Keeping It Simple

A prominent public speaker is doing what he does, waxing eloquently in front of an audience. He’s getting a bit complicated in his message so his wife, who’s sitting on the front row, pulls out a tube of lipstick and writes on her white purse: “KISS” Inspired by her message the speaker gets his second wind, and delves even deeper into his topic.

His wife holds up her purse a second time and shakes it at him. The speaker sees the inspiring message, KISS, and, thinking his wife is really getting off on the complexity of his message, he pulls out all the stops and goes even deeper.

 Later that evening as they sit together at home the husband says, “Honey, thank you for sending me your kisses this evening. It really inspired me.” His wife responded, “Darling, I wasn’t sending you kisses. You were getting too complex. I was sending you a message “KISS. Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.”

The Course arose out of conflict and as a response to the statement, “There must be a better way.” The Course’s answer is, “Yes. There is a better way. Here it is.”

Making one’s way through ACIM is a massive undertaking. But for all its complexity, its message is quite simple. A key to its simplicity may be found in the first chapter: “You respond to what you perceive, and as you perceive so shall you behave. The Golden Rule asks you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you…The Golden Rule is THE [emphasis mine – fm] rule for appropriate behavior…Since you and your neighbor are equal members of one family, as you perceive both so you will DO [emphasis mine] to both.”

 Okay, the Golden Rule --- we’ve heard it, and can see the wisdom in it. It’s very simple, but not necessarily easy. It’s easy to treat someone the way we want to be treated if we like them, if we share common interests, values, and points of view (especially political and religious), but what of those “other” people?

 Jesus of the New Testament is reported to have said, “If you greet only those who greet you, how are you any different from the ‘bad guys?’ Even they do that.” (my paraphrase – fm)

The above paragraph from ACIM affirms that we are all members of ONE family. There is no distinction between us, except the distinction we create in our own mind (what the Course calls “perception.”)

But if I’m a CNN guy, what about the FOX news people? Answer: There is no difference between us. But if I'm a conservative what about the liberals? Answer: There is no difference between us. But if I’m… (fill in the blank --- the answer is the same --- there is no difference).

 The ego-mind creates duality, differences. In reality, there is no duality, no me and them or this and that. Everything is the same as everything else, and it’s all connected. The ego-mind sees chaos. In reality, there is no chaos. Everything is connected and behaves as one united and continuous whole.

Whatever I do to someone else I do to myself. It’s metaphysically impossible to attack another, even with something as seemingly small as negative opinion, without attacking and doing harm to myself.

The Golden Rule is actually a rule for self-care. It can be paraphrased: “As I do unto others, I am doing unto myself.”

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