The sweetness and simplicity of a Course in Miracles (ACIM) really is shiny through one of its major principles: Regulations of Cause and Effect. This is distinctive from regulations of Attraction, individual on which so much has been written about these last few years. ACIM answers not only why things are the direction they are with the mind, but also how to implement these mind corrections needed to change your life. What it ultimately comes down to is the choice to change beliefs while staying these days, or the decision to correct the mind and return home.
Affirmations are not part of A program in Miracles as they are not necessary and here's why: There is a "wrong" ego mind, and a "right" ego mind, both that are still area of the same ego side of the split mind. Within the ego mind (error), the wrong side is all the negative judgments; and the right side is all the negative judgments trying to tell you how wonderful it is to live in this negative world. Neither is the truth of your nature nor where you are supposedly trying to return your thoughts, according to ACIM.
Regulations of Cause and Effect is this: According to the mind you use as cause, you will see the matching effect. Ideas do not leave their source: You.
Let's utilize this example:
Someone is feeling the effects of being "poor, inches or lack, these days and wants to change their beliefs to will have "rich" (abundance, prosperity, money) show up. Both "poor" and "rich" are judgments of the ego using it as cause which can only produce ego effect. Ego being an unstable thought system, what you choose as "rich" will eventually go and you wind up back with "poor. inches It's a question of "when. inches
The ego's choice system is: (1) one or the other: (2) poor or rich; and, (3) ego or God. It asks you to choose between two things within the ego illusion and not to choose out of the illusion.
This is in contrast to choosing correction of the mind (forgiveness) where both "poor" and "rich" do not exist. An option for correction of the mind allows the Holy Spirit Right Mind to be your cause which affects the you these days; however, it does not have the effects you imagine since the ego cannot relate. It returns a percentage of the mind to peace and ends senseless worry over rich and poor. It also produces effects in your life here but you will have to choose correction to experience them.
Let's look at how ACIM breaks this all on to a simple set of principles based on Cause and Effect. It only has a few components and when understood and used, they can be "mind" improving!
The Metaphysics:
Remember, according to ACIM, the mind is split by the ego's judgment that we could be separate, also known as the "tiny insane idea, inches or the error that never occurred. This component to the mind is simply hidden in darkness because it banished itself from Knowledge (Heaven and Oneness) when we did not remember to laugh off what could not be true. It did not, however, separate.
So in ACIM it is not about affirmations or changing beliefs, because the mind never left God and still lives at home with Him. There are no "belief" judgments in Love, Oneness, Heaven and Knowledge as everything is the same, all one, and nothing to trust or judge between.
Instead, it is all about changing your internal Teacher or rather, who you are listening to for handling of events these days. acim The only change is in the decision between the split mind (error) of the ego or the Holy Spirit Right Mind (correction) as that internal Teacher.
This is where the usability is evident in ACIM because there's no convincing the ego wrong and right mind of another thought processes. You simply give up what you no longer want. We do it all the time with ego stuff; and now we just do it with the ego beliefs themselves.
Forgiveness:
This says it all: Forgiveness is correction of the mind. In ACIM, there is nothing to reduce because no error has happened, i. e., no divorce happened. What one does is simply returning your thoughts to God, where it never left, and to its natural state of peace. To accomplish this is simply a choice of which side of the split mind to become for handling of events and turning over the judgments you no longer want to the Holy Spirit Right Mind for correction (forgiveness).
The Holy Spirit is the solution to the divorce slipped into the mind by God and every answer is there waiting for you. Atonement, forgiveness, solution and True Perception are other words that are synonymous. You should be ready use the Holy Spirit Right Mind for handling of events and do the actual work of giving judgments (beliefs) to this side of the mind, via your decision maker, because you no longer want them.
It really is that simple and only confusing because of the belief that the only choice is between ego judgments of "poor" and "rich, inches to use the earlier example, and not understanding about this third option being available. The decision for True Perception is to choose neither ego judgment and turn over both for correction of the mind. This is exactly what is takes to return the mind to God.
Decision Maker:
ACIM is aimed at choosing one maker in the mind. The whole point is that you have a choice of which side of the mind to become and use for handling. That is all that ever happened to begin with. It was an option to concentrate, believe and choose judgments of the ego that divorce happened and the producing sin, remorse and fear. Judgments can be terminated as easily as you dismiss anything else you do not want because they are not real.
Two things stop you from relinquishing judgments: (1) your add-on to them as being true and real; and, (2) not admitting how you feel keeps them hidden so you don't realize they are judgments.
You don't "feel" in Heaven, Knowledge and Oneness. It is an experience shared by One.
Choosing one maker is the mechanism between the two sides of the split mind. It is fairly neutral, an viewer and is something you have to employ to watch the mind and the judgments being of the ego. When you realize you have used something from the ego error of the wrong or right mind, be ready hand them to the solution, or the correction, of the Holy Spirit Right Mind. It takes care of the rest as the Atonement or solution is there. No affirmations are necessary. You are simply giving up whatever you no longer want. It is, and certainly can, be that easy.
Form and Content:
The last component to know from a Course in Miracles is form and content. Form is this world and everything in it. In ACIM, form does not matter and is area of the "beliefs" to be turned over. However, you use everything in form, along with the judgments mentally, as the subjects of what to turn over for correction (forgiveness).
What does matter is content and in ACIM, content is the mind. The mind you are using for handling (perception) of people, places, and things, etc., counts for everything. You can only have one master: (1) the Holy Spirit Right Mind (correction); or, (2) the ego wrong mind (error) and that includes both interpretations of the ego mind.
In conclusion, consider the simplicity of ACIM which is a Course in training your thoughts how to perceive properly. You must return the mind to peace because the Kingdom of God is peace and you cannot see the front door from judgment. You see peace in peace and while sharing peace with everyone.
All ACIM says is you have the determination to learn how to do this, study the ideas and then said into practice. The help you need will show up; but you, my friend, have to the work of this medially journey back into the mind.
Regulations of Cause and Effect is the form, or mind, you are using for handling will be your effect these days. It will affect you in other ways by returning your thoughts back to back to peace where you eventually see the illusion of choice, because no divorce occurred, and choose to give it up permanently.