Corresponding Manual for Teachers Section

Chapter 4: Teacher / Individual Questions

6. How Is Correction Made?

Correction of a lasting nature, and only this is true Correction, cannot be made until the Teacher of the Divine has ceased to confuse interpretation with fact, or illusion with Truth. If the teacher contends with their student about a magic thought or perceived enchantment belief, opposes it, and tries to establish its error or demonstrate its falsity, they are merely witnessing to their belief in its reality. Sadness and depression are then inevitable, for they have “proved” both to their student and themself that it is their task to escape from what is real. And this can only be impossible.

Enchantment beliefs and magic thoughts are merely shifting shadows, but Reality is changeless. Otherwise awakening would be simply the same age-old “impossible dream” in but another form. Yet the happy dream of awakening has the fresh content of Reality, not illusions. Thus it is not the form alone in which the difference between the impossible dream of illusions and the inevitable Outcome of awakening is to be found.

The major lesson of the Divine’s Teachers is to learn how to respond to beliefs in enchantment magic, fantasy thinking, and to all illusions wholly without anger or other illusions of their own. Only in this way can they proclaim the Truth about themselves and their students. Through teacher and student, the Holy Spirit can now speak of the Reality of the Children of the Divine. Now It can remind the world of Innocence, the one unchanged, unchangeable Condition of all that the Divine created. Now Spirit can speak the Divine’s Word of Truth and Love to ears that can hear, and bring Divine Essence’s Vision to eyes that can see. Now is It free to teach all minds the Truth of what they are, so they will gladly allow themselves to be returned to the Divine. For now has guilt been forgiven, seen beyond completely through true beholding.

In an ancient moment, still being relived again and again, madness shrieked: “Guilt is real!” And Reality seemed to be blotted out as this insane belief was taken as replacement for the Divine’s Nature and Name. The body’s senses became the instruments of what was accepted as true, and alone were heeded. The body’s little space and tiny breath became the measure of reality. And Life became diminutive and meaningless. Correction has given one Answer to all of this, and to the world that rests on it:

You merely mistook interpretation for the Truth. And you were wrong. But a mistake is not a sin, nor has Reality been taken from Its Foundation of eternal Perfection by your mistakes. The Divine is All forever, and Its gentle Laws alone prevail upon Everything that has Being. Its Love remains the Heart of all Creation. Fear is illusion, for you are like your Creator.

In order to heal and awaken, it thus becomes essential for the Teachers of the Divine to let all their own mistakes be corrected. If they sense even the faintest hint of irritation in themselves as they respond to anyone or anything, let them instantly realize that they have made an interpretation that is not true. Then let them turn within to their Guide, and let Its Interpretation be received. So are they healed, and in their healing are their students healed with them.

The sole responsibility of the Divine’s Teachers is always to accept the Atonement for themselves. Atonement means Correction, or the undoing of errors and all of their apparent effects. Allowing this to be accomplished, the Teachers of the Divine become miracle workers by definition. Through extending forgiveness in the Circle of Atonement, their mistakes have been forgiven them, and they no longer condemn themselves. How can they then condemn anyone? And who is there whom their forgiveness can fail to heal?”