T-2.I The Origins of Separation
1. To extend is a fundamental aspect of God which He gave to His Son.
²In the creation, God extended Himself to His creations and imbued them with the same loving Will to create.
³You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.
⁴There is no emptiness in you.
⁵Because of your likeness to your Creator you are creative.
⁶No child of God can lose this ability because it is inherent in what he is, but he can use it inappropriately by projecting.
⁷The inappropriate use of extension, or projection, occurs when you believe that some emptiness or lack exists in you, and that you can fill it with your own ideas instead of truth.
⁸This process involves the following steps:
⁹First, you believe that what God created can be changed by your own mind.
¹⁰Second, you believe that what is perfect can be rendered imperfect or lacking.
¹¹Third, you believe that you can distort the creations of God, including yourself.
¹²Fourth, you believe that you can create yourself, and that the direction of your own creation is up to you.
Expanded
To extend is a fundamental aspect of God which He [God] gave to His [God’s] Son.
²In the creation, God extended Himself [God’s own Self] to His [God’s] creations and imbued them [God’s-creations] with the same loving Will to create.
³You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.
⁴There is no emptiness in you.
⁵Because of your likeness to your Creator you are creative.
⁶No child of God can lose this [creative] ability because it [creative ability] is inherent in what he [a child of God] is, but he [a child of God] can use it [creative ability] inappropriately by projecting.
⁷The inappropriate use of extension, or projection, occurs when you believe that some emptiness or lack exists in you, and that you can fill it [emptiness or lack] with your own ideas instead of truth.
⁸This process [filling emptiness with projection] involves the following steps:
⁹First, you believe that what God created can be changed by your own mind.
¹⁰Second, you believe that what is perfect can be rendered imperfect or lacking.
¹¹Third, you believe that you can distort the creations of God, including yourself.
¹²Fourth, you believe that you can create yourself, and that the direction of your own creation is up to you.
Substituted
To extend is a fundamental aspect of God which God gave to God’s Son.
²In the creation, God extended God’s own Self to God’s creations and imbued God’s creations with the same loving Will to create.
³You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.
⁴There is no emptiness in you.
⁵Because of your likeness to your Creator you are creative.
⁶No child of God can lose this creative ability because creative ability is inherent in what a child of God is, but a child of God can use creative ability inappropriately by projecting.
⁷The inappropriate use of extension, or projection, occurs when you believe that some emptiness or lack exists in you, and that you can fill emptiness or lack with your own ideas instead of truth.
⁸The process of filling emptiness with projection involves the following steps:
⁹First, you believe that what God created can be changed by your own mind.
¹⁰Second, you believe that what is perfect can be rendered imperfect or lacking.
¹¹Third, you believe that you can distort the creations of God, including yourself.
¹²Fourth, you believe that you can create yourself, and that the direction of your own creation is up to you.
Simplified
You are God’s Son.
You are creative.
You misuse creativity by projecting.
You project because you believe you lack something.
2. These related distortions represent a picture of what actually occurred in the separation, or the ‘detour into fear’.
²None of this existed before the separation, nor does it actually exist now.
³Everything God created is like Him.
⁴Extension, as undertaken by God, is similar to the inner radiance that the children of the Father inherit from Him.
⁵Its real source is internal.
⁶This is as true of the Son as of the Father.
⁷In this sense the creation includes both the creation of the Son by God, and the Son’s creations when his mind is healed.
⁸This requires God’s endowment of the Son with free will, because all loving creation is freely given in one continuous line, in which all aspects are of the same order.
Expanded
These related distortions [the attempts to fill emptiness with projection] represent a picture of what actually occurred in the separation, or the ‘detour into fear’.
²None of this [distortions] existed before the separation, nor does it [distortions] actually exist now.
³Everything God created is like Him [God].
⁴Extension, as undertaken by God, is similar to the inner radiance that the children of the Father inherit from Him [God].
⁵Its [extension’s] real source is internal.
⁶This [the source of extension is internal] is as true of the Son as of the Father.
⁷In this sense the creation includes both the creation of the Son by God, and the Son’s creations when his mind is healed.
⁸This [son’s creations] requires God’s endowment of the Son with free will, because all loving creation is freely given in one continuous line, in which all aspects [of creation] are of the same order.
Substituted
These related distortions — the attempts to fill emptiness with projection — represent a picture of what actually occurred in the separation, or the ‘detour into fear’.
²None of these distortions existed before the separation, nor do distortions actually exist now.
³Everything God created is like God.
⁴Extension, as undertaken by God, is similar to the inner radiance that the children of the Father inherit from God.
⁵Extension’s real source is internal.
⁶The source of extension is internal is as true of the Son as of the Father.
⁷In this sense the creation includes both the creation of the Son by God, and the Son’s creations when the-Son’s mind is healed.
⁸The Son’s creations require God’s endowment of the Son with free will, because all loving creation is freely given in one continuous line, in which all aspects of creation are of the same order.
Simplified
Everything God creates is like God.
You can create just as God creates.
3. The Garden of Eden, or the preseparation condition, was a state of mind in which nothing was needed.
²When Adam listened to the ‘lies of the serpent’, all he heard was untruth.
³You do not have to continue to believe what is not true unless you choose to do so.
⁴All that can literally disappear in the twinkling of an eye because it is merely a misperception.
⁵What is seen in dreams seems to be very real.
⁶Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upon Adam, and nowhere is there reference to his waking up.
⁷The world has not yet experienced any comprehensive reawakening or rebirth.
⁸Such a rebirth is impossible as long as you continue to project or miscreate.
⁹It still remains within you, however, to extend as God extended His Spirit to you.
¹⁰In reality this is your only choice, because your free will was given you for your joy in creating the perfect.
Expanded
The Garden of Eden, or the preseparation condition, was a state of mind in which nothing was needed.
²When Adam listened to the ‘lies of the serpent’, all he [Adam] heard was untruth.
³You do not have to continue to believe what is not true unless you choose to do so [continue to believe what is not true].
⁴All that [what is not true] can literally disappear in the twinkling of an eye because it [what is not true] is merely a misperception.
⁵What is seen in dreams seems to be very real.
⁶Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upon Adam, and nowhere is there reference to his [Adam’s] waking up.
⁷The world has not yet experienced any comprehensive reawakening or rebirth.
⁸Such a rebirth is impossible as long as you continue to project or miscreate.
⁹It still remains within you, however, to extend as God extended His [God’s] Spirit to you.
¹⁰In reality this [extending as God extended God’s Spirit to you] is your only choice, because your free will was given you for your joy in creating the perfect.
Substituted
The Garden of Eden, or the preseparation condition, was a state of mind in which nothing was needed.
²When Adam listened to the ‘lies of the serpent’, all Adam heard was untruth.
³You do not have to continue to believe what is not true unless you choose to continue to believe what is not true.
⁴All what is not true can literally disappear in the twinkling of an eye, because what is not true is merely a misperception.
⁵What is seen in dreams seems to be very real.
⁶Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upon Adam, and nowhere is there reference to Adam waking up.
⁷The world has not yet experienced any comprehensive reawakening or rebirth.
⁸Such a rebirth is impossible as long as you continue to project or miscreate.
⁹It still remains within you, however, to extend as God extended His Spirit to you.
¹⁰In reality, extending as God extended God’s Spirit to you is your only choice, because your free will was given you for your joy in creating the perfect.
Simplified
You are dreaming you need something.
We are all still dreaming.
You can wake up any time.
You can extend the truth.
4. All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God.
²Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this.
³Here is the real basis for your escape from fear.
⁴The escape is brought about by your acceptance of the Atonement, which enables you to realize that your errors never really occurred.
⁵Only after the deep sleep fell upon Adam could he experience nightmares.
⁶If a light is suddenly turned on while someone is dreaming a fearful dream, he may initially interpret the light itself as part of his dream and be afraid of it.
⁷However, when he awakens, the light is correctly perceived as the release from the dream, which is then no longer accorded reality.
⁸This release does not depend on illusions.
⁹The knowledge that illuminates not only sets you free, but also shows you clearly that you are free.
Expanded
All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God.
²Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this [usurp the power of God].
³Here [being unable to usurp the power of God] is the real basis for your escape from fear.
⁴The escape is brought about by your acceptance of the Atonement, which enables you to realize that your errors never really occurred.
⁵Only after the deep sleep fell upon Adam could he [Adam] experience nightmares.
⁶If a light is suddenly turned on while someone is dreaming a fearful dream, he [the dreamer] may initially interpret the light itself [the light’s own self] as part of his [the-dreamer’s] dream and be afraid of it [the light].
⁷However, when he [the dreamer] awakens, the light is correctly perceived as the release from the dream, which [dream] is then no longer accorded reality.
⁸This release [from the dream] does not depend on illusions.
⁹The knowledge that illuminates not only sets you free, but also shows you clearly that you are free.
Substituted
All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God.
²Of course, you neither can nor have been able to usurp the power of God.
³Being unable to usurp the power of God is the real basis for your escape from fear.
⁴The escape is brought about by your acceptance of the Atonement, which enables you to realize that your errors never really occurred.
⁵Only after the deep sleep fell upon Adam could Adam experience nightmares.
⁶If a light is suddenly turned on while someone is dreaming a fearful dream, the dreamer may initially interpret the light’s own self as part of the-dreamer’s dream and be afraid of the light.
⁷However, when the dreamer awakens, the light is correctly perceived as the release from the dream; the dream is then no longer accorded reality.
⁸Release from the dream does not depend on illusions.
⁹The knowledge that illuminates not only sets you free, but also shows you clearly that you are free.
Simplified
You have a misperception that you can usurp the power of God.
This misperception puts you in a nightmare.
Undoing this misperception will release you from fear.
Wake up and see the light.
You are free.
5. Whatever lies you may believe are of no concern to the miracle, which can heal any of them with equal ease.
²It makes no distinctions among misperceptions.
³Its sole concern is to distinguish between truth on the one hand, and error on the other.
⁴Some miracles may seem to be of greater magnitude than others.
⁵But remember the first principle in this course; there is no order of difficulty in miracles.
⁶In reality you are perfectly unaffected by all expressions of lack of love.
⁷These can be from yourself and others, from yourself to others, or from others to you.
⁸Peace is an attribute in you.
⁹You cannot find it outside.
¹⁰Illness is some form of external searching.
¹¹Health is inner peace.
¹²It enables you to remain unshaken by lack of love from without and capable, through your acceptance of miracles, of correcting the conditions proceeding from lack of love in others.
Expanded
Whatever lies you may believe are of no concern to the miracle, which can heal any of them [lies] with equal ease.
²It [the miracle] makes no distinctions among misperceptions.
³Its [the-miracle’s] sole concern is to distinguish between truth on the one hand, and error on the other [hand].
⁴Some miracles may seem to be of greater magnitude than others [miracles].
⁵But remember the first principle in this course; there is no order of difficulty in miracles.
⁶In reality you are perfectly unaffected by all expressions of lack of love.
⁷These [expressions of lack of love] can be from yourself and others, from yourself to others, or from others to you.
⁸Peace is an attribute in you.
⁹You cannot find it [peace] outside.
¹⁰Illness is some form of external searching.
¹¹Health is inner peace.
¹²It [inner peace] enables you to remain unshaken by lack of love from without and capable, through your acceptance of miracles, of correcting the conditions proceeding from lack of love in others.
Substituted
Whatever lies you may believe are of no concern to the miracle, which can heal any lie with equal ease.
²The miracle makes no distinctions among misperceptions.
³The-miracle’s sole concern is to distinguish between truth on the one hand, and error on the other hand.
⁴Some miracles may seem to be of greater magnitude than other miracles.
⁵But remember the first principle in this course; there is no order of difficulty in miracles.
⁶In reality you are perfectly unaffected by all expressions of lack of love.
⁷Expressions of lack of love can be from yourself and others, from yourself to others, or from others to you.
⁸Peace is an attribute in you.
⁹You cannot find peace outside.
¹⁰Illness is some form of external searching.
¹¹Health is inner peace.
¹²Inner peace enables you to remain unshaken by lack of love from without and capable, through your acceptance of miracles, of correcting the conditions proceeding from lack of love in others.
Simplified
The miracle heals all misperceptions.
Health is inner peace.
With health you can accept miracles and correct errors.