Awake With Jevon: Discovering Guides That Point The Way
Jevon Perra
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Forgive Yourself - ACIM - Song of Prayer
Jevon Perra led a discussion on "Forgiveness as an Ally to Prayer," explaining that forgiveness is the release of judgments and perceptions, which, unlike prayer, is temporary because it ends when one realizes oneness and steps out of the belief in a separate, defined self. Leila Fung and kristen shared personal examples of projecting judgments, with Leila Fung describing an issue with her child’s social interactions and kristen detailing frustration over a friend’s spending habits, which Jevon Perra analyzed as stemming from underlying fears of personal outcomes. The participants, including Soo Kim, explored the conflicting desires for belonging and uniqueness, and Jevon Perra offered Leila Fung practical, open-hearted communication strategies, learned from Jevon Perra's godmothers Caroline and Denise, for dealing with an overwhelming individual, stressing the importance of authenticity over avoidance. Forgiveness as an Ally to Prayer (Part Two: Forgiveness Introduction): Jevon Perra read a passage stating that forgiveness gives wings to prayer, making its ascent easy and swift, and that without it, one cannot rise above the bottom step of prayer. The text describes forgiveness as prayer's ally and sister in the plan for salvation, both supporting the individual, keeping their feet secure, and their purpose steadfast. While prayer is timeless, forgiveness has an end and becomes unneeded once the rising up is complete. However, in the present, forgiveness has a crucial purpose, and accomplishing it leads to redemption, transformation, and saving the world. The Temporary Nature of Forgiveness and the Role of Judgment: Jevon Perra explained that forgiveness, unlike its sister prayer, has an end because it is the release of judgments and perceptions. These judgments are the way individuals perceive things, assigning meaning, and often boxing people into categories like "friend or foe," with perceptions frequently flipping between the two categories, even when no actual change in the other person has occurred. Releasing Perception and Embracing the Current Moment: Jevon Perra discussed that the "perception game" involves giving up one's beliefs, admitting uncertainty, and acknowledging that one may not know what one truly wants. If this is the case, Jevon Perra suggested that the present situation might be perfect, as a "bigger game plan" with God and the universe is giving the individual exactly what they want. If an individual dislikes their companion, their actions, themself, or the world, Jevon Perra stated that the only necessary change might be letting go of the judgment and perception of how things "has to be," which is the essence of forgiveness. The End of Forgiveness and Realizing Oneness: Jevon Perra stated that the process of forgiveness ends when an individual steps out of the belief that they are a body and that their thoughts define them, because at that point they realize the reality of being connected, that "everything is okay and beautiful," and that their desires are already within them. Jevon Perra likened this state to being in a theater with Jesus, watching the entertaining drama of one's own life. Leila Fung's Personal Example of Releasing Judgment about her Child's Social Interactions: Leila Fung shared a personal anecdote about a conversation with her mother regarding her child's social life. Leila Fung initially expressed a judgment, thinking her child felt taken for granted by friends, but her mother stopped her, stating that she did not know the truth of the situation. Leila Fung’s child felt like a "last resort friend," being asked to hang out after others were asked, and then being upset when friends did not reply to her, especially after seeing the friends' stories online. Leila Fung explained that after talking with one of the parents, everything was clarified, and she realized she had created "a thousand stories" in her head instead of choosing to forgive, release judgment, and find out the truth. Jevon Perra noted that when it concerns "level one" issues (like one's children), it is easy to enter "attack mode" to protect "my people". Jevon Perra's Experience of High School Dynamics and Conflicting Desires at a Conference: Jevon Perra shared a personal story about a work trip to Vegas where they felt a "high school scene" dynamic at a conference due to a colleague named Aaron, who was handsome and popular, having a group of "groupies" around them. Jevon Perra described walking behind this group, feeling rejected and separate, and being torn between wanting to talk to people and simultaneously wanting to run away due to difficulty with small talk. Jevon Perra recognized this as a "crazy swirl of meaning" and acknowledged making up many worlds and conflicting desires, such as wanting to be in the conversation but immediately wanting to escape it once there. Misunderstanding Forgiveness and the Role of Guilt: Jevon Perra introduced the section "Forgiveness of yourself," reading that forgiveness has been profoundly misunderstood, often becoming a "scourge" or "curse" instead of a blessing, especially for those not engaging in the steps of prayer. Jevon Perra explained that forgiveness is initially obscure because salvation is not understood or sought, and what should heal is used to hurt. The discussion highlighted that guilt is often chosen over forgiveness because individuals view their "separate activities" as a means to push through suffering, with the ultimate guilt being the separation from God that creates the special, separate self they ultimately desire to preserve, fearing "complete annihilation" worse than death. The Origin of Guilt and the Cherishing of Separate Self: Jevon Perra stated that the initial guilt and darkness stem from the act of separating from God, which then leads to projecting that guilt onto other things, causing a constant search for badness. Overcoming this requires releasing one's identity as a separate self, which Jevon Perra noted is often portrayed as a horrifying concept in media, citing examples like the Borg in Star Trek and a show about a mind-joining alien virus where only a few individuals retain separate minds. Jevon Perra concluded that the separate self is cherished, even though it is the source of suffering and the initial guilt one tries to escape. "Forgiveness to Destroy" and Holding onto Projected Meaning: Jevon Perra read a passage describing "forgiveness to destroy," which suits the world's purpose by overlooking "no sin, no crime, no guilt" that can be found and cherished. Jevon Perra differentiated between forgiveness (seeing others as the same as oneself) and "forgiveness to destroy," which twists the idea of forgiveness, perhaps by making someone feel judged while being forgiven (e.g., "I'm going to forgive you, but just know you did a bad thing") or by minimizing oneself to "put up with it". This destructive form of forgiveness values error, magnifying mistakes, picking out "all evil things," and viewing love as a "hateful thing of danger and of death". Contradictory Desires and the Ego's Promise: Jevon Perra discussed the conflicting desires inherent in the ego's world, such as wanting to be loved and accepted while remaining separate and special, or wanting one's children to be strong without experiencing suffering. Jevon Perra stated that these desires contradict each other, as struggle and difficulty are what build strength, and separation is inherently painful despite the desire to be unique. The ego promises that separation will work, encouraging one to "Seek but do not find". The Practice of Releasing Seriousness and Choosing the Face of Christ: Jevon Perra emphasized the importance of self-forgiveness by releasing one's own recurring difficulties and choosing peace by not seeing error and not making it real. Jevon Perra advised selecting the loving choice and forgiving sin by seeing "the face of Christ" instead. Jevon Perra noted that hating the son (others) is hating the father (God), because seeing the son is seeing oneself, and how one sees oneself determines how God is seen. Jevon Perra stressed not making things so "serious" because seriousness is linked to the belief that death is real. If death is not real, the seriousness can be removed, and the need to create an enemy can be released. The Illusion of Enemies and the Impact of Seriousness: Jevon Perra explained that the need for an enemy arises when seriousness, and thus the reality of death, enters the game, justifying attack, even toward loved ones, as an attempt to protect them (e.g., yelling at kids to stay away from the street). Jevon Perra connected the attack on loved ones to the belief in the reality of death and applied this logic to attacking strangers, which is enabled by the "belief that there is a stranger" in the first place, rather than seeing everyone as loved by God. kristen's Example of Projecting Financial Judgment: kristen shared an example of projecting judgment onto someone named China, expressing frustration over China's spending habits, lack of savings, and frequent trips and concerts. kristen admitted yelling at China because they fear China will "end up like me," indicating an underlying concern tied to personal experience. Jevon Perra acknowledged the situation, relating it to their own experiences with family members and money mismanagement. Jevon Perra analyzed that the anger stems from the projection that the family member's mismanagement will lead them to ask Jevon Perra for money, creating an unwelcome situation where Jevon Perra would feel compelled to either give money, which Jevon Perra dislikes, or reject them and feel guilty/angry. Shifting Perspective on Requests for Help: Jevon Perra suggested reframing the situation to see the request for money differently, such as feeling grateful that the family member views Jevon Perra as a safe person to ask for things, even if the answer remains "No". The Connection Between "Ot
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