ACIM Mentor

“I have a friend who likes to say actions speak louder than words. And recently, I found out that she lied to me and it appears purposely deceitful…Initially, I felt sadness that a person who professed to love me would for lack of a better description lie to me. When I did tell her I knew about the whole event she acted like she wanted to counsel me on my sadness. This seemed to make me angry...All I ever ask for is the truth. As the truth stands on its own. I am having a challenge forgiving her in this moment. I am having feelings about the deliberate lie. I know this is a lesson for me and caring for myself. How do you see this?” – Anonymous             Your (former?) friend is correct: actions do speak louder than words. And she spoke loud and clear about herself to you with her behavior. Your choice now is to maintain the friendship as-is, maintain the friendship with new boundaries that address what you now know ab...

“Can you give me any insight on Manifestation which is the big thing now?  Jesus is always the example of the great Manifester, but what does ACIM say about manifestation, and does the Enlightenment that ACIM allows to a lucky few come  with Manifestation possibilities?”  – DH                                           This quote best sums up what A Course in Miracles says about manifestating: You see what you expect, and you expect what you invite. Your perception is the result of your invitation, coming to you as you sent for it. Whose manifestations would you see? Of whose presence would you be convinced? For you will believe in what you manifest, and as you look out so will you see in. Two ways of looking at the world are in your mind, and your perception will...

“ I've never really had love… I've been the one out here who was born illegitimate, mom was a state child and abused. So when I was born I really wasn't shown love but lots of rejection. My own grown adult kids have shut the door in my face, I long to have my family but they threw me away. I wasn't abusive towards them...I have sought God all my life and at this point of age 62, I realize there is still hope, but I've found people can be nice, but it's all just words, nothing more and love always dies. It will eventually kill you...” DK              You are clearly not aware of it, but you have always had Love (God). You have Love right now. What you do not have is an awareness of Love. And that is easy to correct! A Course in Miracles points out from the start a very observable fact: You feel Love not when others seem to love you but when you choose to come from the Love within you. By extending Love in your awarene...

“ How do we best cultivate "willingness" or is it by grace that we come to this? After a trauma in my life, it took me 4 years of suffering all the while thinking I was 'willing'...while praying and saying 'words' of surrender ...to realize that I was really being resistant!” – L             A Course in Miracles points out that you do not have to look for Love because you already have It. You only have to look for your obstacles to Love so that you can remove them and be aware that you have Love. It is the same with willingness. You do not have to cultivate willingness. You only have to look for your obstacles to being willing and the willingness will be there.             Wanting, wishing, hoping, and intending are all passive states of desire. Willingness occurs when you allow the necessary shift or change to actually occur within you so that you will have the desir...

… The Course speaks repeatedly about relationships, especially "The Holy Relationship".  However, if those that we have had relationships in the illusion do not really exist, who do we have relationships with in Heaven?  If, in Truth, there is no duality which means "all is one" - how does that allow for a relationship?  Doesn't it take "two to tango"? Or, is it what I sometimes intuit, that when we see the Truth in another, we are really seeing a reflection of the Truth in us.  And it is only in that state that we can truly "relate" to another?  Could it be that when our Oneness is re-cognized, we do have relationships with all, knowing that the essence that flows through us is the same for all?  Or am I trying to make a pseudo-illusion with this example?... – SL             Like all forms of forgiveness, the Holy Relationship manifests only at the level of perception, or illusion. It is a tempo...

When ACIM talks about guilt is it talking about guilt for things I’ve done or is it talking about guilt for separating from God or both?             In a practical sense both, not because they are the same, but because the personal thought system (ego) blends them.             In the world there are laws and moral codes that are set up for the civilized functioning of society. These laws and codes vary from culture to culture and over time. When you are a child adults are supposed to teach you the laws and codes of your culture and instill in you a social conscience that is bothered when you violate them. When you do violate them you make amends or “pay your debt to society”. In theory your conscience could be wiped clean. But the personal thought system in your mind will never allow you to have a clear conscience because it requires guilt to maintain itself in your mind...

In this time of financial woes, hopefully many can benefit from some words for guidance on surviving the money crunch. Trying to see things from the perspective of abundance and not from lack does get difficult when in the physical world bills pile up, debts get larger and income starts to shrink. Please share some of the thoughts that can keep us in line with Truth in these difficult times … – MLN             Do not define yourself by what does or does not appear in the universe of form. The self in the world is not you. What does or does not show up is not you. These are all just passing thoughts.             As with anything that disturbs your peace, use it as a reminder to turn inward and feel your wholeness in Truth (God). If you are not yet able to feel your wholeness in Truth, then use disturbing appearances to remind you to turn inward and grow your awareness of...

You say there are no individual spirits but what about ghosts? What about people who say they’ve seen Jesus? Or people who have near-death experiences say that they see their loved ones…             Just like material bodies, ghosts are projections of the split mind. Just like material bodies, any meaning you see in them you give to them. They are another form of not-Truth, or illusion.             Part of the confusion is that the word “spirit” is commonly used for both non-material form (ghosts) and Formlessness (Truth/God). And they are not the same. Part of the confusion is also that the personal thought system (ego) confuses anything “supernatural” or unseen by the body’s eyes with Truth. This spiritualizes some forms so that you do not seek beyond form for Truth. To help you sort out illusion from Truth remember that Truth is formless. So all form is not-Truth (i...

All of my life isn’t real…it seems to me that A Course in Miracles is saying that I don’t really exist…yet here I am existing…             What A Course in Miracles says is that your experience of yourself as a personal self in a body in a world (ego) is not real existence. It is a false sense of reality (illusion).             Within you is the solid experience “I am” or “I exist”. This is True Being (God). It is real, infinite, and eternal. You also have this other experience of a limited, time-bound personal self in a body in a world. These two experiences have become conflated in your mind so that you think that the experience of “I exist” refers to the personal self. This confusion is the source of all manifestations of pain. What the Course teaches is that your experience of Existence and your experience of a personal self are actually two disparate experiences....

Some of your answers about death lately have not been particularly comforting…would you tell someone who just lost a loved one that they will never see them again?             I can see where the personal thought system (ego) in your mind would not find what I wrote about death to be comforting. It would like to be real and eternal and I stripped that idea away. Stripping away the personal thought system’s cherished wishes is what I do! I am a teacher of Truth, not a minister or therapist, so I do not teach to comfort personal selves. Instead, I teach minds the way to release themselves from guilt and fear so that they can be aware of Truth and be at peace. This indeed will make the personal thought system in your mind uncomfortable, but if you understand the forgiveness that I teach it will set you free. “Undermining the ego's thought system must be perceived as painful, even though this is anything but true. Babies scre...

In the tri-union of mind, body, spirit, what happens to the spirits/souls of psychopaths? Those defined as “individuals who are often intelligent and highly charismatic, but display a chronic inability to feel guilt, remorse, or anxiety about any of their actions.”             My understanding is that a psychopath also cannot genuinely feel or display love, either. Yet, our essence is essentially the energy of love. Can you explain? – DL             There are no souls or individual spirits. There is only one Truth (Spirit) and It is universal. It is the same in every seemingly-individual mind. It is all that is real and eternal in any mind. Everything else is false and falls away. The body, the mind, and Spirit (Truth) do not form a union. Mind is the aspect of Truth through which Truth knows Itself.  They are one and the same. The body and its thought system (eg...

I have a family member who's had a rough time of it for quite a while.  He got married, quickly had 2 children, then the marriage went sour and now he is dealing with a narcissistic ex-wife who seems determined to make his life a misery and a job that takes up most of his time. I get upset about the situation he's in and sometimes cry over his situation.  I think "There is nothing my holiness cannot do..." but it doesn't seem to work.  Then I get angry that this whole story is appearing and become impatient that he's not changing.  I'm furious with his ex-wife too. – SD             It is your belief that what is appearing is real and true that is making you unhappy. If you are willing to be aware of your Holiness, or the Truth (God) within you, then this awareness will lift you out of your fixed belief in the world as reality. But this is not going to change the world. It will change your rel...

If what you say about death is true it makes me sad to think that I will never see my loved ones again. This is how I have coped with their deaths… (December 7, 2012)             What you are actually feeling is fear of lack of Love (God; Truth). True Love is your Being and is always within you. But because the personal thought system (ego) is the denial of your Being it teaches you to look outward for its version of “love” (attachment). One place it teaches you to look for love is in the specialness of others. When they pass away it tells you that you have lost love. To deal with your pain it then tells you that you can hope to find this love again after you “die”. As usual, it does not address the actual source of your pain: your perception that Love is outside of you. It also does not address your pain now . Instead it tells you to hope to find relief for your current pain in a future that never arrives. Is it really comfo...

What happens to someone who dies before they “awaken” or are aware of Truth ? Do they still go back to God?             No. But someone who has become aware of Truth (God) also does not return to Truth upon death. The self does not come from Truth and can never be a part of Truth. It is only a mistaken idea in your mind now .             The Truth is already in your mind, whole and complete. It has no beginning and no ending. It is ongoing and untouched by the story of a self that you have in your mind. You do not have to wait for the self to die to be aware of Truth. Right now you can put aside the idea of a self and be aware of Truth and be at peace. It is your belief in the self as reality that blocks your awareness of Truth now .             Only the Truth in any mind is real and eternal. Everything else passes...

Where in ACIM does it use the lower case “s” on “son of God”? (November 30, 2012) [This question refers to this paragraph from my last article : “But within the thought-of-the-opposite-of-God there is an emptiness which is filled by a universe of form, or the opposite-of-God made manifest. The part of God’s mind where this thought seems to occur the Course calls the “son of God” (lower case “s” on “son”). It cannot leave God so it is split between God and not-God. This split mind projects billions of versions of itself into the universe of form (individual minds in bodies). For the seemingly-individual split mind the Course refers to the projection of not-God as “ego” and to the awareness of God as “Christ” (or “Son of God”; upper-case “s” on “son”) .].             Well, gosh, golly, darn…I could swear…But doing a search on my A Course in Miracles CD I cannot find an instance where the lower-case “s” is used for “Son of ...

In the lesson 'What is Creation?' the following passage answers the question: "Creation is the sum of all God's Thoughts, in number infinite and everywhere without limit. Only Love creates and only like Itself." I suddenly found today that I could not see how this fitted with the idea that all form (creation) is the sum of God's thoughts, if it is also illusory. Does the Universe we perceive exist only in the ego's mind - or is it the result of God's Thought? – MD-T              A Course in Miracles redefines the word “Creation” to refer to the Extension of God’s formless Being rather than to the universe of form, as the word is commonly used. When it speaks of “you” being God’s “Creation” it is referring to your True Being in God, not to the forms (body/personality) with which you mistakenly identify. You experience God’s boundless Creation – your True Being – not in form but within your mind. You “create” like Go...

Since the world is not real and all that we are experiencing is an illusion is there a basis for compassion? (November 16, 2012)             Actually, true compassion arises naturally and spontaneously only when you are aware that the world is not real and that the personal experience is an illusion. True compassion is an effect of true forgiveness.             The experience of Truth (God) is wholeness. It is boundless love, peace, and happiness. Any other experience is not-True (illusion). So all pain is caused by a lack of awareness that the Truth is in you and that you have everything in Truth.             The personal thought system’s (ego’s) version of compassion is to reinforce in your mind the idea that lack and pain are real. It has you join with another in their pain. You hurt with them and/or for them....

Don’t I need an ego to live in the world? If not how do I go to work, take care of my family, etc.? (November 9, 2012)             No, because the body, personality, and unfolding “life” of the personal self are neutral projections. They don’t have any meaning in themselves. They manifest either the personal thought system (ego) or your True thought system (Holy Spirit). The choice of thought system is yours to make. Either way the personal self eats, sleeps, goes to work, raises kids, makes love, plays, relates to others, etc. Your choice of thought system determines your internal experience of either conflict (personal) or peace (Truth). And because personal values, choices, and behaviors (effects) always follow from thoughts (their cause) the personal self’s life unfolds harmoniously when you choose the thought system of peace. This is how you can tell which thought system you are choosing: When you to identify as a pe...

My question is about prayer…The idea of Oneness is beginning to feel more natural as is accepting that we, not God, made the universe of form.  I’ve been used to saying traditional prayers as well as praying for special intentions for myself and others.  Given my emerging new thought system, that kind of prayer just doesn’t feel right anymore.  I still feel the need to pray, however.  Should I use meditation as a form of prayer now?... LD             Before I answer your question about prayer I want to address your statement that “we, not God, made the universe of form” because I hear this often from students of A Course in Miracles and there is great confusion about this idea. The maker of the universe of form is what the Course calls the “son of God” in the original and what I called the “split mind” in The Plain Language ACIM . The split mind is the part of God’s Mind that contains the idea of the op...

I have read that if one undertakes the Course as an exercise in academic learning, as a study of ideas to be mastered, you will fail…I’m in a study group where I think this is exactly what we are doing. – MW             A Course in Miracles intends for its ideas to be used, not just thought about: “This is not a course in the play of ideas, but in their practical application.” (T-11.VIII.5) “This course has explicitly stated that its goal for you is happiness and peace.” (T-13.II.7) But that can be quite apart from your goal for studying it. The measure of your success or failure in any endeavor is determined by your own goal for it. If your goal is to intellectually grasp the concepts in A Course in Miracles then study alone may be enough for you to reach your goal. But if your goal is lasting happiness and peace, which is the goal the Course intends for you, then you must put its ideas into practice to attai...