Inside the third article within the series around the “miracle” and the “mind,” we’re going to bring kindness and unkindness in to the discussion about specialness. In A Course in Miracles (ACIM), kindness is owned by humility and learning and unkindness has been arrogance and specialness. The miracle-minded obviously choose humility, learning and kindness this means they will eventually figure out how to forgive all specialness which can be what maintains the separation from God. Belief in separation applies to everyone who is usually the one Son perceiving Himself as separate and other fragments. All unkindness is a result of the anxiety inside the mind when we repress our fear and guilt as an alternative to forgiving our specialness desires. We blame and project it onto others who are really an integral part of us in fact.
There are 2 books by Kenneth Wapnick on, “The Healing Strength of Kindness.” Volume 1 is on, “Releasing Judgment” and Volume 2 on, “Forgiving Our Limitations.” In my opinion, these must be required reading and continuing study for anyone who is a life threatening Course student. The next passage says all this:
If you put aside the brilliant metaphysics of the Course in Miracles along with its sophisticated psychological insights, this course may be pared right down to one simple rule: Be kind. If you are not kind, then not only do you think you’re not practicing the Course, there is no way you may even begin to understand it. Regardless of how brilliant knowing about it of the company’s metaphysics could be, if you’re not being kind toward another person, you are not doing what this program is asking (The Healing Strength of Kindness, Vol.1: Releasing Judgment by Kenneth Wapnick, p. 10, underline mine).
In spite of this admonition, we insist upon being unkind:
This inability to truly practice A program in Miracles’ kind principles of forgiveness that they study, and sometimes even teach, has perhaps been the most serious failing among its students. This book’s sequel, “Few Opt to Listen,” discusses how students often conceal their thought system of specialness beneath the guise of spiritual counseling or friendship. Having less simple kindness is, unfortunately, unmistakable to everyone except this course student making the spiritual pronouncements (The material Of an Course in Miracles: Each one is Called, p. 306).
The non-dualistic concept of kindness can not be understood here within the connection with dualism provided that specialness is continuously chosen as the ego originates from an unkind thought against God and Heaven. Our unwillingness to recognize this in regards to the ego, and just what all of that thought method is able to do, is a thing that hinders our progress together with the Course. We should be inclined to look at the ego with all the Holy Spirit – the real Teacher – and take that darkness to Him for forgiveness. Nothing can be hidden that is certainly straight from the Course.
Kindness To other people Is Kindness To Self
In his books on kindness, Mr. Wapnick also covers the foundation of the person’s unkind behavior is identical fear (and repressed guilt) that is employed in your own mind and that’s what unites us. We have precisely the same right-mind and also the same capability to choose from them. Opting to be kind does not make us different or better; rather it means we are happy to practice the “kind principles” from the Course to ensure that we could learn to understand everything it can be teaching. It’s just a question of priority.
He proceeds to say that in mastering how to be kind towards others, were practicing being kind toward ourselves because, “you and your brother is one. They may be part of you. You’re not different.” Which i mentioned above directly to one’s heart with the ego’s thought system wherein the thought of difference is how the ego began – God and His Son were separate and other – and undoes it. Even the slightest hint of specialness is the ego. What he’s saying becomes clear should you actually study and employ what type forgiveness of the Course!
A life threatening student in the Course really wants to determine what therefore. These students choose to be considered a happy learner together with the only true teacher – the Holy Spirit – instead of a spiritually special teacher in the ego of all sorts. These are pleased to study from Him the way to be without any the burdens linked to denying the reality:
Forgiveness’ kindness is obscure at first, because salvation is not understood, nor truly sought for (S-2.I.1). And here you’ll lie down the duty of denying truth. This is the burden that’s terrible, and never the facts (T-21-VI.7).
Self versus “self” -or- Identity versus “identity”
Within the Course, you will find there’s difference between the “Self” which can be our true Identity as Christ and also the “self” identity together with the ego. This can be a key factor to be aware of since the first accepts the function God gave us through being God-created; however the latter is self-created and completely influenced by the ego and its objective of vengeance and looking after separation. Everyone already believes these are ego. We would not be here otherwise. To take into account the possibly of the being correct along with demand for correction restores hope to your brain since it suggests just how out.
Each time a spiritually special Course teacher (a sort of unhealed healer) teaches specialness of the ego, they’re being unkind towards others thereby themselves even though they are highly unlikely to watch it this way. They’re also not likely to believe it can be kind for a person to own boundaries using them since their fear and guilt (and anxiety) are really great. However, honestly going through the world, we percieve that it’s stuffed with the fragmented Sonship who’s anxiety-ridden from identifying using the ego self. Unkindness is rampant on the planet as well as in the Course community. As Wapnick states though, we will never study the Course until we choose to become kind.
Our behaviors will be the tyoe of which mind we’ve got chosen (God or perhaps the ego). The ego is often a vengeful and tyrannical thought system of unkindnesses whereas freedom as a result is tied directly to kindness:
Without anxiety mental performance is wholly kind (T-6.III.3).
Freedom can not be learned by tyranny regardless of the sort (T-8.IV.7).
Additionally it is unkind to change the program and spiritual specialness does that through competition with God and so everyone. One small change effectually changes everything from the Course, a complete thought system. If you think you recognize that, you never. Once you know you are doing, you’ll automatically be kind for you view the inherent value kindness plays in mastering and understanding the Course. As Wapnick states, “It’s a matter of priority.”
When Kindness Calls
To conclude, let’s turn back now to Mr. Wapnick with his fantastic book, “The Message Of an Course In Miracles: Few Decide to Listen,” and also to Chapters 4 and 6 on spiritual specialness. I’ll highlight some important passages beginning from an extremely telling quote. First, however, i want to also add that two-book set (including, “Few Elect to Listen”) should also be required ongoing study for serious Course students:
“Love is frightening because it is all-encompassing and there there is no room for specialness or individual uniqueness.”
He goes on to mention that if were lured to call focus on our thoughts is a few deficiency, or lack, we have been planning to make such limitation real and into something which divides the Sonship. The rock of salvation is it’s impossible to lose so another gains, i.e., nothing is to take from another, not their success. However, and we don’t appreciate this until following the mandatory time committed to learning these particular words are actually correct in addition to their true meaning. What our bodies look like doing lets us know which internal teacher we now have chosen – the ego or perhaps the Holy Spirit. The ego is limitations, judgment, specialness and separation – the the complete opposite of the Sonship as One.
When we’re not kind, we aren’t Course students or teachers of God (this course as our path). When kindness calls, it must be chosen as kindness brings about miracle-mindedness. Unkindness is in the ego.
To read more about a course in miracles have a look at our web site.