We’re about to delve deeply into the principles and process of Atonement. This is the forgiveness process, the means through which we exchange our perception of suffering for miracles instead. The Atonement brings about the gradual reversal of all our ego beliefs, values and laws. In short, it is a monumental un-learning accomplishment, because it thoroughly reverses the ego’s cause and effect. This is the undoing of the ego’s world of suffering.Â
Only three years ago I discovered the critical principles involved in forgiveness, as Jesus teaches it. Like most Course students, I thought forgiveness would take place automatically when I set my good intentions to forgive. Yet I was clearly missing something; countless futile attempts at forgiveness over the years proved there must be some error or omission on my part. With all my heart, I then asked Jesus to teach me—to show me what he really means by forgiveness and Atonement.
According to Jesus, we spent millions of years teaching our self to separate from God’s Love—and now we need to un-learn or reverse, via the miracle, the destructive illusions we have brought into being. For forgiveness and miracles to take place, there are seven critical principles that must first be accepted. These seven principles contain reality-reversal properties in themselves, but when combined together, they act to bring in the mighty power of God’s Love and healing.
A word of warning: Don’t presume you already know these principles, just because they may sound familiar. Believe me, these are principles that must be learned through consistent application. It’s only in their consistent application that undeniable miracles will unfold. This is how unswerving trust is developed in the power of God’s Love and healing.
You’ve undoubtedly noticed I often repeat certain themes and principles, especially regarding Atonement. It’s because I’m aware of the way our minds work: We understand a concept fully, which might lead us to think we’ve mastered this process. Yet when we are hit with a special challenge, a fear or issue that renders us temporarily insane, we tend to completely forget these principles—no matter how thorough our comprehension. In the frequent repetition of this material, my aim is to allow these concepts to sink in deeply, beyond the surface understanding of the intellect.
 For until these Truths become our natural default, we must be vigilant in our practice. These thought-reversal principles appear so often precisely because we need reminding over and over until they become second nature. Until this happens, please do book mark these pages on the Atonement/forgiveness process. Better still—print them out and keep them handy.
The key to opening to the Atonement is “Self-acceptance” especially when we’re feeling tempted by the appearance of adversity. I am learning to accept my Self but that doesn’t mean I accept the ego’s projection such as conflict, sickness, pain, disaster, etc. The key here is that I express sincere remorse to myself for having BELIEVED in the ego’s projection. For me and probably for many, the stumbling block is self-doubt. And when there is a spike of self-doubt, instead of bullying myself I’m learning to do the opposite. I apologize to myself first by saying, “I’m sorry for believing that thought or belief. Please forgive me. I Love you.”
I have found that this immediately disarms the ego’s critical judgment and opens my heart to accept and receive God’s Love in the form of correcting my perception; the Atonement or forgiveness. It is a declaration stating that I recognize my distorted perception is the singular cause of my distress. And I am genuinely sorry to myself for the upset it caused from having believed that I could be attacked (by another, myself, the body, pain, illness, financial lack, depression, etc).
I want another way of seeing this. Now it can be healed. I am learning to express unconditional Love to myself and this is peace because it undoes unconscious self-resentment as self-attack. No one can Love me unconditionally until I Love myself unconditionally. Until I learn to Love myself unconditionally I won’t allow myself to RECEIVE Love.
The seven basic principles of forgiveness/Atonement are:
1) Apply true denial. Recall there is only one Power, and it is God’s Loving Will. Therefore, steadfastly deny anything not of God’s Love the power to hurt you or anyone else.
2) Place cause and effect in their proper sequence. No matter the form of problem, all cause is in your mind and nowhere else. If you believe the cause is anywhere but in your mind, you will be unable to heal the cause or its seeming symptoms. Recall that unconscious guilt is self-attack projected outward. There is no one to forgive except yourself, for unconsciously using others, the body, the past or the world to attack you.
3) Make healing of your mistaken perception your priority over all else. You must desire to have your perception of the illness or problem healed, more than you want a physical healing, a physical miracle.
4) Look past appearances. Look beyond what your physical senses tell you of reality. The ego sends these senses out to report back exactly what it wants us to see; they will always confirm “proof” of separation and suffering.
5) Remember there is no hierarchy of illusions. One illusion is never truer or bigger than another. They’re all equally illusory. As we accept and practice this principle, we also learn and demonstrate that there is no order of difficulty in miracles. One miracle is not harder or more impossible to achieve than any other. By accepting and demonstrating the illusory nature of illusions, and the maximal power of miracles, we undo everything the ego made to attack us.
6) Accept the AtonementÂ
In accepting Atonement, we immediately join with and receive God’s certain Will for healing. This unequivocally replaces the ego’s wish to be unfairly treated. This is the miracle! No matter where we see suffering, we must accept the Atonement, the miracle, for our self. If we perceive suffering in another, the past, the body or the world, healing must be accepted in our own mind first. This is the divine undoing of fear and guilt in our perception.
7) Trust in God’s Love and healing with GRATITUDE! It is already done. Doubt and trust are mutually exclusive. If we doubt, we cannot accept healing. Trust also comes together with GRATITUDE. Feeling a sense of gratitude seals our trust completely.Â
SHORT VERSION OF FORGIVENESS PRAYER
You can use this in any instant that you feel triggered emotionally or physically. When expressed with heartfelt sincerity, this is an exceptionally powerful prayer that initiates the miracle:
“Holy Spirit, please help me to forgive MYSELF for having unknowingly used___(person, pain, sickness, lack, anxiety, self-judgment, anger, etc)____to attack myself, and to separate from your Love as my Holy Self. Amen.”
Â
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Dear Nouk,
This is the third time I have been prompted to come out of lurkdom to leave a comment. Your beautiful ability to help others to really and truly “get” the Course is magnificent. Jesus is speaking through you as clearly in 2013 as He did in the 60s/70s through Helen and Bill. 🙂 I personally am finally starting to let go of my tendency to want to control everything. Along with the guilt that comes with finding that I can’t, in reality, control anything other than my own fear. And the beautiful accompanying picture of Jesus’ open hands is now my desktop background. Much Love to you, Nouk! Denise
I am with you all the way Denise! We’re coming Home! Amen.
Much Love,
Nouk 🙂
🙏 please join.
I am “seeing” I am cutting out off my Forgiveness practice by falling in deep sleep waken up by a loud snore .
I am now vigilant to Forgiveness practice and there is a real sense of the love
But also the ego diving in,
trying to OWN me
and the ego trying to do whatever to stop this.
Keep the faith! Your awakening FROM suffering (ego temptation and pursuit of guilt/self-attack) is inevitable đź’™
This is Beautiful… I will contact you for a link to this article… I just wrote ‘my version’ of atonement (Accepting Atonement is a Verb)lololo… I really want to link to this.. Clarity Plus Plus Plus… Thank you my Sweet Friend!! xoxoxo
I read yoor book! Really so important for my Way. Please: my english y so poor… i would appreciate your messages in spanish! Thank You Nouk.
Hola Jorge, me alegra mucho que estés leyendo uno de mis libros. Mi segundo libro también está disponible ahora en español en México. Aquà está el enlace https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0C1J1Y5LK
Lees todos mis blogs en español tambiĂ©n. Simplemente vaya al blog de su elecciĂłn y haga clic en la esquina superior derecha para seleccionar el idioma español. TambiĂ©n puedes unirte a nuestra maravillosa familia hispanohablante en lĂnea cada semana para estudiar este libro. Están en Argentina:
https://nouksanchez.com/es/
Muchas bendiciones para ti… Nouk Sanchez
The sad things is that I am realizing that the go is nota cooperative partner nut a very violent and abusive partner and is verry sel obsessed…a real abusive and toxic partner who like chaos and confusion .
This is very helpful that you’re seeing the ego as an abusive partner. Now you can choose only Love, healing and joy Rick. 🙂
The best line that jumped off the page for me was that Truth must become our default. Love you Nouk. Thanks for your gift of sharing.
🙂
Thank You…. thinking will take one principle to work each day, then progress. Otherwise, it does seem overwhelming to remember it all…. ha! Love You.
Jeri, we’re looking into an acronym that might make it easier to recall the 7 principles. Will announce it when (if?) it arrives.
Love you,
🙂
Thanks so much Nouk. I am feeling amazingly blessed with all your writing and in the last few weeks I feel as if I have moved lightyears in my awakening. Wow! Wow! My entire body/mind feel different, lighter. I feel so free and happy as if I have nothing to be concerned about. I GET how important true denial is, and I continually invoke only God’s Will and Law.
As I watch the dark spots of guilt and judgement coming up I am having a laugh at ego’s attempt to have me see a problem (as if there really is one) outside of me. I was walking home from work this afternoon watching this crazy chatter going on and I started having such a good chuckle. Today they had no power. I know where they come from and I’m not buying it any more.
WIth these experiences I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the ONLY thing that needs to heal is in my mind. That’s all I want because when my mind is healed then ALL I will be aware of is God’s perfect Will and Law and all else will follow in perfect order.
I cannot believe my eyes as long as I choose to be in ego’s canoe. I will not give any power to the dark visions that seem to report death and suffering because that is NOT God’s Will for His perfect and innocent Son. I choose to see miracles and that is all I expect to see. There IS no order of difficulty in miracles. That is what I am learning to see NOW. Miracles are natural and if they don’t appear to be occurring then I have a perception problem and I have ASKED Jesus to help me to heal my mind so I can see as he sees.
I have no doubt that this has already happened. I feel as if I am in the midst of the only good that is mine, The Love of God and His wonderful Law the prevails within me. I am not separate from His Love and because I am His innocent Child I deserve to inherit His Kingdom NOW.
I am in tears of gratefulness as I write this. I feel washed by love and joy. This is the best Christmas present. You are such a wonderful gift and I don’t have words to express how blessed I am to have found your teaching. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
We walk together Mary Ann. And what a joy it is!
Love you,
Nouk 🙂
Hi everyone, thanks Nouk for all you give and it is recied, I loved what Rick said about the abussive partnership, that was so helpful for me.
Thank you so much for your beautiful posting. If you ever travel to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (a very safe place), we have a group that has been meeting for two years, and we would love to meet you. Blessings!
Thank you Marta! Yes, one day I’d love to visit and join your group 🙂
Warm blessings,
Nouk
Thank you Nouk, have a wonderful Christmas to and yours all the best for 2014.
Love every thing you write God bless you.
Merry Christmas
Helen
Typo error meaning “to you and yours” xx
Hi Nouk
I love this and your book but I am stuck with this point:
In living as my Unified Self and in love and truth, I overlook and forgive the errors of my partner. But how do I avoid becoming a doormat and him behaving as he wishes? To let him know he has overstepped boundaries produces guilt in him and this is all ego.
If I have overlooked and forgiven errors, how do I decide whether the relationship is right for me? Because if I use these things to decide that the relationship is not right for me, then I have not truly forgiven, since I am remembering them. And if the past doesn’t exist, only now, then on what basis do we decide if the relationship can continue?
I hope you understand what I am trying to express! If you have already written about this then I apologise – please just point me to the right link.
Thank you so much! Your book has truly helped me on my journey of enlightenment.
Nicola
Hi Nicola,
First up, if you truly want to undo the ego thought system and make considerable headway quickly, I suggest you do Lisa Natoli’s 40-Day Commitment to God Program. It’s online and free. The next program begins May 1st: Here’s the link to sign up: http://teachersofgod.org/programs/40day/#.Ut8OLsvn_bg
Forgiveness is always for YOURSELF. It’s never forgiveness of another. The unconscious ego uses others, the past, the body and the world all to attack you. While you still believe your partner NEEDS forgiveness you still believe he has sinned. Making the mistake a sin, you make it real and then IT CANNOT BE FORGIVEN.
Real forgiveness takes place as we learn to unearth all the beliefs and values that hide our Holy Self (Unified Self). If you’re feeling like a doormat then there are hidden beliefs you maintain about your worth. Your partner can only treat you to the VALUE you give yourself. No one can treat you poorly unless you unconsciously ask them to.
Do some self inquiry and write a list of all the qualities you would like in a partner.
Then make a point to give these to YOURSELF. As you learn to be transparent and radically honest about your own needs, others can begin to treat you with the Love you’re learning to extend to yourself.
Also, write a list highlighting what you EXPECT from your partner. And then recognize that he cannot give these to you until you first learn to give them to yourself.
Hope this helps…
Blessings,
Nouk 🙂
Hi Nouk
Ok great I will do all of those things.
Thank you so much
Nicola
Thanks NOUK!!
Thanks NOUK.
This helps me to forgive!
you are so great Nouk, and I am so gradeful to come with you do Israel I am already excited, thank you for sharing all you now, I love you..<3
Love you Mirta!
🙂
“WHOLLY~ HOLY” “SISTER~ SELF”
I LOVE “YOU~ME”
Yes Maureen – got it! Love you!
Thank you Nouk. I will use the Forgiveness Prayer whenever I am triggered by pain or fear.
you’re most welcome Wendy! 🙂
The Forgiveness prayer is very powerful. Thank you.
Nouk, my experience is being enthusiastically thrilled…
…to quietness by the wonderful material you’re sharing and the clarity of guidance astoundingly brings joy to the heart and smile to the face. I am so grateful. _/|_ <3 and so it is <3 _/|_
Hugging you Kirk! Thank you for awakening with me, with us all! <3 xoxox 🙂
made an acronym SPIRIT A
See one power deny anything not of Gods love the power to hurt you or anyone else.
P place cause and effect in proper sequence. All cause is our mind
I illness perception must be healed make healing of yoru mistaken perception your priority more than physical healing
R Remember to look past appearances.. Ego reports always prove separation.
I illusions are all equal
T trust in Gods love and healing.
A accept the atonement.
Wow, this is an amazing acronym! Thanks so much Roslyn! <3
This is really wonderful, practical too
How perfectly synchronized to read the seven principle of forgiveness as I do Lesson 256 today “ God is the only goal I have today” and to find that the goal to God is thru forgiveness. Thank you for helping me get how to do this . I now understand that I use others etc. to attack myself to keep the ego guilt/fear thing going. Today I break this pattern and accept that I am unconditionally loved and don’t need to put others or circumstances to the test to proving this. I love your further clarification to Nicola’s question as it is exactly what i’m grappling with right now! WOW! So helpful ?❤️??
I am overjoyed to hear this! Thank you for sharing this here…I join you in this forgiveness journey where abundant miracles await us.
With Love, Nouk
Thank you Nouk, for making this recording and text available. I just learned of you and your work through a link in a ACIM fb-group. I was looking for ways to apply ACIM principles in the situation with my dog who is showing me behavior that is disturbing to me. I’m applying the 7 principles and the two lists you suggested to Nicole above. I trust! I am grateful for the healing that has already occurred and that will be revealed because I have released and now trust. Thank you!
Wonderful news, thank you Johanna.
No intention to be disrespectful or to be a troublemaker. In fact, I agree with everything you say here and find it reflects the content of ACIM perfectly. What I don’t understand is your use of the word “quantum” in relation to forgiveness. I’m not sure what the reasoning is behind it. If its function is just to be a buzzword, I think it does a disservice to the highly intelligent and important message you are providing. This content deserves to be taken seriously, and the attempt to combine physics with metaphysics in this instance seems detrimental to that intent. Perhaps I am missing something. I welcome any comments you may wish to add that might help me understand. Thank you for the content you provide. We are enjoying the daily lessons on YouTube!
Thanks Ron, you do have a point and I respect that. In 2011, after my soul buddy, Tomas had passed…I experienced a breakdown. In that dark night of the soul, Jesus entered my mind and gave me many pearls of wisdom. Forgiveness as the world knew it just had to be completely shattered. He explained to me that real forgiveness is HOLOGRAPHIC. Instead of using this word, I chose QUANTUM as it at least partially reflected the miracle of holographic forgiveness. Blessings to you, brother.
Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for the response; I appreciate it! Namaste.
Thank you for your response; I appreciate it! Namaste.
Sorry, I do know I already messaged you, but felt like putting my thoughts down in more detail.
There are many lessons that I don’t “gel” with, so I’ve taken out my favourites and do understand that the workbook is a gradual process, but I feel that sticking with the lessons I feel more comfortable with is ok, because essentially it seems to be about immersing yourself into this thought system as consistently as possible, putting this surrendering and letting go at the very forefront of my mind over and above all else.
But I do struggle with some of the lessons and prefer to hang onto those that make absolute sense to me. When I look at for example ‘My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability’, I absolutely know this is the truth, but repeating ‘I am concerned about …’ , ‘I am afraid … will happen’ , ‘That thought is an attack upon myself’, becomes too mechanical each and every time I catch myself in fear, and I do think we often need the lessons as affirmations rather than initially being able to just stay with an experience of peace. The way I like to approach it, the way I feel most comfortable is knowing that whatever is happening in my life is happening “for” me, not “to” me, because from that perspective it’s far easier for me to let go and move with it, and it just takes trusting and knowing that without a doubt to then do it without reservation, as consitently as possible, which is key it seems.
And again, I do like and understand your concept of projecting and having what we experience reflected back at us.
All a bit muddled and confusing perhaps? I hope not 🙂
Thank you Nouk for sharing what the holy spirit is teaching you. I like the short prayer on the audio of of the seven principles of quantum forgiveness. ??
Thank you for this wonderful share. I am grateful.
just in time…..
Working on overlooking the Ego with the Holy Spirit. Loved this thank you
It Is Real Awareness …Grateful for You Inner Being of Light
( …The reproduced light field can generate an image which still has the depth and other properties of the original scene.. )