Guilty As Charged

Guilt: O.E. gylt "crime, sin, fault, fine," of unknown origin, though some suspect a connection to O.E. gieldan "to pay for, debt."

Debt: c.1290, from O.Fr. dete, from L. debitam "thing owed," neut. pp. of debere "to owe," originally, "keep something away from someone," from de- "away" + habere "to have" (see habit).

Charge: c.1225, from O.Fr. chargier "load, burden, cost" (1460), and then to "price demanded for service or goods" (1514). Legal sense of "accusation" is 1477; earlier "injunction, order" (1380s).

Burden: O.E. byrðen "a load," from P.Gmc. *burthinjo "that which is borne" *bher- "carry, give birth." Sense of "leading idea" (1649) is from use in M.E. bibles to translate Heb. massa "lifting up (of the voice), oracle;"

Remorse: c.1374, from O.Fr. lit. "To bite back," from re- "again" + mordere "to bite.”

Bite: O.E. bitan (class I strong verb; past tense bat, pp. biten), from P.Gmc. *bitan (O.Fris. bita, M.Du. biten, Ger. beissen, Goth. beitan), from PIE base *bheid- "to split, crack" (see fissure).

Habit: c.1225, from O.Fr. habit, from L. habitus "condition, demeanor, appearance, dress," originally pp. of habere "to have, to hold, possess," from PIE base *ghabh- "to seize, take, hold, have, give, receive" Applied in Latin to both inner and outer states of being.


Beloved Holy Spirit, I’ve noticed recently the appearance of a palpable feeling of guilt and remorse within. To be honest, I really don’t know why. It seems to surface at the most odd times, like now. When I’m experiencing the feeling I want to hide and the first thing I often do is turn to some sort of distraction (e.g. food, television, sleep, etc.) to get my mind off the feeling. I don’t think that responding to the feeling with distraction is the appropriate response and I’m asking now that you teach me to understand this feeling, allow for its greater purpose and heal. I give over all resistance to you.

Beloved One, let us clear our minds and be still. Feel my presence within you and know that never do I leave you comfortless. I repeat this now because guilt is the belief in separation revisited. It fuels every perceived need for individuality and represents all beliefs in fear, separation and the possibility of usurping God. As you feel the presence of guilt within, you are reminded of the possibility of leaving God’s Unified Being. Of course, in Truth, this is impossible. However, as you believe, the perception is played out through likewise thoughts, emotions and responses.

All experiences are an outer expression of an inner belief. We have spoken of this positionality before. All that you witness through experience, thought and feeling is first accepted in belief. You cannot have any experience, thought or feeling unless there is a deeper held belief supporting its making. Surely this deeper belief is mainly sub-conscious and completely unrealized by your own self-conscious thinking (for the individual is merely just one component of the overall representation). Likewise, these subconscious beliefs are often highly protected by the ego – who will find nearly any possible manner to keep you distracted within them. Yet, do not lose hope, for all that you seek in your desire for awakening can be found through your willingness to release beyond the recognitions of your self-consciousness. Beloved One, allow yourself to be more aware of the strength of your willingness and how it can be used to set you free. As you do seek to yield in willingness and remembrance for all You are, beyond these temporal thoughts and feelings, no longer will you mourn the experience or feel confusion because of its representations. Instead, quiet your thinking mind without judgment or random interpretation. Yield not to recognizing “why” but realize that You are with Me and cannot be mastered by anything not True. Then, when your mind is sure and presently rested, be willing to realize how each experience is directly related to a deeper belief. Accept this belief not for what it tells you, just accept its presence and then allow yourself to arise through it with loving release.

All seemingly wayward or challenging feelings can be observed with neutrality. This is the perfect way to realize what you believe without joining the feeling with further projection. Simply recognize any feeling that seems to lead your peace astray and yield in realization to gentle compassion, recognizing the fuel from which every egoic reaction stems.

I believe that I can practice more often, but I still feel the need to ask why I am feeling these feelings.

Within your guilt you believe that you are apart from God. Recognizing this separation, from its own amnesic dissociation with its Self, the ego believes that it has been abandoned by all that defines itself and is consequently alone. Being alone and now dissociated from God, the ego now believes that it must redefine itself to fill the void. These distractions will not only help it find itself, but the ego does not realize this. In fact it only recognizes that it feels lost, empty and afraid – it is not even sure of why exactly. Yet, nonetheless, it seeks to define itself further (which then becomes dividing itself further in confusion) in this new wasteland of distraction. Thus the cycle of guilt, fear, distraction continues.

Now, through your realized desire for awakening, you have metaphorically opened the door to all that once was suppressed. Through this allowance for healing many lesser consciously recognized beliefs will make their presence known to you. Often this is first felt when you begin to realize the empty value of your outer distractions and choose to rest within the mind. To the ego this rest is destructive, merely because it is remembering that it is now afraid and empty. Here a more palpable feeling of guilt and fear seep into your thinking mind simply because you begin to realize what the ego (on a grander scale so to speak) believes. In this recognition your feelings and thoughts may revisit every idea of incompletion, vulnerability and need. Sometimes these feelings and thoughts are justified by the world, other times they are not. Yes, indeed they can be without outer “reasoning” but the ego seeks to use every bit of distraction for justification of its beliefs and/or seeming protection. There are no small upsets. Each upset is equally disturbing to your peace of mind because it plays out the one distortion that appears to keep you asleep.

To the egoic mindset, guilt’s purpose is to reinforce delusion. It speaks the language of all that You are not. Honestly, I cannot be clearer than that. Surely, we can analyze and point out every way that guilt can make facades and shadow selves, yet it is best for you to simply realize that not a single one is accurately representative of You.

Wow.. I can understand all those metaphysics, but they do keep my mind spinning!

This is one reason why the metaphysical explanation of this illusion is not of high importance. Surely, I will answer any question that you ask, especially if it assists in your own acceptance of the Love You are. However, too often the intellect thrives by getting wound up in its wishes to understand. Indeed this is yet another distraction – and for what purpose (have I said before) that distractions serve? (Smile) Yes, they do not often set you free, but merely keep you consumed by the spinning mind wishing to be free, instead of remembering it is free. In practice, it is best to see your need to understand as only one beginner step along the journey. This wish to understand helps give you security and serenity beyond your surface fears. Again, in truth, understanding will not set you free. In Truth, you are already free, no matter what you understand.

Therefore, if you feel yourself being consumed by “whys” let yourself take a break and release yourself beyond these questions. Take a “time out” so to speak to rest your mind. It is a step that indeed will help you release to a deeper expression of truth. This deeper expression of Truth is our goal. Therefore in noticing guilt’s presence, take a step back, breathe and ask to realize the truth. In truth, there is no need for you to linger in these shadows, nor is there a useful reason to quantify or qualify them. Questioning this suffering is indeed aligning with its possibility in thought. Align with suffering only if you perceive this suffering to be so. Therefore as you notice, ask yourself, “what do I believe here?” and let your mind rest once Who You Truly Are beyond these temporal dreams is realized.

God’s Strength supports every idea that you cling to. This is not because God believes your delusions. Lo instead, The Father honors all His Son’s wishes, knowing the Truth of His freedom. In love He supports you, realizing the Truth of You in every instant, even if you have innocently forgotten.

I can use every experience you recognize as a learning device. Indeed there is nothing that can be left to suffering if you seek to give all to Me. Here, in this moment, let us use the feeling of guilt for a deeper purpose. Let us use the feeling guilt to call awareness to what you believe deep within the ego state of mind.

Indeed, I have said before, guilt is a representation of the fear and isolation you believe within. It is not real, nor can it ever be. Therefore, if you seek to give this feeling to Me, first it is best that you breathe and seek a conscious awareness of peace within you. Now, as you release yourself to this peaceful being, and still experience a feeling of guilt, seek not to join with it. Yet instead, neutrally (without judgment or intellectual definition) seek to realize what you believe in the midst of it. Seek to recall how this feeling appears real not only to your current emotional state, but to your deeper belief system. Breathe through this realization to keep yourself centered. I will help you, but cannot wholly keep you from distraction. Yet, even in temporal distraction, I lovingly wait. Join with me to realize that my very presence counters any belief in abandonment.

Quiet the thinking mind merely by breathing whenever it wishes to make a judgment or intercede in placing a definition or meaning through the guilt. For instance, if you recognize the thinking mind speaking “you are guilty because of…” or “this guilt is deserved because you…” simply breathe again and let this definition pass aside you through your breath. Again, remember that I am here. I repeat, do not adhere to definitions of the guilt, but instead seek to pass through it without remaining. Remind yourself that the burdens of aloneness, judgment, separation and/or abandonment are not your Vision in Truth. Are you to deny these feelings? No. Denial is a form of embattlement and challenge, do not deny anything. However come to a neutral space that you can rest despite what the thinking mind wishes to mention. Here we offer forgiveness through your observation.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, I always appreciate your instruction. Yet, one more thing, tell me about all the words you led me to this week. Why their importance?

Essentially these words are mere symbols. They represent what you believe and these beliefs have furthermore been symbolized through your language. However, if you notice them you will see that each reference to guilt and remorse furthermore refers to a definition of separation. Look at the definitions for their deeper meaning.

For instance see how guilt represents a belief in debt. Truly, I can first ask what debt do you conceive you have with God? Hmm? Would not the very idea of a debt with God mean that God was vulnerable and not eternally complete? Truly, this belief in God’s variable nature is laughable if you truly knew. But nonetheless, even the word debt represents the ability to withhold something, to have away. Surely, this is not true. There is nothing that you are that is held away from God. I repeat, there is nothing that You are that can be (or is) held away from God. You are One. You are complete. Beyond every dream of individuality and separation, You remain whole and perfect as God Created You. This is forever true and never varies. Realize this and all shadows of guilt will disappear like mists before the sun.

Now, I also brought you to the word remorse. This is the “safe” word for guilt. (smile) It seems at times you have “issues” with the word guilt and immediately ask to qualify it through metaphysical intellect (smile). Therefore, I led you this week also to the word remorse because it is a word that synonyms guilt but can also be palpably felt within. If you see by its origins, remorse means “to bite back” and the word “bite” means to separate, crack or fissure. Now do you see any attachment to ideas of separation there? (smile) Yes, yet again, it is the deeper belief system playing out itself through symbols. And yet again, I will support the realization that there is nothing… nothing… nothing that can keep you from God. Nothing that has you split off, not once nor a billion other times. You are not separate from God in any form, thought or presence. To believe so is only a burden upon your own mind. How is that for a transition??

Cute.

And so the final words that I took you to this week refer to the burden of guilt. As long as you accept the possibility of guilt you charge yourself with all its delusions. Here you accept the suffering and separation to be real and in this charge you load yourself down with more distortion. I’m sure you can relate to the feeling of weightiness that emerges from guilt. In guilt, you do not feel peaceful and free. You feel weighed down with sadness and despondency to say the least. Recognize the heaviness of this feeling and you will instantly realize that this heaviness can never represent a God of Light. God never restricts, but holds perfect delight (free and joyful) to His Holiness. This Holiness is You and so there is nothing that can weigh you down in Truth. Imagine yourself not as heavy, but filled with the Light of God, for this is not a dream.. this is Truth!

Seek to recognize that every moment you charge yourself with guilt, sin, remorse or the like you weigh yourself down and keep yourself rooted in all dreams. Indeed I laugh at these beliefs because I wholly know they are not true, and surely laughter does encourage lightness of being. Yet, I will not ask you to laugh at something you do not accept or understand. To do so would insinuate the idea of mockery, and never do I mock you, but honor all you are. If you are to allow yourself to dream, surely you can allow yourself to awaken. See the power within this suggestion. See the full possibilities available to you in every moment. Your freedom to decide is the greatest power you have to escape the darkened corners of the deluded mind. Accept this peace, this possibility and surely you accept your freedom and strength as God Created.

Beloved One, I will always represent this strength and power for you, even if you do not remember. That is why I say that never for a moment do you have to do this alone. Indeed I shall never leave you comfortless and never are you left to figure your way out of this labyrinth without my map upon your heart. Likewise, as you come to realize my guidance, you will always remember how never can you be lost.

The final word that I brought you to this week was “habit.” This word symbol is merely a reminder for you when you say you linger in old ways of thinking. Do you linger there because of bad habits? Are you most acquainted with the realms of judgment? If so, do not seek to judge yourself more, but recall what choices are available to you and how indeed, you are always free. The habits you express are merely representations of your beliefs. They are the playing out of your beliefs into your surroundings. Dress yourself in these beliefs and surely many costumes of judgment will be worn. Seek merely to recognize where you perceive yourself to be and free yourself from here on. Open your eyes Beloved and remember you are Home. Remember your true surroundings. Remember you are surrounded by love and not fear. Accept this and soon all your habitations will only reflect the grandeur that You are in Truth.

And so, here we rest, accepting that we are free and without any burden of guilt. Always whole, endlessly perfect and complete, you are still as God Created You.

I love you.


"Relieve the mind of the insane burden of guilt it carries so wearily, and healing is accomplished." (P.2.IV.11.2)

“When you are tempted by the wrong voice, call on me to remind you how to heal by sharing my decision and making it stronger. As we share this goal, we increase its power to attract the whole Sonship, and to bring it back into the oneness in which it was created. Remember that "yoke" means "join together", and "burden" means "message". Let us restate "My yoke is easy and my burden light" in this way; "Let us join together, for my message is Light". (acim text pg. 77)

“The Holy Spirit atones in all of us by undoing, and thus lifts the burden you have placed in your mind. By following Him you are led back to God where you belong, and how can you find the way except by taking your brother with you?” (acim text pg. 82)

“So will He teach you to remove the awful burden you have laid upon yourself by loving not the Son of God, and trying to teach him guilt instead of love.” (Text pg.280)

“Everyone has a special part to play in the Atonement, but the message given to each one is always the same; God's Son is guiltless. Each one teaches the message differently, and learns it differently. Yet until he teaches it and learns it, he will suffer the pain of dim awareness that his true function remains unfulfilled in him. The burden of guilt is heavy, but God would not have you bound by it. His plan for your awaking is as perfect as yours is fallible. You know not what you do, but He Who knows is with you. His gentleness is yours, and all the love you share with God He holds in trust for you. He would teach you nothing except how to be happy.” (acim text pg. 282)