Yesterday, I wrote, “If we are looking for the one teaching that is right, we are missing the point. The point isn’t about one right teaching.”

In today’s reading, Jesus again addresses confusion about one right teaching.

The law that came through Moses is core to the Jewish religion, but in today’s reading, Jesus makes a recommendation that is different from that law. He makes a recommendation that suits the situation that is presented to him. If he had been presented with a different situation, he might have made a different recommendation.

Verse 38 of the Tao Te Ching says:

So when the Way is lost,
that’s when we resort to virtue.
When virtue is lost,
that’s when we resort to humaneness.
When humaneness is lost,
that’s when we resort to morality and righteous justice.
And when righteous justice is lost,
that’s when we resort to ceremonies of propriety.
Ritual ceremonies? Mere husks of sincere faith,
marking the beginning of confusion and disorder.

When we believe a particular teaching or structure to the point that it becomes ritual, we resort to following mindlessly without intuiting what is right (or best) in the current situaiton now.

Verse 38 also says:

The true person
relies on the heart, not the husk,
the fruit, not the flower.

In today’s reading, Jesus “relies on the heart, not the husk.” He sees that self-centeredness is the problem at hand, and so his prescription in the moment addresses self-centeredness.

As you read today’s reading, contemplate this question:

When do I think that consistent rules and guidelines should always apply, and so I fail to look to intuition in the moment?

During the time when I was scribing NTI, I used to post to a Yahoo group. Each day, I posted the portion of NTI that I received that morning. I remember there were some people who didn’t like my posts. In fact, they became pretty belligerent about it. They argued that Helen Schucman was the only legitimate scribe, and anyone else who heard Jesus or Holy Spirit was a fake.

Of course, many years before Helen Schucman, there was Mary Baker Eddy. Mary Baker Eddy received great insight from within. Her work became known as Christian Science. However, Mary Baker Eddy felt that her work was the final revelation. Eventually, this resulted in a split in Christian Science. Her student, Emma Curtis Hopkins, started her own school of Christian Science. Unlike Eddy, Emma felt that the truth had been revealed to many people throughout history and was always available to everyone. She taught that we each already know everything. She said truth isn’t a matter of learning, but a matter of recalling. Emma Curtis Hopkins always saw herself and her students as equals.

Awakening Together is founded on those same principals. Here are three of our core values:

We trust everyone is led by unique inner guidance to one experience, called awakening, which is realization of one true Self. We live this value by supporting one another on different paths of awakening.

We realize everyone is equal and no one has been given spiritual intuition that is an authority over the spiritual intuition of others. We live this value by listening to each other, respecting each other, and allowing each one to be where he/she is.

We affirm one true Self as the only truth. We live this value by embracing what is helpful on the path of awakening without idolizing any spiritual doctrine as truth.

When you learn from wisdom that came through another person, that learning passes through the mind. To one degree or another, it is also distorted by the mind, and it is not the same as it was for the individual who originally received it. In fact, all world religions are based on original wisdom, but they are severely distorted because the wisdom has passed through many minds over the ages. Mental ideas that were not part of the original wisdom have become part of the religion.

Divine wisdom speaks to you best when divine wisdom comes through you. This is why I encourage you to contemplate, journal and teach from your own experience and insights.

In today’s reading, Jesus says, “God will call many teachers to do his work, and each one may seem to teach in his own way…Do not be distracted by what may seem to be differences.”

We will find differences in the way people teach. There are even differences among the masters’ teachings. If we are looking for the one teaching that is right, we are missing the point. The point isn’t about one right teaching. The point is, we are one. And that’s why divine inspiration comes through each of us. We are the same one, and the inspiration is speaking from our Self.

Interestingly, oneness doesn’t mean that divine inspiration is always exactly the same. Although we are one Self, our manifestations are unique. So, divine inspiration comes through each of us in a way that is perfect for the one receiving the inspiration. And that, of course, is what’s most helpful for everyone.

I love to listen to your inspiration. I love to hear how it expresses itself through you. It amazes me how one simple truth can dawn on each of us in an absolutely unique, one-of-a-kind way. It reminds me of a high altitude alpine valley filled with dozens upon dozens of different brilliant wildflowers, each one just as beautiful as the next.

Of course, anyone who feels that a specific book or teaching is the final revelation will disagree with everything I have written in this tip. They will feel this tip is a distortion. You will have to decide for yourself.

Today’s reading reminds me of the children’s nursery rhyme:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

The wall we sit on is belief in our thoughts. It is a very shaky wall, crumbling at its foundation. If we sit on this wall, “a very great fall” is destined. The fall results in a break from clarity; we see from a separated, biased point-of-view instead of from reason and wholeness. We also make the mistake of believing how we see—we think we are right—and so, “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men” cannot help us see rightly again.

In today’s reading, Jesus gives us a prayer to pray whenever we find ourselves on that shaky wall:

Father, it is not Your Will that I be separate from you, so it is not my will that I be separate. I rejoin with you by letting go of my attack [or fear, judgment, guilt, unworthiness, etc]. I give this to you, that you may do with it as it is Your Will. I ask for nothing of you but peace.

This prayer, or one like it, helps us let go of thinking that is about to cause “a great fall.” When we surrender thoughts in this way, we let them go and leave them in God’s Hands. We don’t continue to think with those thoughts. We don’t speak from them, and we don’t act upon them. We step outside that loop of thinking. We willingly let things be as they are and as they will be.

If we follow the prayer up by thinking, speaking or acting with those thoughts, we have not surrendered them. Our wall remains shaky, and a fall is eminent.

Today’s reading also points toward true perception. We can place our attention with this pointer instead of with our separation thinking, if we want to. The pointer that Jesus shares is “the innocence that is found within our Lord.” Jesus also uses a small child as an example of his own innocence, which he calls “one innocence.”

In order to understand this pointer, we need to understand “innocence.” In this case, innocence isn’t the opposite of guilt. Innocence is “lack of knowledge.” (From Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary.) Or said another way, it is the opposite of the I-know mind.

Again, believing our thinking is the problem. When we accept, “I don’t know,” we disengage from the thinking mind and open up to intuition, which comes from consciousness.

Twice in today’s reading, we are told that Jesus “opened his mouth, so that the Holy Spirit could pour forth.” We aren’t told: Jesus knew the man who was speaking, and he knew this guy had a grievance against so-called-Messiahs. He also knew that he had to prove this man wrong, or many people might stop trusting him. And so, he tried to get the man to see another way, so that the crowd would not turn away.”

Opening his mouth without any ideas about what he would say is an example of innocence. Believing thinking, like the thinking in my made-up example above, is the opposite of innocence and a fall from clarity.

Each day, I read from NTI. When I feel to stop and be with a particular sentence or paragraph, I do. However, when I finish reading and pick up my laptop to begin writing the tip, I always wonder, “What will I type today?”

My daily tip is a surprise to me. It unfolds as I write. Until it is done, I don’t know what it will say. Today, the idea about Humpty Dumpty came after I put my hands on the keyboard. In fact, I originally wrote, “Today’s reading is about how we separate ourselves.” After I typed that, the idea of Humpty Dumpty came, so I deleted my original opening sentence and followed Humpty Dumpty to see where it would go.

Innocence is lack of knowledge. By following that pointer, we experience true perception. By believing our thinking—by thinking we know—we keep climbing up and falling off of a wall, over and over and over again.

Today’s reading is about resistance. We each experience resistance to truth. We experience resistance to the degree that we are attached to the body-personality-mind as “me.” In other words, the more I see ‘this’ as me, the more I resist truth and the practices that lead to truth.

Why?

If I think ‘this’ is me, including this mind’s desires, fears and will, then I feel threatened by truth to the point of believing that I am losing what I am.

Resistance can take on many forms. Sometimes resistance is light and barely noticed as resistance. An example of light resistance is avoiding daily contemplation and meditation in favor of something else, like sleeping later, watching TV, playing video games, hanging out on social media, and etcetera.

Sometimes resistance and can be very strong. It can appear as absolute panic. I remember one of my biggest bouts with resistance. I thought I was being led, step-by-step, away from sanity into insanity. While the resistance attack lasted, there seemed to be evidence to prove that I was right. I became very afraid. Fortunately, clarity broke through long enough for me to see that I was experiencing an attack of resistance, and I was able to move into rest-accept-trust until fear dissipated. This happened just before finishing NTI. If I had “run from the spiritual path—run away now,” which is what the fear was encouraging me to do, we wouldn’t have NTI, The Thoughts of Awakening, The Teachings of Inner Ramana or Awakening Together today.

In today’s reading, Peter is overcome with extreme fear after Jesus shares “great truths that had not been shared before.” These truths are the same truths that I shared with you in Year 1 through the tips on ACIM Workbook Lessons 298-358. Until this day, Peter had not realized that he was on a path of letting go of the sense of self-existence. Imagine yourself in the wilderness, on a mountain with a man who you thought taught simple forgiveness and love, and then suddenly realizing that he is leading you to the end of your personal sense of existence. And you’re stuck on top of a mountain with this madman, miles from the nearest village!! What if he pushes you off of a cliff?

That’s how strong resistance can be sometimes. Fear can take hold with a very tight grip. Panic sets in. Seeing and thinking become incredibly distorted.

When fear is strong, it is not the time to do anything. It is not the time to make decisions or make changes. When fear is strong, it is time for rest-accept-trust. Wait in patience—realize, “This too shall pass”—until a sense of peace, trust or well being returns.

The spiritual path can be likened to a children’s game, which is called “Red Light, Green Light.” Here’s how to play: Do nothing—make no changes—whenever fear is present (red light). Move forward with intuition when there is peace and trust (green light). In this way, you make steady progress to the finish line (awakening).

Note: Today’s reading ends about one third of the way down page 94. The last line of the reading is, “In this way, you find yourself on the path of healing with a mighty companion by your side.”

Today’s story is symbolic of your relationship with the inner Teacher. When you read today, you will notice that Jesus has an early discussion with the apostles about doubt and a later discussion with the apostles about doubt. The content of the discussions are different, because as the apostles go deeper with the teaching, Jesus is able to be more direct and point towards deeper truths. This is also true in your relationship with the inner Teacher.

When people are new in their relationship with the inner Teacher and new to the journaling process, the wisdom received from the inner Teacher is often filled with encouragement. People are told, “You are love,” “You are loved,” “You are innocent,” “You are light,” “You are my perfect child,” and etcetera. This encouragement is needed in the beginning, because the student is afraid, lacks confidence and is full of doubt. However, if the student progresses with the teachings, at some point the wisdom received from the inner Teacher is more pointed—sharper, clearer, drilling onward and inward.

In order for this advancement to happen, the student needs to put her doubts aside. If the student stays at the level of believing her fears, doubts and unworthiness, the wisdom will stay at the level of encouragement. If the student puts her fears aside with the honest intention to purify and realize truth, the inner Teacher will assist clearly and directly. It’s important to note that the inner Teacher will only go as far as the student is willing. The inner Teacher will not violate your freewill.

Today’s reading says, “More and more, the apostles began to seek private counsel with Jesus to discuss their fear and doubts.” This is an example of how you should use your journal. Be absolutely honest with wisdom as you look directly at your fears, doubts, guilt, unworthiness and upsets. Give inner wisdom permission to go beyond simple encouragement to dissection; that is, to helping you see exactly how you make mistakes in your thinking, believing and perceiving.

Today’s reading says, “Jesus responded lovingly with every discussion brought to him. Never did the apostles feel judged.” You can trust inner wisdom to be the same with you. As you allow directness, there will be extremely helpful and insightful directness, but never judgment.

In today’s reading, Jesus asks the apostles, “And who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are me, master…the Son of God…the Christ.”

Through this answer, Peter demonstrates that he is becoming aware of consciousness. Jesus did not teach about consciousness directly. His teaching focused on practice and parables instead of direct theory. So, when Peter revealed this clarity, Jesus knew Peter was listening to inner wisdom.

In today’s reading, Jesus says this to the apostles:

The Voice within will lead you clearly when you give it your trust and put your doubts aside. It will reveal truths to you that you have not imagined, and so you will know they are true.”

I can tell you from my own experience that this is true. First, journaling will advance from pure encouragement to dissection, and then when enough dissection has occurred, truth will begin to shine through in your journal—truth that you have never realized before. Although truth is never new, it will seem new to you. It will seem new, because it is dawning fresh for you as a direct insight. It will be beyond any understanding that ever occurred intellectually through learning. As you continue to advance, the wisdom in your journal will continue to advance, and it will lead you all the way to truth realization.

Of course, you must practice the guidance that comes through your journal. To merely write and be amazed at the clarity is not enough. In order for your journal to continue to progress, you must progress by practicing everything the journal gives you to practice.