Thank you, Sean, as always. Reading chapter 16, it would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on "True Empathy". Wapnick's Journey through the Text of ACIM is a wonderful source for understanding the language Jesus' uses but your column shows the loving emotion of a caring teacher wanting to see his brothers and sisters practice the course to get to The Real World. I really enjoy it.
Thank you for this comment, Kim. I am deeply grateful to Ken for his clarity and scholarship. Understanding WHAT the course is saying matters. But it was Tara Singh who opened the way for me by insisting on application. Study without practice is sterile, and practice without study is naive. There are exceptions of course but for me they are joined in healing.
I read "True Empathy" as a meditation on non-interference as a spiritual practice. We do not know what empathy means and so we cannot truly empathize; but if we do not interfered with what occurs - if we do not insist on interpreting it and then responding TO that interpretation, we will LEARN what empathy is.
To me that section also reflects the course's emphasis on defenselessness as true strength. Projection is a defense; interpretation is a defense; refusing to question (the negative use of denial) is a defense. If we lay those defenses down, what happens? What is revealed?
The real challenge there is the humility involved in accepting that I do not know what empathy is - or love, or healing, or God or truth or . . . So the real challenge in practice - actual application - is accepting my role as a student, which is the only way that peace will be brought to everyone (T-16.I.5:6).
True strength is this willingness to let judgment go - to become totally defenseless - and to rely totally - childlike - on the Holy Spirit. It is nontrivially difficult!!
I also like the suggestion at the end that "secrecy" is our attempt to "hide" from the Holy Spirit our desire to both BE special and our plans to achieve that specialness by the way we live in the world. Only when we go all in - come empty-handed unto God THROUGH the Holy Spirit - will we remember peace.
Anyway, it's a great and challenging section, part of the whole revision of HOW we see our brothers and sisters. The journey is ongoing 🙏🙏
Our eternal peace is always present, it is constantly shining, it is ever stable and will never leave our presence. Whenever we feel that it is not with us it is because we have allowed our ego, our judgement or our fear to cloud the light that is always shinning, always waiting for us to remember the Truth of ourselves and our real power. It never goes away, it is only our belief in it, our remembrance of who and what we are that goes away, but the light never goes. Whenever we are not at peace, whenever we are in fear or feel attacked it is because we have lost sight of the Light that is always shinning brightly for us to remember.
Thank you for reminding me of this truth today Sean, it has to be the most powerful way of dispelling the fear that we so often find ourselves experiencing.
I just found you Sean, a few weeks ago and I am not sure how.... but you are brilliant with your weekly 'shares'. Thank you so much. I understand your ideas and I am thankful you tie them together with actual quotes. I am VERY thankful for you!
I'm glad you're here Robyn 🙏 And thank you for the kind words. I'm glad the posts are helpful. They feel like collaborative to me, as I slowly learn how to be in relationships given to healing. It is a shared path! And I am glad we are on it together 🙏🙏
Thank you Sean for your sharing your insights with us ,and for your continued interest in helping us. Sometimes I get lost in the study and this is where you can pull me up encouraging me to go again so keep on sharing sean
Thank you, Sean, as always. Reading chapter 16, it would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on "True Empathy". Wapnick's Journey through the Text of ACIM is a wonderful source for understanding the language Jesus' uses but your column shows the loving emotion of a caring teacher wanting to see his brothers and sisters practice the course to get to The Real World. I really enjoy it.
Thank you for this comment, Kim. I am deeply grateful to Ken for his clarity and scholarship. Understanding WHAT the course is saying matters. But it was Tara Singh who opened the way for me by insisting on application. Study without practice is sterile, and practice without study is naive. There are exceptions of course but for me they are joined in healing.
I read "True Empathy" as a meditation on non-interference as a spiritual practice. We do not know what empathy means and so we cannot truly empathize; but if we do not interfered with what occurs - if we do not insist on interpreting it and then responding TO that interpretation, we will LEARN what empathy is.
To me that section also reflects the course's emphasis on defenselessness as true strength. Projection is a defense; interpretation is a defense; refusing to question (the negative use of denial) is a defense. If we lay those defenses down, what happens? What is revealed?
The real challenge there is the humility involved in accepting that I do not know what empathy is - or love, or healing, or God or truth or . . . So the real challenge in practice - actual application - is accepting my role as a student, which is the only way that peace will be brought to everyone (T-16.I.5:6).
True strength is this willingness to let judgment go - to become totally defenseless - and to rely totally - childlike - on the Holy Spirit. It is nontrivially difficult!!
I also like the suggestion at the end that "secrecy" is our attempt to "hide" from the Holy Spirit our desire to both BE special and our plans to achieve that specialness by the way we live in the world. Only when we go all in - come empty-handed unto God THROUGH the Holy Spirit - will we remember peace.
Anyway, it's a great and challenging section, part of the whole revision of HOW we see our brothers and sisters. The journey is ongoing 🙏🙏
~ Sean
Thank you for response, it was quite helpful.
This was a gift today as usual Sean,
Our eternal peace is always present, it is constantly shining, it is ever stable and will never leave our presence. Whenever we feel that it is not with us it is because we have allowed our ego, our judgement or our fear to cloud the light that is always shinning, always waiting for us to remember the Truth of ourselves and our real power. It never goes away, it is only our belief in it, our remembrance of who and what we are that goes away, but the light never goes. Whenever we are not at peace, whenever we are in fear or feel attacked it is because we have lost sight of the Light that is always shinning brightly for us to remember.
Thank you for reminding me of this truth today Sean, it has to be the most powerful way of dispelling the fear that we so often find ourselves experiencing.
Love as Always, Suzy x
Thank you Suzy. I am so so grateful we are here to remind each other that nothing real can be threatened 🙏🙏.
~ Sean
I just found you Sean, a few weeks ago and I am not sure how.... but you are brilliant with your weekly 'shares'. Thank you so much. I understand your ideas and I am thankful you tie them together with actual quotes. I am VERY thankful for you!
I'm glad you're here Robyn 🙏 And thank you for the kind words. I'm glad the posts are helpful. They feel like collaborative to me, as I slowly learn how to be in relationships given to healing. It is a shared path! And I am glad we are on it together 🙏🙏
~ Sean
Thank you Sean for your sharing your insights with us ,and for your continued interest in helping us. Sometimes I get lost in the study and this is where you can pull me up encouraging me to go again so keep on sharing sean
You're welcome, Sean. Thank you for reading and sharing. I'm glad it's helpful!
~ Sean
Your offerings every week are are gift Sean. Thank you.
You're welcome, Glenda. Thank you for reading and sharing.
~ Sean
Thank you Sean for these beautiful reflections. 🙏
You're welcome, David - thanks for reading and sharing 🙏🙏
~ Sean