Have you have you ever heard the expression “it really is what it is”? What does that expression mean exactly?
Before I understood the deeper meaning of the expression, I envisioned an emaciated yogi guru in the lotus position floating above the bottom imperiously imparting wisdom that could take scholars multiple lifetimes to interpret. Seeing as how that is my last life on the planet and the lotus position would put me in traction, I knew that consulting the Course In Miracles would help me clarify its meaning.
What’s the IT that we are authoring here? Based on the Course in Miracles, It really is truth, specifically God’s truth. Why is it important to emphasize that it’s God’s truth? Because God’s truth is not open to interpretations whereas a human’s truth is. Multiple versions of human truth have lead to a myriad of religions. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia defines religion as a “system of thought, feeling, and action that is shared by way of a group and that gives the members an object of devotion.”
Who devised the system of thought? On whose feelings are these thoughts based? Are actions really necessary? In line with the Course In Miracles, God just is and our ultimate goal is to return to an ideal state of being. There is no thought or action in the state of being, you just are. What should not be forgotten is the underlying thread of most religions: God is creator, God is love and we all have been perfect and infinite children of God.
Most find it very unsettling to take into account the idea that choice is really an illusion, or the illusion of preference, as stated in A TRAINING COURSE in Miracles (ACIM). You make choices everyday, so the idea of choice not being real seems highly illogical also to say minimal, improbable, given its consistent daily use. Although choice is necessary when you are here, it ultimately remains part of the illusion and is not an integral part of God. Choice is unsettling as you believe it to be necessary, not because it can be an illusion.”
It stands to reason that you are in what you think about as this world as you have made the decision, or choice, because of this world to be real. If you continue making that same choice, it keeps on becoming more and more real. ACIM clearly highlights that ideas usually do not leave their source. Who then would be the source? What choices are you really making?
Choice, Perception and Judgment:
You imagine this world is real because you made the choice to believe the ego’s version of reality from the initial separation. Those initial perceptions are accompanied by the next choice that is to judge the outcomes, thereby producing further consequences which reinforce the belief in this world. It’s a vicious, no-win cycle. As you perceive you will judge; so when you judge you will perceive. Error is manufactured real by this simple twisted deception. Withdraw your decision to believe in the outcomes and the error can be corrected.
Choice and Source:
Can you not then function as source since you are the one making the choice to believe? You do not remember that original separation; however, you are making choices now, and you are doing so all the time. Every moment you are choosing between thoughts, feelings and ideas, etc. If it isn’t you, then who do you want to claim is responsible? Be cautious, because claiming another is responsible is really blame and you haven’t any power to change if you think another is in charge. You are simply making yourself a victim. Both of these are ego tricks.
Accepting responsibility for everything, including choice and its own consequences may be the fastest way to change. This allows you to choose again as you can see the results and realize that you must have chosen in error. It really is your ideas and beliefs combined with decision, or choice, to create them true that becomes the effect of what you see in your world. The Law of Cause and Effect is simple: Based on the mind you pick from, as cause, you will see the corresponding effect.
As long as as you’ve got a split mind, you are constantly choosing between your wrong mind of the ego (error) and the Right Mind of the Holy Spirit (correction). a course in miracles You will see the effect with regards to the choice of mind you use as cause. You cannot have two masters. In the ego world, it is always one or the other. Choosing the correction of the Holy Spirit undoes the error of the ego and returns the mind to the peace of God. This technique is also known as forgiveness.
Choice for Correction:
Forgiveness is nothing more than your brain being returned, or corrected, back to the Truth as you choose for it to be that way. Handing over the ego’s judgments corrects the mind and correction is what? Forgiveness. Another cause results in another effect.
Choice is, therefore, necessary in this illusion because there is something to select between. However, the greatest usage of choice is served by knowing both the error and correction sides of the split mind, or what you are choosing between. Then, simply understand that your goal is to return your brain to True Perception and choose again! It will help to keep at heart the coinciding terms for True Perception: Correction, forgiveness, salvation, atonement, truth, Holy Spirit and God. There is no difference.