In this third part of the A Course in Miracles (ACIM) series, we will dive deeper at the main goal of the course itself: inner peace.
Now to understand what „inner peace“ really means, we need to look at the obstacles and resistances against this peace.
From inside the Ego’s thought system, everything is upside down and real peace is impossible. The reason for this is, because for the Ego, everything in the world can cause distress and attack, so that it always has to watch out for dangerous sources of attack, that are threatening its version of peace.
So the Ego’s version of „peace“ is one of constant vigilance for threats and building defenses against them.
Guilt - the glue that sticks the Ego’s world together
What holds this system together is the Ego’s concept of guilt.
For a long time, I had problems to really understand this concept, because I wasn’t raised in a religious context and therefore, I didn’t even know, what guilt means. This was even made worse, because I responded in a superficial way to this topic with „There is no guilt!“, overseeing its immensely importance on the world and for the Ego.
So let’s not jump to quick conclusions here…
Another way of looking at guilt is, that we make something in the world (or even beyond it, like the Ego’s „God“ we learn about in religion) the source of our happiness or unhappiness.
So in other words, as long as there is something (or someone) outside of us, responsible for our inner state (of peace, love, pain, suffering etc.), this thing or person can cause us to feel a certain way.
In the end, it doesn’t even matter, how many things or people are perceived as outside, as long as there is only one thing or person out there, there is always the potential of disturbing our inner peace.
So guilt is the belief, that there is something or someone out there, that is the source of our inner state and of course (for the Ego) what he/she/it does, is a mistake or wrong.
Guilt can of course also be projected on ourselves, in the belief, that what we did, is the source of unhappiness in another.
This is only possible - and actually the proof - that what we are, is not the physical body or personality, because we can perceive ourselves as outside of us - while, paradoxically the body and personal mind are inside of us (=the universal mind).
To achieve inner peace, we have to discover our innocence.
Innocence is a very interesting word, if read as „in-no-sense“.
As long as we use our senses as the basis for our judgement of reality („it makes sense“), we have to feel guilt; because these senses tell us, that there obviously is some source outside, that can effect our inner state (of peace) or that we are guilty. Guilt is, what drives the Ego’s dream of the world.
Peeling Onions: „The Secret Dream“
ACIM tells us, that beneath our guilt ridden „world dream“, there is also a „secret dream“. This secret dream (as especially described in Part 2 of this series), believes, that it could separate from God, and now lives a secret life outside of God.
This illusionary and insane idea lies behind every other dream and we feel guilty for „making the impossible possible“ and separating from our one and only true source.
Now, this had many effects in the dream world. One of them being religions and the Egos version of God - a God, that will kill and punish us, for making even a small mistake, like eating an apple.
This insane version of a wrathful God - made up by the Ego - has only one goal in mind: to hide our guilt.
The whole world dream was made as a hiding place for guilt. As long as we can project this guilt on the world and other people, we don’t have to feel it ourselves. This is also the first step of true Forgiveness, as described in Part 1 of this series.
Resistances against inner peace
Our belief in guilt and our unrecognized innocence are the main resistances against true inner peace. There are other ones too, like pain, death and fear, that make the Ego’s thought system fool-proof.
(For an in depth analysis of these obstacles, I recommend the book by Ken Wapnick „The Journey Home. The Obstacles to Peace“ - it’s one of the best books ever written on this topic - but more for the advanced students of the course)
We have to understand, that resistance has to happen, because the very basis of the Ego is guilt and without guilt, there would be no Ego!
So the Ego knows, that if this basic illusionary belief is revealed, it’s extremely dangerous and it will therefore fear its demise.
„Inner Peace“ means death to the concept of guilt and the Ego itself.
That’s why, it came up with its own version of peace as described above - a version of defending against all sorts of attacks.
Now, if you read these things for the first time and understand it’s deep meaning, your Ego has all the right in the world to feel threatened.
It’s perfectly fine, if you feel disgust or even hate for this article, me or the message of the course.
It’s like you are a magician and it's telling everyone, how your magic trick works! This is indeed very threatening and again the proof, how the Ego has built it’s thought system of attack and defense.
True Inner Peace
The inner peace the course is talking about, is a peace that can’t be threatened, because there is no source outside God, that could have an effect on it.
How could Oneness fear something outside itself? How could Oneness make a mistake? How could Oneness commit a sin or be punished and for what?
You now may say, that this kind of peace is only for God and that we, as human beings, can never achieve this peace.
For the Ego this will sound like blasphemy!
Since the whole world and with it, the worlds religions, are made to hide guilt, as the main source of an illusionary separation from God, it will of course seem as the biggest blasphemy possible.
That’s why, ACIM will never be as popular as the Bible or other „holy books“, that were written to hide our guilt away (in ourselves or others).
The very basics of our „secret dream“ are wrong. We never pulled off the impossible. We are not separated from God. God is the only reality and this can’t be threatened. Therein lies the peace (and Love).
Where does this leave us practically in our daily lives?
ACIM tells us, that the way we live our daily lives, is through constant forgiveness. Every time we meet some form of separation (e.g. bodies or any other form of perception) we stop listening to our Ego-teacher interpretation of what’s going on, and start listening to the teacher of our right mind (e.g. the Holy Spirit, Jesus or any other symbol of Truth).
Again, this is described in Part 1 of this series - you may want to review it again, in the light of these new insights.
This is not only what we may do optionally, but it’s also the only thing that we can do (and do anyway).
ACIM is a course in cause and not effect. The cause is always a decision in our Mind for one of the two thought systems - either the Ego’s version of separation and guilt or the Holy Spirits version of Oneness and innocence.
The more we decide for the later, the more inner peace we will experience.
This inner peace is a peace that can’t be threatened - it’s the peace of God.
This peace will then flow freely into the world of illusion as the power of Love - not because you are loving, but because this is the only function you are capable of. This my friends, is the vision of pure peace.
Love and Blessings,
Atmos
P.S: The stunning picture above was taken by a very dear friend, who is at Hawaii at the moment and one of the best photographers I know. She is able to picture the Love and Beauty of this world - as with this volcano above. There are many more amazing pictures to follow and it's my uttermost pleasure, that she allowed me to use them for my articles here! ❤️
we only achieved inner peace if we are being honest to ourselves and accepting what is the facts rather than base on what we feel..
We are all here to experience life and take our experiences back to God. Only when we judge anything (or any experience) as "good" or "bad" we get stuck in the polarization and guilt sets in. This is the trick of the "Ego" to keep us in this dimension of the "plane of demonstration". It is my conclusion after years of learning that this is what KARMA is. KARMA is unresolved guilt. If we turn inward and own our actions and forgive ourselves and others, we bring home the experience and it is resolved. I have personally undergone this experience and when it is done properly all you are filled is only LOVE and an incredible sense of PEACE.
Thank you @atmosblack for these write ups.
By the way the image is so beautiful and appropriate. Love it.
OMG Yes! Guilt as the Karmic link!
The Ego "personality" is totally immersed in the concept of "good and bad". It is how the programmed brain measures and categorizes "cause and effect". Karma is simply the Universal law of cause and effect; if you do something, something will then come from it. It is totally tied to one's "intention" at the moment of creating the cause.
The Sub-conscious mind knows the context by which the cause was created. Guilt seems to be the mechanism that keeps reminding us that we created something dis-harmonious or harmful. That the "energy creation" is continuing to manifest effects.
Being our personal creation, it belongs to us, it has our energy signature, and thus will return to us and keep manifesting in our experience. The Ego also believes in permanence. Our personality is terrified of being categorized as wrong and our cultural programming cruelly punishes mistakes. We have been taught that our deeds create our inherent value, not our character and that this value is a permanent state.
Of course nothing is permanent in the Cosmic Mind.
Guilt seems to be just a tiny nudge from our sub-conscious telling us we have left something undone, our conceptual mind amplifies this inner conflict, often making the feeling of guilt completely unbearable. Then the mind just wants to escape. Further denying our creation, allowing it to continually manifest, growing larger and more frightening in our minds until we have no choice but to look within.
There we find that Forgiveness and Love is actually recognizing the truth. -That all life is a continual and endless series of mistakes and unintended creations. It is simply the essence of learning. The essence of continually becoming new.
Thank you @Atmosblack and @gabbingster for such rich rapport. Deep love for your minds and spirits.
This is so beautifully expressed! Thank you! 🙏
I like the idea of Karma being unresolved guilt. Indeed, when guilt ends, Karma ends and the path to that is forgiveness in every moment - others and especially ourselves, since "others" are only our own projected guilt.
Awesome, you rock! 👍
Interesting idea about guilt, I’ve never thought of guilt itself as being so fundamental to a life that is rooted in the ego. I’m not sure if I agree but I would like to think about this some more and read your other articles. Not all of us have the kind of guilt that comes from religious upbringing, although I do agree with the sentiment that many of us have a false sense of guilt that we are directly responsible for others happiness.
I’ve gotten over this whole “ego is bad” idea. I see the ego as just a physical manifestation. The problem we tend to have is that the ego thinks it is whole and complete, even when we delve into the spiritual, we don’t believe deeply enough in our true wholeness (which is not bound by time and space) and let a kind of ignorant child (the ego) call all the shots.
I’ve benefited most by training myself to see the outside world as a reflection of what is inside and vice versa. This has helped me chip away at that feeling of victimhood which was a common theme in my life as it is for so many others. Now the ego is still there but it’s main focus is play which is what I believe it was designed for, just a physical vessel intended to playfully carry out the will of our greater selves.
That’s my take anyway. I’m sure I have something to learn from you so I will pay attention and play with the ideas you are sharing here :-D
This is exactly what I struggled with for over 20 years with ACIM and in this time throwing the book away many times 😀
As I wrote, since I also had no religious upbringing, I had absolutely no idea, what this "guilt" stuff was all about. For me, guilt had nothing to do with the Ego at all.
Then I read this sentence in the course: "From all that things that cause you pain and suffering, not once did you think, that guilt was among them!"
Well, this got me interested, because this not only explained my experience, but also posed the question, if there was some message hidden, that I simply overlooked in all my years on my spiritual path.
One of the things, that helped me to understand the core message of ACIM really - and making it a daily spiritual path - was exactly the topic of guilt.
For me, this simply means, to look how I make myself or others the source of each others inner state and with that giving the dream a meaning. It's not only the judgement of self and others, but this guilt is deeply routed in the imagined separation from God/Source. ACIM is very radical and clear about guilt being not only one important "emotion", but as the source of everything in the world. In fact, the whole world is made (in the cosmology of the course) for one single purpose: to hide our guilt of the imagined separation from God away - it's its sole purpose. Of course this can't be understood, when you think of guilt as just being a religious word, that is made real by the worlds religions.
These religions tell us, that guilt is real, and we have to be punished or redeemed from it. ACIM is totally different here and says, that guilt is source of our suffering, but it's totally unreal.
About the Ego being the enemy: I would agree with your viewpoint and shared it too over a long period, but at the moment (and involving myself deeper in ACIM and its teachings about the Ego), I don't see it as an enemy, but also not as a valuable part of all-that-is (God etc). The Ego is now for me an option, I can take. ACIM here is also very clear and simple and says, we have 2 "teachers" in our mind - one is the Ego and one is the Holy Spirit (or Jesus, Buddha or whatever symbol you use, that represents Truth in your mind).
The only "job" we now have, is to decide each moment, which teacher we are listening to and which curriculum we want to take. I elaborated on that in the other articles and may do another one focused especially on that, since this is such an important topic....
Thanks for your awesome comment and opening up a deeper conversation around this topic @whatamidoing! 🙏
Wow, there's a lot more behind this than I had previously thought. It sounds like you use the word guilt to refer to the concept of Maya. That's certainly an interesting way to look at things that I hadn't thought of before. I don't know if that word really feels proper though. The illusion is so beautiful, I surely don't want to associate it with the word "guilt". I will try to pay attention to your posts and follow your line of thinking to understand better.
Thanks for the reply.
Indeed, there is lots more behind the Course than we think - it's the deepest message I came across since my spiritual search started many years ago, ans-I discover new pearls every day.
It's also the most radical one, because it contradicts everything our Egos thought system is made of. In the end, it describes exactly, how our Ego works and offers the exact opposite thought system.
It doesn't take away the choice though! This is a very important point, I'm about to write about in the next part of the series.
It basically offers you two totally different thought systems and tells you: "Now that you know them, it's up for you to choose!".
This would be my short summary of what ACIM is all about.
And I hear you... Yes, the illusion seems to be so beautiful, and from my experience, as long as Maya appears beautiful, there will be no motivation to wake up. You will rearrange the furniture on the Titanic and keep the music playing. This is exactly, what the Ego promises us: to make things work and to accept things, that don't work.
ACIM is not here to tell us, that we have to dislike Maya (this is a trap our dualistic mind falls into) - but one thing can be said for sure: if you don't look with different eyes on the main causes of suffering in the world and you haven't reached a state of total disillusionment, you won't look for a different solution and a different way to see things.
So yes, ACIM is surely not for "everyone".
You know what...what I just wrote is actually already the perfect introduction for my next post! I'll copy it! Thank you! 😀
And my views on Inner peace ...
"Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions"...
And i got a tell you something @atmosblack .. i read your artical 3 times to understand the depth of it.. it quite amazing but still I feel like you can simplified like your previous writings.. 😋 just my opinion though .. thank you respected ..
Thank you! This time I recognized your quote as not being mine 😉
Yes, thank you too for your feedback - indeed it could be even more simplified... As Einstein said, if something is not clear, it has to be expressed simpler. This is a huge topic though, with many layers of meaning and implications in our daily lives - but you are right... 🙏
I totally get it.. your thoughts like christopher Nolan's movie.. when you see it for the first time you get nothing then when you deep dive into it.. there is twist and turns..but at the end you and him leave us mind blown .. you can add some short stories into it might help to understand way little easy i guess... 😉👍
Awww... You are making me blush 😊I love Christopher Nolan. Yes, I may think of making my own videos, but I'm much more a writer than a vlogger.
Thank you! 🙏
I am reader so.. i love to read your writings not a meaningless videos.... Keep writing .. no vlogs .. lol videos you watch and forgot after 10 min but when you read you keep in your mind life time... 😉
Gotta read this a few times to unpick the wisdom within.
My initial take is that it is all about refusing judgement on self and others and practicing the silent witness to our own thoughts/emotions et al.
And realising that everything and everyone is in the same energetic, vibrational stewpot.
Another great post.
xox
Yes, you could call it judgement and what you write is certainly a part of it.
It goes deeper though, since judgement is just a description what Egos do. In other words: Egos can't learn how not to judge. This would be like telling someone not to breath or to stop their heartbeat. The only thing we can do (not as Ego, but as our soul - let's call it that...) is to look with forgiveness on our judgements and don't justify them.
It's not about fighting the judgements or trying to avoid them, but much more don't taking them so seriously.
Yes, I understand this.
However hard I try I still find myself incapable of not judging things and folks; but, these days when I do I acknowledge and accept that this is part of being human and then gently remind myself to be kind - then move on.
Kinda as you say.
Enjoy your weekend.
xox
I am constant I have read the first and second part and I am already understanding I think you do it very well these articles of ACIM are good.
I believe that inner peace is achieved by the hand of God and always being honest with ourselves
Thank you so much for your nice words! 🙏
There are so many deep and important concepts in ACIM and due to its very unfamiliar und complicated language, it's important to have guides who try to explain these principles in a common language. I'm glad, that this helps you! ❤️
It's good to have you so I can understand a little more the subject the truth I love reading you
Hello @atmosblack. Am back on your blog and I can't stop loving your contents.
Wish to be more likeyou.
Regarding the subject of inner peace.
I think I agree with this line as being true.
Was reading a work and it was explained that for there to be consistency, there has to be inconsistency.
For there to be peace there has to be something that denies one of peace.
inner peace I have finally come to deduce cannot be attained until goes to the great beyond (for the believes in it).
@rabiujaga Just thinking
Thank you for your compliments! Well, you don't need to wish to be more like me, because in truth you are already me. 😀
Yes, from inside the duality of the Ego's world, there will always be positive and negative. The important point here is, that duality only exists within the dream and in Truth, there is no duality. What you call the "great beyond" is actually the "great here" - it's the only Life there is. That's what I meant with "everything is upside down". Heaven is where Life is and this is exactly where you are! Don't try to think about it. Just take the chance to decide for the right view. This is a decision you can take every moment and with it "the beyond" is suddenly the only things that is real for you. 🙏
Wisely spoken like a true sage.
As short as our conversation are, their knowledge shall not be ephemeral.
I only wish we could speak better and have a form of dialogue on a subject that is strange to me but versatile with you. So I may learn more from you..
Stay peaceful. @atmosblack
Will always be great conversing with you
Your work sir actually inspired me to get digging and I came to write an article.
I hope it is as knowledgeable as yours is.
Do Check it out if our can Here.
Peace is the number one beautiful ornament you can wear, I really believe that. They say you should always wear a smile, but I don't believe that you should "always" wear a smile, seriously, you're going to look stupid! But peace, you should always carry peace within you, its the most beautifying thing you could ever have or do. Peace makes your heart beautiful and it makes you look beautiful, too. You want to have perfect physical posture when you stand, sit, and walk, and peace is the perfect posture of the soul, really. Try perfect posture outside as well as inside. Peace creates grace and grace gives peace.
Thank you so much! 🙏I guess, with peace you will automatically also have an inner smile 😀
Love these breakdown explanations of ACIM! I was just pondering over the concept the other day of having inner peace.- "you can't get there from here" (from an ego standpoint).
You are very welcome! 😀
Indeed, the Ego can't get there, because wherever it is, there is no peace and wherever you are, there is only peace. So the puzzle is solved! What's next? 😉
As always, an excellent and eye-opening read. I must say, I am by no means a religious bloke, but I do enjoy the way your writing also somehow manages to cater to those who don't exactly believe in a specific God. Rather, the message is still there and very easy for us to understand, helping us find what we didn't even know we could be looking for.
Also love the photo (and Haiwaii even more!)
Thank you! If my articles can reach people like you, who are not religious (neither am I), then this makes me even more happy! Especially when it's written in a way, everyone can profit! Awesome comment! 🙏
Excellent publication ... thanks! we need more of this kind of... Happy day and share more about these themes...
Aww, thank you! 🙏 I'll do, since these are the only topics I really love to write about! ❤️
I like the heading it really captures attention and very nice article. Not all of us have inner peace or it is hard to achieve that one in this chaotic world. For me, I can attain inner peace by accepting reality and be contented of what you have.
Always your posts are so excellent, this is one thing we all have to possess, without internal peace we are simply not living, Always remember that You care for the outside as much as the inside, because everything is one. Peace comes from within, do not look for it outside.the messages of inner peace were told by great thinkers, many of them spent much of their life looking for it. Thanks to meditation, self-knowledge and an austere lifestyle were found.
I think that it is possible to achieve inner peace, to achieve it is complicated because people who are very believers are the ones that most affect this type of solution because they believe in something or someone and when they fail they lose the peace they thought they had and they frustrating thinking because this kind of thing happens to them, I think the only one that does not fail us is God and is the only one to whom we must have faith, because there are many people in the world who are dedicated to doing bad things and leaving people without their search for peace, it is something very profound and determinant what you explain and you are absolutely right
As I wrote in the article - as long as you make your inner peace dependent on other people, you are screwed. Also when you see God as separate from yourself - because then God becomes your projection. Don't try to trust from the Ego - this is impossible, because the Ego is made out of guilt and thoughts of attack - it can't trust, because it will always see its own projections. Instead trust in yourself as the decision-maker and look at your two options - either the world of the Ego, a world of pain and suffering or the world of the Holy Spirit, a world of Oneness, Peace and Love. Be aware, that even though you will often decide for the painful alternative, you can make a new decision every moment. ❤️
exactly that helps personal growth and having human personal growth peace will come with one and you will feel that tranquility in yourself it is true that you have to trust yourself because you create your own goals and destiny, many times we stop trust in ourselves and we become people who are not led by an evil ego and full of darkness, thank you very much I will have present every advice and post that you publish blessings
Wonderful post ..thanks for sharing...Best of luck friend ✫ resteemid
I loved course in miracles
Taking responsibilities for how we react to others and holding on to our values can also bring forth inner peace
I do like your post, @atmosblack. Innocence is a very interesting word, if read as „in-no-sense“. Do we have problem with inner peace because we have lived in outer world which appears clearly in consumerism and materialism? Thanks a lot!
It is very important many do not achieve their inner peace, I think it is not so easy to find it but it is important to be at peace with ourselves you have to understand many things to achieve it is not something that I think you get overnight, very well thank you I love reading you that fills me with peace
Inner peace : No conflict in your thoughts and acts-:that is the inner peace.
very nice