A Course In Miracles by Helen Schucman is the most profound and truthful spiritual manuscript ever written. Our manuscript is for those experiencing grief, heartache, and trials.This writing is a compilation of a decade of notes. 21 years ago, I was...
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Let us continue in our transition from the path to hell to Heaven's way. Part Two may begin as a little too metaphysical for some, but it is fundamental. It is fundamental in our understanding of how the path to Heaven is wide open and available to all of us to choose. Its password is LOVE. Being it, extending it, sharing it, demonstrating it, and living it. We are really not going anywhere that LOVE is not. It just "appears" that way through distorted perception. The means of healing these distortions is forgiveness, the motivation is inner peace, and the goal is "Know Thyself." The return to Heaven's path is the return to LOVE's awareness.
Since in Truth, Heaven is a state of mind, the path to Heaven begins in the mind. Heaven has never left our mind, and we have never left Heaven. Yet, perceiving via a split mind can make the path confusing. It is important to remember we are Spirit first and always. Yet, within our dream-like existence, we seem to be having a human experience. Just as the goal of ACIM is "Know Thyself," so is it that we transform the path to hell into the path to Heaven by "Knowing Thyself." It comes from the power of knowing our Real, True, and Eternal Self, as God created us. Jesus tells us. "The term mind is used to represent the activating agent of spirit, supplying its creative energy." (ACIM, C-1.1:1)I find this whole section so significant in our acceptance of who we truly are, and how our perception of it being split between Spirit and ego can really mess up our discernment of what is real and what is not. It is just about one page and can be found via the link above.
The fact that the mind is the "activating agent" of the Spirit is key. Yet, because of its split nature, the mind can be misused on behalf of the ego, BUT, only if there is a belief in place that this so-called "ego" is a real thing. Our perceptions follow the beliefs that are embedded within the mind. Our beliefs are projected out and perceived as real. "Projection makes perception." We can never depend on our perceptions to tell us anything of Truth. They distort and hide the truth about everything we see. So we see nothing as it actually is.
Mind can only act as it is directed. It will either "respond" to Love and activate Spirit, or it will "react" to fear and "seem to" activate ego. The first is a REAL response and the latter is an "imagined reaction," believed to be real. It all comes down to who/what is in control of the mind at any given moment...Love or fear. We are called to look within and ask, "Am I functioning from my right mind (Holy Spirit) or my wrong mind (ego)?" and, "At this moment, is my mind aligned with Truth or illusion?" The REAL question is, "Am I at peace?" That answer tells me everything I need to know.
It is why keeping a present state of awareness is so critical to maintaining a peaceful experience of life. "Am I at peace?" Even asking this question will automatically bring your focus and attention back to "now." This is because the answer can only be found within us, right here and right now. And, you will get an immediate answer, for only you know if you are at peace. You can't get the answer from anywhere outside yourself, only by looking directly within.
