RE: "In all schools espousing self-mastery though, it is encouraged that an aspirant make peace with his or her sexuality and its relationship to their spiritual development." ==================================================
Your point in this is well taken. All religions have espoused a form of self-mastery, all mystery schools as well...and yet, beyond these, on the fringes, have been a few mystics who have found the inner light on its own terms. Sex is "about" activity in the dream. Spirit is real. If one wants to look at sex as spiritually related, such as in tantric teachings, that is fine; however, the only value sex has is the exact same value anything else in the dream has. That is the value spirit's function gives to it: the value of being a teaching tool. For millennia, it has been taught that the proper approach to spirit was to behaviorally modify oneself and to balance karma to the point where their worldly perfection allowed them access to heaven. While there is (what appears to be) a validity to this idea, it is untrue as stated and, the manner in which it does work takes inordinate amounts of time. Mankind was being taught over and over to involve themselves in the aspirant training of "eternal progression" wherein development of the soul led to opening of the heart and mind toward moving on to other realms, etc. ACIM is given specifically to set the record straight. There is only one realm that is real, and that is heaven...and we are already in it needing to awake. ACIM tells us that the whole knowledge of God is attainable "now" and that it cannot be learned. The teaching method ACIM uses is to place an example of the former teaching side by side with the truth in such a manner that its lessons make something clear. This clarity shows us that the lessons are not the truth itself, but are ideas that deny common agreements and, as such, point to the truth. Once this simple idea is grasped, the lessons have served their purpose, the value given them by spirit, the exact same value as sex, special relationships, the body, etc. And so, ACIM proffers us lessons and truth and suggests that we can choose. When we choose the lessons, we find ourselves turned to look at the truth (the time period to achieve that turning varying from individual to individual). When we "choose" (as we think of it) the truth, it obviates itself as the truth by making the lessons and all the rest of the dream move into the background. Clearly, either choice leads to the same truth, but one is more direct and the other insists on the adding of time. While not being the same in appearance as the older teachings, the lessons follow a path that is the same approach of doing and thinking certain things, of adjusting the attitude, of learning over time and putting atonement off until later. continuing to Part II... It is this latter aspect, the belief in the need to learn, that makes it take so long. When people embrace a school, they believe they must take the time to do its curriculum. ACIM states that the curriculum is required, and so it is. However, learning lessons is learning's curriculum (requested by us) and is not the required curriculum. The only required curriculum is the acceptance of ones own healing. So, this can be put off for an undetermined period in order to do the lessons again and again and again...or this can be approached "now". I suggest that the approach must be according to whatever is approached. If one is approaching the dream and its learning tools, then one must take time to do so...and there is nothing wrong with that. However, if one wants to embrace the truth ACIM points toward, the truth that cannot be learned, then "now" is the approach that must be followed. In other words, you can "learn to" trust spirit, or you can trust spirit today. Whether you do it the slow way or on the fast track brings you to the same place within...and once there, it is out of your hands and even out of spirit's hands. As to the time involved, it may seem to us to vary, but God only creates us in the holy instant called now. It is there and only there that we can receive the holy gift. It is there only that is real. We can cross the bridge whenever we are willing to face it with open arms and empty hands. ACIM is a school of sorts, and any school shows you things and tests you to see if you understood them. All of that is in ACIM. So, if you read a multiple choice questionnaire and think the error answers given as choices are the truth, you will only be partly correct. Spirit trusts you wholly to understand and return, and yet, allows you to choose any path home. It cannot demand that you take the short road; it can only point to the inner city of the One and suggest that the fastest route is to walk through the gates now. NOTE: I am not suggesting that any of the lessons are in error conceptually. What I am saying is that when ACIM tells you, that which you seek cannot be learned, and then offers you lessons, the error is in reaching out for the lessons "instead of" reaching out for that which you seek. The original fall from seeing heaven was in believing there is division and separateness; it was in believing there was more than one, thus facilitating choice. You are free to choose...but does wisdom choose, or does wisdom look beyond choosing and leave such to spirit? Love, LightDancer ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/wpWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> The inner light can answer any of this world's queries and resolve any of its problems. Beyond all of these concerns, the inner light will show you who you are and your relationship to all...and bring you an understanding of love and peace that transcends ordinary human thought processes. Discover what it truly means to "love one another" and to "see peace." Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplisticmeditation/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
