Stories for the Separation

Once upon a time when separation from God was more real to me than God I had to have a story for the separation. I had a narrative for the separation, and I have even offered it in my articles. But as I practice the Holy Instant more and more, and I spend my time living present to the Presence of the Holy Spirit, I find that all stories for the separation simply crumble as I try to grasp them. I literally become disoriented because there is no story for the separation because the separation isn’t real. Any story about it is totally made up, and I can see that now.

Sometimes students ask me about how the separation works: Is reincarnation real, what happens when they die, is the story of Jesus real, how will the Great Awakening unfold, what is their part in it, etc. And over the years students have shared various stories with me that they brought with them to their study of A Course in Miracles, and that they feel the Course justifies. The Course itself offers a narrative for the separation while you still need a context for a world that is very real to you. For a long time you are going to need a story for your life in the world, just as you will need a self-concept, and both will evolve until they finally dissolve when you don’t need them anymore.

If you need to have an explanation for the world, and a context for your life in it, ask the Holy Spirit to supply you with these because the Holy Spirit’s explanation will move you toward God. Only the Holy Spirit knows how to do this for you, and only the Holy Spirit knows what you need to hear right now. But don’t grow too attached to any narrative for your life in the world, and don’t feel you need to defend what you believe for the moment. It will not be about anything real, and you will eventually let go of it. Practice the Holy Instant often to go to Reality, and you will find that you don’t have to make up a story for unreality.

Comments

Joe Emma said…
Liz, given your recent posts, including this one, how do you stay motivated to do anything in world? From where I'm standing in a world that seems very real, the place you are seems to me like it would be pointless to do anything. I had the thought "if I were totally at peace, I'd have no reason to do anything but sit down and stop".
3:31 AM
ACIM Mentor said…
You've got it, Joe! Sit down and stop. I'm not interested in being motivated anymore, I'm interested in following only the Holy Spirit's guidance. To just be is a great place to be!
7:48 AM
Mariah B said…
Liz, one problem I have been having is that most of the hopes and dreams that I had before I started the course have now diminished. I started college in 2003 but I'm not in school right now because I now have no idea what I want to do. Its as if I woke up one day and forgot my desires. Its so weird when people ask me what my passion is, I can't tell them. And when they ask why, I don't know what to tell them. But then I read someting in the Facim website, and it said that this was happening because I was losing my investment in the world. Is that true? Thanks.
4:18 AM
ACIM Mentor said…
Yes, Mariah, what you are experiencing is very typical for Course students. You are losing your investment in the world. You may feel unfocused and floundering for a while, but just keep focused on staying centered in God within and you will find that that is your purpose, and anything that you do in the world will come out of that.
10:56 AM
Mariah B said…
Yes Liz, but how do you open youself up for inspiration? Sometimes I have huge decisions that need to be made, and I hope that the Holy Spirit can help me, so that my actions can come for that still peace inside of me. But its so hard!
8:24 PM
ACIM Mentor said…
Mariah, have you seen my 4 Habits for Inner Peace link at my website (www.acimmentor.com)? That's how you stay connected throughout the day; that's all that you have to do. Then you can trust that the Holy Spirit is with you, and that your decisions are coming from the Peaceful center in you. It's not hard; it's your resistance to staying centered that makes it seem hard.
10:21 AM
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