Lesson 184

“The Name of God is my inheritance.”

You live by symbols. You have made up names for everything you
see. Each one becomes a separate entity, identified by its own name.
By this you carve it out of unity. By this you designate its special
attributes, and set it off from other things by emphasizing space
surrounding it. This space you lay between all things to which you
give a different name; all happenings in terms of place and time; all
bodies which are greeted by a name.

This space you see as setting off all things from one another is
the means by which the world’s perception is achieved. You see
something where nothing is, and see as well nothing where there is
unity; a space between all things, between all things and you. Thus do
you think that you have given life in separation. By this split you
think you are established as a unity which functions with an
independent will.

What are these names by which the world becomes a series of
discrete events, of things ununified, of bodies kept apart and holding
bits of mind as separate awarenesses? You gave these names to them,
establishing perception as you wished to have perception be. The
nameless things were given names, and thus reality was given them as
well. For what is named is given meaning, and will then be seen as
meaningful, a cause of true effects, with consequence inherent in itself.

This is the way reality is made by partial vision, purposefully set
against the given truth. Its enemy is wholeness. It conceives of little
things, and looks upon them. And a lack of space, a sense of unity or
vision which sees differently become the threats which it must
overcome, conflict with and deny.

Yet does this other vision still remain a natural direction for the
mind to channel its perception. It is hard to teach the mind a
thousand alien names and thousands more. Yet you believe this is
what learning means; its one essential goal by which communication
is achieved and concepts can be meaningfully shared.

This is the sum of the inheritance the world bestows. And
everyone who learns to think that it is so accepts the signs and
symbols which assert the world is real. It is for this they stand. They
leave no doubt that what is named is there. It can be seen, as is
anticipated. What denies that it is false is but illusion, for it is the
ultimate reality. To question it is madness; to accept its presence is the
proof of sanity.

Such is the teaching of the world. It is a phase of learning everyone
who comes must go through. But the sooner he perceives on what it
rests, how questionable are its premises, how doubtful its results, the
sooner does he question its effects. Learning which stops with what
the world would teach stops short of meaning. In its proper place, it
serves but as a starting point from which another kind of learning can
begin, a new perception can be gained, and all the arbitrary names the
world bestows can be withdrawn as they are raised to doubt.

Think not you made the world. Illusions, yes! But what is true
in earth and Heaven is beyond your naming. When you call upon a
brother, it is to his body that you make appeal. His true identity is
hidden from you by what you believe he really is. His body makes
response to what you call him, for his mind consents to take the
name you give him as his own. And thus his unity is twice denied, for
you perceive him separate from you, and he accepts this separate
name as his.

It would indeed be strange if you were asked to go beyond all
symbols of the world, forgetting them forever; yet were asked to take
a teaching function. You have need to use the symbols of the world a
while. But be you not deceived by them as well. They do not stand
for anything at all, and in your practicing it is this thought that will
release you from them. They become but means by which you can
communicate in ways the world can understand, but which you
recognize is not the unity where true communication can be found.

Thus what you need are intervals each day in which the
learning of the world becomes a transitory phase; a prison house
from which you go into the sunlight and forget the darkness. Here
you understand the Word, the Name Which God has given you; the
One Identity Which all things share; the one acknowledgment of
what is true. And then step back to darkness, not because you think it
real, but only to proclaim its unreality in terms which still have
meaning in the world which darkness rules.

Use all the little names and symbols which delineate the world of
darkness. Yet accept them not as your reality. The Holy Spirit uses all
of them, but He does not forget creation has One Name, One
Meaning, and a single Source Which unifies all things within Itself.
Use all the names the world bestows on them but for convenience,
yet do not forget they share the Name of God along with you.

God has no name. And yet His Name becomes the final lesson
that all things are one, and at this lesson does all learning end. All
names are unified; all space is filled with truth’s reflection. Every gap
is closed, and separation healed. The Name of God is the inheritance
He gave to those who chose the teaching of the world to take the
place of Heaven. In our practicing, our purpose is to let our minds
accept what He has given as the answer to the pitiful inheritance you
made as fitting tribute to the Son He loves.

No-one can fail who seeks the meaning of the Name of God.
Experience must come to supplement the Word. But first you must
accept One Name for all reality, and realize the many names you
gave its aspects have distorted what you see but have not interfered
with truth at all. One Name we bring into our practicing. One
Name we use to unify our sight.

And though we use a different name for each awareness of an
aspect of God’s Son, we understand that they have but One Name,
Which He has given them. It is this Name we use in practicing. And
through Its use, all foolish separations disappear which kept us blind.
And we are given strength to see beyond them. Now our sight is
blessed with blessings we can give as we receive.

Father, our Name is Yours. In It we are united with all living things and You Who are their One Creator. What we made and call by many different names is but a shadow we have tried to cast across Your Own Reality. And we are glad and thankful we were wrong. All our mistakes we give to You, that we may be absolved of all effects our errors seemed to have. And we accept the truth You give in place of every one of them. Your Name is our salvation and escape from what we made. Your Name unites us in the Oneness which is our inheritance and peace. Amen.

Britney Shawley added:

God has no name. And yet His Name becomes the final lesson that all things are one, and at this lesson does all learning end. All names are unified; all space is filled with truth's reflection. Every gap is closed, and separation healed. The Name of God is the inheritance He gave to those who chose the teaching of the world to take the place of Heaven. In our practicing, our purpose is to let our minds accept what God has given as the answer to the pitiful inheritance you made as fitting tribute to the Son He loves.