Remembering Love Together
. . . the choice to join is the end of suffering.
A Course in Miracles exists in order that you and I might remember that we can choose between loving and unloving ways of communication with our brothers and sisters. The world we perceive attests to the choice we have made.
Thus, when I glance at my phone and see images of tortured and murdered Ukrainians, their bodies left on the street in the wake of retreating Russian soldiers, I can safely assume that my journey from fear to love is not yet complete, and I need you still.
The question is: for what do I need you? And for what do you need me?
Very simply, to remind one another that we have but one need, and that need is to remember that we are not separate - not from each other, not from Creation, and not from God. All else follows from this correction.
This is another way of saying that we are here to remind one another to disregard the lies of the ego, and to refuse the conditions it places on love, especially the one that states "seek and do not find" (T-12.IV.1:4).
The ego is certain that love is dangerous, and this is always its central teaching. It never puts it this way; on the contrary, everyone who believes that the ego is salvation seems to be intensely engaged in the search for love. Yet the ego, though encouraging the search for love very actively, makes one proviso: do not find it (T-12.IV.1:1-3).
Passages like that humble me. They encourage me to slowly and carefully examine my mind to ensure I am not on a spiritual wild-goose chase dictated by ego. The ego always emphasizes lack. It is always going on about what is missing and what we need to do in order to acquire and possess it. Ego loves the future (which, you will notice, never quite arrives).
The Holy Spirit is much simpler: it simply asks us to notice what we are right now. It asks us to give attention to "the altar of God where Christ abideth" (T-12.III.10:3), which is within us (T-12.III.9:9). It asks us to notice we are not alone and to become responsible for how we think.
If you will recognize that all attack you perceive is in your own mind and nowhere else, you will at last have placed its source, and where it begins it must end. For in this same place also lies salvation (T-12.III.10:1-2).
Together we remember why this work matters. Together we are the reason we do it.
Find a moment today to remember what you are in truth: feel the calm certainty of the Love that excludes nobody and nothing, and is already given. You do not seek alone, and what you find you find for all of us as one.
Love,
Sean
Hi Sean,
I hope this message finds you and all doing well. I know this is off topic so to speak but I could not find another way to share this with you and hope posting it here is okay with you. If not, please let me know. 💐
I’ve had certain questions regarding ACIM for years and despite the many times I thought I understood, they were never answered in ACIM.
One in particular is what I believe ACIM states as well as many of the teachers of ACIM which is that our ego created our body to prove its separateness. I recall Kenneth Wapnick going so far as to say that our infant bodies were a way of our providing our innocence by inhabiting such a small body (the ego’s way of gaining sympathy and what have you).
I began asking my own inner teacher if this was true, that our ego created my/our bodies. I immediately heard/felt from what I have come to know as God, that no, we did not create our own bodies but that these are a precious gift we were given to be able to have this dream of himself in form on the planet.
I understand that in reality this is not my/our home but when I deny that this is the experience I seem to be having I suffer because in many ways it is the reality I’m having, even though I understand that this is not fundamentally who/what I am, and I am not a body, and this is not my home, etc. but I don’t get where the denying comes from.
I’ve read the lessons over for years and even attended several workshops and read many books, listen to audio’s and done a lot of learning on this topic, but ultimately I go back to my own inner teacher which tells me what is my truth and some of what ACIM teaches just doesn’t add up.
In all honesty, I have to say that even the fact that there is a moment in time when “we” decided to build a wall (of sorts) to keep God out and are here to undo that no longer feels right in my heart, because what I’ve learned is that there is nothing that is “not” of God, so if there is an “ego” whether it be thought or otherwise, where did that come from other than God?
If there is no separate “me” and I am very sure, this character has never actually existed other than in God’s movie, then who created this “other” person that could put up this wall, or “chose” to listen to the ego? How could the “me” that doesn’t exist do all this?
I think that the ego and everything else that is condemned as taking us “off course” is but another piece on God’s chessboard of life, and this is his movie, so if he wants the good, the bad and the ugly, he’s got it. If he wants us to overcome an egoic construct that “we” think we made, then whether it comes through ACIM, Jesus, the Bible, or any other teaching it will be here for us to find.
However, in reality, to me, it feels more like this was a character deliberately put in the movie for us to overcome, not unlike mastering another level in a videogame, seeing the villain become the victor or reading a chapter where all does not go well, and still we are highly interested.
When/how did the non-existent “me/you/we/they/us” have the ability to create, even though I understand we never really did create it, this fiction that we are all now tying to undo if all that there is/has even been, is God?
And even if, because we are the creators of our own realities, we somehow inadvertently created whatever nightmare we may be living (seemingly individually or collectively), who is the creator within us doing the creating?
And lastly, if creation is already done and all we are doing is remembering the past, what has already happened, then why are so many “enlightened/aware” beings doing so much to help the planet reach a new day where love & light will guide it?
Haven’t we already done this? Wouldn’t some of these people already know this? Why are they all struggling to usher in the New Earth?
As you can see there are many things contained in ACIM that I have questions about and it feels that no matter how many times I’ve asked them of people who teach this work, it is never the same answer, and most often they are so very committed to the only answers being those that are stated in ACIM that they can’t imagine it being anything else so the mind is closed to any other possibilities.
And that’s fine, but it’s no different than those who only believe in the Bible, or an Evolutionist who believes who only believes in evolution, or an Atheist who believes there’s nothing, ad infinitum.
Each are just as sure that their way is the one and only way one that they refuse to even hear anything else, and I find this is true with most ACIM students and teachers as well.
What makes ACIM the one truth?
It has many things in it that contradict each other but I’ve found that instead of discussing these things to see what might have been truly intended, they become locked down into this absolute mindset which at least to me, is the very antithesis of what we want to do when we are trying to find the truth in anything.
There should be room for questions, discussions, and not just “According to ACIM . . . “ that’s all well and good but what about seeing what the question is and if ACIM answers it?
I was inspired from within to not seek outside information in whatever form because all I needed to know was always within so when I really don’t know, I do ask within and the answers I get are that all roads lead back home, so it doesn’t really matter which one anyone takes.
I’ve heard that there is no such thing as an ego, but it is a prop in God’s movie for each of us to overcome like mastering a new level, and that we never did put up any such door to keep him out or eat an apple from a tree without his hand doing it all.
That in reality “we” have never done anything, because we are merely a character in his movie. If this is all true, what what are “we” undoing? Practicing? Studying? Teaching? Lessons?
God tells me that he and I are one, that we could never possibly be two, so who am I praying to? Who am I talking to? He says, it is him talking to his mortal self, so again, there was never a “me” who has done anything, which makes sense so far as everyone’s innocence goes, but then this mad thing comes along called the ego, that somehow “we” created and it has led us astray since then. That just doesn’t make any sense.
Either we are all God in drag, and he is doing all of it, no matter what it seems like to our human senses, or there’s a separate us that seems to show up at times, just to rock the boat and that I am positive is not true.
It feels like this is just another piece in God’s puzzle to have us figure out, but is no different from anything else anyone else believes must be the absolute truth.
I believe that Jesus and everyone and everything else on this planet, in this dream of God in form, has always been and will always be, just that, God. What does God need to undo? It is only the character us that would take offense to that because it thinks “it” is real, but who is playing the character? God. If “I” can’t even breathe for myself, I don’t think “I” am doing anything else, so I place all responsibility for this dream, this world and this character on God.
Maybe this is why the Bible says, “Not until you place all responsibility on me . . .?”
Thank you for your openness in allowing me to share these thoughts with you.
It would be most welcome and lovely if you felt inspired to reply.
Eternal blessings - Anna 💖🙏🏼✨
Hi Sean, thanks very much for a beautiful posting. I've been reading/following what you write for quite some time now and I have to say, for me at least, you present this material in such an open and honest way that it is easily understandable which is probably why I keep reading whatever you post. I've read/watched others such as Kenneth Wapnick and David Hoffmeister and while I found their takes on the same material interesting, it always seemed to go awry somewhere in the teaching which would then lead me to question everything all over again, which also had a purpose.
Like yourself, I can't just laugh, dismiss or tell myself that what is happening, (real or otherwise) is not what I am seeing as that just feels like plain denial and not right for me. I know beyond the veil we are all love and one and God, but the images as you mentioned, are no less horrifying because I know this, so I greatly appreciate your openness and honesty about how you feel because I'm sure many of us feel the same.
I sometimes feel as a psychotherapist that I am walking our other selves back home while simultaneously aware that everyone is walking me home. If my heart didn't crack wide open I would wonder who/what I am, to say I am not a body, I am free, is true, but that I see bodies that are suffering and bloodied also requires my compassion, empathy and love despite their unreality, in reality.
I appreciate you Sean and know what you do is not easy, it's great to be a commentator with no one to talk back but you open yourself up to all sorts of feedback and always do your best to answer each as gracefully and honestly as possible.
Thanks dear friend and brother for bringing light to the world at this crucial time when we really need it, and if it is already done, and we are just remembering, that's fine too, but while we are watching the same nightmare in this instance, this war, I am very grateful I get to exhale under your umbrella and say thank you from my heart and soul.
May eternal blessings be yours - Anna