July 2011 Newsletter

"There is no compromise that you can make with guilt, and escape the pain that only guiltlessness allays. Learning is living here, as creating is being in Heaven. Whenever the pain of guilt seems to attract you, remember that if you yield to it, you are deciding against your happiness, and will not learn how to be happy. Say therefore, to yourself, gently, but with the conviction born of the Love of God and of His Son.

What I experience I will make manifest.
If I am guiltless, I have nothing to fear.
I choose to testify to my acceptance of the Atonement, not to its rejection.
I would accept my guiltlessness by making it manifest and sharing it.
Let me bring peace to God's Son from his Father.

Each day, each hour and minute, even each second, you are deciding between the crucifixion and the resurrection; between the ego and the Holy Spirit. The ego is the choice for guilt; the Holy Spirit the choice for guiltlessness. The power of decision is all that is yours. What you can decide between is fixed, because there are no alternatives except truth and illusion. And there is no overlap between them, because they are opposites which cannot be reconciled and cannot both be true. You are guilty or guiltless, bound or free, unhappy or happy." ACIM T14.III


A Conversation with David

"Dream softly of your sinless brother, who unites with you in holy innocence. And from this dream the Lord of Heaven will Himself awaken His beloved Son. Dream of your brother's kindnesses instead of dwelling in your dreams on his mistakes. Select his thoughtfulness to dream about instead of counting up the hurts he gave. Forgive him his illusions, and give thanks to him for all the helpfulness he gave. And do not brush aside his many gifts because he is not perfect in your dreams. He represents his Father, Whom you see as offering both life and death to you.

Brother, He gives but life. Yet what you see as gifts your brother offers represent the gifts you dream your Father gives to you. Let all your brother's gifts be seen in light of charity and kindness offered you. And let no pain disturb your dream of deep appreciation for his gifts to you." ACIM T27.VII

David: That is quite a different context to think in. If I think my brother is doing something irritating to me, those are the gifts that I think my Father in heaven is giving to me. That just puts it in a whole different context. If I think my brother is untrustworthy, I think my Father is untrustworthy. If I think my brother is greedy, is disrespectful, controlling; whatever the thoughts I have about my brother that go through my mind – those are the gifts that I think my Father has for me. And if you keep it in that context and you start to see the absurdity of it all. But not seen within that context; seen within 'Here I am, I am a person stuck in this world and these are the people that are in my face everyday' … 'It would be much better if so-and-so would just do this differently or change' and so on – that is the way the ego sees the world. It's the only way it can see the world.

Just remember that when you are looking through the body's eyes, you are looking through the image-maker. You are seeing a world of images and you are seeing through the eyes of the image-maker, the eyes of the ego.

The Holy Spirit, Jesus says, does not perceive the world the way you do. It is not like when the event or situation happens you can go off into your closet and pray and say, 'Oh, did you see that Holy Spirit? Can you imagine that they did that to me?'. That isn't a prayer. That is the ego's prayer.

Participant 1: Because the Holy Spirit didn't see it.

David: He didn't see it. [chuckling]

Participant 1: He doesn't know what I am talking about.

David: The Holy Spirit is gently reminding the mind, 'You are looking through a darkened glass and what you see is not really happening. You believe in separation, you believe you are a person, you believe all these things that you have not questioned. Please come! Bring them to me! I will shine away these beliefs. Don't dwell on the effects. Don't dwell on your brother's sins. Dream on your brothers kindness, select his thoughtfulness.'

It is funny, even the line, 'Forgive him his illusions'. You start to see more and more that there isn't another 'out there' that I have to forgive; as if there is a person and a personal 'I' that can be innocent while this other is guilty. But the whole construction of the world of bodies and persons and everything, that is what has to be forgiven. And where could that construction be except in the mind? That is the only place it can be overlooked.

There is a little poem here from Helen Schucman that I read from time to time. I think of some of the logistical meetings we have had and how things go round and round. Sometimes questions are raised and solutions are offered. This little poem is entitled, Before We Ask. It's from the book called, The Gifts of God. And this is how it goes. It says:

"Let us not question but be still a while.
There is an Answer given us before
We ask the question; a solution to
All strife and pain and turbulence; a door
To silence and to absolution. We
Are free before we ask for freedom, healed
Before we ask for healing; remedy
For every sorrow given us, and sealed
Within us, always present, always near,
In easy access, readily made plain.
God's Son is answered. Wearily at last,
He calls upon his Father’s Name again."

It reminds me of a section in the Course called 'The Quiet Answer' where it says, "In quietness are all things answered, and is every problem quietly resolved." What a beautiful idea to hold onto whenever something seems to be bubbling up. In quietness are all things answered.

You want a session? Holy Spirit says, 'I'll give you a session. Let's have some of the silent treatment. That will do it for you.'

Watch this video to hear David speak of how when we turn away from the guilty dreams of sin, our life becomes like a fairytale of forgiveness.

Nightmares to Happy Dreams video
 

Printable copy of Helen's poem (PDF)



An Experience of Innocence
By Gaye Leighton

I was recently guided to join with the Holy Spirit through a live-in retreat in my home. My intent for the retreat was to experience my innocence—not just to read words about my innocence.

Well, within just hours of the retreat beginning, my beautiful companions were holding me in total love and innocence as I struggled with a deeply hidden rage; including a sense of being attacked and of attacking and of a lack of trust and anger at God. My mind continued to re-act viciously without a moments' pause to re-align with the Holy Spirit. Eventually, I was able to look into the eyes of innocence mirrored back to me and know my own innocence – just what I had asked for!!

As I watched each of us surrender into innocence, to let go of the 'I know' mind and the spiritual-ego, a beautiful flow of love, synchronicity and joy bubbled up as we 're-treated into happiness' as one - and it really was a 'treat'.

Love, blessings and gratitude,
Gaye


Listen to this beautiful song by JJ Heller - True Things and listen for the line "help my unbelief"...help me train my mind towards the innocence - the truth in me.