Notes on the Text of A Course in - Stephen Wingate

<strong>Notes</strong> on Chapter Eighteen – The Passing of the Dream
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In the Atonement everyone is included in God's love
without exception. Love is all inclusive, not
"special."
•
To forgive one is to forgive all. To exclude one is to
exclude all. Love is unconditional and all inclusive.
We become aware of God's unconditional love as the
Holy Spirit helps us let go of our "special" love,
which is not love, but guilt and fear.
•
Our function in the world of special relationships is
to be a reflection of the forgiveness and the
Atonement of the Holy Spirit.
•
By turning to the Holy Spirit, our perception of the
purpose of the world changes. The purpose of our
world becomes Atonement through forgiveness;
rather than serving as a dumping ground for guilt.
•
There is a beautiful and powerful section in the Text
called "The Little Garden." The ego's idea of the
perfect garden is one of specialness and exclusion.
The Holy Spirit's perfect garden is of inclusiveness
and acceptance of all.
•
The ego is on a journey from insanity, through the
world, and on to sanity.
•
The little wall of dust that stands between us and our
brothers is sin, guilt and fear.
•
Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always with us as we
journey on. We can let go of the ego's hand knowing
we have Jesus by our side.
•
Jesus cannot help "fix" our special relationships
because the purpose of the special relationship is to
exclude him and the Holy Spirit. But if we ask him,
he will help us turn to the holy relationship with the
Holy Spirit instead.
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•
The purpose we share with our brothers is of
forgiveness and Atonement. When we join hands
with our brothers in forgiveness, our relationship
becomes holy and Jesus walks with us.
•
Our journey Home is a process that happens over
time. The truth does not take time, but our fear slows
our realization and acceptance of the truth.
•
We will likely experience fear and resistance as the
darkness of sin and guilt in our mind is brought into
the light of awareness. As we continue looking at the
darkness of sin and guilt with the Holy Spirit, the
darkness fades into the nothingness from which it
rose.
•
We are to be aware of the dynamics of ego, and let
them be. We are not to try to control, change or
manipulate the ego, but we are to look at it with the
Holy Spirit Who forgives all, heals all, and does all.
The Holy Spirit does everything; you do nothing, but
give everything to Him.
•
There is a gentle shift from the ego's nightmare, to
the happy dream, and on to our awakening to the real
world.
•
We choose the purpose — we want to leave the ego's
hell of specialness, individuality, pain and suffering.
The means is provided in the Holy Spirit's ability to
transform our special relationships into the holy
relationship.
•
The Holy Spirit is with us eternally. When we are
experiencing conflict we are to ask the Holy Spirit to
help us see through the light of His eyes. Through
the vision of the Holy Spirit all is forgiven; the
Atonement is accepted and we move on to the real
world. And finally we reach the end of the journey
which never began.
End Chapter Eighteen