ACIM Chapter 11. VI. Waking to Redemption P 1, 2

ACIM Chapter 11. VI. Waking to Redemption P 1, 2

VI. Waking to Redemption P 1

¹ It is impossible not to believe what you see, but it is equally impossible to see what you do not believe. Perceptions are built up on the basis of experience, and experience leads to beliefs. It is not until beliefs are fixed that perceptions stabilize. In effect, then, what you believe you do see. That is what I meant when I said, “Blessed are ye who have not seen and still believe,” for those who believe in the resurrection will see it. The resurrection is the complete triumph of Christ over the ego, not by attack but by transcendence. For Christ does rise above the ego and all its works, and ascends to the Father and His Kingdom.

I see suffering, and I see death, and it is impossible for me to stop seeing this as long as I believe in them. There is no point in trying to see this differently in the way I used to do. When I would see someone suffering and feel bad for them, I would try to see it differently. I would talk to myself about this not being the truth. I would tell myself that they are not the body that is suffering. But these were just words, and all they could do was push the truth down further from my awareness because there was no healing in that process.

Here is how it is different now.

When I see suffering, I don’t try to talk myself into seeing it differently. This only caused me to feel guilty and afraid when it didn’t work. Without that judgment, I just notice that my mind is not healed, and so I ask for healing. Over the years, I have done this many times, and I have learned that this prayer is always answered. I may not accept it fully the first time I ask, but even a little willingness changes the way I see it.

Eventually, I formed a new habit of asking that my perceptions be healed and accepting that healing. These new perceptions became stable after a while, and now there are some wrong-minded thoughts that I no longer believe even when they show up in my mind. No matter what my eyes show me or my ego mind believes, I am never confused about them.

This success has motivated me to continue my practice.

Everything I see in the world and all my interpretations of what I see are based on my perceptions. My perceptions tell me what I want to believe, and I see what I want to be true. Perceptions are not the truth but simply a choice made according to the experience I want. This in itself was hard to believe at first, but my practice has proven to me it is true.

I can change my mind at any time, and I do this through the Holy Spirit. I share with Him the way I see something now, and I ask Him to heal my perceptions and show me what is really happening. It is that simple. If it takes time for acceptance to kick in, then I am patient with myself. I can afford to be patient because I have absolute faith in the outcome.

VI. Waking to Redemption P 2

² Would you join in the resurrection or the crucifixion? Would you condemn your brothers or free them? Would you transcend your prison and ascend to the Father? These questions are all the same, and are answered together. There has been much confusion about what perception means, because the word is used both for awareness and for the interpretation of awareness. Yet you cannot be aware without interpretation, for what you perceive is your interpretation.

I really understand and accept that ascendance is done with my brothers, and my salvation is dependent on theirs. It makes no sense to condemn them when I remember that their condemnation is mine. I understand this, yet I see judgmental thoughts in my mind, and sometimes, I am attracted to them. This attraction happens when I take the world seriously.

The world is not real; it is a fantasy.

I can learn to watch it without believing it. This is being in the world without being of it. I know I can do this because often I do; I just have not reached the place where I do this all the time. When I believe in the world, I feel trapped and my anger and fear and guilt seem so real and so justified. Then, in a holy instant, I join with Love and the world seems unimportant and my past reactions vaguely ridiculous.

More and more often, I am choosing to notice the desire to project guilt and, instead, simply ask for healing. The desire to project might continue for a while, but having asked, I am answered, and soon, I will have lost interest in finding someone to blame. And then, once in a while, I get lost in the ego separation story. I forget that guilt is impossible. Or I get tired of looking at the same errors over and over and feel momentarily discouraged. The ego loves it when this happens because then I am back, fully engaged in its story.

Here is what I do: I turn away from the story.

When I first started this practice, it felt hard because I had given it my attention, and my mind was still too untrained not to fall into old habits. But I am not this ego mind, and I am not controlled by it. A habit is a learned behavior, not a power outside my control. I simply chose not to be caught in the ego web of deceit. I asked for help, and I was answered.

If I could, I would sit for a while in quiet. I might have listened to the Course or read an inspiring book. Or I would look up my favorite teachers on Facebook or YouTube. Another helpful practice was to Remember that the peace of God is everything I want and that I will not compromise. Or maybe I will just start smiling, smiling to myself, and smiling at others. I would do what it took to break the cycle of old thinking.

The Holy Spirit will answer my prayer for help according to my willingness, and sometimes, I need to renew that willingness. I needed to decide again what it was that was important to me. So, I remembered that I wanted to wake up and that I wanted my brothers to wake up with me. I decided this was all I wanted, everything I wanted. Then, when an old thought appeared, one I thought I had rejected, I looked at it again in light of my new choice.  In this way I learned to master my decision.

Now, it is a simpler process.

And I don’t need so much help getting to peace if I lose it to an ego story. I am convicted in my desire to awaken and so I don’t often make a choice that takes me away from that desire. When I do choose worry or frustration to become part of my day, I just start over. I choose again. Choosing to have a day of peace and happiness is so ingrained that it is my default. Losing that peace and happiness is jarring, and so I seek its return quickly. This is so different than the way I used to live. I am beyond grateful for A Course in Miracles. I am grateful to the Holy Spirit for healing my mind and grateful to myself for being willing to do the practice for as long as it takes.

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