Ask: What did you mean by the world has "flattened out" for you?

In an earlier article you said something about things not standing out to you anymore and that the world has “flattened out” for you. Can you explain what you meant? (May 16, 2014)

            One of the first things that even new students report to me is that when a “crisis” occurs they find that they are not as upset as they once would have been. They are disturbed by this even though peace is what they want! This is the beginning of the “flattening out”. Things in the world that once stood out as significant and to which you once had a strong positive or negative reaction now evoke much less of an emotional response. Very dimly you have accepted that peace is real and that the world is not so the ego’s responses to the world no longer have the meaning for you that they once did.
It takes a long time, but this awareness does grow to a point where you live in peace and are not much affected by the world. This has happened for me. When something happens in the world that I judge as “good”, whether in my story, someone else’s story, or in the news, what I feel is “That’s nice.” And then I forget about it. And when something happens that I judge as “bad” I experience, “Rats. I was hoping that would go another way. Oh, well.” And then I forget about it. Truth and peace are more real to me than the world now. I still perceive the world and all of its happenings. I still appear to be involved in it. But my internal experience of it has radically changed. I am not attached and I do not define myself by what does or does not happen in the world. It is all just passing before me as I rest in peace.

This will happen for you, too, as Truth and peace become real for you. Experiences that once evoked highs and lows will instead evoke temporary, passing emotional blips. Drama is the ego’s substitute for peace. It validates the ego and in your identification with it you think the highs and lows are “life”. But you will eventually recognize that peace is Life.

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Learn about the books The ACIM Mentor Articles, The Plain Language A Course in Miracles, 4 Habits for Inner Peace, and Releasing Guilt for Inner Peace at www.acimmentor.com.
If you have a question the answer to which you think will help others send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in the ACIM Mentor Newsletter/Blog.

Comments

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Christine said…
Liz, how can one tell the difference between being just "jaded" OR having chosen peace to be real instead?
ACIM Mentor said…
You will feel peace instead of bitterness.
will said…
C.

I looked at the definition of jaded and it was talking about being cynical, bored etc. I don't know how long you have been doing the Course but for me the first five years or more I was not feeling spiritual. Pissed off might be a better description. For me, I was angry a lot and jaded. For quite some time this was not a 'feel good' program. As soon as you start the ego knows it is threatened and throws everything it has at you. The subconscious stuff either comes bubbling or flooding to the surface depending on which day of the week it is. I'm just talking for myself here but there was not a lot of relief plus the fact I couldn't figure out what the Course was saying. This is Not a 24 hour a day kind of thing but it's good to be aware that it is a 'normal' part of doing the Course. Having said that, when you are committed to doing the Course this is not something that is going to deter you. I prayed and talked to the Holy Spirit a lot but instead of relief I think I received spiritual endurance. I suspect all the spiritual programs that are moving towards truth don't feel good in the beginning. The Good Stuff has just started for me about six months ago. As advertised it is worth the work.
will said…
Feeling jaded or pissed or whatever is an indication you are doing the Course correctly. If your walking around feeling good all the time you probably haven't started the work yet.
Christine said…
After I asked Liz about being jaded, and she responded about feeling peace instead of bitterness, well - I thought: how do you know if you're feeling bitter? Then the answer was there immediately - it all boils down to unforgiveness. It All does.
I was given the Course textbook in 2001 - from my sister, whose realtor gave it to her...right after our Mom had died unexpectedly. I was angry and confused - coming from a Christian Science background - I thought why did this "unfair" thing happen to our mother? Actually, her whole life seemed 'unfair' (she was like my projection of a "face of innocence"). I actually had given up on Christian Science six or more years earlier, so I had been searching for 'something' that CS just didn't explain - and not just on an 'intellectual' level.
I resisted reading the Course book...for six weeks, it was placed on the floor of my car under the passenger seat - and every time I came to a stop, it would slide up kind of saying "here I am, read me", then I would take off, and it would slide back under the car seat! Long story short: I read it, did the workbook (not 'perfectly')...found study groups with facilitators, even went out to the Foundation in Temecula in 2002! You are right, Will: the ego knew it was 'threatened' when I was out there for a Wapnick seminar, I had panic attacks...kind of quiet ones, but awful. I was 'down for the struggle' though. I have stayed with it, ups, downs, all arounds, seeking for what is false, etc...now - 13 years later, Liz is right: highs are less high, lows are much less low: it is 'flattening out' in a peaceful way...I was just checking if I was mixing being jaded with being peaceful!
will said…
C. Can you explain a little about what you mean by mixing being jaded with being peaceful? Interesting.
Christine said…
I don't mean "mix"...but layering/covering over - cannot mix, impossible with opposites (like oil and water)...they seem to mix for an instant, then separate again. So initially I was just wondering, since the ego seems to present its own (although unreal) sense of peace for a while, like maybe a sense of 'flattening out' could be jadeness: ie., being a 'healthy ego' having 'been there, done that' kind of thing and That is why I am peaceful now (rather than reacting to a person's actions or to an event), instead of experiencing real peace - which I am.
will said…
Christine I understand what you are saying. Thank you.

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