Lesson 121. Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

Forgiveness can be seen merely as seeing the false without accepting it as true.

Today’s workbook lesson describes the ego mind, calling it the unforgiving mind:

“The unforgiving mind is full of fear, … is sad, without the hope of respite and release from pain. It suffers and abides in misery, peering about in darkness, seeing not, yet certain of the danger lurking there. It is torn with doubt, confused about itself and all it sees; afraid and angry, weak and blustering, afraid to go ahead, afraid to stay, afraid to waken or to go to sleep, afraid of every sound, yet more afraid of stillness; terrified of darkness, yet more terrified at the approach of light.”

When this mind is believed, the experience is hell. Freedom comes from the death of this mind–the end of this way of thinking.

Today’s workbook lesson says of the ego mind, “It does not ask, because it thinks it knows. It does not question, certain it is right.” The lesson also says that we learn forgiveness “from a Teacher other than yourself, Who represents the other Self in you.”

It is time for us to begin asking within for understanding and guidance. If we are to find freedom, we need to let the teacher who knows the way take the lead.

The ego mind does not ask, because it thinks it knows. Therefore, we will ask. We will not come from ego. We will accept that we do not know, and we will ask. I encourage you to take time at least 1-3 times a week to sit quietly and ask within for whatever you need to see or realize now. Leave the question open, and let the genuine answer come.

As I sat down this morning with Inner Wisdom with the intent to hear what I needed to hear, I heard the word “focus.” Thus, my openness to seeing suggested the question I should ask and made room for the answer. Here is my question and Inner Wisdom’s response:

Where would you have me focus today?

Focus is indeed the issue. Your focus determines where you believe yourself to reside. Is this an inner or an outer focus? Are you focused on accomplishing; on finishing; on keeping your commitments? Are you able to focus on the perfection of being? Are you able to focus on your heart? This focus is a soft one, with no goal or direction. This focus is, in itself, pure openness, without expectation. In order to maintain this focus, you must ask, what would you have me do, see, hear, now? Mind you, this is not a doing, not a question that is asked as a mantra, but rather an attentiveness to what is naturally unfolding. It entails a willingness to allow anything or nothing to unfold. Rest within the assuredness that your willingness to give up your thoughts of knowing or practices or processes is the emptiness that allows for true understanding. The thinking mind cannot anticipate our next steps. Our steps are really just a stroll rather than the big, bounding, leaping steps of ego focused on a goal. Our steps will meander through the garden as we contemplate spaciousness, acceptance and trust that we need not manipulate anything. In this lack of desire to manipulate (to go, to accomplish), we rest in stillness that needs nothing added unto it for the experience of peace and aliveness. This stillness is peace and aliveness. You are that. Focus here and notice the contrast between this mode of being and the experience you have when you are trying to get somewhere or achieve something. These are the first steps in letting such notions go and in experiencing the truth of being that which you are.

Lesson 120. Review of Lessons 109 – 110.

How to Contemplate, conclusion:

In summary, here are the keys to contemplation.

Lesson 119. Review of Lessons 107 – 108.

How to Contemplate, continued:

As with all things spiritual, the best way to learn contemplation is to learn from yourself. Therefore, for today’s tip I’d like to share some of my favorite quotes on contemplation. As you contemplate these quotes, you learn how to contemplate through contemplation:

Lesson 118. Review of Lessons 105 – 106.

How to Contemplate, continued:

In my (Regina’s) experience, the ego will almost always (& maybe I should say ‘always’ instead of ‘almost always’) try to block contemplation, and it will do it in any way that it can.

Peace Pilgrim said that the ego knows the weakest spot in your armor. That means the ego will say whatever YOU will listen to. Just as the spiritual path is highly individualized, the ego’s attempts at blocking us can also be highly individualized.

Michael Langford has a teaching that can be very helpful here. He says, “Hundreds of times every day ask yourself ‘How is what I am thinking now helping to feed the ego illusion?'”

This question can be very helpful when ego tries to block contemplation. You could edit it to be more specific by asking, “How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?”

For example, let’s imagine thinking says, “This sucks. I’m just making this up, and it’s not any good. It’s not at all poetic.” And then you ask, “How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?” That will help you see that if you listen to the previous thought you might give up on contemplation, which serves the ego quite well.

If thinking says, “This isn’t deep. It isn’t profound enough,” you ask, “How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?” Then you can see that if you listen to the previous thought you might give up on contemplation, which serves the ego quite well.

Here are a few tricks the ego has tried to play on me over the years:

~ When nothing was coming right away, the thought would be, “I’m not going to get anything out of this quote. It’s too straightforward. There’s nothing more to be had here.” Or maybe the thought would be, “I don’t understand this quote at all. How am I supposed to get something out of this?” (How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?)

~ When something came very quickly, the thought would be, “That came too fast. That’s just me, not wisdom.” (How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?)

~ When flowery poetic language came, the thought would be, “I’m just writing this to impress others. It’s not genuine.” (How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?)

~ When plain and simple language came, the thought would be, “This isn’t anything. I’m just not good enough to receive something real.” (How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?)

~ When something came through feeling or a silent knowing, and I came up with the words to describe it, the thought would be, “I should hear words.” (How is what I am thinking now helping to block contemplation and serve the ego illusion?)

Etc.

You get the point. In order to allow contemplation, you need to be able to ignore the ego’s attempts to block contemplation, regardless of what those attempts look like.

Connie’s personal contemplation:

Review 105, God’s peace and joy are mine.

My Father, my earthly Father, a long time student and teacher of A Course In Miracles, used to teach this lesson which says, “I will accept God’s peace and joy In glad exchange for all the substitutes Which I have made for happiness and peace.” Dad said when we choose this seeming worldly experience, we choose to have less than we had before choosing this experience. We were (and still are, because this seeming existence isn’t the real one) one with perfection. So any existence outside of that would be less than perfection. Those of us that seem to experience the lesser state naturally seek for substitutes for the perfect peace and joy that are only of God and His Kingdom. Now as students of Consistent Gentle Healing, we know we have made substitutes, but are now ready, open and available via our practices to relinquish the substitutes and have a direct experience.

Review 106, Let me be still and listen to the truth.

I was heartened when I heard Regina speak about attempting to meditate and moments later finding her thoughts had taken over and this happened numerous times. The reason we meditate is to stop the voice in our head and this provides a space where we can hear the “mighty Voice of truth Itself.” I was heartened not because Regina said her thoughts kept taking over, but because Regina is a demonstration of one who has heard the truth. If Regina can rewrite the New Testament through hearing with the Voice for God, most assuredly that Opportunity is available to me. Because God is inclusiveness, then I can rest in the fact that I too can expect a direct experience with Divine Wisdom.