A new student of A Course in Miracles once asked me, if our bodies aren’t real, would A Course in Miracles advocate suicide? The answer is NO. Suicide and death are NOT how we awaken from the dream.

As you’ll hear in today’s podcast, our task is to accept our true identity while in the body.

In today’s episode, I interview Lorri Coburn. Lorri is a psychotherapist, spiritual coach and author. Lorri struggled with suicidal ideation for decades and she’s going to share her story with us.

Naturally, this episode comes with a CONTENT WARNING as we’ll be discussing details of Lorri’s journey with suicidal ideation, her plans for her death, but also her healing and recovery.

You’ll hear in Lorri’s journey that she received the clear message that death is not the way out and that our task is to accept our true identity while IN the body. Lorri points out that there are many passages in A Course in Miracles that speak to how death is not the way out. And she shares how our mind goes with us after we die so you have to be willing to change your mind here.

This episode is raw and real and Lorri’s story also shows us that although A Course in Miracles teaches that healing can happen in an instant, for many of us, myself included, healing is often experienced as gradual. Lorri’s journey of healing depression and suicidal ideation was a process that took place over a number of years.

If you are struggling with suicidal ideation, there IS HELP available. You can go to your nearest emergency room. If you’re in the USA, call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis LIFELINE or go to https://988lifeline.org/ to connect via chat.

If you’re outside of the USA, go to your nearest emergency room or you can find a suicide hotline via http://suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html (If this link changes, please search the internet for a suicide hotline in your country).

You are worth the effort it takes to heal.

TUNE IN TO THE EPISODE:

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CONNECT WITH LORRI

Lorri’s website
Lorri’s book, “Breaking Free.”

QUOTES MENTIONED:

From A Course in Miracles Lesson 191:

“Deny your own Identity, and you will not escape the madness which induced this weird, unnatural and ghostly thought that mocks creation and that laughs at God. ²Deny your own Identity, and you assail the universe alone, without a friend, a tiny particle of dust against the legions of your enemies. ³Deny your own Identity, and look on evil, sin and death, and watch despair snatch from your fingers every scrap of hope, leaving you nothing but the wish to die.” (ACIM, W-191.3:1-3)

SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES:

If you’re in the USA, call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis LIFELINE or go to https://988lifeline.org/ to connect via chat.
If you’re outside of the USA, go to your nearest emergency room or you can find a suicide hotline via http://suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

CORINNE’S TAKEAWAYS:

Death is not the way out. A Course in Miracles teaches this and it is our job to be willing to change our minds HERE. We must be willing to accept our true identity.
Lorri made a decision to really work a healing pathway. Whether your healing pathway is A Course in Miracles or not (as there are many other healing pathways), it’s important to make a decision to WORK IT.
Remember that Lori’s recovery from chronic suicidal ideation was a PROCESS. Not a one time event.
Lorri started to identify as a Holy Child of God and consistently reminded herself that the depression thoughts are NOT her.
Our final takeaway is Lorri’s closing words: You are the holy Child of God. You are the Christ Self, Higher Self. That’s your true identity. You are spirit. You are not this body, this personality, all the negative experiences, bad thoughts, things you think you’re guilty for. They are not you. They don’t belong to you and you can learn to dis-identify with them and accept your true identity.

Let us know your takeaways from this episode! Please leave your comment below or in our Facebook Group.

Michele Venema on January 19, 2023 at 5:44 pm

Thank you Corinne and thanks to Lorri for sharing her story. I overcame a major depression and severe anxiety and I too suffered from suicidal ideation which is unfortunately very common with depression. I agree that we do have to turn inward for true healing and I agree that death is not the answer but when you are unwell, and depression and suicidal ideation IS an illness, (a healthy brain does not ideate) it’s often not so much that one wants to die but that you want an end to the suffering that can be torturous. We are here to awaken from the dream which is not accomplished through any form of death. But I also believe there is no judgement against anyone that has succumbed to suicide – or death through any illness for that matter. There is still a shadow of shame around suicide. It seems it can’t be discussed without throwing caution tape all over it while topics like cancer, racism and war that can also lead to death can be discussed more freely – at least without a caption warning. I say that not to criticize, because I have done it too, but to shed a light on the stigma associated with mental illness because that stigma, that shame, leads to people not getting the help they need. Depression is an illness that can lead to death just like cancer or heart disease can and no one should feel ashamed for suffering from depression or anxiety or any other mental illness.
I would just like to add that if anyone is feeling that death would be better – even if you are not having any suicidal thoughts – that’s the time to get help. That is a sign of suffering. And certainly if you are having suicidal thoughts – don’t wait. You can do the work it takes – including taking medication – with the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we need more than the Course and that’s ok – I certainly did and I am grateful for everything that came my way from a great doctor, EFT/Tapping (do it with a Practitioner), an amazing Therapist, the Ho’ Opono Pono prayer to name a few. The Holy Spirit led me to all that helped me. Thank you Corinne for listing some Suicide Prevention Resources. Love & Peace.

2 Comments

Elizabeth Geer on January 15, 2023 at 2:16 pm

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS CORINNE FOR YOUR INSIGHTFUL AND BRILLIANT PODCASTS!! It was “eyeopening” to get a glimpse into the level of fear and suffering the ego can take us down into… I can’t imagine the suffering of a soul who cried EVERY DAY FOR 10 YEARS!?! What a miracle of healing that it ever ended… Blessings!!
Michele Venema on January 19, 2023 at 5:44 pm

Thank you Corinne and thanks to Lorri for sharing her story. I overcame a major depression and severe anxiety and I too suffered from suicidal ideation which is unfortunately very common with depression. I agree that we do have to turn inward for true healing and I agree that death is not the answer but when you are unwell, and depression and suicidal ideation IS an illness, (a healthy brain does not ideate) it’s often not so much that one wants to die but that you want an end to the suffering that can be torturous. We are here to awaken from the dream which is not accomplished through any form of death. But I also believe there is no judgement against anyone that has succumbed to suicide – or death through any illness for that matter. There is still a shadow of shame around suicide. It seems it can’t be discussed without throwing caution tape all over it while topics like cancer, racism and war that can also lead to death can be discussed more freely – at least without a caption warning. I say that not to criticize, because I have done it too, but to shed a light on the stigma associated with mental illness because that stigma, that shame, leads to people not getting the help they need. Depression is an illness that can lead to death just like cancer or heart disease can and no one should feel ashamed for suffering from depression or anxiety or any other mental illness.
I would just like to add that if anyone is feeling that death would be better – even if you are not having any suicidal thoughts – that’s the time to get help. That is a sign of suffering. And certainly if you are having suicidal thoughts – don’t wait. You can do the work it takes – including taking medication – with the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we need more than the Course and that’s ok – I certainly did and I am grateful for everything that came my way from a great doctor, EFT/Tapping (do it with a Practitioner), an amazing Therapist, the Ho’ Opono Pono prayer to name a few. The Holy Spirit led me to all that helped me. Thank you Corinne for listing some Suicide Prevention Resources. Love & Peace.