Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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Finding Peace and Love in the World

And do not ever think you can see sin in anyone except yourself.

This is the great deception of the world, and you the great deceiver of yourself. It always seems to be another who is evil, and in his sin you are the injured one. How could freedom be possible if this were so? You would be slave to everyone, for what he does entails your fate, your feelings, your despair or hope, your misery or joy. You have no freedom unless he gives it to you. And being evil, he can only give of what he is. You cannot see his sins and not your own. But you can free him and yourself as well.

Forgiveness, truly given, is the way in which your only hope of freedom lies. Others will make mistakes and so will you, as long as this illusion of a world appears to be your home. Yet God Himself has given all His Sons a remedy for all illusions that they think they see. Christ’s vision does not use your eyes, but you can look through His and learn to see like Him. Mistakes are tiny shadows, quickly gone, that for an instant only seem to hide the face of Christ, which still remains unchanged behind them all. His constancy remains in tranquil silence and in perfect peace. He does not know of shadows. His [are] the eyes that look past error to the Christ in you. (A Course in Miracles, S-2.I.4:8-6:8)

The ego’s scheme to project our guilt on the world outside us keeps us at the mercy of outside forces. What people say and do can make us happy or sad, fearful or angry. Because we cannot control the outside world, we feel powerless to find release from the puppet strings that seem to control our life experience. But we are only subject to this external control as long as we believe we are separate and identify with the ego thought system. This is a choice for self-deception, which maintains our guilt, though it hides it from our awareness.

Christ’s vision is the means through which we can release ourselves from the seeming control of an external world. We need to learn that what the body’s eyes show us is not real and open our minds to Christ’s vision. His Vision sees only the innocence of Love reflected everywhere. Our reliance on the body’s eyes blocks His vision from our awareness.

We are not asked to deny what the body’s eyes seem to show us, but we are asked to bring these perceptions to Christ’s vision. Here we will see that the guilt reflected in our perception is not justified because the perception is not true. Beyond the mistaken perception is the truth of Love, unchanged and unchangeable.

As we practice this process of opening to Christ’s vision, we are less subject to the seeming whims of the ego’s world. Our level of peace increases. We are less reactive and defensive. We more frequently recognize calls for Love and respond with Love. This is the process of forgiveness and the benefit it offers.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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What Purpose Are We Giving the World?

As prayer is always for yourself, so is forgiveness always given you. It is impossible to forgive another, for it is only your sins you see in him. You want to see them there, and not in you. That is why forgiveness of another is an illusion. Yet it is the only happy dream in all the world; the only one that does not lead to death. Only in someone else can you forgive yourself, for you have called him guilty of your sins, and in him must your innocence now be found. Who but the sinful need to be forgiven? And do not ever think you can see sin in anyone except yourself. (A Course in Miracles, S-2.I.4)

The images of the world can serve one of two purposes, depending upon the guide we choose. The ego uses the world as a target on which to project our guilt. This scheme seems to reduce our own guilt, but only hides the guilt in our unconscious mind. The ego’s secret goal is to maintain guilt. The mechanism of projection serves its goal well by making us unaware that we have not let guilt go.

The Holy Spirit gives another purpose to the images of the world. These images serve as reflections of our hidden guilt. They thus bring to our attention the need for forgiveness. Our judgments disrupt our innate peace. This disturbance now becomes a reminder of the need to forgive.

With this need recognized, we can bring our perceptions to the Holy Spirit for help in seeing them anew with Christ’s vision. His vision will show us the changeless Love beyond the made up images that make our world. With His help, we learn that we remain Love as Love created us. It appears as though we are forgiving another, but we are really forgiving our own projected guilt that is being reflected back to us.

Every time we forgive, we free ourselves from ego limitations, and we free the world along with us. It is a journey of awakening to the unlimited Love we are.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Ego’s Use of Guilt

No gift of Heaven has been more misunderstood than has forgiveness. It has, in fact, become a scourge; a curse where it was meant to bless, a cruel mockery of grace, a parody upon the holy peace of God. Yet those who have not yet chosen to begin the steps of prayer cannot but use it thus. Forgiveness’ kindness is obscure at first, because salvation is not understood, nor truly sought for. What was meant to heal is used to hurt because forgiveness is not wanted. Guilt becomes salvation, and the remedy appears to be a terrible alternative to life.

Forgiveness-to-destroy will therefore suit the purpose of the world far better than its true objective, and the honest means by which this goal is reached. Forgiveness-to-destroy will overlook no sin, no crime, no guilt that it can seek and find and “love.” Dear to its heart is error, and mistakes loom large and grow and swell within its sight. It carefully picks out all evil things, and overlooks the loving as a plague; a hateful thing of danger and of death. Forgiveness-to-destroy is death, and this it sees in all it looks upon and hates. God’s mercy has become a twisted knife that would destroy the holy Son He loves.

Would you forgive yourself for doing this? Then learn that God has given you the means by which you can return to Him in peace. Do not see error. Do not make it real. Select the loving and forgive the sin by choosing in its place the face of Christ. How otherwise can prayer return to God? He loves His Son. Can you remember Him and hate what He created? You will hate his Father if you hate the Son He loves. For as you see the Son you see yourself, and as you see yourself is God to you. (A Course in Miracles, S-2.I.1-3)

The ego’s purpose for the world is to make separation seem real. Its principal tool to achieve its purpose is judgment, seeing guilt in the world. Guilt must be seen everywhere to make the separation seem to be immutable.

The attraction of the ego to guilt in the world is that it provides a means to project the hidden guilt which comes from believing we have offended God by “successfully” separating from Him. This projection of guilt is seen everywhere, including in God. God is perceived as vengeful, ready to strike us dead or punish us in a whim. Yet the ego is merely seeing itself in this image of God. Likewise the guilt we see in others is just an outward projection or image of our own inner guilt. This inner guilt comes from choosing the ego as our identity.

The ego’s version of forgiveness is to see another as an enemy. Its “forgiveness” does not let go of this hateful image. Rather it puffs itself up with its magnanimous statement of forgiveness while not truly forgiving. This process maintains the “reality” of separation by holding onto guilt. Separation from God, the Source of Life, is the choice for death. Death is the ego’s ultimate image proclaiming separation real. The world’s history is filled with attack and murder in defense of separation.

True forgiveness, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognizes that illusions can do no harm. Despite appearances in the world, we remain united in God’s changeless Love. As we accept the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we learn to see the Love behind the ego’s false images. As these false images are recognized as untrue, they are easily let go. Without the shadows of the ego, the truth of Love’s Light is seen.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Path to True Forgiveness

Forgiveness offers wings to prayer, to make its rising easy and its progress swift. Without its strong support it would be vain to try to rise above prayer’s bottom step, or even to attempt to climb at all. Forgiveness is prayer’s ally; sister in the plan for your salvation. Both must come to hold you up and keep your feet secure; your purpose steadfast and unchangeable. Behold the greatest help that God ordained to be with you until you reach to Him. Illusion’s end will come with this. Unlike the timeless nature of its sister, prayer, forgiveness has an end. For it becomes unneeded when the rising up is done. Yet now it has a purpose beyond which you cannot go, nor have you need to go. Accomplish this and you have been redeemed. Accomplish this and you have been transformed. Accomplish this and you will save the world. (A Course in Miracles, S-2.in.1)

Unforgiveness keeps us locked into the ego’s world of separation. It keeps us locked into fear and guilt, the inevitable consequence of judgment and belief in separation. Without forgiveness our prayers are at best confused because unforgiveness demands guilt in another, which demands guilt in ourselves. We cannot move up the ladder of prayer to the point of true prayer, unencumbered by guilt and judgment, without forgiveness.

Forgiveness is an illusion offered by the Holy Spirit to help us let go of guilt. It is needed only in the illusion that seems to justify guilt. It is the one illusion that leads out of all illusions to the recognition that only Love’s innocence is real. This is the recognition of our Identity as God’s Son, God’s perfect extension of Love.

The entire Course in Miracles is designed to motivate us to be willing to let go of the dream. It brings to our attention the pain we have hidden from ourselves which comes from believing in lovelessness. It describes and offers ways to experience the joy and peace and limitless Love that is our true Nature, our true Self.

We are given many processes to facilitate forgiveness and we are shown that the Holy Spirit’s function is to teach us true forgiveness. He is ever-present in our minds, available to assist us to learn to see past the false images of the world to the reality of changeless Love. Let us take the Holy Spirit’s Hand and accept His guidance in our thoughts, words and actions all through the day.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Accepting Our Unity in God’s Love

Now [in true humility] prayer is lifted from the world of things, of bodies, and of gods of every kind, and you can rest in holiness at last. Humility has come to teach you how to understand your glory as God’s Son, and recognize the arrogance of sin. A dream [of separation] has veiled the face of Christ from you. Now can you look upon His sinlessness. High has the ladder risen. You have come almost to Heaven. There is little more to learn before the journey is complete. Now can you say to everyone who comes to join in prayer with you:

I cannot go without you, for you are a part of me.

And so he is in truth. Now can you pray only for what you truly share with him. For you have understood he never left, and you, who seemed alone, are one with him.

The ladder ends with this, for learning is no longer needed. Now you stand before the gate of Heaven, and your brother stands beside you there. The lawns are deep and still, for here the place appointed for the time when you should come has waited long for you. Here will time end forever. At this gate eternity itself will join with you. Prayer has become what it was meant to be, for you have recognized the Christ in you. (A Course in Miracles, S-1.V.3-4)

The ego is arrogant because it is the belief that it has successfully usurped God and made a world that excludes Him, that denies Love. This belief brings guilt with it because it means that we have harmed God with this denial.

True humility disregards the ego’s arrogant claims that separation is real. It recognizes that Christ is in everyone always and we are all united in Christ, God’s one Son. It is in our full acceptance of God as our Father and our one Self as His Son that we reach the top of the ladder of prayer.

Now the arrogance of the ego’s claim to have made another reality has been let go. This is when forgiveness is complete and we join together as one in God’s Love. Now our only prayer is the joyous exchange of Love between Father and Son.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Use of Time That Brings Peace

Prayer is a way to true humility. And here again it rises slowly up, and grows in strength and love and holiness. Let it but leave the ground where it begins to rise to God, and true humility will come at last to grace the mind that thought it was alone and stood against the world. Humility brings peace because it does not claim that you must rule the universe, nor judge all things as you would have them be. All little gods it gladly lays aside, not in resentment, but in honesty and recognition that they do not serve.

Illusions and humility have goals so far apart they cannot coexist, nor share a dwelling place where they can meet. Where one has come the other disappears. The truly humble have no goal but God because they need no idols, and defense no longer serves a purpose. Enemies are useless now, because humility does not oppose. It does not hide in shame because it is content with what it is, knowing creation is the Will of God. [Humility’s] selflessness is Self, and this it sees in every meeting, where it gladly joins with every Son of God, whose purity it recognizes that it shares with him. (S-1.V.1-2)

The recognition that we do not know what anything means is essential to moving up the ladder of prayer. It is our mistaken belief that we are separate and alone that blocks us from accepting our innate unity with the Love that joins us with every brother and our Creator.

Pausing before we act on any perception to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help opens our mind to joining in Love instead of separating. This needs to be a daily practice. It is the only use of time that will bring us peace. It relieves us from the burden of analyzing and evaluating anything in the world.

On our own we can only judge based on past experience. But the past is illusion. Illusions cannot show us the Truth. Only the Truth will bring us peace and happiness because Truth is the Will of God, and Truth is our will as well. Humility opens our mind to inspiration that heals and forgives. It helps us be truly helpful in the present moment.

Today let us practice humbly asking for Christ’s vision to guide us.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Key to True Prayer

Once the need to hold the other as an enemy has been questioned, and the reason for doing so has been recognized if only for an instant, it becomes possible to join in prayer. Enemies do not share a goal. It is in this their enmity is kept. Their separate wishes are their arsenals; their fortresses in hate. The key to rising further still in prayer lies in this simple thought; this change of mind:

We go together, you and I.

Now it is possible to help in prayer, and so reach up yourself. This step begins the quicker ascent, but there are still many lessons to learn. …Even together you may ask for things, and thus set up but an illusion of a goal you share. You may ask together for specifics, and not realize that you are asking for effects without the cause.

Even the joining, then, is not enough, if those who pray together do not ask, before all else, what is the Will of God. From this Cause only [the Will of God] can the answer come in which are all specifics satisfied; all separate wishes unified in one. Prayer for specifics always asks to have the past repeated in some way. What was enjoyed before, or seemed to be; what was another’s and he seemed to love,– all these are but illusions from the past. The aim of prayer is to release the present from its chains of past illusions; to let it be a freely chosen remedy from every choice that stood for a mistake. What prayer can offer now so far exceeds all that you asked before that it is pitiful to be content with less.

You have chosen a newborn chance each time you pray. …Do not restrict your asking. Prayer can bring the peace of God. What time-bound thing can give you more than this…? (A Course in Miracles, S-1.IV.1:3-8;2:1-2,5-6;3;4:1,3-5)

The key to true prayer is to begin by asking, “What is the Will of God?” Because we believe we are in the world of form, we think that the answer we need is a specific form. The form we think would meet our need is based upon our past experience. But this expectation or wish interferes with our openness to accept God’s Will, which is ultimately His peace and Love.

This is why an early lesson in the Workbook asks us to remind ourselves that we do not know what anything means. This practice opens our mind to consider that the answer to our need may not be in the form we think it should be. This openness prepares us to forgive — to let go of the past and welcome a newborn present that reflects God’s peace and Love in the world we perceive.

To ask, “How would my true Self see this? How would Love respond in this situation? How would the Holy Spirit perceive this? What would Jesus do?” is to ask to know the Will of God. These are ways to open our hearts and minds to His Will. It will be reflected in a specific answer in our dream of separation. This answer will always bless everyone involved and extend to every brother everywhere. For this answer comes from joining in the oneness of Love. We have taken a step up the ladder of prayer.

© 2018, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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