The Thing about Things

Things have no life of their own. Our experience of things is always mediated by the cognitive structures that organize sensory data. The sensory system is like a biological interface with some stimulus, be it physical, illusory, dreams or simulation. All biological and physical systems are part of the ego thought system. Scientists who study the phenomenal world and the laws that govern it, are actually studying the ego thought system.

Everything in the ego perceptual thought system takes place within a space-time framework. This illusory framework is essential for any perceptual experience to take place. As the philosopher Immanuel Kant would argue, our theories and observations are always shaped by the categories and forms of our understanding. “Science, therefore, provides us with knowledge of the  phenomenal world—the world as it appears to us—but never of the noumenal world—the world as it truly is. While science offers us a powerful way to describe and explain the phenomena we perceive, it cannot reveal the fundamental nature of reality itself.”

Everything physical will cease to exist, and for biological things that means death is generally preceded by experiences of pain and suffering. — Who, pray tell, would order that?—- You nailed it, the ego—In fact it is these experiences that distinguish the ego from Spirit. Spirit, being real, could not possibly create separate things that could be subject to pain, suffering, loss and death or be threatened in any way. However, these are essential experiences to the ego since they seem to prove both its and the world’s reality. Within the ego framework these physical and biological laws appear to prove that Truth, not only cannot be known, but that pursuit of it would lead to your demise. The ego is a belief about yourself, and when confronted with the truth, both your belief and the ego would be gone.

Once we accept the fact that the perceptual world we experience is a projection of our dissociated mind, the Course can teach us how to use the world to heal our mind. As our mind is healed we can begin to entertain the idea that everything is an idea, that, indeed, we are an idea. As we allow Spirit, and only Spirit, to guide us in contemplating this idea, we will be less fearful. You can be sure that if any fear arises you are listening to the ego’s interpretation, not Spirit’s. In our dissociated, fragmented state, we could not possibly know what reality is, or what a world of ideas really means. It is, however, very clear to me that a phenomenal world of separate things is an insane idea, confirmed by our “history”.

Remember that the Course came about as a result of a sudden decision by two professors of  medical psychology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: Bill Thetford stating there must be better way of understanding,— followed by Helen Schucman’s reply:— and I will help you find it. In this joining they expressed their willingness to question fundamental assumptions about everything. This desire to see things differently, from a different perspective, is the shift in thinking that Spirit had been waiting for. It would now be possible for them to hear His Voice which speaks for the better way. Without the desire to see things differently, we remain trapped within the ego thought system and cannot perceive beyond it.

Lesson 325 is the right-minded and very helpful way to think about our experience.—  This is salvation’s keynote: What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my IDEA of what I want. ²From there, the mind makes up an image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, and therefore seeks to find. ³These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real and guarded as one’s own. From insane wishes comes an insane world. ⁵From judgment comes a world condemned. ⁶And 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. (ACIM, W-325.1:1-6).

Imaginary things can seem to hurt us only because we believe them to be real, much like a nightmare can seem terrifyingly real while we are dreaming. And even when we realize their illusory nature, we do not immediately jump for joy, it takes a while for us to adjust to the new perspective. Think of a child twisting and turning in the grips of a nightmare. From the child’s perspective it would take a miracle to bring him peace. From his parents perspective (outside of the dream) his   “problems” are easily resolved.—— What we fail to understand is that we are in a similar situation as the dreaming child. However, unlike the child who trusts his parent’s guidance, we lack faith in the guidance of Spirit’s Voice,—— but are strong in faith in the dream.

It is the function of His Voice, His Holy Spirit, to mediate between the two worlds. He can do this because, while on the one hand He knows the truth, on the other He also recognizes our illusions, but without believing in them. It is the Holy Spirit’s goal to help us escape from the dream world by teaching us how to reverse our thinking and unlearn our mistakes.(ACIM, Preface.5:4-6)

In Love, Gratitude and Peace,

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