by Beverly McNeff
The following fable tells of a time when humanity had become so evil and corrupt that the angels decided to hide all goodness and truth from them. Not knowing where to hide it, they discussed many ideas. One angel suggested that it be buried in the earth. The other angels disagreed, saying that with everything known about humanity, they would mine the earth for all its resources, polluting and pillaging as they do. They will simply stumble across these precious truths; so, no, the earth would not be a good place.
Another angel suggested the ocean as a good hiding place for goodness and truth. However, that idea was ruled out as well. “Humanity has such an insatiable appetite,” the angel said. “After they have mined the earth, they will go on to the oceans and mine them for all their resources. In the process, they will treat the living oceans as a garbage receptacle, dumping in toxic waste that will warm the waters and poison all life. As a byproduct of their barbarous exploits, they will surely find these treasures.”
Perhaps the sky said another. To put all goodness and truth into outer space might work. But alas, once humanity had conquered the earth and seas, it would move on to the sky. “They will use the sky as if it were their own to populate with weapons of war in a desperate attempt to make themselves feel safe. They will explore the universe to conquer planet after planet, thinking that what they need is out there. No, the sky is not the solution,” said the frustrated angel.
Finally, after having been silent the entire time, a very wise angel said, “We shall put goodness and truth inside of all humanity. For all that we know of them, they will never look for it there.” And, they all nodded in agreement.
I always find these types of fables interesting, because they poignantly address what we already know about ourselves. We have not been good caretakers of our resources or of one another. We have been shortsighted and wasteful, and looked for immediate gratification without being aware of our impact on the life that is all around us. Yes, this has been our history, but it does not have to be our future. There is always the potential within us to arrive at “truth and goodness,” but this means we must stop our paths of destruction and insatiable search outside of ourselves. It is time we realize our search is an “inside job.”
“There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man’s lack of faith in his true self.”
The above quote is from William James, often referred to as the father of American psychology, and he highlights a powerful truth that is the crux of A Course in Miracles. We feel lost and hopeless in our lives and world because we don’t know Who we are; we don’t know the true Self that abides within every living thing. The answer that is within us is not only given to those who look a certain way, follow a particular religious dogma, share the “correct” worldview, or have the right immigration status. It is for ALL of us, but for none of us alone. We will always feel lost and hopeless when we attack, blame, or demonize others because, in doing so, we lose ourselves. As the Course tells us,
“Our function is to work together, because apart from each other we cannot function at all. The whole power of God’s Son lies in all of us, but not in any of us alone.” (T-8.VI.8)
The full power of our true Self cannot be found when we divide and separate. Even those who appear bloated and powerful really are small and lost. They are like big balloons that are always afraid of the smallest pin. They will always project their insecurities because the ego’s self-preservation fears looking within, knowing it will be destroyed. But God is not the destroyer. God only knows life, truth. When we see thoughts of death, thoughts of separation from our Source and each other, we are dead to our reality and the majesty that is all around us. Therefore, the ego is neither life nor death, nor the answer nor the problem; it is nothing. It only has the “power and life” we give it. When we withdraw our value in it, it goes back to the nothingness from whence it came.
“Do you realize that the ego must set you on a journey which cannot but lead to a sense of futility and depression? To seek and not to find is hardly joyous. Is this the promise you would keep? The Holy Spirit offers you another promise, and one that will lead to joy. For His promise is always, ‘Seek and you will find,’ and under His guidance you cannot be defeated. His is the journey to accomplishment, and the goal He sets before you He will give you. For He will never deceive God’s Son whom He loves with the Love of the Father.
“You will undertake a journey because you are not at home in this world. And you will search for your home whether you realize where it is or not. If you believe it is outside you the search will be futile, for you will be seeking it where it is not. You do not remember how to look within for you do not believe your home is there. Yet the Holy Spirit remembers it for you, and He will guide you to your home because that is His mission. As He fulfills His mission He will teach you yours, for your mission is the same as His. By guiding your brothers home you are but following Him.” (T-12.IV.4-5)
When we feel a sense of futility or depression, we are following the ego’s mission, but we are always given another mission through the Answer that God has given us in the Holy Spirit. The Course tells us we will undertake a journey because where we find ourselves is not our home. If we follow the ego’s doctrine of “seek but do not find,” (W-71.4) we will follow a path filled with despair and unfulfillment. We will never be enough, and what another has is taken from us, so we must attack lest we be attacked.
If we follow the Holy Spirit, we will seek and find; we will find our joy and the love that is always supporting us. As the above passage states, the Holy Spirit has a mission, and His mission will not fail. He will teach you what you need to do to fulfill your mission because yours is the same as His. When we reach out to another in love, we are following our mission.
Following His Mission…
“By guiding your brothers home you are but following Him [God].” (T-12.IV.5)
The people I meet and talk to are very caring, aware, and eager to be good custodians of our world and of one another. They are the average day-to-day people, and it is the average day-to-day person and interactions with those people in which real change happens. However, those average, day-to-day people (like you and me) need to realize that we must become the change we desire, and that our transformation will make a difference.
The power of the Course lies in the idea that as we heal our minds and relationships with those around us, our world heals as well. The ego, however, does not care about what will heal anyone or anything, so its methodology is to ensure failure, sadness, and fear. If you feel a need to be “truly helpful,” it will say, “Well, how are you going to fix the entire world and all the problems facing it?” This “everything or nothing” approach is bound to fail and ensure your hopelessness.
On the other hand, the Holy Spirit would ask us to look at the relationship standing before us (physically or in thought) and remember that they are us, and we are both as God created us — not what we have made of ourselves. In this one relationship before us, we find ourselves or lose ourselves. In the beautiful workbook lesson 93, “Light and joy and peace abide in me,” we are told…
“Salvation requires the acceptance of but one thought; — you are as God created you, not what you made of yourself. Whatever evil you may think you did, you are as God created you. Whatever mistakes you made, the truth about you is unchanged. Creation is eternal and unalterable. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. You are and will forever be exactly as you were created. Light and joy and peace abide in you because God put them there.”
It is not in running about the world trying to find a better place to live, a relationship to have, or a new job to do, but rather in finding peace in this moment, wherever you are. You can still move, have a relationship (or a different one), or get a new job, but make peace your goal first. “Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and all else will be given unto you,” means if you find peace first, you will realize that you have everything. Then, you can have your “things” without your “things” having you. You will have withdrawn the power of those “things” in your life.
A holiday for healing awareness…
As we enter this season of Christmas, let us believe what the Course is saying . . .
“The sign of Christmas is a star, a light in darkness. See it not outside yourself, but shining in the Heaven within, and accept it as the sign the time of Christ has come.” (T-15.XI.2)
We are to be the light, the answer that we were created to be in those moments of seeming darkness (fear, judgments, and doubts). It is not in searching the world that we find heaven, but in those moments of peace, when we let forgiveness rest on the issues of our lives.
This section in the Course goes on to say…
“He [Christ] comes demanding nothing. No sacrifice of any kind, of anyone, is asked by Him. In His Presence the whole idea of sacrifice loses all meaning.” (ibid)
We are not asked to “sacrifice” anything we think we need. We are merely to let love in, let forgiveness rest on the issues of life, and allow Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Host to God, or whatever name you want to give this awareness, to sort it all out.
It’s sort of like cleaning out your closet at home. For me, that’s the hardest thing to do. What clothes do I give away? Do I really want to let this blouse go? I know it’s from the 80s, but maybe it will come back in style? Whereas the Holy Spirit steps into the crowded closet of your mind and sorts through your thoughts, focusing on only the loving thoughts that will help you to fulfill your mission (and His) and let the others fall away. Those other thoughts of fear and separation are not real anyway, and when we focus on love, we find that those thoughts no longer “fit” our new style. It is time to unclutter our minds.
And those thoughts will fall away if we do not support them or let our minds wander back into fear and pain. We might think we’ll just hold onto old patterns of thinking and hateful judgment a little longer. But remember my blouse from the 80s, it will not come back in style, and your judgments will never suit you or bring you the peace you are searching for.
It is a practice to watch our thoughts and to choose only love. You might try making a commitment that, on this one fearful and painful issue, you will let forgiveness rest and accept God’s love in exchange for your pain. Even if your willingness is weak, making this start can have miraculous effects. After all, “… to let forgiveness rest upon your dreams, and be restored to sanity and peace of mind” (W-pII.7.4) is definitely worth the little willingness asked of you, right?
The Course offers us a beautiful dedication this holiday season…
“This Christmas give the Holy Spirit everything that would hurt you. Let yourself be healed completely that you may join with Him in healing, and let us celebrate our release together by releasing everyone with us.” (T-15.XI.3)
Let us experience this relationship with the Holy Spirit this holiday season. Bring your fears, pain, and doubts to Him and let forgiveness rest on these situations. This simply means that we need not try to fix it or figure out what to do alone. We are not alone and never have been alone. We will no longer believe in the lies of the ego’s nothingness. It is time we allow God’s Answer (the Holy Spirit) to do His job. Don’t try to do what lies beyond your understanding. Your job is to let forgiveness or love simply fill your mind when you begin to fall into fearful thinking. Let’s affirm this truth from workbook lesson 267 …
“Peace fills my heart, and floods my body with the purpose of forgiveness. Now my mind is healed, and all I need to save the world is given me. Each heartbeat brings me peace; each breath infuses me with strength. I am a messenger of God, directed by His Voice, sustained by Him in love, and held forever quiet and at peace within His loving Arms.”
What a mighty awareness! And, this is what we are entitled to. Let this season be a time when we stop searching the world and listening to all the ego voices that are there to mislead us. We are guaranteed to find our way home because we are already there. It is just awaiting our awareness. After all, we are on a “journey without distance to a goal that has never changed,” (T-8.VI.9) and our elder brother Jesus has perfect faith in us to succeed,
“This is the time in which a new year will soon be born from the time of Christ. I have perfect faith in you to do all that you would accomplish. Nothing will be lacking, and you will make complete and not destroy. …Make this year different by making it all the same. And let all your relationships be made holy for you. This is our will. Amen.” (T-15.XI.10)
Now that’s an awareness worth our focus!
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