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 and discusses a very Platonic lesson from A Course In Miracles, Workbook Lesson 184: “The Name of God is my inheritance.” – W-pI.184.
(Note: Since a similar presentation on the same workbook lesson was given a little over 3 years ago, I’ll include that video below and/or you can read the entire (more detailed) post here: Symbol is not Source: Workbook Lesson 184 review with Bruce Rawles.)
Here are some additional comments related to Lesson 184 that are in this newer SFACIM class conversation:
Ego’s DNA is separation:
DNA = Duality Never Agrees,
Differences Neutralizes Atonement; Ken Wapnick also had a similar “Do Not Atone!”
Division, Not Acceptance,
Death Negates Awareness (the Double Shield of Oblivion)…
Holy Spirit reverses ego’s “laws” of normal by undoing the belief in separation; it’s “DNA” becomes:
Do Nothing Alone (without our Inner Kindness Teacher)
Dualistic Names Abandoned
Die Not, Amigo!
Even geometrically, the double helix of the DNA – the foundation of what ACIM would suggest is the parody of real life – is twisted in order to further complexity:
“An unforgiving thought does many things. ²In frantic action it pursues its goal, twisting and overturning what it sees as interfering with its chosen path. ³Distortion is its purpose, and the means by which it would accomplish it as well. ⁴It sets about its furious attempts to smash reality, without concern for anything that would appear to pose a contradiction to its point of view.
4. 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. ⁴He who would not forgive must judge, for he must justify his failure to forgive. ⁵But he who would forgive himself must learn to welcome truth exactly as it is.”
Thanks to Jane W. for the humorous description of the end product of cell division as “bio-mess.”
Holy Spirit (our Inner Kindness Teacher, a.k.a. the Jesus of ACIM) merely looks on devastation and smiles at the quaint insane absurdity of divisiveness:
“²It does not create, nor really change at all. ³It merely looks on devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. ⁴It undoes error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the function of forgiveness. ⁵Thus it stays within time’s limits. ⁶Yet it paves the way for the return of timelessness and love’s awakening, for fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.” (https://acim.org/acim/en/s/764#1:2-6 | W-pII.13.1:2-6)
Even on the level of form – which is further multiplied by the divisive thoughts of which we detect only the tiniest fraction in space and time – our biological DNA is incessantly busy furthering the “sorcerer’s apprentice” oneness-obfuscating compulsion of bifurcating, alienating, and ever-more-divisive fragmentation game. We even pride ourselves in being able to classify and identify ever more fragments of what is eternally essentially indivisible. Here’s a related excerpt from the Lists of organisms by population page on Wikipedia:
“More than 99 percent of all species, amounting to over five billion species,[7] that ever lived on Earth are estimated to be extinct.[8][9] Estimates on the number of Earth’s current species range from 10 million to 14 million,[10] of which about 1.2 million have been documented and over 86 percent have not yet been described.[11] According to another study, the number of described species has been estimated at 1,899,587.[12] 2000–2009 saw approximately 17,000 species described per year.[12] The total number of undescribed organisms is unknown, but marine microbial species alone could number 20,000,000.”
We go to such phenomenal lengths to make sure differences – ego’s “bread and butter” are a “big deal” in every category, scientific or artistic or whatever, huh!
Here are the first three paragraphs of this Workbook Lesson from ACIM:
“You live by symbols. You have made up names for everything you see. Each one becomes a separate entity, identified by its own name. By this you carve it out of unity. By this you designate its special attributes, and set it off from other things by emphasizing space surrounding it. This space you lay between all things to which you give a different name; all happenings in terms of place and time; all bodies which are greeted by a name.
This space you see as setting off all things from one another is the means by which the world’s perception is achieved. You see something where nothing is, and see as well nothing where there is unity; a space between all things, between all things and you. Thus do you think that you have given life in separation. By this split you think you are established as a unity which functions with an independent will.
What are these names by which the world becomes a series of discrete events, of things ununified, of bodies kept apart and holding bits of mind as separate awarenesses? You gave these names to them, establishing perception as you wished to have perception be. The nameless things were given names, and thus reality was given them as well. For what is named is given meaning and will then be seen as meaningful; a cause of true effect, with consequence inherent in itself.” – W.p1.184.1-2
(This YouTube video recording was made August 28, 2023.)
Below is the prior video on the same workbook lesson with the related blog post: “Symbol is not Source: Workbook Lesson 184 review with Bruce Rawles”
Although both sessions cover the same workbook lesson, as is often the case, our depth of appreciation increases over time, and different experiences with different participants contribute to the process of enriching our understanding with repeated application and practice! We have so many real reasons to be grateful!
(This prior YouTube video recording was made July 26, 2020.)