It all seems to make at times, listening to a grandfather explain to his young grandson why a snake has to shed its skin.  "To grow," he said.  "If the snake couldn't shed the skin, it would be suffocated by it, it could not grow, and it would cease to be."  "It is a natural part of cycle, essential for growth of the snake."  This analogy can apply to so many things in the life/afterlife paradigm.  We must shed our skin too, at some point - let go of our very bodies when we pass on - but more importantly shed our fears, our anger, our attachments, in order to grow spiritually. 

The lessons are here in life to learn to shed the negative, or to attract more negative experiences to ourselves again.  After shedding our fears and the need for the heartache and drama, we can more easily experience and attract bliss.  How clear it all is at times; the consistency of our creative power on earth, and in spirit.  On earth it is much more subtle, yet after a while, we tend to "get it."  The law of attraction (like attracting like).  The almost limitless power of belief and faith (or thought coupled with conviction).  The restorative attributes of forgiveness, and rejuvenating effects of love. 

Who need worry about heaven or hell?  Hell is a product of a consciousness bent on selfishness without love.  Heaven is also a state of mind.  When people worry about going to one place or the other, they miss the point.  They are misunderstanding their own creative power and fear being acted upon by some random cosmic force.

Sometimes, the model of consciousness in C1 seems so clear to me, and so consistent in both our subtle physical world and in the afterlife.  Sometimes, the message seems so evident, I want to shout it to the world.  There is so much confusion in the physical plane.  So much sadness, conflict.  Amidst it all there is always hope. And a light at the end of the tunnel. 

Love, forgiveness, letting go of fear, sadness, attachments. It all leads to grace, and freedom.  It can be here, right now, while we are incarnate.  Or, possibly, we can play out the spiritual game repeatedly, until we are satisfied and reach that same state of grace.  Either way, at times, I marvel at the beauty of it all, and the consistency of consciousness. 

Matthew

yes, it's always seemed to me that when I read Doc he has picked up the same concepts/tools
that I did from ACIM, and so I know he must have learned them by reading other material and his experiences.
because mainly ACIM talks of forgiving, but forgiving is a concept been around for centuries, and there is a book called Love is letting go of fear I think.

I was just pm-ing a friend about being in a consistent state where fear has receded, then I perceive more love in the world in that case. however, I sniffed around for it for a number of years, to be able to
see it more often.
it's basically a state like being in a baseball game, we keep throwing the ball to each other as in teamwork.

then this other friend of mine taught me a few things. he said that happiness is a choice too Thomas.
he asked would you rather be right, or be happy? that's a good way to look at it when I am having trouble forgiving what I perceive as being slighted. or judged.

if we judge someone, then they start judging you for judging them...etc...it just keeps going.

the other night I noticed I was on another tangent mentally, a friend I would like to see change his attitude but he never will. so I waste time lecturing him in my head and start to feel quite foolish after awhile to do this.  so I remember an affirmation or two from ACIM, goes like this:

"I wish to see this differently."
0r:  I now give my little willingness to Spirit to forgive this person.  or "the situation is never what you think it is."

or even "I am at one with my brother." but mostly I use the "I give my little willingness" because when I get this way mental yakking, it's helpful to say ok, HS, I have a LITTLE willingness, but don't expect me to give more than a little...lol....but it worked pretty fast the other night as it's almost like there was a presence in the room saying are you willing yet?

so I thought about it and I said, yes, I'm willing because my head is bothering me...lol....

Thanks for the comments.

One thing I feel should be inserted in my thoughts here is that when we appreciate the consistency of consciousness, the creativity of our intent, and the cause and effect loop of karma on earth, we must be aware of, underneath it all, a divine intelligence (God).  If there is love in the universe, if these principles operate on earth and in spirit, then we are part of a vibrant intelligent cosmos, not a random one. 


M