Be Still and Listen
Perception is a choice and not a fact. ⁸But on this choice depends far more than you may realize as yet. ⁹For on the voice you choose to hear, and on the sights you choose to see, depends entirely your whole belief in what you are. (ACIM, T-21.V.1:6-9) ——-Based on our current perception, we do have choices, however, —what we are— is not one of them. Our experiences largely seem to be circumstantially derived. Simply stated: the world is cause and we are its effect—- or so it seems.—-In this world the only remaining freedom is the freedom of choice; always between two choices or two voices (ACIM, C-1.7:1) —-In this essay I would like to share my experience of accessing these two voices and identifying the voice I am listening to at any given moment.
The Course brought to my awareness the idea that my thoughts were not emanating from an organ in my body, but from an abstract unbounded dissociated mind. And further that this mind maintains two mutually exclusive, fundamentally different thought systems referred to in the Course as the wrong-minded ego and the right-minded ego or Spirit. —In this essay I will just use the terms ego and Spirit. —On the one hand the former teaches that I am a body living at the effect of a physical world; on the other hand the latter teaches that the world is a dream and I am the dreamer or cause. This was a major insight for me. I literally have access to two ways of perceiving the world and myself. My perceptions are a choice, not a fact and I can elect to change all thoughts that hurt! These are not just concepts, they are my experience.
We have the capability of distinguishing between being our thoughts —-and experiencing or observing our thoughts. Thinking is of the mind not the brain. When most people, including scientists, use the word mind they are referring to the brain. Neuroscientists see the brain as the organ of thought and emotions and can observe brain activity that is associated with mental states, experience, or behavior. Some even believe consciousness arises from brain processes. However, what they are observing are correlations between these events and brain activity demonstrating a strong relationship between them, but they do not inherently prove a causal relationship. The Course points out that when we have entered the world of perception, we have entered a dream state. Since we have erroneously identified with our dream figure, not the dreamer, we believe our organ of thought is the brain. Spirit teaches we are the dreamer and our thoughts appear as images projected from the dreamers abstract dissociated mind. These images appear to be physical forms because, by identifying with the dream figure, we have reified our thoughts. Both thought systems represent very different perspectives about who we are and what the world is. The ego’s perspective is within the world; Spirits perspective is about the world itself. The latter leads to a fundamentally different perception, a perception not possible from the ego perspective. Therefore, it is what the Course refers to as a miracle!
In our dissociated, dualistic dream state, before we become aware of anything we must, either consciously or unconsciously, choose between two interpreters: Spirit or the ego.— Awareness is interpretation. — As you begin to observe your thoughts rather than being your thoughts, you will become aware, based on how you feel, of the choice you made that led to your perception. If your choice did not lead to peace, you unconsciously chose the ego and can make another choice. As I began to envision this structure of my mind, the impact on my experience was staggering. To give you a sense of how I envision mind, please refer to a graphic I designed called “Model of Mind.” —- I designed this graphic after working with the Course for a few years. It was particularly helpful when I was working with individuals and groups studying the Course.
Awareness of dreaming is the real function of God’s teachers. (ACIM, M-12.6:5-6) Without this awareness the aforementioned distinction between being your thoughts and observing your thoughts will be obscured. When our emotional state is not peaceful we believe that we are not peaceful—-we are being our thoughts. However, if we pay close attention, we will realize that our mind can just observe or listen to our thoughts before reacting to them. While our emotional state may seem to be triggered by situations or circumstances that appear to be outside of our mind, they are not caused by them. The cause is the voice we chose to interpret our perceptions. If fear was the result, then we must have chosen our ego. The very fact that we are not peaceful tells us this must be so. This very important insight applies to every thought that we have. Whatever form our perceptions take: something personal, financial, or bodily sensations; our experience will reflect the voice we are listening to, not the situation or form. The ego’s voice, being made by us to still Spirits Voice, always speaks first. If we made a mistake by choosing the ego, we can consciously choose Spirit’s correction before responding out of fear. Of course there will be times we have already projected our fears. We now have an opportunity to look at our guilt and forgive ourselves and whoever or whatever we projected onto. Thus do we learn we have the power to decide the kind of day we will experience, not in form, but content or meaning.
I have never been drawn to long periods of meditation as such. I consider every day to be a meditation in the sense that it is my intention to observe what voice I am listening to throughout the day. When I am uncertain I think: “does that sound like something Spirit would say, not just in words but intention and purpose .” In most instances the answer comes within seconds. If I experience any hesitation it is always because I am resisting looking at my hidden guilt which caused my projection. Once this is recognized, I forgive and invite spirit to enter. And so is every experience an opportunity to accept a loving thought or forgive a mistaken fearful thought. If I feel any doubt I ask Spirit to look at the situation with me and judge it for me.
People have often shared that they only apply Course ideas in certain circumstances: when meditating for a certain amount of time or when participating in Course groups. The Course’s corrective teaching is only needed by a dissociated mind which perceives a dualistic dream-world. It is the answer to our desire for “a better way.” Therefore, it is meant to be applied to all situations we perceive. To do otherwise means we want to keep some dreams uncorrected. ——. ⁵The choice is not between which dreams to keep, but only if you want to live in dreams or to awaken from them. ⁶Thus it is the miracle does not select some dreams to leave untouched by its beneficence. ⁷You cannot dream some dreams and wake from some, for you are either sleeping or awake. ⁸And dreaming goes with only one of these. (ACIM, T-29.IV.1:5-8)—— I trust Spirit’s interpretation will be the most helpful for all involved in any situation. Such a judgment would be impossible from the ego’s limited perspective. We are incapable of being the arbiter of truth. Unless we choose to listen to Spirit’s Voice in all situations we will allow the ego to bring truth to its illusions for interpretation.
Over time, a lesson that I have accepted as the truth is: L-284—- I can elect to change all thoughts that hurt. Loss is not loss when properly perceived. ²Pain is impossible. ³There is no grief with any cause at all. ⁴And suffering of any kind is nothing but a dream. ⁵This is the truth, at first to be but said and then repeated many times; and next to be accepted as but partly true, with many reservations. ⁶Then to be considered seriously more and more, and finally accepted as the truth. ⁷I can elect to change all thoughts that hurt. ⁸And I would go beyond these words today, and past all reservations, and arrive at full acceptance of the truth in them (ACIM, W-284.1:1-8)
At first glance this lesson may not be a welcoming idea and in fact a bit overwhelming. If that is the case it is because we are interpreting our experience from the ego’s perspective. Our mind is profoundly split. We see ourselves as separate individuals which always means we are identified with a dissociated mind. Dissociation is the decision to separate and go from a non-dualistic reality to an illusory dualistic dream-world. Once we can accept that we are experiencing a dream-world, not a real world, the above lesson becomes an easily accepted and welcoming fact. Until the dissociation is totally healed we will continue to experience the ego and therefore must be vigilant against our temptation to join with and act out the ego script. Remember, the ego always speaks first and the temptation to react from our ego is a challenge we face everyday. If we feel guilty we are definitely not correcting our error but reinforcing it. Always be gentle and loving with yourself and everyone you perceive. How we see our brothers is how we see ourselves. Our day does not arise at random, it is determined by the voice we choose to listen to. We are cause and not effect of the world. The meaningless forms of our experience may remain the same but the content, or meaning, depends on the voice we choose to listen to. A miracle is a shift in perspective from the ego’s erroneous illusions to Spirit’s corrections. As you work with the Course remember that whenever you are afraid it simply means you have been mistaken and then choose Spirit as your Guide. All effects of your mistake will be transformed.
When you experience Spirit’s Voice, think of it this way:——-It is your voice to which you listen as He speaks to you. ²It is your word He speaks. ³It is the Word of freedom and of peace, of unity of will and purpose, with no separation nor division in the single Mind of Father and of Son. ⁴In quiet listen to your Self today, and let Him tell you God has never left His Son, and you have never left your Self. (ACIM, W-125.8:1-4)
In Gratitude and Love, Caryl
As always, please reach out to me directly with any questions or comments related to this essay or any of my essays at: carylbrowne@gmail.com