“God’s Voice … is really that memory of Wholeness, that loving Presence that remains in every mind despite the fact that we think we departed from that memory of what we are as a seamless undifferentiated Union with God. It remains with us at all times. So this is a metaphor – that voice is always speaking to us because it couldn’t be extinguished. We have this Light in our mind that is always shining. … Just because that Voice is always speaking doesn’t mean that we always listen. The voice that’s speaking most of the time in our minds and speaks in specifics is the ego’s voice and it never shuts up! We’re very aware of that voice. Our secret unconscious agenda is to block the reality of what we are, to reinforce this mistaken belief that we are something else – these personal selves. We’re constantly shutting out that awareness of the light within us and turning instead constantly to ego’s shrieks of me: ‘What about me?!’ We’re always trying in some way to position ourselves and generate a dream in which we are victimized and need a ‘god’ to rescue us from our nightmare. So ego’s ‘god’ is in agreement with the ‘fact’ that there is sin; that we have left (our Union). We feel – this whole game we’re insisting that we’re powerless helpless bodies stranded in this nonsensical dream of persecution and we need (ego’s) ‘god’ to somehow intervene on our behalf. Before we even come to a lesson like this, it’s so helpful to review the Course’s metaphysics which is never really talking about specific help (to change our personal dreams.) The problems are really imaginary problems. The real (solution to the) problem that we need help with and we have help with all the time – the awareness of which is always flowing but we’re just blocking it – is that we are still perfectly safe, loved, loving, whole and guiltless; and we’re ALL part of that. We’re all decision-making minds. We HAVE the power. We’re not helpless victims, we’re not powerless; we have the power. We’re wrong (about being different, unloved, and unloving); we’re the same. … At any moment we can join the awareness that we’re (happily) wrong; we’re the same. We’re having a really bad dream. We want to find our way home. We’re too frightened to do that all at once, but I can join with that part of the mind that can lead me out of the darkness, that can lead me back. Along the way, I have these revelations of our sameness – that I’m not a victim of the world I see. Everyone here is suffering from the same mistaken belief even though we’re acting out (that belief) in these wildly different forms. We all share the interest of finding our way home. (Finding the Voice) is really about learning to distinguish (between Holy Spirit and ego and) get very very acutely aware of the voice of my ego. The pain of that will finally get me motivated to turn to that Quiet Center (Voice) – the stately calm within the Course talks about that’s always waiting for us to take its hand. We want to find that Voice – the part of the mind that can lead us home.” – Susan Dugan, summarizing ACIM Workbook Lesson 49
In this YouTube video, Susan Dugan and Bruce Rawles read and discuss Lesson 49: God’s Voice speaks to me all through the day. (ACIM, W-49) from the Workbook of A Course In Miracles. We all have continuous access to the inspiration of our Inner Kindness Teacher (a.k.a. Holy Spirit) 24/7/365, yet we typically only listen to that inspiration sporadically. Rather than chastise ourselves for our mindlessness, resistance, and apparent squandering of this golden opportunity bestowed fully on everyone equally all the time and even beyond time, the Course asks us to just look at ego craziness without condemnation. Persistent, patient, gentle application of its message results inevitably in profound – and ever-growing – motivation for choosing the Holy Spirit’s inspiration more and more consistently instead of the masochistic (and by projection, sadistic) practice of forsaking peace for ego’s familiar warfare of duality.
Lesson 49 suggests that – with practice – we can simultaneously do our everyday tasks as normal, yet be more and more mindful of the light of forgiveness in our mind that slowly but surely undoes the unconscious, unfounded guilt. Like a driver that puts masking tape over dashboard indicator lights or a motorist driving unsafely with noise-canceling earphones that block our traffic sounds, we put ourselves at a great disadvantage (needless delay) by drowning out Holy Spirit’s voice and closing our eyes to the vision of sinlessness that the All-Inclusive Kindness Paradigm would impart to everyone always. Another favorite metaphor for trying to find peace without our Inner Kindness Teacher (Holy Spirit) is a pilot flying through clouds without the benefit of the cockpit instrumentation that provides the context, meaning, direction, and certainty of arriving safely at our desired destination.
Here are paragraphs 1, 2, and 4 of Lesson 49: God’s Voice speaks to me all through the day. (ACIM, W-49)
“1. It is quite possible to listen to God’s Voice all through the day without interrupting your regular activities in any way. ²The part of your mind in which truth abides is in constant communication with God, whether you are aware of it or not. ³It is the other part of your mind that functions in the world and obeys the world’s laws. ⁴It is this part that is constantly distracted, disorganized and highly uncertain.
2. The part that is listening to the Voice for God is calm, always at rest and wholly certain. ²It is really the only part there is. ³The other part is a wild illusion, frantic and distraught, but without reality of any kind. ⁴Try today not to listen to it. ⁵Try to identify with the part of your mind where stillness and peace reign forever. ⁶Try to hear God’s Voice call to you lovingly, reminding you that your Creator has not forgotten His Son.
4. Listen in deep silence. ²Be very still and open your mind. ³Go past all the raucous shrieks and sick imaginings that cover your real thoughts and obscure your eternal link with God. ⁴Sink deep into the peace that waits for you beyond the frantic, riotous thoughts and sights and sounds of this insane world. ⁵You do not live here. ⁶We are trying to reach your real home. ⁷We are trying to reach the place where you are truly welcome. ⁸We are trying to reach God.” (ACIM, W-49.1–2,4)
A humorous example of how we all deny ourselves the true freedom and joy that is our eternal birthright and inheritance is the Otis Campbell character on The Andy Griffith Show who regularly locks himself up (and unlocks his cell as well) in the local jail when he gets drunk – and then lets himself out since the keys are easy to access by reaching through the bars in the jail cell. In this silly example, we see how absurd is our self-imposed exile from peace. Because our minds are vastly more powerful, we imagine that we’ve made a foolproof prison more like the ultimate impenetrable fortress of guilt. Holy Spirit, however, sees that no crime was committed by anyone in truth – in eternity – and so our isolation is purely imaginary and simply undone by trusting that calm inner Voice of true forgiveness leading us step-by-step out of the labyrinthine prison of our mind.
Here are a few quotes from ACIM that relate to the idea that we have needlessly imprisoned and locked our minds and we hold the key to unlock this self-imposed imprisonment:
“Whenever you experience God’s reassurances as threat, it is always because you are defending misplaced or misdirected loyalty. ⁹When you project this to others you imprison them, but only to the extent to which you reinforce errors they have already made.” (ACIM, T-1.III.5:8-9)
“The happy learner meets the conditions of learning here, as he meets the conditions of knowledge in the Kingdom. ²All this lies in the Holy Spirit’s plan to free you from the past, and open up the way to freedom for you. ³For truth is true. ⁴What else could ever be, or ever was? ⁵This simple lesson holds the key to the dark door that you believe is locked forever. ⁶You made this door of nothing, and behind it is nothing. ⁷The key is only the light that shines away the shapes and forms and fears of nothing. ⁸Accept this key to freedom from the hands of Christ Who gives it to you, that you may join Him in the holy task of bringing light. ⁹For, like your brothers, you do not realize the light has come and freed you from the sleep of darkness.” (ACIM, T-14.II.7:1-9)
“For we go homeward to an open door which God has held unclosed to welcome us.” (ACIM, W-ep.5:7)
“This is the host of God that you have made. ²And neither God nor His most holy Son can enter an abode that harbors hate, and where you have sown the seeds of vengeance, violence and death. ³This thing you made to serve your guilt stands between you and other minds. ⁴The minds are joined, but you do not identify with them. ⁵You see yourself locked in a separate prison, removed and unreachable, incapable of reaching out as being reached. ⁶You hate this prison you have made, and would destroy it. ⁷But you would not escape from it, leaving it unharmed, without your guilt upon it.” (ACIM, T-18.VI.7:1-7)
(This video was recorded on March 24, 2023.)
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.