Chapter 2.XI.1-9 – The Basic Conflict

March 2, 2021

In the last section we learned of the power of the mind. In this section we will learn about how to use this power to heal the basic conflict. We have learned of the behaviour-will conflict and now we will delve more into the basic conflict, which is the conflict between creation and miscreation.

Jesus says, “it is now time to consider the whole world of the unconscious, or unwatched mind.” (1:3) He expands on and corrects the theories of Freud and other early psychoanalytic theorists to help us understand the truth about the mechanics of our conscious and subconscious mind and the way to use this knowledge for Atonement. This is a “new theory of basic conflict…” (1:5) Even if we just get this new theory intellectually, we will not be able to evade the truth of it entirely.

Remember we have learned that our mind is made up of three levels of awareness. There is the superconscious, from which revelation impulses come, the subconscious from which miracle impulses come and the conscious, which receives these impulses. Just below the conscious, just above the miracle level is the unconscious. If something is unconscious it is unwatched. Problems stemming from distortions of impulses are the result of the unwatched mind.

Expanding on Jung’s theory we learn that the miracle or subconscious level is a shared level in that the ability to perform miracles is shared collectively. Individually we contribute to this level including fear.

Freud called the unconscious the preconscious where there is easy transfer of information, sensations and understanding with the conscious. In the pre or unconscious there is a censor which is “an agent for the protection of the consciousness from fear.” (6:2) Therefore the censor interferes with the conscious understanding of the presence of fear.

Jesus uses and expands on Rank’s theory of “will therapy”. Rank theorized that “the patients will (is) the most constructive force in the therapeutic process” (footnote138)

 Jesus tells us that despite all of these great inroads into the understanding of fear and what it does no one has yet to “fully recognise either the therapeutic value of fear or the only way in which it can truly be ended.” (9:1) In other words, we can reclaim our will by mind watching and not allowing the censorship of our fear sensations. The goal should not be to abolish fear by censoring it but to understand its value in recognizing the fact that we have miscreated.

We believe our identity is an effect of forces outside of us. What has happened is that we have the concepts of cause and effect mixed up. “Actually Cause is a term properly belonging to God, and Effect, which should also be capitalized, is His Sonship.” (9:4)

Rank’s idea of birth trauma is another contribution to our understanding of fear. Jesus expands on this by saying “physical birth is not a trauma in itself. It can, however, remind the individual of the separation, which was a very real cause of fear.” (7:3-4)

Freud believed that the preconscious or unconscious where fear and its censor are located was necessary to the structure of the psyche but Jesus tells us that “if the psyche contains fearful levels from which it cannot escape without splitting, its integration is permanently threatened.” (6:4) What is needed is a way to correct the split mind and integrate the parts back into one.

It looks like we have developed great fear because of the trauma of the separation. The fear is introduced by us into the unconscious level and is controlled by our censor. We think that what we do not pay attention to is powerless. Instead we need to realize the power of our minds to miscreate or to create and become disciplined in watching them because “the unwatched mind is responsible for the whole content of the unconscious…” (2:1)

Reflection:

Take some time today to think about what Jesus is saying in these few paragraphs. It is not important to understand what each psychoanalytical theorist posited but to look at how Jesus is expanding on their work to teach us about the mechanics of our mind. We want to understand that fear is dealt with by the unconscious in the same way as revelation and miracle impulses. Each is being censored and distorted into something else. We deny the power of the mind and do not watch it. By watching our mind we take an active part in healing the split. These are the important things to remember.

How can you take an active role in watching your mind?

Suggested Practice:

I accept the power of my mind and am willing to watch it.