What is the Body?
The teachings of A Course in Miracles help us to distinguish what is real and unreal (knowledge and perception). The world we perceive (the world of time and change, of beginnings and endings) is based on our interpretation. It is a world of birth and death, scarcity, loss, and separation. It is a learned perception, inaccurate and unstable. What perception sees and hears appears to be real because it permits into awareness only the wishes of the perceiver, leading to a world of illusions, which needs constant defense.
The ego's domain of guilt and fear (an unhealed mind) has us convinced that the body is a separate entity from the mind. Until we finally accept that body and mind are together within the mind, the illusory cycle of birth and death will continue … the last Special Relationship to be healed.
This dis-ease became a disease, and the body became very sick. I lost hair by the handfuls, weight dropped to 94 lbs, was dehydrated, and heart racing. After being diagnosed with Graves Disease and prescribed medication, my health was still on the decline. I felt like I was literally disappearing - the ego wanted to obliterate me.
A couple of months into this, my health was still declining. I worked at trying to forgive the illness, the fact that I was taking medication (magic), and even the fact that someone had to 'care' for me. I was too weak to care for myself, to walk, or even immerse myself in conversation (I felt like death), so was staying with a friend. One evening, while sitting near the computer as my friend was conversing with another friend via skype about the course, there was some mention of 'guilt' and 'magic'. Suddenly, the 'light switch' went on for me. I then realized that it was the guilt that I needed to forgive; not the illness or the medication. I had to go deeper and forgive the guilt that I was holding onto.
I went to bed that night and I listed off everything that I felt guilty about and everyone I was angry with, including myself, and sincerely forgave. Following that, I gave gratitude for everything that was given or shown to me. The next morning when I got, I immediately knew there was something different; I could feel the life back in my body. I went downstairs, had a coffee, chatted for awhile, then said, "You know, I feel great, I think I'm going to go home."
"Each lily of forgiveness offers all the world the silent miracle of love." (L-341.13)
A miracle is a correction reminding the mind that what it sees is false, undoing the error. Not attempting to exceed the function for forgiveness, it stays within the limits of 'time'. Forgiveness is the home of miracles.
We go through our illusory lives, the ego mind or 'small self' unconsciously pushing and packing unwanted emotions and feelings away, that we just don't want to deal with. While in theory, it seems like a good plan of action, it is in actuality causing havoc in 'the world' and keeping us away from experiencing true peace and joy.
When one becomes a student of A Course in Miracles, they can be assured that life as they have known it will shift and change. The familiar will start to fall away, as the ego mind twists and churns in childlike tantrums. False beliefs and concepts are being flushed out of hiding. Some of the changes are subtle, while others are of significance.
A couple of years ago, for me, the onset of this shift was soon in motion and there was no turning back. I sold my house and moved closer to my parents to help them out. About three months after the move, my parents started receiving help from various outside sources, therefore no longer requiring my assistance. There was a lot of pent up anger, rage and resentment being flushed up, which was directed towards them and the situation, even at the course. I resented the fact that I had come into contact with A Course in Miracles, as if it were some ancient curse.
Though subsconsciously, I was still using the tools. My mind was flitting through thoughts such as, you did this, you created this mess, you can't undo it, what now! I then turned that anger and rage towards myself, realizing that I was responsible for creating the situations outside myself, all the while the ego is screaming, "Look what YOU'VE done … this is SACRIFICE".
This dis-ease became a disease, and the body became very sick. I lost hair by the handfuls, weight dropped to 94 lbs, was dehydrated, and heart racing. After being diagnosed with Graves Disease and prescribed medication, my health was still on the decline. I felt like I was literally disappearing - the ego wanted to obliterate me.
A couple of months into this, my health was still declining. I worked at trying to forgive the illness, the fact that I was taking medication (magic), and even the fact that someone had to 'care' for me. I was too weak to care for myself, to walk, or even immerse myself in conversation (I felt like death), so was staying with a friend. One evening, while sitting near the computer as my friend was conversing with another friend via skype about the course, there was some mention of 'guilt' and 'magic'. Suddenly, the 'light switch' went on for me. I then realized that it was the guilt that I needed to forgive; not the illness or the medication. I had to go deeper and forgive the guilt that I was holding onto.
I went to bed that night and I listed off everything that I felt guilty about and everyone I was angry with, including myself, and sincerely forgave. Following that, I gave gratitude for everything that was given or shown to me. The next morning when I got, I immediately knew there was something different; I could feel the life back in my body. I went downstairs, had a coffee, chatted for awhile, then said, "You know, I feel great, I think I'm going to go home."
Related post: People Pleasing: Bad for Your Health
"The body is a fence the Son of God imagines he has built, to separate parts of his Self from other parts. It is within this fence he thinks he lives, to die as it decays and crumbles. For within this fence he thinks that he is safe from love. Identifying with his safety, he regards himself as what his safety is. How else could he be certain he remains within the body, keeping love outside?
The body will not stay. Yet this he sees as double safety. For the Son of God's impermanence is "proof" his fences work, and do the task his mind assigns to them. For if his oneness still remained untouched, who could attack and who could be attacked? Who could be victor? Who could be his prey? Who could be victim? Who the murderer? And if he did not die, what "proof" is there that God's eternal Son can be destroyed?
The body is a dream. Like other dreams it sometimes seems to picture happiness, but can quite suddenly revert to fear, where every dream is born. For only love creates in truth, and truth can never fear. Made to be fearful, must the body serve the purpose given it. But we can change the purpose that the body will obey by changing what we think that it is for.
The body is the means by which God's Son returns to sanity. Though it was made to fence him into hell without escape, yet has the goal of Heaven been exchanged for the pursuit of hell. The Son of God extends his hand to reach his brother, and to help him walk along the road with him. Now is the body holy. Now it serves to heal the mind that it was made to kill.
You will identify with what you think will make you safe. Whatever it may be, you will believe that it is one with you. Your safety lies in truth, and not in lies. Love is your safety. Fear does not exist. Identify with love, and you are safe. Identify with love, and you are home. Identify with love, and find your Self." (L-261.5)
Retreat at La Casa: Releasing Emotions
David and Michael lead a morning session about allowance of emotions to release the stories of the personality self. Healing abounds and need not be avoided. There is never a need to compromise when healing is the Purpose (English with Spanish translation).Retreat at La Casa: Releasing Emotions
Excellent story ~ I am going to do my best to follow your advice. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you so much Dart Del .... I appreciate your kind words ❤
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