Mind and Spirit
Mind, Spirit and Love are three aspects or qualities that God shared with us in our creation according to A Course in Miracles
“Father, Your Mind created all that is, Your Spirit entered into it, Your Love gave life to it.” W-pII.263.1
Many seem to equate the higher mind with spirit, but the Course differentiates between spirit and mind.
“Spirit is therefore unalterable because it is already perfect, but the mind can elect what it chooses to serve. The only limit put on its choice is that it cannot serve two masters. If it elects to do so, the mind can become the medium by which spirit creates along the line of its own creation. If it does not freely elect to do so, it retains its creative potential but places itself under tyrannous rather than Authoritative control.” T-1.V.5
Whereas the Spirit is “perfect” and “unalterable” the mind is not and is split into right and wrong mindedness which produces this world along with its problems:
“Sickness is not of the body, but of the mind. All forms of sickness are signs that the mind is split, and does not accept a unified purpose.” T-8.IX.8
The Course elaborates a number of times about the two levels of thought held by the mind.
“Thoughts can represent the lower or bodily level of experience, or the higher or spiritual level of experience. One makes the physical, and the other creates the spiritual.” T-1.I.12
These two states are often called the lower and higher mind or right and wrong-mindedness.
Unlike the Spirit “Only the mind is capable of error… It is essential to remember that only the mind can create, and that correction belongs at the thought level. To amplify an earlier statement, spirit is already perfect and therefore does not require correction.” T-2.V.1-2
Another difference between spirit and mind is, “Only the mind is capable of illumination. Spirit is already illuminated and the body in itself is too dense.” T-2.V.6
The word Spirit is used in several ways in the Course. The most common use is in connection to the Holy Spirit
Unlike Spirit and Mind the Holy Spirit was created after the separation;
“He came into being with the separation as a protection, inspiring the Atonement principle at the same time. Before that there was no need for healing, for no one was comfortless.” T-5.I.5.
The “Holy Spirit, Who was God’s Answer to the separation.” T-17.IV.4
The Holy Spirit has the special function of being aware of both worlds and mediating between them.
“The Holy Spirit mediates higher to lower communication, keeping the direct channel from God to you open for revelation.” T-1.II.5
On the other hand, when the Course specifically mentions “Spirit” it refers to a perfected aspect that existed before the separation
For instance, we are told that God’s spirit entered into all his creations W-pII.263.1 and
“God extended His Spirit to you.” T-2.I.3
In lesson 97 the Sonship declares: “I am spirit.” For “God did create spirit in His Own Thought and of a quality like to His Own.” T-3.V.7
We therefore existed as perfected spirits, before the separation and before the creation of the Holy Spirit.
What then is the difference between the Holy Spirit and Spirit itself?
The difference is that pure Spirit, as it was created in heaven, has nothing to do with this world, and is not even aware of it. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit was created as a mediator between the worlds to establish a link between the sleeping Sons and Spirit.
“Spirit is the part that is still in contact with God through the Holy Spirit, Who abides in this part but sees the other part as well.” C-1.3
It is interesting that in the original edition the text refers to our spiritual essence as our Soul, but the FIP changed most of these to the word “Spirit.”
It explains this in the clarification of terms
The term “soul” is not used except in direct biblical quotations because of its highly controversial nature. It would, however, be an equivalent of “spirit,” with the understanding that, being of God, it is eternal and was never born. C-1.3.
Indeed, the Course encourages us to realize that we are Spirit and we need to listen to its voice:
“Why should you listen to the endless insane calls you think are made upon you, when you can know the Voice for God is in you? God commended His Spirit to you, and asks that you commend yours to Him. He wills to keep it in perfect peace, because you are of one mind and spirit with Him.” T-5.VII.3
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