Why Did We Throw Away Heaven?
Heaven is not a place nor a condition. It is merely an awareness of perfect Oneness, and the knowledge that there is nothing else; nothing outside this Oneness, and nothing else within. (T-18.VI.1)
For this world is the opposite of Heaven, being made to be its opposite, and everything here takes a direction exactly opposite of what is true. (T-16.V.3)
Inevitably students of A Course in Miracles reach a point where they ask why we left Heaven. Why did we choose to forget Who we are? Why did we make this world, which is the opposite of Heaven? Why did we choose loss and suffering over everything and peace?
The answer to these questions is: You didn’t. These questions imply something real has happened, when in fact, nothing has happened. That is the entire lesson of the Course!
Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. (T-in.2)
The idea of separation from God is not the error. Taking this idea seriously is the error. You did not throw Heaven away, you have only seemed to. You cannot change God. All correction – atonement – leads to this awareness.
www.acimmentor.com
For this world is the opposite of Heaven, being made to be its opposite, and everything here takes a direction exactly opposite of what is true. (T-16.V.3)
Inevitably students of A Course in Miracles reach a point where they ask why we left Heaven. Why did we choose to forget Who we are? Why did we make this world, which is the opposite of Heaven? Why did we choose loss and suffering over everything and peace?
The answer to these questions is: You didn’t. These questions imply something real has happened, when in fact, nothing has happened. That is the entire lesson of the Course!
Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. (T-in.2)
The idea of separation from God is not the error. Taking this idea seriously is the error. You did not throw Heaven away, you have only seemed to. You cannot change God. All correction – atonement – leads to this awareness.
www.acimmentor.com
Comments
Thanks,
Erik
"All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God. Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this." ~ T-2,V.1
Your difference from god - Him the Will to Give and You the Will to Recieve makes you feel unworthy for heaven.
"Your difficulty with the holy instant arises from your fixed conviction that you are not worthy of it." ~ T-18, V.4
How can you feel worthy again to recive god's power which you have lost but is still in you? By accepting the atonment for you and your brothers. The atonment is not from you and you cannot take credit for it. But you can feel it's healing power if you are willing to give it to your brother.
"By following the right Guide, you will learn the simplest of all lessons:
By their fruits ye shall know them, And they shall know themselves." ~ T-9,V.5
I find that statement most comforting.
this is very wonderful "The idea of separation from God is not the error. Taking this idea seriously is the error. You did not throw Heaven away, you have only seemed to. You cannot change God."
http://acimmentor.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/understanding-one-mind.html
takes me to this
http://www.acimmentor.com/understandingonemind.html
is this the writing you dont recommend for clarity? because i thought a lot of it was really helpful, but some parts i wasnt sure of, for example
"As more and more dream figures accept that they are the dreamer and choose to awaken, the one mind which dreams them awakens more and more."
and
"A dream figure that has allowed the Christ Mind to break into the dream through his or her willingness to put aside (forgive) their identification with the dream and let the Holy Spirit (Christ Mind) work in and through him or her is the dreamer awakening, and this brings closer the end of dreaming and time. Awakening through these dream figures brings Peace to the mind of the dreamer, and this motivates the dreamer to awaken even more. This motivation manifests in the dream as more and more dream figures choosing to awaken to Reality."
im just at the beginning stages of recognising the insanity of trying to change and fix the world, of accepting what the real purpose behind that drive is. letting go of trying to effect change in others minds as a perceived valuable and helpful thing is challenging.
accepting there is no reason in the world is challenging! at the beginning of my study of acim i had a dream where i walked through a door with no reason (the door seemed so silly, it pissed me off! but i went through it anyway) into a world of light. the door was in the side of a tunnel i was walking down, that seemed to be leading to the light at the end of the tunnel, to somewhere new. the 'pointless, no reason, infuriating' door led back to where id just been, a car park with dead sacred ibis piled in front of all the cars. nothing changed in the world, except i saw everything was made of light. i could see still see the individuality, but as i looked around it became apparent that i wasnt looking at a scene made of lots of light objects blending into one, but one light made up the whole scene. my vision flicked back and forth between the two ways of seeing, death and light, until i became aware i could choose which way of seeing.
im at that stage now, years later, and i keep waking from dreams of unworthiness, of feeling very far from holy. i get that this is an inevitable part of ego defence at letting go of self identity, getting to the heart of the belief im real and so oneness is dead. but i was wondering if you had any pointers to getting through this with less drama? and preferably with less time! ;) taran (my nephew who has been suicidal, who you helped me approach more kindly and respectfully) is really bringing into focus the depth of my self loathing, how i dont accept im a 'child of god'.
i was reminded of, and finally understood, a poem i heard my voice saying in a dream i had in my late teens.
'the nightmare seemed real
but now the air is mild
and i am heavy
with the thought of his child'
which i take to mean that understanding it now means im now heavy, (or pregnant, about to 'give birth') with the Thought of His Child. which i hope means im ready to face the barriers of what i think i am. tarans presence is helping me avoid avoiding this, self loathing is 'in my face' .. but im scared of the depth of my fear and loathing, and im good at running away!
I went through a phase where every morning the ego said why bother to get up you have no purpose. So I gave myself a purpose. Every morning I reminded myself that my purpose for the day was to spend it with the Holy Spirit. Whatever was planned, whatever I ended up doing, the purpose was to be with the Holy Spirit. That fulfilled my need for purpose (meaning).
Just don't let the ego have the last word. If it tells you that you are loathsome remind yourself that you are a Part of God so you can't be loathsome. It must be a mistake to think of yourself that way. You don't have to believe it yet. Eventually you will.
the last week i have been recognising the perverse pleasure/pain i get from punishing people, from withdrawing my love, knowing that they are feeling shut out, and telling myself 'this is too strong, i just cant act or think differently than this.'
it felt like id chosen a track of withdrawal as punishment and if i tried to approach just dropping the story (which honestly was very close to nothing even in my egos eyes) and letting myself feel love for taran and mum then i LOST something. ok.. i felt i couldnt drop my attack without feeling more shame and guilt than i felt while holding onto the attack. i felt stronger and protected (safer somehow) even while i felt weak and powerless and guilty for wanting to make a drama out of nothing, and wanting to be unkind to prove a point.
i spent most of the time hiding in my room and avoiding pretty much anything other than wallowing in guilt and feeling loathsome! ive been studying during the night, meditating on that, til i felt love which i was sure would extend into the next day, then waking feeling like the dynamic id set up in the household was real and couldnt just be dropped again.
i just read your original post here again.. and im sooooo greatful! laughing again. when events synchronise like they just did, im reminded of the one song. last night i reflected on guilts dynamics and purpose, and listened to kens last talk which focused on not taking the tiny mad idea seriously, on accepting the atonement for peace rather than trying to make external changes for peace.
'The idea of separation from God is not the error. Taking this idea seriously is the error. You did not throw Heaven away, you have only seemed to. You cannot change God. All correction – atonement – leads to this awareness.'
and now im grateful for this last weeks perfect insanity! :D it was a helpful detour.