Psych. 2. VI. 1 – 4. Jesus: “The process of psychotherapy, then, can be defined simply as forgiveness, for nothing that heals can be apart from it. The unforgiving are sick, believing they are unforgiven. The hanging-on to guilt, its hugging-close and sheltering, its loving protection and alert defense; all of this is but the grim refusal to forgive!
‘God may not enter here’ the sick repeat, over and over, while they mourn their loss and yet secretly rejoice in it. Healing occurs as a patient begins to hear the dirge he sings, and questions its validity. Until he hears it, though, he cannot understand that it is he who sings it to himself. To hear it thus is the first step in recovery. To question it must then become his choice.
Yet there is a tendency, and it is very strong, to hear this song of death for but a fleeting instant, and then dismiss it uncorrected. These tiny moments of awareness represent the many opportunities given us to literally ‘change our tune.’ The sound of healing can be heard instead! But first must come the willingness to question the seeming truth of the song of condemnation.
The strange distortions woven inextricably into the self-concept, itself but a ‘pseudo-creation,’ are there but to cover up this ugly sound with what seems beautiful instead. ‘The rhythm of the universe,’ or perhaps ‘the herald angel’s song;’ all these and more are heard instead, as distractions blocking out the loud discordant shrieks of condemnation. The ear translates the ego’s wishes into form; it does not really hear! The eye but reproduces what you want to see; of itself it does not see. Their task is to make agreeable whatever is called upon, however disagreeable it may inherently be.
The senses answer the decisions of the mind, reproducing its desires and translating them into acceptable and even ‘pleasant’ forms. Sometimes the thought behind the form breaks through, but only very briefly, for when that happens, the mind grows fearful and begins to doubt its sanity. Yet it will not permit its ‘slaves’ to change the forms they look upon; the sounds they hear. These are its ‘remedies;’ its ‘safeguards’ from insanity!
These testimonies which the senses bring have but one purpose; to justify attack and thus keep unforgiveness yet unrecognized for what it is. Seen undisguised, the unforgiveness would be intolerable. Without protection, it could not endure the light.
Here too, is all sickness cherished, but without the recognition that this is so. For when an unforgiveness is projected ‘outward’ and not recognized, the form it takes seems to be something else. And now it is the ‘something else’ that seems to terrify.
But it is not the ‘something else’ that can be healed! For it is not sick, and therefore needs no remedy. To concentrate your healing efforts there is but futility. Who can try to cure what cannot be sick and hope to make it well?”