Hello dreamers!

I like to remind myself of this Course quote at the start of the new year:

Make this year different by making it all the same. (T-15.XI.10:11)

What does this mean?

It means that we look at everything through the lens of forgiveness. We recognize that the Holy Spirit’s purpose for everything we “see” is that we use it as a classroom. We can remember that anytime we are upset we have the power to choose between the ego’s interpretation of our identity – as a fearful guilty self that has sinned – and the Holy Spirit’s reminder of our true identity as Christ.

Making this year all the same means that we can look on every grievance, upset, or dis-ease, in the same way. Why? Because an illusion, is an illusion, is an illusion. There are no hierarchies in illusions. They are all forgiven in the same way. Every upset is forgiven in the same way because they’re all untrue. They are part of the same projection. Every problem is solved in the same way, because your problems are all in your mind. And you can change the purpose that your mind has given them.

The world is in your mind. This is the key, an important distinction in the Course: our lives won’t always change to our liking – we’re watching a script that’s already happened – but our power lies in changing the purpose the mind has given to what seems to be happening to us and around us as bodies.

The body is only a part of the projection.

It is the thought of separation projected from the mind and given form. We recognize that the body is neutral on the level of the world, and we use it to undo the ego, the false self. We use it as a communication device to reflect the Holy Spirit’s teaching of forgiveness. This is how we live our holiness.

This is how we wake up from our dream of separation. The Holy Spirit recognizes our illusions without believing in them. Under Its guidance, we can see everyone and every situation as sharing the single purpose of forgiveness.

The ego would like us to think that some things are harder to forgive than others, and certainly in the dream, that is what we often experience. No reason to deny that. For instance, we may have trouble forgiving the death of a loved one more than forgiving having to wear crutches or stubbing a toe. However, as we progress with practicing the Course, Jesus helps us with the awareness that it’s all part of the same illusion.

As we continue to practice forgiveness, we start to better understand Lessons 79 and 80: “Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved”, and, “Let me recognize that my problems have been solved.” The problem is always our belief in separation and the answer is the atonement – accepting the correction that we have not sinned because the separation has not occurred. If the separation has not occurred, then there can be no world and no body.

Our goal then becomes learning how to use the body lovingly, under the Holy Spirit’s direction.

All errors are corrected in the same way because they’re all untrue.  Christ’s vision is the Holy Spirit’s gift to us; it is the one correction. Jesus says in miracle principle 37: “A miracle is a correction introduced into false thinking by me.” What is our false thinking? That we’re here as a body, separate from God; that there are all these people around us that are separate; that we all have different truths; that we all have different grievances and we all have different problems.  Jesus is gently motivating us to choose the atonement.

The atonement is the correction of our belief that we’ve sinned. The atonement reminds us that nothing has happened. We’re safe at home in God, just dreaming of exile. We are perfectly capable of awakening to our reality at any time.

So how do we live our lives on a daily basis?

By reflecting our Christ Self through the practice of true forgiveness.

This is living our holiness. We don’t deny the body, but we learn to deny the ego’s purpose and interpretation of the world and body in favor of the Holy Spirit’s. So what changes for us in 2020? The change is internal, not external. We interpret everything we see through the lens of forgiveness. We remember that we didn’t choose our life script as a body here on this level where we believe we are. All the life scripts were made at the same time by the collective split mind that chose separation over wholeness.  Our grievance of “Why is this happening to me?” becomes “How can I see this person or situation without fear and judgment?” We change the purpose of the images in the dream from the ego’s purpose to the Holy Spirit’s. The script won’t always change to our liking; sometimes it will change, and sometimes not. However, we can always change the purpose our mind has given it. This is true power, my friends! This is what wakes us up from our sleep!

How big will your problems be when you really understand you made them up? When you have no need for grievances anymore, they will disappear.  The body is just part of the thought of separation made manifest through projection. It’s just an image; a shadow we believe is real.

Let’s remind ourselves: What are figures in our dreams at night? They are made up images. How are you seeing them? Your eyes are closed! It’s always the mind that is seeing and interpreting.

This is how I practice: If I remember to take a non-judgmental stance toward myself or others, this is hearing the Holy Spirit’s voice. The Holy Spirit is whispering to me. “Nothing has happened. You’re safe at home.”

Keep in mind, that if we’re taken in by appearances and react from fear, it means we’ve made the world real to us. We believe that there’s something external that is a threat, and the cause of our upset. That’s where we start with our forgiveness practice. We start with the seeming external annoyance. That’s our red flag; our clue to go back to the mind and make another choice.  Jesus is teaching us our problems were over long ago. And the choice for the miracle restores that fact to our awareness. The miracle brings the problem back to the mind, to where the answer is.

When we’re upset at anything that seems to be happening externally, Jesus is saying, “You don’t remember that you put those situations there, so that you could see your one problem of separation – sin, guilt and fear as external to yourself.” The forms we see are a projection of the thought of separation. The projection has never left the mind of the dreamer. Our body’s eyes are seeing these images because that’s what eyes were made to see. The world of perception… is based on interpretation, not on facts. (Preface, p.x)

Just think of this. If your peace is disturbed in any way, you must be believing that the world is real or else there’s no reason to be upset by anything, right? Jesus understands we get angry, sad, lonely, depressed and so forth. There’s no need to feel guilty about it. He wants to show us where it’s coming from so we can change the cause.

A miracle is a shift in perception where we change internal teachers. The miracle takes you back to the mind and shows you you’re the dreamer of the dream, not the figure in the dream.

Jesus ever so gently says, “Okay. I’m going to use what you made (images) to get you home.” He helps us look past the body and behavior to the fear that’s behind it. He and the Holy Spirit interpret form (the world) as a classroom to learn our lessons of forgiveness and awaken from our dream. The Holy Spirit interprets every grievance and upset as a call for love.

I practice every day with the above reminders. In addition, if I feel unfairly treated or “put upon” in any way, I remember that I am not the victim of the world I see because I’ve invented it! I can change my mind about it.

It’s important to be gentle in your practice. We want to be able to let go of the day. We do the best we can. It’s hard to choose the Holy Spirit when you’re in the throes of an ego attack! However, remember that taking a non-judgmental stance and stopping before reacting is the choice for the Holy Spirit.

My mom, sister and I were shopping during the holiday a couple months ago. My attention in Barnes and Noble bookstore went to a magnet rack. I bought a magnet with this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which really sounds like the message of the Course. I want to share it with you. He says, “Finish each day and be done with it. You’ve done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in. Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” Isn’t that great?

The Holy Spirit would even take that one step further: You can forget the absurdities because everything has already been healed and corrected. You’re merely watching a script play out that you’re making real by your belief in it.

You can remember to change your mind about what the world and the body is. This is what Jesus is showing us. He is helping us wake up from our dream that there is a world. He’s helping us change the thought that gave rise to the world. He patiently and gently helps us dispel the illusion of separation so that our true reality is all that’s left.

Much love and many blessings to you all,

Jackie

 

 

 

 

 

Jackie.news

Jackie Lora Jones, C.Ht. is the author of All Peace No Pieces: A Course in Miracles’ Take on “The World”. She is a Spiritual Counselor and Hypnotherapist. She shares the message of A Course in Miracles through her podcasts, workshops, and online classes.