We talk a pretty mean game, here, in Separationville, but the reality is that we are wandering around this place only slightly better informed than a display case full of polished rocks- which is to say that our particular brand of ignorance has elegance and intelligence to it, something vital, a real panache that sets us apart from and at the top of this planet’s rambunctious collection of evolutionary byproducts.  We know nothing in the most cleverest of ways.  We should be proud of this great body oof work, no?

Separation has so permeated our thinking we’re not necessarily aware that it has become the very hub of our mental life, of our awareness.  Each day we arise, unwittingly accepting this as our starting point, and go out into the world to try and make things right.  Or to overcome the difficulties we face.  Or to carve out a niche of sanity from the insanity we find in the ‘Ville.  It’s too late, then.  It’s a hopeless endeavor- when approached in this fashion.

There is nothing out there in the world we can fix or endure or distance ourselves from that will result in a transformation of the thoughts we once placed in the very core of our being.  At this point the choice for separation underlies the momentum of our lives, informs our value systems, interprets events, assigns meanings to the world, and ensures we are consumed by addressing trivialities rather than deep and transformative concerns.  It runs us, but by and large we have no idea it is doing so.  Our clever ignorance has patched over this ignominious bit.

Well, hell, just change it, right!?  It is just a thought after all, a “tiny mad idea”.  We can just change it.  Why isn’t it just that simple?

Objection, your Honor.  The Course states numerous times that it is that simple…

Sustained…

Allow me to rephrase: why is it so seemingly difficult?

I think one aspect of the difficulty is that we have to once again approach the radiant core within ourselves, the Self within us that is truly the extension of God.  That essential Self is a ‘technology’ more powerful, more profound, more beautiful and more holy than any we have ever ‘invented’ in this world.  It is not a technology at all, of course- it is who and what we are.  There is nothing artificial about it.  It is the power to create with God, as His Will flows through us and we express the Love that we are.

“In the creation, God extended Himself to His creations and imbued them with the same loving Will to create.  You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.  There is no emptiness in you.” (T.2, I.1:2-4)

Here is the rub: do we trust ourselves to ‘use’ this ‘power’ appropriately?  So long as we perceive our separated state as real, along with the attending suffering, doubt, scarcity, and pain, not to mention our apparently very real ‘ability’ to attack one another and inflict pain, the answer must be no.  How could we?  We used it once before, and we made this…  We believe this condition is real, so how do we stop ourselves from doing it again?  We’re not entirely sure how we screwed up the first time, so if we don’t even know the answer to that question, on what rational basis could we possibly ensure we won’t inadvertantly do it again…?

A Course of Love says, “You do not realize what a wholehearted choice in regards to experiencing separation did.  Wholeheartedness is but a full expression of your power.” (CoL, 18.18)

In our innocence, at One with God, we wouldn’t even have considered hedging our bets.  Treading carefully was a needless concept.  Placing a dimmer switch on our full creative power was about as much of an option as lighting homes with three phase power was two thousand years ago.  We were experiencing the genuine freedom of conflict-free co-creation with our Father.  We chose fully and with zero inhibitions to perceive this way.  We are free to choose to perceive another way, with equally profound effects, but for that to happen we must make that new choice with equal fullness of heart and mind- and I think at some level we’re afraid to commit wholeheartedly to making the revision.

The Course says, “Few appreciate the real power of the mind…  It is hard to recognize that thought and belief combine into a power surge that can literally move mountains… You prefer to believe that your thoughts cannot exert real influence because you are actually afraid of them.  This may allay awareness of the guilt, but at the cost of perceiving the mind as impotent.” (T.2, VI.9:3,8,10-11)

Here is the thing, its damn near impossible to even start contemplating a solution that is not in some way tainted by our belief in separation.  Number one, faced with the problem, our initial reaction is to solve it.  Who is doing the solving?  If you believe you have something to do with making this right, it is the little you that believes its stuck in the problem who is doing the work.  The isolated individual ‘I’ that is stuck in Separationville is perfectly happy to put this on its to do list.  This is a destructive tragedy dressed up as a noble pursuit- the problem solving the problem.  The problem will sketch out an action plan, scour the countryside, hire a staff, fire a few consultants along the way, and commence an R&D program of which most government science agencies would be proud- all without questioning the very nature of its farsical non-existence.

“All questions asked within this world are but a way of looking, not a question asked… Whatever form the question takes, its purpose is the same.  It asks but to establish sin is real, and answers in the form of preference…” (T.27, IV.4:1,9)

Now, after all that this may sound a little inane, but the answer to separation is union.

I know.  Who woulda’ thunk?

The thing is, as I’ve over-emphasized, we can’t see union while we’re convinced we’re separate, and while we’re separate we’re afraid, and while we’re afraid we’ll be hard pressed to approach the radiant core of our Being and make a new choice, so…

…what we need do is… nothing.  Relax.  Breath.  Trust.  Love.  Ask Jesus for a few  pointers.  Forgive.  Accept all things.  Just forget this madness ever happened.  See perfection in all things and in one another.  Repeat.  Repeat until we can’t remember ever doing anything else and we realize we’re not doing anything all all but being.  Just Being our Self.  In perfect harmony with all other expressions of our Self.

In Unionville.

(At) The End (of Time)