A Course in Miracles, the Bible, and the REAL Secret!
There is a delightful old song named "Swingin' On A Star" which asks children whether they would rather be a mule, or a pig, or a fish ... or would they like to swing on a star and carry moonbeams home in a jar. Somewhat like in the song, every moment of every day we are asked if we would rather follow the earth's teaching and be like a tiger; or follow our Holy Spirit's teaching and enjoy experiences far beyond earth by being like a lamb.
In recent months you might have heard of a video on DVD entitled "The Secret" which attempts to open up for viewers an awareness that our mind is much more creative than human science has heretofore grasped and there is infinitely more going on than meets the eye. The video tries to show we could literally be anything we want and create anything we want.
Such a presentation, if it were put together by a truly enlightened spiritual teacher, could well serve a mind previously addicted to believing the reality of surface appearances and worshipping today's seriously inadequate scientific method ... by triggering ancient memories and drawing attention to an infinite reality of undreamed of possibilities.
Unfortunately, if such a presentation is designed by those who do not see the consequences of using ego-vested interests as illustrations, then the entire project becomes more hurtful than helpful by giving the impression that it is ego-vested interests that are important. Viewed by a mind which is not yet fully spiritually trained, a video which caters to ego-vested interests is immediately adopted by ego as a powerful sidetracking device to keep one's focus off the Holy Spirit's teaching ... which is to want nothing on earth.
Oops! The REAL secret was just revealed.
In a Bible story, Jesus alludes to the REAL secret. A young man approaches Jesus and asks how he can achieve spiritual perfection and experience the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus knows the young man is addicted to attempting to provide his own well-being rather than trusting God will provide.
"If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
"But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:21-24)
This Bible passage has often been interpreted in the most simplistic surface way to imply that a great service provider like Bill Gates is automatically ungodly because of the wealth he has accumulated as a result of providing his services. Such an interpretation is far from what Jesus is really teaching. Even if Bill Gates became a zillionaire he could still easily enter the Kingdom.
It is not how much earthly wealth we possess that matters. The problem is self-identity; thinking that it is up to us to provide for our earthly well-being. The REAL secret Jesus teaches is that by wanting nothing on earth and trusting that God will provide, we will always be given the earthly experiences and earthly provisions we truly need to open spiritually and fulfill our earthly calling.
By catering to self-identity, the video "The Secret" steers people away from the heavenly experience (as well as an undreamed of earthly experience) which they really want. It influences them not to release their self-identity, but to assert it. It teaches them not to let go of all ego-vested interests, but to focus the mind more sharply on manifesting ego-vested interests. Therefore in the Holy Spirit's eyes this video's value in attempting to open minds is far outweighed by the dis-value of its blatant advocacy of ego-orgy.
Because Bible teachings are so widely misinterpreted these days, Jesus has given A Course in Miracles which contains explanation of his teachings specifically directed toward the 21st Century mindset. In his Course we find the REAL secret revealed in such detail that after letting the Course work on us sufficiently it becomes impossible to any longer misinterpret the Bible.
As if he knew in advance that such a video as "The Secret" would certainly be produced, Jesus includes in his course several lessons which perfectly answer the video:
Lesson 24: "I do not perceive my own best interests."
Lesson 25: "I do not know what anything is for."
Lesson 128: "The world I see holds nothing that I want."
Lesson 129: "Beyond this world there is a world I want."
If you really integrate these lessons, that on earth you do not perceive your own best interests, that you do not know what anything is for, that the world you see holds nothing that you want, and that beyond this world there is a world you do want, then you will know with your entire being the folly of pursuing ego-vested interests. Wanting nothing on earth, your inner hearing will be perfect because the only blockage to clear hearing of the Voice for God is your earthly desires. With clear inner hearing, you will be guided very specifically throughout your days, and you will find that the Holy Spirit provides abundantly (and sometimes seemingly "miraculously") for even needs you wouldn't have known about.
In his Course Jesus shows us it is the height of arrogance to continue believing that we are served by trying to create the earth we think we want. We've been creating the earth we think we want all along, and this sort of "creating" has been the problem all along ... not the solution. The Holy Spirit has been given to us by God precisely to release such arrogance for us. A Course in Miracles has been given by Jesus for no other reason than to aid our arrogance release so we can experience what we truly want.
Now we know the REAL secret. When we want nothing on earth, we are perfectly cared for beyond our wildest imaginings ... because it is no longer our ego-mind making a world. When we listen inside with no wants other than to experience God and serve God, we hear perfectly clear guidance and have no reason not to follow. Listening inside and following clear guidance, we become perfect as Jesus would have us be; and the experience of heaven, the ultimate secret, becomes known to us.
Often this entire lesson is depicted in art by Jesus lovingly holding a lamb or lovingly blessing little children. We are being taught to give up trying to assume the role of creator and instead become as little children or little lambs who trust they will be provided for perfectly. The REAL secret is I AM the lamb of God and God has since the beginning provided everything I could ever truly honestly want.
Someone might ask: "Well, if the Course of Jesus is a mind-training course, how do I then train my mind to take advantage of the REAL secret?"
Such a questioner would be off on the wrong foot from the outset. You cannot train your mind in the proper direction. You are the one who believed you could train your mind in the first place and thus made a world of pain, sickness and death. The Holy Spirit is asking you to quit trying to be the creator, and be like a lamb. In your meekness your mind will be properly trained for you.
For this purpose you have been given A Course in Miracles. See what happens when you let the Course of Jesus work on you thoroughly. Be diligent about letting the Course really get through to you. As the final lines of the old song say,
"And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo.
Every day you meet quite a few.
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are.
You could be swingin' on a star."
And this year, besides using the Course books, you might feel guided to use an affirmation which our Holy Spirit has given to establish you quickly in the REAL secret. Use it over and over again until you feel its truth entirely, completely and always:
"I am a being of light
here on earth for no other reason
than to serve the light.
In the service of light,
I am perfectly cared for
and my every need
is perfectly provided."
"...nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)
Click below for more information on A Course in Miracles Light Sessions in Salt Lake City:
Holy Instant Christian Fellowship
