Kindred A Course In Miracles enthusiasts Leon Joel Russell and Bruce Rawles both drew inspiration in their adolescence from their mother’s metaphysical libraries; they also share multiple current ongoing interests (such as modern physics and interviewing other Course teachers) in addition to studying and practicing ACIM’s challenging but oh-so-rewarding pure non-dual metaphysics.
Leon shares his trans-conceptual – a fun adjective that I find helpful – thoughtful inspirations, insights, and humor in this relaxed video conversation. Leon acknowledged the importance of noticing how we feel (peaceful … or not) at any and every moment – and how that gives us the crucial feedback for detecting which thought system we’re engaged in – either Holy Spirit if we’re peaceful … or ego if we’re not.
Some of the Course’s pure non-dual ideas that we riffed on include these quotes, mostly paraphrased in our dialogue:
- “This course is a beginning, not an end.” (ACIM, W-ep.1:1)
- “You are much too tolerant of mind wandering…” (ACIM, T-2.VI.4:6)
- “All your time is spent in dreaming.” (ACIM, T-18.II.5:12) We actually said projecting, but that certainly is what’s happening in our staggeringly convincing dreams!
- “Forgiveness, on the other hand, is still, and quietly does nothing. ²It offends no aspect of reality, nor seeks to twist it to appearances it likes. ³It merely looks, and waits, and judges not.” (ACIM, W-pII.1.4:1-3)
- “To give and to receive are one in truth.” (ACIM, W-108)
- Kindness (We talked at some length about the vital importance of kindness to achieving the peace the Course prescribes for us via forgiveness; there are 16 instances of kindness in ACIM.
- “You are still convinced that your understanding is a powerful contribution to the truth, and makes it what it is.” (ACIM, T-18.IV.7:5)
- “The Holy Spirit does not evaluate injustices as great or small, or more or less. ⁵They have no properties to Him. ⁶They are mistakes from which the Son of God is suffering, but needlessly.” (ACIM, T-26.II.4:4-6)
- “You live by symbols. ²You have made up names for everything you see. ³Each one becomes a separate entity, identified by its own name. ⁴By this you carve it out of unity.” (ACIM, W-184.1:1-4)
Leon offered the insight that the Course offers abundant examples of helpful ideas that our egos could never say, such as these Workbook titles:
- “Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything.” (ACIM, W-1)
- “Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.” (ACIM, W-336)
- “Into His Presence would I enter now.” (ACIM, W-157)”
- “I trust my brothers, who are one with me.” (ACIM, W-181)
- “I am sustained by the Love of God.” (ACIM, W-50)
“Love is beyond what can be taught.” – Leon Joel Russell
“If quantum mechanics hasn’t profoundly shocked you, you haven’t understood it yet.”
– Neils Bohr“What happens in vagueness stays in vagueness.” – Bruce Rawles … a.k.a. “Ideas leave not their source.” (ACIM, W-132.5:3)
This video was recorded on October 23, 2023.
Leon’s excellent YouTube channel – May The Course Be With You – offers enjoyable conversations with fellow Course enthusiasts such as Stefan Bolz, Carol Howe, and David Hoffmeister. Here is the conversation we had on his channel – May the fourth (video in his podcast series) be with you!
Leon is also a musician; here’s a related example video about that interest: My Top 5 – Leon Russell (Warmrain) – ProgAxia Podcast
