Day 331

12. What is the Ego?

The ego is idolatry; the sign of limited and separated self, born in a body, doomed to suffer and to end its life in death. It is the "will" that sees the Will of God as enemy, and takes a form in which it is denied. The ego is the "proof" that strength is weak and love is fearful, life is really death, and what opposes God alone is true.

The ego is insane. In fear it stands beyond the Everywhere, apart from All, in separation from the Infinite. In its insanity it thinks it has become a victor over God Himself. And in its terrible autonomy it "sees" the Will of God has been destroyed. It dreams of punishment, and trembles at the figures in its dreams; its enemies, who seek to murder it before it can ensure its safety by attacking them.

The Son of God is egoless. What can he know of madness and the death of God, when he abides in Him? What can he know of sorrow and of suffering, when he lives in eternal joy? What can he know of fear and punishment, of sin and guilt, of hatred and attack, when all there is surrounding him is everlasting peace, forever conflict-free and undisturbed, in deepest silence and tranquility?

To know reality is not to see the ego and its thoughts, its works, its acts, its laws and its beliefs, its dreams, its hopes, its plans for its salvation, and cost belief in it entails. In suffering, the price for faith in it is so immense that crucifixion of the Son of God is offered daily at its darkened shrine, and blood must flow before the altar where its sickly followers prepare to die.

Yet will one lily of forgiveness change the darkness into light; the alter to illusions to the shrine of Life Itself. And peace will be restored forever to the holy minds which God created as His Son, His dwelling place, His joy, His love, completely His, completely one with Him.

Today's Lesson:

There is no conflict, for my will is Yours.

How foolish, Father, to believe Your Son could cause himself to suffer! Could he make a plan for his damnation, and be left without a certain way to his release? You love me, Father. You could never leave me desolate, to die within a world of pain and cruelty. How could I think that Love has left Itself? There is no will except the Will of Love. Fear is a dream, and has no will that can conflict with Yours. Conflict is sleep, and peace awakening. Death is illusion; life, eternal truth. There is no opposition to Your Will. There is no conflict, for my will is Yours.

Forgiveness shows us that God's Will is One, and that we share it. Let us look upon the holy sights forgiveness shows today, that we may find the peace of God. Amen.

Miracles I'm noticing:

Today's lesson reminds me yet again that this entire illusion that we think is so important is just that: an illusion. It's all a game with rules we made up about how it "should" be - how we "should" look, what we "should" do ... and it's all based on something the ego believes is real.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with my manufacturing leadership team in our third of three sessions about achieving goals. This session was called "Transformation," and we talked about how they could maintain the learning we've started here so it becomes the way of managing for this company. We spent about an hour creating vision boards and doing a guided visualization of what this company would look and feel like in five years and what their role would be. It was proof positive for me that everyone wants to connect with others, no matter what their title or role in an organization. When I let go of my ego, which tried to tell me that this would never work - that these people would think this was stupid and a waste of time, I was allowing God's Truth to shine through.

We talked yesterday about the shift that has been happening when this team trusts the members enough to create a purpose for the company and allow the vision and the goals to support that vision instead of the other way around where they would traditionally set the goals based on past performance instead. One of the members who has been more pragmatic and methodical about the "hows" said he has found it to be much easier to concentrate on the "why" and not worry about the details. He said he sees that when the team is allowed to operate in the individuals' strength areas, everything flows much more smoothly. He can call it strength areas - I call it allowing the Spirit. Either way, the results are, so far, speaking for themselves.

I notice that when I can be a conduit for the Holy Spirit, I can allow others the same opportunity. As a facilitator and guide, I see my role as a lightbearer, allowing the participants to see their own paths because I've helped light the way, not because I've showed them how or told them what to do. I simply turn on the light and the choices become clearer.

What a miracle as I shift my own thoughts from fear to love!