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SearchShould I plan in the business world, save for retirement, etc?
Question:
I have a business meeting coming up with the head of a company. Together we are going to plan a sales training that I will be presenting to her reps. My instincts tell me that I do not go into a sales training that is unplanned or unprepared, and I don't think that this is what ACIM is teaching.
I picture it happening more like this: I find out what she wants to accomplish with her reps in the sales training. Then, I prepare materials that will help elicit that outcome but allow myself to be guided in the moment and let things unfold accordingly.
I would think that in a way, this would be my same approach to life. I live according to the maxim, plan as if you had a 100 years but live as if there is no tomorrow. In other words, put money aside to save for retirement years, but live in the moment and be guided in that moment to carry out the plans that I receive through listening to wisdom that is not my own. Be open in the moment to hearing what should be done, and then proceed to do it.
Would you agree? With much gratitude.
Answer:
Thanks for writing and sharing your thoughts. Yes, the last thoughts you shared in your email reflect the path of Awakening via listening and following: "...be guided in that moment to carry out the plans that I receive through listening to wisdom that is not my own. Be open in the moment to hearing what should be done, and then proceed to do it."
“Listen, learn, do” is a means of eliminating fear and increasing trust in the Holy Spirit. By allowing your mind to have miracles performed through it you will become more and more aware that Now is the only time there is.
The best preparation for any situation is the willingness to witness and share miracles. As one flows with the Holy Spirit it becomes apparent that everything is provided and nothing is lacking. If there are arrangements or preparations to be made, based on the current belief system, you will be told of them through inner listening. The prompts come in many ways, including words and thoughts and feelings, and these prompts always carry a feeling of deep peace.
As a miracle worker fulfills the function of sharing Joy, perceived needs begin to dissolve away. This opens the way for the readiness to experience Divine Silence, a Pure State of Being. I rejoice with you every seeming step of the way inward. In Quietness are all problems resolved forever in God's Grace.
I love You forever,
David
I feel concerned about the direction of my life, career-wise, and in relationships? Can you help?
Question:
I am in a state of concern for the direction of my life, career-wise, on a personal level and in relationships. Career-wise, I am applying for various positions, not really knowing which direction to throw myself. I am also contemplating writing a book, which I have been wanting to do for a long time, about self-discovery.
On a personal level, I'm on ACIM Lesson 105: God's peace and joy are mine. I still have trouble or resistance to sitting down and quieting my mind enough to hear and feel the messages of the Holy Spirit. I know that I am still holding on to past hurt and I keep handing it over to HS and am still affected by it.
And, in relationships, I am having a hard time being real with others; telling exactly what I think instead of being a people-pleaser. I realize that this is so, in a way, because I am still not real with myself; some things I really do not like about myself. For instance, how I try to manipulate my environment in order for it to respond the way I want it to, but it doesn't always respond the way I want.
Another thing that has been preoccupying me is the whole notion of giving and receiving. I want to do my part in the illumination of the planet and do not know what that is. I don't even know who I am. I am starting to see giving and receiving in a different light along with ACIM teachings. I am now seeing that if I am fearful and filled with judgment on myself and others then that is what I perceive and experience from within and from my environment. And if I have loving thoughts about myself and others (which does not happen very often), then that is what I am giving to the universe and am thus experiencing. I thank you, in advance for your guided response and pray that this response will be heard, listened to and felt by me, and that I will be open and receptive enough to allow for this experience to pierce through the clouds of worry, illusions that hide the Truth within.
Answer:
The Holy Spirit is Guiding you steadfastly inward toward our shared Purpose, and past goals and pursuits that will no longer serve you on your path. The most important question to ask about the perceived aspects of your experience (ie., career-wise, on a personal level, and in relationships) is "What is it for?" What is the Purpose of a career? What is the Purpose of the persona or mask I hold up to please others? What is the Purpose of relationships in my world? What is the Purpose for the book I want to write? These questions are helpful in exposing the ego belief system because they aim at discovering the underlying beliefs which motivate all behavior.
Everything in this world of form seemed to have a different purpose or function. Therefore purpose did not seem unified and there appeared to be a variety of goals. Such was confusion. Such was complexity. Such was the past. Such was all the perceived hurt. This was the world which seemed to arise in the darkened glass of ego perception. Awakening to the Holy Spirit's Perspective (Now) requires a willingness to apply the same Purpose to every seemingly separate aspect of perception: every thing and every one and every situation. Peace of mind comes from holding a single Purpose in mind, for it is single Purpose that unifies perception. Fragmented, distorted perception came from multiple desires and goals. The ego used the body and world for pride, for pleasure, and for attack. The Holy Spirit sees the body and world as temporary devices for unlearning every concept in which the sleeping mind believes, emptying the mind of false belief, and making way for the Perspective Which perceives a forgiven world.
In Awakening it becomes apparent that the ego had no unified goal or purpose. The ego was a mistaken identity. It sought to preserve itself, yet the "self" it perceived was ever changing, insecure, and had a deep sense of unworthiness. With Awakening comes the awareness that Spirit is not the ego. The ego "self" was not real for it was not created by God and thus had no basis or foundation. The ego could have been described as the belief in death, for to believe that it was possible to make a self apart from the Self God created Perfect was to believe in death. The miracle shows that since the ego had no real effects it also had no existence. It takes faith in miracles to demonstrate the unreality of the ego and the world. Where the darkness seemed to be, there is now a miracle. And as you allow the miracle to radiate through you it becomes apparent that the dreamer of the dream is not at the mercy of the dream. It dawns in awareness that the purpose for the dream has changed from death to forgiveness. The Holy Spirit's Perspective now sees that all things work together for good, for that which is whole remains whole.
Love,
David
David to Jesus, "Money doesn't grow on trees!"
The Holy Spirit has a great sense of integrity. When I first picked up "A Course In Miracles," I told Jesus: Money does not grow on trees! And I had debts and bills to pay. Jesus told me to begin working with the Course and He would give me specific instructions, he would get me a job so I could pay off my debts. This happened immediately. Not only were the loans paid off, but a big chip of pride was knocked off my shoulder, the pride of being independent and providing for myself. Jesus began to dissolve away the Protestant work ethic I had been raised with and helped me open up to divine providence. You must be very humble to accept sustenance from God That was my biggest difficulty in my early travels: letting go of pride, the belief that I personally was responsible for my survival on this planet. At first this was hard to believe, because all my training taught me the opposite. I had lived a life of competition, competing in sports, competing for grades, competing for jobs. Jesus said: No, the messenger is worthy of his keep. He said: If you will let me speak words through you and bring hope and cheer to your brothers and sisters, I will take care of all the details of your life. For twelve years, Jesus has kept his word. Everything I seem to need is provided for me, with no effort on my part.
Love,
David
"Insurance is a Bet Against Yourself" video
Insurance is a Bet Against Yourself
Summary of video:
Health is inner peace. I can be hurt only by my own thoughts. As I cleared my mind of fearful thoughts I lost the need to be cautious. I simply followed Spirit into so-called "dangerous" situations. Rather than seek healing for myself, I have experienced the healing of others.
Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvIaMlc4QMo
What is it that sends thoughts to my mind?
Question:
What is it that sends thoughts to my mind?
Answer:
All thoughts arise from one of two sources: the ego or the Holy Spirit. Miracle impulses come from God and call the mind to return or to wake up. Often these impulses pass through the ego's lens and come into consciousness as cravings or yearnings. These do not seem to be cravings for God. They seem to involve physical conditions. For example, hunger or thirst. All hunger and thirst is really for love, even though on the surface of consciousness they can seem to be for food or water.
As you are able to clear the mirror of the mind, you are able to receive the miracle impulses directly. For example, the Holy Spirit may guide you to call someone or visit someone or take a trip or write a letter. By following these impulses, the mind opens itself to joy because the Holy Spirit is using the body to express ideas of love and hope. All ego thoughts involve lack or control and always involve dependency on form.
When you are listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit can use all the symbols of the world but has no investments in them. Take money: it may come to you, and if it is from the Holy Spirit, there is a purpose for it, but there is no charge or guilt around it. It will be used in the purpose of joy. It comes easily and goes just as easily, without concern or worry. It is the same with other symbols as well. As you work more deeply with A Course in Miracles, you will gain a greater discernment of ego thoughts versus thoughts from the Holy Spirit. Thoughts from Holy Spirit are always kind. They remind the mind how loved it is.
Only the ego commands and demands and threatens. The ego is always the voice of fear. So if you are feeling fear, it is good to stop and pray, and not to act based on that fear. People have asked me if fear serves any useful purposes. Fear is always of the ego and therefore serves no useful purpose.
Love,
David
Can I simply drop it all, or do I need to "make it" in the world?
Question:
According to ACIM, the ego or the world that is seen outside is all false and unreal, because it never happened. Then how is it this seeming world outside, that is a projection from within our minds (which is all unreal and has no existence) appears? I understand that we made the world outside to appear “real.” Also, in ACIM, it says that every time a problem arises, we do not look at the problem itself (which will make it "more real"); instead we look within. So if worldly things like obligations are all unreal, then, we can simply "drop” them or "let go." Forget about taxes or bills or the whole world because they are not real. Please share your kind guidance to clarify this delusion.
I am 8 years sober and have been struggling to become a functioning member of the world because I failed so miserably in it. I threw away money on alcohol and other addictions; I ran through an earthly inheritance from my father; I ran up credit card bills and basically couldn't make a living for myself. I have been working for the past few years with jobs and stand to be able to make enough to pay off my debts and get me "clear." However, the stress and the physical strain is great on me.
My second question is: the reason I am still struggling with this is the fact that I am trying to make it "in this world"? Otherwise I think I would be relaxed and joyful all the time. The fact is, I am not as spiritual as I profess to be to the people who know me. I really am still very much on this material realm and don't fully trust as yet. I need any insights you can give. I have gotten much from you over the past few months, David, and really appreciate the time and energy you give.
Answer:
Thanks for writing. You are beginning to understand why you cannot judge your "advances" or "retreats" with regard to this world, your seeming "successes" and "failures." This world is backwards and upside down, and nothing in distorted perception is as it seems. I am Calling you out of this upside down world. I am saying that the Kingdom is not of this world. I am not asking you to "be in the world but not of it." Nothing of this world will ever satisfy your holy mind, for this world was made as an attack on God and made to be a place where God could not enter. This world was made to deny the Truth of Divine Love. Now the core of Awakening is becoming clear: It is impossible to see two worlds and therefore it is impossible to make it "in the world." You were not created to function in a world of images that God did not create. When you forgive the cosmos you let go of the attempt to reconcile Truth with illusions, Spirit with matter, or Eternity with time. Allow the Holy Spirit to work through and in your mind and it becomes apparent that you have no competing "parts." Forgive and see that all is whole and nothing is apart from mind. From on High there is nothing to do but Observe. This is the meaning of "Above the battleground." There is no stress or concern or confusion from Above.
Appearances deceive. Nothing of the five senses will lead to Awakening. The five senses serve the ego and were made to report differences. As long as the illusion of judgment persists in awareness, the five senses bring witness to illusory categories that have no meaning and no reality. As judgment fragments perception, forgiveness unifies it. Yet this unification of perception, seeing the wholeness, is a Perspective of mind and not a function of the body. Beyond unified perception is the Vision of Christ, Which is not perceptual at all. This Abstract Light can literally be called Seeing or Sight, yet It does not involve the body at all.
The Holy Spirit instructs the mind very directly to drop ego thinking and belief. As you listen to the Holy Spirit, you will find that taxes and bills get paid as long as you believe in them. The body is fed as long as you believe in it. Obligations and duties get met as long as you believe in them. Nothing is ripped away, yet everything is retranslated until the belief in specifics is dissolved forever. This is why I have asked you to question everything you believe. Only false belief seems to limit your awareness. Truth is Abstract, and when the fear of Truth has gone, all pain and striving is over. Nothing is simpler than Being as God created One Self. Give your mind permission to BE Still and Know, and It is already accomplished. Give your mind permission to drop the pursuit, and you discover what has always and forever been so. The wheel of time was made to distract from the Still Center. Let go into this Center and peace is obvious.
Trust in the Holy Spirit will continue to grow. No one can accept forgiveness without trust. Trust is the basis on which miracles are founded. Trust is the way to open the mind and release false concepts and idols. Future planning can be laid aside, for Present trust directs the way. Confidence and Surety come with trust, and this is how you become aware that you are truly a miracle worker. Time is in your hands, so to speak, as you trust the Holy Spirit. Aligned with the Holy Spirit you no longer have an enemy to "overcome." For the Light has come!
I offer you this idea from "A Course In Miracles." Let your mind be open to the release it brings right Now:
"Trust would settle every problem now." (T-26.VIII.2.3)
I love You forever and ever!!!
David
How can I be guided to find satisfying employment in order to support my family?
Question:
I am 45, have a wife and three kids, and a few months ago I was finally forced out of an unhappy job situation, praise God! I just haven't been able to find satisfying employment or to see it rightly since then. More than just work, I long for the work situation that is right for me and my family right now, and for my true spiritual path both now and in the future. I am asking the Holy Spirit to lead me—to show me where to go, what to say and do, how and to whom. Can you help me?
Answer:
Thanks for sharing the prayer of our Heart. Our focus now is unlearning, and every seeming situation that comes will be an opportunity to trust in God and embrace the Care the Holy Spirit offers. The peace that passeth the understanding of the world comes in Quietness of Mind, and I ask only that you rest a moment in stillness and practice the Holy Instant. Every sense of "employment" comes from the innermost desire of the heart, and happily it becomes apparent that it is impossible to serve two masters. First the mind opens to allowing the Holy Spirit to work through itself as a willing servant. The Joy of this alignment is unspeakable! As this washing and cleansing intensifies, all scraps of the personal "individual" self are carried away down the stream of forgiveness. Ego "responsibilities" are met, not by personal striving, but in the Divine Providence that has met and will always meet every perceived human need. As one "works" with Joy, one ceases to be aware of time, and awareness of the timeless Moment leads to Eternity. Employment, as the world sees it, is re-interpreted by the Holy Spirit to be "working with Love." As the belief in reciprocity is undone completely the mind sees its complete dependency on the Holy Spirit, and perceived needs have dissolved. The desire to Give or Extend Love is fulfilled in the Experience that Love Is All there Is, for Love has no opposite. Remembering One Self as Love is the Fulfillment at which the forgiveness of illusions aims.
Teach and minister each moment in the beatitude of Love and Harmony. State of Mind is everything, and the "form" that seems to flow from our Purpose will always seem helpful and appropriate until the use for form is done. Contentment comes in Content. Think with God, Be in Peace, and behold the Glory of the Lord with all thy heart, soul, and might. You are the One.
Blessings abound,
David
Question:
David I am the brother from Nashville who wrote requesting prayer in regards to my desire for satisfying employment and peace of mind. By faith, my wife and I sent in the rent check not knowing how we would make it good, just believing that somehow God would help us and our three children. Meanwhile, A sister who read my request was led by the Spirit to offer financial assistance that will allow us to make the rent good! Praise God! I just want to tell the brothers and sisters out there who write in, and those that simply read the questions:
You are not alone. I am Donny from Nashville and I am with you. I love you. Your struggles are my struggles. I have felt alone, unloved, helpless, and afraid. I began to trust in God for the right outcome and I began to become aware of miracles.
When I was introduced to the Course, that was a miracle, when I met Janie, that was a miracle. Whoever, and wherever you are today please know that you are never alone, you are worthy, you are beautiful and you are so very very loved. Like David I too, am walking hand in hand with you. Thanks sister Rosa.
Peace,
Donny
Answer:
Thanks for sharing this Donny. And thanks to you Rosa. All Glory to God for the Divine Providence that carries God's Beloved Child to our Home in Heaven. Miracles abound! One Calls, and One Answers. Such a Joy to behold.
Bless you, bless Janie, bless your children, bless Rosa, bless your former employers, and bless your former wife. All things work together for good, and happily there are no exceptions. Thank You God for the Love that sustains and nourishes.
Love always,
David
How practical/practicable is this spiritual path for one who's fully employed and raising a family?
Question:
Last December, David, you explained that you experience a consistent, gentle peace and a feeling of accepting all things exactly as they are. (I recall Jeshua teaches that we are holding grievances whenever we want something to be different than it is - hmm.)
Would I be correct guessing that you are fully comfortable doing only what is in front of you without one thought of what needs doing beyond the "now"? How practicable is this for students who are fully employed raising a family?
Answer:
Thanks for your e-mail. My experience is indeed consistently peaceful. This peace is a natural state of mind flowing from the release of the belief in the future (and therefore any attempt to plan it) and the release of the attempt to control anything in the world. Without expectations are all things equally acceptable. In letting all things be exactly as they are there is a realization that while one is always responsible for one's state of mind, this responsibility does not include the ability to control situations, events, circumstances, persons, places, and things. In other words, the script of the world is written (is the past) and the remaining choice rests in selecting either the ego's personal perspective of the script or the Spirit's gentle Perspective of forgiveness, appreciating the simultaneous whole.
In your e-mail you are asking how practicable and how practical it is to just do what is in front of you in peace without a lot of thought about the future, particularly for a student with a family. I shall address this question and context from the perspective of unlearning error and undoing the ego. In ACIM, the insight is revealed that there was only one problem and that problem has already been corrected via the Holy Spirit. It is also revealed that one cannot recognize the answer or correction to the problem until the problem has first been recognized as it is. You were told in SOL "only the now is real." This is very literally true, and it is only the ego which sponsors the impossible belief that the "now" is wedged in between two very real "realities" called "past" and "future."
The ego's linear view of time sees the future as different from the past (ie., what has gone before is not the same as what is yet to come) and breaks time into separate persons, situations, events, increments, and segments which can be ordered or arranged in a linear fashion. From the ego's distorted perspective the fear and guilt of the past is repeated over and over and over again and there is no escape from the cycle. Yet the present moment is the only reality because it remains constant and completely untouched by the error of separation.
The present moment is so simple that it seems beyond the grasp of possibility for a deceived mind spinning in complexity. The world was merely a representation of an identity confusion, and thus the world was but a symbol of the deep seated belief that love and fear can co-exist. This belief was the problem and only in imagination was the impossible made to be perceived. The self-concept made to take the place of reality must therefore be unlearned or undone for Christ's vision to return to awareness. Christ's vision is the present moment, and perception was only the apparent darkness of images arranged in a line. The Holy Spirit sees the line as a point. The ego saw the point as a line. The Holy Spirit's Perspective sets you free. The ego's perspective seemed to imprison.
How practicable and practical is the Holy Spirit's perspective? That depends on whether you desire freedom or imprisonment. The miracle collapses the belief in linear time and brings the fruits of peace, happiness, freedom, and joy. The linear personal perspective attempts to reinforce an impossible identity as a "reality." Surrendering to the Holy Spirit's perspective has no cost whatsoever. There is absolutely no "price" to pay for peace of mind. It increasingly becomes evident that experiences of "trials and tribulations" come only in the attempt to resist and defend against the Holy Spirit's perspective. Yet the Holy Spirit's perspective is the Atonement or correction, and one's only responsibility is to accept is the Atonement for oneself. That is the utter simplicity of salvation.
What about the student who perceives a family to take care of? Can such a student hope to accept the Atonement and awaken to reality, or must the student aim for a less lofty goal? The question is not so much one of context or situation as it is a question of desire. The mind that made up the cosmos and perceives itself as existing in a dualistic linear time-space continuum is insane by definition. This false self-concept is unreal, and there are no degrees of unreality or hierarchies of illusion. Though some situations may seem more complex than others to the ego, it must be remembered that "situational thinking" is the problem. Only the ego's "situational thinking" produces a world in which separate situations seem to exist. Yet what but a gap of time and space appears to separate one situation from another? And if there were no gap, then there could be nothing but the whole. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the reminder that it is impossible to order and arrange illusory images no matter how many different arrangements they may seem to take, because there was but one illusion. And that illusion has already been Corrected.
Peter perceived himself as married with children, as having a family, when he was approached by Jesus. And thus Peter was called out of the world to follow the Christ within and proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. Siddhartha left his father's palace and wife and child to seek the truth beyond the illusion of the birth-death cycle. Peter would later proclaim Jesus as "the Son of the Living God" and go forth preaching the gospel. Siddhartha became known as "the Buddha—the enlightened one." This is the question you must ask yourself: did these men abdicate their responsibilities or did they seek to accept their one responsibility? As you answer this question, you shall be answered in your heart.
Trust would settle every problem now. Trusting the Holy Spirit is not determined by the situation in which a mind believes itself. Whatever the apparent situation, help is available and accessible. The "little willingness" asked for by Christ to open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit is not limited by circumstances. If there appear to be earthly responsibilities and commitments which have been made, they will be handled with the compassion and love of the Holy Spirit's plan of forgiveness. This cannot be understood from a personal perspective, but be assured that all things work together for good and there are no exceptions. For under the Holy Spirit's teaching everyone must gain and there can be no loss.
A general rule of guidance can be stated this way: pray and listen and follow the Holy Spirit. Do just what you are given to do and be open to the "I need do nothing" solution of the stillness within. Question and raise to light all beliefs and thoughts which obscure the light from awareness. Bring the illusion to the truth. Be willing to change your mind and accept yourself as changeless mind. And be not concerned with the form in which the lesson of forgiveness appears to come.
Love,
David
How do I apply ACIM in a job where I'm required to enforce laws and morals?
Question:
It seems "A Course in Miracles" repeats over and over again that anything that is not eternal is simply not real, and (if I understand correctly) part of a miracle is overlooking all errors and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill your mind with more true perception.
In Marianne Williamson's audio tapes she says that when someone commits a crime that would entail the person going to jail that they would still go to jail, but the miracle she offers is changing the perception of jails by seeing them as places of healing and learning.
But I have noticed that it takes hundreds of hours of someone thinking about their crime to enforce even a minor offense. And like the Course says, whatever you think of another person you actually think of yourself. Which seems correct to me, I find that when I spend time thinking about what other people may have done wrong I do tend to think that other people are projecting negative ideas on to me.
Answer:
Thanks for writing. Forgiveness is always a gift to our Self because it releases the make-believe self/world/cosmos of the ego and opens the way to the remembrance of Self and God. As a brother or sister is recognized beyond the body, their Innocence as a Divine Creation is recognized. You have written that the "miracle is overlooking all errors..." and this is so. With the Help of the Holy Spirit it is possible to look beyond error to the Light of the Atonement, Which is forever Innocent and Sinless. Pardon is always justified because the misperceptions of the ego are not real. The Golden Rule asks you to do unto others as you would have others do unto you. See nobody as guilty and you see nobody to blame. The Innocence of the Spirit is apparent when one realizes that attack is impossible. A unified mind cannot attack or be attacked. And without the belief in attack guilt has no basis. The Holy Spirit gently leads to a unified mind and a unified perception that is the forgiven world. When forgiveness has been accepted, the illusion of guilt has vanished from awareness.
It is possible to perceive any seeming situation as extending Love or Calling for Love. Let the Holy Spirit show you by aligning your mind with this Guidance. Healing is unlearning the ego and thus releasing every scrap of ego belief, thought, emotion, and perception. If you are willing, the way will open - for nothing can obscure the Innocence the Holy Spirit would have you behold.
Blessings to miracle workers everywhere! All Glory to God!
Love always,
David