The world we live in trains people for reliance on one’s judgement and sees it as the criterion for maturity and strength. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) curriculum trains people for the relinquishment of judgement because it sees it as a necessary condition for salvation.
Love and Fear
Around the time that I was studying ACIM, I was also reading a book written by Karol. K. Truman ‘Feelings Buried Alive Never Die ‘ – one particular quote from that book caught my attention ‘Fear is the darkroom where all the negatives are developed’.
In ACIM it’s clearly stated that there are two states of being – love and fear. It’s impossible to be in a loving space if we’re living from a place of fear; and the opposite also applies. If I’m living in ‘FEAR’ the negative aspects within me will ‘develop’ or thrive in that environment.
To make a ‘conscious’ decision not to live in fear is all that’s required in order to elevate oneself to a place of LOVE. There are and will be days when it may be necessary to make that conscious decision numerous times, due to what can only be described as a type of amnesia. It’s possible to be committed to a particular way of being or path, but also for that commitment to vanish from consciousness, which makes it necessary to remember all over again. That doesn’t happen because we’re “thick” or “stupid” – it’s all just part of the human condition. When we’re aware, it’s easier to spot the disconnect.
Living life from a loving place takes constant commitment, however, living in a state of awareness from a place of love far outweighs the alternative. I know what it’s like to live in constant fear and negativity but I’m also fortunate to have experienced what life is like when my own heart is filled with unconditional love for other human beings.
Unconditional Love
The first time I experienced ‘unconditional love’ was when my son was born and some 35 years later my feelings of unconditional love for him are greater than ever. I’ve also been blessed to be able to experience unconditional love through the precious relationship with my little granddaughter.
The person who provided me with the most profound lessons in giving and receiving unconditional love was my beautiful sister. She was born with Down’s syndrome. On a soul level her contribution to me, our family, and those who were blessed enough to know her was immeasurable – Brenda was unconditional love personified.
Be the light of the world……
Those beautiful human beings have helped my personal growth in many ways that they know nothing about. The light within them, helped me to see the goodness in me. That’s my understanding of what it means to be the ‘light of the world’.
Miracles happen when people attempt to be the best version of themselves. And perhaps it’s best to qualify that statement by adding – not the world’s definition of ‘best’ but God’s definition. Those people who are consciously being the ‘best’ version of themselves will most likely never really know the profound effect they are having on other human beings or realise that it was their light that enabled others to find their way in the dark.
A message that struck me loud and clear (on many levels) during that particular course of study was: Give and you will receive.