Commentary on ACIM Lesson 196

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

It can be but myself I crucify.

My own experiences of 'doing the Course workbook' in the past is that I have often stopped, many times 'way before this'. Many kinds of things served as the excuse to delay or reason for interruption, but whenever I would get around to being self-honest, I would see I allowed those things to stop me because

'I' was 'not ready' to go any further at that time. For it is one thing to have ideals of love and peace, it is another to live those ideals, especially inside the context of a Course that is totally straight in its delivery.

So I would stop doing the Course, and for a while I would feel fine. Then, as time when by, life would 'life me', and without the habit of the Course in my life, I would flounder for a while, certainly learn some needed lessons from those flounderings, and eventually realize I needed to get straight with myself again. Sometimes something other than the Course would show up and I would work with whatever that was... a teacher like Gangaji, or a concentration in regaining physical health.... all these contributed too.

And, in due time, the Course would come off my bookshelf and get opened and I would read it and re-recognize its preciousness to me, and I would begin to use it, again. But with complaints...

In the past, my basic complaint about the Course Text was that it requiredserious thinking to grapple with the syntax that conveyed the exquisiteness of the teaching. Sometimes I just was not up to that. That's why I have primarily used the workbook.... to me, it is delivering in a much simpler language steps that I could chew. Especially the first 50, or the first 100.

Now, what has been happening for me personally as we have been moving through the year has been a new inner call to attempt the Text with the same kind of discipline that we have been using with the workbook. Not necessarily on as strict a timetable, but steady, and not stopping till completely gotten, none the less. In other words, to become a deeper student...

Another thing that has been happening (according to the email stats) is that the number of daily readers of this Commentary series has been steadily (albeit slowly) dropping. As this is in line with my own experience of dropping out of the Course in the past, I am not surprised. And frankly, I have been adding in the art simply as 'another reason' (like a bait) to open the lesson of the day, knowing that once opened, God would have a chance to lead us readers to 'hopefully something valuable'.

Given all of the above, I have been waiting for instructions from 'on High' as to what to do, if anything. It's ok with me to simply continue. I do get value from just doing it. I am guided, however, to say what 'is so' right now. I'm open to feedback. Actually, I invite it. Why not check in with your heart and let me know what it says....

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 196

It can be but myself I crucify.

When this is firmly understood and kept in full awareness, you will not attempt to harm yourself, nor make your body slave to vengeance. You will not attack yourself, and you will realize that to attack another is but to attack yourself.You will be free of the insane belief that to attack a brother saves yourself. And you will understand his safety is your own, and in his healing you are healed.

Perhaps at first you will not understand how mercy, limitless and with all things held in its sure protection, can be found in the idea we practice for today. It may, in fact, appear to be a sign that punishment can never be escaped because the ego, under what it sees as threat, is quick to cite the truth to save its lies. Yet must it fail to understand the truth it uses thus. But you can learn to see these foolish applications, and deny the meaning they appear to have.

Thus do you also teach your mind that you are not an ego. For the ways in which the ego would distort the truth will not deceive you longer. You will not believe you are a body to be crucified. And you will see within today's idea the light of resurrection, looking past all thoughts of crucifixion and of death, to thoughts of liberation and of life.

Today's idea is one step we take in leading us from bondage to the state of perfect freedom. Let us take this step today, that we may quickly go the way salvation shows us, taking every step in its appointed sequence, as the mind relinquishes its burdens one by one. It is not time we need for this. It is but willingness. For what would seem to need a thousand years can easily be done in just one instant by the grace of God.

The dreary, hopeless thought that you can make attacks on others and escape yourself has nailed you to the cross.Perhaps it seemed to be salvation. Yet it merely stood for the belief the fear of God is real. And what is that but hell? Who could believe his Father is his deadly enemy, separate from him, and waiting to destroy his life and blot him from the universe, without the fear of hell upon his heart?

Such is the form of madness you believe, if you accept the fearful thought you can attack another and be free yourself.Until this form is changed, there is no hope. Until you see that this, at least, must be entirely impossible, how could there be escape? The fear of God is real to anyone who thinks this thought is true. And he will not perceive its foolishness, or even see that it is there, so that it would be possible to question it.

To question it at all, its form must first be changed at least as much as will permit fear of retaliation to abate, and the responsibility returned to some extent to you. From there you can at least consider if you want to go along this painful path.Until this shift has been accomplished, you can not perceive that it is but your thoughts that bring you fear, and your deliverance depends on you.

Our next steps will be easy, if you take this one today. From there we go ahead quite rapidly. For once you understand it is impossible that you be hurt except by your own thoughts, the fear of God must disappear. You cannot then believe that fear is caused without. And God, Whom you had thought to banish, can be welcomed back within the holy mind He never left.

Salvation's song can certainly be heard in the idea we practice for today. If it can but be you you crucify, you did not hurt the world, and need not fear its vengeance and pursuit. Nor need you hide in terror from the deadly fear of God projection hides behind. The thing you dread the most is your salvation. You are strong, and it is strength you want. And you are free, and glad of freedom. You have sought to be both weak and bound, because you feared your strength and freedom. Yet salvation lies in them.

There is an instant in which terror seems to grip your mind so wholly that escape appears quite hopeless. When you realize, once and for all, that it is you you fear, the mind perceives itself as split. And this had been concealed while you believed attack could be directed outward, and returned from outside to within. It seemed to be an enemy outside you had to fear. And thus a god outside yourself became your mortal enemy; the source of fear.

Now, for an instant, is a murderer perceived within you, eager for your death, intent on plotting punishment for you until the time when it can kill at last. Yet in this instant is the time as well in which salvation comes. For fear of God has disappeared. And you can call on Him to save you from illusions by His Love, calling Him Father and yourself His Son. Pray that the instant may be soon,–today. Step back from fear, and make advance to love.

There is no Thought of God that does not go with you to help you reach that instant, and to go beyond it quickly, surely and forever. When the fear of God is gone, there are no obstacles that still remain between you and the holy peace of God. How kind and merciful is the idea we practice! Give it welcome, as you should, for it is your release. It is indeed but you your mind can try to crucify. Yet your redemption, too, will come from you.

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on it's way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord-everymansjournal.blogspot.com

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