We are responsible for everything we see.

            This was one of the most startling realizations I ever took away from the teachings of A Course In Miracles.  I will explain this further, because I don't think most people initially realize the full importance of what this statement really means.

            The Course states that nothing outside of us is real.  It is an imaginary world, projected outward from our mind due to the guilt stemming from our choice to separate our minds from God.  Due to the high level of discomfort from this guilt, we were unwilling to acknowledge we made this choice to begin with, so we blocked it form our memory and pushed it outside of us onto the world we now see.

            So now here we all are; walking around in this world, and it appears to be very real and completely outside of us. 

Alright. 

So if this is the truth; if we are projecting this world from our own mind and manifesting everything we see from what we think, then the question begs:

Where am I exactly? 

            As I asked this question from the Holy Spirit within me, I was answered with: “            “There is only one other place you could be- walking around inside your own mind.  What you are seeing, is the world inside our own mind; and you are responsible for seeing all of it.”

Holy moly.  And here all along I thought everything was outside of me.

            This realization shocked me to my core. 

Here I am living inside my own head, and we all see this world together, because we are projecting it together, because we all share the same collective Mind with God!

            Oh my god! 

            So if I want to fix the mess I see, I need to forgive it!  I need to forgive myself the guilt of seeing it to begin with, because everything I see represents my guilty decision to try and separate from God’s Mind in an attempt to live alone in my own! 

            We all think we live alone within our separate minds, but in truth, we are all here together – with God!  But we are holding each other separate by denying our Unity.  So now we need to forgive our choice to separate in order to heal everything we see in the world and regain our memory of Unity.

In fact, we need to especially forgive every tiny discomfort, every type of suffering in every shape and form.  It all needs to be forgiven and healed because we brought it here into the sacred Mind of God. 

            It must be understood that if we don't like what we see, we have to change what we think.  We have to forgive it all.  Everything we see. 

            The only reason we see the world around us, is because of the separation, and it is this that we need to specifically forgive when we feel discomfort, pain, fear or guilt. 

            This includes people.  If we don't like what people are doing or saying to us, we are seeing them this way because of the separation.  We're attracting the confrontation because of the separation- that's all.  We must forgive ourselves.  We wouldn't have a single problem in the world, if we were not in this world to begin with.  Heal these pockets of pain and suffering in your mind by seeing everything for what it is- forgiveness lessons we want to put behind us.  Once we realize the truth behind the error of the separation, our problems will heal and literally disappear - instantly.

            Know that it is through your own painful relationships that you are faced with issues within yourself in need of healing.  You are literally walking around in your own mind, every second you find yourself here within this illusion.  Forgive everything.  Then watch the world around you shift, as your perception shifts. 

This will manifest real results here in the physical.  I have experienced them myself.  It is through the practice of forgiveness that I began to see lights around people; which I believe are small glimpses of the world beyond this one as Heaven begins to break through the veil of separation in my mind.  Not only that, but when I am practicing this level of forgiveness, coincidences increase in my life.  Things as simple as finding the exact thing I need in a store, or meeting the exact person who can help me with a problem, seem to magically manifest.  The path before me seems to unfold with ease and grace when I am living through the high level of thinking forgiveness thoughts.

This is how we resurrect ourselves even as Jesus did.

Resurrect yourself to the next level of energy vibration through forgiving the error of this one. 

            You may resist this notion in the beginning.  You may say, (as I did at first):

            “No way.  People aggravate me because they're wrong and I am right.  I am not responsible for seeing them this way.  They appear this way, because they ARE this way."

            This is not true.  There is no "wrong" or "right" anything.  There is only separation or union.  Whichever way you choose to see yourself in relation to others, is the world you will see.  Your mind will conform to what you want and what you think, and this will become your experience. 

            So let me ask this question again: If everything we see is a product of our thinking, and nothing outside of us is real; then where are we?

            We can only be in one other place: within our own collective Mind, which we share with God. 

            Every experience, every encounter has been drawn to you to be healed by your forgiveness.  We are sharing a collective dream together.  A nightmare if you ask me.  And our only role in healing it is forgiveness.

            We can safely say then, that because of our shared Mind in God, no one is experiencing this dream alone.  We're all in this together and we can wake one another from the dream by forgiving it. 

            We are not the victims of the world we see; we are the makers of it.  And we could see peace instead of this, but we have to choose peace above all else. 

            Therefore, do not attack anyone who appears to antagonize your peace.  They were sent to you to be blessed and healed by you.  Extend only peace and blessings, and the problem will disappear.  Healing will come in the light of your forgiveness of the illusion of separation from them.  Extend peace to others, for they are one of God's holy Thoughts, and in this way you heal your own Thoughts within the collective Mind.  Every person you see or think of, are one of your missing Thoughts- the thoughts you lost when you came into a body.  These are the missing Thoughts of God you gave up to come here.  Now it is time to reclaim these Thoughts you forgot.  You love these Thoughts as your own, because they ARE your own.  These Thoughts are not separate from you- they are yours to embrace within the holy Mind you share with God. 

Your Thoughts are quite literally every single person who ever existed.  And when you see each and every person as part of you, you will begin to heal your perception of them; you will no longer see them as a body, but rather, as one of God’s holy Thoughts- to be loved and cared for.  It is then that your mind will fully awaken to true reality and this world will disappear.

           

ACIM T.pg.157 Chapter 8 IX. Healing as Corrected Perception

            "When the ego tempts you to sickness do not ask the Holy Spirit to heal the body for this would merely be to accept the ego's belief that the body is the proper aim of healing.  Ask, rather, that the Holy Spirit teach you the right perception of the body, for perception alone can be distorted.  Only perception can be sick, because only perception can be wrong."  (1.5-7)

            "Wrong perception is the wish that things be as they are not.  The reality of everything is totally harmless, because total harmlessness is the condition of its reality.  It is also the condition of your awareness of its reality.  You do not have to seek reality.  It will seek you and find you when you meet its conditions."  (2.1-5)

            "Healing is release from the fear of waking and the substitution of the decision to wake.  The decision to wake is the reflection of the will to love, since all healing involves replacing fear with love."  (5.1-2)

 

            As a pharmacist, I come into contact with all sorts of people.  Most of them are pleasant to deal with, but every now and then, I come across someone I seem to have caused a lot of anger.

            I recently had such an experience.

            A woman called me one evening to complain about my service to her aging mother.  To make a long story short, some medication she was supposed to have received in the mail was delayed because of problems with her insurance.  This situation was beyond my control, and had nothing to do with my abilities as a pharmacist, but apparently this woman held me entirely responsible.  Not only did she complain about what I seemed to fail to do for her mother, but she also went on to insult my intelligence, my personality, and my competency as a pharmacist.  She ranted on for a long time, throwing out as many insults as she could think of.

All the while this was going on, I remained perfectly silent.  I could feel my anger rise at her words, and I could also feel my own words of defense rising. 

I also knew this was the voice of my ego. 

At this point I made a deep conscious choice to refuse to let my ego speak for me, because I knew this was a lesson in forgiveness God would have me learn.

Except I was too angry to hear what He would have me say to this woman, so I said nothing at all.

            Finally, she demanded that I send a handwritten letter of apology to her mother. 

            At this point, there was a long uncomfortable silence between us as she waited for my reply.

I just simply didn’t know what to say, except what my ego wanted to say, and I’d decided to refuse to allow myself that indulgence.

            It had also been my past experience, that when someone leaped off a cliff into mental insanity, it was best not to follow them.

            So I simply replied, “I am not engaging with you in this conversation.”

            Her response was to angrily rant on for a few more minutes, creatively coming up with new insults.

            I was so angry with her at this point that I could feel my adrenaline rushing through my body, making me shake and tremble.

            I held my ground against my own ego to attack her in return. 

            At the end of her second rant, she demanded again that I hand write a personal letter of apology to her mother.

            I only replied that I would turn the matter over to my supervisor.

            She said I should do that, and have him call her.  Then she angrily said thank you and goodbye.

            I said absolutely nothing in response.

            She waiting an uncomfortable few moments for me to respond then hung up the phone.  I had even refused to hang up on her. 

            After I had hung up the phone, a thousand mean thoughts immediately rushed through my mind; all with poor outcomes for her.  These thoughts consumed my mind until I arrived home from work about an hour later, where I proceeded to share this story with my husband in front of our two children, ages 11 and 13.

            My anger was still in full tilt when I tucked in my 13-year-old daughter later that evening, but we managed to get through our prayers, and the Course In Miracles lesson for the night anyway. 

Despite all my years of Course study, I had no idea how to see this situation or this woman so that I could restore my inner peace.  I didn’t know how to forgive myself for seeing her in an unloving way. 

            At this point, a miracle happened.  My daughter asked me a very important question, and in such a way that it triggered an honest and automatic response of truth in me which instantly healed my heart and restored my peace.

            She asked, “Mama, what would A Course In Miracles have said to that angry woman today?”

            Without hesitation, I automatically replied, “Honey, A Course In Miracles would’ve said to the woman, ‘In truth you love me with all your might.  You’ve only temporarily forgotten this.’ ”

            We then both broke into hysterical laughter at this, not because it wasn’t true, but because it was.  And we imagined me saying this to her face during the heat of her tirade and wondered what type of response she would’ve had. 

            Suddenly the whole situation came into perspective for me, and all my anger dissipated.  Right there, in my mind, I told the woman that someday she will remember Who I Am in relation to her Oneness, and she will feel guilty for her words.  When that day comes, I want her to know that I am unharmed and I forgive us both for seeing each other un-lovingly.  Her “sins are forgiven,” as are mine.  Nothing happened, because we are not bodies.  We are enlightened beings of pure Love and peace.  And in truth, the only real thing we share is Total Love and Peace. 

In truth, we “love each other with all our might” and have only forgotten it.  This thought released my mind from the heavy shackles of anger and I was able to see past the illusion of our separation.  My mind became lighter, with the light of truth. 

And forgiveness lessons such as this, catapult us forward into enlightenment. 

            What does it mean to be "enlightened?"  A Course In Miracles uses the word "light" to describe spiritual understanding.  Light = understanding.  The two words are interchangeable in the Course.  So, to "understand," is to be "enlightened."  We even use this terminology in our daily language, for example, "The light of understanding came over me." 

            So what is it we need to understand, in order to "enlighten" our mind? 

            It is the understanding of our Unity with all living things and God.  Not just intellectually; because most of us can readily agree with that statement; but we must live it.  We must live like we believe it.  This is what it means to be enlightened.  It is a lifestyle of belief in- and the universal application of- Total Love.  Once this idea is embraced, your mind becomes "lighter."  Your mind is literally lifted from its burdens as you forgive all worldly forms your bodily eyes see; knowing the truth of the Unified Love that lies beneath the surface of everything.  Forgiveness is how we let go of all our problems, end all suffering and pain, and transform this world through our ability to "see the light" within everyone.  It is to live as an enlightened being, who understands the truth of our Oneness in the light of knowing Who We Are.  We are One Love, and nothing else is true.

            Be a light unto this world.  Understand that all your problems stem from seeing everything as separate from yourself.  Seen in the healing holy wholeness of light, you will learn to love your problems away through forgiveness; knowing all you are doing is loving and healing your One Self. 

 

ACIM T.pg.197 Chapter 11 II. The Invitation to Healing

            "If sickness is separation, the decision to heal and to be healed is the first step toward recognizing what you truly want.  Every attack is a step away from this, and every healing thought brings it closer."  (1.1-2)

            "Healing thus becomes a lesson in understanding, and the more you practice it the better teacher and learner you become.  If you have denied the truth, what better witnesses to its reality could you have than those who have been healed by it?"  (2.1-2)

            "Every healing thought that you accept, either from your brother or in your own mind, teaches you that you are God's Son."  (2.5-6)

            "And denial is as total as love.  You cannot deny part of yourself, because the rest will seem to be separate and therefore without meaning.  And being without meaning to you, you will not understand it.  To deny meaning is to fail to understand."  (3.1-4)

            "Healing is a sign you want to make whole.  And this willingness opens your ears to the Voice of the Holy Spirit."  (4.1-2)

            "The Holy Spirit cannot speak to an unwelcoming host, because He will not be heard."  (5.1)

            "Think like Him ever so slightly, and the little spark becomes a blazing light that fills your mind so that He becomes your only Guest.  Whenever you ask the ego to enter, you lessen His welcome.  He will remain, but you have allied yourself against Him."  (5.4-6)

            "Would you be hostage to the ego or host to God?"  (7.1)

            "The Holy Spirit is there, although He cannot help you without your invitation.  And the ego is nothing, whether you invite him in or not."  (7.5-6)

 

            What this means is, understanding = light and a lack of understanding = darkness.  "Enlighten" your mind through the understanding and willingness to accept the Holy Spirit within yourself and all people.  This brings light to your mind and chases away the darkness of the ego and with it, all your pain.

 

ACIM T.pg.229 Chapter 12 VII. Looking Within

            "Miracles demonstrate that learning has occurred under the right guidance, for learning is invisible and what has been learned can be recognized only by its results.  Its generalization is demonstrated as you use it in more and more situations.  There is no situation to which miracles do not apply, and by applying them to all situations you will gain the real world.  For in this holy perception you will be made whole, and the Atonement will radiate from your acceptance of it for yourself to everyone the Holy Spirit sends you for your blessing."  (1.1-5)

            "Everyone in the world must play his part in its redemption, in order to recognize that the world has been redeemed.  You cannot see the invisible.  Yet if you see its effects you know it must be there."  (2.1-3)

            "As your function in Heaven is creation, so your function on earth is healing.  God shares His function with you on earth.  As long as you believe you have other functions, so long will you need correction.  For this belief is the destruction of peace, a goal in direct opposition to the Holy Spirit's purpose."

(4.7-10)

            "What you see you expect, and you expect what you invite.  Your perception is the result of your invitation, coming to you as you sent for it.  Whose manifestations would you see?" (5.1-6)

            "I am the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and when you see me it will be because you have invited Him." (6)

            "I said before that what you project or extend is up to you, but you must do one or the other, for that is a law of mind, and you must look in before you look out.  As you look in, you choose the guide for seeing.  And then you look out and behold his witnesses.  This is why you find what you seek.  What you want in yourself you will make manifest, and you will accept it from the world because you put it there by wanting it.  When you think you are projecting what you do not want, it is still because you do want it." (7.1-6)

            "When you want only love you will see nothing else.  The contradictory nature of the witnesses you perceive is merely the reflection of your conflicting invitations." (8.1-2)

            "The power of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world.  You can decide to see it right.  What you made of it is not its reality, for its reality is only what you give it.  You cannot really give anything but love to anyone or anything nor can you rally receive anything but love from them.  If you think you have received anything else, it is because you have looked within and thought you saw the power to give something else within yourself." (9.1-5)

            "You are afraid of me because you looked within and are afraid of what you saw.  You could not have seen reality, for the reality of your mind is the loveliest of God's creations." (10.1-2)

            "When you have accepted your mission to extend peace you will find peace, for by making it manifest you will see it." (11.1)

            "I have heard your call and I have answered it, but you will not look upon me nor hear the answer that you sought.  That is because you do not yet want only that."  (11.3-4)

            "When you look within and see me, it will be because you have decided to manifest truth." (12.1)

            "Remember, then, that whenever you look without and react unfavorably to what you see, you have judged yourself unworthy and have condemned yourself to death." (13.1)

            "When you are tempted to yield to the desire for death, remember that I did not die.  You will realize that this is true when you look within and see me." (15.1-2)

 

See all people as part of your One Self.  They are yours and you are theirs.  If you reject any person, or hold them outside your love, you are denying the Holy Spirit within them, and denying God His place within your mind. 

 

            ACIM T.pg.200 Chapter 11 IV. The Inheritance of God's Son

            "Never forget that the Sonship is your salvation, for the Sonship is your Self.  As God's creation It is yours, and belonging to you It is His.  Your Self does not need salvation, but your mind needs to learn what salvation is.  You are not saved from anything, but you are saved for glory.  Glory is your inheritance, given you by your Creator that you might extend it.  Yet if you hate part of your Self all your understanding is lost, because you are looking on what God created as yourself without love.  And since what He created is part of Him, you are denying Him His place in His own altar."  (1.1-7)

 

            It is as though we are standing looking for the sun in a cloudy sky.  We cannot see it, and most of us have actually forgotten it is there, yet we all have an inner knowing that the answer to our suffering lies somewhere beyond the clouds.  We seek the truth the clouds obscure.  And when the holy instant comes over us, it will be as though the sun is coming out from behind the clouds at long last; we will remember what we forgot.  Our minds will enlighten with the truth: we will remember we are God’s One Son and our lost memories of our love for one another will be returned to us.  Then the dream around us will gently dissipate, transforming into Heaven.  All this will happen without our having gone anywhere or lost anyone; we will still be standing in the same spot with the same people around us, looking at the same sky, but instead of clouds we will see Light all around us.  The world will be transformed through our new vision and Heaven will become our reality- the reality God created for us, not the illusion we made through the ego. 

 

ACIM T.pg.322 Chapter 15 IX. The Holy Instant and the Attraction of God

            "In the holy instant, where the Great Rays replace the body in awareness, the recognition of relationships without limits is given you.  But in order to see this, it is necessary to give up every use the ego has for the body, and to accept the fact that the ego has no purpose you would share with it.  For the ego would limit everyone to a body for its own purposes, and while you think it has a purpose, you will choose to utilize the means by which it tries to turn its purpose into accomplishment." (3.1-3)

            "Limit your sight of a brother to his body, which you will do as long as you would not release him from it, and you have denied his gift to you." (4.4)

            "Yet your minds are already continuous, and their union need only be accepted and the loneliness in Heaven is gone." (4.7)

            "If you would but let the Holy Spirit tell you of the Love of God for you, and the need your creations have to be with you forever, you would experience the attraction of the eternal." (5.1)

            "You have no conception of the limits you have place on your perception, and no idea of all the loveliness that you could see.  But this you must remember; the attraction of guilt opposes the attraction of God.  His attraction for you remains unlimited, but because your power, being His, is as great as His, you can turn away from love.  What you invest in guilt you withdraw from God." (6.1-4)

            "When the body ceases to attract you, and when you place no value on it as a means of getting anything, then there will be no interference in communication and your thoughts will be as free as God's." (7.1)

 

So,

Let us withdraw from this world today. 

We did not come here to do battle with ourselves or anyone else. 

We came here to bring peace. 

We did not come here to grieve over bodies that fail us. 

We came here to bring eternal healing. 

We did not come to here to collect material things we cannot take with us after death.

We came to put them aside.

We did not come here to suffer over our anxieties, guilt, fear and anger.

We came to show mercy to all – even to our self.

Let us withdraw from this world today.

Do not give power to what you do not want. 

Leave everything outside your door and go within. 

We did not come here to be further bound to this world, only to return again and again.

We came to set it free.

We have come here for salvation from this world and to join with our Light within.

We did not come here to be rejected by the ego.

We came to accept the Holy Spirit within each and every one of us.

 

            At the end of the day, remember only this:

You are not the cause of anyone’s unhappiness.  Neither are you responsible for making them happy.  Your only job is to forgive yourself for seeing anyone as a body in need of anything to begin with.

This goes for yourself as well.

We are each complete unto our One Self.  We are united, healed and whole in the Love of our Creator.

We need nothing else but to remember this.

Everything else following this thought will take care of itself.  Then the real world that God created will be seen by us at last.

And what is the Real World?

It is a place of stillness and of peace. 

It is a place where a happy outcome to all things is sure. 

It is a place where all fear is past and only love is present.

It is a place where the body is realized as a wholly neutral thing.

It is a place where the Holy Spirit looks through us.

It is a place where the Holy Spirit speaks through us.

We arrive at this place when forgiveness is the only gift we give.

We arrive when we realize we love our Father, and we love His Son.

We will then know that eternal holiness abides in us.

And upon accepting this, only an instant longer will this world endure

and our True Sight will be restored to us at long last.