See Beyond Mistakes

To be in the world and not of the world is about having a true perception of myself and my brothers.  The world's perception sees everything and everyone as sinful, and we in need to be in a defensive frame of mind, warding off retaliation or harm. 

Whereas true perception, "seeing" with the spiritual eye, or Christ Vision, is seeing beyond the body, beyond mistakes and connecting with the truth of everyone.  This is the practice; eventually and progressively, I begin to be in a world where I see my brothers (and myself) as innocent, their mistakes being just that, mistakes. I relate from my true Self to theirs.  Peace, joining, joy and defenselessness become my experience.  And the obvious result is to spread this joy.  This is healing.  This is being in the world and not of it.  This new focused and true perception is what takes us Home.  

Seeing Beyond the Body

As I read through this section of the Course ("Using the Body Solely for Communication"), I stop and think about what this means: "When you look upon a brother as a physical entity, his power and glory are lost to you and so are yours."  

By now, I am understanding we are all God's creation, created from love, as love, whole, perfect, in oneness with God and with each other.  There is one holiness, divinity within us that we all share.  This unity and Self is changeless and eternal.  Not like the body.  So, when I see someone as a body (personality, role, physical) I am attacking their true identity and seeing them as weak, impermanent, lacking and myself as well.  What I believe I am I will see in another.  

I practice seeing another vision with the spiritual eye, or Christ Vision.  I look beyond the body (not with my physical eyes) and see the truth.  As I do this consistently, I am healing their mind and my own.  I am remembering for both of us what we truly are.  I ask Spirit for help in this because of myself I can do nothing really.  I am so programmed to see the body, judge it and attack.  This seems to keep me separate (feelings of isolation and aloneness).  In order to experience oneness, joy, peace of mind and truth, I need to see my brother as a pure and innocent being.  Not a body.  

Don't Take Things Personally

How easily I can make things always about me.  This quote attributed to Yogi Bhajan is true wisdom.  

I never know what's really going on with anyone.  I don't have that kind of wisdom.  But I easily can project my own stuff onto another.  Let me instead choose to be understanding and respectful of another's journey.  I never know the full picture, so it's not all about me.  It's probably not about me at all.  I am learning not to take another's behavior personally.  There's peace in this.  

Your Grace is Given me. I Claim it now.

 

As always, today's lesson, #168 of A Course In Miracles workbook,  is a beautiful one, where I spend the day claiming God's gifts to me as His Child.

So, I start my day with this thought:  "YOUR GRACE IS GIVEN ME.  I CLAIM IT NOW"  and throughout the day I recall these truths that form part of the lesson's content....(I have personalized them by changing "us" or "we" to I or me:

God speaks to me.  Shall I not speak to Him?

He is not distant.  He makes no attempt to hide from me.

I try to hide from Him, and suffer from deception.  He remains entirely accessible.  He loves Me (my true Self).  There is no certainty but this, yet this suffices.  He will love Me forever.  

Spending my day bringing these ideas to awareness hourly and when I'm thinking idle, ego thoughts, uplifts me and I feel peace again.  

Practice!

I Will Step Back and Let Him Lead the Way

"Him" can be understood to be God, Truth, Love, Light.  

This is another one of my favorite lessons in A Course in Miracles.  I repeat it to often as a reminder that I don't know what is best for me, but God does, and God is within me.  So, I decide moment to moment to let go of the reigns, release control (as best as I can), and allow Truth to guide my way.  I cannot judge because I don't know the whole picture.

This is today's lesson, #155.  I spend the day, hourly, repeating the idea so it stays fresh in my mind.  

It also states that we walk to God.  This is our journey here, to return Home.  And we are also here to remind each other through acts of kindness, compassion, love, and recognizing the light in our brother.  

One of my favorite Ram Dass quotes is: "We're all just walking each other home.  Ain't that the truth!!!