The Messiness of Language

I have put God language aside for years.  Even in my experience as a pastor back in the 90’s I minimized my use of the God words.  The words God, Christ, Jesus, Holy Spirit – these words -seem most often to raise more questions than they answer.  They are words that seem to invite the creation of distinctions.  So its weird to me that I find myself so profoundly moved by the content of A COURSE IN MIRACLES.  Language is one piece of the weirdness – it is filled with God language.  Furthermore the book is compiled from seven years of a psychotherapist channeling Jesus. Some stuff here for me to ICE!  Skepticism about what truth is, and where I allow it to show up in my life.  Fear to share what is arising in my life – it seems stranger and stranger.  And yet also more coherent with each new turn in the journey.

The notion in A COURSE IN MIRACLES that helps me so much right now is its clarity of proclaiming there is only the REAL or the ILLUSION.  The illusion is not real. We cannot be separate from what is REAL, we are all equally, inseparably a part of it.  We are the REAL,  we are all equally GOD, otherwise there would be something that is separate from God.  (See, there’s that language again – are you having any reaction to it?) We can perceive that we are not a part of the REAL, of the WHOLE, of ONENESS, but that perception is only an illusion, a dream, or an idol.

So – all there is to do is to choose the REAL, or choose the ILLUSION.  And there is no judgment for choosing the illusion, because how can you judge about something that is not real.  There can only be errors, the choosing of illusions, that can be corrected without judgment.

Choose.  Choose. Choose again.  A COURSE IN MIRACLES contends that choosing reality is ultimately infinitely more satisfying, peaceful, and joyful than living with illusions that are not whole, that are not REAL.

And the path to the REAL?  Forgiveness.  Not judgmental forgiveness, but the forgiveness that helps one recognize that any judgment we have about another is a limitation on our ability to recognize the REAL in all things.  Forgiveness is the pathway to the REAL.  Recognizing that our brother (more of that language, you don’t even hear “sister” in the COURSE) is the same as ourself is the recognition that God is undivided, is ALL, is ONE.

Simple stuff, always available for whenever it makes sense to us, in the exact dosage we’re ready for.

1. THE PROCESS: Choose. Choose. Choose again.  Choose in freedom, there is no judgment.

2. THE FRAMEWORK: Choose toward what’s REAL and ONE, rather than what is idol, dream, or illusion. Illusions end in disillusion.  The REAL ends in perfect peace and joy.

3. THE PATH: The pathway is through others – because we are one with them, there is no separation, no them, just us. Choose what’s REAL about another person, not the illusion we may perceive in them.  Don’t judge, because the aspect that is illusion is not real, and the aspect that is REAL is God, is Us,  is beyond judgment.

Learn more at the  COURSE IN MIRACLES website,  www.acim.org

I’ll keep adding more posts as I continue my journey with the question of how to make healing last.  The COURSE actually says there’s not body to heal, just illusions to let go of – that what is REAL is also healthy – as I said, strange journey…but…when you see people get well you start paying more attention to the results than to having your illusions embarrassed.  Step by step.  See you at the next post.

Why do I love this again?  It’s helping me see a way to invite people to hold onto the health they experience with ICE.  Somewhere in all of this is a journey toward lasting health.  I’m in search of the content for sure – but also the language – looking for language.

Lars