Another look at grievances. Let go of preferences and find peace!

Dearly Beloved,

Would you join me in a poem from a resurrected mind? It's from a very holy book titled "The Gifts of God", scribed by Helen Schucman, as the poems of Jesus. This poem has been since the beginning of time, spoken by the Word, to put an end to time. It’s meant to motivate you. I trust it will!

THE REAL WORLD

"Where stars are formless but their light remains,

 And shines forever; where the sun has lost

Its burning heat, and yet it still retains

A gentle and eternal glow that keeps

All things in peace and softness, and the rays

From every living thing reach out to find

All other living things, and on from them

To their Creator; where, when petals fall

And leaves decay, the scent and color of

The flowers come, preserved forever fresh

And lovely, and the song of birds remains

Although their wings are still; here everyone

Will come to rest, his journey almost done,

And hears God's Voice acknowledging His Son."

What a beautiful week it's been living in the holy instant as we walk together into the real world. Living with the desire to let go of the illusion of separateness and see your holiness reflected in the outer world.  A willingness to forgive all circumstances, a person, a place, or a thing by simply not judging what happens to you, in the quietness of the Righteous Mind, leaving the past behind. A willingness to not let the past be your guide and hold the known against the Now, so you can see anew. A willingness to live in transparency and withhold no thoughts from your Self as join Him in the Here and Now. A willingness to limit no one and see him free, as you would have your Self to be.

If we have experienced pain this week, saw a darkened world, and felt the lies of fear, it's important that we recognize we are holding the weapon of judging against our Self, who is the world. Unknown to us we are living in grievances, limits, or lies we think we like.  What else could pain be but a judgment, a shadowy thought of a darkened mind perceiving differences with limits in itself? Could this be an unconscious wish to harm ourselves and be the cause of fear? Perhaps the end of fear is near!

We are listening to the wrong voice, the voice of the past, which wants us to believe living in comparisons is truth, safety, and joy. Are we willing to see that judgment, and its dark allies of comparison, and projected guilt, is a mind preoccupied with the past and is hiding from the light? Is this not what a grievance is, what suffering is, and what the belief you are a body is? No longer will to take part in the grievance that promises joy. Judgment is nothing but a sick toy.

Our mind is presenting a mirrored image of a desire for the illusion of separation, a divided mind, and the belief in limitation, which is in time.

Is there really any difference between a cherished preference and a grievance? We are speaking of these ideas in terms of rejection, and one that lacks indifference, or a judgment without perceived attack. We are asking if we can find peace and cherish pain? Are pain and pleasure not the same?

What is this preference but a self-made plan, a dark grip, and from where and whom? 

The cause of the point of pain is veiled to us, by our mind, in a desire to live in preferences, in pleasure,  stay in time, and harm ourselves. This is our decision and the reward of continued faith in the belief in differences, opposites, and death, that we may keep the body dream alive and stay yet another day in the darkness and to hide. 

Living in our favorite pastimes and opinions each grievance gives us feelings of little joys through flavors, textures, colors, notes, temperaments, and power, seemingly offering us happiness, safety, and a "beautiful" world that is seen. Our favorite effects of the world are all kept separate, wholes unto themselves, and cherished in the mirror of the perception of differences and ununified in purpose. What else could sickness be? All things are seen in a different lights instead of the one Light. Would you know what these words mean?

I feel it's important to recognize how preference-filled we really are and observe the sickness of our "wish" to stay in the grievances or hell. Preferring to be hot or cold, dry or wet, spicy or sweet, around pleasant people or unpleasant people, a pretty or unacceptable feature, the unbearable noise or sonata, attached to this outcome, looking forward to this or that, and always waiting for the next move, next excitement, or avoid the pain. Is there really any difference between these things? How clear do we see the "wish" for I like this but I don't like that, turns against us, is a manipulation against ourselves, and dark game? Do we see that we love our sickened wish to keep the mind fragmented and perceived in parts? Our "favorites", a term likened by a dived mind that is in love with grievances and is rebelling against the Will of God. Can we see that? Why not call judgment what it is, self-attack, and totally insane!?

How often are you listening to the wrong voice yourself?

Have you been observing it when makes demands on everyone and everything? 

Demands for what?

Can wholeness make demands and demands make whole?

A deluded mind stuck in an illusion of false control.

The ego cannot live in the here and now where the holy instant is. The darkness of the past fuels self-initiated thought, a separate mind, and is incompatible with light and oneness of awareness there. It cannot live with an open mind or be flexible, for it must stay closed, holding to its cherished positions of littleness, to keep its chains tied to the known. It cannot live in appreciation of what is and live carefree, for to do so would be to be one with your environment, the end of guilt, and its demise. It lives in the darkness of comparisons, labels, and time. Learning to let go of judgment, of the past, and live in a forgiving mind is the end of its eyes. If you desire for your eyes to be single and the body be filled with light, you must be willing to let of your grievances in all their forms. If you desire to live in the holy instant and step out of time, hold no grievances, let go of your plans, your defenses, your sword and shield.  Trade condemnation of anyone or thing for the innocent perception of your Self. Listen to your real Self and give up the fight.

Below are a few words from our Teacher from Lesson 68 of the Workbook of ACIM. I trust they we be as impactful for you as they have been from me.

"Love holds no grievances" (ACIM, W-68)

1. You who were created by love like itself can hold no grievances and know your Self.²To hold a grievance is to forget who you are.³To hold a grievance is to see yourself as a body.⁴To hold a grievance is to let the ego rule your mind and to condemn the body to death.⁵Perhaps you do not yet fully realize just what holding grievances does to your mind.⁶It seems to split you off from your Source and make you unlike Him.⁷It makes you believe that He is like what you think you have become, for no one can conceive of his Creator as unlike himself.

2. Shut off from your Self, which remains aware of Its likeness to Its Creator, your Self seems to sleep, while the part of your mind that weaves illusions in its sleep appears to be awake.²Can all this arise from holding grievances?³Oh, yes!⁴For he who holds grievances denies he was created by love, and his Creator has become fearful to him in his dream of hate.⁵Who can dream of hatred and not fear God?

3. It is as sure that those who hold grievances will redefine God in their own image, as it is certain that God created them like Himself, and defined them as part of Him.²It is as sure that those who hold grievances will suffer guilt, as it is certain that those who forgive will find peace.³It is as sure that those who hold grievances will forget who they are, as it is certain that those who forgive will remember.

4. Would you not be willing to relinquish your grievances if you believed all this

were so?²Perhaps you do not think you can let your grievances go.³That, however, is simply a matter of motivation.⁴Today we will try to find out how you would feel without them.⁵If you succeed even by ever so little, there will never be a problem in motivation ever again.

5. Begin today’s extended practice period by searching your mind for those against whom you hold what you regard as major grievances.²Some of these will be quite easy to find.³Then think of the seemingly minor grievances you hold against those you like and even think you love.⁴It will quickly become apparent that there is no one against whom you do not cherish grievances of some sort.⁵This has left you alone in all the universe in your perception of yourself.

6. Determine now to see all these people as friends.²Say to them all, thinking of each one in turn as you do so:

I would see you as my friend, that I may remember you are part of me and come to know my Self.

Love holds no grievances. When I let all my grievances go I will know I am perfectly safe.

Love holds no grievances. Let me not betray my Self.

Love holds no grievances. I would wake to my Self by laying all my grievances aside and wakening in Him.

My friends, let go of your grievances and discover the REAL WORLD and REAL VISION. How simple is salvation!

Much Love everyone, God Saves!

Kenney