Hi friends!
A Course in Miracles teaches that the body is part of the projection of the world, which is still in the mind.
“The body is merely part of your experience in the physical world. Its abilities can be and are frequently overevaluated. However, it is almost impossible to deny it’s existence in this world. Those who do so are engaging in a particularly unworthy form of denial. The term ‘unworthy’ here implies only that it is not necessary to protect the mind by denying the unmindful. If one denies this unfortunate aspect of the mind’s power, one is also denying the power itself. “( T.IV.3:8-13)
Knowing the body is an illusion sometimes fosters the error that giving it attention is sinful and wrong. This can lead to asceticism and an unworthy form of denial, keeping the illusion/separation real in the mind. It’s okay to practice discipline behaviorly and do “normal” things bodies do as steps in shifting from a troubled body to the real problem which is a troubled mind. The Course uses the term “magic” to denote when we attempt to solve a problem where it does not exist (in the world). Any issues with the body are the ego’s attempt to shift the guilt from the mind (where it really is) to the body. This keeps us “mindless” so we’ll keeping looking outside the mind (the world and body) for the answer. The Course teaches that behavioral changes alone will not solve the mind’s addiction to guilt, and it’s faulty decision in choosing the ego thought system, which is the choice for guilt, fear, pain, suffering, attack & judgment.
When we choose the Holy Spirit or Jesus’ interpretation of the body, it becomes a communication tool and is used as part of our classroom ere in the world to get us home. We use the body as a communication tool to bring us back to the mind so we can choose Jesus as our teacher. Ken Wapnick, P.hD. says, “Solving the problem on the physical level may be a helpful step in allowing us to return to the real problem, but it cannot undo the decision to be guilty, which follows the wish to be a special and unique individual”. ( We first seemingly chose separation, individuality and specialness over our Oneness with God, which led to our guilt over that choice) “When we are right-minded, we will no longer feed the projection that protected our guilt and kept it safe from undoing the change.” The mind’s projection is the whole world – the time-space dream. The mind ACIM is talking about is outside of time and space.
Here is a helpful reminder: Think of yourself as the “observer”. You are the dreamer of the dream and not the figure in the dream. You are not a body, but having a dream you are a body. Therefore, when something is wrong with “the body” you are having a dream that something is wrong with the body. When you have a headache, you are having a dream you have a headache. You say to yourself, “Interesting, I feel a headache coming on, however, I’m aware that the headache is in my mind (not my head, which is a part of the body, which is a part of the unreal projection) …I’m dreaming that this person called Jackie in the dream is having a headache.” This is an example of being the observer. You may still take aspirin (which I do sometimes), however, you took that action AFTER going within first and looking at your issue with the Holy Spirit/Jesus as your teacher. That choice, to see yourself as the observer, did not make the separation real, rather, it allowed the Holy spirit to undo some of the unconscious guilt in your mind – which is where real healing takes place.
Be well & blessings!