Ninth Blog

 Dear Family,

I keep along the path traced by my beloved invisible hand, continuing, at least for now, my emphasis on the Course and its use. I want to reflect on my decision to begin my recommendation to practice the Student Manual by starting at the end, the Epilogue.

The fundamental reason is given by the Epilog itself, revealing that completing the 365 days of the course is not an end but a beginning. So, and for the sake of honesty, I think I should disclose it now. Unlike the very common advertising practice of offering a “free” initial subscription, only to end up charging a price, usually high, to continue. I make this clarification only to warn that the path goes beyond a year,  not because there is any plan to charge   a “tariff” (should I say fee?) to avoid suspicions that could lead to retaliation).

What I must also warn you about is that what will happen is that the graduation prize will result in an uncontrollable addiction. (I’m reminded of the unforgettable image of a successful cheese vendor in a Bogota public market, whose only marketing “technique” was offering free tasting samples of his products: “la pruebita” (the little taste test). Only here, the result of asking for “more” actually required a “fee”). 

The reason in this case is that the main prize of the Course is to achieve peace, but maintaining it (asking for “more”) will require that you, my brother, also have it. And this simple reason will impel us to share mine with yours and vice versa. But peace is so beautiful and inviting that our addiction to it will be impossible to contain. Let us encourage ourselves to accept “the little taste.” The Course tells us that this will be the salvation of the world.

So why not try it? In my personal case, I’ve already announced that I’m ready to repeat a new 365-day cycle. And I plan to do so very soon.  It occurs to me that I can (and should) offer my experience as an “advanced student” to share with anyone who wants to embark on their own “path.” The choice is strictly personal, and everyone can choose their own date and method of initiation. The comments I intend to provide will not be tied to specific dates and will be of general use.

Keep in mind, for the entire book, not just the Manual: everything revolves around a Trinity. In Christian theology, Father, Son, Holy Spirit (‘three distinct persons, one true God’), but its application is universal.  A useful guide: In  more general terms,  this Trinity is made up of God (Father or Creator); Son of God (Jesus, narrator, Brother, my true Self); and Holy Spirit (Communicator, translator of the language of /to God, the one Who speaks and teaches for God).

In my case, I had some difficulty identifying the correct “person” the narrator is referring to in his various thoughts. When this happens, it requires additional effort to achieve this. A reference to “He,” “I,” or “His,” although the capitalization helps, may require additional concentration to identify which of the three “persons” it refers to.

Manual for Teachers

Introduction

1. The role of teaching and learning is actually reversed in the thinking of the world.²The reversal is characteristic.³It seems as if the teacher and the learner are separated, the teacher giving something to the learner rather than to himself.⁴Further, the act of teaching is regarded as a special activity, in which one engages only a relatively small proportion of one’s time.⁵The course, on the other hand, emphasizes that to teach is to learn, so that teacher and learner are the same.⁶It also emphasizes that teaching is a constant process; it goes on every moment of the day, and continues into sleeping thoughts as well.

2. To teach is to demonstrate.²There are only two thought systems, and you demonstrate that you believe one or the other is true all the time.³From your demonstration others learn, and so do you.⁴The question is not whether you will teach, for in that there is no choice.⁵The purpose of the course might be said to provide you with a means of choosing what you want to teach on the basis of what you want to learn.⁶You cannot give to someone else, but only to yourself, and this you learn through teaching.⁷Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what you believe.⁸It is a method of conversion.⁹This is not done by words alone.¹⁰Any situation must be to you a chance to teach others what you are, and what they are to you.¹¹No more than that, but also never less.

3. The curriculum you set up is therefore determined exclusively by what you think you are, and what you believe the relationship of others is to you.²In the formal teaching situation, these questions may be totally unrelated to what you think you are teaching.³Yet it is impossible not to use the content of any situation on behalf of what you really teach, and therefore really learn.⁴To this the verbal content of your teaching is quite irrelevant.⁵It may coincide with it, or it may not.⁶It is the teaching underlying what you say that teaches you.⁷Teaching but reinforces what you believe about yourself.⁸Its fundamental purpose is to diminish self-doubt.⁹This does not mean that the self you are trying to protect is real.¹⁰But it does mean that the self you think is real is what you teach.

4. This is inevitable.²There is no escape from it.³How could it be otherwise?⁴Everyone who follows the world’s curriculum, and everyone here does follow it until he changes his mind, teaches solely to convince himself that he is what he is not.⁵Herein is the purpose of the world.⁶What else, then, would its curriculum be?⁷Into this hopeless and closed learning situation, which teaches nothing but despair and death, God sends His teachers.⁸And as they teach His lessons of joy and hope, their learning finally becomes complete.

5. Except for God’s teachers there would be little hope of salvation, for the world of sin would seem forever real.²The self-deceiving must deceive, for they must teach deception.³And what else is hell?⁴This is a manual for the teachers of God.⁵They are not perfect, or they would not be here.⁶Yet it is their mission to become perfect here, and so they teach perfection over and over, in many, many ways, until they have learned it.⁷And then they are seen no more, although their thoughts remain a source of strength and truth forever.⁸Who are they?⁹How are they chosen?¹⁰What do they do?¹¹How can they work out their own salvation and the salvation of the world?¹²This manual attempts to answer these questions.

(ACIM, M-in.1:1–5:12)

I have underlined some phrases that I believe deserve special consideration:

to teach is to learn, so that teacher and learner are the same.

This entity realized that it was not an entity unto itself , but was operating as a messenger from the One Creator , whom this entity saw as Love . This entity was aware that this cycle was in its final part and spoke to the effect that those of its consciousness would return at the harvest .​​​​

The particular mind / body / spirit complex you call Jesus , as what you would call an entity , is not to return except as a member of the Confederation speaking occasionally through a channel . However , there are others of identical consciousness congruence who will welcome those into fourth density . This is the meaning of the return .​​​​

29. As for the Rest…

1. This manual is not intended to answer all questions that both teacher and pupil may raise.²In fact, it 

 covers only a few of the more obvious ones, in terms of a brief summary of some of the major concepts in the text and workbook.³It is not a substitute for either, but merely a supplement.⁴While it is called a manual for teachers, it must be remembered that only time divides teacher and pupil, so that the difference is temporary by definition.⁵In some cases, it may be helpful for the pupil to read the manual first.⁶Others might do better to begin with the workbook.⁷Still others may need to start at the more abstract level of the text.

2. Which is for which?²Who would profit more from prayers alone?³Who needs but a smile, being as yet unready for more?⁴No one should attempt to answer these questions alone.⁵Surely no teacher of God has come this far without realizing that.⁶The curriculum is highly individualized, and all aspects are under the Holy Spirit’s particular care and guidance.⁷Ask and He will answer.⁸The responsibility is His, and He alone is fit to assume it.⁹To do so is His function.¹⁰To refer the questions to Him is yours.¹¹Would you want to be responsible for decisions about which you understand so little?¹²Be glad you have a Teacher Who cannot make a mistake.¹³His answers are always right.¹⁴Would you say that of yours?

3. There is another advantage,—and a very important one,—in referring decisions to the Holy Spirit with increasing frequency.²Perhaps you have not thought of this aspect, but its centrality is obvious.³To follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance is to let yourself be absolved of guilt.⁴It is the essence of the Atonement.⁵It is the core of the curriculum.⁶The imagined usurping of functions not your own is the basis of fear.⁷The whole world you see reflects the illusion that you have done so, making fear inevitable.⁸To return the function to the One to Whom it belongs is thus the escape from fear.⁹And it is this that lets the memory of love return to you.¹⁰Do not, then, think that following the Holy Spirit’s guidance is necessary merely because of your own inadequacies.¹¹It is the way out of hell for you.

4. Here again is the paradox often referred to in the course.²To say, “Of myself I can do nothing” is to gain all power.³And yet it is but a seeming paradox.⁴As God created you, you have all power.⁵The image you made of yourself has none.⁶The Holy Spirit knows the truth about you.⁷The image you made does not.⁸Yet, despite its obvious and complete ignorance, this image assumes it knows all things because you have given that belief to it.⁹Such is your teaching, and the teaching of the world that was made to uphold it.¹⁰But the Teacher Who knows the truth has not forgotten it.¹¹His decisions bring benefit to all, being wholly devoid of attack.¹²And therefore incapable of arousing guilt.

5. Who assumes a power that he does not possess is deceiving himself.²Yet to accept the power given him by God is but to acknowledge his Creator and accept His gifts.³And His gifts have no limit.⁴To ask the Holy Spirit to decide for you is simply to accept your true inheritance.⁵Does this mean that you cannot say anything without consulting Him?⁶No, indeed!⁷That would hardly be practical, and it is the practical with which this course is most concerned.⁸If you have made it a habit to ask for help when and where you can, you can be confident that wisdom will be given you when you need it.⁹Prepare for this each morning, remember God when you can throughout the day, ask the Holy Spirit’s help when it is feasible to do so, and thank Him for His guidance at night.¹⁰And your confidence will be well founded indeed.

6. Never forget that the Holy Spirit does not depend on your words.²He understands the requests of your heart, and answers them.³Does this mean that, while attack remains attractive to you, He will respond with evil?⁴Hardly!⁵For God has given Him the power to translate your prayers of the heart into His language.⁶He understands that an attack is a call for help.⁷And He responds with help accordingly.⁸God would be cruel if He let your words replace His Own.⁹A loving father does not let his child harm himself, or choose his own destruction.¹⁰He may ask for injury, but his father will protect him still.¹¹And how much more than this does your Father love His Son?

7. Remember you are His completion and His Love.²Remember your weakness is His strength.³But do not read this hastily or wrongly.⁴If His strength is in you, what you perceive as your weakness is but illusion.⁵And He has given you the means to prove it so.⁶Ask all things of His Teacher, and all things are given you.⁷Not in the future but immediately; now.⁸God does not wait, for waiting implies time and He is timeless.⁹Forget your foolish images, your sense of frailty and your fear of harm, your dreams of danger and selected “wrongs.”¹⁰God knows but His Son, and as he was created so he is.¹¹In confidence I place you in His Hands, and I give thanks for you that this is so.

8. And now in all your doings be you blessed.

²God turns to you for help to save the world.

³Teacher of God, His thanks He offers you,

And all the world stands silent in the grace

You bring from Him.⁴You are the Son He loves,

And it is given you to be the means

Through which His Voice is heard around the world,

To close all things of time; to end the sight

Of all things visible; and to undo

All things that change.⁵Through you is ushered in

A world unseen, unheard, yet truly there.

⁶Holy are you, and in your light the world

Reflects your holiness, for you are not

Alone and friendless.⁷I give thanks for you,

And join your efforts on behalf of God,

Knowing they are on my behalf as well,

And for all those who walk to God with me.

⁸AMEN

(ACIM, M-29.1:1–8:8

 The reasons for this ‘reverse engineering’ have been underlined.