Miracles News

Tweet

July-September, 2012

Defeated by A Course in Miracles

by Rev. Ken Gorman, O.M.C.

My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world. (W-pI.11)

This is one of the most important aspects of ACIM training yet one of the most difficult to accept, especially for ego that builds our image as individual life forms, separate from everything else with an entire universe constructed of and by thoughts. This concept is found in many other traditions such as Ramana Maharshi who said… “the degree of the absence of thoughts is your measure of progress on the spiritual path.” It has been said that Krishna Murti teachings can be summarized in two words… “Don’t Think,” despite producing reams of material on spirituality. Even the Buddhist canon could fill several libraries. This is also similar to the ACIM material many of us have studied for years which consists of words and more words, pages and more pages of text… why?

I was listening to Eckhart Tolle, who gave a great explanation of this in speaking about ACIM. He said, “It meets us where we are in the noise and then takes us by the hand out of the noise.” He also goes on to say that a good explanation of the experience of emptiness, enlightenment, realizing our true nature, unlimited spaciousness… whatever you want to call it is “Thoughtless Awareness.”

For me there was a moment a couple years ago when I realized after studying ACIM for almost 20 years that the Text had well and truly defeated me. No matter how hard I studied, I could not seem to stuff all of the concepts into my mind. I would stumble on sections I thought I had ‘mastered’ a couple years earlier only to realize I had totally forgotten about it. Others that I was sure I understood, would take on a totally different meaning months later, leading me to realize the everything I thought I understood today was at risk of having a totally different meaning in months or years. And then the Workbook… I started doing that again by the days of the year and it was like I was starting over again each time with a new Workbook. I am convinced there are thousands of Lessons masquerading as 365, one for each day that we decide to do them for the rest of our lives.

Oh yea… and then there was my favorite ACIM quote, the one I like to constantly forget — “I do not understand what anything, including this, means.”

Fortunately, I think what all of the teachers above are trying to tell us is that the answer does not lie in our thoughts and our thinking mind, in fact that is the problem.  They are pointing to a reality that actually surrendering ‘thought’ and the insatiable desire to ‘understand with my mind’ (which is always based in an imagined past) is the gateway to remembering; that my awareness without thought is always waiting for me in the present moment, and connecting with it leads to peace. I also have a feeling that this is pretty close to what forgiveness is all about.

My ego will tell me that if I don’t pay attention to its stories, analysis, judgments, fears, plans, etc. that I will be lost, like a paper cup blowing on a lake. What I think ACIM may be trying to teach us is that when I let go of this and rest in this awareness, the Voice of the Holy Spirit now has space and can fill in all the gaps I think I might experience with what things really mean… maybe this is Christ Vision?

On a practical level, I find (and am told) I cannot just stop thinking, but what I find I can do is gradually ‘de-value’ the thoughts that are passing through my mind and actually rest my awareness on the space in which they are arising. I like the passing clouds in the sky analogy. This takes continuous practice as my thinking mind is a giant flywheel made mostly of habit energy. I also think it takes continuous inspiration which I get through reading, study groups, fellowship and service.  But the good news is we are told we only need ‘Willingness’ and something in my mind (HS/Higher Self/Inner Guide/Power Greater than Myself/etc.) does the work for me. So now I am back to surrender, which makes a lot of sense as surrender is what normally happens after ‘defeat’ (also Step 1 of the 12 Steps) …a defeat I am very grateful for Jeshua engineering through many means and especially A Course in Miracles.

© 2012, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this copyright notice and website address are included.

Tell a Friend

Printable Page

Back to main page of Miracles News.

Has this page been helpful to you?
Make a tax deductible donation. Your support for this site is greatly appreciated.