Category: VLOG

Hello my friends,

I hope you are all hanging in there!

I wanted to share an excerpt from my forthcoming book interwoven with a couple articles/blog posts I was asked to write these last couple of weeks.

This is a good time to remember Lesson 33: There is another way of looking at the world.

A Course in Miracles reminds us that it is not our outer perceptions that need to be changed, but our inner perceptions. Which teacher do we want to follow in the dream? There are two teachers in the mind: the ego and the Holy Spirit. The “other way of looking” at the world begins in our minds.

The ego mind gives us a never-ending list of things to be fearful of: losing our jobs, losing a loved one, global cabals of corruption or contracting a deadly virus.

It is important to be practical in the world, especially when there is a health threat or any global catastrophe that has temporarily caught our attention. When asked to follow certain guidelines in order to prevent a virus from spreading, we do it.

As a Course student, one would also remember the “hidden” threat. We fear going back and looking in our mind. The Course teaches that in our mind is the place we believed we “sinned” when we seemed to choose a separation thought (ego) over our oneness with God. The ego tells us if we go back to our minds, God will punish (annihilate) us for separating from him! Wow! Who wouldn’t be afraid of that?

When we choose the ego, we become the ego, culminating in the belief that we are an individual body in a world outside of us.

Fortunately, we also hold the Holy Spirit’s message of the atonement in our mind: the separation has not occurred. You have not killed off God in favor of an individual self. There is no threat in reality – no need to feel guilty and fear punishment for our “sin” of separation. You’re safe at home. You are dreaming a terrible dream where your very “special” existence is threatened at every turn! The “hidden” sickness (virus) is the mind’s belief in separation.

The Course teaches that sickness is a conflict in the mind that gets displaced on to the body through projection. Our belief in sickness (separation, lack of love) gets projected out into a myriad of forms. One of these forms of separation is a virus. So when we are in the ego mind, the external virus in the world of projection, is the threat. We forgot that we put it there. How do we handle this?

There is good news! When we remember we have the one answer— already present in the mind awaiting our acceptance— to every seeming problem, threat, scare or mild upset, we can turn the tables on the ego and use a virus or any other upset as our classroom in forgiveness.

We’re not forgiving something that is really there, but we believe it is, and so that is where we start our practice – in the world where we believe we are. This is how we use the Course in our everyday lives. We pay attention to what disturbs our peace, know that we have a choice in that moment, and then choose the Holy Spirit to help us re-translate what the body’s eyes are showing us.

Remember, we are being asked to change our interpretation of what the body’s eyes are reporting back to us. We are asked to forgive what hasn’t really happened because the world is just a dream. Since there are no hierarchies of illusions, they can all be looked at without judgment, and forgiven in the same way because they’re all untrue.

We strengthen the Holy Spirit’s thought system when we choose it. When you choose to perceive “the world” with true vision, that choice reflects out to the entire sonship, because you’re one with it. This is how the world is healed.

This practice leads to a different inner experience by undoing fear. The fear the ego desperately tries to keep in place becomes an experience of inner calm or inner peace. You still see the things going on in the world, but you strengthen the awareness that the world is not outside of you – it is in your mind and not really happening. except in your dream. The choice for the miracle will help you look at external “differences” in the same way; an illusion is an illusion, is an illusion. No exceptions. This takes courage, vigilance and willingness my friends!

We discriminate here between what we think of as a small upset, for example, all the way to the other extreme of intense anger or fear. The ego has set it up this way so we believe the whole time-space dream is reality. It’s ingenious, indeed. In Lesson 5 Jesus reminds us: There are no small upsets. They are all disturbing to my peace of mind.

In my practice I am always reminded that a virus, a financial problem, a difficult co-worker or family member, or horrific images on the news are all images in my mind. There is nothing out there but my own projection. This body called Jackie, and the whole projected world, is in my dreaming mind. The choice for the Holy Spirit, Jesus or any right – minded symbol you use, returns this thought to your awareness.

One seeming “external” problem I am having is no different than another. An illusion is an illusion is an illusion, after all. There is no hierarchy of illusions. There is no difficulty in miracles. The “miracle” of shifting from the ego as your internal teacher to the Holy Spirit as my internal teacher makes all the difference when you’re going through fear and uncertainty, anger or rage.

Steps I remember no matter what is happening on the screen of my life and in the world at large:

1. I go within

2.  I decide if I want to identify with my Christ Self or the ego self. Choosing to identify with my real identity as a child of God reminds me that I am the dreamer of this world of dreams, not the figure in the dream. Hence, I am not the victim of the world I see (Lesson 5), because I invented it.

Choosing to identify with the ego will keep you thinking your identity is the figure in the dream, resulting in fear, scarcity, victimhood and devastation.

3. Let go and allow the Holy Spirit’s thought system to replace the ego’s thought system. Do not pre-judge what this is supposed to look like – just practice forgiveness as best you can. Jesus gives you all the tools.

“There is no peace except the peace of God, because He has one Son who cannot make a world in opposition to God’s Will and to his own, which is the same as His. What could he hope to find in such a world? It cannot have reality, because it was never created. Is it here that he would seek for peace? Or must he see that, as he looks on it, the world can but deceive? Yet can he learn to look on it another way, and find the peace of God.”  – Lesson 200
Be well everyone.

When we heal one, we heal all.

I love you all.

Be well and stay in the light of remembering Who you really are.

Blessings,

Jackie

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Hello my friends!

I am over the moon that it’s 2020! Symbolically, for me, it is the beginning of a new cycle (within the illusion, of course). Sometimes we go through cycles in our lives and I feel that a new one is beginning for my husband Mark and I – individually and as a couple.

We have been through a lot together and it seems we made it to a “new” cycle! My work with  A Course in Miracles keeps my good feelings “in check” because I recognize that everything is happening in a dream – one I will wake up from. I am not “invested” in this cycle so to speak, but when good times are happening in one’s life script it’s important to be normal and enjoy them.

People have told my husband Mark that, astrologically, 2020 will be a good year for him! Woohoo! We are experiencing it! As I look back on the last decade, I realize how much the practice of true forgiveness has helped me undo the false self and experience a much better time here in dreamland! Notice I said “experience” a much better time here. I, like everyone, have been through some tough things, but I was able to experience an inner peace through it all. If not right away, it would be there sooner rather than later! As my mind is being healed through the practice of ACIM and true forgiveness, I can only share that I highly recommend having the courage to choose a miracle over a grievance. Shifting my inner teacher from the ego to the Holy Spirit has been so helpful that I miss it when I find myself ensnared by the ego thought system.

These days it’s often automatic that I follow the Holy Spirit’s Voice throughout the day. It has become a habit after years of commitment and vigilance.

I am working on Book 2 of my book series, “The Wisdom Series”, and it’s really flowing through me! I’m looking forward to sharing it with you – hopefully this year!

I hope you all have a joy-filled 2020 and beyond!!

Love, peace & blessings!

Jackie

 

Hello my friends!

I wanted to thank you for visiting this site! I just released my new book, All Peace No Pieces: A Course in Miracles’ Take on “the World.”

It was truly a labor of love and I hope those of you who are inspired to get a copy find it helpful!

Here is an excerpt from the book. I think it’s a wonderful reminder and helps me practice the Course’s principles when the world get in my face!

“Our learning has gotten us to wherever we are. Now we have a choice to make if we’re tired of suffering. Which teacher do we follow in the dream? One keeps us dreaming and the other wakes us up. True forgiveness is what wakes us up. Not being taken in by appearances wakes us up. I know you’ve probably heard the saying, “we’re all in this together.” We truly are. When we make either choice, for the ego or the Holy Spirit, we make the choice for the entire Sonship because all minds are joined being that there’s only one. We are either teaching love or teaching fear in each moment, depending on which interpretation of the dream we choose to listen to. Through consistent choice for the Holy Spirit’s forgiveness classroom, we eventually find ourselves back in the home we never truly left. Let’s wake up to the awareness that we are all peace. No pieces.”

I find this helpful because we don’t have to worry about where we were before, in the past. We can start each day anew, in the present, remembering that we are not alone in working towards having a more peaceful and fulfilling life! It starts right now -let go of the past. Not because you’re ignoring it, but because the Course is teaching that it never happened. It’s truly gone because it never was.

Can we still learn from past mistakes? Of course we can and we do. The difference is, do you have to put your salvation in it? Do you have to believe it’s real?

A Course in Miracles wants us to eventually remember, when we’re ready, to let the Holy Spirit correct our one and only mistake – the belief in the ego (false self). All our other seeming mistakes will be corrected.

Love and many blessing to you!!

Jackie

Join me on Patreon for wonderful ACIM classes, videos, access to my LA Course Group recordings and more! Patreon.com/jackielorajones

 

Hello my friends!

The picture in this post is of my sister Cindy and I in Maui.  I have been thinking about Maui lately and the peace I felt there.  When I look at my Maui photos I’m reminded of the wonderful energy we all experienced on that trip! Can’t wait to get back to Hawaii at some point!

A Course in Miracles is only and always about the mind, how you’re thinking and with whom you choose to view your life here with as the observer: the ego or the Holy Spirit. Here is a quick reminder that helps me when I am in what I call “mellow overload”. I touch on this term I’ve coined for myself in my forthcoming book. We all feel overwhelmed with our life at times. Maybe there’s a lot on our plate, a loved one is sick, work is hectic, the state of the world bothers us and so on.

One of the benefits I’ve experienced over all these years of practicing ACIM is that when I’m overwhelmed it doesn’t have anywhere near the debilitating punch it used to! I now find myself in “mellow overload” at times when I’m viewing through the ego’s lens. I say “mellow” because while I’m aware that I’ve reached my capacity to function properly, my mind switches to the Holy Spirit’s thought system almost immediately. It has become a part of me, my default setting instead of the ego. I’m able to observe the body of Jackie in a state of overload. When I’m observing it with the right-minded teacher, my experience of it is different.  I know my body is a communication tool and only responds to the intentions of which thought system I choose. The Course teaches us how to use the body lovingly with no ego projections.

These days I notice that I may have a lot on my plate at certain times, but I use the feeling of overwhelm as a forgiveness opportunity, as my classroom to interpret what is happening correctly – I remember I’m having a dream of overwhelm. I’m not the body and whatever the body seems to be doing is outside of me and not my concern, as Jesus teaches us in the Course.

Tips when you’re feeling overwhelmed:

1. Remember to STOP. Don’t judge your feelings or thoughts, just observe them with Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Looking at your thoughts and feelings without judgment is the choice for the Holy Spirit. For example: “I’m feeling overwhelmed and I know I can see this differently, but I can’t do it alone.”

2. Ask to see the situation differently. Wait. Take a deep breath.

3. Remember that you’re dreaming. This removes you from identifying with the illusory “you” as body just for a moment.

4. Trust the Holy Spirit and choose His strength. There’s no need to do anything. Just let your next words or actions be done through you. Maybe silence is called for, but whatever happens you have changed your internal teacher in the mind and that will direct all your functioning. It’s the change of mind that heals.

Be well & blessings my friends!

Jackie

 

Hello my friends,

Here’s another “reminder” to inspire you whenever the world gets in your face and you get upset, discouraged, or are not at peace for any reason.

“Where God is, there are you. Such is the truth.” -ACIM

Remember that we are dreaming here although perfectly capable of awakening at anytime. Do we wake up and go poof in the night? No. It’s a process. We have to take the hand of the Holy spirit and slowly undo our belief in this world. We have a belief that we could actually be separate from our Creator. This false idea is the ego. The ego thought system is based on sin, guilt & fear. The projection of this unconscious guilt is the whole world you see. We’re seeing the contents of our mind splintered out in form – lots of different forms. Our body is part of the projection. The body is the hero of the dream of separation.

If the world is just a projection from the mind, and I’m part of the projection as an individual special self, what do I do here?

We be normal, but instead of looking through the lens of fear, we  look through the Holy Spirit’s lens of love. We live under a different set of principles: forgiveness instead of judgment, shared interests instead of separate interests, innocence instead of guilt.

How do we practice this on a daily basis?

Every time you feel lack, upset, dis-ease, insecure, anxious, fearful or depressed, just stop.

1. Stop

2. Be mindful of your thought in that moment. Know that there’s another way to interpret what is seemingly causing the upset.  Ask the Holy Spirit to look at your thoughts with you. We can’t do it alone. The Course teaches that we’re never upset for the reason we think. We can’t understand this without the Holy Spirit or Jesus as our guide in the mind.

3. Remind yourself that you can take the Holy Spirit’s hand and look at the situation differently. Why are we never upset for the reason we think? Because what we’re seeing isn’t true. It’s just a projection. The ego wants you to believe that something in your life is the cause. This is to keep you out of the mind – to keep you mindless. The ego knows that its existence depends on your belief in it. But remember, you haven’t really separated into an individual self – you’re just dreaming it. So, turn the tables on the ego by going back to the mind and “choosing once again”, as the Course says. What are you choosing? The Holy Spirit as your teacher instead of the ego. What does this do for you? The Holy Spirit starts to take over your mind and remind you that your identity in the dream is of a dreaming mind that can wake up at any time.

4. Trust the Holy Spirit’s strength.

Be well & blessings,

Jackie

 

Hello my friends!

This time of year is the perfect opportunity to focus on gratitude! Gratitude is a major theme in A course in Miracles. We are thankful to our brothers, sisters  and all “living things” for the opportunity to remember who we are through forgiveness. Forgiveness is the reflection of God’s love for us. Practicing “true forgiveness” reminds us who we are.

Without all the seeming situations, events and people in our lives that make us upset, we would never have the opportunity to change our minds about them and therefore remember we HAVE a mind which can choose to view our situations with the ego or the Holy spirit. As we turn inward to the mind, we slowly recognize what we see out in the world is in an outward picture of the inward condition of our decision making mind.

Any upset that is used as a classroom to bring our attention back to the mind, so we can choose again, is something to be grateful for. We learn our pain or happiness is not because of anything in the world, but rather a choice for our wrong or right minds. Why is this so?

We are dreaming a dream of separation and can awaken by choosing to follow our right-minded teacher and forgive what seems to be outside of us. We are really forgiving ourselves for dreaming all the dream figures and situations in our lives. The world – our situations, events and especially in our relationships –  is where we project our unconscious guilt. We are projecting our own unconscious guilt onto others, and they act out to fulfill our secret sins and hidden hates. If we are not aware of our unconscious guilt then there is no way of forgiving it. This is why Jesus helps us use the people and situations in the world as a classroom to learn to forgive.

When we awaken from the dream we know there is only Oneness – no separation, differences, fragmentation, opposites or division. No bodies, only awareness of perfect Oneness with our Creator.

Lesson 195 says ” Love is the way I walk in gratitude”.  Gratitude reflects the perfect Oneness in Heaven – no differences, only Oneness.

Love & blessings,

Jackie

jackie@jackie.news

Hello my friends!

I wanted to put out one of my little “reminders” on how to stay vigilant for the Course’s teachings of true forgiveness!

Any time you feel you are not at peace, you know you are in the ego’s thought system. Remember that you can change your internal teacher at any time, in any place and in any circumstance.

For example, say to yourself “I am willing to see this (person, situation, circumstance) through Christ’s vision.” Just being able to STOP in the moment and have the awareness that there are 2 teachers in the mind is big! Congratulate yourself for that recognition!

Then be still. There’s nothing to “do” in that moment. Let the Holy Spirit/Jesus’ thought system take over. For example, you may hear things like “remember you’re dreaming. The separation from God did not occur, you are still safe at home where you’ve never left, you just believe you did.”

Now you are back to  place of cause and not effect. Remember the world is in the mind, it’s just a projection coming from you (not you as body, but as the one mind that believes it’s here).

Our identity in the world is of a dreaming mind. You are love and you are loved!

Be well & blessings!

Jackie