The Self's Life in the World is an Expression


Truth, being All, cannot have an opposite. But, being All, It must consider the idea of Its Own opposite. However, the moment the idea of not-Truth arises, it is undone by Truth’s All-encompassing nature.

Since Truth is Eternal (Timeless), Infinite (Limitless), and Formless the idea of not-Truth is time-bound, limited form. So within the idea of not-Truth it seems like not-Truth, or time and limited form, arose long ago and will be undone in some indefinite future. This is what you seem to be experiencing as a self. The unfolding story of the universe of form is the instant of the idea-of-not-Truth/the-undoing-of-the-idea-of-not-Truth expressed as the story of time. Realizing this means turning your mind around to understand that all you see as the universe of form is an expression of that moment of undoing. The undoing is over and you are just watching it play out as a story of time. You don’t have to make the undoing happen. It is already happening through the self with which you identify—as well as everyone else.

Earlier in my (this mind’s) process I could not see this and I would not have been able to accept it. Guilt got in the way. But I did understand that “the script is written” means the outcome of the story of time--the undoing of not-Truth--is inevitable. No being wrote out beforehand the details of what unfolds in time. What happens in time is the result of cause and effect in time. In fact, cause and effect is how the story of time unfolds. That instant of the idea-of-not-Truth/the-undoing-of-the-idea-of-not-Truth was the primary cause and everything that has followed and that will follow is its effect. And within the story, every effect is also a cause. This means every action taken causes a future effect, until, ultimately, all cause and effect--all of not-Truth--is undone.

Moment to moment, you do not have to keep in mind that it is all an expression. In fact, if you try to you may end up paralyzed and unable to decide how to direct the self to act. You must allow the self to live as it always has, feeling its desires and motivations and acting as it chooses to act as though it is autonomous, even though it is not and its feelings, thoughts, and actions are all a part of the expression of the undoing of not-Truth. The awareness that it is only an expression unfolding before you is useful when you need to step back and look at the larger picture to gain some relief from the details of what is unfolding right now.

To understand that what is unfolding in time is only an expression of a past cause is to be relieved of absolute-moral guilt. For me, I had to be relieved of the belief in guilt to see this! To understand the unfolding as an expression takes off any pressure to “do it right” because the self with which you identify is not here to cause a future effect, like the undoing of not-Truth. The self with which you identify is an expression of a past cause. If it is a manifest part of the Undoing, then that is how its life will unfold. If it is not a manifest part of the Undoing, then that is how its life will unfold. Both are part of the Undoing, manifest or not. In other words, no self can go wrong. It will play its part perfectly.

Yes, even the ones who do horrible things in the world are playing their part. We cannot see how what they do is part of the Undoing because we cannot see the whole picture. We cannot see all the effects of what they cause. And while they are absolved of any absolute-moral guilt (there is no god sitting in judgment on them), they are still accountable and responsible in the story. If caught, they still have to, in time, face the consequences of their actions. That is part of how cause and effect unfolds in the story.

You can find the flow of the universe and live in harmony with it. You do this by quieting your mind and opening yourself to an awareness of the flow. You do this by stepping back and letting things unfold and acting as you feel motivated to act, without judgment. You will act as you are motivated to act, anyway, but the “without judgment” is how you find harmony with this. And you can overcome judgment by realizing that no matter how it appears in the tiny snapshot of right now, it all leads to the Undoing.

Or, you can choose to resist the flow of the universe, which will not change it, but which will affect you. Of course, whichever choice you make, it is part of the unfolding.

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Comments

Christine said…
Wow, I'm going to re read this a few more times! The meaning of the word "judgement" I find interesting...it doesn't mean ' condemnation', but rather it describes " knowing". Like knowing everything...of course condemnation could be part of judgement, but just as one aspect of,it.Dr.Wapnik said on some CD of his that you can observe your life like your self is on stage acting out, but your Self is sitting in the audience with the Holy Spirit watching, laughing, crying, just watching. I find that when I just let it all flow, unfold, instead of control, overthinthink, over react, plan, worry, etc. ..it's a more harmonious way of being.
ACIM Mentor said…
Somewhere I saw the definition of judgment as "deciding for yourself what something means." That always helps me.
Christine said…
So, does that mean we try not to judge, or judge with the Holy Spirit only?
ACIM Mentor said…
Repression never works. But correction does. Allow the judgment. Then open your mind and realize you don't know.
Christine said…
Thanks...
hannah said…
this was indeed so relieving to read.. though it also gave me itchy thoughts! the idea of a chain of cause and effect resulting in an *ultimate undoing* would seem to imply a time, be it only an instant, when there was relative peace on earth.. no thought of guilt present.. which is not where i had come to in my thought processes. but now i say that.. i realise in seeing it didnt matter what the end of not truth looked like, i didn't actually have any picture of what 'the end of time' might .. contain. it really seems to make no sense!

i LOVE this ..

"You do this by stepping back and letting things unfold and acting as you feel motivated to act, without judgment. You will act as you are motivated to act, anyway, but the “without judgment” is how you find harmony with this. And you can overcome judgment by realizing that no matter how it appears in the tiny snapshot of right now, it all leads to the Undoing. "

its so deeply relieving, even despite still having a strong ideal in my head that is at odds with my selfishness. i still feel i must often choose martyrdom or others will suffer. it is hard to accept that i am simply not that loving! that i often act out of fear for others, not actual love. if im kind, im not honest, if im honest, im not kind.. this does NOT suit my preferred picture of me!!!

on a totally irrelevant note: all those years reading ACIM and i only now notice that americans dont spell judgement correctly ;)

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