It’s All An Illusion!

It’s All An Illusion! explores the topic of illusion from the perspective of A Course in Miracles and compares it with the Buddhist and Hindu views on the same subject. Topics covered include, among other things, the creation of the universe; the concept of being trapped in time; the ego’s tools of sickness, pain and death; the deviousness of the ego and how to overcome it; the One Mind; forgiveness and enlightenment.

The author visited a Hindu centre in London and spoke with a member of the Saraswati monastic order. She also visited two Buddhist centres and discussed the topics of illusion, detachment, contemplation and enlightenment with Buddhist monks there. And she interviewed a prominent A Course in Miracles teacher in London.

It’s All An Illusion! also delves into the teachings of numerous well known authors including Paul Brunton, Mary Baker Eddy, Joel Goldsmith, Ken Wilber, Ramana Maharishi, Swami Sivananda, Thich Nhat Hanh, Wei Wu Wei and David Hawkins, to name but a few.

It’s All An Illusion! is aimed at all those who are searching for meaning in life and who are trying to make sense out of a seemingly meaningless world. It has the aim of clarifying some of the teachings of A Course in Miracles and showing that forgiveness is one of the paths that will lead us out of the world of illusion and takes us back Home.

A passage from It’s All An Illusion!:

"....I see ACIM as being the Path of Forgiveness because when we realise that everything in the phenomenal world is an illusion, then we realise that all human beings are simply puppets ruled by an illusory, vulnerable and grasping ego. We are therefore not really to blame for our selfish thoughts, words and deeds because we know no better. However, upon awakening and becoming more conscious individuals, we gradually begin to overcome the ego, maybe initially at the subconscious level, but later it will inevitably be at the conscious level too. So we forgive people who are selfish, unkind, cruel, etc., because we recognise all those traits in ourselves and because we know it is not really their divine inner portion (or the “right” portion of their minds) that is acting this way. (We also have to learn how to forgive ourselves). We don’t condone their deeds but we understand that they stem from the illusory ego and not from the divine spark within.

There’s another way of looking at forgiveness. Since we made this whole world up and everything in it and it isn’t really happening although it appears to be, then there’s nothing to forgive. It may appear to be that someone offended me, stole from me, attacked me, but in reality that never happened, so all I can do is be aware of this and realise that there is nothing to forgive. “Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here”

....What makes the teachings of ACIM very special, in my opinion, is that they are positive, uplifting, encouraging and motivating. There is no emphasis on suffering, sacrifice, renunciation or difficult thought-stopping meditation. All we are asked to give up is illusion—the unreal. Lesson 322 states, “I can give up but what was never real” and it goes on to explain that we sacrifice illusions and only illusions. “And as illusions go I find the gifts illusions tried to hide, awaiting me in shining welcome, and in readiness to give God’s ancient message to me.” And in the Text we read, “There is no need to learn through pain. And gentle lessons are acquired joyously, and are remembered gladly. What gives you happiness you want to learn and not forget...”

It is made quite clear in the Course, however, that until we give up our belief in the body as being something real, we will not achieve salvation...."