The Process of the Labyrinth of the Spirit.

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THE LEARNING PROCESS

Process	Human beings have the natural ability to improve through the Mind's Learning Process. When learned procedures become instinctive, they are automatic. The Labyrinth of the Spirit acknowledges instinctive Willpower and its tool Mind, showing their different advantages while acknowledging their parallels. (It is a shame that instinctive behavior is so often used to stifle improvement by promoting questionable principles.)
	Will and Mind are interdependent. They respond to the same stimulus, and the Will 'stops to think.' This emphasizes the slowness of mental processes compared to automatic action.
Value	The Learning Process—has a valuable objective. Though each Model uses a vocabulary suited to it, each step in each model corresponds to the same step in every model. The objective of each step is the same as the objective of all the models: Revelation—revealing something better
	What is the concern? Generally answered by one of the models. Click on the model's name (as listed below in this section).
	Errors typical to a stage in the Process are listed. If an error is repeatedly made, go to the Model associated with that error. Umberto Eco, in Foucault's Pendulum, said: "You cannot escape one infinite, I told myself, by fleeing to another; you cannot escape the revelation of the identical by taking refuge in the illusion of the multiple." Replacing the word infinite with the word definite, Foucault's statement still holds true. Language uses many words (the "multiple") to describe the same thing (the "identical."). For example, fear is a single emotion, but many words are used to describe it, as if calling it by a different name changes it into something else. Fear is fear.
	The illusion of the multiple persists, perceived as real because many behaviors hide behind multiplicity. Perceiving the identical, not differences, is a valuable insight. Small insights into small truths promise the possibility of perceiving large truths and eventually the largest, ultimate truth. Unless prejudice prevails, becoming better is the objective.
Mechanics	The Process is linked to the Model that intends to resolve a particular concern, starting with 1. Insight, then 2. Extension, and continuing to Model #18: Revelation. (Please note that Model #18 summarizes the Process.) The prime error, Prejudice, misuses the Process by encouraging multiple errors.

1. Insight	*Miracle Having insight into a beneficial help can be a miracle. Insight that is true only in certain circumstances may serve one circumstance, but is false in others. Its characteristic error is generalization, when truth in certain circumstances is generalized to be true in all circumstances.
2. Extension	Atonement Atonement becomes 'at one' with what the insight promises. The promise, by being 'at one' with Self, includes the possibility of personal responsibility. Personalization righteously projects (or blames) responsibility on something or else someone, which excludes the self. Assuming responsibility and extending it is inclusive. Forgiveness, for example, extends and includes.
3. Objective	Period of undoing Becoming 'at one' with an insight causes measurement and modification of existing attitudes, beliefs, and goals. New objectives arise, replacing un-done objectives. And, while modifications undo previously held values, false evidence undoes the Learning Process.
4. Resource	Period of sorting out Measuring and modification leads to comparison and setting priorities according to helpfulness. What is helpful is a resource. False comparison honors false resources.
5. Knowledge	Period of relinquishment Choosing what is helpful means relinquishment of the unhelpful. Knowing the difference between relinguishment and denial is helpful. Emotional reasoning both denies and relinquishes this knowledge.
6. Purpose	Period of settling down Relinquishment can feel like 'giving in' or 'giving up,'; so a period of rest and consolidation is necessary to settle on principles of help. From these principles grows a new sense of purpose, summarized in the phrase: "Give up what you do not want, and keep what you do." Blind acceptance settles on other's principles, outmoded principles, or lack of purpose.
7. Relationship	Period of unsettling New principles, new purpose, and possible changes in relationships create reorganization, which is temporarily unsettling. But blaming change on the wrong principles establishes false relationships, which is definitely unbalanced and unsettling. Ask: What is really wanted?
8. Communication	Period of achievement New principles, purpose, and relationships create new communications. Effective new communication is an achievement. But if pre-conceptions dominate, broadcasting is achieved, but not communication, which is two-way.
9. Involvement	Honesty Relationships need honesty for trustworthy involvement. Weak involvement creates a shaky, untrustworthy foundation. False construction on a sound foundation also proves untrustworthy. If honesty is absent, involvement of any kind is unhelpful, and therefore false.
10. Means	Tolerance Honest construction is aware of the tolerance built into its components, without pre-judging how they 'should' behave. Tolerance means accepting differences when building relationships, yet being aware of what they do and don't provide. Invalid conjugation creates poor fits, making tolerance meaningless.
11. Method	Gentleness Of all techniques, gentleness promises productivity. The opposite of gentleness is brutality—definitely unproductive. False credit is given to brutal, clever, or forceful methods. All of them, though maybe immediately productive, eventually prove destructive.
12. Verify	Joy Joy is a too simple a definition for an emotion resulting from the success of helpfulness. The word 'happiness' seems to make more sense, but happiness verified is joy! Jump to conclusion that behavior involves harm, pain, or sacrifice, and the behavior becomes harmful, painful, or sacrificial—none of which bring joy.
13. Performance	Defenseless Joyful behavior is free of defense, but experience has shown that an attack needs defense—but defense can create an attack that doesn't exist, which denies reality. Denial actually acknowledges reality by pretending it doesn't exist, but reality can't be eliminated! Is there really an attack, or just perception of an attack. Defense against a perceived attack creates attack when none was intended. Consider the opposite. If an attack, real or not, meets no defense, can it continue? Defense that encourages or creates continuation is a false cause, but falsity is itself defenseless. The statement: "the best defense is a good offense" implies that confused semantics define both. Confused semantics are a false cause
14. Leadership	Generous Generosity needs definition. First: Only what is possessed can be given away. Second: If loss occurs to either giver or receiver, it is not generosity, but a trade or sacrifice. Third: True generosity is a gift that brings increase to both giver and receiver. Ask this: Does the action called generosity satisfy these definitions? A true leader is aware of these conditions. Wishful thinking can make greedy behavior appear generous—which is a very common error. How would you like leaders to be? Generous, or selfish masking as generous?
15. Importance	Patience The truly generous can be patient, because true generosity is returned, sometimes in ways unforeseen, unknown, often unpredictable and unappreciated. False identification can credit behavior to an erroneous cause. Patiently waiting to perceive the actual cause is important. Remember the quote about the effects of the 200-year-old French Revolution in the 20th century: "It's too early to tell." Also consider this advice: "Don't have an investment in the outcome." Intent matters, not immmediate results!
16. Opportunity	Faith Faith provides the opportunity to trust in a context that is honest, tolerant, gentle, joyful, defenseless, generous, and patient. Faith is worthy of commitment. Avoid unhelpful and unworthy false contexts. Appreciate and have faith in helpful contexts that offer opportunity.
17. Solution	Open-Minded Open minds seek solutions. Closed minds deny solutions. Forgiveness is a quality of the open mind that intends to see the reality of every situation. In open-minded forgiveness, since guilt and blame are not valued, they are not projected, so judgments that discourage solutions are let go. Denial intentionally closes the Mind to possible solutions.
18. Revelation	Revelation Validation of an insight is a revelation of understanding. Open or closed minds, truth or falsity, equality or inequality, possibility and probability, solution and resolution, knowledge and wisdom—all offer choice. Prejudice does not acknowledge the existence of choice, avoiding the miracle of a good insight. Prejudice unconsciously closes the Mind to resolution.

Self- directed	The Labyrinth's gentle consistency may not be immediately apparent, for the Process can be construed as directive. But, since choice is always available, the Learning Process is self-directed. Self-direction has real value when answering "What is the concern?" Intent makes the Process meaningful.
	Self-direction creates a labyrinth in which the goal is certain. Lack of self-direction leads into a maze of mistakes and dead ends.
	Does self-direction have meaning? The act of questioning requires conscious awareness, which proves that awareness exists because the question was asked. Self-direction may choose other-direction, relinquishing the responsibility for answering the question to some other entity. Relinquishing responsibility eliminates self-direction. Turn the question around: Does meaning have self-direction? If meaning comes from another, then the self has no meaning—self-direction is absent! Self-direction is essential to finding meaning—it is inclusive, not exclusive. Want to make self-direction meaningless? Separate meaning from it. That's exclusion—and it doesn't work. Self-direction has meaning.
	Different abilities and experiences make self-direction unique. This website acknowledges uniqueness. Using the Process to its fullest potential requires self-direction, which is self-determination.
Self- determined	A person in good spirits perceives the world differently than one depressed, and acts accordingly. Perceiving, feeling, and doing are all affected by the underlying attitude held at that moment. The Labyrinth calls it the 'spirit of the moment.' What happens in the moment comes from an attitude either acquired recently or nurtured and held for a long time. "It is done to us as we believe" says that self-determination prevails.
Willpower	Self-determination is Willpower. If the Will, using its quality of Mind, sees a need for modification or change of habit, Willpower is used to make the change.
	Willpower is instinctual. The instinctive drive for survival, for example, is called the "will to live." In lesser terms, it can be the will to have one’s way, the will to let go, or the need to be subject to a greater will. Willpower seeks satisfaction, but the method chosen can hinder that satisfaction. See Reasonable Behavior for the contrast beteen not thinking and reason.
	Willpower may be too weak to make the needed change, and seek refuge in diversions, like addiction, for example, thereby sapping its power. Whatever refuge is chosen is usually explained logically and reasonably, if explained at all. This explanation is normally after a choice has been made, not before. Hopefully, the logical and reasonable explanation is not a rationalization, but rational. Having 'no explanation' indicates that Willpower has denied perceptions.
	When a change is made, Willpower decides.
The Mind	The Mind uses proof to verify its reason. Many proofs, designed for a particular situation, are incomplete by being suitable for a narrow discipline, but not trustworthy for a general situation. It is true that the Mind, using Willpower, often justifies behavior in a seemingly logical, reasonable manner, cleverly hiding what is, basically, a mixed message, perverting language and making fallacious use of the quality of mind.
	Proof is reasonable, checkable, and reliable in many disciplines. A six-step, scientifically proven method used in the Labyrinth. The Mind models call it Proof. (Please see Willing Mind for the contrast between Negative Thinking and Positive Proof).
Proof	Behavior may appear reasonable, but have results that prove its insights faulty. Sadly, sometimes rigorous Proof is used to support this faulty insight. However, perceiving falsity opens the door to reality, where proof fortifies honesty and fairness, thereby deserting falsity.
	(Recent studies have indicated that people are more sensitive to fairness than logic). It is encouraging that what appears to be fair can be proven fair.)
Choice	Choice manifests either continuation or change. Choice is the Will manifesting emotionally, physically, mentally and/or spiritually. Sometimes, no choice is made because *being right* is more important than *doing right*. Then, righteousness is more important than right. The choice is still self-determined, which is then manifest in behavior.
Validity	The validity of the Process depends upon its rationale. It grew from a problem-solving method developed into the Learning Process. Essential to the Process is the self-determining ability to choose. Choice, though not always apparent, is always available. Perceptions create viewpoints that either limit or expand the awareness of choice. Fortunately, subtle changes in awareness cause subtle changes in behavior. Although the results of a choice may be small or large, revelation is the objective, with Revelation as the ultimate objective.
Examples	Click Examples of using the Process. To top.
	For choices, go to Choices


Copyright	The adaptation of The Teachers Manual* of A Course in Miracles, as presented here, is the interpretation and understanding of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the copyright holder of A Course in Miracles®, nor by any other persons or organizations, cited or implied.