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Sept.-Dec., 2024

A First Step in Undoing

by Rev. Joanne Schneider, PhD, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

The Course reminds us more than once that “…the sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept the Atonement for himself….” (T-5.V.7:8)

It lays the responsibility right back on ourselves. It is our responsibility to accept Atonement. The Course defines atoning as undoing, in particular the undoing of fear. (T-1.I.26.2-3) and that the “first corrective step” toward atonement is undoing fear. (T-2.VI.7.1) The Course “…repeatedly emphasized the need to recognize fear and face it without disguise as a crucial step in the undoing of the ego.” (T-12.I.8:5)

Yet, human nature is that we resist our feelings, including fear. And when we resist fear, we are really holding it below our consciousness. So, we are storing it, or in a way, protecting it. “You protect your fear. You protect it, because you believe it protects you….so you protect your fear by keeping it in storage. But you will not find your release this way.” [The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI) 2 Timothy 2 (v1-7)2-5]

So, to progress toward Atonement, we must recognize and face our fear to undo it. And yet, what do many of us do when we experience fear? We think it through. We rationalize it to ease it. And with our thoughts we do ease it, for a time, until later when we remember what originally brought up the fear. Then, the fear comes back and sometimes in full force.

We all know that any attempt to control our fear is the work of the ego. “Minimizing fear, but not its undoing, is the ego’s constant effort, and is indeed a skill at which it is very ingenious.” (T-11.V.9.2)

But, is it only fear that we are trying to control? If we look closely, we try to control any feeling we experience as uncomfortable. And our main method of control is rationalizing the uncomfortable experience, thinking it through so we minimize the discomfort. In fact, with enough discomfort, our thoughts can become ruminating, even consuming. We avoid looking deeply within at the fear experience and what it teaches us about ourselves.

The Holy Spirit encourages us to “go forth in purpose… [to] Know thy Self.” [NTI 2 Timothy 2 (v1-7)6]

The Bible also encourages us to know ourselves. (T-3.III.5.1) Part of knowing ourselves is to experience deeply, including our fear, experience the experience of fear. “Life is a roller coaster of feelings. But when you are lost in your thoughts, you rob yourself of the feelings you set out to experience.” [NTI 2 Timothy 1 (v8-12)1-2]

Thus, to know ourselves, we want to let go of the thoughts that jump into action to minimize the experience of fear. “You have set out to have an experience, so let go of the thoughts and focus on the experience they evoke.” [NTI 2 Timothy 1 (v3-7)13] Thoughts drive fear into its hiding place for safe keeping.

So, if we block our experience by keeping our fear, or emotions, hidden, we must bring them into the light. This means we must bring them into our attention, our experience. “By experiencing fear and not perishing, you learn that you cannot perish. This understanding, taken to heart, is a true glimpse of who you are.” [NTI 2 Timothy 2 (v8-10)8-9]

“You must let yourself realize the experience to see that the experience can hold no limits that could ever limit or hinder you.” [NTI 2 Timothy 1 (v16-18)6]

So, to awaken, or to realize the Atonement, we must allow fear and emotion into our experience, realize these experiences. And in fact, we can use these experiences to remember who we are. “Do not be afraid of the feelings you find within. They do not define you. They are not who you are. They are who you are not. By looking at them and experiencing them, and not fearing them, you may release them. As they go, you shall see they were not who you are.” [NTI 2 Timothy 4 (v1-5)6-11]

So, we are instructed to look at them, experience them, and release them to see our true being. Experience them and let them go.

David R. Hawkins describes this letting go more clearly than most authors. He states that, “Letting go involves being aware of a feeling, letting it come up, staying with it, and letting it run its course without wanting to make it different or do anything about it.” (Hawkins, 2012, p. 19-20)

One way to look at this is to allow all things to be as they are. Look at everything with curiosity. (Adyashanti, 2006)

Letting go simply means “to let the feeling be there and to focus on letting out the energy behind it.” (Hawkins, 2012, p. 20)

Contrary to what we tend to do by thinking our feelings into their hiding places, we want to allow our feelings to be present. “The first step is to allow yourself to have the feeling without resisting it, venting it, fearing it, condemning it, or moralizing about it. It means to drop judgment and to see that it is just a feeling.” (Hawkins, 2012, p. 20)

“The technique is to be with the feeling and surrender all efforts to modify it in any way. Let go of wanting to resist the feeling.” (Hawkins, 2012, p. 20)

Get curious about it; look at it with curiosity. (Adyashanti, 2006) That might mean to explore how it feels and where you feel it.

“It is resistance that keeps the feeling going. When you give up resisting and trying to modify the feeling, it will shift to the next feeling and be accompanied by a lighter sensation. A feeling that is not resisted will disappear as the energy behind it dissipates.” (Hawkins, 2012, p. 20)Thus, this letting-go step reflects the Course’s assertion that the first corrective step toward atonement is undoing fear. (T-2.VI.7:1) Letting go is one way to “…recognize fear and face it without disguise as a crucial step in the undoing of the ego.” (T-12.I.8:5) And, only by letting go of the ego can we realize what we really are.

© 2024, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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