A Course In Miracles and The Work of Byron Katie

A Course in Miracles and The Work of Byron Katie
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Salvation (freedom) without Compromise

Ch. 23. III. 1 - 4. A Course in Miracles: "Is it not true you do not recognize some of the forms that your attack can take? If it is true that any form of attack upon another will hurt you, then an attack you do not recognize as such, will hurt you as much as another attack, in another form, that you do recognize. It must follow, then, that you do not always recognize the source of the inner pain.
Attack in any form is equally destructive. Its purpose does not change. Its sole intent is destruction! And what 'form of murder' can cover the massive guilt and frantic fear of punishment the murderer must feel? He may deny he is a murderer and justify his savagery with smiles and platitudes as he attacks. Yet he will suffer, and will look on his intent in nightmares where the smiles are gone, and where the purpose rises up to meet his horrified awareness and pursue him still. For no one has a murderous thought, and yet escapes the guilt the thought entails. If the intent be 'death,' what matter the form it takes?

Is death in any form, however 'lovely and charitable' it may seem to be, a blessing and a sign the Voice for God speaks through you to your brother? A 'lovely wrapping' does not make the gift you give.  An empty box, however beautiful and gently given, still contains nothing. And neither the receiver nor the giver is long deceived.

Withhold true forgiveness from your brother in any situation and you are in fact, attacking him.  You give him nothing, and receive of him but what you gave. You are still making him separate from you. Salvation allows no compromise of any kind! "

The Work is the undoing/questioning of these insane painful beliefs. The first step must be to notice what I am thinking. I identify my judgments--attack thoughts. They are the sole cause of my pain. Until they are identified and questioned there is no possibility of inner peace/joy. "No one has(believes) a murderous thought and escapes the guilt it entails." No exceptions. No degrees of unforgiveness. "What is not love, is murder."

So grateful the Way out is given us. Completely free. Right now.

Pure grace.

V. The "Dynamics" of the Ego

"No one can escape from illusions unless he looks at them, for not looking is the way they are protected. There is no need to shrink from illusions, for they cannot be dangerous. We are ready to look more closely at the ego's thought system because together we have the lamp that will dispel it, and since you realize you do not want it, you must be ready. Let us be very calm in doing this, for we are merely looking honestly for truth. The 'dynamics' of the ego will be our lesson for a while, for we must look first at this to see beyond it, since you have made it real. We will undo this error quietly together, and then look beyond it to the truth.
What is healing but the removal of all that stands in the way of knowledge? And how else can one dispel illusions except by looking at them directly, without protecting them? Be not afraid therefore, for what you will be looking at is the source of fear, and you are beginning to learn that fear is not real. You are also beginning to see that its effects can be dispelled merely by denying (questioning) their reality. The next step is obviously to recognize that what has no effects does not exist...(Who or what would you be without that thought?) Do not be afraid, then, to look upon fear, for it cannot be seen. Clarity undoes confusion by definition, and to look upon darkness through light must dispel it." (acim text p. 202)

A perfect description of "The Work of Byron Katie" in A Course in Miracles

Chapter 14 The Teaching for Truth
VI. The Light of Communication, p. 285

"The journey we undertake together
is the exchange of darkness for light,
of ignorance for understanding.
Nothing you understand is fearful."

When I identify a thought and consider all its effects within me
when I believe it, I am ending my ignorance. When I see it brings me fear, anger, helplessness and separation from my Self and my brothers...my children, my lover, my friends, my neighbors. When I see it brings me self hatred and hopelessness and I want to run away or even feel like hitting someone. When I notice my entire body is all tensed up and feels sick and I want to give up, to go hide in bed-- all the while believing the thought keeps me safe, gives me comfort, protects "my" little world, gives me loving relationships, keeps my life in order and a familiar victim identity, that's the exchange of darkness for light. It's not about changing anything. It's about seeing/noticing exactly and in every detail what is really going on--cause and effect.

For example, the very common universal thought "I want you to love me,"
creates huge pain when I believe it. I have no control over other people's love. I am reaching outside of myself. I am coming from a space of neediness and desperation--a feeling of missing something and "if only "he" loved me, life would be better. I would feel valued... It's impossible in that moment of believing that thought to be connected to what is around me--reality. It's impossible to feel peace and joy.

Without investigation, I think if I don't have that thought no one will ever love me. I won't have a relationship if "I don't want someone to love me."
This is a small fraction of the light that The Work brings to us. It brings us understanding and compassion when we see how the mind works, when we see how mental images from the past literally blind us from seeing what's really there--reality now.

In answering question four, I get to experience who I am without that one thought-- "i want you to love me." I feel for myself the freedom, the relaxation, the openness that I am without believing that thought. I see how much more loving and less demanding and punishing I am to another person. I see how grateful I am for their love and attention. I might even see that they actually DO love me! Amazing--the end of ignorance.
I learn that when I attach to a thought I suffer. Nothing I understand is fearful.

720.618.7001 joywschultz@comcast.net

"It is only in darkness and in ignorance that you perceive the frightening, and shrink away from it to further darkness. And yet it is only the hidden that can terrify, not for what it is, but for its hiddenness. The obscure is frightening because you do not understand its meaning. If you did you would be clear and you would no longer be in the dark...The hidden is kept apart, but value always lies in joint appreciation. What is concealed cannot be loved, so it must be feared."

Yes. Only in darkness (uninvestigated belief) do I experience terror, distrust, rejection, unworthiness and want to run away, and avoid the person and feelings I believe is causing my suffering. The obscure is frightening because I have put meaning on something and I do not see I have done this. I do not see in that moment that this person is simply showing me my yet univestigated judgments against myself. ("You never hate your brother for his sins, but only for your own.")

Here is the secret that the ego does not want you to know, for here is the end of the ego. It is not the thing you hide that hurts you. It is the hiddenness. Whatever you fear people finding out about you, any shame, for anything you have ever done or not done, any imagined source of guilt on your part is not the problem. If you will bring it into the light--identify it clearly, 100%-- every speck of it--every tiny hateful thought about it...Love will show you its innocence. This is The Work. Oh people, do you see how your happiness lies in the exact opposite of everything you have been believing? (Run, hide, avoid ugliness. Focus, pretend, strive to be good and loving and think loving thoughts...) The truth here is obscure, because we think our safety and happiness lie in a lie--what we are believing.
As we find out in The Work, who we are "without the thought" actually feels kinder. The thought does not give me love, but fear. What I keep hidden from myself and you--what I am ashamed of and think you will judge me for cannot be loved.

Identify the thought, the feelings, the reactions--sit for as long as it takes and notice the effects of believing a thought and the thought will leave of its own accord because in the light,
I see exactly what is going on. I see clearly this thought does not give me Heaven, but only hell. It is not the thing that is hidden that terrifies, but only the hiddenness, the running away, itself. Hiding reinforces the belief there is danger.
"Is it true?" is the invitation to light--the end of hiddenness and therefore, pain.
"Be honest, not spiritual." Byron Katie