IA´s Journal

[IA56]

IS REINCARNATION SO?

In the unltimate sense, reincarnation is impossible. There is no past or future,
and the idea of birth into a body has no meaning either once or many times.
Reincarnation cannot, then, be true in any real sense. Our only question should
be, "Is the concept helpful?" And that depends, of course, on what it is used for.
If it is used to strengthenthe recognition of the eternal nature of life, it is helpful
indeed. Is any other question about the reality useful in lighting up the way? Like
many other beliefs, it can be bitterly misused. At least such misuse offers pre-
occupation and perhaps pride in the past. At worst, it induces inertia in the present.
In between, many kinds of folly are possible.
Reincarnation would not, under any circumstances, be the problem to be dealt with
now. If it were responsible for some of the difficulties the individual faces now, his
task would still be only to escape from them now. If he is laying the groundwork for
a future life, he can still work out his salvation only now. To some, there may be
confort in the concept, and if it heartens them its value is self-evident. It is certain,
however, that the way to salvation can be found by those who believe in reincarnation
and by those who do not. The idea cannot, therefore, be regarded as essetial to the
curriculum. There is always some risk in seeing the present in terms of the past. There
is always some good in any thought which strenghtens the idea that life and the body
are not the same.
For our purposes, it would not be helpful to take any definite stand in reincarnation. A
teacher of God should be as helpful to those who believe in it as to those who do not.
If a definite stand were required of him, it would merely limit his usefulness, as well as
his own decision-making. Our course is not concerned with any concept that is not
acceptable to anyone, regardless of his formal beliefs. His ego will be enough for him
to cope with, and it is not the part of wisdom to add sectarian controversis to his burdens.
Nor would there be an advantage in his premature acceptance of the course merely
because it advocates a long-held belief of his own.
It cannot be too strongly emphasized that this course aims at a complete reversal of
thought. When this is finally accomplished, issues such as the validity of reincarnation
become meaningless. Until then, they are likely to be merely controversial. The teacher
of God is, therefore, wist to step away from all such questions, for he has to teach and
learn apart from them. He should both learn and teach that theoretical issues but waste
time, draining it away from its appointed purpose. If there are aspects to any concept or
belief that will be helpful, he will be told about it. He will also be told how to use it. What
more need he know?
Does this mean that the teacher of God should not believe in reincarntion himself, or
discuss it with others who do? The answer is, certainly not! If he does believe in rein-
carnation, it would be a mistake for him to renounce the belief unless his internal
Teacher so advised. And this is most unlikely. He might be advised that he is misusing
the belief in some way that is detrimental to his pupil´s advance or his own. Reinterpretation
would then be recommended, because it is necessary. All that must be recognized, however,
is that birth was not the beginning, and death is not the end. Yet even this much is not
required of the beginner. He need merely accept the idea that what he knows is not necessarily
all there is to learn. His journey has begun.
The emphasis of this course always remains the same; - it is at this moment that complete
salvation is offered you, and it is at this moment that you can accept it. This is still your one
responsibility. Atonement might be equated with total escape from the past and total lack of
interest in the future. Heaven is here. There is nowhere else. Heaven is now. There is no
other time. No teaching that does not lead to this is of concern to God´s teachers. All beliefs
will point to this if properly interpreted. In this sense, it can be said that their truth lies in their
usefulness. All beliefs that lead to progress should be honored. This is the sole criterion this
course requires. No more than this is necessary.

Love

[IA56]

ARE "PSYCHIC" POWERS DESIRABLE?

The answer to this question is much like the preceding one. There are, of course,
no "unnatural" powers, and it is obviously merely and appeal to magic to make up
a power that does not exist. It is equally obvious, however, that each individual has
many abilities of which he is unaware. As his awaeness increases, he may well develop
abilities that seem quite startling to him. Yet nothing he can do can compare even in the
slightest with the glorious surprise of rememebering Who he is. Let all his learning and
all his efforts be content to be delayed by the little ones that may come to him on the
way.
Certainly there are many "psychic" powers that are clearly in line with this course.
Communication is not limited to the smal range of channels the world recognizes. It is
were, there would be little point in trying to teach salvation. It would be impossible to do so.
The limits the world places on communication are the chief barriers to direct experience
the Holy Spirit, Whose Presence is always there and Whose Voice is available but for the
hearing. These limits are placed out of fear, for without them the walls that surround all the
separate place of the world would fall at the holy sound of His Voice. Who transcends these
limits in any way is merely becoming more natural. He is doing nothing special, and there is
no magic in his accomplishments.
The seemingly new abilities that may be gathered on the way can be very helpful. Given to
the Holy Spirit, and used under His direction, they are valuable teaching aids. To this, the
question of how they arise is irrelevent. The only important consideration is how they are used.
Taking them as ends in themselves, no matter how this is done, will delay progress. Nor does
their value lie in proving anything; achievements from the past, unusal attunement with the
"unseen," or special favors from God. God gives no special favors, and no one has any powers
that are not available to everyone. Only by tricks of magic are special powers "demonstrated."
Nothing that is genuine is used to deceive. The Holy Spirit is incapable of deception, and He can
use only genuine abilities. What is used for magic is useless to Him. But what He uses cannot be
used for magic. There is, however, a particular appeal in unusual abilities that can be curiously
tempting. Here are strengths which the Holy Spirit wants and needs. Yet the ego sees in these
same strengths and opportunity to glorify itself. Strengths turned to weakness are tragedy indeed.
Yet what is not given to the Holy Spirit must be given to weakness, for what is withheld from love
is given to fear, and will be fearful in consequence.
Even those who no longer value material things of the world may still be decieved by "psychic"
powers. As investment has been withdrawn from the world´s material gifts, the ego has been
seriously threatened. It may still be strong enough to rally under this new temptation to win back
strength by guile . Many have not seen through the ego´s defenses here, although they are not
particularly subtle. Yet, given a remaining wish to be deceived, deception is made easy. Now the
"power" is no longer a genuine ability, and cannot be used dependably. It is almost inevitable that,
unless the individual changes his mind about its purpose, he will bolster his "power´s" uncertainties
with increasing deception.
Any ability that anyone develops has the potentiality for good. To this there is no exception. And the
more unusual and unexpected the power, the greater its potential usefulness. Salvation has need of
all abilities, for what the world would destroy the Holy Spirit would restore. "Psychic" abilities have
been used to call upon the devil, which merely means to strengthen the ego. Yet here is also a great
channel of hope and healing in the Holy Spirit´s service. Those who have developed "psychic" powers
have simply let some of the limitations they laid upon their minds be lifted. It can be but further limitations
they lay upon themselves if they utilize their increased freedom for greater imprisonment. The Holy Spirit
needs these gifts, and those who offer them to Him and Him alone go with Christ´s gratitude upon their
hearts, and His holy sight not far behind.

Love

[IA56]

CAN GOD BE REACHED DIRECTLY?

God indeed can be reached directly, for there is no distance between Him and His Son.
His awareness is in everyone´s memory, and His Word is written on everyone´s heart.
Yet this awareness and this memory can arise across the treshold of recongition only
where all barriers to truth have been removed. In how many is this the case? Here, then,
is the role of God´s teachers. They, too, have not attained the necessary understanding
as yet, but they have joined with others. This is what sets them apart from the world.
And it is this that enables others to leave the world with them. Alone they are nothing.
But in their joining is the Power of God.
There are those who have reached God directly, retaining no trace of worldly limits and
remembering their own Identity perfectly. These might be called theTeachers of teachers
because, although they are no longer visible, their image can yet be called upon. And they
will appear when and where it is helpful for them to do so. To those to whom such appearences
would be frightening, they give their ideas. No one can call on them in vain. Nor is there anyone
of whom they are unaware. All needs are known to them , and all mistakes are recognized and
overlooked by them. The time will come when this is understood. And meanwhile, they give all
their gifts to the teachers of God who look to them for help, asking all things in their Name and in
no other.
Somethimes a teacher of God may have a brief experince of direct union with God. In this world,
it is almost impossible that this endure. It can, perhaps, be won after much devotion and dedication,
and then be maintained for much of the time on earth. But this is so rare that it cannot be considered
a realistic goal. If it happens, so be it. If it does not happen, so be it as well. All worldly states must be
illusory. If God were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained.
Those who have laid the body down merely to extend their helpfulness to those remaining behind are
few indeed. And they need helpers who are still in bondage and still asleep, so that by their awakening
can God´s Voice be heard.
Do not despair, then, because of limitations. It is your function to escape from them, but not to be without
them. If you would be heard by those who suffer, you must speak their language. If you would be a savior,
you must understand what needs to be escaped . Salvation is not theoretical. Behold the problem, ask for
the answer, and then accept it when it comes. Nor will its coming be long delayed. All the help you can accept
will be provided, and not one need you have will not be met. Let us not, then, be too concerned with goals for
which you are not ready. God takes you where you are and welcome you. What more could you desire, when
this is all you need?

Love

[IA56]

WHAT IS DEATH?

Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem. It is not madness to think
of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, and dying in the end? We have asked
this question before, but now we need to consider it more carefully. It is the one
fixed, unchangeable belief of the world that all things in it are born only to die. This
is regarded as "the way of nature" not to be raised to question, but be accepted as the
"natural" law of life.
The cyclical, the changing and unsure;the undependable and the unsteady, waxing
and waning in a certain way upon a certain path, - all this is taken as the Will of God.
And no one asks if a being Creator could will this.
In this perception of the universe as God created it, it would be impossible to think of
Him as loving. For who has decreed that all things pass away, ending in dust and
disappontment and despair, can but be feared. He holds your little life in his hand but
by a thread, ready to break it off without regret or care, perhaps today.
Or if he waits, yet is the ending certain. Who loves such a god knows not of love, because
he has denied that life is real. Death has become life´s symbol. His world is now a battle-
ground, where contradiction reigns and opposites make endless war. Where there is death
is peace impossible.
Death is the symbol of the fear of God. His Love is blotted out in the idea, which holds it from
awareness like a shield held up to obscure the sun. The grimness of the symbol is enough to
show it cannot coexist with God. It holds an image of the Son of God in which he is "laid to rest"
in devastations´s arms, where worms wait to greet him and to last a little while by his destruction.
Yet the worms as well are doomed to be destroyed as certainly. And so do all things live because
of death. Devouring is nature´s "law of life" God is insane, and fear alone is real.
The curious belief that there is part of dying things that may go on apart from what will die, does not
proclaim a loving God nor re-establish any grounds for trust. If death is real for anything, there is no
life. Death denies life. But if there is reality in life, death is denied. No compromise in this is possible.
There is either a god of fear or One of Love. The world attempts a thousand compromises, and will
attempt a thousand more. Not one can be acceptable to God´s teachers, because not one could be
acceptable to God. He did not make death because He did not make fear. Both are equally meaningless
to Him.
The "reality" of death is firmly rooted in the belief that God´s son is a body. And if God created bodies,
death would indeed be real. But God would not be loving. There is no point at which the contrast between
the perception of the real world and that of the world of illusions becomes more sharply evident. Death is
indeed the death of God, if He is Love. And now His Own Creation must stand in fear of Him. He is not
Father, but destroyer. He is not Creator, but avenger. Terrible His Thoughts and fearful His image.
To look on His Creation is to die.
"And the last to be overcome will be death." Of course! Without the idea of death there is no world. All dreams
will end with this one. This is salvation´s final goal; the end of all illusions. And in death are all illusions born.
What can be born of death and still have Life? But what is born of God and still can die? The inconsistencies,
the compromises and the rituals the world fosters in its vain attempts to cling to death and yet to think love real
are mindless magic, ineffectual and meaningless. God is, and in Him all created things must be eternal. Do you
not see that otherwise He has an opposite, and fear would be as real as love?
Teacher of God, your one assignment would be stated thus: Accept no compromise in which death plays a part.
Do not believe in cruelty, nor let attack conceal the truth from you. What seems to die has but been misperceived
and carried to illusion. Now it becomes your task to let the illusions be carried to the truth. Be steadfast but in this;
be not deceived by the "reality" of any changing form. Truth neither moves nor waves nor sinks down to death and
dissolution. And what is the end of death? Nothing but this; the realization that the Son of God is guiltless now and
forever. Nothing but this. But do not let yourself forget it is not less than this.

Love

[IA56]

WHAT IS THE RESURRECTION?

Very simply, the resurrection is the overcoming or surmounting of death.
It is a reawakening or a rebirth; a change of mind about the meaning of
the world. It is the acceptance of the Holy Spirit´s interpretation of the
world´s purpose; the acceptance of the Atonement for oneself. It is the end
of dreams of misery, and the glad awareness of the Holy Spirit´s final dream.
It is the recongition of the gifts of God. It is the dream in which the body functions
perfectly, having no function except communication . It is the lesson in which
learning ends, for it is consummated and surpassed with this it is the invitation
to God to take His final step. It is the relinquishment of all other purposes, all other
interests, all other wishes and all other concerns. It is the single desire of the Son
for the Father.
The resurrection is the denial of death, being the assertion of life. Thus is all the
thinking of the world reversed entirely. Life is now recongized as salvation, and pain
and misery of any kind perceived as hell. Love is no longer feared, but gladly welcomed.
Idols have disappeared, and the remembrance of God shines unimpeded across the
world. Christ´s face is seen in every living thing, and nothing is held in darkness, apart
from the light of forgiveness. There is no sorrow still upon the earth. The joy of Heaven
has come upon it.
Here the curriculum ends. From here on, no directions are needed. Vision is wholly corrected
and all mistakes undone. Attack in meaningless and peace has come. The goal of the curriculum
has been achieved. Thoughts turn to Heaven and away from hell. All longings are satisfied, for
what remains unanswered or incomplete? The last illusions spreads across the world, forgiving
all things and replacing all attack. The whole reversal is accomplished. Nothing is left to contradict
the Word of God. There is no opposition to the truth. And now the truth can come at last. How
quickly will it come as it is asked to enter and envelop such a world!
All living hearts are tranquil with a stir of deep anticipation, for the time of everlasting things is now
at hand. There is no death. The Son of God is free. And in his freedom is the end of fear. No hidden
places now remain one earth to shelter sick illusions, dreams of fear and misperceptions of universe.
All things are seen in light, and in the light their purpose is transformed and understood. And we, God´s
children, rise up from the dust and look upon our perfect sinlessness. The song of Heaven sounds
around the world, as it is lifted up and brought to truth.
Now there are no distrinctions. Differences have disappeared and Love looks on Itself. What further sight
is needed? What remains that vision could accomplish? We have seen the face of Christ, His sinlessness,
His Love behind all forms, beyond all pruposes. Holy are we because His holiness has set us free indeed!
And we accept His holiness as ours; as it is. As God created us so will we be forever and forever, and we
wish for nothing but His Will to be our own. Illusions of Another will are lost, for unity of purpose has been
found.
These things await us all, but we are not prepared as yet to welcome them with joy. As long as any mind
remains possessed of evil dreams, the thought of hell is real. God´s teachers have the goal of wakening
the minds of those asleep, and seeing there the vision of Christ´s face to take the place of what they dream.
The thought of murder is replaced with blessing. Judgment is laid by, and given Him Whose function
judgment is. And in His final judgment is restored the truth about the holy Son of God. He is redeemed, for
he has Heard God´s Word and understood its meaning. He is free because he let God´s Voice proclaim the
truth. And all he sought before to crusify are resurrected with him, by his side, as he prepares with them to
meet his God.

Love

[IA56]

AS FOR THE REST ----

This manual is not intended to answer all questions that both teacher and pupil may raise.
In fact, it covers only a few of the more obvious ones, in terms of a brief summary of some
of the major concepts in the text and the workbook. It is not a substitute for either, but merely
a supplement. While it is called a manual for teachers, it must be remembered that only time
divides teachers and pupils, so that the difference is temporary by definition. In some cases,
it may be helpful for the pupil to read the manual first. Others might do better to begin with the
workbook. Still others may need to start at the more abstract lever of the text.
Which is for which? Who would profit more from prayers alone? Who needs but a smile, being
as yet unready for more? No one should attempt to answer these questions alone. Surely no
teacher of God has come this far without realizing that. The curriculum is highly individualized,
and all aspects are under the Holy Spirit´s particular care and guidance. Ask and He will answer.
The responsibility is His, and He alone is fit to assume it. To do so is His function. To refer the
question to Him is yours. Would you want to be responsible for decisions about which you under-
stand so little. Be glad you have a Teacher Who cannot make a mistake. His answers are always
right. Would you say that of yours?
There is another advantage, - and a very important one, - in reffering decisions to the Holy Spirit
with increasing frequency. Perhaps you have not thought of this aspect, but its centrality is obvious.
To follow the Holy Spirit´s guicance is to let yourself be absolved of guilt. It is the essence of the
Atonement. It is the core of the curriculum. The imagined usurping of functions not yours own is
the basis of fear. The whole world you see reflects the illusion that you have done so, making fear
inevitable. To return the function to the One to Whom it belongs is thus the escape from fear. And
it is this that lets the memory of love return to you. Do not, then, think that following the Holy Sprit´s
guidance is necessary merely because of your own inadequacies. It is the way out of hell for you.
Here again is the paradox often referred to in the course. To say, "Of my self I can do nothing" is to
gain all power. And yet it is but a seeming paradox. As God created you, you have all power. The
image you made of yourself has none. The Holy Spirit knows the truth about you. The image you
made does not. Yet, despite its obvious and complete ignorance, this image assumes it knows all
things because you have given that belief to it. Such is your teaching, and teaching of the world that
was made to uphold it. But the Teacher Who knows the truth has not forgotten it. His decisions bring
benefit to all, being wholly devoid of attack. And therefore incapable of arousing guilt.
Who assumes a power that he does no possess is deceiving himself. Yet to accept the power given him
by God is but to acknowledge his Creator and accept His gifts. And His gifts have no limit. To ask the
Holy Spirit to decide for you is simply to accept your true inheritance. Does this mean that you cannot say
anything without consulting Him? No, indeed! That would hardly be practical, and it is the practical with
which this course is most concerned. If you have made it a habit to ask for help when and where you can,
you can be confident that wisdom remember God when you can throughout the day, ask the Holy Spirit´s
help when it is feasible to do so, and thank Him for His guidance at night. And your confidence will be well
founded indeed.
Never forget that the Holy Spirit does not depend on your words. He understands the request of your heart,
and answers them. Does this mean that, while attack remains attractive to you, He will respond with evil?
Hardly! For God has given Him the power to translate your prayers of the heart into His language. He under-
stands that an attack is a call for help. And He responds with help accordingly. God would be cruel if He let
your words replace His Own. A loving father does not let his child harm himself, or choose his own destruction.
He may ask for injury, but his father will protect him still. And how much more than this does your Father love
His Son?
Remember you are His completion and His Love. Remember your weakness is His strength. But do not read this
hastily or wrongly. If His strength is in you, what you perceive as your weakness is but illusion. And He has given
you the means to prove it so. Ask all things of His Teacher, and all things are given you. Not in the future but
immediately; now. God does not wait, for waiting implies time and He is timeless. Forget your foolish images,
your sense of frailty and your fear of harm, your dreams are danger and selected "wrongs." God knows but His
Son, and as he was created so he is. In confidence I place you in His hands, and I give thanks for you that this is so.

And now in all your doings be you blessed.
God turns to you for help to save the world.
Teacher of God, His thanks He offers you,
And all the world stands silent in the grace
You bring from Him. You are the Son He loves,
And it is given you to be the means
Through which His Voice is Heard around the world,
To close all things of time; to end the sight
Of all things visible; and to undo
All things that change. Through you is ushered in
A world unseen, unheard, yet truly there.
Holy are you, and in your light the world
Reflects you holiness, for you are not
Alone and friendless. I give thanks for you,
And join you efforts on behalf of God,
Knowing they are on my behalf as well,
And for all those who walks to God with me.

AMEN

It is left clarifications of terms, are anyone interested me to write them too??

Love

[Timothy]

IA,

I'd be very interested in seeing the clarifications. TY

[susan]

Yes please IA.

[IA56]

CLARIFICARION OF TERMS
Introduction

This is not a course of philosphical speculation, nor is it concerned with precise terminology.
It is concerned only with Atonement, or the correction of perception. The means of the Atonement
is forgiveness. The structure of "individual consciousness" is essentially irrelevant because it is a
concept representing the "original error" of the "original sin." To study the error itself does not lead
to correction, if you are indeed to succeed in overlooking the error. And it is just this process of
overlooking at which the coure aims.
All terms are potentially controversial, and those who seek controversity will find it. Yet those who
seek clarification will find it as well. They must, however, be willing to overlook controversity, recog-
nizing that it is a defense against truth in the form of a delaying maneuver. Theological considerations
as such are necessarily controversial, since they depend on belief and can therefore be accepted or
rejected. A universal theology is impossible, but a universal experience is not only possible but necessary.
It is this experience toward which the course is dericted. Here alone consisstency becomes possible
because here alone uncertainty ends.
This course remains within the ego framework, where it is needed. It is not concerned with what is beyond
all error because it is planned only to set derection towards it. Therefore it uses words, which are sybolic,
and cannot express what lies beyond symbols. It is merely the ego that questions because it is only the
ego that doubts. The course merely gives another answer, once a question has been raised. However, this
answer does not attempt to resort to inventiveness or ingenuity. These are attributes of the ego .
The course is simple. It has only function and one goal. Only in that does it remain wholly consistent because
only that can be consistent.
The ego will demand many answers that this course does not give. It does not recognize as questions the mere
form of a question to which an answer is impossible. The ego may ask, "How did the impossible occur?", "To
what did the impossible happen?", and may ask this in many forms. Yet there is no answer; only an expereince.
Seek only this, and do not let theology delay you.
You will notice that the emphasis on structual issue in the course is brief and early. Afterwards and soon, it drops
away to make for the central teaching. Since you have asked for clarification, however, there are some of the
terms that are used.

MIND - SPIRIT

The term mind is used to represent the activating agent of spirit, supplying its creative energy. When the term is
capitalized it refers to God or Christ (i.e., the Mind of God or the Mind of Christ).
Spirit is the Thought of God which He created like Himself. The unified spirit is God´s one Son , or Christ.
In this world because the mind is split, the Sons of God appear to be separate. Nor do their minds seem to be
joined. In this illusory state, the concept of an "individual mind" seens to be meaningful.
It is therefore decribed in the course as if it has two parts; spirit and ego.
Spirit is the part that is still in contact with God through the Holy Spirit, Who abides in this part but sees the other
part as well. The term "soul" is not used except in direct Biblical quatations because of its higly controversial nature.
It would, however, be an equivalent of "spirit," with the understanding that, being of God, it is eternal and was never born.
The other part of the mind is entirely illusory and makes only illusions. Spirit retains the potential for creating, but its Will,
which is God´s, seems to be imprisoned while the mind is not unified. Creation continues unabated because that is the
Will of God. This Will is Always unfied and therefore has no meaning in this world. It has no opposite and no degrees.
The mind can be right or wrong, depending on the voice to which it listens. Right-mindedness listens to the Holy Spirit,
forgives the world, and through Christ´s vision sees the real world in its place.
Wrong-mindedness listens to the ego and makes illusions; perceiving sin and justifying anger, and seeing guilt, disease and
death as real. Both this world and the real world are illusions because right-mindedness merely overlooks, or forgives, what
never happened. Therefore it is not the One-mindedness of the Christ Mind, Whose Will is one with God´s.
In this world the only remaining freedom is the freedom of choice; always between two choices or two voices. Will is not
involved in perception at any level, and has nothing to do with choice. Consiousness is the receptive mechanism, receiving
messages from above or below; from the Holy Spirit or the ego.
Consiousness has levels and awareness can shift quite dramatically, but it cannot transcend the perpetual realm. At its highest
it becomes aware of the real world, and can be trained to do so increasingly. Yet the very fact that it has levels and can be
trained demonstrates that it cannot reach knowledge.

Love

[IA56]

THE EGO - THE MIRACLE

Illusions will not last. Their death is sure and this alone is certain in their world.
It is the ego´s world because of this. What is the ego? But a Dream of what you
really are. A thought you are apart from your Creator and a wish to be what He
created not. It is a thing of madness, not reality at all. A name for namelessness
is all it is. A symbol of impossibility; a choice for options that do not exist. We name
it but to help us understand that it is nothing but an ancient thought that what is made
has immortality. But what could come of this except a dream which, like all dreams,
can only end in death?
What is the ego? Nothingness, but in a form that seems like something. In a world
of form the ego cannot be denied for it alone seems real. Yet could God´s Son as He
created him abide in form or in a world of form? Who asks you to define the ego and
explain how it arose can be but he who thinks it real, and seeks by definition to ensure
that its illusive nature is concealed behind the words that seem to make it so.
There is no definition for a lie that seves to make it true. Nor can there be a truth that lies
conceal effectively. The ego´s unreality is not denied by words nor is its meaning clear
because its nature seems to have form. Who can define the undefinable? And yet there
is an answer even here.
We cannot make a definition for what the ego is, but we can say what it is not. And this is
shown to us with perfect clarity. It is from this that we deduce all that the ego is. Look at its
opposite and you can see the only answer that is meaningful.
The ego´s opposite is every way, - in origin, effect and consequence - we call a miracle. And
here we find all that is not the ego in this world. Here is the ego´s opposite and here alone we
look on what the ego was, for here we see all that it seemed to do, and cause and its effects
must still be one.
Where there was darkness now we see the light. What is the ego? What the darkness was.
Where is the ego? Where the darkness was. What is it now and where can it be found? Nothing
and nowhere. Now the light has come: its opposite has gone without a trace. Where evil was
there now is holiness. What is the ego? What the evil was. Where is the ego? In an evil dream
that but seemed real while you were dreaming it. Where there was crusifixtion stands God´s Son.
What is the ego? Who has need to ask? Where is the ego? Who has the need to seek an illusion
now that dreams are gone? What is a miracle? A dream as well. But look at all the aspects of this
dream and you will never question any more. Look at the kindly world you see extend before you
as you walk in gentleness. Look at the helpers all along the way you travel, happy in the certainty
of Heaven and the surety of peace. And look an instant, too, on what you left behind at last and
finally passed by.
This was the ego - all the cruel hate, the need for vengeance and the cries of pain, the fear of dying
and the urge to kill, the brotherless illusion and the self that seemed alone in all the universe. This
terrible mistake about yourself the miracle corrects as gently as a loving mother sings her child to rest.
Is not a song like this what you would hear? Would it not answer all you thought to ask, and even make
the question meaningless?
Your question have no answer, being made to still God´s Voice, Which asks of everyone one question only:
"Are you ready yet to help Me save the world?" Ask this instead of what the ego is, and you will see a sudden
brightness cover up the world the ego made. No miracle is now withheld from anyone. The world is saved
from what you thought it was. And what it is, is wholly uncondemned and wholly pure.
The miracle forgives; the ego damns. Neither need be defined except by this. Yet could a definition be more
sure, or more in line with what salvation is? Problem and answer lie together here, and having met at last
the choice is clear. Who choose hell when it is recogized? And who would not go on a little while when it is
given him to understand the way is short and Heaven is his goal?

Love