This article begins a series on what 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 experience of dualism takes time to learn and apply. It is only with the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can accomplish this unlearning-learning process. Correction is only 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 is in competition with God. Since we're all the same, we're actually competing with everyone all the time until we learn this lesson. 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 purpose given anything is in the mind from choosing with God or the ego. To take back our decision making ability is the point of the Course.
The ego's voice, which we mistakenly believe is the Holy Spirit, contains no humility nor dependence on God. Rather, it is the voice for being self-created, i.e., the authority problem. All of us have confusion regarding the author 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 is a difference between right-miracle-minded and the miracle mind of the ego.
We have no honesty when we use spiritual specialness as we are saying we're more holy, more chosen by God than another. This is a defense against the opposite and we will be discussing this subject in greater depth in subsequent article. Being more chosen is the antithesis of the Course's message.
To continue this discussion, let's begin with some word symbol definitions. We will look at both the ego definition and the Course's definition. Only the ego is fully definable because it is limitation itself. Perceived lack through projected forms (illusions) leads directly to spiritual specialness.
The Ego's Miracle:
In the dictionary, the word 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 work of a divine agency." The definition for "agency" is, "An organization with two or more parties."
This is a perfect example wherein two separate parties, the ego god and its version of the vengeful God, compete for forms within the dualistic illusion as the "divine agency." This is why forms don't need correction but rather the mind that perceives this silliness is in need of 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 the author of the Son's existence and spiritual specialness takes root wherein the Son who is choosing the ego, competes with God to make himself special to get noticed by God. So long as we don't look at this, we remain a prisoner of this world.
A common mistake for getting noticed here by God is to believe that changing our mind will change our life (forms, bodies, behaviors, relationships, etc.). According to the ego, if we have a good life, we avoid punishment but there are numerous versions (forms) of a good life so that's full of judgment. Again, changing forms make error real because it applies judgment that one form is better while condemning another.
There is no life outside of Heaven. Purpose is in the mind; and our life's purpose is to learn and practice forgiveness if we are to be miracle-minded. Peace, or inner peace, is about content and not form. It is from choosing what is not of this world (the right-minded content of the Holy Sprit) which is the true miracle-mind within the illusory world. The miracle is a shift in perception and not a shift in form (illusion).
The Course's Miracle:
In the Course, the word symbol definition for "miracle" is quite long because of what all a miracle accomplishes. We've referenced some aspects but to fully understand the miracle, spend 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 is sufficient for us to incorporate the following into the discussion:
"The miracle forgives; the ego damns (C-2.10). Miracle-minded forgiveness is the only correction because it has no element of judgment at all (T-2.V.A). Wholeness is the perception content of miracles. Thus they correct, or atone for, the faulty perception of lack (T-1.I.41). Miracles arise from a 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 word symbol definition for "mind" is: "The element of a person that enables them to be aware of their world and their experiences, to think and to feel, the intelligence and brains, reasoning and judgment." Intelligence is a key point which reveals the choice being made with the ego wrong mind.
Intelligence is defined as, "The ability to acquire knowledge and skills, intellect, judgment and reasoning." Intelligence makes the world real (error real) by applying judgment that one form is better than another. If we look back at the Course's definition for the miracle, "Miracle-minded forgiveness is the only correction because it has no element of judgment at all (T-2.V.A).
How quickly intelligence gets used as a weapon through spiritual specialness to compete with God is astounding. We believe we're following the Holy Spirit's guidance when it is really the ego god. For example, everywhere we use intelligence to manage other people's issues which is a blame projection. There are no "other people's issues" unless we first believe in separation and differences and want to see our repressed guilt in another. Everyone and everything is a part of our mind. Further, to claim it is our job to manage or correct other's issues take specialness to an even more arrogant level of being chosen by God. We are literally saying with our ego that we can 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, the most massive in separation between God and our brothers.
The intellect is also the culprit behind our need to develop a curriculum of teaching the Course through retreats and workshops for money. In other words, we are now saying the Course's curriculum by Jesus is insufficient and we can do better. We do 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. This is another point to be discussed in a future article. Very, very few are right-minded enough to let the Holy Spirit lead the way because most believe they are in competition with God and others.
Nowhere does any of this mean that we might not need boundaries with ego's crossing the line with spiritual specialness. In fact, it is unkind not to have boundaries when spiritual specialness takes over since it contains such massive arrogance of someone believing they are better than another. Competition makes egos act incredibly vengeful because of the total belief in lack.
The Course's Mind:
In the Course, the word symbol definition for "mind" is, "The activating agent of spirit, supplying its creative energy (C-1.1)." This is broken down into, "Right-mindedness which refers to the Holy Spirit, forgives the 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 remaining freedom is the freedom of choice; always between two choices or two voices (C-1.7)."
As Kenneth Wapnick once said, "Love is quiet and need not make assertions." The miracle-minded understand that prayer is to ask to learn how to forgive first so that true prayer is released back into song. Our goal is to be miracle-minded with the true miracle mind of the Holy Spirit right-mind and that is only through choice. The power of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world You can decide to see right (T-12.VII.9).
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