Will We Ever Stop the Cycles of Time? Does Reincarnation End?
CAN WE BREAK THE CYCLE OF REINCARNATION
Looking deeper at the cycles of time, and for the sake of discussion, if reincarnation is real and we continue to live lifetime after lifetime, when does it end? Does it end? If it does end, how can we actively facilitate this process? As A Course in Miracles suggests, if this world is truly unreal, and the only true reality is God, how do we get back to reality? How do we wake up from the dream? If time is an illusion as the Course suggests, then does it offer us a way to save time? What are the steps we can take to move closer to our true nature?
Group think is a common theme of the collective. Narratives appear in any subject you can think of which often have the exact same talking points. Politics, education, health, the media, you name it, and you will see repeating themes saying the same things. Is this really true, or is there an agenda in place? Does everyone really agree on the same thing? Just look at your own living situation. If you live with anyone other than yourself, chances are you have a difference of opinion from time to time, or maybe even all the time. Add more people to your home and each individual will be perceiving their reality anyway they choose. We have been conditioned to believe what we are told. Look at the education system. Like it or not, students are taught to read information, memorize the concepts, and take a test over the material. There is very little room to question the information you are told to read.
In the world of spirituality and consciousness there are similar talking points that many spiritual teachers say. A few that come to mind are consciousness is who we are, the nature of reality is consciousness, consciousness experiences itself repeatedly, we are the authors of our own reality, and many other catch phrases that are popular in modern day spiritual teaching. However, since everyone is saying the same thing, do we know this is true? Just because some make claims, do we really know? Where is the humility in any of this? There are so many definitive statements made, yet can they be proven with absolute certainty?
LOOKING AT THE ERROR ACCORDING TO A COURSE IN MIRACLES
A spiritual text that seems to answer this question of if we can break the cycle of duality and reincarnation is A Course in Miracles. The Course has a very simple teaching, yet not so simple to implement. The main concept to understand is the only true reality is God, and everything outside of it is unreal. Simply stated, this world is not real, we only believe that it is. The Course says the world of form, separation, and individual identities is the wrong-minded thought system of the ego, which is the error. The Course’s correction for the ego’s thought system and the entire world of duality is the Holy Spirit’s right-minded thought system representing and symbolizing our true reality in God. These two systems do not work together, they represent very different concepts. The ego is attached to the unreal world, whereas spirit is working to remind us of the only reality, our home in God.
In order to free our minds from this continuous cycle of time, of birth, death, rebirth, and the concept of living many lifetimes in a world of form, A Course in Miracles says all we need is the willingness to look at the system we are living in. Looking at the error we have collectively chosen to believe is true is the beginning of undoing this belief. Not only that, but we collectively believe it is God’s world of creation. In fact, most religions and spiritualities teach this concept. The Course is taking a dramatically different stance. It is saying that God has nothing to do with this world of chaos. In fact, why would a perfect, eternally loving God create a world giving people the option to act so inhumanely? Why is that even a choice if God is purity? From the Course’s interpretation the world is not God’s doing, it is merely our belief in separation. This takes the responsibility out of God’s hands and puts it directly into ours forcing us to look at it, if we so choose.
The Course is not asking anyone to perfect their ego, to get rid of their ego, to run from the ego, or even befriend the ego. However, it is asking you to look at it, to see it for what it is. When you are able to see what this world is really all about, only then can you start to begin the journey home. By realizing you have a choice with whom you see with, your ego or the Holy Spirit, you can actively work to shift your perception and the way in which you interpret the world around you. You will become more concerned with discovering the love, kindness, and peace within, than siding with the ego’s need to be separate, to be right, and to be the creator of your heart’s desire.
THE AUTHORITY PROBLEM
The Course speaks of something called the authority problem. The late, and leading teacher on A Course in Miracles, Kenneth Wapnick, explains the meaning of this in his book A Talk Given on A COURSE IN MIRACLES An Introduction. Use the link provided below to get your own copy and to further understand this principle. To summarize, the authority problem is simply to replace God, which is the only Source and creator, and grant ourselves as the makers of our own reality, with the ability to create as God creates. By making ourselves authors of our own reality, we are in direct competition with God, who is the only creator. Confusing the two is keeping us stuck in a loop, or a cycle in which we will never escape, which is essentially what we are doing by choosing the ego’s thought system.
How often do you hear spiritual teachers or so-called thought leaders, how they receive these titles is a mystery, telling everyone we are the creators of our own reality? How many spiritual teachers are claiming we have the power to bring forth whatever we wish to attract into our lives? According to A Course in Miracles, the only creator is God, therefore, any claims of creating our own realities can only be coming from our ego minds, that’s it? The spirit within us is reminding us of this reality, not trying to compete and make a better one than God has already created. Do you see this? Do you see how easy it is for the ego to slip in and become God? It’s doing it all the time. And, why wouldn’t it, it is the maker of the world of duality, this very world we are living in.
In order to break free from this belief, you must recognize this error in perception, this error of choosing separation over oneness in God, and begin to accept that this continuous cycle of time, the non-stop looping over and over again can be remedied if only you take the time to look at it. It’s difficult to look at this concept. Mostly because we don’t want to take any responsibility for our own belief. However, when you desire inner peace, love, kindness, and the desire to return home, more than you desire your special individual life as a powerful egoic creator, then everything changes. Your entire world will begin to shift and life will take on an entirely new meaning.
FORGIVENESS AS A MEANS OF UNDOING THE ERROR
Another main concept in the Course refers to using forgiveness to undo the error of choosing the ego over God’s real world. Forgiveness is a challenge for many of us, especially if you feel someone has wronged you in some way. However, anytime we attack, hold grudges, house hatred for others, we are making it have more meaning than we need to. Focusing on how much you despise this person and their actions keeps the entire situation alive and well, even if it is no longer happening.
The Course is helping us understand how forgiveness begins to undo the meaning we are giving to everything in this world. By forgiving others for what appears to have happened and forgiving ourselves for believing in separation to begin with, we begin to let go of the tremendous grip we have been unconsciously holding on to. The enormity of this decision cannot go underestimated. The collective belief in this world of duality is holding it together. Looking at this is the only way to begin to see it differently. If we do not see what we are living in, we will continue to look for answers outside of ourselves, and the cycle will indefinitely continue.
Even if you find it difficult to forgive, it’s okay. We all have a level of difficulty with this. If it is challenging, just acknowledge that you are simply not ready to forgive. There is nothing wrong with that, and admitting the truth of where you are is part of the process. Living in denial and pretending you are forgiving a particular circumstance, yet holding a grudge or judgment over it, is feeding the error and making the entire thing more meaningful to the ego. Handing it over to spirit when you feel unable to forgive, is humbling yourself to the fact that you need guidance from a wiser source.
SIMPLE TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT TO SHIFT PERCEPTION
A few simple things you can do during your daily life that are practical and will lead you to living a happier dream rather than a chaotic miserable one, is to try and do A Course in Miracles workbook lessons. There are 365 lessons, one for everyday during a one year period, however you can certainly do them at your own pace, there is no deadline or race against the clock on this. This is an opportunity to commit to a regular practice, a time that you carve out just for yourself, to go within and really devote yourself to seeing where these concepts take you. It is a private, inner self-study, so there is no need to join a group or do it with others, unless you feel compelled to do so. The Course is designed as an inward journey.
Another thing that is simple and can be very helpful is to ask spirit for guidance. If you are struggling, it’s very simple to ask spirit, in your mind, to see this difficult situation through wiser eyes. You are saying that you don’t know what to do, you have no idea what to do in this situation and you are asking to see clearly. Admitting that you don’t know what is best, and you feel lost, is being honest. When you don’t know, you don’t know, and that is okay. Sometimes giving it over to spirit is the only option, and then waiting for clarity, rather than trying to force something that simply is not there yet. Bringing your illusions to the Holy Spirit is all that is required. You can’t bring the Truth into a world that is untrue. Practice bringing your clouded vision to the eyes of clarity within spirit. Patience, waiting, relaxing, and not needing a definitive answer just yet can allow space for the appropriate answer to come through. Forcing actions because you think you need to, can sometimes lead to further challenge.
Lastly, if you are committed to shifting your perception, and choosing spirit over your ego’s interpretation of everything, know that this is an ongoing process. You will not be perfect at this, nor do you need to. Looking at what is really going on here is not about being perfect, it’s not about dropping the ego, it’s not about perfecting the ego, it’s simply about having the curiosity to look. That is all the Course is asking. Recognizing what this world is, is all that is required to begin seeing differently. Eventually, connecting to the spirit within you on a regular basis, will bring you much more clarity and inner peace than ever before. Your grip on controlling everything, believing you need to know everything, and trying to do everything perfectly will fade into the background, and your life will seem much lighter, brighter, and happier.