When you have been caught in the world of perception you are caught in a dream. - A Course in Miracles

The perceptual mind is a split mind with two interpreters: the ego or Spirit. The ego is afraid of truth; Spirit guides you toward truth. Our experience is not derived from events that develop with the passage of time, but from the interpreter we (observer) choose to listen to. We must choose one or the other and what we experience attests to what we chose, what we want.

Please quietly reflect on each sentence, as you read the following quote from ACIM.

What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I want.

From there, the mind makes up an image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, and therefore seeks to find.

These images are then projected outward,—- looked upon, —-esteemed as real

and guarded as one’s own.

From insane wishes comes an insane world.

From judgment comes a world condemned.

And from forgiving thoughts a gentle world comes forth, with mercy for the holy Son of God, to offer him a kindly home where he can rest a while before he journeys on, and help his brothers walk ahead with him, and find the way to Heaven and to God. W-325.1:1-6

If we (observer) choose to identify with the ego we made, the images that we see will reflect the belief we have separated from our Unitary Source and are self created. From this insane belief our mind made an image of the separated self our mind desired, judged as valuable and therefore sought to find.These images, of bodies living in a world, were then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real and guarded as our own. From these guilt-ridden insane wishes came an insane world. From our condemning judgments came a world condemned.

IN DESPERATION, I PLEADED: THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY TO PERCEIVE THE WORLD!  ABOVE ALL ELSE I DESIRE TO KNOW THE TRUTH!

The realization that this perceptual world I was experiencing could not be true, was a necessary step in my accepting ACIM: A new way of thinking, bring me closer to truth. Eventually I became aware of an Inner Voice that is my Guide to peace. Forgiveness is the means, because it teaches me how to correct the fearful images I projected. Make no mistake, our attachment to the ego we made and identify with, although completely illusory, is very powerful. And without the acceptance of the Voice for truth within us, the fear of letting go of the ego would be too great!

Over time perception of a gentle world came forth where I can rest a while, before I journeyed on. It is now very clear to me that the Voice I hear is not “outside” myself. The closest I can come to conveying what I experience is beautifully expressed in L-125:

“He speaks from nearer than your heart to you. His Voice is closer than your hand. His Love is everything you are and that He is; the same as you, and you the same as He.. IT IS YOUR VOICE TO WHICH YOU LISTEN AS HE SPEAKS TO YOU. IT IS YOUR WORD HE SPEAKS. It 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. In quiet listen to your Self today, and let Him tell you God has never left His Son, and you have never left your Self. (W-125.7:2–8:4)

My peace comes from knowing that I AM THE DREAMER and not the figure in the dream. This Voice within, my/our reality, is my source of strength and peace of mind; my Teacher, Guiding me back to the home I never left.

Joy is an attribute of the purpose of the interpreter we choose to listen to. Our experience of peace and joy is a witness to our choice for Spirit!

Peace and Joy,

Caryl