Spiritual Vision is the topic of this conversation with Jackie Lora Jones and Bruce Rawles as they continue their ongoing dialogue about A Course In Miracles (ACIM) in this audio. In this episode, Jackie begins with a quote from ACIM’s Preface (What It Says) that addresses real (non-dual) vision, as contrasted with physical sight which is limited to the surreal realm of photons, wavelengths and frequencies of electromagnetic energy:
“The opposite of seeing through the body’s eyes is the vision of Christ, which reflects strength rather than weakness, unity rather than separation, and love rather than fear. The opposite of hearing through the body’s ears is communication through the Voice for God, the Holy Spirit, which abides in each of us. His Voice seems distant and difficult to hear because the ego, which speaks for the little, separated self, seems to be much louder. This is actually reversed. The Holy Spirit speaks with unmistakable clarity and overwhelming appeal. No one who does not choose to identify with the body could possibly be deaf to His messages of release and hope, nor could he fail to accept joyously the vision of Christ in glad exchange for his miserable picture of himself.
Christ’s vision is the Holy Spirit’s gift, God’s alternative to the illusion of separation and to the belief in the reality of sin, guilt and death. It is the one correction for all errors of perception; the reconciliation of the seeming opposites on which this world is based. Its kindly light shows all things from another point of view, reflecting the thought system that arises from knowledge and making return to God not only possible but inevitable. What was regarded as injustice done to one by someone else now becomes a call for help and for union. Sin, sickness and attack are seen as misperceptions calling for remedy through gentleness and love. Defenses are laid down because where there is no attack there is no need for them. Our brothers’ needs become our own, because they are taking the journey with us as we go to God. Without us they would lose their way. Without them we could never find our own.” – ACIM, Preface
Here’s another related quote:
“The Love of God, for a little while, must still be expressed through one body to another, because vision is still so dim.You can use your body best to help you enlarge your perception so you can achieve real vision, of which the physical eye is incapable.⁵Learning to do this is the body’s only true usefulness.” – ACIM, T-1.VII.2:3-5
… and another quote that reminds us that we are metaphorically asleep and we see when we awaken to the shared interest of seeing everyone – in Truth, eternally – as innocent and complete, healed and whole:
“Correction is for all who cannot see.²To open the eyes of the blind is the Holy Spirit’s mission, for He knows that they have not lost their vision, but merely sleep.³He would awaken them from the sleep of forgetting to the remembering of God.⁴Christ’s eyes are open, and He will look upon whatever you see with love if you accept His vision as yours.⁵The Holy Spirit keeps the vision of Christ for every Son of God who sleeps.⁶In His sight the Son of God is perfect, and He longs to share His vision with you.⁷He will show you the real world because God gave you Heaven.” ACIM, T-12.VI.4:1-7
Here is a helpful definition to summarize what real vision is from glossary of the Foundation for A Course In Miracles (FACIM):
vision: the perception of Christ or the Holy Spirit that sees beyond the body to the spirit that is our true Identity; the vision of forgiveness and sinlessness through which is seen the real world; purely internal, reflecting a decision to accept reality rather than judge it; a shift in attitude from the ego’s purpose for the body (specialness) to the Holy Spirit’s (forgiveness), and thus is not to be equated with physical sight.
Jackie is the host of the helpful “The 24th Hour – Positive News Magazine“, video blog YouTube Channel series of the same name also hosts a radio show “True Forgiveness Teachings” series on BlogTalkRadio on various Tuesdays.
Here is Jackie’s preface to the conversation:
Hello friends! Welcome to March 2021! We (as the collective separated Son) made all suffering, which means we can elect to “choose once again” and release all suffering as A Course in Miracles gently teaches us. Let’s awaken from the dream of separation by accepting spiritual vision as our guide! I’ll share an example of how I have experienced joy instead of suffering. Our mind is truly powerful. When used for the right minded purpose, our inner experience is forever changed. You can live the rest of your “life” knowing what to “do” in every circumstance! Join Bruce and I to hear more on this vast subject of spiritual vision!
Join Jackie’s online community of ACIM classes & webinars here.
As always, these readings provide a platform to discuss a variety of helpful ideas and practices from the non-dual metaphysics of A Course in Miracles. Jackie has conducted insightful video interviews with Gary Renard and numerous others. She and her sister, Cindy Lora-Renard, facilitate a classes on ACIM in addition to equally highly-regarded workshops on “The Course.” Jackie’s first book, All Peace, No Pieces is a valuable addition to any Course student’s library, regardless of their level of familiarity with the Course’s ideas, with some particularly fun and insightful metaphors from the Wizard of Oz movie.
This audio recording was made Tuesday, March 2, 2021.
Here are more ACIM-related conversations with Jackie Lora Jones and Bruce Rawles.
