Releasing the Need to Control
Releasing the Need to Control
Blog Article
A Course in Miracles is not only a spiritual text—it is just a profound psychological and metaphysical guide that leads us back to the awareness of our true Self. It teaches our natural state is among peace, joy, and perfect unity with God, and that everything that blocks this awareness—fear, guilt, and judgment—is the consequence of a mistaken belief in separation. The Course emphasizes that individuals aren't sinners in need of salvation, but divine beings who've simply forgotten our Source. Its purpose is not to instruct love, for that's what we're, but to get rid of the inner obstacles to the awareness of love's presence. Structured in three parts—the Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers—it combines deep metaphysical principles with practical spiritual exercises built to re-train the mind. The Course invites us not to trust blindly, but to see its teachings through our willingness to rehearse forgiveness and extend love in our daily lives.
One of the core teachings in A Course in Miracles is that the ego is the origin of most conflict and suffering. The ego may be the part of the mind that believes in separation from God and from others. It thrives on fear, judgment, attack, and comparison, constantly convincing us that individuals are alone, vulnerable, and unworthy. The Course doesn't ask us to fight or suppress the ego, but to acknowledge it for what it is—a false identity. The ego's voice is loud and insistent, but it's not real. By becoming alert to its thought system and choosing instead to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit—the Voice for God—we begin to see inner peace. The Course helps us realize that each time we judge, blame, or defend ourselves, we're hearing the ego. But with each moment of awareness and willingness to shift our thinking, we dismantle the ego's control and return to the natural state of peace.
Forgiveness, as taught in A Course in Miracles, is not what most people think it is. Traditional forgiveness often implies that someone has wronged us and we, in our moral superiority, choose to forgive them. The Course, however, teaches a much deeper type of forgiveness—one which recognizes that the offense itself was an illusion. Quite simply, nothing real could be harmed, and nothing real can attack. True forgiveness sees beyond the illusion of guilt and separation and affirms the innocence of all. It's a practice of releasing our interpretations and projections, and seeing through the eyes of the Holy Spirit rather than the ego. This shift frees both usually the one who forgives and usually the one being forgiven. Forgiveness is the key to happiness, as it undoes the guilt and fear that keep us trapped in a false reality. It is not about condoning harmful behavior but recognizing that the best truth lies beyond the story the ego tells.
On the planet of A Course in Miracles, a miracle is not a dramatic event that changes the physical world, but a shift in our perception from fear to love. Miracles happen when we align our thoughts with divine truth as opposed to ego illusion. They're natural, not rare or extraordinary, and they're always available. Whenever we forgive, when we see someone through the eyes of compassion, or when we choose peace in the face area of conflict, we're performing miracles. The Course teaches that miracles are our birthright and must certanly be extended freely, not held back. They do not depend on religion, rituals, or worthiness. Instead, they arise from the willingness to see things differently, to let go of fear, and to trust that love is just a more accurate reflection of reality. Through miracles, we restore awareness of the facts in ourselves and others, helping to heal the mind and awaken the heart.
In accordance with A Course in Miracles, the Holy Spirit may be the ever-present inner guide that God put into our minds the moment we seemed to separate from Him. Unlike the ego, leading us deeper into illusion, the Holy Spirit offers gentle correction and guidance back to truth. This inner Teacher speaks through intuition, inspiration, and moments of quiet certainty. It is not a separate being, but part of our own mind that remains forever aligned with divine love. The Course invites us to "ask and listen"—to turn over our fears, our relationships, our plans, and our perceptions to the higher wisdom. Each time we surrender our judgments and ask for a brand new means of seeing, the Holy Spirit responds with clarity, peace, and insight. With time, this voice becomes more recognizable, and we learn to trust its guidance more than the ego's chaotic thinking. With the Holy Spirit as our teacher, every moment becomes a class of healing.
One of the more challenging teachings in A Course in Miracles is that your body is not our true self. The Course doesn't deny your body or its experiences, however it insists that individuals aren't limited by it. Your body, when used by the ego, becomes something for separation, attack, and limitation. However, when given to the Holy Spirit, your body becomes a means for communication, forgiveness, and healing. ACIM teaches that individuals are spirit—limitless, eternal, and unchanged by the world. Your body can suffer, grow old, and die, but none of this affects our true identity. This realization can liberate us from driving a car of sickness and death and allow us to focus on the goal of our lives: awakening. Whenever we no longer identify with your body as the origin of our value or safety, we begin to reside from a further host to trust and freedom, aligned with our divine essence.
Today's moment holds the key to the liberation. In A Course in Miracles, this is called the "holy instant"—a minute outside of time in which we could feel the eternal truth of who we are. The ego wants us trapped previously through guilt or lost in the future through anxiety. But the Holy Spirit calls us to the now, where all healing takes place. In the holy instant, we let go of grievances and remember our shared innocence with everyone we meet. We stop trying to manage the outcome and instead trust in divine timing and guidance. Practicing the holy instant requires stillness, willingness, and a sincere need to look out of the eyes of love. It could only last another, however in that instant, we touch eternity. The more we return to the space of presence, the more we feel the peace and joy that transcend all worldly concerns.
Ultimately, A Course in Miracles is not meant to be worshipped or intellectualized—it is meant to be lived. Living the Course means choosing love over fear in every circumstance, trusting that divine guidance can be acquired, and extending forgiveness without exception. It indicates recognizing our perceptions aren't neutral and that individuals a course in miracles also have the energy to decide on again. The Course asks us to be miracle workers—not by doing anything dramatic, but by being the clear presence of love in a world that always forgets it. This life style doesn't require perfection, only willingness. Once we apply its principles day by day, we see changes not merely in our inner peace, however in our relationships, our sense of purpose, and our connection to all of life. The journey is among remembering who we're, and the more we practice, the more we awaken to the quiet, unshakable truth: we're already whole, already loved, already home.