Jackie Lora Jones and Bruce Rawles continue their conversations about A Course In Miracles (ACIM) in this video about Holy Spirit’s real alternative to being super scared (e.g. to the point of needing a wardrobe change) by bringing each little drama or “skit” to that eternally benevolent Inner Kindness Teacher that illuminates the silliness of our trivial dramatizations of what never happened in eternity!
Here are the first two paragraphs from The “Dynamics” of the Ego:
“1. No one can escape from illusions unless he looks at them, for not looking is the way they are protected. ²There is no need to shrink from illusions, for they cannot be dangerous. ³We are ready to look more closely at the ego’s thought system because together we have the lamp that will dispel it, and since you realize you do not want it, you must be ready. ⁴Let us be very calm in doing this, for we are merely looking honestly for truth. ⁵The “dynamics” of the ego will be our lesson for a while, for we must look first at this to see beyond it, since you have made it real. ⁶We will undo this error quietly together, and then look beyond it to truth.
2. What is healing but the removal of all that stands in the way of knowledge? ²And how else can one dispel illusions except by looking at them directly, without protecting them? ³Be not afraid, therefore, for what you will be looking at is the source of fear, and you are beginning to learn that fear is not real. ⁴You are also learning that its effects can be dispelled merely by denying their reality. ⁵The next step is obviously to recognize that what has no effects does not exist. ⁶Laws do not operate in a vacuum, and what leads to nothing has not happened. ⁷If reality is recognized by its extension, what leads to nothing could not be real. ⁸Do not be afraid, then, to look upon fear, for it cannot be seen. ⁹Clarity undoes confusion by definition, and to look upon darkness through light must dispel it.”
We observed that dynamics is in quotes in the title of this section since anything that ego believes, projects, and misinterprets involves change which is necessarily predicated on the assumption that time and space are real. These assumptions are contrary to the Course’s metaphysics that only what is eternal and unchanging is real; everything ephemeral must be error fabricated by illusory thinking and silly judgments based on outrageously insufficient data, let alone understanding!
Part of looking (with Holy Spirit) at every single thing that seems to be the problem is not “stuffing” our feelings and thoughts about the world, but instead, learning to automatically bring every discomfort and distress to our Appointed Friend to have ego’s misinterpretations (about everyone and everything) examined and dismantled by seeing how the fundamental ego premise – the belief in separation and the inevitable sin, guilt, fear thought system that ensues from that tiny error departing from Truth – is forgivably flawed. We merely need to lock into the habit of faithfully following our Inner Jesus – the author of ACIM and not the historical figure that became the idol of formal religion for much of the western world. It’s like accepting the “tractor beam” from the mother ship rescuing us from the belief in danger in deep, dark space; our finite, disconnected instruments and capabilities are inadequate at best, while Holy Spirit’s complete knowledge (of sinlessness) alone has the gentle strength and wisdom to bring us home … to “where” we never left.
When we ask for the “lamp that will dispel the darkness” in our right mind, we discover by voluntarily looking at and accepting “… willingness to question every value that you hold (ACIM, T-24.in.2:1) that outgrow or transcend the specific grievances, issues, problems, and worries and realize (as Bill Murray said) “it just doesn’t matter” – at least from the eternal perspective of our Real Being!
Another topic is that ACIM is not for everyone, it is just one of countless non-dual teachings that will all ultimately converge for everyone in awareness of Perfect Oneness by practicing true forgiveness – letting go of our dualistic projections of absurdity and insanity. The Course reminds us that it is:
“… intended for teachers of a special form of the universal course. ²There are many thousands of other forms, all with the same outcome.” (ACIM, M-1.4:1-2)
So, as is so often the case, to continue our progress we must be vigilant for level confusion, one variety of which is insisting that the form of our awakening path isn’t important (with tremendous differences in appearance) but the content of the right mind (our “flawless GPS” guidance – always leading back to awareness of the unconditional innocence of our eternal being – by the Inner Kindness Teacher we all share)
Among many other topics, we related how trusting Holy Spirit is analogous to choosing a different operating system for the software of our mind where peace isn’t just possible but inevitable, unlike ego’s dismal, dysfunctional programming where there is not any possibility of peace – we become like Captain Kirk in the Kobayashi Maru (Star Trek) exercise who realizes that the default code is impossible to solve and must be resolved by changing the source code to a premise where the belief in sin never happened. This takes practice, practice, practice … and repetition! This also requires abundant patience with ourselves and everyone we meet or think about … and kindness!
This video recording was recorded on Monday, August 29, 2022.
Check out Jackie’s True Forgiveness Teachings podcast here.
These readings provide a platform to discuss a variety of helpful ideas and practices from the non-dual metaphysics of A Course in Miracles. Jackie has conducted insightful video interviews with Gary Renard and numerous others. She and her sister, Cindy Lora-Renard, facilitate classes on ACIM in addition to equally highly-regarded workshops on “The Course.” Jackie’s first book, All Peace, No Pieces – now available in audiobook form – is a valuable addition to any Course student’s library, regardless of their level of familiarity with the Course’s ideas, with some particularly fun and insightful metaphors from the Wizard of Oz movie.
Here are more ACIM-related conversations with Jackie Lora Jones and Bruce Rawles.
Jackie will be giving a “Miracle Cafe” talk on September 27, 2022 for Miracle Network UK entitled “How Do We Live In the World Knowing It’s a Dream?“
