Forgiveness

           Every now and then someone asks me why these articles are not about forgiveness. All these articles are about forgiveness! Oh, this may not be spelled out and that word may not be used but every article deliberately contains something to bring relief to at least some readers.

In A Course in Miracles, forgiveness is recognizing that a sense of separation from God (the whole) is an illusion. So, anything that appears to cause you to feel autonomous and isolated is an illusion. These feelings are caused by mistaken perceptions that can be changed; therefore, they are not true. Since they are not true, they are not sin. Since there is no sin, there is no justification for guilt. Since there is no sin or guilt, you do not need forgiveness from God, but you need to forgive (release) your own false perceptions that make you feel you have sinned, that you have made yourself separate from God. Only false perceptions lead you to feel you are separate from God.

So:

 

When an article refers to appearances such as the material world and ego’s thoughts and feelings it is saying these are not real, therefore, they are not sin, there is no reason for guilt. Truth is not touched by them. Truth is here right now completely apart from them. Recognizing this is forgiveness.

When an article points out that everything is predetermined, it means the person in your immediate awareness, as well as every other person, is a character in a meaningless, unreal drama. The truth in your mind does not enter this. To truth, it is nothing but an appearance. Recognizing this, for yourself and others, is forgiveness.

When an article points out that everything appearing is not to make something happen but is an expression, it is saying your aspirations are not really to get somewhere but are expressions in the unfolding story of time. Therefore, their outcome is also an expression, not a measure of success or failure. Expressions are predetermined. There is no “you” that must get somewhere, so you are off the hook, you can just let each day unfold as it will, without judgment. Nothing real is occurring. There is no sin, no need for guilt, ego’s delusion that this is real does not touch truth. Recognizing this is forgiveness.

When an article says to let your person do as they are moved to do without judgment, it is saying your person is part of a greater whole, any stories that you tell yourself about the movement of your person are just that: stories. They are not real. Nothing real is occurring. Recognizing this is forgiveness.

When an article points out that the Course is meant to mitigate the pain of ego, not bring about awakening or enlightenment, it is letting you off the hook if your person’s life does not lead to awakening or enlightenment. It is a predetermined expression, there is no “you” making things happen or not happen, succeeding or failing. Recognizing this is forgiveness.

When an article points out that ego’s spiritual journey is not real but is in response to truth rising toward conscious awareness it means you do not have to cling to it or be concerned with it being perfect but recognize what is real is the truth that inspires it. Enjoy the expression but don’t make it more than it is because it is simply an expression, an appearance. Recognizing this is forgiveness.

When an article points out that the source of your pain is your expectations not being met, not what has occurred, it is suggesting you look at what you expected rather than blame what has occurred. This is a practice of facing illusions that set you up to hurt; to deal with hurt at its source. This is a forgiveness practice.

The practice of forgiveness that the Course suggests is one of identifying illusions that cause you pain so you can see past them to truth. There are two levels to this. The personal, psychological level, which deals with perceptions in the world. These include expectations and projections of meaning from your own mind that block your awareness of what is really occurring at the level of form. For example, you feel attacked because you are insecure and expect attack when another is simply giving you what they feel is helpful information. There was no attack. Your sense that there was an illusion. Coming to see this is forgiveness.

The other level of forgiveness—the ultimate level—is for those who have had nonduality experiences where they see past appearances and ego’s delusion that appearances are reality. The practice is to recall the truth they saw beyond appearances and delusions and remember it is untouched by appearances. “Truth is untouched by this.” “Only truth is true.” “Only God is real.” This is the ultimate forgiveness practice when it brings truth into your conscious awareness (living experience).

 

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