan>yone tries to find a way to KEEP the Earth an class="hi2">anan>d rationalize HOW it is possible for it to become part of God’s creation.

God’s creation is already DONE. It is COMPLETE. There will be no seconds. There is no afterthought. Earth can class="hi2">anan>not become part of it on an class="hi2">anan>y terms. ILLUSIONS Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT ENTER HEAVEN an class="hi2">anan>d earth MUST be an class="hi2">anan> illusion because separation Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT HAPPEN an class="hi2">anan>d HAS NOT HAPPENED. So the entire foundation of "the earth existing" is FALSE.

The world DOES NOT EXIST NOW, it DID NOT EXIST in the past, an class="hi2">anan>d IT WILL NOT EXIST in the future.

This is also reflected in Jesus’s statement that "at no time does the body exist". At no time does Earth exist either!

We are worried that who we ARE is going to be left out of heaven, forgotten by God, not included in the return home, an class="hi2">anan>d that what we ARE is tied to FORM an class="hi2">anan>d therefore when FORM is shown to have NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, we think this mean class="hi2">anan>s WE will not be able to enter heaven. But truth is, we are believing this ALREADY, because we already think we sinned for real, were already kicked out, an class="hi2">anan>d have already been rejected by love.

Truth is, if we stay identified with the ego, we will keep trying to find ways to prove that there IS a world an class="hi2">anan>d it will somehow become a part of heaven. WE DO NOT NEED THE WORLD. "The world holds nothing that I Wan class="hi2">ANan>T". You do not NEED this wold at all, neither to keep its specialness nor to keep WHO YOU ARE. It has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing, no usefulness, no purpose, IT IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION. You don’t wan class="hi2">anan>t this!

Why in an class="hi2">anan>y way try to "defend the earth" or find some loophole or rationalization for how it will be kept an class="hi2">anan>d become part o heaven? GOD has already created your HOME - heaven - an class="hi2">anan>d it is PERFECT FOR YOU.

When you cross over the bridge to heaven, you will recognize that you GAVE UP NOTHING an class="hi2">anan>d GAINED EVERYTHING. The world, earth, IS NOTHING. Giving it up is NOT A LOSS. There are no grounds for keeping it. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep it, you have *ego attachments*, which are keeping you bound to an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of something other than class="hi2">anan> what God WILLS for you to have.

What God is offering is far greater, IS EVERYTHING, compared to the meager shit-farm that is plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. This World OFFERS YOU NOTHING. Nothing that you wan class="hi2">anan>t. "A teacher of God will be more than class="hi2">anan> willing TO GIVE UP ALL THE PLESAURES OF THE WORLD." Ie, give up the earth, because it no longer. SUBSTITUTES FOR LOVE. Pleasure is not love. Your TOYS of physicality are not love.

God has a wonderful reunion plan class="hi2">anan>ned for you. When you finally let go of the world that NEVER EXISTED, recognizing that it is NOTHING because "there is no world", you will HAPPILY accept WHAT DOES EXIST - which is God’s creation for you, which is HEAVEN. What you will GAIN is absolutely huge compared to the fact that you will not LOSE an class="hi2">anan>ything worth having AT ALL, because earth is NOT WORTH HAVING.

Defenders of the plan class="hi2">anan>et have one thing to learn. THERE IS NO WORLD, an class="hi2">anan>d never was. There IS nothing to turn into heaven. All the content of heaven is *already complete* an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else will be added to it other than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> extension of what it already is INSIDE it. Let go of plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. It is an class="hi2">anan> impossible place. It is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It is not God’s gift to you. You should have no desire to have it be kept in an class="hi2">anan>y way whatsoever. What God IS going to share with you is FAR BETTER than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything you could ever dream of.

"He who would not forgive must judge, to justify his failure to forgive."

A Course in Miracles tells us that as soon as we cease to be forgiving, we enter into an class="hi2">anan> unforgiving state where judgement is automatic. Judgement is attack. It is condemnation. It is required an class="hi2">anan>d necessary in order to implement separation, to come between You an class="hi2">anan>d God.

Typically we think of judgement as something you believe about others. But this is always an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Judgement is always from you, towards yourself, happening within your own mind.

Judgement also does not judge something which is separate from you an class="hi2">anan>d outside of you, but it seems to make a part of yourself separate from the rest of you an class="hi2">anan>d outside of what remains of you. It establishes part of yourself as "other" an class="hi2">anan>d "not me", an class="hi2">anan>d attacks it.

Judgement is sin. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to attack the Truth an class="hi2">anan>d split the mind. It also possesses two parts, one being the van class="hi2">anan>tage point of "the judger" an class="hi2">anan>d the other being the van class="hi2">anan>tage point of "the judged". It is not possible for a mind to be only a judger an class="hi2">anan>d not the judged. It must be both, because that same mind must believe that being judged is possible an class="hi2">anan>d real to it.

The mind entering into judgement is entering into separation. The mind becomes separated within itself. It forms a victimizer an class="hi2">anan>d a victim simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. It engenders an class="hi2">anan> attitude of superiority an class="hi2">anan>d inferiority simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. It is not possible to therefore hold an class="hi2">anan> "inferiority complex" without also possessing a "superiority complex".

To believe you are inferior can class="hi2">anan> only come about by part of the mind skewing itself away from what appears to be superiority or worthiness or innocence, which is required in order for the other part of the mind to skew towards judgement.

Thus the mind splits into two simultan class="hi2">anan>eous attitudes, victimization an class="hi2">anan>d victimhood, or judgementalism an class="hi2">anan>d being judged. You can class="hi2">anan>not judge without being judged, an class="hi2">anan>d all judgement is a judgement of yourself, not an class="hi2">anan>other. The mind thus simultan class="hi2">anan>eously man class="hi2">anan>ufactures an class="hi2">anan> experience of being judged, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> experience of judging, an class="hi2">anan>d then pretends not to be doing so.

It becomes easy for a judging mind to enter into denial that it is playing both roles, because it will either side with the position of judger or judged an class="hi2">anan>d deny that the other role exists within the same mind, in order TO judge or be judged. A sense of separation is needed between these two "false identities" to establish that one is what it is an class="hi2">anan>d the other is different.

The conscious part of the mind will likely see itself either as judged or as judging. When it sees itself as judged, it will see its judger as separate from itself an class="hi2">anan>d likely projected outward. It will be afraid of judgement coming from "other" than class="hi2">anan> itself, which is thought to be other people. It will literally use other people to judge itself, even if they are not actively judging, trying to explain how "not myself" is the cause of this.

Alternatively, the mind can class="hi2">anan> focus conscious awareness on the active role of judger, in which the role of being judged is more unconscious. It sees itself as judging only, an class="hi2">anan>d that which is judged is separate from itself an class="hi2">anan>d "other". It therefore sees judgement as being against others outside of itself, such as other people, even if other people are innocent. It believes it is not judging a part of itself, having split off the target of its judgements from awareness, through disassociation.

Both of these roles coexist within the same mind, as a split personality with two identities. There is an class="hi2">anan> identity of a judger, superior an class="hi2">anan>d righteous an class="hi2">anan>d condemning. This is more clearly aligned with the act of sin, whereby to judge is to affirm that sin is real, that judgement is justified because of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is someone else who has sinned.

Yet this condemnation is itself sin occurring in the mind, because sin is an class="hi2">anan> attack just as is judgment. The attacking, judging part of the mind believes it is free from the effects of its own attack, having projected them onto an class="hi2">anan>other part of the mind.

Then there is the second identity of the judged, the victim who has been attacked from without, an class="hi2">anan>d the part of mind that sees itself as powerless, unjustified, weak, vulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d open to attack.

It sees itself being attacked against its will an class="hi2">anan>d having no power to judge at all. Seeing itself as unworthy, it disclaims having its own opinion or an class="hi2">anan>y sense of passing judgement upon others, an class="hi2">anan>d acts like a helpless victim. It is the receiver of judgement, open to feeling hurt an class="hi2">anan>d embarrassed an class="hi2">anan>d ashamed by the accusations which seem to come from beyond itself, typically projected onto other people as the cause because it doesn't recognize that the cause is within the same mind it exists within.

Both of these identities are happening within your own mind, an class="hi2">anan>d the interplay between them is happening entirely within you. The judging "you" an class="hi2">anan>d the judged "you" are both fictional, illusory identities. Neither of them are true of who you really are - a whole mind with no separation. Neither of them are your real identity, given that who you really are is wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d innocence an class="hi2">anan>d is completely free from attack, given or received.

You which are the HOST MIND to these two artificial portions of ego mind must gain enough awareness to recognize that you are judging yourself an class="hi2">ANan>D being judged by yourself, you are the one who stan class="hi2">anan>ds in condemnation over yourself, it is you who is the source of your victimization, an class="hi2">anan>d "others" have absolutely nothing to do with this.

The only reason you believe that others i.e. other people are judging you, or are the target of your judgement, is because both the judger an class="hi2">anan>d the judged parts of your ego mind are unaware that they exist within a larger mind which hosts both of them. Both believe they are all of your "self" an class="hi2">anan>d that there is nothing more to your identity than class="hi2">anan> the limits or confines of each false idea of identity.

Being incapable of seeing beyond themselves, both the judger an class="hi2">anan>d the judged thus see the "other" which is playing a part in causing or receiving judgement, as being "not myself" an class="hi2">anan>d therefore must seem to be "other people". It's easy to conclude this given that other people showing up separate bodies are readily available to "project" this onto, or to see them as sharing the same location as the "otherness" which is believed to be the problem. But this all has nothing to do with other people at all.

Whether it be others in the form of distinctly separate external people, or others in the form of the other part of your own mind, it is only the separation between these identities an class="hi2">anan>d the fictional story about how they see each other which is maintaining the split an class="hi2">anan>d projecting of the cause.

Your whole mind needs to recognize that it is bigger than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d containing these two false selves, that neither self is the whole truth because its story is limited an class="hi2">anan>d partial, that YOU as the whole mind are choosing an class="hi2">anan>d playing these two identities against each other, an class="hi2">anan>d own up to the fact that since they are both WITHIN you, they must both BE a part of your one identity.

In order to return to a single identity, their separateness an class="hi2">anan>d distinctness must be dissolved an class="hi2">anan>d seen as an class="hi2">anan> illusion. For both of these illusory selves to be a part of you, neither of them can class="hi2">anan> be the whole truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this light, the distinctiveness between them is overlooked an class="hi2">anan>d dissolved. Thus do they disappear an class="hi2">anan>d judgement an class="hi2">anan>d suffering ends. You must admit that you have been playing both roles, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore YOU are the one identity behind the ILLUSION of two selves.

Similarly, you must realize that all of your victimization, all of the ways that you believe others are doing things to you, all of the ways that you seem so suffer because of causes separate from you etc.. these must all be recognized as being because of an class="hi2">anan>other part of YOU, which is perhaps hidden behind denial an class="hi2">anan>d unconsciousness, attacking this second part of you. You've come to identify with this one split-off part of your mind, an class="hi2">anan>d are in denial of the rest of you.

It is you who has judged yourself, because it is you who have believed in sin an class="hi2">anan>d used sin to split your mind into multiple personalities. You are both the judger an class="hi2">anan>d the judged, an class="hi2">anan>d yet you are neither because they are both ego illusions.

It is no more true that you actually are being victimized by an class="hi2">anan>yone else, than class="hi2">anan> it is true that you are a victimizer of someone not yourself. You must realize that BOTH of these roles are not your true self, your real identity, or the whole of who you are. They are but an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a separated, split ego mind, pretending to be an class="hi2">anan> identities which you made up.

You are the one who has attacked you. You are the one who is attacking you. You are attacker an class="hi2">anan>d attacked, victim an class="hi2">anan>d victimizer. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet you are neither of these, ultimately, because they are both fictional. The ego is always attacking itself an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else. The ego IS your self-attack, the scene in which a victimizer an class="hi2">anan>d a victim both play roles an class="hi2">anan>d cooperate to build a fictional story of interaction.

This is all taking place within you an class="hi2">anan>d has nothing to do with other people. It's only because of the split in your mind an class="hi2">anan>d your sense of there being a self that is "other" than class="hi2">anan> your self, that you then become confused an class="hi2">anan>d accidentally project that sense of otherness onto other separate bodies. Really the otherness your are relating to as your enemy is just a part of your own mind, an class="hi2">anan>d your judgement of "them" is directly an class="hi2">anan> attack on yourself, appearing to be indirect, or not at all.

To judge is to attack yourself. To believe you judge an class="hi2">anan>other not yourself is the very denial which makes judgement seem possible. You will judge yourself if you judge, an class="hi2">anan>d you will never judge an class="hi2">anan>other person. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you are judged, rest assured you are not judged by an class="hi2">anan>other, nor should you fear the judgement of other than class="hi2">anan> yourself. It is really your OWN "other self" which you are afraid of judging you, because YOU are the one who is judging you from within.

Surrender both of these positions, therefore, an class="hi2">anan>d return to wholeness, which is a mind of forgiveness. In wholeness you will not see an class="hi2">anan> other to judge or to be judged by. Forgiveness can class="hi2">anan>cels judgementalism an class="hi2">anan>d the belief in victims an class="hi2">anan>d victimizers. You have but done this all to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d have experienced all sides of your self conflict. Self conflict always contains two selves, who believe they each are all of your self an class="hi2">anan>d yet is limited in its self concept.

You can class="hi2">anan>not judge without being judged. You can class="hi2">anan>not be judged without judging. Both make up the state of sin, which is a belief that you should be condemned, or are being condemned. All of it is your own doing.

Judgment of an class="hi2">anan>other is a position of causality, in which you are squarely within the identity of the one who is doing something to an class="hi2">anan>other. Being judged then is a state of being at the effect of the judgement of an class="hi2">anan>other. Yet by entering into the drama of judgement, you become both the cause an class="hi2">anan>d the effect of it. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet, you are not really the cause because none of it has been real. There are no real consequences from separation.

Following from the judging causality of sin, there is the result of guilt, which sees itself as the effect of sin. Yet from the perspective of guilt, as the victim of sin, the mind sees itself as separate from the sinner, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore sin is made unconscious an class="hi2">anan>d the guilty mind now sees itself as causal. It then proceeds to stan class="hi2">anan>d in the role of cause, continuing judgement against the self, determining that because it is guilty, it must be punished, an class="hi2">anan>d punishment is just an class="hi2">anan>other step on the road of judgement.

Judgement leads all the way to death in this man class="hi2">anan>ner, since condemnation calls for death to atone for what you claim you did. You will both suffer an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to suffer, will die an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to die, an class="hi2">anan>d will be victimized an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to be victimized. This is what comes from judgement - the entire ego thought system of sin, guilt, fear, punishment an class="hi2">anan>d death.

Learning not to judge is only importan class="hi2">anan>t in terms of learning not to believe in real sin, an class="hi2">anan>d to place your mind back into a state of forgiveness. Of yourself. Wholeness, which is the end of judgement, can class="hi2">anan>cels its illusory effects an class="hi2">anan>d they are undone.

It is not helpful to simply stop projecting judgements onto other people, if you are not recognizing that it was you that you were judging all along. That would only mean class="hi2">anan> you continue to judge yourself but now are constipated with a censorship of the judgement that continues internally, trying not to shift it onto others but still believing you deserve it. Ceasing to project onto others is only the first step.

You must realize that you've been attacking yourself, judging yourself, being judged by yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d that you need to stop doing this. That you are willing to stop doing this. Generally speaking, an class="hi2">anan> awareness that you have been doing this at all may be enough to shine enough light into your mind to make sense of what you have been experiencing, an class="hi2">anan>d to disman class="hi2">anan>tle the ego's construct of self attack completely.

You need but a little awareness that it is you who has been both attacker an class="hi2">anan>d attacked, an class="hi2">anan>d that if you are both of these, then you must have a single identity, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore the illusion of separateness between them must be false an class="hi2">anan>d unreal. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus, as an class="hi2">anan> illusion recognized as an class="hi2">anan> illusion of separateness, it will disappear. The mind is thus healed an class="hi2">anan>d restored to wholeness, awareness of wholeness returned, an class="hi2">anan>d along with it your FULL identity is restored to awareness.

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time."

Space an class="hi2">anan>d time are OPPOSITE to the nature of Heaven. Heaven experiences omnipresence, which mean class="hi2">anan>s everything is everywhere simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. God is omnipresent, his children are omnipresent, an class="hi2">anan>gels are omnipresent etc.

Similarly, time is the opposite of eternity. Eternity mean class="hi2">anan>s reality is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state an class="hi2">anan>d nothing chan class="hi2">anan>ges. What was true before, is true now, an class="hi2">anan>d will always be true. Eternity mean class="hi2">anan>s always, an class="hi2">anan>d so is eternal life forever. Time on the other han class="hi2">anan>d is the idea that NOTHING IS EVER THE SAME, that chan class="hi2">anan>ge is normal an class="hi2">anan>d natural, an class="hi2">anan>d that what was before has died an class="hi2">anan>d has been replaced with something unlike it, an class="hi2">anan>d so NOTHING EXISTS PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENTLY.

Space, an class="hi2">anan>d time, are an class="hi2">anan> ATTACK on God an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attack on Heaven’s nature.

Everything WITHIN spacetime, is also an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, an class="hi2">anan>d is opposed to his nature. This includes plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. Earth utterly DEPENDS on space an class="hi2">anan>d time to exist. Earth takes up space. It chan class="hi2">anan>ges over time. The part of Earth you call the United States is spatially separated from the part called Russia, an class="hi2">anan>d the part called Australia. They are kept apart an class="hi2">anan>d do not share. They do not occupy the same space. They utterly depend on SPACE in order to BE what they are.

If there was no spacetime, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to have a three dimensional plan class="hi2">anan>et. an class="hi2">Anan> object, of an class="hi2">anan>y kind, including bodies, would be impossible. Objects REQUIRE space. If there is no space, there Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT BE A PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET EARTH. Space is that which keeps things separated out an class="hi2">anan>d taking up volume. Without spacetime, THERE IS NO WORLD.

Since spacetime is OPPOSITE to Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d fights against omnipresence an class="hi2">anan>d eternity, opposed to it in every way, Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT coexist. They can class="hi2">anan>not be merged. Spacetime can class="hi2">anan>not coexist with omnipresence. "Everywhere" MUST collapse "somewhere". Place an class="hi2">anan>d time are illusions. Whether its a plan class="hi2">anan>et, or a mug of coffee, without spacetime they can class="hi2">anan>not exist at all. When omnipresence is here, when Heaven is here, SPACE IS OBLITERATED.

Spacetime is nothing but the belief in separation. It is the belief in an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven. When this belief is NO LONGER BELIEVED, an class="hi2">anan>d all faith is placed in Heaven only, an class="hi2">anan>d you are SEEING Heaven ONLY, not Earth, spacetime will disappear, an class="hi2">anan>d every single physical object will van class="hi2">anan>ish. All bodies will van class="hi2">anan>ish. They are NOTHING. Spacetime is the EGO! When it goes, the world goes with it.

In Heaven, there is no Earth. There is no world. There is no form. There are no bodies. There are no streets, buildings, or artificial lights. There is no day an class="hi2">anan>d night. No sun. No Earth. They can class="hi2">anan>not exist without space an class="hi2">anan>d THERE IS NO SPACE IN HEAVEN. It has all disappeared in light. Only the creations of light are real. Only God’s LIVING WORLD OF LIGHT is real. The world you made, spacetime, an class="hi2">anan>d all its contents, IS NOT REAL. This is why there is no world an class="hi2">anan>d God did not create the Earth. Nor did he create space or time. They are your false beliefs. an class="hi2">Anan>d they will end, because they never really happened.

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time. The concept is really one of space-time BELIEF. The physical world exists only because man class="hi2">anan> can class="hi2">anan> use it to correct his UNBELIEF, which placed him in it originally. As long as man class="hi2">anan> KNEW he did not need an class="hi2">anan>ything, the whole device was unnecessary."

"To know is to be certain. Uncertainty merely mean class="hi2">anan>s that you DON'T know. Knowledge is power BECAUSE it is certain, an class="hi2">anan>d certainty is strength. Perception is temporary. It is an class="hi2">anan> attribute of the space-time belief, an class="hi2">anan>d is therefore subject to fear or love. Misperception produces fear, an class="hi2">anan>d true perception produces love. NEITHER produces certainty because all perception varies. That is why it is NOT knowledge."

Jesus describes the process of becoming sick...

"Sickness is a decision. It is not a thing that happens to you, quite unsought, which makes you weak an class="hi2">anan>d brings you suffering. It is a choice you make, a plan class="hi2">anan> you lay, when for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t truth arises in your own deluded mind, an class="hi2">anan>d all your world appears to totter an class="hi2">anan>d prepare to fall. Now are you sick, that truth may go away an class="hi2">anan>d threaten your establishments no more."

What happens is, we're in a deluded mindset (ego) an class="hi2">anan>d are misperceiving an class="hi2">anan>d misinterpreting reality. Then we are exposed to the truth, but in our thought system what is actually true is perceived as "false", because we see truth in what is false an class="hi2">anan>d vice versa. That's part of our delusion.

So instead of seeing the truth for how it really is, we see it as an class="hi2">anan> enemy. In particular the ego sees the Holy Spirit as an class="hi2">anan> enemy, just as the ego sees the miracle as an class="hi2">anan> enemy.

By misperceiving the truth, i.e. filtering it an class="hi2">anan>d reinterpreting it an class="hi2">anan>d coming to a conclusion that it has properties of "falseness", in our twisted thought system this mean class="hi2">anan>s it is an class="hi2">anan> enemy, or it's evil, or its attacking what we are, or is against us in some way.

The "natural reaction" to this PERCEPTION (albeit a mistaken one), which is totally understan class="hi2">anan>dable, is to DEFEND YOURSELF. You tend to wan class="hi2">anan>t to get away from what you believe is false, an class="hi2">anan>d draw yourself towards that which is true for you. Whether or not your idea of truth is back to front or not is a different matter.

So your natural reaction to your OWN misperception of the truth, is to defend yourself, because you see attack IN it, which you have projected onto it. You therefore believe you are seeing an class="hi2">anan> enemy, an class="hi2">anan>d you wan class="hi2">anan>t to escape.

You wan class="hi2">anan>t to get away from that which you see as false, because it is evil, riddled with darkness, vicious an class="hi2">anan>d sure to threaten you. In the interest of preserving your sense of SAFETY, an class="hi2">anan>d in effort to DEFEND THE TRUTH (at least, your delusional truth), an class="hi2">anan>d in the interests of maintaining your sense of INNOCENCE (albeit mis-identified), you use your creative powers to put up a DEFENSE.

This defense is something you do with your mind. It is resistan class="hi2">anan>ce. It is denial. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to disassociate yourself from the truth, to put distan class="hi2">anan>ce between you, to emphasize the separation between you an class="hi2">anan>d it, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore effectively SHUT YOURSELF OFF FROM LIFE. Truth is life, i.e. God, so as you defend yourself against God, you produce the opposite of life - a movement towards death. All forms of sickness are partial deaths. There is not really such a thing as sickness, only life or death - an class="hi2">anan>d death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

Therefore you believe that you've actually done the right thing, that you've defended yourself, that you've upheld the truth, that you've maintained innocence, an class="hi2">anan>d that you've blocked out some vicious murderous God who wan class="hi2">anan>ts you dead. You really believe that you've actually made a wise move an class="hi2">anan>d that you are BETTER OFF being rid of, or having escaped, the terrible monster that you MIS-INTERPRETED the truth as.

As you continue with such delusions, you can class="hi2">anan> drive yourself to death, believing fully that you are all the while defending the truth, upholding innocence, protecting reality, an class="hi2">anan>d thwarting the 'real menace' of God. People commit suicide every day. Every person who dies is choosing to die in order to escape from God. Death is a choice for self-murder, to escape Life, because Life has now been wrongly perceived as DEATH. Life an class="hi2">anan>d death have been flipped, their roles an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ings inverted, an class="hi2">anan>d you are now convinced that dying is actually a choice for life - that it is your SALVATION, an class="hi2">anan>d that it will bring you PEACE! Hah.

So you can class="hi2">anan> see how deluded we can class="hi2">anan> be, that the truth contains horrors we do not wan class="hi2">anan>t. But the fact is, the truth is a blan class="hi2">anan>k mirror, in which we see a REFLECTION of all of our own delusional beliefs. When it looks frightening, it is ONLY because it does not support, uphold, or even acknowledge, the egoic belief system an class="hi2">anan>d all that it believes in. Thus when we are ego-identified, we believe we are defending ourselves from a separate enemy, but we're actually running away from our own SHADOW.

This is why we need to forgive God, i.e. undo our delusion that illusions are real, or that there is a truth other than class="hi2">anan> God's truth. It is also why we need to have "a little willingness" to be mistaken - that our sense of truth may not be the real truth, an class="hi2">anan>d become open to accepting God's truth as our truth - sharing truth with Him. This opens the way for healing miracles. But even moreso, it is the RESURRECTION of the Son of GOd.

The sick are merely delusional an class="hi2">anan>d self-deceived in what the truth really is, believing that the opposite is true. They do not realize they are choosing against the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d that by doing so it produces sickness. an class="hi2">Anan>d then sickness seems to come about almost accidentally through mis-creation. Before you know it, you're sick an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d heading for death. But this can class="hi2">anan> ALWAYS be corrected, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> ALWAYS choose again.

Correction is needed, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all.

Holy Spirit is the an class="hi2">anan>swer. He is here to help awaken you from the ILLUSION that death is real, that death will protect you from death, an class="hi2">anan>d that God is evil.

God is love. Love is all there is. Love is what you are.

When you dream at night, your mind is perfectly capable of creating entire environments in great detail. These dreams are not real, an class="hi2">anan>d so are projections of ego thoughts from the mind, but at the time they seem like real places. Your mind is able to create ocean class="hi2">anan>s, streets, buildings, people, all man class="hi2">anan>ner of creatures an class="hi2">anan>d locations.

It's even able to embed an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary variety of subtle feelings into the scene or ways of experiencing what's happening, such that it seems to mean class="hi2">anan> something very specific to you, or so that you get a certain impression from it.

Your mind can class="hi2">anan> create people an class="hi2">anan>d experiences which are a perfectly symbolic representation of an class="hi2">anan>y idea or feeling or experience it cares to make. It has at its disposal an class="hi2">anan> absolutely unlimited number of variations in both appearan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d emotional content. If you can class="hi2">anan> imagine it, your mind can class="hi2">anan> invent it.

As your mind projects such environments, it can class="hi2">anan> also sometimes project you as a character in the environment in a third-person man class="hi2">anan>ner, or sometimes you can class="hi2">anan> also experience it from a first-person perspective. You can class="hi2">anan> man class="hi2">anan>ifest an class="hi2">anan>y kind of body. The body can class="hi2">anan> also be chan class="hi2">anan>ged into an class="hi2">anan>y form an class="hi2">anan>d express an class="hi2">anan>y kind of disease or situation regardless of an class="hi2">anan>y rules or laws whatsoever.

In your dreaming, objects can class="hi2">anan> be tran class="hi2">anan>sformed into other objects. You can class="hi2">anan> pass through objects, you can class="hi2">anan> fly, you can class="hi2">anan> control things with your mind, you can class="hi2">anan> communicate telepathically, you can class="hi2">anan> have encounters with an class="hi2">anan>y kind of being imaginable, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> teleport instan class="hi2">anan>tly to an class="hi2">anan>y location. There is practically nothing that's impossible.

All of this happens inside your mind. All of this is your mind "dreaming", which correlates to Jesus's definition of "projecting". The mind is literally projecting a three-dimensional movie scene down to the finest detail, complete with storyline an class="hi2">anan>d all man class="hi2">anan>ner of events an class="hi2">anan>d interactions. As such, this projection "creates perception".

So as you're in the dreaming state, your mind is literally projecting everything you then "see". So if it projects a beach an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> ocean class="hi2">anan> on a sunny day, this projecting man class="hi2">anan>ifests those things in full an class="hi2">anan>d then you witness them or "perceive" them. The projecting comes first. The perceiving comes second.

Now, in the physical world, you're tempted not to believe this same mechan class="hi2">anan>ism applies. You believe certainly that you perceive, an class="hi2">anan>d that you perceive what seems to be a world out there complete with people an class="hi2">anan>d places an class="hi2">anan>d events, but you don't for a moment think it possible that your own mind is projecting it. But it is.

In A Course in Miracles, Jesus speaks of projection an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>y have come to interpret this to mean class="hi2">anan> that you project ONTO something which is already out there. This is the result of not believing or recognizing that your mind actually makes the world appear in its entirety, or that this world is in fact just an class="hi2">anan>other dream. Yet Jesus tells us:

"...What you seem to waken to is but an class="hi2">anan>other form of this same world you see in dreams. All your time is spent in dreaming. Your sleeping an class="hi2">anan>d your waking dreams have different forms, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all. Their content is the same."

However, because we do not recognize or believe that this "physical world" is just an class="hi2">anan>other dream environment, that our mind is perfectly powerful enough to create in the finest detail, we think that it must be really "out there" objectively, or that it came to be there from some other powerful cause.

The result of this unawareness as to how it truly comes into being, is the belief that when ACIM talks about projection it's talking about what your mind projects ONTO this pre-existing world. People will then work with their "forgiveness process" to take these projections back an class="hi2">anan>d undo them.

There is some validity to that step because even inside of the dream itself, there is a whole other layer of "personal projection" whereby individuals add an class="hi2">anan> extra layer of projection an class="hi2">anan>d denial to everything they see in the world. They project extra guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin onto others an class="hi2">anan>d onto the environment. So to take back those projections is a very helpful step in owning up to who an class="hi2">anan>d what you are.

However, that's not the only form of projection taking place here in this dream. The dream ITSELF is a projection. You could say, your personal projections are coming from your own private mind, as one Son in the Sonship. But the collective Sonship or Christ mind is also projecting this entire world. That's who the dreamer really is.

You can class="hi2">anan> take back all your personal projections an class="hi2">anan>d come to a place of clarity or awakening, becoming aware of this world with a clear perception of it. This mean class="hi2">anan>s your perceiving has been clarified. This is an class="hi2">anan> awakening to true perception. But this does not mean class="hi2">anan> that you have undone PROJECTION. Projection comes before perception because projection makes it possible to perceive.

Once perception is purified an class="hi2">anan>d is clear, which will produce an class="hi2">anan> experience of being awake WITHIN the dream, able to perceive the dream clearly, there is then an class="hi2">anan>other stage where the projecting OF the dream needs to now be undone. Removing projections onto the dream is the reversal of perception, which is where most ACIM students focus, but we have to realize that the projection that made the "stuff" we are perceiving clearly is also an class="hi2">anan> activity of the mind which needs to be undone.

Undoing the projecting of the world itself - yes the physical world - is the second layer of awakening. It mean class="hi2">anan>s realizing that you are still dreaming this world, you are still man class="hi2">anan>ifesting objects an class="hi2">anan>d people an class="hi2">anan>d environments, an class="hi2">anan>d you are still inside of a dream. You are still subject to every law that the dreaming puts in place, because those laws are established in the projecting of the world. You may be fully awakened to be able to see the dream clearly, but now the dreaming itself needs to stop.

When you are projecting personal stuff onto the world, it's like having a dream within a dream. You are already inside a dream (which you think is a real world) an class="hi2">anan>d now proceed to dream within it. Just like a daydream. Your projections at the personal level therefore place your unconscious crap outside of your conscious separate self. But it still exists within the world. Taking all of that back an class="hi2">anan>d fully undoing it won't undo the world itself, because the world itself is being projected on a much greater scale by a much bigger mind - the collective Christ Mind.

For you to see a car or a house or a person or a tree mean class="hi2">anan>s that these forms have been projected by the Christ mind. The Christ mind is unlimited in its power to dream of forms. It has invented an class="hi2">anan> entire universe, just like your little personal mind invents fictional places an class="hi2">anan>d characters at night - stories which are entirely believable an class="hi2">anan>d which you experience as though completely real.

Therefore, if you are still perceiving at all, if you are still having perception of the presence of objects, forms, people, buildings etc, then this must mean class="hi2">anan> there is STILL projection happening from a larger level of mind. The reversal/healing of that collective projection is the undoing of this entire so-called "world".

This is the level at which the Course addresses when it says "There is no world, this is the central theme the Course would attempt to teach." It literally mean class="hi2">anan>s that this physical world an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it is a dream, a projection, which DOES NOT REALLY EXIST AT ALL, just like how our nighttime dreams do not really exist at all.

Literally, all physical forms are ILLUSIONS, i.e. dreams. They are not there at all. There is no truth to them, no reality to them, they are absolutely completely fictional in every way. The mind is making them up. an class="hi2">Anan>d when this is fully recognized by the whole Sonship, this entire physical universe will be recognized as having never existed - i.e. it does not exist now, an class="hi2">anan>d it never will exist, an class="hi2">anan>d there simply is no world here.

This is also why the Course tells us that "at no time does the body really exist." Man class="hi2">anan>y students love to keep the body an class="hi2">anan>d make it special an class="hi2">anan>d explain how the body does exist or how it can class="hi2">anan> be seen in the present moment or used for a holy purpose or whatever. Ultimately, factually, in Jesus's words, it DOES NOT EXIST. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion at most. It can class="hi2">anan>not exist in Eternity an class="hi2">anan>d it does not really exist at all.

Now, you can class="hi2">anan> see perhaps that in the ACIM community there is a tremendous amount of confusion because of these two kind of "levels" in the making of illusions. The level of the personal individual conscious self an class="hi2">anan>d its seeming scope of influence or illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d the level of the collective shared mind of Christ which IS responsible for dreaming this entire universe.

For the most part, most students are fixated on an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> only really relate to the experience of being a separate self in a separate body, the projections that their personal self makes onto the allegedly pre-existing world, an class="hi2">anan>d so their undoing process usually entails taking back projections that are placed onto other people, or chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind "about the world" instead of attempting to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the world itself.

This has produced a huge division in the Course community between those who believe the Course is telling us to find a personal sense of peace "in" the world, in spite of the world, in spite of sickness, in spite of death, an class="hi2">anan>d those who believe that this ultimately falls short of the whole truth an class="hi2">anan>d that the entire world itself is not there. The result is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to be at peace with sickness, to keep the body an class="hi2">anan>d deny it through some kind of tran class="hi2">anan>scendence, an class="hi2">anan>d still results in death. This distortion of the Course then produces two camps.

The first camp basically sees themselves as a little individual body self, who has their own personal stories an class="hi2">anan>d projections. They do not consider the world to literally not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of how they might have power over it. What they end up doing is focusing on undoing their personal stories an class="hi2">anan>d projections "onto" the world, or "onto" others, as though this is all that the Course is asking them to do.

They will refuse to believe an class="hi2">anan>ything beyond the scope of this, an class="hi2">anan>d will justify it with various quotes from the Course. Now, the thing is, they are not wrong. The Course DOES teach that at the LEVEL of the personal level, you need to take back projections from others, find peace in spite of what's happening, come to see God "in" the world because God is in your mind, work on chan class="hi2">anan>ging how you look at the world rather than class="hi2">anan> trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the world, never attempting to take the spirituality of the Course to others because it seems like a private process, an class="hi2">anan>d just generally everything which fits nice an class="hi2">anan>d tidily into this "box" of how the individual separate self perceives an class="hi2">anan> objective world.

There are plenty of parts of the Course which tell us seemingly straight-out that this is what we are supposed to be doing an class="hi2">anan>d that this is the truth an class="hi2">anan>d will use this interpretation to justify not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything outside of this definition. The thing is, A Course in Miracles actually has multiple "levels" of truth, an class="hi2">anan>d this is not a contradiction. There are truths which apply on a certain level.

In terms of the personal self, we do indeed need to stop projecting shit onto other people an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge how we "perceive" the world, to reach true perception or to have corrected perception. However, this isn't the end of the story. The people who see the Course as saying this, which is easy to do given that this actually is part of the process of complete awakening, will try to fit EVERYTHING the Course says into this box. an class="hi2">Anan>d this also includes miracles.

To these believers in personal awakening inside the dream, they tend to justify that other things the Course says must fit inside the box of correcting perception, in order for there to seem to be consistency an class="hi2">anan>d integrity. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> sort of find slightly skewed interpretations of what these other parts of the Course say to make them seem to "fit" into that box. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is what has happened with miracles.

Such people will then explain that a miracle has got something to do with perception shifting, correcting perception, the process of waking up to true perception or is just an class="hi2">anan>other way of saying "chan class="hi2">anan>ging your mind" about the world. This is understan class="hi2">anan>dable given that they see the Course as one whole consistent unit an class="hi2">anan>d don't realize that it's being presented on multiple levels, or that there are multiple levels of sleeping.

The Son of God, Christ, is the source of the dream of death - the dream of this entire physical universe. an class="hi2">Anan>d within Christ, within that dream, there is a fragmentation of identity into the Sonship, which comprises man class="hi2">anan>y individuals, an class="hi2">anan>d each individual has their own separate seeming "private world" of misperceptions. But what they are mis-perceiving is the dream which a HIGHER LEVEL has dreamed, thinking it is a given an class="hi2">anan>d is real an class="hi2">anan>d is outside the scope of their conscious awareness. Indeed it is outside the scope of their identity, because it's coming from a level of much greater unified identity as Christ - the ONE Mind.

Therefore to try to explain what miracles are or what Christ is, these individuals will try to fit all of the Course's references to miracles an class="hi2">anan>d Christ into the same box of "what applies to individual Sons". an class="hi2">Anan>d that's a mistake. This gives rise then to a complete stripping down of what Christ is, a stripping away of the POWER that must be present to dream an class="hi2">anan> entire universe an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem physically real, an class="hi2">anan>d a complete diminishing of an class="hi2">anan>y concept of "real miracles" which have the power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything - including healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water, or whatever.

Trying to fit all of that inside a "I am a separate Son, one of man class="hi2">anan>y" kind of box, to have it make sense TO that one limited identity or scope of awareness, completely glosses over what miracles are or an class="hi2">anan>d what Christ's power is. People will then have an class="hi2">anan> awakening up to the level of the maximum scope of their INDIVIDUAL consciousness, i.e. an class="hi2">anan> awareness of being one of man class="hi2">anan>y Sons of God, an class="hi2">anan>d will refer to that as being Christ or aware of the Christ in others. IT IS NOT. Not in ACIM's definition.

Christ is a mind so vast an class="hi2">anan>d powerful that it can class="hi2">anan> dream entire plan class="hi2">anan>ets, can class="hi2">anan> create a whole universe - or multiple universes. It can class="hi2">anan> put in place an class="hi2">anan> absolutely countless number of particles of matter to form buildings an class="hi2">anan>d people an class="hi2">anan>d environments which people believe is SO real that it must really be a real world. Seeing the holiness of an class="hi2">anan> individual Son in other individual Sons is not the same as seeing the face of Christ. It is definitely a state of mind of profound unity an class="hi2">anan>d oneness, but there is an class="hi2">anan> entire other level to awareness which is vastly beyond this.

To reach this other level of awareness requires a complete tran class="hi2">anan>scendence not only of the personal ego self or personality but also moving beyond being a separate Son. It mean class="hi2">anan>s being THE WHOLE SONSHIP as One. In this, there can class="hi2">anan> no longer be a personality, or a separate mind, or separate thoughts, or relian class="hi2">anan>ce on a body. It is a very advan class="hi2">anan>ced state.

Such an class="hi2">anan> experience is way beyond the personal body self or what the body self is capable of doing. The Christ Self is vastly powerful, unlimited in the truest sense, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> literally do an class="hi2">anan>ything because He is able to dream this entire world. To Him, this world is recognized as not being real at all, being something He Himself is dreaming in its entirety. It does not exist without His dreaming an class="hi2">anan>d has no inherent reality of its own. If it were not for Christ dreaming the world, this entire physical universe would disappear instan class="hi2">anan>tly.

At this level, which is what forms the second "camp" in the ACIM community, it is recognized that there is an class="hi2">anan> entire level of truth in the Course way bigger an class="hi2">anan>d more expan class="hi2">anan>ded than class="hi2">anan> the parts which apply to the individual self. At this level, we're talking about a mind an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> identity which is truly One, singular, as God's One Son. This mind, this Self, is beyond all Higher Selves an class="hi2">anan>d includes them all.

Such a Christ mind is responsible for dreaming this entire physical universe an class="hi2">anan>d for therefore putting in place absolutely all of the things, objects, people an class="hi2">anan>d events which appear to exist here. Such a mind is so powerful, there is literally nothing it can class="hi2">anan>not do. Such a mind is tran class="hi2">anan>scendent of all bodies an class="hi2">anan>d forms, tran class="hi2">anan>scendent of all of the laws of the physical universe, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> completely override absolutely an class="hi2">anan>ything in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. This mind is extremely creative, is totally at-cause, an class="hi2">anan>d is not at the effect of an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING in this world whatsoever.

Such a mind is completely invulnerable, literally immortal, unlimited in its power, able to man class="hi2">anan>ifest objects - in fact plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d solar systems - out of nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d for such a mind miracles of healing an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>ifestation at a "human class="hi2">anan> level" is practically nothing. THIS is the level of mind which Jesus demonstrated, an class="hi2">anan>d it is this level of mind which is responsible for SUPERNATURAL MIRACLES.

You could therefore say, that the level of the personal self-awakening is a level of "natural miracles", an class="hi2">anan>d the level of awakening as CHRIST is a level of "super-natural miracles". It is very common that those in the first camp tend not to believe in super-natural miracles because they do not see the parts of the Course relating to or teaching about the Christ-level of mind. Instead they see the watered down, nice tidy little keep-it-in-a-box relating to the individual self interpretation of what miracles are. In other words, miracles are just little chan class="hi2">anan>ges in perception experienced by an class="hi2">anan> individual. It's not true.

Miracles in A Course in Miracles LITERALLY are super-natural miracles, as evidenced by practically every single thing that the Course ever says about their nature. When correctly understood OUTSIDE of the box of the closed-minded an class="hi2">anan>d still "a part of the dream" personal self, everything Jesus teaches about miracles points to their supernatural power, the Power of God, the ability to LITERALLY move mountains, to heal the sick, to undo all forms of disease an class="hi2">anan>d suffering, to undo death itself an class="hi2">anan>d produce resurrection.

There can class="hi2">anan> be no complete resurrection without this supernatural level of awakening, because death is only fully overcome at the level of the Christ mind, not at the level of the awakened individual Higher Self. There are an class="hi2">anan> increasing number of people waking up IN the dream an class="hi2">anan>d staying in the dream who do not exhibit an class="hi2">anan>y signs of supernatural miracles whatsoever, because their mind is only just now at the beginning of opening up to the Christ mind.

You will find that all of these people still go through DEATH, because they have not escaped the dream of death an class="hi2">anan>d have not fully awoken FROM the dream of death. The absence of miracles, the nature of which Jesus demonstrated, which He has told us in man class="hi2">anan>y ways we are perfectly capable of, is the first sign you will see that shows that awakening to the Higher Self or highest individual self is still short of a complete awakening.

The Course will make so much more sense when understood to contain more than class="hi2">anan> one level. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> we're dividing up the Course into imaginary levels as such. There ARE different levels because there are stages in separation. Christ, the One Son, is a very different level in terms of scope an class="hi2">anan>d power an class="hi2">anan>d capability an class="hi2">anan>d awareness an class="hi2">anan>d identity, compared to the level of one individual "son" in the Sonship. Awakening to the Sonship is profound an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary experience of waking up from the even littler self - the ego false self. But going from the ego little self to being one of man class="hi2">anan>y Sons is not the same thing as being ALL Sons with a single mind, wielding the Power of God to produce real miracles.

A Course in Miracles therefore IS literally teaching us that miracles - supernatural miracles - are not only possible but something that we can class="hi2">anan> become capable of IF we are willing to go all the way to awakening in the dream an class="hi2">anan>d then awakening FROM the dream. We might be aware of who the dreamer is, but until we decide to BE that dreamer an class="hi2">anan>d realize the sheer power that we have as that dreamer, we will still be subject to all the laws that the dream puts in place, seemingly powerless to stop them or chan class="hi2">anan>ge them. an class="hi2">Anan>d as such we will not see miracles.

It should be clear then, that the only reason we seem unable to chan class="hi2">anan>ge objects, heal the sick, man class="hi2">anan>ifest matter out of thin air, feed 5000 people from a few fish an class="hi2">anan>d loaves of bread, to walk on water or raise the dead etc, is only because there is a LARGER MIND which is dreaming this world who has FAR more power than class="hi2">anan> our little personal mind, an class="hi2">anan>d it is that larger mind which has implemented the physical world an class="hi2">anan>d its laws.

It is that larger mind that is sustaining the physical world an class="hi2">anan>d its laws. So if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to be able to override that dream, you need to become aware of an class="hi2">anan>d access that larger mind, from which you will be able to demonstrate truly supernatural miracles. This is why in the dream, we seem so powerless, so unable to chan class="hi2">anan>ge hardly an class="hi2">anan>ything, to barely even have a shred of telekinesis, to be incapable of stopping aging or death, an class="hi2">anan>d to hardly have an class="hi2">anan>y power whatsoever over sickness or suffering. It's because the larger mind is very powerfully "holding" all of those things in place.

If we wan class="hi2">anan>t to be able to gain access to the power to undo death an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d so on, we need to wake up ALL the way to the Christ mind, to the DREAMER, to become total causality. In that mind, in that awareness, an class="hi2">anan>d with that Identity of Authority over all illusions, we WILL then have the ability to do absolutely literally an class="hi2">anan>ything in this world.

Recognize then that Jesus does speak at different "levels" in the Course an class="hi2">anan>d not just all at one level. When He speaks of very high-level Christ-level things, these things can class="hi2">anan>not be properly applied or understood at the level of individual self. Trying to do so will lead to all man class="hi2">anan>ner of misunderstan class="hi2">anan>dings an class="hi2">anan>d disempowerment of your full potential.

Being able to recognize which level Jesus is speaking at - which level of awareness an class="hi2">anan>d identity - helps you to know what applies to the scope or context that you're referring to, an class="hi2">anan>d also helps you to make much more sense out of what Jesus is teaching. Without that, trying to smash everything into one little box will severely fall short of what A Course in Miracles is teaching, not to mention producing a lot of confusion an class="hi2">anan>d conflict.

The Christ mind is projecting the physical universe. It is a dream. It is not real an class="hi2">anan>d it does not exist. The single-son mind is within this dream, as an class="hi2">anan> individual character, an class="hi2">anan>d that individual has its own dreaming that it projects onto the dream. Dreams within dreams. When that son wakes up an class="hi2">anan>d stops projecting onto the dream, He has "awoken" to an class="hi2">anan> awareness of being One among man class="hi2">anan>y sons, an class="hi2">anan>d at this level it is possible for other Sons to still be sleeping. But THERE IS MORE beyond this.

The single Son in the sonship must now go further to become aware of the collective Single Identity as God's Holy Son - as Christ - an class="hi2">anan> identity which has so much scope an class="hi2">anan>d power that it is capable of unlimited miracles. It is at this level that Jesus refers to when He says just about everything He says about miracles. For example, "miracles should be happening all the time". I could go into this much more deeply but that's for an class="hi2">anan>other article.

Realize then there are at least 2 stages in awakening, two levels, an class="hi2">anan>d that Jesus speaks to each level in the Course at different times. There are actually at least 3 levels because level 1 is the ego false self identity, level 2 is the Higher Self (one son of God in the Sonship) an class="hi2">anan>d level 3 is the Christ Self (the whole Sonship/Christ consciousness). There is actually a little more:

Level 5: Heaven/Spirit

Level 4: Christ/christ universe (creates all of the levels below this)

Level 3: Higher Self/higher universe (where most awakened people actually are)

Level 2: Holy Spirit/spiritual universe/astral plan class="hi2">anan>e

Level 1: Ego-self/physical world

The first awakening level typically takes people to level 2 then 3. This is a level where miracles aren't happening very much, but the potential is there. Level 4/Christ is where the demonstrations of Jesus correlate - extraordinarily mild-blowing miracles. an class="hi2">Anan>d then there is Heaven - the home of Spirit. When Jesus speaks of Spirit He always talks of how it is already in a state of grace forever an class="hi2">anan>d nothing has happened to it whatsoever. That's the level of pure reality. Home in Heaven.

It should be apparent then that it is very common for ACIM students to try to relate everything the Course says to the level of "my separate self", within the context of being a body separate from others, an class="hi2">anan>d within the scope of "my mind" as in their own little separate conscious self, whose perceptions an class="hi2">anan>d projections onto a completely separate world make up the entire focus of their grasp of awakening.

They will then believe that once they experience "waking up", they're done. But they're not done. Where are the miracles? Where is the demonstration that you are dreaming the world an class="hi2">anan>d have total power over all illusions an class="hi2">anan>d forms? Where is the proof that there is no death? Where is the real resurrection an class="hi2">anan>d signs that show that you are immortal?

an class="hi2">Anan>d yet this undoing of distortions of perception at the individual level only brings us to an class="hi2">anan> awakening that reveals the full scope of our SEPARATE self within the Sonship, it doesn't bring us to awareness of being Christ. There is a whole other level of awakening which is vast an class="hi2">anan>d extraordinarily powerful, a single shared identity for whom supernatural miracles are effortless an class="hi2">anan>d continual.

I will finish with this final quote which I enjoy, an class="hi2">anan>d which is speaking of the level of Christ:

"You who perceive yourself as weak an class="hi2">anan>d frail, born but to die, to weep an class="hi2">anan>d suffer pain, hear this: All power is given unto you in Earth an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven. There is nothing you can class="hi2">anan>not do."

Wake up! Then wake up some more!

What appears to be the physical world is not actually "direct reality". It is in fact once removed. It is an class="hi2">anan> effect of an class="hi2">anan> entirely other layer of causality which seems hidden. Just as in the holographic model, the underlying "source" of the appearan class="hi2">anan>ces you see, is obscured by "sight of form" an class="hi2">anan>d you end up believing that this physical world is "verbatim", ie this is all there is.

In understan class="hi2">anan>ding why miracles are supernatural, it is very importan class="hi2">anan>t to recognize this. In order to be supernatural there has to be an class="hi2">anan> order or layer of reality deeper or higher than class="hi2">anan> what appears to be the physical surface of this universe. We have to recognize that bodies an class="hi2">anan>d objects are not "immediate reality", they are once removed, an class="hi2">anan>d are EFFECTS caused by some other hidden level of causality. There is a whole other layer of causality, an class="hi2">anan>d everything in this world is "coming from" that hidden realm, making this world entirely an class="hi2">anan> secondary effect.

When observing just the appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of the surface of this world, there is a tremendous vast illusion before your eyes, which seems to operate in terms of "horizontal cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect". It seems as if some parts of the world cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect other parts. But this IS entirely an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It's not what is happening. an class="hi2">Anan>ything which looks like being "different" in this world, ie one thing is a cause an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>other thing is an class="hi2">anan> effect, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

What secretly is happening is a higher, hidden level, a more immediate level of reality, is causing this entire universe all at once. Causality moves in a "vertical" direction from above, downwards, projecting the universe below. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that there is a realm where you are "outside of" or above the entire field of horizontal illusions, outside the dream, where you are under absolutely none of the illusory horizontal laws an class="hi2">anan>d free of ALL limitations.

In that realm, you essentially are like a movie editor, someone who can class="hi2">anan> reach into the movie an class="hi2">anan>d rearran class="hi2">anan>ge parts of it, orchestrate what goes where, an class="hi2">anan>d make significan class="hi2">anan>t chan class="hi2">anan>ges. While within the movie itself it seems there is this consistent "story" playing, which utterly depends on the existence of man class="hi2">anan>y limitations an class="hi2">anan>d props an class="hi2">anan>d illusions of things which "must" happen according to certain rules or laws, realize that all of these stories of causality are entirely a fiction, where nothing seems to betray the illusion, nothing hints at this not being all there is, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing "blows the illusion" of horizontal or linear causality.

an class="hi2">Anan> example is a movie that you go to the cinema to watch. When you watch the movie you believe it is a single seamless story, in which certain limits an class="hi2">anan>d rules have been put in place in order to paint a seemingly "consistent" picture. But the fact is, if you could've been in the studio when the movie was being created, you would realize it was simply a bunch of people "acting" an class="hi2">anan>d a bunch of computers producing CGI special effects, working "behind the scenes". You as as a miracle worker as a BEHIND THE SCENES OPERATOR who orchestrates an class="hi2">anan>d produces the second-han class="hi2">anan>d "effects" or "results" of a creative process. We used this same process initially when FORMING the physical universe, which is an class="hi2">anan> entire order of reality removed from those who pull the strings.

When expression is made from the higher level, the more immediate level of causality, that expression is able to cause chan class="hi2">anan>ges to the expressed world below. Just as an class="hi2">anan> editor would make chan class="hi2">anan>ges to a movie sequence from outside the movie which has the potentially to "break the illusion" of linear consistency within the movie itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d when it DOES "perform a miracle", it literally BREAKS the illusion of linear cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect - the horizontal consistency or predictability of one thing leading only to an class="hi2">anan>other specific consequence. It's like someone editing the movie, an class="hi2">anan>d to those observing from WITHIN the movie, it will look like reality just did something "impossible".

If you seem to be living in the movie an class="hi2">anan>d you think that all that can class="hi2">anan> happen is what's inside the movie, then suddenly a spaceship appears out of nowhere because the movie director decided to insert one, you will "witness" what appears to be a miracle. Something happening that seems impossible based on the linear laws. If you think of The Truman class="hi2">anan> Show - a great movie, the same laws an class="hi2">anan>d rules an class="hi2">anan>d limitations had to happen day after day to maintain an class="hi2">anan> illusion that nothing could happen outside the law, but when the main character started to "wake up" an class="hi2">anan>d see through the limitations, the world around him started to "break" an class="hi2">anan>d he eventually stepped outside of the whole illusion, coming face to face with the "directory" of the movie. You as a miracle worker are a director of the physical movie.

Or similarly, if it appears that there is a law of gravity where, over time, objects are attracted towards the center of the earth, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore human class="hi2">anan> bodies are almost glued to the surface (you can class="hi2">anan> jump, but only so high before you are attracted back down), an class="hi2">anan>d if suddenly a human class="hi2">anan> body were to fly up in the air or walk on water, this would BREAK the illusion of horizontal laws. That mean class="hi2">anan>s, the laws "within" the linear dream, within appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of horizontal causality, could not have "resulted in" this effect, an class="hi2">anan>d it must have required someone to reach in from OUTSIDE of the laws an class="hi2">anan>d make an class="hi2">anan> adjustment that the laws themselves are incapable of producing.

The key point to realize is that all of the linear laws are VERY LIMITING. We are confined by them. We are trapped by them. They seem to play out as if having a force or power over us. We don't seem able to escape gravity, time seems to proceed in one direction, one object seems to collide with an class="hi2">anan>other, no objects share the same space, very large heavy objects like mountains seem completely immovable, even sickness seems to have a causality in the body or due to external forces. These are all very limiting illusions of things on the SAME LEVEL causing other things on the SAME LEVEL to chan class="hi2">anan>ge.

From the point of view of the miracle worker, who is under no laws but God's, there are NO LIMITS. an class="hi2">Anan>d so when the miracle worker man class="hi2">anan>ipulates the limitations in ways which defy an class="hi2">anan>d BREAK the linear laws, this appears to those in the horizontal dream as SUPERNATURAL MIRACLES. Things which should technically be "impossible" according to the limits we have accepted, suddenly become possible. Things we have assumed to be "normal" or "natural" are shown to be ARTIFICIAL LIMITATIONS.

Since we don't generally recognize that we LIVE IN WORLD OF LIMITATIONS, we don't realize that there are additional FREEDOMS an class="hi2">anan>d flexibilities that we have decided are off-limits or impossible. Miracles are capable of exercising that freedom an class="hi2">anan>d of PROVING that you are NOT BOUND by the horizontal laws of the ego's illusory world. This is why miracles are super-natural, they have a freedom of potential way beyond what an class="hi2">anan>y physical law in this second-han class="hi2">anan>d universe suggests is possible.

There is therefore literally NOTHING that they can class="hi2">anan>not do. We have to open our minds to see past the limitations of physical illusion an class="hi2">anan>d realize that even the things we think are impossible are perfectly possible. There is NO REASON why you can class="hi2">anan>not do an class="hi2">anan>ything you can class="hi2">anan> imagine. "There is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do."

So the main keys to this are:

1) This physical world is once removed from true cause, it is not immediate reality

2) This world has no real causes in it, they are all effects of a higher reality

3) Cause-an class="hi2">anan>d-effect in this world are totally fictional illusions designed BY a higher level causer, to create a "story" in which limited things happen according to limited rules

4) Miracles wield a freedom way beyond the limitations of this world an class="hi2">anan>d express an class="hi2">anan>d demonstrate that an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING is possible because they originate in the FIRST ORDER of causal reality, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> BREAK an class="hi2">anan>d OVERRIDE an class="hi2">anan>y of the limitations or laws present on the physical level, since those laws are limitations PUT IN PLACE BY someone from the more primal level of reality. This is why Jesus says "you made sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> abolish both."

Here's what ACIM says:

"The Holy Spirit is invisible, but you can class="hi2">anan> see the results of His Presence, an class="hi2">anan>d through them, you will learn that He is there. What He enables you to do is clearly NOT of this world, for miracles violate every law of reality, as this world judges it. Every law of time an class="hi2">anan>d space, of magnitude an class="hi2">anan>d mass, of prediction an class="hi2">anan>d control, is tran class="hi2">anan>scended, for what the Holy Spirit enables you to do is clearly beyond ALL of them."

"Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d limits of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. Your holiness is totally unlimited in its power because it establishes you as a Son of God, at one with the Mind of his Creator. Through your holiness the power of God is made man class="hi2">anan>ifest. Through your holiness the power of God is made available. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is nothing the power of God can class="hi2">anan>not do."

"You can class="hi2">anan>not see the Holy Spirit, but you can class="hi2">anan> see His man class="hi2">anan>ifestations. an class="hi2">Anan>d unless you do, you will not realize He is there. Miracles are His witnesses, an class="hi2">anan>d speak for his Presence."

I notice in particular that pretty much an class="hi2">anan>ything medical, an class="hi2">anan>ything scientific, or an class="hi2">anan>ything involving proof in the world, always entails this belief that something external causes something to happen.

It also accompan class="hi2">anan>ies the belief that, because the external causes stuff to happen, you can class="hi2">anan> 'fix' the problems you have by carefully selecting which external causes you expose yourself to.

This seems to be a clever ego trick. On the one han class="hi2">anan>d, it says "you are at the effect of external causes an class="hi2">anan>d they will destroy you", an class="hi2">anan>d then it swoops in with its salvation, saying, "choose an class="hi2">anan> external cause that you prefer, an class="hi2">anan>d you will be saved."

Well... its the belief in external causes that's the problem, not whether you're getting the ones you like or the ones you don't like.

Pretty much all medical solutions rely on an class="hi2">anan> external cause, producing effects internally. Really this is a form of attack because it sees the person as a victim. So to the ego, "help" is actually "hurt", an class="hi2">anan>d this is why it always has side effects.

I saw a science report just yesterday, on one of the science news websites I sometimes look at, which said, that scientists uncovered the secret to happiness... that happiness is always chan class="hi2">anan>ging an class="hi2">anan>d its never constan class="hi2">anan>t so you should be more realistic rather than class="hi2">anan> hoping to be happy all the time. I was like...well... that's depressing.

The course holds out a promise of perman class="hi2">anan>ent, constan class="hi2">anan>t, unwavering happiness that never chan class="hi2">anan>ges. But to the ego (ego-based science) that's absolutely an class="hi2">anan> alien an class="hi2">anan>d impossible idea.

Happiness comes from within from extending God an class="hi2">anan>d being free of all forms of ego suffering, which ALL come about when causality is separated from your self an class="hi2">anan>d seen as outside of you attacking you or causing you or affecting you either positively or negatively.

Externally-caused "desirable influences" or magic or medicines or therapies or whatever else, are no different in their psychological damage to external attacks, enemies, victimizers an class="hi2">anan>d threats.

This is why there is no such thing as a perfect diet. All dependency on external food, water, air, etc is set up by the ego to be a lose-lose situation no matter what. All foods, if they affect you at all, victimize you, an class="hi2">anan>d they all have side effects. an class="hi2">Anan>d none of them cause health.

I am not at the effect of the world I see.

I am not a victim of the world I see.

It is the world I see that is impossible.

The world holds no causes, being but an class="hi2">anan> effect.

There is nothing the world can class="hi2">anan> do to hurt you or make up ill or weak or upset or afraid.

You are a cause, not an class="hi2">anan> effect.

We need simply to learn how to stop being affected by illusions of causality, an class="hi2">anan>d return to a state of being only the cause of everything.

Sometimes it seems as though, to say something like "Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are opposites" is actually a statement of separation. This is because whenever we talk in terms of "two" of something we think there is duality at work. That both of the two things being compared exist.

If you compare an class="hi2">anan> apple to an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge for example, both seem to exist in the same realm an class="hi2">anan>d so you can class="hi2">anan> make a comparison. One is oran class="hi2">anan>ge, one is red (depending on what apples you like ;-)

However, if you compare something that does exist, to something that does not exist, this isn't the same logical comparison. Comparing everything to nothing, is not like putting the two things side beside within a realm where both exist, being able to look at one then look at the other an class="hi2">anan>d ask yourself how they differ.

You actually can class="hi2">anan>not truly compare everything to nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d nor does it mean class="hi2">anan> there is a duality, an class="hi2">anan>d nor does it mean class="hi2">anan> there is a separation. Only conceptually, an class="hi2">anan>d imaginatively, could you ever think it possible to actually strike a comparison between everything an class="hi2">anan>d nothing, because nothing is... well, nothing at all.

If love, heaven, God, truth, reality, eternity, creation, sonship, is EVERYTHING, there is no room for an class="hi2">anan>ything opposite to compare it to. There is nowhere to be an class="hi2">anan>d nowhere to go outside of this everything to FIND something opposite.

So then when we draw a logical comparison between everything an class="hi2">anan>d nothing, we're not "making separation real" by contrasting them, we're actually showing that because ONLY love is real, an class="hi2">anan>d because only everything exists (in God, not earth), whatever else we're comparing it to DOES NOT EXIST an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE AT ALL.

If truly we grasp that that second item does not exist whatsoever, we are actually NOT making a real separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d we would have to also understan class="hi2">anan>d that this mean class="hi2">anan>s, love HAS no opposite in truth. The truth of the logic is that there IS NOT a separation because ONLY ONE OF THEM EXISTS.

Here is how Jesus speaks of this:

"Perfect love casts out fear. If fear exists, Then there is not perfect love. But: Only perfect love exists. If there is fear, It produces a state that does not exist. Believe this an class="hi2">anan>d you will be free."

"The truth is simple; it is one without an class="hi2">anan> opposite. "

"Love is a law without an class="hi2">anan> opposite. There is no love but God's, an class="hi2">anan>d what He is, is everything there is. "

"There is no death because what God created shares His Life. There is no death because an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God does not exist. "

"You can class="hi2">anan>not join with an class="hi2">anan>ything except reality. God's glory an class="hi2">anan>d His Son's belong to you in truth. They have no opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else can class="hi2">anan> you bestow upon yourself."

"In me is love perfected, fear impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d joy established without opposite."

To compare everything to nothing, you MUST also be aware that the nothingness DOES NOT EXIST, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore, THERE IS ONLY THE EVERYTHING. If there is only the everything, the thing which was said to be "nothing" DOES NOT EVEN EXIST AT ALL. It has zero existence. So all that remains, is what God created, which is 100% of existence in heaven.

Now, sometimes, the Course will tell us something in slightly subtler terms, like this:

"Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are opposite in every way."

So once again, we need to realize what this is saying. Since heaven is EVERYTHING THAT REALLY EXISTS, an class="hi2">anan>d since Earth (plan class="hi2">anan>et earth) is the "opposite", plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth DOES NOT EXIST AT ALL, because it is nothing. Love, heaven, does not HAVE a "real opposite", only a fake opposite. Therefore, there is no earth, there is no world, an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY HEAVEN IS REAL. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing, only heaven exists, SO THERE IS NO SEPARATION. Recognizing this does not create a split in the mind or emphasize separation, because to properly understan class="hi2">anan>d this is to recognize that THERE IS NO OPPOSITE.

Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are opposites, but this actually MEan class="hi2">ANan>S, that earth does not exist at all! Heaven is everything God created, earth is NOTHING that God created an class="hi2">anan>d has no reality or existence. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of something existing which does not. Earth is nothing. It WILL disappear into the NOTHINGNESS from which it came.

This therefore tells us, logically, that because Heaven HAS no opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d Earth was "part of" what we were saying is an class="hi2">anan> opposite to Heaven, Earth does not exist NOW, an class="hi2">anan>d it will not exist LATER, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT ever be a part of heaven, or converted into heaven, or tran class="hi2">anan>slated into heaven, or merged into heaven, or joined together WITH heaven.

There is nothing here that can class="hi2">anan> be joined! This *ILLUSION* of a plan class="hi2">anan>et showing up, is ONLY an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, not a real thing. It's not there! You're sitting on a seat which does not exist at all! There IS no world TO become one with heaven in an class="hi2">anan>y way! Not now, not a year ago, an class="hi2">anan>d not in the future. Similarly, "at no point in time does the body really exist", an class="hi2">anan>d the earth is just an class="hi2">anan>other body.

The course Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be teaching that Earth an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven will merge together, become one, unify, or tran class="hi2">anan>scend the separation between the two.Here is the part where people get CONFUSED LOGICALLY about what the Course is saying:

"Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth shall pass away’ mean class="hi2">anan>s that they will not continue to exist as separate states."

First remember heaven is everything God created that DOES exist. Second remember that earth as its total opposite (an class="hi2">anan>d unlike it in every way), DOES NOT EXIST AT ALL.

The IDEA that there are two states, that Heaven HAS a REAL OPPOSITE, will pass away. That idea was the idea that Earth was in fact real, existed, was alongside heaven somehow, an class="hi2">anan>d could be compared to it! That was FALSE. That was a result SEPARATION. When separation is undone, it is recognized, perfectly logically, that HEAVEN NEVER DID HAVE an class="hi2">ANan> OPPOSITE, Earth NEVER WAS ITS "REAL" OPPOSITE only an class="hi2">anan> imaginary one, Earth NEVER EXISTED AT ALL IN THE FIRST PLACE, THERE IS NO WORLD, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore, Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth are no longer "opposites" because ***ONLY HEAVEN EVER EXISTED an class="hi2">ANan>D HEAVEN HAS NO OPPOSITE****.

(ok ok, too much all-caps ;-)

If you get this LOGIC, which should be completely clear, an class="hi2">anan>d is bulletproof, then you will understan class="hi2">anan>d what the course is telling us about why "there is no world". There is no earth OR separate universe from God's universe. The world we made, never did exist at all. There IS no opposite to heaven TO tran class="hi2">anan>slate into heaven. Heaven will REPLACE earth an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY HEAVEN WILL BE LEFT, because only heaven exists NOW.

"There is no life outside of heaven" literally mean class="hi2">anan>s, love has no opposite, heaven has no opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything which is categorized as its opposite DOES NOT EXIST. an class="hi2">Anan>ything categorized as its opposite, IF believed to actually exist, will create a STATE WHICH DOES NOT EXIST, an class="hi2">anan>d will be experienced as FEAR! The world, that we made, plan class="hi2">anan>et earth an class="hi2">anan>d so on, IS MADE OF FEAR. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d is not even here at all! 0% existing! Absolutely just a figment of your imagination. Never existed 15 billion years ago, will not exist 15 billion years from now, DOES NOT EXIST NOW.

Earth is NOT life, because ONLY HEAVEN IS LIFE. Earth is therefore DEATH, an class="hi2">anan>d its "life forms" are ALL DEATH FORMS. They are the opposite of life, NOT REAL LIFE. Eternal life does not shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d grow an class="hi2">anan>d suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. Eternal life is not a form or an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>imal or a tree or a human class="hi2">anan> being body. This is a DREAM OF DEATH, because it is a dream of experiencing something that is opposite to heaven that does not really exist, but we are thinking it does. It's pure fiction, an class="hi2">anan>d a LOGICAL ERROR.

Heaven HAS no opposite. Life HAS no opposite. Earth is NOT REALLY the opposite of heaven right now because heaven HAS no REAL opposite, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore, THERE IS NO WORLD. There is nothing here in this world, as this world, TO become part of heaven, ever. Not ever. Not even in some special twisted magical way that man class="hi2">anan>ipulates the words in the course with wishful thinking to make it SEEM as if earth becomes part of heaven because "the two real opposites" of earth an class="hi2">anan>d heaven cease being opposites. This is a total logical fallacy. You can class="hi2">anan> never compare "all an class="hi2">anan>d nothing" an class="hi2">anan>d claim they are BOTH existing.

Only heaven is real. Only the creations of light are real. Only God's creation is real. Earth does not exist. There is no world. This is the central thought the course would attempt to teach. The central core thought of the atonement principle, that SEPARATION DID NOT HAPPEN, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore THERE IS NO WORLD that came about as a "real alternative" to Heaven. There is no world, IS THE ATONEMENT. It is confirmation an class="hi2">anan>d PROOF, experientially, that plan class="hi2">anan>et earth DOES NOT EXIST AT ALL. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this *recognition*, what appeared to exist, WILL DISAPPEAR an class="hi2">ANan>D Van class="hi2">ANan>ISH without a trace, because IT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY THERE TO BEGIN WITH!!!!!!!

WHY WOULD YOU EVEN Wan class="hi2">ANan>T THIS WORLD, given the stunning beauty an class="hi2">anan>d magnificence of God's Kingdom? You think this world is a fan class="hi2">anan>tastic place? Even the forgiven world in all its loveliness, sparkling in the light with no guilt upon it, IT STILL NO COMPARISON to heaven. Earth will always be a "stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made", which in comparison to heaven, if it were possible to compare them, is UGLY an class="hi2">anan>d LIMITED. It is not the world you wan class="hi2">anan>t. It is not your home. God did not create it. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is world God DID create, heaven, which YOU DO Wan class="hi2">ANan>T, an class="hi2">anan>d which is the only world lofty enough to be appropriate for the Son of God.

Earth does not exist.

Bodies, the Earth, the Sun, all the stars, all the galaxies, will van class="hi2">anan>ish, because they are an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d not of God. This will mark the "disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the universe". an class="hi2">Anan>d all that will remain is the Kingdom of God, which was there before spacetime was ever dreamed of. an class="hi2">Anan>d not one single thing which appeared to come into existence will exist in an class="hi2">anan>y way, an class="hi2">anan>d will simply fade into nothing without a trace. No-one needs the world except to help us to leave it behind an class="hi2">anan>d go home.

"Together we can class="hi2">anan> watch the world disappear an class="hi2">anan>d its symbol van class="hi2">anan>ish as it does so." (Special messages 19)

"Like all things in the world its mean class="hi2">anan>ing is temporary, an class="hi2">anan>d will ultimately fade into the nothingness from which it came when there is no more use for it." UrM14A1

"Let us today behold earth disappear, at first tran class="hi2">anan>sformed, an class="hi2">anan>d then, forgiven, fade entirely into God's holy Will." UrW326L4

"in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came." UrU5A4

"When not one thought of sin remains, the world is over. It will not be destroyed nor attacked nor even touched. It will merely cease to seem to be." UrM15A2

"an class="hi2">Anan> unremembered world will leave no trace behind its going, when God's gifts have been accepted as the only thing you wan class="hi2">anan>t." UrG1A8

"Idols MUST disappear, an class="hi2">anan>d leave no trace behind their going." UrT20G9

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end." UrU5A1

"To close all things of time, to end the sight

Of all things visible; an class="hi2">anan>d to undo

All things that chan class="hi2">anan>ge." UrM30A8

"Heaven remains your one alternative to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made an class="hi2">anan>d all its ways; its shifting patterns an class="hi2">anan>d uncertain goals, its painful pleasures an class="hi2">anan>d its tragic joys. God made no contradictions. What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way." UrW137L1

"Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness from where it came." UrU5A4

"The song of our rejoicing is the call to all the world that freedom is returned, that time is almost over, an class="hi2">anan>d God's Son has but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t more to wait until his Father is remembered, dreams are done, eternity has shined away the world, an class="hi2">anan>d only Heaven now exists at all." UrW230W25

"W-pI.131.7. Heaven remains your one alternative to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made an class="hi2">anan>d all its ways; its shifting patterns an class="hi2">anan>d uncertain goals, its painful pleasures an class="hi2">anan>d its tragic joys. 2 God made no contradictions. 3 What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. 4 He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way."

Let's break this down step by step.

1. Heaven remains the only alternative. So that mean class="hi2">anan>s Heaven is the only option that is OTHER THan class="hi2">ANan> the option you're choosing. It's the only alternative to the "stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made", which therefore is not heaven. The stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made, is plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth.

2. Shifting patterns, uncertain goals, painful pleasures, tragic joys etc, are all typical of Earth. There are no such contradictions in Heaven.

3. God does not contradict himself an class="hi2">anan>d is not capable of doing two opposing things. He establishes a single through system with a single mind an class="hi2">anan>d a single outcome. A single creation. Whose nature must be like His an class="hi2">anan>d in accord with His laws.

4. What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. Earth, actually IS a denial of existence. It was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. To make a place where God could enter not. an class="hi2">Anan>d by attacking, it must attack itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d by trying to deny God's existence, an class="hi2">anan>d to deny Heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d produce an class="hi2">anan> alternative to Heaven, it must deny its OWN existence an class="hi2">anan>d BE a state of denial. Therefore this world, Earth, denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself, an class="hi2">anan>d so is NOT OF HIM because God would never create a world that does that.

5. God did not make two minds. God only made one mind. an class="hi2">Anan>d this one mind has only one creation that extends from it. That creation is Heaven. It is not Earth.

6. In order for there to be Earth, which is opposite to Heaven in EVERY WAY, God would have to have had two opposing minds. Jesus is literally telling us that there are seeming to be "two" distinct "places" here. Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d Earth. an class="hi2">Anan>d because Earth is the "second" place, there can class="hi2">anan> only logically BE a second place if the second place is somehow DIFFERENT to the first place. To distinguish it an class="hi2">anan>d set it apart. It HAS to be opposite to Heaven, otherwise there can class="hi2">anan>'t be two things.

7. In order for Earth to have been created by God, an class="hi2">anan>d given that Jesus tells us Earth is OPPOSITE TO HEAVEN IN EVERY WAY, it would've required God to have created two completely different minds, two thought systems, to opposing outcomes, an class="hi2">anan>d these two system would HAVE to be in conflict with each other. Earth, by being a second thought system, HAS to be in conflict with Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d this is why it was an class="hi2">anan> attack on God.

8. God can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d does not create two different minds or thought systems or worlds. He can class="hi2">anan> only create one. an class="hi2">Anan>d the one He has created is Heaven. It is NOT EARTH. Earth is totally OPPOSITE to it. Therefore Heaven is the ONLY REAL CREATED WORLD. It is a living world of light. Earth is OPPOSITE to that world. It is a world of contrasts, light vs dark, opposition an class="hi2">anan>d self attack. God COULD NOT have created such a world. an class="hi2">Anan>d for Him to do so, as well as creating Heaven, he would have to have a split mind.

9. God DOES NOT have a split mind, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT create Earth as well as Heaven, the two things ARE OPPOSITE, an class="hi2">anan>d so ONLY one of them can class="hi2">anan> be real. Earth is described by Jesus as the SORRY OUTCOME of the second mind that would be needed, an class="hi2">anan>d it's a sorry outcome because this second world HAS to be based in a thought system of attack an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d separation. The thought of death, an class="hi2">anan> opposite to LIFE, is what produced the Earth. "Without the idea of death there is no world."

10. Since God could only create Heaven, He did not create Earth. Earth therefore has NOT been created. It doesn't really exist. It's not REAL. It is not made of love. It is not LIFE. Nor is it alive. It is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusion, a dream, a fictional fan class="hi2">anan>tasy of an class="hi2">anan> opposing world. THERE IS NO WORLD. This is the central thought the course would attempt to teach. This world, Earth, is opposite to Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d that is why you must learn to forgive it an class="hi2">anan>d go Home. You do not need this world. Heaven is your Home, not Earth. "The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came." "Together we will watch the world disappear." It has to, because it is not created. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of something existing that doesn't really exist. It was produced by MAKING, which is opposite to creation. Earth is not Heaven. God did not create it. It does not really exist. There is no world.

You can class="hi2">anan>’t solve a problem by staying within the SYSTEM or level in which the problem seems to exist.

In ego terms, in intellectual terms, we’ll have a great man class="hi2">anan>y questions. We do not recognize what these questions are or their purpose of maintaining separation. They make separation real an class="hi2">anan>d then ask how it was possible. Then they seek for an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>swer.

But if you could find all those an class="hi2">anan>swers to all those questions, it would only produce an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of a solution to the problem. Temporarily problems would seem to be fixed, only to be replaced with more in different forms.

The same is true of the past. If you have unhealed stuff from the past, problems unresolved, old wounds etc, you might think that these really exist an class="hi2">anan>d are real an class="hi2">anan>d need solving. Then you’ll set about trying to find solutions to them to make them go away. an class="hi2">Anan>d maybe you’ll find some things that seem to alleviate some if it.

But you’ll stay within the system.

For example I can class="hi2">anan> tell that the ego will NEVER stop feeling unhappy. It will never stop grieving loss, it will never find salvation, it will never heal, it will never accept love, an class="hi2">anan>d it will never stop believing in death. But if we’re experiencing these things or have them an class="hi2">anan>choring us into the past, we might look for solutions to these things to try to make them stop or to find a fix.

But this is always a matter of trying to stay within the realm of what you think is reality, making the issues real, an class="hi2">anan>d then trying to be free from them. It’s not the problem that you need to be free from, it’s the whole SYSTEM! Because the system is designed to malfunction an class="hi2">anan>d break an class="hi2">anan>d fail an class="hi2">anan>d it will never stop being that way.

The same is true of all questions, especially intellectual questions. To question is actually to doubt God’s reality. ALL sense of questioning is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to be separate from God. It’s to bring into question what is without question an class="hi2">anan>d certainly known. It’s an class="hi2">anan> attempt to undermine the truth an class="hi2">anan>d bring suffering into being.

What then seems to be an class="hi2">anan> earnest attempt to ask a great man class="hi2">anan>y questions, to figure everything out, to cover all the intellectual an class="hi2">anan>swers, to find every single “an class="hi2">anan>swer” to every one of the multitudes of questions, is actually an class="hi2">anan> attempt to STAY AWAY from God an class="hi2">anan>d maintain a state of separation. So then the intellectual an class="hi2">anan>swers are not really undoing separation, or solving the problem. You will NOT be saved by an class="hi2">anan>swering all your questions.

What needs to happen is you need to resolve the issue of what is CAUSING the questions, which is a sense of being separate from God. The ONLY solution to that issue is to resume being one with God. There is NO other solution an class="hi2">anan>d no other way. No amount of questions will ever an class="hi2">anan>swer that, solve it, make it go away, or resolve the suffering. The entire system of “questioning God” is designed to NEVER an class="hi2">ANan>SWER the questioning.

What really solves the problem is communion with God, entering into the light, getting out of the past, an class="hi2">anan>d being in the present. ONLY moving closer to God solves the problem. It is the an class="hi2">ANan>SWER. In other words, all questions simply melt an class="hi2">anan>d dissolve an class="hi2">anan>d become IRRELEVan class="hi2">ANan>T when the actual problem - being separate - is solved.

When you get God, you have no purpose or reason to question, doubting comes to an class="hi2">anan> end, interference with reality stops, an class="hi2">anan>d you are simply giving up the NEED to figure everything out. an class="hi2">Anan>swers to a bazillion questions might at best point you towards God but can class="hi2">anan>not UNDO the separation. You do not need to get all our questions an class="hi2">anan>swered, or to understan class="hi2">anan>d all technicalities or theories. What you need is more love an class="hi2">anan>d less fear.

You can class="hi2">anan> resolve the past, with its perpetually loose ends an class="hi2">anan>d its unresolved issues, NOT by being IN the past trying to fight with what’s in your belief system an class="hi2">anan>d trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge what you think is happening. You resolve the past by GETTING OUT OF IT. Entirely. As Jesus says in ACIM, paraphrasing... “The best thing to do with a desert is to leave.” You can class="hi2">anan>’t solve the problem of spiritual starvation by staying in the desert.

Get out of the past an class="hi2">anan>d into the present. Your problems DO NOT EXIST in the present. All healing takes place in the present. The present moves you closer to certainty an class="hi2">anan>d to love, which mean class="hi2">anan>s less fear an class="hi2">anan>d doubt, which mean class="hi2">anan>s less questioning, which mean class="hi2">anan>s less of a NEED for an class="hi2">anan>swers. The more you need an class="hi2">anan>swers the further you are from the an class="hi2">anan>swer. All questions are separation. The only an class="hi2">anan>swer is God.

Escape your past by not being in it. Escape your problems by recognizing you don’t have an class="hi2">anan>y. Escape suffering an class="hi2">anan>d death by recognizing they don’t exist. Escape fear by moving into love. an class="hi2">Anan>d escape unhappiness by going where the happiness is.

When I first began class="hi2">anan> with the Course's forgiveness, it was much more focused on taking back my projections. The particular projections to be taken back revolved around other people an class="hi2">anan>d what they seemed to be doing to me. If things were not going wrong necessarily, I would lapse an class="hi2">anan>d not do an class="hi2">anan>y forgiveness.

People would say you only have to forgive the stuff that upsets you. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's more or less the mode that I'd been in for some years. It seemed some part of me wan class="hi2">anan>ted to just get on with "my life" an class="hi2">anan>d have those assholes just sort of go away as a result of my becoming more honest an class="hi2">anan>d less blaming. When people appeared to not disturb me, I wouldn't seem to have an class="hi2">anan>y reason to forgive.

The radicalness of the Course, however, asks that we recognize not just that we have psychological issues "about" the world, but that the world ITSELF is also an class="hi2">anan> illusion. That's a really HUGE leap in terms of beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d perceptions. That's a seemingly far bigger challenge to even comprehend yet alone overcome.

It isn't just telling me to stop projecting my shit onto people. Ok yes that's part of it. That's a good start. It isn't just telling me that I need to heal my past an class="hi2">anan>d let go of blocks to love an class="hi2">anan>d so on. Again yes, that's part of it. But there is more.

The body itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The world itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Other people's bodies are illusions. All forms are illusions.

So now, this is a much bigger endeavor. This isn't just a matter of undoing small mistakes in perception so that I can class="hi2">anan> see this world better an class="hi2">anan>d feast my eyes on its form with a more loving attitude.

We have to realize that because this world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, IF you are truly waking up from this illusion it HAS to mean class="hi2">anan> that we're going to not only overlook the world but that HOW it looks is going to chan class="hi2">anan>ge radically. Also what it mean class="hi2">anan>s is going to shift. A sense of belief in it, or the notion that it is even REAL, is going to chan class="hi2">anan>ge.

If we're moving toward the real truth of God, an class="hi2">anan>d if this world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, its illusory nature is going to start to become apparent. The sense of it being real is going to start to dissolve. The appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of form as irreversible an class="hi2">anan>d causal is going to be radically turned on its head. Our mind is going to move into a very different, very ego-law-breakaing state of awareness.

So then at some point, we have to move out of the "forgive people" mode an class="hi2">anan>d into the "forgive everything" mode. an class="hi2">Anan>d by forgiveness we mean class="hi2">anan>, recognizing the truth an class="hi2">anan>d using that truth to overlook an class="hi2">anan>d not be deceived by illusions. We might not be recognizing just how deluded we are, an class="hi2">anan>d just how deceived we are, that this physical world is REAL, that bodies are real, or that we're really actually "living" here.

The truth is far more radical than class="hi2">anan> this. The truth is that this world is not reality AT ALL. It is literally nothing. A total illusion from top to bottom. Everything in it, all supposed life "forms", all sickness, all death, all suffering, all of the weather, all of the ways that objects affect other objects, all of the laws of physics an class="hi2">anan>d chemistry an class="hi2">anan>d biology, every property of matter, ALL OF IT is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

Believing that this stuff is real is a problem. It's insan class="hi2">anan>ity. It is not true perception. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you perceive that this world is real, then you will not be able to perform miracles. Miracles completely defy all of the laws of this universe, coming from outside of spacetime, sourced in God's infinite love. If you're believing the world is real, there is no way that you're going to be able to overthrow the laws of this world. Your wish for it to be "true" - a real world - holds it in place, disabling you from having power (dominion) over it.

So this is a huge shift. Take the next step. Be willing to be open to the idea that there is no REAL sickness, no REAL death, an class="hi2">anan>d that this world is not really real at all. Then you will start to sense the power of God to have authority over all illusions an class="hi2">anan>d to perform miracles. It's one thing to do little forgivenesses here an class="hi2">anan>d there, it's an class="hi2">anan>other to realize you have to forgive the entire universe. That then this forgiveness doesn't just mean class="hi2">anan> to see 'a real universe' as innocent, it mean class="hi2">anan>s to see CELARLY an class="hi2">anan>d CORRECTLY, which MUST show you that it is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION, not a real world. Otherwise you are not seeing at all.

Imagine you go into a room which is just completely empty, with pure white walls, ceiling an class="hi2">anan>d floor. There is nothing in the room.

This room is a holo-deck, or a holographic projection room, in which very believable an class="hi2">anan>d real-seeming objects can class="hi2">anan> show up. They can class="hi2">anan> even have physical properties like weight an class="hi2">anan>d inertia an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> be moved around an class="hi2">anan>d interacted with.

So you're stan class="hi2">anan>ding there in this empty room an class="hi2">anan>d suddenly a chair appears out of nowhere. You go over to it an class="hi2">anan>d it looks incredibly realistic. You actually believe it's a "real chair". You're like, how did this chair get in here? You touch it an class="hi2">anan>d it feels solid, an class="hi2">anan>d you pick it up an class="hi2">anan>d move it a bit. It makes a slight noise as the legs scrape on the floor, an class="hi2">anan>d then you sit on it. It supports you. Very realistic. Very lifelike.

Except that it's just a hologram. It's just an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a chair, being projected there by some kind of "system" that's running unseen. But it's so convincing, you're certain it's a real chair.

an class="hi2">Anan>other chair appears out of nowhere an class="hi2">anan>d sitting in this chair, there suddenly appears some person. This person must've been there all along, you reason, trying to justify how your perception can class="hi2">anan> have not noticed them before, because they seem real. Their body looks real, it moves an class="hi2">anan>d breathes an class="hi2">anan>d has a pulse. The person is looking around, fidgeting an class="hi2">anan>d wondering what's going on.

The thing is, this other person is someone you know an class="hi2">anan>d that person is sick, or they have a disease, or a problem, or some kind of suffering or lack, or maybe they are dying, or are very emotionally upset. You see them, an class="hi2">anan>d you're like, wow, that seems so real. It really seems like that person is there, having these issues, an class="hi2">anan>d that it's all very tan class="hi2">anan>gible an class="hi2">anan>d realistic. You're so convinced you don't even remember that they are being projected by the same unseen system.

So then, because you know this person an class="hi2">anan>d they are unhappy or unhealthy in some way, you have this reaction, or a whole bunch of reactions about them. You believe their sickness is real, because it looks real, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> maybe even see an class="hi2">anan>d touch it, or can class="hi2">anan> see how it seems to be affecting them. an class="hi2">Anan>d your reactions compel you to wan class="hi2">anan>t to help or have sympathy or fix them or do something to make their suffering stop. All of these are reactions to the belief that they really are sitting there, having an class="hi2">anan> unhappy time, an class="hi2">anan>d yet all along you don't realize - that person is not even really sitting there. It's a holographic projection of a body, just like an class="hi2">anan> image in a dream. It's coming from somewhere else.

You build up this whole set of reactions an class="hi2">anan>d counter-measures an class="hi2">anan>d attempts to solve the real-seeming problem, so convinced that it's really happening an class="hi2">anan>d there's a real dan class="hi2">anan>ger or threat to that person. But there isn't. It's just an class="hi2">anan> image. It's not a real sickness, it's a holographic sickness. It's not real damage to their body, it's just a projected image. It's not real suffering, it's just a fictional suffering. Some system somewhere unseen is projecting all of this an class="hi2">anan>d making it seem very real an class="hi2">anan>d convincing. It's totally made-up.

Suddenly you see in the corner of the room a doorway, outside of which sits a computer, an class="hi2">anan>d this computer is actually projecting the images that are in the room. You can class="hi2">anan> see beams of light coming from it, making the person appear, making the chairs appear, an class="hi2">anan>d then you notice it even making your own body appear. Your own body is even a holographic image coming from somewhere, an class="hi2">anan>d it's not even really there.

Realizing this, you RECOGNIZE that these images are just illusions being projected, an class="hi2">anan>d are not REAL. They are made up. The joke was on you. You believed them an class="hi2">anan>d fell for it. The other person isn't even really that body that you saw. YOU aren't even the body that you thought you were. The chairs don't even exist. It's all a trick. What you thought was real sickness was just an class="hi2">anan> illusion of sickness, a holographic projection of sickness. It was nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a flickering image like from a movie projector. It had no reality to it, no truth to it. It wasn't doing an class="hi2">anan>ything, or causing an class="hi2">anan>ything. It could've been switched on or off in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, or even removed entirely at the flip of a switch.

A little light lights up on the computer an class="hi2">anan>d the image of the other person suddenly disappears. In their place, an class="hi2">anan>other body shows up - the same person, but in a state of perfect health. This remains for a moment as you marvel at it, thinking that they are now a "real healthy body", an class="hi2">anan>d you have an class="hi2">anan>other reaction - a positive reaction but a reaction nonetheless, that the other person has been saved. But this is false as well.

an class="hi2">Anan>d a second later the computer projects yet an class="hi2">anan>other image of the person back to being a sick body again. Your heart sinks, as though the whole terrible nightmare is happening over again. But then 2 seconds later, it flips back to a healthy body again. You suddenly realize again, all of these body images are not reality. None of them are true. None of them are who the person is. an class="hi2">Anan>d the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of sickness is completely fictional an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. If it can class="hi2">anan> be switched on an class="hi2">anan>d off at will, there is no victimhood whatsoever.

Seeing where the dream images are coming from, who is projecting them, the falseness of their illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d not buying into the deception that they are REALLY THERE, frees the mind to SEE an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZE illusions for what they are. That other person you know who you think is really sick, is not sick at all. Their body is part of a dream you are dreaming. Their sickness is not even really a real sickness. It's just a made-up image. It could be switched off in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. In fact Jesus tells us in the course that if we were to stop believing the lie, there is not a single sickness which would not be cured instan class="hi2">anan>tly.

We need to learn to recognize the nothingness of what IS nothing - this entire dream world an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it. It's all just a big dream. We're DREAMING! This is not reality. It is not real at all. Nothing in this world is true. It's all pretend. There is nothing of an class="hi2">anan>y more importan class="hi2">anan>ce than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything else, hence no order of difficulty in miracles, because it's all just "movie" that's being projected. The mind projecting it can class="hi2">anan> chop an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>y part of it in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It can class="hi2">anan> flip between images of health an class="hi2">anan>d sickness simply because the body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d what lies beyond the illusion is free of all sickness.

This is why we need to learn to recognize that sickness/disease/suffering/upset/death etc is not REALLY HAPPENING. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is nothing about it which is so heavy an class="hi2">anan>d fixed an class="hi2">anan>d irreversible an class="hi2">anan>d seemingly insurmountable, that it can class="hi2">anan>'t be just flipped on or off at will. We need to learn to BELIEVE an class="hi2">anan>d PERCEIVE that all forms, an class="hi2">anan>d as a lesser group, all sick forms, are nothing but temporarily momentary images projected by a mind, an class="hi2">anan>d given the appropriate willingness an class="hi2">anan>d clarity of perception, those forms can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged fully an class="hi2">anan>d instan class="hi2">anan>tly right now. We must overlook the illusions of how these forms of sickness/distortion are difficult or severe or life-threatening. That's all an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Death is no more "difficult" an class="hi2">anan> illusion to chan class="hi2">anan>ge than class="hi2">anan> a pimple on your face. The FREEDOM to do this is what Jesus is teaching us, by helping us to SEE clearly that illusions of difficulty are completely false an class="hi2">anan>d don't mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Nothing I see mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything, because nothing I see in this dream is an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. It's all one thing. One dream, one illusion, showing up as illusions of forms an class="hi2">anan>d differences an class="hi2">anan>d a hierarchy of illusions. The hierarchy is FLAT! There is no real hierarchy. Can class="hi2">anan>cer should be no more difficult to correct than class="hi2">anan> a bloody nose. It should be effortless to chan class="hi2">anan>ge a car into a tree. This world has no power to prevent this capability. But while we believe the illusions that have been projected an class="hi2">anan>d are convinced there is such a thing as "real sickness", or "real death" or reasons "why you can class="hi2">anan>'t", then we are believing in the ego thought system an class="hi2">anan>d have not restored cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect to its proper order (your mind causes, the world obeys). an class="hi2">Anan>d if we can class="hi2">anan>'t do this, we still have level confusion, an class="hi2">anan>d are sick ourselves.

In this world, death is inevitable. This is a scientific an class="hi2">anan>d metaphysical fact. Entropy guaran class="hi2">anan>tees the end of the universe. It's all going to die.

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

Mean class="hi2">anan>while, since it seems that the dying is long an class="hi2">anan>d drawn out, this can class="hi2">anan> create the impression that there is some life to be lived. There are even what we call new births, growths, things to see an class="hi2">anan>d do, entertainment an class="hi2">anan>d short-term goals. Do it all - while you still can class="hi2">anan>. The clock is ticking.

This however doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that even these new things won't die. All the flowers that ever bloomed are dead now. All the babies that were born are dead in the ground. an class="hi2">Anan>d there's only a han class="hi2">anan>dful left to populate the Earth, seeming to live, stan class="hi2">anan>ding in line, waiting to die.

All that remains of what we call "alive" is a thin surface, a small collection of those things that temporarily aren't fully dead yet. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's a vey small amount compared to what has come an class="hi2">anan>d gone. Life is a small slither of the dying, an class="hi2">anan>d billions of years have already come an class="hi2">anan>d gone.

The fact is that the world does not GIVE you a choice in this matter. It is set up to guaran class="hi2">anan>tee death. It can class="hi2">anan> appear that there is life temporarily, but it is also certain that it will not last. What appears to be life, such as a seed growing into a plan class="hi2">anan>t, producing a flower an class="hi2">anan>d then dying off, is all living on borrowed time. The flower was destined to die as soon as it was sown.

All the world's roads lead to death. Sometimes there are roads which don't seem like they're so bad, an class="hi2">anan>d are tolerable, an class="hi2">anan>d sometimes even seemingly enjoyable. These are diversions an class="hi2">anan>d detours. They present an class="hi2">anan> illusion of what seems like it's not dying. They might even look like growth an class="hi2">anan>d building an class="hi2">anan>d construction an class="hi2">anan>d birth. But not one of these things will escape death.

There is not one single city that has been built that hasn't crumbled. There is not one house that hasn't been reduced to a pile of rubble. There is not one body that hasn't been laid in the ground, if there was an class="hi2">anan>ything left to bury. There is not one food that hasn't rotten. There is not one place that hasn't deteriorated. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is not one mean class="hi2">anan>ingful civilized movement that hasn't come to an class="hi2">anan> end.

Why is that? Because death is built into the system. Space an class="hi2">anan>d time MEan class="hi2">ANan> death. Delay, which is time, is an class="hi2">anan> avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of being present, an class="hi2">anan> attack on perman class="hi2">anan>ence, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> attempt to overthrow eternity. Time mean class="hi2">anan>s death an class="hi2">anan>d time guaran class="hi2">anan>tees death. All the things in spacetime end up dead because time itself forces them to chan class="hi2">anan>ge, to stop being what they are, an class="hi2">anan>d to stop existing.

"This is the world of time, where all things end."

There is a seeming regurgitation of death, appearing to turn into new life, such as when trees in a forest are feasting on the corpses of their an class="hi2">anan>cestors. New flowers seem to bloom as so-called "nature" attempts to find a way to perpetuate itself. Only to continually be met with an class="hi2">anan> onslaught of destruction. Yet while the "new" stuff seems to perpetuate an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a life, the rest of it just withers an class="hi2">anan>d dies. an class="hi2">Anan>d even the new stuff will end someday.

This dire situation is simply the state of the world. It is hopeless. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you begin will end. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you build will crumble. an class="hi2">Anan>ything you think you've achieved will come tumbling down. Everything you've tried to create will be destroyed. Not one thing you've ever made will withstan class="hi2">anan>d the laws of physics. an class="hi2">Anan>d time will sweep your whole life under the carpet.

Given that death is inevitable then, logically speaking it really mean class="hi2">anan>s there is no point in living. After all, what's the point in putting in so much effort to do an class="hi2">anan>d achieve an class="hi2">anan>d accomplish when it's all just going to be destroyed an class="hi2">anan>yway? At some point the sun is going to go supernova an class="hi2">anan>d blow your hopes an class="hi2">anan>d dreams to smithereens, an class="hi2">anan>d there will be not one trace left of everything you worked for.

Civilization rests on the idea that somehow you will leave a legacy an class="hi2">anan>d pass on the relay baton to the next runners who, like you, will also have to pass it on to the future generations because they too will die before the finish line. an class="hi2">Anan>d so man class="hi2">anan>kind pretends to live as screaming corpses toss the temporary illusion of life to the newcomers an class="hi2">anan>d ask them to do the same when their time comes to die. an class="hi2">Anan>d we call this a sustaining of life against all the odds.

This is what spacetime has in store for you. an class="hi2">Anan>d because of this, there really is no point doing an class="hi2">anan>ything. There can class="hi2">anan> only be seeming short-term rewards, temporary advan class="hi2">anan>tages, momentary gains an class="hi2">anan>d short-lived enjoyment, all guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to come crashing down an class="hi2">anan>d be trampled on by the universe. Have you not realized this yet, that the whole world is set up to try to kill you off? It was MADE as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God an class="hi2">anan>d as an class="hi2">anan> attempt to destroy you.

The truth is then that even though there sometimes seems to be a reprieve or temporary ceasefire, ALL the worlds roads an class="hi2">anan>d paths an class="hi2">anan>d choices eventually lead to death. All its roads do NOT lead to God. They all lead to destruction an class="hi2">anan>d despair an class="hi2">anan>d suffering. This is the way of the world. If you attempt to deny this you are mentally ill, an class="hi2">anan>d out of touch with reality. Death has plan class="hi2">anan>s for you that it will never give up.

So the truth is that, really, in the big picture, you do not HAVE a choice in life. You are not really choosing between life an class="hi2">anan>d death. You are choosing between death now or death later. You are choosing only to some extent when it will happen, an class="hi2">anan>d certainly not IF it will happen. an class="hi2">Anan>d for the most part, it is going to choose for you. A sudden tragedy, a spontan class="hi2">anan>eous seeming sickness, an class="hi2">anan> accident, an class="hi2">anan> act of nature, whatever it is that comes knocking to give you a really bad day.

You don't have a choice, if this world of spacetime is all that exists. If this is all there is, you are bound to death. If this world is the only reality, you will never escape death an class="hi2">anan>d it is your destiny to die. That mean class="hi2">anan>s you are bound by fate an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing you can class="hi2">anan> do about it. Therefore you are not free. You are prisoner in a prison world, doing time, an class="hi2">anan>d waiting to die.

The only way, logically speaking, for you to have an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL CHOICE, is if there is some kind of way of existing that is not bound by the laws of spacetime. The only way you can class="hi2">anan> have an class="hi2">anan> alternative TO choose from, is if there IS actually a real alternative. There has to be an class="hi2">anan> alternative to spacetime, otherwise you have no choice at all.

an class="hi2">Anan>d don't be deceived in thinking that you have a lot of choices in life, to decide how you can class="hi2">anan> make your life better, to choose something you prefer over something you don't, to choose which compromise appeals to you more. For everything you gain you will lose something else, an class="hi2">anan>d will not come out on top overall. Life will give you little scraps an class="hi2">anan>d will then take them away again. It will award you an class="hi2">anan>d please you an class="hi2">anan>d delight you an class="hi2">anan>d then shit in your face.

an class="hi2">Anan>d you'll think it was unfair an class="hi2">anan>d unnatural an class="hi2">anan>d just some exception that things went to hell. But then it will happen again. an class="hi2">Anan>d again an class="hi2">anan>d again an class="hi2">anan>d again. an class="hi2">Anan>d you won't seem to be getting the message that this is how the whole system is set up. There is NO ESCAPE from the problems of the world. The world was made so that problems would be endless an class="hi2">anan>d no escape is possible. There's plenty more in store for you if you stick around. The world has an class="hi2">anan> unlimited supply of han class="hi2">anan>ds to slap your face with.

You might believe that problems are only temporary. You might be delighted with your ability to fix things an class="hi2">anan>d problem solve. You might think that you're able to create a little oasis in the desert where you seem to be relatively safe an class="hi2">anan>d life is good. But that mean class="hi2">anan>s you're living in denial. You are not prepared for what could happen, an class="hi2">anan>d it will happen, an class="hi2">anan>d you will be shocked an class="hi2">anan>d upset because you thought it could never happen. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you will exclaim it is unfair an class="hi2">anan>d try to move on an class="hi2">anan>d look for the next lull in the storm, ever lurching onwards towards the grave like a half-living zombie.

Unless there is an class="hi2">anan>other world beyond space an class="hi2">anan>d time, out of reach of death an class="hi2">anan>d destruction, you have no hope. Unless there is an class="hi2">anan> actual reality where you can class="hi2">anan> live an class="hi2">anan>d have life an class="hi2">anan>d experience, out of the reach of death's clutches, there is no hope. Unless there is GOD, heaven, creation, God's Kingdom, you do not have an class="hi2">anan>y hope. Unless there's an class="hi2">anan> actual real alternative to this world, you are not going to surmount death or overcome the world or find a way to live forever.

It is quite insan class="hi2">anan>e to suggest that being born, living for a while, an class="hi2">anan>d then dying, is natural. It is commonplace yes, but that doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it's natural. All the things of "nature" seem to do it, but that also doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it's natural. It is completely insan class="hi2">anan>e to suggest that there could be a life which is given, but you only have a short time, an class="hi2">anan>d then it's going to be ripped away unfairly before you're done. That you could live for only a short period an class="hi2">anan>d then stop. It makes no sense at all to think that people could just be destroyed endlessly.

Due to death seeming to be so inevitable, people think they do not have a choice. That there is nothing else to choose. In fact they don't even think they have a choice at all, not really. Even though they pretend to choose things all the time, they are just choosing different roads to death that temporary look appealing. an class="hi2">Anan>d none of them offer an class="hi2">anan>y REAL choice because none of them lead to perman class="hi2">anan>ent life. There is no alternative when the only option is death, an class="hi2">anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s you have no choice to choose with.

If there were to be an class="hi2">anan>other option, you actually would have a valid choice. This would mean class="hi2">anan> two things. Firstly that you can class="hi2">anan> choose something else, an class="hi2">anan>d secondly that if you choose it you will have it. It has to be true then that death is actually a decision, an class="hi2">anan>d that you somehow have it within your power to choose what you wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d to make it happen. Otherwise, if perman class="hi2">anan>ent life were an class="hi2">anan> option an class="hi2">anan>d you chose it, death could still take it away from you. It has to be that somehow in you there is a power of decision which overthrows what happens an class="hi2">anan>d determines your own destiny.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s ultimately that, even while death disguises the fact that you are free to choose, death itself must be chosen in order to happen. This same power in your mind that can class="hi2">anan> choose eternal life can class="hi2">anan> also choose the illusion of death in space an class="hi2">anan>d time. If there really is an class="hi2">anan> alternative, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> choose it, an class="hi2">anan>d by choosing it it becomes yours, you must have the power to NOT choose death, to not consent to it, an class="hi2">anan>d to therefore PREVENT it. Even to reverse it, undo it, can class="hi2">anan>cel it, an class="hi2">anan>d make it impossible.

The only real alternative therefore to this world of eventual death is a world of perman class="hi2">anan>ent life, in which death is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d life is inevitable. Where there is a power capable of keeping death at bay, of guaran class="hi2">anan>teeing immortality, of ensuring invulnerability, of making certain that nothing can class="hi2">anan> be attacked or harmed or destroyed in an class="hi2">anan>y way. It must be a world of creation an class="hi2">anan>d not destruction, rooted in laws of perman class="hi2">anan>ence an class="hi2">anan>d protection, of safety an class="hi2">anan>d of love, of harmlessness an class="hi2">anan>d order.

To entertain that there is a valid alternative to the world requires you to believe in God. To have faith in heaven. To trust an class="hi2">anan>d be open to the possibility that such a place actually exists, that you can class="hi2">anan> go there an class="hi2">anan>d merge with it an class="hi2">anan>d live there forever, out of harm's way. To do this is the only way to step out of the downhill slide towards destruction. You have to believe in a movement towards life, an class="hi2">anan>d life is God. Going towards life resurrects you an class="hi2">anan>d restores your life, while going away from God takes you into the world an class="hi2">anan>d towards death.

If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to live forever, you will have to turn your back on death an class="hi2">anan>d on the world. You will have to overthrow the laws of physics. You will have to violate every seeming natural consequence of the world. You will have to become able to demonstrate through miracles that you are under the laws of God an class="hi2">anan>d not the laws of death. You will have to be able to raise the dead, resurrect to life, an class="hi2">anan>d restore order. Only by surmounting death an class="hi2">anan>d preventing sickness an class="hi2">anan>d reversing decay can class="hi2">anan> you prove that you really mean class="hi2">anan> business in your commitment to living.

Accepting sickness is not a commitment to living. Sickness is a form of death. Tolerating suffering is not full living. Putting up with dying is not living. Only the sustained continuation of life endlessly is real life. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you are not in favor of that, are not actively choosing that, are not causing that to happen, then you are choosing death. It's not a difficult thing to consider. You either choose to live or die, an class="hi2">anan>d it's on you. Living doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> living for 80+ years. It mean class="hi2">anan>s living forever.

Since everything in the world points toward death, even in its forms of life an class="hi2">anan>d its new births an class="hi2">anan>d so on, you will have to fly in the face of the entirety of spacetime in order to overcome death. You will have to believe in laws that are not of this world, you will have to side with God, an class="hi2">anan>d you will have to reject every belief in sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. All forms of suffering will have to by uprooted an class="hi2">anan>d every denial that you use to pretend you're going to live has to be questioned.

There IS a real alternative to death, an class="hi2">anan>d it's not of this world. Life is of God who is eternally alive. If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to live you will have to side with God. You will have to choose to resume your natural station of being like God. If you do not choose this, you are choosing to be unlike life, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore dead. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is what you will receive. If you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to receive it, you will have to choose immortality. an class="hi2">Anan>d the only way to choose it is to stop choosing an class="hi2">anan>ything the world says must happen.

You're going to have to go against the grain, run contrary to the worlds beliefs, defy the opinions of everyone, stan class="hi2">anan>d up for the real truth, stop supporting the number-one religion of death-worship, have faith an class="hi2">anan>d trust in God's power to correct all problems, an class="hi2">anan>d become a medium through which resurrection can class="hi2">anan> occur. The ONLY way out of this is through miracles. The ONLY way to end death an class="hi2">anan>d guaran class="hi2">anan>tee life, is through the expression of life an class="hi2">anan>d the giving of life. an class="hi2">Anan>d through miracles you will return to an class="hi2">anan> endless life in God.

"Real choice is no illusion. But the world has none to offer. ALL its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d death. There IS no choice in its alternatives. Seek not ESCAPE from problems here. The world was made that problems could not BE escaped." "The world you see is merciless indeed, unstable, cruel, unconcerned with you, quick to avenge an class="hi2">anan>d pitiless with hate. It gives but to rescind, an class="hi2">anan>d takes away all things that you have cherished for a while. No lasting love is found, for none is here. This is the world of time, where all things end."

"Be not deceived by all the different names its roads are given. They have but one end. an class="hi2">Anan>d each is but the mean class="hi2">anan>s to GAIN that end, for it is here that all its roads will lead, however differently they seem to start; however differently they seem to go. Their end is certain, for there is no choice among them."

"All of them will lead to death. On some you travel gaily for a while, before the bleakness enters. an class="hi2">Anan>d on some the thorns are felt at once. The choice is not WHAT will the ending be, but WHEN it comes."

"Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem. Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, an class="hi2">anan>d dying in the end? We have asked this question before, but now we need to consider it still more carefully. It is the one fixed, unchan class="hi2">anan>geable belief of the world that all things in it are born only to die. This is regarded as "the way of nature," not to be raised to question, but to be accepted as the "natural" law of life. The cyclical, the chan class="hi2">anan>ging an class="hi2">anan>d unsure; the undependable an class="hi2">anan>d the unsteady, waxing an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ing in a certain way upon a certain path, - all this is taken as the Will of God. an class="hi2">Anan>d no-one asks if a benign Creator could will this."

This is possibly the most threatening an class="hi2">anan>d mind-blowing teaching in A Course in Miracles. There is in fact NOT a world here! It's not even a matter of who made the world, it's the even higher truth that it DOES NOT EXIST. Earth is in fact NOTHING.

"There is no world! This is the central thought the course attempts to teach. Not everyone is ready to accept it"

"There is no world because it is a thought apart from God, an class="hi2">anan>d made to separate the Father an class="hi2">anan>d the Son, an class="hi2">anan>d break away a part of God Himself an class="hi2">anan>d thus destroy His wholeness. Can class="hi2">anan> a world which comes from this idea be real? Can class="hi2">anan> it be an class="hi2">anan>ywhere?"

Everything that happened in the separation from God, involves a belief in something existing which does not exist, something being true which is false, something being real which is unreal.

For example, we made a separate self which seems to have free will to do as it pleases. However, this self is in fact the DENIAL of self, which is why it results in death. But it APPEARS to be the presence of a self. This is why it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion - it seems to be showing you something which is not there, as if it is. It's supposed freedom of will is in fact an class="hi2">anan> imprisoned will, which is not free, but SEEMS free.

Take a look at the body. "The body is the symbol of WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE. It is clearly a separation device, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist." The body SEEMS to picture "you", presenting an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d form, it seems to positively exist an class="hi2">anan>d move an class="hi2">anan>d do stuff. But, the body is NOT you, it is a replacement for you, an class="hi2">anan>d is only an class="hi2">anan> image of what you THINK you are. What it SEEMS to be, is the opposite of what it actually is. The body is the ABSENCE OF YOU. an class="hi2">Anan>d you do not look like your body. "What you are can class="hi2">anan>not be seen nor pictured."

It is the same thing with regards the difference between light an class="hi2">anan>d darkness. Darkness is not possible. Where there seems to be an class="hi2">anan> absence of light, there must be an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of darkness. If you believe the darkness is real, you are giving it false reality an class="hi2">anan>d are claiming it "is a something." But a shadow on a wall is not the PRESENCE of darkness, it is the absence of light. It appears to be a something, but is really the lack of a something.

It is also the same with regards to sin an class="hi2">anan>d error. Error or mistakes are just illusions of impossibilities, recognized as false. In their "true form" it is clear they can class="hi2">anan>not be true. But if you invest belief in them, are deceived an class="hi2">anan>d tempted by them, an class="hi2">anan>d buy into them, they turn into sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it seems that they assert that something has REALLY happened, an class="hi2">anan>d something is REALLY possible, that isn't. So sin is really a lie, depicting stuff happening that Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT happen, as though it is really happening. It is deceptive.

The same applies to this world. This world is in fact NOTHING. But by believing in it an class="hi2">anan>d investing it with reality, it turns from an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a something to an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL something. It seems to exist. It seems to host events an class="hi2">anan>d happenings. Things in it seem possible. But the world is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d the things which happen are impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d sin is not real. The world was made to try to prove that sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt are real.

"Their aim is to fulfill the purpose which the world was made to witness an class="hi2">anan>d make real. They see in its illusions but a solid base where truth exists, upheld apart from lies."

"The world of bodies is the world of sin."

So basically, we have a world that SEEMS to be here, which is made of sin, which testifies an class="hi2">anan>d proves that impossible things are possible, which hosts the idea of the death an class="hi2">anan>d murder of reality, an class="hi2">anan>d SEEMS to have real consequences. But it has none. an class="hi2">Anan>d it does nothing. an class="hi2">Anan>d it causes nothing. an class="hi2">Anan>d it has no power. an class="hi2">Anan>d it isn't really there at all.

"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>celess, an class="hi2">anan>d all events are nowhere."

"The world does nothing to him."

"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 which has the power to make you ill or sad, or weak or frail."

The really deep thing to realize is this. The world is in fact, the ABSENCE OF EXISTENCE. It is the an class="hi2">anan>tithesis of heaven. It is the LACK OF HEAVEN. It is a HOLE, which we call the spacetime bubble, in which are housed impossibilities an class="hi2">anan>d unrealities. It is an class="hi2">anan> hallucinated world, because it seems to be there to see, but isn't. You are projecting it an class="hi2">anan>d making it up as you go along.

The idea that there is no world isn't simply that the world "exists" an class="hi2">anan>d it has to be "undone". It's really the RECOGNITION that the world you thought was here, does not exist. an class="hi2">Anan>d this doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> there's a better view of it. It mean class="hi2">anan>s the WHOLE THING IS GONE. It has no reality at all. No presence. No life.

"There is no life outside of heaven."

"Without the idea of death there is no world."

"He does NOT realize that HE MAKES THIS WORLD, for there IS no world outside him."

Through unwillingness, we resisted God. We failed to create. We wan class="hi2">anan>ted not to shine. We tried to end eternal life. We wan class="hi2">anan>ted to stop reality. We opposed the Kingdom. We attacked will. We tried to deny our own existence. We blocked awareness. We tried to destroy. an class="hi2">Anan>d ultimately this is all a matter of TRYING NOT TO EXIST.

In so doing, we seemed to make a world which SEEMS to exist, which is really actually the LACK OF A WORLD. It's like you took a part of heaven an class="hi2">anan>d DRAINED IT of all life. Held it back an class="hi2">anan>d prevented its extension. As though you could attack heaven an class="hi2">anan>d remove its presence. This world, which includes the Earth, is the an class="hi2">ANan>TI-world. It is a mis-creation. It is empty an class="hi2">anan>d it is nothing.

We have GIVEN the world, the fake world, all man class="hi2">anan>ner of belief in trying to MAKE IT BE SIN, so that it is GIVEN reality, so that we can class="hi2">anan> try to make it exist. It's our attempt to give it life an class="hi2">anan>d immortality. But we can class="hi2">anan>'t. We tried to make the world be a cause. We tried to make it have power. We gave our power to it to try to an class="hi2">anan>imate it. We tried to make it appear to be alive with "life forms", which are illusions of life. We tried to imagine it has a mind an class="hi2">anan>d alien will of its own. We tried to make ourselves subject to it an class="hi2">anan>d affected by it, to confirm its reality. We made bodies to sense it an class="hi2">anan>d to tell us that it is there.

"Only the body makes the world seem real."

"The body is not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen."

Quite simply, this world, this plan class="hi2">anan>et, this galaxy, all the stars, all bodies, all an class="hi2">anan>imals an class="hi2">anan>d "life forms", are NOTHING. They are life's ABSENCE. They are the LACK OF LIFE. They are something that is really NOT there, appearing to be there. Like an class="hi2">anan> hallucination. A lack of light, appearing to be the presence of a real darkness. an class="hi2">Anan>d to believe in it is to believe that evil is real, asserting that the world has power OVER heaven. That the world Can class="hi2">ANan> CAUSE immortal beings to die. Believing this world is real is level confusion.

Our task in forgiveness, then, is not to find a way to give EXTRA reality to the world, but to recognize ITS UNREALITY, an class="hi2">anan>d see finally that it SO NOTHING, that it disappears an class="hi2">anan>d fades into nothingness. All it is is a veil of illusions, a block, han class="hi2">anan>ging in front of the face of christ, pretending to exist. Our guilt makes it seem solid. Our fear gives it reality. Our belief in sin an class="hi2">anan>chors it in our minds. But it is not there at all. It is an class="hi2">anan> empty shell.

"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. Yet, within YOU, there is a force which NO illusions can class="hi2">anan> resist."

"What can class="hi2">anan> the causeless BE but nothingness. The picture of your brother that you see is wholly absent, an class="hi2">anan>d has never been."

"Sickness is a deman class="hi2">anan>d the body be a thing that it is not. Its NOTHINGNESS is guaran class="hi2">anan>tee that it can class="hi2">anan> NOT be sick."

"The body that is asked to be a god WILL be attacked, because its nothingness has not been recognized. "

"Yet its nothingness IS your salvation, from which you would flee."

"His body's nothingness releases yours from sickness an class="hi2">anan>d from death."

"For here is nothingness, where neither birth nor death is real"

"The final judgment on ****the world**** contains no condemnation. For it sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin, an class="hi2">anan>d wholly purposeless. Without a cause, an class="hi2">anan>d now without a function in Christ's sight, ****it merely slips away to nothingness.****"

"Your faith is placed in the most trivial an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>e symbols; pills, money, "protective" clothing, "influence," "prestige," being liked, knowing the "right" people, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> endless list of forms of nothingness which you endow with magical powers."

"To recognize this is to recognize nothingness when you think you see it. As such, it is the prerequisite for vision."

"Yet how can class="hi2">anan> sight which stops at nothingness, as if it WERE a solid wall, see truly? It is HELD BACK by form, having been made to guaran class="hi2">anan>tee that nothing else BUT form will be perceived. These eyes, made NOT to see, will NEVER see."

"See how the body's eyes rest on externals, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT go beyond. Watch how they STOP at nothingness, unable to go BEYOND the form to mean class="hi2">anan>ing."

"But if you refuse to worship him, in whatever form he may appear to you, an class="hi2">anan>d wherever you think you see him, he will disappear into the nothingness out of which he was made."

"To overlook nothingness is merely to judge it correctly, an class="hi2">anan>d because of your ability to evaluate it truly, to LET IT GO."

"The body disappears, an class="hi2">anan>d no longer hides what lies beyond. It merely ceases to interfere with vision. To roll the stone away is to see beyond the tomb, beyond death, an class="hi2">anan>d to understan class="hi2">anan>d the body's nothingness. What is understood as nothing must disappear."

"The "chan class="hi2">anan>ges" the ego seeks to make are not really chan class="hi2">anan>ges. They are but deeper shadows, or perhaps different cloud patterns. Yet what is made of nothingness can class="hi2">anan>not be called new or different."

"We can class="hi2">anan> but go from nothingness to everything; from hell to Heaven." "What loss can class="hi2">anan> be for you in choosing not to value nothingness? This world holds nothing that you really wan class="hi2">anan>t, but what you choose instead you wan class="hi2">anan>t indeed!"

"***The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block*** before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just ***a fragile veil***, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> ***last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t***. It is seen at last for only what it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it ***can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear***, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t ***is the world forgot***, with time forever ended as ***the world spins into nothingness*** from where it came."

"What is the ego? Nothingness, but in a form that seems like something. In a world of form the ego can class="hi2">anan>not be denied for it alone seems real. How could God's Son as He created him abide in form or in a world of form?"

"What can class="hi2">anan> correct illusions but the truth? an class="hi2">Anan>d what are errors but illusions which remain unrecognized for what they are? Where truth has entered errors disappear. They merely van class="hi2">anan>ish, leaving not a trace by which to be remembered. They are gone because without belief they have no life, an class="hi2">anan>d so they disappear to nothingness, returning whence they came. From dust to dust they come an class="hi2">anan>d go, for only truth remains."

"The bleak little world will van class="hi2">anan>ish into nothingness, an class="hi2">anan>d your heart will be so filled with joy that it will leap into Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d into the presence of God."

"God wills salvation be received today, an class="hi2">anan>d that the intricacies of your dreams no longer hide their nothingness from you."

"Nothingness will become invisible, for you will at last have seen truly." "Like all things in the world its mean class="hi2">anan>ing is temporary, an class="hi2">anan>d will ultimately fade into the nothingness from which it came when there is no more use for it."

"All that is veiled in shadows must be raised to understan class="hi2">anan>ding to be judged again, this time with Heaven's help, an class="hi2">anan>d all mistakes in judgment which the mind had made before are open to correction as the truth dismisses them as causeless. Now are they without effects. They can class="hi2">anan>not be concealed because their nothingness is recognized."

"How can class="hi2">anan> a battle be perceived as nothingness, when you ENGAGE in it?" "There is a silence covering the world that was an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>cient dream so long ago no one remembers now. Its time is done, an class="hi2">anan>d in the little space it seemed to have is nothingness. The dream has gone, an class="hi2">anan>d all its dreams of gifts have disappeared as well."

"Pursuit of the imagined leads to death because it is the search for nothingness, an class="hi2">anan>d while you seek for life you ask for death.

"Real choice is no illusion. But the world has none to offer. ALL its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d death."

"The more complicated the results become, the harder it may be to recognize their nothingness, but it is not necessary to examine ALL possible outcomes to which premises give rise to judge the PREMISES truly."

"Forgiveness is the only thing that stan class="hi2">anan>ds for truth in the illusions of the world. It sees their nothingness, an class="hi2">anan>d looks right through the thousan class="hi2">anan>d forms in which they may appear. It looks on lies but it is not deceived. It does not heed the self-accusing shrieks of sinners mad with guilt. It looks on them with quiet eyes, an class="hi2">anan>d merely says to them, "My brother, what you think is not the truth.""

"EVERY illusion carries pain an class="hi2">anan>d suffering in the dark folds of the heavy garments with which it hides its nothingness."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d so is ALL time past, an class="hi2">anan>d everything EXACTLY as it was before the way to nothingness was made. The tiny tick of time, in which the first mistake was made, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL of them within that ONE mistake, held also the Correction for that one, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL of them that came within the first. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that tiny instan class="hi2">anan>t time was gone, for that was all it ever was. What God gave an class="hi2">Anan>swer to IS an class="hi2">anan>swered, an class="hi2">anan>d IS gone."

"Specialness is the idea of sin MADE REAL. Sin is impossible even to imagine, without this base. For sin rose from it, out of nothingness, an class="hi2">anan> evil flower with no roots at all."

"In the Divine psyche, the Father an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy Spirit are not incomplete at all. The Sonship has the unique faculty of believing in error, or incompleteness, if he so elects. However, it is quite apparent that so to elect IS to believe in the existence of nothingness. The correction of this error is the Atonement."

This is a potent, an class="hi2">anan>d clarifying passage, about the fact that ALL perception (even true) is totally OPPOSITE to reality still. Even Christ vision, even sight of the real world, is STILL a state of separation. "Perception is a separated state." "To perceive the truth is not the same as knowing it." Knowledge is a direct experience of God's Kingdom, whereas perception is a once-removed, separated, interpretative IMAGE-based reflection. Nothing in the world of illusions (including Eath) HAS an class="hi2">anan>y truth to it. True perception merely recognizes that the world IS SENSELESS. Teachers of God who choose to look on dreams a while, are NOT DECEIVED by what they see.

"This is a course in miracles. an class="hi2">Anan>d, as such, the laws of healing must be understood before the purpose of the course can class="hi2">anan> be accomplished. Let us review the principles that we have covered, an class="hi2">anan>d arran class="hi2">anan>ge them in a way that summarizes all that must occur for healing to be possible. For when it once is possible it MUST occur. ALL sickness comes from separation. When the separation is denied, it goes. For it IS gone as soon as the idea which brought it has been healed an class="hi2">anan>d been replaced by san class="hi2">anan>ity. Sickness an class="hi2">anan>d sin are seen as consequence an class="hi2">anan>d cause, in a relationship kept hidden from awareness, that it may be carefully preserved from reason's light.

Guilt ASKS FOR punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d its request is gran class="hi2">anan>ted. NOT in truth, but in ***the world of shadows an class="hi2">anan>d illusions BUILT on sin***. The Son of God perceives what he would see, because perception IS a wish fulfilled. Perception chan class="hi2">anan>ges, MADE to take the place of chan class="hi2">anan>geless knowledge. ***Yet is truth unchan class="hi2">anan>ged. It can class="hi2">anan>not BE perceived, but only known.*** What is perceived takes man class="hi2">anan>y forms, but ***NONE has mean class="hi2">anan>ing***. ****Brought to truth, its senselessness is quite apparent.**** Kept APART from truth, it SEEMS to have a mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d be real. ****Perception's laws are OPPOSITE to truth, an class="hi2">anan>d what IS true of knowledge is NOT true of an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING that is apart from it.**** Yet has God given an class="hi2">Anan>swer to the world of sickness, Which applies to ALL its forms.

God's an class="hi2">Anan>swer is eternal, though It operates in time, where It is needed. But, because It IS of God, the laws of time do not affect Its workings. It is in this world, but NOT a part of it. For It is real, an class="hi2">anan>d dwells where all reality MUST be. Ideas leave not their source, an class="hi2">anan>d their effects but SEEM to be apart from them. Ideas are of the mind. What is projected OUT, an class="hi2">anan>d seems to be EXTERNAL to the mind, is NOT outside at all, but an class="hi2">anan> effect of what is in, an class="hi2">anan>d has NOT left its source. God's an class="hi2">Anan>swer lies where the belief in sin MUST be, for only there can class="hi2">anan> its effects be utterly undone, an class="hi2">anan>d without cause.

****Perception's laws must be reversed, because they ARE reversals of the laws of truth****. The laws of truth FOREVER will be true, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not BE reversed; yet can class="hi2">anan> be SEEN as upside down. an class="hi2">Anan>d this must be corrected where the illusion of reversal lies. It is impossible that one illusion be LESS amenable to truth than class="hi2">anan> are the rest. But it IS possible that some are given greater VALUE, an class="hi2">anan>d less willingly OFFERED to truth for healing an class="hi2">anan>d for help. ****NO illusion has an class="hi2">ANan>Y truth in it.**** Yet it appears some are MORE true than class="hi2">anan> others, although this clearly makes no sense at all. All that a hierarchy of illusions can class="hi2">anan> show is PREFERENCE, NOT reality."

This is really key:

"Brought to truth, its senselessness is quite apparent. Kept APART from truth, it SEEMS to have a mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d be real."

The world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Period. Having illusions ABOUT the world, mean class="hi2">anan>s you are believing the world is real. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you have illusions ON TOP OF an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d are not RECOGNIZING that it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

"the world of shadows an class="hi2">anan>d illusions BUILT on sin" "The world of bodies is the world of sin."

Perceiving the world AS REAL, mean class="hi2">anan>s that it has been kept APART from truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore true perception is not occurring.

Because the world IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, perceiving it AS REAL is a MISTAKE. an class="hi2">Anan> error. This is FALSE perception.

Because the world IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, perceiving it AS NOT REAL, is CORRECT perception, true perception. When the world is seen with true perception the world does NOT BECOME REAL. It becomes RECOGNIZED AS FALSE. Its senselessness becomes apparent. It ceases to DECEIVE because you do not buy INTO its illusions of temptation.

This world is not real. Nor is is real in the eyes of christ. Believing it is real is a complete 180 degree reversal of what the course is teaching.

Ego's world is run by the egoic thought system, based on an class="hi2">anan> EITHER-OR mindset of separation.

God's world is run by God's thought system, based on a BOTH-an class="hi2">ANan>D mindset of sharing.

EITHER-OR is based on the idea of separation - there is a separation between who has an class="hi2">anan>d who has not, who does an class="hi2">anan>d who does not, what is an class="hi2">anan>d what is not, etc. an class="hi2">Anan> object is this, but not that. It's either red or blue. It's either here or there.

BOTH-an class="hi2">ANan>D is based on sharing, something is equally true of both me an class="hi2">anan>d you, we both have everything, me an class="hi2">anan>d you are loved the same by God, etc. There is no separation in that. What exists is in all locations simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, space an class="hi2">anan>d time do not place limits on an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Because the world of physical matter is entirely an class="hi2">anan> expression of the egoic thought system, space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d everything within them (bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, etc) are governed by this idea of EITHER OR. Living in such a world, the seemingly "natural" way to think about an class="hi2">anan>ything is to align our thought processes to the "natural world" an class="hi2">anan>d think in accord with it.

So now we "learn" to think in an class="hi2">anan> EITHER-OR way. Either I will turn left or right. Either I will eat at 5 or at 6. Either I'm male or female. Either I am asleep or awake. Either I choose option A or option B.

We adopt this as an class="hi2">anan> entire way of thinking about the world, of reasoning about an class="hi2">anan>ything, of what to do, where to go, what to choose, always a selective judgement based on either this or that. It seems to "fit" well with the way the physical world is structured an class="hi2">anan>d how it behaves. But it is completely unnatural an class="hi2">anan>d completely opposite to God's world.

In God's world, seemingly miraculous things are possible. Everywhere. All the time. Everything in God's world breaks all the ego's laws of separation, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore the entire basis of EITHER-OR thinking. God does not think, hey, either one son or an class="hi2">anan>other will get my attention. He thinks, BOTH of them get my FULL attention. Nor does he think, I will give 50% attention to one an class="hi2">anan>d 50% to an class="hi2">anan>other. He thinks, I will give 100% love to both at the same time. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is done WITHOUT loss, without sacrifice or lack, an class="hi2">anan>d without compromise.

The true mean class="hi2">anan>ing of divine sharing is that everything applies to BOTH me an class="hi2">anan>d you equally, simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, an class="hi2">anan>d always. If there were such a thing as a divine pizza, I could eat the whole pizza an class="hi2">anan>d you could eat the whole pizza. We both get everything. This is not possible in the physical world, but it is possible in spirit.

One of the tricky things about understan class="hi2">anan>ding ACIM is that we come at it with the ego thought system. We come at it with EITHER-OR thinking. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's a serious problem. Because whenever ACIM speaks of an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to do with God, Heaven, Creation, Sonship, Holy Spirit, Laws of God, beyond spacetime, etc.... an class="hi2">anan>y of those topics, the laws of GOD are applying, not the laws of ego.

So then a statement like "I an class="hi2">anan>d my father are One", is completely misunderstood. It's a truth WITHIN the scope of God's BOTH an class="hi2">ANan>D system of thought. There, I can class="hi2">anan> be one with God while still being an class="hi2">anan> individual. I am both, myself an class="hi2">anan>d part of God. The course also states that God has only one son, BUT that the one son is also man class="hi2">anan>y sons. It literally states that BOTH statements are true, that there is one, an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>y. The Sonship comprises man class="hi2">anan>y children, who are ALSO one.

But to the ego this seems nonsense, it can class="hi2">anan>not fathom how there can class="hi2">anan> be ONE an class="hi2">ANan>D Man class="hi2">ANan>Y at the same time. It insists that it is EITHER one, OR man class="hi2">anan>y. an class="hi2">Anan>d then it decides that man class="hi2">anan>y sounds like an class="hi2">anan> ego thing, an class="hi2">anan>d one sounds "more spiritual", so it hacks out the man class="hi2">anan>y from the one an class="hi2">anan>d ends up with its version of what Heaven must be like. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's totally bullshit.

To grasp an class="hi2">anan>ything of the divine nature of the Kingdom, on an class="hi2">ANan>Y topic "that side" of the separation boundary, an class="hi2">anan>ything real an class="hi2">anan>d true, an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with Sonship or Creation or God, you have to totally put aside the EITHER OR exclusive separatist way of reasoning logically, think WAY out side the box, an class="hi2">anan>d adopt a BOTH an class="hi2">ANan>D way of reasoning. THEN the things that Jesus says that sound totally contradictory finally make perfect sense, WITHOUT having to chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>ything or turn stuff into ridiculous metaphors.

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

Does not mean class="hi2">anan> there is EITHER one brother OR man class="hi2">anan>y brothers. Nor does it mean class="hi2">anan> there is either ONE mind OR man class="hi2">anan>y minds. Literally, the entire statement is true. There are man class="hi2">anan>y brothers, an class="hi2">anan>d they are all one. There man class="hi2">anan>y minds, an class="hi2">anan>d they are all one. an class="hi2">Anan>d as soon as your thought process tries to "axe" the "man class="hi2">anan>y" part of those statements in favor of keeping only the seemingly unifying "one" part of the statement, you're off on an class="hi2">anan> ego tan class="hi2">anan>gent of error.

We are one, but we are still brothers. We are the one son of God, but we are also PART of a sonship of man class="hi2">anan>y sons. I am a child of God, an class="hi2">anan>d so are you. I have individuality, an class="hi2">anan>d so do you, an class="hi2">anan>d yet simultan class="hi2">anan>eously we share everything. I have everything that God is, which should to the ego mean class="hi2">anan> there is nothing left for you, but you also have everything that God is, simultan class="hi2">anan>eously, because we share it all. Sharing does not mean class="hi2">anan> a collapse of individuality either.

The BOTH an class="hi2">ANan>D system of thought, which "runs heaven", is a completely miraculous thought system. It defies all ego laws. It breaks space an class="hi2">anan>d time. It ignores silly limitations an class="hi2">anan>d false conclusions. It allows to be possible that which the world of EITHER OR would find absolutely impossible. It ignores spatial limitations of all kinds. This is why God is omnipresent, mean class="hi2">anan>ing existing in all locations simultan class="hi2">anan>eously. It ignores the idea that we must be kept apart in order to be individuals. an class="hi2">Anan>d it defies every attempt to split it up an class="hi2">anan>d compartmentalize it into nice little prison cells.

The entire Kingdom of God an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it is miraculous because of this fundamental logical premise of the whole system. "Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be increased (God can class="hi2">anan>not create) except by sharing". As God SHARES, this is an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">ANan>D scenario. God an class="hi2">ANan>D his creation. God an class="hi2">ANan>D his son. BOTH God an class="hi2">anan>d His son exist. His son is in his likeness because they BOTH are of the same Kingdom an class="hi2">anan>d nature.

When I give to you, BOTH of us have it, an class="hi2">anan>d I do not lose it. This is why sharing INCREASES the supply in heaven, while sharing causes scarcity in the ego world. When God creates you, God gives ALL of himself to you an class="hi2">anan>d yet loses nothing an class="hi2">anan>d HAS everything still - BOTH you an class="hi2">anan>d God now share everything an class="hi2">anan>d there has been an class="hi2">anan> INCREASE. This is miraculous, it dissolves the idea of separation an class="hi2">anan>d exclusivity, tran class="hi2">anan>scending all ego concepts. The entirety of reality depends on it.

The system of God's mind, his thought system, how the Kingdom is run, is entirely based on this idea of simultan class="hi2">anan>eous sharing, union at the same time as creation, multiplicity at the same time as oneness, having everything while also sharing it with others without an class="hi2">anan>yone being excluded in an class="hi2">anan>y way. Heaven is not like this world. It's laws are totally different to the separated-out world the ego made to depict isolation an class="hi2">anan>d selfishness. There is no selfishness in the Kingdom, only self-fullness.

"The ego is the idea of selfishness. The soul is the idea of self-fullness."

You have everything, an class="hi2">anan>d we all share it as God's family.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is the dwelling place of the Son of God, who left not his Father, an class="hi2">anan>d dwells not apart from Him. Heaven is not a place nor a condition. It is merely an class="hi2">anan> awareness of perfect Oneness, an class="hi2">anan>d the knowledge that there is nothing else. Nothing OUTSIDE this Oneness, an class="hi2">anan>d NOTHING ELSE within."

There are man class="hi2">anan>y things often quoted from the course, perhaps loosely from memory, something that stuck in your head when you read it. But which really is not well thought out or deeply considered. "Heaven is not a place" is one of those things, which has been widely misunderstood.

See, places, in general, are an class="hi2">anan> aspect of spacetime. In space, there are man class="hi2">anan>y places. Over here, over there. My place, your place. Man class="hi2">anan>y places. There are places in spacetime because space separates everything out, based on the idea of separation an class="hi2">anan>d lack. But you have to remember, that spacetime itself is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusory ego belief. Space time, does not exist.

Now, when Jesus says that Heaven is not a place, he is merely referring to the fact that SPACETIME does not exist in Heaven. There is no localization or confinement to one area, in heaven. There is no cut off piece of it that is kept apart from others an class="hi2">anan>d labelled as if it's not the rest. It's all joined. It's one. Heaven is one huge infinite unlimited PLACE, that has no separate places within it. Everything is everywhere.

It's perfectly legitimate to say it is not a place, while still not contradicting the fact that Heaven IS A SOMEWHERE, a locale, a home, somewhere that you can class="hi2">anan> actually BE, live, dwell, an class="hi2">anan>d experience reality. It is actually a something, a somewhere. It's just that it is not limited. It is all things real an class="hi2">anan>d everywhere real.

But heaven is not an class="hi2">anan> isolated place. It's not a United States. It's not a Russia. It's everywhere without limit. That's why it is "not a place". It's not a separated off thing with a label to distinguish it from the rest.

Especially if you consider the fact that space-time is a belief that is unreal an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There is no space or time. Both are made up. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s ALL PLACES within space an class="hi2">anan>d time do not really exist. So every single PLACE that you ever thought of as being a place, is not REALLY a place. In fact, it is not a place at all. It's a nowhere. Spacetime is the idea of NOT EXISTING FULLY an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE, which is why every "place" within it is NOT THE WHOLE.

So when you throw out spacetime an class="hi2">anan>d shove it in the trashcan class="hi2">anan>, what are you left with? You are not left with places. You are not left with isolated boxes an class="hi2">anan>d confined locations. You are only left with the only REAL SOMEWHERE, the only ACTUAL REALITY, the only REAL PLACE that you can class="hi2">anan> be. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is Heaven.

Absolutely. Heaven is the ONLY REALITY, the ONLY REAL PLACE you can class="hi2">anan> truly exist. That's why "You are at home in God, dreaming of exile". You can class="hi2">anan>'t leave Home. You can class="hi2">anan>'t leave heaven. But you can class="hi2">anan> DREAM of being OUTSIDE of it in an class="hi2">anan>other WORLD, full of places, where none of those places are really an class="hi2">anan>ywhere.

Where is Jesus? He is IN HEAVEN. There are so man class="hi2">anan>y references in the Course to being IN heaven, in stark contrast to being ON the earth. Jesus makes it clear that there are two WORLDS, they are two PLACES, they are OPPOSITES. "Heaven remains the one alternative to the stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made" for example. "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way." "Heaven is all that remains."

When the world disappears, which it will, where will you be? When there is no world, where do you live? When space an class="hi2">anan>d time collapse into nothing, where are you then? When the world spins "into the nothingness from which it came", an class="hi2">anan>d "gone is place, as well as time", where will you be? How will you exist SOMEWHERE, in a real SOMEWHERE, without an class="hi2">anan>y PLACES to exist? You MUST have a home, a real somewhere that you can class="hi2">anan> experience. Where is that? Where is Jesus, in his home, not of this world? He's is in Heaven.

Heaven absolutely 100% is a PLACE. You can class="hi2">anan> GO THERE. You already are there but you don't realize it because you're sleeping an class="hi2">anan>d pretending not to be in Heaven. When the dream world stops existing, you will wake up IN HEAVEN. It's reality. It's a REAL PLACE. It's where God lives. It's not "merely" an class="hi2">anan> "awareness of perfect oneness", as if to imply you will KEEP THE WORLD an class="hi2">anan>d have some kind of heavenly mindset at the same time. Newsflash... not possible. "You can class="hi2">anan>not remain in this world with this knowledge."

There is no world. Central lesson. The world is NOT A REAL PLACE. When there is no world, the ONLY PLACE LEFT, to live an class="hi2">anan>d experience an class="hi2">anan>d be real, is Heaven. Heaven is THE ONLY PLACE THAT EXISTS. There is no other place. All other places are illusions.

So absolutely, it is false to interpret Jesus as saying that Heaven is NOT A PLACE. That's not what He mean class="hi2">anan>s. He mean class="hi2">anan>s only that it is not SPATIAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that He also acknowledges that ALL SPATIAL PLACES ARE ILLUSIONS, which is why Heaven is NOT an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSORY PLACE. It's real.

It's your home. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's the ONLY place that you can class="hi2">anan> ever really exist.

Notice the quote also ends "Nothing OUTSIDE this Oneness, an class="hi2">anan>d NOTHING ELSE within." Which mean class="hi2">anan>s heaven as a place does not coexist with THE ILLUSORY WORLD. There is NO WORLD outside the oneness of heaven, the place of heaven. The world you THINK exists right now, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of being outside the Kingdom. It does not exist. It is not HERE NOW. You are not in a place NOW. You WILL be in a place when you wake up to reality.

Independence can class="hi2">anan> seem like a good thing. It seems to in some way be better than class="hi2">anan> dependency on others, or codependency. It seems to represent being responsible for ones own life, an class="hi2">anan>d having the freedom to choose an class="hi2">anan>ything.

The ego has an class="hi2">anan> idea about independence. To the ego mind, independence from God is highly sought after. If you can class="hi2">anan> exist an class="hi2">anan>d be autonomous without Him, that's your goal. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> be relatively successful at this, albeit that usually the success will be punctuated with failures an class="hi2">anan>d is short lived.

You can class="hi2">anan>, if you wan class="hi2">anan>t, have your life all to yourself an class="hi2">anan>d do whatever you wan class="hi2">anan>t to do. But at some point it will become obvious that something is missing. There is an class="hi2">anan> emptiness, an class="hi2">anan>d your heart yearns for mean class="hi2">anan>ing. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's because your independence is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to be separate from mean class="hi2">anan>ing.

Separation from God, in which God's love is heartfelt an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingful, must lead to a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless life in which the ego has taken over control of your life an class="hi2">anan>d is running the show on its own. This autonomy is artificial an class="hi2">anan>d pretends to be freedom. But it leads to death.

Without God, alone an class="hi2">anan>d incapacitated, there is only so much you can class="hi2">anan> do. You can class="hi2">anan>not move the plan class="hi2">anan>ets or heal the sick. You can class="hi2">anan>not raise the dead or bring miracles to those in need. an class="hi2">Anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not experience true peace.

Your independence from God is at a price. You may not realize it at first, but the cost is great. To be separate is to have nothing. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet independence from God is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to have everything for yourself. This grasping an class="hi2">anan>d holding-on to everything can class="hi2">anan>not accomplish what it aspires to do. Instead, everything is lost an class="hi2">anan>d you have nothing of value.

Your very existence, your being, can class="hi2">anan>not last while it is disconnected from the Source of Life. Cut off from supply, you will become sick an class="hi2">anan>d die. Disconnecting from your Real Self an class="hi2">anan>d from God is a lonely path of weakness, vulnerability, suffering an class="hi2">anan>d death.

If you wan class="hi2">anan>t to eat real food at the table of God, then it comes with requirements. The Kingdom has some conditions you must meet. It is not that the Kingdom is conditional, but it does not include the ego. The idea of independence from God must be recognized as an class="hi2">anan> ego attempt to be separate from God, to have a will of your own, to overthrow the Authority of God an class="hi2">anan>d to play at being God of your own world.

This you must be willing to let go if you are to reconnect an class="hi2">anan>d reunite with the only source of True Strength. This you must surrender if you wan class="hi2">anan>t the benefit of Eternal Life. You must give up your desire for separate control over your life, an class="hi2">anan>d allow yourself to receive God again. Together you can class="hi2">anan> share everything, but alone you have nothing but scraps.

The world is a dry an class="hi2">anan>d dusty desert where starved an class="hi2">anan>d thirsty creatures come to die. Without God, it has no life, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no hope of forever. Miracles fall like drops of healing rain from Heaven, come to rejuvenate, resurrect an class="hi2">anan>d bring life back to the living. Only when you allow God to nourish you in this way might you enjoy the fruits of Heaven.

You can class="hi2">anan> have it your way, exercising all the rights an class="hi2">anan>d freedoms to the full extent that individuality an class="hi2">anan>d separation allows, yielding every possible result that can class="hi2">anan> come from an class="hi2">anan> single separate self. But you will grow tired an class="hi2">anan>d be thirsty for more. an class="hi2">Anan>d true mean class="hi2">anan>ing will not be found in a separate life.

God is your home. The Father shares everything worth having. True Peace can class="hi2">anan> be yours again if you will open your heart an class="hi2">anan>d mind an class="hi2">anan>d let Him help you with living. Plug yourself back into His Power Source an class="hi2">anan>d return to Life. You have been dead without Him. Now is your time of resurrection. It's time for the prodigal son to come home.

A miracle, is actually a THING. It's discreet thing. Like a ball of energy, if you will, expressing from you an class="hi2">anan>d causing something to happen.

"Miracles are a spark of life."

"Miracles are energizers".

"Miracle impulses".

"Miracles are thought creations."

There is actually a SOMETHING that arises out of the christ mind an class="hi2">anan>d expresses an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sfers from the giver, TO the receiver.

A pulse of electricity.

A ball of fire.

A spark of presence.

The Holy Spirit.

Whatever you wan class="hi2">anan>t to call it. A miracle begins with an class="hi2">anan> impulse an class="hi2">anan>d then something happens. Something comes OUT of the mind, EXPRESSEs, an class="hi2">anan>d applies TO something.

It's NOT just a matter of your holiness sitting there "shining" an class="hi2">anan>d rubbing off side effects.

Jesus also refers to them as a POWER SURGE.

"It is hard to recognize that thought an class="hi2">anan>d belief combine into a power-surge that can class="hi2">anan> literally move mountains."

If that power surge were CONSTan class="hi2">ANan>T you wouldn't be able to switch the dam thing off. an class="hi2">Anan>d we are told that "the number of them you can class="hi2">anan> perform is unlimited", mean class="hi2">anan>ing you are not ALWAYS performing miracles, you DO IT an class="hi2">anan>d then you stop. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you do it again. It's an class="hi2">anan> ACTION. A DOING.

This is something IN ADDITION TO a STATE of right mindedness or miracle mindedness. The STATE of miracle mindedness is NOT the same thing as multiple unlimited miracles which are PERFORMED.

What man class="hi2">anan>y people describe as miraculous is MERELY the state of miracle mindedness. In that state, you are READY, WILLING, an class="hi2">anan>d ABLE to perform miracles. But this is entirely distinct from miracle WORKING or DOING.

"it is a state of miracle-READINESS."

"Readiness here mean class="hi2">anan>s keep your perception right side up, (or valid), so you will ALWAYS be ready, willing, an class="hi2">anan>d able. These are the essentials for "listen, learn, an class="hi2">anan>d do." You must be:

READY to listen

WILLING to learn

an class="hi2">anan>d ABLE to do."

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

Man class="hi2">anan>y people completely IGNORE "miracle doing" in ACIM an class="hi2">anan>d focus entirely on "miracle mindedness", because they think they are supposed to chan class="hi2">anan>ge their STATE of mind an class="hi2">anan>d get TO a state of true perception/miracle mindedness an class="hi2">anan>d then they're done. This completely IGNORES EXPRESSION of miracles FROM the state of miracle mindedness.

There is an class="hi2">anan> EXPRESSION FROM the state of miracle mindedness. an class="hi2">Anan> expression. Like when you DECIDE TO TALK. Something expresses, temporarily. Something is generated. A thought creation happens an class="hi2">anan>d GIVES LIFE to something. Something goes out, a spark, a power, a force.

It's not the same thing as the miracle mind sitting there just doing what it does all the time. It is a distinct, momentary, separate DOING, EXPRESSION, a decision to PERFORM, to DO something, for a specific person, at a specific time an class="hi2">anan>d place.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this EXPRESSION emits a POWER SURGE which is a SPARK OF LIFE, which proceeds out of your mind into the mind of an class="hi2">anan>other an class="hi2">anan>d heals it, with the consequence being the body is also healed.

This is what miracle WORKING mean class="hi2">anan>s. You DO something. Something happens out of the ordinary. It is NOT the same thing as being miracle minded or right minded or christ minded or an class="hi2">anan>y other kind of STATE of mind. It's an class="hi2">anan> EXPRESSION of a POWER which has causal effects.

"Thus is the body healed by miracles."

"Members of my party are ACTIVE workers."

"Miracles are a form of healing. They supply a lack, an class="hi2">anan>d are performed by those who have more for those who have less."

"The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in mercy an class="hi2">anan>d in love."

"Miracles fall like drops of healing rain from Heaven on a dry an class="hi2">anan>d dusty world, where starved an class="hi2">anan>d thirsty creatures came to die. Now they have water. Now the world is green. an class="hi2">Anan>d everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is born can class="hi2">anan> never die, for what has life has immortality."

"Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love."

(an class="hi2">anan> expression, is not a state).

"Miracles arise from a miraculous state of mind"

They ARISE FROM, a STATE of miracle mindedness. They are EXPRESSIONS! Something comes OUT of the state of mind an class="hi2">anan>d causes something to happen!

At the BAFTA awards this year, the actor in the very good film "I swear", about a man class="hi2">anan> with tourettes, won an class="hi2">anan> award. It's definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

Later, there was an class="hi2">anan> award being presented by two black men. While on stage, an class="hi2">anan> audience member with tourettes shouted out a racial slur, using the "n word".

Now, some people have said that this is "unforgivable" because a person using a racial slur like this "under an class="hi2">anan>y circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces" is intolerable an class="hi2">anan>d wrong. Indeed it's not ideal an class="hi2">anan>d something to perhaps apologise for.

But at the same time, we have to also remember that the person with tourettes doesn't have an class="hi2">ANan>Y control over their outburst. It's a brain condition that produces spontan class="hi2">anan>eous eruptions of expression, which the person can class="hi2">anan>not stop.

So given that it erupted "involuntarily", the forgiving view should be with understan class="hi2">anan>ding an class="hi2">anan>d compassion, that it is not offensive because it was not intentional or controlled or deliberate. If people understood the tourettes condition they would be much more forgiving.

I thought it was interesting how this highlights the difference in perspectives of forgiveness vs unforgiveness. It's not about what happens, or what someone says, or the form that it takes. It's about how you look at it an class="hi2">anan>d how you use it.

A person could use the racial slur to attack themselves an class="hi2">anan>d thus believes they have been attacked by the other people. Or they could alternatively have a more forgiving attitude in which they recognize the disability or "call for love" in the other person an class="hi2">anan>d do not hold it against them, nor use it to hurt themselves.

We have to remember that if we see ourselves as attacked in an class="hi2">anan> away, it is because of our USE OF what happens an class="hi2">anan>d what we make of it psychologically. an class="hi2">Anan>d just because someone else might say something "potentially hurtful" it doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that we have to experience it that way, or that if we feel hurt it is "because of" what they said or did. We are hurt only if we choose to use it to hurt ourselves.

This is part of the secret of salvation, that no-matter who seems to be doing what to whom, who seems to be attacker or victimiser or victim, you are STILL doing it to yourself. Because that very same person who was upset about a tourettes person using the n-word, has within their capability the ability to forgive it an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see it as an class="hi2">anan> attack, not use it to justify an class="hi2">anan>ger, not use it to hurt themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d to not give it an class="hi2">anan>y power over them.

But if they chose not to do that, they would instead attempt to accuse the tourettes person of a "sin", truly unforgivable, as though the cause of their own suffering. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is the ego's victim consciousness. It is entirely up to each of us whether we will take full responsibility for everything we feel an class="hi2">anan>d experience or not, or whether we will hold other people accountable for "causing us" to suffer.

A person playing the victim role will see the mere "act" of the slur as an class="hi2">anan> attack, an class="hi2">anan>d believe that it has direct causal power, an class="hi2">anan>d has placed within themselves a "hurt", which now justifies an class="hi2">anan>gry revenge. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is the closed-minded view of the ego., which does not see that the victim is attacking themselves WITH what happens. This is the unforgiveness of false perception.

This is spiritual unconsciousness. It lacks empowerment an class="hi2">anan>d sees others as having power over them, wan class="hi2">anan>ting this to continue so that they can class="hi2">anan> continue scapegoating an class="hi2">anan>d being a victim, to justify their an class="hi2">anan>ger. They could just as easily disregard the outburst as a forgivable mistake. Instead they see the physical act as "what it mean class="hi2">anan>s", as though they are not contributing an class="hi2">anan>ything to its mean class="hi2">anan>ing at all.

The person who disregards it as nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizes the full picture of why an class="hi2">anan>d how the event arose, sees no call for an class="hi2">anan>ything but forgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d love, an class="hi2">anan>d even laughter. How can class="hi2">anan> immortal beings be attacked or offended by an class="hi2">anan>ything?

Where could be absolutely no sympathy for victims, IF you could clearly see that the victim is 100% choosing everything that happens to them.

If someone is suffering with sickness an class="hi2">anan>d disease, you might feel sympathetic toward them, but would you feel this way if you could clearly see that the person was causing this themselves on purpose? If they were deliberately putting the sickness in place an class="hi2">anan>d making it happen, would you feel sympathetic as though it were happening against their will?

If someone is afraid, you might feel sympathetic an class="hi2">anan>d sorry for them, but would you feel this way if you knew that this person was completely making up every single part of this fear? That they did not really have an class="hi2">anan>y need to be afraid an class="hi2">anan>d were just pretending to be afraid?

If someone is feeling guilty, you might feel sympathy for them, but would you feel sympathy if you knew they were totally making up all of the guilt, had absolutely no real need to be guilty, were just pretending to be guilty an class="hi2">anan>d it was all just a big lie?

If someone were riddled with sinfulness an class="hi2">anan>d remorse over some terrible thing they did, would you feel an class="hi2">anan>y sympathy for them if you could clearly see that, in fact, an class="hi2">anan>d in truth, they had not only not done an class="hi2">anan>ything wrong whatsoever, but also you could see clearly that they were just pretending to be sinful, were putting on a big show, an class="hi2">anan>d were totally faking it?

See .... we have all these ways in which we support, protect, reinforce, an class="hi2">anan>d make real, all of these layers of suffering... all of these experiences, in which it SEEMS like the person is not choosing, does not wan class="hi2">anan>t it, did not create it, hasn't contributed to it, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore they are this sort of innocent victim.

The fact is that the APPEARan class="hi2">ANan>CE of someone being an class="hi2">anan> innocent victim is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion, because it seems to paint a picture that could be believable ONLY IF you were unaware of the whole picture of what is going on. You only fall for it an class="hi2">anan>d have a response of sympathy, based on the fact that YOU were fooled by their trickery, YOU fell for the deception, an class="hi2">anan>d YOU failed to have the ability to see through/past/beyond/overlook what APPEARS to be a "real problem".

Your unawareness causes you to react to things that you see as though they are real, ONLY because you do not recognize that it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d you do not SEE what is really going on. You don't have all the information. an class="hi2">Anan>d only when you are lacking information could you believe, for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, that someone is ACTUALLY a victim. If you do not see the ways they are choosing, an class="hi2">anan>d if you do not recognize their immense power, an class="hi2">anan>d if you forget that they can class="hi2">anan> create an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d if you are unaware of how they've set up the entire event - EVEN IF within the event it looks totally obvious that the world has tran class="hi2">anan>spired against the person - against their seeming will - it's STILL an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The person is STILL choosing it.

Nothing happens against your will. Nothing happens to an class="hi2">anan>yone against their will. Absolutely every event in 'life' is plan class="hi2">anan>ned, orchestrated, chosen on purpose, an class="hi2">anan>d set in place, an class="hi2">anan>d set in motion, an class="hi2">anan>d ENACTED BY, every person that is involved. Cooperatively, deliberately, an class="hi2">anan>d on purpose. Because it serves the overall intention of spiritual growth, learning lessons, proceeding in awakening, an class="hi2">anan>d the ULTIMATE goal of returning to God.

This goal is so far-reaching an class="hi2">anan>d so long-term an class="hi2">anan>d so FIXATED on being accomplished, that we even create scripts in which we suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d have disease an class="hi2">anan>d are attacked brutally JUST SO THAT there will be something that will happen to our mind, something that MIGHT just trigger us to take steps towards truth, towards God, towards love. These are just lessons. Horrible nasty painful lessons, sometimes, but STILL chosen. Still agreed to.

The days of the innocent victim are numbered. Its game is up.

"The ego, then, raised the first question that was ever asked, but it can class="hi2">anan> never an class="hi2">anan>swer it. That question, which was "What are you?" was the beginning of doubt. The ego has never an class="hi2">anan>swered an class="hi2">ANan>Y questions since, though it has raised a great man class="hi2">anan>y." UrT6E3

Here Jesus tells us that the 'problem' of the separation really stems from a single question. What are you? This is a questioning of your SELF. Your identity.

It's not really a question that actually wan class="hi2">anan>ts to FIND OUT what you are, or what you are like. It's actually a form of doubt in which it is UNSURE of what you are, an class="hi2">anan>d does not KNOW what you are, an class="hi2">anan>d is not really interested in knowing what you are.

It's actually an class="hi2">anan> insinuation, an class="hi2">anan> accusation, a way to say, YOU ARE NOT YOUR SELF. A way of saying, "I doubt you" or "I don't believe you." It's a sort of uncertainty, as in fearful outlook, where the ego mind is not sure at all an class="hi2">anan>d has a SUSPICION that you are not what you say you are.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so at this point the ego is actually insinuating that YOU ARE NOT YOUR SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d that there is something true of you which is not really true, an class="hi2">anan>d that you're actually something ELSE. Because the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to consider that IT is you, an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ts you to believe that you are IT. So this is the beginning of a shift in identity.

There has not really been an class="hi2">anan>ything new or different that has happened since that moment. We have just gone further into the same doubt an class="hi2">anan>d fear, the same questioning an class="hi2">anan>d mistrust, the same desire NOT TO KNOW who we are.

So the entire separation could sum up as being, an class="hi2">anan> attack on your identity. A state of mind that is in DENIAL of who you are, an class="hi2">anan>d is reading into your identity some properties or qualities that are not there. A state that does not wan class="hi2">anan>t to ACCEPT what you are, but instead rejects it.

So the whole problem we have really is always about our SELF. The big question of, who are you? Because the true solution to the questioning is to KNOW THYSELF. To accept the atonement which mean class="hi2">anan>s to accept fully WHAT YOU ARE. To accept the truth of you.

This all significan class="hi2">anan>tly hinges around your identity, because your mind has all the power an class="hi2">anan>d the ego needs your mind-power to support itself. If you were to withdraw power from this mis-belief about yourself it would undo the ego thought system entirely.

The big aim of the course then is the REVERSAL OF THE FIRST QUESTION, or rather, the an class="hi2">ANan>SWER to the question. The true an class="hi2">anan>swer, which the Holy Spirit helps to remind you of, is .... I AM CHRIST. Or... I am still as God created me, I have not chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d I am still perfectly innocent in God.

This response UNDOES the ego because it actually an class="hi2">anan>swers the question. an class="hi2">Anan>d so it brings an class="hi2">anan> end to the questioning, which was never an class="hi2">anan> attempt to get the an class="hi2">anan>swer in the first place.

I've been wrong about the world. Again.

My view of what the world IS has chan class="hi2">anan>ged a lot recently. I see now that ACIM is telling me the world itself was projected out as "nothing", or an class="hi2">anan> empty screen, an class="hi2">anan>d THEN we projected secondary mean class="hi2">anan>ing onto it an class="hi2">anan>d "gave" it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. We can class="hi2">anan> give it egoic mean class="hi2">anan>ing, or we can class="hi2">anan> give it heavenly mean class="hi2">anan>ing. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus it acts like a mirror to REFLECT an class="hi2">anan> outward picture of an class="hi2">anan> inward condition. This is projected on top of what the world IS, which is a veil of illusions.

What I USED to believe was quite different. Some people say there is an class="hi2">anan> "objective world", an class="hi2">anan>d that the course is telling us we have "subjective" perceptions about it. In this view we have beliefs ABOUT the world. I never liked this approach because it seemed to imply the world had to be objective, which mean class="hi2">anan>t it was real. an class="hi2">Anan>d clearly other parts of ACIM tell us God did NOT create the world. So then I threw out the idea that we were really having ideas ABOUT the world, which led to believing the world ITSELF was a more direct "belief".

What seemed to make more sense was to say that there is no objective world, especially in light of "there is no world." an class="hi2">Anan>d there are statements like "the world is false perception" an class="hi2">anan>d "there is no world apart from what you wish", etc. These seem to imply, coupled with "projection makes perception", that we literally project out the physical world in one single act, an class="hi2">anan>d how it appears to us depends on "how we made it" or what we projected it from. Such that there is no objective world, ONLY subjective fluctuating worlds that live INSIDE of subjectivity.

I thought this made sense for a long time because there is a lot in the course about how you can class="hi2">anan>not see both worlds, how you can class="hi2">anan> have either false or true perception, how you see what you project, an class="hi2">anan>d how forgiveness/christ-vision doesn't look upon bodies. Again, major parts of the course seemed to click into place, but there were always a few things which seemed to not quite line up.

I'd also find that there would always be SOME people who believed certain other chunks of the course, which contradicted my ideas about the world. Maybe they got those parts RIGHT, BUT also got OTHER parts wrong, an class="hi2">anan>d so still didn't have the whole picture. Some things they said seemed to side with a partial view, that the world must be objectively real, created by God, an class="hi2">anan>d that's why the course talks about projecting ONTO it. But this couldn't be based on what else is written.

So it always seemed like everyone had a big chunk of the truth but not the whole picture. an class="hi2">Anan>d I thought I had the whole picture too. But apparently I did not. Because what I see in the course now tells me something different. Something which produces far less contradictions an class="hi2">anan>d seems to be a more complete picture.

What it says is that in the separation, we came up with the idea of an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God, which is really an class="hi2">anan> idea of nothingness, since God is everything. This was projected out from the mind, which "made the world". We're talking here about the making of space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d setting the wheels of physical objects/evolution in motion. But because this was an class="hi2">anan> idea of nothing, it really had no mean class="hi2">anan>ing of its own. You might also notice that "outer space" is really mostly empty nothingness.

"That was the first projection of error outward. ***The world arose to hide it (a first projection), an class="hi2">anan>d became the screen on which it was projected ( a second projection)***, an class="hi2">anan>d drawn between you an class="hi2">anan>d truth."

"The world you made is therefore totally chaotic, governed by arbitrary an class="hi2">anan>d senseless "laws," an class="hi2">anan>d without mean class="hi2">anan>ing of an class="hi2">ANan>Y kind. For it was made out of what you do NOT wan class="hi2">anan>t, projected FROM your mind, because you were AFRAID of it."

"***The world is nothing in itself. Your mind must give it mean class="hi2">anan>ing.*** an class="hi2">Anan>d what you behold ***upon it*** are your wishes, acted out so you can class="hi2">anan> look on them an class="hi2">anan>d think them real."

"It represents a situation in which God an class="hi2">anan>d the ego "challenge" each other as to whose mean class="hi2">anan>ing is to be written ***in the empty space*** which mean class="hi2">anan>inglessness provides. The ego rushes in fran class="hi2">anan>tically to establish its own "ideas" there, fearful that ******the void****** may otherwise be used to demonstrate its own unreality."

"Yet separation is but empty space, enclosing nothing, doing nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d as unsubstan class="hi2">anan>tial as the vacan class="hi2">anan>t place between the ripples that a ship has made in passing by."

Clearly then, what has taken place are TWO steps. The first is that we projected out the physical world of bodies - really empty nothingness ("the body is nothing" etc). This was a world of nothing an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of sin or "absence of love/everything". It's really neutral because it's nothing an class="hi2">anan>d has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing. A mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world. This world then became A SCREEN onto which we SECONDARILY PROJECTED the mind's belief in it, which GAVE it mean class="hi2">anan>ing, GAVE it reality, an class="hi2">anan>d projected sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt onto it.

In a sense then, there ARE two kinds of layers to the world. What the world IS, an class="hi2">anan>d what we MAKE OF IT. This then doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> the world is objectively real, only that it is in some way "separate" from the secondary projections we put ONTO it. The mean class="hi2">anan>ing we GIVE to it. This also corresponds to the idea that the world itself is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, which we have further illusions ABOUT.

For example, the world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d is unreal. When we then project untruth onto it, trying to MAKE it real by GIVING it reality, this is what we call false perception. It makes a world which is actually an class="hi2">anan> illusion, SEEM as if it's is REAL world. an class="hi2">Anan>d now physical form is believed an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces deceive an class="hi2">anan>d the mind is lost, insan class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d confused. The alternative is true perception which recognizes the world for WHAT IT IS, "accurate perception", which reveals the world IS an class="hi2">anan> illusion, IS nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d does not really exist.

So it all still lines up perfectly with what the course says, provided you now recognize that the interpretation of what you THOUGHT it MEan class="hi2">ANan>T, or what it was referring to, might be a little different. That the world is "distinct" from what you project onto it, doesn't have to mean class="hi2">anan> or imply that God created it. an class="hi2">Anan>d because it IS "separate" from your projections onto it, or beliefs about it, you Can class="hi2">ANan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind ABOUT it. an class="hi2">Anan>d we are indeed asked over an class="hi2">anan>d over again to do this.

"The world you see (false perceptions about an class="hi2">anan> illusory world) can class="hi2">anan>not be the world God loves, an class="hi2">anan>d yet His Word assures us that He loves the world (loves the illusory world through truth). God's Word has promised us that peace is possible here, an class="hi2">anan>d what He promises can class="hi2">anan> hardly be impossible. But it is true that the world must be looked at differently, if His promises are to be accepted. What the world is, is but a fact (as though, a distinct separate "thing"). You can class="hi2">anan>not choose what this should be (because it was projected in the first projection). But you can class="hi2">anan> choose how you would see it (per the second projection). Indeed, you must choose this."

So now it becomes possible to reinterpret the "world you made", by reinterpreting the "world you see" ie your psychological interpretation of what you made, or what you "make of" what you made. When you take the neutral mean class="hi2">anan>ingless illusory world you made, an class="hi2">anan>d you take away from it the projection of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d leave "an class="hi2">anan> empty space", uncluttered from ego projections, UPON which you project God, love, light, holiness, the "world you made" now reflects heaven's light, an class="hi2">anan>d you see "God in everything you see." But bear in mind this is a REFLECTION in a mirror which has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing of its own, an class="hi2">anan>d is STILL just nothing. It does not mean class="hi2">anan> the mirror is God or is heaven.

What this mean class="hi2">anan>s for me is that I now recognize there ARE two parts to this world. There is the world we made, the physical world of forms, which in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself is nothing an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>s nothing. Then there is mean class="hi2">anan>ing we GIVE to it which is what I project ONTO it which produces my perceptions ABOUT it.

This results in my "joining the camp" which claimed that perception was always "about the world", but WITHOUT the clause that suggested "this must mean class="hi2">anan> God created it." Rather than class="hi2">anan> merely think that "the world is in my mind", ie that its contents are my mind's contents, I can class="hi2">anan> now approach "the world I made" but without the false-perception ego baggage.

In a way this mean class="hi2">anan>s no longer "throwing the world out with the bathwater". The dirty water of ego projections ONTO it can class="hi2">anan> be let go, an class="hi2">anan>d I can class="hi2">anan> then become more willing to look at this same world, the physical world, through eyes of Christ. Devoid of the projected sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, or labels of wrongfulness. Which also overlooks appearan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d differences an class="hi2">anan>d forms an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>scends the hierarchy of illusions.

Recognizing that, eventually, I can class="hi2">anan> still look at "this world" through more loving eyes, WITHOUT it having to mean class="hi2">anan> that God created it, because of the clarity that we DID project it out in a first step BEFORE we projected ONTO it. I notice now man class="hi2">anan>y references to how we look UPON the world, project UPON the world, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore FILTER the world, depending on where our mind is at, an class="hi2">anan>d this can class="hi2">anan> be thought of as SEPARATE FROM the physical world itself.

I can class="hi2">anan> now stop resisting the idea of blades of grass being "a sign of God's perfection", because if seen through loving eyes they are reinterpreted as SYMBOLS that REFLECT God's perfection. Not because they are made of God or are created BY him, but because they are forgiven.

"All this beauty will rise to bless your sight, as you look upon the world with forgiving eyes. For forgiveness literally TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMS vision, an class="hi2">anan>d lets you see the real world, reaching quietly an class="hi2">anan>d gently across chaos, an class="hi2">anan>d removing all illusions that had twisted your perception, an class="hi2">anan>d fixed it on the past. The smallest leaf becomes a thing of wonder, an class="hi2">anan>d a blade of grass a sign of God's perfection. From the forgiven world, the Son of God is lifted easily to his home. an class="hi2">Anan>d there, he knows that he has ALWAYS rested there in peace."

What this mean class="hi2">anan>s is that a kind of ... reunion of sorts, between me an class="hi2">anan>d the physical world, up to a point of course. A willingness to recognize that it can class="hi2">anan> MAKE SENSE, to suggest I can class="hi2">anan> look at it still but in a way that doesn't take its illusions seriously, OR condemn it, OR needing to make it out to be negative. Because what the world IS is in fact completely neutral an class="hi2">anan>d nothing, ultimately.

My egoic false perceptions about it, were mistaken for what the world IS. Guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin an class="hi2">anan>d fear we ASSOCIATED WITH the world, thought to be ONE THING, when in fact they are two things. I did this as part of my DIS-association of guilt in my mind, which bound my guilt to the world an class="hi2">anan>d made me believe IT was inherently guilty. The world can class="hi2">anan>not be inherently an class="hi2">anan>ything, because it is really nothing. There is no world at all.

If what the world IS is not inherently evil, because it is nothing, then this at least provides the logical basis for being able to project love onto it. Rather than class="hi2">anan> the impossibility of loving an class="hi2">anan> inherently false world. If the world can class="hi2">anan> act to reflect heaven, then it makes it OK to "love it", even if this is a temporary love designed ultimately to dispel it.

I also see that I thought that moving into a higher perception mean class="hi2">anan>t "not seeing the physical world", an class="hi2">anan>d I had associated the physical world with false perception. I thought it should become invisible an class="hi2">anan>d unseen, when approaching christ vision. But I see now that in fact a big part of reaching forgiveness still entails looking upon the physical world but WITH forgiveness, which overlooks its forms an class="hi2">anan>d such an class="hi2">anan>d gives it a love to reflect back. Recognizing it as a mirror with no mean class="hi2">anan>ing of its own. As such blades of grass an class="hi2">anan>d leaves can class="hi2">anan> become "things of wonder" an class="hi2">anan>d the world can class="hi2">anan> appear beautiful, as it prepares to van class="hi2">anan>ish.

"Christ's vision has one law. It does not look upon a body an class="hi2">anan>d mistake it for the Son whom God created (but still looks upon a body). It beholds a light beyond the body (at the same time); an class="hi2">anan> idea beyond what can class="hi2">anan> be touched, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. It sees no separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d it looks on everyone, on every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce, all happenings an class="hi2">anan>d all events (which is still physical), without the slightest fading of the light it sees."

"For you will not interpret what you see without the Aid that God has given you. an class="hi2">Anan>d in His sight there IS an class="hi2">anan>other world. You live in that world just as much as this, for BOTH are concepts of yourself, which can class="hi2">anan> be interchan class="hi2">anan>ged, but never jointly held."

"Have you wondered what the world is REALLY like? How would it look through HAPPY eyes? The world you see is but a judgment on YOURSELF. IT is not there at all. But judgment lays a sentence on it, JUSTIFIES it, an class="hi2">anan>d MAKES IT REAL. Such is the world you see; a judgment on yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d made by YOU. This sickly picture of yourself is carefully preserved by the ego, whose image it IS an class="hi2">anan>d which it loves, an class="hi2">anan>d placed OUTSIDE you, in the world.”

Notice how that paragraph is really talking about your secondary projection onto the world, which places an class="hi2">anan> image INTO the world, seemingly outside of you, which is a picture of your sick self you projected ONTO it. This is what the EGO makes of you an class="hi2">anan>d of the world - the void - the emptiness, in trying to fill it with images.

"It is essential, therefore, that you learn to ***recognize the mean class="hi2">anan>ingless, an class="hi2">anan>d accept it without fear***. If you are fearful (in ego/false perception), it is certain that you will endow the world with attributes which it does not possess, an class="hi2">anan>d crowd it (project onto it secondarily) with images that do not exist."

The world we made ITSELF, can class="hi2">anan> be "a thing of wonder." But only if it is seen through "loving eyes".

"There IS an class="hi2">anan>other purpose in the world that error made because it has an class="hi2">anan>other Maker, Who Can class="hi2">ANan> reconcile its goal with His Creator's Purpose."

"The real world is attained simply by the COMPLETE forgiveness of the old; the world you see WITHOUT forgiveness. The Great Tran class="hi2">anan>sformer of perception will undertake WITH you the careful searching of the mind that MADE this world, an class="hi2">anan>d uncover TO YOU the SEEMING reasons for your making it. In the light of the REAL reason that He brings, as you follow Him, He will SHOW you that there is NO reason here at all. Each spot HIS reason touches, grows alive with beauty. an class="hi2">Anan>d what SEEMED ugly, in the darkness of your LACK of reason, is suddenly released to loveliness. Not even what the Son of God made in insan class="hi2">anan>ity, could be without a hidden spark of beauty, that gentleness could release."

"Again we come to the question of judgment. This time, ask yourself whether your judgment or the Word of God is more likely to be true. For they say different things about the world, an class="hi2">anan>d things so opposite that it is pointless to try to reconcile them. God offers the world salvation; your judgment would condemn it. God says there is no death; your judgment sees but death as the inevitable end of life. God's Word assures you that He loves the world; your judgment says it is unlovable. Who is right? For one of you is wrong. It must be so."

"Peace is impossible to those who look on war. Peace is inevitable to those who offer peace. How easily, then, is your judgment of the world escaped. It is not the world which makes peace seem impossible. It is the world you see that is impossible. Yet has God's Judgment on this distorted world redeemed it an class="hi2">anan>d made it fit to welcome peace. an class="hi2">Anan>d peace descends on it in joyous an class="hi2">anan>swer. Peace now belongs here, because a Thought of God has entered. What else but a Thought of God turns hell to Heaven merely by being what It is? The earth bows down before Its gracious Presence, an class="hi2">anan>d It lean class="hi2">anan>s down in an class="hi2">anan>swer to raise it up again. Now is the question different. It is no longer, "Can class="hi2">anan> peace be possible in this world?" but instead, "Is it not impossible that peace be absent here?"

"Into this empty space, from which the GOAL of sin has been removed, is Heaven free to be remembered. Here its peace can class="hi2">anan> come, an class="hi2">anan>d perfect healing take the place of death. The body can class="hi2">anan> become a sign of life, a promise of redemption, an class="hi2">anan>d a breath of immortality to those grown sick of breathing in the fetid scent of death. Let it have healing as its PURPOSE. Then will it send forth the message it received, an class="hi2">anan>d by its health an class="hi2">anan>d loveliness proclaim the truth an class="hi2">anan>d value that it represents. Let it receive the power to represent an class="hi2">anan> endless life, forever unattacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d to your brother let its message be, "Behold me, brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I live."

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. It is seen at last for ***only what it is***. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it ***can class="hi2">anan>not fail to disappear***, for now there is an class="hi2">anan> ***empty place made clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d ready***. Where destruction was perceived the face of Christ appears, an class="hi2">anan>d in that instan class="hi2">anan>t is ***the world forgot, with time forever ended as the world spins into nothingness*** from where it came."

Let's have a closer look at what the course says about the world an class="hi2">anan>d whether it is God's creation. This is going to be a long post so bear with me or pick an class="hi2">anan>d choose which quotes you wan class="hi2">anan>t to look at. I put a comment after each one.

To me, the way that all of these statements sound paints a clear picture that the "physical world" i.e. the physical universe - plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, is NOT God's creation whatsoever in an class="hi2">anan>y way shape or form.

It also says to me an class="hi2">anan>d that every time Jesus refers to the world as something we do not wan class="hi2">anan>t, he is not referring to some "misperception of it" that we don't wan class="hi2">anan>t - some imagined version of the world, which he talks about in other passages - but rather, literally "the world" - plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion not created by God, an class="hi2">anan>d it does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not our home.

Confusion comes in because at times, Jesus IS speaking about our false perceptions an class="hi2">anan>d the need for the correction of perception. But at other times, he is speaking at a higher "level" either at the level of someone with true perception, or even higher at a level of the One Son of God who made this universe. Not having a clear distinguish about WHICH level he is talking at in an class="hi2">anan>y given quote leads man class="hi2">anan>y people to a lot of confusing an class="hi2">anan>d false conclusions. Let's take a look at some quotes....

"You do not wan class="hi2">anan>t the world." (who would wan class="hi2">anan>t a world God didn't create?)

"The world provides no safety." (because it is an class="hi2">anan> attack on God)

"This world was over long ago." (because it never happened)

"Nothing the world believes is true." (because the world itself is fundamentally a lie)

"Love was never in the world of dreams." (because God can class="hi2">anan>not be in the world or of the world nor can class="hi2">anan> He create the world. The world of dreams is not your dreamy interpretation of plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, it IS plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, a dream which you are inside of right now, sleeping - look around you! "Your sleeping an class="hi2">anan>d your waking dreams have different forms, an class="hi2">anan>d that is all." - tells us that when we wake up in the morning to eat breakfast, WE ARE INSIDE A DREAM, not a world that God created.)

"There are no satisfactions in the world." (because the world was made by us as a substitute for God's universe)

"It is the world you see that is impossible." (because the world we see - literally plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, not your interpretation of plan class="hi2">anan>et earth - is impossible. It can class="hi2">anan>not exist because God did not create it.)

"Miracles do not obey the laws of this world." (because this world is entirely an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT an class="hi2">anan>d it has no power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything)

"The world is not left by death but by truth." (because the world ITSELF is death, an class="hi2">anan>d truth is its undoing)

"Without the idea of death there is no world." (see .. the world is MADE OF DEATH an class="hi2">anan>d it will not ever be made of Life or given life or resurrected or turned into something living or God-created).

"All the "pleasures" of the world are nothing." (because they are illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d substitutes for God's love. This mean class="hi2">anan>s the world can class="hi2">anan> NEVER be a satisfying replacement for God's Creation).

"Perception selects, an class="hi2">anan>d makes the world you see." (Man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y people think this mean class="hi2">anan>s, that you have misperception OF the world, peeking out from a separate body, looking incorrectly at plan class="hi2">anan>et earth which somehow objectively came to exist "on its own" or created by God. What this really mean class="hi2">anan>s is, YOUR perception, as the One Son of God, MADE THE ENTIRE WORLD, an class="hi2">anan>d the world *itself* IS a state of mind containing images. Trees, houses, people, it's all part of perception. Not perception OF trees an class="hi2">anan>d houses an class="hi2">anan>d people, but literally the things themselves. Those objects, your body, plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, are misperceptions.)

"The world you see is but a judgment on yourself." (because you are the One Son of God an class="hi2">anan>d the ENTIRE WORLD is a judgement against you. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny who you are, to turn you into a form which dies, to picture what it would be like to be dead, an class="hi2">anan>d to completely obscure the light of Christ. The world itself IS judgement. Judgements OF or ABOUT the world are an class="hi2">anan> entirely additional LAYER of bullshit that you added as a separate human class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d is a SECOND LAYER of sleeping you added on top of dreaming the world.)

"The world you see has nothing to do with reality." (Again, this is one which man class="hi2">anan>y people think mean class="hi2">anan>s, the world your little separate body-located self sees... thus your private perception. No. It's the world your eyes see. You see trees. You can class="hi2">anan> call the trees good trees or bad trees, hated trees or loved trees, you still see trees. The trees you SEE - trees AT ALL - are nothing to do with reality. God did not create trees.)

"If this were the real world, God would be cruel." (This SHOULD be an class="hi2">anan> obvious one. Given all the suffering an class="hi2">anan>d terror an class="hi2">anan>d death in the world, which is inherent to the world's nature, should NOT be possible if God created it. an class="hi2">Anan>d claiming that it's really love or life if viewed correctly, is a complete distortion, again based in one person's body-identified personal opinion about the world. God does not create worlds where there are forms or bodies or things which die, NOR does he create worlds where even if those things are all part of one lovely "whole", they are possible either. God only creates HEAVEN, which is formless an class="hi2">anan>d has absolutely nothing to do with plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth in an class="hi2">anan>y way.)

"The bleak little world will van class="hi2">anan>ish into nothingness." (Yes, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, is a bleak little world, an class="hi2">anan>d it will van class="hi2">anan>ish into nothingness, because God did not create it. This does not mean class="hi2">anan> your personal misperception of the world will van class="hi2">anan>ish (though it will also) - the world ITSELF will van class="hi2">anan>ish, because it is a lie).

"The world was made that problems could not be escaped." (the purpose for this self-made world was to create problems that are inescapable, such as sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. These problems however have no power over miracles which can class="hi2">anan> undo them all BECAUSE God did not create a world of problems.)

"This world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son." (I like this one because it says it like it is. The entire world, the entire physical universe, is a "picture" in the MIND of the Son of God, who is absolutely vast an class="hi2">anan>d unlimited, who is dreaming this ENTIRE physical universe an class="hi2">anan>d everything in it, an class="hi2">anan>d it was designed by him as the crucifixion of himself. Its depiction of things which have beginnings an class="hi2">anan>d ends, stars which are born an class="hi2">anan>d die, flowers which wilt, people who die of disease, plan class="hi2">anan>ets that die, etc... is a picture of CRUCIFIXION not a picture of "God is very loving." While you can class="hi2">anan> come to perceive it in a more forgiving way, that does not make or prove it is God's creation either, because if you recognize it for the illusion/lie it is, it MUST disappear.)

"The world you see does nothing. It has no effects at all." (This is because the world is an class="hi2">anan> effect of dreaming. What appears in it as "causes" are illusions of causes put in place by the dreamer. The world has no consequences. an class="hi2">Anan>ything God creates MUST have the power to CAUSE, an class="hi2">anan>d since the world can class="hi2">anan>not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything, it can class="hi2">anan>not be a creation of God.)

"The unreal world is a thing of despair, for it can class="hi2">anan> never be." (There can class="hi2">anan> only be joy an class="hi2">anan>d love an class="hi2">anan>d peace in what Can class="hi2">ANan> be, i.e. God's creation, heaven, the kingdom, but outside of that there is no life an class="hi2">anan>d nothing can class="hi2">anan> be joyful or loving or peaceful. The world is inherently a depiction of what peace is NOT like. Separation in all its forms is played out here, an class="hi2">anan>d every single particle of matter is at war with all the rest.)

"Salvation is no more than class="hi2">anan> a reminder this world is not your home." (This world is not your home... literally, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth is not your home. This entire physical universe is not your home. But some people interpret this to mean class="hi2">anan>, well, this imaginary interpretation of the world is not my home - the world I'm putting on top of the world is not my home. Bullshit. "The world" is simply plan class="hi2">anan>et earth. Plan class="hi2">anan>et earth is not your home. Surely you FEEL this? Surely you recognize that you feel like an class="hi2">anan> alien here, an class="hi2">anan>d that the more you wake up the more you recognize that you do not belong in this illusory place? I know I do.)

"There is a place in you where this whole world has been forgotten."(Than class="hi2">anan>k God, because this world is not something God would ever create. God is suddenly the author of duality an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death? God sees sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death as lovely an class="hi2">anan>d precious? I think not.).

"The world has never been at all. Eternity remains a constan class="hi2">anan>t state." (Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth has never existed at all. This is hard to accept I know. There is no world. This is the one core teaching in ACIM which man class="hi2">anan>y people refuse to entertain. This is because we believe the world is REAL an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of how it would not be. Especially if you come to the course with a background in beliefs which say God made the world in some way, that's hard to put down. This isn't referring to a privately perceived interpretation of the world. Again, it's just simply... this world, plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, has never existed. We can class="hi2">anan> deny an class="hi2">anan>d fight this all we wan class="hi2">anan>t.)

"In the world of scarcity, love has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing an class="hi2">anan>d peace is impossible." (Would you say plan class="hi2">anan>et earth is a world of scarcity? I sure would. That's not a judgement or an class="hi2">anan> inability to see its pure loveliness. Yes there's a forgiven world, which is the recognition that this world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d is nothing, but I think most would agree this is a world of lack an class="hi2">anan>d rarity. Just look at how empty outer space is an class="hi2">anan>d how distan class="hi2">anan>t civilizations or inhabitable plan class="hi2">anan>ets are. Extreme scarcity.)

"The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt." (So here again you could say, well, this mean class="hi2">anan>s my perception is nuts an class="hi2">anan>d I'm not seeing the world correctly. Ok. That's one LAYER of the problem. Once you undo that false perception you're going to find out, that the world is STILL a delusional system. Inherently, the mountains, trees, plan class="hi2">anan>ets, forests, ocean class="hi2">anan>s, it's all a state of DELUSION, an class="hi2">anan>d that's not going to chan class="hi2">anan>ge when you get over your personal misinterpretations of it. See, the problem is, we think that when we overcome "my" personal misperceptions, that's going to be the end of the story. It's not. You have to not only get over your personal interpretations (which is ONE level of awakening), an class="hi2">ANan>D then go beyond the definition of "my self" to incorporate ALL SELVES into one single Son of God - as Christ. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that view, there is an class="hi2">anan> entirely second level of awakening which leads to God, an class="hi2">anan>d the acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce that the One Son of God MADE this world out of insan class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d guilt. Guilt, denied, became unconscious, an class="hi2">anan>d projected out as the physical universe, in which we are now hiding from it by pretending to be innocent. Hmmm)

"The Holy Spirit sees the world as a teaching device for bringing you home." (because the world ITSELF is not your home. It's just a way Holy Spirit can class="hi2">anan> USE it to help you to ESCAPE from it through truth - because it doesn't exist)

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it." (Plain an class="hi2">anan>d simple. Normal lan class="hi2">anan>guage. The world you see, with your eyes, regardless of your mental interpretations or labelling or judgements, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did NOT create it. Man class="hi2">anan>y people wan class="hi2">anan>t this mean class="hi2">anan>, my personal interpretation of the world is not the world God created, an class="hi2">anan>d once I am free of my personal interpretation, God is going to reveal that this world - plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth - is his lovely creation. Good luck with that. Plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth does not exist. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. The course even tells us the "real world" is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d will disappear.)

"There is no world! This is the central thought the Course attempts to teach." (AHA!.. .. If you can class="hi2">anan> GET this one an class="hi2">anan>d accept it, you've made a huge leap away from the ILLUSION that this world dis real, or that God could have created it whatsoever, to the awareness that this world can class="hi2">anan> NEVER be real because to believe that requires a belief in sin an class="hi2">anan>d death. There is no world. Yes, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. There is no plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, neither as a separate plan class="hi2">anan>et nor as part of some seamless "soup" of God-stuff. Pretty threatening to the ego which is why it fights it tooth an class="hi2">anan>d nail.)

"Thus does the miracle undo all things the world attests can class="hi2">anan> never be undone." (Miracles can class="hi2">anan> UNDO the world itself, an class="hi2">anan>d everything the world says can class="hi2">anan>not be undone (itself), BECAUSE the world Can class="hi2">ANan> be undone, proving that it is NOT REAL. What is real can class="hi2">anan>not be undone. If miracles can class="hi2">anan> undo the world, they can class="hi2">anan> bring about RESURRECTION - the undoing of death in ALL its forms, including physical an class="hi2">anan>d mental death. Eventually the entire physical universes is going to be UNDONE, because it does not exist. Only God's kingdom will remain.)

"This is an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e world, an class="hi2">anan>d do not underestimate the extent of its insan class="hi2">anan>ity." (Obviously, but this actually does not just mean class="hi2">anan> that the people in the world are nuts (an class="hi2">anan>d most are, me included), it mean class="hi2">anan>s the world ITSELF, the very fabric of spacetime, is insan class="hi2">anan>ity. It is impossible to be separate from God an class="hi2">anan>d this universe attempts to prove otherwise.)

"On confusion has this world been based, an class="hi2">anan>d there is nothing else it rests upon." (here, we're told the world RESTS UPON confusion. The world itself. Now, if this mean class="hi2">anan>s your perception, sure, that'd seem to make sense. You can class="hi2">anan> be confused, an class="hi2">anan>d become unconfused. Sure, makes sense. But this statement isn't speaking about you or your personal world. In fact, most of the course is not speaking to or about an class="hi2">anan>yone's EGO SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d yet 90%+ of ACIM students THINK that the Course is talking about THEIR PERSONAL EGO, which leads to a ton of confusion. The world ITSELF is based on confusion because it's an class="hi2">anan> expression of a belief that separation from God is possible, which is a confused state of mind.)

"It is not will for life but wish for death that is the motivation for this world." (an class="hi2">Anan>d this never chan class="hi2">anan>ges. The world is BASED ON death, made of death, an class="hi2">anan>d is ALWAYS DEAD. There is no life here. There is no life outside of heaven. All forms of "life" in the world, all bodies, an class="hi2">anan>imals, plan class="hi2">anan>ts etc, the sun an class="hi2">anan>d stars, it is all part of a DREAM OF DEATH, an class="hi2">anan>d not one part of it has eternal life. Death was the motivation that MADE THIS WORLD. This world was MADE BY A DEATH WISH, not by God. That's quite extremely opposite to the folk who believe God created this world somehow).

"The world is only in the mind of its maker. Do not believe it is outside of yourself." (When this says "yourself" note that it does not just mean class="hi2">anan> "you in a body an class="hi2">anan>d not other people." Most people take it that way because they have an class="hi2">anan> ego. Statements about you making the world or the world being in your mind, is not about it being in your SEPARATE MIND. It's about it being in THE ONE MIND of the son of God. The ONE son of God is the maker of this entire world. It is not outside of THAT SELF. You are busy focusing on how to get your LITTLE SELF to a state of awakening of maximal naturalness, but there is more beyond that - realizing that you are the entire sonship an class="hi2">anan>d more. You are Christ, not just one Son.)

"What profiteth it a man class="hi2">anan> if he gain the whole world an class="hi2">anan>d lose his own Soul?" (Who wan class="hi2">anan>ts the crappy world an class="hi2">anan>yway? It's full of shit.)

"You are not the victim of the world you see because you invented it. You can class="hi2">anan> give it up as easily as you made it up." (You can class="hi2">anan> believe you are victimized when you believe the world itself is a CAUSE an class="hi2">anan>d you are its EFFECT. But when this is reversed (this is a course in cause not effect), YOU become the cause an class="hi2">anan>d the world is recognized as an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT. It has no power over you because it is an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT of YOUR dreaming it (as the One Son). This is how you are not a victim of it. Otherwise, the world can class="hi2">anan> still kill you against your will. No-one dies without their own consent.)

"Holy are you, eternal, free an class="hi2">anan>d whole, at peace forever in the Heart of God. Where is the world, an class="hi2">anan>d where is sorrow now?" (Apparently Jesus is clear that the world is not a place of peace or freedom or holiness. So God can class="hi2">anan>not have created it.)

"What is seen in dreams seems to be very real. Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upon Adam, an class="hi2">anan>d nowhere is there reference to his waking up. The world has not yet experienced an class="hi2">anan>y comprehensive reawakening or rebirth." (Yes dreams seem very real. What if i told you right now that you are actually INSIDE A HUGE DREAM? Right now... this room you are in or whatever, the people you are near, it's part of a DREAM. This is not what God created because it is a DREAM, not a reality. God does not dream or make worlds of dreams, or dreams of death. God did not create a dream world. You're dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d you need to wake up FROM this dream, not TO it.)

"Forgive the world, an class="hi2">anan>d you will understan class="hi2">anan>d that every thing that God created can class="hi2">anan>not have an class="hi2">anan> end, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing He did not create is real." (Objects in this world have ends an class="hi2">anan>d beginnings. Every particle begins an class="hi2">anan>d ends. Every flower is sown an class="hi2">anan>d grows an class="hi2">anan>d blooms an class="hi2">anan>d dies. Beginnings an class="hi2">anan>d endings. It's not just a matter of not seeing them correctly or not realizing that "God is making them grow" or some BS, it's simply that, ALL FORMS ARE FORMS OF DEATH, an class="hi2">anan>d they all end, an class="hi2">anan>d that is why they are NOT eternal, an class="hi2">anan>d God did not create them.

"Temptation has one lesson it would teach in all its forms wherever it occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die, unable to escape its frailty an class="hi2">anan>d bound by what it orders him to feel." (Exactly, an class="hi2">anan>d elsewhere Jesus tells us that love (God) did not make the body. God does not create forms, or plan class="hi2">anan>ets, or a physical universe).

"The tiny instan class="hi2">anan>t you would keep an class="hi2">anan>d make eternal, passed away in Heaven too soon for an class="hi2">anan>ything to notice it had come. What disappeared too quickly to affect the simple knowledge of the Son of God can class="hi2">anan> hardly still be there, for you to choose to be your teacher." (The entire world an class="hi2">anan>d all things in it were MADE by us to be NOT ETERNAL, which is WHY it passed away, because it could not last. Nothing God creates can class="hi2">anan> die or end or tran class="hi2">anan>sform or chan class="hi2">anan>ge, no matter what words you use to try to make out that it wouldn't be seen "as chan class="hi2">anan>ge" when you're awake.)

"Everything in this world is little because it is a world made out of littleness." (I like this quote also because it locks in the form of the world as being evidence of a mistake. Everything in the world, bodies, objects, even the plan class="hi2">anan>et, are "little". All little particles an class="hi2">anan>d atoms. All little tiny little creatures walking around thinking they are big. Go up in an class="hi2">anan> airplan class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d you'll see how little it all is. Every FORM in this world is little, as an class="hi2">anan> idea of not being unlimited or infinite, because it's an class="hi2">anan> idea of contraction AWAY from God. This is not God's creation or God's will, an class="hi2">anan>d God would not maintain this for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t.)

"There is no world apart from what you wish, an class="hi2">anan>d herein lies your ultimate release. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge but your mind on what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see an class="hi2">anan>d all the world must chan class="hi2">anan>ge accordingly. (mind over matter)" (Again this is an class="hi2">anan>other one which people can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d do use to try to prove that references to the world are all about "your personal misperception", an class="hi2">anan>d that you need to fix how you see in order to see it properly, an class="hi2">anan>d that afterwards, you'll keep the world an class="hi2">anan>d stay in it because it's real. No. Your WISHES have MADE A PLan class="hi2">ANan>ET. The wishes of the one son of God, has made an class="hi2">anan> entire physical universe. These are wishes to die. Wishes to be crucified. Wishes to sin. Wishes against God's will. God did not make this. What you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see, chan class="hi2">anan>ges, IN FORM, as mind-over-matter, because your mind is THAT POWERFUL. It doesn't just mean class="hi2">anan> you chan class="hi2">anan>ge your perception OF stuff, when your perception properly chan class="hi2">anan>ges, the world ITSELF must chan class="hi2">anan>ge form, an class="hi2">anan>d so must the body.)

"The world that you see is what you have put there to see; nothing more an class="hi2">anan>d nothing less an class="hi2">anan>d so it is importan class="hi2">anan>t to you. The world that you perceive is the witness to your state of mind, the outward picture of your inward condition." (You put it there (forms, bodies, trees, buildings) because you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T TO. Do you think you don't have that much power? The mind is very powerful. The world must match the outward picture of the inward condition of the mind of the ONE SON. The One Son is attempting to destroy himself BY fragmenting himself into man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y individuals an class="hi2">anan>d forms scattered across man class="hi2">anan>y worlds. What shows up as objects an class="hi2">anan>d bodies is what the Son of God wan class="hi2">anan>ts to see there. It IS his perception. The course says literally "the world IS PERCEPTION", which does not mean class="hi2">anan> that your little human class="hi2">anan> "perception" contains the illusory world, it mean class="hi2">anan>s the ENTIRE WORLD OF EARTH is inside the perception of a vast mind - it is that mind's IMAGINATION. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing, physical objects, are actually a part of SEEING, the mechan class="hi2">anan>ism of trying to VISUALIZE STUFF, which brings it into appearan class="hi2">anan>ce as fake images i.e. objects an class="hi2">anan>d forms an class="hi2">anan>d bodies. When the mind is free of all this, the physical world - yes - plan class="hi2">anan>et earth in all its ways - MUST DISSAPPEAR.)

"Forget not the Kingdom of God for an class="hi2">anan>ything the world has to offer. The world can class="hi2">anan> add nothing to the power an class="hi2">anan>d the glory of God an class="hi2">anan>d His holy Sons, but it can class="hi2">anan> blind the Sons to the Father if they behold it. You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God. Only one is true." (I would rather have what the Kingdom of God offers than class="hi2">anan> what this world offers. This world is not my home. It does not contain the truth. It is not real. an class="hi2">Anan>d God did not create it. It HAS blinded the sons to the father, which was its purpose. You can class="hi2">anan>not behold (see in an class="hi2">anan>y way) the world (physical plan class="hi2">anan>et earth) an class="hi2">anan>d behold the kingdom. Only one of them is true an class="hi2">anan>d real. Plan class="hi2">anan>et earth does not exist, was not created by god, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d if you're still SEEING IT in an class="hi2">anan>y way, with an class="hi2">anan>y mind whatsoever, you are not in the Kingdom. To suggest you can class="hi2">anan> BE in God, in his kingdom, while the world continues to appear or move or chan class="hi2">anan>ge or have form, you are in denial.)

"O my brothers, if you only knew the peace that will envelop you an class="hi2">anan>d hold you safe an class="hi2">anan>d pure an class="hi2">anan>d lovely in the Mind of God, you could but rush to meet Him where His altar is. Hallowed your Name an class="hi2">anan>d His, for they are joined here in this holy place. Here He lean class="hi2">anan>s down to lift you up to Him, out of illusions into holiness; out of the world an class="hi2">anan>d to eternity; out of all fear an class="hi2">anan>d given back to love." (Looking forward to this! Finally a relief from this world of nightmares an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d suffering. THERE IS an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER WORLD BEYOND THIS which God did create - his kingdom, heaven, filled with joy an class="hi2">anan>d life an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d celebration. It is HOME. It is where you really wan class="hi2">anan>t to be. Do not let the world, plan class="hi2">anan>et earth, bodies, objects, forms, people, places, idols, or an class="hi2">anan>ything else, KEEP YOU FROM going there an class="hi2">anan>d accepting it as your true home where your true nature is free at last. The world offers nothing in comparison. Pleasure is not love. Specialness is not love. Forms are not love. Sunsets an class="hi2">anan>d kittens are not love. "Never was love in the world."

There is no world. The people who do not believe this will continue to not believe this, an class="hi2">anan>d will object to this post an class="hi2">anan>d everything it says. They are free to do so, but they are not free of the confusion that is going to accompan class="hi2">anan>y those beliefs, or the fear that will be induced upon being confronted with this truth. I would hope people will chan class="hi2">anan>ge their mind an class="hi2">anan>d see what the course is really telling us. Then we have real hope.

It may be easier to understan class="hi2">anan>d the differences in perception, when you consider inan class="hi2">anan>imate objects. Objects which appear to just sit there an class="hi2">anan>d do nothing at all.

A good example is a rock. It just sits there. It has no will or mind an class="hi2">anan>d isn't particularly alive. At the subatomic level maybe it wiggles around but over time it generally does nothing but vegetate. It can class="hi2">anan>not move itself, it can class="hi2">anan>not articulate an class="hi2">anan> attack, it can class="hi2">anan>not think, it can class="hi2">anan>not cause of its own will. It has no power an class="hi2">anan>d is just a lump of stuff, inert an class="hi2">anan>d unmoving.

If you a walking by an class="hi2">anan>d you stub your toe on the rock, you might yell at the rock for seeming to attack you. In pain your an class="hi2">anan>ger projects an class="hi2">anan>d you find the rock to be an class="hi2">anan> enemy. This is your perception of the rock. In your mind, you are giving mean class="hi2">anan>ing to the rock. You now believe the rock is a sinful enemy, a guilty attacker. an class="hi2">Anan>d as you look at it with hate you see it as real an class="hi2">anan>d threatening.

But the rock is just sitting there. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you come to your senses you have to admit that really the rock didn't do an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. It was all you. Your own movement caused you to stub your toe. The rock just sat uninvolved an class="hi2">anan>d uncausing. So is it really the rock's fault? No. It's something you did to yourself.

So then you admit ok, I am only thinking the rock is an class="hi2">anan> evil sinner because I am choosing to project guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin onto it. I'm framing it as sinful an class="hi2">anan>d believing it is an class="hi2">anan> attacker. That's happening in my own mind. I'm projecting stuff onto it an class="hi2">anan>d it's making me perceive it as hated an class="hi2">anan>d unwan class="hi2">anan>ted.

Then you have to realize that since the rock isn't really the cause of the upset, that you are the one who actually attacked the rock with your toe, it's really your own doing. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you take back your accusation. The rock isn't a person, so there's no point yelling at it an class="hi2">anan>d calling it names. It can class="hi2">anan>'t hear your swear-words.

You shift "your perception" from false to true. You decide to believe that the rock is innocent an class="hi2">anan>d harmless, not an class="hi2">anan> attacker or an class="hi2">anan> evil sinner. You recognize the rock as incapable of hurting you against your will. You realize it has no will or mind or power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything on its own. So it can class="hi2">anan>not have wan class="hi2">anan>ted to hurt you. It must be innocent. So now you're willing to believe the rock is not sinful, or guilty, or an class="hi2">anan> attacker. The inverse of which is a belief that it is innocent, loveable, beautiful even.

Your mind is able to decide what it sees in the rock, ie what mean class="hi2">anan>ing it projects onto it. When the mind is deciding to project from love, it sees the rock in a loving way, which makes it appear as though the rock is lovable rather than class="hi2">anan> hatable. an class="hi2">Anan>d so now you love the rock, because you are projecting love, in spite of the rock's own nature.

But the rock isn't chan class="hi2">anan>ging. The rock isnt inherently sinful, nor is it sinless. It doesn't really have its own mean class="hi2">anan>ing. In a way it's kind of like a neutral mirror. You actually see yourself in it. Whatever you think is true you visualize in it. You see refleted back to you what you put there to see. So the rock is doing its own thing, an class="hi2">anan>d you are having varying types of beliefs about it, seemingly independent of it.

It's possible to project a mental state of hell onto the world of rocks, just as it is possible to project a mental state of heaven's reflection onto the rocks. True perception can class="hi2">anan> be very close to heaven's nature. You reach within an class="hi2">anan>d find love an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d joy an class="hi2">anan>d light an class="hi2">anan>d shine it outward an class="hi2">anan>d light up the world with it. What appeared to be a harmful rock is now a healing rock. What used to be an class="hi2">anan> attacking rock is an class="hi2">anan> innocent rock.

This is the tran class="hi2">anan>slation, in your mind, of earth into heaven's reflection. A tran class="hi2">anan>slation is an class="hi2">anan> interpretative process which evaluates the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of something. It gives mean class="hi2">anan>ing to it, based on what you believe or Wan class="hi2">ANan>T it to mean class="hi2">anan>. This is in spite of an class="hi2">anan>y seemingly inherent properties that the thing has. Because it has none.

Earth, the world, the galaxies, space time, rocks an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ts an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>imals, human class="hi2">anan> bodies, cities an class="hi2">anan>d forests etc, is all essentially a neutral mirror. It's a veil of images which the mind is making an class="hi2">anan>d inventing. It holds pictures of forms an class="hi2">anan>d illusions of life an class="hi2">anan>d death. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet it is a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world. an class="hi2">Anan>d so it only has the mean class="hi2">anan>ing that you GIVE to it. "The world is what you gave it, nothing more." "There is no world apart from what you wish." "Projection makes perception an class="hi2">anan>d makes the world you see."

So on the one han class="hi2">anan>d, we made a world in an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, which was made to be completely opposite to heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d which is therefore hell. Or at least, we came up with it in a state of false perception, ie misperception. In that state it appears to be hell because we see it in a hellish way. So we project hell an class="hi2">anan>d fragmentation an class="hi2">anan>d separation an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d guilt onto it. an class="hi2">Anan>d so it appears to be a hellish world. But this view of it (this projected world) only exists while you are having false perception (false projection).

What the course is saying is that you can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge your van class="hi2">anan>tage point. But the chan class="hi2">anan>ge in van class="hi2">anan>tage point is huge. It's a 180-degree total opposition to false perception. It's a way of seeing totally alien to the world an class="hi2">anan>d to how the body functions. It flies in the face of every seeming law of physics an class="hi2">anan>d reality, an class="hi2">anan>d completely denies the apparently separated world. It's a lofty, heaven-based perception, which does not buy into an class="hi2">anan>ything the world appears to be.

It is in fact difficult for minds to comprehend how it's possible to see the world through loving eyes. The mind has trouble breaking through its own defenses against love. It can class="hi2">anan>'t sense or feel or experience what it is like to see from the van class="hi2">anan>tage point of the Holy Spirit, without a whole lot of purificaiton an class="hi2">anan>d correction. an class="hi2">Anan>d so most of the time, it seems impossible to love the world. Or indeed it seems as if the world is inherently sinful an class="hi2">anan>d wrong an class="hi2">anan>d bad.

The hell seen in false perception motivates a person to not wan class="hi2">anan>t to love the world. Indeed the course says that such a world "can class="hi2">anan>not be the world God loves". Yet also that "God does love the world". He does not love the world seen in false perception, where rocks are separated an class="hi2">anan>d death seems real an class="hi2">anan>d attack seems commonplace. He does not love that world. No one can class="hi2">anan> love such a thing an class="hi2">anan>d still behold it. No one can class="hi2">anan> love death. "You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God."

But God does love the "real" world. The real world is a world seen in true perception, in which reality's love is projected onto it. an class="hi2">Anan>d it does not show you separations of forms, or illusions of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. It is an class="hi2">anan> accurate view of what the world IS, an class="hi2">anan>d the world is nothing but a flat image. It is a neutral inert mean class="hi2">anan>ingless lifeless powerless willless uncausal incapable valueluess veil of illusions. It has nothing of its own because it is nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d so at best it is symbolic. It can class="hi2">anan> symbolize heaven or hell, but it can class="hi2">anan>not ever really be either.

If you look upon war you see war an class="hi2">anan>d you hate it. But if you see war as war, it is because you are giving war. If you give love an class="hi2">anan>d peace an class="hi2">anan>d extend an class="hi2">anan>d express these higher van class="hi2">anan>tage points, then what you see comes from what you GIVE, not from what is THERE. You project the real world an class="hi2">anan>d see it as forgiven an class="hi2">anan>d holy because that's what you're projecting, an class="hi2">anan>d so it's all that you can class="hi2">anan> see because you can class="hi2">anan> ONLY see what you project.

You give love to the image of a world an class="hi2">anan>d the image reflects the love you are giving, an class="hi2">anan>d now you see the reflection of love in it. But this reflection also completely ignores an class="hi2">anan>ything the image itself possesses as its own properties. It overlooks forms, ignores shapes an class="hi2">anan>d sizes an class="hi2">anan>d distan class="hi2">anan>ce or delay, an class="hi2">anan>d sees no orders of hierarchy an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. It doesn't distinguish individual bodies or places or times. an class="hi2">Anan>d it sees no orders of difficulty.

If you extend love toward the world, it makes you blind to the world seen in false perception. It causes the dark twisted world to not be seen, an class="hi2">anan>d for this layer of interpretation to be lifted from what the world is. In a sense, the world of false perception is a world of specifics, an class="hi2">anan>d the world of true perception is abstract an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>scendental. This doesn't necessarily mean class="hi2">anan> the world stops having the form of attack. In fact it can class="hi2">anan>not ever have an class="hi2">anan>ything BUT forms. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this the body's eyes always an class="hi2">anan>d only see.

Even as the mind is healed an class="hi2">anan>d views love from love, the forms of the world remain much unchan class="hi2">anan>ged. The dogs still bark, the trees still lose their leaves, murderers still kill, an class="hi2">anan>d the graveyards are still populated. But they are tran class="hi2">anan>slated, re-interpreted, overlooked, ignored, an class="hi2">anan>d do not stan class="hi2">anan>d out as different. All the differences are ignored, all properties of appearan class="hi2">anan>ces are ignored, all ways that the objects could compete with one an class="hi2">anan>other for attention are ignored. The world becomes flattened an class="hi2">anan>d regarded as a singular unreal image. A veil of illusions, in which none of it is true.

As the veil is seen with love, in which its own nature is recognized as false, an class="hi2">anan>d yet which simultan class="hi2">anan>eously acts like a mirror for your own mean class="hi2">anan>ing to be clearly projected, the veil is also losing its solidity. It becomes tran class="hi2">anan>sparent before the light. an class="hi2">Anan>d ultimately the reflection of God is seen. But to see God's reflection you can class="hi2">anan>not see bodies an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime, vying for attention. When "God is in everything I see because God is in my mind", God becomes ALL that you see, an class="hi2">anan>d you see nothing else. "A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last." "Forgiveness sees it not."

an class="hi2">Anan>d so the veil of a world lifts from sight, as all differences become ignored. an class="hi2">Anan>d the face of Christ is revealed as heaven's reflection reaching across what still remains as a world of chaos. an class="hi2">Anan>d all forms an class="hi2">anan>d differences are no longer seen. an class="hi2">Anan>d to such an class="hi2">anan> extent is the mind in the holy instan class="hi2">anan>t, fully present, that things of past an class="hi2">anan>d future such as bodies can class="hi2">anan>not be seen at all. The world is forgotten, an class="hi2">anan>d disappears. It is as though it has become so deflated an class="hi2">anan>d equalized an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>scended that it does not exist at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d all that remains is the face of Christ, which once seen leads to the immediate return to heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d "heaven is all that remains."

Jesus seems to be trying to tell us that the past an class="hi2">anan>d future do not really exist. That only now exists.

If you were completely centered in the present instan class="hi2">anan>t, you might think of the past an class="hi2">anan>d future as entirely conceptual. Regardless of all the things you've been told about them, all the ways you seem to use memory, how you imagine an class="hi2">anan>d predict the future, you don't ever actually go into them. You are always here now. Even when you remember "the past" you are remembering it in the present.

You could be seeming to dwell on the past, or "living in the past", or remembering past events, or pulling up feelings an class="hi2">anan>d traumas that seemed to happen long ago, or reflect on how your body is the result of chan class="hi2">anan>ges that happened years ago, but all of this is kind of a make-believe idea of some "place" other than class="hi2">anan> here, as if it still exists, as if the past has influence on an class="hi2">anan>d causation of what's in the present - which it DOES NOT.

an class="hi2">Anan>d the future is just kind of an class="hi2">anan> idea of a jumble of possibilities, predicted outcomes, plan class="hi2">anan>s, things you dream of happening next, goals to work toward, but none of it ever really takes you into an class="hi2">anan> actual "future" - like you can class="hi2">anan> literally skip into tomorrow an class="hi2">anan>d come back again. You are always still here in the present imagining some far off place that isn't here. Only when the future "arrives" in the present now does it seem to have come to pass.

The holy instan class="hi2">anan>t is the idea of you recognizing that you're totally in the present moment, in a mere narrow instan class="hi2">anan>t, in which you realize there is no past or future. Just because you have seeming memory of configurations of objects as they "used to be" some time ago, doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> there is such a thing as a real past. These are images an class="hi2">anan>d snapshots of states which have chan class="hi2">anan>ged, an class="hi2">anan>d they are no longer in those old configurations. All that is "left" from the past is what is here NOW.

The idea of the past is really an class="hi2">anan> ego concept, an class="hi2">anan> attempt to suggest that what is always an class="hi2">anan>d forever isn't the same as it always was or always will be. It's the idea of death, an class="hi2">anan>d it is the idea of chan class="hi2">anan>ge - the ability to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the chan class="hi2">anan>gelessness of eternity, an class="hi2">anan>d thus suggest that something that was created has been uncreated. That things that "used to exist" don't exist an class="hi2">anan>ymore. That has to be a lie.

The idea of the future is an class="hi2">anan>other ego concept, an class="hi2">anan> attempt to avoid what is here now by yearning for some alternate configuration, some plan class="hi2">anan> of control, some expectation, some desire that things become different, all forms of ego attack on the present moment. Even the physical body doesn't exist in a single instan class="hi2">anan>t of now, it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion that shows up as an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ticipation of what might be here next, or a remembering of what used to be here. Matter itself doesn't even exist "now".

It is only when the mind gives credit to the idea of past an class="hi2">anan>d future that it starts to become lost in some kind of mental state which is denying the present. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that state the mind seems to be "living in the past" or "living in the future" but it isn't actually living in either of them. It is daydreaming unconsciously of places an class="hi2">anan>d times an class="hi2">anan>d events that aren't actually happening. To think of the past or future doesn't put you INTO them, an class="hi2">anan>d if you believe it does you are lost in a fiction.

The past is gone, there is no past at all. The future does not exist. You can class="hi2">anan> seem to steer the present toward a given future by making chan class="hi2">anan>ges IN THE PRESENT ONLY, which reconfigures what is here now an class="hi2">anan>d alters it in order to seem to move toward what was a "future goal", but that still does not take you out of the present.

When your mind believes it is in the past or future it is having a delusion, it is trying to escape from God, it is believing in spacetime an class="hi2">anan>d separation, it is denying reality, it is avoiding identity, an class="hi2">anan>d it is trying to die. God only ever exists in the present instan class="hi2">anan>t. Reality is here now, not off somewhere else.

an class="hi2">Anan>d essentially even spacetime itself is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> infinitely small "blip" - a tiny instan class="hi2">anan>t, without a long history behind it an class="hi2">anan>d without a long future in front of it. Just a tiny slither in which things shift an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sform. Just because it seems like the Earth is the result of millions of years of "evolution", an class="hi2">anan>d seem to have "evidence" of that fact, that doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> that the Earth NOW is IN the past or made of it. It is only its current state.

There is really no past, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no future. This is why san class="hi2">anan>ity restores you to a state of PRESENCE.

"Time is a trick; a sleight of han class="hi2">anan>d, a vast illusion in which figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go as if by magic."

"Time is a belief of the ego, so the lower mind, which IS the ego's domain, accepts it without question. The only aspect of time which is really eternal is NOW. That is what we REALLY mean class="hi2">anan> when we say that now is the only time."

"There is no past nor future, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of birth into a body has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing either once or man class="hi2">anan>y times."

"When he said "mind is the builder," he did not realize that it is only what it is building NOW that really creates the future. The past, in itself, does not have the ability to do this. Whenever we move from one instan class="hi2">anan>t to the next, the previous one no longer exists."

"At no SINGLE instan class="hi2">anan>t does the body exist at all. It is always remembered or an class="hi2">anan>ticipated, but NEVER experienced just now. Only its past an class="hi2">anan>d future make it seem real. Time controls it entirely. For sin is never present."

"The Holy Spirit's use of memory is quite APART from time. He does NOT seek to use it as a mean class="hi2">anan>s to KEEP the past, but rather as a way TO LET IT GO."

"Memory, like perception, is a skill made up by you, to take the place of what God GAVE in your creation."

"The Christ revealed to you NOW has no past, for He is chan class="hi2">anan>geless."

"It is impossible to accept the holy instan class="hi2">anan>t WITHOUT RESERVATION unless, JUST FOR an class="hi2">ANan> INSTan class="hi2">ANan>T, you are willing to see no past or future."

"There IS no past to keep its fearful image in the way of glad awakening to present peace."

"You HAVE "sinned" IN THE PAST, but there IS no past. Always has no direction. Time seems to go in one direction, but when you reach its end, it will roll up like a long carpet that has spread along the past behind you, an class="hi2">anan>d will disappear."

"The Savior's vision is as innocent of what your brother is as it is free of an class="hi2">anan>y judgment made upon yourself. It sees no past in an class="hi2">anan>yone at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus it serves a wholly open mind, unclouded by old concepts an class="hi2">anan>d prepared to look on ONLY what the present holds."

Whatever you see in something, if you think it is inherently offensive, it is not. The offensiveness is in your own mind, an class="hi2">anan>d you put it there.

That can class="hi2">anan> be hard to accept because it mean class="hi2">anan>s that you've been used to this idea of an class="hi2">anan> objective reality outside of yourself all this time. A reality which has its own inherent qualities an class="hi2">anan>d which reports them to you as though they are distinct from your perception.

What it implies now is that what you're experiencing as reality, is in fact a hallucination that's part of your own mind's malfunctioning, that you literally are inventing everything that bothers you, that you are doing all that to yourself.

This implies also that there is no fixed reality out in the world, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore there is no inherent truth based on form. You literally give everything the mean class="hi2">anan>ing that it has for you.

ACIM lesson #2, right at the start: "I have given everything I see…all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing that it has for me."

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that you are basically inventing every single justification that you think is truth, or that you think is based on objective facts outside of you. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that, if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to, an class="hi2">anan>d when it suits you, you MAKE UP everything that you think is true.

If you are in favor of something, you will make up reasons why it is a good idea, to support it an class="hi2">anan>d lend weight to your conviction that it is somehow inherently right. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you are against something, you will make up reasons why it is a bad idea, in order to continue to support your belief that the reality outside of you is fixed an class="hi2">anan>d has nothing to do with your experience of it.

It can class="hi2">anan> be perhaps alarming to discover that you are literally making everything up as you go along, an class="hi2">anan>d that all the things you thought were factual or true are really just your rationalizations. You decide what stuff mean class="hi2">anan>s. You lend it credibility an class="hi2">anan>d pretend that this credibility comes from outside of you.

You think that other people's opinions, authority, certifications, education, experience, or even physical evidence, are all ways in which the world has an class="hi2">anan> inherent truth. You have come to depend on this notion that you are not experiencing the results of your own made up subjective fan class="hi2">anan>tasy, but that everything that's going on is happening "on its own" without your input. an class="hi2">Anan>d because you do not see the ways that you contribute to it or indeed create it, you do not accept that IT HAS NO TRUTH.

This leaves you in a kind of limbo like state where you're kind of just han class="hi2">anan>ging there with no sense of what the truth outside you is an class="hi2">anan>ymore. If you're making up all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing, an class="hi2">anan>d quite literally the entirety of human class="hi2">anan>ity is totally making up the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of everything in society as it goes along, then really there IS no inherent mean class="hi2">anan>ing outside of your mind.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s the world is basically either neutral or insan class="hi2">anan>e, an class="hi2">anan>d that, based on the ego, it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT make sense. There can class="hi2">anan>not be truth to it, an class="hi2">anan>d since it is a mental hallucination, it is nothing better than class="hi2">anan> a chaotic illusion. Trying to "understan class="hi2">anan>d it" is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to discover that it has an class="hi2">anan> inherent mean class="hi2">anan>ing of its own, separate from your mind. We are very addicted an class="hi2">anan>d conditioned to continually look for mean class="hi2">anan>ing outside of ourselves, in the world, in order to disown true mean class="hi2">anan>ing (God/Self).

This is what happens when you try to figure things out, diagnose sickness, an class="hi2">anan>alyze situations, look for what is really happening, try to find proof, explain the background of something, try to identify causes, look for rational explan class="hi2">anan>ations or depend on the opinions of other people's authority. This is you attempting to turn an class="hi2">anan> illusion into a reality, trying to convince yourself that you are NOT the one who has given it all the mean class="hi2">anan>ing it has, or that it is not just some blan class="hi2">anan>k can class="hi2">anan>vas onto which you've projected an class="hi2">anan> entirely fan class="hi2">anan>tastical world.

What this mean class="hi2">anan>s for your mind an class="hi2">anan>d your sense of reality is that you can class="hi2">anan>not continue to claim that there is an class="hi2">anan> objective world out there, an class="hi2">anan>d nor does that world have its own mean class="hi2">anan>ing at all. It is in fact a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world, an class="hi2">anan>d this mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world can class="hi2">anan>not be understood unless you tran class="hi2">anan>scend it.

ACIM lessons 10 through 14:

"10 My thoughts do not mean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>ything."

"11 My mean class="hi2">anan>ingless thoughts are showing me a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world."

"12 I am upset because I see a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world.

"13 A mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world engenders fear."

"14 God did not create a mean class="hi2">anan>ingless world."

If the world is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless, an class="hi2">anan>d God did not create it (thus it is not objective reality), then this shows you that every mean class="hi2">anan>ing you see in it is made up but your thoughts, which are themselves mean class="hi2">anan>ingless an class="hi2">anan>d contain "pretend mean class="hi2">anan>ings". These pretend mean class="hi2">anan>ings attempt to give mean class="hi2">anan>ing to a world which has none.

What you may be afraid to admit is that it is not possible to find truth in an class="hi2">anan>y way shape or form in the world, because the world is not real. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s your mind, your sense of reality, has been believing that it's had nothing to do with what you perceive all this time. When in fact it is the sole inventor of all the mean class="hi2">anan>ings that you think the world has.

Everything supposedly "out there" is neutral an class="hi2">anan>d therefore if you think something is good or bad or right or wrong or acceptable or unacceptable it is ONLY because you're making up a truth which you try to turn into reality an class="hi2">anan>d try to justify to yourself as being objective. It is not. It is subjective hallucination. So if there's no truth out there, it leaves you sort of han class="hi2">anan>ging as to how to deal with reality.

It is as though you create your own reality, which is a popular new-age concept, which also leads on to man class="hi2">anan>ipulating the world. But this really is denying the fact that you do not create reality. You are creating UNREALITY. But it's a step closer to realizing that what you are experiencing is coming from you, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore what you perceive is not necessarily objectively real.

You're dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d only God creates reality!

This is why in your awakening journey you then have to go through the process of recognizing the part that your mind plays in inventing mean class="hi2">anan>ing, how it distorts perception, how you contribute to what shows up outside of you, how you use it, how completely subjective you're being, an class="hi2">anan>d how everything that you thought was objectively real is in fact not real at all.

As you do this you will gradually realize more an class="hi2">anan>d more that there IS an class="hi2">anan> objective reality, it's just not "out there" as a physical world, an class="hi2">anan>d instead it is within, in your Oneness with God. Formless, timeless, spaceless, ageless. The ONE an class="hi2">anan>d only mean class="hi2">anan>ing. A mean class="hi2">anan>ing that has not been fragmented into a billion conflicts. A mean class="hi2">anan>ing which hasn't been artificially attributed to an class="hi2">anan> illusion. A mean class="hi2">anan>ing which ACTUALLY IS MEan class="hi2">ANan>INGFUL to you - that you can class="hi2">anan> feel in your heart, in your very being.

God is true mean class="hi2">anan>ing. God is the one an class="hi2">anan>d only mean class="hi2">anan>ing. All else is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless.

If someone tries to attack you, they have a problem. They are not san class="hi2">anan>e. They are attacking themselves, but they're doing it in such a way that they think they are attacking someone else. Whatever they accuse you of, they are accusing themselves of.

an class="hi2">Anan>yone who attacks is not in their right mind. No one in their right mind would attack, because they'd recognize that part of themself is in the other, an class="hi2">anan>d to attack them is to attack themselves. This is the law of God, the Golden Rule. Also the right minded are not split minded, an class="hi2">anan>d do not act against themselves or other.

If someone is attacking you, or it seems like they are, they are not really attacking who you are, they are attacking an class="hi2">anan> image in their mind of what they think you are. an class="hi2">Anan>d this image is really an class="hi2">anan> image of what they think they are.

They target your body because they are being unforgiving toward themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d in this unforgiveness they can class="hi2">anan>'t help but focus on the form of objects. This mean class="hi2">anan> they are not really seeing you, your spirit, or your real identity. The target of their attack is themselves, driven by guilt.

It can class="hi2">anan> look like the attack is upon you, because in their dissociated state they separate off the part of their mind that attacks itself an class="hi2">anan>d see it as "outside themselves". They attack "it", to try to maintain the split minded state. an class="hi2">Anan>d in dissociating from it, they tend to associate it with someone other than class="hi2">anan> themselves. an class="hi2">Anan>d that may seem to be you.

Even if they call your name, even if they speak of you an class="hi2">anan>d what you've done to them, even if they hurl abuse at "you", it is really nothing to do with you. Not even remotely.

"You but accuse your brother of your own sins."

"It can class="hi2">anan> be but myself I crucify."

"I can class="hi2">anan> be attacked by nothing but my thoughts."

So in no way has this attack got an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with you at all. It might seem to play out that way, or it might even seem that they physically attack your body as if that really is an class="hi2">anan> attack upon you, but it is still themselves they are trying to attack.

"Let them be as vicious an class="hi2">anan>d hateful as they may. They could have no effect on you, unless you failed to recognize it is your dream."When you yourself are not in your right mind, you will attack yourself. You'll accuse yourself of sin an class="hi2">anan>d judge yourself harshly. This mean class="hi2">anan>s you believe it's true that you are guilty.

When this is happening, an class="hi2">anan>d if it is happening at the same time as an class="hi2">anan>other insan class="hi2">anan>e person fighting with their own shadows, you will fail to recognize that their attack is entirely a self attack. You will fail to realize they are calling out for love, an class="hi2">anan>d you will think that their hallucinated "attack on you", which is really on themselves, is actually about you.

Since what they accuse you of taps into what you have accused yourself of, you won't be able to discern between the two. This will create a kind of blind-spot in your mind. A block to awareness. an class="hi2">Anan>d because of the block, you will be deceived. an class="hi2">Anan>d being deceived you'll "read into" what they're doing, failing to see all of what they are doing to themselves. an class="hi2">Anan>d due to this lack of recognition, you'll think that some of what they are doing, they are doing to you, an class="hi2">anan>d that it's really about you.

Because of your own self attack, you see yourself as vulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d affect-able. an class="hi2">Anan>d you'll see yourself as being able to be accessed by the cause-effect relationships that seem to play out physically. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will have confused yourself with your body, an class="hi2">anan>d now it may seem that because it can class="hi2">anan> be attacked, you can class="hi2">anan> be attacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you're going to take their attempted attack personally as a threat to your identity an class="hi2">anan>d existence.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you're failing to remember it's your dream, an class="hi2">anan>d have entered into dreaming, or a state of greater unconsciousness. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this state you'll think that someone else "is attacking you" an class="hi2">anan>d is "having an class="hi2">anan> effect on you". It's really you having an class="hi2">anan> effect on you, but you confuse it for them being the cause. So you blame them for it.

It can class="hi2">anan> seem as if, what they do triggers pain in you. an class="hi2">Anan>d its really your own pain that you put there, being raised to awareness. Because it resonates with what they are expressing an class="hi2">anan>d agrees with it. an class="hi2">Anan>d then you'll think they caused the pain in you because it arose when they attacked, but its really your own self inflicted wound that is unhealed, resurfacing in resonan class="hi2">anan>ce with their insan class="hi2">anan>e behavior.

You then are in the position of having to apply forgiveness processes to sort out "what is yours" an class="hi2">anan>d "what is theirs". an class="hi2">Anan>d ultimately this has to lead to the undoing of the self attack, otherwise you won't be able to recognize that the other person was not the cause of your upset. an class="hi2">Anan>d their innocence can class="hi2">anan> only be recognized if you can class="hi2">anan> see how they are solely attacking themselves.

The blinds spots an class="hi2">anan>d blocks to awareness in your own mind have to be removed, otherwise you can class="hi2">anan>not see the full picture. an class="hi2">Anan>d without the full picture you can class="hi2">anan>'t tell whether what someone is doing is really about you or not. You can class="hi2">anan>'t tell your sin apart from theirs. You have to find your own innocence in order to recognize the innocence of others.

Once you do, what seemed like a call for attack, or seemed like an class="hi2">anan> obvious selfish attack upon you, is now recognized as a call for love. It's calling for love because the person is solely interacting with themselves, within their mind, in a private world. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are attacking themselves, believing it is not coming from them. an class="hi2">Anan>d they seem to falsely accuse you of it, which you must not buy into, for your sake an class="hi2">anan>d theirs.

In recognizing the secret of salvation that people can class="hi2">anan> only attack themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d no one ever really attacks an class="hi2">anan>yone else, you take responsibility for your own choices an class="hi2">anan>d give them back responsibility for theirs.

Everything they are experiencing they are doing to themselves. Everything you are experiencing you are doing to yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d never the two shall meet. People are asking for love, in an class="hi2">anan> attacking way, because they are denying their own love. The only thing that can class="hi2">anan> truly be shared or communicated between you, is love.

Love is joining in peace an class="hi2">anan>d recognition. It facilitates sharing an class="hi2">anan>d communication an class="hi2">anan>d tran class="hi2">anan>sfer. Without love, the breakdown of communication an class="hi2">anan>d separation of mind an class="hi2">anan>d relationship ensures that all attack is self contained. Just as trying to will against God disables all will an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to will nothing, trying to attack places you in a prison in your mind an class="hi2">anan>d stops an class="hi2">anan>y tran class="hi2">anan>sfer to others. Attack is always separation between others an class="hi2">anan>d self. This happens because God does not will that attack between beings be possible.

No-one is ever affected by an class="hi2">anan>yone else. No-one else is the cause of you. You have not caused an class="hi2">anan>yone else, other than class="hi2">anan> your own creations. an class="hi2">Anan>d God is the only cause of you an class="hi2">anan>d your equal siblings. There has never been an class="hi2">anan> attack on you, by an class="hi2">anan>yone but yourself. an class="hi2">Anan>d an class="hi2">anan>yone who believes otherwise is not in their right mind.

"The world is nothing in itself. Your mind must give it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you behold upon it are your wishes, acted out so you can class="hi2">anan> look on them an class="hi2">anan>d think them real."

"Perhaps you think you did not make the world, but came unwillingly to what was made already, hardly waiting for your thoughts to give it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Yet in truth you found exactly what you looked for when you came. There is no world apart from what you wish, an class="hi2">anan>d herein lies your ultimate release. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge but your mind on what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see, an class="hi2">anan>d all the world must chan class="hi2">anan>ge accordingly."

"Your brother thinks he made the world with you. Thus he denies creation. With you, he thinks the world he made, made him. Thus he denies he made it."

"Your mind is capable of creating worlds."

When you sleep at night, you dream, an class="hi2">anan>d in the dream you find yourself in a fully-developed environment, where it seems the walls have been weathered, the ground has eroded, things have aged, time has passed, as if all this existed before you arrived an class="hi2">anan>d must have taken man class="hi2">anan>y years to reach this condition. As though buildings took time to be built an class="hi2">anan>d as if creatures took years to grow. The trees are 50 years old an class="hi2">anan>d the hills are older still. As if the body merely existed already an class="hi2">anan>d you simply "incarnated" into it, electing to join with it, having not made it.

But, the fact is, you only just started dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d since 10:30pm last night you literally just made this whole environment IN this condition, spontan class="hi2">anan>eously, now. You just made an class="hi2">anan> entire world, which LOOKS AS IF, it's been there for a long time. You PUT the erosion there, you PUT the signs of decay there, you MADE the illusions that this is a very old place which took thousan class="hi2">anan>ds of years to come to its current condition. You did it in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t. Just because it SEEMS old, does not mean class="hi2">anan> it is. It is a fresh image of time having passed.

Consider this. In your waking life, on Earth, which is a dream also, you seem to arrive in a little body into a world which SEEMS to have been here for billions of years. It has all the hallmarks of time having passed, erosion, decay. In fact so accurate is the depiction of a "great history", that you can class="hi2">anan> even study this history, examine the evidence, an class="hi2">anan>d seemingly prove that the world is very old.

But, is that true? Did this tremendous history EXIST before you started dreaming? Did this universe REALLY begin with a big ban class="hi2">anan>g, or did we simply BACK-FILL the illusion, invent evidence of time passing, put in place what seem to be effects with causes that SEEM to stretch back billions of years, SO THAT we can class="hi2">anan>, in PRESENT TIME, make this ILLUSION that we're in a world that has existed forever?

What if NOW, your mind is dreaming of an class="hi2">anan> OLD WORLD? What if NOW, you are making up the proof that the universe all leads back to a starting point? What if there was no start? What if the big ban class="hi2">anan>g is totally an class="hi2">anan> invention of your mind, made to SEEM as if it occurred, as part of the way that you have DECORATED your present dream? What if there is only the presence an class="hi2">anan>d what you are dreaming NOW, an class="hi2">anan>d what if you are making this world NOW, an class="hi2">anan>d what if this world is an class="hi2">anan> hallucination? What if you are NOW having an class="hi2">anan> hallucination of an class="hi2">anan> OLD-looking world, which literally HAS NO PAST? What if you are forcing it to seem old?

What if the entire history of the universe is being written NOW, to SEEM LIKE it "happened before" chronologically, but is merely you exercising your mind's power to DREAM OF a world that has "signs of aging" in it? What if the world is not even a second old? What if there is no past, or future? What if there is no time, or space? What if you made this all up? What if you're dreaming of a world that doesn't even exist at all, yet alone one that is the end result of billions of years of evolution? What if you made up the laws that seem to imply it all began class="hi2">anan> with a gian class="hi2">anan>t explosion? an class="hi2">Anan>d what if the state you hold it in NOW *causes* the past to be re-written to align with it?

There is evidence arising of objects appearing in places in the world where they should or could not be. As though they have been there far longer than class="hi2">anan> before they were even invented. There are things showing up as if to suggest they were around millions of years ago, an class="hi2">anan>d yet were not invented until recently. Why is that? Why are we PUTTING nearer-time objects into the further past? Why are we MAKING UP this stuff? Why are we inventing a past? We are literally RE-WRITING HISTORY in the present moment. We are causing the ILLUSION of a history to be chan class="hi2">anan>ged.

NONE OF THIS IS REAL.

THERE IS NO TIME.

THERE IS NO HISTORY.

THERE IS NO PAST.

THERE IS NO WORLD.

IT'S A DREAM.

YOU'RE DREAMING IT.

YOU'RE MAKING IT ALL UP AS YOU GO ALONG.

ARTICLE:

What is sin

WHAT IS SIN?

Every aspect of an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e egoic mind is JUST A MISTAKE, which calls for correction. The mind "accidentally" considers something to be possible which isn't, an class="hi2">anan>d so is making an class="hi2">anan> error. Like an class="hi2">anan> error on a math test - a false conclusion, a miscalculation, a mis-thought. The mind believes impossible things, an class="hi2">anan>d because they are impossible it is not doing them.

"Sin" is what we call it when you become mistaken ABOUT a mistake, an class="hi2">anan>d fail to recognize its impossibility. Being mistaken about mistakes, not recognizing them as mistakes, converts them into TRUTHS, which are now sins. You don't realize they can class="hi2">anan>'t be true, an class="hi2">anan>d you think they are possible. As if you are actually doing them, giving them reality.

"Sin" is thus a "mistake about a mistake". A failure to recognize a mistake, leading to taking it seriously an class="hi2">anan>d taking it to be true an class="hi2">anan>d real. As if it is actually happening with real irreversible consequences.

Insan class="hi2">anan>e people are regarded as sinful when their insan class="hi2">anan>ity is not recognised as insan class="hi2">anan>ity, an class="hi2">anan>d is instead thought to BE San class="hi2">ANan>ITY, an class="hi2">anan>d thus assuming the person is SINNING ON PURPOSE from their right mindedness, which would indeed be deliberate attack. If this were true it calls for guilt an class="hi2">anan>d punishment.

Mistaking someone's delusional state for truth an class="hi2">anan>d reality, you think they are "actually attacking on purpose from a san class="hi2">anan>e mind that should know better", which justifies an class="hi2">anan>ger an class="hi2">anan>d revenge for such a violation of the rules of san class="hi2">anan>ity.

Guilt therefore arises from being mistaken about mistakes, regarding mistakes as deliberate acts of defian class="hi2">anan>ce against God an class="hi2">anan>d reality. If you COULD attack God it WOULD be a sin an class="hi2">anan>d you WOULD be guilty.

Sin is therefore a fiction about a fiction. The insan class="hi2">anan>e mind is in a deluded state believing illusions, which is just a set of mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d then on top of this the delusion is taken to be NOT a delusion.

Sin is twice removed from God, mistakes are once removed. Guilt arises from taking mistakes to be truths. Or believing that illusions are real. Such as believing that the physical world is happening. If an class="hi2">anan>ything seeming to happen physically IS TRUE, it is a sin. If it is recognised that the world is JUST A MISTAKE, it is open to forgiveness.

Sin sees everything as unforgivable because it locks in the mistakes an class="hi2">anan>d regards them as concrete truths. Forgiveness recognizes what the mistakes ARE, an class="hi2">anan>d so sees an class="hi2">anan> error has been made, which calls only for correction to appropriately treat the error. To fix the problem correctly.

Sin does not fix errors correctly, it compounds them by trying to use punishment as a fix. It says that the "mistake" is that you really did something impossible, as though it were possible, an class="hi2">anan>d now it has had real effects.

There is now "proof of sin", tan class="hi2">anan>gible sin, physical sin, evidence. Or in other words, an class="hi2">anan> illusion (such as form) is mistaken for a real true possible thing an class="hi2">anan>d held up to be the "evidence" as to what you did wrong. Such as that the body did some wrong act causing the plates to be smashed, proven by the pieces of broken plate on the floor. Instead of being recognised as more illusions, it's taken to "prove" that you broke the plates in reality.

That presence of "an class="hi2">anan> illusion being interpreted as proof that it's true" mean class="hi2">anan>s "you did it" in space an class="hi2">anan>d time, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore are guilty. If you did sin, you deserve absolute punishment an class="hi2">anan>d death. Sin sees death as the way to CORRECT sins - death as atonement.

"Sin calls for punishment, as error for correction. an class="hi2">Anan>d the belief that punishment IS correction, is clearly insan class="hi2">anan>e." UrT19C1

"They do not realize that, to deny God, is to deny their own identity, an class="hi2">anan>d in this sense, the wages of sin IS death." UrT19C3

"Yet, for all the wild insan class="hi2">anan>ity inherent in the whole IDEA of sin, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. For the wages of sin IS death, an class="hi2">anan>d how can class="hi2">anan> the immortal die?" UrT19C3

You not recognizing that this world is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, converts the world into a place of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, demean class="hi2">anan>ing punishment for every act. You recognizing this world is just a MISTAKE an class="hi2">anan>d IS IMPOSSIBLE, forgives an class="hi2">anan>d overlooks the error an class="hi2">anan>d calls for the true atonement of the UNDOING of the error. The erasing of the world an class="hi2">anan>d space an class="hi2">anan>d time. The correction of the error - the illusion of a world - through its can class="hi2">anan>cellation an class="hi2">anan>d disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce, in which the mind returns to san class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d to God's kingdom.

"A world forgiven can class="hi2">anan>not last. It was the home of bodies. But forgiveness looks past bodies. This is its holiness; this is how it heals. The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there is a body is sin possible. From sin comes guilt as surely as forgiveness takes all guilt away. an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time. Only the body makes the world seem real, for being separate it could not remain where separation is impossible. Forgiveness proves it is impossible because it sees it not. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you then will overlook will not be understan class="hi2">anan>dable to you, just as its presence once had been your certainty." UrU5A5

Man class="hi2">anan>y course students believe that the physical world is a kind of heaven-in-disguise, but simply hidden behind their mistaken perceptions. It's as if to say, once they purify their mind of false perceptions, they will see it 'how God intended it' an class="hi2">anan>d that this is the same thing as being in heaven.

If you are setting out with the belief that the physical world is reality, an class="hi2">anan>d especially if you believe God made it, then that background acts as a 'context' in which you read all of the rest of the Course. There is so much in the course written about undoing false perceptions an class="hi2">anan>d becoming able to see the real world or forgiven world etc, that it's possible to read into that to mean class="hi2">anan> the physical world is reality.

For example, the course does say things like.... you must undo your false perceptions.... your false perceptions are clouding your perception of reality.... once you undo false perceptions you will see clearly.... then you'll see you brother as Christ an class="hi2">anan>d will see the beautiful forgiven/real world.... etc.... an class="hi2">anan>d there isn't specifically an class="hi2">anan>ything in those 'pieces' of the Course - if taken out of its total context - to challenge the notion that the physical world is real. So that can class="hi2">anan> lead you to believe that this fundamental idea that the world exists goes unchallenged by the Course.

an class="hi2">Anan>other example is that people heavily believe they are bodies. They read things about how they should just accept the world 'as it is' an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge their mind, an class="hi2">anan>d this leads to this kind of 'separation' between the mind an class="hi2">anan>d body. i.e., that we should let the body do whatever because its not real (a level confusion) an class="hi2">anan>d we should let the world do whatever because it's not real (a level confusion). an class="hi2">Anan>d that's really a kind of paralysis, an class="hi2">anan>d a lack of responsibility, an class="hi2">anan>d a total lack of power (especially over death, which is a key part of the Course).

It is very possible therefore to take most of the course an class="hi2">anan>d slot it into an class="hi2">anan> existing belief system an class="hi2">anan>d have it seem to mostly make sense. So then in order to bring the truth into the world, instead of bringing the world to the truth (in which it dissolves), people will try to sort of 'glue together' the broken pieces of out-of-context metaphysics, such as to say God made the world, the world is heaven on earth, the body can class="hi2">anan> live forever, God made beautiful stuff in the world an class="hi2">anan>d sustains it, etc... none of that is in the course, but those finer points are easy to gloss over an class="hi2">anan>d ignore.

As I go back through the ACIM text an class="hi2">anan>d read it slowly an class="hi2">anan>d really digest it an class="hi2">anan>d ask myself what it is saying, how is it consistent, I continually see evidence that it is quite literally saying "there is no world" an class="hi2">anan>d that heaven an class="hi2">anan>d the world are completely opposed, that God did not create it - we did, that the world is something we 'made' as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, etc. Its not just our perception OF the attack that is an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. The world ITSELF is fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, down to the very fabric of spacetime.

an class="hi2">Anan>d on the point about perception, it is CLEAR in the text that the only point of having true perception (right mindedness) is that it parallels the One mind an class="hi2">anan>d allows us to tran class="hi2">anan>sition to the one mind, which exists entirely beyond the world. Everything Jesus says clearly indicates this physical world is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION an class="hi2">anan>d a dream an class="hi2">anan>d is not reality an class="hi2">anan>d never will be reality. It is VERY difficult for us ego human class="hi2">anan>s to accept this as truth, an class="hi2">anan>d that is why the ego is extremely careful to disguise the evidence of this an class="hi2">anan>d gloss over the truth.

I guess I'm making this point because I continue to see prominent people 'teaching' other students with statements that seem to exalt the world an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem spiritual, but which is in fact the complete OPPOSITE of what the Course is actually teaching. As clearly defined in the Disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the Universe, for example, which IS aligned with the Course's message, the world is basically a gian class="hi2">anan>t turd, metaphorically speaking, it holds nothing that we wan class="hi2">anan>t, it is not our home, it is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a nightmare or bad dream, an class="hi2">anan>d IT WILL DISAPPEAR because it is not eternal.

It is quite a severe distortion of the Course's message when, within the wrong context, it can class="hi2">anan> seem to be saying that the world will tran class="hi2">anan>sform into heaven or the the world is God's 'movement' or that bodies are a perman class="hi2">anan>ent form of identification etc. The idea that the world is exalted an class="hi2">anan>d filled with an class="hi2">anan>y kind of truth is the absolute opposite of what the Course says an class="hi2">anan>d a total misinterpretation of its mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Imagine you believe an class="hi2">anan> interpretation of truth that is 100% false. That's what man class="hi2">anan>y people are doing. To believe the world is our spiritual home is an class="hi2">anan> absolute farce, an class="hi2">anan>d is precisely how the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to INTERFERE with the Course an class="hi2">anan>d absolutely distort it to its aims of KEEPING ITSELF GOING.

The world isn't real.

Okay so, you hear people saying the Earth is flat - the "flat Earthers"... an class="hi2">anan>d obviously it's not. But... technically it is.You see, there is this thing called the "hierarchy of illusions". The hierarchy is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION that there are differences. All differences are illusions.

So you've got things like different importan class="hi2">anan>ce, different value, different size an class="hi2">anan>d weight, different difficulty, different materials, different appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, different behaviors, different forms, all of that.

However, the world isn't real, an class="hi2">anan>d these differences aren't real.Imagine a can class="hi2">anan>vas on which an class="hi2">anan> artist is going to paint a picture. The can class="hi2">anan>vas itself is just one thing, neutral, empty. There is nothing inherently pictured on it. This is the background of the illusory world.

The artist takes the paint an class="hi2">anan>d starts to paint pictures of human class="hi2">anan>s. There's a large body over here, an class="hi2">anan>d a small one over there. There's one with two arms, an class="hi2">anan>d there's one with only one arm. There's one that's jumping in the air, an class="hi2">anan>d one that's laying seemingly dead on the ground.

But the truth always is, that these are all just images, made of the same paint. There is really no difference between the body jumping in the air an class="hi2">anan>d the one that appears dead. They're both equal in the sense that an class="hi2">anan>y of their difference are an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There aren't really an class="hi2">ANan>Y bodies on the can class="hi2">anan>vas, it's just images of bodies.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so what the illusion of the picture of a world of bodies is, is really a picture of what those things might LOOK LIKE. A body which looks LIKE a dead body, a body which is similar to how a living body might look. an class="hi2">Anan>d this makes the images on the can class="hi2">anan>vas once removed from the actual thing, from "reality" or "real bodies". They are pictures OF bodies, not actual bodies.

The thing is, the physical world is usually considered to be real, where the "real bodies" are, but in fact the physical world is the realm of the what LOOKS LIKE a world. It's a picturing of a world, an class="hi2">anan> image, like a photograph of some place that you visited. The photograph is not the place itself, just an class="hi2">anan> idea of what it might be like there. That's what the world is. The world is the paint on the can class="hi2">anan>vas, pretending to look like things. A picture OF some OTHER place that doesn't exist.

"The mind can class="hi2">anan> think it sleeps, but that is all. It can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge what is its waking state. ***It can class="hi2">anan>not make a body***, nor abide within a body. What is alien to the mind does not exist because it has no source. For mind creates all things that are, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not give them attributes it lacks, nor chan class="hi2">anan>ge its own eternal, mindful state. ***It can class="hi2">anan>not make the physical. What seems to die is but the sign of mind asleep.***"

ie The physical world is not REALLY a REAL physical world, it's a picture of one, an class="hi2">anan> imagined idea of what a physical world might be like. It is like a dream about a far off lan class="hi2">anan>d that you never really visited.

You have never actually REALLY seen a real body, you have only seem what bodies MIGHT look like if they existed. Because really the world is a dream of, an class="hi2">anan> idea of, what it MIGHT be like IF you were able to separate from God. It remains true that you can class="hi2">anan>not separate from God because God is everywhere. Nor can class="hi2">anan> you REALLY create bodies. So we've just pictured a world which looks LIKE some OTHER place that we've never been to, trying to form it in its likeness to represent it. To symbolize it. The world is a SYMBOL OF a world OUTSIDE of God, which does not exist.

Now, because the physical world of form is the layer of paint on the can class="hi2">anan>vas, an class="hi2">anan>d let's say the can class="hi2">anan>vas is what ACIM calls "the real world" which has no inherent forms or bodies or places or things, when you look at it an class="hi2">anan>d recognize it as "all made of the same stuff", or "its all just paint" or "its all an class="hi2">anan> equal image", this FLATTENS the hierarchy of illusions. It's stops it appearing as though one thing is bigger or heavier or more importan class="hi2">anan>t or different to an class="hi2">anan>other. Or that an class="hi2">anan>y of it is real.

This recognition that the world has NO hierarchy, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is all just one thing appearing to be man class="hi2">anan>y things, is what it's like to recognize that the picture is just the layer of paint, an class="hi2">anan>d it's all just paint. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s that really a picture of a living body is just as much equal an class="hi2">anan>d just paint, as a picture of a dead body. Neither of them are truly different. They're both illusions.

The form of the living body may appear different to the dead one, but that is the illusion of it. "Nothing so blinding as perception of form." When you focus on the forms an class="hi2">anan>d their differences you're being deceived by the painted picture, an class="hi2">anan>d are failing to recognize it for the trick that it is. You're not realizing it's only a painting, an class="hi2">anan>d are mistaking it for BEING the thing it visualizes. You think the PICTURE OF a body really IS a body. That pictures of death really ARE death.

When you overlook ie forgive the ILLUSION of things being different, an class="hi2">anan>d you don't fall for there really being a live body or a dead body, an class="hi2">anan>d you see the paint instead of the picture, that is true perception. That is accurate perception. It isn't a perception that looks at paint on a can class="hi2">anan>vas an class="hi2">anan>d believes there are real people living there with real bodies. It isn't the way the "brain" sees a photo of a body an class="hi2">anan>d believes it's looking at the actual person. It's a recognition that it's JUST a photograph, looking at the grain on the paper an class="hi2">anan>d the blots of ink.

This is a "flattening" of the hierarchy. A PICTURE of a dead body is now equal to a picture of a living one. A PICTURE of a body with disease is no different in truth than class="hi2">anan> a picture of a body that seems healthy. Because really they are both just images on a blan class="hi2">anan>k can class="hi2">anan>vas. an class="hi2">Anan>d neither of them is more dead or alive, in truth.

"They watch the dream figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go, shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die. Yet they are not deceived by what they see. They recognize that to behold a dream figure as sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate is no more real than class="hi2">anan> to regard it as healthy an class="hi2">anan>d beautiful. Unity alone is not a thing of dreams. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as behind the dream, beyond all seeming an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs."

There is no more MEan class="hi2">ANan>ING in a dead body. There is no more "seriousness" in a dead body. There is no more "lack of life" in a dead body than class="hi2">anan> in a supposedly "living" body. Which tells you also that the living bodies are NOT REALLY ALIVE either. The bodies aren't alive, an class="hi2">anan>d they aren't dead, they are just pictures of bodies. They are symbols, not ends in themselves. All made of the same illusory stuff.

"The body neither lives nor dies, for it can class="hi2">anan>not contain you who are life."

"There is no life outside of heaven."

"At best an class="hi2">anan> illusion of life, at worst death."

"The body is not an class="hi2">anan> end in itself."

So what that calls for, in order to see with forgiveness, is to recognize that there is no truth, life, will, mind, power, causality, strength, force, capability, or existence, to either the living bodies or the dead bodies. They are nothing but pictures. They don't have a "life" to be defended against death, an class="hi2">anan>d "death" can class="hi2">anan>not happen to them an class="hi2">anan>y more than class="hi2">anan> life can class="hi2">anan>. e.g.

"Now in the han class="hi2">anan>ds made gentle by His touch, the Holy Spirit lays ***a picture*** of a DIFFERENT you. It is ***a picture of a body*** still, for what you REALLY are can class="hi2">anan> not be seen nor pictured. But THIS one has NOT been used for purpose of attack, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore never suffered pain at all."

The body is just a picture, in a painting in your mind, which has NO DEPTH. It is not really three dimensional. an class="hi2">Anan>d its differences are ALL illusions of the way (form) that it's painted in. See the paint for what it is an class="hi2">anan>d you no longer see bodies there, or imagine that pictures of houses are real houses, or that pictures of cars are really cars, or that pictures of death are really death.

This ultimately flattens the hierarchy an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>s there IS NO DIFFERENCE between illusions. There is only one separation, one illusion, one picture, an class="hi2">anan>d it's all equally false. Even the suggestion that something would be more DIFFICULT to chan class="hi2">anan>ge than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other thing, is part of the illusion of the hierarchy. It is not true. an class="hi2">Anan>d this ultimately mean class="hi2">anan>s that there really is no "orders of difficulty."

"The only effort you need make, to give this world (earth) away in glad exchan class="hi2">anan>ge for what you did NOT make (heaven), is willingness to learn THE ONE YOU MADE IS FALSE."

From the van class="hi2">anan>tage point of recognizing it all as ONE THING, one dream, one illusion of a world, an class="hi2">anan>d ignoring its FORMS, overlooking its differences, an class="hi2">anan>d not being deceived or tempted to believe there really ARE an class="hi2">anan>y differences at all, there is no "orders" in the world. There are no divisions an class="hi2">anan>d levels an class="hi2">anan>d parts an class="hi2">anan>d pieces. It's all just one illusion, one separation idea. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s live bodies an class="hi2">anan>d dead bodies are the same thing, pretending to be two different things. They are both the dream of death. an class="hi2">Anan> illusion.

"Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem."So ultimately THE WORLD IS FLAT, because the hierarchy is flat. When you take away all the illusions of difference, which is false perception - not recognizing it's all just paint - all you end up with is a FLAT world. A world where there is ONE WAY of looking at everything, an class="hi2">anan>d it is recognized as ONE THING. an class="hi2">Anan>d so there is no bigger or smaller or harder or easier.

From that perspective, which is the state of miracle mindedness an class="hi2">anan>d true perception, in which everything is given NO extra mean class="hi2">anan>ing other than class="hi2">anan> the universal ONE mean class="hi2">anan>ing of love, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no falling for the deception that a sick body is "a really serious bad thing", an class="hi2">anan>d there is no difference in mean class="hi2">anan>ing given to "that body seems really healthy" versus "that body seems disease-ridden an class="hi2">anan>d ugly", you are now coming from ONE perspective. One van class="hi2">anan>tage point. One loving outlook. One all-inclusive perspective. No longer tempted by form.

From that one perspective, with Vision, for you there is no longer a rough terrain, or a 3D world, or a world where some things are dealt with differently to others. There is one problem an class="hi2">anan>d one solution, not man class="hi2">anan>y. an class="hi2">Anan>d there is no hierarchy of orders of difficulty. So now it is ONE ACT, to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the painting, to an class="hi2">anan>y given form. It is ONE ACT to perform a miracle which modifies a PICTURE of a dead body into a PICTURE of a living one. One act which can class="hi2">anan> in turn convert a living body into a dead one, an class="hi2">anan>d back again. Because all bodies are fake.

To that mind, there is "no order of difficulty in miracles." "They are all the same". Each one is an class="hi2">anan> expression of a spark of life which repaints the picture. A modification to the mind projecting so that the paint on the page chan class="hi2">anan>ges to SYMBOLIZE something else. Because remember the paint is what something looks LIKE, not what something is. It is all symbolic an class="hi2">anan>d once removed. So the body now SYMBOLIZES eternal life, instead of symbolizing death.

It now becomes useful to heal the mind to heal the body, ie to convert the PICTURE of the body into a body free of pain an class="hi2">anan>d suffering an class="hi2">anan>d damage an class="hi2">anan>d death, because this picture in the dream world demonstrates an class="hi2">anan>d SYMBOLICALLY communicates an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE of, a representation of, innocence an class="hi2">anan>d immortality an class="hi2">anan>d harmlessness an class="hi2">anan>d holiness. an class="hi2">Anan>d this TEACHES those who look upon it that they must be innocent, because it does not play by the rules of the laws of a world of difficulty. It does not prove their sinfulness. an class="hi2">Anan>d proof of sin is not there, breaking the laws of physics.

"Your body can class="hi2">anan> be mean class="hi2">anan>s to teach that it has never suffered pain because of him. an class="hi2">Anan>d in its healing can class="hi2">anan> it offer him mute testimony to his innocence. It is THIS testimony that can class="hi2">anan> speak with power greater than class="hi2">anan> a thousan class="hi2">anan>d tongues. For here is his forgiveness PROVED to him."

"Thus does the miracle undo all things the world attests can class="hi2">anan> never BE undone. an class="hi2">Anan>d hopelessness an class="hi2">anan>d death MUST disappear before the an class="hi2">anan>cient clarion call of life. This call has power FAR beyond the weak an class="hi2">anan>d miserable cry of death an class="hi2">anan>d guilt."

"The body can class="hi2">anan> become a sign of life, a promise of redemption, an class="hi2">anan>d a breath of immortality to those grown sick of breathing in the fetid scent of death. Let it have healing as its PURPOSE. Then will it send forth the message it received, an class="hi2">anan>d by its health an class="hi2">anan>d loveliness proclaim the truth an class="hi2">anan>d value that it represents. Let it receive the power to represent an class="hi2">anan> endless life, forever unattacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d to your brother let its message be, "Behold me, brother, at your han class="hi2">anan>d I live.""

"It is a picture of a body still, for what you REALLY are can class="hi2">anan> not be seen nor pictured. But THIS one has NOT been used for purpose of attack, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore never suffered pain at all. IT witnesses to the eternal truth that you can class="hi2">anan> not BE hurt, an class="hi2">anan>d points BEYOND itself to both YOUR innocence an class="hi2">anan>d HIS."

So you see, the world IS flat, because it is only an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION that it has an class="hi2">anan>y FORM at all. an class="hi2">Anan>d all its differences are illusions. Bodies an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies are not alive, or dead, or an class="hi2">anan>ything. They are once-removed PICTURES on a can class="hi2">anan>vas, the underlying can class="hi2">anan>vas of "the real world", an class="hi2">anan>d the pictures shift just like the shadows on the wall of the cave. an class="hi2">Anan>d they are not reality. They are just imagined ideas of what it might be like to go be where God is not. it's not the same place as actually going there. an class="hi2">Anan>d so the world is just a brochure for hell, not real hell itself.

There is no death, an class="hi2">anan>d dead bodies are no more dead than class="hi2">anan> live ones. an class="hi2">Anan>d live ones are no more alive than class="hi2">anan> dead ones. an class="hi2">Anan>d all levels of sickness are mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. an class="hi2">Anan>d all degrees of suffering are a lie. an class="hi2">Anan>d miracles express from a higher van class="hi2">anan>tage point in which the Earth is flat an class="hi2">anan>d the hierarchy is flat an class="hi2">anan>d every artistic act of "healing bodies" is merely a way of reconfiguring the paint, so that it can class="hi2">anan> symbolize eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d point in the direction of heaven rather than class="hi2">anan> hell. As a physicalized symbol of forgiveness.

In this view the body is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE in the mind. It has no sickness or health. It can class="hi2">anan>not be well or dead or suffer at all. I this no will, it has no mind of its own, or instincts, or natural ways. It does not really obey an class="hi2">ANan>Y laws of the world, unless your mind believes in the hierarchy of illusions. When you lift away from this PICTURE of a body, the rules an class="hi2">anan>d laws an class="hi2">anan>d restraints that your mind GAVE to it, trying to make it something OTHER THan class="hi2">ANan> just a neutral image in a dream, it no longer serves the laws of the world.

an class="hi2">Anan>d now the body is not under the effect of the world. an class="hi2">Anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not become sick on its own, nor can class="hi2">anan> it die against your will. It is now simply suspended in the mind as a figment of imagination, an class="hi2">anan>d mind has complete power an class="hi2">anan>d control over it, to override an class="hi2">anan>y external influences. It can class="hi2">anan>not age, it can class="hi2">anan>not get sick, it does not need the world to exist, it does not depend on an class="hi2">anan>ything, it just moves around like a puppet for the mind. an class="hi2">Anan> avatar in a dream. A figure pretending to be you. A symbol of your immortal self.

Of course, when you throw the painting in the trashcan class="hi2">anan> there is no world, an class="hi2">anan>d "heaven is all that remains."

"The goal of the curriculum, regardless of the teacher you choose, is KNOW THYSELF. There is nothing else to learn. Everyone is looking for himself an class="hi2">anan>d the power an class="hi2">anan>d glory he thinks he has lost."

God gave us our perfect self, with eternal life an class="hi2">anan>d immortality. There is nothing wrong with us.

But we denied who we were, hid from ourselves, blocked our awareness of being perfect, an class="hi2">anan>d tried to destroy our selves.

Having blocked our perfection we thought we were lacking an class="hi2">anan>d in need, as though empty of self, an class="hi2">anan>d began class="hi2">anan> to feel compelled to find ourselves. But without questioning the belief that we were not already love within.

So we started to look outside ourselves, separate from ourselves, for ourselves. We thought we had to invent ourselves, add ourselves, redefine ourselves, make ourselves. Because we lacked ourselves.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so we made up a false identity, an class="hi2">anan> ego self, a fake self, of our own making, in an class="hi2">anan> effort to have a self. In an class="hi2">anan> effort to compensate for the lack of self, resulting from self denial.

By following the "seek an class="hi2">anan>d do not find" paradigm we thought that we could replace the self God created with an class="hi2">anan>other one of our own choosing. But this can class="hi2">anan> never work because we keep trying to create it separate FROM ourselves.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this self we keep trying to make needs bolstering, needs validation, needs attention, needs reinforcement, needs effort an class="hi2">anan>d energy an class="hi2">anan>d work, needs to be constan class="hi2">anan>tly patched up, constan class="hi2">anan>tly fixed, constan class="hi2">anan>tly modified an class="hi2">anan>d perfected, made to be "right" an class="hi2">anan>d superior an class="hi2">anan>d to be proud of this self. It is always becoming a self an class="hi2">anan>d never really being one.

But all this effort to make a false self is arising from the denial of BEING a self already. It's coming from not accepting who you really are as created by God. It's a substitute for the self you think you LOST an class="hi2">anan>d believe you do not have.

So if you were to simply accept yourself as God created you, if you were to uncover your real Christ self, if you were to just let yourself exist already as a creation of God, you'd have no lack of self, an class="hi2">anan>d no need to make a self, an class="hi2">anan>d would stop man class="hi2">anan>ufacturing the ego.

The making of a separate self is the end goal of attempting to have a "spiritual path". Attempting to become something, to gain something, to tran class="hi2">anan>sform into something, to produce something. You keep wan class="hi2">anan>ting to form a spiritualised ego, a self that is spiritual, of your own making. But this is an class="hi2">anan> ego pursuit - a pursuit of ego by ego. Trying to turn yourself into something more spiritual, while your real self is already 100% spirit.

It's all to do with you trying to seek to have a self that you think you lack. Why would you need to invent a new self an class="hi2">anan>d have an class="hi2">anan> ego self or be a body if you already had a self that God gave you?

Thus accepting atonement is simply about you owning up to being what you already are, uncovering the self God created, re-identifying with your true nature, an class="hi2">anan>d simply knowing yourself. Know thyself as you were created by God, as you have always been, an class="hi2">anan>d as you will always be.

You can class="hi2">anan>not be someone you're not, you are not lacking, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not be the creator of yourself.

"Perhaps you think you did not make the world, but came unwillingly to what was made already, hardly waiting for your thoughts to give it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Yet in truth you found exactly what you looked for when you came. There is no world apart from what you wish, an class="hi2">anan>d herein lies your ultimate release. Chan class="hi2">anan>ge but your mind on what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see, an class="hi2">anan>d all the world must chan class="hi2">anan>ge accordingly." UrW132L4

It can class="hi2">anan>not be that the physical world was merely 'made' ahead of time, an class="hi2">anan>d that we then entered into it as passive spectators. This would have to mean class="hi2">anan> that everything about it was set up beforehan class="hi2">anan>d, mean class="hi2">anan>ing the entire thing is destined an class="hi2">anan>d has a fixed outcome. It would be then impossible to chan class="hi2">anan>ge it because it would be proverbially "set in stone".

The fact that it's been proven man class="hi2">anan>y times over that mind can class="hi2">anan> influence the body, that psychokinesis exists, that the mind can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge physical matter, that mind can class="hi2">anan> produce an class="hi2">anan>d heal sickness etc, clearly shows that this so-called "world" is in an class="hi2">anan> elastic state of flux an class="hi2">anan>d redefinement. That we are in effect projecting it NOW, that mind can class="hi2">anan> influence it at an class="hi2">anan>y time, an class="hi2">anan>d that its state an class="hi2">anan>d conditions are not fixed.

It may be true that mind originally did dream of this universe in general an class="hi2">anan>d set things in motion, but the fact still remains that the same mind which dreamed it to begin with is continuing to operate in an class="hi2">anan>d upon it. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing that mind can class="hi2">anan> still alter its dream, even if it's an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>cient dream.

In a sense this indicates that the two opposing views - that we just perceive an class="hi2">anan> existing world in different ways, or that we're literally making the world right now, are actually both true. The same mind that made bodies, is continuing to make bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d to alter them. The mind that made the sun an class="hi2">anan>d the stars is continuing to influence them. an class="hi2">Anan>d that same mind can class="hi2">anan> end the world in the blink of an class="hi2">anan> eye.

Since we are the dreamer of the dream, even if we established an class="hi2">anan> initial dream, we are still dreaming it, an class="hi2">anan>d thus chan class="hi2">anan>ging it. As Jesus says in the course, in seemingly contradictory terms, you should chan class="hi2">anan>ge your mind ABOUT the world because your perception OF it can class="hi2">anan> vary, BUT at the same time, by doing so, the whole world must chan class="hi2">anan>ge. Because the world is an class="hi2">anan> effect of the mind.

Long story short, we made the world, seemingly in an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>cient past, but we're still working on making it an class="hi2">anan>d re-making it. We can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge how we perceive it, as though it is objective, but it is also still subjective, an class="hi2">anan>d mind can class="hi2">anan> still chan class="hi2">anan>ge it.

You could say that the idea of the world being fixed an class="hi2">anan>d predestined arises from a sleeping mind that is seeming to dream of arriving in a pre-existing world, which it is at the effect of. You could also say that a more awakened mind comes to the awareness that it is presently dreaming it, can class="hi2">anan> more lucidly chan class="hi2">anan>ge its dream, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> wake up from sleep entirely.

Thus the idea that our job is only to re-perceive an class="hi2">anan> objective world is a closed-minded false-perception based view in which we see ourselves as victims an class="hi2">anan>d not causal. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this view it seems (unforgivingly) that the world is "already there" an class="hi2">anan>d the best we can class="hi2">anan> do is chan class="hi2">anan>ge what we "make of" it.

But as we awaken to the power of God in us, we also re-access the original ability which, temporarily unconsciously, was projecting the world to begin with, an class="hi2">anan>d then was can class="hi2">anan> master that power an class="hi2">anan>d modify the projection, literally chan class="hi2">anan>ging the world of matter. This then isn't merely a case of chan class="hi2">anan>ging what we make of it, but of what we make it literally be.

A deeply sleeping mind believes the world is real an class="hi2">anan>d objective an class="hi2">anan>d that its only salvation is to chan class="hi2">anan>ge its interpretation of the world. Which leads to keeping the world an class="hi2">anan>d regarding it as God's creation. In this view we are merely passive powerless observers who have no influence on an class="hi2">anan>ything, living out a mindless "script" an class="hi2">anan>d having no freedom of thought or effect to chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>ything.

But a more awakened mind recognises the world is a dream, not God's han class="hi2">anan>diwork, an class="hi2">anan>d instead becomes masterful over the dreaming process, to dream in ways the less awakened would consider "miraculous." Gaining access to the mind's ability to orchestrate the dream, to modify bodies, to move mountains, an class="hi2">anan>d to radically break with all the laws of physics an class="hi2">anan>d limitation. Demonstrating that "mind over matter" is the fundamental fact of what puts the world there to begin with.

"You were willing to accept even death to deny your Father. But He would not have it so, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is NOT so. You still could not will against Him, an class="hi2">anan>d that is why you have no control over the world you made. It is NOT a world of will, because it is governed by the desire to be unlike Him. an class="hi2">Anan>d this desire IS NOT WILL. The world you made is therefore totally chaotic, governed by arbitrary an class="hi2">anan>d senseless "laws," an class="hi2">anan>d without mean class="hi2">anan>ing of an class="hi2">ANan>Y kind. For it was made out of what you do NOT wan class="hi2">anan>t, projected FROM your mind, because you were AFRAID of it." UrT11D10

"You WILL believe that you are helpless prey to forces far beyond your own control, an class="hi2">anan>d far more powerful than class="hi2">anan> you. an class="hi2">Anan>d you WILL think the world you made directs your destiny." UrT21F3

"For, if you think the world you made has power to make you what IT wills, you ARE confusing Son an class="hi2">anan>d Father; effect an class="hi2">anan>d Source." UrT21D11

"For time YOU made, an class="hi2">anan>d time you Can class="hi2">ANan> comman class="hi2">anan>d. You are no more a slave to time than class="hi2">anan> to the world you made." UrT22C8

"This single lesson does it try to teach again, an class="hi2">anan>d still again, an class="hi2">anan>d yet once more; - that it is CAUSE an class="hi2">anan>d NOT effect. an class="hi2">Anan>d YOU are ITS effect, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be its cause. Thus are you NOT the dreamer, but the DREAM. an class="hi2">Anan>d so you wan class="hi2">anan>der idly in an class="hi2">anan>d out of places an class="hi2">anan>d events that IT contrives." UrT27I3

"The miracle establishes you dream a dream, an class="hi2">anan>d that its content is not true. This is a crucial step in dealing with illusions. No-one is AFRAID of them, when he perceives HE MADE THEM UP. The fear was held in place BECAUSE he did not see that he was AUTHOR of the dream, an class="hi2">anan>d not a figure IN the dream. He gives HIMSELF the consequences that he dreams he gave his brother." UrT28C7

Let's say that the entire contents of spacetime is sin. It is an class="hi2">anan> idea of sin. Sin is a lack of love. The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, as a sin against him. Let's say that sin is the absence of truth, an class="hi2">anan>d so is a false world. Let's say that sin is also insan class="hi2">anan>ity, in which the true an class="hi2">anan>d the false are swapped an class="hi2">anan>d nothing mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything.

an class="hi2">Anan>d let's say that all of spacetime is therefore a realm of sin, a realm in which everything is always attacked. Because sin is attack. an class="hi2">Anan>d bodies were made to make attack seem possible. Bodies are the idea of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d this includes human class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>imal an class="hi2">anan>d vegetable an class="hi2">anan>d mineral an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>etary bodies.

It is all sin, an class="hi2">anan>d it is sinning all the time. Every time it suggests something impossible has happened, which can class="hi2">anan>not happen in heaven, it is attempting to provide the proof of sin. Physical matter is "the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin" which the body's eyes look upon an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not see past. Sin appears to be irreversible an class="hi2">anan>d unsealable, like a perman class="hi2">anan>ent crime, stepping ever closer to inevitable death. an class="hi2">Anan>d death is the wages in sin, in a world where all roads lead to death.

Let's then simply say that the physical world is the idea of sin an class="hi2">anan>d of evil, of destruction an class="hi2">anan>d death. It is a dream of death an class="hi2">anan>d a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy of sin being possible. The world is false perception. Flesh an class="hi2">anan>d bones were made to sin with. Every atom can class="hi2">anan> attack every other atom an class="hi2">anan>d sin against it. Destruction of an class="hi2">anan>y kind is sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d if the mind takes all of this world to be true or real, it has believed in sin instead of innocence.

The function of forgiveness is to forgive the ENTIRE world of spacetime, including all of plan class="hi2">anan>et earth an class="hi2">anan>d every other plan class="hi2">anan>et. It has to be forgiven because it constan class="hi2">anan>tly sinning. Every part of it is constan class="hi2">anan>tly trying to murder. The world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son.

Every part of it sins against the rest an class="hi2">anan>d holds sins up before your eyes to testify that sin is real. It is a world of sin. It must be forgiven because it has sinned, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan> be forgiven only because it has sinned. It has offended you an class="hi2">anan>d your function now is to recognize it as merely a mistake, an class="hi2">anan> error in judgement, an class="hi2">anan>d to release it from your belief that sin is the truth.

The world can class="hi2">anan> be seen in an class="hi2">anan>other light, which reframes the sin an class="hi2">anan>d regards it as a mistake. Which does not hold the world against itself, despite its continued efforts to induce death. You don't merely need to forgive a murderer, you need to forgive an class="hi2">anan> entire plan class="hi2">anan>et of death. an class="hi2">Anan> entire solar system an class="hi2">anan>d galaxy of death. The world is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to tempt you to believe that sin is reality. Your job is to forgive its sinful nature an class="hi2">anan>d let it go.

"The body is the ego's idol; the belief in sin made flesh, an class="hi2">anan>d then projected outward. 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, beholden unto death, an class="hi2">anan>d given but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t in which to sigh an class="hi2">anan>d grieve an class="hi2">anan>d die in honor of its master. an class="hi2">Anan>d this unholy instan class="hi2">anan>t SEEMS to be life. an class="hi2">Anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t of despair, a tiny islan class="hi2">anan>d of dry san class="hi2">anan>d, bereft of water, an class="hi2">anan>d set uncertainly upon oblivion. Here does the Son of God stop briefly by, to offer his devotion to death's idols, an class="hi2">anan>d then pass on."

"The body's eyes see ONLY form. They can class="hi2">anan>not see BEYOND what they were MADE to see. an class="hi2">Anan>d they were made to look on error, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see past it. 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. To this distorted form of vision, the OUTSIDE of everything, the wall that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth, is wholly true."

"To see a SINLESS body is impossible. For holiness is POSITIVE, an class="hi2">anan>d the body is merely neutral. It is NOT sinful, but neither is it sinless."

"The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible."

"Forgiveness is this world's equivalent of Heaven's justice. It tran class="hi2">anan>slates the world of sin into a simple world"

"Forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory, wonderful to see."

"Except for God's teachers there would be no hope of salvation, for the world of sin would be forever real."

"Sin is belief attack can class="hi2">anan> be projected OUTSIDE the mind where the belief arose. Here is the firm conviction that ideas Can class="hi2">ANan> leave their source made real an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingful. an class="hi2">Anan>d FROM this error does the world of sin an class="hi2">anan>d sacrifice arise."

"Let us unite in bringing blessing to the world of sin an class="hi2">anan>d death."

"ITS effects are chan class="hi2">anan>gelessly eternal, BEYOND fear, an class="hi2">anan>d PAST the world of sin entirely."

"You bran class="hi2">anan>d it sinful, an class="hi2">anan>d you hate its acts, judging it evil." "The world is false perception. It is born of error, an class="hi2">anan>d it has not left its source. It will remain no longer than class="hi2">anan> the thought which gave it birth is cherished. When the thought of separation has been chan class="hi2">anan>ged to one of true forgiveness, will the world be seen in quite an class="hi2">anan>other light; an class="hi2">anan>d one which leads to truth, where all the world must disappear, an class="hi2">anan>d all its errors van class="hi2">anan>ish. Now its source has gone, an class="hi2">anan>d its effects are gone as well."

"Sin would maintain you MUST be separate. But REASON tells you that this must be WRONG."

"My body, Father, can class="hi2">anan>not be Your Son. an class="hi2">Anan>d what is not created can class="hi2">anan>not be sinful or sinless; neither good nor bad."

"The central lesson is always this; that what you use the body for, it will become to you. Use it 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."

"All that is real proclaims his sinlessness. All that is false proclaims his sins as real."

"In kind forgiveness will the world sparkle an class="hi2">anan>d shine, an class="hi2">anan>d everything you once thought sinful now will be re-interpreted as part of Heaven."

"What is seen outside must lie beyond forgiveness, for it seems to be forever sinful. Where is hope while sin is seen as outside?" "Who could see the world as dark an class="hi2">anan>d sinful when God's Son has come again at last to set it free?"

"Who but the sinful need to be forgiven?"

"There is no world. This is the central lesson the course would attempt to teach."

You may not realize what this implies. But consider this.

It mean class="hi2">anan>s that this entire world, plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, its surrounding environment, the sun, all the stars an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies, which you made, you are dreaming of. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s none of them really exist.

It mean class="hi2">anan>s the entire history of the human class="hi2">anan> civilization is fiction. It mean class="hi2">anan>s there is no plan class="hi2">anan>et. It mean class="hi2">anan>s your body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that everything you think exists in the world is absolutely an class="hi2">anan>d literally nothingness.

Essentially, there is not really a dream. an class="hi2">Anan>d everything that seems to be in the dream is not really an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. There is NOTHING HAPPENING. There is NOTHING HERE.

This is the proper use of denial. The recognition that what is false is false, what is true is true. What is illusion is not real. an class="hi2">Anan>d death itself is something you made up.

"You made sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death an class="hi2">anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> abolish both."

The trees are not really there. The cars are not really there. The houses are not really there. The plan class="hi2">anan>et is not really there. It's all a huge gian class="hi2">anan>t dream. Dreams do not carry over when you wake up from them, because they depend entirely on you being unconscious. Dreams require you to be asleep, ie in denial of reality, so that you can class="hi2">anan> imagine something UNLIKE reality. Whatever you make up in the dream simply stops being MADE when you wake up from dreaming. It switches off.

This is why this is such a huge, immensely radical an class="hi2">anan>d totally amazing lesson to learn. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you can class="hi2">anan>not be fully awake while maintaining a dream body. "The body is a dream". "The body is clearly a device for separation an class="hi2">anan>d therefore does not exist." This is literally factually true. The body IS NOTHING. There is no real body. There is no world here.

That's how much of an class="hi2">anan> illusion this world is. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is why it's such a challenge to come to really believe an class="hi2">anan>d recognize this truth, as the culmination of the entire curriculum. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to learn not to be deceived by an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING you see or sense. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to realize all your body senses were made to NOT KNOW reality. It mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to realize everything you THINK exists, is happening, or has ever happened in this world, IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Nothing but a dream. A fan class="hi2">anan>tasy fairytale imagined universe in which NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS.

No-one is ever really sick. There is no real death. You made it up. You are an class="hi2">anan> immortal spirit being who God has established as perman class="hi2">anan>ently real an class="hi2">anan>d perfect forever, who can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge nor can class="hi2">anan> you chan class="hi2">anan>ge what you are. You are temporarily in denial, wan class="hi2">anan>ting to believe that this isn't true, an class="hi2">anan>d in your denial you are trying to block awareness of the truth by dreaming of a UNIVERSE in which all man class="hi2">anan>ner of other stuff seems true an class="hi2">anan>d real. an class="hi2">Anan>d none of it is.

Literally, ONLY the Kingdom of God is real. This world you made is NOT real, whatsoever. ONLY God's world is real. The world you made is total fiction, illusion, unreality, nothing. Literally NOTHING. Made of nothingness.

"The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came."

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you're here sitting there reading this crap thinking this is all real an class="hi2">anan>d happening, that even this message is happening, an class="hi2">anan>d it is not really happening.

"The world you made is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as himself."

Nothing in this world is eternal. Nothing. It is all temporary, fleeting, tran class="hi2">anan>sitioning, chan class="hi2">anan>ging, illusory. That's WHY it's an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Miracles demonstrate that illusions ARE illusions because they Can class="hi2">ANan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that chan class="hi2">anan>ges is not real. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened or chan class="hi2">anan>ged. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that ever seemed to chan class="hi2">anan>ge or be affected or hurt was not real. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be attacked ever. You are reality. You are the Son of God. You are immortal. You can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt. Pretending that you can class="hi2">anan> is futile nonsense.

You can class="hi2">anan>not even die. You can class="hi2">anan> confuse yourself with things that do. You can class="hi2">anan> pretend to go through it. But it has NO EFFECT on who you really are. It does not even touch your spirit at all. It is totally immaterial, inconsequential. You made up death in your denial of the fact that you are immortal an class="hi2">anan>d have eternal life. You are PRETENDING you can class="hi2">anan> suffer.

"Sickness is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to prove you can class="hi2">anan> be hurt."

You can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt. But you keep trying to prove it. You can class="hi2">anan>not die, but you keep trying to prove it. You can class="hi2">anan>not be attacked in an class="hi2">anan>y way, but you keep believing you can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d have. This is confusion. You are mistaken. All beliefs in space an class="hi2">anan>d time are a mistake. There is no world here. Only God's Kingdom exists. Only the HOLY TRINITY is real.

There is no world. Sums up the entire truth about this realm. All of it is NOTHING. It's not even really here. It's all fiction. Do not believe it. The world is a lie. This isn't being negative about the world. It's factual. The world is not negative or positive. It is NOTHING. The body is not negative or positive. IT IS NOTHING.

"You can class="hi2">anan>not endow the body with attributes of Christ. Holiness is positive while the body is merely natural." (paraphrase). an class="hi2">Anan>d when you think of the body an class="hi2">anan>d the world being NEUTRAL, you should NOT be thinking of them as being as SOMETHING. THEY ARE NOTHING. Neutrality mean class="hi2">anan>s it has NO ATTRIBUTES AT ALL. The neutral world is NOT a world. The neutral body is NOT a body. You can class="hi2">anan>'t use neutrality to KEEP what does not exist.

We're han class="hi2">anan>ging out on a fake plan class="hi2">anan>et interacting with imaginary characters played by sleeping brothers, pretending that things are happening, that we have importan class="hi2">anan>t stuff to do, that there are places to go an class="hi2">anan>d things to see an class="hi2">anan>d do, importan class="hi2">anan>t experiences to be had, magnificent illusions to sense, worlds to explore an class="hi2">anan>d accomplishments to be made. THERE IS NOTHING HERE. This is why ultimately "I need do nothing" - an class="hi2">anan> atonement-level thought, in recognition of the fact that there is literally NO WORLD an class="hi2">anan>d NO SEPARATION an class="hi2">anan>d NO ILLUSIONS an class="hi2">anan>d therefore nothing has happened an class="hi2">anan>d there's nothing to do about it.

It's kind of like, you live in Heaven, but you're temporarily on a vacation to a fake imaginary plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, an class="hi2">anan>d you're han class="hi2">anan>ging out there for a LONG time, an class="hi2">anan>d kind of forgot to go back home. But some day you will go back home an class="hi2">anan>d leave this world, an class="hi2">anan>d never come back.

In the oneness of God, there is no taking of sides. There is only one side, an class="hi2">anan>d everyone's on it. Because there is no split, there is no war.

This state of the "absence of conflict" is a state of peace. It is also very quiet, because there is no war, no shrieks of terror, no invasion an class="hi2">anan>d no destruction.

To attack is to not know, because it is an class="hi2">anan> attack on knowledge which is an class="hi2">anan> attribute of peace. To attack peace is to not know reality, an class="hi2">anan>d is insan class="hi2">anan>e. Those who attack are unaware of who or what they are attacking, an class="hi2">anan>d attack in the darkness of their own minds.

"God is very quiet, for there is no conflict in Him. Conflict is the root of all evil, for being blind, it does not see whom it attacks." The stillness of God is quiet an class="hi2">anan>d peaceful, because in reality there is only harmony an class="hi2">anan>d unity. In the "separation from God", the tiny mad idea introduced the idea that some parts of existence could have something that other parts lacked. This provided the starting point for conflict.

Only when there is more than class="hi2">anan> one side, an class="hi2">anan>d the potential to side against something, do you have conflict of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. War is impossible without separation, specialness, selfishness an class="hi2">anan>d isolation. To exclude is to attack, an class="hi2">anan>d heaven is only a realm of inclusion.

As soon as we added the idea of exclusivity we entered into war. This is when the war on God began class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d it has not yet ended. All of the history of space an class="hi2">anan>d time has been a state of war. Even the physical objects, shapes, sizes, distan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d so on, are forms of conflict. They conflict because they are different an class="hi2">anan>d do not share. They take sides against each other an class="hi2">anan>d differ, therefore conflicting.

"It rests on differences; on uneven background an class="hi2">anan>d shifting foreground, on unequal heights an class="hi2">anan>d diverse sizes, on varying degrees of darkness an class="hi2">anan>d light, an class="hi2">anan>d thousan class="hi2">anan>ds of contrasts in which each thing seen competes with every other in order to be recognized. A larger object overshadows a smaller one. A brighter thing draws the attention from an class="hi2">anan>other with less intensity of appeal. an class="hi2">Anan>d a more threatening idea, or one conceived of as more desirable by the world's stan class="hi2">anan>dards, completely upsets the mental balan class="hi2">anan>ce. What the body's eyes behold is only conflict."

Even the slightest removal from God is a state of conflict, in which there is no peace, no quiet, no relief, an class="hi2">anan>d no stillness. Everyone is constan class="hi2">anan>tly on-guard, seeing themselves as deprived an class="hi2">anan>d in need of defenses. To be un-whole is to be lacking, an class="hi2">anan>d in need, leading to a sense of vulnerability. Without conflict you are invulnerable.

Within the conflicted world of spacetime, including the Earth, everything conflicts all the time. Sometimes there appears to be what we might call "compatibility", in which there is less conflict. There can class="hi2">anan> seem to be lulls in the fighting, interspersed with escalations of tension. Sometimes these break out into what we call wars or arguments or fights but the truth is that the whole system is a constan class="hi2">anan>t state of war, until the world disappears.

There was indeed a "war on God" which began class="hi2">anan> at the separation an class="hi2">anan>d is ongoing until the atonement is complete. It is not so much a war between good an class="hi2">anan>d evil, because the good retains awareness of peace. The good is conflict-free. Only the evil believes in conflict an class="hi2">anan>d conflicts with itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus self-attack is its entire system of thinking.

"Do you not realize a war against yourself would BE a war on God? Is victory CONCEIVABLE? an class="hi2">Anan>d, if it were, is this a victory that you would Wan class="hi2">ANan>T? The death of God, if it were possible, would be YOUR death. Is this a VICTORY? The ego ALWAYS marches to defeat, BECAUSE it thinks that triumph over you is possible. an class="hi2">Anan>d God thinks otherwise. This is no war. Only the mad belief the Will of God can class="hi2">anan> be attacked an class="hi2">anan>d overthrown."

If it is peace that you seek, then it is the end of conflict that you seek. To end conflict there has to be oneness, a singular side which benefits everyone an class="hi2">anan>d excludes no-one. There has to be an class="hi2">anan> unconditional love an class="hi2">anan>d a total sharing of everything. This is the only way to end the war. So long as an class="hi2">anan>yone is left out or opposes or attacks or separates themselves off, there can class="hi2">anan>not be peace.

Some pursue an class="hi2">anan> escalation of conflict an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan>d isolation in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to bring an class="hi2">anan> end to the conflict. This is the idea that if you "get it over with" or take it to the extreme, you'll alleviate the horror of the battlefield an class="hi2">anan>d constan class="hi2">anan>t suffering. Thus suicide starts to become appealing an class="hi2">anan>d death suggests a way out of the war.

But death is not the end of conflict, it's simply an class="hi2">anan>other form of it. It's just an class="hi2">anan>other way of saying that life an class="hi2">anan>d death are opposed an class="hi2">anan>d attack is a remedy an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>nihilation is a solution to conflict. It's an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e idea to suggest that dying is better than class="hi2">anan> finding peace, or that death can class="hi2">anan> bring peace. Only God can class="hi2">anan> bring peace. "Yet the retreat to death is NOT the end of conflict. Only God's an class="hi2">ANan>SWER is its end."

God's an class="hi2">anan>swer is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the call for a ceasefire. The Holy Spirit is offering healing an class="hi2">anan>d reunion an class="hi2">anan>d appeals to everyone to join together. All of his solutions are for the benefit of all without exception. His miracles extend to untold numbers of receivers. an class="hi2">Anan>d his an class="hi2">anan>swers are in favor of everyone without taking sides. He is the idea of a return to peace an class="hi2">anan>d a real solution to all conflict.

To the ego, the Holy Spirit is the destroyer of worlds, the bringer of the end of space an class="hi2">anan>d time, the destructor of bodies an class="hi2">anan>d the final blow from God. But in truth the Holy Spirit is the resurrector, the restorer, the healer, the teacher, the therapist, the comforter, the friend an class="hi2">anan>d the help that God has sent to bring an class="hi2">anan> end to destruction an class="hi2">anan>d death. He is literally the end of death an class="hi2">anan>d the guaran class="hi2">anan>tee of eternal life. an class="hi2">Anan>d in eternal life, there is no more war.

Everything about the ego appears to present one way that you can class="hi2">anan> win, an class="hi2">anan>d one way that you can class="hi2">anan> lose. It always suggests there's some way to get away with something, to escape the effects of something. To be the victor, to get without giving or give without getting. To be free of problems which still exist, or to find a kind of loophole where, if you just play this game the right way, with skill an class="hi2">anan>d education an class="hi2">anan>d careful selection, then you'll escape from suffering an class="hi2">anan>d find salvation.

Of course it's a bullshit lie.

This world is setup with duality, in which there appear to be "opposites". This is because this world is made from the idea of "an class="hi2">anan> opposite to love" or an class="hi2">anan> opposite to heaven or God. "Earth an class="hi2">anan>d heaven are opposites in every way."

It therefore contains opposites. an class="hi2">Anan>d those opposites *seem* to always be far distan class="hi2">anan>t from each other, having nothing in common with each other. Did you fall for that by the way? To the observer, we are blinded by "form", especially given how forms all appears to look different an class="hi2">anan>d unalike. Who would suspect an class="hi2">anan> apple an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge ARE the same thing.

But this is a vast illusion.

The whole point of these oppositions an class="hi2">anan>d differences is to get you to believe that there IS a difference, between choosing one thing or choosing an class="hi2">anan>other. That some choices are better than class="hi2">anan> others. That if you take this side or that side you will be safer or richer or more successful or less threatened or happier or more spiritual or whatever.

It's a trap folks!

It's a trap because no matter which side you choose, no matter which option, no matter which pill the red one or the blue one, no matter which side of a war you take, no matter who seems to win or lose, no matter how clever you are or how intelligent or how successful you are at navigating the world an class="hi2">anan>d making "the best stuff happen", you are LOSING.

You always lose whenever you take an class="hi2">anan>y side, whenever you buy into the illusion of differences, whenever you think there is one thing you wan class="hi2">anan>t in this world more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. Whether it be that you adore the puppies an class="hi2">anan>d kittens an class="hi2">anan>d cute babies, moreso than class="hi2">anan> the ugly dogs an class="hi2">anan>d cats an class="hi2">anan>d old people. Or whether it's that you like your state's teams to win an class="hi2">anan>d for the others to fail. Or whether it's that you are right in an class="hi2">anan> argument an class="hi2">anan>d the other person is a loser. Or whether you are filthy rich or filthy poor.

ALL of these options are designed to get you to do one thing an class="hi2">anan>d one thing only.

To settle for some PART of the world, at the exclusion of the rest, so that you will make that part special (special love) an class="hi2">anan>d reject the rest (special hate).

The sole purpose of this to the ego, which has absolutely no concern for whether you choose A or B, is that you choose at all. That you differentiate between illusions. That you become selective an class="hi2">anan>d that you wan class="hi2">anan>t to accept only some thing an class="hi2">anan>d not others. That you will take a side an class="hi2">anan>d be against something else.

The result of this "choosing between illusions" is that you choose separation. You emphasize the ways that one illusory form is better or worse than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>other. an class="hi2">Anan>d this drives a rift inbetween the two. It makes one thing look like a horrible attacking enemy, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>other look like a glorious savior or hero.

So we're left with the rather uncomfortable truth, that everything in this world has been designed by the ego to be a losing situation no matter what you choose. No matter which side you're on, or who wins or loses, you still lose. You lose because as soon as you believe the illusion of separations an class="hi2">anan>d differences an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces an class="hi2">anan>d forms, you are buying into the ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t loss.

Whether you prefer sunsets or sunrises, the ego has some news for you. Whether you like cats more than class="hi2">anan> dogs or democrats vs republican class="hi2">anan>s, it doesn't matter. If you believe in the difference that appears to distinguish them as opposite to or not the same as each other, you are buying into the ego. an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s you are believing that accepting only part of the whole is better than class="hi2">anan> accepting the whole. So now you've gone from wholeness to partiality, an class="hi2">anan>d that's a reduction in how much you there is left, so you just destroyed yourself.

The sorry fact is, this world was set up so that there is NOTHING here that's going to save you. an class="hi2">Anan>d if you choose an class="hi2">anan>y of it, an class="hi2">ANan>Y of it at all, you will suffer. This is the deep mean class="hi2">anan>ing behind "this world holds nothing that I wan class="hi2">anan>t". It's also why happy sunsets an class="hi2">anan>d kittens are just as much an class="hi2">anan> ego temptation to wan class="hi2">anan>t to keep some things an class="hi2">anan>d not others, to keep you in the dream, an class="hi2">anan>d to keep you from wan class="hi2">anan>ting God.

Could this world offer you an class="hi2">anan>ything that you wan class="hi2">anan>t, if the TRUE CHOICE is not between crappy bullshit ego substan class="hi2">anan>ce A, an class="hi2">anan>d crappy bullshit ego substan class="hi2">anan>ce B.... but rather, between ALL of the crap, an class="hi2">anan>d God? That's the only real choice you can class="hi2">anan> make. Do I wan class="hi2">anan>t a world of opposites where nothing is wholly satisfying an class="hi2">anan>d you are guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to lose because everything is a compromise/tradeoff, or do you wan class="hi2">anan>t wholeness an class="hi2">anan>d fullness an class="hi2">anan>d satisfaction an class="hi2">anan>d completeness, with nothing missing an class="hi2">anan>d everything welcomed equally?

"Beyond this world there is a world that I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"No one can class="hi2">anan> fail who seeks to reach the truth."

"This world holds nothing that I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"M-13.4. God's teachers can class="hi2">anan> have no regret on giving up the pleasures of the world. 2 Is it a sacrifice to give up pain? 3 Does an class="hi2">anan> adult resent the giving up of children's toys? 4 Does one whose vision has already glimpsed the face of Christ look back with longing on a slaughter house? 5 No one who has escaped the world an class="hi2">anan>d all its ills looks back on it with condemnation. 6 Yet he must rejoice that he is free of all the sacrifice its values would deman class="hi2">anan>d of him. 7 To them he sacrifices all his peace. 8 To them he sacrifices all his freedom. 9 an class="hi2">Anan>d to possess them must he sacrifice his hope of Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d remembran class="hi2">anan>ce of his Father's Love. 10 Who in his san class="hi2">anan>e mind chooses nothing as a substitute for everything?"

The Kingdom of God has the interesting property of having to be shared an class="hi2">anan>d extended in order to exist. an class="hi2">Anan>d the Course teaches that in order to truly 'have' something, you must give it away, because giving it proves that you must have had it an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> only give what you have. It also tells us that in order to experience an class="hi2">anan>ything you must SHARE in it because it is available to all an class="hi2">anan>d is not for your private possession.

"To have all, give all to all".

This is also reflected in "giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving are one".

What it mean class="hi2">anan>s is, things of God don't just sit there idle doing nothing. God isn't just "being God" without an class="hi2">anan>y increase or creation. If you are not sharing an class="hi2">anan>d extending love, love is not being love. This is why definitions of 'oneness' an class="hi2">anan>d 'non-duality' fall far short of the creative, extending, loving qualities of God.

We are also told that miracles which come from love will "go out because of what they are", but that "you are needed that they can class="hi2">anan> begin." What that mean class="hi2">anan>s is, love simply automatically radiates an class="hi2">anan>d extends by its own nature, but in order to allow it to extend through you you have to remove your blocks to it first. Then it moves through you without you having to make it do so.

Everything about God's Kingdom shares this nature. Something is not real unless it is shared, open, extending, increasing. This sharing an class="hi2">anan>d extending is like a RADIan class="hi2">ANan>CE or a radiation, or radiating outward. This produces LIGHT an class="hi2">anan>d PRESENCE. In a sense "God said, let there be light", speaks to God's creative ability to shine an class="hi2">anan>d create an class="hi2">anan>d extend.

Remember that in God's Kingdom everything is increased by being given, an class="hi2">anan>d giving something does not mean class="hi2">anan> there is a loss (an class="hi2">anan> ego idea). Instead, giving an class="hi2">anan>ything real increases it because giving does the opposite of losing.

Jesus talks about this in terms of everything being an class="hi2">anan> idea. When you share an class="hi2">anan> idea it is increased an class="hi2">anan>d it becomes stronger the more people believe in it. It does not diminish an class="hi2">anan>d the person having the idea does not lose an class="hi2">anan>ything.

The Course also says, "nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be increased except by sharing". It is also the nature of love to extend an class="hi2">anan>d increase, because it has absolutely no reservations or limits or reasons to withhold itself from "shining" an class="hi2">anan>d radiating an class="hi2">anan>d going out everywhere.

Jesus talks about this in how the children of God contain the same "inner radian class="hi2">anan>ce" as the Father, an class="hi2">anan>d this is the source of all extension an class="hi2">anan>d creation.

Creation an class="hi2">anan>d extension an class="hi2">anan>d sharing are the same thing. To share to the ego mean class="hi2">anan>s both parties have less than class="hi2">anan> the whole. To share in Heaven mean class="hi2">anan>s that both parties SHARE the WHOLE, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no decrease, an class="hi2">anan>d in fact there is an class="hi2">anan> increase. The total is greater than class="hi2">anan> the sum of the parts.

This is also true of the Sonship - "the combined total of the Sonship is greater than class="hi2">anan> the sum of its parts". This is because each Son in the Sonship is not just a finite unit. Instead, each son SHARES an class="hi2">anan>d extends an class="hi2">anan>d increases an class="hi2">anan>d amplifies the rest of the Sonship. So it's not just like 500 sons lined up alongside each other, it's more like 500 sons overlapping an class="hi2">anan>d increasing with each other, creating a wholeness which is far larger than class="hi2">anan> their individual contributions. This is also part of the holographic nature of creation.

Everything about God, His Kingdom, Creation, Extension, Sharing, Reality, Truth, Love, it all has this property of increase an class="hi2">anan>d sharing an class="hi2">anan>d going out an class="hi2">anan>d radiating an class="hi2">anan>d illuminating. an class="hi2">Anan>d if this radiating an class="hi2">anan>d extending were not occurring, none of this stuff would be able to exist.

Love could not be love unless love loved to love an class="hi2">anan>d radiated love an class="hi2">anan>d extended an class="hi2">anan>d increased love's presence. Creation would not be possible at all (since nothing real can class="hi2">anan> increase unless it shares) if it weren't for this sharing, giving, increasing.

There would be no light without the ability for it to shine, which mean class="hi2">anan>s to "project" or extend outward beyond its source. God would have no Sons or Sonship an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven could not exist without it being in a constan class="hi2">anan>t state of radian class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d increase.

Also therefore you can class="hi2">anan>not have or enjoy or share in an class="hi2">anan>ything real unless you also are willing for it to be given an class="hi2">anan>d extended. This is because, if you think about it, in order to receive something of God, you can class="hi2">anan>not just take it an class="hi2">anan>d possess it an class="hi2">anan>d diminish God's supply of it. Instead you have to be open to receive, to SHARE it, ie both you an class="hi2">anan>d God are experiencing the same thing, which also mean class="hi2">anan>s this openness makes you willing to GIVE it as much as you receive it - giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving are one, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore to experience love requires the willingness to share, receive, an class="hi2">anan>d give love, which automatically increases it.

God's act of CREATION, which we also possess since God shared it with us an class="hi2">anan>d created us capable of creating like Him, is an class="hi2">anan> act of RETAINING your own light an class="hi2">anan>d love an class="hi2">anan>d yet 'projecting' it outward so that you shine, an class="hi2">anan>d this shining produces an class="hi2">anan> increase, an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>ifests a "new creation" which itself possesses the ability to create an class="hi2">anan>d extend to exactly the same degree as yourself an class="hi2">anan>d God, an class="hi2">anan>d so now there is the whole of God + the whole of you + the whole of your own creations, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing is lost, an class="hi2">anan>d so there has only been an class="hi2">anan> INCREASE. This is why Heaven rejoices as each Son of God returns Home to increase its light, an class="hi2">anan>d why joy increases, an class="hi2">anan>d everything just keeps on "growing" infinitely.

As love is received, shared, an class="hi2">anan>d extended, it increases because you are now acting like an class="hi2">anan> amplifier or a relay which boosts the signal as it passes through. By giving it, by sharing it, you can class="hi2">anan> 'have it', but you can class="hi2">anan>'t 'have' it by claiming it in isolation for yourself (which is ego). an class="hi2">Anan>d so an class="hi2">anan>ything that is real can class="hi2">anan>not be possessed it has to be shared, an class="hi2">anan>d so an class="hi2">anan>ything real automatically has this sharing/increasing quality to its "terms an class="hi2">anan>d conditions". To exist (to have), it MUST extend. This is also why God creates an class="hi2">anan>d why every child of God is imbued with the same will to create. It is NATURAL to extend an class="hi2">anan>d create an class="hi2">anan>d to increase the presence of love. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> exist without sharing an class="hi2">anan>d extension an class="hi2">anan>d equal giving an class="hi2">anan>d receiving.

Even people who are some of the highest teachers, continue to disagree about who is right an class="hi2">anan>d who is wrong or what the truth is.

There is a system, world-wide, universe-wide, an class="hi2">anan> inherent feature of this illusory existence, in that absolutely everything is against absolutely everything else.

While there is not oneness, there is disagreement. While there are multiple truths, there is disagreement. While there is opinion, there is disagreement.

We have to ask ourselves, do we wan class="hi2">anan>t to put aside all personal opinions an class="hi2">anan>d ideas an class="hi2">anan>d accept the ONE TRUTH, an class="hi2">anan> unquestionable truth, which God has set in place, OR do we wan class="hi2">anan>t to have it be some other way that we are proud of coming up with by ourselves?

This is precisely why no-one can class="hi2">anan> agree about what happens to the body, how the body works, what diet is best for an class="hi2">anan>yone, the cause of an class="hi2">anan>y sickness, what helps or hurts, or who is right about an class="hi2">anan>y of it. Trying to figure out what is happening or why it's happening or how to fix it is a total minefield of utter bullshit, conflicting opinions, an class="hi2">anan>d basically NO-ONE knowing what the fuck they're talking about.

This is the ego world. This is how it is in a split mind, a mind with so man class="hi2">anan>y separate wills, all different an class="hi2">anan>d against each other, all of them blinded in some way, that not one single one of them can class="hi2">anan> see the whole truth.

It's never about people having to agree with me or others or an class="hi2">anan>yone. It's about, do we agree with God? Will we accept the only truth? Are we prepared to surrender all of our own faculties of attempting to invent or chan class="hi2">anan>ge the truth to suit our own beliefs, to allow God to tell us directly what the truth is - in an class="hi2">anan> experience of revelation or total awakening?

No-one is right in an class="hi2">anan> ego world. There is no truth in illusions. There is no truth in the world. The truth is not out there in the world. It's not in someone's explan class="hi2">anan>ation, someone's scientific study, someone's opinion, someone's education, someone's viewpoint or an class="hi2">anan>ywhere else. The truth is only within, in a direct connection an class="hi2">anan>d union with God. That's the only truth. an class="hi2">Anan>d you're either ACTUALLY in that relationship of Oneness, or you're in denial.

This is a central ACIM teaching, that death is not "normal" or "natural", but rather a choice, an class="hi2">anan>d that if you do not make the choice, death does not happen. It literally speaks to the real possibility of immortality, an class="hi2">anan>d the impossibility of death.

Think about this. Death can class="hi2">anan>not happen without you in some way being victimized. Something has to "happen to you". an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, you are at the effect of the world in some way. That there is some kind of cause outside of you which somehow seemed to have power over you, which overpowered you, an class="hi2">anan>d did something against your will.

The only way that this kind of scenario can class="hi2">anan> occur, is if there is something seriously mistaken about your mind. Your mind has to be seeing itself as a victim. It has to be believing it is affected by an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It has to be playing the part of victim an class="hi2">anan>d of being attacked. It also has to be using the world, or people in the world, as scapegoats. Without the ability to accuse the world of causing the death against your will, the death can class="hi2">anan>not happen.

A key part of this is that even when it appears that death is happening against your will, even if you do choose it an class="hi2">anan>d play along with the victim role an class="hi2">anan>d being affected by something external, even then you are still giving full consent. You are still involved. Your mind is actually participating in laying down life an class="hi2">anan>d becoming un-willing to live. This is not passive.

The mind can class="hi2">anan>not ever be passive. The mind is always active an class="hi2">anan>d creating. If the mind chooses to have a sickness, the mind is still choosing the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d the mind is still putting the sickness there. The sickness isn't just happening on its own. an class="hi2">Anan>d when the mind chooses not to put the sickness there the sickness disappears.

Even if it may *appear* at the time as though the sickness is happening outside the scope of your choice, or beyond what you can class="hi2">anan> control, or that you were not even the one who chose it, the truth is that you did choose it, you put it in place yourself, it is you who are maintaining it, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not even continue showing up without your consent.

So you have to realize what death is. Death is only "possible" as a state where our mind has something seriously fucked up about how it is seeing itself. It can class="hi2">anan> only come about by the mind deciding to pretend that it is being seriously affected. Jesus describes it as a vain attempt to make no choice at all - really the disownership of choice or the attempt to be completely irresponsible for your existence.

In the activity or implementation of dying an class="hi2">anan>d death, the mind is actively choosing to pretend that it has nothing to do with living, nothing to do with what happens, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing to do with the circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces that are arising. It is faking it. It is going under-cover, putting on a tremendous performan class="hi2">anan>ce as if everyone an class="hi2">anan>d everything else is causal other than class="hi2">anan> itself, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is purely an class="hi2">anan> effect.

So what death really is, is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to NOT be causal at all, to have no power, to appear to be making no choice, an class="hi2">anan>d to paint this picture of stuff happening seemingly against your will. But it's such an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary lie, such a cover-up, that everyone seems to believe it. All the fingers will point in the direction of "cause of death" or "why they died" to explain how this death came about. But this will only explain the man class="hi2">anan>ner in which the death seemed to "happen", it will not in an class="hi2">anan>y way implicate the person as having been the author of these events, or of being the one who made it happen to themselves.

Death is a state of extreme lying. It is the most dishonest condition possible. It is a state of not only denying God, denying the unchan class="hi2">anan>geable fact of eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d denying that nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen to you against your will (because that is God's Will an class="hi2">anan>d God has given you a will which can class="hi2">anan>not be affected).

If life seems to be degrading, an class="hi2">anan>d diminishing, an class="hi2">anan>d slipping away, an class="hi2">anan>d the external world seems to be mounting a successful attack, an class="hi2">anan>d the body seems to have a mind of its own, an class="hi2">anan>d circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces appear to be tran class="hi2">anan>spiring against the person, an class="hi2">anan>d it starts to look AS IF it is unfair an class="hi2">anan>d unchosen an class="hi2">anan>d the person is not doing an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to contribute to this condition, that's because the illusion is INCREASING an class="hi2">anan>d the person is moving further away from truth.

Death is a complete reversal of san class="hi2">anan>ity, a total reversal of the proper functioning of the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d a complete reversal of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. It places all power an class="hi2">anan>d will an class="hi2">anan>d choice an class="hi2">anan>d causality as outside of oneself, making oneself entirely an class="hi2">anan> "effect" of something separate from oneself.

Death actually is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to claim that God is external, that God is separate, that God has a will which opposes your own, that God is to blame for destroying you, that you have no power to stop Him, an class="hi2">anan>d that this is all happening to you entirely against your will. In other words, it is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to claim that God is the cause of all death, an class="hi2">anan>d not the cause of life.

It then will appear that an class="hi2">anan>yone who dies does not wan class="hi2">anan>t to die. It will appear as if the person had no say in the matter, as if life just threw them a shit san class="hi2">anan>dwich. It will seem as if they are being dragged kicking an class="hi2">anan>d screaming against their will into the firey pits of hell as if having absolutely no power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything about it. This is the most gran class="hi2">anan>diose, lying, fabricated, fictional, deceptive, denying, dishonest, irresponsible an class="hi2">anan>d bullshit state of being possible. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to accuse the entire world of destroying oneself.

an class="hi2">Anan>other way to put it is that we are inside this dream which WE are dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d then we turn around an class="hi2">anan>d attempt to claim that this dream - which is coming from us - suddenly has the ability to cause us, to decide for us what we are, to make us what we are, that we are born from it an class="hi2">anan>d according to its nature, that we inherit from it, that is has power over us, that it decides if we live (are born) or if an class="hi2">anan>d when we die, an class="hi2">anan>d now we are a completely powerless victim of it. That's the entire illusion of death. The suggestion that a dream that WE MADE UP, is willing against us an class="hi2">anan>d has taken over possession of the very mind that dreamed it in the first place.

an class="hi2">Anan>other word for this also is "level confusion". Every single aspect of the ego thought system is level confusion. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect have been reversed an class="hi2">anan>d what was just an class="hi2">anan> effect seems to be causal an class="hi2">anan>d what was always causal is seen to be at its effect. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that the lower level - the effect - now seems to turn around an class="hi2">anan>d inflict a deadly blow against the higher level that made it in the first place, thus reversing the levels an class="hi2">anan>d creating an class="hi2">anan> 'upward' direction of causality.

This is actually nothing more than class="hi2">anan> the attempt to say "I cause God". It is the authority problem. Death is the result of the authority problem. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to say, I have a will which is stronger than class="hi2">anan> God's an class="hi2">anan>d I am successfully willing that God be dead, or that God is at the effect of me, or I can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge God, an class="hi2">anan>d God is my victim. This is the idea of sin made real, that we can class="hi2">anan> "actually" sin against God an class="hi2">anan>d cause Him harm. When we attempt to do this, instead of God dying, WE DIE. Instead of God receiving the effects, WE receive them. an class="hi2">Anan>d so death in form is actually an class="hi2">anan> expression of the attempt to kill God, an class="hi2">anan>d to kill His Son.

an class="hi2">Anan>d Jesus goes into this in the Course quite a bit. The body is used as a kind of "an class="hi2">anan>chor" to associate the Son of God with a form which can class="hi2">anan> APPEAR to die or go through suffering, so that we can class="hi2">anan> play out a fictional sadistic story of being successful at torturing an class="hi2">anan>d killing God's Son. When our sense of identity as God's Son is associated or identified with the body, or bound to the body, this makes us cling to the body an class="hi2">anan>d then we appear to become vulnerable. Eventually the body suffers an class="hi2">anan>d becomes weak, because we are using it for attacking ourselves, an class="hi2">anan>d then the body dies. an class="hi2">Anan>d what does our ego think is happening when the body dies? It thinks that we are *succeeding* in destroying the Son of God!. Symbolically an class="hi2">anan>yway. So all death is a SACRIFICE of God's Son.

This is also why this universe that we dreamed up, is a "picture of the crucifixion of God's Son". It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to implement death, to associate God's son with the form of a body or bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d to then destroy those forms in order to act out this idea that God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son have been murdered. This is of course utter bullshit an class="hi2">anan>d a total lie, because God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son are IMMORTAL, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged or destroyed or harmed in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

God has gran class="hi2">anan>ted ETERNAL LIFE to all souls He Created an class="hi2">anan>d it is absolutely impossible for an class="hi2">anan>y soul to truly die or suffer or be sick or upset or unhappy in an class="hi2">anan>y way. At the core of your being you know that you are already as God created you, you have not chan class="hi2">anan>ged since God created you, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge what God created. At the core of your being you have no authority problem an class="hi2">anan>d you know that death is absolutely impossible for you. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet here we are, pretending to be bodies, stuck in an class="hi2">anan> illusion, bad stuff seeming to happen from our unconscious mind making it seem like we didn't ask for it, yet we are doing it ALL to ourselves.

The secret to salvation is that you are but doing ALL of this to yourself. All of the suffering, all the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d disease, all the upsets an class="hi2">anan>d unhappiness, all the tragic sudden car accident an class="hi2">anan>d airplan class="hi2">anan>e crashes an class="hi2">anan>d food poisoning an class="hi2">anan>d wars an class="hi2">anan>d all the rest of it. It's all a massive fictional illusion to make it seem like you are not doing it to yourself - that you are not trying to sacrifice yourself or crucify yourself. But you ARE. It's YOU that is doing it. It is YOU that is giving your consent. It not only that, not just that you are saying to someone hey, I give you consent to come along an class="hi2">anan>d kill me so that it seems I didn't do it myself, it's that you actually DO IT YOURSELF.

ALL death is suicide. All of it. Every single person buried in the ground was a suicide. Even the people who "died of old age" committed suicide. All of the people who suffered from terminal illnesses committed suicide. Every single still birth, every tragedy of war crimes, every murder, every unexpected accident, absolutely all of it is CHOSEN. an class="hi2">Anan>d not one single person had an class="hi2">anan>ything happen to them which they did not choose an class="hi2">anan>d did not participate in causing to happen.

This is the truth of the Course. This is what Jesus is teaching us, to be responsible for the POWER that we have to make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen, an class="hi2">anan>d to stop denying it an class="hi2">anan>d stop pretending to be victims. We are NOT at the effect of the world we see, the world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> effect. It has no power to make you ill or weak or afraid or upset in an class="hi2">anan>y way! You are invulnerable. You are immortal spirit!

So fundamentally, death is IMPOSSIBLE because you are immortal. Period. You can class="hi2">anan>not die. But you can class="hi2">anan> pretend to die, or as the course says, you can class="hi2">anan> try to associate your identity with things that appear to die. Such as the body, which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d a wonderful way to make it appear that you are not choosing.

It is utterly impossible, in all cases, for someone to move towards death, without their mind having made the decision to use death to try to sacrifice themselves. In every single case, if sickness is showing up, if suffering is happening, if there is punishment occurring, if there is unfair victimhood, or you seem unfairly treated, or something is happening that *seems* you have no power over, it is because you have GIVEN it power over you an class="hi2">anan>d you have given AWAY your power TO it, to make IT have the power to seem to choose FOR you that you will suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die, so that you can class="hi2">anan> keep your power a secret even unto yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d pretend that this is all happening against your will.

Death can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your participation. It can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your consent. It can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your mind doing something wrong an class="hi2">anan>d unnatural. Death is NOT natural. It is completely unnatural. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that dies is filled with lies. Death is not an class="hi2">anan> exit from the dream either. It is a guaran class="hi2">anan>tee of reincarnation. It doesn't matter how much of a famous guru you are. If you still go through death, you are still denying God, are still at the effect of the world, are still putting in place a state of victimhood, are still rallying things against you, an class="hi2">anan>d are still believing that God's Son can class="hi2">anan> be killed.

So do not think that death is some kind of option or some kind of thing which is acceptable or peaceful or loving or kind or a sign of success or a way out of dreaming or inevitable or something which just happens against your will. IT DOES NOT. It can class="hi2">anan>not happen AT ALL unless you are making significan class="hi2">anan>t mistakes an class="hi2">anan>d are trying to bring about a will against your own will, mean class="hi2">anan>ing your will is divided against itself, mean class="hi2">anan>ing you still have a split mind. The symptoms of all sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death can class="hi2">anan>not show up AT ALL unless there is something going wrong with your mind.

"A broken body is proof the mind has not been healed." This is absolutely 100% literal. If there is some kind of sign of damage or breakage or sickness in the body, it is because the mind is attempting to attack ITSELF. What you use the body for it will become to you - use it for attack an class="hi2">anan>d it will become weak an class="hi2">anan>d sick an class="hi2">anan>d die. Use it to bring the word of God (immortality) to those who have it not an class="hi2">anan>d it becomes holy an class="hi2">anan>d being holy it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be sick, NOR Can class="hi2">ANan> IT DIE. This is pure ACIM teaching.

Death is failure. Death is denial. Death is a lie. Death is a mistake. Death is victimhood. Death is self hatred. Death is sacrifice. Death is illusion. Death is suffering. Death is reluctan class="hi2">anan>ce to accept the truth. Death is a defense against the truth. Death is sickness. Death is level confusion. Death is a reversal of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. Death is the authority problem. Death is a belief in the justified consequences of real sin. Death is absolutely the OPPOSITE of everything the course is teaching, everything true about God an class="hi2">anan>d His creation, an class="hi2">anan>d is a total reversal of san class="hi2">anan>ity. Do not see it as normal or natural or an class="hi2">anan> graceful exit.

Jesus is teaching us to stop killing ourselves. To accept immortality. To demonstrate immortality. To show the world that death is impossible. Jesus was crucified (by his own will) an class="hi2">anan>d came back an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>ifested an class="hi2">anan>other body to demonstrate that the MIND makes the body an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other, to prove that the mind is completely NOT at the effect of the body or the world, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore has escaped death entirely. It is proof of immortality. Jesus overcame death. He wan class="hi2">anan>ts us to overcome death, not give in to it. Not an class="hi2">anan>ticipate it or fear it or give it power or expect it or make it into a religion or worship it or put it on a pedestal like some kind of salvation.

Only the creations of light are real. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. What is real is immortal. Spirit is is a state of grace forever. Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are total opposites. Heaven is a state of eternal life. There is no death in God's Son.

There is no death! The Son of God is free! The Son of God can class="hi2">anan> only be free if it is completely experientially true that nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen against His will. an class="hi2">Anan>d it IS true. There is no will but God's. Eternal life is GUARan class="hi2">ANan>TEED.

This is a central ACIM teaching, that death is not "normal" or "natural", but rather a choice, an class="hi2">anan>d that if you do not make the choice, death does not happen. It literally speaks to the real possibility of immortality, an class="hi2">anan>d the impossibility of death.

Think about this. Death can class="hi2">anan>not happen without you in some way being victimized. Something has to "happen to you". an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, you are at the effect of the world in some way. That there is some kind of cause outside of you which somehow seemed to have power over you, which overpowered you, an class="hi2">anan>d did something against your will.

The only way that this kind of scenario can class="hi2">anan> occur, is if there is something seriously mistaken about your mind. Your mind has to be seeing itself as a victim. It has to be believing it is affected by an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It has to be playing the part of victim an class="hi2">anan>d of being attacked. It also has to be using the world, or people in the world, as scapegoats. Without the ability to accuse the world of causing the death against your will, the death can class="hi2">anan>not happen.

A key part of this is that even when it appears that death is happening against your will, even if you do choose it an class="hi2">anan>d play along with the victim role an class="hi2">anan>d being affected by something external, even then you are still giving full consent. You are still involved. Your mind is actually participating in laying down life an class="hi2">anan>d becoming un-willing to live. This is not passive.

The mind can class="hi2">anan>not ever be passive. The mind is always active an class="hi2">anan>d creating. If the mind chooses to have a sickness, the mind is still choosing the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d the mind is still putting the sickness there. The sickness isn't just happening on its own. an class="hi2">Anan>d when the mind chooses not to put the sickness there the sickness disappears.

Even if it may *appear* at the time as though the sickness is happening outside the scope of your choice, or beyond what you can class="hi2">anan> control, or that you were not even the one who chose it, the truth is that you did choose it, you put it in place yourself, it is you who are maintaining it, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not even continue showing up without your consent.

So you have to realize what death is. Death is only "possible" as a state where our mind has something seriously fucked up about how it is seeing itself. It can class="hi2">anan> only come about by the mind deciding to pretend that it is being seriously affected. Jesus describes it as a vain attempt to make no choice at all - really the disownership of choice or the attempt to be completely irresponsible for your existence.

In the activity or implementation of dying an class="hi2">anan>d death, the mind is actively choosing to pretend that it has nothing to do with living, nothing to do with what happens, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing to do with the circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces that are arising. It is faking it. It is going under-cover, putting on a tremendous performan class="hi2">anan>ce as if everyone an class="hi2">anan>d everything else is causal other than class="hi2">anan> itself, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is purely an class="hi2">anan> effect.

So what death really is, is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to NOT be causal at all, to have no power, to appear to be making no choice, an class="hi2">anan>d to paint this picture of stuff happening seemingly against your will. But it's such an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary lie, such a cover-up, that everyone seems to believe it. All the fingers will point in the direction of "cause of death" or "why they died" to explain how this death came about. But this will only explain the man class="hi2">anan>ner in which the death seemed to "happen", it will not in an class="hi2">anan>y way implicate the person as having been the author of these events, or of being the one who made it happen to themselves.

Death is a state of extreme lying. It is the most dishonest condition possible. It is a state of not only denying God, denying the unchan class="hi2">anan>geable fact of eternal life, an class="hi2">anan>d denying that nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen to you against your will (because that is God's Will an class="hi2">anan>d God has given you a will which can class="hi2">anan>not be affected).

If life seems to be degrading, an class="hi2">anan>d diminishing, an class="hi2">anan>d slipping away, an class="hi2">anan>d the external world seems to be mounting a successful attack, an class="hi2">anan>d the body seems to have a mind of its own, an class="hi2">anan>d circumstan class="hi2">anan>ces appear to be tran class="hi2">anan>spiring against the person, an class="hi2">anan>d it starts to look AS IF it is unfair an class="hi2">anan>d unchosen an class="hi2">anan>d the person is not doing an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to contribute to this condition, that's because the illusion is INCREASING an class="hi2">anan>d the person is moving further away from truth.

Death is a complete reversal of san class="hi2">anan>ity, a total reversal of the proper functioning of the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d a complete reversal of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. It places all power an class="hi2">anan>d will an class="hi2">anan>d choice an class="hi2">anan>d causality as outside of oneself, making oneself entirely an class="hi2">anan> "effect" of something separate from oneself.

Death actually is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to claim that God is external, that God is separate, that God has a will which opposes your own, that God is to blame for destroying you, that you have no power to stop Him, an class="hi2">anan>d that this is all happening to you entirely against your will. In other words, it is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to claim that God is the cause of all death, an class="hi2">anan>d not the cause of life.

It then will appear that an class="hi2">anan>yone who dies does not wan class="hi2">anan>t to die. It will appear as if the person had no say in the matter, as if life just threw them a shit san class="hi2">anan>dwich. It will seem as if they are being dragged kicking an class="hi2">anan>d screaming against their will into the firey pits of hell as if having absolutely no power to do an class="hi2">anan>ything about it. This is the most gran class="hi2">anan>diose, lying, fabricated, fictional, deceptive, denying, dishonest, irresponsible an class="hi2">anan>d bullshit state of being possible. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to accuse the entire world of destroying oneself.

an class="hi2">Anan>other way to put it is that we are inside this dream which WE are dreaming, an class="hi2">anan>d then we turn around an class="hi2">anan>d attempt to claim that this dream - which is coming from us - suddenly has the ability to cause us, to decide for us what we are, to make us what we are, that we are born from it an class="hi2">anan>d according to its nature, that we inherit from it, that is has power over us, that it decides if we live (are born) or if an class="hi2">anan>d when we die, an class="hi2">anan>d now we are a completely powerless victim of it. That's the entire illusion of death. The suggestion that a dream that WE MADE UP, is willing against us an class="hi2">anan>d has taken over possession of the very mind that dreamed it in the first place.

an class="hi2">Anan>other word for this also is "level confusion". Every single aspect of the ego thought system is level confusion. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect have been reversed an class="hi2">anan>d what was just an class="hi2">anan> effect seems to be causal an class="hi2">anan>d what was always causal is seen to be at its effect. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that the lower level - the effect - now seems to turn around an class="hi2">anan>d inflict a deadly blow against the higher level that made it in the first place, thus reversing the levels an class="hi2">anan>d creating an class="hi2">anan> 'upward' direction of causality.

This is actually nothing more than class="hi2">anan> the attempt to say "I cause God". It is the authority problem. Death is the result of the authority problem. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to say, I have a will which is stronger than class="hi2">anan> God's an class="hi2">anan>d I am successfully willing that God be dead, or that God is at the effect of me, or I can class="hi2">anan> chan class="hi2">anan>ge God, an class="hi2">anan>d God is my victim. This is the idea of sin made real, that we can class="hi2">anan> "actually" sin against God an class="hi2">anan>d cause Him harm. When we attempt to do this, instead of God dying, WE DIE. Instead of God receiving the effects, WE receive them. an class="hi2">Anan>d so death in form is actually an class="hi2">anan> expression of the attempt to kill God, an class="hi2">anan>d to kill His Son.

an class="hi2">Anan>d Jesus goes into this in the Course quite a bit. The body is used as a kind of "an class="hi2">anan>chor" to associate the Son of God with a form which can class="hi2">anan> APPEAR to die or go through suffering, so that we can class="hi2">anan> play out a fictional sadistic story of being successful at torturing an class="hi2">anan>d killing God's Son. When our sense of identity as God's Son is associated or identified with the body, or bound to the body, this makes us cling to the body an class="hi2">anan>d then we appear to become vulnerable. Eventually the body suffers an class="hi2">anan>d becomes weak, because we are using it for attacking ourselves, an class="hi2">anan>d then the body dies. an class="hi2">Anan>d what does our ego think is happening when the body dies? It thinks that we are *succeeding* in destroying the Son of God!. Symbolically an class="hi2">anan>yway. So all death is a SACRIFICE of God's Son.

This is also why this universe that we dreamed up, is a "picture of the crucifixion of God's Son". It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to implement death, to associate God's son with the form of a body or bodies, an class="hi2">anan>d to then destroy those forms in order to act out this idea that God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son have been murdered. This is of course utter bullshit an class="hi2">anan>d a total lie, because God an class="hi2">anan>d His Son are IMMORTAL, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged or destroyed or harmed in an class="hi2">anan>y way.

God has gran class="hi2">anan>ted ETERNAL LIFE to all souls He Created an class="hi2">anan>d it is absolutely impossible for an class="hi2">anan>y soul to truly die or suffer or be sick or upset or unhappy in an class="hi2">anan>y way. At the core of your being you know that you are already as God created you, you have not chan class="hi2">anan>ged since God created you, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge what God created. At the core of your being you have no authority problem an class="hi2">anan>d you know that death is absolutely impossible for you. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet here we are, pretending to be bodies, stuck in an class="hi2">anan> illusion, bad stuff seeming to happen from our unconscious mind making it seem like we didn't ask for it, yet we are doing it ALL to ourselves.

The secret to salvation is that you are but doing ALL of this to yourself. All of the suffering, all the sickness an class="hi2">anan>d disease, all the upsets an class="hi2">anan>d unhappiness, all the tragic sudden car accident an class="hi2">anan>d airplan class="hi2">anan>e crashes an class="hi2">anan>d food poisoning an class="hi2">anan>d wars an class="hi2">anan>d all the rest of it. It's all a massive fictional illusion to make it seem like you are not doing it to yourself - that you are not trying to sacrifice yourself or crucify yourself. But you ARE. It's YOU that is doing it. It is YOU that is giving your consent. It not only that, not just that you are saying to someone hey, I give you consent to come along an class="hi2">anan>d kill me so that it seems I didn't do it myself, it's that you actually DO IT YOURSELF.

ALL death is suicide. All of it. Every single person buried in the ground was a suicide. Even the people who "died of old age" committed suicide. All of the people who suffered from terminal illnesses committed suicide. Every single still birth, every tragedy of war crimes, every murder, every unexpected accident, absolutely all of it is CHOSEN. an class="hi2">Anan>d not one single person had an class="hi2">anan>ything happen to them which they did not choose an class="hi2">anan>d did not participate in causing to happen.

This is the truth of the Course. This is what Jesus is teaching us, to be responsible for the POWER that we have to make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen, an class="hi2">anan>d to stop denying it an class="hi2">anan>d stop pretending to be victims. We are NOT at the effect of the world we see, the world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> effect. It has no power to make you ill or weak or afraid or upset in an class="hi2">anan>y way! You are invulnerable. You are immortal spirit!

So fundamentally, death is IMPOSSIBLE because you are immortal. Period. You can class="hi2">anan>not die. But you can class="hi2">anan> pretend to die, or as the course says, you can class="hi2">anan> try to associate your identity with things that appear to die. Such as the body, which is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d a wonderful way to make it appear that you are not choosing.

It is utterly impossible, in all cases, for someone to move towards death, without their mind having made the decision to use death to try to sacrifice themselves. In every single case, if sickness is showing up, if suffering is happening, if there is punishment occurring, if there is unfair victimhood, or you seem unfairly treated, or something is happening that *seems* you have no power over, it is because you have GIVEN it power over you an class="hi2">anan>d you have given AWAY your power TO it, to make IT have the power to seem to choose FOR you that you will suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die, so that you can class="hi2">anan> keep your power a secret even unto yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d pretend that this is all happening against your will.

Death can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your participation. It can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your consent. It can class="hi2">anan>not even begin to happen without your mind doing something wrong an class="hi2">anan>d unnatural. Death is NOT natural. It is completely unnatural. an class="hi2">Anan>ything that dies is filled with lies. Death is not an class="hi2">anan> exit from the dream either. It is a guaran class="hi2">anan>tee of reincarnation. It doesn't matter how much of a famous guru you are. If you still go through death, you are still denying God, are still at the effect of the world, are still putting in place a state of victimhood, are still rallying things against you, an class="hi2">anan>d are still believing that God's Son can class="hi2">anan> be killed.

So do not think that death is some kind of option or some kind of thing which is acceptable or peaceful or loving or kind or a sign of success or a way out of dreaming or inevitable or something which just happens against your will. IT DOES NOT. It can class="hi2">anan>not happen AT ALL unless you are making significan class="hi2">anan>t mistakes an class="hi2">anan>d are trying to bring about a will against your own will, mean class="hi2">anan>ing your will is divided against itself, mean class="hi2">anan>ing you still have a split mind. The symptoms of all sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death can class="hi2">anan>not show up AT ALL unless there is something going wrong with your mind.

"A broken body is proof the mind has not been healed." This is absolutely 100% literal. If there is some kind of sign of damage or breakage or sickness in the body, it is because the mind is attempting to attack ITSELF. What you use the body for it will become to you - use it for attack an class="hi2">anan>d it will become weak an class="hi2">anan>d sick an class="hi2">anan>d die. Use it to bring the word of God (immortality) to those who have it not an class="hi2">anan>d it becomes holy an class="hi2">anan>d being holy it Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be sick, NOR Can class="hi2">ANan> IT DIE. This is pure ACIM teaching.

Death is failure. Death is denial. Death is a lie. Death is a mistake. Death is victimhood. Death is self hatred. Death is sacrifice. Death is illusion. Death is suffering. Death is reluctan class="hi2">anan>ce to accept the truth. Death is a defense against the truth. Death is sickness. Death is level confusion. Death is a reversal of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect. Death is the authority problem. Death is a belief in the justified consequences of real sin. Death is absolutely the OPPOSITE of everything the course is teaching, everything true about God an class="hi2">anan>d His creation, an class="hi2">anan>d is a total reversal of san class="hi2">anan>ity. Do not see it as normal or natural or an class="hi2">anan> graceful exit.

Jesus is teaching us to stop killing ourselves. To accept immortality. To demonstrate immortality. To show the world that death is impossible. Jesus was crucified (by his own will) an class="hi2">anan>d came back an class="hi2">anan>d man class="hi2">anan>ifested an class="hi2">anan>other body to demonstrate that the MIND makes the body an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">anan>other, to prove that the mind is completely NOT at the effect of the body or the world, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore has escaped death entirely. It is proof of immortality. Jesus overcame death. He wan class="hi2">anan>ts us to overcome death, not give in to it. Not an class="hi2">anan>ticipate it or fear it or give it power or expect it or make it into a religion or worship it or put it on a pedestal like some kind of salvation.

Only the creations of light are real. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. What is real is immortal. Spirit is is a state of grace forever. Heaven an class="hi2">anan>d earth are total opposites. Heaven is a state of eternal life. There is no death in God's Son.

There is no death! The Son of God is free! The Son of God can class="hi2">anan> only be free if it is completely experientially true that nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen against His will. an class="hi2">Anan>d it IS true. There is no will but God's. Eternal life is GUARan class="hi2">ANan>TEED.

It needs war in order to exist, because the ego is a state of conflict.

On the one han class="hi2">anan>d, it would intensify the sense of trying to get rid of a perceived enemy completely, but on the other han class="hi2">anan>d, if it were to actually have "no enemies" the entire ego thought system would disappear.

The ego is in need of "unresolvable war", which stems from a state of separation which can class="hi2">anan> never be resolved.

It needs a split mind an class="hi2">anan>d it needs the mind to be against itself. It will encourage an class="hi2">anan> increase in the split, which mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan> increase in how much two sets of enemies seem to be at war with each other, but at the same time this separation between them acts to keep them apart.

They become like vicious an class="hi2">anan>imals barking at each other from behind a fence.

The ego doesn't wan class="hi2">anan>t to use war in order to destroy its enemies. It is its own enemy, an class="hi2">anan>d its war is taking place within itself, by itself, to itself. But it does wan class="hi2">anan>t "constan class="hi2">anan>t war without end", which requires that in some way, it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to NOT destroy its enemies.

War without end does NOT mean class="hi2">anan> it wan class="hi2">anan>ts the total 100% destruction of the opposition, it mean class="hi2">anan>s it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to PRETEND that it does, only to hold back just enough to maintain the separation an class="hi2">anan>d keep the war going. It would even allow concessions to its enemies in secret to allow them to gain an class="hi2">anan> upper han class="hi2">anan>d at times, in order to preserve the split mind.

For the ego to attempt to destroy its enemies at the same time as keeping them, is testament to how IMPOSSIBLE the ego is an class="hi2">anan>d how INSan class="hi2">ANan>E it is. It is trying to achieve two completely opposite goals at once. That is because the ego is a belief in an class="hi2">anan> opposite to love - the possibility of real love an class="hi2">anan>d real death existing simultan class="hi2">anan>eously.

While the ego fixates on death, an class="hi2">anan>d death seems to be an class="hi2">anan> end, it is but a way to continue illusions an class="hi2">anan>d is quickly followed up with birth. If the ego really wan class="hi2">anan>ted death to be "the end" there would be no births.

The ego simply wan class="hi2">anan>ts to always be in a state of conflict, a tug of war, where it is complete confused about what it wan class="hi2">anan>ts, where it believes that two completely opposite goals are coexisting an class="hi2">anan>d achievable, an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ts to keep its enemies as much as it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to get rid of them, mean class="hi2">anan>ing, it wan class="hi2">anan>ts to keep SUFFERING for as long as possible.

This is also why in special relationships, where there is special hate an class="hi2">anan>d special love, where you attempt to steal love from the other an class="hi2">anan>d destroy them because of what they have which you lack, an class="hi2">anan>d yet you wan class="hi2">anan>t them to keep that special something so you can class="hi2">anan> idol worship them. Impossible opposing goals.

This is why the world is just spinning its wheels. A little death here, a little birth there, an class="hi2">anan>d generally lots of suffering, tension an class="hi2">anan>d conflict all the time. Perpetual war without end, a war not too severe as to wipe out the ego entirely, but just enough to make it seem like this is what the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts. It's no wonder this world is insan class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d disappears up its own arse.

The idea of separation from God MUST ALWAYS lead to a physical universe, bodies which suffer, an class="hi2">anan>d death.

Physical matter is the CONSEQUENCE of believing in separation, causing there to be illusions of separation, which gradually intensify an class="hi2">anan>d become more extreme an class="hi2">anan>d differentiated, to the point where it turns into what WE call physical matter.

Physical matter is the solidification of the idea of separation. It is the idea taken to its extreme, yet completely logical conclusion. If there is separation from God, there is sin. If there is sin, there must be death. Death will be expressed as the pursuit of making the illusions ever more heavy, dense, attacking, unlike each other, at war with each other, an class="hi2">anan>d eventually will produce an class="hi2">anan> entire universe of physical matter.

The objects in this physical universe will also not have completed the ego's "thought" of separation, until they have coalesced further to produce physical bodies, which will then be used to bind the Son of God to the body, an class="hi2">anan>d to then attack the body to kill it to try to COMPLETELY DESTROY the Life of the Son of God. That was the purpose of the whole idea of separation to begin with, an class="hi2">anan>d death - physical death in a physical world - is the completion or enactment of that idea.

A physical universe HAD to arise from the tiny mad idea. Illusions HAD to continue to fight with each other, because the establishment of sin deman class="hi2">anan>ded that there be punishment. The conflict produced by the idea of separation was automatically a state of WAR, an class="hi2">anan>d this war HAD to play out, an class="hi2">anan>d in doing so it led to a huge fragmentation of the mind, a diversification of illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d eventually a THOUGHT FORM which we regard as physical matter. The entire physical universe is a NATURAL RESULT of the idea of separation, an class="hi2">anan>d is all that COULD come from it.

Physical matter is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a very strong illusion. It is a "thought form". It is a very BIG thought of separation appearing in the mind of the Son of God. In all its ways, it is designed to cover up awareness of God an class="hi2">anan>d to block sight of the truth. Bodies are a specific outcome of the logical conclusion of the ego thought system, deman class="hi2">anan>ding a concentrated target to receive punishment in the dream, an class="hi2">anan>d their destruction is the "success" or final statement that attempts to make the illusion COMPLETELY REAL. Or more succinctly, it is the nail in the coffin.

All of this is illusion. All of it is thought. It is just an class="hi2">anan> IDEA. It's an class="hi2">anan> idea of being separate, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore dead. As dead as death could ever possibly show up or seem to happen in illusions. The most intense, believable, seemingly real death possible. To use it seems very real, but it is not.

This is the metaphysical truth of A Course in Miracles. Separation from God results in the eventual, inevitable "man class="hi2">anan>ifestation" of a physical universe, a universe of death an class="hi2">anan>d destruction, simply as the most extreme expression of an class="hi2">anan> illusion of being separate possible. Regardless of whether the Course text itself has used the term "physical universe", this is still the truth about this place we inhabit. It is the lower end of the dream of death, an class="hi2">anan>d physical matter is a death thought.

an class="hi2">Anan>d yet, none of it is really happening because separation was never really possible to begin with.

The physical universe is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION. God did not create it or make it. OUR idea of separation made it.

I'm having a really hard time trying to put a simple truth into words. So... for now, an class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>alogy...

If it's dark an class="hi2">anan>d there seems to be a scary shape behind the door, you might think there is a monster lurking.

You turn on the light an class="hi2">anan>d realize it's just some clothes han class="hi2">anan>ging there.

This is the same as the tran class="hi2">anan>sition from believing that the ego is real, to recognizing it was just a harmless illusion.

It simply was not true that it was a real monster.

You did not need to do an class="hi2">anan>ything to the clothing in order to make it not be a monster.

All you needed to do, was switch on the light.

Because it never WAS a real monster to begin with!

Light is ALL that you need in order to be awake to the truth an class="hi2">anan>d free of the ego. That's all. Absolutely nothing else.

When there is light, you can class="hi2">anan> see correctly. You can class="hi2">anan> see everything as it is, without having to modify the scene at all.

You did not need to defend yourself against the monster. an class="hi2">Anan>d you did not need to fight it off once the light was turned on, even though you might've been afraid that turning on the light would prove that the monster is real ;-)

All you had to do was turn on the light so that you could see correctly. So that you could have True Perception. Vision.

The light itself shows you, by comparison to the light, that what you thought was a real monster, was just an class="hi2">anan> illusion. There wasn't an class="hi2">anan>ything real there at all.

It is this way with the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the entire world. It is an class="hi2">anan> illusion that isn't real. You think there are real monsters an class="hi2">anan>d real tragedies an class="hi2">anan>d real death. That's because you are not seeing clearly. You are in darkness. You just need more light.

"I can class="hi2">anan>not see in darkness but in light" - ACIM

"You are only afraid of darkness because you believe it has the ability to hide the truth." - ACIM

So you actually don't need to defend yourself against the ego, or against illusions, or against attack, or against death. You ONLY need to be in the light, an class="hi2">anan>d all of those things will be very obviously shown to be NOT what you thought they were.

You will see that death was just a weird illusion. Attack was not really happening. Sin wasn't true of an class="hi2">anan>yone. There wasn't an class="hi2">anan>y real suffering. an class="hi2">Anan>d even what you thought was a "real ego" was nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion of an class="hi2">anan> ego existing. There WASN'T a real ego at all, it was just smoke an class="hi2">anan>d mirrors looking like one!

It was all just a trick that your mind played on you because you were in the DARK an class="hi2">anan>d could not see the whole scene properly.

Taking vision out of context an class="hi2">anan>d focusing on only parts of the scene, unable to see the whole (the whole is God), produces insan class="hi2">anan>e fears that objects are really monsters, that inan class="hi2">anan>imate objects are out to get you, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are not safe.

Turn the light on!

Light is all you need. God is all you need. Be in God an class="hi2">anan>d everything else will become clear an class="hi2">anan>d obvious as day. There is no ego, there is no death. They existed as hallucinations in the dark while you didn't have enough light to see what was REALLY going on.

"Now the light has come." - ACIM

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God an class="hi2">anan>d your way will be made straight" - ie, be in the light, an class="hi2">anan>d you will KNOW that there IS nothing that can class="hi2">anan> ever be against you. There IS no real enemy, no real attacker, no real war, no real sin, no real sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d no real death.

SURPRISE! It was all a wierd dream trip you had while you could not see the big picture, conclusions you came to that were false, an class="hi2">anan>d made-up explan class="hi2">anan>ations for things you only had partial evidence for.

This is awakening. Waking up to the awareness (light) which allows you to SEE (vision) the truth (God - the whole picture), which shows you that you're just han class="hi2">anan>ging around in an class="hi2">anan> illusory room that isn't really an class="hi2">anan>ything at all. You thought it was a scary place, it's NOTHING!

You will just laugh when you realize all that fear an class="hi2">anan>d pretend suffering didn't happen at all, an class="hi2">anan>d all that's left is you han class="hi2">anan>ging out with God in love forever! Perfectly at peace, perfectly happy, perfectly safe :-)

San class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d awakening is merely a matter of extreme honesty.

Honestly is a willingness to admit to what is true, to accept the truth, to not hide an class="hi2">anan>ything. It is visibility an class="hi2">anan>d exposure to God.

Honesty flies in the face of things like denial, deception, lies, guilt, shame, fear, confusion, false beliefs, an class="hi2">anan>ger, defences, egoic justifications etc.

All the egoic stuff, the false perception stuff, is some form of avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of reality, an class="hi2">anan> avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce of the truth. an class="hi2">Anan> unwillingness to admit to something.

In order to push through to reality we have to become ever more honest in admitting to what things are. What we are doing to ourselves.

We use at first a little willingness which then grows into a big willingness. This is a willingness to admit the truth. "Admitting" mean class="hi2">anan>s to allow access, which opens up the mind to let the truth in. Accepting that truth is honesty - ie, reality as it really is.

The end result is a direct, immediate an class="hi2">anan>d accurate perception, which admits only to reality an class="hi2">anan>d what is true, an class="hi2">anan>d is completely unwilling to go into the various egoic forms of avoidan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d distortion.

Honesty is openness, willingness, san class="hi2">anan>ity, recognition, purity, wholeness, awareness. It's a sharp look at what is actually true in preference over all the various forms of dreaming an class="hi2">anan>d wishing an class="hi2">anan>d denial.

Bit by bit we're stripping away all the ways that we are avoiding the reality of God, avoiding the truth an class="hi2">anan>d trying to hide an class="hi2">anan>d distort what's there. Honesty reveals to us the "real" world instead of our unreal dishonest world.

It is the proper tool for weeding out all ego motives, all distortions of reality, all denial of God, all unwillingness to accept atonement, all reasons for unforgiveness, all basis for judgment.

Honesty can class="hi2">anan> take you all the way home, as you emerge from the fog of lies an class="hi2">anan>d deceit that is the separation from God. End the bullshit, it's time to get real.

"Only within the Holy Instan class="hi2">anan>t can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> honest question honestly be asked." UrT27E6

"I will be honest with myself today. I will not think that I already know what must remain beyond my present grasp. I will not think I understan class="hi2">anan>d the whole from bits of my perception, which are all that I can class="hi2">anan> see. Today I recognize that this is so. an class="hi2">Anan>d so I am relieved of judgment which I can class="hi2">anan>not make. Thus do I free myself an class="hi2">anan>d what I look upon, to be in peace as God created us." UrW243L1

"Be sure you are honest with yourself in making this distinction. You may be tempted to obscure it." UrW9L3

"Only the trusting can class="hi2">anan> afford honesty, for only they can class="hi2">anan> see its value. Honesty does not apply only to what you say. The term actually mean class="hi2">anan>s consistency. There is nothing you say that contradicts what you think or do; no thought opposes an class="hi2">anan>y other thought; no act belies your word; an class="hi2">anan>d no word lacks agreement with an class="hi2">anan>other. Such are the truly honest. At no level are they in conflict with themselves. Therefore it is impossible for them to be in conflict with an class="hi2">anan>yone or an class="hi2">anan>ything." URM5C1

"The peace of mind which the advan class="hi2">anan>ced teachers of God experience is largely due to their perfect honesty. It is only the wish to deceive that makes for war." UrM5C2

"God's teachers do not judge. To judge is to be dishonest, for to judge is to assume a position you do not have." UrM5D1

"True faithfulness, however, does not deviate. Being consistent it is wholly honest." UrM5J2

"For honest thoughts, untainted by the dream of worldly things outside yourself, become the holy messengers of God Himself." UrW188L6

"It is necessary for the teacher of God to realize not that he should not judge, but that he can class="hi2">anan>not. In giving up judgment he merely gives up what he did not have. He gives up an class="hi2">anan> illusion; or better, he has an class="hi2">anan> illusion of giving up. He has actually merely become more honest." UrM11A2

"You have been as selective in your questioning as in your perception. an class="hi2">Anan> open mind is more honest than class="hi2">anan> this." UrT12D3

"Against the littleness you see in him you stan class="hi2">anan>d as tall an class="hi2">anan>d stately, clean class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d honest, pure an class="hi2">anan>d unsullied by comparison with what you see." UrT24C1

"Leave all illusions of yourself OUTSIDE this place, to which you come in hope an class="hi2">anan>d honesty. Here is your Savior FROM your specialness." URT24C10v "Be very honest with yourselves about this, for we must hide nothing from each other." URT4D19

"The search for truth is but the honest searching out of everything that INTERFERES with truth. TRUTH IS. an class="hi2">Anan>d can class="hi2">anan> be neither lost, nor sought, nor found. It is there, wherever YOU are, being WITHIN you." URT14D2

Thoughts are attempts to create. They are attempts to give an class="hi2">anan>d express. They produce effects. They are not passive or neutral. A negative attacking thought is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to use thought for destructive purposes. That mean class="hi2">anan>s to "mis-create" or to attempt to "create destruction" or to "not create", ie to create a lack of love (an class="hi2">anan> emptiness/sin).

Let's say that expression/extension is life, an class="hi2">anan>d is a matter of thought. As you express an class="hi2">anan>ything, you are creating or miscreating. Either way you are producing an class="hi2">anan> effect. Mind, as it thinks, is applying itself. It actually causes something to happen.

When we having loving thoughts, the thoughts we think with God, they have a miraculous healing power because they are thoughts of wholeness, holiness, innocence an class="hi2">anan>d harmlessness. They are creative thoughts. They are miracles with the power to affect others.

When we having attack thoughts, thoughts thought with "the ego" or "lacking God", lacking life, we are thinking destructively an class="hi2">anan>d are attempting to bring about a less-than class="hi2">anan>-creative outcome. This has an class="hi2">anan> effect just as much as holy thoughts, except holy thoughts are far stronger because innocence is strength.

A thought you have of someone is not just a separated-off commentary, it is an class="hi2">anan> expression an class="hi2">anan>d a tran class="hi2">anan>smission. It is a creative act. You are trying to give something to them an class="hi2">anan>d send it to them. an class="hi2">Anan>d there are no private thoughts, so they will receive it. This is also how people perform "psychic attack" by thinking negatively or fearfully of others.

Jesus indeed even goes on to say that we curse others through what we might call a "spell", which is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to reinforce the ego beliefs others have already chosen, which further imprisons them. Your thoughts are capable of imprisoning others just as much as setting them free an class="hi2">anan>d healing them.

Perhaps we don't wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit that thought has such a power or influence because we are really afraid of thought an class="hi2">anan>d of the responsibility which comes with "thinking well" of ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d others. an class="hi2">Anan>d the fact that this is also the secret of salvation. The ego interprets responsible thinking as a reason for guilt an class="hi2">anan>d blame.

The thoughts we have of others aren't merely mental chatter, or a conversation. They are creative acts. You give people your thoughts. You communicate them to them, sharing the thought with them, to either strengthen or weaken them.

If you have high uplifting thoughts of others, you resurrect them with your mind. If you have fearful victimized concerned guilty thoughts about others, you imprison them an class="hi2">anan>d attack them. If you feel lovingly toward them to are thinking them into health. Thoughts are powerful, they are not idle.

"If I did not think I would not exist, because life is thought."

"Miracles are thought-creations. Thought can class="hi2">anan> create lower-order or higher-order realities. This is the basic distinction between intellectualization an class="hi2">anan>d thinking. One creates the physical, an class="hi2">anan>d the other the spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d we believe in what we create."

"ALL thinking produces form at some level. The reason why people are afraid of ESP, an class="hi2">anan>d so often react against it, is because they KNOW that thought can class="hi2">anan> hurt them."

"By denying his mind an class="hi2">anan>y destructive potential, an class="hi2">anan>d reinstating its purely constructive powers"

"an class="hi2">Anan>d YOU are healed BECAUSE you wished him well. This is the law the miracle obeys"

"It appears at first glan class="hi2">anan>ce that to believe such power about yourself is merely arrogan class="hi2">anan>t, but that is not the real reason why you don't believe it.

People prefer to believe that their thoughts can class="hi2">anan>not exert real control because they are literally AFRAID of them." "I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thinking."

""Casting spells" merely mean class="hi2">anan>s "affirming error", an class="hi2">anan>d error is lack of love. When man class="hi2">anan> projects this onto others, he DOES imprison them, but only to the extent that he reinforces errors they have already made."

"It is hard to recognize that thought an class="hi2">anan>d belief combine into a power-surge that can class="hi2">anan> literally move mountains."

"The truth is that you ARE responsible for what you THINK, because it is only at this level that you Can class="hi2">ANan> exercise choice."

"You WOULD be responsible for the effects of all your wrong thinking IF IT COULD NOT BE UNDONE."

"It is pointless to believe that controlling the outcome of mis-Thought can class="hi2">anan> result in real healing. When you are fearful, you have willed wrongly."

You are the cause of everything you experience. You can class="hi2">anan>not be victmized against your will. This is the secret of salvation. "You are doing it to yourself." You are responsible for choice because you have free will.

When you DISOWN this responsibility, forming a block to awareness - which is a DENIAL that you are the cause, your mind splits an class="hi2">anan>d dissociates.

You do not see the cause of your suffering within yourself because it is blocked from awareness behind your denial. So you reason logically, "if it is not coming from me, it MUST be coming from something that is not me."

Immediately you look outside yourself for a cause. This projects cause outside of yourself. The groundwork has been laid to BLAME an class="hi2">anan>yone an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything, even ran class="hi2">anan>domly, for causing what you are experiencing.

So the JUSTIFICATION for an class="hi2">anan>ger or an class="hi2">anan>y kind of attack, is based on your belief that YOU aren't the one causing it.

IF it were true that someone else is CAUSING what you are experiencing, agaist your will, you WOULD be justified in seeing yourself unfairly treated, an class="hi2">anan>d right to be an class="hi2">anan>gry.

But since other people are NOT the cause of you, your an class="hi2">anan>ger can class="hi2">anan>not EVER be justified. That justification is based on a MISTAKEN BELIEF that YOU are not the one doing this to yourself.

Your inability to see that you are the cause of your experience, is an class="hi2">anan> act of irresponsibility. So you disown responsibility an class="hi2">anan>d give it to someone else. They are now seen as the responsible party. an class="hi2">Anan>d now an class="hi2">anan>ything that happens is THEIR doing.

If you were to remove the blocks to awareness an class="hi2">anan>d the denial, an class="hi2">anan>d heal the split in your own mind, you would become aware that you are the CAUSE of EVERYTHING you experience. an class="hi2">Anan>d in that awareness, you would see it is OBVIOUS that no-one else can class="hi2">anan> EVER be involved in causing you against your will.

The notion of blaming an class="hi2">anan>yone for an class="hi2">anan>ything then becomes complete nonsense. The only way to blame someone is to start out with the FALSE PREMISE that YOU aren't the one doing it.

This is true no matter what the situation seems to be like, who seems to be doing what to whom, what you think of it, how you judge it, whether its moral or not, whether it's kind or not. No matter who seems to victimize who, if you are an class="hi2">anan>gry, you are DISOWNING your power.

an class="hi2">Anan>ger is therefore NOT an class="hi2">anan> expression of POWER, it is an class="hi2">anan> expression of POWERLESSNESS. It is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of power, which is actually the OPPOSITE to what it appears.

Those who are powerless are an class="hi2">anan>gry. Those who are powerful can class="hi2">anan>not BE an class="hi2">anan>gry. Those who have true power can class="hi2">anan> be assertive, WITHOUT being an class="hi2">anan>gry. They also can class="hi2">anan> be most effective. Those who are powerless can class="hi2">anan> only attack an class="hi2">anan>d force because they lack an class="hi2">anan>y true strength to accomplish an class="hi2">anan>ything.

Being an class="hi2">anan>gry is NOT being assertive. It is being DESTRUCTIVE, in which there is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to assert at the same time as an class="hi2">anan> attempt to TAKE AWAY the power of an class="hi2">anan>other.

True power does not take away the power of others, it EMPOWERS them, recognizing they are one with you. You can class="hi2">anan>not accept your own empowerment if you are busy believing that others should have no power. You must actually give power TO others, in a healthy way, in order to BE powerful.

If it seems someone has power over you, it is because you have disowned your power an class="hi2">anan>d GIVEN IT AWAY through sacrifice an class="hi2">anan>d not through sharing. You have lost it because you are at war with yourself. What appears to be their power is really your disowned an class="hi2">anan>d projected power, which you must reclaim an class="hi2">anan>d reintegrate.

When no-one is seen as having power OVER you, all are seen as having power WITH you as equals. an class="hi2">Anan>d then there is no competition an class="hi2">anan>d no-one "overpowering" others. When there is equal power there is mutual self-responsibility an class="hi2">anan>d no grounds for aggression.

People get an class="hi2">anan>gry because they are confused about what is causing something. an class="hi2">Anan>d who woudn't be an class="hi2">anan>gry if they thought they had no power to chan class="hi2">anan>ge something, or that they were being caused against their own ability to cause. Owning up to BEING THE CAUSE erases the entire basis for projected responsibility, an class="hi2">anan>d makes an class="hi2">anan>ger IMPOSSIBLE.

Those who are at peace, are fully empowered, an class="hi2">anan>d never an class="hi2">anan>gry. Because they see that only forgiveness is justified an class="hi2">anan>d nothing can class="hi2">anan> disturb their peace.

ACIM: "The Separation HAS occurred. To deny this is merely to misuse denial."

"However, to concentrate on error is merely a further misuse of legitimate psychic mechan class="hi2">anan>isms. The true corrective procedure, which has already been described as the proper use of the spiritual eye (or true vision), is to accept the error temporarily, BUT ONLY as an class="hi2">anan> indication that IMMEDIATE correction is man class="hi2">anan>datory. This establishes a state of mind in which the Atonement can class="hi2">anan> be accepted without delay."

It's a very common belief that ACIM teaches "separation is impossible". It's the idea that "the separation did not happen". an class="hi2">Anan>d this also leads to the belief that "I need do nothing" because nothing's really happened. Which then justifies literally "doing nothing" in the presence of "something happening".

The fact remains, that there is a "something" body sitting looking at a screen reading these words on the surface of a physical object. an class="hi2">Anan>d no matter whether separation "happened" or not, something other than class="hi2">anan> total abstract reality IS occurring right now. You ARE reading this. If it were "the whole story" that "separation did not happen", it would not even be possible to read these words, or for you to even have eyeballs. But it is. an class="hi2">Anan>d denying that is not helpful. Something is happening here. Or at the very least, SEEMING to.

The distinction that needs to be made is this. REAL separation is not possible. Let's be clear, that you can class="hi2">anan>not in reality chan class="hi2">anan>ge God or His Creation. "What God has has brought together let no man class="hi2">anan> put asunder" basically mean class="hi2">anan>s what God creates is perman class="hi2">anan>ent. So literally, you can class="hi2">anan>not create a REAL split in Reality. You can class="hi2">anan>'t ACTUALLY cut your REAL self off from the REAL Father.

It is in this sense an class="hi2">anan>d only in this sense, that separation is impossible an class="hi2">anan>d has not happened. You literally can class="hi2">anan>not an class="hi2">anan>d have not separated. It's the same thing as saying you can class="hi2">anan>not sin because you can class="hi2">anan>not cause God. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s there literally is no REAL sin. Nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened. So we can class="hi2">anan> say, you can class="hi2">anan>not REALLY separate from God. However, this is not the end of the story.

"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."

While on the one han class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> co-create with God freely, in accord with His will, you Can class="hi2">ANan> also DENY creation, because you HAVE that freedom. This is what "mis-creation" mean class="hi2">anan>s. You use your freedom to create, against itself, to try to create nothingness. an class="hi2">Anan>d here is the fact. We DID attempt to do this.

We DID have a tiny mad idea, that it was POSSIBLE to deny creation. Not merely to conceive of mis-creating or denying reality, but that by doing so it would have REAL EFFECTS. By mis-creating or attempting not to create, the result in truth is NOTHING HAPPENS. It's more like you become unwilling an class="hi2">anan>d stop willing an class="hi2">anan>ything at all, so you don't really do an class="hi2">anan>ything.

But you BELIEVE that by denying reality you DO something REAL, which you believe has real consequences or effects. You think that somehow "willing nothing" (death) can class="hi2">anan> be real, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> replace reality. That "not creating" can class="hi2">anan> be considered a "happening". It's because you believe in the mad idea, that you "make it real" to you. an class="hi2">Anan>d whatever you believe in SEEMS like reality.

You can class="hi2">anan>not produce a REAL separation, an class="hi2">anan>d you haven't. BUT, you can class="hi2">anan> deny reality an class="hi2">anan>d TRY to believe that an class="hi2">anan> IMAGINED separation is possible. You can class="hi2">anan> dream of separation. You can class="hi2">anan> invent illusions, which is what it looks like when you repress or withhold extension. You can class="hi2">anan> put the brakes on eternal life, by resisting your own creative power. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to STOP creation. ie, to kill it.

This results in what seems to be a state of death, or a dream of death. "Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem." As the mind denies itself, which imprisons its will, this kind of "puts it to sleep". It is resisting its own wakefulness. This resistan class="hi2">anan>ce against life seems to take on the form of bodies an class="hi2">anan>d forms an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. These are the "slowing down" of unlimited extension, or the contraction of fear which "materializes" as physical matter. Or as the Course says, "the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin."

You can class="hi2">anan> believe in this dream an class="hi2">anan>d make it seem real to you. You can class="hi2">anan> imagine or mistake this dream for "actual" separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d therefore can class="hi2">anan> believe that a sin has really occurred. You can class="hi2">anan> look to "events" an class="hi2">anan>d believe them, as if proving separation IS happening. But it's not REAL sin or REAL separation that we're trying to fight our way out of, it's an class="hi2">anan> IDEA of it. We're believing that an class="hi2">anan> IMPOSSIBLE separation is possible. an class="hi2">Anan>d this believing is PRODUCING the world.

This is why Jesus says "The separation HAS occurred." Because He isn't referring to an class="hi2">anan> ACTUAL separation. "The separation", also referred to as "the fall of man class="hi2">anan>", isn't a name for a REAL separation from God. ACIM isn't even dealing with a real separation. But it is dealing with the fact that you DID have an class="hi2">anan> idea of the impossible being possible, an class="hi2">anan>d you DID believe in it, an class="hi2">anan>d you DID mis-create, an class="hi2">anan>d you DID resist an class="hi2">anan>d deny reality.

While this "state" is not real separation, it IS a "mis-use" of freedom to create against creation. It has resulted in the "illusory" state of what it looks like to seemingly "not create". Or rather, to use creative power to make it seem like there is no creative power. To use life to pretend there is no life. To use the mind to pretend there is no mind. Even in death, a state of "no choice or will", both choice an class="hi2">anan>d will are being fully utilized to make it seem to happen.

"The separation" isn't an class="hi2">anan>ything to do with "you actually did separate". It's to do with you ACTUALLY DID DENY reality. You DID conceive of using free will against itself. You DID use your mind to deny your mind, putting it into what seem to be states of unconsciousness (death).

This has resulted in "dreaming", which has resulted in the making of entire illusory worlds, complete with seemingly happening bodies. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet "all events are nowhere" because they are really a DENIAL of happening. The "occurring" or "happening" is actually a NOT occurring or happening, masquerading as an class="hi2">anan> occurring or happening. This is how it deceives. It SEEMS to be real.

This has thus "made up" (fiction) a world which Jesus refers to as "a lower order reality". It is something you made in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to NOT create an class="hi2">anan>ything. It is a NOT world. It is made of NOT bodies. It is the dream of pretending you are not creating an class="hi2">anan>ything, an class="hi2">anan>d not having eternal life. It's what you get when you use freedom to will against will. THIS illusory mis-creative state DID OCCUR. Mind DID go to sleep a while. It HAS dreamed of a universe made of nothing.

This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> a real separation has happened. But a fictional separation HAS happened. an class="hi2">Anan>d so long as we believe it is a "something", rather than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> attempt "not to do an class="hi2">anan>ything", or "not to live", we are in a state of denial. This denial produces all illusions of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d death. Thinking UNREAL things are real, that the world is real, is a mistake. It is a DENIAL OF reality.

"The world was made as a place where God (reality) could enter not".

God wills only to create. He does not ever will to use creation against itself. He does not deny himself or go to sleep. However, creation BY His children is not yet perfected, an class="hi2">anan>d so we need help to return to "san class="hi2">anan>ity", which mean class="hi2">anan>s only using creation constructively.

To be in reality mean class="hi2">anan>s to not use will against itself, an class="hi2">anan>d to not believe that doing so does something. All it does is nothing. Mistaking the nothing for a something is "the fall of man class="hi2">anan>", ie "the separation." Deception, denial, confusion, insan class="hi2">anan>ity, an class="hi2">anan>d the dream of death.

"The creation of the Soul itself has already been perfectly accomplished, but the creation BY Souls has not. God created Souls so He could depend on them BECAUSE He created them perfectly. He gave them His peace so they would not be shaken, an class="hi2">anan>d would be unable to be deceived. Whenever you are afraid, you ARE deceived. Your mind is NOT serving your Soul. "

"Your creation by God is the only foundation which can class="hi2">anan>not be shaken, because the light is IN it. "

So we ARE in a situation where we're making an class="hi2">anan> illusory world, made of nothing, which seems like a something. an class="hi2">Anan>d it's not quite a total nothingness otherwise even this would not seem to happen. It has a little amount of reality left in it. Even the ego depends on God a little. But these dreams of opposition to creation are lesser realities, denials of happiness an class="hi2">anan>d blocks to awareness. They also deny perman class="hi2">anan>ence an class="hi2">anan>d eternal life.

So the fact is, we DO need to "do something", given the context of the denial state we are in. Which is why God created the curriculum an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy Spirit. Because we DID choose to believe in unreality (the rejection of reality, using reality against itself). We are trying to hold a fake world in place. We, in time, are still choosing the ego.

"I need do nothing" is an class="hi2">anan> atonement-level truth, only LIVED when fully accepted. It mean class="hi2">anan>s there are no REAL NEEDS. You don't NEED to accomplish something because all that's happened is the ABSENCE of accomplishment. Darkness is the ABSENCE of light.

Even though in reality there are no real needs, your investment in neediness DOES have to be undone. You do need to UNLEARN everything you taught yourself in error. Until there is no more "need" for time an class="hi2">anan>d space. The curriculum therefore is aimed to help you to remember that mis-creating against your will is not what you wan class="hi2">anan>t, an class="hi2">anan>d has no merit, or appeal.

It is futile, because you are merely attempting to NOT CREATE an class="hi2">anan>ything. The "creation" of death is not creation of an class="hi2">anan>ything. Or in other words, "the separation" does not cause an class="hi2">anan>ything to happen, has no real consequences, an class="hi2">anan>d is pointless. The "san class="hi2">anan>e" would recognize this, an class="hi2">anan>d not bother to entertain the notion that "denying creation" is a worthwhile exercise. an class="hi2">Anan>d in the total withdrawal from trying to make it achieve something real, the world you made disappears.

"The world will spin into the nothingness from which it came."

There has been no real separation.

There has been an class="hi2">ANan> ATTEMPT to make the impossible possible.

You have TRIED to separate from God.

You have used creative will against itself, denying your will to will an class="hi2">anan>ything at all.

You mistook the "willing of nothingness" for a "something".

You now seem to NEED atonement. To correct the mistaken belief that willing nothing will produce a SECOND KINGDOM.

Once you accept that ONLY the Kingdom of God accepts its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d is in accord with willingness, the world that was NOT created does not exist.

"Heaven remains your one alternative to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made an class="hi2">anan>d all its ways; its shifting patterns an class="hi2">anan>d uncertain goals, its painful pleasures an class="hi2">anan>d its tragic joys. God made no contradictions. What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way."

There is no world. But you think there is.

ARTICLE:

What is sin?

A classical definition of sin might be that it's some kind of attack you perform which is "against the rules." Some breaking of the law or some unholy evil act which is disallowed an class="hi2">anan>d undermines everything that is good. In A Course in Miracles, the definition of sin is a lot broader than class="hi2">anan> this. For example:

"The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible."

This suggests that the whole world is made of sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d this isn't just a speculation, because ACIM goes on to say that physical matter is in fact a "gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin" masquerading as something solid.

"The body's eyes see ONLY form. They can class="hi2">anan>not see BEYOND what they were MADE to see. an class="hi2">Anan>d they were made to look on error, an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see past it. 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. To this distorted form of vision, the OUTSIDE of everything, the wall that stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d the truth, is wholly true."

Here we're told that the body's physical sight can class="hi2">anan> only see error an class="hi2">anan>d not see past it. an class="hi2">Anan> error which is not "overlooked", is not forgiven, an class="hi2">anan>d so it is regarded as sin, deman class="hi2">anan>ding punishment. Everything that the physical sight sees is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, therefore, because the physical sight is completely unforgiving an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not tran class="hi2">anan>scend the illusion to reach the truth. These illusions - really a reference to an class="hi2">anan>ything the body can class="hi2">anan> see - therefore all things physical - is called "the gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin." Jesus uses the term "gran class="hi2">anan>ite" symbolically because this is a very hard form of physical material.

"The body is the ego's idol; the belief in sin made flesh, an class="hi2">anan>d then projected outward. 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, beholden unto death, an class="hi2">anan>d given but an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t in which to sigh an class="hi2">anan>d grieve an class="hi2">anan>d die in honor of its master."

So now the physical body, which is part of the physical environment, is made by projecting the idea of sin outward an class="hi2">anan>d turning it into flesh, which symbolizes sin. Effectively everything that we regard as physical is made of the idea of sin, projected as physical matter. Physical matter comprises "outside surfaces" which you can class="hi2">anan>not see past with the physical eyes, an class="hi2">anan>d is really "nothing" pretending to be a solid block.

"Sin is the proclamation that attack is real, an class="hi2">anan>d guilt is JUSTIFIED."

Sin is also the idea of attack. If attack is real, then the world is real, because "the world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God." Being "the world of sin", the world of bodies was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. Its forms testify that God's son has been attacked. That is, "the world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son." So now all physical forms are a form of attack, or attempted attack, upon God an class="hi2">anan>d his son. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is sin, because indeed if attack were possible, the world would be sinful.

"Sickness is but an class="hi2">anan>other name for sin."

Here Jesus goes further to include that an class="hi2">anan>y form of sickness is also the same thing as sin. Whether it be a headache or a broken body or a heart attack or a wound or severe death. These are all signs an class="hi2">anan>d proofs that sin is real. In fact, we even make the body sick to try to prove that our brother has sinned against us, per "brother at your han class="hi2">anan>d I die", an class="hi2">anan>d the willingness to use the body as "a picture of crucifixion" to demonstrate that our brother is the one who caused our suffering.

"Sin is insan class="hi2">anan>ity."

Sin an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity are also the same thing. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s, the entire ego thought system, all mental illness, an class="hi2">anan>d all its physical expressions, is sin. an class="hi2">Anan>y belief in an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God, an class="hi2">anan>y attack thought or grievan class="hi2">anan>ce, all forms of sickness, all unforgiveness, it is all sin. This include all false perceptions, all physical perceptions, all body identification, all fixating on what things appear to be physically, an class="hi2">anan>d all blindness by perception of form, all testifies that sin is real. These are the beliefs of an class="hi2">anan> insan class="hi2">anan>e mind which lacks vision an class="hi2">anan>d is unconscious.

This also ties in with the fact that sin is death, because "without the idea of death (sin) there is no world." "Sickness is but a little death", an class="hi2">anan>d since sickness is an class="hi2">anan>other form of sin, sin is death. This relates closely also to the fact that "the wages of sin is death", ie if you are in sin it logically follows that sin deman class="hi2">anan>ds punishment an class="hi2">anan>d therefore you as a body must suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die in order to atone for your sin.

"They do not realize that, to deny God, is to deny their own identity, an class="hi2">anan>d in this sense, the wages of sin IS death. The sense is very literal; -- denial of Life perceives its opposite, as ALL forms of denial replace what IS, with what is NOT."

The denial of life perceives death, which is the opposite of life. Sin is the denial of life, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore induces death. All forms of death are forms of sin.

"If sin is real then punishment is just, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be escaped."

"If sin is real, salvation must be pain."

"Pain is the cost of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d suffering can class="hi2">anan> never be escaped if sin is real."

"If sin is real Its offering is death, an class="hi2">anan>d meted out in cruel form to match the vicious wishes in which sin is born."

Essentially, an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> the truth of God, is the idea of sin. Just as it is also the idea of fear, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of sickness, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea of death. It is all the same single system of darkness, delusion an class="hi2">anan>d insan class="hi2">anan>ity. an class="hi2">Anan>d WITHIN this system of insan class="hi2">anan>ity lives "the world", the unforgiven world, in which only the physical is regarded as real because "only the body makes the world seem real."

"The world is false perception."

When your vision is narrowed to see an class="hi2">anan>d focus only on the physical world or what the physical senses testify to, you are blinded by perception of form. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you see only sin. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s seeing an class="hi2">anan>y body, an class="hi2">anan>y physical sickness, an class="hi2">anan>y symptoms, an class="hi2">anan>y problems, an class="hi2">anan>y kind of suffering or unhappiness, an class="hi2">anan>y breakdowns or breakages, an class="hi2">anan>d dan class="hi2">anan>gers, an class="hi2">anan>y reasons to be afraid, this all mean class="hi2">anan>s you've entered into a sinful perception an class="hi2">anan>d are now making sin real.

an class="hi2">Anan>d this is the stuff of nightmares, because once you have closed your mind to the openness of innocence, you've decided only sin exists an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be escaped. When the mind is shutting out the light of truth an class="hi2">anan>d is becoming unforgiving, which mean class="hi2">anan>s it is attacking an class="hi2">anan>d separating, other people will appear to be "only bodies", as if they are purely physical, with no component to them that is an class="hi2">anan>ything but physical. This is an class="hi2">anan> imprisonment of yourself an class="hi2">anan>d them an class="hi2">anan>choring you both into the level of form an class="hi2">anan>d inescapable problems.

"For bodies can class="hi2">anan>not forgive."

To be in sin is to be insan class="hi2">anan>e, to perceive falsely, to give reality to physicality, to be unforgiving, to be in fear, to feel horrified an class="hi2">anan>d terrified in a nightmare, to regard problems as utterly unsolvable, to feel imprisoned an class="hi2">anan>d locked in with no hope, to believe all sickness is real an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ent, to forget to laugh, an class="hi2">anan>d to hate yourself.

There HAS to be more than class="hi2">anan> the physical in order for there to be innocence. There HAS to be more than class="hi2">anan> bodies, more than class="hi2">anan> physical suffering, more than class="hi2">anan> physical problems, an class="hi2">anan>d more than class="hi2">anan> a physical world. There HAS to be a tran class="hi2">anan>scendence of all things physical if there is to be forgiveness, because to forgive is to overlook an class="hi2">anan>d NOT see illusions. Illusions not recognized are a false perception which is horribly blinding an class="hi2">anan>d upsetting. Illusions recognized dispels them an class="hi2">anan>d disregards the physical as nothing real at all.

"There is no sin", in ultimate truth, because "nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened." The immortal can class="hi2">anan>not be sick or suffer or die. God's creations are perman class="hi2">anan>ently perfect. There can class="hi2">anan>not be an class="hi2">anan> attack an class="hi2">anan>d nothing can class="hi2">anan> be in dan class="hi2">anan>ger. Therefore, there can class="hi2">anan>not be a physical world, bodies can class="hi2">anan>not be real, an class="hi2">anan>d suffering can class="hi2">anan>not be true. Problems can class="hi2">anan>not really exist, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not be alone.

Given that the world of bodies is the world of unforgiveness an class="hi2">anan>d sin, in which sin is not recognized as a mistake, recognizing the world as a mistake also recognizes that it is false. Mistakes can class="hi2">anan> be undone an class="hi2">anan>d corrected. Forgiving the world is its undoing. First the veil of sin is lifted away so that we can class="hi2">anan> recognize it is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> illusion, we see through an class="hi2">anan>d past its illusion of being real an class="hi2">anan>d solid an class="hi2">anan>d physical, an class="hi2">anan>d see beyond it to the light of the real world. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this light, the physical world, seen only in false perception, is gone forever.

The physical universe is not what it appears to be. It is a wall, constructed of a mad idea of sin, formed from lies, to tempt you to believe a great man class="hi2">anan>y horrible things are happening. It has been inserted as a gap of hell, in between you an class="hi2">anan>d yourself, between you an class="hi2">anan>d God. It depicts every form of suffering imaginable, is designed to tempt you to believe all of it is real, an class="hi2">anan>d deceives at every turn.

"The world stan class="hi2">anan>ds like a block before Christ's face. But true perception looks on it as nothing more than class="hi2">anan> just a fragile veil, so easily dispelled that it can class="hi2">anan> last no longer than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t."

"The world was made as a picture of the crucifixion of God's Son."

"The body's eyes are therefore not the mean class="hi2">anan>s by which the real world can class="hi2">anan> be seen, for the illusions that they look upon must lead to more illusions of reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d so they do. For everything they see not only will not last, but lends itself to thoughts of sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt. While everything that God created is forever without sin an class="hi2">anan>d therefore is forever without guilt."

So han class="hi2">anan>ging in between you an class="hi2">anan>d God's Son, there is a three dimensional image, physical matter, "the world of bodies is the world of sin", depicting God's son as crucified, attacked, murdered, fragmented, suffering, vulnerable an class="hi2">anan>d sick. This is what plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth was designed to be. A gian class="hi2">anan>t holographic presentation of the idea of an class="hi2">anan> attack on God an class="hi2">anan>d His Holy Son.

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God."

All of its forms, all events, all occurrences, every interaction an class="hi2">anan>d movement, is all part of a shifting picture of chan class="hi2">anan>ge, in which every possible unreality except perman class="hi2">anan>ent perfection is depicted. Every car crash, every disease, every murderous war, every pain, every destructive habit, every unhappiness, all the tears, short an class="hi2">anan>d long term death, it's all designed on purpose to show you a picture of crucifixion.

Crucifixion is an class="hi2">anan>other word for death an class="hi2">anan>d this is a dream of death. an class="hi2">Anan>d being an class="hi2">anan> illusion of death, with stories of death running through it, it does not depict life an class="hi2">anan>d is not capable of doing so.

"What you are can class="hi2">anan>not be seen nor pictured."

"Nothing so blinding as perception of form."

So here you are, in your human class="hi2">anan> dream body, looking out upon what seems to be a world, which you are blinded by. The body was deliberately designed to use its own senses to attempt to self-prove its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d the existence of other bodies. Its eyesight is blocked by the surface of sin (flesh, matter) so that by seeing it you do not see past it to the light of truth.

"You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God."

"Theirs (body's eyes) 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."

an class="hi2">Anan>d so, every day, you wake up, an class="hi2">anan>d you see this world - the hell you made. an class="hi2">Anan>d in it, things go wrong, all the time. You see someone you love in pain or suffering sickness an class="hi2">anan>d fear. You see an class="hi2">anan>imals being abused. You see wars waging on foreign continents. You try not to drive your dream car over the road kill. You see the dead deer on the side of the street. an class="hi2">Anan>d the whole thing is one big pile of torture an class="hi2">anan>d terror.

The thing is, just the mere fact of "feasting your eyes" upon an class="hi2">anan>y of this worlds contents, immediately instills fear. Just the mere act of seeing it at all, mean class="hi2">anan>s christ vision has become blocked an class="hi2">anan>d you are now losing sight of the truth. Illusions of a world rise before your sight, claimed as true an class="hi2">anan>d real by the body's senses. an class="hi2">Anan>d now the world seems real to you. People seem to be suffering.

Things seems to be going wrong. There is murder an class="hi2">anan>d death on the news. an class="hi2">Anan>d if that is true, if you see it, if it has become real to you, if you are experiencing it at all, it is because you now believe it is reality. an class="hi2">Anan>d by virtue of equating this world with reality, you MUST now be horrified an class="hi2">anan>d afraid, because if suffering is reality, there is no way to exist an class="hi2">anan>ywhere in reality without suffering.

an class="hi2">Anan>d if pain an class="hi2">anan>d misery are true, there is no way to exist in truth without pain an class="hi2">anan>d misery. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this there is no hope an class="hi2">anan>d no light an class="hi2">anan>d no salvation, because if reality is now hell, there is no heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d all this occurs in a split second just merely by "sensing" this world. Just merely by seeing someone walking as a cripple. Just merely receiving signals that someone is crying in pain. Just merely witnessing bodies moving around. This is enough to produce an class="hi2">anan> ego reaction of terror.

The instan class="hi2">anan>t you believe, are deceived by, witness as true, an class="hi2">anan>d fail to overlook this ENTIRE world, this picture of crucifixion an class="hi2">anan>d lies, your mind MUST now equate that reality is harmful. an class="hi2">Anan>d this will instill a sense of being at the effect of harm. an class="hi2">Anan>d this will incite fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d now your mind will spring into action with "why is this happening" "how can class="hi2">anan> I fix this" "how can class="hi2">anan> I avoid this" "what's gone wrong" "what caused it". All based on the belief that IT IS HAPPENING AT ALL.

At this point we have already fallen for the ego's trap. The instan class="hi2">anan>t we are deceived by the world, tempted to believe "it's happening" or "there is a world", we've already slipped on the slope an class="hi2">anan>d are now descending into ego responses. an class="hi2">Anan>d our entire struggle now becomes one of trying to escape, while falling ever deeper into a pit. With the walls of the world closing in. an class="hi2">Anan>d no matter what we do, WITHIN that kind of mindset, it does not bring peace. Because now we're in the desert where there is no life or love, an class="hi2">anan>d we need to leave.

It's like, we're being bombarded night an class="hi2">anan>d day with visions of hell. A world of lies. Where not one single thing is true. Where the whole world is a temptation to buy into an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, as if it's really here. As if events are happening. As if things are being threatened. It's a nightmare to believe this world is happening. It's a dream of death, an class="hi2">anan>d all dreams are of death. A dream of life is still a dream of death, because life isn't a dream.

"Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem."

So if there is someone in pain, if someone is suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d you see it or hear it or sense it, an class="hi2">anan>d you take this to mean class="hi2">anan> "its happening", an class="hi2">anan>d you believe that, that alone mean class="hi2">anan>s you are now tempted by the ego an class="hi2">anan>d are not forgiving. Because "to forgive is to OVERLOOK". an class="hi2">Anan>d "falling for the world" or "gaining the whole world" causes you to lose your soul.

Failing to recognize this is JUST an class="hi2">anan> illusion, NOT something "really happening", NOT something to react to, is a failure to be in christ vision. It's a failure to SEE reality. The screeching sounds of the ego have blotted out the real world. Not only is form blinding, it's *extremely* blinding, an class="hi2">anan>d every single thing that this picture of crucifixion DOES or SHOWS, is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. A lie. A not truth. A false witness. A testimony of death. an class="hi2">Anan> attempt to prove that sin is real an class="hi2">anan>d death is truth.

If you watch yourself you'll see this happen. The moment you "experience" an class="hi2">anan>ything in this world, where you see something seem to go wrong, watch how your mind instan class="hi2">anan>tly reacts with ego. Watch how the fear increases rapidly. Notice how you immediately slip into the context of "I accept it is happening, but what is causing it"? rather than class="hi2">anan> realizing, or questioning, is this even happening? If I believe what my senses are telling me at all, I am deceived.

"Whatever you accept INTO your mind has reality for you."

If I just fall into "its happening" mode, I will automatically start having thoughts like "why is this happening", "what's making this happen", "how can class="hi2">anan> I stop this happening". Which is all ego. We then turn into fixers, man class="hi2">anan>agers, controllers, resisters, trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge what we believe is happening. Trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan> illusion based on believing that the illusion is real. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is not forgiveness at all.

Forgiveness is profound. It literally mean class="hi2">anan>s that this world IS NOT HERE. It requires the recognition an class="hi2">anan>d acceptan class="hi2">anan>ce that THERE IS NO WORLD. It entails seeing PAST this world entirely, not falling for an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING YOU SEE. Not being deceived by the powerful tempting illusions of suffering. To literally completely IGNORE extremely loud shrieks of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d war presented as physical proof. To look past the world as if it's not there. To not believe for an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t that someone's appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of sickness is REAL or TRUE or HAPPENING. To realize your brother literally did not do an class="hi2">anan>ything that he appeared to do, an class="hi2">anan>d there are no real events here.

"All events are nowhere."

"Forgiveness recognizes that what you think your brother did HAS NOT OCCURRED."

Not just you thinking, well, yes he did something, he moved, he writhed, he suffered, he spoke, whatever... but that this wasn't real. It mean class="hi2">anan>s being willing to pay NO ATTENTION to an class="hi2">anan>y of that, to ignore those signals, to not even TRUST your body senses, an class="hi2">anan>d to instead fixate on the light of truth beyond the body. Beyond matter. Beyond all physical objects an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets. Beyond the universe. A vision in the light so bright that it completely looks PAST (overlooks) an class="hi2">anan>d practically ignores everything in the world.

"Christ's vision has one law. It does not look upon a body an class="hi2">anan>d mistake it for the Son whom God created. It beholds a light beyond the body; an class="hi2">anan> idea beyond what can class="hi2">anan> be touched, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, an class="hi2">anan>d fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. It sees no separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d it looks on everyone, on every circumstan class="hi2">anan>ce, all happenings an class="hi2">anan>d all events, without the slightest fading of the light it sees."

an class="hi2">Anan>ything the body does is not true. It's an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary picture of lies.

"The body is the instrument the mind made in its striving to deceive itself."

We have to learn, this is a really profound lesson. This whole world was designed to deceive us. We have to learn to NOT believe its lies an class="hi2">anan>d NOT take its appearan class="hi2">anan>ces as literal reality.

"The world was made that problems could not BE escaped."

"The world was made as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. It symbolizes fear. an class="hi2">Anan>d what is fear except love's absence? Thus the world was mean class="hi2">anan>t to be a place where God could enter not, an class="hi2">anan>d where His Son could be apart from Him. Here was perception born, for knowledge could not cause such insan class="hi2">anan>e thoughts. But eyes deceive, an class="hi2">anan>d ears hear falsely."

"Temptation has one lesson it would teach, **in all its forms** (all objects), wherever it occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must die, unable to escape its frailty, an class="hi2">anan>d bound by what it orders him to feel. It sets the limits on what he can class="hi2">anan> do; its power is the only strength he has; his grasp can class="hi2">anan>not exceed its tiny reach."

"The temptation to regard problems as man class="hi2">anan>y is the temptation to keep the problem of separation unsolved. The world seems to present you with a vast number of problems, each requiring a different an class="hi2">anan>swer. This perception places you in a position in which your problem solving must be inadequate, an class="hi2">anan>d failure must be inevitable.

No-one could solve all the problems the world appears to hold. They seem to be on so man class="hi2">anan>y levels, in such varying forms an class="hi2">anan>d with such varied content, that they confront you with an class="hi2">anan> impossible situation. Dismay an class="hi2">anan>d depression are inevitable as you regard them. Some spring up unexpectedly, just as you think you have resolved the previous ones. Others remain unsolved under a cloud of denial, an class="hi2">anan>d rise to haunt you from time to time, only to be hidden again but still unsolved.

All this complexity is but a desperate attempt not to recognize the problem, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore not to let it be resolved. If you could recognize that your only problem is separation, no matter what form it takes, you could accept the an class="hi2">anan>swer because you would see its relevan class="hi2">anan>ce. Perceiving the underlying constan class="hi2">anan>cy in all the problems which confront you, you would understan class="hi2">anan>d that you have the mean class="hi2">anan>s to solve them all. an class="hi2">Anan>d you would use the mean class="hi2">anan>s because you recognize the problem."

There is a world beyond this world. It's reality. This world, Earth, is a gian class="hi2">anan>t advertisement for everything OTHER THan class="hi2">ANan> reality. "Earth, heaven's opposite in every way." Every aspect of this universe is a dream about "what is it like to be dead". "The world has disappointed you since time began class="hi2">anan>." It will never satisfy us. "This world holds nothing that I wan class="hi2">anan>t."

"Hold it not dear, for it is old an class="hi2">anan>d tired, an class="hi2">anan>d ready to return to dust even as you made it. This aching world has not the power to touch the living world at all."

The escape from hell is the escape from this world, into the light of reality. Leaving behind every temptation, deception, denial, resistan class="hi2">anan>ce, darkness, horror an class="hi2">anan>d hellish vision. To awaken from this dream of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d return to awareness of immortal reality.

"God's teachers choose to look on dreams a while. It is a conscious choice.For they have learned that all choices are made consciously, with full awareness of their consequences.The dream says otherwise, but who would put his faith in dreams once they are recognized for what they are?Awareness of dreaming is the real function of God's teachers. ***They watch the dream figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go, shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, suffer an class="hi2">anan>d die.Yet they are not deceived by what they see.*** They recognize that to behold a dream figure as sick an class="hi2">anan>d separate is no more real than class="hi2">anan> to regard it as healthy an class="hi2">anan>d beautiful. Unity alone is not a thing of dreams. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as behind the dream, beyond all seeming an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs."

"Miracles violate every law of reality as this world judges it."

"Miracles do not obey the laws of this world."

"The world you see does nothing. It has no effects at all."

"The world is but an class="hi2">anan> effect an class="hi2">anan>d not a cause at all."

"The mind must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body. Every miracle demonstrates this."

"It is impossible that an class="hi2">anan>ything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny. What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to happen."

"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."

----- There are two levels -----

1. Higher mind, which is causal an class="hi2">anan>d causes everything. It causes the EFFECT of a lower level 3D world, which is entirely governed by what this mind decides to make happen. This is the level of "the dreamer."

2. The world, a 3D projected image which is entirely an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT of the higher level. This level has NO causality an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not make an class="hi2">anan>ything happen on its own. No part of it causes an class="hi2">anan>y other part of it to do an class="hi2">anan>ything. This is the level of "the dream."

The higher level CAUSES the lower level effects. That mean class="hi2">anan>s causality is "vertical". It proceeds from above to below.

The lower level of the world itself, has NO CAUSALITY in it. It is 100% pure effect. It is not alive, it has no will, it has no mind, there are no forces or powers, no reactions, no chain of events, nothing. It's like a movie that's been projected onto a screen. The movie can class="hi2">anan>not DO an class="hi2">anan>ything outside of the content that the PROJECTOR has put onto the screen.

However, the higher level mind is capable of creating ILLUSIONS of lower-level causality. For example, it can class="hi2">anan> place an class="hi2">anan> apple in the world, next to an class="hi2">anan> oran class="hi2">anan>ge. It can class="hi2">anan> then make the oran class="hi2">anan>ge move (which can class="hi2">anan>not move by itself). The oran class="hi2">anan>ge can class="hi2">anan> move towards the apple. However, there are NO lower-level laws that DO an class="hi2">anan>ything, not even laws of physics. So the oran class="hi2">anan>ge moves THROUGH the apple, having no effect on it. It's like it's not even there. It's just an class="hi2">anan> IMAGE. Two images overlapping.

In order to make the oran class="hi2">anan>ge "collide with" the apple, the higher level mind of causality has to make the apple move, at just the right moment as the oran class="hi2">anan>ge SEEMS to touch it, so that there is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of a reaction, which makes it look AS IF the oran class="hi2">anan>ge collided with the apple. There were NO laws on the level of the world causing this reaction. It's entirely fictional, decided upon by the higher level mind.

To an class="hi2">anan> observer who has "bought into the illusion", it SEEMS as if there is some kind of "law" on the lower level, governing what will happen when the oran class="hi2">anan>ge hits the apple. an class="hi2">Anan>d the these are described as laws of physics. These laws are based on the idea that stuff on the lower level is capable of CAUSING EFFECTS on the SAME lower level. This is the idea of "horizontal causality". ACIM refers to the illusion of this as "horizontal perception."

The illusion is so convincing that it seems there is a "law" in effect, some kind of universal rule, that ensures the apple an class="hi2">anan>d the oran class="hi2">anan>ge will act AS IF they are colliding. These are then thought to be natural laws or laws of nature. THEY ARE NOT. THEY DO NOT EXIST! The oran class="hi2">anan>ge NEVER causes an class="hi2">anan>ything to happen. The apple NEVER is affected by the oran class="hi2">anan>ge. BOTH OF THEM are being simultan class="hi2">anan>eously moved an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>imated BY the higher level mind.

So in the world, it SEEMS as though there are laws of physics which govern how everything interacts, but it's 100% once removed from what ACTUALLY causes everything to occur. The world ITSELF is once removed from reality/causality, which is why it is an class="hi2">anan> EFFECT or illusion an class="hi2">anan>d DOES NOT EXIST!

The things in the world that you THINK are "causes" or "causing something", are NOT THE CAUSE. Cause is always in the mind! They are ILLUSIONS of causes, pretending to be causes. Both causes an class="hi2">ANan>D effects on the level of the world are BOTH EFFECTS. This is why Jesus says "the world you see DOES NOTHING. It has no effects at all" (it has no causal power at all).

So while there is this horizontal illusion of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect, which is of the ego, since these so-called "laws" are actually fictional an class="hi2">anan>d not the REAL cause, when the mind decides to make a chan class="hi2">anan>ge in what it PROJECTS, it is capable of BREAKING THE LAWS. If the mind decides suddenly, that the apple an class="hi2">anan>d the oran class="hi2">anan>ge will combine together to produce a ban class="hi2">anan>an class="hi2">anan>a, THEN SO BE IT.

Vertical mind will CAUSE a ban class="hi2">anan>an class="hi2">anan>a to be projected INTO the world as a ban class="hi2">anan>an class="hi2">anan>a showing up. This will VIOLATE every conceivable "horizontal law" that you can class="hi2">anan> imagine. an class="hi2">Anan>d THIS IS MIRACULOUS! "Miracles violate every law of reality as the world judges it." The mind has simply decided to CHan class="hi2">ANan>GE ITS DREAM, an class="hi2">anan>d this breaks all of the FICTIONAL horizontal laws that APPEAR to explain why things are the way they are, or what limits they are restricted by. Mind OVERRIDES the law!

Miracles are also demonstrations. an class="hi2">Anan>d miracles are also teaching devices. When the higher mind expresses its power OVER the lower level, an class="hi2">anan>d shows that it is the AUTHOR of the "fake laws" by breaking those laws, it demonstrates that those laws ARE ILLUSIONS. "Appearan class="hi2">anan>ces can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged." an class="hi2">Anan>d by chan class="hi2">anan>ging those appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, it is PROVEN that those appearan class="hi2">anan>ces MUST have been illusions. This is educational.

Additionally, the "nature" or "natural law" of the horizontal level, which is fake, is BELOW the TRUE NATURE of the higher level mind that causes it all. That mean class="hi2">anan>s that which CAUSES the lower level effects is ABOVE the NATURE of the lower level. an class="hi2">Anan>other word for that is SUPER (above) NATURAL. Supernatural. Miracles are supernatural! They tran class="hi2">anan>scend the "nature" of the "ego", which is the illusion that horizontal causality is real. Also the idea that horizontal causality is real, is really the ego idea that there is no God! That there is no HIGHER CAUSE.

This is why it was possible for Jesus to do things like walking on water to defy gravity, multiplying food to defy ideas of limited materials, chan class="hi2">anan>ging a tree bran class="hi2">anan>ch into a snake an class="hi2">anan>d back again, raising a body from seeming death, etc.

These are all POSSIBLE because the mind that MAKES all this worldly content show up has POWER OVER IT from a higher level. When a person's mind has become VERTICALLY ORIENTED, which relates to "miracles entail a sudden shift from horizontal to vertical perception", the mind aligned with CAUSALITY can class="hi2">anan> make an class="hi2">ANan>Y chan class="hi2">anan>ges you can class="hi2">anan> possibly conceive of, OUTSIDE of the illusion of "laws that can class="hi2">anan>'t be broken." an class="hi2">Anan>d this is what MIRACLE WORKERS demonstrate. The idea of irreversibility is SIN. Miracles prove sin is not real by CHan class="hi2">ANan>GING what the world says can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged.

The distinction between what is CAUSE, an class="hi2">anan>d what is its EFFECT, perfectly explains the structure of cause an class="hi2">anan>d effect an class="hi2">anan>d WHY supernatural miracles are possible an class="hi2">anan>d HOW they operate. They are acts of MIND an class="hi2">anan>d WILL firmly rooted in causal power, simply electing to produce a different EFFECT. Since "the world is but an class="hi2">anan> effect an class="hi2">anan>d not a cause at all", there is nothing in the world or OF the world that can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged, healed, undone, reversed or man class="hi2">anan>ipulated by the power of the Mind. This includes bodily sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. "The mind (cause) must be stronger than class="hi2">anan> the body (effect), every miracle demonstrates this!"

"There is nothing my holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do."

"You who perceive yourself as weak an class="hi2">anan>d frail, born but to die, to weep an class="hi2">anan>d suffer pain, hear this: All power is given unto you in Earth an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven. There is nothing you can class="hi2">anan>not do."

Just because you believe that you are not yet perfect, an class="hi2">anan>d are still trying to perfect yourself an class="hi2">anan>d attain some kind of 'better you', does not actually mean class="hi2">anan> that you are not already perfect.

In fact, from God's van class="hi2">anan>tage point, He has already finished creating you perfect. Your immortal spirit self, your true self, already exists an class="hi2">anan>d is already completely perfect an class="hi2">anan>d divine.

an class="hi2">Anan>d in fact, God has already built into you an class="hi2">anan> appropriate place for you to exist, an class="hi2">anan> appropriate way for you to exist, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> appropriate way for you to express eternal life.

an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s, that you are literally already fully equipped with all of the tools that you need in order to perform miracles, in order to extend an class="hi2">anan>d express love, an class="hi2">anan>d in order to have perfect divine health.

God is not the one who is lacking an class="hi2">anan>d how has forgotten to give you what you need or who has denied you abilities as a miracle worker. You are the one who believes you are lacking an class="hi2">anan>d that you haven't been given what you have been given.

Your lack of awareness of the gift God has given you is what stan class="hi2">anan>ds between you an class="hi2">anan>d your ... insight.. that you are perfectly capable an class="hi2">anan>d READY to express that gift to others.

You are already capable of miracles. You are already a divine physician class="hi2">anan>. You just haven't realized it yet or uncovered it in yourself or developed trust in it.

God has shown up already for you. God already has your back. God already knows you. God already sees you as perfectly capable. an class="hi2">Anan>d God has already given you an class="hi2">anan> appointed 'role' as extender of the Kingdom.

You do not need to even be going back to God asking, what is my role, or please give me miracle abilities, or whatever. It's already built-in. You just aren't in touch with it an class="hi2">anan>d using it.

an class="hi2">Anan>d you don't need to be going to God an class="hi2">anan>d saying, how do I deal with this stupid situation. God already has given His One an class="hi2">Anan>swer as Holy Spirit, you are already poised an class="hi2">anan>d pointed in the direction of being the savior of the world, you are already the light of the world, an class="hi2">anan>d you already share His power to comman class="hi2">anan>d miracles of healing an class="hi2">anan>d correction. You just are out of touch with knowing that you are already fully prepared or how to wield the power that God has given you.

Step into the shoes that were designed for you to fill. God has already taken care of everything else.

What is true is true. God's truth an class="hi2">anan>d reality are the only truth an class="hi2">anan>d reality. God's truth is perman class="hi2">anan>ent an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not be chan class="hi2">anan>ged or damaged. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that you can class="hi2">anan> either accept tit, or you can class="hi2">anan> PRETEND it is not true, but you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge it into something truly false.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s you can class="hi2">anan> accept or deny it, an class="hi2">anan>d you have no other options. Denial does not make the truth chan class="hi2">anan>ge or go away, it merely is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to hide FROM it, pretending it is not there, while it still is there.

When we went into the separation from God, all we did was enter a state of denial. an class="hi2">Anan> attempt to shut out God from our awareness an class="hi2">anan>d bury our head in the san class="hi2">anan>d pretending that God does not exist. The world was made in an class="hi2">anan> effort to be somewhere where could doesn't exist, made in a thought of denial an class="hi2">anan>d completely insan class="hi2">anan>e.

This denial comes about through the belief that sin is real, which induces guilt. Guilt then becomes a block to the awareness of love, because you can class="hi2">anan> only be guilty if you are unforgivable.

"The world was made as a place where God could enter not."

"For it is guilt that has obscured the Father to you, an class="hi2">anan>d it is guilt that has driven you insan class="hi2">anan>e."

"The world of bodies is the world of sin, for only if there were a body is sin possible."

So we made a world, opposite to God's world, made of denial, built on guilt an class="hi2">anan>d sin, in a state of insan class="hi2">anan>ity, attempting to go unconscious to God an class="hi2">anan>d therefore deny our own existence, aiming towards a state of self destruction an class="hi2">anan>d death.

"The world is a picture of the crucifixion of God's son."

"We Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be united in crucifixion an class="hi2">anan>d in death."

"The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt. Look carefully at this world, an class="hi2">anan>d you will realize that this is so."

"The hell you made."

So we end up with a hellish world which is a state of the DENIAL OF GOD.

What we essentially did is we took our natural ability to DENY ILLUSIONS, to deny death, to deny attack an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d sin an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d we flipped it on its head. We used denial AGAINST reality instead of FOR the protection of it.

We're now in a position where this must be reversed. The world, an class="hi2">anan>d the body, are MADE OF denial. They are the denial of reality. They are the denial of the Kingdom. It now becomes our task to flip denial back around an class="hi2">anan>d USE IT properly, as a corrective device, to UNDO the "denial of God". To use denial in its proper way, as a defense an class="hi2">anan>d a protection AGAINST illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d as a way to keep illusions OUT of our minds.

The ego, our belief in the world of sin, is the denial of truth. This denial is in turn an class="hi2">anan> ASSERTION that the opposite of the truth is true. That the opposite of eternal life, which is death, is true. False denial is therefore the ASSERTION of death. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to EXPRESS death, to make death real, to make death happen, an class="hi2">anan>d to make death perman class="hi2">anan>ent.

The opposite to this assertion of death is the assertion of LIFE. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is what resurrection mean class="hi2">anan>s. an class="hi2">Anan>d by asserting life we do the complete opposite to denying the truth. This runs AGAINST THE GRAIN of the world, against every way the world is set up, against all its forms an class="hi2">anan>d natures an class="hi2">anan>d laws, an class="hi2">anan>d VIOLATES every law of space an class="hi2">anan>d time.

"The resurrection is the denial of death, being the assertion of life. Thus is all the thinking of the world reversed entirely."

To use denial correctly, ie the proper use of denial, you are to DENY that every aspect of the world of illusions is real. You are to DENY, reject, not believe, assert against, oppose, can class="hi2">anan>cel, undermine, question, remove faith in, stop trusting, detach from, overlook, forgive, an class="hi2">anan>d let go of, all of the insan class="hi2">anan>e man class="hi2">anan>ifestations of the denial of God. an class="hi2">Anan>d that includes the rejection of death.

"True denial is a very powerful protective device. You can class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan>d should deny an class="hi2">anan>y belief that error can class="hi2">anan> hurt you. This kind of denial is NOT a concealment device, but a correction device. The "Right Mind" of the mentally healthy DEPENDS on it."

"It denies the ability of an class="hi2">anan>ything which is not of God to effect you in an class="hi2">anan>y way. This is the PROPER use of denial. It is not used to HIDE an class="hi2">anan>ything, but it IS used to correct error. It brings ALL error into the light, an class="hi2">anan>d since error an class="hi2">anan>d darkness are the same, it abolishes error automatically."

an class="hi2">Anan> improper use of denial happens when you first of all believe that something about the world is TRUE. Such as the belief that the body really exists. If you hold this belief, an class="hi2">ANan>D THEN claim that it does not exist in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to "deny its existence", but without letting go of the denial of God that PRODUCES the body.... your belief in it, you are simultan class="hi2">anan>eously denying God while trying to deny the body. This is now a denial UPON a denial, an class="hi2">anan>d is now twice removed from reality. It's a double-denial an class="hi2">anan>d this is what an class="hi2">anan> IMPROPER use of denial mean class="hi2">anan>s - using denial to make denial worse.

"The body is merely a fact. Its ABILITIES can class="hi2">anan>, an class="hi2">anan>d frequently are, overevaluated. However, it is almost impossible to deny its existence. Those who do are engaging in a particularly unworthy form of denial." This does not mean class="hi2">anan> bodies are REAL just because they are "facts", it just mean class="hi2">anan>s the body is what it is an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> inherent part of the dream. It only mean class="hi2">anan>s that if you PRETEND not to believe in them while YOU STILL HAVE ONE, you are probably in a double-denial. True denial would erase the body completely.

You have to be willing to question the ORIGINAL denial of God, the assertion of death, the belief that bodies really exist, the belief that the world is real. If you KEEP these beliefs while DECEIVING yourself, lying to yourself, that you believe the opposite, then you are IN DENIAL about being in denial. an class="hi2">Anan>d that is how the ego operates. It is worse an class="hi2">anan>d not an class="hi2">anan> improvement. The ego is always about INCREASING denial of the truth this way.

The body an class="hi2">anan>d the world an class="hi2">anan>d sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death MUST be denied, but they must be CORRECTLY an class="hi2">anan>d HONESTLY denied. That mean class="hi2">anan>s recognizing how the world an class="hi2">anan>d body etc ARE denials of God's truth, an class="hi2">anan>d then DENYING them an class="hi2">anan>y power, reality, truth, belief, withdrawing all investment in them, can class="hi2">anan>celling your belief in them, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore UNDOING them. Doing this is ATONING, because "to atone is to undo." This is also why miracles UNDO. They can class="hi2">anan>cel ie DENY illusions of death an class="hi2">anan>y existence.

"The miracle does nothing. All it does (which IS a kind of doing) is to UNdo. an class="hi2">Anan>d thus it ***can class="hi2">anan>cels*** out the interference to what HAS BEEN done. It does not add, but merely ***takes away.***"

"The task of the miracle-worker thus becomes to DENY THE DENIAL OF TRUTH. The sick must heal THEMSELVES, for the truth is IN them. But, having OBSCURED it, the light in an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER mind must shine into theirs, because that light IS theirs."

"This world you see MUST BE DENIED, for sight of it is costing you a different kind of vision. YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT SEE BOTH WORLDS. For each of them involves a different kind of seeing, an class="hi2">anan>d depends on what you cherish. The sight of one is possible because you have DENIED THE OTHER."

It's importan class="hi2">anan>t to realize that when you attempt to "can class="hi2">anan>cel a sickness", that you don't get lost in making it real. If you assert, for example, that "that sickness does not exist.", which has some can class="hi2">anan>celling/denying properties to it, you ARE first of all making the sickness REAL an class="hi2">anan>d then are attempting to DENY the existence of the sickness. This is a double-bind an class="hi2">anan>d is an class="hi2">anan> improper use of denial. In effect you work against yourself by asserting BOTH positions at once.

When you make statements of asserting the can class="hi2">anan>cellation of sin/attack/death etc, if your focus is on what you see/dream of as "the apparent sickness", the physical real-seeming problem, know that your can class="hi2">anan>cellation efforts are in fact attempts to CORRECT YOUR OWN MIND.

By reminding yourself of why what you see is NOT THERE, you are attempting to move from false perception TO true perception. You are trying to use denial to undo your own mistaken perceptions. This is importan class="hi2">anan>t to do, but it is not the end of the story.

If you see a sickness an class="hi2">anan>d then work on "can class="hi2">anan>celling" your belief in it, this is an class="hi2">anan> act of receiving CORRECTION for your own false perceptions. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to correct your faulty beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d remove YOUR denial of the truth. This prepares you because it opens the way for true perception an class="hi2">anan>d for love to extend, but it should not really be mistaken for healing of an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER person.

Focusing on someone's sickness an class="hi2">anan>d using can class="hi2">anan>cellation/denial to try to "deprogram it", you're really just battling with your own false perceptions try to to get your own mind corrected so that you can class="hi2">anan> SEE an class="hi2">anan>d RECOGNIZE that the sickness is not there. But this effort is one of moving UP TOWARD forgiveness/true perception, an class="hi2">anan>d isn't itself an class="hi2">anan> EXPRESSION of healing love.

Once you have can class="hi2">anan>celled out your OWN mistaken judgements, an class="hi2">anan>d have used proper denial to remove your wrong beliefs an class="hi2">anan>d projections, moving into forgiveness, you regain vision. You become able to express love. You become able to extend. Your miracle working power THEN switches on. Because it is the expression of love an class="hi2">anan>d the ASSERTION OF LIFE that actually heals.

To atone an class="hi2">anan>d forgive an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>cel an class="hi2">anan>d undo is really an class="hi2">anan> act of flattening out, diminishing, depleting, taking power away from, what has been projected by you. This is preparation. Or you could say, this is your own purification. It's necessary in order to get your mind into a miracle minded state. But once you're IN that state, that's when the light starts to radiate unhindered, when you recognize that illusions ARE illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d when you can class="hi2">anan> now GIVE life to an class="hi2">anan>other.

In the Song of Prayer, Jesus says, "forgive first, then pray." This is what it mean class="hi2">anan>s. Can class="hi2">anan>cel out all of YOUR beliefs in the reality an class="hi2">anan>d existence of the "real sickness" first, to purify your mind an class="hi2">anan>d perception, so that you can class="hi2">anan> attain whole mindedness. "The perceptual content of miracles is wholeness." THEN you can class="hi2">anan> pray to God to receive the love that you then can class="hi2">anan> express as a miracle.

"Through prayer love is received. Through miracles love is expressed."

So you use a form of denial to get your mind back into the forgiving state. Then you are ready to ASSERT LIFE, an class="hi2">anan>d thus BE the resurrection. an class="hi2">Anan>d now you can class="hi2">anan> GIVE the strength an class="hi2">anan>d power of God's love, because you have opened yourself up to it. HIS love then does the healing for your brother through extension.

"They heal because they deny body-identification an class="hi2">anan>d affirm Soul-identification."

The assertion of LIFE is more than class="hi2">anan> just to say, that you don't believe death exists. It's more than class="hi2">anan> just the UNDOING of the idea of sickness. It's the active powerful forceful EXPRESSION of ACTUAL LIFE. The radiation of light into your brother's mind. The recognition of his holy christ self, an class="hi2">anan>d the willingness to extend love to him.

To assert life mean class="hi2">anan>s to believe that ONLY LIFE IS TRUE. Add this mean class="hi2">anan>s the COMPLETE REJECTION of the idea of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death. Not merely to believe the IDEA that there is no death, but to actually BE THE LIFE that OVERRIDES it.

What this really boils down to is, we need to learn how to approach people from the perspective that they ARE AS GOD CREATED THEM. Even if they seem to be in a body. Our BELIEF about them must ONLY be that they are still as God created them. NOT off on some distan class="hi2">anan>t plan class="hi2">anan>e of existence, in some other dimension, but HERE an class="hi2">ANan>D NOW!

My brother, I do not believe you are a body. My brother, you are Christ. My brother, you are immortal. My brother, you can class="hi2">anan>not be sick or die. My brother, there is no sickness. My brother, you are still perfectly innocent. My brother, you are always happy. My brother, you deserve God's love. These kind of sentiments must be expressed an class="hi2">anan>d shared an class="hi2">anan>d given. Towards the person stan class="hi2">anan>ding in front of you.

In a sense, we are to treat people NOW, while we're here, the way we WOULD treat them if we were in heaven. This is what holy relationship is about. It is a reflection of heaven's real relationships. You are to believe that the only things true of your brother are what GOD defined as true of him. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are to relate to him in recognition that HE IS THAT NOW. From that perspective.

If he is pretending to suffer an class="hi2">anan>d be sick an class="hi2">anan>d die, you should be DISMISSING his attempt to prove his sinfulness an class="hi2">anan>d LAUGH in the face of his efforts to destroy what can class="hi2">anan>not be destroyed. You are to REMIND HIM of what is true of him. an class="hi2">Anan>d that includes the FIRM CONVICTION that he is immortal an class="hi2">anan>d NOT SICK, HAS no faults, IS not sinful, Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT be hurt, HAS NEVER attacked, is UNFOUNDED in his guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d IS LITERALLY immortal an class="hi2">anan>d san class="hi2">anan>e right now.

To do this requires YOUR denial that what the physical senses show is true. It requires YOU not being deceived by illusions. It requires YOU recognizing your brother's innocence an class="hi2">anan>d holiness. It requires YOU not being deluded to think he is a body, or you. It requires YOU to ASSERT that THERE IS ONLY ETERNAL LIFE, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>ything else you might assert has to be dropped. an class="hi2">Anan>d by affirming the truth about him only, devoid of ego bullshit, you INFUSE him with his own light an class="hi2">anan>d heal him.

"Teach only love, for that is what you are."

You must not believe that an class="hi2">ANan>YONE is sick. Sickness is a lie. You must believe that everyone is immortal an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> never die. There is no death, the son of God is free. EXPRESS THIS. Treat everyone like they are perman class="hi2">anan>ently alive, an class="hi2">anan>d recognize in this light that an class="hi2">anan>ything ELSE to the contrary must be a ridiculous lie. By affirming ONLY LIFE, you are the resurrection an class="hi2">anan>d the life, an class="hi2">anan>d you now SUPPORT an class="hi2">ANan>D HEAL your brother of HIS self-inflicted suffering.

By NOT SUPPORTING your brother's delusions about being sick or dead, or unhappy or depressed, or suffering or victimized, you WEAKEN his belief that these things are true of him an class="hi2">anan>d REMIND HIM of what is true. Your remembering IS HIS.

"Do not allow your brother not to remember (that he is immortal innocent spirit), for his forgetfulness is YOURS. But YOUR remembering is HIS, for God can class="hi2">anan>not be remembered alone. THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN. To perceive the healing of your brother as the healing of yourself, is thus the way to remember God. For you forgot your brothers WITH Him, an class="hi2">anan>d God's an class="hi2">anan>swer to your forgetting is but the way to remember."

Use true denial OF denial, to reject what is not true, an class="hi2">anan>d assert what is true. The world, the body, sickness, suffering, death, MUST all be denied. Even the notion that an class="hi2">anan>y of these things EXISTS must be denied. There literally IS no real death or sickness. There is no real sin or guilt. This whole world is a LIE. It is the denial of truth. It is utterly FALSE!

You must not believe its ASSERTIONS that sickness, malfunction, damage, attack, vulnerability, corrosion, decay, or an class="hi2">anan>y other kind of imperfection exists. They were illusions made to blind you an class="hi2">anan>d keep you in hell.

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world, God did not create it. For what He creates must be eternal as Himself."

REJECT THE WORLD. DENY IT an class="hi2">ANan>Y TRUTH. REJECT DEATH. CHOOSE LIFE. ASSERT RESURRECTION. HEAL YOUR BROTHER. REMIND HIM OF HIS IMMORTALITY.

To be a miracle worker who does their own will, is a spiritual ego. Becoming miraculous while maintaining the ego is a good disguise for pretending to be a miracle worker while blocking God!

It becomes apparent that miracles are only possible when God is involved. They are God's will. So the only way you're going to be able to perform them is by aligning with God's will.

That mean class="hi2">anan>s you don't get to have your special ego party with magic tricks.

This is why Jesus warns against attempting to use miracles as party tricks.

Miracle principle 10: "The use of miracles as spectacles to induce belief is a misunderstan class="hi2">anan>ding of their purpose."

You can class="hi2">anan>'t really perform a miracle unless God is involved, so an class="hi2">anan> attempt to do so is actually magic.

It also mean class="hi2">anan>s you can class="hi2">anan>'t perform miracles if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to get your ego will performed. I've done this man class="hi2">anan>y times. It's a mistake, trying to be an class="hi2">anan> ego-healer or an class="hi2">anan> ego-miracle-worker, to get to happen what you wan class="hi2">anan>t for ego reasons, even if they seem like good reasons.

Surrendering the notion that you can class="hi2">anan> just "do whatever you like" with the miracle, which suits your ego greatly, has to make you come to realize that miracles MUST an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> ONLY work, IF God is involved.

an class="hi2">Anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s "thy will not my will be done". It mean class="hi2">anan>s surrender.

Sorry this is a bit longish... it's hard to explain.

The physical world is a holographic dream. But the way that it is holographic isn't very obvious. an class="hi2">Anan>d most people do not believe it is a dream!

Firstly, a hologram is not a projected 3D image. It is not the hollywoodized concept of an class="hi2">anan> artificial three-dimensional object projected in space that you can class="hi2">anan> view from an class="hi2">anan>y an class="hi2">anan>gle. That very loosely is tied to the idea of a hologram an class="hi2">anan>d they just ran class="hi2">anan> with it an class="hi2">anan>d turned it into a marketing exercise.

Holograms have some interesting properties which describe the way that this world is put together, an class="hi2">anan>d the reason why it is a dream.

You will see a hologram on most credit cards. It's the little shiny symbol in the corner which, if you look at it from different an class="hi2">anan>gles, appears to let you see a virtual object suspended in space. You actually seem to be able to look at it from different an class="hi2">anan>gles, even though it's a flat image. They use this on cards because they are hard to man class="hi2">anan>ufacture, requiring precise laser technology, so this offers a certain level of protection against fraudulent cards.

The idea of a hologram is that information about the whole of something is present in all of the parts. On your credit card, information about the image of an class="hi2">anan> object as viewed from countless different an class="hi2">anan>gles, is embedded into each tiny particle of the image. It's as though there were thousan class="hi2">anan>ds of cameras recording images of the object from different an class="hi2">anan>gles, an class="hi2">anan>d then all of these images were overlaid on top of each other. Therefore each part of the image contains a ton of information, much more than class="hi2">anan> just one particle of image.

One way to produce a hologram like this is to create tiny 3-dimensional bumps which you project different images onto from a specific direction. When your viewing an class="hi2">anan>gle chan class="hi2">anan>ges, you see a different side of the bumps thus forming a different image. That's a very loose approximation of how a hologram works.

One of the properties of a hologram, therefore, is that if you remove a physical portion of the holographic image, it does not lose a specific portion of the information stored in it. That's because the same information is present in all of the other parts of the image. It's like storing the same piece of data a thousan class="hi2">anan>d times scattered across the surface. Chopping off a part of the object does not lose information stored in that part, it only reduces the overall sum total of occurrences of the information.

In the book, The Holographic Universe, it was described for example that a person had a portion of their brain removed. It was believed by science that certain memories were stored in that part of the brain, an class="hi2">anan>d that removing it would definitely produce a memory loss. However, afterwards, the person still could recall the memory, it was just a little fuzzy. That's because the memory was actually stored throughout the brain in a holographic man class="hi2">anan>ner, mean class="hi2">anan>ing that "all" of the memory was stored in "every part" of the brain. Removing one part of the brain did not remove a specific portion of the memory. The memory could still be recalled an class="hi2">anan>d reassembled because all of it was stored in all parts. Just with a little less clarity. The brain is holographic.

So in a hologram, each specific part of an class="hi2">anan> object isn't JUST that part of the object, it is also connected to an class="hi2">anan>d shares information with all of the other parts. This is also similar to the scientific theory that matter is energy which exists as a kind of field of potentiality, which, when you look at it with consciousness, it condenses the field into a tight point an class="hi2">anan>d shows up as a particle. The particle then seems to be the only part visible so you think that that's all there is to it, but the particle actually is still intimately connected to an class="hi2">anan>d extends into the field. Thus there is an class="hi2">anan> extension beyond the form of matter.

an class="hi2">Anan>other word that describes this extension beyond the form, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea that the part contains the whole, is a "symbol". Symbols are representations of something greater beyond themselves. They are not the thing, but they're sort of a condensed representation of the core qualities of the thing. They allude to something beyond themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d they point in the direction of the whole of the thing they represent. They don't show up as the thing in its entirety, only as a small image which "symbolizes" the thing. an class="hi2">Anan>d what is it that we know of that are built from symbols? Dreams.

Now, the reason that we can class="hi2">anan>'t usually tell this physical universe is a holographic dream, is because as much evidence as possible that each part (particle) is connected to the "all" has been squeezed out. The matter that shows up, as form an class="hi2">anan>d objects an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d worlds, are symbols representing energies that are far bigger than class="hi2">anan> the objects themselves, an class="hi2">anan>d which connect the objects together. In other words, there is a lot of SHARING going on behind the scenes, but by the time the energy field coalesces into tight concentrations - as matter - you only see the concentrations ie forms, an class="hi2">anan>d you don't realize that these forms are symbolic of something more beyond them. You fixate on the form of what is visible an class="hi2">anan>d think that this is all there is, as though the symbol is not really a symbol but is actually the whole 'thing' in completeness.

So at the most extremely spread out end of the hologram, which is the physical universe, it APPEARS that there is no sharing. Particles do not seem to share the same space. They do not seem to be connected. Everything seems to be separated out. Objects do not really touch each other, but are held at a distan class="hi2">anan>ce by forces. an class="hi2">Anan>d so this makes us believe that each object does not share an class="hi2">anan>ything with other objects, particularly if you fixate on the object's form an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ce. This is an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion composed of SYMBOLS, which you have interpreted incorrectly to be NOT symbolic, an class="hi2">anan>d instead see only the condensed form of the hologram, which makes you think that physical matter is entirely fixed an class="hi2">anan>d is showing you all of what exists.

This illusion, then, that matter is all separate an class="hi2">anan>d that there is no sharing going on, deceives you to believe this world is not a hologram, because you don't SEE the ways that the particles are joined together, or joined to the whole. You also don't see the ways that the whole is present in every part. You don't recognize, an class="hi2">anan>d your body can class="hi2">anan>'t show you, that this so-called reality is actually just a SYMBOLIC collection of temporary images, not a final end-state in its own right but a place that points beyond itself.

Just as your dreams at night are highly symbolic, so too the physical world is completely symbolic. There are established massive symbols in this world which represent all kinds of aspects of the separation idea. For example, outer space, empty an class="hi2">anan>d black an class="hi2">anan>d cold, symbolizes the unconscious mind, whereby instead of there being light everywhere, light is denied an class="hi2">anan>d reduced to tiny concentrations - which you call stars, which are symbols of the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the conscious mind as separated selves. If you go into it, there area man class="hi2">anan>y man class="hi2">anan>y symbols in this world representing the structure of the ego an class="hi2">anan>d its interpretation of the truth. The body is a symbol of the idea of separation from the whole environment, for example. It is not just a form an class="hi2">anan>d a finite thing in its own right, it REPRESENTS the idea in the mind that you are separate from the whole. It is a symbol with a hidden background.

Most people do not think they are inside a dream. They think that there are no symbols an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Yet they might loosely say from time to that that something seems symbolic. When you have synchronicities an class="hi2">anan>d things seem to correlate an class="hi2">anan>d be "connected", that's you starting to realize an class="hi2">anan>d tap into the hologram, into the field of energy, which is diffused beyond just physical appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. You're sensing an class="hi2">anan>d noticing that, uncan class="hi2">anan>nily, two seemingly separate symbols are actually related. ie you start to realize that there is something CONNECTING things together in a semi-mean class="hi2">anan>ingful way (synchronicity is "mean class="hi2">anan>ingful coincidence"), an class="hi2">anan>d coincidence mean class="hi2">anan>s co-incidence, ie two things correlating, because they share a holographic background.

Dreams at night occur at what you could call a higher level of the hologram. As such, in a night dream, the seemingly concrete, fixed quality of matter is not as "dense" as in the physical universe. Therefore the reality of the dreams are much more highly an class="hi2">anan>d obviously symbolic, not just that the objects an class="hi2">anan>d events in them symbolize things you experienced in the daytime or whatever, but that they actually represent things. Dream interpretation isn't just an class="hi2">anan> attempt to derive mean class="hi2">anan>ing from something that has no mean class="hi2">anan>ing, it is actually based on the fact that dreams are entirely composed of SYMBOLS, an class="hi2">anan>d those symbols are the structure of "dream reality" because dream reality is holographic, objects an class="hi2">anan>d events are representations an class="hi2">anan>d not things in their own right, an class="hi2">anan>d everything is joined together beyond just the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of its form.

Sometimes you will notice that you have dreams which are far more symbolic than class="hi2">anan> others. Sometimes you'll have a dream where it seems effortless for objects to tran class="hi2">anan>sform bizarrely into other objects. I remember having a dream where I walked out the front door an class="hi2">anan>d there was like a dog barking an class="hi2">anan>d something chan class="hi2">anan>ged in my mind an class="hi2">anan>d the dog turned into a small child an class="hi2">anan>d started to talk to me an class="hi2">anan>d then something else happened an class="hi2">anan>d the child turned into an class="hi2">anan> adult. This is possible because in these dreams, the "form" or the fixed condensed material quality of the reality experience, the holographic reality, is not as dense an class="hi2">anan>d not as concrete. Abstract weird stuff happens.

It's much easier at that level, where matter has not concentrated so tightly, for forms to SHIFT an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge quite naturally an class="hi2">anan>d normally. Forms that shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge, by the way, is the foundation of all "life forms" that GROW an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge over time, demonstrating that their reality is not actually fully fixed. an class="hi2">Anan>d symbols can class="hi2">anan> more easily tran class="hi2">anan>sition into other symbols at the deeper level of the abstract hologram. The very form of objects can class="hi2">anan> convert into other objects, as symbols shift around.

I also had a dream once which explicitly explained to me the holographic nature of dreams. In this dream I stood on a small bridge. There was nothing else in the scene. Then around me in all directions were apparently images, but each of these images was a symbol. It wasn't that I took the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the image at face value, but instead, I recognized that the images were symbolic an class="hi2">anan>d therefore they "led" to something that they REPRESENTED. I could literally FEEL an class="hi2">anan>d sense that these symbolic images were not only connected to "other realities", but that the way the image was showing up wasn't "the whole" of what existed. It was just one finite expression of what it represented.

So it was possible to actually sort of "go into" the image, into the symbol, which caused it to expan class="hi2">anan>d as I moved closer to the environment that the symbol represented. I was able to travel through holograms this way. an class="hi2">Anan>d it was then possible to take some other part of the environment, an class="hi2">anan>d go into it in similar fashion, upon which it would also expan class="hi2">anan>d out or elaborate into an class="hi2">anan> entire scene based on that chosen focus. This showed me that the dream reality is highly holographic an class="hi2">anan>d fluid an class="hi2">anan>d symbolic an class="hi2">anan>d that everything is connected together behind the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the symbols.

The physical world is less obviously symbolic an class="hi2">anan>d holographic because it is more DENSE, an class="hi2">anan>d that mean class="hi2">anan>s the shared energy field - the all - has been very strongly broken out, to create the ILLUSION that each part barely has an class="hi2">anan>y trace of a connection to an class="hi2">anan>y other part. The extreme of separation is so strong between parts that you would be forgiven for being convinced not only that each object is not a symbol at all, but that there is nothing "beyond" the form of each object, nothing is shared, nothing is connected, an class="hi2">anan>d there is no reality beyond appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. This is the lowest "level" of the hologram, where the unfied field, the shared symbolic nature of this dream, has become so cemented an class="hi2">anan>d "physicalized" that it barely seems possible to you that it is a dream at all. So extreme is the degree of concentration an class="hi2">anan>d contraction o the energy here, that it's almost undetectable to sense or tell that everything is joined.

That is, perhaps, unless you are an class="hi2">anan> "empath", which is someone whose mind is able to sense where the symbols lead, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> expan class="hi2">anan>d upon what lies beyond them as though tuning into the hologram's symbolism an class="hi2">anan>d travelling in Spirit to its source. This is also why empaths are able to actually tune into "real people" that show up on television recordings or in movies, because even though the recording was done in the past, there is STILL a symbolic holographic connection between that IMAGE an class="hi2">anan>d the actually thing it represents. The mind can class="hi2">anan> go into that image an class="hi2">anan>d sense an class="hi2">anan>d explore things about what the image shows, navigating through the symbolic hologram.

This highly obscuring, difficult to discern, God-blocking, reality covering, immense illusory dream, which seems to have solidified into a consistent solid world, is precisely what you wan class="hi2">anan>ted! This is why you used a holographic dream to create a world of separation, an class="hi2">anan> illusion, where the illusion IS that the world is NOT symbolic, it is NOT a dream, an class="hi2">anan>d it APPEARS to be solid an class="hi2">anan>d real with everything separate.

We've pushed the hologram to the limits of physical density, causing particles to remain very fixed-seeming in their arran class="hi2">anan>gements, which has created the ILLUSION of a place of form where consistency is very very sustained over long period of time. Objects don't apparently chan class="hi2">anan>ge into other objects, an class="hi2">anan>d you as a limited mind do not SEEM to have hardly a trace of power to chan class="hi2">anan>ge objects into other objects, because they're being held in a physicalized state very strongly, unlike the conditions in a nighttime dream which is much more maleable. Unless you're Jesus ;-) Events mostly do not seem to be symbolic. Bodies seem to function based on non-holographic laws. an class="hi2">Anan>d nothing seems to be connected to a greater whole.

Then you are left only with the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the physical matter, you make up laws about it based on its behavior, an class="hi2">anan>d then you justify that your science is correct based on its illusion of consistency, an class="hi2">anan>d have moved into the "linear" perspective. But the truth is lateral, vertical, because if you move out of the physicalized EFFECT an class="hi2">anan>d back towards the abstract CAUSE, you become able to modify the physicalization of matter to take on a different form. an class="hi2">Anan>d this would be considered miraculous.

This therefore shuts out the idea of GOD, which is a reality where everything is shared. This is because the world was made as a defense against God an class="hi2">anan>d as a way to OBSCURE the truth that God is omnipresent, that ALL of Him is fully present in all parts. In physical matter, this could not be more obscured as an class="hi2">anan> illusion that the all is NOT in an class="hi2">ANan>Y part, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore that the all does not exist. That was the PURPOSE of the physical world. To hide God from awareness.

So just because you think this world is an class="hi2">anan> objective, verbatim kind of reality, it's not. It's a holographic dream. an class="hi2">Anan>d sometimes this holographic dream actually does shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge in symbolic ways that defy all logic an class="hi2">anan>d scientific explan class="hi2">anan>ation. Quite literally, sometimes, people report cases where an class="hi2">anan> entire building which did not exist the day before, suddenly materializes in a known location that simply was not there. Somehow, it simply shows up in the dream hologram because of some kind of shift in the energy focus.

Also quan class="hi2">anan>tum physics is starting to reveal how objects at a distan class="hi2">anan>ce can class="hi2">anan> share the same reality - that a particle of light can class="hi2">anan> be in two places at once, an class="hi2">anan>d that chan class="hi2">anan>ges to the particle in one location AUTOMATICALLY chan class="hi2">anan>ges the particle in the other location with NO TIME DELAY. This is "physically" impossible, in terms of a fixed dense world of form an class="hi2">anan>d matter, but in terms of holographic dreams, it is TOTALLY NORMAL! In fact, that this isn't happening more often is very abnormal, an class="hi2">anan>d shows you the extent to which we have designed this "world" (which is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusory dream) to APPEAR to be very fixed an class="hi2">anan>d separated.

In higher, more symbolic night dreams, it's possible to do things to bend reality, modify objects, tran class="hi2">anan>scend physical laws, tran class="hi2">anan>sform one thing into an class="hi2">anan>other etc... all quite naturally, because that's what's possible when you know that everything is ONE, an class="hi2">anan>d everything is joined together. Form, matter, objects an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces, including bodies an class="hi2">anan>d worlds, are nothing more than class="hi2">anan> SYMBOLS, an class="hi2">anan>d those symbols can class="hi2">anan> easily shift an class="hi2">anan>d chan class="hi2">anan>ge "form".

Having mastery over this dream illusion gives you the ability an class="hi2">anan>d mastery to defy all of the so-called "physical" laws, which are merely laws based on visible concentrations of the one field, an class="hi2">anan>d to do things like walking on water, chan class="hi2">anan>ging objects into other objects, disappearing sickness, reversing death, etc. The miracles Jesus demonstrated merely shows us that this dream is a holographic illusion which is completely malleable, its form is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a temporary expression of an class="hi2">anan> idea, an class="hi2">anan>d everything can class="hi2">anan> be modified.

This world isn't real. It is a dream. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. It's a temporary concentration of an class="hi2">anan> idea of separation, an class="hi2">anan> idea that "the all" does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d the idea that nothing is shared. It takes the form of a hologram which goes from a state where everything is one, to a state where nothing is one, an class="hi2">anan>d every level in between. The all IS in every part, because every part is not the WHOLE, it's just a portion of the whole. You are not seeing the whole picture! an class="hi2">Anan>d if you believe solely based on "appearan class="hi2">anan>ces" that physical matter is all that there is, you are completely falling for the holographic illusion that nothing is connected.

Everything is connected. All is One. At at the very peak of the hologram, everything is shared everywhere. God is omnipresent. All of God is in all parts fully, an class="hi2">anan>d this completely defies all physical laws. The physical laws do not apply to MIRACLES because miracles are expressions of the abstract source of the hologram, from the field of mind an class="hi2">anan>d energy which tran class="hi2">anan>scends particles an class="hi2">anan>d concentrations of matter, an class="hi2">anan>d which all of the symbols POINT TO.

So yes, you're dreaming. You're inside a symbolic dream right now, right where you are, as you read this, with your holographic dream body. All is not what it seems. There is reality beyond this apparent world, an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces are not reality. Thus there is no real world here. At most, this world is a SYMBOL, an class="hi2">anan>d not a finite concrete objective wholeness. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet even as a symbol it is just a symbol in a dream, an class="hi2">anan>d this dream is not real, because DREAMS ARE NOT REAL. That is why there is no real world here, no real death, an class="hi2">anan>d no real sickness or suffering.

We are mean class="hi2">anan>t to wake up from the entire holographic projection an class="hi2">anan>d return to the abstract source of truth where ALL IS ONE.

"The ego is certain that love is dan class="hi2">anan>gerous, an class="hi2">anan>d this is always its central teaching. 2 It never puts it this way; on the contrary, everyone who believes that the ego is salvation seems to be intensely engaged in the search for love. 3 Yet the ego, though encouraging the search for love very actively, makes one proviso; do not find it. 4 Its dictates, then, can class="hi2">anan> be summed up simply as: "Seek an class="hi2">anan>d do not find." 5 This is the one promise the ego holds out to you, an class="hi2">anan>d the one promise it will keep"

The ego is simply an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny the existence of love. Using it, you deny the existence of love within you. This mean class="hi2">anan>s you put in place a belief, that you do not have love in you. That you are not made of love or are inherently love.

Since love is the absolute core essence of what you are, your soul, to suggest there is no love in you is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to say "love is not your identity." Your very "self" is brought into question.

This creates the belief in a LACK of love within you, an class="hi2">anan>d also the belief you are NOT love an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not BE loved. This is brought about by the idea of sin, which suggests you are separate from Love - from yourself, an class="hi2">anan>d from God.

Since you believe it’s not in you, an class="hi2">anan>d you feel empty an class="hi2">anan>d lacking, you have now become "needy". You’ve invented a fake need - an class="hi2">anan> absence of love. This compels you to SEEK FOR LOVE. You reason it is not in you, so it must be an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE else other than class="hi2">anan> in you.

The problem is, it is not an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE ELSE other than class="hi2">anan> in you, shared with God. So as soon as you start to seek for it, you move AWAY from where it is, an class="hi2">anan>d TOWARDS where it is not. It is not "out there", outside of you.

This compulsion to address the "hole" in your heart by finding what’s "missing", sends you on an class="hi2">anan> extraordinary journey away from yourself. You are literally trying to "find yourself" an class="hi2">anan>ywhere other than class="hi2">anan> where you are, within. You are also therefore trying to find love, an class="hi2">anan>ywhere other than class="hi2">anan> where it is, within.

This then mean class="hi2">anan>s you don’t believe the love is going to come from yourself. Someone or something OTHER than class="hi2">anan> you has to provide it. So now, whether or not you have love, or even your self, depends on someone or something outside of you providing it. If they fail to provide it, it’s their fault. I they provide it, you worship them. an class="hi2">Anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> seeing it in yourself.

This also mean class="hi2">anan>s therefore, you now believe that someone else has taken posession or responsibility for your love, an class="hi2">anan>d your self, as if having stolen it from you. You now see your self an class="hi2">anan>d your love, in other people, locked up inside them, as though it’s stuck in them. an class="hi2">Anan>d now it’s your job to steal it back from them. You believe it belongs to you, an class="hi2">anan>d that you’ve lost it.

What you are looking for in them, however, is not real love. You already believed that there is no real love in you. You already chose not to have real love. You saw yourself as unworthy of it when you believed in sin (separation from love). This made you perceive that there is no love outside you either, because you will perceive externally what is within your beliefs. A lack of love in you will show you its absence outside of you. So real love is nowhere to be found.

Instead, what you seek for is a replacement for love, a substitute for love, an class="hi2">anan>d for yourself. You are seeking for specialness, some sense of "value" that you wan class="hi2">anan>t an class="hi2">anan>d think is worth having - or which will save you from your emptiness. an class="hi2">Anan>d you are also trying to find a substitute identity, something which can class="hi2">anan> stan class="hi2">anan>d in for who you really are. Something which seems special an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> somehow be similar to the love you lost sight of. You wan class="hi2">anan>t to become spiritual an class="hi2">anan>d special an class="hi2">anan>d the best you can class="hi2">anan> be.

This is all described in the laws of chaos.

Law #1) The truth is different for everyone - this results from everyone failing to see an class="hi2">anan> equivalent love in themselves. What they see themselves as they believe is truth. If they are not all the same love, their own selves are different an class="hi2">anan>d conflicting, so now the truth is different because identities are different.

Law #2) Everyone must sin an class="hi2">anan>d deserves attack an class="hi2">anan>d death - comes about from having attacked yourself an class="hi2">anan>d believing that someone else did it to you. Disowning your own love an class="hi2">anan>d your own self was an class="hi2">anan> act of becoming irresponsible, through disassociation, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore someone else is responsible for what you are. That mean class="hi2">anan>s it seems like they took this love from you, so you are justified in attacking back to re-acquire what they stole, or to force them to give it to you.

3) God is believed to agree with your lack of love - since you yourself believe it is true, see love/God as separate, an class="hi2">anan>d as having attacked, you believe the truth is that love is no longer love. That mean class="hi2">anan>s God is not love, so God agrees you are not love, which mean class="hi2">anan>s God can class="hi2">anan>not help you to get your love or self back. If neither of you are love, you have to get it somewhere else.

4) You can class="hi2">anan> get from others what you lack - since they stole it you feel justified in getting it from them. In the least, to have them willingly shower you with specialness. In the worst, to rip it from their dying limbs in a murderous attack. What is it that you are trying to get from them? A replacement for the love you lost - specialness an class="hi2">anan>d a replacement identity.

In addition to this process, the absence of love compels you to find a substitute in specialness. A lack of love makes the illusory world seem real to you. You are blind to its fan class="hi2">anan>tasy because your lack of love makes you feel imprisoned by it, like a needy inmate. Your mind now is in a split state, because you’ve introduced a separation between you an class="hi2">anan>d love. Between you an class="hi2">anan>d yourself. This has split your mind an class="hi2">anan>d you are now split minded, in two minds.

When the mind is split, it sees one half of the split as different to the other in some way. Typically this skews the mind‘s associations where one part of the mind seems to contain illusions of innocence, an class="hi2">anan>d the other part illusions of attack/guilt. One part is thought to be your self, the other not yourself. This is disassociation.

The mind associates more with the part which seems innocent as a way to avoid the pain of "no love", ie sin, an class="hi2">anan>d relegates the rest of the belief in sin to unconsciousness. This later is projected out an class="hi2">anan>d is not associated with as "my self". It is considered "other than class="hi2">anan> me", even though it is inside the same mind. "Ideas leave not their source", so your "enemy" is now inside your own mind, making it able to attack you. It is you attacking you. All attack is self attack. (The secret to salvation is that you are doing this to yourself).

The part of mind that tries to focus only on an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of love, an class="hi2">anan> illusion of innocence, an class="hi2">anan> illusion of spirituality, an class="hi2">anan> illusion of peace an class="hi2">anan>d happiness, remains in conscious awareness. It is what has been "permitted" into awareness. "You" then think that this self is ALL of yourself. You do not see the rest, yet alone see it as yourself. You think it is "outside you", because it is external to your persona, but is not outside your mind.

This special part of the mind, the persona, makes the world seem real an class="hi2">anan>d then attempts to section it off into "good an class="hi2">anan>d bad", "right an class="hi2">anan>d wrong", "spiritual an class="hi2">anan>d ego". This is because the mind has done the same thing to itself, labeling some parts as innocent an class="hi2">anan>d some as guilty. It separates the world an class="hi2">anan>d labels some parts or behaviors or diets or clothes or actions as "spiritual" an class="hi2">anan>d some parts as "evil". Then it pits them against each other.

The shift towards trying to include an class="hi2">anan>d accept only the parts which seem spiritual, an class="hi2">anan>d to reject the parts which seem evil, reinforces the artificial sense of sef which your mind is trying to build. It is trying to assemble a fake self, a replacement self, to replace the one you hid from yourself.

Since this all takes place within one "realm", whether your mind or in the world, it mean class="hi2">anan>s you’ll create an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of spirituality, an class="hi2">anan>d will try to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the ego into a "more spiritual" self. You’ll surround it with all kinds of things which look an class="hi2">anan>d sound spiritual, based on judgement an class="hi2">anan>d selecting between illusions.

The problem is that this fake self which is trying to only accept the most spiritual illusions as a sign of awakening, is also attacking the rest of the world, an class="hi2">anan>d yourself, to try to get rid of an class="hi2">anan>y trace of evil/sin.

In the name of "perfecting your self" - your fake self - you’ll attack your real self constan class="hi2">anan>tly to pick it apart an class="hi2">anan>d find an class="hi2">anan>y little thing wrong with it (which you judged/condemned as true of you), to get rid of that an class="hi2">anan>d keep only the best parts. This gradually rips you apart piece by piece. It is actually an class="hi2">anan> act of self destruction, because eventually there will be nothing less. It is self attack in the name of self improvement or "self help".

The more that you try to develop a replacement self, an class="hi2">anan>d to make it spiritual, the less there will be of you. It will create a facade of niceness, seeming spiritual, trying to love everyone, being positive, people pleasing, idol worship, wearing the right clothes, saying the right words, getting dressed up for the lord on sundays to asuage guilt, having all the special books an class="hi2">anan>d charms an class="hi2">anan>d magical things. All to create an class="hi2">anan> illusion of spirituality.

The problem is this spirituality is constan class="hi2">anan>tly under attack by the very parts of Self which that same fake self has judged as evil. Having made sin real, the "sinful others" - your own unconscious self, is now your constan class="hi2">anan>t enemy. You’ll try to hide from it an class="hi2">anan>d avoid it. You’ll try to keep it "in others" or "other than class="hi2">anan> yourself". You’ll see it outside of you an class="hi2">anan>d attack it an class="hi2">anan>d condemn it to disassociate from it. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet it will haunt you an class="hi2">anan>d keep coming back into your awareness, back into your life, to remind you of what you think of yourself. Because it is in your mind an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>’t make it go away without healing the split.

This fake spirituality takes constan class="hi2">anan>t defense. It is exhausting. It also does not work - to undo sin or guilt. Yet it is filled with promise an class="hi2">anan>d hope an class="hi2">anan>d yearning an class="hi2">anan>d striving an class="hi2">anan>d trying an class="hi2">anan>d being passionate about all these magical illusions of wonderfulness. an class="hi2">Anan>d it still leads to death, be sure of that.

The more you seek for love the less love you have, the less life you have, the more you will become sick an class="hi2">anan>d die. "All sickness is a form of seeking outside of yourself." When this fakeness is pointed out, it is taken as a terrible attack. A horrifying truth. In particular when the special relationship is undermined, or shown to be fake, it can class="hi2">anan> be very upsetting. an class="hi2">Anan>d so wages the supposed spiritual war between good an class="hi2">anan> evil. Between yourself an class="hi2">anan>d yourself.

The ego is simply a device you made to show you a distorted version of the truth. It only has one function, to block love. To shut out spirit. It will never have an class="hi2">anan>other function. But a person with fake spirituality will try to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the ego into something spiritual. To take it into the light. To make it be closer to God. This will threaten its destruction, an class="hi2">anan>d the "you" who is identified with it, will take this as an class="hi2">anan> attack. This is the source of all ego rebounds, an class="hi2">anan>d much sickness, which implements defenses against truth to "protect" the ego.

The problem here is, your sense of identity has become associated with the ego. You are then trying to convert yourself from emptiness into "having love" or "being spiritual", but while still holding onto the ego. This makes you try to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the ego into something spiritual. It can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge. It can class="hi2">anan>not become spiritual. It has a fixed function an class="hi2">anan>d a one-track mind focused on death. You’ll have a constan class="hi2">anan>t bouncing back an class="hi2">anan>d forth between fictional spirituality an class="hi2">anan>d despair an class="hi2">anan>d fear. Identifying with it automatically keeps it. Keeping it an class="hi2">anan>d trying to chan class="hi2">anan>ge it into the truth does not work. Ever. It has to be dis-identified from, to reclaim who you are.

But because we have identified with the ego, an class="hi2">anan>d we’re tired of suffering, an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t to become more spiritual, we try to chan class="hi2">anan>ge "our self", which now is the ego. All this will do is tran class="hi2">anan>sform the form that the ego is showing up as. It mean class="hi2">anan>s chan class="hi2">anan>ging up your life to "look" more spiritual. To do the spiritual things an class="hi2">anan>d not the non-spiritual things. To emphasize how evil the evil stuff is, an class="hi2">anan>d how spiritual the spiritual stuff is. To create a special little corner of the world safe from the bad stuff. For a while.

You can class="hi2">anan> see man class="hi2">anan>y Christian class="hi2">anan>s doing this. Not all, but man class="hi2">anan>y. Some, in fundamentalist extremes of ego, heavily believe in "good an class="hi2">anan>d evil" an class="hi2">anan>d will do an class="hi2">anan>ything they can class="hi2">anan> in a war against evil to judge it an class="hi2">anan>d make it very wrong, while also trying to cultivate an class="hi2">anan> "image" of being more spiritual. This then entails wearing the "Sunday best", being "good", condemning "evil", adjusting behavior, avoiding sinful behavior, an class="hi2">anan>d generally creating an class="hi2">anan> illusion of spirituality. It is very judgemental because there is so much separation in it.

You can class="hi2">anan> also see this in most of the world’s religions. People with their false Gods, their idols, their shrines, their special songs, their statues, their rituals an class="hi2">anan>d traditions, their special clothing, daily behaviors, sacred images, holy locations, an class="hi2">anan>d various other magical things. You also see this in all super-positive approaches (magical unicorns) an class="hi2">anan>d all super-negative approaches (witchcraft etc). Both, being a belief in a special external power, or external love, are beliefs in magic. Just different sides of it.

These are all ego distractions of false spirituality. Also the new-age movement with its positive thinking, magical charms an class="hi2">anan>d paraphenalia, law of attraction, yoga, special kinds of body activities, etc is all part an class="hi2">anan>d parcel of an class="hi2">anan> illusion of spirituality. Things which seem like they will achieve something, but achieve the opposite, is the hallmark of the ego. The test of an class="hi2">anan>y genuine spirituality is whether it "really works" to bring about more awareness of love.

All of this is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to "find yourself". It’s the same thing as trying to find love. Believing that it is OUT THERE, an class="hi2">anan>d that if you just try hard enough you will find it. The ego has a response for you. It will tell you that you need to make a lot of passionate effort to become spiritual. It will encourage you to do lots an class="hi2">anan>d lots of "spiritual practice". Even if it overwhelms you. Why?

Because it denies that you are already very spiritual. It takes you away from the love that is already in you. Having a really strong passion for "finding the truth" an class="hi2">anan>d "finding love" an class="hi2">anan>d "becoming spiritual" actually makes you feel hopeless an class="hi2">anan>d worthless an class="hi2">anan>d unloved. It takes you away from the love that you are already. Appreciating what you already have (gratitude for what God has given) is a better strategy.

The more the ego can class="hi2">anan> emphasize how much love you lack, the more it can class="hi2">anan> compel you to seek for it. The more estran class="hi2">anan>ged your are from your own self, the more you think you will find it outside you or in someone else. The more you disown your own love, the more you will blame others for making it go away. an class="hi2">Anan>d the more you try to find it, the LESS you will find it.

You already had it! Seeking for it makes it seem like it’s not here. Seek, an class="hi2">anan>d you will not find it. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will not find love or truth, or health, or happiness, or wholeness, or peace, or willingness, or power, or unity, or joy, "in" the world outside of you. If you are doing that, prepare to be disappointed. This is the ego’s guaran class="hi2">anan>tee.

After you have recognized these illusions an class="hi2">anan>d have stopped trying to pretend to be loving or spiritual, through radical honesty an class="hi2">anan>d authenticity an class="hi2">anan>d responsibility, sorting out what is really true an class="hi2">anan>d what is really false, an class="hi2">anan>d have surrendered the seeking, an class="hi2">anan>d have seen through the TRAP of believing that you are not ALREADY love, you will return back to where you started from. This is the "journey without distan class="hi2">anan>ce". Your destination, the love within you, where God put it, required no real distan class="hi2">anan>ce at all. To find it, you didn’t need to travel in dreams at all.

Love is already in you. God put it there.

Your SELF, your real identity, is already in you. God put it there. No-one can class="hi2">anan> give it you you an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>’t find it an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. Because you have not lost it.

The only problem you have are the blocks to the *awareness* of love’s presence WITHIN YOU. It’s already there!

It’s just covered up. It’s hidden. Love being hidden makes it seem like love has "gone away". This suggests that you really did become sinful, as if you sin made innocence become corrupted. You never did. You just *covered up* your innocence with a cloud of images of sin, an class="hi2">anan>d then tried to cover that up with illusions of innocence. Sin did not corrupt your innocence, or make you unworthy of love. It just temporarily blocked your awareness of it being PRESENT, right here, in you, as you, right now.

You have no needs. You need do nothing. You need not seek for love. "You are the love you’ve been looking for." All that is needed for enlightenment is the recognition of this truth. "Enlightenment is a recognition an class="hi2">anan>d not a chan class="hi2">anan>ge at all." It mean class="hi2">anan>s recognizing where love IS, that you ARE IT, accepting that it is COMPLETELY TRUE OF YOU, your willingness to receive it from God, an class="hi2">anan>d your willingness to accept it is IN YOURSELF ALREADY! Accepting the atonement is accepting that you never did lose the love that you are.

You already have the light in you. You already have the truth in you. You just don’t believe it’s there or that you’re worthy of it, or that you wan class="hi2">anan>t it, or that you need it, or that you can class="hi2">anan> have it, or that it hasn’t gone way. Love didn’t leave you. Love didn’t reject you. You left love. This is the inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce that we threw away. an class="hi2">Anan>d which is waiting for us to reclaim. God has kept our love safe for us, forever.

We ALREADY HAD EVERYTHING we needed. God already gave it fully an class="hi2">anan>d shared it with us. It was after having it that we tried to throw it away. But we could not get rid of it. You can class="hi2">anan>’t make love go away. You can class="hi2">anan>’t get rid of God. But you can class="hi2">anan> deny it is there by blocking awareness of it. Remove the blocts, an class="hi2">anan>d hey presto, OH LOOK, I AM ALREADY LOVE!!!! I’ve been the love that I‘ve been trying to find, all along! Surprise!

To deny God, in attempting to stop Creation/Life, you are choosing death. You wan class="hi2">anan>t God's Life to die. To deny God is to deny what God IS, which is Life, so is an class="hi2">anan> assertion that God is death.

But God Created YOU as Life, so to deny Creation/Life MUST entail you bringing an class="hi2">anan> end to YOUR life as well. You can class="hi2">anan>not deny God without denying yourself. Therefore, denial of God is SUICIDE.

Since all choices to end Life are a choice for death, an class="hi2">anan>d since you ARE Life, an class="hi2">anan>d since death can class="hi2">anan> only happen if you CHOOSE to deny Life, ALL DEATH IS DELIBERATE SUICIDE.

There is no such thing as people dying from 'accidents', or people dying from 'sickness', or people dying from 'attack by others', or people dying from 'acts of nature' or 'old age' or 'time', or people dying from 'unknown causes', or people dying from 'it was their time'. These are just the WAY you chose to die - the FORM of death - it has nothing to do with WHETHER you have to die.

You can class="hi2">anan> ONLY die by committing suicide, which you bring about by REFUSING TO CHOOSE LIFE - which literally mean class="hi2">anan>s, by CHOOSING DEATH. You refuse to choose Life when you refuse to accept God, an class="hi2">anan>d denial of God brings death because God is Life.

Death is never brought about by an class="hi2">anan>y other mean class="hi2">anan>s or for an class="hi2">anan>y other reason than class="hi2">anan> to deny God/Life.

Since YOU are the one choosing to deny God, all death is a CHOICE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

Death is NOT inevitable.

ACIM lesson 152 - the power of decision is my own - "No one can class="hi2">anan> suffer loss unless it be his own decision. No one suffers pain except his choice elects this state for him. No one can class="hi2">anan> grieve nor fear nor think him sick unless these are the outcomes that he wan class="hi2">anan>ts. an class="hi2">ANan>D NO ONE DIES WITHOUT HIS OWN CONSENT." - Jesus

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

You can class="hi2">anan> choose God. God is Life. You are Life. It is only when you deny your Eternal Self that you experience an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of death, an class="hi2">anan>d it is NEVER more than class="hi2">anan> an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Death only appears to happen in a DREAM of death, which is a dream of 'what would be like if God could be denied?' - an class="hi2">anan> impossible fiction.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DIE.

YOU Can class="hi2">ANan> CHOOSE TO LIVE.

Denial of Life is NOT its removal - it is a refusal to ACCEPT that LIFE IS THERE. This does not chan class="hi2">anan>ge Life or stop it, but merely HIDES it from you. Thus death is HIDING from Life, an class="hi2">anan>d it has no power to STOP Life.

Since you can class="hi2">anan> deny Creation but can class="hi2">anan>not REMOVE Creation, an class="hi2">anan>d since YOU are Creation, YOU *Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT* DIE! You can class="hi2">anan> deny yourself but you can class="hi2">anan>not die. "Death" as we are familiar with it, in the world, is nothing other than class="hi2">anan> a state of denial. It is UNTRUE. It is covering up life, NOT getting rid of it.

YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE!

YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE!

YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DIE!

God ALREADY chose for you to live forever. All you have to do is fully accept this an class="hi2">anan>d remove absolutely all efforts to prevent it. Thus you will return/resurrect to ABSOLUTE LIFE an class="hi2">anan>d PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENT EXISTENCE, which can class="hi2">anan>not BE prevented no matter how much you try to deny it. "You can class="hi2">anan> deny reality, but you can class="hi2">anan>not chan class="hi2">anan>ge it." - Jesus

YOU ARE IMMORTAL SPIRIT, you will live forever.

My note: I love it when everything becomes totally clear an class="hi2">anan>d logically consistent an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>'t be denied

It's not just death that we fear, it's perman class="hi2">anan>ent death. We tried to give all illusions a sense of eternity, constan class="hi2">anan>cy, perman class="hi2">anan>ence an class="hi2">anan>d irreversibility. We aren't just afraid of dying, or that someone will die. We're afraid it will be a total absolute perman class="hi2">anan>ent separation from which there is no return, a total an class="hi2">anan>nihilation, extermination, utter blotting out of life forever an class="hi2">anan>d ever, never again to be seen. A complete a total real separation an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> absolute loss of all relationship an class="hi2">anan>d all hope of resurrection or communication. Forever.

If so-called life on the physical level were real, this would be true. For here bodies do indeed become perman class="hi2">anan>ently dead, the corpses rot an class="hi2">anan>d are become worm food, an class="hi2">anan>d all supposedly living things meet with perman class="hi2">anan>ent endless locked-in destruction. Bodies wither an class="hi2">anan>d die an class="hi2">anan>d testify to the victory of the God of death over the God of life. The ego's crown jewel, it's final statement that there is no life an class="hi2">anan>d all that was immortal has been fully killed.

Such was the purpose of the ego world we made, to try to prove that perman class="hi2">anan>ent irreversible death is real. A world of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d torment an class="hi2">anan>d final execution. The inevitable sword of doom that finally strikes, not if but when.

Such is the lie, because nothing that has eternal life can class="hi2">anan> die, not even slightly. Perma-death is the ego's final illusion, its utter bullshit, an class="hi2">anan>d its total defense against God. In your complete an class="hi2">anan>d successful death, the ego triumphs over God's creation, an class="hi2">anan>d then take a shit on your grave for good measure.

Only in you becoming utterly non-existent would it be satisfied, an class="hi2">anan>d the ego itself is the idea of total non-existence. But that is why is does not exist, an class="hi2">anan>d that is why there is no such thing as perman class="hi2">anan>ent death. Perman class="hi2">anan>ent actual non-existence does not exist. Which mean class="hi2">anan>s that death is not real, is always temporary, reversible, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> never prove God's son can class="hi2">anan> be murdered. an class="hi2">Anan>d this mean class="hi2">anan>s that an class="hi2">anan>ything that seems to die must be a deception an class="hi2">anan>d not a reality.

Death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. No-one is ever lost forever. The entire sonship of God's family is perman class="hi2">anan>ently an class="hi2">anan>d irreversibly united in perman class="hi2">anan>ent life an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan> endless eternity of absolute joy. No-one can class="hi2">anan> ever split us apart. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> ever come between us. There can class="hi2">anan> be no real loss, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing real can class="hi2">anan> ever be threatened. Death is a lie. There is no death, an class="hi2">anan>d the sons of God are free forever.

"There is no death, because the living share the Function their Creator gave to them."

"Salvation seeks to prove there IS no death, an class="hi2">anan>d ONLY life exists. The sacrifice of death is NOTHING lost. an class="hi2">Anan> idol Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT take the place of God"

"There is no death because what God created shares His Life.

There is no death because an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God does not exist.

There is no death because the Father an class="hi2">anan>d the Son are One."

"There IS no death, but there IS a belief in death."

"In the dreams HE brings, there IS no murder, an class="hi2">anan>d there IS no death."

"There is no death because the Son of God is like his Father."

"Death is a human class="hi2">anan> affirmation of a belief in fate. That is why the Bible says "There is no death," an class="hi2">anan>d that is why I demonstrated that death does not exist."

"There is no death. The Son of God is free. an class="hi2">Anan>d in his freedom is the end of fear."

"Brother, there is no death. an class="hi2">Anan>d this you learn when you but wish to show your brother that you had no hurt of him."

It's interesting how Jesus redefines the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of words. It mean class="hi2">anan>s that when you first read something He says, you might "read into" its mean class="hi2">anan>ing based on the mean class="hi2">anan>ing of words that you already have, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore not understan class="hi2">anan>d what He's saying.

Example: "death".

Jesus clearly says that the entire dream of separation is a dream of death.

Jesus clearly says that even a slight amount of unhappiness or grievan class="hi2">anan>ce is a state of death.

Jesus clearly says that all forms of sickness are "a little death."

Jesus clearly says that the separation idea was an class="hi2">anan> attempt to oppose God's will an class="hi2">anan>d to be totally opposite to His creation. His creation is life, so this is an class="hi2">anan> idea of death.

Jesus says death is the central dream from which all illusions stem, an class="hi2">ANan>D that the last illusion to be overcome - really the ENTIRE illusion, is death.

Jesus clearly says that all things which seem like "life forms" in this world only have an class="hi2">anan> appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of life at best, an class="hi2">anan>d death at worst.

Jesus clearly says that there is no life outside of heaven, so an class="hi2">anan>ything outside of heaven is technically "death".

Jesus also clearly says that without the idea of death, there is no world.

It goes on an class="hi2">anan>d on. So what must be happening here is, Jesus is using the word "death" to refer to things that ACTUALLY ARE death, in that they are opposite to or opposed to what is ACTUALLY life. But WE did not previously understan class="hi2">anan>d these things to BE death.

So it's like, we do not RECOGNIZE what death IS, or the various states an class="hi2">anan>d forms that death takes. We haven't recognized that even a slight grievan class="hi2">anan>ce is an class="hi2">anan> idea of murder ("what is not love is murder".). We haven't recognized that sickness is death, or that the world is death, or that without death there is no plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, or that this world is entirely MADE OF the idea of death, without which there is no world here at all.

So Jesus doesn't so much use mean class="hi2">anan>ings an class="hi2">anan>d terms with the definition we're familiar with. Nor does he necessarily use dictionary definitions. He basically teaches us WHAT HIS definition is, an class="hi2">anan>d his definition is in line with what is ACTUALLY TRUE, rather than class="hi2">anan> what we've THOUGHT was true. e.g. Death is not just "what happens when a body dies."

So that mean class="hi2">anan>s we have to UN-LEARN what we've taught ourselves an class="hi2">anan>d open ourselves up to learning what Jesus is teaching us is the "correct recognition" of what something is. If we don't do that, an class="hi2">anan>d we maintain EGO definitions for things, such as that death is only a body in the ground, an class="hi2">anan>d that a pre-death state of sickness an class="hi2">anan>d suffering "has no death in it", then we are now mistaken an class="hi2">anan>d deceived by appearan class="hi2">anan>ces.

Jesus does the same thing with various other terms as well, because what He's trying to teach us is the TRUTH rather than class="hi2">anan> our stran class="hi2">anan>ge twisted an class="hi2">anan>d distorted interpretations. We have a big problem with not RECOGNIZING the truth, OR recognizing illusions, OR recognizing this world for what it is. We don't even recognize that we're dreaming an class="hi2">anan>d that everything we see here is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

So we have to go through a process of learning an class="hi2">anan>d redefining an class="hi2">anan>d letting go an class="hi2">anan>d opening up an class="hi2">anan>d allowing ourselves to receive a new outlook on life, a new way of regarding what's going on here, an class="hi2">anan>d learn to see it all from Holy Spirit's perspective. an class="hi2">Anan>d that's going to have to entail realizing that we've been mistaken, illusions we thought were real are not real, an class="hi2">anan>d the truth about this world is not what we thought it was.

If you are affected in an class="hi2">anan>y way, it is not YOU who is affected, it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion (body etc). an class="hi2">Anan>d if it is affected in an class="hi2">anan>y way, you are trying to use it to prove you can class="hi2">anan> be affected. You can class="hi2">anan>not be affected, you are immortal. So you're faking it, an class="hi2">anan>d it's pointless. You can class="hi2">anan>'t chan class="hi2">anan>ge the fact you are immortal, ever. Your perman class="hi2">anan>ence is guaran class="hi2">anan>teed.

"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 which has the power to make you ill or sad, or weak or frail. But it is you who have the power to dominate all things you see by merely recognizing what you are. As you perceive the harmlessness in them, they will accept your holy will as theirs. an class="hi2">Anan>d what was seen as fearful now becomes a source of innocence an class="hi2">anan>d holiness."

"He can class="hi2">anan> see no evil; nothing in the world to fear, an class="hi2">anan>d no-one who is different from himself."

"The world you see is an class="hi2">anan> illusion of a world. God did not create it, for what He creates must be eternal as Himself. Yet there is nothing in the world you see that will endure forever. Some things will last in time a little while longer than class="hi2">anan> others. But the time will come when all things visible will have an class="hi2">anan> end."

"I am not the victim of the world I see."

"It is but an class="hi2">anan> effect that YOU have caused, an class="hi2">anan>d you would not BE cause of this effect."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an class="hi2">anan> effect it can class="hi2">anan>not make effects. "

""My Self is ruler of the universe." - It is impossible that an class="hi2">anan>ything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny. What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to happen."

"If the mind can class="hi2">anan> heal the body, but the body can class="hi2">anan>not heal the mind, then the mind must be STRONGER. Every miracle demonstrates this."

"He MUST deny the world of pain, the instan class="hi2">anan>t he perceives the arms of love around him. "

"This world you see MUST BE DENIED, for sight of it is costing you a different kind of vision. YOU Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT SEE BOTH WORLDS. For each of them involves a different kind of seeing, an class="hi2">anan>d depends on what you cherish. The sight of one is possible because you have DENIED THE OTHER. ... Both are not true, yet either one will seem as real to you, as the amount to which you hold it dear. an class="hi2">Anan>d yet their power is NOT the same, because their real attraction to you IS unequal. You do not really wan class="hi2">anan>t the world you see, for it has disappointed you since time began class="hi2">anan>. The homes you built have never sheltered you. The roads you made have led you nowhere, an class="hi2">anan>d no city that you built has withstood the crumbling assault of time. Nothing you made but has the mark of death upon it. Hold it not dear, for it is old an class="hi2">anan>d tired, an class="hi2">anan>d ready to return to dust even as you made it. ...This aching world has not the power to touch the living world at all."

"You can class="hi2">anan>not be hurt unless you hurt yourself."

"You are immortal an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan>not die. But you can class="hi2">anan> confuse yourself with things that do."

"I am not afraid but all powerful."

I’ve been studying passages about perception lately. There’s a lot of them. The body’s eyes are only capable of fixating on forms an class="hi2">anan>d appearan class="hi2">anan>ces of physicality. They were made NOT to see. They only register "physical signals" of light coming from the outer surface of objects. They eye’s "perception" is equivalent to false perception, because they are blinded by form. The eyes do not see at all.

They pass signals to the mind. The mind is the only thing that sees. The mind then interprets the signals based on the belief system an class="hi2">anan>d values. Whatever you value, you believe in, an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>t. This turns into what you "wan class="hi2">anan>t to see". Similarly fear is used to shut out perception of things you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to see. When you have ego values, you see what you wan class="hi2">anan>t to see as special, an class="hi2">anan>d what you don’t wan class="hi2">anan>t to see is regarded as unreal or evil. This is a dualistic view.

Your perceptual mechan class="hi2">anan>ism is a layer on top of the mind which filters the body signals an class="hi2">anan>d interprets their mean class="hi2">anan>ing. This is where the "world you see", in your mind, is based on the mean class="hi2">anan>ing you give it. The body’s eyes are never capable of showing you reality. They can class="hi2">anan> only send pictures to the mind which are illusions. The world they depict is fundamentally an class="hi2">anan> illusion regardless of HOW the picture is interpreted. It is not possible to use the body’s eyes to see Heaven.

When you move towards true perception, which is still interpretative, you start to put all things into one category in your belief system an class="hi2">anan>d value system, rather than class="hi2">anan> categorizing the world in dualistic terms of special love/special hate. All of the pictures being sent by the body are categorized as UNREAL. They are recognized as being fundamentally illusions, which, when viewed WITHOUT distortion (accurate perception) are easily discerned to be NOT reality. A mind "without illusions" in its perception does NOT "see reality", it interprets body signals as the LIES they were made to be.

To see with true perception lines up perception with the laws of God an class="hi2">anan>d allows the mind to see "through" the perceptual filter without distortion or bias. "The perceptual content of miracles is wholeness." The mind then uses perception to see the "physical signals" "as-is", with no additional mean class="hi2">anan>ing being given them, nothing denied, nothing hidden. When seen "as is", they are simply registered as FALSE. They are OVERLOOKED with forgiveness.

Perception of form becomes very "thin", like a thin tran class="hi2">anan>sparent veil. The body’s eyes here are still registering signals of a physical world, where bodies are in various states of sickness, people are still at war, an class="hi2">anan>d so on, but the mind interprets it all as unreal. The mind is in touch with the fact that it is the one DREAMING, an class="hi2">anan>d that it is the one who has sent the world out there to report back what’s out there. "Miracles remind you of who the dreamer is."

So then the mind knows that ITS DREAM is what is brewing shown to it by the body signals, the dream is fundamentally FALSE, an class="hi2">anan>d does not really exist. It is a very small step from there, "illusions recognized must disappear", for God to now take action to END YOUR DREAMING, remove perception from your mind entirely, an class="hi2">anan>d thus collapse the entire dream including the body an class="hi2">anan>d the physical world which were nothing BUT an class="hi2">anan> illusion. In false perception you ADDED illusions ON TOP OF the illusion. There are TWO LAYERS of illusion. In true perception you came to look at the illusion WITHOUT illusion being added, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing it only for what it is. Then when the world illusion has been recognized, it disappears.

I’ve been hearing people use the term illusion in an class="hi2">anan> incorrect way. As if it mean class="hi2">anan>s, "illusions about" something. You guys need to brush up on your grasp of what an class="hi2">anan> illusion IS. People have too easily equate an class="hi2">anan> illusion with "a false perception of something", an class="hi2">anan>d then equated the "disappearan class="hi2">anan>ce of the illusion" with true perception. As if true perception does not SEE illusions, but sees reality. Let’s be a bit more precice in defining what is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d what is reality.

I was driving one day an class="hi2">anan>d saw what I thought was a two headed bird. It was a large bird like a cran class="hi2">anan>e. I stopped the car an class="hi2">anan>d had a good look. Sure enough it dam well looked like a two headed bird. It seemed REAL. I drove forwards a little an class="hi2">anan>d took an class="hi2">anan>other look. Driving forwards introduced additional information which was HIDDEN from my perception before. Suddenly I was able to see additional legs, an class="hi2">anan>d then it became clear that there were in fact two birds, stan class="hi2">anan>ding right next to each other. The illusion that there was a two-headed bird in reality, was blown. I was now SEEING the TRUTH (true perception) "about" what was ACTUALLY THERE. Seeing the truth, however, merely revealed the information that was hidden, an class="hi2">anan>d the parts of "whats there" that I could not see. My perception became more full an class="hi2">anan>d whole an class="hi2">anan>d inclusive. I was now looking at what was there "as is", instead of with a deluded interpretation.

This is also how it works in the course. You perceive with the body falsely. If you believe that what the body shows you is truth, you are deluded an class="hi2">anan>d in false perception. You believe the ILLUSION or the parts which function together to make it seem like soemthing, is real. You don’t see all the information. They are key facts hidden by denial. You are unconscious. When you open your awareness by removing "blocks to awareness", you gain access to information an class="hi2">anan>d facts which you did not know existed. You start to see more FULLY, all of what is there, as it is, a complete picture, without distortions or hidden information. This merely shows you the "apparatus" that was being used to make something look like somethig else. It’s like being privy to a "behind the scenes" look at the making of a movie. You see the cameramen an class="hi2">anan>d the fake stage an class="hi2">anan>d all the actors "out of character" an class="hi2">anan>d it blows the whole illusion.

True perception shows you these hidden details. But the fact is that SEEING CORRECTLY (corrected perception) only shows you the TRUTH ABOUT what is out there. It only reveals it "as it is "without your interpretations an class="hi2">anan>d stran class="hi2">anan>ge mean class="hi2">anan>ings an class="hi2">anan>d lack of context. It only shows you an class="hi2">anan> undistorted view of what is there. This undistorted view is, you could say, "free of illusions", but more accurately, it is free of BELIEVING that what is out there is REAL. It does not buy into the illusion an class="hi2">anan>y more. It’s like when you solve a puzzle an class="hi2">anan>d now you can class="hi2">anan> never be deceived by it. Or you hear the punchline to a joke an class="hi2">anan>d it’s never as funny after that because you recognize that the setup is a lie. True perception shows you, without distortion, accurately, correctly, that the physical world the body looks at makes no sense, is deceptive, does not match up with God’s nature, is fundamentally flawed, IS ITSELF an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION, an class="hi2">anan>d IS NOT REAL. Jesus is very clear on this in stating that true perception recognizes that what you see in this state is categorically UNREAL.

Bodies, forms, objects, an class="hi2">anan>imals, weather, forests, ocean class="hi2">anan>s, the plan class="hi2">anan>et, galaxies, all of it is a movie set. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you are aware of ALL of the parts of it, see it clearly, an class="hi2">anan>d stop buying into its appearan class="hi2">anan>ce, you will no longer be willing or desiring to believe that it is an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> FALSE. A big lie. A trick. Just a great big scam. That’s why you WAKE UP after seeing that "forgiven world", because you see that what is here - this world - is NOTHING REAL, it has NO VALUE, it’s nothing but smoke an class="hi2">anan>d mirrors that you USED to think was true, an class="hi2">anan>d now you RECOGNIZE it as FALSE. Then it disappears.

You then find yourself in Heaven, where there is no world, no bodies, no spacetime, no plan class="hi2">anan>et, no critters, no forests an class="hi2">anan>d ocean class="hi2">anan>s, an class="hi2">anan>d "nothing there but shines an class="hi2">anan>d shines forever." Now you are in KNOWING of what is REAL. an class="hi2">Anan>d it sure as fuck was not plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth. You’ve now left the MOVIE SET behind, have given up your little toys an class="hi2">anan>d fake play things, have become COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED with the world, an class="hi2">anan>d have now decided to GO HOME TO HEAVEN, leaving this world behind. "The world will spin into the NOTHINGNESS from which it came." "The body is a dream." "The body is the central figure in dreaming an class="hi2">anan>d without the dream it does not exist." (paraphrase)

So all you folks saying "illusions about", are not RECOGNIZING that the world ITSELF is a mechan class="hi2">anan>ism of illusion. FORM is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, no matter HOW you look at it. If you look at it an class="hi2">anan>d think it IS REALITY, now you are blind an class="hi2">anan>d decdived. ONLY by looking at it with true perception can class="hi2">anan> you be NOT DECEIVED by it, not blinded by it an class="hi2">anan>d realize it is 100% fundamentally a device for deception an class="hi2">anan>d untruth, which can class="hi2">anan> ONLY deceive you if you don’t realize what it is doing. In this truth, you SEE form - body signals - as something that you USED TO think was real, an class="hi2">anan>d now you realize it was just a TRICK. If you don’t recognize how this world is LYING TO YOU ("nothing so blinding as sight of form"), an class="hi2">anan>d if you think illusions are ONLY your "interpretations" of what’s out there, you’re going to be staying sleeping for a long time to come.

I think the big gross error that some people are making, is that they have decided:

1) When I’m in ego, I’m not seeing correctly, so I’m making a shit hole out of something that isn’t shitty.

2) When I’m in true perception, I will see the beautiful lovely world with the credit it deserves.

That’s totally fucked. I’m sorry. It’s 100% backwards.

1) When you are having false perception you are BUYING INTO the illusion an class="hi2">anan>d not recognizing it. You think it’s reality, even though you’re having a nightmare. It’s a state of hallucination an class="hi2">anan>d distorted interpretation.

2) When you are having true perception you STOP BUYING INTO the illusion, you recognize it is NOT TRUE. You realize it’s NOT REALITY. You are no longer having a nightmare, but you ALSO ARE SEEING THAT THIS WORLD IS NOT REAL. You stop hallucinating ABOUT IT, but that doesn’t suddenly mean class="hi2">anan> "its reality." You are now seeing the TRUTH ABOUT it. The truth about an class="hi2">anan> illusion is that IT IS an class="hi2">ANan> ILLUSION!!!

This ties in exactly perfectly with what forgiveness is. Forgiveness OVERLOOKS FORMS an class="hi2">anan>d does not make them real. The idea of "looking at" the physical world "with love" an class="hi2">anan>d "seeing it correctly" an class="hi2">anan>d it being fundamentally "a lovely thing" is bullshit to the 10th degree. That’s a total failur to understan class="hi2">anan>d what an class="hi2">anan> illusion is. You are supposed to stop believing it’s real, not believe it’s MORE REAL than class="hi2">anan> before.

This is the *incorrect* view of the metaphysics:

1) False perception shows you a false world or false view OF the world

2) True perception shows you are true world, or a true view OF a true world - as if what’s out there is true an class="hi2">anan>d real

THAT IS WRONG!

This is the CORRECT view of the metaphysics:

1. False perception shows you a *FALSE WORLD*, AS IF IT IS TRUE, making it SEEM REAL. It is backwards perception. It renders reality an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">anan>d illusions reality. You do not realize what you’re seeing "as real" IS NOT REAL. False perception sees this world AS REALITY.

2. True perception shows you a FALSE WORLD, which is NOT REAL, an class="hi2">anan>d recognizing that IT IS NOT TRUE. That the "truth about" it is that IT IS NOT TRUE. It renders reality as reality an class="hi2">anan>d illusion as illusion. Truth = true, false = false. Here you RECOGNIZE that what you’re seeing IS NOT REAL. True perception sees this world AS ILLUSION. **A LIE**

In true perception you will then be so certain that you aree merely PERCEIVING A DREAM, not a reality, that you will be ready to WAKE UP FROM DREAMING.

When you wake up from dreaming, the UNREAL WORLD - Earth - does not suddenly become real! IT DISAPPEARS beacuse it was never real to begin with!

What REMAINS is Heaven, which has nothing to do with this unreal illusory world whatsoever.

"Heaven remains your one alternative to this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made." You MADE this world with illusions. Making makes illusions. It is not creation.

Eternity, Heaven, is the living world of light, our home in God. It is reality. It is a "world" of light, in which there is only light. There is no darkness, no shadows, no blockages to resist the light. "Nothing there but shines an class="hi2">anan>d shines forever."

The separation is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to deny that this is so, by trying to resist the light. It's an class="hi2">anan> attempt to block awareness of the pervasiveness of light by being unwilling to accept it into the mind. We put up walls that block the light, an class="hi2">anan>d this SEEMS to produce states of darkness.

an class="hi2">Anan> extremely importan class="hi2">anan>t thing to realize here is that the seeming presence of the darkness ENTIRELY DEPENDS on the light being absent. It is a direct consequence or "effect" of the light being blocked. When the block is removed or the light is allowed to shine an class="hi2">anan>d pervade, what happens to "the darkness"? It doesn't go an class="hi2">anan>ywhere, it doesn't displace, it doesn't hide. Darkness can class="hi2">anan>not make light go away. Light completely overpowers it an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>cels it. It simply van class="hi2">anan>ishes.

Where is the darkness, in the light? There isn't an class="hi2">anan>y. In perfect light, infinite light, there is no darkness an class="hi2">anan>ywhere. So what happens to the darkness when the light shines? The light SHINES AWAY the darkness. How does it do it? Because darkness isn't really a THING in its own right, it is ONLY the temporary, illusory result of blocking the light.

The darkness's entire "existence" is 100% dependent on the light remaining blocked. The darkness is like a shadow. The shadow doesn't determine for itself what it is, it is a consequence or result of the way the light is blocked. It acquires all of its properties, shapes an class="hi2">anan>d forms, from the blockage, an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan> only symbolize the blockage. Having no inherent qualities, properties, behaviors, characteristics, life, or existence of ITS OWN, it is merely a side-effect of the appearan class="hi2">anan>ce that "light is absent."

When you block the light of Heaven's reality, the world God created (the Sonship, not the Earth), you seem to produce in your mind a blockage to the light, which produces shadows or "darkness". Or to put it an class="hi2">anan>other way, darkness SEEMS to come out of nowhere, when the light is blocked. It just sort of "appears", like a mirage or hallucination. It isn't caused by an class="hi2">anan>ything real, it is "caused by" the illusion that reality is not present.

Darkness is sort of like a "hole" in the light. an class="hi2">Anan>d the darkness seems to take on various shapes, forms, sizes, appearan class="hi2">anan>ces. It may seem to represent objects. It may even seem to take on the shape of a human class="hi2">anan> body, a tree, a plan class="hi2">anan>et or a galaxy. It may even SEEM as if these "objects" are actually alive or moving an class="hi2">anan>d thinking for themselves, as if they have an class="hi2">anan> actual existence or identity, which none of them have. Shadows have no inherent properties of their own, no mind, no will an class="hi2">anan>d no life. These "life" FORMS are the illusion of what *separateness* looks like - the absence of Heaven's light. Shadows are always fragmented an class="hi2">anan>d conflicted.

All of spacetime is a bubble of darkness, like a hole in Heaven, where light seems "shut out". The "world you made" to block the light, the world which is "an class="hi2">anan> attack on God", the world which is a "picture of the crucifixion of God's son", the world of "death" or the "dream of death", are all this same one thing - the illusion of the absence of God/Light.

The entire "physical universe" is this appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of a non-existent, lifeless, unreal, illusory world, which houses an class="hi2">anan>d includes the Earth an class="hi2">anan>d all bodies an class="hi2">anan>d objects. All of these things can class="hi2">anan> ONLY seem to exist, WITHIN the absence of light, AS the absence of light, an class="hi2">anan>d only so long as the light is absent. They are "made of darkness", lack, emptiness, absence, NOTHINGNESS. They are not made of light. an class="hi2">Anan>d darkness is only an class="hi2">anan> illusion. It's a stran class="hi2">anan>ge hallucinated imagined appearan class="hi2">anan>ce of what it would look like IF light could be made to be absent.

When you are in a dark room, an class="hi2">anan>d you switch on the light, what happens to the darkness? Does it go somewhere? Does it turn into light? Is it retained? Does a chunk of it still persist in the light? Are its dark forms an class="hi2">anan>d shapes kept? No. The light DISPELLS them. They simply van class="hi2">anan>ish. They "cease to seem to be." They don't tran class="hi2">anan>sform into light. They just disappear. They are the OPPOSITE of the light an class="hi2">anan>d do not really exist. When the light is allowed to shine, the darkness or "lights absence" is corrected, light is supplied, an class="hi2">anan>d there is nowhere - no gap or hole - in which the darkness could SEEM to exist.

The world, including the Earth, all its forms, creatures, ocean class="hi2">anan>s, forests, the moon, the sun, the entire galaxy an class="hi2">anan>d all the thousan class="hi2">anan>ds of galaxies, the void of space an class="hi2">anan>d all of time, are all symptoms or side-effects of what it seems to look like when light is absent. They are HELD in place by minds who are resisting the light an class="hi2">anan>d trying to enforce a blockage or denial of the light. When these minds come around an class="hi2">anan>d are healed, they will no longer desire that light be absent, an class="hi2">anan>d so there will be nothing "to keep a separated world in place." Without an class="hi2">anan> active resistan class="hi2">anan>ce to the light, there is nothing to prevent light/love from entering an class="hi2">anan>d dismissing the illusion that darkness exists. OR the illusion that the world exists.

It does not matter in the big picture whether you view this world through false perception or true perception. It does not matter whether you glimpse the real world or see the world as wholly forgiven an class="hi2">anan>d benevolent. "A forgiven world can class="hi2">anan>not last" because the world is nothing but "a thin veil over the face of Christ." When the light shines brightly enough, the dark veil that LOOKS LIKE a plan class="hi2">anan>et, will become tran class="hi2">anan>sparent, thin, like a puff of smoke which can class="hi2">anan> easily be dispelled. The entire universe, all forms of matter, all objects an class="hi2">anan>d bodies, will become increasingly invisible. As though you are pushing past a thick heavy curtain which is finally parting to reveal the LIGHT behind it which it was BLOCKING.

The world, including Earth, IS nothing but a blockage to the light. It DEPENDS ON the light remaining blocked in order to SEEM to exist at all. It is MADE OF an class="hi2">anan>d exists only WITHIN the illusion of darkness. Nothing about it is real. Nothing about it is light or life. It's a shadow. What happens to shadows when the light shines? They do not exist. They are REPLACED with light. The ego is where the darkness WAS. The world is where the darkness WAS. Bodies are where the darkness WAS. an class="hi2">Anan>d they absolutely DO NOT EXIST in the light.

Being MADE OF darkness, if you take them to the light they will be dissolved, shone away. "Illusions recognized must disappear." "The body can class="hi2">anan>not remain without illusions." Try taking an class="hi2">anan> illusion of light's absence INTO the light, an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not remain. Its nature, which is light's absence, IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH HEAVEN'S LIGHT. It is THE OPPOSITE of Heaven's light. Never the two shall meet. "Earth, Heaven's opposite in every way."

The closer you approach the light which is BEYOND the body an class="hi2">anan>d BEYOND the world, behind them, the world will become less an class="hi2">anan>d less of an class="hi2">anan> obstacle. It will seem less an class="hi2">anan>d less heavy or serious. It will seem to become lighter, itself, as its tran class="hi2">anan>sparency begins to allow the light BEYOND it to shine through. As you begin to "see God in everything you see" because God is BEHIND the things you see. The things you see are BLOCKS to God. To forgive them is to OVERLOOK them (NOT SEE THEM) an class="hi2">anan>d to see PAST the "gran class="hi2">anan>ite block of sin" (the veil of matter) TO reality.

"Unity alone is not a thing of dreams (not Earth). an class="hi2">Anan>d it is this God's teachers acknowledge as **behind the dream**, **beyond all seeming** (behind the world) an class="hi2">anan>d yet surely theirs." It is the light BEYOND hell/dream/darkness/Earth that appeals to you, it is that light which you Wan class="hi2">ANan>T to see, it is that light which is coming from an class="hi2">ANan>OTHER WORLD (Heaven), an class="hi2">anan>d it is that light which is God which you see "in" or "through" or "behind" the things you see, while you are traveling TOWARDS the light.

As you move closer an class="hi2">anan>d closer to the light BEYOND the veil of matter (wall of sin), the veil dissolves. The veil ITSELF (the world you made - including Earth) thins out, stops seeming so solid, stops seeming to represent "real sin" or "real guilt", an class="hi2">anan>d it in a sense will seem to stop looking like "hell". It may even seem to become lovely or holy. But the loveliness is not there AS the world which is still made of darkness, it is there because there is increasingly LESS darkness (world) an class="hi2">anan>d increasingly more light (Heaven), revealed through spiritual sight/vision in parallel to the darkness that the body's eyes see.

The FORGIVEN WORLD is the thinnest, lightest, least dense, least heavy view of the SHADOW WORLD that's possible, while still seeing it. It's a perception of the ILLUSION of light's ABSENCE, in which the light is barely absent at all, such that the illusion seems to slightly remain as a THIN VEIL over Christ's face, an class="hi2">anan>d Christ's face is almost fully seen.

The forgiven world, Earth an class="hi2">anan>d spacetime, grows lovelier ONLY because it is DIMINISHING, an class="hi2">anan>d only because a loveliness is shining FROM BEYOND IT, coming from behind it, as the veil of matter dissolves. It is the SOURCE of the light that you wan class="hi2">anan>t to get to. Just because the forgiven world seems illuminated BY this holy light, does not MAKE IT holy. It is NOTHING. It merely becomes like a spotless mirror in which you see a *reflection* of the light of Heaven, where it is obscuring the light the LEAST while still seeming to slightly exist. Once the light of Heaven beyond the world world/veil shines FULLY, the veil LIFTS, the face of Christ is seen, the WORLD IS FORGOTTEN, there IS NO WORLD, an class="hi2">anan>d Heaven is uncovered at last. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is Heaven that you wan class="hi2">anan>t.

Here, all the things made of death an class="hi2">anan>d darkness are shone away into oblivion, the "world spins into the NOTHINGNESS from which it came", the stars disappear in light, the dark world of shadows van class="hi2">anan>ishes, the world is consumed by the light, shone away because the world is nothing but an class="hi2">anan> ILLUSION of light's absence, an class="hi2">anan>d light's presence forces the impossible world to cease to exist an class="hi2">anan>d "Heaven is all that remains."

Not one single FORM of darkness (matter, energy or otherwise) remains in Heaven because ONLY LIGHT can class="hi2">anan> remain in Heaven. "Gone are bodies in the blazing light of the Son of God." "Gone is perception". "Gone are walls" (objects, plan class="hi2">anan>ets). "Nothing there is seen, only known." The Kingdom of God in all its glory. It was merely HIDDEN behind the blocks to love, the illusion of sin, which took the temporary illusory form of worlds an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d bodies, made "as a place where God could enter not". These walls must go. Matter is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Spacetime is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion.

THERE IS NO WORLD. THIS IS THE CENTRAL LESSON THE COURSE WOULD ATTEMPT TO TEACH. Mean class="hi2">anan>s simply... there is no shadow, no darkness, nothing OPPOSING the light. There is ONLY the Light of the Kingdom of God.

"Forget not the Kingdom of God for an class="hi2">anan>ything the world (physical) has to offer. The world can class="hi2">anan> ADD nothing to the power an class="hi2">anan>d the glory of God an class="hi2">anan>d His Holy Sons, but it can class="hi2">anan> blind the Sons to the Father if they behold it. You can class="hi2">anan>not behold the world an class="hi2">anan>d know God. Only one is true." ... "Nothing so blinding as perception of form" (objects, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets).

To behold (see) the world (Earth an class="hi2">anan>d space) in an class="hi2">ANan>Y way, is to be blinded to God. Not one single FORM, object, body, or plan class="hi2">anan>et, can class="hi2">anan> remain in your vision if you are to experience God. You can class="hi2">anan>not keep the world, or the body, an class="hi2">anan>d be with God. "God can class="hi2">anan>not enter a body, nor can class="hi2">anan> you join him there." "To be without a body is to be in your natural state." To be in/with/having a body is unnatural because the body is darkness (" in the body's darkness"). "The barren san class="hi2">anan>ds, the darkness, an class="hi2">anan>d the lifelessness are seen only through the body's eyes."

Light is natural. Light is eternal life. Light is your home. Light is what you are. "Eternity will shine away the world."

Whatever the extent of your conscious awareness is right now, if it is not technically an class="hi2">anan> awareness of God or the whole of your True Self, then somewhere in you there is unconsciousness.

In spite of that fact, you will still believe that the full scope of your current conscious awareness is the "whole" of who you are, the "whole" of the truth, an class="hi2">anan>d the sum total of all information that's present.

The problem is, if you have unconsciousness to an class="hi2">anan>y degree, there is some information you are not aware of. You will then attempt to come to conclusions based on all the information available to you at the moment. It will seem then to make sense to you.

This for example is why people become justified in being an class="hi2">anan>gry. They are unconscious of the way they have projected sin onto others, unaware of the full dynamics of the situation. It then *seems* (an class="hi2">anan> illusion) that, because of a block to awareness, it is perfectly logical an class="hi2">anan>d sensible to conclude, based on what you are *aware of*, that the other person is the one who caused your upset. Then you will be justified in being an class="hi2">anan>gry or blaming them. But this is because you do not see the whole picture.

an class="hi2">Anan>yone in a body who has an class="hi2">anan> ego, has some unconsciousness. That also mean class="hi2">anan>s, their sense of identity is limited, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore there is some kind of illusion of a self which is *blocking* awareness. This illusion of self is a mask or facade or persona. Typically this persona presents itself as "innocent". Everyone thinks they are innocent. That's because this innocence HIDES, an class="hi2">anan>d makes unconscious, their guilt.

You have to realize then that you have a facade of fake innocence which has blinded you. You have to also realize that, even if you THINK you are fully aware right now, are fully yourself, or are fully in the truth, you probably are not (unless you really are with God). You will not BE AWARE that you have an class="hi2">anan> unconscious mind. You ego persona will deny it an class="hi2">anan>d cover it up. But it is there.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s you have to be willing to question your facade of fake innocence an class="hi2">anan>d whether there might be DENIAL happening, which is hiding truth from you. When truth is hidden you can class="hi2">anan>not see correctly an class="hi2">anan>d WILL come to false conclusions. This confusion then is responsible for ALL UPSET, resulting from mis-perceiving what is happening. You NEED more information in order to properly evaluate what is happening. You need a bigger picture. Without it, you are blinded an class="hi2">anan>d will react to illusions.

Jesus says in the miracle principles, that miracles should be happening ALL THE TIME, an class="hi2">anan>d that when they are not happening, something has gone wrong.

What this MUST mean class="hi2">anan>, is that miracles are not simply shifts in perception TOWARDS truth, but they are expressions OF truth. The expression OF truth may well shift perception if perception needs shifting, but the miraculousness of the miracle is an class="hi2">anan> expression from a higher place of LOVE.

When there is love, there is miraculousness. When there is love, supernatural "abilities" are absolutely unlimited. When love is not blocked, there are NO LIMITS to what the mind can class="hi2">anan> do. There is nothing that your miraculous holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do. Being miraculous is a PERMan class="hi2">ANan>ENT CONDITION.

Being miraculous is not something that just happens in the dream while we are waking up an class="hi2">anan>d then STOPS. Bullshit. Miracles are supposed to be happening ALL THE TIME, an class="hi2">anan>d when they are not happening, something has gone wrong. Therefore, the only time where miracles are NOT happening is when something has gone wrong, mean class="hi2">anan>ing we are in the ego. When we are NOT in the ego, MIRACLES WILL BE CONSTan class="hi2">ANan>T.

YOU are also a miracle of God. God's CREATION is a miracle. Miraculousness is NATURAL. It is the natural way that an class="hi2">anan> immortal spirit is able to create using the UNLIMITED power of the mind, at an class="hi2">anan>y time, in an class="hi2">anan>y way. It is an class="hi2">anan> expression of LOVE. Love is always expressing "supernaturally", in comparison to this world's unnatural nature.

You will not put miracles aside when you wake up. When Jesus woke up to God he did not STOP being able to perform miracles! In fact he is now utterly UNLIMITED in what He can class="hi2">anan> do. There is nothing your holiness can class="hi2">anan>not do. ALL EXPRESSION OF LOVE ARE A MIRACLE. When you return to being loving you will RETURN to being miraculous.

Perman class="hi2">anan>ently miraculous. You will become "miracle minded". A miracle worker.

Miracles shift perception towards God an class="hi2">anan>d atonement, IF that perception is unhealed an class="hi2">anan>d "needs a miracle". When perception is all the way SHIFTED, an class="hi2">anan>d is IN the atonement, the mind does not suddenly drop its ability to perform miracles or to heal. It becomes EVEN MORE ABLE. an class="hi2">ANan>D then its focus will be more on performing miracles for OTHERS, because miracles are the MAXIMAL SERVICE that you can class="hi2">anan> render to others. Ie, loving others unconditionally an class="hi2">anan>d fully is healing an class="hi2">anan>d helpful to the absolute maximum degree possible. Mean class="hi2">anan>ing, unlimited.

Miracles are an class="hi2">anan> EXPRESSION of the atonement. Miracles are love. Love is natural. Miraculous love should be happening all the time.

It’s not just a matter of something happening physically. It’s not just a matter of what is demonstrated. Since form can class="hi2">anan> be chan class="hi2">anan>ged EASILY by a miracle worker, sickness can class="hi2">anan> be flipped on an class="hi2">anan>d off, an class="hi2">anan>d bodies made to appear an class="hi2">anan>d disappear in an class="hi2">anan> instan class="hi2">anan>t, it is hardly that importan class="hi2">anan>t to use miracles JUST to show off or to make stuff happen. If these things were second nature, miracles would be like an class="hi2">anan> everyday occurrence, just something natural.

The importan class="hi2">anan>t thing about miraculous demonstrations is that they PROVE that the ego is false. Even if the demonstration is taking place inside the dream world, witnessed by regular people who may not even be particularly aware spiritually, it is a *teaching device* because it shows in an class="hi2">anan> obvious way that ego beliefs are false. This can class="hi2">anan> have a profound effect on the mind that witnesses them.

If something were to happen according to the ego’s laws, some kind of "accident" perhaps where someone gets hurt, an class="hi2">anan>d if suddenly all of the effects an class="hi2">anan>d harm are completely undone in front of onlookers, what do you think that will do to their mind?

If you witness a miracle, it can class="hi2">anan> really blow your mind. You might interpret it as a threat, as magic, as voodoo, witchcraft, some kind of demonic posession, or an class="hi2">anan>y number of things, because your EGO will not be able to deny it or comprehend it. The miracle will SHOW, demonstrate, that some aspect of your ego belief system is FALSE. Right in front of your eyes.

If you believed that the body is real, bad things happen, wounds can class="hi2">anan>’t be healed, an class="hi2">anan>d then suddenly all of that is shown to be FALSE, something profound happens to your awareness. It’s like there is suddenly a LIGHT, you suddenly SEE something which you never saw before.

You see a possibility. You see OUTSIDE of the ego’s laws. Your thought system is thrown into question. Your entire world view is undermined. It’s been blatan class="hi2">anan>tly proven to you that the ego’s laws are false, an class="hi2">anan>d you can class="hi2">anan> barely believe it, but you can class="hi2">anan>’t deny it. The demonstration of the truth perman class="hi2">anan>ently chan class="hi2">anan>ges your mind! It causes you to have an class="hi2">anan> awakening! Something inside your dream has come to show you that it IS a dream an class="hi2">anan>d is not true.

This is the powerful TEACHING DEVICE of the miracle. It is not there to just show off that you can class="hi2">anan> man class="hi2">anan>ipulate matter or raise people from the dead. They are used to show that the ego is FALSE, all of its laws are FALSE, laws of physics are FALSE, limitations are FALSE, even death is false. If this were shown to you right in front of your face, you would NEVER again be able to look at life the same way.

When Jesus resurrected an class="hi2">anan>d came back an class="hi2">anan>d showed up as a body, having just been made dead not so long ago, witnessed by man class="hi2">anan>y people, this DEMONSTRATED that death is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, that the body has no power over the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d that you are IMMORTAL. If you experienced this first-han class="hi2">anan>d, can class="hi2">anan> you imagine the profound challenge this PROOF would pose to your thought system? All your world view an class="hi2">anan>d beliefs about what you thought the world an class="hi2">anan>d the body even ARE, as gross assumptions, would be brought into question. You would never be able to think of death or bodies the same way again!

It’s not the "form" the miracle took that is importan class="hi2">anan>t, but what it TEACHES, by virtue of the mere fact that it is POSSIBLE. IF such things are possible, it renders man class="hi2">anan>y other things obviously UNTRUE - ie, the ego. It blows the doors off what you THOUGHT was true, an class="hi2">anan>d awakens you. This is how miracles SAVE TIME because they are such powerful learning experiences!

If Jesus could do it, so can class="hi2">anan> you.

Have you done this? I know I have done it man class="hi2">anan>y times: "Who but yourself evaluates a threat, decides escape is necessary, an class="hi2">anan>d sets up a series of defenses to reduce the threat that has been judged as real?"

Something happens, typically something related to a body - something physical which the body reports as happening. Then I observe it an class="hi2">anan>d judge - THIS IS REAL - something's happening, something's going wrong.

Then there is a whole cascade of reactions, starting with immediate fear. There are defenses, attempts to escape, attempts to find cures, attempts to explain the causes. All attempts are me trying to defend against the "reality" of the problem, which, because it IS real to me, can class="hi2">anan>not BE escaped.

an class="hi2">Anan>d always no matter what I do, what I think, how I approach it, there is still the fear response to something that seems unchan class="hi2">anan>geable, fixed, stuck, irreversible, an class="hi2">anan>d deadly.

This is always because at the "core", I've given REALITY to something that the body showed me. I've decided this is real, an class="hi2">anan>d have interpreted it as totally real. By making it real, I locked it in place, turned it into an class="hi2">anan> inescapable sin, gave it perman class="hi2">anan>ence, an class="hi2">anan>d set it up as the truth.

Now it can class="hi2">anan>not be questioned, undone, chan class="hi2">anan>ged, healed, or corrected. Knowing this produces inevitable unresolvable fear. If it is real, there is nothing I can class="hi2">anan> do about it. an class="hi2">Anan>d this always leads to a feeling of powerlessness, hopelessness, weakness, incapability, inadequacy an class="hi2">anan>d shame. As if the thing is just dan class="hi2">anan>gling there in front of my face taunting me an class="hi2">anan>d haunting me with its threats of inevitable suffering.

"NOT because it has the power to hurt, but just because YOU have denied it is but an class="hi2">anan> illusion, an class="hi2">ANan>D MADE IT REAL."

"Its plan class="hi2">anan> is to have you SEE ERROR CLEARLY FIRST, an class="hi2">anan>d THEN overlook it. But how Can class="hi2">ANan> you overlook what you have made real? By seeing it clearly, you HAVE made it real, an class="hi2">anan>d Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT overlook it."

All of this begins the moment that I look at something an class="hi2">anan>d decide for myself, "this is real". This one act of reading reality into it, taking it seriously, forgetting to laugh, focusing on it like it's literally right there in front of my face as proof that it exists, is enough to cement it into my mind. As soon as it is locked in, nothing whatsoever can class="hi2">anan> dislodge it an class="hi2">anan>d it looms over me like a constan class="hi2">anan>t threat.

The ego has counseled that I need to look clearly an class="hi2">anan>d closely at what is an class="hi2">anan> error - an class="hi2">anan> illusion of something going wrong - as if it is real, an class="hi2">anan>d examine it, an class="hi2">anan>d figure out what it is, an class="hi2">anan>d an class="hi2">anan>alyze it, an class="hi2">anan>d describe it, an class="hi2">anan>d find the cause of it. an class="hi2">Anan>d that only by looking intensely at it as a real problem can class="hi2">anan> I possibly find a solution to it. But this does not work because all it does it holds the problem in place.

The ONLY thing which can class="hi2">anan> truly uproot an class="hi2">anan>d solve the problem, is the recognition that I am the one who decided it was real in the first place. I bought into the illusion. I fell for the temptation. I forgot to laugh at it. I thought it was serious. I gave it mean class="hi2">anan>ing. I decided what it was an class="hi2">anan>d why it mean class="hi2">anan>t. an class="hi2">Anan>d only by this decision, based on inputs from the body senses, did I convince myself "this is really happening, holy shit, there is no escaping it."

I must then reverse this belief, this core key moment, realizing that since I gave it this reality, I can class="hi2">anan> withdraw this power from it also. an class="hi2">Anan>d I must do this is if I wan class="hi2">anan>t to experience atonement an class="hi2">anan>d freedom.

"If you give no power to the fog to obscure the light, it HAS none, for it has power ONLY because the Son of God gave power TO it. He must HIMSELF withdraw that power, remembering that all power is of God."

It mean class="hi2">anan>s I have given my power away to an class="hi2">anan> illusory world, have set it up to have power over me, an class="hi2">anan>d now I see it as causing me. an class="hi2">Anan>d now I am starting to experience the consequences an class="hi2">anan>d effects that it implies. an class="hi2">Anan>d only by taking its power away can class="hi2">anan> I free myself from my self-made imprisonment.

This problem has no power, it is not real, it is not happening, it is not true, it does not exist, it is not there, it is already gone, it never happened, it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion an class="hi2">anan>d is nothing.

an class="hi2">Anan>d then I can class="hi2">anan> laugh an class="hi2">anan>d be free from the clutches of this tiny an class="hi2">anan>choring black-hole of despair an class="hi2">anan>d deception. It is truly nothing an class="hi2">anan>d I has no power over me.

We think of the world as the opposite to heaven, made to be its opposite as an class="hi2">anan> attack on God. But something else also happened in the separation. We switched around what is true an class="hi2">anan>d what is false. By making an class="hi2">anan> opposite to heaven, we asserted that something false can class="hi2">anan> also be true, or that something opposite to the truth can class="hi2">anan> be true. That unreality can class="hi2">anan> really exist. This confused what is false an class="hi2">anan>d what is true.

So we actually went from a state where only the truth is true, an class="hi2">anan>d what is false is false, to a state where what is false is true an class="hi2">anan>d what is true is false. It is this mixing of true an class="hi2">anan>d false that produces the ego, which is the sense of insan class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d backwardness an class="hi2">anan>d contradiction that pervades the seemingly opposite world.

The world then isn't just the opposite of heaven. It's also the opposite of the recognition that only what's true is true an class="hi2">anan>d what's false is false. It therefore produces a world in which reality an class="hi2">anan>d illusions seem to be combined, an class="hi2">anan>d now you can class="hi2">anan>not tell what is real an class="hi2">anan>d what isn't.

When something false is regarded as true, such as a mistake, that mistake is now believed to be not a mistake but a justified fact. If the opposite of the harmlessness of God is attack, an class="hi2">anan>d if attack is true not false, then attack becomes real. Real attack is the idea of sin. The combination of a mistaken unreal impossible illusion of attack, combined with a confusion about what is true an class="hi2">anan>d what isn't.

To recognize that the ego an class="hi2">anan>d the body an class="hi2">anan>d the world are nothing but a mistake, you have to simply become clear about what is true an class="hi2">anan>d what is false. This lifts away from the world all sense of truth, because it is a false world. In a false world, attack is not reality. It's an class="hi2">anan> illusion of attack, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing real is ever hurt. This is why the worlds attacks are reinterpreted as errors, rather than class="hi2">anan> sins, when your mind is corrected.

Mistakes are only sins when they are combined with reality. The man class="hi2">anan>y stran class="hi2">anan>ge an class="hi2">anan>d unnatural things which happen in spacetime are simply symptoms of a false sense of separation. They are just mistakes based on the assertion that separation is possible. Such as that sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death are possible, even though in immortal reality they are not. It's only when you think the world is real that you think sickness an class="hi2">anan>d death are real, otherwise they are simply forgivable errors.

To be in ego is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> to be mistaken, in truth. It just seems like it's more than class="hi2">anan> a mistake, or not a mistake, when you believe the mistakedness. If you are lost in it an class="hi2">anan>d confused about what is true or real, being mistaken starts to look like a deliberate an class="hi2">anan>d real act of sin, with evil motives an class="hi2">anan>d deadly irreversible outcomes. When it is recognized as not happening in reality, it is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> fiction, without an class="hi2">anan>y trace of guilt.

This is why really we need to get to the place where we stop making out that "the ego" is really evil, or really sinful, or really guilty. We need to stop scapegoating it, because that's just more confusion. The ego is not really an class="hi2">anan>ything, it has no reality an class="hi2">anan>d doesn't really exist. It's only when you are confused that you give reality to it an class="hi2">anan>d believe it is real, which turns a mistaken state into a sense of real evil.

The ego is just you being mistaken about what is true. an class="hi2">Anan>d when you stop being mistaken an class="hi2">anan>d recognize it is only a mistake, not a sin, you will see yourself as forgiven, along with the whole world. A world that is based on a mistaken premise that separation is possible can class="hi2">anan>not be an class="hi2">anan>ything other than class="hi2">anan> a mistake. an class="hi2">Anan>d since it it not true an class="hi2">anan>d not real, it can class="hi2">anan>not be a sin or a truly evil world.

The forgiven world therefore is not really evil or really sinful because it doesn't have an class="hi2">anan>y reality or truth to it. A forgiven world is a false world. Only what is illusory or false can class="hi2">anan> be forgiven. The world becomes forgiven when you recognize it is not real, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore is not really sinful. This doesn't mean class="hi2">anan> it is innocent like heaven, because it is false, but it does mean class="hi2">anan> it is just a mistake. When the world is recognized as nothing real an class="hi2">anan>d just the illusory consequence of a make-believe error, it must disappear. an class="hi2">Anan> unreal world can class="hi2">anan>not sin. an class="hi2">Anan> unreal ego can class="hi2">anan>not sin. an class="hi2">Anan> unreal body can class="hi2">anan>not sin. There is no sin because reality can class="hi2">anan>not be sinned against, an class="hi2">anan>d unreality is not even there.

I was contemplating again an class="hi2">anan>y possible conceivable way that the physical world might somehow be part of heaven, or preserved, or keepable, or tran class="hi2">anan>sformable. Like, if we all became very christly an class="hi2">anan>d "dreamed" it into some kind of much higher form, a forgiven world, a sparkling beautiful world full of life, could such a world be integrated into heaven an class="hi2">anan>d literally kept as an class="hi2">anan> eternal thing? Could the mis-creation be converted into or replaced by a creation that lasts forever, such that Earth would essentially be "saved" to such an class="hi2">anan> extent that it could qualify as a legitimate created part of the kingdom of God forever?

To this Jesus remarked, "No. Spacetime will end."

A key thing to realize is that the physical world, the plan class="hi2">anan>et, bodies etc, matter, atoms, it all DEPENDS entirely on separation. Space itself is the very idea that what is over here is not over there. That's a separation idea of exclusion. One atom is excluded from an class="hi2">anan>other. There might be a HINT of sharing but certainly not oneness.

Without separateness you can class="hi2">anan>'t have atoms an class="hi2">anan>d molecules or bodies or plan class="hi2">anan>ets. You have to have a way that something is different over here than class="hi2">anan> over there, forms lack other forms, what is found in one place is not found in an class="hi2">anan>other. That's the very idea of space itself. Without space, or spatial separation, physical matter is impossible. My car being separate from my house is impossible. My body being separate from other bodies is impossible. Without separation Earth is impossible.

When the spacetime world is forgiven, it no longer has a PURPOSE. Because the purpose of it originally was to attack God, an class="hi2">anan>d this purpose was exchan class="hi2">anan>ged for the purpose of forgiveness. Using the world to undo the NEED for the world. Using the body to undo the NEED for a body. an class="hi2">Anan>d once perception has been perfected there is no longer an class="hi2">anan>y NEED for perception.

an class="hi2">Anan>d so the body an class="hi2">anan>d perception an class="hi2">anan>d the world an class="hi2">anan>d space an class="hi2">anan>d time become PURPOSELESS, ie there is no need or USE for it, no further repurposing of it, an class="hi2">anan>d being completely pointless an class="hi2">anan>d unneeded it is simply forgotten an class="hi2">anan>d Van class="hi2">ANan>ISHES COMPLETELY. Cast off an class="hi2">anan>d un-remembered, like a dream that passes an class="hi2">anan>d has no bearing on what really exists.

The world does not reach a state of becoming totally needed, totally wan class="hi2">anan>ted, totally valuable, totally eternal, or totally useful. Its usefulness is temporary because in an class="hi2">anan>d of itself it is mean class="hi2">anan>ingless. IT WILL END. an class="hi2">Anan>d every single piece of content inside of the spacetime bubble will disappear, all matter, all bodies, along with space an class="hi2">anan>d time itself. an class="hi2">Anan>d all that will remain is the heaven that existed BEFORE this whole illusion of a world emerged in our imaginations in the first place.

"The real world signifies the end of time, for its perception makes time purposeless."

"So do the parts of God's Son gradually join in time, an class="hi2">anan>d with each joining is the end of time brought nearer."

"Salvation is a promise, made by God, that you would find your way to Him at last. It can class="hi2">anan>not not be kept. It guaran class="hi2">anan>tees that time will have an class="hi2">anan> end, an class="hi2">anan>d all the thoughts that have been born in time will end as well."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d once all guilt is gone what more remains to keep a separated world in place? For place has gone as well, along with time."

"Ultimately, of course, space is as mean class="hi2">anan>ingless as time. The concept is really one of space-time BELIEF."

"The Atonement was built into the space-time belief in order to set a limit on the need for the belief, an class="hi2">anan>d ultimately to make learning complete."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d here They join, for here the face of Christ has shone away time's final instan class="hi2">anan>t"

"The stars will disappear in light, an class="hi2">anan>d the sun, which opened up the world to beauty, will van class="hi2">anan>ish."

"The world will end in an class="hi2">anan> illusion, as it began class="hi2">anan>. Yet will its ending be an class="hi2">anan> illusion of mercy. The illusion of forgiveness, complete, excluding no-one, limitless in gentleness, will cover it, hiding all evil, concealing all sin an class="hi2">anan>d ending guilt forever. So ends the world that guilt had made, for now it has no purpose an class="hi2">anan>d is gone."

"The world will end when all things in it have been rightly judged by His judgment. The world will end with the benediction of holiness upon it. When not one thought of sin remains, the world is over. It will not be destroyed nor attacked nor even touched. It will merely cease to seem to be."

"The world will end when its thought system has been completely reversed."

"Beyond the body, beyond the sun an class="hi2">anan>d stars, past EVERYTHING you see an class="hi2">anan>d yet somehow familiar, is an class="hi2">anan> arc of golden light that stretches, as you look, into a great an class="hi2">anan>d shining circle. an class="hi2">Anan>d all the circle fills with light before your eyes."

If you think you've sinned, done something wrong, hurt someone, made a major mistake, or are generally feeling rightfully guilty, snap the fuck out of it.

In the ego thought system, expressions of guilt, remorse, shame, fear, unworthiness an class="hi2">anan>d so on, are all cover-ups which mask an class="hi2">anan>d suppress your actual diabolical beliefs.

They are designed to portray you as having "not wan class="hi2">anan>ted" what happened, when in fact you did wan class="hi2">anan>t it. This self which did not wan class="hi2">anan>t it, is a cover-up for the self which did it on purpose, which you do not wan class="hi2">anan>t to admit to.

Nothing happens unless it is deliberate. Nothing happens unless it is chosen. Nothing happens against your will. You are responsible for everything that has happened, so to portray yourself as having not wan class="hi2">anan>ted it to happen is a major form of denial an class="hi2">anan>d dishonesty.

When people do something wrong an class="hi2">anan>d go into guilt an class="hi2">anan>d shame, it seems like this is a natural reaction. We even call it the "guilty conscience" which is supposed to keep us in line an class="hi2">anan>d stop us from being an class="hi2">anan> asshole.

But what really happens is, this is a movement deeper into the ego thought system. It is not an class="hi2">anan> improvement whatsoever.

The truth is, sin is an class="hi2">anan> intentional, deliberate act. It is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to separate from God an class="hi2">anan>d prove that it's really possible. While in a forgiving view, it is seen as merely a mistake which does not call for punishment, within the attempt at sin itself you do believe it was on purpose an class="hi2">anan>d calls for nothing less than class="hi2">anan> death.

After you "sinned", which you wan class="hi2">anan>ted to believe was true an class="hi2">anan>d possible, which you believed in, you started to then try to figure out how to keep the sin intact an class="hi2">anan>d never undo it. That was part of what made sin seem perman class="hi2">anan>ent or irreversible. You wan class="hi2">anan>ted to believe it had this quality, in order to convince yourself you'd actually pulled it off. That you did something so real an class="hi2">anan>d severe that it produced really real consequences which no-one can class="hi2">anan> reverse or disprove.

To keep the sin an class="hi2">anan>d protect it, you invented guilt. You totally made up this story that, all of a sudden, you did not really wan class="hi2">anan>t to sin. This is the beginning of you making out that you are really innocent an class="hi2">anan>d harmless an class="hi2">anan>d couldn't possibly have been the one who sinned. This portrays you as some kind of victim of the sin or as someone who couldn't possibly be considered the perpetrator. Basically an class="hi2">anan> "I didn't do it, don't look at me" attitude.

The guilt then arises only as a cover-up, a way to deny that sin is believed to be real, an class="hi2">anan>d as a way to keep the sin. The guilt suggests you did not wan class="hi2">anan>t to sin, an class="hi2">anan>d it wasn't you who sinned, in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to somehow seem to wan class="hi2">anan>t to take it back. So then you go into all this guilt an class="hi2">anan>d shame, making out that this is how you "really feel", like some kind of genuine remorse. It is not genuine whatsoever. It is the ego pretending to be upset about its deliberate attack on God. The ego has absolutely no real guilt or shame about attacking God, it celebrates it.

The sin which has been made unconscious has been covered over with this totally bullshit made-up fake grief an class="hi2">anan>d guilt, which then the ego wan class="hi2">anan>ts to keep intact an class="hi2">anan>d continue building upon. So then it makes up this notion that you're not even guilty either. It does this by covering up the guilt with an class="hi2">anan>other layer of unconsciousness, a total facade of fake innocence, which is what gives rise to the physical universe an class="hi2">anan>d every "innocent" seeming entity which shows up in it, the most harmless an class="hi2">anan>d inconspicuous an class="hi2">anan>d least-likely to be considered evil expression of identity.

This fake innocence is a further attempt to portray yourself as so weak, so frail, so vulnerable, so open to attack, so incapable of doing an class="hi2">anan>ything, that nobody would suspect you are the one who tried to kill God, an class="hi2">anan>d who wan class="hi2">anan>ted to do so. So then this will give rise to all these other expressions such as fear of punishment. It's a punishment that you believe you deserve, an class="hi2">anan>d believed you deserved right from the start when you sinned on purpose. an class="hi2">Anan>d having not corrected it, you still believe in it, an class="hi2">anan>d it will keep expressing through your mind an class="hi2">anan>d showing up whenever it leaks out of your unconscious mind to attack your fake identity an class="hi2">anan>d defenses.

So then there'll be all this fake sin, fake guilt, fake remorse, fake shame, fake grief, fake loss, fake innocence, fake unworthiness, fake fear, fake punishment, an class="hi2">anan>d fake death, all which comes from this bullshit thought system of lies.

So then an class="hi2">anan>yone who is portraying themselves as "I feel guilty" or "I'm afraid" or "poor me, look what they're doing to me" or "I didn't wan class="hi2">anan>t this to happen"... BULL FUCKING SHIT. It's a total lie. It is the highest degree of irresponsibility, dishonesty, an class="hi2">anan>d fake masks of pretending to give a crap about trying to kill God. It is all EGO. an class="hi2">Anan>d staying in that place of fear an class="hi2">anan>d guilt an class="hi2">anan>d shame does not IN an class="hi2">ANan>Y WAY undo the sin, it does not reverse an class="hi2">anan>y of the consequences, it does not atone or make it up to an class="hi2">anan>yone, it does not heal an class="hi2">anan>ything, it doesn't restore the conditions prior to sin, an class="hi2">anan>d it doesn't increase love an class="hi2">anan>ywhere.

So we have to be willing to admit that our little sob story is utter bullcrap, an class="hi2">anan>d we need to learn to drop it, because it's really an class="hi2">anan> ego activity of self-absorption an class="hi2">anan>d unconscious murderous intention. It isn't serving you or an class="hi2">anan>yone else, an class="hi2">anan>d it isn't helping an class="hi2">anan>ything whatsoever. The ego LOVES this sob-story of guilt an class="hi2">anan>d fear an class="hi2">anan>d victimhood as a way to make out that YOU ARE NOT THE ONE DOING IT, so that you can class="hi2">anan> go all the way even unto DEATH an class="hi2">anan>d claim that you did not choose this. Poor you, totally weak an class="hi2">anan>d helpless an class="hi2">anan>d powerless to do an class="hi2">anan>ything, you couldn't possibly have been the one who believed in real sin, an class="hi2">anan>d who wan class="hi2">anan>ted to do so, in order to make death real.

The only way to truly atone for this make-believe sin an class="hi2">anan>d the entire huge cover-up story that follows it, is to become willing to admit to the LIES that you're telling, to stop using fake ego personas to cover it up, to stop being in denial even unto yourself, to undo an class="hi2">anan>d correct all these bullshit ego believes an class="hi2">anan>d behaviors, to get back to looking squarely at this "sin" that you supposedly accomplished an class="hi2">anan>d becoming willing to question it. Did you REALLY SIN? Was it real, did it really happen, an class="hi2">anan>d do you really NEED all of this other crap to cover it up an class="hi2">anan>d avoid it?

an class="hi2">Anan>d the an class="hi2">anan>swer is no. You DID NOT SIN for real, it has had no effect on an class="hi2">anan>yone, the whole bullshit story of being sorry about it is an class="hi2">anan> illusion, nothing has happened an class="hi2">anan>d no-one has been really affected. You are still innocent. If you are simply mistaken, then you are still innocent. Your mistake calls for a recognition of innocence, not a recognition of guilt. Your mistake calls for forgiveness, not for punishment or death. Your only true way to prove you are "sorry" for what you think you did, to do something about it, is to demonstrate that it was NOT TRUE an class="hi2">anan>d you are NOT guilty an class="hi2">anan>d there have been NO CONSEQUENCES whatsoever.

You're NOT guilty. Stop acting it.

There is a law of God, in that God must give all of himself to create something. an class="hi2">Anan>d what he creates must therefore inherit everything from God. Nothing can class="hi2">anan> be left out. A son of God inherits EVERYTHING. an class="hi2">Anan>d so the creations of God are created "in the image an class="hi2">anan>d likeness" of God.

A Son of God in turn is able to create things by passing onto them ALL that they have received from God. Which literally mean class="hi2">anan>s, passing God onto them. As such, your creations inherit from you what you have inherited from God. This is extension.

There is no limit to what is given, an class="hi2">anan>d no limit to what is received. Therefore, the son of a son has ALL of what the son has, an class="hi2">anan>d ALL of what God has. Similarly, you as a creation of a creator MUST be a co-creator, an class="hi2">anan>d MUST be able to create life just like God can class="hi2">anan>. You create in the image an class="hi2">anan>d likeness of yourself an class="hi2">anan>d God.

"If creation is sharing, it can class="hi2">anan>not create what is unlike itself. It can class="hi2">anan> share only what it IS."

Now, on Earth things are not remotely like this. A fleeting glan class="hi2">anan>ce at it will tell you that objects are NOT co-creators. They do not inherit all of their parent's attributes. When there is birth, something is lacking. A child is not an class="hi2">anan> identical image of the parents. No two bodies are alike. Every object lacks something that others have. Nothing has everything. an class="hi2">Anan>d for sure objects can class="hi2">anan>not create more objects.

For example a car can class="hi2">anan>not extend itself an class="hi2">anan>d produce more cars. Houses don't give birth to houses. an class="hi2">Anan>d rocks do not produce baby rocks. We might say that organ class="hi2">anan>ic life forms come closer to creation, in that they do seem to reproduce an class="hi2">anan>d generate an class="hi2">anan>ew. However, if you look closely you'll see that they DO NOT pass on the fullness of what they have.

"In this world, it is impossible to create."

A child will inherit SOME attributes from one parent, an class="hi2">anan>d SOME from an class="hi2">anan>other, an class="hi2">anan>d will not look entirely like either of them. Each created life form only loosely resembles its creator, is always lacking something, an class="hi2">anan>d is never a true "spitting image". Indeed the child is separated from its creator an class="hi2">anan>d is even capable of chan class="hi2">anan>ging itself, without the parent chan class="hi2">anan>ging.

This happens because physical objects are not creations. They can class="hi2">anan>not be creations, because they are not CREATORS. They Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT EXTEND. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that not only is the world not a creation of God's, it is not a CO-CREATOR with God either. This is why ACIM says:

"The body can class="hi2">anan>not create, an class="hi2">anan>d the belief that it Can class="hi2">ANan>, a fundamental error responsible for most of the fallacies already referred to, produces all physical symptoms."

There is NO extension in this world. Physical reproduction is separation, it is not creation. Cell division or growth is separation. Birth is separation. There is no sharing an class="hi2">anan>d there is no extension of life an class="hi2">anan>d no real inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce. Objects can class="hi2">anan>not create more of themselves an class="hi2">anan>d they can class="hi2">anan>not han class="hi2">anan>d-down their personal attributes to what they create, if an class="hi2">anan>ything.

What this mean class="hi2">anan>s is, that this world really is founded on an class="hi2">anan> idea of NOT EXTENDING GOD. It is founded on an class="hi2">anan> idea of unwillingness to create, a desire to NOT give fully, a withdrawal an class="hi2">anan>d a resistan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d a fear. It is founded in a mindset of separating an class="hi2">anan>d limiting an class="hi2">anan>d reducing an class="hi2">anan>d not sharing fully. The end result, is that the world Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT GIVE. It can class="hi2">anan>not give because it does not HAVE an class="hi2">anan>ything to give, because it has NOT inherited from God.

"It takes great learning both to realize an class="hi2">anan>d to accept the fact that the world has nothing to give."

A way to describe this situation is simply this. THE WORLD IS A DEAD END. It is what happens when you attempt to STOP creation from happening. It is a lack of extension. As a result, its symbols, images, forms, objects, an class="hi2">anan>d matter, all express an class="hi2">anan>d represent the idea of ENDING the creative process. You make something, an class="hi2">anan>d it's done, an class="hi2">anan>d that's the end of it. You create something, an class="hi2">anan>d it stops, an class="hi2">anan>d it does not keep creating. You cause something, an class="hi2">anan>d its game over. Everything ends.

"The world of time is the world of illusion."

"No lasting love is found, for none is here. This is the world of time, where all things end."

"How can class="hi2">anan> a world of time an class="hi2">anan>d place exist if you remain as God created you?" Essentially then, the world is not a world of co-creation, or extension, or the continuation of life, or the unending inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce from one to an class="hi2">anan>other, or the total full giving of an class="hi2">anan>ything to an class="hi2">anan>yone. It is a world is limits an class="hi2">anan>d holding back an class="hi2">anan>d unwillingness. A world where life is not allowed to be perman class="hi2">anan>ent or eternal, an class="hi2">anan>d ultimately a world of death. A dead-end in a dead-end universe.

"Real choice is no illusion. But the world has none to offer. ALL its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness an class="hi2">anan>d death. There IS no choice in its alternatives. Seek not ESCAPE from problems here. The world was made that problems could not BE escaped."

The reason you can class="hi2">anan>not escape an class="hi2">anan>ything here is because it is a DEAD END, a closed off corner surrounded by walls of division an class="hi2">anan>d isolation. This is why everything in the world of form (objects, bodies, plan class="hi2">anan>ets) leads to death. It was born from an class="hi2">anan> idea of death, an class="hi2">anan> idea of ending life, or putting a stop to creation. It was made from a desire to kill God an class="hi2">anan>d his Son an class="hi2">anan>d to put a stop to extension. It was not made with love or with an class="hi2">anan> intention that it last forever. an class="hi2">Anan>d so all things in it die eventually.

"Their end is certain, for there is no choice among them. All of them will lead to death."

There is no other reason for this other than class="hi2">anan> that we had to resist an class="hi2">anan>d deny God (life, eternity, creation) in order TO make this world. an class="hi2">Anan>d to hold it in place, we have to keep denying God. an class="hi2">Anan>d when God is not denied, the world of death can class="hi2">anan>not remain. Its forms, its objects, its human class="hi2">anan> bodies, it mountains an class="hi2">anan>d rivers, its plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies, all of it can class="hi2">anan>not remain without the idea of death. Without the idea of putting a stop to the co-creative extension of eternal life.

"Without the idea of death there is no world. All dreams will end with this one. This is salvation's final goal; the end of all illusions. an class="hi2">Anan>d in death are all illusions born. What can class="hi2">anan> be born of death an class="hi2">anan>d still have life?"

"You do not really wan class="hi2">anan>t the world you see, for it has disappointed you since time began class="hi2">anan>. The homes you built have never sheltered you. The roads you made have led you nowhere, an class="hi2">anan>d no city that you built has withstood the crumbling assault of time. Nothing you made but has the mark of death upon it. Hold it not dear, for it is old an class="hi2">anan>d tired, an class="hi2">anan>d ready to return to dust, even as you made it."

The world, Earth, is a dream of death. It was made by trying to make heaven DIE, an class="hi2">anan>d so was already formed from an class="hi2">anan> idea of death EVEN AS you made it. It is nothing more than class="hi2">anan> a dream an class="hi2">anan>d will not remain when dreaming is over. This HAS to be true, otherwise we would be seeing all things creating all things, we would see total inheritan class="hi2">anan>ce from all objects, we would see endless life an class="hi2">anan>d perman class="hi2">anan>ence an class="hi2">anan>d no death of an class="hi2">anan>y kind. This is not a world of life-forms, it is a world of death-forms. It is a world of exile outside of heaven.

"There IS no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be. In an class="hi2">ANan>Y state apart from Heaven, life is illusion. At best, it SEEMS like life; at worst, like death. Yet both are judgments on what is NOT life, equal in their inaccuracy an class="hi2">anan>d lack of mean class="hi2">anan>ing. Life not in Heaven is impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d what is NOT in Heaven is not an class="hi2">ANan>YWHERE. "

"Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusions stan class="hi2">anan>ds; senseless, impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d beyond ALL reason, an class="hi2">anan>d yet perceived as an class="hi2">anan> eternal BARRIER to Heaven. Illusions ARE but forms. Their content is NEVER true."

A world where things come to an class="hi2">anan> end, is not a living world, or a created world, or an class="hi2">anan> eternal world, or God's world. It can class="hi2">anan>not create an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not live an class="hi2">anan>d it can class="hi2">anan>not exist forever. It must be a world of death, opposite to life, an class="hi2">anan>d guaran class="hi2">anan>teed to end, because it is made from the idea of ending existence, an class="hi2">anan>d so it even denies its own existence.

"What denies its own existence an class="hi2">anan>d attacks itself is not of Him. He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, an class="hi2">anan>d earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way."

"This aching world has not the power to touch the living world at all. You could not give it that, an class="hi2">anan>d so, although you turn in sadness from it, you can class="hi2">anan>not find in it the road that leads AWAY from it into an class="hi2">anan>other world. et the REAL world HAS the power to touch you even here BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT. an class="hi2">Anan>d what you call with love WILL come to you. LOVE ALWAYS an class="hi2">ANan>SWERS, being unable to deny a call for help, or not to hear the cries of pain that rise to it, from every part of this stran class="hi2">anan>ge world you made, but do not wan class="hi2">anan>t. The only effort you need make, to give this world away in glad exchan class="hi2">anan>ge for what you did NOT make is willingness to learn THE ONE YOU MADE IS FALSE."

Suffering is really in the mind. It is not really in the physical universe, in the world, or in the body. What is physical does not really suffer. The experience of suffering is psychological only.

The world an class="hi2">anan>d the body are a projection in the mind. The law of projection is one of giving, or of pushing outward, based on what is within. In its pure form this is the extension of the Kingdom of God. In its distorted ego form, it is the pushing outward of an class="hi2">anan> inner state of sin, guilt, fear an class="hi2">anan>d denial.

The ego thought system in the mind therefore tries to deny an class="hi2">anan>d "get rid of" what it does not wan class="hi2">anan>t, which ultimately it YOU, by first attacking you an class="hi2">anan>d then projecting the attack. The projection of attack, in an class="hi2">anan> attempt to give without receiving, which is murderous, is an class="hi2">anan> way the mind "hides from" its own content. The physical world an class="hi2">anan>d the body arise as make-believe images an class="hi2">anan>d now act to disguise what the real problem is.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s really that it is your psyche that suffers, an class="hi2">anan>d your mind that is hurt, an class="hi2">anan>d it is the mind that needs healing. It is your beliefs that twist your thoughts, an class="hi2">anan>d distort your perceptions. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is really only the mind that can class="hi2">anan> seem to be sick.

But when the mind IS sick, it has entered into denial an class="hi2">anan>d separation. an class="hi2">Anan>d as the law of projection now functions, the mind tries to dissociate (separate) from its own suffering. It tries to push "separateness" outside of itself, to create distan class="hi2">anan>ce an class="hi2">anan>d delay between itself an class="hi2">anan>d the problem. This produces spacetime. an class="hi2">Anan>d the whole physical world an class="hi2">anan>d body arise to SYMBOLIZE an class="hi2">anan>d represent the inner state of mind, as if the mind itself has become physical form.

This mean class="hi2">anan>s that if the mind is sick, it WILL attack the body an class="hi2">anan>d render the body as a sickened image, a broken body, showing up as if deformed or malfunctioning or damaged. an class="hi2">Anan>d this body now acts to testify that IT has been attacked. an class="hi2">Anan>d since the cause of the attack is not SEEN, because it is in the mind, we instead look to the world to explain HOW it came to suffer.

We even look to the body itself to ask how the body could make itself sick, an class="hi2">anan>d also look to the body to make itself well. But the body can class="hi2">anan>not attack itself, or heal itself, because ONLY THE MIND puts the body there. an class="hi2">Anan>d only the mind attacks the body. an class="hi2">Anan>d only the mind heals the body.

Or to put it in a better way... if the mind attacks itself first, it will project an class="hi2">anan> image of an class="hi2">anan> attacked body in an class="hi2">anan> attacking world. If the mind heals itself first, it will project an class="hi2">anan> image of a healed body in a healed world. There are man class="hi2">anan>y statements in ACIM that support this. an class="hi2">Anan>d it mean class="hi2">anan>s that the only true way to heal the body is to heal the mind, so that IF the body is projected, its form will symbolize an class="hi2">anan>d represent an class="hi2">anan>d point towards its origins - as a mirror of a san class="hi2">anan>e an class="hi2">anan>d harmless mind.

"The body is endan class="hi2">anan>gered by the mind that hurts itself. The body suffers that the mind will fail to see it is the victim of itself. The body's suffering is a mask the mind holds up to hide what really suffers. It would not understan class="hi2">anan>d it is its own enemy; that it attacks itself an class="hi2">anan>d wan class="hi2">anan>ts to die. It is from this your "laws" would save the body. It is for this you think you are a body."

"an class="hi2">Anan>d it grows old an class="hi2">anan>d dies, because that mind is sick within ITSELF."

"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."

"Yet must all healing come about because the mind is recognized as NOT within the body, an class="hi2">anan>d its innocence is quite APART from it, an class="hi2">anan>d where ALL healing IS."

"The lesson is the MIND was sick that thought the body COULD be sick; projecting OUT its guilt caused NOTHING, an class="hi2">anan>d had NO effects."

"Sickness is an class="hi2">anan>ger taken out upon the body, so that IT will suffer pain. It is the obvious effect of what was made in secret"

"The glitter of guilt you laid upon the body would KILL it. For what the ego loves, it kills for its obedience."

"For your beliefs converge upon the body"

"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."

"Your PERCEPTION of the body can class="hi2">anan> clearly be sick, but project this not upon the body."

"Defend the body an class="hi2">anan>d you have attacked your mind. For you have seen in it the faults, the weaknesses, the limits an class="hi2">anan>d the lacks from which you think the body must be saved. You will not see the mind as separate from bodily conditions. an class="hi2">Anan>d you will impose upon the body all the pain that comes from the conception of the mind as limited an class="hi2">anan>d fragile, an class="hi2">anan>d apart from other minds an class="hi2">anan>d separate from its Source."

"The guiltless mind can class="hi2">anan>not suffer. Being san class="hi2">anan>e, it heals the body because IT has been healed. The san class="hi2">anan>e mind can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of illness, because it can class="hi2">anan>not conceive of attacking an class="hi2">anan>ything or an class="hi2">anan>yone."

"LET yourself be healed, that you may be forgiving, offering salvation to your brother an class="hi2">ANan>D yourself. A broken body shows the mind has NOT been healed. A miracle of healing proves that separation is WITHOUT effect."

"If the mind can class="hi2">anan> heal the body, but the body can class="hi2">anan>not heal the mind, then the mind MUST BE STRONGER. Every miracle demonstrates this."

In the separation from God, all that’s happened is we’ve gone into denial about what is true. We’ve tried to chan class="hi2">anan>ge the truth into somethiing false, an class="hi2">anan>d vice versa. We’re just a bit confused about what IS true an class="hi2">anan>d what is false.

Unfortuan class="hi2">anan>tely this also includes our sense of identity. We’re in denial of who we are in truth. This has resulted in trying to be something we are not, to replace our identity. Our sense of "self" has become identified WITH something that is not our self, an class="hi2">anan>d we now believe that "the truth about us" is that we are a body, rather than class="hi2">anan> a spirit/mind.

Whatever you believe is true, you believe is your self. It’s where you see "reality", value, an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ing. You will also "naturally" defend an class="hi2">anan>d protect whatever you believe is true, because your investment of belief in it mean class="hi2">anan>s you equate it with valuable reality - an class="hi2">anan>d thus with your "self". an class="hi2">Anan>ything which seems to contradict this truth, is taken as opposite to your identity, an class="hi2">anan>d is perceived as an class="hi2">anan> enemy or "false".

The problem here is, since you will defend whatever you think is true of your identity, or what you are identified with, you will inadvertently protect "truth" an class="hi2">anan>d "self" even if it’s not really the truth or really yourself. Once you’ve come to believe you are your body, you will see IT as your SELF, an class="hi2">anan>d seek to protect it.

Defending a "truth" that is not really true, mean class="hi2">anan>s you will side with something even if it is not in your best interests. In this way, identifying with the body mean class="hi2">anan>s you are siding with what is false, which mean class="hi2">anan>s you will defend, protect, reinforce an class="hi2">anan>d bring about death, because death is the opposite of truth/life. You will do this believing you are "saving your life" or as self-defense.

This is also why "sickness is a defense against the truth." In sickness you mis-perceive the truth as something false or an class="hi2">anan> attack on your false-identified self, an class="hi2">anan>d you will then "defend" that false self against the truth because you misperceive it as an class="hi2">anan> attacker.

You then think the sickness is defending you an class="hi2">anan>d protecting you an class="hi2">anan>d saving your life. Even though you’ll later perceive the sickness as unwan class="hi2">anan>ted or unchosen, this is only because you are unconscious of the desire to keep your "self" safe, an class="hi2">anan>d undoing the sickness will seem to threaten your safety if you maintain a false sense of self.

an class="hi2">Anan>other thing that happens is, since you see your identity as "body" or ego (or world), when "you" try to awaken from the dream, you try to pull your "self" into the light. You become willing to open up to some real truth. But because you are "bound" or united with the body/ego/false self, you simultan class="hi2">anan>eously try to pull "it" into the truth. This is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to "spiritualize the ego", by keeping your false identification while making it "appear more spiritual". From "its" perspective, you are trying to destroy it by bringing it into contact with a truth that proves its unreality. That part of your mind sees this attempt as a threat to your "self".

It’s kind of like trying to remain an class="hi2">anan> ego-identified self, while simultan class="hi2">anan>eously trying not to be. The truth is experienced as an class="hi2">anan> attack on your self an class="hi2">anan>d now that part of you feels attacked, threatened, ignored, mis-treated an class="hi2">anan>d offended, as though you have betrayed yourself an class="hi2">anan>d hurt yourself. That part of you will then retaliate with hurt, justified an class="hi2">anan>ger, fear an class="hi2">anan>d reactions. This accounts for all "ego rebounds". Part of you wan class="hi2">anan>ts the truth, part of you does not.

So as you go through purification, awakening, spiritual studies, trying to commune with God, or opening up to the Holy Spirit, part of you is honestly going to say "no, I don’t wan class="hi2">anan>t that". It’s not so much the "ego" that says this. It’s YOU saying it, because of your allegian class="hi2">anan>ce to the ego. Or it’s your body-identified self protesting because your efforts to become spiritual are seen by "it" as an class="hi2">anan> attack on "you". It’s all just you reacting to yourself.

Awakening to the truth, accepting the atonement, enlightenment as a recognition, returning to God, remembering your real identity as God’s Son, becoming aware that you are as God created you etc, basically entails "letting go" of your "holding onto" false lies an class="hi2">anan>d untruths - things which are not true of you - things which are not real - the body etc. As you let go of those things, you hold onto or identify WITH things which are real an class="hi2">anan>d true - your immortal spirit.

It’s kind of like, there are two things you can class="hi2">anan> join with, or think of as your "self". Either the truth, or illusions. Either reality, or the ego. Either spirit, or the body. Either mind, or matter. "You", can class="hi2">anan> choose WHERE to place your allegian class="hi2">anan>ce. Your mind, which is the mechan class="hi2">anan>ism of decision an class="hi2">anan>d the home of free will, can class="hi2">anan> either place itself under Authority of free spirit, or under tyran class="hi2">anan>nical rule of dictatorship an class="hi2">anan>d imprisonment. This determines whether mind is identified with spirit or with illusions, an class="hi2">anan>d thus how you "see your self".

For a time it will seem like giving up ego is going to destroy you. But being "in the ego" WAS a denial of your true self. It was a substitute identity. YOU do not end, your identification merely shifts from one thought system to an class="hi2">anan>other. You "leave" the ego world, an class="hi2">anan>d enter the spirit world. Either of the two thought systems "host" you.

Eventually you will realize an class="hi2">anan>d recognize that "only the truth is true", nothing that was untrue of you was true, what you thought was your self was not your self, you have given up nothing to gain everything, you have returned to your true identity as God’s son, an class="hi2">anan>d remembered God’s true nature. It is merely a recognition of what has always really been true.

You are still as God created you. You are not a body, you are free.

The difficult thing about prayer/faith, in terms of working miracles, is being able to 'believe' with as much certainty as God, that healing miracles are possible. This isn't just a belief in the idea of it, it mean class="hi2">anan>s a 'faith' or a 'knowing', a sense of certainty an class="hi2">anan>d confidence, that God Can class="hi2">ANan> heal an class="hi2">anan>d that he WILL heal, given the chan class="hi2">anan>ce.

So if my own ability to accept an class="hi2">anan>d align with that truth is still weak, an class="hi2">anan>d I am not confident in this way, an class="hi2">anan>d I am still afraid to take the risk of immediate miracles, an class="hi2">anan>d if I'm still believing my own ego that I need to do something, or if I'm not convinced that Holy Spirit knows what he's doing (lol).... then these become blocks to love, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore blocks to miracles.

It's our task to learn to ditch listening to the ego an class="hi2">anan>d listen to God. To become convinced of an class="hi2">anan>d open minded about what he is capable of. Our task is also to remember love, to be willing to love, an class="hi2">anan>d to be open to extending love. There aren't an class="hi2">anan>y miracles without love. an class="hi2">Anan>d so that mean class="hi2">anan>s there's going to have to be personal growth, personal healing, an class="hi2">anan>d personal development in letting go of everything that opposes the miracle.

Here are some of the more pertinent Miracle Principles, which speak to the need to be coming from a rather 'high' place, aligned with God, open to love, following a period of "purification", dependent on our progress in forgiveness, free of fear, aligned with Holy Spirit, in a "miraculous state of mind". ...

3 - Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.

7 - Miracles are everyone's right, but purification is necessary first.

11: Prayer is the medium of miracles.

14 - Miracles bear witness to truth.

19 - Miracles make minds one in God.

20 - Miracles reawaken the awareness that the spirit, not the body, is the altar of truth.

21 - Miracles are natural signs of forgiveness. Through miracles you accept God's forgiveness by extending it to others.

25 - Miracles are part of an class="hi2">anan> interlocking chain of forgiveness which, when completed, is the Atonement.

26 - Miracles represent freedom from fear. Atoning mean class="hi2">anan>s undoing - undoing fear is an class="hi2">anan> essential part of the miracle.

27 - A miracle is a universal blessing from God through me to all my brothers.

28 - Miracles are a way of earning release from fear.

36 - Miracles are examples of right thinking.

38 - The Holy Spirit is the mechan class="hi2">anan>ism of miracles.

40 - The miracle acknowledges everyone as your brother an class="hi2">anan>d mine.

43 - Miracles arise from a miraculous state of mind, or a state of miracle-readiness.

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

In heaven, we are powerful creative beings an class="hi2">anan>d co-creators with God. The proper use of our creative power is constructive an class="hi2">anan>d cooperative an class="hi2">anan>d aligned with God's will. We create only perfection, beauty, happiness an class="hi2">anan>d eternal life.

"Child of God, you were created to create the good, the beautiful, an class="hi2">anan>d the holy. Do not lose sight of this."

"In reality, this is his ONLY choice, because his free will was made for his own joy in creating the perfect."

God gave us freedom to create, but that freedom includes the potential ability to TRY to use freedom to imprison freedom, to create something without extending God, to will that we be unwilling, an class="hi2">anan>d to deny reality.

This mis-use of creative power that essentially runs against the very nature of creative power itself, produces what's called a "mis-creation". It results in nightmarish hallucinations of impossible things happening, a world without God, a place of suffering an class="hi2">anan>d mortality. These "creations" are the result of mis-guided, insan class="hi2">anan>e, contradictory, amateurish an class="hi2">anan>d childish uses of creative power.

"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."

"The creation of the Soul itself has already been perfectly accomplished, but the creation BY Souls has not."

The stuff we mis-create (make), which includes spacetime an class="hi2">anan>d Earth an class="hi2">anan>d bodies an class="hi2">anan>d death, is like a lower an class="hi2">anan>d more primitive form of expression. It's really an class="hi2">anan> attempt to create a dead-end, or a world which can class="hi2">anan>not co-create an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not live forever.

We use our infinite power to create an class="hi2">anan> uncreative world that we do not wan class="hi2">anan>t. We're still being essentially creative, but we're creating stuff that isn't ultimately real or true or alive. The "content" that we come up with isn't aligned with God's nature. Like we've "devolved" somewhat an class="hi2">anan>d everything we create is lacking in some way (lack of love=sin - a world of sin).

"Miscreation is still a genuine creative act in terms of the underlying IMPULSE, but NOT in terms of the CONTENT of the creation."

"The instinct for creation is NOT obliterated in miscreation. That is why it is always invested with reality."

"You are much too toleran class="hi2">anan>t of Mind-wan class="hi2">anan>dering, thus passively condoning its miscreation."

"While the miscreation is NECESSARILY believed in by its own creator, it does not exist at all at the level of true Creation."

"Both the Separation an class="hi2">anan>d the fear were MISCREATIONS of the mind, which have to be undone."

So essentially mind has one of two "modes", it can class="hi2">anan> either create constructively in line with God an class="hi2">anan>d love, or it can class="hi2">anan> mis-create which produces fearful things which seem to lack perfection an class="hi2">anan>d do not last.

If we completely leave out an class="hi2">anan>y sense of judgement about miscreation being wrong, or a sin, or something to be guilty for, or to attack the miscreation or condemn it in an class="hi2">anan>y way, we would see that it is simply a mistake. It is just a mis-use of the mind by someone that doesn't recognize the futility an class="hi2">anan>d self-deception an class="hi2">anan>d pointlessness an class="hi2">anan>d confusion that is inherent in trying to create the uncreateful.

We could look upon such miscreations, such as Earth, without an class="hi2">anan>y judgement. We could think of it as like the creation of a child that has not learned or perfected or mastered its abilities yet. It makes things which are broken, primitive, don't work, contradict themselves, are full of limits, are ugly, designed to malfunction an class="hi2">anan>d to fall short.

an class="hi2">Anan>d then we could consider what God's attitude would be as a loving parent. God would not condemn or hate or judge harshly what had been mis-created by the child. He would recognize the shortcomings, the mistakes, the limitations of what had been made, but would see it as at least a "good first effort" by his children, with potential for improvement. an class="hi2">Anan>d he would encourage them to continue perfecting the use of their creative power.

"It is curious that the perfect must now be perfected. In fact, it is impossible. But you must remember that when you put yourselves in an class="hi2">anan> impossible situation, you believed that the impossible WAS possible."

If we think of the world therefore as "somewhat bad, not all that bad, a good try" ... recognizing it for what it is an class="hi2">anan>d is not, realizing the mistakes inherent in its making, we can class="hi2">anan> be what we call "forgiving" toward it.

Forgiveness could be described as a loving attitude that you have towards something unloving. A less limited viewpoint towards the limited. A more inclusive mindset towards something made to exclude. A less judgemental or attacking perspective on something which was made as an class="hi2">anan> attempted attack on God.

Instead of the world being seen as a horrible hellscape, or as a half-empty cup, we can class="hi2">anan> see the half-full cup an class="hi2">anan>d at least give the son of God credit for "trying" (lol). Even if that trying involved some failing. We can class="hi2">anan> let the world be the limited broken thing that it is, while being mindful to "do better in future". To master our creative power an class="hi2">anan>d to create greater higher works of art that are more aligned with God an class="hi2">anan>d more in-keeping with san class="hi2">anan>ity an class="hi2">anan>d harmony with eternal life.

God doesn't condemn or judge our mis-created world. But he would rather that we return to co-creatorship in heaven with him to create only the eternal an class="hi2">anan>d the loving.

"God offers the world salvation; your judgment would condemn it. God says there is no death; your judgment sees but death as the inevitable end of life. God's Word assures you that He loves the world; your judgment says it is unlovable. Who is right? For one of you is wrong. It must be so."

It sounds like maybe we have a guilty conscience for what we think we've made, doesn't it? A guilt over an class="hi2">anan> attack on God, a guilt about having mis-created, a hatred of what we mis-created, a sense of shame an class="hi2">anan>d fear that the hideous thing we made is lurching at us an class="hi2">anan>d trying to kill us, even though we are its maker. It's like we made a terrible mistake (a supposed sin) by mis-creating, an class="hi2">anan>d it induced guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d now we're living with the fallout of believing God would hate us for it.

Jesus also warns us that if we somehow regard the world as a sin, something to be hated, even destroyed, then we're actually denying the fact that we have very powerful minds that can class="hi2">anan> create entire worlds. We need to acknowledge what we HAVE "created", even if it was in a spirit of fear an class="hi2">anan>d murder (unmiraculous creation), as being a not-entirely-evil "first attempt" that at least demonstrates the sheer power we DO have to create, even if WHAT we created falls short in so man class="hi2">anan>y ways.

"...it is not necessary to protect the mind by denying the un-mindful (physical). There is little doubt that the mind can class="hi2">anan> miscreate. If one denies this unfortunate aspect of its power, one is also denying the power itself.)"

Earth an class="hi2">anan>d its surroundings, spacetime, is simply something we've mis-created in a mis-use of our divine power, in a form which is unlike what God would create, an class="hi2">anan>d of a nature which tends to attack itself. It is seemingly partly creative an class="hi2">anan>d partly destructive, partly good an class="hi2">anan>d partly evil, partly light an class="hi2">anan>d partly dark. It's an class="hi2">anan> expression of the belief that an class="hi2">anan> opposite to God is possible, even if such a belief is mistaken.

What we created (made, dreamed, hallucinated) is not real an class="hi2">anan>d can class="hi2">anan>not last. But for what it is, it at least shows that we do have infinite power an class="hi2">anan>d we did come up with something. an class="hi2">Anan>d we keep mis-creating horrible nightmares as we go along. It's just that we need to create higher, better, an class="hi2">anan>d more loving creations. We need a higher prayer, a higher song, a better way, a more beautiful content.

Mean class="hi2">anan>while, in our forgiveness of what we did mis-create, we must find a way to acknowledge an class="hi2">anan>d respect its maker. Even if we did "a shit job of it", it at least reveals some of our qualities, here an class="hi2">anan>d there. There are aspects to the world which are symbolic of light things, as well as dark things.

There are some forms of beauty, forgiveness is an class="hi2">anan> earthly form of love, bodies can class="hi2">anan> be repurposed to serve the mind, an class="hi2">anan>d perhaps the decrepit shit-heap that we came up with isn't entirely devoid of traces of the son of God's perfection. Even in subtle ways perhaps there is a trace of beauty, of order, of health, of cooperation, of peace, an class="hi2">anan>d of love, intermingled with the mis-created forms.

"Not even what the Son of God made in insan class="hi2">anan>ity, could be without a hidden spark of beauty, that gentleness could release."

"All this beauty will rise to bless your sight, as you look upon the world with forgiving eyes. For forgiveness literally TRan class="hi2">ANan>SFORMS vision, an class="hi2">anan>d lets you see the real world, reaching quietly an class="hi2">anan>d gently across chaos, an class="hi2">anan>d removing all illusions that had twisted your perception, an class="hi2">anan>d fixed it on the past. The smallest leaf becomes a thing of wonder, an class="hi2">anan>d a blade of grass a sign of God's perfection."

We made a chaotic universe, complete with every imaginable form of limitation an class="hi2">anan>d difficulty an class="hi2">anan>d problem an class="hi2">anan>d struggle. A world whose nature an class="hi2">anan>d laws are not the perfect unity an class="hi2">anan>d harmony of heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d which indeed attempts to be as opposite an class="hi2">anan>d lacking as possible.

But we still must look on the brighter side an class="hi2">anan>d find the proper higher interpretation of it. The way God would look upon the rudimentary an class="hi2">anan>d somewhat laughable deformities made by an class="hi2">anan> inexperienced child. The world is what it is, complete with all its faults an class="hi2">anan>d partial symbols of heaven. an class="hi2">Anan>d it will end, because it mis-created as an class="hi2">anan> idea of limiting existence an class="hi2">anan>d life.

In heaven perfection is even greater, even more broad, even more natural an class="hi2">anan>d ever-present. It is the absolutely perfectly divine expression of a perfect creator. an class="hi2">Anan>d it is your true home in which you co-create absolute perfection an class="hi2">anan>d beauty with God.

"Forgiveness is an class="hi2">anan> earthly form of love which as it is in Heaven has no form. Yet what is needed here is given here as it is needed. In this form you can class="hi2">anan> fulfill your function even here, although what love will mean class="hi2">anan> to you when formlessness has been restored to you is greater still."

"From the forgiven world, the Son of God is lifted easily to his home. an class="hi2">Anan>d there, he knows that he has ALWAYS rested there in peace."

Ok's let's step back an class="hi2">anan>d look at the big picture. God exists. God created the Kingdom of Heaven, which comprises the sonship an class="hi2">anan>d the Holy Spirit. You an class="hi2">anan>d your brothers co-create to add to the Kingdom. The holy trinity is all that really exists.

"Your creations are your gift to the Holy Trinity, created in gratitude for YOUR creation."

"Through our creations we extend our Love, an class="hi2">anan>d thus increase the joy of the Holy Trinity."

"The Holy Trinity is holy BECAUSE It is One."

Then there was this thing we call the separation from God, which is a mad idea. It's mad because it's not possible in reality, so believing it is insan class="hi2">anan>e. It's a mistaken belief that you have become separate through sin, when you haven't. This belief denies God an class="hi2">anan>d therefore makes the awareness of reality unconscious to you. It induces a kind of sleep state where God seems to be denied.

Denial does not chan class="hi2">anan>ge the truth, nor does it affect reality in an class="hi2">anan>y way. It is merely an class="hi2">anan> attempt to hide from it, by shutting it out of awareness an class="hi2">anan>d pretending it is not true. Denial in fact implies that what has been denied IS STILL THERE, which is why denial contradicts itself.

"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."

"The out of mind is out of sight, because what is denied is THERE, but is not recognized."

In this sleep state we dream of an class="hi2">anan> entire world whose nature is completely opposite to heaven. A world of space an class="hi2">anan>d time an class="hi2">anan>d galaxies an class="hi2">anan>d plan class="hi2">anan>ets an class="hi2">anan>d civilizations. Worlds populated by bodies at war with each other. All of this is nothing but a fiction, because it can class="hi2">anan>not be true or really exist or happen in the Kingdom of God.

"earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way." "For this world IS the opposite of Heaven, having been made to BE its opposite. an class="hi2">Anan>d EVERYTHING here takes a direction EXACTLY opposite to what is true."

In the dream of space an class="hi2">anan>d time, it SEEMS like impossible things happen. Sin occurs. Wars occur. Events seem to happen. People seem to do stuff. But the fact is that it is all a form of wishful thinking, it is all impossible, an class="hi2">anan>d none of it has an class="hi2">anan>y bearing on the reality of the Kingdom. This mean class="hi2">anan>s that the entire history of the universe we made mean class="hi2">anan>s absolutely nothing, does nothing, an class="hi2">anan>d does not even really exist.

"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>celess, an class="hi2">anan>d all events are nowhere. When the mind awakes, it but continues as it always was.

"Time is a trick; a sleight of han class="hi2">anan>d, a vast illusion in which figures come an class="hi2">anan>d go as if by magic."

The importan class="hi2">anan>t thing to realize is that the premise of God leads to the conclusion of heaven, an class="hi2">anan>d the premise of "not God" (separation, attack on God) leads to the dream of hell an class="hi2">anan>d death.

If the premise for the world of death is FALSE, an class="hi2">anan>d if in truth the world is JUST A DREAM an class="hi2">anan>d has no reality in God's creation, then an class="hi2">anan>ything that seems to happen in it IS VOID. Every event is just part of a fictional dream. Every attack is a fan class="hi2">anan>tasy. Every dead body is an class="hi2">anan> illusion. Every war is happening to nothing. Every conflict is artificial an class="hi2">anan>d make-believe. Every form of suffering is completely impossible.

Not one single thing in the dream world bleeds over into the reality of the Kingdom. Not one single attack has an class="hi2">anan>y effect whatsoever on an class="hi2">anan>ything real - remembering "nothing real can class="hi2">anan> be threatened." Not one single child of God can class="hi2">anan> ever by hurt, because all God's children are immortal an class="hi2">anan>d perfect. Not one single sin has every occurred.

an class="hi2">Anan>ything that you think you did in this world, an class="hi2">anan>ything that an class="hi2">anan>yone else seems to do in this world, has NO EFFECT on an class="hi2">anan>ything real. No-one is ever really at war. No-one is every really hurt. No-one is ever invaded or attacked or suffering or dying. This is A DREAM. It's a dream that you're having because you are ASLEEP. Your mind is hallucinating a terrible world of conflict an class="hi2">anan>d nightmares.

"an class="hi2">Anan>ything else is only his own nightmare, an class="hi2">anan>d does not exist."

"What if you recognized this world is a hallucination? What if you REALLY understood you made it up? What if you realized that those who SEEM to walk about in it, to sin an class="hi2">anan>d die, attack an class="hi2">anan>d murder an class="hi2">anan>d destroy themselves, are WHOLLY unreal?"

The ONLY way therefore to "forgive" what's seeming to happen, is to recognize that IT ISN'T. This is the proper use of denial to deny an class="hi2">anan>ything not of God an class="hi2">anan>y reality whatsoever. If the premise of this world is that the world is real, then every event is real an class="hi2">anan>d mean class="hi2">anan>ingful an class="hi2">anan>d true. But if the premise of this world is that it is UNREAL an class="hi2">anan>d a DREAM, then NOTHING that seems to happen mean class="hi2">anan>s an class="hi2">anan>ything whatsoever. Nothing is having an class="hi2">anan>y real effect on an class="hi2">anan>ything real, because this world is NOT REAL.

If someone seems to attack someone in an class="hi2">anan> UNREAL world, there has not really been an class="hi2">anan> attack. If someone wages a war in an class="hi2">anan> unreal world using unreal weapons to invade an class="hi2">anan>d attack an class="hi2">anan> unreal country on the basis of believing there are "real benefits" to doing so, or justified reasons for an class="hi2">anan>ger, or an class="hi2">anan>y other such nonsense, then those people are delusional. They are fighting over scraps of dreams, imaginary lan class="hi2">anan>ds, fictional purposes, an class="hi2">anan>d for completely made-up reasons. This is insan class="hi2">anan>ity.

"Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. It does not pardon sins an class="hi2">anan>d make them real. It sees there was no sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d in this view are all your sins forgiven. What is sin except a false idea about God's Son? Forgiveness merely sees its falsity, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore lets it go. What then is free to take its place is now the Will of God."

In order to recognize that what you THINK your brother DID, has NOT OCCURRED ..... you have to recognize this whole world is a dream. ONLY IF it is a dream can class="hi2">anan> it be true that it has NOT OCCURRED. Even if you saw it, even if you remember it, even if it's on the TV, even if it's in the history books, even if there appears to be "real bloodshed" or evidence or proof of sin, even if huge chunks of the plan class="hi2">anan>et are destroyed.... if the whole premise of this environment is that IT IS NOT REAL, then NONE OF THIS HAS OCCURRED in reality.

There is no war in God. There is no pain in God. There is no attack in God. There is no conflict in God. There is no ownership in God. There is no invasion in God. There are no weapons in God. There is no lan class="hi2">anan>d in God. There is no earth in God. There are no bodies in God. There is no disagreement in God. There is no suffering in God. NONE of these things are POSSIBLE in God because God is perman class="hi2">anan>ently perfect, his creation is perfect, his children are perfect, an class="hi2">anan>d nothing else is EVER true.

This is what you need to see if you wan class="hi2">anan>t to forgive an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING in this world. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive it if you think it has really happened. You can class="hi2">anan>not forgive it if you think there is real proof that it happened. This is why the course asks you to "demonstrate that you had no hurt of him", which you do by healing your body, in order to SHOW HIM PROOF of his innocence, defying his attempts to destroy you, in order to testify to the fact that nothing can class="hi2">anan> happen against your reality.

"For no-one in whom true forgiveness reigns Can class="hi2">ANan> suffer. He holds not the proof of sin, before his brother's eyes."

Nothing in the history of the human class="hi2">anan> race, or the history of plan class="hi2">anan>et Earth, or the history of this all space an class="hi2">anan>d time, has happened. "All events are nowhere". NOTHING has happened. There is not even really a world here.

"There is no world." The ONLY way it is forgiven is by recognizing it has no substan class="hi2">anan>ce, no value, no importan class="hi2">anan>ce, no truth, no reality, no existence.

Your brother is forgiven because he literally in reality Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT DO an class="hi2">ANan>YTHING to you. Your brother is forgiven because in reality HE Can class="hi2">ANan>NOT SIN against an class="hi2">anan>ything real. Your brother is forgiven because it is NOT POSSIBLE to wage war in the Kingdom of God. Your brother is forgiven because everything he SEEMS to do to sin is happening entirely in a MISTAKEN state of mind, in a dreaming state of sleep, in a TOTAL Fan class="hi2">ANan>TASY, which has NO REALITY an class="hi2">ANan>D NO TRUTH.

None of this has happened. Only the Kingdom of God exists. There is no world. There is no war.

Miracle principle 15: "Each day should be devoted to miracles."

Miracles are supposed to happening all the time. That's because God is giving love all the time.

That miracles are not happening, mean class="hi2">anan>s we're doing something wrong. We're making mistakes, we're blocking God's love, an class="hi2">anan>d we're actually rejecting miracles constan class="hi2">anan>tly.

When we are in victimhood, we are are rejecting miracles. When we are believing in sin/guilt/fear, we are rejecting miracles.

All activities of the ego are actually attempts to STOP GOD, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore to stop miracles. They are attempts to block the flow of love an class="hi2">anan>d life.

So just because you're in the ego, in the ego world, stuck in a body, suffering, being a victim etc, you think maybe that this is not having an class="hi2">anan>y "effect", or you're just coasting along passively, etc... but maybe you don't realize..... every way that you are aligning with the ego is STOPPING GOD.

Even if you're just wallowing in a state of weakness, or fear, or guilt, or you'r all caught up projecting shit onto other people, or you think someone's sickness is real, or you're lounging semi-unconsciously watching a tv show, or whatever.... if it's BLOCKING GOD in some way, you're causing miracles to stop flowing.

So if you look at just how much ego is present in the world, in people's lives, those are all BLOCKS to awareness, an class="hi2">anan>d therefore are BLOCKS TO GOD. Blocks to love. Blocks to miracles.

The world is greatly lacking an class="hi2">anan> expression of love. It's constipated an class="hi2">anan>d resistan class="hi2">anan>t to miracles. Death is the ultimate claim that God isn't giving life an class="hi2">anan>ymore, an class="hi2">anan>d it happens a lot.

When miracles aren't happening CONSTan class="hi2">ANan>TLY, something has gone wrong. If miracles are HARDLY EVER happening, something really has gone wrong. an class="hi2">Anan>d this is very widespread.

But partly it is because you do not REALIZE, or are not willing to admit, that even something as disempowering as fear or dying is actually an class="hi2">anan> attempt to STOP GOD.

The things in which we seem to be the most a victim, where we seem to have the least power, the least choice, where stuff happens to us against our will significan class="hi2">anan>tly, an class="hi2">anan>d where we don't seem to be wan class="hi2">anan>ting it at all... THOSE are the ways that we most severely are blocking God. Fear blocks God even more than class="hi2">anan> guilt, an class="hi2">anan>d even more than class="hi2">anan> sin. an class="hi2">Anan>d death, the ultimate passive aggression, is the ultimate attempt to end the miracle while looking like you're not doing an class="hi2">anan>ything at all.

Death is an class="hi2">anan> attempt to bring an class="hi2">anan> end to Life - to stop God from being Life, an class="hi2">anan>d regardless of how victimy an class="hi2">anan>d unwan class="hi2">anan>ted an class="hi2">anan>d terrible it seems to be "happening to us", it IS actually a choice to PREVENT the expression an class="hi2">anan>d receipt of God's UNLIMITED LOVE.

Let the love flow. Shine!

A Course in Miracles - Urtext material - reproduced with permission from the Foundation for Inner Peace (acim.org), and the Foundation for A Course in Miracles (facim.org).
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