You Don't Have to Give Up the Loves of Your Life
If you’ve been reading my stuff for
a while please bear with me because I am returning again to an idea that I’ve
visited many times before in many ways. But it is something that comes up often
with clients and with people who write to me, even those whom I know have read
all my stuff. So here I revisit it:
You
do not have to give up the people, things, activities, etc. that you love to
have inner peace. You simply want to give them to the Holy Spirit so It can use
them as classrooms in which to teach you peace.
So often I hear from students of A Course in Miracles who judge against
themselves for being too attached to their families, their friends, their
animals. They try to force themselves to give up their interests and
activities. If they love someone or enjoy or get pleasure from something they
are certain that it is “wrong”. Somehow they think ACIM asks them to give up
these things. But in fact it is the ego with its belief in guilt and punishment
that leads them to feel that they must sacrifice. This expectation that they
will be asked to sacrifice means they totally miss that ACIM teaches them not
to give up but to turn over their “special relationships” to the Holy Spirit.
ACIM also warns them to not decide for themselves how to walk the path to
peace. Those who are used to listening to the ego have no idea how to find
peace.
This self has people and animals
that it loves and things and activities that it enjoys and, lo and behold, this
mind has inner peace! They are actually separate things. As I have said many
times, the ego and the self (body/personality) are not changed by your choice
for peace, but the mind changes. The ego continues on with its guilt and fear
and you (the mind) simply stop believing it. And as the self goes about its
life you (the mind) simply rest in Truth and observe its unfolding story
without judging it.
To clarify: You are mind. The self
(body/personality) is an idea in your mind with which you identify. It is
neutral in that it has no meaning. It is not right or wrong or good or bad. It
is actually nothing. The ego is a thought system in your mind about the self as
your reality. This is simply a mistake, not a sin. And the Holy Spirit is the
thought system in your mind that knows the Truth but also knows that you (mind)
identify with a self and have listened to and believe in the ego. So your
choice with regard to the self is which thought system you want to direct you
in directing the self. You have used the ego and you find it is rather painful.
If you want a “better way” then you might want to try the Holy Spirit.
So the self’s loves and
indifferences and likes and dislikes and preferences are all neutral
expressions of its personality. They are not wrong or bad. They are not sins.
For the ego they are ways of reinforcing guilt and fear and tying you tighter
to the ego. For the Holy Spirit they are classrooms in which It can teach you
of Truth. It teaches you of Truth simply by teaching you and you becoming aware
of It.
You will not fully understand this
until you do it. Just bring the Holy Spirit with you into your work, your
relationships, your interests, etc. Start with just one part of your life if
that feels safer. If you have questions or problems ask for guidance. The
answers are not the point; that you connect with the Holy Spirit is the point.
This is how you build trust in It. The result also happens to be that the
answers mean the self has a more harmonious, simplified life. This is a nice
side-effect, but the result of being aware of the Holy Spirit is inner peace no
matter what is happening in the self’s life.
So don’t give up your loves. This
actually blocks your awareness of the Holy Spirit because of your sense of
sacrifice. And it also precludes you having classrooms in which to join with
the Holy Spirit. Instead share your loves with the Holy Spirit, giving them all
the singular purpose of peace.
>>>>
Learn about one-on-one mentoring, how to send a donation for this blog, and 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.
Comments
Why ? Because, ''this is a course in LOOKING - at your ego (idea of being a person) - with the Holy Spirit (e.g. without judgment)- AND NOT A COURSE IN DOING !!
And, ACIM asks us NOT to bring the H.S. into the world - but bring the world TO the H.S. and look with 'Him* at the world FROM ABOVE THE BATTLEFIELD (e.g. from the part of your mind that God created and which is IMPERSONAL, the 'being'...)- and remember it is a dream... Difficult to get ? Seems to lofty for a mind that DOES want to be a body.. Yes, but I think it IS what ACIM says...
Love, peace and blessings...
1. If we have a passion for a person, thing, or activity why bring it to the Holy Spirit in the first place?
2. What would the "turning over" look like/feel like?
3. And if we did, what could the change look like/feel like?
4. What if the things we used to feel passionate about have lost their glow?
1. Most people initially invite the Holy Spirit (the Awareness of Truth in their mind) into their relationships, work, or interests to help them resolve problems or conflicts. But you do not have to wait for a problem or conflict. Bring these things to the Holy Spirit to connect with the Holy Spirit. If you want peace then you want to make It your Constant Companion.
2. Turning it over means opening yourself up to the Holy Spirit in your mind. You are willing to put aside your way of looking at things to experience a new way of looking at and experiencing things. This will feel like freedom from guilt and fear.
3. The change would be answers and a more harmonious life in the world for the self. The change of mind will be freedom from guilt and fear. It will be a peace that is with you no matter what is happening in the self's life.
4. If you are no longer interested in something or someone then let them go.
As anonymous said it "happens when it happens" and as Liz has said many times, it's a natural unfolding.
Peace to this mind, Deb
Liz has been talking about her state of mind that the ego keeps on chattering regardless. This quote seems to be saying the same thing. Belief is withdrawn, ego goes away, belief returns and attention is drawn to the ego. A kind of back and forth, back and forth.