A Course in Miracles (ACIM) teaches us that the physical world is an unreal world created by the ego as a place in which to house the equally unreal physical body. God created us as Spirit and Mind, which is the creative aspect of the spirit; He did not create the physical body or the physical world. The unreality of the physical world is, of course, very difficult for us to understand given the fact that everything in the world seems so solid and so real. But Jesus tells us that we don’t have to deny this world, because if we do that, we would be denying the creative power of the mind. He just asks us not to focus on the body or on the world of form.

So how, then, do we look upon this world? Pure non-dualists may look upon the beauty of nature and remain unmoved by it because they are aware that it was not created by God. That is a perfectly valid way of looking at it. But it seems to me that while we still appear to be in this dream world, if we turn away from all that is beautiful and lovely, it would be like closing one’s heart chakra. I am still moved by nature: by the beauty of a green landscape, by the billowing waves upon a beach, by golden sunsets, the signs of spring bursting forth after a long cold winter, a red rose… I would find it difficult not to love all these. Equally, seeing little children play, watching animals, gazing at birds, listening to the sounds of the violin, seeing forgiveness in action…also seem to open my heart centre. If I turned away from all that wouldn’t I be closing down a part of me?

In The Jeshua Letters, p.186, Jesus says: “The earth and all that abides in it, knows no thoughts of Separation from the Holy Father. It is for this reason that all who desire to awaken are attracted to nature. It is why even I journeyed to the desert.”

And in Chapter 12 of A Course in Miracles, he says: “You do not want the world. The only thing of value in it is whatever part of it you look upon with love. This gives it the only reality it will ever have. Its value is not in itself, but yours in you. As self-value comes from self-extension, so does the perception of self-value come from the extension of loving thoughts outward….” T228.

So, even though I know this is an unreal world, it is not wrong to feel love whilst I am in it. The love does not come from the things that I am gazing upon; it comes from the love within me, which comes from my Higher Self, my connection to God.