Just cogitating: It's interesting: Spirit doesn't know separation, but the world thinks it knows it, and both wants and hates it, thus making it appear "real." I've lived a long time already and the older I get the more I recognize that I have "separated" from many, many people in the sense of not being being physically around them any more. This is not a source of sadness or regret. Some of those people I would enjoy seeing again, but there are a lot of them that I don't have any wish to be near. And yet I don't *feel* separated from any of them. I believe the Course when it says there is no such thing as separation. We are One and always have been and always will be. Whew. That's a relief! At that level there's no question of "like," or "attract," or "reject" or joining bodies; there's only love that demands nothing as compared to the worldly push to "fix" separation--which idea only reinforces the false idea that separation exists.Not to mention it has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, such as domestic abuse victims. I love my (bodily) separated friends, even those at whom I was angry, or who'd had their fill of me, but I guess my point is that we can relax; we don't have to have lunch and hash it all out.
I'd like to correct a misleading couple of sentences of mine. . .
This: "to 'fix' separation--which idea only reinforces the false idea that separation exists.Not to mention it has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, such as domestic abuse victims." I didn't mean to imply that separation has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, but rather that the false idea of the virtue of "fixing" separation has done that. An example would be a clergy person advising a beaten spouse that "separation" is a sin and she must return to her abuser. . .who then kills her.
Thank you so much Sean, the following quote by you made my heart leap bc I often times forget “his promise.” “remember that God does not create in pieces. There is one creation. Remembering this is what miracles are.” 🙌💕
I live in South Jersey in a very crowded area just outside of Philly. I’m not a big sports fan but I have to tell ya that the energy here is electric with the Eagles headed to the Superbowl. I notice that everyone is smiling, no longer caring what each others political views are, or if you’re black, white, LBTQ, wealthy, poor ect. We’re all United.
But then you realize that there is the villain, the other team. Not unlike 9/11 when we seemed United as a country and we seemed kinder to one another. But again there was a villian.
It’s a desire to feel oneness, sameness. So you’re quote “God doesn’t create in pieces” really hit home for me that we already are. Thank you for reminding me. Much love for you and your messages.
It's so good to drill down past the surface - past the appearances - to find ego still playing its games, still enforcing dissocation, still wreaking havoc. For me it's at those levels that the stakes clarify and I begin to feel the intensity of the need to become open to the Holy Spirit through surrender, letting go, defeat, whatever. I am doing this to myself - when is there a better time to stop and do something different? I'm with you 🙏🙏
Love the comment 'our ego's goal is to destroy peace but leave our desire for peace in tact', or rather your explanation of why this is so significant ... 'if we are seeking peace and feeling a lack of peace, then we are denying the truth - that we are it. We are peace.
How does one avoid the common language 'l am hungry', 'l am tired' etc, whereby the language used reinforces the very thing we are trying to learn - that we are not bodies, so we can't be sick, tired etc?
In the context of separation, we really can't avoid using language that way. For most of us, trying to would just reinforce the confusion from another direction. So it's more about just noticing how the way we use language reinforces the underlying error in perception.
That error is not caused by language! Language is a post-separation phenomenon. In a way, language ALWAYS reflects separation, dissociation, etc.
However, the Course teaches us to give everything to the Holy Spirit and emphasizes that when we do, it will always be used to undo separation and its effects. Thus, when we turn our use of language over to the Holy Spirit, then it will always be used in ways that constructively undo our tangled ideas and perceptions.
The Workbook does this ALL the time - "I am not a body," "I am free," "I am as God created me" et cetera.
So again, turning ALL communication over to the Holy Spirit - allowing Love to direct its application, rather than fear - means that whatever we say/write/share cannot help but function as healing.
As always, the focus is on whether we are listening to ego or the Holy Spirit. All our practice comes down to this!
Just cogitating: It's interesting: Spirit doesn't know separation, but the world thinks it knows it, and both wants and hates it, thus making it appear "real." I've lived a long time already and the older I get the more I recognize that I have "separated" from many, many people in the sense of not being being physically around them any more. This is not a source of sadness or regret. Some of those people I would enjoy seeing again, but there are a lot of them that I don't have any wish to be near. And yet I don't *feel* separated from any of them. I believe the Course when it says there is no such thing as separation. We are One and always have been and always will be. Whew. That's a relief! At that level there's no question of "like," or "attract," or "reject" or joining bodies; there's only love that demands nothing as compared to the worldly push to "fix" separation--which idea only reinforces the false idea that separation exists.Not to mention it has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, such as domestic abuse victims. I love my (bodily) separated friends, even those at whom I was angry, or who'd had their fill of me, but I guess my point is that we can relax; we don't have to have lunch and hash it all out.
Thank you, Nancy. This is very clear and helpful. I like your mind :)
~ Sean
My mind says thank you and same to ya. : )
I'd like to correct a misleading couple of sentences of mine. . .
This: "to 'fix' separation--which idea only reinforces the false idea that separation exists.Not to mention it has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, such as domestic abuse victims." I didn't mean to imply that separation has left a lot of dead bodies behind it, but rather that the false idea of the virtue of "fixing" separation has done that. An example would be a clergy person advising a beaten spouse that "separation" is a sin and she must return to her abuser. . .who then kills her.
Thank you so much Sean, the following quote by you made my heart leap bc I often times forget “his promise.” “remember that God does not create in pieces. There is one creation. Remembering this is what miracles are.” 🙌💕
I live in South Jersey in a very crowded area just outside of Philly. I’m not a big sports fan but I have to tell ya that the energy here is electric with the Eagles headed to the Superbowl. I notice that everyone is smiling, no longer caring what each others political views are, or if you’re black, white, LBTQ, wealthy, poor ect. We’re all United.
But then you realize that there is the villain, the other team. Not unlike 9/11 when we seemed United as a country and we seemed kinder to one another. But again there was a villian.
It’s a desire to feel oneness, sameness. So you’re quote “God doesn’t create in pieces” really hit home for me that we already are. Thank you for reminding me. Much love for you and your messages.
The separation is everywhere but not really :)
It's so good to drill down past the surface - past the appearances - to find ego still playing its games, still enforcing dissocation, still wreaking havoc. For me it's at those levels that the stakes clarify and I begin to feel the intensity of the need to become open to the Holy Spirit through surrender, letting go, defeat, whatever. I am doing this to myself - when is there a better time to stop and do something different? I'm with you 🙏🙏
Thank you Dee for being here and sharing.
Love,
Sean
Love the comment 'our ego's goal is to destroy peace but leave our desire for peace in tact', or rather your explanation of why this is so significant ... 'if we are seeking peace and feeling a lack of peace, then we are denying the truth - that we are it. We are peace.
How does one avoid the common language 'l am hungry', 'l am tired' etc, whereby the language used reinforces the very thing we are trying to learn - that we are not bodies, so we can't be sick, tired etc?
Thank you.
Bless you.
Jayney
Thank you, Jayney. Good question.
In the context of separation, we really can't avoid using language that way. For most of us, trying to would just reinforce the confusion from another direction. So it's more about just noticing how the way we use language reinforces the underlying error in perception.
That error is not caused by language! Language is a post-separation phenomenon. In a way, language ALWAYS reflects separation, dissociation, etc.
However, the Course teaches us to give everything to the Holy Spirit and emphasizes that when we do, it will always be used to undo separation and its effects. Thus, when we turn our use of language over to the Holy Spirit, then it will always be used in ways that constructively undo our tangled ideas and perceptions.
The Workbook does this ALL the time - "I am not a body," "I am free," "I am as God created me" et cetera.
So again, turning ALL communication over to the Holy Spirit - allowing Love to direct its application, rather than fear - means that whatever we say/write/share cannot help but function as healing.
As always, the focus is on whether we are listening to ego or the Holy Spirit. All our practice comes down to this!
Love,
Sean
I’m very new to this site and not quite sure how I found this site. I believe the Holy Spirit guides us where we need to be.
I enjoyed reading this and what resonated with and clarified for me was from Review IX Introduction:
I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.
Thank you for this post. I’m looking forward to reading your previous posts.
There are no errors in salvation 🙏🙏
Yes, thank you, Robert. I agree - these ideas are pretty resonant throughout the Course, especially the workbook.
Thanks for being here & sharing!
Love,
Sean
I just love the simplicity and clarity of this post, Sean. And it's beautifully written. Thanks, as always. Margaret
You're welcome, Margaret. Thank you for being here.
~ Sean