The Healing Power of Kindness —Volume 2: Forgiving Our Limitations by Kenneth Wapnick

Author:Kenneth Wapnick
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: copyright 2012 by the Foundation for "A Course in Miracles
Published: 2012-04-10T14:00:00+00:00

The Limitations of Sickness and Aging

Q: One form of limitation is physical pain. In my case, I cannot get around well because of my condition, which is an even further limitation. I am aware that this is all a shadow or a limitation, and that just seems to induce guilt, which seems to accelerate the physical pain.[1]

A: One of the areas with which students of A Course in Miracles have the greatest trouble is sickness. On the one hand, it is helpful to know that the mind makes the body sick. On a practical level, which is where we should always begin, think of our friend Epictetus and simply accept that your body is sick. As we get older we almost inevitably become more infirm and clearly cannot do what we did thirty, forty, or fifty years ago. When you are sick, therefore, do whatever you can to minimize the pain; but you can do so either in peace and equanimity, or with anger, resentment, and guilt. The point is not to focus on having the perfect body, nor crucifying yourself because you are getting older. In so many words, the answer is that you should not become upset. As you deal with your body as best you can, at the same time watch your reactions, and see if you react calmly, saying: “My body is in pain today, and there are various things I should do about it.” And then proceed, but in peace instead of with agitation, anxiety, or anger.

The last thing you want is to slam yourself with a judgment seemingly based upon A Course in Miracles: “Sickness is a defense against the truth, and I am a terrible person because I am defending against it.” All you then do is set up a hierarchy of illusions. Yes, your sickness is a defense against the truth, but so is breathing, or seeing through your eyes. There is no hierarchy of illusions, the ego’s first law of chaos notwithstanding. The first principle of miracles—“There is no order of difficulty among them” (T-1.I.1:1)—teaches that every illusion is the same. These first principles of the ego and the Holy Spirit are the foundations for their respective thought systems. The other four laws of chaos are derived from the first, and if you were to understand the first miracle principle, you would not have to read the other forty-nine, nor the rest of the text. You would get an exemption from the workbook, too, because the first principle contains the entirety of the Holy Spirit’s thought system—everything is an illusion: a shadow is a shadow is a shadow.

If you are tempted to judge yourself because you are having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, do not make an exception; remind yourself: “I should then also feel guilty because I am breathing.” That is true of everyone. Maybe not everyone is having the same trouble getting out of bed—but that is only form. Everyone here thinks he or she is a body, which means everyone here is trying to limit love.

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