Seeing the Expression
Since the shift in consciousness here, there has been a 180-degree turn in understanding what is unfolding in consciousness—what the experience of a person and a world is. It used to be seen as an aspirational journey, an attempt for an “I” (ego) to get somewhere or to attain something, either personally or spiritually. Now it is seen that what is appearing in consciousness is an expression of ideas that have already occurred. What look like personal journeys and attainments are how these ideas are expressed. There is no one here who needs to get anywhere, to make anything, or to attain anything. The idea that that was real is an illusion.
What is an expression? It is a process of revealing,
representing or depicting ideas. A painting is an expression
of ideas in the painter’s mind. A novel is an expression of ideas in a
writer’s mind. A movie is an expression of ideas in the minds of
writers, producers, directors, and actors. Ideas occur and then they are
expressed. The “script is written” and “this has already occurred” is how A
Course in Miracles indicates that what is unfolding in consciousness expresses
ideas.
So, where did this expression called consciousness come
from and what is it expressing? The absolute, being all, must consider its
opposite. But being all, it cannot have an opposite. The moment the idea of
not-absolute arises, it is simultaneously undone by the all-encompassing nature
of the absolute. So, the opposite-of-absolute can only ever be an idea. It
can never be real, never be part of the absolute. However, within the idea
of not-absolute there is time (the opposite of timelessness) and in time it
seems as though the denial-of-absolute showed up long ago and will be undone in
some indefinite future. Since this is not in any way real it does not touch the
absolute. This playing out of an impossible idea and its undoing is an illusion.
It is merely an expression, or depiction, of ideas—a truth is denied and then
that truth undoes the denial. This has no real meaning.
In this expression of ideas, consciousness is
the “space” in which the idea of denial-of-a-truth arises, so in its pure state,
without the idea of denial-of-a-truth, consciousness represents truth in this
depiction. Denial-of-a-truth takes the form of what is called ego and plays
out repeatedly as personal stories in consciousness. By denying truth, ego
makes it seem that consciousness has aspects, or parts: Conscious awareness,
the subconscious, and the unconscious. This playing out takes place in what we
experience as conscious awareness (your immediate awareness). So, the depiction
of the undoing of denial is truth rising to conscious awareness through the
many personal stories of mystical experiences and spiritual journeys which take
myriad forms. Personal stories are not identical. Individually, they may
represent mostly ego or a mix of ego and an awareness of truth, and a few go
the distance where truth—pure consciousness—rises fully to conscious awareness,
causing ego to fall away (enlightenment). But together, they depict the whole
undoing of the denial of truth, what the Course calls the Atonement
(correction).
For ego, what unfolds in time and consciousness is not
a depiction, but reality. It feels it is on a “soul journey” through one
or many lives. This sense of an individuated soul (disembodied ego) that is
real and has meaning is the depiction of denial, of not-truth. When truth (pure
consciousness) rises toward conscious awareness, it affects ego. Ego changes to
some degree and goes on a journey of personal growth and/or growing spiritual
awareness. This is an expression of undoing denial caused by the movement of
truth toward conscious awareness, not truly a journey of attainment as the
person may experience it. The form the expression takes is not important, it
represents truth undoing denial, however it looks for that individual, whether truth
remains in their awareness or not. Ego may see this uneven rising of truth to
conscious awareness in individual lives as “unfair”. “Why was truth here and then gone?” or “Why
are they more aware than me?” This is because ego cannot see that what is
unfolding in consciousness is only an expression. Its reality is its reality.
It is self-centered and consumed with its own story for the person so it cannot
see that to truth, the effect on the person is incidental. To truth, ego, ego’s
world, and truth’s effect on them, is an illusion.
A person in whose mind truth has risen at least briefly
to conscious awareness may develop spiritual aspirations and goals. Some of
these may be ego’s desires but some may be the person sensing how things will
unfold. The only way to know which it is, is to watch what unfolds. If the
goals and aspirations were ego’s and were not attained, then the person may
become disillusioned with the path and feel it has failed them or feel that they
have failed the path. This is a misunderstanding of what is occurring in
consciousness, of course. Their person’s life is a predetermined expression,
not a “soul journey” for ego.
You may not be able to see what has just been
explained. But you can try on the idea that what is unfolding for your person
is a predetermined expression and see if it goes anywhere. What living in an
expression comes down to if you want more peace is allowing the expression
without judgment. It means trusting what is unfolding in conscious
awareness and understanding that your person’s life is part of a greater expression,
a greater whole, and that there is no real “you” living life for what “you” can
get out of it. That is ego’s denial of what is occurring in consciousness. It
is the illusion.
You can apply this awareness to your person’s past as
well. What was going to happen was going to happen. What was not going to
happen was not going to happen. There are no missed opportunities, no regrets,
when you realize this. If you can understand this, then you will see that there
is more here than ego and that’s the beginning of seeing truth.
Notice that so much spiritual practice helps you find the flow of the expression, of what is unfolding, so you can align yourself with it: Quieting your mind, being present, accepting what unfolds, identifying ego’s illusions so you can see past them, etc. These practices become natural as truth rises to conscious awareness. But the more it does, the less these practices are about finding the flow of the expression, which is eventually seen to be just an appearance, an illusion. They become the way truth looks past the illusion to truth.
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