Review Lessons:
16. I have no neutral thoughts
17. I see no neutral things
18. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing
19. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts
20. I am determined to see.
It’s been a weird couple of days. I’m in a rut. I am tempted to “do something” to get myself out of the boredom, but nothing feels Spirit-inspired. These past few days, when I have an idea to do something, it feels like a struggle. It’s not flowing naturally. Just thinking about “making something happen” feels like pushing and shoving – like trying to put a square piece in a round hole.
I’m left thinking: what’s it for?
That’s when I DO NOTHING.
This space always scares me. I feel like I should do something. Make something happen.
But lately, I’m incapable of moving very fast. It’s just how it is. It doesn’t need to be fixed or examined.
I know that there are seasons and cycles and right now I’m in a winter season, and there’s not much I can do about it. You can’t make roses bloom through 3 feet of snow and freezing temperatures no matter how much you try. When it’s winter, it’s winter … and it’s not summer, spring or fall. Those are different seasons and cycles and they will arrive in due time.
There’s nothing to change. It is what it is.
Yesterday I was thinking about a sentence in the text of A Course in Miracles, Chapter 31: “Why would you seek to try another road, another person, or another place, when you have learned the way the lesson starts, but do not yet perceive what it is for?”
I caught myself thinking of all my past attempts to “make something happen.” I’ve done it a million times. Moving to a new location. Finding a new relationship. Shopping. Movies. Updating my resume. Changing jobs. Moving the furniture around in my apartment. Planning a trip.
Anything to get myself out of the rut. Anything to make me feel alive. But what I was thinking about yesterday is that all the “rearranging” is only fulfilling for a couple of weeks, and then I’m back to the same point of frustration and futility again. Do you know what I am talking about? You’re always back where you started. All roads in the world lead to the same place: they go nowhere.
When Spirit moves me, it’s always effortless and easy and full of grace. What I have noticed is that when Spirit moves me in a new direction, I never have a thought (or doubt or question) about it, I simply move. Events happen miraculously. Planning is easy. Doors open. I’m lifted and transported, and it’s like I’m not even part of the process. It’s like flying while sitting in the passenger seat, with God in the pilot seat. I just sit back and enjoy the scenery while God takes me the destination He needs me to go.
From Chapter 31, The Real Alternative:
Why would you seek to try another road, another person or another place, when you have learned the way the lesson starts, but do not yet perceive what it is for? Its purpose is the answer to the search that all must undertake who still believe there is another answer to be found. Learn now, without despair, there is no hope of answer in the world. But do not judge the lesson that is but begun with this. Seek not another signpost in the world that seems to point to still another road. No longer look for hope where there is none. Make fast your learning now, and understand you but waste time unless you go beyond what you have learned to what is yet to learn. For from this lowest point will learning lead to heights of happiness, in which you see the purpose of the lesson shining clear, and perfectly within your learning grasp.
Who would be willing to be turned away from all the roadways of the world, unless he understood their real futility? Is it not needful that he should begin with this, to seek another way instead? For while he sees a choice where there is none, what power of decision can he use? The great release of power must begin with learning where it really has a use. And what decision has power if it be applied in situations without choice?
The learning that the world can offer but one choice, no matter what its form may be, is the beginning of acceptance that there is a real alternative instead. To fight against this step is to defeat your purpose here. You did not come to learn to find a road the world does not contain. The search for different pathways in the world is but the search for different forms of truth. And this would keep the truth from being reached.
Think not that happiness is ever found by following a road away from it. This makes no sense, and cannot be the way. To you who seem to find this course to be too difficult to learn, let me repeat that to achieve a goal you must proceed in its direction, not away from it. And every road that leads the other way will not advance the purpose to be found. If this be difficult to understand, then is this course impossible to learn. But only then. For otherwise, it is a simple teaching in the obvious.
There is a choice that you have power to make when you have seen the real alternatives. Until that point is reached you have no choice, and you can but decide how you would choose the better to deceive yourself again. This course attempts to teach no more than that the power of decision cannot lie in choosing different forms of what is still the same illusion and the same mistake. All choices in the world depend on this; you choose between your brother and yourself, and you will gain as much as he will lose, and what you lose is what is given him. How utterly opposed to truth is this, when all the lesson’s purpose is to teach that what your brother loses you have lost, and what he gains is what is given you.
He has not left His Thoughts! But you forgot His Presence and remembered not His Love. No pathway in the world can lead to Him, nor any worldly goal be one with His. What road in all the world will lead within, when every road was made to separate the journey from the purpose it must have unless it be but futile wandering? All roads that lead away from what you are will lead you to confusion and despair. Yet has He never left His Thoughts to die, without their Source forever in themselves.
He has not left His Thoughts! He could no more depart from them than they could keep Him out. In unity with Him do they abide, and in Their Oneness Both are kept complete. There is no road that leads away from Him. A journey from yourself does not exist. How foolish and insane it is to think that there could be a road with such an aim! Where could it go? And how could you be made to travel on it, walking there without your own reality at one with you?
Forgive yourself your madness, and forget all senseless journeys and all goal-less aims. They have no meaning. You can not escape from what you are. For God is merciful, and did not let His Son abandon Him. For what He is be thankful, for in that is your escape from madness and from death. Nowhere but where He is can you be found. There is no path that does not lead to Him.
“All choices in the world depend on this; you choose between your brother and yourself, and you will gain as much as he will lose, and what you lose is what is given him. How utterly opposed to truth is this, when all the lesson’s purpose is to teach that what your brother loses you have lost, and what he gains is what is given you.”
this is great, it is a summation of the whole Course. If this lesson can be learned and held onto it doesn’t matter what we do in the world. if we choose to accomplish great things in the world, but reach down and lift our Brother up along the path, we have learned the lesson well. we don’t have to give up our “goals” in the world we just need to constantly question “what is it for?” to give glory to the entire Son of God or to make me experience the separation even more intensely by having it for myself?
the world can become a joyful playground. all glory goes to God. to accomplish something and forget that the accomplishment was powered by God leaves us feeling empty. when we remember that we are powered by God, we become joyful and recognize that power is here for everyone equally.
oprah winfrey is becoming a great example of this thought system. a wonderful symbol of empowering and encouraging ones Brother. she has pile of money and has vast influence. she is using is to empower her Brother.
Lisa -you are THE great cheerleader. thank you. you once referred to yourself in this way and i absolute agree. cheerleader for God empowering your Brother to see his worthiness and unleash his creativity. thank you very much!
Lee
Lee – thank you very much for this reminder! The world becomes a joyful playground!
In sports during my life I have had moments of wonder. I’ve always called it “being in the zone.” When, devoid of thought, propelled by a fluidity that I attributed to being out of this world. I would achieve unimaginable results. Of course there were moments when I felt like a complete klutz, also. Those special moments propelled me on day to day. I couldn’t create them at will but I understand now that those moments were preparation for, a taste, of what I am experiencing today. I didn’t just read your blog, I felt it, deeply. Thank you for providing this experience. Be careful with your use of playground because it brings to mind periods in my life when, guided by another teacher, I actually thanked God for providing me with such a wonderful playground filled with many toys. By the grace of God those days are passed. Your rut becomes my rush and right back at Ya!
With love, (It’s becoming easier!)
Al
Hi Lisa, what appears tonight as having nothing to say… might be a good thing. More of the truth that I don’t know any thing. I literally experienced the ‘text classes’ today. What a gift. Thankyou.
Love jayme