A Course in Miracles tells us that we can choose to learn through pain or Joy.  It’s our choice.  It can be the most important decision we make.  It also reminds us that we can learn so much faster through Joy.  The way to learn how to grow through Joy instead of crucifixion is to give all the heavy lifting to the Holy Spirit, what I call the Higher Holy Spirit Self, because it’s our true identity and not separate from us.

Many of the greatest teachers, Jesus being the greatest example, teach through experiencing a crucifixion and being made the greater for it.  We can, too.  And, we can decide to be done with the crucifixion part of our journey and actively move into the resurrection.

All of heaven rejoices when someone is willing to take that habitual crucifixion, martyr belief system, and turn it over to Spirit.

A miraculous healing happens when we’re finally willing to get down off the cross.

We have the power to choose.  We’re able to harvest the learning from our seeming “betrayals” when we’re willing to decide, “I’m done with crucifixion, I’m choosing resurrection now.”  Our willingness to make that decision is the turning point.  At the end of Chapter V in the Text, ACIM tells us very clearly and beautifully how to recognize the turning point:

“Therefore, the first step in the undoing is to recognize that you actively decided wrongly, but can as actively decide otherwise.  Be very firm with yourself in this, and keep yourself fully aware that the undoing process, which does not come from you, is nevertheless within you because God placed it there.  Your part is merely to return your thinking to the point at which the error was made, and give it over to the Atonement in peace.  Say this to yourself as sincerely as you can, remembering that the Holy Spirit will respond fully to your slightest invitation:  

I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace.  I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.  I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at peace.  I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.  I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me.”

What a gift to be able to have ALL the consequences of our immense number of wrong decisions undone for us – and at no extra charge!  We can decide to stop looking back at the past and move into true forgiveness, living the Love now.

Our Freedom begins with a decision.

Most people invest a HUGE portion of their daily life energy into punishing themselves, limiting themselves, judging themselves, second guessing themselves, berating themselves and being very unkind with themselves – and they’ve become so inured to it that they don’t even realize it.

Forty years ago I read this poem by Erica Jong, and felt that it rang with extraordinary clarity and insight.  I knew I didn’t want this to be my life:

Alcestis on the Poetry Circuit

(In Memoriam Marina Tsvetayeva, Anna Wickham, Sylvia Plath, Shakespeare’s sister, etc., )

The best slave

does not need to be beaten.

She beats herself.

Not with a leather whip,

or with stick or twigs,

not with a blackjack

or a billyclub,

but with the fine whip

of her own tongue

and the subtle beating

of her mind

against her mind.

For who can hate her half so well

as she hates herself?

and who can match the finesse

of her self-abuse?

Years of training

are required for this.

Twenty years

of subtle self-indulgence,

self-denial;

until the subject

thinks herself a queen

and yet a beggar—

both at the same time.

She must doubt herself

in everything but love.

She must choose passionately

and badly.

She must feel lost as a dog

without her master.

She must refer all moral questions

to her mirror.

She must fall in love with a cossack

or a poet.

She must never go out of the house

unless veiled in paint.

She must wear tight shoes

so she always remembers her bondage.

She must never forget

she is rooted in the ground.

Though she is quick to learn

and admittedly clever,

her natural doubt of herself

should make her so weak

that she dabbles brilliantly

in half a dozen talents

and thus embellishes

but does not change

our life.

If she’s an artist

and comes close to genius,

the very fact of her gift

should cause her such pain

that she will take her own life

rather than best us.

and after she dies, we will cry

and make her a saint.

These social constructs, beliefs and patterns Jong describes are what WE are here to undo.  I’m sure there’s a masculine version already written or perhaps about to be that simply proves that no one escapes the ego’s grip without choosing spiritual liberation as their primary priority.

I learned that it wasn’t that hard to develop a Divine Discipline and undo these patterns as long as I really truly was interested in spiritual liberation – true Freedom.  

We cannot liberate from ego’s prison using ego’s thinking.  

The only way to liberation is with Love, with Spirit.  Being willing to identify with our true Self.

If you’d like my help with developing a Divine Discipline to move out of punishing yourself, living like a victim or a martyr, feeling guilty and ashamed, please check out my Finding Freedom From Fear Spiritual Bootcamp class designed to be a rocket booster for your spiritual journey.  Spiritual Liberation is what this program is for.

Finding Freedom From Fear Spiritual Bootcamp is on a SUPER DUPER EARLY BIRD SPECIAL right now.

Get support to stop playing small and live your calling.  Deepen your spiritual practice and accelerate your awakening by eliminating the pain patterns.  It’s easier than you think! 

Register now and make this the year that changes your entire life! Click here to learn more!

My Stop Playing Small online retreat starts Friday, September 8th.  If you’d like to have a whole lot of healing and transformation in a SHORT period of time, please come join me.

AND my Finding Freedom From Fear Spiritual Bootcamp with ACIM Principles is on a SUPER DUPER EARLY BIRD SPECIAL and if you combine it with Stop Playing Small you’ll get an EVEN BIGGER SAVINGS.  Doing these two back to back is life-changing for most people who’ve done it.

If you feel you’ve been holding yourself back and letting fear decide, this might be your answered prayer!

Click here now to learn more about the online retreat and you can still make this your breakthrough year.

Not sure if this is right for you right now? There’s still time! You’re invited to schedule a free Exploratory Call with one of our certified spiritual counselors to get your questions answered and see if this retreat can bring you the results YOU would like!

If this is right for you right now, Spirit will give you the nudge. Trust your intuition!

LATEST PODCAST EPISODE!  The most recent episode of my podcast’s topic is about how Coping With Anger. When we’re managing and coping with anger then it means we’re not believing we can have a healing – but we can!  In this episode I share about a path to healing that anger and moving out of just coping. 

SATURDAY: FREE Forgiveness Workshop Saturday, August 26th! All are welcome – please share with friends and loved ones!