In this video recording of a class (given for the School For A Course In Miracles (SFACIM) curriculum hosted by Lyn Corona and Tim Wise), we review section 12 of the Manual For Teachers: “How Many Teachers of God Are Needed to Save the World?” (ACIM, M-12). This section often reminds me of the humorous question: “How many Course students are needed to change the (metaphoric) light bulb in the blue dot* (decision-making mind)? Answer: 1, but 8 billion needed to turn the planet… to another thought system. Our choice ultimately seems to be an individual one, yet that choice is one that includes everyone and excludes no one! The total inclusion must occur in this One Mind, which I will choose and even if there seem to be “others” that haven’t made that choice, I will know that when my mind is healed, all minds are healed. I find it helpful to use the whimsical idea that I’m the only prodigal that has dreamt of ditching Perfect Oneness and everyone else is in Heaven beyond the belief in separation, having a great eternity.
* The blue dot is a graphic symbol used extensively by Kenneth Wapnick to represent the crucial place in our mind he calls the “Decision Maker” (DM) which is constantly choosing between ego’s insanity and Holy Sprit’s sanity. The whole impetus of ACIM is uncovering the barriers we’ve made to see that we all have this choice all the time; each of us could freely walk out of our self-fantasized prison in our mind to the Peace we never left. When we read the Course with a consistent focus that it is always and only about the mind, and in particular leading us to the “blue dot” of the Decision Maker, we return Home to our True Identity as Spirit. Our Peace at any moment depends solely on which teacher we listen to, and there are only two choices; how simple!
In essence (but not in form) we must (ultimately) include everyone in our transformation of the world from guilt to innocence. It doesn’t require exhaustively, sequentially forgiving everyone we’ve ever met or thought about, but it does mean that – eventually realizing that – in each present moment, my peace depends on looking – without condemnation – at everyone and everything (including our own bodies) that we find triggers even the slightest degree of grievances, expectations, annoyances, irritation, or any of the countless ways we “do battle” with the world. We save the world by the peace that flows through our minds to every “corner” of the world.
Here are the first three paragraphs of this rhetorical essay:
“1. The answer to this question is—one.²One wholly perfect teacher, whose learning is complete, suffices.³This one, sanctified and redeemed, becomes the Self Who is the Son of God.⁴He who was always wholly spirit now no longer sees himself as a body, or even as in a body.⁵Therefore he is limitless.⁶And being limitless, his thoughts are joined with God’s forever and ever.⁷His perception of himself is based upon God’s Judgment, not his own.⁸Thus does he share God’s Will, and bring His Thoughts to still deluded minds.⁹He is forever one, because he is as God created him.¹⁰He has accepted Christ, and he is saved.
2. Thus does the son of man become the Son of God.²It is not really a change; it is a change of mind.³Nothing external alters, but everything internal now reflects only the Love of God.⁴God can no longer be feared, for the mind sees no cause for punishment.⁵God’s teachers appear to be many, for that is what is the world’s need.⁶Yet being joined in one purpose, and one they share with God, how could they be separate from each other?⁷What does it matter if they then appear in many forms?⁸Their minds are one; their joining is complete.⁹And God works through them now as one, for that is what they are.
3. Why is the illusion of many necessary?²Only because reality is not understandable to the deluded.³Only very few can hear God’s Voice at all, and even they cannot communicate His messages directly through the Spirit which gave them.⁴They need a medium through which communication becomes possible to those who do not realize that they are spirit.⁵A body they can see.⁶A voice they understand and listen to, without the fear that truth would encounter in them.⁷Do not forget that truth can come only where it is welcomed without fear.⁸So do God’s teachers need a body, for their unity could not be recognized directly.”
Several ideas that merit further exploration that this section touches on (either indirectly or directly):
Our (My) Sole Responsibility is to save the world from our (my) projected guilt. A familiar and vital quote familiar to most Course students:
“The sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept the Atonement for himself.” (ACIM, T-2.V.5:1)
There are 6 other instances where the words “sole” and “responsibility” appear together in ACIM.
The “How Many…” question relates to the question of sufficiency, and there are 31 places in ACIM where the word sufficient or sufficiently appears.
The idea that we’ve limited our peace is a frequent theme in ACIM; there are 281 instances of the word limit or variations thereof.
We concluded this class with a favorite reminder to be gentle with everyone we encounter, whether physically or in our mind, and when we reflect on this a bit we realize that the encounters in our mind actually encompass all seeming physical ones. When we want to look (with Holy Spirit) at our resistance to seeing perfect innocence in everyone and ultimately let all that resistance go, we’ll eventually discover the ease and peace that arises more quickly as we…
“Dream softly of your sinless brother, who unites with you in holy innocence. ²And from this dream the Lord of Heaven will Himself awaken His beloved Son. ³Dream of your brother’s kindnesses instead of dwelling in your dreams on his mistakes. ⁴Select his thoughtfulness to dream about instead of counting up the hurts he gave. ⁵Forgive him his illusions, and give thanks to him for all the helpfulness he gave. ⁶And do not brush aside his many gifts because he is not perfect in your dreams. ⁷He represents his Father, Whom you see as offering both life and death to you.” (ACIM, T-27.VII.15:1-7)
This video was recorded on January 27, 2022.
(I highly recommend Lyn and Tim’s almost daily SFACIM zoom classes!)
