An Affirming Flame

This excerpt from a poem by Auden moves me to tears, because it could have been written about the thought currents and fears of the world today:

I sit in one of the dives

On Fifty-Second Street

Uncertain and afraid

As the clever hopes expire

Of a low dishonest decade;

Waves of anger and fear

Circulate over the bright

And darkened lands of the earth,

Obsessing our private lives...

Defenseless under the night

Our world in stupor lies;

Yet, dotted everywhere,

Ironic points of light

Flash out whenever the Just

Exchange their messages;

May I, composed like them

Of Eros and of dust,

Beleaguered by the same

Negation and despair,

Show an affirming flame.

Poetry like this is powerful because it points to what we all must face. We have to accept and acknowledge the world around us as we have projected it... "The appreciation of wholeness comes only through acceptance." (A Course in Miracles; T11, V, 13:2) Acceptance means we no longer blame or project, but that we realize what true forgiveness is... "This is the shift that true perception brings: What was once projected out is seen within, and there forgiveness lets it disappear." (ACIM, MT4, 6:1)

Why is seeing and accepting the negation that is the world so important? Aren't we supposed to simply focus on what's good and positive and affirm the nothingness of everything else? This is the common wisdom in new thought traditions. The thing is, by denying what seems to be, we're simply engaging in self-deception. We haven't realized that we're the one projecting it. We may see our thoughts as having cause and effect, but we don't actually see that everything is thought. We're not actually aware that we can only see our own projections, our own interpretations... "Perception is a mirror, not a fact. And what I look on is my state of mind, reflected outward." (ACIM; WB304, 1:3-4)

A Course in Miracles reminds us that "Perception can make whatever picture the mind desires to see. Remember this: In this lies either heaven or hell, as you elect." (ACIM; MT 19, 5:2-4) The acceptance of this, taking responsibility for our own projections and perceptions is the first step in true forgiveness, which realizes that "there can be no form of suffering that fails to hide an unforgiving thought. Nor can there be a form of pain forgiveness cannot heal." (ACIM; WB198, 9:5-6) Only by facing our own projections, our own shadows, can we finally see that they are all made up. We have done this. And this we undo, day by day, through forgiveness.

We become the Just, the points of light in Auden's poem. We don't deny the world, we transform it. We are the forgiving, affirming flame.

"What cause have you for anger in a world that merely awaits your blessing to be free?" -- A Course in Miracles; T30, II, 4:1

Power and Love and a Sound Mind

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." -- The Bible; 2 Timothy 1:7

"You who are dedicated to the incorruptible have been given, through your acceptance, the power to release from corruption." -- A Course in Miracles; Chapter 19, Section IV-C, 6:1

Wow, these are powerful passages. How can I read them and not be moved to move fearlessly in the world, to make a difference wherever I find myself? How can I read them and continue to indulge, even for a moment, in pandering to the alleged safety and security of a false, separate self?

A Course in Miracles reminds us that by accepting our true Origin and Source as Sons of God, we have the power to release from corruption... which is defined by Webster as a "departure from the original or from what is pure or correct." By remembering Who We Are, we remember the power and love and sound mind that are ours already, as emanations of the One Mind. God did not give the spirit of fear, and so it does not exist. What God did not create is simply not, and never was.

What does this mean for us in these turbulent times? So many are caught up in the currents of divisive election issues and economic fears. I have heard very well-meaning people say that none of it is real, so why bother to try and change any of it, or to actively participate? This is fear disguised with a not-so-effective defense mechanism of avoidance. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear..."

Gangaji, one of my mentors along the path, tells this story about her teacher, Papaji: "In 1947, India was in extreme crisis. Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs were killing each other. Enforced mass migration was causing anger, fear, and despair. The country was in chaos. At the same time, Papaji sat in bliss at Ramana Maharshi's feet, by the holy mountain of Arunachala. One day, after reading in the newspaper about the horrors, Ramana asked Papaji about his family and the dangers they were facing as they were forced to leave the Punjab and relocate to Hindu governed Lucknow. Papaji replied, "That is all just an empty dream. I am here, in the awareness of reality and the bliss of your grace." Ramana looked deeply into Papaji's eyes and said, "If it is all a dream, then what is the problem with going and taking care of your family? Go now and help them." Papaji left that very night for the Punjab, and was able to get all his family out in the nick of time. He got them on the last train allowed out."

Ramana peeled away the egoic defense mechanism of separation by avoidance. If you're avoiding something, you fear it, and you've made it something separate in your own deluded mind. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear..." We are called, each in our own way, to listen to what's going on in the world. We are called to listen to clients and friends and family, and we are always led in beautiful and surprising ways to act in the world with God's power, and love, and sound mind.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." -- The Bible; Philippians 4:13

The End of Denial

"By knowing the unreality of disease, sin, and death, you demonstrate the Allness of God... utter reliance upon the One God, to Whom belong all things." --Unity of Good by Mary Baker Eddy; Page 9, Line 28, & Page 10, Lines 9-10

Have you noticed that we all have a tendency to interpret our spirituality personally and selfishly? When confronted with unpleasantness, like starving children or human trafficking or animal abuse, or even the reality of where the meat we insist on eating is coming from and how barbarically the animals are treated, the tendency is to fall back on, "It's not real anyway." And then we do whatever we want and pretend it's not there. This is not the proper use of denial. This is the co opting of denial by the little, imaginary self, that wants its own comfort and survival and pleasure above all else.

Not one thing in this world is true, and that is certain. And yet, whatever we encounter in our own consciousness is true for us, and therefore must be forgiven, not avoided by sticking our heads in the sand. And as we forgive, I guarantee the Holy Spirit will urge us to action within the dream to reinforce that there is nothing to fear, nothing to avoid. The thing about the courage to walk our talk is that we are saying 'no' to what is not real, saying no to the fear and appearance of suffering encountered in consciousness. Everything is met in consciousness. There is nothing else.

The actions we take in the world are symbols in the dream, symbols of where we are in consciousness. I notice that Jeshua ben Joseph did not continue to sit on the mountain top or in the desert, but was actively led to the poorest, neediest, most despised people and places. He looked it all in the face and knew it was not of God, and therefore not real... and yet he walked and talked and healed and comforted while knowing the Truth. "Jesus taught us to walk over, not into or with, the currents of matter, or mortal mind." (Unity of Good by Mary Baker Eddy; Page 11, Lines 3-4)

So when we turn away from suffering by saying it's not real, we're really just acknowledging that to us, it seems scary and real and we don't want to go there. "Whatever you accept into your mind has reality for you. It is your acceptance of it that makes it real to you." (A Course in Miracles; Chapter 5, Section V, 4:1-2) The trick is, as Tolkien said, to "...take care of the evil in the fields that we know..."; we do what we can, moving over the illusion, untouched by it, while silently knowing the Truth in consciousness, the Allness of God and the Nothingness of suffering and death.

The end of denial comes as we realize there is nothing to deny. We don't need to pretend as we go through life... we simply meet whatever we meet in consciousness, knowing the Allness of God and our Oneness with Her... and we willingly meet any and all challenges in consciousness as the nothingness they are. World problems or family problems, the healing is the same. Fear not... there's nothing and no one but God. We learn to play our part with the assurance that it's our own True Self we are always meeting.

"Relationships in this world are the result of how the world is seen." -- A Course in Miracles; Chapter 19, Section IV, i, 12:1

"All your difficulties stem from the fact that you do not recognize yourself, your brother, or God." -- A Course in Miracles; Chapter 3, Section III, 2:1