Accepting the Atonement for ourselves is the ultimate insurance policy. The Atonement is the perfect solution to the belief in separation. It will always bring us to safety. It will always bless us and lead us towards God’s Will for us, which is perfect happiness. Whenever the ego appears to tempt or threaten us, we don’t need to try to change or fix anything in the world. All we can do is change our mind about the world.
Stress
Transcending a Personal Sense of Self
What am I identified with, right here, right now in this present moment? Could it be that there is an identification that has its own thoughts and its own feelings that isn’t me, yet I believe it is? Can I be that insane? No. It is only that I am believing in something that is that insane.
It’s Very Simple
Diving into the experience of presence is the natural state while we’re not at Home. If there are plans to be made, we will be told of them. Nothing needs to be held in mind. Everything in life is given intuitively. Any kind of event comes effortlessly.
Live in Divine Providence
Although the world tries to teach you otherwise, it is possible to live completely in divine providence. Lesson 50 of “A Course in Miracles” is “I am sustained by the Love of God.” (W-50) In that lesson, Jesus tells us that “In this world, you believe you are sustained by everything but God.” (W-50.1:2) By following the Holy Spirit’s prompts, we begin to trust that we will be divinely provided for in every circumstance.
Reduce Stress and Worry, Grace vs. Control
We want to experience peace. We want to reduce stress and worry in our lives. But how? In this clip, David Hoffmeister shares on letting go of the illusion of control and sinking into divine Grace. The ego seeks to demonstrate that it is the author of itself by working, planning, and controlling as many “personal” aspects of life as possible. But doing each “must” and “have to” is highly stressful. The alternative to attempting to control things is to relax into divine Grace.
Reduce Stress and Worry
David Hoffmeister reminds us of the ACIM teaching that all is in the mind. All problems are mental problems. “A Course in Miracles” is a tool to take us into a consistently peaceful state of mind. While practicing the lessons of ACIM we experience the difference between a fear-based thought system and a love-based thought system. Through practice, we can learn to choose the loving thought system that gives us peace. In this way, we reduce stress and worry in our lives. Things that seem to happen in the world are neither good nor bad. It is the underlying thoughts and fears that need to be looked at.
God Dependency or Autonomy?
What we learn from “A Course in Miracles” is that all beliefs are false. One belief, forgiveness, is the answer that takes us beyond the world. We become God-dependent and everything is given. When we experience difficulty with studying “A Course in Miracles,” it is the ego that experiences the struggle. Jesus teaches that ACIM is easy because it is leading to a natural state of mind. By practicing mind training, in spite of ego resistance, we undo our individuality and autonomy. It is all or nothing.
Stressed about Money
The state of your bank account can seem to have a lot of power over your mental health. When you’re stressed about money, you might feel tired, anxious, angry, abandoned, or afraid about the future. Fear is tied into a belief in lack, so you believe you need things. Money buys things that seem to meet the needs. As you sleep in this dreamworld, money seems to sustain you. You think you need it. This is the compromise of the world that keeps you in fear.
Stop People-Pleasing, Reduce Stress and Worry
Stop people-pleasing and you will feel how wonderful life can really be. The people-pleasing defense mechanism is subtle, insidious, and heavily engrained. You’ve been raised with the belief that people-pleasing is good—please your boss, your spouse, your children, etc. Meanwhile, people have all of these underlying currents of conflicts inside. Acknowledge your feelings! Let Spirit give you your yes’s and no’s, and say what you need to say.
Divine Providence
“A Course in Miracles” is taking us to God dependency. Person-based dependency is stressful and the scarcity principal is played out whether we are protecting wealth or trying to get it. Divine providence can only give. When we go deeper into divine providence, we transcend reciprocity entirely. There will only be peace of mind when we are dependent on God.