A Course in Miracles Lesson Insights

To gain the most from A Course in Miracles Lesson Insights, we recommend that you
read the corresponding lesson in the Workbook of the Second or
Third Edition of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.
Click here to read or listen to this ACIM Workbook Lesson online.

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Listen to Lesson 226 Insights

ACIM Workbook Lesson 226 Insights

“My home awaits me. I will hasten there.”

If I am unhappy, depressed, resentful or angry, it is because in some way I am dissatisfied with what I believe about the circumstances I am in. The key word here is believe. What I believe determines what I perceive. Being unhappy with my circumstances means that at some level I believe that if what I perceive as outside me were to change in some way to my liking, I would be happy. To believe this, I must believe that I am separate from what appears to be outer circumstances.

Attempting to change the outer circumstances to make me happy is a way to avoid making the one change that will truly bring me happiness. To experience the happiness given me by God, I must let go of the belief that I am separate.

Trying to change what appears to be an outer world simply reinforces my belief in separation. The outer world seems real to me because at some level I value separation. Most of the time I do not recognize it as valuing separation. It may show up disguised to look like something else. I might want someone to show respect for me so that I will feel more valuable. I might want nice clothing so that I will look good and be acceptable to others.

There are myriad ways of looking outside for specialness to give us a sense of worth because we have rejected the value given us by God when we decided to separate from Him. Someone who is so depressed that they are suicidal might say, “I see no value in this world. I want to end it all.” But they are really saying, “I see no hope in getting the outer circumstances the way I want them and so I want to escape.” The ego loves this reasoning because it avoids looking at the core belief that is the source of the problem.

To find the happiness that is our inheritance, we must let go of valuing the belief in separation from Love. We must let go of valuing specialness. When we cease to value thinking we are separated from Love, we escape the world entirely because the whole world we see is just the effect of valuing separation.

As we give up the ego’s use for the body, we open to the Holy Spirit’s use for the body. What we value then is the Love we see in all our brothers and likewise in ourselves. Here is where we welcome God’s open arms. Here is where we recognize our unity with all. Here is where we experience the joy of Love flowing without end or limitation. We can make that choice in any moment and experience the peace and joy of God. We can walk the world in peace and joy, knowing we are at home in Love.

Jesus reminds me in this lesson that I return Home as I change my mind about the purpose of the world. The world was created to reinforce separation. My change of mind involves letting go of believing in separation and returning to my Home, which is oneness. In oneness, there is no division anywhere. Oneness is total joining and sharing of all with all. Oneness is being united in Love.

Returning to oneness in my mind is how I leave the world of separation. The Course tells me not to believe in what the body’s senses show me, for the body was made to be the instrument for perceiving separation. The lessons of the Course help me practice looking past separated bodies to the one Light of God that is everyone’s true Essence. The Course reminds me that nothing has changed since we were created by God. God created us all as Love and we remain Love eternally. What God did not create does not exist and so separation does not exist.

My opportunity now is to reinforce the truth and not the false belief in separation. My opportunity now is to return Home to oneness. My Home awaits. I will hasten there. What need have I to continue to believe in separation when I know it is not true? Separation is an attack on the truth of oneness and it does not bring me happiness.

My opportunity now is to lay this unhappy dream down and open my mind to the awareness of Love’s Presence, Which is always everywhere. What a happy opportunity I have today. And it has nothing to do with changing something in the outside world. It all happens in my mind. Today, do I choose to join with the ego or with the Holy Spirit? As I choose so I will receive. As I receive, so I will give.

A couple of months ago I went to my regular Monday night Course study and it was so fulfilling that when I left the building, I felt like I’d been literally lifted up; I actually felt light on my feet. I was able to sustain that feeling into the next morning when I woke up and I greeted the day with joy and happiness, feeling very connected to my Source. It wasn’t until I was driving home later that day that I realized that sometime during the day I’d lost that uplifted feeling. I remember feeling a sense of sadness when I realized I was back in this world, back in the insanity, my feet firmly planted on the worldly ground.

I think this is what the lesson means when it says “I can depart this world entirely.” Sometimes I think we have resistance when the Course uses words like “departing” because we think of dying or leaving our loved ones. I can’t describe what it was I felt for that (unfortunately) short amount of time and I haven’t been able to get it back since, but it’s the very thing that gives me hope and makes me realize it is possible to be in this world but not of it.

That day the “shift” back to this world snuck up on me because, when I look back, I don’t know when I lost it. Sometimes I wonder if maybe my ego self wasn’t comfortable with that alien feeling and I intentionally let it go. Whatever the case, I believe the constant practice of these lessons strengthens my willingness to open myself to go home and hasten there.

Today’s lesson reminds me of a message by Ghandi. “Be the change you wish to see.” It is not what’s outside that needs changing but my thoughts within. Then my journey home need not be so hastened. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

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