In this video recording of a class given as part of the School For A Course In Miracles (SFACIM) curriculum led by Lyn Corona and Tim Wise, Bruce Rawles reads The Real Alternative (Section IV of Chapter 31 in ACIM‘s text which describes how joyously we all must arrive – at our own pace, in our own time – at the conclusion that this world (ego’s misinterpretation of everything) offers us nothing, despite the seemingly endless mutations and permutations of form, all designed to obscure the same content. Ego, based on the insane belief in separation, can only arrive at a sinful, guilty, fearful identity. Holy Spirit – the real alternative – the world we really, truly want – helps us moment-by-moment undo that dream of separation. Ego deludes, deceives, and distracts, but the real alternative is happily one we’ll all eventually choose, the Course assures us. In fact, we’re already “safe at home, dreaming of exile.”
Happy Solstice! Symbolically, tonight will be the longest night of the year, and tomorrow the shortest day, but it’s the point where metaphorically, we reach the point where we realize that we’ve turned the corner in our forgiveness classroom; we’re no longer completely insane and despite lots of residual resistance, we’re committed to listening to Holy Spirit and hearing the glad message it gives us ceaselessly that the Son of God is innocent; Christ is reborn in our mind, joining with our Inner Kindness Teacher as the One we truly are – to look at insanity without condemnation, and see that Atonement is freedom and we’re profoundly grateful for the dawning of that awareness in our mind.
Black Hole or Eternal Supernova? Ego never happened in Truth, but the inextinguishable light in our minds is obscured by our attraction to guilt which casts a shadow on our perception of everything and everyone in this dream world. Like the inhabitants of Plato’s cave allegory, our ego filter of looking darkly (intentionally) sees fearsome shadow figures of guilt everywhere, distorting and obscuring everything into separate, meaningless blobs of warring monsters. HS, on the other hand, in its unending supernova light illuminates the entire cosmos of Spirit, seeing innocence everywhere; it’s unchanging blessing of certain, unassailable peace is freely given to all Creation. Ego rehearses division, disappointment, and despair and is never satisfied. HS accepts only the infinite illumination of all-inclusive innocence.
Here are the first 3 paragraphs of The Real Alternative (emphasis in bold added to highlight the encouraging outcome that we’ll all find after we abandon ego’s futile and miserable quest for dream repair:
“There is a tendency to think the world can offer consolation and escape from problems that its purpose is to keep. Why should this be? Because it is a place where choice among illusions seems to be the only choice. And you are in control of outcomes of your choosing. Thus you think, within the narrow band from birth to death, a little time is given you to use for you alone; a time when everyone conflicts with you, but you can choose which road will lead you out of conflict, and away from difficulties that concern you not. Yet they are your concern. How, then, can you escape from them by leaving them behind? What must go with you, you will take with you whatever road you choose to walk along.
Real choice is no illusion. But the world has none to offer. All its roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness and death. There is no choice in its alternatives. Seek not escape from problems here. The world was made that problems could not be escaped. Be not deceived by all the different names its roads are given. They have but one end. And each is but the means to gain that end, for it is here that all its roads will lead, however differently they seem to start; however differently they seem to go. Their end is certain, for there is no choice among them. All of them will lead to death. On some you travel gaily for a while, before the bleakness enters. And on some the thorns are felt at once. The choice is not what will the ending be, but when it comes.
There is no choice where every end is sure. Perhaps you would prefer to try them all, before you really learn they are but one. The roads this world can offer seem to be quite large in number, but the time must come when everyone begins to see how like they are to one another. Men have died on seeing this, because they saw no way except the pathways offered by the world. And learning they led nowhere, lost their hope. And yet this was the time they could have learned their greatest lesson. All must reach this point, and go beyond it. It is true indeed there is no choice at all within the world. But this is not the lesson in itself. The lesson has a purpose, and in this you come to understand what it is for.” T-31.IV.1:1–3:10
Here’s a chart of how Holy Spirit might make a comparison chart to show us the pros and cons, feature by feature of the two thought systems: ego’s 100% insanity (all the time) and Holy Spirit’s 100% sanity (all the time):
Here are a few more bullet points in Jesus’s marketing plan to encourage us to drop ego’s forgivable craziness:
- Identify the real need: Atonement. It will resolve the belief in separation (unconscious, unfounded guilt)
- Provide perfect 24/7/365 Tech Support: HS, with Jesus as ACIM’s senior advisor; internal toll-free hotline closer than breath or heartbeat
- Show contrast between alternatives (only 2); cognitive dissonance
- Free unlimited trial (Workbook)
- Voluntary commitment (little willingness -> abundant willingness) after proof of results
- Satisfied Customers: Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Buddha, Ken Wapnick, Mooji, Nisargadatta, Ramana Maharshi, Shakespeare, etc.
- Money-back guarantee = world-back guarantee? We can exchange thought systems any time – and we sure do! – until we finally give up on ego’s silly shenanigans.
Here are some related comments by Ken Wapnick and a quote from chapter 11:
“The holy instant is of greater value now to you than its unholy seeming counterpart, and you have learned you really want but one. ³This is no time for sadness. ⁴Perhaps confusion, but hardly discouragement. You have a real relationship, and it has meaning. (ACIM, T-20.VI.12:2-5)
“… We’re still somewhat resistant, but we’re beginning to understand, that we will feel much better living a life of inclusion rather than a life of exclusion. – that we’d really feel much better by observing ourselves onstage than continuing to believe that we really are that person onstage. – That’s the holy instant. … The initial stages can seem quite upsetting, because we’re still trying to keep a foot in both camps. We’re trying to learn this lesson, but at the same time there’s a part of us that doesn’t want to leave – we don’t want to leave the altar dripping with blood… as long as I can have the illusion that it’s not my blood. We’re not quite sure we want to let go of our specialness. On the other hand, we’re beginning to realize that this is awful. So we’re still in a kind of no-man’s land, but we’re at least now looking at both, and of course that’s what this whole Course is trying to do is to look at the difference, the contrast between the special relationship and the Holy one – the contrast between constant criticism, judgment and hate – and forgiveness. The more we can see both of them together, the easier it will be to make the correct choice. … My relationship I have with you in which I no longer perceive us as living on a battleground – where I’m trying to steal from you and you’re trying to steal from me – now we’re beginning to see that we’re the same – same ego, same Holy Spirit, same power to choose between them.” – Ken Wapnick (Temple of the Holy Spirit audio)
“God’s Son is indeed in need of comfort, for he knows not what he does, believing his will is not his own. ²The Kingdom is his, and yet he wanders homeless. ³At home in God he is lonely, and amid all his brothers he is friendless. ⁴Would God let this be real, when He did not will to be alone Himself? ⁵And if your will is His it cannot be true of you, because it is not true of Him.
O my child, if you knew what God wills for you, your joy would be complete! ²And what He wills has happened, for it was always true. ³When the light comes and you have said, “God’s Will is mine,” you will see such beauty that you will know it is not of you. ⁴Out of your joy you will create beauty in His Name, for your joy could no more be contained than His. ⁵The bleak little world will vanish into nothingness, and your heart will be so filled with joy that it will leap into Heaven, and into the Presence of God. ⁶I cannot tell you what this will be like, for your heart is not ready. ⁷Yet I can tell you, and remind you often, that what God wills for Himself He wills for you, and what He wills for you is yours.” (T-11.III.2:1–3:7)
Having significantly questioned the very foundation of ego’s thought system – it’s totally dubious claims and outrageously pathetic performance – a track record of zero peace – we’re no ready to let Workbook Lesson 129 sink in more deeply. Here are the first 3 paragraphs of that lesson:
“This is the thought that follows from the one we practiced yesterday. You cannot stop with the idea the world is worthless, for unless you see that there is something else to hope for, you will only be depressed. Our emphasis is not on giving up the world, but on exchanging it for what is far more satisfying, filled with joy, and capable of offering you peace. Think you this world can offer that to you?
It might be worth a little time to think once more about the value of this world. Perhaps you will concede there is no loss in letting go all thought of value here. The world you see is merciless indeed, unstable, cruel, unconcerned with you, quick to avenge and pitiless with hate. It gives but to rescind, and takes away all things that you have cherished for a while. No lasting love is found, for none is here. This is the world of time, where all things end.
Is it a loss to find a world instead where losing is impossible; where love endures forever, hate cannot exist and vengeance has no meaning? Is it loss to find all things you really want, and know they have no ending and they will remain exactly as you want them throughout time? Yet even they will be exchanged at last for what we cannot speak of, for you go from there to where words fail entirely, into a silence where the language is unspoken and yet surely understood.” – W-pI.129.1-3
… and we can allow the encouragement of the happily inevitable peace Holy Spirit offers us throughout our prodigal dream of differences and duality:
“Can you imagine what it means to have no cares, no worries, no anxieties, but merely to be perfectly calm and quiet all the time? ²Yet that is what time is for; to learn just that and nothing more. ³God’s Teacher cannot be satisfied with His teaching until it constitutes all your learning. ⁴He has not fulfilled His teaching function until you have become such a consistent learner that you learn only of Him. ⁵When this has happened, you will no longer need a teacher or time in which to learn.” – T-15.I.1:1-5