Illuminating You
Preface
We live in a world of perceptions and interpretations, not in a world of facts. It's more accurate to replace the word "facts" with "situations." God is a Fact because He leaves no room for interpretations or perceptions. God can only be known. To know is to have certainties. In this world, certainties don't exist. You can be certain of something, or rather, you can believe you are certain of something, but these are only your certainties, or in other words, your beliefs. Since beliefs vary from person to person, they are not considered facts. Every fact leaves no room for interpretations or perceptions. In this book, you won't find the lessons of A Course in Miracles; you will find lessons that will make you a different person by producing a change in your interpretations and perceptions. You will notice that there are questions and statements. When you find yourself immersed in an internal dialogue, put the lesson of the day into practice. It will help you get out of that dialogue. I recommend spending one day with each lesson. Be calm and patient, without rushing, but with goodwill and a firm step.
INTRODUCTION:
Know thyself. How many times have you heard it? Probably countless times. The question is, how do I do it? Or perhaps you think you already know yourself and what you're like. The truth is, you don't, even if you think you do. There are many trends and lots of advice, but in the end, they amount to nothing. Why? They don't last long, or they say things that don't really help you, and perhaps you can't even put them into practice. For example: "You have to go with the flow." "Take an inner journey, reflect." "Give me the solution, José!" Of course I'll give it to you. If it were otherwise, I wouldn't be writing this. First. To know something is to have certainty. Know yourself is to have certainty about yourself in everything. I've got you. I am all uncertainty, and almost all the paths I take promise me happiness only to see it slip through my fingers. Second. There is no journey. Where would you go? Third. Which becomes the first thing. And there you are, stuck in a vicious cycle. Ask yourself: WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT TO ME? Take a deep breath; you'll be able to answer it soon. What is truly important to me? That's a great question. It can happen, and that's okay, that your answers change over time. That's excellent. You begin to realize that there are other answers and therefore other ways of thinking. Of course there are. How many worlds are there? As many as there are people in the world. Ideas, perceptions, fluctuations, interpretations, each one unique to each person. Let's begin. Note: Stay with the question or statement for at least a day. Don't worry if you forget. Every day is a new beginning. Without guilt, without remorse, without demands. Yes, a little goodwill is required.
What am I thinking about now?Divide the question into two different words. One is "thinking." Your external life depends, among other things, on your thoughts, on what you constantly tell yourself, and on what you hear from yourself. The other key word is "now." "Now" is about positioning yourself in the present moment. The ego cannot be in the now, so you have a respite. It will try to pull you out of the now, and it will succeed for the time being. That's not important. Don't fight it; that's a mistake because you're giving it an identity.
Why am I thinking about this?We're looking for a reason. There are many reasons. But realize that there's no other answer. It's just you, talking or monologuing about your truth. And your truth is true for you because you believe in it.
Is thinking about this helpful? You actually think it is. Perhaps to vent, or because you need to tell someone else, you don't tell anyone. You think it's helpful, but all you're doing is immersing yourself further in the conflict. Get out of there as soon as possible.
If it's not useful to me, why am I thinking about it?You've already realized it's not useful, and let's agree on something: while you're doing your tasks, you later forget what you did, or you might even reach the point of doing nothing, just sitting still, completely absorbed in the conversation. However, you're doing it for a reason, because it's not you, it's your ego, and you are not an ego. Look for the reason; there has to be one, two, or more.
What am I achieving with this internal conversation?Your answer will be that you're not achieving anything at this point, but keep looking for the reason. A little help. Maybe someone will pay attention to you.
I am not this conversation.
Of course you aren't!
Who is saying it?It could be many people. People to whom you've given authority. You no longer have to give them authority; it's more the ego that's finding a way.
My ego is saying it. That way, it prevents me from being in the present.
This is the logical conclusion of everything that has been said.
I am not an ego.You are not an ego, if you are not one. Who are you, really?
This conversation is useless to me.
This is a statement. There may actually be reasons for having it, but the conversation itself is of no use to you whatsoever. Yes, it causes you great mental and physical exhaustion. Many people say they are tired without having done anything or very little and believe it is a problem of lack of physical fitness. It is not. The answer at this point will seem obvious to you, although what is obvious is often not so obvious. The problem lies in the fact that they overthink.
What might happen if I don't have this conversation?Find your answer. It may be that your answer is: nothing will happen. However, something does happen. YOU ARE FREE.
This conversation does nothing more than show me the world I don't want to see.
Remember that I told you that many things happen to you because of your thoughts. In part, those conversations are your thoughts combined with your judgments. Here another word appears: judgments. We live in a world of judgments, or at least that's what we believe. The only true judgment is that of the Holy Spirit. The others, that is, our own, are usually incorrect most of the time, since our perception is very limited.
Now it's time to focus on three questions and one statement. Be honest in your answers, and don't answer how those answers should be, but rather how those answers are for you. Don't try to please anyone; that's not the point. Seek your honesty, even if the answer doesn't satisfy you.
What kind of world do I want to see?
What kind of thinking do I need to have to see the world I want?
What kind of world am I seeing?
The world I see is the world I believe in.
Congratulations. We continue moving forward in our learning. Remember that learning means making it your own. When you make something your own, your being changes. You are no longer the same. I leave you with the following questions. Remember that you are not alone in this. You have yourself, me, and Me (with a capital M).
What situations repeat themselves in my life?
There has to be a reason why these situations repeat themselves in my life.
What do I have to lose by asking? Who do I ask?
You're asking Me. It's your programs, your patterns, your fears, and your wrong decisions that you don't know are there in your mind because they're hidden, but not from Me.
Let's move on to a statement, which is correct, and there's no mistake about it. Your programs, your wrong decisions, your patterns. Programs and wrong decisions originated in your past. Is that all there is to it? The answer is no. Sometimes it is, and other times it has to do with your beliefs, culture, judgments, prejudices, education, and experiences. Now let's look at another statement.
My programs make me see a world I don't want to see.
That's true. But talking about the past now is pointless. We're focusing on the present, which is where I free myself from the past to free my future, a different future. If this doesn't happen, the future is the same as the past; that's why it's not so difficult to predict your future based on your past.
What's happening to me in my present? What situations do I enjoy?What situations do I dislike?
The next question is very interesting. There are two words highlighted. The first is "doing," which comes from the verb "to do." I ask you: Am I what I do? Or do I do what I am? The answer is I do what I am. The second is "feel," which comes from the verb "to feel." All feelings stem from a previous thought. That's why, faced with the same situation, you might feel one thing and another person might feel something else.
What am I doing in my life that I feel is an obligation?Is it really an obligation? If not, why do I feel obligated?Perhaps you might ask yourself, "Why do we ask 'why' and not 'what for'?" The answer is very simple. 'Why' takes you more to the past, while 'what for' places you more in the present. The subsequent questions then return to your past in your present.
Who is forcing me? My own patterns are forcing me.
Do I have a way to fix this myself?The truth is, you don't. That's because you can never make decisions on your own. You make them from the ego or from God.
I don't have it. If I don't have it, Someone must.
Perhaps it's time to ask for help. From whom? From ME.
How do I get rid of these programs?The Solution. It's called Atonement, which means to undo.
You just have to say to me:"I surrender to Atonement my wrong decision not to…""I surrender to Atonement the conditions that give rise to my fears of…""I surrender to Atonement the programs that cause me to…""My mistakes are corrected."
If I didn't have the solution, Someone did.
Who had it? Who gave it to me?God gave it to me.
Remember that you're not looking for perfection, you're only looking to progress, which isn't the same thing. We could talk about that another day. Let's go back to the beginning. Know yourself. Do I really know who I am? Am I sure I know? Then answer these questions. What is truly important to me? How important is it?
Is the world I see truly important to me?Perhaps there's a world inside me that's truly important to me.
What bothers me about my inner world?
Am I my inner world?
Remember: as within, so without. Although there isn't an outside, but rather an inside reflected outside.
Can I choose my inner world? Of course you can. It depends on my thoughts and beliefs. Again, the same thing. Beliefs and thoughts that precede the latter in a feeling. So.
Am I my feelings?
Where do my feelings come from?My feelings come from my thoughts.
Where else do my feelings come from? They come from my beliefs.
Are my beliefs true?Question all your beliefs; to do that, you must know what they are.
What beliefs and thoughts, in my understanding, set me free?
If I know what they are, why dwell on what they aren't?Perhaps it's time to ask for help again.
What kind of help should I ask for?
I don't know! And what do you know? I don't know! We could say that I only know that I don't know.
Do I really know what I need?Is what I believe I need, or is it just my belief?
If I had known what I needed, I wouldn't be going through this.
Now that's a true answer!Is there Someone who knows what I need?
That's a very good question!God knows what I need.
EXCELLENTIf God knows what I need, He must have already given it to me; therefore, I'm not seeing it.
Before you ask me, I have already given it to you.
What is preventing me from seeing it?What is preventing me from seeing it are my thoughts and beliefs.
What should I do? Ask for help.
Completely logical.
How do I know if it's God or my ego?
If it's my ego, it continually alters the answer, since it's inconsistent and knows nothing. Therefore, it will try to evade the question.
If it's God, He keeps the answer in my mind without altering it. So, "Know thyself" means be certain of yourself. The only one who knows is God. I ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit, who is the voice that speaks for God. It was so easy. -Who told you it was difficult? -The ego. -Who? That's your invention. I don't even see it. Ask me for help, and I will answer. Before you even ask!