Genuine Honesty

Holy Spirit what would you like for me to focus on today?

Be genuinely honest.

Please explain. What do you mean by “genuinely honest”? I don’t really consider myself to be a liar.

I’m not saying you are lying. However, there is a bit of denial going on.

Come again?

There are beliefs that you hold, beliefs that you value, for which you do not take responsibility. You do not see how you are the director of your own mind. It is important for you to begin to see clearly, and honestly recognize, all that you believe about yourself. All hidden beliefs need to be bathed in light for healing to continue.

Each experience within the world has a particular theme. Every interaction has a common thread. Notice the unified thread of content throughout each form. The scene has a title and the script only relays as the scene directs. If the scene is “unworthiness” then the script will act out worthiness through a multitude of experiences, words and thoughts. Each of these thoughts, words or experiences may seem varied. They may seem different to your eyes and ears, but beyond doubt each is the same. Each is only based on what you believe within your own mind about yourself. Therefore, although the scene of unworthiness may appear to have many players, it is only one scene with one director. You are the director. You write the script and manipulate the scene.

It sounds like you are saying that I believe certain concepts about myself. These are the beliefs which are portrayed within the world. These mistaken perceptions play out an erroneous perception about me. Can you tell me what these perceptions are?

I cannot begin. If it was divided into words, it could fill a library of dictionaries.

That doesn’t sound too hopeful.

It’s not. But that is only because if you ask to see with division, all concepts of division will multiply. This will only bring increased confusion to the mind. It would not be purposeful for me to give you a list of words. These are mere symbols. If you define yourself through symbols, you will always see yourself limited. Your existence is more than concepts and words, which is why it is better to reduce the words and tailor the concepts. Reduce the myriad of divisions down to a singular all-consuming mistaken identification, so that a great depth of clarity can be known. The overall theme of each erroneous belief is, “I am not as God Created me.”

Won’t that be too broad of a concept to focus on?

Yes it will be too broad if you leave this in words alone. Do not let yourself only settle in words or platitudes. Do not make a list of limited thoughts but instead choose to walk the world with eyes open wide for what you choose to see. I will guide you through seeing with crisp clarity without letting the profundity of this statement to be lost.

Okay, so how do I heal this error if I can’t be too specific or too broad?

You can heal your mind by accepting the statement as affecting all forms you see and all thoughts you think.

Can you be clearer?

You can heal your mind by accepting how every idea and circumstance speaks about you. Be it a circumstance involving others or your life. Accept every thought or experience as one that you believe within yourself. If you see an experience of poverty, be willing to say to yourself “I believe that the Holiness of God can be poor.” Sit with that thought for a minute and let yourself be genuinely honest with the thought. Clearly notice exactly what you see and consequently believe. The world always shows you exactly what you wish to know about yourself.

Everything?

Yes, everything is a representative of what you believe.

Part of my mind finds that overwhelming.

Why?

Because this makes every experience feel so personal. I feel like every experience I have is thus an experience of me. I also feel like I’ll have to walk the world in constant analysis, making myself aware of every thought related to every experience. To be honest this task seems overwhelmingly exhausting.

It is, especially if you approach it from a stance of hyper-analysis, which is not what I am asking. Every experience is personal, but analysis will not help you in this recognition. Analysis only asks you to tag division with more detailed dissection. This will exhaust your mind with more distraction. Seek instead to only see what you see without applying additional meaning or definition. You always recognize what you see without the need for further analysis.

Secondly, I am not asking you to give this task to the body-mind, but instead I am asking that your body-mind accept its contributions to furthering the whole deception. The body or persona of “Pam” is not single-handedly controlling the experiences within the world, but “Pam” believes the experiences within the world based on what the mistaken identity believes about itself. Consider it this way:

“Everything I think I see is a belief I accept of me.”

Try not to make the “me” component body-identified and you’ll begin to see what I am saying. The “me” identification can be you as a person, but more genuinely, it is a “me” that sees itself as apart from God. This is a “me” that “I” – dentifies. This self is a self that is seeking meaning, rather than being meaning. God is meaning. Similar to how I have said before that you are fully-filled in God, the meaning that You are as Holiness brings wholeness with it everywhere. The Self You Are knows the depth of Holiness and sits very comfortably within it.

Comparatively, the mistaken identity is not comfortable. It is jittery and seeking, confused and unaware. All that it sees is emptiness. Consider a vacuum. A vacuum magnetically draws, sucks, and pulls objects from its outside world inside itself in an attempt to be filled. The emptiness existing within a vacuum is mandatory for a vacuum to work. If there was no emptiness within, the vacuum could not operate. You mistaken identity relies on this emptiness in order to progress its seeking. Therefore the emptiness you believe becomes the foundation of your journey and what you experience on the outside is only an attempt to reinterpret the emptiness into something else. However, emptiness accepted cannot make fulfillment. One cannot think hungry and become full. Do you see?

I think I do. Yet, I’m not exactly sure how this relates to my specific beliefs.

Unworthiness is emptiness. Loss is emptiness. Fear is emptiness. Need is emptiness. Dependence is emptiness. Tangential happiness is emptiness. Limited well-being is emptiness. A wish to have or become different than you currently are is emptiness. Although you may have a myriad of specific experiences, each expressing its own version of each of these beliefs, the beliefs themselves are all rooted in the same foundation.

When I ask you to be genuinely honest, I am asking you to see all the components of the story of misperception and accepting them for what they are. Remember there is a difference between observation and analysis. There is also a difference between acceptance and approval. I am not asking you to approve of unworthiness or loss, asking it to be yours, nor am I asking you to analyze it so that you may see this belief in loss with the greatest intricate detail. However, I am asking that you observe the component and clearly see the belief as merely existing within your mind.

All that you wish to heal must first be recognized. You must notice that you perceive yourself to be unworthy, if you wish to heal a sense of unworthiness. Analysis is adding an additional story. It will have you ponder if it is okay or not okay to be unworthy and under what circumstances. This is not what will bring clarity. Instead, simply say “ahhh.. look I am believing myself to be unworthy.” That is all. Notice the one concept and then offer it for release.

Metaphorically consider this a being like you have a worldly wish to sell items you own. Could you sell an item that you did not know you had in possession? No, you could not. Does counting the threads within each sweater help you release it more? No. Therefore, look in all your closets, with eyes wide open. See exactly what you possess without over emphasizing each detail. Recognize that every item you see is one that you possess. Do not try to get lost in ideas of how it arrived in the closet, but merely notice that it is in there taking up space. Simply take inventory… one sock.. one blouse.. one thought of unworthiness.. one belief in loss being possible, etc.

Seek not to be too broad, saying merely to yourself “As I walk the earth I am seeing myself as emptiness, I choose this no longer.” Truly, your thinking mind cannot deeply comprehend such a broad statement for healing purposes. The profoundness of this recognition could not be palpably understood. This would be the same as placing a “for sale” sign on your whole closet with its doors shut. You do not know what you possess or the extent of its value to you. Therefore, you really don’t know what you are seeking to eliminate from your mind. Here you remain blind. To remain blind is to the extent of your illusions is a form of denial.

A balance of recognition within the mind is important to keep you from becoming more lost within concepts. It is important for you to see each belief but not get lost in the details. Allow each belief to be brought to light for healing. Although you don’t want to exclusively focus, dissect or analyze the components, it is important to notice them enough so each can be offered up for healing.

Okay. Thank you Spirit. To be perfectly honest, it sounds like you just said the exact same thing over the passed three paragraphs. I get it, but there still seems to be something missing. I don’t think I need a deeper explanation, but I do feel I need more direction. Can you help me?

Yes. Genuine honesty in all aspects of your life and thinking is important so that you can clearly recognize why you see all that you do. Think of the “Responsibility for Sight” prayer in the Course. Many students do not clearly understand this prayer. They perceive it is either about blame or worldly experiences. It is not. Let us go through it line by line. Begin by reading the paragraph that precedes the prayer very slowly:

“This the ONLY THING that you need do for vision, happiness, release from pain and the COMPLETE ESCAPE from sin, all to be give you. Say only this, but mean it with no reservations, for here the power of salvation lies:” (T21.II.2.1-2)

Pause. Notice above where I have asked you to emphasize certain words. I emphasize these words because it is important to see the simple clarity of this teaching. “The ONLY THING that you need to do for True Vision, happiness, release from pain and the COMPLETE ESCAPE from sin” is see how the mind is seeing what it believes. If you identify yourself with this mind, you are only applying an additional extension to what the mind is seeing. The mind believing in separation chooses to first invest in this belief by making a body perceiving itself to be a separate entity. This does not make the body the perceiver, but a tool of the perceiver. Therefore, this prayer is directed towards the mind misperceiving and this is not the body-mind.

Now, look at the first sentence of the prayer:

“I am responsible for what I see.” (T21.II.2.3)

Who is the “I”? The answer to this question comes solely from who you perceive as yourself. If it is the body mind, then you will think this entire prayer is directed at correcting the vision of the body mind. However, if you see yourself as misperceiving more profoundly than just a mere body mind, you will see how this “I-mind” can be misperceiving at more complex levels than the body-mind can comprehend. Truly, your body-mind cannot take sole responsibility for your inner or outer sight. Rarely do you really see mere basic form without content. Body-mind sees form. “I-mind” defines and makes meaning.

This is getting deeper than I think I want to go. My head is spinning.

Try not to get so lost in the metaphysics of what I am saying. Instead, just allow yourself to be taught. Do not resist the teaching through the mask of intellectual understanding. Seek instead to just listen. Absorb what I am saying.

“I choose the feelings I experience, and I decide upon the goal I would achieve.” (T21.II.2.4)

The mind you equate with yourself is the giver of all meaning. Either what you see is meaningless and filled with emptiness or God’s Meaning lives and breathes through all. To say: “I am meaning” is to say you (again, whoever the you is of present value) direct the script. If you choose to make this “you” body-mind, then the limitations of form will be more apparent than the content that these forms do represent. However, if you equate yourself with content, then not only will this allow you to see more profoundly the script that is written, but you will see how you can edit the lines, asking for God to speak for you.

“And everything that seems to happen to me I ask for, and receive as I have asked.” (T21.II.2.5)

Once again this line speaks to the “I am meaning” through which you identify. Body-mind will see this line as saying that you individually choose every event that occurs within your eyesight. This is not true. However, you do decide upon the meaning of every event within your consciousness. Unworthiness will see unworthiness reflected within the world. Separation will see likewise. Pain sees pain, etc. Yet the “I-mind” directing can say “I am not unworthy, separate or defined by pain. I am known by God and He is all I am.”

That thought sends fear through my heart.

Because you do not see as I see. You do not know yourself. Fear speaks to the recognition of not knowing. The mere suggestion of your Holiness sets the ego mind reeling. Feel this trepidation within your body, discomfort within your emotions, and you will realize how much you truly do fear God.

Yes, this instant discomfort speaks volumes.

And it is merely the tip of the iceberg from where the ego stands.

Now, that makes me feel hopeless.

Don’t. I’m not saying that you are permanently screwed. I am just relating the depth of dissociation which exists within your mind. This dissociation is deceiver, and therefore it fears every suggestion of Truth. Your Truth is not lost within deceptions of dissociation. Your Truth thrives and shines despite your choices to dissociate from it. Peace is yours as you choose to heal the mind, rest in the meaning of God and no longer define yourself through dissociation.

Is that done mentally?

Oh.. such a good practical question from a mind that wants a formula for “success.”

Uh.. was that sarcasm?

(laughter) My Beloved, do not worry so much about how to be yourself, choose to simply be your Self. This is accomplished more through rest than through ritual. Again, as we spoke of above, there is nothing to do other than merely notice where your meaning is given, believed and/or received. Your salvation is that clear. Seek not to define yourself through processes, but instead seek to rest more often in peace. As you choose to rest your mind in peace, all distractions of dissociation will naturally fall away on its own. You do not direct the falling away as much as you allow it to occur. Do you see?

Yes. But there again is that fear.

Beloved One, read the next paragraph and see where your freedom does reside.

“Deceive yourself no longer that you are helpless in the face of what is done to you.” (T21.II.2.6)

The Holiness of God is not helpless. To believe you are helpless is deception of the highest degree. It is to fully deny your Self. It is to say, “God has left me alone to suffer.” It is to say: “I am not as God Created me and so I must make my own meaning so as to survive.” The Mind of Truth is never led by confusion or limitation. To be helpless is to be outside of God’s secure meaning and this reality is never possible except in dreams of dissociation. You have the solid foundation of God’s Meaning available to you in all situations.

"Acknowledge but that you have been mistaken, and all effects of your mistakes will disappear.” (T21.II.2.7)

Use God’s Meaning as your Guide and never will helplessness define you again. As God’s Meaning becomes your solid foundation through both body and mind, the sufferings of the world will fall away. Again, we are focusing more on content than on form, but as you see a content of love, all forms will yield in full expression of this content no matter what appears through your sight. Jeshua did love as he was placed on the cross. You can love in earthquakes. You can love even as your body seems consumed by disease or dysfunction. You can love in verbal or physical attacks. All of these occurrences are mere symbols, but the mind is the giver of meaning. Extend God’s Meaning or the meaning of the ego and you will come to see who you believe. The effects of your misperception cannot linger as misperception is healed. Either the Mind is Love or the mind sees fear, not both. Notice I did not say, “or the mind IS fear.” This is because, still, no matter how deceived you’re thinking, the Truth is True.

“It is impossible the Son of God be merely driven by events outside of him. It is impossible that happenings that come to him were not his choice. His power of decision is the determiner of every situation in which he seems to find himself by chance or by accident.” (T21.II.3.1-3)

Once again, this is all true simply because you are the determiner of what belief does rule your mind. This is not as much about form as it is about content. Is it a slap of self-condemnation or a slap calling to your self-control? Never do I seek to dishearten you or make you feel overwhelmed. Again, this is not a call for more thinking through your seeming situations within the world. This is simply a call to see what you see and why. Truthfully seek to take the depth of this teaching in, no matter how much it seems I am repeating myself (smile). It is essential for you to clearly see how and why you see all that you do see.

“No accident nor chance is possible within the universe as God created it, outside of which is nothing.” (T21.II.3.4)

See here how there is genuinely never an opportunity for meaninglessness. God did not create a meaningless world. Yes, the meaning that you see, is accepted by your mind who either recognizes or does not recognize God’s Meaning. However, this recognition does not making God’s Meaning nonexistent. God does not direct form. God does know His Creation and allows all expressions to be free.

Again, think not as much about form as about content. Yes, God does seem to permit a murder or rape to take place, but that is only because He does not see the meaning through which you are temporarily defining yourself. Please underline “seem” in the above sentence. Is important to see what you seem to see. Again, the depth and profundity of Your Truth cannot suffer. I recognize (as you are rapidly swearing now) that we are getting into very sticky territory within this conversation. But let us not get off track. Try to see without the questioning mind for once and clearly hear that I say the You of God is more than you know with the definitions of your body, eyes, time or space.

“Suffer and you decided that sin was your goal.” (T21.II.3.5)

Because either you believe in all the perils of limitation and deludedly dissociate yourself from Truth or:

“Be happy, and you gave the power of decision to Him Who must decide for God for you.” (T21.II.3.6)

It really is that clear. Give to God what is Gods. Give to Caesar what is his. Give every belief of limitation back to the ego, recognizing that this erroneous self-perception is not your goal. Be freely supportive of this choice within your mind, because it is a free choice that will either give you eternity or convince you of death.

“This is the little gift you offer to the Holy Spirit, and even this He gives to you to give yourself. For by this gift is given you the power to release your savior, that he may give salvation unto you.” (T21.II.3.7-8)

Truly Beloved, I only give you back to your Self in all the peace and grandeur you are far beyond the limitations of your misperceiving mind. It is all that simple.

Rest your mind on these teachings now and seek to allow their clarity and freedom to fill you up with the God Self I know You are. Review all that you wish in these pages. However, do remember, “Everything I think I see, is a belief I accept of me” and take this calling to every image the world does display. Remember, not form but content, through whose meaning do you align? Breathe in the freedom of Love that speaks only to peace, joy and serenity. This being IS You. Take this clarity into all circumstances. Be genuinely honest with all you see as all you see. Here you give yourself a blessing to live in Love as God does know You truly.

I love you.