Ask: Am I upset because the world is meaningless or because of my projections on it?

“I'm a bit confused. In Lesson 12 it states the world is meaningless in itself and what is meaningless is neither good nor bad, but then it says I am upset because I see a meaningless world. I thought that I was upset because I projected meaning onto the world…” - AS

The answer you seek is in Lesson 12 itself (the underlines are mine):

I think I see a fearful world, a dangerous world, a hostile world, a sad world, a wicked world, a crazy world,” (W-12.3)

But I am upset because I see a meaningless world.” (W-12.4)

This lesson is pointing out that beneath the upset that you feel for the meaning that you project onto the world, the deeper source of your upset is that the world is meaningless. This is elaborated on in the next lesson, #13:

“A meaningless world engenders fear because I think I am in competition with God.”  (W-13.5)

Here A Course in Miracles is introducing the true source of guilt and the fear it engenders in your mind, even if you are not ready to see it yet:

“You are not expected to believe the statement at this point, and will probably dismiss it as preposterous. Note carefully, however, any signs of overt or covert fear which it may arouse.” (W-13.5)

>>>>> 
With some clients I study weekly or bi-weekly A Course in Miracles or one of my books. Studying one-on-one with a teacher allows the student to address their specific confusion and obstacles to understanding. Email me at Liz@acimmentor.com to set up an appointment. Learn more at www.acimmentor.com.


If you have a question the answer to which you think will help others, email it to me at Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in the newsletter/blog.

Comments

Anonymous said…
AS, In your question who is I? Is it you as a person? Is it you as your separate mind on a conscious and then unconscious level? Is it you as spirit? If it is spirit which manifestation according to ACIM is it? Is the question going from one I to another I with their own paradigm of perception?
Anonymous said…
AS, The challenge or forewarning of Lesson 12 is that you are entering into an area of multiple "persons" so to speak. They are all "doing" different things and have different perceptions. But they are all referred to as "I". You can see in your question the early never ending confusion.
Anonymous said…
"Persons" is most definitely the wrong word. Replace it with a descriptive word of your choice.
Anonymous said…
AS, A last comment. I don't know if you are just stating or reviewing. Something you need to be aware of is that you can't learn or understand ACIM using your brain. This is rock bottom spirituality where your understanding is given to you by your inner teacher. Get a mentor to walk you through what you are studying. It will save you incredible amounts of grief.
hannah said…
timely post, thanks AS.

liz, im experiencing uncomfortable times with all this. the last few days ive been experiencing the kind of depression and discomfort that would have led me to self harm in the past. ive been focusing on what you have written about above, basically. focusing on recalling that the micro picture is just a reflection of the macro picture, and focusing on being where i am with the feelings, but holding an awareness of 'WHY' i feel this way. (by that i mean remembering the purpose ego assigned to not-truth, and the purpose the right mind re-assigns). recalling that none of it matter one iota. its led to a deeper understanding of the higher miracle dream, but this has in turn deepened the current feeling of fear. when i went through the door with no reason, i was back in the carpark, but i had no thoughts about it needing anything. all of my thinking, my ideas, my focus, were meaningless, and had zero effect on the truth at all. all my ideas about being a helpful person.. all the things i assigned and believed as valuable to the world, and important to me and my self identity, are MEANINGLESS! this is bringing moments of calm, not joy, but v]calm. but im also experiencing panic ans floating dread. but.. i THINK im responding in the most helpful to my personal inner peace way i can, right?? theres nothing more to do with this dread of the death of 'all ideas of me', of my very thought as something of value, but that? i am of course meditating on the stillness when i can, but when i cant i am holding the awareness of it as best i can, present with bringing an impartial view to the whole story.





ACIM Mentor said…
Hannah, while on one hand a part of you "gets it" and feels relief (calmness) that none of it matters one iota, you are still grounded in the self and it is frightening (panic/floating dread) to learn this. Because then who are you and what are you to do? Remember, ACIM says you will cycle through many self-concepts before they fall away altogether. So you will not be left without a self-concept to help you operate in the world - and even within yourself. You are experiencing a falling away of a self-concept that no longer works but you can trust that you will be given a new one. These limbo-times between self-concepts are always very uncomfortable. You don't know which way is up and your feet are not on the ground. But just know it will pass and you will shortly settle into a new self-concept. Just lean into the HS and trust the process.
will said…
In contemporary America the push for our children to get the best grades, to be the smartest, to be involved in constant activities, not so much to learn as to put on their 10 year old vita. I'm not judging this, God knows there are worse things that could happen.

The ego continues to tighten it's grip in digital America. When I was younger my family knelt at the alter of intelligence. I was so wormy that I was passed on to the next grade not on merit, but as an act of mercy on the teachers. True. The point is we have no skills, no understanding of a life as ACIM describes it. Learning without the personal mind is very difficult to wrap your head around.
ACIM Mentor said…
Will, I think you may be confusing levels.

If by "personal mind" you mean the ego, it is not what learns. The micro split-mind learns. It can learn neutral things, like how the world works, history, math, etc. That has its uses as long as one is identified with a self. It learns from the ego that it is a self, that it is guilty, should define itself by the self, should defend the self, etc. That is the erroneous learning. And it learns of the Truth from the Holy Spirit (Awareness of Truth in the split-mind.

What life is it that ACIM describes? First you invite the HS into your day-to-day life. Your life in the world is not taken away from you. It simply becomes a classroom in which you learn that the HS is real, that It can be trusted, and, ultimately, that It is you. Life in the world does not change. The self goes on as always. Only the mind's approach to it changes. And that happens so gradually that you don't even recognize it has happened until something brings it to your attention - like an event that used to upset you no longer upsets you.
will said…
What I was thinking about while writing the comment was the difficulty we have when we hit the split in the road of ego and Truth. Understanding the role of the micro split mind is hard enough, but then comes the role of the Holy Spirit. Letting go of our understanding of what the micro split minds role is, is one of the great challenges of the Course.

And this coming to terms with this and living it is what I meant by the life that ACIM describes.

OK enough of that. A week or so ago you took another stab at explaining the levels. I don't know if I was alone in trying to put the pieces together. The levels are an on going challenge. I could go into a long rant about the way the text is written but I will spare us all the enjoyment of that experience. Your ACIM writings are unmatched and I am continually amazed at what you write. Bed time...

Popular posts from this blog

Ask: What is meant by "extend Love"?

If the World Isn't Real, Why Ask For Guidance?

Ask: When did you break through your concept of God?