Learning Beyond What's In ACIM
Sometimes I write about topics that are not mentioned in A Course in Miracles but which come out
of my experiences with the Holy Spirit (Awareness of Truth in my mind).
Sometimes this prompts emails from readers who want to know where they can read
about that topic in ACIM. Some seem to be genuinely interested in reading
ACIM’s take on the topic. Others seem to imply that because it is not mentioned
in ACIM it is not really appropriate for me to write about as part of spiritual
practice.
For example, I write a lot about setting boundaries in
relationships. I find that boundaries are a very common need among ACIM
students. Many seem to feel that being spiritual means taking inappropriate
responsibility for others and/or being a doormat. They think that if they just forgive enough
another’s inappropriate or dysfunctional behavior will change. Or they feel
that if they had truly forgiven they would no longer see the other’s behavior
as inappropriate or dysfunctional. Undoing the beliefs that underlie this form
of co-dependency is what I work on with most of my clients.
But there is no discussion about building boundaries in
ACIM. For Helen Schucman, co-dependency, the ego’s (personal thought system’s)
universal approach to relationships, showed up not as taking too much
responsibility for others but as asking others to take responsibility for her.
She was a martyr; a victim full of grievances. Others let her down by not
following her “scripts” for them.
ACIM is not a comprehensive teaching that covers everyone’s
experiences. Yes, most of what it describes about the ego is universal, but
some is specific. For example, Helen used illness to make others guilty. Not
everyone does this. And not every egoic experience is included in ACIM. For
example, some use illness to avoid unpleasant situations, like work or
undesired family events. This is not mentioned in ACIM. As with any spiritual
teaching, you must discern the spirit of the lesson and not take the letter of
the lesson so literally. This is what ACIM means when it says that you will learn
to generalize your lessons.
ACIM is not an end in itself. It is the means to becoming
aware of the Truth in your mind. And that Awareness (Holy Spirit) will lead you
through and past your obstacles to peace, not all of which are described in
ACIM. For example, guilt manifested in me, yes, by my projecting it onto others
and making myself a victim. But it also showed up as my taking too much
responsibility for others. This was a much larger and deeper obstacle for me. I
actually felt it was my god-given responsibility to “fix” others and that
belief had to be rooted out and undone. This was a long process on which I was
led not by ACIM directly, but by the Holy Spirit within me. ACIM led me to the
Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit led me past my obstacles to being aware of
Truth, many of which were not specifically mentioned in ACIM.
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Comments
... to observe the movement of thought(mind) ...
The truth is not in the word. Words can only point.
On what evidence do you base your comments re. Helen Schucman: "For Helen Schucman, co-dependency, the ego’s (personal thought system’s) universal approach to relationships, showed up not as taking too much responsibility for others but as asking others to take responsibility for her. She was a martyr; a victim full of grievances. Others let her down by not following her “scripts” for them." I am quite curious since she is so revered in the Course community.
Sorry for being a bit slow on the uptake but I don't want to guess or assume. Could you give an example or two re. the Course being written for Helen and Bill and how Helen's "martyrdom" showed up?
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From: A Course in Miracles - Combined Volume
Read in the PREFACE - How it Came - pg vii
"A Course in Miracles began with the sudden decision of two people to join in a common goal. There names were Helen Schucman and William Thedford..."
Helen and Bill had great difficulty getting along on the job.
Helen writes, "The head of my department unexpectedly announced that he was tired of the angry and aggressive feelings our attitudes reflected, and concluded that 'there must be another way.'
As if on cue, I agreed to help him find it. Apparently this Course is the other way."
Purpose of the Course: on page viii (PREFACE):
"Its only purpose is to provide a way in which SOME people will be able to FIND THEIR OWN Internal Teacher." (Capitalization mine)
Page ix - "The Course makes no claim to finality, nor are the Workbook lessons intended to bring the student's learning to completion."
Page x - "This Course is a beginning, not an end..."
Regarding "there must be another way" to fix their problems (pg. vii)
"Although their intention was serious, they had great difficulty in starting out on THEIR JOINT VENTURE." (Caps mine)
"It represented a truly collaborative venture between Bill and myself, and MUCH OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE LIES IN THAT." - 'It' refers to the writing of the Course in Miracles and the significance of the collaborative venture implies that the course was working its way through the two of them to help them in the current needs of their life situation.
Helen also says on the same page "It seemed to be a special assignment I had somehow, somewhere agreed to complete."; and then later she says of Bill, "I expect he had his special assignment, too."
joy,
walt
As for Helen and Bill's relationship, originally, "your brother" was "each other". Also, read chapter 16, 17 especially about their Holy Relationship.
Co-dependency is not a personality trait. It's a dysfunctional approach to relationships that is caused by guilt. So co-dependency falling away is a natural result of undoing guilt.
This is a course in miracles, please take notes."
Absence From Felicity, Chapter 7