In this YouTube video, Susan Dugan and Bruce Rawles read and talk about Lesson 185: I want the peace of God. (ACIM, W-185) from the Workbook of A Course In Miracles. As with so many lessons and infinitely patient, gentle exhortations that the Course provides, we’re encouraged to just look – more and more consistently … and frequently – at our minds without condemnation a.k.a. looking (with our Inner Kindness Teachers) at our separate thoughts of righteous indignation and battle cries fomented by the ego’s ever-critical, divisive, prejudiced, and jaundiced eyes. That unbiased “above the battleground” vision (only available with Holy Spirit’s eternal perspective) removes the barriers to experiencing the true All-Inclusive connection we have with each other and our Creator. Our egos dread the genuine heartfelt compassion and the recognition of our true kinship with everyone and everything because the fraudulent foundation of ego’s entire fragmented identity is brought under forgiving scrutiny.
This neutral, objective looking (at the devastation delivered by dualistic dreams) sees that nothing happened in Truth to compromise the complete and eternal innocence shared by All. That innocence is not in short supply in Truth, but its counterfeit dream substitute (relative sinlessness – with comparison a tell-tale sign of ego’s win-lose failure strategy) is furtively squandered and fought for viciously in every ego attack, no matter how seemingly placid or benign the exterior circumstances. Meanwhile, true peace waits patiently for our happily inevitable return which we embark upon with each forgiven projection.
“Future loss is not your fear. ⁴But present joining is your dread.” (ACIM, T-26.VIII.4:3-4)
Susan mentioned one of the numerous brilliant programs by Ken Wapnick “Forgiveness Now: “Those You Do Not Forgive You Fear” which emphasizes that each and every moment provides the opportunity to choose against the insanity of ego’s incessant war and instead for the sanity of our Appointed Friend‘s eternal Peace.
While Oneness is beyond the scope of our current understanding, we can certainly consider our intrinsic sameness more frequently, and we do that by realizing that we are ALL in the same boat; we all have the same ego, Holy Spirit, and decision-making faculty in our mind to choose between the two, always – every moment!
We also talked about the GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver metaphor for trusting Holy Spirit for guidance. A GPS receiver (unlike ego) doesn’t badmouth us for missing a turn but merely provides a continuous update on the quickest way back to our desired destination – within the context of our dream, we save time by forgiving ourselves more frequently and consistently. A GPS receiver is able to “lock on” to a signal that is many orders of magnitude weaker than background noise because it looks for what does NOT change amid the noise (raucous shrieks) of ego’s grievances, not unlike the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland shouting – for every imagined slight: “Off with her head!”
“Lay down the cruel sword of judgment that you hold against your throat, and put aside the withering assaults with which you seek to hide your holiness.” (ACIM, W-190.9:4)
Fortunately, ego’s consistently murderous thought system, no matter how seemingly hopeless is ultimately like a dream from which we all voluntarily awaken:
“You need not fear the Higher Court will condemn you. ²It will merely dismiss the case against you. ³There can be no case against a child of God, and every witness to guilt in God’s creations is bearing false witness to God Himself. ⁴Appeal everything you believe gladly to God’s Own Higher Court, because it speaks for Him and therefore speaks truly. ⁵It will dismiss the case against you, however carefully you have built it up. ⁶The case may be fool-proof, but it is not God-proof. ⁷The Holy Spirit will not hear it, because He can only witness truly. ⁸His verdict will always be “thine is the Kingdom,” because He was given to you to remind you of what you are.” (ACIM, T-5.VI.10:1-8)
Here are the first 3 paragraphs from Lesson 185:
“1. To say these words is nothing. ²But to mean these words is everything. ³If you could but mean them for just an instant, there would be no further sorrow possible for you in any form; in any place or time. ⁴Heaven would be completely given back to full awareness, memory of God entirely restored, the resurrection of all creation fully recognized.
2. No one can mean these words and not be healed. ²He cannot play with dreams, nor think he is himself a dream. ³He cannot make a hell and think it real. ⁴He wants the peace of God, and it is given him. ⁵For that is all he wants, and that is all he will receive. ⁶Many have said these words. ⁷But few indeed have meant them. ⁸You have but to look upon the world you see around you to be sure how very few they are. ⁹The world would be completely changed, should any two agree these words express the only thing they want.
3. Two minds with one intent become so strong that what they will becomes the Will of God. ²For minds can only join in truth. ³In dreams, no two can share the same intent. ⁴To each, the hero of the dream is different; the outcome wanted not the same for both. ⁵Loser and gainer merely shift about in changing patterns, as the ratio of gain to loss and loss to gain takes on a different aspect or another form.” (ACIM, W-185.1:1–3:5)
We also read these paragraphs:
“7. Let us today devote our practicing to recognizing that we really mean the words we say.²We want the peace of God.³This is no idle wish.⁴These words do not request another dream be given us.⁵They do not ask for compromise, nor try to make another bargain in the hope that there may yet be one that can succeed where all the rest have failed.⁶To mean these words acknowledges illusions are in vain, requesting the eternal in the place of shifting dreams which seem to change in what they offer, but are one in nothingness.”(ACIM, W-185.7:1-6)
8. Today devote your practice periods to careful searching of your mind, to find the dreams you cherish still.²What do you ask for in your heart?³Forget the words you use in making your requests.⁴Consider but what you believe will comfort you, and bring you happiness.⁵But be you not dismayed by lingering illusions, for their form is not what matters now.⁶Let not some dreams be more acceptable, reserving shame and secrecy for others.⁷They are one.⁸And being one, one question should be asked of all of them, “Is this what I would have, in place of Heaven and the peace of God?”(ACIM, W-185.8:1-8)
Am I really upset for the reason I think? … Could I see peace instead of this?
(This video was recorded on July 8, 2023.)
Here is a perfect companion video for this conversation:
If you have questions or comments about this video, previous videos in this ACIM-related video series, or other Course-related topics, please email them to us via the ACIMblog.com contact form. Susan and Bruce will review and try to respond to questions and suggestions for future conversations. We look forward to extending the conversation with you!
If you are interested in Susan’s excellent weekly Tuesday evening classes based on the teachings of Kenneth Wapnick, you can contact her here.
Here are some prior ACIM-related conversations with Susan Dugan and Bruce Rawles.