At first glance, it might seem like honesty has nothing to do with anxiety. But if we look a bit deeper, being hard core honest is how we reclaim the Self we never lost. According to A Course in Miracles, honesty means consistency. Internal consistency calls forth harmony. In this video, I share three different “levels” at which you can look at and assess your own levels of honesty:
1. Honesty in your life’s business and honesty with yourself.
2. Honesty with your Inner Teacher.
3. Honesty in allowing your Self to be what it is. As you bring your judgmental thoughts to your Inner Teacher rather than trying to “self-correct” your thoughts, we begin to remember the truth of who we ARE (Love) and therefore no longer deceive our Self.
Watch the video here:
The prayer I reference from A Course in Miracles on page 90 of the Foundation for Inner Peace edition (Sparkle Edition p. 116, Original Edition T-5.IX.para. 96) is:
“I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace.
I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.
I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at peace.
I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.
I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me.”
How did this message resonate with you? Share your insights and experience by leaving a comment below.
This video helped alot but i notice i fear God’s punishment alot and the deeper i get into the course the more anxious and fearfull i become.
Hi Dawn!
It is great that you’re aware of how you are feeling… especially noticing that you’re fearing God’s punishment. This is a belief the ego wants us to believe because it wants you to turn away from God/Love (and keep your focus on it’s fearful voice). We’ve projected fear onto God, when in Truth, God is wholly benign, pure Love, and absolutely INCAPABLE of punishment. You are not guilty. Take the belief in punishment and offer it to Spirit, asking for the miracle instead. Feel free to also check out this post about all of the ways we perpetuate our fear of God through popular phrases: https://fromanxietytolove.com/popular-phrases-that-mask-our-fear-of-love-reinterpreted/
In addition the Course teaches us that what we’re actually afraid of is LOVE. Because if we fully embraced it, we’d no longer listen to the ego’s fearful voice, and it is this that scares us. It is important to go easy on yourself and “not fight yourself” as the Course says. If resistance feels really strong, take a break from the Course! When you’re ready to dive in again, it will still be there. 🙂 The message of the Course only freaks out the ego, the part of us that WANTS to be separate from Love. As you come to know your true identity which is Love, that fear must fall away. I hope this helps. Much love to you!
Wonderful teaching! I believe you can’t be honest with others until you are first honest with yourself.
Thanks Craig! I totally agree with you that honesty starts with yourself.
Thank you so much for posting this. I just recently started following your Instagram. I’ve been brought to my knees-quite literally by anxiety and I have been guided to work with ACIM (it has sat on my book shelf for the past six years). I just ordered a book called ‘Holy Shift’ to help me to begin to
understand the course and have a physical book to keep on me. I knew when I opened the book that the prayer for the 22nd of January would be connected to your work..and to my journey with anxiety. So here we go:
You will identify with what you think will make you safe.
Whatever it may be, you will believe that it is one with you.
Your safety lies in truth, and not in lies. Love is your safety. Fear does not exist.
Identify with love, and you are safe.
Identify with love, and you are home.
Identify with love, and find your Self.
Workbook-p II. Lesson 260.5.5:1-8
Hi Laura!
Thanks so much for sharing and for posting this BEAUTIFUL lesson from ACIM. That prayer also gave me a lot of comfort when I too was brought to my knees with anxiety. It’s awesome that you’ve been guided to ACIM because for me, it was the only thing I found that really gave me relief on a deep level which is where my anxiety issues stemmed from. I’m psyched to be with you on this journey. Inner Peace is our guarantee. Much love to you! xo
Great video!
Learning so much each day!
Corrine, when we have so many “ego” thoughts during the day when you’re still new to the course, what do you recommend doing? What I mean is that, when I have time, I definitely mentally hand it to spirit and ask for a shift in perception. But when I’m busy being a teacher with my students during the day, I still get MANY ego thoughts and I can’t always in that moment do my whole mental process, etc. What is a quick thing to do in those cases? Sometimes I just let it go because I realIze it was ego and not truth. Sometimes I sink below what my ego is saying in my brain and connect to my peaceful space and just rest there while my mind is off on an ego rant. Other times, I say “take this from me”. But I find it to be exhausting to have to EVERY TIME do a whole mental process especially with repetitive thoughts. I read about allowing the ego to do its thing but to rest in a space of awareness also brings you to the truth and dissolves ego. Is it ok to use a combo of these techniques depending on what I’m doing in the moment?
Kayla 🙂
Hi Kayla!
The Course is practical and also teaches us to go easy on ourselves. I have a quote for you from the Manual for Teachers #29:
“To ask the Holy Spirit to decide for you is simply to accept your true inheritance. Does this mean that you cannot say anything without consulting Him? No, indeed! That would hardly be practical, and it is the practical with which this course is most concerned. If you have made it a habit to ask for help when and where you can, you can be confident that wisdom will be given you when you need it. Prepare for this each morning, remember God when you can throughout the day, ask the Holy Spirit’s help when it is feasible to do so, and thank Him for His guidance at night. And your confidence will be well founded indeed.”
When those ego thoughts seem constant, ask for help when you can. And don’t worry if you can’t! As this becomes habit, we’ll find that we easily go into a place of remembering Love without it feeling like it takes any effort. Hope that helps! 🙂 xo