ACIM Mentor

“I know it is ego, but…” is a phrase that is often said or written to me by clients and readers. But often what is called “ego” (personal thought system) is actually not the ego. Often it is just the personality of the self expressing itself. Why is this important? Because in order to let go of the ego you have to see its boundaries. Otherwise you attempt to release what does not need to be released. And this can feel discordant, giving the ego an opportunity to tell you that you are being asked to sacrifice. To recognize the ego’s boundaries you have to understand the self’s boundaries, too. The self, as I use the term, is a body and personality. It is part of the universe of form. It is the result of cause and effect at the level of form. Your particular self is the effect of what has gone before in the story of time. It has an authentic expression as part of the unfolding story of time. And it is neutral in that it is neither good nor bad. It simply is what has resulted fro...

“Liz the ego's way into the world began with the thought ‘Is there something better?’ and a way out of the ego's world began with Bill Thetford's thought ‘There must be a better way’.  Is it possible the ego asked both of these questions? The first question responded to by the Father (God) and the second by a son Jesus?” – ESA God (Truth), being All, must think of Its Own opposite. But being All, God cannot have an opposite. The idea of not-God arose and was undone immediately by God’s All-encompassing nature. It is as though God said, “What’s my opposite? Oh, wait, I am All; I cannot have an opposite” and the idea was done. So there is no intention behind the idea of not-God. Like God, it merely is. But unlike God it has no meaning because it is impossible. Only in time, which is part of the idea of not-Truth, does it seem that the idea of not-God began long ago and will be undone in some indefinite future. So only in time, in not-Truth, does lack and a need to fill t...

“I have one thing keeping me from embracing ACIM, and that is that I still don’t understand non-violence. My question is, ‘If violence does not exist, then wars don’t exist, genocide does not exist, because it is all an illusion? Then there is no good nor bad, and one can do whatever they want?’ But then, nothing has meaning, and studying the book, and learning to think right also has no meaning, and no merit. I simply don’t understand, the thinking seems circular to me. I must be peace, killing an animal is peaceful? If I had the opportunity to kill Hitler in the middle of his act, with the thinking of non-violence, I should let him live? I am lost with this work. Please help me.” – Anonymous You actually have three questions here so it is no wonder you feel lost! One is a question about non-violence, another is about morality, and the last is about why you bother to study at all. With regard to non-violence, A Course in Miracles does not take a stand one way or the o...

“I am 78 and my sister is 70. Ever since I can remember she has been ill with different conditions. Before I learnt from ACIM that we choose our own sickness I always felt helpless about this. Now I just feel angry! I feel she is using the illnesses to get attention! It really irritates me that her attitude is 'Poor me. I can't do anything because I have just had this fall or I have this or that’...... Now on another level I know that this is my lesson but on a practical level I don't know how to interact with her. We are told to be kind! My reaction to that is that I should try to fix her problems. I seem to have been doing that all my life but I don't want to do this anymore!!!!! Help!” – Anonymous The choice that A Course in Miracles refers to with regard to what happens to the self in the world is for the entire experience of imperfection and dysfunction that is the human experience. It is the opposite of God (Truth) in every way.  Illness, the vulnerability...

“We (I) did not choose separation, still, I , being a personal ‘mind’, choose to believe ego's thought system, now.... although the Course teaches me otherwise . You personal LIZ still experiencing LIZ as LIZ constantly choosing to not follow her personal thoughts:  Is this the daily NOW dream..? I experience the dreamflow as reality with momentary ‘forgiveness’ workouts when things get STUCK because I forget the dream as being a dream...” – ER A Course in Miracles does not teach that you as a micro split-mind chose “separation from God”. It teaches that the Son of God, or macro split-mind, made that choice. Your (micro split-mind) choice is made only in the present. You are also not a personal mind, or thought system. Your mind is split between the thought system of the Holy Spirit and a personal thought system (ego).  You are not the thought system but the mind choosing it. And that choice is made so unconsciously that you do not even seem to have a choice. It’s ...