ACIM Chapter 14. III. The Decision for Guiltlessness P 1

ACIM Chapter 14. III. The Decision for Guiltlessness P 1

III. The Decision for Guiltlessness P 1

1. The happy learner cannot feel guilty about learning. ²This is so essential to learning that it should never be forgotten. ³The guiltless learner learns easily because his thoughts are free. ⁴Yet this entails the recognition that guilt is interference, not salvation, and serves no useful function at all.

This is something I emphasize with everyone I work with. It is essential that we not feel guilty as we watch our thoughts and ask for healing. I like to remember that I am 100% responsible for my thoughts and 0% guilty. If I feel guilty every time I notice untrue thoughts I will quit looking. As Jesus says: ⁴Yet this entails the recognition that guilt is interference, not salvation, and serves no useful function at all.

Think of the thoughts as clouds floating across the sky of our beautiful minds. Some are white and fluffy looking, and some are dark and foreboding. But when examined closely, they are just clouds, insubstantial. They are important only if the content of the cloud is believed. In that case, we can question its reality and ask the Holy Spirit to remove it. There. Done.

But what if the same cloud keeps coming back?

We can happily repeat the process. That we have the thought nor that we have it repeating means anything about us. This morning, while making coffee, I looked out the window at the sky. It was beautiful! The sky was filled with clouds that took on vibrant colors. Do you think the sky took responsibility for the beauty? Not likely. No more than it feels guilty when the sky is turbulent with dark clouds. Be like the sky.

If you find darkness in your mind, don’t judge yourself for it. Notice how it makes you feel. For instance, I became aware of some very judgmental thoughts in my mind yesterday. I saw this right away because I am used to monitoring my thoughts. I felt angry, so I knew I believed these thoughts. I don’t want to leave them in my mind because I don’t want to trade my usual peace for the questionable right to judge. I expressed the anger when dealing with a store clerk.

I did two things. I put cause and effect in the right order, and then I forgave the untrue beliefs. I reminded myself that my thoughts are images I have made. Thus, it must be that the belief in judgment came first. It was already in my mind, and I just needed someplace to witness it. I wanted to see my thoughts outside myself so that I didn’t have to take responsibility for them. Thus, there was an incompetent store clerk. Image made; job done. At least according to the ego. But not really. Now I have that pesky guilt because I can pretend this all has nothing to do with me, but on some level, I know exactly what was done.

Putting cause and effect in the right order is a game changer.

The thought comes first, then the image that represents that thought, not the other way around. That’s huge all by itself. If I remember this, I don’t have to waste time trying to find someplace else to put the guilt. I can just forgive the belief in guilt once again and let it go. It is useless, serving no purpose. I ask the Holy Spirit to correct my thinking. I accept His Answer. Problem actually solved.

There is another advantage to letting the Holy Spirit solve problems and thus getting an actual healing. Because our minds are joined, we are helping all the Sonship when we make the right choice. The effects of my perception are felt within the mind that we all share. My perception was dark, and so I added darkness to the mind. I recognized my error, asked for another way to see it, and accepted the Holy Spirit’s perception. Then, I was enlightening the mind because this perception was light.

The work we do as we watch our minds and allow the dark thoughts to be replaced with an enlightened perception is sacred work. We are not just removing blocks from our minds. Much more is happening. We are providing the light that helps the next person to remove blocks to the awareness of Love’s presence. In this way, the light spreads, and the Sonship begins to awaken. Is there anything we could possibly do that matters more? I think not.

It doesn’t matter how often I have to do this.

Each attempt to rid myself of the desire to judge and the resultant desire to project the guilt was helpful. It helped loosen the hold of guilt and judgment on my mind and thus on the mind shared with all the Sons of God. Even all the times I have chosen judgment and guilt and didn’t do anything about it, it was helpful. It at least showed me what happens when I live with all that darkness in my mind and eventually leads to a different outcome. I am a happy learner.

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