19.03.06
The Characteristics of God’s Teachers (Jan 18, 1997)
Posted in Transcripts at 12:30 pm by miracles 
Print This Post
Notes from a talk given by Linda and James hale
Please note that we have only quoted the beginings of relevant sections
from the Course in this presentation.
Please look up the full text in you copy of the Course.)
Contents
- Introduction
- Who are God’s Teachers?
- The Holy Spirit’s Curriculum : The Atonement
- The Characteristics of God’s Teachers
- Afterword
- Final word
Introduction
The Course teaches that we are all teachers and learners every second of the day whether we realise it or not. We teach by demonstration and by demonstration we teach not only others but primarily and most importantly ourselves. There are two possible curriculums or thought systems that are possible to teach and therefore learn. The thought system of the ego (the world’s curriculum) or the thought system of the Holy Spirit (the system the Course is designed to introduce us to.)
See: M-in.2:1-5 and M-in.4:4-8
The core of the curriculum in either system is the belief in what we are. We are either teaching (and thus learning) that we are a separated and autonomous being, at war with our Creator and all our brothers, irredeemably guilty of the sin of having destroyed the Unity of Creation and Truth, or we are teaching and learning “God’s Son is guiltless, and in his innocence is his salvation.” (M-1.3:5)
To be a teacher of God is to progressively learn the Holy Spirit’s lessons of forgiveness of the mad dreams we thought were true and thereby awaken to our reality as God created us.
Who are God’s Teachers?
Given that the ego’s thought system originates in the belief we are separate from our Creator and also our brothers “here” in this world we seem to inhabit, the reversal of its thought system begins in a moment of true joining with another, a moment in which “my” interests are not seen as being separate from “yours”.
See: M-1.1:1-8
The Course states explicitly that there are many paths “home”. The Course is just one “special curriculum, intended for teachers of a special form of the universal course.”(M1.4:1) The universal course, or content, is that God’s son is guiltless. Of itself it also states, “This is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary.” (T-in.1:2-3) What is required is the content of love, not the particular form in which it is expressed.
The Holy Spirit’s Curriculum : The Atonement
The principle by which a teacher of God releases the ego’s thought system is called the Atonement the undoing or unlearning of what the ego has taught us. In following this curriculum we begin to recognize that all the seeming sins of the ego have in reality not occurred and therefore have had no effect. What remains to be undone are therefore the errors in the mind of the son of God; errors that have not affected his reality at all. Thus the teacher of God is freed of all guilt and delusional self concepts. God’s Answer is always and eternally given our function is only to accept it. “And as you accept it, it is already learned.” (M-2.3:8)
See: M-2.2:1-8 and M-2.3:1-8
As mentioned above, the Course process is one of undoing, of unlearning and, as we have forgotten who we really are, of relinquishing the role of being our own teacher.
See: M-4.X.3:6-7
The ego, in it’s original presumption, denied the son’s complete dependence on and unity with God. Thus another way of thinking of the Course process is as one of denying this original denial of the ego, now. The teacher of God is thus accepting the Atonement for himself by his denial or refusal to accept the ego’s denial of truth. By not fighting or attacking it, but simply by withdrawing acceptance or belief in the ego’s thought system, it begins to dissolve into the nothingness from which it came. As the pillars of the ego’s thought system are let go of, the characteristics of God’s Teachers emerge naturally and spontaneously.
The Characteristics of God’s Teachers
The Characteristics of God’s teachers have nothing to do with looks or behaviour which can and will vary greatly from teacher to teacher. They have, however, all accepted their function (whether they are aware of it or not!) and as they learn it they will “receive” special gifts from God. These gifts are of course only special in time and are bestowed, not from any service we perform, but simply in our willingness to accept them. Thus they are available for all of God’s sons as they (His sons) are all special to him.
See: M-4.2:1-2
Trust
Trust is described as being the bedrock or foundation characteristic of God’s teachers. The son of God’s original descent into hell occurred when he trusted the voice of the ego which told him that he had indeed committed the sin of fragmenting unity, and was therefore guilty and had to run and hide from a God who would surely seek revenge. The teacher of God withdraws this misplaced “trust” in the teacher of madness and finally listens to the Holy Spirit’s interpretation of the one error, the tiny mad idea.
The capacity for trust is a result of the teacher’s acceptance of this interpretation and implicitly Truth or Reality as God created it. Knowing that the ego maintain its “laws” of chaos by hiding their content beneath the apparent forms of the world the teacher of God begins to learn that no matter what the appearances of the world, he has accepted they are unreal.
The “laws” of the world were made, and are still maintained, to deny our truth. Examples of these laws are: “defense keeps me safe”, “attack keeps me safe”, “victimizing keeps safe”, “being a victim keeps me safe”, “separation keeps me safe”. It is in the denial of these “laws” that the true power of aligning oneself with Truth and It’s laws is experienced.
This process is described as one of letting go of one’s own strength, likened to the “wings of a sparrow” and accepting instead the mighty power of the “eagle”. All of this strength, power and light is a given a gift of God. Our function is to let go of the shabby offerings of the ego and claim instead our inheritance given by God through the Holy Spirit.
The Development of Trust
The Course makes it clear that learning trust is a developmental process. That development involves various phases of undoing, sorting out, relinquishing, rest, further unsettling and finally achievement.
A Teacher of God’s trust deepens and widens as he learns to:
- bring more and more areas of life to the Holy Spirit so that eventually all problems are given to Him, in the knowledge that only the Holy Spirit provides a true solution,
- relinquish presumed control and authority over one’s separate life and it’s various aspects, and
- enter into a process of discovering what he truly values and what is truly valuable essentially this process can be seen as discovering and valuing content (love, truth and forgiveness) over the value previously placed on form (expressed primarily through the special relationship.)
All the characteristics of God’s teacher’s develop simultaneously rather than sequentially. Trust however remains the foundation.
Honesty
Honesty according to the Course means consistency. The truly honest are not in conflict at any level of their being “No one at one with himself can even conceive of conflict.” (M-4.II.2:3) It can be seen that this state is opposite to the one we experience as egos. The basis for the ego’s very existence is conflict - the ego, a self created entity, separate, apart from and at war with it’s “creator” “Conflict is the inevitable result of self-deception,and self-deception is dishonesty.” (M-4.II.2:4)
A central idea in the Course is that ideas do not leave their source. The central idea of the ego is one of conflict, therefore anything which emanates from the ego must be inherently conflictual. The ego constantly perceives itself as separate and in conflict, whether that conflict be with God, another person, a germ, the forces of nature, society, another country etc.. He became a teacher of God, however, in a moment of true joining, and therefore the basis for conflict/separation was eternally undone.
Tolerance
Tolerance is the denial of the presumption of judgement a presumption that only an ego could make. This passage states a similar idea to another passage in the manual, that idea being, it is not so much that one should not judge as one cannot judge.
See: M-10.21:9
Notice the description used of the miracle’s student becoming more honest. Abandoning the fundamental dishonesty of the ego, the student naturally trusts his Teacher and becomes honest in understanding his role in the Atonement. Atonement’s judgement happens through him, not by him.
Gentleness
Gentleness emerges with letting go the “dishonest thought” of being a separate limited vulnerable self which inevitably needs the “dishonest act” of defence and attack in order to maintain its own precarious existence. Just as harm is the outcome of the judgement that the ego’s thought system is worthy of allegiance, so too is harmlessness or gentleness the natural outcome of identifying with the Holy Spirit’s thought system. Illusions will always need defence, truth by its very nature does not.
An important concept of the Course is that defences do what they would defend. In teaching myself that I need defence, I am teaching myself that I am inherently vulnerable and in need of defence.
See: T-17.IV.7:1-4
The only thing that can be achieved by maintaining defensiveness is that I maintain my delusional self concept and block the possibility of truly knowing myself.
See: W26.h
I am therefore placing faith literally in nothing and as the Course states no gain can come from nothing.
See: M-4.IV.1:11-12
Gentleness is only possible for one who has accepted only truth is true, and everything else is inherently illusory and therefore causeless and without effect. In that recognition lies the possibility of real power, strength and might because faith is placed in that which is invulnerable. In a typical reversal of the world’s thinking gentleness is seen as strength whilst the world sees strength as triumph in opposition. From the perspective of the Truth, there is no opposite.
See: T-in.2.:2-3
Thus how could a sense of opposition arise?
Gentleness means there is no need to attack for there is nothing to attack, not even the ego. The Holy Spirit does not attack. God’s teachers know this.
See: T-5.II.7:1-5.
Joy
In identifying with the truth, fear and suffering become impossible. As the Course asks, why wouldn’t the teacher of God be joyous? The joy which the Course speaks of can only come with doing God’s will and sharing the purpose of salvation.
See: M4.IV.2:10
Joy as the world understands it is always associated with the body. Getting or attaining pleasures, power or sating appetites, anything that reinforces one’s belief in scarcity and specialness. Real joy is a natural expression of the awareness of one’s place in creation and fulfilling our function here.
See: M-4.V.1:12 and M-4.VI.1:4
Defenselessness
God’s teachers have learned the simplicity of accepting who they are as God created them. They therefore no longer have any false images or idols that need defence.
See: M-4.VI.1:2
And as we have seen, the truth does not need defence.
Willingness to look past defences at the dreams they would defend is something that develops as trust increases. The teacher of God experiences nothing beyond these defences and of course, nothing cannot be dangerous.
See: M-4.VI.1:11-15
The more he experiences this the more his trust increases and the more defenseless he can afford to be. In this sense it can be seen that defensiveness is nothing more than a measure of one’s fear of the self made images in one’s mind.
Generosity
The generosity the Course speaks of is not a generosity of material things, or a generosity in terms of charity. As it states, it’s meaning of the word is a reversal of the world’s thinking. When someone gives in the world’s terms he no longer has what he has given whereas according to the Course, in truly giving, one is ensuring the gift will be kept.
The ego is only capable of making bargains, giving in order to get something else later; the Course however teaches that it is only by giving we receivie. It is clear then the Course is not talking of giving material things, although there is no reason that the true gift may not be expressed in that way.
The true gift is anything which contributes to the awareness of truth in both the giver and receiver. In giving the gifts that serve as a reminder or symbol of truth (forgiveness, gentleness, non-judgement etc) truth becomes more present in the mind of the giver and thus is accepted in the mind of the giver. Only what one has can be given (here the Course and the world agree); the Course states that it is by giving that you learn that you have and that implicitly you are the truth. Giving therefore is the way to keep truth in one’s awareness. This reminds us of the basic Course premise that truth can never be obliterated or destroyed; it can only become “lost” in our own awareness.
The ego only seeks to have that which is for itself alone and that which partakes of its own nature (transitory and perishable.) In seeking these things it is therefore guaranteeing loss, pain and suffering. The teacher of God has seen the valuelessness of these “gifts” of the ego and therefore does not seek them anymore.
See: M-4.VII.2:3-9
He seeks only that which reflects his true nature which, because of its very nature, is for all his brothers and for all time. In increasingly turning to his Teacher he begins to unlearn and relinquish the “getting” impulse within himself (denying the denial represented by getting) thus making room for the Gifts of God, to be extended through him by the Holy Spirit and thus accepted as his.
Patience
Patience follows naturally from trust, the recognition that there can be no loss that harn is impossible in God’s creation and that the Son of God is guiltless. It comes from the recognition of a power beyond the myriad illusions of the world which is not affected one iota by them. No matter how gruesome, twisted or unjust the forms of the world appear.
See: M-4.I.1:4-7
In otherwords, patience comes from accepting the Atonement principle.
See: T-in.2:2-3
Time does not exist.
See: T-27.VIII.6:5
The experience of patience or impatience is rooted in one’s concept of time.
See: M-2.2:1-8 and M-2.3:1-9
The Answer has already been given, our problems are already solved, we have already learnt the answer and we are already at home in Heaven with our Father. In the unfoldment of the great illusion of time the only choice is when we learn the curriculum. That the curriculum (in whatever form) will be learnt by all is inevitable because it has already happened. In truly recognising this, on what basis could impatience arise?
See: M-4.VIII.1:1-3,10
Faithfulness
The Course identifies two phases in the development of faithfulness. The first phase is one in which the teacher of God is still learning. He hands over some situations in his life to the Holy Spirit.
See: M-4.IX.1:1-5
True faithfulness, however, is defined as “…the teacher of God’s trust in the Word of God to set all things right; not some, but all.” (M-4.IX.1:4) While true faithfulness entails giving “up all problems to one Answer”, (M-4.IX.1:6) each degree of faith is worth achieving. It is profoundly comforting for all of us to remember that readiness does not imply mastery.
There is an intimate link between faithfulness and the capacity for trust. Only the completely trusting can afford to put their complete faith in God’s Answer. In placing complete faith in the Atonement, the only thing to which complete faith is due, all other characteristics of God’s teachers emerge naturally. Having found the only true Answer, faith becomes a “quiet certainty”.
Open-mindedness
Open-mindedness emerges naturally when judgement is abandoned (which, as we have seen, is essentially what tolerance is.) The open-minded allow the Holy Spirit to work through them; the judgemental close their mind against another interpretation of what they think they see.
The open-minded would have necessarily have gone through the process of questioning all values they previously held. This led them to abandoning the world as they thought it was. Only then was a space created in which a new interpretation of the world and its purpose could enter. This process represents a rebirth in which everything is restored to them in a new and fresh light. In their letting go, the teacher of God has made way for forgiveness; the final goal of the curriculum. After this, God in His knowledge, which is beyond all learning, can enter.
That finally is the son of God’s inheritance, an inheritance which includes love, sinlessness, perfection, knowledge and eternal truth. These are a given once the son of God has prepared for them by accepting the Atonement for himself.
Afterword.
It may be tempting to look at these characteristics of God’s teachers and see them as goals or milestones to reach. Certainly as one begins to practice the lessons set forth in the Course and increasingly commits to its thought system there will be times, as the development of trust section reminds us, where we will become confused and even fearful. We may then look at ourselves and compare what we think we “see” with what we have discussed above and find ourselves wanting or even “on the mark”.
Remember though, any, absolutely any, comparison is of the ego.
The process of the Course is to awaken us to the presence of love by our seeing the obstacles we have placed before it and with the help of Jesus or the Holy Spirit, allow these obstacles to be judged for the nothingness they are. Our role is not to sit in judgement ourselves for that is simply repeating the original error once again in a not so hidden form. We are to learn to simply see these blocks, these obstacles that we have cherished over the truth of who we really are.
A little reflection will tell you that the characteristics of God’s teachers are not something we will consciously experience. Yes we may notice something of them in hindsight as we perhaps review an interaction with our previous encounters, however at the time you will not consciously experience them. At the time, who is there to experience? It would be better to simply be aware of those times when you do experience the absence or opposite of these characteristics. These are the times when you are fully plugged into the ego’s instruction. These are the times when you can simply ask for help.
Listed below are the characteristics of God’s teachers set aside some of the characteristics of the ego’s teachings. You could probably identify many others yourself.
| Characteristics of God’s Teachers | Characteristics of the ego’s teachers |
|---|---|
| Trust | Belief in being alone Belief in punishment Lack of trust Investment in outcome Concern about future Believing “I” must do something |
| Honesty | Feeling conflicted Feeling guilt |
| Tolerance | Judgement Condemnation Believing in differences Believing in a hierarchy of ideas Believing “I” must do something |
| Gentleness | Anger Hate Attack |
| Joy | Excitement Sadness Depression Anxiety Elation |
| Defencelessness | Vulnerability Fear Need to defend Need to prove “I am right” |
| Generosity | Belief in scarcity Specialness Loss is real |
| Patience | Concern about future “It depends on me!” Time running out Judging progress Need for solution now Need for visible solution |
| Faithfulness | Doubt Feeling ashamed Feeling unworthy Anxiety |
| Open-mindedness | Belief in form Closed to other ideas Closed to another interpretation. |
Final Word
The characteristics of God’s teachers are characteristics of his mind. They are not characteristics of behaviour, although they may be expressed that way. The point is that they may not be expressed behaviourally, especially as the world judges.
“The ideas represented herein are the personal interpretation and understanding of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the copyright holder of A Course in Miracles®.”
Portions from A Course in Miracles® © 1975
Reprinted by Permission of the
Foundation for Inner Peace, Inc.
P.O. Box 598
Mill Valley, California 94942-0598
Linda and James Hale