This short article begins a set on which A Course in Miracles (ACIM) means when it speaks of the “miracle” and the “mind.” Some students can cite definitions from the Course, understanding the non-dualistic meaning within the knowledge of dualism takes time to master and apply. It is only with the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can attempt unlearning-learning process. Correction is in the mind of the perceiver and not through forms as true choice is between listening two voices: God or the ego. Claims to be of a “miracle mind” is actually the ego, forgiveness-to-destroy and spiritual specialness. The ego speaks first and the loudest. Love is quiet; and love is expressed nowadays through right-minded forgiveness.
Spiritual specialness is from the unconscious arrogance of the ego wrong mind which believes it is in competition with God. Since we’re the same, we’re actually competing with everyone all the time until we learn this lesson. All conflict arises from the idea of competition course in miracles books. Spiritual specialness makes some relationships holy and others not because the ego’s agenda is that we don’t understand that the purpose given anything is in the mind from choosing with God or the ego. To take back our decision making ability is the purpose of the Course.
The ego’s voice, which we mistakenly believe could be the Holy Spirit, contains no humility nor dependence on God. Rather, it is the voice for being self-created, i.e., the authority problem. Many of us have confusion regarding the writer of our existence (ego or God) and the difference between form (illusion) and content (mind where correction take place). To be miracle-minded, we can’t be in conflict on any level for the right-mind itself is conflict-free. There’s a difference between right-miracle-minded and the miracle mind of the ego.
We’ve no honesty once we use spiritual specialness once we assert we’re more holy, more chosen by God than another. This can be a defense against the contrary and we are discussing this subject in greater depth in subsequent article. Being more chosen could be the antithesis of the Course’s message.
To carry on this discussion, let’s begin with some word symbol definitions. We shall look at both the ego definition and the Course’s definition. Only the ego is fully definable because it is limitation itself. Perceived lack through projected forms (illusions) leads directly to spiritual specialness.
The Ego’s Miracle:
In the dictionary, the phrase symbol definition for “miracle” is: “An astonishing or welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the task of a divine agency.” The meaning for “agency” is, “An organization with several parties.”
This can be a perfect example wherein two separate parties, the ego god and its version of the vengeful God, compete for forms within the dualistic illusion as the “divine agency.” This is why forms don’t need correction but rather the mind that perceives this silliness is in need of correction. Asking the ego god for magic event (to replace a questionnaire with a form) distorts prayer and the Son forgets who He is. The ego becomes the writer of the Son’s existence and spiritual specialness takes root wherein the Son who is choosing the ego, competes with God to make himself special to obtain noticed by God. Provided that we don’t look at this, we remain a prisoner of this world.
A standard mistake to get noticed here by God is to think that changing our mind will change our life (forms, bodies, behaviors, relationships, etc.). Based on the ego, if we have an excellent life, we avoid punishment but you’ll find so many versions (forms) of an excellent life so that’s filled with judgment. Again, changing forms make error real because it applies judgment this 1 form is better while condemning another.
There’s no life beyond Heaven. Purpose is in the mind; and our life’s purpose is to master and practice forgiveness if we can be miracle-minded. Peace, or inner peace, is approximately content and not form. It is from choosing what is not of this world (the right-minded content of the Holy Sprit) which can be the actual miracle-mind within the illusory world. The miracle is just a shift in perception and not just a shift in form (illusion).
The Course’s Miracle:
In the Course, the phrase symbol definition for “miracle” is quite long because of what all magic accomplishes. We’ve referenced some aspects but to completely understand the miracle, spend time and willingness to unlearn the ego version and learn the ACIM version by starting with Chapter 1: The Meaning of Miracles. Additionally, Kenneth Wapnick has written a book called, “The 50 Miracle Principles of A Course in Miracles.” For the goal of this brief article, it is sufficient for all of us to add these in to the discussion:
“The miracle forgives; the ego damns (C-2.10). Miracle-minded forgiveness is the sole correction because it doesn’t have element of judgment at all (T-2.V.A). Wholeness could be the perception content of miracles. Thus they correct, or atone for, the faulty perception of lack (T-1.I.41). Miracles arise from a miraculous state of mind, or state of miracle readiness (T-1.I.43). Miracles are an expression of inner awareness of Christ and acceptance of His Atonement (T-1.I.44).”
The Ego’s Mind:
In the dictionary, the phrase symbol definition for “mind” is: “The element of a person that allows them to keep yourself informed of the world and their experiences, to consider and to feel, the intelligence and brains, reasoning and judgment.” Intelligence is just a key point which reveals the decision being made with the ego wrong mind.
Intelligence is defined as, “The capability to acquire knowledge and skills, intellect, judgment and reasoning.” Intelligence makes the world real (error real) by making use of judgment this 1 form surpasses another. If we look back at the Course’s definition for the miracle, “Miracle-minded forgiveness is the sole correction because it doesn’t have element of judgment at all (T-2.V.A).
How quickly intelligence gets used as a tool through spiritual specialness to compete with God is astounding. We believe we’re following Holy Spirit’s guidance when it is actually the ego god. Like, everywhere we use intelligence to handle other people’s issues which is really a blame projection. There are no “other people’s issues” unless we first rely on separation and differences and desire to see our repressed guilt in another. Everyone and everything is a part of our mind. Further, to claim it is our job to handle or correct other’s issues take specialness to an even more arrogant level to be chosen by God. We’re literally saying with our ego that we can perform the Holy Spirit’s job a lot better than Him which takes out a billboard sign announcing our direct competition with God. It uses, “I’m a lot better than you” forgiveness-to-destroy, probably the most massive in separation between God and our brothers.
The intellect can be to blame behind our need to develop a curriculum of teaching the Course through retreats and workshops for money. Put simply, we’re now saying the Course’s curriculum by Jesus is insufficient and we could do better. We try this because we don’t understand the Course’s point that we are all unhealed healers attempting to accomplish what we cannot do for ourselves and thus why we truly need the Voice for God. This is another point to be discussed in a future article. Very, very few are right-minded enough to allow the Holy Spirit lead just how because most believe they’re in competition with God and others.
Nowhere does some of this signify we may not need boundaries with ego’s crossing the line with spiritual specialness. Actually, it is unkind not to have boundaries when spiritual specialness gets control since it has such massive arrogance of someone believing they’re a lot better than another. Competition makes egos act incredibly vengeful because of the total belief in lack.
The Course’s Mind:
In the Course, the phrase symbol definition for “mind” is, “The activating agent of spirit, supplying its creative energy (C-1.1).” This is broken into, “Right-mindedness which describes the Holy Spirit, forgives the world, and through Christ’s vision sees the real world in its place (C-1.5); and wrong-mindedness which listens to the ego and makes illusions (C-1.6). Nowadays, the sole remaining freedom could be the freedom of choice; always between two choices or two voices (C-1.7).”
As Kenneth Wapnick once said, “Love is quiet and do not need to make assertions.” The miracle-minded understand that prayer is always to ask to discover ways to forgive first so that true prayer is released back into song. Our goal is to be miracle-minded with the actual miracle mind of the Holy Spirit right-mind and that is only through choice. The energy of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world You are able to decide to see right (T-12.VII.9).
