Joining is as simple as saying a prayer alone or with a brother, seeing a brother with love, and playing together with joy! Joining with Spirit is recognizing the truth of love and joy right now! These are practical experiences that point directly to the Holy Instant and acceptance of the atonement.
A practical application of Joining in Light is expressed in the blog about Roger- The Light Pours through. The beauty of this experience is that joining with Roger was a refection of joining with the Holy Spirit to recognize the presence of love in myself. At the time I thought the shift or change in perception was in HIS mind. What I recognize now is that was the form that the Holy Spirit used for a shift in perception in MY mind. What I saw in Roger is only a reflection of what I was willing to be shown by the Holy Spirit. At the time I thought I was “doing something for” Roger, which was projection, although helpful for where the mind was at the time. Roger was a gift to help me learn to listen to the voice of Spirit and welcome love into my heart. This is a beautiful example of how the Holy Spirit uses the symbols that we are familiar with for where were are to help us see the truth.
Prayer is the restatement of inclusion directed by the Holy Spirit under the laws of God. Salvation is of your brother. The Holy Spirit extends from your mind into his and answers you. You can not hear the voice for God in yourself alone, because you are not alone. You will not trust the guidance of the HS or believe it is for you unless you hear it in others. (ACIM, T-9.II.6.2)
You will be answered as you hear the answer in everyone. (ACIM, T-9.II.7. 7)
A few days after I met with Roger another gentleman at the prison expressed his upset over his relationship with his father. I did not offer advice, rather I said, “What if we ask God about that?” We joined hands and light and within a minute or two of placing his “concerns” in the light he expressed a feeling of peace. The next day I heard from a social worker that he had “forgiven” his father. We did not speak of forgiveness: that inspiration came from Holy Spirit. He told me that he had written a letter to his father to connect with him. This is another beautiful example of the simplicity of the symbol the Holy Spirit brought into my mind to step back and trust that this would be handled by Spirit.
In past “coaching” sessions I would have had long discussions with “the other person” to identify the problem and change the beliefs. That was before I understood there is nothing to change, only to recognize what is already present. Learning that shifts in beliefs and perception is possible is very valuable because the foundation of the Course is about questioning every belief that blocks the perception of truth and love. The offering light symbol was a way to help me to learn to step back and let Him lead the way to these shifts in perception, there was nothing for me to do, per se.
Thus can you serve them while you serve yourself, and set their footsteps on the way that God has opened up to you, and them through you.
Illusion still appears to cling to you, that you may reach them. Yet it has stepped back. And it is not illusion that they hear you speak of, nor illusion that you bring their eyes to look on and their minds to grasp. Nor can the truth, which walks ahead of you, speak to them through illusions, for the road leads past illusion now, while on the way you call to them, that they may follow you.
All roads will lead to this one in the end. For sacrifice and deprivation are paths that lead nowhere, choices for defeat, and aims that will remain impossible. All this steps back as truth comes forth in you, to lead your brothers from the ways of death, and set them on the way to happiness. Their suffering is but illusion. Yet they need a guide to lead them out of it, for they mistake illusion for the truth. Such is salvation’s call, and nothing more. It asks that you accept the truth, and let it go before you, lighting up the path of ransom from illusion. (W. L-155.5.4)
I will step back and let Him lead the way,
For I would walk along the road to Him.(W-155.14.3)
Joining in Light to hear the Voice is of great value in experiencing that what the Holy Spirit says can be trusted and is of great value, rather than to be feared.
A friend called feeling frustrated and upset about a decision she felt she needed to make. We “Joined in Light” over the phone. Spirit quickly cleared emotional blocks/beliefs that were causing discomfort around the decision.
In the first experiences of trusting Spirit through joining and stepping back to let the Spirit speak I could feel a sense of panic, thinking, “What if God tells the other person the wrong thing?” (As if he could!). This was only a reflection of my doubt thoughts about “what if I hear the wrong thing?!” To my amazement it has not happened over many joining sessions in prison. The insights shared have almost always been deeply profound truths.
In the beginning I was listening to what I thought was Spirit speaking through others, until I developed enough trust to understand this is Spirit speaking to me! The experience builds trust that the Holy Spirit does indeed answer prayers when two brothers honor the gift they have for each other.
Joining in Light helped me to understand that I could join at any time by recognizing Light with a brother, without necessarily using this specific form (hands held together), so eventually Joining in Light in the mind became a more frequent experience. During particularly intense emotional surges I have imagined light joined to mighty companions at the Living Miracles Devotional Centre, Ramana, Spirit or another brother and the pain will ease. The thought of joining is a powerful antidote provided by Spirit as all fear is fear of separation. Joining is a denial of separation.
The gift of learning to focus on Light/what is already joined first has been beyond measure in the healing of my mind. When I did not focus on Light first such as trusting the light in my brothers before bringing up darkness (e.g. in expression sessions), it felt as though the ego grabbed tightly. This experience helped me understand the meaning behind this section of the course:
You can ask of Holy Spirit then only by giving to Him and you can give to Him only where you recognize him.
The course says that it is not necessary for two to join in this way to find peace, for if one decides to change the mind it is all handled by Spirit. Now is always preferable!
Yet it is wholly possible for us to share it now. And so I choose this instant as the one to offer to the Holy Spirit, that His blessing may descend on us, and keep us both in peace. T-18.V.7:5-6
Joining in Light is given as a symbol that can ease the surrender to the will of God and build trust with our brother and thus Spirit. And the gratitude that has entered my life from the brothers who have stood by my side and joined with me when the illusion of darkness clouded my mind is indescribable. What a precious gift to share with mighty companions!
But forget not that your relationship is one, and so it must be that whatever threatens the peace of one is an equal threat to the other. The power of joining its blessing lies in the fact that it is now impossible for you or your brother to experience fear alone, or to attempt to deal with it alone. (T-18.V.6:3-4)
Re-Interpret attack into ability to share, He translates what you made into what God created. (T-9. IV 3. 3.3)
Over time there is only the recognition of trust and gratitude for this shared gift with a brother and peace that comes from knowing minds are joined. Every brother who comes before us is asking to join! It is always a call to recognize what is joined (love). We can welcome him/her to the celebration of what has already happened. And the gratitude that pours forth is the gateway to heaven.
Now can you say to everyone who comes to join in prayer with you:
I cannot go without you, for you are a part of me.And so he is in truth. Now can you pray only for what you truly share with him. For you have understood he never left, and you, who seemed alone, are one with him.
The ladder ends with this, for learning is no longer needed. Now you stand before the gate of Heaven, and your brother stands beside you there. The lawns are deep and still, for here the place appointed for the time when you should come has waited long for you. Here will time end forever. At this gate eternity itself will join with you. Prayer has become what it was meant to be, for you have recognized the Christ in you. (S-1 V3.8)
Heaven is restored to all the Sonship through your relationship, for in it lies the Sonship, whole and beautiful, safe in your love. Heaven has entered quietly, for all illusions have been gently brought unto the truth in you, and love has shined upon you, blessing your relationship with truth. God and His whole creation have entered it together. How lovely and how holy is your relationship, with the truth shining upon it! Heaven beholds it, and rejoices that you have let it come to you. And God Himself is glad that your relationship is as it was created. The universe within you stands with you, together with your brother. And Heaven looks with love on what is joined in it, along with its Creator. (T-18.I.11.)
Whom God has called should hear no substitutes. Their call is but an echo of the original error that shattered Heaven. And what became of peace in those who heard? Return with me to Heaven, walking together with your brother out of this world and through another, to the loveliness and joy the other holds within it. (T-18.I.12.)
Holy Spirit keeps saying: Join, join, join, join, join!
Here is a summary of the steps for Joining in Light:
- Open mind, open heart.
- Focus on light, extend light to your brother.
- Ask for God’s will.
- If it feels guided, join open hands together and imagine the light joined.
- Place any mis-perceived darkness in the shared light.
- Pause with open mind and open heart, relax and notice (let Spirit do the heavy lifting)
- Listen for the voice of spirit, which can often be heard in the stillness following joining.
- Share your experience as guided.
- Thank God. Celebrate!
With love and gratitude,
Cay
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