What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme says, “Salvation asks you give it welcome. And the world awaits your glad acceptance, which will set it free.”

In Chapter 5 of the Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss, while sharing Choice A (eternal life) and Choice B (being identified with a body), Michael Langford writes:

The Awakening of the extremely intense desire for liberation, which can also be called “really making Choice A” is:

It is like a sign stating “NO MORE” that is a million miles high. NO MORE to all of the human evils of the past. NO MORE to all of the horrors the ego has created.

It is like a silent shout saying NO MORE so loud, that if it were given a voice it would shatter the eardrums of every human on earth.

It is a demand for Truth.

It is the absolute demand for absolute Truth. …

It is the absolute demand for absolute goodness.

When Buddha began his search for enlightenment (Nirvana), he wanted to find the end to all suffering for everyone including disease, old age, and death. It was as if he felt “NO MORE so loud, that if it were given voice it would shatter the eardrums of every human on earth.”

With that in mind, please  contemplate this Biblical story from Matthew, Chapter 20:

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

“What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What clarity comes to you? What has this clarity got to do with you?

In me salvation’s means and end are one.

Most people feel that those who have awakened fully, those like Buddha and Jesus, have made a great contribution to the salvation of the world. However, most people do not see their own steps toward Nirvana as having the same impact as the steps that Buddha or Jesus took.

Please contemplate today’s workbook lesson as you consider this question:

Is your contribution to the world’s salvation any less than that of Buddha or Jesus?
Is there anything different about your decision to awaken and theirs?

Also, continue to look carefully at the judgments that arise today. Inquire into them, look to your heart to discover your true desire, and then let the judgments go in light of your true desire.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme says, “Salvation asks you give it welcome. And the world awaits your glad acceptance, which will set it free.”

In the last two days, I have written about duality as a pendulum. I wrote about how the pendulum swings from good/acceptable to bad/unacceptable. In truth, the pendulum is in both positions simultaneously. While it is in the good position for some individuals, it is also in the bad position for others at the exact same time. You might have realized that as you watched the video in yesterday’s tip.

When the pendulum is in the good position for us, it is difficult to truly consider how bad things can be for others. It is also difficult for us to consider others with the same emphasis that we put on ourselves.

Let’s look at one of Jesus’ teachings from the Bible:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:34-40)

Please contemplate this scripture in light of the video from yesterday along with today’s tip. What clarity comes to you? What has this clarity got to do with you?

I follow in the way appointed me.

Today’s lesson says, “I have a special place to fill; a role for me alone. Salvation waits until I take this part as what I choose to do. Until I make this choice, I am the slave of time and human destiny.”

After contemplating Matthew 22:34-40, please contemplate today’s workbook lesson in light of your biblical contemplation from yesterday and today. What is your role in salvation?

Also, continue the practice from the last several days of looking at judgments, inquiring into them, remembering what you truly want, and letting them go.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme says, “God’s Final Judgment is as merciful as every step in His appointed plan to bless His Son, and call him to return to the eternal peace He shares with him. Be not afraid of love. For it alone can heal all sorrow, wipe away all tears, and gently waken from his dream of pain the Son whom God acknowledges as His.”

We have seen very clearly that the last judgment is awakening beyond perception and the world entirely. It is awakening into Nirvana. It is something we cannot imagine.

It may be difficult for us to desire this final awakening, since we cannot imagine it and we are told that everything we know disappears with this awakening. If we think about Nirvana for long, we may find that we fear the final awakening. That’s because we are thinking about it with the ego mind. We are considering awakening through the lens of ego consciousness.

It’s really important to look at awakening with the reasoning of the right-mind.

As I shared yesterday, duality is like a pendulum. Like all pendulums, it swings. When we look at these swings from the point-of-view of ego consciousness, those swings are from good/acceptable to bad/unacceptable. If you look at the world today as a whole, regardless of the challenges that you may face in your life now, you may be able to see that things can get worse. And they do.

As I shared yesterday, it can be difficult to think about losing when you are winning.

Let’s look more closely at the story of the rich man from Matthew 19 in the New Testament:

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” …

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Please contemplate this scripture in light of the tips from yesterday and today. What clarity comes to you? What has this clarity got to do with you?

All gifts I give my brothers are my own.

The gifts that we give our brothers are letting go of ego and turning our attention inward to embrace truth as it is, without asking it to be different. That is the highest gift that can be given.

Please take a moment to watch this video as you consider how important your gifts are, and then continue the practice from the last several days of looking at judgments, inquiring into them, remembering what you truly want, and letting them go. I will post the links to the meditation options below the video.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme says, “God’s Judgment is the gift of the Correction He bestowed on all your errors, freeing you from them, and all effects they ever seemed to have. To fear God’s saving grace is but to fear complete release from suffering, return to peace, security and happiness, and union with your own Identity.”

When we read that perception, the world and bodies all disappear in the final awakening, a thought might cross the mind that says something like, “I don’t want that!” I know I’ve seen this idea, and I suspect you have too.

It is hard to want to let go of everything you know for something you cannot even imagine. It is especially hard to let go of everything you know if things are going well for you right now.

I am reminded of a line from the movie, Revolver. The line is, “It’s hard to think about losing when you are winning.”

That line is similar to Jesus’ statement, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23, 24)

That fact is, duality is like a swinging pendulum. When the pendulum swings to the right, life is pretty good. At least it is acceptable. To the mind, the known acceptable is much better than the unknown.

However, every pendulum that swings to the right swings back to the left to an equal degree, and the left is suffering. In other words, “good” or “acceptable” doesn’t last in duality. Whether it is in this lifetime or another lifetime, duality affects everyone who has not yet awakened to the unaffected Self.

It may be hard to think about losing when you are winning, but it is wise to do so. Why wait for extreme suffering before wanting awakening with “all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind.” Why not take advantage of this relatively easier time and awaken without so much pain? (Matthew 22:37)

Today may be a good day to review Choice A and Choice B from Chapter 5 of The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss.

All gifts my brothers give belong to me.

Today’s lesson speaks of the gifts our brothers give to us. It speaks of positive things like smiles, words of gratitude and awakenings. However, that is only one side of the gift coin.

Use writing (or speaking into a recorder) to find the answer to this question:

What gift is present in my life now that I do not see as a gift?
What would you tell me about it?

Let the writing come regardless of whether it feels like you are writing from your knowledge or it feels like an intuitive answer comes right away. If you write to the boundary of your knowledge, hold at that boundary until something intuitive comes in answer to the question.

Also, continue to let go of judgments in this way today:

1. Look when judgment happens.
2. Silently inquire to discover the past in this current judgment. (e.g., “What idea did I believe in the past that has caused this current judgment?”)
3. Notice the perception of separation that is caused by judgment.
4. Remember your desire to see without separation or confusion.
5. Let go of your judgment simply because it conflicts with what you truly want.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme makes each of the following statements:

• … perception gives a silent blessing and then disappears, its goal accomplished and its mission done.
• The final judgment … sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin and wholly purposeless.
• Bodies now are useless, and will therefore fade away to nothingness …

The three previous statements refer to perception, the world and bodies as having completed their mission and no longer having a purpose. Now they are useless. These statements are worth contemplating.

If perception’s mission is done, doesn’t that mean it had a mission? If the world and bodies “now are useless,” wasn’t there once a purpose and use for them?

Since none of us are at the point of the last judgment, we are each still at the point where perception has a mission, the world has a purpose and bodies are useful.

What are perception, the world and bodies for?

Let writing (or speaking into a recorder) lead you to the answer to this question. Start by writing the answer that feels true to you. Write to the boundary of your knowledge, and then wait to see what truth comes from beyond the boundary of your current knowledge.

I seek a future different from the past.

Today’s lesson says, “From new perception of the world there comes a future very different from the past. The future now is recognized as but the extension of the present.”

This means that prior to purification and the completion of merging, our future is based on our past.

How is that possible?

It’s possible because we hold onto the past and to what we think we learned from the past, and then we see the current moment through that lens. Since we are seeing with a filter based on the past, that perception is fed into the creation principle, which results in a future based on expectations that were derived from the past.

What a mess!

Why should we keep building a future based on past confusion?

It is time to be with the present, now, in a different way, so that our new way of being is fed into the creative principle, which will result in a future different from the past. As the prayer in today’s lesson says, “Father, we were mistaken in the past, and choose to use the present to be free.”

Let’s add a step to our practice of letting go of judgment. Today, practice in this way:

1. Look when judgment happens.
2. Silently inquire to discover the past in this current judgment. For example, you might ask, “What idea did I believe in the past that has caused this current judgment?”
3. Notice the perception of separation that is caused by judgment.
4. Remember your desire to see without separation or confusion.
5. Let go of your judgment simply because it conflicts with what you truly want.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme makes each of the following statements:

• And this the judgment is in which perception ends.
• … perception gives a silent blessing and then disappears, its goal accomplished and its mission done.
• … without a function in Christ’s sight, [the world] merely slips away to nothingness. There it was born, and there it ends as well. And all the figures in the dream in which the world began go with it.

Imagine that you are born with poor eyesight. Your eyesight is so poor, that you often mistake one thing for another, because you cannot see well. One day you realize that the cause of your confusion is poor eyesight, and so you get glasses, which corrects your eyesight. Now you can see clearly. As a result, your confusion also disappears. This is like awakening from ego-consciousness to Christ-consciousness. What both forms of consciousness have in common is a type of seeing. With ego-consciousness, there is poor eyesight, which leads to confusion. With Christ-consciousness there is clear eyesight and clarity. Using this symbol, the final awakening is like having no eyes at all.

In the previous paragraph, “eyes” are a symbol for the sense of self. The poor eyesight is like the wrong sense of self, the idea that you are a person in a world. That leads to a lot of confusion about everything. The corrected eyesight is like the divine sense of self, knowing one’s self as consciousness. There is great clarity and right-mindedness with everything. But the final awakening is no sense of self. It is like no eyes in the previous analogy. There is nothing to see, because there is no sense of self (no eyes) to see it.

This is what the mind cannot imagine. The sense of self cannot imagine the final awakening. That is why the final awakening is fearful to our current sense of self. That is also why there is an intermediate stage between ego and truth, the stage of Christ-consciousness. Although many people misinterpret this stage as the final awakening, it is actually a stage that prepares us for the final awakening. Christ-consciousness could be thought of as a new beginning—the start of a second maturation period.

As NTI says:

The purpose of your life in the fourth phase of living on earth (Christ-consciousness) shall not be different than the purpose at any other time. Only now, in the fourth phase, the distractions have been erased. In letting yourself become an empty shell, you freed yourself from the desire for distraction. Now, in the fourth stage, your focus is complete. Now you know what you want, and you want it wholly.

During the fourth phase, there are no distractions. During the fourth phase, there are no fears. There are no doubts, and there is no feeling of guilt. There is only a knowing of what is true and a life that is the willingness for acceptance.

Now let a new perception come to me.

The prayer in today’s lesson says, “Father, there is a vision which beholds all things as sinless, so that fear has gone, and where it was is love invited in.”

The plan for awakening from ego-consciousness to Christ-consciousness, which is a transformation of the sense of self, is gentle. Instead of having the sense of self ripped away from us, which would also end everything we know and believe to be true, there is a gentle transformation to a state of ‘no fear’ first. This state of ‘no fear’ or Christ-consciousness is our current goal. Although it is helpful to know that it is not the end of the path, we do not need to think about the final awakening yet. In fact, we can’t think about it. It is beyond the capability of our imagination. So, we will take one step at a time as we travel from fear and judgment to love and acceptance. That is the journey we are on now.

As we have already learned, as we do our part on this path of awakening, Grace responds to us and does its part. Using the analogy of the caterpillar and butterfly, our part is like building the cocoon; what happens in the cocoon is Grace’s part. However, if we do not do our part—build the cocoon—Grace does not have the means to do its part.

Today, let’s be as earnest as we can be as we continue to surrender our judgments. Here are the steps again:

1. Look when judgment happens.
2. Notice the perception of separation that is caused by judgment.
3. Remember your desire to see without separation.
4. Let go of your judgment simply because it conflicts with what you truly want.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist

What is the Last Judgment?

Our special theme says, “The final judgment on the world contains no condemnation. For it sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin and wholly purposeless. Without a cause, and now without a function in Christ’s sight, it merely slips away to nothingness.”

Terms can be very confusing, so I will do my best to simplify the meaning that lies beyond any and all terms regarding awakening. Of course, to do this I will need to select and use some terms.

Ego – Ego is sometimes used to refer to the wrong mind. When “ego” refers to the wrong mind alone, it is completely transcended when the mind becomes purified and merged. However, “ego” can also be used as a more general term that means “sense of self.” When ego refers to a sense of self, even the ‘I am’ presence could be called ‘ego,’ although few people use that term in this way. The ‘I am’ presence is a divine sense of self rather than a personal sense of self. It is the sense of a subject, even if the only thing this subject is aware of is itself, (ie., consciousness aware of consciousness.)

Christ-consciousness – At the point where the sense of self is non-dual—that is, it is consciousness aware of consciousness—the sense of self remains, but it is seldom referred to as ego anymore. The divine sense of self is what A Course in Miracles calls “Christ.” Christ literally means “anointed one.” To be anointed is to be chosen by divine selection. It is fair to say that the sense of self as consciousness is by divine selection since it is created from source. It is the first sense of self. However, it is not awakening to the state that is prior to sense of self.

Nirvana or Manonasa – “Nirvana” means “blown out.” That means the sense of self is blown out like a candle is blown out. Manonasa means “mind annihilation,” which is the total annihilation of the sense of self. Both Nirvana and Manonasa are referred to as the final death of the ego. The Biblical term for this awakening is “the second death.” This awakening is beyond any sense of self, even a divine sense of self. It is also beyond perception entirely, since there is no longer a self to perceive. The mind, or sense of self, cannot imagine this awakening.

The last judgment is awakening from Christ-consciousness into Nirvana.

Here is another symbolic way of looking at this:

1. Duality consciousness, commonly referred to as ego, is like a caterpillar. This state is prior to any awakening.
2. The spiritual path is like the cocoon. The caterpillar enters the cocoon in order to transform, although it doesn’t know what it will transform into.
3. When it emerges from the cocoon, it is a butterfly. This is like the divine sense of self. Whereas the caterpillar saw the world from the ground, the butterfly has a completely different point-of-view. Yet, there is still a self with a point-of-view.
4. Nirvana is awakening beyond the butterfly and world perception entirely. Even the butterfly is seen to be a temporary phenomenon.

I see all things as I would have them be.

Today’s lesson begins with, “Perception follows judgment.”

As we saw yesterday, the ego’s purpose for judgment is to create the appearance of “me” and “not me.” Therefore, if we believe judgment, we perceive “me” and “not me.”

Let’s continue the practice that we used yesterday to surrender our judgments. By doing this, we surrender the mechanism of separation:

1. Look when judgment occurs.
2. Notice the perception of separation that is caused by judgment.
3. Remember your desire to see without separation.
4. Let go of your judgment simply because it conflicts with what you truly want.

Meditation Options

Guided Meditation Audios

YouTube Meditation Playlist