An “empty shell” is empty of self and empty of self-will. Today’s reading points out that we will not immediately become the permanent empty shell. We need practice in order to learn that we prefer emptiness to self-will. That is the same as saying we need practice in order to learn that we prefer harmony to conflict. You might think you prefer harmony to conflict now, when you don’t, at least not yet. You see, the ego mind likes harmony as long as it gets harmony “my way.” The ego is attached to self-will, which means that when it comes right down to it, it prefers conflict to no self-will.
We need to learn that we want harmony over conflict to the point that we are willing to relinquish self and self-will in order to realize harmony.
If we are willing to let go of self-will, we will be given opportunities to practice. Conflict will arise in our lives, so we can see that the cause of conflict is self-will, and then we can decide if we are ready to lay aside self-will in that moment in order to experience harmony.
It reminds me of the opening to Lesson 185 in A Course in Miracles:
I want the peace of God.
“To say these words is nothing. But to mean these words is everything. If you could but mean them for just an instant, there would be no further sorrow possible for you in any form; in any place or time.”
It’s important to note that harmony is experienced within, not on the outside. If I let go of my self-will in a conflict with another person, but the other person doesn’t let go of her self-will, she may still experience conflict. If I want her to experience harmony, that is simply my self-will. (i.e., I want her to experience harmony.) I can release additional self-will by letting go of my desire regarding her experience.
Today’s reading says:
“Your willingness to practice will match with your brother’s willingness to learn, so he may be brought to you, and you will be given your opportunity to practice.”
In NTI Romans 13, we learned that the world is “set up for your learning.” It is set up so we can learn the answer to these questions:
What if nothing was as it is?
What if I could make something completely different,
and make it whatever I want?
What would that be like?
Regardless of whether a person is on the spiritual path or not, he is learning the answer to these questions. When his readiness to learn more about, “What would that be like?” matches with your desire to let go of self-will, you are matched in what may appear to be a conflictual relationship, so he can learn more about the experience of self-will while you let go of self-will.
Today’s reading says:
“You are eternal and beyond limits of any kind.”
The ego has an interpretation of “limitless,” which is a distortion and not related to truth realization. The ego’s idea of limitless is:
I am not limited. I get my way all of the time.
It is better to see limitless as:
I am not affected by anything. Everything can be exactly as it is.
You know yourself as “limitless and beyond all fear” when you have no self-will and you are absolute, unqualified love.
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Thoughts of Awakening # 162
The inner guiding force,
which is the Voice for the Heart of one
and the wisdom of the seat of knowledge,
guides within the world
without judgment.
Where ever there is judgment,
there is lack of understanding.
Where ever there is judgment,
there is lack of knowledge.
Where ever there is judgment,
there is seeing the one
as completely separated parts.
In this seeing, there is error,
and so there cannot be wisdom.
~From our Holy Spirit
