This information begins a series on which A Course in Miracles (ACIM) means when it speaks of the “miracle” and the “mind.” While most students can cite definitions from the Course, understanding the non-dualistic meaning within the knowledge of dualism takes some time to understand and apply. It’s only with the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can achieve this unlearning-learning process. Correction is in the mind of the perceiver and not through forms as true choice is between listening two voices: God or the ego. Claims to be of a “miracle mind” is really the ego, forgiveness-to-destroy and spiritual specialness. The ego speaks first and the loudest. Love is quiet; and love is expressed in this world through right-minded forgiveness.
Spiritual specialness is from the unconscious arrogance of the ego wrong mind which believes it’s in competition with God. Since we’re all the same, we’re actually competing with everyone all the time until we learn this lesson course in miracles author. All conflict arises from the idea of competition. Spiritual specialness makes some relationships holy and others not because the ego’s agenda is that we don’t remember that the point given anything is in the mind from choosing with God or the ego. To take back our decision making ability is the purpose of the Course.
The ego’s voice, which we mistakenly believe may be the Holy Spirit, contains no humility nor dependence on God. Rather, it’s the voice to be self-created, i.e., the authority problem. Many of us have confusion regarding mcdougal of our existence (ego or God) and the difference between form (illusion) and content (mind where correction take place). To be miracle-minded, we cannot be in conflict on any level for the right-mind itself is conflict-free. There’s a difference between right-miracle-minded and the miracle mind of the ego.
We have no honesty when we use spiritual specialness even as we are saying we’re more holy, more chosen by God than another. This can be a defense against the alternative and we will be discussing this subject in greater depth in subsequent article. Being more chosen may be the antithesis of the Course’s message.
To continue this discussion, let’s begin with some word symbol definitions. We shall look at both the ego definition and the Course’s definition. Only the ego is fully definable because it’s limitation itself. Perceived lack through projected forms (illusions) leads straight to spiritual specialness.
The Ego’s Miracle:
In the dictionary, the term symbol definition for “miracle” is: “A surprising or welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the job of a divine agency.” The definition for “agency” is, “An organization with several parties.”
This can be a perfect example wherein two separate parties, the ego god and its version of the vengeful God, compete for forms within the dualistic illusion because the “divine agency.” This is why forms don’t need correction but alternatively the mind that perceives this silliness is needing correction. Asking the ego god for a miracle event (to replace a form with a form) distorts prayer and the Son forgets who He is. The ego becomes mcdougal of the Son’s existence and spiritual specialness takes root wherein the Son who is choosing the ego, competes with God to produce himself special to obtain noticed by God. Provided that we don’t look at this, we remain a prisoner of this world.
A typical mistake to get noticed here by God is to believe that changing our mind will change our life (forms, bodies, behaviors, relationships, etc.). Based on the ego, if we have an excellent life, we avoid punishment but there are many versions (forms) of an excellent life so that’s high in judgment. Again, changing forms make error real since it applies judgment this one form is way better while condemning another.
There’s no life outside of Heaven. Purpose is in the mind; and our life’s purpose is to understand and practice forgiveness when we can be miracle-minded. Peace, or inner peace, is approximately content and not form. It’s from choosing what’s not of this world (the right-minded content of the Holy Sprit) that will be the actual miracle-mind within the illusory world. The miracle is just a shift in perception and not really a shift in form (illusion).
The Course’s Miracle:
In the Course, the term symbol definition for “miracle” is quite long due to what all a miracle accomplishes. We’ve referenced some aspects but to totally understand the miracle, spending some time and willingness to unlearn the ego version and learn the ACIM version by starting with Chapter 1: The Meaning of Miracles. Additionally, Kenneth Wapnick has written a book called, “The 50 Miracle Principles of A Course in Miracles.” For the purpose of this brief article, it’s sufficient for all of us to include the next into the discussion:
“The miracle forgives; the ego damns (C-2.10). Miracle-minded forgiveness is the only real correction since it does not have any section of judgment at all (T-2.V.A). Wholeness may be the perception content of miracles. Thus they correct, or atone for, the faulty perception of lack (T-1.I.41). Miracles arise from the miraculous state of mind, or state of miracle readiness (T-1.I.43). Miracles are an expression of inner awareness of Christ and acceptance of His Atonement (T-1.I.44).”
The Ego’s Mind:
In the dictionary, the term symbol definition for “mind” is: “The section of an individual that enables them to keep yourself updated of their world and their experiences, to think and to feel, the intelligence and brains, reasoning and judgment.” Intelligence is just a key point which reveals the decision being created using the ego wrong mind.
Intelligence is defined as, “The capability to acquire knowledge and skills, intellect, judgment and reasoning.” Intelligence makes the entire world real (error real) through the use of judgment this one form is better than another. When we look back at the Course’s definition for the miracle, “Miracle-minded forgiveness is the only real correction since it does not have any section of judgment at all (T-2.V.A).
How quickly intelligence gets used as a tool through spiritual specialness to compete with God is astounding. We believe we’re following Holy Spirit’s guidance if it is really the ego god. For instance, everywhere we use intelligence to control other people’s issues which is a blame projection. You can find no “other people’s issues” unless we first rely on separation and differences and wish to see our repressed guilt in another. Everyone and everything is part of our mind. Further, to claim it’s our job to control or correct other’s issues take specialness to a far more arrogant level to be chosen by God. We are literally saying with your ego that we may do the Holy Spirit’s job better than Him which takes out a billboard sign announcing our direct competition with God. It uses, “I’m better than you” forgiveness-to-destroy, probably the most massive in separation between God and our brothers.
The intellect can also be the culprit behind our need to produce a curriculum of teaching the Course through retreats and workshops for money. Put simply, we are now saying the Course’s curriculum by Jesus is insufficient and we are able to do better. We try this because we do not understand the Course’s point that we are all unhealed healers attempting to do what we cannot do for ourselves and thus why we need the Voice for God. That is another point out be discussed in the next article. Very, very few are right-minded enough to let the Holy Spirit lead the way in which because most believe they are in competition with God and others.
Nowhere does any of this imply that we may not want boundaries with ego’s crossing the line with spiritual specialness. In reality, it’s unkind not to possess boundaries when spiritual specialness gets control since it includes such massive arrogance of someone believing they are better than another. Competition makes egos act incredibly vengeful due to the total belief in lack.
The Course’s Mind:
In the Course, the term symbol definition for “mind” is, “The activating agent of spirit, supplying its creative energy (C-1.1).” That is broken on to, “Right-mindedness which refers to the Holy Spirit, forgives the entire world, and through Christ’s vision sees the real world in its place (C-1.5); and wrong-mindedness which listens to the ego and makes illusions (C-1.6). In this world, the only real remaining freedom may be the freedom of preference; always between two choices or two voices (C-1.7).”
As Kenneth Wapnick once said, “Love is quiet and will not need to make assertions.” The miracle-minded realize that prayer is always to ask to discover ways to forgive first to ensure that true prayer is released back in song. Our goal is to be miracle-minded with the actual miracle mind of the Holy Spirit right-mind and that is only through choice. The ability of decision can be your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world You are able to choose to see right (T-12.VII.9).
