Conclusions after a 2-month solo-retreat

[integration journey]

8 minutes ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

Self enquiry. Used to do vipassna but I didn’t like the effort part, so switched to efortless beingness. 

For self enquiry, what reference helped you learn this technique the most? Did you read Ramana Maharshi? I noticed different teachers teach it in slightly different ways so I’m curious how did you learn it? 
thank you 

[CoolDreamThanks]

1 hour ago, integration journey said:

For self enquiry, what reference helped you learn this technique the most? Did you read Ramana Maharshi? I noticed different teachers teach it in slightly different ways so I’m curious how did you learn it? 
thank you 

Yeh I did read Ramana, but I found Rupert Spira to explain it the best, hes very eloquent about it.  
 

you can learn it in 1minute tbh, just notice the switch that happens when you ask - am I aware right now? And then the place that question takes you to is the meditation most sages talk about, it feels like formless peace.

[Davino]

Hi @CoolDreamThanks

I'm sure I'll do a retreat in the future so I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind.

How did you manage the logistics (food, water, cooking...)?

Did you have some mechanism of contact with the outer world? Did you tell anybody you were doing this?

Did you have a schedule for sadhana (morning yoga, evening meditation, night psychedelic)?

What were the problems you faced in the retreat (boredom, slacking off, purging, wanting to quit...) ? How did you overcome them?

If you were to do it again what would you have done differently?

Thanks for taking the time to answer them. I appreciate it. Lots of love❤️

 

[Breakingthewall]

12 hours ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

100%.  
 

Yet another nuance to this is that trying to fight against them is an even greater resistance.  
 

For the longest time I believed in the idea of sacrifice - I have to stop doing things that bring me pleasure in order to reach enlightenment. With that came alot of internal struggle and misery.  
 

However, what healed this misperception was the words Keith Kavanagh, an ACIM teacher shared:  

 

Importantly, the Course doesn't ask us to renounce anything.  That would be sacrifice, and sacrifice is of the ego thought system and not the Holy Spirit's.
We just want to gradually undo our clinging and resistance - allowing things to pass through our experience without grasping at them or trying to push them away, not deal with them, or repress them.
We work on allowing all things to be exactly as they are, with no desire that they be different, or desire to cling to things in this moment that will keep us from fully engaging with the next moment.

So, in keeping with the spirit of the original post, what we want to undo is our belief that anything in the world is the source of our happiness or our pain.
We don't have to let people or things go, only to learn to need nothing from them, extend Love to them, and undo any neediness that they must be in the next moment. 
 

Here’s how chatGPT summarized ACIM teachings on sacrifice: 

 

In **"A Course in Miracles" (ACIM)**, the concept of *sacrifice* is addressed as a key theme, and its interpretation is quite different from traditional religious teachings. ACIM views sacrifice as an illusion, based on the mistaken belief in separation from God and the ego’s interpretation of giving up something valuable to attain something greater, particularly to please God or achieve salvation. Here are some key points:

1. **Sacrifice is Unnecessary**: ACIM teaches that God does not ask for or require sacrifice. It argues that the idea of sacrifice stems from the ego, which promotes the false idea that we must lose something or suffer to gain God's love or spiritual reward. This belief only reinforces the ego's perspective of lack and limitation.

2. **Love Involves No Sacrifice**: True love, according to ACIM, is free from sacrifice. Love is abundance, completeness, and unity. It is limitless and cannot be diminished. Therefore, if one is giving in love, there is no loss or cost, and no sacrifice is involved. Giving love means extending love without losing it.

3. **Sacrifice and Fear**: The course suggests that sacrifice is closely linked to fear. The ego convinces us that sacrifice is necessary to protect ourselves or achieve spiritual goals. However, this belief is based on fear, not on the truth of our divine nature. True spiritual growth comes from understanding that fear is an illusion, and in reality, we are already one with God.

4. **Release from Guilt**: The belief in sacrifice often stems from guilt, the notion that we must atone for past sins through suffering or loss. ACIM teaches that guilt is a false belief created by the ego. Instead of sacrificing, the Course encourages the practice of forgiveness, which leads to healing and the recognition that guilt is unnecessary.

5. **Sacrifice vs. True Freedom**: ACIM holds that the belief in sacrifice leads to bondage, keeping us tied to the ego’s thought system of loss and pain. Freedom comes from recognizing that God’s Will for us is only happiness and peace. By letting go of the idea of sacrifice, we embrace the truth that we can experience love and joy without the need for loss or suffering.

In summary, ACIM rejects the idea of sacrifice as an ego-based illusion, and teaches that God’s love is unconditional, requiring no sacrifice from us. The path to spiritual awakening involves letting go of the belief in sacrifice, embracing love, and practicing forgiveness.

The point is arrive to a mental state where all the psyche is erased. Anything else is mental mess, the psyche must dissapear. It means that we have to move only from the truth, without the slightest lie in our life, lies to ourselves and to others, then you act from the truth and you forget anything else. Any lie enjail, truth set us free. Then you do what the truth that is in you tell you to do and there is nothing else to consider, then it's possible to empty the mind and open yourself to yourself 

Edited September 27 by Breakingthewall

[CoolDreamThanks]

47 minutes ago, Davino said:

Hi @CoolDreamThanks

I'm sure I'll do a retreat in the future so I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind.

How did you manage the logistics (food, water, cooking...)?

Did you have some mechanism of contact with the outer world? Did you tell anybody you were doing this?

Did you have a schedule for sadhana (morning yoga, evening meditation, night psychedelic)?

What were the problems you faced in the retreat (boredom, slacking off, purging, wanting to quit...) ? How did you overcome them?

If you were to do it again what would you have done differently?

Thanks for taking the time to answer them. I appreciate it. Lots of love❤️

 

Hi!

I did it at home. You don't need to go anywhere. I think long retreats are best done at home because of logistics and it saves money. If you have a lot of money and can go to a remote location - amazing. I didn't, so I did it at home. Actually, I tried living in a forest to aid in meditation, but that didn't work as the mind can't relax in a forest, it knows it's not safe so the primal part of the mind is constantly on the lookout for danger, so you can't fall deep into stillness. 

I did something that I do not recommend - I didn't tell anyone besides a few people who understand and just cut off all contact with others. Deleted all social media and so on, actually changed my number too.  

No schedule, just had an intention to sit and meditate as much as I could. Did yoga when I felt like the body needs it. No psychedelics this time, but I did multiple 2-week and 3-week retreats before that I finished up with psychedelics. This one was just meditation 24/7.

Problems - the whole thing is a problem, now looking back at it. My new understanding is that fighting against temptation and trying to detach yourself from the illusion by force is another ego defense mechanism. I thought I am giving all of myself to God, being on a highway to Heaven, but that's not the case. I felt miserable during that period, except for a blissful experience here and there. 

It is my present understanding that God doesn't require any sacrifice and you can get enlightened whilst living a normal life, you don't need long periods of meditation.

When you go along with your spiritual evolution some things drop away naturally, like a child outgrowing old toys.  Now I'm just meditative when walking around, laying on the beach, then an hour in the morning and an hour before bed, sometimes I play video games, decide to just drop into bed and meditate for an hour, but it's natural, just something I want to do at that time. I think forcing yourself is never the right move. I feel like just flowing with things is more appropriate. 

[Breakingthewall]

5 minutes ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

It is my present understanding that God doesn't require any sacrifice and you can get enlightened whilst living a normal life, you don't need long periods of meditation

I think that maybe when we are in another level you naturally need the retirement and you do, but until that moment arrives, I wouldn't try, I'm sure that would be very repressive, anyway, your determination is real, you will find the way 

[Salvijus]

19 hours ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

Don’t you mean saying affirmations and visualizing things by manifestation? That’s what most people refer to and that’s what I was reffering to. Thought that’s what you meant and that is limited and surface level and doesn’t really work.

If done in the right way, the object of desire can help one to tap into the energy of desire. Energy of desire in its purest form is love. When a person learns to feel this current of energy, it opens the heart, light overflows, guidence of God follows, purification, transformation of egoic desires takes place, wounds and traumas are forgiven and healed, authentic self blossoms, blessings follow, miracles follow, your true life purpose and path becomes clear, fear and clingingness to old patterns is being transcended, ascension into glory is happening every day more and more. That's what manifestation is really about. Although there are wrong ways doing it aswell, can't comment on that. 

Edited September 28 by Salvijus

[CoolDreamThanks]

4 hours ago, Salvijus said:

If done in the right way, the object of desire can help one to tap into the energy of desire. Energy of desire in its purest form is love. When a person learns to feel this current of energy, it opens the heart, light overflows, guidence of God follows, purification, transformation of egoic desires takes place, wounds and traumas are forgiven and healed, authentic self blossoms, blessings follow, miracles follow, your true life purpose and path becomes clear, fear and clingingness to old patterns is being transcended, ascension into glory is happening every day more and more. That's what manifestation is really about. Although there are wrong ways doing it aswell, can't comment on that. 

Wow, beautiful!  Now that you put it this way, looking back to my experience - it’s true! 
 
Sometimes I tap into it this, but I think I should do it more and more consciously. 

Trying now 🙏 

Thank youu!

Edited September 28 by CoolDreamThanks

[Salvijus]

 🤍

[Javfly33]

10 hours ago, Salvijus said:

If done in the right way, the object of desire can help one to tap into the energy of desire. Energy of desire in its purest form is love. When a person learns to feel this current of energy, it opens the heart, light overflows, guidence of God follows, purification, transformation of egoic desires takes place, wounds and traumas are forgiven and healed, authentic self blossoms, blessings follow, miracles follow, your true life purpose and path becomes clear, fear and clingingness to old patterns is being transcended, ascension into glory is happening every day more and more. That's what manifestation is really about. Although there are wrong ways doing it aswell, can't comment on that. 

how to connect to the desire in a pure form instead of being sensessly being driven by the desire? 

[CoolDreamThanks]

@Salvijus Did you find that you desire something specific?  
 

I do have some specific desires, but also I feel like what I truly want is a constant state of happiness, no matter what happens.
 

When I thought about this, that desire instantly created a happy state. It’s not extremely blissfull, which I desire too, but it is happiness without any reason, just because of that desire. 

[CoolDreamThanks]

@Salvijus I see in my life that when I follow my desires, they often lead to negative outcomes. There is usually an upside and then a downside. Can you comment on that? 
 

I am talking about desires of the world. When I choose to live a simple life it doesn’t have that many ups and downs.  
 

How do you interpret this from ACIM? 

In "A Course in Miracles" (ACIM), chasing desires of the body, often referred to as "idols," is seen as a major obstacle to true peace and spiritual awakening. The Course teaches that the pursuit of bodily desires—whether for possessions, status, relationships, or physical sensations—distracts the mind from recognizing its divine essence. It suggests that these pursuits are attempts to fill an inner void, but they can never bring true fulfillment because they are external, impermanent, and illusory.

Here are a few key points from ACIM about this topic:

1. **Idols Are Substitutes for Love**:
   ACIM explains that idols are anything we substitute for God’s love. Chasing bodily desires or "idols" is an attempt to find happiness outside of ourselves, but this pursuit only leads to more feelings of lack. The Course suggests that only reconnecting with God’s love and recognizing our true identity as spiritual beings can bring us lasting fulfillment.

2. **The Body Is Neutral**:
   The body, according to ACIM, is inherently neutral and merely a communication device. The emphasis on body desires is an ego-driven distraction from the real purpose of the body: to facilitate communication and to help us extend love. Focusing on the body as the source of happiness turns it into an idol that prevents the realization of our true spiritual nature.

3. **Desires Lead to Pain and Guilt**:
   The Course suggests that the pursuit of idols eventually leads to suffering because such desires are rooted in the ego's belief in separation. The ego makes us believe that obtaining external objects or experiences will make us whole, but the sense of separation only deepens. This pursuit can also foster guilt, because deep down, the mind knows it is seeking in the wrong direction.

4. **The Real Desire is for God**:
   Ultimately, ACIM teaches that our deepest desire is to reconnect with God. All the idols we chase are attempts to replace this divine connection, but they fail to satisfy us because they are mere shadows of the real thing. The Course encourages the release of these idols so that we can remember our oneness with God, which is the true source of peace and joy.

5. **Forgiveness as the Path Back**:
   One way ACIM suggests we overcome the pursuit of bodily desires is through forgiveness—of ourselves and others. By forgiving, we release our attachments to the ego and its idols, and we open our minds to a greater sense of wholeness and divine love.

In summary, "A Course in Miracles" sees the pursuit of bodily desires (or idols) as distractions from the true goal of spiritual awakening and inner peace. It emphasizes that these desires can never truly satisfy us because they keep us focused on illusions instead of recognizing the deeper truth of who we are as divine beings. The Course encourages turning away from these pursuits and seeking fulfillment through the awareness of our unity with God and the practice of forgiveness.

Edited September 29 by CoolDreamThanks

[CoolDreamThanks]

Here’s the most beautiful answer regarding manifestation from Keith Kavanagh and it’s the advice I will be adhering to, as that’s what Master Jesus teaches: 

 

Question:

"Here's  a question for Keith; maybe the 64M $ question:
What's the most effective means to script, direct and produce the next scene in my vintage motion picture?"
 

Answer:
The mind is powerful.  There are many manifestation teachings. 
Manifesting is not a miracle.
It's magic.
 
Magic isn't sinful, guilty or evil.
Eating, breathing and sleeping are all magic.
So, if you want to do manifesting, knock yourself out.  It just won’t awaken you to Love or make you happy.
 
It just shouldn't be confused with a miracle, or be considered in any way helpful Spiritually.
 
"I do not perceive my own best interests."
Lesson 24

How would you know what to manifest?
Would you want a better job if the increased pressure caused you an anxiety disorder or a heart attack?
Would you want to win money if it set you back several lifetimes on your Spiritual path?
Would you want a bigger house if your wife was killed in a home invasion?
Would you want to travel the world if your health would be badly compromised by catching malaria or some other exotic illness?
Would you want to be married if your partner ended up murdering you?
 
The truth is that nody wants anything that's listed above.
What they actually want is to be happy.
What they want is the feeling they think they would have in a high profile job, having millions in the bank, living in a big house, travelling the world or having a beautiful wife.
They want happiness because they're not happy now.  They have a grievance with the script.
 
Well, that's what magic is. 
Magic says the reason I am lacking and not happy enough right now is because of what is happening in the world, what I do or don't have.  The way for me to be happier is to change something in the world.
Magic says the problem is where it's not, in the world, and not where it is, in my mind.
It attempts to solve the problem of unhappiness in the world and not in the mind.
 
Well, ask anyone who has all those things if they're happy.  Some of the happiest people in the world have nothing.  And many of those in life with everything - fame, wealth, big cars, big houses, beautiful wives, family, etc, still need to try to escape into drugs to avoid how unhappy they still are and, when the drugs also stop numbing the unhappiness, as they inevitably do, they end up overdosing through trying to do more and more, or an eventual decision to escape unhappiness through death. (Elvis is one of many, many, many examples)
 
For most of us, we can keep lying to ourselves for a very long time that, "I could be happy if...", "I would be happy if only...."
But it's a moving goalpost.
You get 5 minutes of happiness with the attainment of the goal before it starts to tarnish.  The happiness effect starts becoming less and less powerful.
The idol replacing God’s Love will never measure up.
And the goalpost jumps again.
 
There are, however, people in the world who literally have everything and anything they could want for, but they're still not happy.
They can't lie to themselves anymore, like the rest of us, and say, "I'll be happy when..."
Psychology has a name for this - "Paradise Syndrome."
It's the bitter realisation that nothing in the world  can undo unhappiness.
 
No matter what a person has, when they become badly sick, they say they would give it all away just to have their health again, and they would be happy.
But they weren't happy when they had their health to begin with.
And wouldn't again.
 
Magic is about looking for happiness where it's not so you never find it where it is, which is in your mind.
 
"Seek not outside yourself. For all your pain comes simply from a futile search for what you want, insisting where it must be found. What if it is not there? Do you prefer that you be right or happy? Be you glad that you are told where happiness abides, and seek no longer elsewhere. You will fail. But it is given you to know the truth, and not to seek for it outside yourself."  T-29.VII.1.
 
We only ever have one problem, which is the mistaken decision to identify as an ego.
There is only one solution to everything - undo the mistaken decision to identify as a physical and psychological body to identify with the Holy Spirit.
 
“Your mission is very simple. You are asked to live so as to demonstrate that you are not an ego, and I do not choose God’s channels wrongly."  T-4.VI.6.

"I am not a body, I am free, for I am still as God created me."

The seeking of your happiness in the script is magic, and is preventing your happiness.
The miracle restores happiness through the undoing of grievances with what is in the dream of form (the projections of your guilt).

If you’re not happy now, and need things to be different so you can be happy, well, that’s a grievance with what’s happening now.  A grievance is an obstacle to the awareness of Love’s Presence in your mind.  It’s a barrier to happiness.

Jesus says the only thing you should ask of anything is, “What is it for?”, “What is it’s purpose?”

Our ego wants the world’s purpose to be to stay separate from the Holy Spirit, and therefore from happiness, to be a physical and psychological body.  It then wants to be happy as a body so it can triumph over God by being happy in the world we made as an attack on Him, despite throwing His Love and Oneness back in His Face.  We didn’t need Him.

T-16.V.10. "If you perceived the special relationship as a triumph over God, would you want it?"

The problem is the moving goalpost.
The ego’s plan for your Salvation (lasting happiness and peace) doesn’t actually work.
Jesus calls this bitter mantra of the ego, “Seek and do not find” until death in disillusionment ends your misery.

The Holy Spirit sees the purpose of the world completely differently.
It has one purpose – forgiveness – undoing your grievances, and resistance to, what’s happening in the script, to restore you to your right mind and true happiness.

For this purpose, 
T-4.V.1. “All things work together for good. There are no exceptions except in the ego’s judgment.”

“What could you not accept, if you but knew that everything that happens, all events, past, present and to come, are gently planned by One Whose only purpose is your good?”  Lesson 135.

Jesus is not saying you can’t have nice things and do things whilst you appear to be here.
But if you are vainly seeking your future happiness or identity in them, it is at the expense of God.  

“But just as surely will he lose the only true goal that is given him. Think of the cost, and understand it well. All other goals are at the cost of God.”  S-1.III.5.

If you are saying some experiences in the now are good and some are bad, that’s the ego’s first law of chaos – that there’s a hierarchy of illusions – that some are good and some are bad.  It’s the same with making plans for what you want for your future.

The miracle restores us to our right mind through the first miracle Principle – there is no order of difficulty in miracles.
It doesn’t matter what’s happening right now, it has no effect on the Peace of the Holy Spirit in my right mind. The only problem is that I was in my wrong (ego) mind.  Changing my mind is the answer to happiness, not changing the script, not having preferences for what happens in the script.

“Let all things be exactly as they are”  
Lesson 268

By undoing any grievance with the present moment and restoring my mind to peace now, I will now just know what the most loving, helpful and effective things to do are for both myself AND everyone else I encounter.
I’m not acting from the insane voice talking it itself in my head that does not know what anything is for.   The Holy Spirit’s perfected script for my awakening unfolds through me and for me, but I do not seek my happiness in it.  I bring His Happiness to it so He can bless the world through me.
I won’t do that all the time because I’ll have a grievance every so often with the script.
That’s where forgiveness undoes the grievance so the Holy Spirit can save the world through the actions His Love inspires through me.

Again, what would you manifest?
What you want is lasting happiness and peace and manifesting in the script won’t give it to you.
Forgiveness of the script will give it to you.

Again, also, there’s nothing wrong with succeeding in your career or finding yourself in a relationship or with a family, as long as you’re not looking for happiness in it – as long as you’re there only to let the Holy Spirit bless and heal you and the world through you.

“I am here only to be truly helpful. I am here to represent Him Who sent me. I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me. I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me. I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal.”
T-2.V.A.18.

[Ishanga]

@CoolDreamThanks Happiness/Bliss is not the Goal, but when Your Naturally Blissful of Your Own nature, it is just there like when hunger comes, it just comes up, Bliss can just be there naturally, it lays the Foundation for more Potential within You to become Realized, call it God, Absolute or whatever, but its Potential.  

When going for basic survival level Desires (survival is about Accumulation or Gathering, whether it is Wood for a fire to keep warm, or Status to gratify Your Ego, or Money to gain power, Sex to gain pleasure, Adventure to feel Alive, its accumulation of some sort), it keeps You on that level and it is never satisfied. Why is Elon still doing what he is doing, he doesn't have to do anything with a personal worth of more than $150 Billion, it is that he is still un-fulfilled, not matter how much more money he makes, how many more things he creates, achieves, sells/buys, whatever happens he will feel un fulfilled because its Accumulation of something he is not, he is not the Body or Mind, but he's living on that level of Awareness, not naturally Blissful, so its endless searching outside of Yourself..

p.s. Nice Sharing, Wonderful exploration and example of what is Possible if one strives and seeks to know..

 

Edited September 29 by Ishanga

[Breakingthewall]

@CoolDreamThanks the thing is very simple, happiness is the result of stopping creating unhappiness. You create unhappiness because you identify yourself with the finite form and from the perspective of the form reality is imperfect and a threat. When you open yourself to the unlimited you stop creating unhappiness then the natural happiness remains. You still want to do things because you want to give the best of yourself. You are a source of life, then you want to flow. When you open yourself to the unlimited the psyche literally dissapear, there is not subconscious anymore, no rumination, just openess. Of course there is a big inertia and you fall again and again in the psyche, in the form, but when you already have tasted the unlimited, a chain reaction starts and doesn't stop 

Edited September 29 by Breakingthewall

[Salvijus]

There are desires from love and desires from ego. If there's an investment in ego, you begin to cherish things that give security to the ego. Those are idols. Ego's gods. 

By going within and asking "what do I truly want" we attempt to find the heart's deepest desire and stay with that in every circumstance.

The heart may speak something specific like I want to meet this person, go that location, wear this or that, go left or right, eat this or that or simply it can say I just want sit still and bask in grace. 

By placing our awareness in such a way, sooner or later we will encounter desires that are coming not from the expansive, joyous open heart but from the neediness, fear and a sense of lack. 

The process of paying attention to our desire cultivates discernment and wisdom where you begin to learn the difference between your true self and ego. Between openness and contraction. Between love and fear. This discernment alone is a big progress on the path. 

Furthermore, simply allowing ourselves to experience all desires without any judgement and forgiveness is an important step to begin the process of transformation where these lower energies begin to transmute into love.

It doesn't mean we have to act on everything that arises in our mind. Usually the fear/neediness/sense of lack based desires, when allowed and embraced fully, begin to dissolve and get replaced with peace and wholeness.

And the true desires, when payed attention to, intensifies more and more compelling you to act on it and it never fades unless you surpress it with fear or distract yourself with stimulants. Those are the true desires that God put in your heart as your God given path for your growth and happiness. These ones you're encouraged to say YES to. 

That is the way in which we move beyond our idols and fears and ego. Our heart expands and increases in our capacity to receive the light, shifting gradually the center of gravity from fear and ego based living to love and truth based living. Getting closer to God and Truth with each breath. 

@CoolDreamThanks @Javfly33 I hope there's an answer to the questions somewhere in the middle of this, haha. 

 

Edited September 29 by Salvijus

[Salvijus]

There are instructions given how to feel the desire and manifest as God manifests: the good, the holy and the beautiful, in these simple quote from acim. 

(2) Throughout the day, at any time you think of it and have a quiet moment for reflection, tell yourself again the kind of day you want; the feelings you would have, the things you want to happen to you, and the things you would experience, and say: ²If I make no decisions by myself, this is the day that will be given me. (ACIM, T-30.I.4:1-2)

[Salvijus]

Sometimes if we are confused whether or not our desires are coming from the pure place or not, it's helpful to pray and ask the holy spirit to correct your perception and bring clarity. Jeshua says that even holding the book of acim can be enough for grace to come and illuminate the mind and heart. 

[Salvijus]

20 hours ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

When I thought about this, that desire instantly created a happy state. It’s not extremely blissfull, which I desire too, but it is happiness without any reason, just because of that desire. 

If that desire feels like it expands your heart, stay with it. Bask in that feeling as a meditation. Bathe in that vibration and it will grow, and it will reveal itself evermore and everdeeper. There is a lot of gold there to uncover. Infinite amount. 

Edited September 29 by Salvijus

[Salvijus]

10 hours ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

How do you interpret this from ACIM? 

In "A Course in Miracles" (ACIM), chasing desires of the body, often referred to as "idols," is seen as a major obstacle to true peace and spiritual awakening. The Course teaches that the pursuit of bodily desires—whether for possessions, status, relationships, or physical sensations—distracts the mind from recognizing its divine essence. It suggests that these pursuits are attempts to fill an inner void, but they can never bring true fulfillment because they are external, impermanent, and illusory.

Here are a few key points from ACIM about this topic:

1. **Idols Are Substitutes for Love**:
   ACIM explains that idols are anything we substitute for God’s love. Chasing bodily desires or "idols" is an attempt to find happiness outside of ourselves, but this pursuit only leads to more feelings of lack. The Course suggests that only reconnecting with God’s love and recognizing our true identity as spiritual beings can bring us lasting fulfillment.

2. **The Body Is Neutral**:
   The body, according to ACIM, is inherently neutral and merely a communication device. The emphasis on body desires is an ego-driven distraction from the real purpose of the body: to facilitate communication and to help us extend love. Focusing on the body as the source of happiness turns it into an idol that prevents the realization of our true spiritual nature.

3. **Desires Lead to Pain and Guilt**:
   The Course suggests that the pursuit of idols eventually leads to suffering because such desires are rooted in the ego's belief in separation. The ego makes us believe that obtaining external objects or experiences will make us whole, but the sense of separation only deepens. This pursuit can also foster guilt, because deep down, the mind knows it is seeking in the wrong direction.

4. **The Real Desire is for God**:
   Ultimately, ACIM teaches that our deepest desire is to reconnect with God. All the idols we chase are attempts to replace this divine connection, but they fail to satisfy us because they are mere shadows of the real thing. The Course encourages the release of these idols so that we can remember our oneness with God, which is the true source of peace and joy.

5. **Forgiveness as the Path Back**:
   One way ACIM suggests we overcome the pursuit of bodily desires is through forgiveness—of ourselves and others. By forgiving, we release our attachments to the ego and its idols, and we open our minds to a greater sense of wholeness and divine love.

In summary, "A Course in Miracles" sees the pursuit of bodily desires (or idols) as distractions from the true goal of spiritual awakening and inner peace. It emphasizes that these desires can never truly satisfy us because they keep us focused on illusions instead of recognizing the deeper truth of who we are as divine beings. The Course encourages turning away from these pursuits and seeking fulfillment through the awareness of our unity with God and the practice of forgiveness.

It's good. 

I like this sentence: **Idols Are Substitutes for Love**. The rest of it aswell. 

Edited September 29 by Salvijus