ACIM: Listen, Learn and Act discussion
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A Course in Miracles
THE MEANING OF MIRACLES
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Principles of Miracles
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Yes, can we discuss fear? Also: miracles (an act of love?), atonement (realizing the illusions of our separation?), and 'us' or 'I', who is this referring to? Thanks
Mod
The answer to your question is found in Chapter 2 of ACIM. But, we can discuss it here and now, because I also think it's a good question that needs to be addressed sooner than later. Plus, you may have to bounce around the text a bit to actually link it all together.
The title of the first topic in chapter 2 is - The Origins of Separation. Separation refers to the separation of man from God (or, how ACIM puts it, the “detour into fear.”).
The questions: “What is the fear of? Where did the fear come from?” can now be answered.
First, we should remind ourself of our condition before the separation (or fear) occurred.
ACIM: “You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.” T-2.I.1.
So – God is perfect – Man is perfect.
So where does fear come into play?
ACIM: “Only your mind can produce fear. It does so whenever it is conflicted in what it wants, producing inevitable strain because wanting and doing are discordant.” T-2.VI.6.
ACIM: “This process involves the following steps:”
“First, you believe that what God created can be changed by your own mind.”
“Second, you believe that what is perfect can be rendered imperfect or lacking.”
“Third, you believe that you can distort the creations of God, including yourself.”
“Fourth, you believe that you can create yourself, and that the direction of your own creation is up to you.” T-2.I.1.
ACIM: “All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God. Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this.” T-2.I.4.
ACIM: “Everyone experiences fear. Yet it would take very little right thinking to realize why fear occurs. Few appreciate the real power of the mind, and no one remains fully aware of it all the time. However, if you hope to spare yourself from fear there are some things you must realize, and realize fully. The mind is very powerful, and never loses its creative force. It never sleeps. Every instant it is creating. It is hard to recognize that thought and belief combine into a power surge that can literally move mountains. It appears at first glance that to believe such power about yourself is arrogant, but that is not the real reason you do not believe it. You prefer to believe that your thoughts cannot exert real influence because you are actually afraid of them. This may allay awareness of the guilt, but at the cost of perceiving the mind as impotent. If you believe that what you think is ineffectual you may cease to be afraid of it, but you are hardly likely to respect it. There are no idle thoughts. All thinking produces form at some level.” T-2.VI.9.
As we get into Chapter 2, we will be able to spend much more time with the topic of fear. Fear for many of us is a feeling in different degrees. ACIM teaches that all those feelings are created by us. The how and why we create those feelings are touched on in many places throughout ACIM. So, this discussion is by no means complete.
I really enjoyed reading that insight, thanks Ramon!
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ACIM: "God is not the author of fear. You are. You have chosen to create unlike Him, and have therefore made fear for yourself." T-4.I.9.
Any generalized fears - any specific fears - any little fears - any and all degrees of fear, whether we are conscious of it or not, we created. And because fear is not a creation of God, fear is not real . We create the fear and the fear, in any degree, is only as real as we make it.
Mod
Julie - I would also like to add my own experience with fear. Back when I was questioning, and even at times, trying to justify my fears, I learned that what I was really doing was trying to protect my belief in fear. I was attacking my own ego and protecting it at the same time. Getting to the root of fear, much like what you seem to be doing, became another eye-opener for me when I realized what I was really doing. Today, I often make fun at myself whenever fear enters into my awareness. But, back in those days, fear, at least for me anyway, was no laughing matter - my Mother would laugh at me however.
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Yes - any fear.
I do understand my belief in fear - but, from time to time, I find myself in fear (to some degree) of something. But once I realize the perceived fear, I become aware of where it came from. It then becomes of matter of recognizing the truth. The axiom - you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free - comes to mind. So, it is apparent to me that I must still have beliefs that I cling to, but I seem to unconsciously use fear to keep those beliefs in the dark. Its only when I am consciously aware of the fear do I seek the basis of that fear. Once I determine what that is, then its just a matter of properly dealing with the cause.
So, what I think your asking can be summed up this way. I do believe that I created fear, even though I don't remember actually doing it or even why or how I created it in the first place. I believe fear is not real because it was I who created it. What I haven't figured out yet is how to UN-create fear. Which seems odd, because the mere fact that I truly believe that fear is not actually real hasn't necessarily wiped-out all fear. I can honestly say, however, that I'm not afraid of fear itself and when I do experience it, fear has become an easy matter to deal with.
Revelation, Time and Miracles;
Atonement and Miracles;
The Escape from Darkness;
Wholeness and Spirit;
The Illusion of Needs; and,
Distortions of Miracle Impulses
We are now getting into the text. Here we can handle each of the topics separately. If we have any difficulties with any of the terms, we should start with them as soon as they come to our attention. I will make a separate folder just for discussion of terms. The first two terms discussed will be 'knowledge' (real) and 'perception' (unreal).
Some of the statements in our topic - Principles of Miracles - may be real eye openers - but I eventual got through them by accepting the premises made as being true. I later became more aware of their truthfulness as the premises for them clearly outweighed any premises against them.
So, if you find yourself resisting any of these statements, do not become alarmed. In time, we will become comfortable with these terms.