What is the meaning of Salvation and what is the body? Q #862: What is the meaning of salvation as used in A Course in Miracles ? What is meant by the body? A: The Course uses the term salvation to refer to the Holy Spirits correction for the egos thought of separation. Early in the text, Jesus defines salvation for us: “Salvation is nothing more than “right-mindedness,” which is not the One-mindedness of the Holy Spirit, but which must be achieved before One-mindedness is restored” (T.4.11.10:1). When the mind of the Sonship chooses separation, it becomes split and experiences itself in conflict between the thought of separation (the ego) and the memory of truth (the Holy Spirit). These two parts of the mind are also referred to as the wrong and right minds. An important goal of the Course is to teach us that we have a mind, with the power to chose between these two thoughts. As the above passage tells us, salvation lies in choosing the right mind, and learning to do so gradually heals the mind of the thought of separation, which is the ultimate goal of the Course. In reality, salvation is already accomplished because the separation never happened. Nevertheless, it is experienced as a process because the mind continues to choose to believe in the illusion of separation. Thus, we are “saved” each time we are willing to choose the Holy Spirit/right mind. When the ego is no longer chosen, the minds oneness is restored. Jesus gives us several statements to define the body: “It is nothing. It is the result of a tiny, mad idea of corruption that can be corrected (T.19.IV.C.5:5,6). “ [It is] an isolated speck of darkness; a hidden secret room, a tiny spot of senseless mystery, a meaningless enclosure carefully protected, yet hiding nothing”(T.20.VI.5:2). And even more to the point: “At no single instant does the body exist at all”(T.18.VII.3:1) . However, that is not our experience because along with the choice for separation, and imperative for its defense, comes the choice to identify with the body. In answer to the minds loss of identity when it decides to split itself off from its Source, the ego proclaims: “I am a body.” It is important to remember that although this cannot actually be accomplished, the power of the mind makes the impossible seem true. The mind seeks to escape the guilt for choosing separation by denying its true Identity. It convinces itself that the separation is real because the body, which it conveniently forgets it fabricated, is obviously real. So goes the “logic” of the ego. Thus, the split mind is the source of the experience of finding ourselves in bodies, wondering how we got here. It is also the real answer to what the body is, beyond the obvious physical composition. As Jesus tells us in the text: “Although you are one Self, you experience yourself as two; as both good and evil, loving and hating, mind and body . This sense of being split into opposites induces feelings of acute and constant conflict, and leads to frantic attempts to reconcile the contradictory aspects of this self- perception. You have sought many such solutions, and none of them has worked. The opposites you see in you will never be compatible. But one exists (W.pI.961:1,2,3,4,5, italics added ). The “one” that exists is the mind. And it alone is the source of everything the body seems to experience. The fact that “I am not a body” (W.pI.84,91,136,199,201 through 220) is the most frequently repeated phrase in the Course (47 times) is an indication of our intense attachment to the body and the need to unlearn this identity by learning to identify with the mind. This is accomplished through willingness to see in the body, and in every relationship with other bodies, the reflection of a choice in the mind to identify with the ego or with the Holy Spirit. The body, which of itself is nothing, thus becomes an instrument for communicating the egos message or the Holy Spirits. (See: The Body as a Means of Communication T.8.VII ). Through its pain, “joys,” suffering and death, the body is used by the ego to prove that the separation was accomplished. To the Holy Spirit, it is the means whereby the mind is healed of the thought of separation through the practice of forgiveness. Thus, what the ego made to keep us separate from our Source and from each other can be used by the Holy Spirit to undo the separation. By its choice for or against the ego, the mind imbues the body with purpose : “The body will seem to be whatever is the means for reaching the goal that you assign to it. Only the mind can set a purpose, and only the mind can see the means for its accomplishment, and justify its use. Peace and guilt are both conditions of the mind, to be attained (T.19.IV.B.10:7,8,9) . Recognizing the negative effects of choosing separation (guilt) experienced through the body, the mind is motivated to choose the Holy Spirit (peace) instead. When the mind decides to see in everything an opportunity to make another choice, the body becomes an instrument of salvation. facimoutreach.org/qa/questions/questions169.htm#Q862
Posted on: Wed, 11 Jun 2014 12:21:55 +0000
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