A Course in Miracles
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On this page: Waking Up Forgiveness Atonement
Waking Up from the Dream
To begin waking up, I must become aware of the ego's plan, which is in my unconscious mind, so I can get rid of it. In my unconscious mind I think I have sinned against God by separating. I feel tremendous guilt about this and I fearfully anticipate God's punishment. To relieve my fear and guilt, I (unconsciously) target my brother as the sinner. Then, with my distorted conscious perception, I perceive him as doing something bad, unfair, or attacking. I don't feel bad defending myself against my brother or attacking him because I think I'm innocent.
I am dealing with illusions. My ego/unconscious is running my life. But I have tremendous resistance to approaching my unconscious. None-the-less, I must gradually stop believing in the reality of the world in order to wake up. This would be a terrifying thing to do without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Through the process of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit helps me become aware of the ego's plan by juxtaposing it to God's plan. The clearest opportunities for me to practice forgiveness are when I feel a stab of anger. This is my personal alarm. I pause and remember I'm dreaming. I remember that my brother is innocent, merely standing in as a symbol of my own projected guilt and fear. I forgive my brother because nothing real has happened. And I forgive myself for dreaming this situation up. It is an illusion. I let go of it and ask the Holy Spirit to help me see it differently and to bring it to a new conclusion so that everybody wins. And miraculously, it happens.
You who want peace can find it only by complete forgiveness. T-1.VI.1:1
Forgiveness is your only function. Forgiveness begins by realizing that whenever you are upset with what someone else did, you chose to perceive it that way. The world is your dream; it merely reflects your projected fear and guilt, which stem from your belief that you separated from God. You didn’t.
To forgive is to acknowledge your misperception of the person/situation and then to ask the Holy Spirit (your Self) for help to see the situation differently.
Here are two ways to forgive. At the first sign of irritation:
1) Remember that you’re dreaming.
2) Forgive both your projected images and yourself for dreaming them.
3) Trust the Holy Spirit and chose His strength.
or
1) Identify the cause: your attack or defense thoughts.
2) Then let go of them, and
3) Let them be replaced by the Holy Spirit.
Having forgiven, you will look lovingly on others, see innocence, and experience the peaceful reality of Love’s presence.
This is a MIRACLE.
God is Love. God is life. God is All that Is. God is happiness. God’s will for you is perfect happiness. Salvation is a promise, made by God, that you would find your way to Him at last. Delay is senseless.
I am as God created me. I am spirit. I am Love.
I am God’s Son, complete and healed and whole,
shining in the reflection of His Love.
Another way to Describe Forgiveness
a·tone (?-ton?) v. … [origin: Middle English atonen, to be reconciled, from at one, in agreement: at, at; see AT1 + one, one; see ONE.]
a·tone·ment (?-ton?m?nt) n. 1.
Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation. NOT2. a. Theology. Reconciliation or an instance of reconciliation between God and human beings. b. Atonement.
The redemptive life and death of Jesus. c. Atonement. The reconciliation of God and human beings brought about by Jesus.3. Christian Science. The radical obedience and purification, exemplified in the life of Jesus, by which humanity finds oneness with God.
4. Obsolete. Reconciliation; concord.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992
A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CLARIFICATION OF TERMS - INTRODUCTION
This is not a course in philosophical speculation, nor is it concerned with precise terminology. 2It is concerned only with Atonement, or the correction of perception. 3The means of the Atonement is forgiveness.
TEXT – 2 THE SEPARATION AND THE ATONEMENT II. (p19)
4 2The Atonement principle was in effect long before the Atonement began. 3The principle was love and the Atonement was an act of love. 4Acts were not necessary before the separation, because belief in space and time did not exist. 5It was only after the separation that the Atonement and the conditions necessary for its fulfillment were planned.
5 6You can learn to improve your perceptions, and can become a better and better learner.
6 5It undoes your past errors, thus making it unnecessary for you to keep retracing your steps without advancing to your return. 6In this sense the Atonement saves time, but like the miracle it serves, does not abolish it.
7 The Atonement is a total commitment. 2You may still think this is associated with loss, a mistake all the separated Sons of God make in one way or another. 3It is hard to believe a defense that cannot attack is the best defense. 4This is what is meant by "the meek shall inherit the earth." 5They will literally take it over because of their strength.
III.1 2Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend against the Atonement, and thus maintain the separation. 3This is generally seen as a need to protect the body.
4 Spiritual vision literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement. 2All solutions the physical eye seeks dissolve.
WORKBOOK FOR STUDENTS - LESSON 139.
I will accept Atonement for myself.
9 6Fail not your brothers, or you fail yourself. 7Look lovingly on them, that they may know that they are part of you, and you of them.
10 This does Atonement teach, and demonstrates the Oneness of God's Son is unassailed by his belief he knows not what he is. 2Today accept Atonement, not to change reality, but merely to accept the truth about yourself, and go your way rejoicing in the endless Love of God. 3It is but this that we are asked to do. 4It is but this that we will do today.
MANUAL FOR TEACHERS - 18
4 In order to heal, it thus becomes essential for the teacher of God to let all his own mistakes be corrected. If he senses even the faintest hint of irritation in himself as he responds to anyone, let him instantly realize that he has made an interpretation that is not true. Then let him turn within to his eternal Guide, and let Him judge what the response should be. So is he healed, and in his healing is his pupil healed with him. The sole responsibility of God's teacher is to accept the Atonement for himself. Atonement means correction, or the undoing of errors.
ANOTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE FORGIVENESS
I feel upset when I perceive someone attacking me.
What is Really Happening
? I am projecting my guilt and fear (about separating from God) outside of myself and onto them.
? I have (unconsciously) chosen to misperceive them as attacking me.
? I see myself as innocent. I judge/blame them for causing all the trouble.
? Their attack justifies my defensive retaliation.
? This cycle of projection and blame is the basic mechanism of the ego thought system
Forgiveness Corrects my Perception—a Miracle
When I realize I have judged someone, I stop and remember the truth:
? I am the Son of God, Immortal Spirit, and not a body.
? The other person is the Son of God and did not attack because that would not be possible.
? My ego is using them as a symbol in my mind.
? I am hallucinating; I am making this dream unfold as it is.
? It was all my choice and I can change my mind.
? So I ask the Holy Spirit to help me see it differently; and I do see it differently.
? I forgive the other person completely, realizing it was my own mistake.
? The fear is gone and I feel peace.
A Summary First Fifty Workbook Lessons
As I begin the Course, I have a goal: I want everything to prove my illusions about myself as an ego are real. It is for this purpose that I attempt to use everyone and everything. I do not perceive my best interests. What I think are my best interests would merely bind me closer to the world of illusions. I do not realize the outcome that would make me happy and have no guide to appropriate action.
It is crucial that I give up the goal I have established. Then I may be taught.
I am willing to follow the Guide God has given me to find out what my own best interests are. I will let purpose be revealed to me. I can escape from this world by giving up attack thoughts. Herein lies salvation, and nowhere else.
Forgiveness requires that I:
1) Identify the cause, my attack thought about someone.
2) Let it go. I can give it up as easily as I made it up and see peace instead.
3) The Holy Spirit will replace my thought and make sure that everyone wins.
Forgiveness is the means by which I will recognize my innocence. It is not my own strength through which I forgive. God is the strength in which I trust; through the strength of God in me, which I am remembering as I forgive. God goes with me wherever I go. There is not a moment in which His Voice fails to direct my thoughts, guide my actions and lead my feet. As I begin to see, I recognize His reflection on earth. I forgive all things because I feel the stirring of His strength in me. And I begin to remember the Love I chose to forget, but which has not forgotten me.
Having forgiven, I no longer see myself as guilty. I can accept the innocence that is the truth about me. My mind is part of God’s; I am very holy. Since my holiness saves me from all guilt, recognizing my holiness is recognizing my salvation. I can see what God wants me to see. God is in everything I see because God is in my mind. Seen through understanding eyes, the holiness of the world is all I see, for I can picture only the thoughts I hold about myself. I join with what I see and recognize it is in my best interest. Everyone and everything I see will lean toward me to bless me. I will recognize in everyone my dearest Friend. Once I have accepted my holiness, nothing can make me afraid. I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry with peace. My purpose is to quietly recognize the world through my own holiness. And I will perceive that peace also abides in the hearts of all who share this place with me. I can change every mind with mine. I would behold the proof that what has been done through me has enabled love to replace fear, laughter to replace tears, and abundance to replace loss. All is one forever
I am blessed as a Son of God. Herein lies my claim to all good and only good. All good things are mine, because God intended them for me. I cannot suffer any loss or deprivation or pain because of Who I am. My Father supports me, protects me, and directs me in all things. His care for me is infinite, and is with me forever. I am eternally blessed as His Son.
Miracle - An event that is inexplicable by the laws of nature and is therefore supernatural in origin or an act of God (also called: true forgiveness, reversing your thoughts, right-mindedness, overlooking illusion, letting go of fear, looking without judgment, looking past bodies, true perception, loving your neighbor, healing the belief in sin and guilt, the holy instant, giving up attack thoughts, defenselessness, a correction, Christ’s vision, seeing the face of Christ, spiritual sight, spirit identification, the key to happiness, atonement, healing, salvation)
My Forgiveness Story Cause and Effect Metaphysics The Ego and social psychology