Hi,
In this blog I am inspired to write about how to practice, why practice is important, and what to do when we forget to practice.
How do I practice remembrance?
A Course in Miracles, The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI), and the Bible are chock full of practices that facilitate the remembrance of who we are. In fact, in the Course the word “practice” appears 290 times, showing up mostly in the workbook, which gives us 365 practices for remembrance.
I came across a message recently that contains a wonderful teaching on practice, listing three ways to practice.*
“The simple way is the way of realizing that all ideas are in the mind. The easiest way is the way of realizing that all experiences come from you. And the best way is to remember what you truly want, then choose all your ideas from the place of this knowing.”
At first I didn’t think that I practiced the “simple way” because I wasn’t even clear on what it meant, but I taught on these ideas a couple of times recently and was given more clarity on it. As I expound on these ideas, you will probably recognize the ways that you practice them as will.
The simple way is realizing that all ideas are in the mind.
When I watch my thoughts and see a thought of lack, I remind myself that lack does not exist out there but is, in fact, an idea in my mind. Once I recognize this, I can also remember that belief in lack and limitation, unworthiness or guilt, are false beliefs that I no longer want.
My first run through the workbook of the Course enabled me to see that my mind was filled with anger, attack and defense. I really had no idea; I thought I was a happy person! Yet, just prior to starting the Course, I had frequent conflicts, and soon became aware that the common denominator in these conflicts was me! When I first got together with my husband, he used to say that I was so defensive, and honestly, I didn’t even know what he was talking about.
As I practiced remembering Truth through doing the lessons each day, I noticed that I was no longer having as many conflicts, I began to feel a sense of peace, and my husband stopped telling me that I was “so defensive”.
Look within and see what’s there, and then you’ll know why you see what you see out there. The world I see really comes from the thoughts and ideas I hold in my mind.
The easiest way is the way of realizing that all experiences come from you.
This is similar to the Course teaching that tells us that the secret to freedom is this: You Are Doing This to Yourself.
We know that we can have the same experience, and yet experience it in different ways. Two people may experience the same illness, for example, but one person feels victimized by it, and the other sees it as a learning opportunity to practice remembrance.
If my mind is filled with fear and lack, then I experience that in my reality, and I see fear and lack in the world. But when I see those thoughts and beliefs in my mind, and let them go to Spirit Within for healing, then my experience changes.
The best way is to remember what you truly want.
This is reminiscent of the teaching in the Course that tells us in every situation to ask, “What is it for?” “What do I treasure and how much do I treasure it?” Fear or Love? Peace or conflict?
While I regularly use all three practices described here, the “best way” is the practice I have most resonated to in the past year after teaching and learning on NTI James. There it says: “Be a conscious-minded teacher of yourself.” Holy Spirit reminds me of this all the time. The way we do this is to bring increased awareness to what’s going on in our mind.
“What is the test that you shall give unto yourself to see if you are currently following the beacon of your true desire? Ask only this:
What do I want now?
“If you find that you want anything other than ‘Know thy Self,’ you have also discovered that you have veered off course. Take this moment to reconnect with your truth, and you shall also be redirected in the direction that you shall go.” (NTI James 3)
The teachings in NTI James have been truly life changing for me in the past year. If you are interested, I wrote on this more in depth in “Course Note” #84.
And so you can see how all these ways are practical. Let’s say that I am feeling attacked. I can practice remembrance in this way:
“I am seeing and feeling attack, but attack is only an idea in my mind. I am experiencing attack and unworthiness, and these experiences come from me, from my choice to believe what is not true.”
As I remember to ask myself, “What do I want now?”, I am guided back to my true desire of, Know thy Self.
Why is it important to practice remembrance?
“Do not take My words lightly without practice. For to listen and to agree, but not to practice, is not to have heard. And one who will not hear cannot be healed.” (NTI Matthew 7.v6)
This is one of my favorite passages, and one that Holy Spirit reminds me of all the time! Practice is important because through it, we experience healing, which is the remembrance that I am as Love created me, unlimited and free.
What shall I do when I forget to practice remembrance?
When we forget to practice, we normally do what? Beat up on ourselves. Especially when I was new to the Course, whenever I got angry I felt that I was flunking the Course. Finally, I realized that the purpose of its teachings was to undo guilt, not pile it on!
We are taught that in any moment, as we notice the thoughts of separation and fear, we have the choice to choose again. Healing occurs in the present, and in the present moment we can choose again.
My favorite teaching in the Course (well I have many, ha!), is this:
“In every difficulty, all distress, and each perplexity Love calls to you and gently says, ‘My brother, choose again.’”
That’s it. Holy Spirit says, “Choose again.” Ego says, “You are not practicing enough! You need to do more! You are such a failure!”
In workbook lesson 95 we are asked to forgive ourselves for our lapses in diligence. Through willingness to tolerate these lapses we learn to overlook them, but when we focus on our seeming failures, it’s just a distraction from the practice of remembrance.
Holy Spirit says the same thing in NTI Luke 11:
“Whenever you are not listening to My thoughts, you will know, because you will not be at peace and you will not be happy. This is not a time to chastise yourself, for chastisement is not among the thoughts that I give. If you are tempted to chastise yourself for forgetting Me, you must again be listening to your own thoughts… This is a time of forgiving your own thoughts by laying them aside and again opening your heart to Me.”
When I am not feeling peace and acceptance, I am listening to ego, the voice of my unworthiness – I am listening to the voice of the false self.
“Let all these errors go by recognizing them for what they are. They are attempts to keep you unaware you are one Self, united with your Creator, at one with every aspect of creation, and limitless in power and in peace. This is the truth, and nothing else is true.” (ACIM WBL 95)
We may often feel that we take two steps forward and three steps back, but we cannot unlearn what we have learned, just as we cannot go back to childhood. We can, however, delay our healing and release from pain. This realization can remind us to choose again.
As a friend said, "When you forget to practice...practice."
As a friend said, "When you forget to practice...practice."
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So, the way to be “a conscious-minded teacher of yourself” is to be willing to look at your mind and to be honest with yourself.
What do I want now? Do I want to continue to experience lack and limitation, or do I want the peace of God?
Holy Spirit,
In this moment,
I am willing to let go
of the belief in lack and limitation.
I am willing to give it to You.
Gently correct my mind
and lead me to the remembrance that
I am Love.
Thank You.
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I want to leave you with another passage from the “zero code” message that I find so incredibly beautiful:
“You have forgotten yourself, and you see ideas of illusion through this veil of forgetfulness. This would be an experience that would forever keep you lost if it were not for one fact. And that fact is Me. That fact is the part of your mind that has never chosen to forget itself. It is the remembrance of that part of your mind…that is what I am.
I am the Voice of your inability to forget, that which is always true.
I am your remembrance of you.
“As that part of you, I am always with you. I cannot leave you and I cannot be lost… As you awaken to the remembrance of the truth of what you are, lean on Me as your guide. Ask anything of Me and I shall step forward to help… Remember your desire to know only you. Be patient, and in trust call on Me.”
* Regina Dawn Akers was given messages from Holy Spirit, and this one is called, “Zero Code is Zero Code”. It can be found at her website: http://www.reginadawnakers.com
On the right you will see “Holy Spirit Guides, weeks 71+", click on that go to week 114 for a copy of the message.
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The audio was recorded on 6/19/11 and contains a lot more
than what I have shared here.
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