What if I (or they) run out of time?

A concern of many who work with or contact me is that they will “run out of time”, meaning, that they will die before they reach what they consider “enlightenment” or “awakening”. Some also are concerned about loved ones who have no interest in being enlightened. What about them?

[Spiritual awakening or enlightenment can mean different things to different people. But I find in general that what spiritual students mean by these terms is a sustained awareness that only the Truth is true. This would be the highest level of awareness (consciousness, perception) one could attain. It is also known as Christ or Buddha Consciousness.]

The question of running out of time is a personal one of course. There is fear behind it that one must attain enlightenment before they die or they will end up in purgatory or have to come back in another life. But both views represent a mistaken view of what life in the world is about. It is not a cause for a future effect, as in, if you do it right you will go to Heaven. It is an effect, or expression, of an idea long past (discussed below). So you cannot “run out of time” with regard to your role to play because how your life unfolds, whatever degree of awareness you attain, is the perfect expression of that idea through you.

Now, let’s get into the idea that is the universe of form:

True Being (“God” in A Course in Miracles) is formless, infinite, eternal (timeless) and the same throughout (one). Mind is the aspect of Being through which Being knows Itself. (Mind, Being, Truth – these terms are all interchangeable). Being All, the Mind of Truth must contain the idea of Its Own opposite. But being All, Truth cannot have an opposite. It is as though Truth thought, “What is my opposite? Oh, yeah: I’m All; I cannot have an opposite.” So the idea of not-Truth was over as soon as it was thought. It was cancelled out by Truth’s All-encompassing nature.

Since Truth is formless, infinite, eternal, and the same throughout, the idea of not-Truth is time-bound, limited, diverse form. So within the idea of not-Truth it seems as though the idea of not-Truth began long ago as a universe of form and will be undone in some indefinite future. The experience of time is the idea of not-Truth/the undoing of the idea of not-Truth unfolding. The outcome of this unfolding is inevitable because the idea of not-Truth is already undone. In other words, everything in time is heading toward the inevitable conclusion of undoing.

So, let’s get back to you and your part (and everyone else’s). What are you? The part of the Mind of Truth where the idea of not-Truth seems to occur is called the split-mind because it is still a part of Truth but it seems to also contain not-Truth. It seems to be split off from Truth and it seems to be split between Truth and not-Truth. (In ACIM this part of the Mind of God is called the “Son of God”). This split-mind is where the universe of form and its story seems to occur. And the split-mind is projected into the universe of form as billions of versions of itself in forms, or bodies. Each mind seems to be split between Truth (the Awareness of Truth or “Holy Spirit” in ACIM) and not-Truth (personal thought system or “ego” in ACIM). But each mind is at first only aware of not-Truth, or the personal thought systems in it, and identifies with a body.

Because the outcome of the story of time is inevitable, everyone’s life is a part of the Undoing (the “Atonement” in ACIM). However, only some minds manifest overtly the Undoing. This is expressed as a mind becoming aware of the Truth within it to whatever degree. Some may have only glimpses of Truth and really know for only a moment or moments that the Truth is true. Others may attain a full awareness that only the Truth is true. But whether one is aware of Truth at all, and  if one is aware to whatever degree they attain, it is really all the same because every life is an expression of the Undoing. So no one can fail to do their part. No one can “run out of time” in that sense.

I realize this is small consolation when your focus is on your own personal experience. You may not care about the bigger picture. You may only want to know what you are going to get out of it. But if you are drawn to grow your awareness of Truth that is your part to play and you will play it out as far as you can. You won’t be able to help yourself because that is your part to play. And in time you will come to see the larger picture and it will mean more to you than your personal attainment.

What about those you love who have no conscious awareness of Truth and no desire for it? They, too, are playing their part perfectly. If nothing else, they are your teachers in forgiveness and in that way they lead you to further manifesting the Undoing.


No matter what you feel motivated to do or motivated to not do that is the story of the universe of form, the Undoing, unfolding through you. This is true of the spiritual and what does not seem spiritual. You cannot see this “down on the ground” in the midst of the story. And knowing this is not necessarily helpful in the day-to-day of life. But it is helpful to remember this when you do not like what is unfolding for you personally or in the world at large. You can step back and remember that no matter how it looks now it is the Undoing unfolding. As you quiet your mind to be aware of Truth you will find that you also become more aware of your part in the flow of the universe. And you can be reassured that, as far as your part goes, you cannot fail; you cannot “run out of time”.

>>>>> 
Why struggle with fears and doubts on the path to peace? Validation, reassurance, and clarification are a large part of the work I do with my clients. Email me at Liz@acimmentor.com to set up an appointment. You can learn more about what I do at www.acimmentor.com.

Comments

laurie said…
So responsibility for the 'flaw' that led to our experience of time and space, pain, death and destruction lies in God????
ACIM Mentor said…
Laurie, since nothing real is occurring there is nothing for which to be responsible. What makes it painful for you is your taking it seriously - your belief in it. As you transcend that belief you will see it is nothing and you will see no reason for pain.
will said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
laurie said…
Oh Will, there was no need to delete your post - it made me smile and was just what I needed to hear at the moment. I WAS having a hissy fit when I originally posted, and you helped me to reel it back in......

Hugs
Kathy said…
Wow! Thank you so much! That was beautifully stated and a reminder for me to just be. We are reminded continually to be still, to just be in the presence of God/creator. And the way you explain the split mind as God (cause) and the Son of God (effect) actually being one and not divided, but seemingly divided to experience space/time and the re-membering, the at-one-ment happening all at once is fabulous! That we all are in this as one being, with some parts seeming to awaken fully, and others half awake or still asleep is brilliant. From the perspective of ego/form, there seems to be some sort of competition with this, and fear also as you stated, that we will be left behind or stalled and doomed to repeat lessons or reincarnate on the wheel of Karma. When we must just remember each day to be still and know that we are all one, experiencing the return to oneness, the atonement, together, exactly where we need to be in the big scheme of things. And as one awakens fully, we all do. And we can relax and enjoy the ride! We can know we are all doing our part. We can give our perspective to the Holy Spirit to help us see the bigger picture. And follow the wise words of the Holy Spirit to every day be still and with God. And now I know that this is not so much to help me feel that peace on a personal level, but that it actually helps the whole remember oneness and return fully to that experience.
Frank C said…
Beautifully said, and a "timely" message... lol... anyway, to me it is sort of "fake it 'til you make it", in that when I live as if I am already HOME, my experience becomes one of love, peace, harmony, abundance and JOY... but, as soon as I start to look at the world as if I am separate from IT and "others", I find myself back in the struggle of ego induced insanity and loneliness, which is just another opportunity to practice forgiveness for my error in judging wrongly... well, actually, it the error in the belief that I need to judge (a result of thinking I'm a body), that I'm forgiving, by looking at it with JS/HS.

Life is so beautiful as long as I remember I need do nothing... enjoy the journey, and let go of the drama... aaaaahhhhhhhhuuuuuuummmmmmm!!
will said…
I have mentioned before that a lot of my enlightenment happens in the isles of the grocery store. Let me change that a lot of learning takes place there. I was just over at the local IGA and decided I was going to make a meal out of guacamole. I ended up in the jarred peppers section because I have been making grilled cheese out of Killer Dave's Bread cheese and some kind of pickled peppers, trying different brands. Sometimes I throw guacamole and a sliced tomato on the grilled cheese. Anyway I'm scoping out the peppers and other jarred veggies in olive oil. I find this jar that says Kalamata with these kind of disgusting looking black things inside. So I looking closer and closer trying to figure out what they are. They were sitting right in the middle of about 50 jars of pickled olives but I knew damn well they were no olive. I know the people at the grocery store pretty well so when I'm checking out I ask one of the guys 'Hey what's a Kalamata?' and he says it's an olive and starts talking about them. I said what can you eat them with and he says pizza is really good with them. Walking out to my truck is when my brain kicks in and I realize that if they were in the middle of the olive section that should have given me a pretty good idea but I had rejected it out of hand. This is not an isolated incident, I'm 66 and the brain doesn't seem to be functioning quite like it used to but I reject that out of hand also.
hannah said…
thanks, liz. this post is challenging and yet also dissolves layers of guilt, for me. i saw much of what you ahve written here myself in the higher miracle experience when my nephew was suicidal, when i saw that there was actually only one song not many. (your description of it as story is clearer, song is just how my mind presented it to me.) yet i still dream of guilt at the thought of accepting freedom, when others arent even aware that they have a choice. this post motivates me greatly to spend more time with communion with truth, as i can see becoming trusting and aware of reality is the only way for the truth in this post to be known as beautiful and not sad. there is so much light in this, and yet it makes my heart and stomach feel wobbly!

there has ben so much undoing personally in the months since last november, around attachment to trying to fix/change people, especially my close friends/family. i have so far found nothing as challenging to my sense of who i am, surprisingly not even the time i first started to perceive that the course was saying that individuality was not so, and that scared me so much i threw the book across the room! i eventually dismissed that understanding as silly ego stuff, thinking i must be reading it wrong, but then came across blogs on the topic by you and ken wapnick, and was like.. 'ah, shit'. i guess that idea of no 'me' was (is) too abstract still, whereas THIS LETTING GO OF TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE BE WHERE THEY ARE NOT IN THEIR OWN MINDS IS VERY VERY PRACTICAL (oops caps) feels 'realer' still. i guess the more co-dependant you are, the more challenging this would be? hmm , im seeing that these undoings are woven together, for me anyway. they support each other. liz, if truth and not truth cant be in the same space, why am i, after reading this post, both scared and grateful? oh.. just really fast vacillating, right?

liz, this paragraph made my heart sing

"True Being (“God” in A Course in Miracles) is formless, infinite, eternal (timeless) and the same throughout (one). Mind is the aspect of Being through which Being knows Itself. (Mind, Being, Truth – these terms are all interchangeable). Being All, the Mind of Truth must contain the idea of Its Own opposite. But being All, Truth cannot have an opposite. It is as though Truth thought, “What is my opposite? Oh, yeah: I’m All; I cannot have an opposite.” So the idea of not-Truth was over as soon as it was thought. It was cancelled out by Truth’s All-encompassing nature. "

despite the answers you have given my questions, i have struggled with what 'mind' is, and reading that paragraph i felt something.. lighten, loosen. i guess.. my concept of mind has always been.. mind perceives, it thinks, it experiences. but.. you seem to be pretty clear in saying here that Mind is Truth! what i have been thinking of as mind, then, must be something else.. do you think what i have called mind is the ego??? but.. does the ego actually experience??
ACIM Mentor said…
No, Hannah, the ego does not experience. It is a thought system in mind. Perception, thoughts, thought systems are all in mind. But they are not what mind is. They are forms, or limitations, the mistaken experience of mind, which is actually Formless and Limitless.

You are a mind that is split between What It is in Truth (Formless, Limitless Being) and the experience of the opposite-of-Truth, or limited forms (perception, thoughts, systems, etc.). And you can, yes, vacillate between these two experiences very rapidly so that it seems you are experiencing both at the same time.
hannah said…
ok.. um. so.. (please bear with me liz, there may be some repetitive and back to basics questioning over this) Mind is Truth is Being. (im still SURPRISED by that! its opening something in me, ive had two awfully scared, angry, guilty, 'self-punishy' days and im pretty sure its kickback to something in this)

so... Mind/Truth/Being experiences Mind/Truth/Being? experience is part of truth??! and in the idea of Mind/Truth/Being's opposite, things other than Mind/Truth/Being seem to be expereinced? in not-truth, mind, truth and being have all been redefined in that part of mind?

so in Truth.. is expereince Knowing? and in not truth, experience is perceiving/evaluative?

ACIM Mentor said…
Hannah, Mind/Truth/Being is and knows only Mind/Truth/Being. Is that an "experience"? I guess it could be characterized as such. It's not the same as experiencing in the world where there is "you" and then there is what you experience.

Yes to everything else.
hannah said…
ok.. thanks Liz, that is helpful.

so much so, i think the other questions have fallen away. at least, they are here still, but.. i think the above is enough to let.. filter and domino its way through. what is the experiencer, what is part of this 'dream' that is also what i AM.. thats what im trying to feel my way closer to here, and i think that opening/joining of ideas is probably as much as can be done via concepts right now.
your comment 'Is that an "experience"? I guess it could be characterized as such. It's not the same as experiencing in the world where there is "you" and then there is what you experience.' makes me re-look at my line of questioning. i keep feeling like im doing the grover from sesame street 'near.. far' dance in relation to trusting/feeling that truth is present in me.

but mind is truth is being is still.. working away at some block. im going to let it go now, if i can. let it filter itself.

thanks again x
hannah said…
ah.. still here lol. MIND does not experience, (as such) it KNOWS. but mind as the personal self reinterprets (experiences!!) it, that mind experiences? which is why i , as hannah, confuse experience with truth?
ACIM Mentor said…
That would make sense, Hannah.
hannah said…
righto, thankee!

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