Sitting in Silence: A Course in Miracles and Zen Shikantaza

Sitting in Silence: A Course in Miracles and Zen Shikantaza

At first glance, A Course in Miracles and Zen Buddhism seem worlds apart. One speaks of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit; the other rests in silence without reference to deity. Yet if we look closely at the later Workbook lessons in ACIM and compare them with Zen’s practice of shikantaza—“just sitting”—the resemblance is striking.

In the early Workbook lessons, ACIM often gives structured thoughts to repeat, gently retraining the mind to see differently. But as the lessons progress, words fall away. The instructions shift toward stillness: “Simply be quiet.” “Do nothing.” “Wait in silence.” The practice becomes less about repeating a phrase and more about resting in a Presence already here.

This is very close to the heart of Zen’s just sitting. In shikantaza, you take your seat and release all effort to manipulate the mind. Thoughts, sensations, and feelings come and go, but nothing needs to be grasped or pushed away. There is no mantra, no visualization, no striving—only the bare act of being present.

Both practices invite the same inner gesture: stop trying, let go, rest in what already is.

The difference lies mostly in interpretation. ACIM frames this stillness as entering God’s presence, a merging into love. Zen frames it as encountering reality as it is, ordinary and complete. But experientially, the silence feels nearly identical: a spaciousness beyond words, where striving drops away and a deeper ground of awareness reveals itself.

Whether we call it “God’s peace” or “just this,” both paths converge in the same doorway: sitting quietly, doing nothing, and remembering the completeness of now.

#acim

#workbook

#zen

#shikantaza

#justsitting

Sri Aurobindo's use of the term "Supermind" as that which is beyond the limits of the mind.

 

Found this quote by Sri Aurobindo. This quote explains exactly the stance of "A Course In Miracles" with the function of the Holy Spirit. Here it is called "Supermind" or "Supramental Light" by Sri Autobindo.

#ACIM

#SriAurobindo

ACIM Lesson 77. Today's Divine Entitlement: Embracing the Miracle Within (I am entitled to miracles).

Mittagong, NSW – July 21, 2025

Today's Divine Entitlement: Embracing the Miracle Within

As the sun rises today, we turn our minds to a truly empowering concept from A Course in Miracles: Lesson 77 – "I am entitled to miracles."

This isn't about magical thinking or trying to manipulate reality. This lesson reminds us that miracles aren't extraordinary events that defy natural law; they are the natural law of our true being. Miracles are the effortless corrections that occur when we align with our true Identity and our inherent oneness with God. They flow naturally from who we are.

The profound beauty of this lesson lies in its simplicity. We don't need to consciously control or direct miracles. They don't require immense effort or complicated rituals. Instead, our primary role is to recognize the need for a miracle when a situation arises that seems to defy peace, love, or resolution.

When faced with confusion, conflict, or any form of distress, simply pause and recall: "I am entitled to miracles." This isn't a plea; it's a statement of truth about your divine inheritance. By acknowledging the need and remembering your entitlement, you effortlessly usher in the miracle. It's a shift in perception, an opening of the mind to the loving solution that is always present.

It's an effortless process because it’s not about doing something to make a miracle happen, but about allowing it to happen by remembering who you truly are. Your very oneness with God ensures that miracles are not just possible, but inevitable.

Let's carry this profound truth with us today. When you encounter anything that seems less than perfect, simply whisper to yourself: "I am entitled to miracles." And watch as the gentle, loving correction unfolds.

💞🌞㈰☼

#ACIM #Lesson77 #Miracles #DivineEntitlement #Oneness #InnerPeace #EffortlessGrace

ACIM Lesson 76. Beyond Earthly Chains: Embracing God's Laws for True Freedom & Inner Guidance

Beyond Earthly Chains: Embracing God's Laws for True Freedom & Inner Guidance

ACIM Lesson 76, "I am under no laws but God's" offers a profound liberation. We often feel bound by countless rules – societal norms, scientific principles, even our own self-imposed limitations. But what if these are merely illusions, governing a reality that isn't truly real?

This lesson invites us to recognize that the ONLY laws that truly govern existence are God's. These divine laws are not about restriction, but about creation, love, and perfect order. They govern the true reality, a realm of unwavering peace, abundance, and interconnectedness.

When we mistakenly believe we are subject to the fluctuating, often harsh laws of the illusory world, we experience fear, scarcity, and conflict. However, by acknowledging that we are under no laws but God's, we begin to dismantle these false beliefs.

Embracing this truth isn't anarchy; it's ultimate freedom. It's the freedom to experience the inherent peace and joy that is our divine inheritance. It's the realization that true security comes not from controlling the external world, but from aligning with the perfect, loving laws of our Creator.

To truly integrate this lesson, we are encouraged to sit in silence and listen. In those quiet moments, we open ourselves to the Voice for God – that inner guidance that speaks only of truth, peace, and our eternal connection to love. This Voice will gently direct us, showing us how these divine laws operate in our lives, freeing us from the self-imposed prisons of fear and limitation.

Let's remember today: We are not victims of chaos or chance. We are governed by perfect love, guided by wisdom from within. And in that recognition lies our deepest peace.

💛💢

#ACIM #Lesson76 #DivineLaws #Freedom #Peace #SpiritualJourney #GodsLaws #InnerGuidance #VoiceForGod

Contemplative Comparison: ACIM Reviews & Advaita Vedanta's Path to Realization

Contemplative Comparison: ACIM Reviews & Advaita Vedanta's Path to Realization

For students of A Course in Miracles, the Review sections are vital. They're not just about rote memorisation; they're an invitation to deepen our understanding and experience. This process bears a striking resemblance to the ancient Advaita Vedanta tradition's three-fold path to self-realization: Sravana, Manana, and Nididhyasana (commonly used in Shankara-based traditions).

Sravana (Listening/Hearing): In Advaita, this is the initial exposure to the sacred texts and teachings from a qualified teacher. In ACIM's Review Section 1, we are asked to review the previously learned ideas, often doing so slowly and thoughtfully. This is our "hearing" of the truth, often for the first time in a way that truly resonates.

Manana (Reflection/Contemplation): After hearing, Advaita emphasizes deep reflection and intellectual assimilation to remove doubts. Similarly, ACIM's Review encourages us to "think about" each idea, allowing it to "sink in" and challenging any resistance or confusion that may arise. It's about letting the mind wrestle with the concept until clarity emerges and intellectual conviction takes root.

Nididhyasana (Meditation/Abiding): This is the experiential phase in Advaita, where one meditates deeply on the truths, transcending intellectual understanding to direct realization. ACIM mirrors this perfectly by instructing us to "close your eyes and practice" the ideas, allowing them to settle into our experience. It's not enough to simply understand; we are invited to be with the truth, to abide in it, allowing it to transform our perception and ultimately, our reality.

Both traditions, though culturally distinct, point to the same fundamental process: a systematic journey from initial exposure to profound, liberating realization. The ACIM Review, like Sravana, Manana, and Nididhyasana, is designed to move us beyond mere intellectual assent to an experience of the truth, guiding us home to the peace that is our natural inheritance.

📖👂⛅

Unveiling peace: diving deep with ACIM lesson 47 - going within and downward.

Unveiling Peace: diving deep with ACIM lesson 47

Lesson 47 of A Course in Miracles ("God is the strength in which I trust.") offers a powerful meditation instruction: to go "down, or below the surface of the mind." This isn't just a casual suggestion; it's a profound pointer that echoes through several previous lessons.

Reflect on earlier practices where we were encouraged to go inward and downward. This consistent direction can be extremely useful when starting out and requiring a physical location for attention or abiding, but more importantly, it's about shifting our focus from the noisy, superficial thoughts of the ego to the deeper, quieter truth within. The "surface of the mind" is where our anxieties, judgments, and illusions churn. By consciously choosing to go "below" it, we are actively disengaging from these distractions and seeking the stillness that lies beneath.

Lesson 47 solidifies this approach, guiding us to trust in a strength far beyond our own egoic capabilities. This strength, which is God, is found not in outward striving, but in this inward descent. It's in that deeper space, beyond the mind's surface chatter, that we truly connect with the unwavering peace and power that is our inherent right. So, as you practice today, remember: the path to trust and to God is often found by simply going down.

ACIM FIP lesson reference page:

https://acim.org/acim/lesson-47/god-is-the-strength-in-which-i-trust/en/s/449

ACIM Lesson 43 - Seeing and perceiving through the eyes of divinity.

 A Course in Miracles - Lesson 43 - "God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him."

This is really an exercise in learning to see and perceive 'the world' through the eyes of concept-free awareness or "God", as directed by the "Holy Spirit" who is the voice of our perfect self.

The effects of this lesson for the day can be quite unexpected and liberating. If done correctly, one may see all that one perceives through the eyes of perfect awareness and therefore love. What was seen as fearful and hated through the eyes of the ego (the individual, conditioned self) can be re-interpreted and purified by recalling that all seeing actually takes place via the one true Source of knowing and registering only (creation). Everything is seen as lovable and perfect.

Some key points with this lesson:

- It's recommended to perform the longer meditation sessions as early as possible and as late as possible (5 mins+ is good), with one in between. This is so that there's a good amount of carry-over during the day in terms of being able to draw on positive and like thoughts in relation to the idea.

- You'll be surprised at how easy it is to 'receive' constructive thoughts related to the idea whenever you pause today to recall the main idea for the day. These thoughts then act as pointers to direct one's experience in ACTUALLY seeing all through the eyes of divinity and thus experiencing reality as it is.

- A red flag would be any person or situation that triggers stress throughout the day, thus implying that we've reverted to the ego's way of perceiving things (in fantasy). In order to return to real vision of how things actually are, we're asked to use the idea and re-cognise that God is our Source (or origin). We can't actually see (or know) anything apart from this pure, perfect conscious awareness. The ego is undercut, and pure perception can thus arise once more.

- This is another example of 'forgiveness' in action, as how the Course defines it. We're forgiving the illusions that we've inadvertently made, in favour of reality.

Have fun with this powerful lesson in purifying perception today. 

💫💕🙏