Today’s focus builds on the theme of VISION for 2024, which was established starting in November of last year. A Course in Miracles Lesson 43 states, “God is my source, I cannot see apart from Him.”
(Side note: The word “Him” may be overly gendered language, and I try to be mindful of those who feel gendered language is unnecessary or inappropriate when identifying God, Source, or The Universe.)
The lesson goes on to say, “Perception is not an attribute of God. His is the realm of knowledge. Yet he has created the Holy Spirit as mediator between perception and knowledge. Without this link with God, perception would have replaced knowledge forever in your mind. With this link with God, perception will become so changed and purified that it will lead to knowledge. That is its function as the Holy Spirit sees it. Therefore, that is its function in truth.”
This passage is a delineation of a very important foundational component of A Course in Miracles: the distinction between perception and knowledge. The Course makes up its own glossary and lexicon of things and then explains what they mean.
It argues that perception is faulty, it comes from the ego, it's very slippery, things are constantly changing, there's nothing we can depend on, and it's all related mostly to the body and the sensorium, the five senses, and the ways in which we subjectively interpret information. It's very partial, it's very incomplete, and it's very changeable.
God's mind encompasses unwavering knowledge, defined by the Course as eternally consistent. It remains steadfast, unchanging in its excellent attributes such as love, light, and power. This constancy can be likened to the sun, which shines powerfully and consistently regardless of external conditions. Whether in the coldest or hottest places, the sun maintains its steady course. Similarly, God's consistent knowledge is unwavering, much like the reliability of the sun.
In human relationships, the term "consistent" holds significance. Unlike the fluctuating nature of personal feelings expressed through phrases like "I'm really feeling you" or "I'm not feeling you today," God's consistency in knowledge serves as a steady anchor. This steadfast quality is comparable to the unchanging nature of the sun amid various perceptual conditions like storms, clouds, day, or night. Recognizing this constancy in relationships becomes vital, contrasting the inherent variability in human emotions and interactions. Sometimes, they're simply “not feeling it.” That's perception in a nutshell. Knowledge, on the other hand, is always consistent.
The only other thing I really want to highlight today is that if you do a close reading between this first paragraph that I did, and then the first sentence of the next two paragraphs, it says, “In God you cannot see.” Then in the next paragraph down it says, “You cannot see apart from God,” which is part of the headline. Let us try to make sense of this seeming contradiction.
God is all knowing, which it makes very clear in the second sentence. “Perception has no function in God and does not exist.” So, if you're all-knowing, you don't need to rely the five senses as a mortal does; you simply know all that there is. Then, “You cannot see apart from God,” refers to the distinction that we, humans, are not all knowing, so we can only with God.
Expanding on the dichotomy, some sections of the Course suggest that God remains unaware of events involving suffering, war, famine, disease, sickness, cataclysm, and ecological decay. In God's essence, these are perceived as illusions—misguided nightmares that lack any genuine connection to God.
Moving on, in the first paragraph we read, “It’s the Holy Spirit's ownership,” a different aspect of God, “to mediate between knowledge and perception.” So the Holy Spirit is aware of things that are changing and communicates back and forth about it, primarily trying to keep us humans plugged into infinite Source knowledge.
In God, the body doesn't contribute to God's comprehensive knowledge, which is permanent, fixed, perfect, excellent, and eternal. If you grasp this perspective, you realize that God doesn't perceive in the conventional way we do. This insight becomes evident when exploring the concept of vision, emphasizing that seeing with physical eyes is akin to hallucination or dreaming, comparable to the effects of drugs. While I'm not well-versed in current drug trends, I acknowledge that ayahuasca has gained popularity, although my personal experience with drugs is limited to decades ago. But the people who do participate claim that it's such a shock to your system. You see visions and villains and come to terms with your trauma.
I am not encouraging or condoning drug use of any kind, but it is believed by some to have increasing therapeutic and other qualities that people are tapping into. And, for some Native cultures, Indigenous cultures, it has been a part of their rituals of healing. Practices like peyote, ayahuasca, and psychedelic mushrooms have been very important in Native American culture. So, in any case, if I were to dabble with any type of drug, it would be the fictional drug that has been perfected at the end of the movie, Limitless, to which there were supposedly no side effects. It's just made him smarter and more powerful and released all kinds of superpowers for him. I'm saying all of this tongue-in-cheek because what we do in A Course in Miracles and with Miracle Mindset is to tap into that frequency, without the need for any external substances.
I've digressed from the point of this section, which is that true sight occurs in God. However, simultaneously, seeing in God is nonexistent. It's crucial for our audience to understand that God's vision is perfect, eternal, and free from imperfections. The way we typically see becomes possible only in God's presence. The Holy Spirit serves as a bridge, guiding us to relinquish our perceived way of seeing in favor of true knowledge over mere perception. This transformation is a gradual process, aligning with our collective journey.
The Bible book of Daniel also makes this distinction clear, because he is gifted with prophetic visions and dream interpretation. At some point, he is given the ability to give meaning to someone else’s dream, decoding the symbolism achieving the necessary epiphany needed to decode and apply the wisdom embedded in the dream.
A couple of decades ago, I was really into Jungian dream interpretation as well as Freudian dream interpretation. A Course in Miracles later argues that most dreams are “temper tantrums” that the ego is having, especially the scary sort of unpleasant ones.
Continuing on in the lesson, there is an application to make use of this material. In summary, if you use this example, you would say aloud, “God is my source. I cannot see this desk apart from him. God is my source. I cannot see that picture apart from him.” All we are doing here is invoking God as we look at things. Otherwise, the default is perceiving without God. It's just a way of practicing invoking God about everything and it's almost parallel to the way we selectively “say grace.” I always wondered, why are we just thanking God for the food that we're eating at dinner. We could be thanking God for everything all day long from waking me up to every breath I'm taking. This practice is just about training ourselves to invoke the presence of God in everything. Eventually, that becomes more of the permanent way of seeing, which is through God, God's knowledge and presence, rather than through the egos. The ego has a default in us, which is perception.
The final note for today is when considering our life goals, especially in the context of living to a hundred, it's essential to think about both personal and professional aspirations. For many, the aim is to lead a vibrant and healthy life, both physically and financially. We want to contribute positively to the world, making a difference in our own way. As we map out these long-term goals, it's crucial to approach them with the perspective that God is the source and through knowledge, not just perception.
Reflecting on our vision for the future, particularly as we enter a new year, brings to mind the power of vision boards. Embracing this tool allows us to set intentions and see the process through with a focus on divine guidance. Rather than succumbing to fears based on perception, such as concerns about aging, financial instability, or loneliness, we want to approach strategic, long-term thinking with God as the ultimate source.
As we delve into the year 2024, it's an opportunity to align our plans with our overarching purpose, recognizing that we live under divine supervision. By thinking strategically and incorporating divine guidance into our long-term goals, we can navigate the year ahead with intention and purpose.
A Course in Miracles presents challenges regarding life planning, sparking debates among enthusiasts. While sidestepping these arguments, the essence lies in trusting God as the source for mapping life's course, as opposed to relying on ego-driven over-planning. In practical terms, planning remains essential, such as when considering college choices, applications, and essays.
The key question is whether God or the ego guides your planning. It's crucial to clear up any confusion and recognize God as the source. For instance, when strategizing our entire life, rooted in God's knowledge and vision, we can then reverse-engineer these plans into our daily actions. This approach ensures that every day contributes meaningfully to God's overarching purpose and true vision for our lives.
