I will there be light.
There is no will but God’s.
Today we make a conscious decision to intentionally apply our will to bringing forth light rather than darkness. Thus, we are insisting on accurate perception; we are refusing the confusion and despair that attend darkness.
“Light” and “dark” are metaphors related to seeing. The latter makes seeing difficult or impossible; the former is the only means by which we can see at all. But we are not talking about the body’s eyes here, and so we are not talking about candles or lanterns or their absence.
Rather, we are talking about a way of perceiving that neither begins nor ends in judgment. It relinquishes projection. Thus, it reflects a mind which is wholly committed to being responsible for what it sees. This commitment is loving rather than fearful. And upon it rests the whole of reality.
What do you see when your eyes are closed and you look within? What does your mother look like? Your first date? Your senator? Your neighbor?
At first you will see their body – their image – but beyond that you will sense a vast ocean of ideas, memories, feelings, resentments, desires, goals and stories. It is that to which we give attention; that which we raise into the light of awareness.
We are turning inward in a gentle sustainable way. We are not afraid of what we will see, because we know we are not turning inward alone. And seeing it this way means owning that is it our projection.
Thus, we can release our brothers and sisters. What are they when they are no longer forced to bear the awful weight of projections born of fear and hate? What do we see?
This is a lot of work and none of it is easy. If it was, we wouldn’t be here studying A Course in Miracles. We succeed – indeed, our success is assured – because in looking at our brothers and sisters in love we are simultaneously recognizing that there is only one Will.
To love – which is simply to reject fear as groundless and unhelpful – is to remember our fundamental alignment with God.
In this simply remembrance, all grounds for conflict end.
I can become afraid only when I believe there is another will. I try to attack only when I am afraid, and only when I try to attack can I believe that my eternal safety is threatened. Today I will recognize that all this has not occurred. I am safe because there is no will but God’s (W-pI.87.3:3-6).
We are merely undoing what never happened, which is to say, we are merely seeing through the illusion of separate selves, separate wills and separate outcomes. We are making a commitment to one another to go together in the direction of love and peace.
It is in our togetherness that we remember that our togetherness is love and peace.
I love this reminder:
“To will there be light is another way of saying that we aren’t going to keep secrets. We are going to be open to seeing ourselves with all our flaws. We aren’t going to pretend that we don’t have them, and we aren’t going to analyze them, and we aren’t going to freak out because we’re not perfect. Patiently and calmly, to the degree that we’re capable, we’re going to look at the inside. We’re going to explore our thinking – our habits, our conclusions, our conditioning, our framing. All of it.”
I have particular trouble with not analyzing myself…sheesh, if only I can let that go more easily! lol. I’m trying to stay with HS on this, because I’ve certainly done a good job of confusing the hell out of myself. I see progress when I finally let it go to spirit, beyond my ego or even decision-making mind. I can only keep on gently practicing this, since it doesn’t come naturally…at least not yet for me.
Hi Nadia,
Yes, I think “gently practicing” is the key. We’ve indoctrinated or conditioned ourselves to think a certain way about self – development, improvement, etc. On some level, it seems very healthy and important. Why shouldn’t I try to be a better father, a better writer, a better friend, whatever? Isn’t that going to make the world a better place? Yet that approach, despite moments of joy and some short term benefits, doesn’t seem to be truly effective. So it takes time. And letting go, too. It’s funny because on some level I want or expect spirituality to be smooth sailing with lots of gratification. But the course is so counter-intuitive! To really practice it is to be constantly going against what seems natural and easy. But it does get better. And there are certainly moments when I see how it all hangs together, in a deeper way, and that is so peaceful when that happens.
Thanks again for reading – take care-
Sean