ACIM Chapter 9. II. The Answer to Prayer P 5, 6
ACIM Chapter 9. II. The Answer to Prayer P 3, 4
II. The Answer to Prayer, P 5
5 The message your brother gives you is up to you. What does he say to you? What would you have him say? Your decision about him determines the message you receive. Remember that the Holy Spirit is in him, and His Voice speaks to you through him. What can so holy a brother tell you except truth? But are you listening to it? Your brother may not know who he is, but there is a light in his mind that does know. This light can shine into yours, giving truth to his words and making you able to hear them. His words are the Holy Spirit’s answer to you. Is your faith in him strong enough to let you hear?
Probably the most powerful example of this I have experienced occurred at work. I may have written about this before in another context, but I am going to tell the story again. I was doing some tests for a customer, and we had time to chat while it was going on. We didn’t know each other, but as we talked, the conversation turned to religion. Now, as a salesperson, I am not supposed to talk about religion or politics; pretty much a hard and fast rule, but sometimes I am guided right into a God talk. This was one of those times.
On a personal level, I don’t normally talk about religion with people because I live in the Bible Belt, deep in the Bible Belt. I am not going to run into a lot of open-minded, spiritual seekers here, and I am absolutely not going to debate religion with anyone. So, what I normally do when I get caught in a situation like this moment with my customer is instead of talking, I listen and make noncommittal responses.
This time, though, the Holy Spirit helped me to open my heart as well as my ears.
So I was able to ‘hear’ what he was saying. All the words were the same old, “he died on the cross for our sins,” stuff that normally makes my skin crawl, but what I heard was how much he loves Jesus and how much he loves God. I felt such a profound kinship with this man who loves my sweet Brother Jesus and my Father God. We had a deep and binding conversation. I still said little but I heard much. When we finished our work, we hugged each other and said goodbye. I have not seen him since and will never see him again, but I think of him often.
I think that the miracle of joining that happened between us that day is what Jesus is talking about here. What passed between us was true communication that had nothing to do with the words we said to each other. But to experience that communication, I had to stop listening to the words so I could hear the intent, the love that stood behind the words. My willingness to do so allowed the light in his mind to shine into mine, thus changing me forever.
II. The Answer to Prayer, P 6
6 You can no more pray for yourself alone than you can find joy for yourself alone. Prayer is the restatement of inclusion, directed by the Holy Spirit under the laws of God. Salvation is of your brother. The Holy Spirit extends from your mind to his, and answers you. You cannot hear the Voice for God in yourself alone, because you are not alone. And His answer is only for what you are. You will not know the trust I have in you unless you extend it. You will not trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or believe that it is for you unless you hear it in others. It must be for your brother because it is for you. Would God have created a Voice for you alone? Could you hear His answer except as He answers all of God’s Sons? Hear of your brother what you would have me hear of you, for you would not want me to be deceived.
I was trying to untangle this paragraph when I realized it was really very simple. There is one Son of God, and we are It. There can be no difference between us because we are created One. Again, I return to the thought that Christ had a tiny mad idea and remember not to laugh at it but to consider it in all its ramifications, to experience it in full color and virtual reality. So Christ fell asleep and dreamed it was many.
Myron is one of the many being dreamed by the Christ Mind, as are all the others.
But in reality, there remains the One. How could there be any difference between us, except in the dream? If we are enjoying the dream and want to remain in it longer, then we can go on pretending that we are separate individuals with different needs and abilities. But if you feel like I do, and I assume you do or you wouldn’t be studying the Course, then you are ready to wake up from the dream and return to Reality. This, of course, does not mean dying. Nothing is solved through death. It does mean, however, that there will be no need to return.
The first thing we must do to awaken from a dream is to realize we are dreaming. Jesus is helping us to do this. He is pointing out obvious clues to let us know when we are dreaming and when we are not. It reminds me of the movie Inception. In the movie, when the characters knew the clues to look for, they could tell it was the dream. But if they got too deep into the dream, they would forget they were dreaming and needed a totem to let them know what was reality and what was illusion.
Jesus is telling us that if we think we can pray for something for ourselves alone, that is a clue that we are still dreaming. How could one being pray for something that is not for all of that being? The very act of doing so indicates we are deep into the dream. If the dream is of experiencing ourselves as many, awakening from the dream will be remembering that we are one. The very fact that we are willing to accept that it might be a dream and to desire, to even a small degree, to be free of the dream sets into motion the plan of Awakening.
So, I have asked the Holy Spirit to keep me alert to the clues that I am dreaming.
In this way, I can change my mind about remaining in the illusion. That is my part, and it is absolutely necessary that I do my part. He reminds me that every thought is a prayer, and I see how often I have thought I could ask for something just for me. This is crazy behavior for someone ready to awaken from the dream of separation.
As I think of it, I realize it happens so often that for a moment, I am stunned into inaction. How on earth am I ever going to wake up? Everything in my life is about being separate and different. I am in constant competition with everyone, even with myself. But that is not my problem. My part is only to notice that it is happening and that I am ready for it to stop.
When I notice the old desire for separation, I ask that my mind be healed. I accept the Atonement for this thought, then the next one, and I trust that what I have done is being undone. I am the Son of God with all the power that brings with it. Since I chose to dream, that occurred. And choosing to believe the dream, it seemed to happen.
Now, I choose to awaken. Nothing can prevent me from doing so.
This is the truth. I am not a victim of what I see but the maker of it, and now I choose to make differently, then to Awaken and return to Creation as is my natural state. I do this with my brother or not at all, and I am beginning to realize how impossible it is to do it any other way.
“Holy Spirit, help me keep my eye on the truth. Help me remain steady in my awakening and not delay any more than I must. Help me to know that what I want for my brother, I want for myself, for we are one Self. I am still deep enough in the dream to forget this. I need Your help.”
To watch a podcast interview with Keith Kavanagh by Leon Joel Russell, CLICK HERE.