Mosaic art by lunaparc.com
While we’re here on this planet, we have two voices with us for the duration our stay, and so we have two choices to decide between. Will we listen to the ego’s voice? Or will we listen to the voice of our Inner Teacher? The choice is up to us.
This is a moment to moment decision. We don’t just choose our Inner Teacher’s voice once and then forget about it – we have to watch our mind for “scraps of fear” and choose for our Inner Teacher constantly. We can listen to our Inner Teacher in one minute, only to be sucked into the ego’s voice in the next second. I have a perfect example:
The other day while driving, I literally felt like I was overflowing with joy and love. I had been turning everything in my life over to my Inner Teacher, and I truly felt safe and whole. I started driving down a road that cuts through a college campus that is currently experiencing an outbreak of a contagious disease that is only spread through saliva. There were students everywhere walking on the sidewalk and crossing the street. Even though I was in my car and not about to exchange saliva with anyone, I felt the ego’s fearful voice creep in and I found my hand reaching for the window buttons to make sure my windows were rolled up all of the way (even though it was 20 degrees out and I KNEW that the windows were rolled up). In one instant, I chose to listen to the ego, and my awareness of Spirit was gone. Totally gone!
I noticed what was happening and recognized that these fearful thoughts are not my REAL thoughts:
While thoughtless ideas preoccupy your mind, the truth is blocked. Recognizing that your mind has been merely blank, rather than believing that it is filled with real ideas, is the first step to opening the way to vision. – A Course in Miracles Lesson 8
My mind isn’t really thinking when it is listening to the ego. I felt a strong “NO” rise up in my mind to the ego, and quickly brought those thoughts to my Inner Teacher asking for the miracle instead. My sense of peace was restored.
And a song came to my mind. This is a FUN song for kids by the band “They Might Be Giants,” which helps me when I am firmly saying “NO!” to the ego. I’ve been known to dance around my living room to it. I hope you enjoy it too:
No-They Might Be Giants from Emmalee Smith on Vimeo.
Dear Corinne, I love this post and the very practical advice contained in it to help us choose our right mind. My mantra through the day is : Holy Spirit please continue to give my life YOUR purpose. Thank you.
Beautifully said: Holy Spirit please continue to give my life YOUR purpose. Thank you!
Thank you Xavier! I agree with Luz and also love this: “Holy Spirit please continue to give my life YOUR purpose.” Beautiful words.
Hey Corinne,
I really like your article, specifically “A Course in Miracles Lesson 8”.
Reading it really gives you a lot of insight, doesn’t it?
I love how you wrote about having an “inner teacher” 🙂
I read an article about this topic the other day on http://www.jenniferhadley.com, have you ever read her blog? I included the link to this post, I hope that’s ok.
It’s this article specifically:
When the Ego Drives Your Spiritual Practice
http://jenniferhadley.com/2013/11/waking/
Please let me know what you think!
Tim
Hey Tim! I love Jennifer and her work – I hadn’t seen that specific blog post so thank you for sharing! Such good stuff 🙂
Hi Corrine!
I’m currently on lesson 10 in the workbook and have been practicing the principles of ACIM since I came across your website shot 3 or a bit more weeks ago. There are some moments where I feel totally at peace and protected which is amazing because o used to experience anxiety A LOT of the time. But there still are times where I get back irk that ego thinking and it will take over for a bit until I choose again to have willingness to see different. My question is: is it normal especially at the beginning stages (and I assume even later on) to still have times where ego totally goes back into old patterns? I know I’m JUST starting, but I’ve been hooked by the ego’s judgement of not being “farther ahead” or still succumbing to those ego thoughts. Just looking for some encouragement or to hear that’s it’s normal to go back and forth between ego and trust in the beginning of this journey!? I’m sure you can tell I’m coming from a pattern of an analytical mind here- hehe! Much love and light to you!!!
Hi Kayla love!
YES it is SO normal to vacillate. We’ve not yet made up our minds that we actually WANT to know the Truth, and we revert back to listening to the ego because we still think there is something of value there. Remember that anytime that voice creeps in that you “should” be farther along, that is ONLY ever the ego voice! Don’t believe it. Say, “thanks ego, but no thanks!”
I just read something in ACIM that I love… “After you have taken the course, you will accept it and keep it and use it. That is the final exam, which you will have to trouble passing. Midterm marks are not entered in the permanent record.”
I hear the humor in this! We’re going to slip, but our success is an absolute guarantee. Although I don’t slip into hard core anxiety anymore, I definitely have moments of slipping into judgment or fear. It just becomes another opportunity to “choose again.” We can be happy learners! I hope that helps xoxo
One more question! I was listening to your podcast about imposter anxiety. You guys mentioned how the voice of ego and spirit can sometimes be hard to distinguish especially when ego uses spiritual phrases, etc. Can I trust that when I’m asking spirit to shift perceptions and receive miracles that the voice I’m using to ask is spirit? Or is that just me asking so it’s guaranteed to be answered. Lol, I think I got confused! When i ask for the shift in perception (the voice that asks in my mind is just me kayla asking- is that ego therefore the miracle won’t be truly from spirit?) , even if I ask many times a day while I’m building trust, is the peace I feel after I am willing to see different ego or spirit? OR are you guys referring to “messages” you may receive and not knowing the difference between ego and spirit? Do I trust the peace I feel after I hand it to spirit as true peace from spirit and does the voice of Kayla in human form asking for the shift in perception still make it effective? Ah, I’m sorry if this questions makes absolutely no sense lol!!!
Haha no worries! Whenever the Course makes my head spin a little I find it’s best to just take a breath and trust it will make sense as I’m ready. 🙂
You are the Son of God who has just fallen asleep to your True Identity. So whenever you ask for a miracle, whether you’re identified as “Kayla” or as the Son of God, Holy Spirit answers! The peace you feel is because you’ve dropped more fear and let the Love that is ALREADY there shine through a bit more.
Does that help? xo
Wonderful! Thank you! This does help me. Definitely ego when I’m hearing judgment for myself or anyone for that matter! This helped a lot. I’m so grateful to have this space to go to when I have questions in regards to the course (as I’m the only person I currently know studying it THOUGH I’m recommending it already to my spiritual friends)!
Thanks for the great quote, you wrote ““After you have taken the course, you will accept it and keep it and use it. That is the final exam, which you will have to trouble passing. Midterm marks are not entered in the permanent record.” What does it mean that “you will have to trouble passing?”- just wonderful if you could explain it cause I love the quote!
THANKS AGAIN! :):):)
I love that quote too! It means our success in remembering Love is guaranteed. We cannot fail. Failure is impossible because Love is what we are. 🙂 xoxo