ACIM Workbook Lesson 152 – for Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Affirmation: “The power of decision is my own.”
“No one can suffer loss unless it be his own decision. No one suffers pain except his choice elects this state for him. No one can grieve nor fear nor think him sick unless these are the outcomes that he wants. And no one dies without his own consent. Nothing occurs but represents your wish, and nothing is omitted that you choose. Here is your world, complete in all details. Here is its whole reality for you. And it is only here salvation is. (WB281)”
Reflections:
1 – The Role of the Self
This passage is difficult to understand. This short quotation does not make clear that it is the Higher Self which makes these decisions of life and death. The little self, ruled all too often by the ego, does not make these choices. The ideas given in this quotation have led to many misconceptions among people who read New Age literature. If we “choose,” then we are to “blame” if something goes wrong. Not so! To say such indicates a lack of not only sympathy but also empathy for the victim. In essence, such thoughts indicate that our next step is to “blame the victim” if something goes wrong in his/her life. A lack of compassion from others is then the lamentable next step.
2 – In Our Best Interests
The Higher Self never incarnated (though this is not stated in A Course in Miracles). The Higher Self watches over us, so to speak, seeing that the decisions that this Higher Self make are in our best interests.
3 – We Can Reduce Pain and Suffering
There is some comfort in this passage, though. If we are in charge of our pain and suffering, we can do something about it. Most definitely we cannot blame our pain and suffering on God, and this in itself is a great step forward. Otherwise, we are caught in a bind in which we try to see God as loving, but we wonder if we are right. We are. God does not want our pain and suffering, and in the Text, Jesus assures us that we do not have to learn through pain. He says that learning through rewards is more lasting, because learning through pain can only be temporary.
4 – Salvation Is Here
The passage concludes, “And it is only here salvation is.” This is a magnificent restatement of the fact that we ourselves (led by our Higher Self) are in charge of our destiny. ACIM makes this fact clear in other passages as well. We do not have to remain in suffering. Our minds and spirits can be free, even if our bodies are not. We can rise above the pain, if we will it. (This is a bold statement, but completely in line with ACIM.) And sometimes, as Eckhart Tolle learned, our pain is the catalyst for Awakening (Enlightenment).
Prayer:
Dear Father/Mother,
I would be in charge of my destiny today. By “I,” I mean that I would invite my Higher Self to make life decisions for me. I would not listen to the ego’s litany of meaningless pain and suffering. I would not turn any pain into suffering. Be with me as I attempt to fulfill these aims today.
Thank You, as always. I know that You have always been there for me, and that You will always be there for me in the future.
Amen.
