Commentary on ACIM Lesson 294

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

My body is a wholly neutral thing.

I am sure todays lesson subject (the body) has an interest to many of us, particularly as we add on years chronologically. I too have been experiencing challenges to functionality of late, accompanied by the sensations of pain. At first, I was quite distressed, but after a while my spirit voice was hearable again, and my resistance lessened. At first I put on pain-blocking homeopathic gels and took inflammation fighting tinctures. And for a while, I got relief, had more mobility (in my right shoulder and arm/elbow) and I thought, "Home free", or something like that. During that time period, I'd also met the bodyworker/breath teacher I have told you about. But since I was 'home free', I stopped doing all that, only to find that before too long, the motion limitation, swelling, and pain quickly returned.

But my spirit said "Don't do the drug (even homeopathic) thing again.... be willing to feel the pain...". This resonated with me because of the several years of Body Electronics classes I had attended in the 1990's Santa Fe, before I'd 'gone 100% raw'. Also, I am clear that most of our physical pain is in some way associated with our thinking and our emotions, and of course, from that perspective, blocking pain with pain-killers would simply help me to avoid doing the work of clearing my emotions and retraining my thoughts. That avoidance is not my choice either. So I am simply doing a lot of breathing work, and also self-massage. I am also learning to do a lot more with my left arm. All very interesting stuff....

Anyway, the upshot is I have been increasing my attention on my body, and that leads back to the whole discussion about 'what is the body', or 'am I this body'.... all that. So encountering and engaging with today's lesson is thematic to my life, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is to yours too.

The big bingo for me out of the lesson is a deeper cut at the idea that while I am a Son of God, the Son of God is not a body, and that the body is simply something that the Son of God uses as a vehicle of expression while in this dream reality. The body cannot fear, nor can the body love.... only True Being can love, and only True Being Without Remembrance can fear.

A secondary bingo is that the body will keep its usefulness while it can serve. There are so many examples of limit-encumbered bodies that still serve the Awakening that it is ridiculous to believe that 'I' cannot be happy while I heal my physicality, if that be God's Will, which I do believe it is.

In the meantime, what is available from our experiences of pain? Many wonderful growth experiences, like the deepening of compassion for those that suffer, the opportunity to 'be with' the daily approach of the end of the body, and the strengthening of the hearts power to know ourselves as Spirit.

And also, last but not least, pain gives us the signal that we need to love ourselves a whole lot more. That translates into: "Be kind to yourself, and be willing to receive". All in all, today is a great day to practice any of these ideas....

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 294

My body is a wholly neutral thing.

I am a Son of God. And can I be another thing as well? Did God create the mortal and corruptible? What use has God's beloved Son for what must die? And yet a neutral thing does not see death, for thoughts of fear are not invested there, nor is a mockery of love bestowed upon it. Its neutrality protects it while it has a use. And afterwards, without a purpose, it is laid aside. It is not sick nor old nor hurt. It is but functionless, unneeded and cast off. Let me not see it more than this today; of service for a while and fit to serve, to keep its usefulness while it can serve, and then to be replaced for greater good.

My body, Father, cannot be Your Son. And what is not created cannot be sinful nor sinless; neither good nor bad. Let me, then, use this dream to help Your plan that we awaken from all dreams we made.