Q&A spontaneous contact and reply
~ INQUIRY pt 1 Subject: OCD thinking and fear of own thoughts.
I am upset with the idea there are no neutral thoughts. I have been observing thoughts rather than arguing with them. This has helped enormously but the idea there are no neutral thoughts is undermining that because I’m thinking now I shouldn’t even HAVE negative thoughts. I had been thinking the thoughts lose their power if I don’t believe in them. But this statement about no neutral thoughts tells me that they’re just as powerful even if I don’t believe in them? I strongly suspect that I am misapplying this lesson about neutral thoughts.
~ RESPONSE pt 1
Beloved,
Good news! You have no neutral thoughts because these are not “your” thoughts.
They are a generic stream of consciousness (the ego singular) that we are so familiar with, we think they are personally “ours.”
They are not neutral because we believe them and even actively attune to them, adapting our life and responses to adjust to what “they say” and “they judge” as an appropriate focus and pursuit, seemingly positive and negative.
Even all this is not a problem once we acknowledge it!
It actually makes it even easier to understand our one true responsibility for Sight, which is looking with the Vision of the Holy Spirit past this “mistaken thinking” entirely (personal perspective thinking) in order to experience the forgiven world.
The overwhelm comes when we try to pick between these often conflicting beliefs and desires on our own. It is a false responsibility to try to handle them, while still believing in any of them! (which humbly we do)
Again for the Holy Child of God it is the handing over of this false responsibility to The Holy Spirit that comforts and relieves the mind of guilt. When we acknowledge we “don’t know” and can’t “understand” from this personal perspective we can be gently Guided by one who does in all instances know what serves the whole. This leaves us feeling intimately seen and cared for. This is the development of Trust the the Course speaks of.
Here is an easy guideline: Only the thoughts I think with God are Real! For example, “I am as God created me.” This statement is constant and eternally true.
The thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything because I am trying to think without God. What I call “my” thoughts are not my real thoughts. My real thoughts are the thoughts I think with God. ACIM (W-51.4:2-5)
Absolutely everything else is part of the mesmerism or maya. A curl of dissipating smoke, a puff of nothingness! It is not your job to discern between illusions. Thoughts may continue to float around for quite some time. The goal is not to get rid of them, the goal is present peace. Our role as little children is to bring all perceived problems (and most importantly how we feel about them) to the Holy Spirit for help. That means all confusion, overwhelm, uncertainty, heaviness, pressure, excitement, blame, shame, elation and trepidation regarding any thought to have it clarified in terms of how to look upon it. Non-duality—recognizes that positive / negative are the same—not two.
When we see that we are invested in these beliefs and desires (again because we use them to identify as an individual special separate self) then we can also recognize that these “thoughts” are neither good nor bad. They merely stem from beliefs and desires in the mind that we value and place importance on. Thoughts are a statement of identity confusion.
It is the power we give them in the mind, our attachment to them, and belief that they are valuable to us, somehow essential to our existence and survival that overwhelms us. We defend and attack to protect ourselves "as if" we were separate without ever questioning “Is it true?”
Complexity is not our concern.
A Course in Miracles is a self study Course designed to: subliminally question these often conflicting beliefs, and gently relinquish these diverse desires without threatening the deceived mind. Acceptance of Forgiveness relieves us of false responsibility for the world and allows us to relax back into the Answer, held in the Vision of the Holy Spirit. We do this by embracing a singular goal: Present Peace. Thus giving a unified purpose for everything: Forgiveness. This simplicity is very relaxing for the mind. There is no choosing between, only choosing for. We choose to Accept forgiveness "for" peace of mind.
In this way we become entirely Spirit focused. Happy learners. Holy Spirit "decide for God for me." ACIM (T-5.VII.6:11) And it is done.
~ INQUIRY pt 2
I am also conflicted about the path. One teacher is advising me to do another spiritual course for two years and then a year of ACIM. I currently just started therapy with this other course helper but I feel drawn to ACIM. However, the exercises make me first elated and the terribly resistant. Usually the exercises give more resistance than I can handle.
~ RESPONSE pt 2 A Course in Miracles is a complete pathway ~ it is sufficient in itself to unwind the mind back to awareness of the eternal Peace of God. It does this by allowing the student to intimately develop a deep trust in the Internal Teacher to illuminate the mind. This is a relationship beyond manipulation and totally voluntary in nature. Everything you need is opening towards you and the Way will be made clear. Perhaps what I have shared may allow you to relax more into the support, comfort and innate wisdom that comes from listening to the Holy Spirit. It is our acceptance of "not knowing everything" like a small child, that increasingly allows us to "be shown" through Inspiration.
Once we have fully embraced our Given path it is easy to see the golden thread in all pathways, yet while embarking it is generally much easier and more advisable for the student not to mix thought systems, language terms and theologies by immersing fully in and truly following a singular path to completion.
Different worldly pathways are used to undo different pre-existing cultural mindsets.
Your path finds you!
Ask for it to be made joyfully clear.
There is nothing to choose between
—only "for"
Peace
The ACIM books now *freely available as the Text, Workbook and Manual for Teachers are available online to explore.
In August 2001 I ordered a A Course in Miracles "by accident" thinking it was a self help book. I thought I needed to "do" better. I tried to return it and realized that it was the Answer I had asked for: Real Self Acceptance—a shift in perspective, no self-improvement needed!
It was four years before I even met another Course student. I studied in complete isolation and tried and tested all it said organically in a very natural way with the Presence I experienced doing the lessons. It helped me overcome my initial aversion to the Biblical language and other fearful religious control associations that words like surrender had for me. That word doesn’t appear once in ACIM. This Course is a testament and a witness to a slow natural yielding right of Way to what You truly desire—the relief and joy that present peace offers—an opportunity to Know Thyself in Innocence.
My passion and secure sense of Presence then lead to many holy encounters, and new mighty companions for optimal teaching learning opportunities.
Some are introduced to ACIM by fellow spiritual seekers, or groups they already trust.
It is a convincing job, and it is totally up to the Holy Spirit to show you why A Course in Miracles is safe, true and “for” you. It offers just one of the universal Way's to discover and experience that You Are already Beloved, Eternal and Free as the Holy Child of God.
~ No thought can alter that.
Remember:
ACIM says “The training period is one year.” This is the minimum amount of time it takes to do the Course—not necessarily the total amount of time needed to follow the highly individualized Guidance of the Holy Spirit! “The exercises are numbered from 1 to 365. Do not undertake to do more than one set of exercises a day.” ACIM (W-in.2:4-6)
A Course in Miracles invites us to do no “more than” one lesson a day. If we feel to spend longer with a lesson then we do. A single lesson may yield many forgiveness experiences. If resistance is high then we step back and settle in with the Holy Spirit to watch. Even if we feel we did not do an exercise "perfectly" we may still be Guided to flow on the next day. Many lessons are repeated in review periods. Following the exercise—even if we do not believe it—is all that is asked.
Remember:
“Resistance” is its [the ego's] way of looking at things; its interpretation of progress and growth. ACIM (P-2.I.2:4-5)
And if you find resistance strong and dedication weak ... Do not fight yourself. ACIM (T-30.I.1:6-7)
I have always found re-reading Chapter 30: Rules for Decision miraculous and inspiring as it brought me back to immediate practical application through a feeling of attraction. Truly it is all about staying connected with the One Who Loves You, and knows what you love—your Internal Teacher!
Think of an infant learning to walk. Imagine believing that progressively one more "perfect" step each day and never falling was better—more valuable—than experiencing the playful joy of being mistaken and discovering The Way to walk, and even tumble with the Holy Spirit by your side.
There is no future attainment, only present peace is possible.
You can’t mess this up!
Awakening is the adventure of a life time.
Many Blessings,
Sarah
Learn that even the darkest nightmare that disturbs the mind of God’s sleeping Son holds no power over him. He will learn the lesson of awaking. A Course in Miracles (T-13.XI.9:5-6)
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*Site with the 3-books of A Course in Miracles, first also has the Psychotherapy and Song of Prayer pamphlets.
~ You can purchase a copy of A Course in Miracles in book format here. (non affiliate link)
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