Dear Monk: First Same, Then Spirit
Dear Monk: To forgive someone do I remember that that they Spirit/God/Christ, like me?
Practically speaking, it’s not so much that they are Spirit/God/Christ like you, but that they have the same right mind, wrong mind, and ability to choose between the two, as you.
We’re not in touch with our true identity as Christ, or “a Oneness joined as One”, and can’t be (unless via revelation) so long as we experience we have a split mind. So within the dream our “true” identity is a decision maker identified with the right mind, as opposed to the wrong mind. Innocence rather than guilt. This is what we want to see in ourselves and others — namely, a shared problem (mis-identification), and shared solution (return to identification with the right mind). Shared interests, and shared needs, makes us all the same. This sameness is important. Essential.
We cannot see or experience Oneness from within a split mind, but we can see its reflection: sameness. This perception of sameness is what prepares and heals our mind to fearlessly go beyond sameness and awaken to Oneness.
So the practice of the Course is not to try and see sameness; it’s to be alert to when our mind sees differences. We then forgive this decision, and without judgment there to block it, the sane perception of sameness returns of itself. It is not forced, it comes when the space for it is made through forgiveness.
I’ve said all of the above just so we can understand what it means to see the Christ in your brother. You can’t, literally, see the Christ in your brother. As long as you think there is a you and a brother (duality) you can’t see Christ (Oneness/non-duality). And we’re not asked to see non-duality. But while you still think there is a you, you CAN see the reflection of Christ in your brother, and that reflection is sameness. And the perception of sameness occurs when you notice where you have made differences important, and have taken them to Jesus and his forgiveness.
So seeing the Christ in your brother is seeing your choice for differences forgiven.
