As you read today’s tip, keep the Four Principles of God in mind.
In today’s reading, Jesus says, “When you look at me as one who is in a body, you do not look at me at all.” At this point in our story, Jesus has awakened to the Second Principle of God, which is consciousness. As such, Jesus is aware of everything as consciousness. In A Course in Miracles, this way of seeing is called true perception and the real world. In other teachings, it is referred to as the unitive state or oneness.
Nisargadatta Maharaj said, “The very nature of the Self is love. It is love, loving and lovable.” He also said, “Love is not a result, it is the very ground of being. Wherever you go, you will find being, consciousness and love.” This is Jesus’ way of seeing.
Not too long ago, we did an exercise in the mind using the image of children’s molding clay. To understand the teaching in today’s story, let’s do a similar exercise.
- Imagine that you have a can of children’s molding clay, like Playdoh, in front of you. Imagine taking the clay out of the can. Set the clump of clay on the desk or table in front of you.
- Before beginning to mold anything out of the clay, spend time appreciating the clay itself. Imagine the color of the clay. Pick the clay up and feel what it feels like in your hands. Smell the clay. Appreciate the unlimited potential of the clay. Realize it can be molded into anything. The clay represents consciousness. Be with that thought for a moment before continuing to the next step.
- Begin to mold the clay into Jesus. See yourself creating a perfect image of him. Imagine using tools to create the fine features of his face, hair and clothing. When your image is complete, see it setting on the table or desk in front of you.
- Now, shift your perception. Instead of focusing on the image of Jesus—instead of focusing on his features, such as the face, hair and clothing—focus on the clay. Notice the color of the clay again. It is the same color as when you started. Notice the smell of the clay is the same. Pinch your molded image just enough to notice that the clay remains malleable, just as it was prior to creating this image. The clay is still clay. The clay represents consciousness. Be with that thought for a moment before continuing to the next step.
- Now, destroy the image of Jesus. Squish it. Tear it apart, and press the pieces back together into a formless clump of clay. Completely eliminate the image that was molded from the clay. When you are done, hold the clump of clay in your hand.
- Examine the clump of clay. Look at the color of the clay. Feel the clay in your hands. Smell the clay. The Jesus image is gone, but the clay is still clay. The clay represents consciousness. The clay itself is love. Jesus of NTI sees himself as the clay. He does not see himself as the image of a man called Jesus.
When you read today’s story, keep this exercise in mind. If you do, you will understand what Jesus means when he says, “When you look at me as one who is in a body, you do not look at me at all.” You will also understand his meaning when he says, “Remember that Love cannot die.” When Jesus talks about love, he is not talking about an emotion. Emotions come and go. Jesus is referring to consciousness and the unlimited potential of consciousness. That’s love.
As Nisargadatta Maharaj said:
“The very nature of the Self is love.”
“Love … is the very ground of being.”
Nisargadatta also said:
“The right use of mind is in the service of love…”
Contemplate that last quote along with what Jesus says about the “Servant” in today’s reading.
