Lesson 90: Review of:
Lesson 79: Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved, and
Lesson 80: Let me recognize my problems have been solved
We feel like we have many problems for two reasons:
- We have a grievance – a complaint or a feeling that something is not going as we want it to go, and
- We believe time is an actual thing.
During this time of pandemic and self-quarantine, we are acutely aware of time and how it seems to be passing so slowly as we eagerly await the day when we can get back to our regularly schedule lives of getting up, going to work, coming home, having dinner, going out with friends and socializing again. It’s been a few weeks, but already it feels like we’ve been cooped up in our homes and neighborhoods for an eternity.
We misuse time, this lesson tells us, because we cling so tightly to the one grievance that causes all of our problems – our belief in separation – from one another and from God. It’s easy to see the separation right now as we watch the world from our individual living room windows. It’s easy to feel isolated, particularly because this pandemic focuses us squarely on our bodies and our fear for its health and safety.
Certainly, no one should be reckless with their bodies – and I don’t think the Course would ever encourage anyone to violate public safety rules to “prove” something about a metaphysical law or principal – but this does give us time to contemplate the fragility and impermanence of our bodies. This virus has already killed thousands and will kill many more bodies before it’s over.
It’s time to rethink our ideas about problems. We may well spread infection to one another without social distancing – but we must be careful not to sow seeds of spiritual and mental distance during this time. This problem has already been solved and the answer lies within each of us, waiting to be uncovered by our willingness to give up the tiny, mad idea that we are separate from God and one another.
This pandemic will be solved by us joining our minds, our spirits, our hearts, and yes, our ingenuity. It’s only in joining together that we overcome the separation – and end this current threat to our bodies.
The temptation is great, however, to continue following the ego’s lead and seeing many problems. Hafiz says we “mules,” meaning we recalcitrant humans, “like the harness.”
“What would the workhorses in this world do without some imaginary cause – or situation – we felt needed to be championed or repaired?
“Heaven forbid, everyone might become happy
doing basically nothing
except lie around and get zonked out on the
wonder of our being.”
Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary on Unsplash