Lesson 44. God is the light in which I see.
Lesson 44. God is the light in which I see.
Today we are continuing the idea for yesterday, adding another dimension to it.
You cannot see in darkness, and you cannot make light. You can make darkness and
then think you see in it, but light reflects life, and is therefore an aspect of
creation. Creation and darkness cannot coexist, but light and life must go
together, being but different aspects of creation.
In order to see, you must recognize that light is within, not without. You do
not see outside yourself, nor is the equipment for seeing outside you. An
essential part of this equipment is the light that makes seeing possible. It is
with you always, making vision possible in every circumstance.
Today we are going to attempt to reach that light. For this purpose, we will use
a form of exercise which has been suggested before, and which we will utilize
increasingly. It is a particularly difficult form for the undisciplined mind,
and represents a major goal of mind training. It requires precisely what the
untrained mind lacks. Yet this training must be accomplished if you are to see.
Have at least three practice periods today, each lasting three to five minutes.
A longer time is highly recommended, but only if you find the time slipping by
with little or no sense of strain. The form of practice we will use today is the
most natural and easy one in the world for the trained mind, just as it seems to
be the most unnatural and difficult for the untrained mind.
Your mind is no longer wholly untrained. You are quite ready to learn the form
of exercise we will use today, but you may find that you will encounter strong
resistance. The reason is very simple. While you practice in this way, you leave
behind everything that you now believe, and all the thoughts that you have made
up. Properly speaking, this is the release from hell. Yet perceived through the
ego's eyes, it is loss of identity and a descent into hell.
If you can stand aside from the ego by ever so little, you will have no
difficulty in recognizing that its opposition and its fears are meaningless. You
might find it helpful to remind yourself, from time to time, that to reach light
is to escape from darkness, whatever you may believe to the contrary. God is the
light in which you see. You are attempting to reach Him.
Begin the practice period by repeating today's idea with your eyes open, and
close them slowly, repeating the idea several times more. Then try to sink into
your mind, letting go every kind of interference and intrusion by quietly
sinking past them. Your mind cannot be stopped in this unless you choose to stop
it. It is merely taking its natural course. Try to observe your passing thoughts
without involvement, and slip quietly by them.
While no particular approach is advocated for this form of exercise, what is
needful is a sense of the importance of what you are doing; its inestimable
value to you, and an awareness that you are attempting something very holy.
Salvation is your happiest accomplishment. It is also the only one that has any
meaning, because it is the only one that has any real use to you at all.
If resistance rises in any form, pause long enough to repeat today's idea,
keeping your eyes closed unless you are aware of fear. In that case, you will
probably find it more reassuring to open your eyes briefly. Try, however, to
return to the exercises with eyes closed as soon as possible.
If you are doing the exercises correctly, you should experience some sense of
relaxation, and even a feeling that you are approaching, if not actually
entering into light. Try to think of light, formless and without limit, as you
pass by the thoughts of this world. And do not forget that they cannot hold you
to the world unless you give them the power to do so.
Throughout the day repeat the idea often, with eyes open or closed as seems
better to you at the time. But do not forget. Above all, be determined not to
forget today.
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Below, is an excerpt from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this lesson, from
his book set called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles."
which can be purchased at the following site:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 44. "God is the light in which I see."
*Jesus continues here his series of Level One statements: only God is true; only
God is light. Everything else is an expression of the ego's darkness.*
(1) "Today we are continuing the idea for yesterday, adding another dimension to
it. You cannot see in darkness, and you cannot make light. You can make darkness
and then think you see in it, but light reflects life, and is therefore an
aspect of creation. Creation and darkness cannot coexist, but light and life
must go together, being but different aspects of creation."
*We are so sure we are correct in what we perceive, think, and feel, which is
what Jesus means by saying: "You can make darkness and then think you see in
it." We are so sure that we are right, but that is only because we made up the
world of opposites -- light and darkness -- and then forgot where it came from:
the nothingness of our illusory thoughts. But because we see the world, we
believe it is real, and then try to get as many people as we can to confirm our
perceptions and experiences, not realizing we are merely asking the blind to
teach the blind.
The "light" of which Jesus speaks is not perceptual, to be clarified in the next
paragraph, but is another symbol to express a characteristic of Heaven. Darkness
represents the ego and its thought system of guilt, hate, and specialness; while
light represents the Holy Spirit's thought system, which affirms that darkness
had no effect upon reality.*
(2:1) "In order to see, you must recognize that light is within, not without."
* When Jesus says: "God is the light in which I see" he is not talking about
what we see with a naked eye. Vision comes from right-minded thought, and thus
we do not see light outside us. Recall Lesson 15, which I have referred to
several times, where Jesus is not talking about literally seeing edges of light
around objects. If you do have such an experience, realize it is nothing but a
reflection of a thought of forgiveness in your mind. These lessons make it very
clear that light is not external. Remember, there <is> nothing external. As we
shall read in a later lesson: "There is no world! This is the central thought
the course attempts to teach." (W.PI.132.6.2-3).*
(3) "Today we are going to attempt to reach that light. For this purpose, we
will use a form of exercise which has been suggested before, and which we will
utilize increasingly. It is a particularly difficult form for the undisciplined
mind, and represents a major goal of mind training. It requires precisely what
the untrained mind lacks. Yet this training must be accomplished if you are to
see."
*Here, as well as other places in the workbook, Jesus departs from the main
theme of the lesson and talks instead about our practice. It is certainly
difficult to be thinking about the lesson or God throughout the day. By clear
implication, Jesus is saying that we, his students, are not disciplined, and he
is letting us know ahead of time that he fully expects us <not> to do the
lessons as he has given them. Thus we should not feel guilty when we forget, nor
does Jesus want us to deny that we forget, or deny our motivation for forgetting
(which we will discuss in a moment). In fact, he frequently reminds us of the
power of our minds. For example, he gently chides Helen, and indeed all of us,
near the end of the text for complaining this course is too difficult to learn.
After all, he says, <look at what you have learned>:
"What you have taught yourself is such a giant learning feat it is indeed
incredible. But you accomplished it because you wanted to, and did not pause in
diligence to judge it hard to learn or too complex to grasp."
"No one who understands what you have learned, how carefully you learned
it, and the pains to which you went to practice and repeat the lessons
endlessly, in every form you could conceive of them, could ever doubt the power
of your learning skill. There is no greater power in the world. The world was
made by it, and even now depends on nothing else. The lessons you have taught
yourself have been so over-learned and fixed they rise like heavy curtains to
obscure the simple and the obvious. Say not you cannot learn them. For your
power to learn is strong enough to teach you that your will is not your own,
your thoughts do not belong to you, and even you are someone else."
(T-31.1.2:7-- 3:6)
Therefore, Jesus is helping us recognize not only our learning skill, but the
great need to <un>learn what we have so skillfully taught ourselves: our
"ancient overlearning" (T-31.1.5:4). To accomplish this undoing, great
discipline of learning is required. Thus, the need for this workbook.*
(4) "Have at least three practice periods today, each lasting three to five
minutes. A longer time is highly recommended, but only if you find the time
slipping by with little or no sense of strain. The form of practice we will use
today is the most natural and easy one in the world for the trained mind, just
as it seems to be the most unnatural and difficult for the untrained mind."
*Jesus is again telling us that we will have trouble unlearning what we have
taught ourselves, and he explains why in the next paragraph:*
(5:1-4) "Your mind is no longer wholly untrained. You are quite ready to learn
the form of exercise we will use today, but you may find that you will encounter
strong resistance. The reason is very simple. While you practice in this way,
you leave behind everything that you now believe, and all the thoughts that you
have made up."
*Jesus informs us that the problem we will encounter is our own resistance, born
of the fear of losing the thoughts we made up, which, by the way, include
ourselves! We have already discussed how fearfully resistant we become when in
the presence of truth. The reader may recall Jesus' words in the text as to why
<he> was perceived as a threat:
"Many thought I was attacking them, even though it was apparent I was not.
An insane learner learns strange lessons. What you must recognize is that when
you do not share a thought system, you are weakening it. Those who believe in it
therefore perceive this as an attack on them. This is because everyone
identifies himself with his thought system, and every thought system centers on
what you believe you are." (T-6.V.B.1:5-9).
Thus these lessons constitute a direct attack on our egos, seen from the
perspective of the individual self desperately trying to protect its separation
by defending its bodily defense against truth's incursions into the mind.
Note that Jesus is not qualifying his words. To repeat:*
(5:4) "While you practice in this way, you leave behind everything that you now
believe, and all the thoughts that you have made up."
*He means "<everything> that you now believe, and <all> thoughts," not just
<some> of them. That is the basis of our fear, and why everyone tries to
compromise what A Course in Miracles is teaching, having Jesus saying something
he is not saying at all. He is telling you quite explicitly that if you practice
as he instructs, your ego will disappear. It is therefore important to
understand why you do <not> practice the specific lessons, let alone the ongoing
lessons we have with each other.
Very often people ask where in A Course in Miracles does it say what I just
said. This is one of the places, and Jesus says it in very simple English too;
no complicated sentence structure. One more time, here is a statement of the
problem: "While you practice in this way, you leave behind everything that you
now believe, and all the thoughts that you have made up."
We continue with yet another statement of the same theme:*
(5:5-6) "Properly speaking, this is the release from hell. Yet perceived through
the ego's eyes, it is loss of identity and a descent into hell."
*This is the idea I repeat over and over and over again: the major fear that
<everyone> in this world shares is the loss of individuality or personal
identity. Since we cherish this self, to expect that we would not have
resistance to the workbook lessons is rather naive.*
(6:1) "If you can stand aside from the ego by ever so little, you will have no
difficulty in recognizing that its opposition and its fears are meaningless."
*Jesus is speaking here of the decision maker, because he talks about a <you>
that is not the ego (to the left in our chart, see lesson 43). As we have seen,
if you stand aside from the ego you automatically stand aside with Jesus or the
Holy Spirit in your right mind. It is one or the other. The <you> that has
chosen the Holy Spirit, again, is the decision maker.
One other point: Jesus is talking about the ego as if it were a separate entity.
But the ego is simply a thought we have made real, with which we have
identified. In other words, the ego is the part of our split minds that enjoys
being separated. It thus represents our opposition to the Holy Spirit's
Atonement principle. In the following passage Jesus explains why he speaks of
the ego <as if> it were separate from us:
"Only your [i.e., the decision maker] allegiance to it gives the ego any
power over you. I have spoken of the ego as if it were a separate thing, acting
on its own. This was necessary to persuade you that you cannot dismiss it
lightly, and must realize how much of your thinking is ego-directed....The ego
is nothing more than a part of your belief about yourself." (T-4.VI.1:2-4,6).*
(7) "Begin the practice period by repeating today's idea with your eyes open,
and close them slowly, repeating the idea several times more. Then try to sink
into your mind, letting go every kind of interference and intrusion by quietly
sinking past them. Your mind cannot be stopped in this unless you choose to stop
it. It is merely taking its natural course. Try to observe your passing thoughts
without involvement, and slip quietly by them."
*To repeat, the <you> Jesus is addressing is the decision maker, the part of the
mind that chooses. <Watch your mind>. When you feel guilty, when you judge your
thoughts or your actions, you are making them real and opposing them. But you
must look at them, which does not mean to look and then continue your unloving
thoughts and actions. It means looking without judgment, realizing exactly what
you are doing. That would motivate you to let them go, because you would see the
pain of choosing the ego is causing you. The process of looking at the ego with
Jesus thus inevitably entails understanding the <cost> to us when we choose the
ego instead of him, separation instead of unity, hate instead of forgiveness.
When we see clearly that the choice for judgment leads to suffering and pain --
the unnatural -- while the choice for vision leads to peace and joy -- the
natural -- the motivation to choose healing is strong enough to bring it about.
As Jesus concludes Chapter 23: "Who with the Love of God upholding him could
find the choice of miracles or murder hard to make? (T-23.IV.9:8).
Referring to the chart that is why God is on the bottom instead of the top: The
thrust of the lesson and our meditation is to begin where we are on top: The
thrust of the lesson and our meditation is to begin where we are on top, and
then <sink down> into our minds where God is.*
(8) "While no particular approach is advocated for this form of exercise, what
is needful is a sense of the importance of what you are doing; its inestimable
value to you, and an awareness that you are attempting something very holy.
Salvation is your happiest accomplishment. It is also the only one that has any
meaning, because it is the only one that has any real use to you at all."
*The reason "what you are doing" is so important to you is that this is the way
out of hell, the way out of all pain and suffering. You need to keep reminding
yourself: " I am a student of A Course in Miracles, and I have chosen Jesus as
my teacher. Moreover, I am doing the workbook because I want to escape from the
hell of my life of judgment of others and myself. That is why I am the Course's
student: those judgments are the source of my pain and distress, which I no
longer want." Thus Jesus asks you to read these lessons conscientiously, and
<think> about what they mean in terms of your goal of peace. <And then practice
them>.
Jesus again turns to resistance:*
(9) "If resistance rises in any form, pause long enough to repeat today's idea,
keeping your eyes closed unless you are aware of fear. In that case, you will
probably find it more reassuring to open your eyes briefly. Try, however, to
return to the exercises with eyes closed as soon as possible."
*Note especially his <gentle> insistence that we become aware of our resistance,
our fear of these lessons.*
(10:1-2) "If you are doing the exercises correctly, you should experience some
sense of relaxation, and even a feeling that you are approaching, if not
actually entering into light. Try to think of light, formless and without limit,
as you pass by the thoughts of this world."
*Jesus speaks of light as a thought in the Christ Mind, because it has no form.
The reflection of light in our right minds is forgiveness, which has form
because I think I am a person who has to forgive <you>. Again, Jesus uses the
words <light> and <real thoughts> interchangeably with <right mind> and <Christ
Mind>. *
(11) "Throughout the day repeat the idea often, with eyes open or closed as
seems better to you at the time. But do not forget. Above all, be determined not
to forget today."
*We find in these lessons Jesus' urging us to take these lessons very seriously,
to take the practice of A Course in Miracles very seriously. If we do not
practice it day in and day out, we are not going to learn it. This has nothing
to do with an intellectual mastery of the text. We cannot do these lessons
properly in the end if we do not understand the text, but simple understanding
is not enough. We must practice bringing the darkness of our ego's illusions to
the light of the Holy Spirit's truth, and understand <why> we are doing it.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
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Lesson 43. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.
Lesson 43. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.Perception is not an attribute of God. His is the realm of knowledge. Yet He hascreated the Holy Spirit as the Mediator between perception and knowledge.Without this link with God, perception would have replaced knowledge forever inyour mind. With this link with God, perception will become so changed andpurified that it will lead to knowledge. That is its function as the Holy Spiritsees it. Therefore, that is its function in truth.In God you cannot see. Perception has no function in God, and does not exist.Yet in salvation, which is the undoing of what never was, perception has amighty purpose. Made by the Son of God for an unholy purpose, it must become themeans for the restoration of his holiness to his awareness. Perception has nomeaning. Yet does the Holy Spirit give it a meaning very close to God's. Healedperception becomes the means by which the Son of God forgives his brother, andthus forgives himself.You cannot see apart from God because you cannot be apart from God. Whatever youdo you do in Him, because whatever you think, you think with His Mind. If visionis real, and it is real to the extent to which it shares the Holy Spirit'spurpose, then you cannot see apart from God.Three five-minute practice periods are required today, one as early and one aslate as possible in the day. The third may be undertaken at the most convenientand suitable time that circumstances and readiness permit. At the beginning ofthese practice periods, repeat the idea for today to yourself with eyes open.Then glance around you for a short time, applying the idea specifically to whatyou see. Four or five subjects for this phase of the practice period aresufficient. You might say, for example:God is my Source. I cannot see this desk apart from Him. God is my Source. I cannot see that picture apart from Him.<Although this part of the exercise period should be relatively short, be surethat you select the subjects for this phase of practice indiscriminately,without self-directed inclusion or exclusion. For the second and longer phase,close your eyes, repeat today's idea again, and then let whatever relevantthoughts occur to you add to the idea in your own personal way. Thoughts suchas:I see through the eyes of forgiveness. I see the world as blessed. The world can show me myself I see my own thoughts, which are like God's.<Any thought related more or less directly to today's idea is suitable. Thethoughts need not bear any obvious relationship to the idea, but they should notbe in opposition to it.If you find your mind wandering; if you begin to be aware of thoughts which areclearly out of accord with today's idea, or if you seem to be unable to think ofanything, open your eyes, repeat the first phase of the exercise period, andthen attempt the second phase again. Do not allow any protracted period to occurin which you become preoccupied with irrelevant thoughts. Return to the firstphase of the exercises as often as necessary to prevent this.In applying today's idea in the shorter practice periods, the form may varyaccording to the circumstances and situations in which you find yourself duringthe day. When you are with someone else, for example, try to remember to tellhim silently:God is my Source. I cannot see you apart from Him.< This form is equally applicable to strangers as it is to those you think arecloser to you. In fact, try not to make distinctions of this kind at all.Today's idea should also be applied throughout the day to various situations andevents that may occur, particularly to those which seem to distress you in anyway. For this purpose, apply the idea in this form:God is my Source. I cannot see this apart from Him.< If no particular subject presents itself to your awareness at the time, merelyrepeat the idea in its original form. Try today not to allow any long periods oftime to slip by without remembering today's idea, and thus remembering yourfunction.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 43. "God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him."*Before discussing this lesson, I should like to review a chart I hope will helpin our study of this and subsequent lessons. This is a modified version of thechart I usually use, because in these lessons the mind's structure is portrayedas going from the bottom up, instead of the other way around.At the bottom is God, the One Mind, the place of truth in our minds and subsumedunder the term <knowledge>. This is the realm of our real thoughts with God.These do not have form, and can be understood as an expression of eternal life,love, the Will of God, and the oneness of creation.**** Please note that the chart may not come out the same on Course_Talk, as itis in Ken's books, but the description above and below will help in giving thegeneral idea of it.***______________________________________PE WORLD -- BODY------------------------------------------------------------------------RCDecision E EGO (WRONG MIND) -- UNREAL THOUGHTSMaker P*------------------------------------------------------------------------------TIO HOLY SPIRIT (RIGHT MIND) -- REAL THOUGHTSN________________________________________________KNOWLEDGE GOD -- REAL THOUGHTS___________________________________________________The split mind is represented by the layers above God, beginning with the <rightmind>, the home of <the Holy Spirit>. In these lessons Jesus does not make adistinction between our right-minded real thoughts and our One-Minded realthoughts. This is but another example, incidentally, of how A Course in Miraclescannot be approached as a scientific treatise in which each term is carefullyanalyzed. Jesus is relatively loose with words, probably more so in the workbookthan in the text. It would thus be more accurate to say that our right-mindedthoughts are the <reflection> of our real thoughts. For purposes of theselessons, however, our real thoughts include both those that are held for us bythe Holy Spirit in our right minds, as well as the Thoughts of God in the OneMind.Above the Holy Spirit is the <wrong mind>, the domain of the <ego>, whereinreside our unreal thoughts. It is these that are projected out, thereby makingthe world in which our bodies live.The <wrong> and <right minds> are the domain of perception. The ego's falseperceptions are corrected in our right minds by what is referred to in the textas <true perception>. The entire realm of the split mind -- the right and wrongminds, and the projections that make the world -- comprises the world of<perception>. All of this, as will be evident in a moment, is contrasted withthe realm of <knowledge>, the Home of Christ, our true Self.We shall see in the lessons that follow how Jesus guides us in the process ofsinking down into our minds, past our <external perceptions> and through the<ego's unreal thoughts> that gave rise to them, to the <real thoughts> of theHoly Spirit. These correction thoughts will then ultimately fade into the<Thoughts of God>.Let us now look at Lesson 43: *(1) "Perception is not an attribute of God. His is the realm of knowledge. YetHe has created the Holy Spirit as the Mediator between perception and knowledge.Without this link with God, perception would have replaced knowledge forever inyour mind. With this link with God, perception will become so changed andpurified that it will lead to knowledge. That is its function as the Holy Spiritsees it. Therefore, that is its function in truth."*Having been made as an attack on God (W-pII.3.2:1-5) perception cements ourbelief that separation and individuality are real. However, once arising inapparent opposition to knowledge, it can be used to serve a different purpose.The section called "The Special Function" provides a clear description of thisshift in function or purpose. What we have made to harm, the Holy Spirit uses toheal (T-25.VI.4). Specialness is an aspect of perception, and although it wasmade to harm and keep us separate from each other, when brought to the HolySpirit and looked at differently, it becomes an expression of forgiveness.Everything the ego has thought, done, and used to separate itself from God andeach other, can be turned around to become a vehicle for our forgiveness -- ifwe ask Jesus' help. This shift in purpose is the cornerstone of forgiveness andthe Holy Spirit's redirected purpose for our being in the world.In this paragraph we find a clear example of what I sometimes refer to as thetwo levels on which A Course in Miracles is written. Level One reflects theCourse's metaphysical principle that <only God is true and real, and everythingelse is unreal, an illusion>. Or as the very opening of the text states:Nothing real can be threatened.Nothing unreal exists. (T-in.2:2-3; bold italics omitted).It is that distinction between what is true and untrue that comprises thishighly important aspect of A Course in Miracles. The first two sentences of thisparagraph express Level One: the world of perception -- which is not just theworld we see with our eyes, but the very fact that we <think> we see a world atall -- is an illusion. The split mind, which includes our thoughts ofseparation, the world which expresses those thoughts, as well as the HolySpirit's correction, is totally unreal. Since this separated mind cannot be partof totality, wholeness, and perfect Oneness -- the very nature of God -- itcannot be true in any way. Stated differently, if the contents of the split mindare not part of God, they must be outside Him. If they are outside God, theycannot exist. Only knowledge is true and therefore real.Level Two deals <only> with illusion: the contrast between the ego's<wrong-minded > perceptions of separation and specialness, and the Holy Spirit's<right-minded> corrected perceptions of forgiveness and healing. This level canbe thought of as the more practical one, insofar as this is the part of A Coursein Miracles that deals with <the condition in which we think we are>(T-25.1.7:4): the world of the body. Thus is the world of illusion split intoperceptual realms: the false perception of the ego and its correction, the trueperception of the Holy Spirit.Sentence 3 represents the transition from Level One to Level Two. The HolySpirit can be understood as that part of our split minds that remembers truth.Thus He can be defined as the memory of God's Love we took with us into thedream when we fell asleep. Remember that all of this is metaphorical, since wenever fell asleep in the first place. We, like Jesus in A Course in Miracles,are using symbols to denote the reality from which they are "twice removed"(M-21.1:9-10). The Holy Spirit, representing our right-minded thinking, is theexpression of the Atonement principle that is the mediator or bridge between the<unreel> world we made and the <real> world of Heaven. The Holy Spirit'sthoughts are reflected in any expression of forgiveness, and these arereflections of the real thought of love that is in our minds.One final comment, it is the integration of these two levels -- theuncompromising non-dualistic view of reality, along with the specific guidelinesfor living within the illusory world under the principle of forgiveness -- thatmakes A Course in Miracles so unique as a spirituality, and so perfect for ourage.*(2:1-2) "In God you cannot see. Perception has no function in God, and does notexist."*Many times students will try to bend or twist statements in A Course inMiracles so that it seems to be saying that God <did> create the world and it isholy, but did not create the world that we <misperceive.> That is <not> whatJesus is teaching, and sentences like this make it clear. "In God you cannotsee" because seeing presupposes duality: a perceiver and a perceived. The realmof perception, therefore, is outside of God. This is reflected in statementslike this: "Your life is not a part of anything you see" (W.PI.151.12.1). Again,the very fact we think we can <see> -- i.e., something outside us -- is proofthe <seeing> self cannot be real. Duality and non-duality, perception andknowledge, are mutually exclusive states. True life is only of the spirit, whichis beyond the subject-object or perceiver-perceived duality. That is why Jesusmakes this Level One statement in the text:"There is no life outside of Heaven. Where God created life, there life must be.In any state apart from Heaven life is illusion." (T.23.II.19.1-3).*(2:3) "Yet in salvation, which is the undoing of what never was, perception hasa mighty purpose."*We have in this one sentence expressions of both Level One and Level Two. The"undoing of what never was" is a Level One statement: the separation neveroccurred. Yet as long as we are here in this dream world, the Holy Spirit, theexpression of God's Love within the dream, has a purpose and function. Thisfunction, which we know to be forgiveness, constitutes the Level Two aspect of ACourse in Miracles.*(2:4-6) "Made by the Son of God for an unholy purpose, it must become the meansfor the restoration of his holiness to his awareness. Perception has no meaning.Yet does the Holy Spirit give it a meaning very close to God's."*This echoes the early lessons in which Jesus teaches that nothing in the worldhas meaning because we have given everything all the meaning it has; the meaningof proving we are right and Jesus wrong: the separation is real. Once we askJesus for help, however, perception does have a meaning: not in reality, but ameaning based upon reality. In other words, the right-minded meaning ofperception is that is it is a reflection of the truth; not the truth, but areflection of the truth that we are one in God, and the separation a meaninglessdream. Truth's reflection within the dream is that <we are one in sharing acommon purpose and need.> This is because we share the same ego.It is helpful to remember that the Sonship is one: in Heaven as Christ (the OneMind), and on earth as an ego (the split mind). Therefore, each seeminglyseparated fragment of the Sonship is one: in Heaven as Christ (the One Mind),and on earth as an ego (the split mind), Therefore, each seemingly separatedfragment of the Sonship carries within it the totality of the ego's wrong-mindedthought system of separation and judgment, <and> the totality of the HolySpirit's right-minded thought system of unity and forgiveness. Thus we all sharethe insanity of the guilt-laden shadowy fragment of separation as well as thesanity of forgiveness, the light-filled reflection of Heaven's Oneness. Clearly,therefore, it could not be the ego that provides the meaning of our trueperception. That is why it is essential to distinguish between these two voiceswithin our split minds, one of the principle goals of the workbook.*(2:7) "Healed perception becomes the means by which the Son of God forgives hisbrother, and thus forgives himself."*This is an extremely important teaching -- not elaborated on here -- a keytheme in A Course in Miracles. We read, for example:"To perceive the healing of your brother as the healing of yourself is thusthe way to remember God. For you forgot your brothers with Him, and God's Answerto your forgetting is but the way to remember." (T-12.II.2:9-10).Future lessons will express this theme as well.Forgiving our brother, thus forgiving ourselves, is the reflection of theAtonement principle that says the separation never happened. The oneness ofGod's Son has never been compromised, thus my forgiveness of you recognizes weshare the same purpose. What we thought happened never happened at all, as weremain as God created us: one Son united within himself and with his Source.*(3:1-2) "You cannot see apart from God because you cannot be apart from God.Whatever you do you do in Him, because whatever you think, you think with HisMind."*Jesus is speaking only of the right-minded seeing, doing, and thinking, becausethe ego's seeing, doing, and thinking are an attack on God, designed to keep usseparate from Him. Therefore, in our right minds we cannot see apart from God.If we are going to see our brothers as sinless, it can be done only when we callupon Jesus or the Holy Spirit for help, a call that says: "I want to be provenwrong. If I am wrong, God is right." In truth He does not see, for there is noseeing in Heaven, but God's reality becomes the basis for vision -- truth'sreflection in the dream.*(3:3) "If vision is real, and it is real to the extent to which it shares theHoly Spirit's purpose, then you cannot see apart from God."*Once again, Jesus clearly implies that vision is not real, except in the sensethat it reflects the oneness of reality. This reflection is the Holy Spirit'spurpose, which is to forgive. Once that purpose is fulfilled vision isunnecessary, and its inherently illusory nature causes us to disappear. The useof the <real> in terms of vision is similar to Jesus' explanation of the <realworld>."This is the journey's end. We have referred to it as the real world. Andyet there is a contradiction here, in that the words imply a limited reality, apartial truth, a segment of the universe made true. This is because knowledgemakes no attack upon perception." (T-26.III.3:4).The real world is <real> insofar as its state of mind <reflects> the reality ofHeaven: the unity of the Son. However, still being a correction of an illusion-- albeit the <final> one -- it remains illusory as well.The instructions that follow in paragraph 4- 6 reflect the earlier the earlieremphasis on the implicit <sameness>of what we see and our thoughts.*(4) "Three five-minute practice periods are required today, one as early and oneas late as possible in the day. The third may be undertaken at the mostconvenient and suitable time that circumstances and readiness permit. At thebeginning of these practice periods, repeat the idea for today to yourself witheyes open. Then glance around you for a short time, applying the ideaspecifically to what you see. Four or five subjects for this phase of thepractice period are sufficient. You might say, for example:God is my Source. I cannot see this desk apart from Him. God is my Source.I cannot see that picture apart from Him."*We again see Jesus asking us to apply the idea for the day of the specifics ofour lives, even the mundane ones. That is how we learn there is no hierarchy ofillusions -- all problems are the same -- and therefore no order of difficultyin miracles -- all solutions are the same. As a later lesson teaches: "Oneproblem, one solution" (W-pI.80.1:5).*(5) "Although this part of the exercise period should be relatively short, besure that you select the subjects for this phase of practice indiscriminately,without self-directed inclusion or exclusion. For the second and longer phase,close your eyes, repeat today's idea again, and then let whatever relevantthoughts occur to you add to the idea in your own personal way. Thoughts suchas:I see through the eyes of forgivenessI see the world as blessedThe world can show me myself I see my own thoughts, which are like God's.Any thought related more or less directly to today's idea is suitable. Thethoughts need not bear any obvious relationship to the idea, but they should notbe in opposition to it."*Exercises like these remind us that we do indeed have a right mind, andtherefore a right-minded way of looking. It is important that we recognize thisin ourselves, for it affords us the necessary means of comparison when ourthoughts turn to the ego's judgment. Comparing the two -- bringing judgment tovision -- allows us to make the correct choice and know we are truly blessed asGod's Son.*(6) "If you find your mind wandering; if you begin to be aware of thoughts whichare clearly out of accord with today's idea, or if you seem to be unable tothink of anything, open your eyes, repeat the first phase of the exerciseperiod, and then attempt the second phase again. Do not allow any protractedperiod to occur in which you become preoccupied with irrelevant thoughts. Returnto the first phase of the exercises as often as necessary to prevent this."*In a sentence we shall revisit often, Jesus says:"You are much too tolerant of mind wandering, and are passively condoningyour mind's miscreations." (T-2.VI.4:6)As in the text, Jesus is asking us in this lesson to become increasinglyvigilant for our ego thoughts. They do not come unbidden, but are defenses wechoose to prevent our achieving the goal of these exercises. The last thing ourego's want is that we learn to question its thought system of separation,specialness, and judgment.*(7) "In applying today's idea in the shorter practice periods, the form may varyaccording to the circumstances and situations in which you find yourself duringthe day. When you are with someone else, for example, try to remember to tellhim silently:God is my Source. I cannot see you apart from Him.This form is equally applicable to strangers as it is to those you think arecloser to you. In fact, try not to make distinctions of this kind at all."*This goes back to a point I made earlier about these lessons: Jesus is tryingto help us generalize his teachings to <all> situations. It is not helpful if wepractice this <here>, but not <there>. To do so would be to nullify everythingwe are learning. the emphasis on not making distinctions between strangers andthose perceived to be closer to us goes to the heart of the ego's defense of<special relationships>. As he does throughout the text, Jesus is calling forthe end of our specialness. <All> people are part of the Sonship of God,<without exception>, as this statement from the text explains:"God is not partial. All His children have His total Love, and all His giftsare freely given to everyone alike. ... The specialness of God's Sons does notstem from exclusion but from inclusion. All my brothers are special."(T-1.V.3:2-3,5-6).On the level of <form> we obviously cannot enjoy the same interaction witheveryone, but we nonetheless need not <exclude> anyone from the love we arelearning to choose as our reality. Thus we reverse the ego's emphasis on <form>rather than <content>.*(8) "Today's idea should also be applied throughout the day to varioussituations and events that may occur, particularly to those which seem todistress you in any way. For this purpose, apply the idea in this form:God is my Source. I cannot see this apart from Him."*Jesus is reminding us again of the importance of being vigilant whenever adistressing thought crosses our minds, whether severe or mild, regardless ofwhat we believe to be the source. When it does, we should immediately go to theHoly Spirit for help and say: "Please help me look at this differently because Iam not at peace." At the end of Chapter 5 in the text, Jesus makes a series ofstatements when we are not at peace. They make clear that if we are notpeaceful, it is our responsibility and no one else's :"I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace.I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at peace.I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all theconsequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me."(T-5.VII.6:6-11: italics omitted.)Thus is the defense of projection undone, and responsibility returned to thedecision-making part of our minds.Jesus concludes the lesson by saying: *(9) "If no particular subject presents itself to your awareness at the time,merely repeat the idea in its original form. Try today not to allow any longperiods of time to slip by without remembering today's idea, and thusremembering your function."*Jesus' purpose is obviously not to make us feel guilty, but rather to remind uswe are doing the workbook because we want to learn what A Course in Miracle isteaching. Thus we have to be vigilant for our ego's in practicing these lessons.We have already seen, and shall see again, that Jesus wants us to become awareof our <resistance> to practicing such vigilance. Only then can we chooseagainst our fear.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 42. God is my strength. Vision is His gift.
Lesson 42. God is my strength. Vision is His gift.The idea for today combines two very powerful thoughts, both of majorimportance. It also sets forth a cause and effect relationship that explains whyyou cannot fail in your efforts to achieve the goal of the course. You will seebecause it is the Will of God. It is His strength, not your own, that gives youpower. And it is His gift, rather than your own, that offers vision to you.God is indeed your strength, and what He gives is truly given. This means thatyou can receive it any time and anywhere, wherever you are, and in whatevercircumstance you find yourself. Your passage through time and space is not atrandom. You cannot but be in the right place at the right time. Such is thestrength of God. Such are His gifts.We will have two three-to-five-minute practice periods today, one as soon aspossible after you wake, and another as close as possible to the time you go tosleep. It is better, however, to wait until you can sit quietly by yourself, ata time when you feel ready, than it is to be concerned with the time as such.Begin these practice periods by repeating the idea for today slowly, with youreyes open, looking about you. Then close your eyes and repeat the idea again,even slower than before. After this, try to think of nothing except thoughtsthat occur to you in relation to the idea for the day. You might think, forexample:Vision must be possible. God gives truly,< or:God's gifts to me must be mine, because He gave them to me.< Any thought that is clearly related to the idea for today is suitable. You may,in fact, be astonished at the amount of course-related understanding some ofyour thoughts contain. Let them come without censoring unless you find your mindis merely wandering, and you have let obviously irrelevant thoughts intrude. Youmay also reach a point where no thoughts at all seem to come to mind. If suchinterferences occur, open your eyes and repeat the thought once more whilelooking slowly about; close your eyes, repeat the idea once more, and thencontinue to look for related thoughts in your mind.Remember, however, that active searching for relevant thoughts is notappropriate for today's exercises. Try merely to step back and let the thoughtscome. If you find this difficult, it is better to spend the practice periodalternating between slow repetitions of the idea with eyes open, then with eyesclosed, than it is to strain to find suitable thoughts.There is no limit on the number of short practice periods that would bebeneficial today. The idea for the day is a beginning step in bringing thoughtstogether, and teaching you that you are studying a unified thought system inwhich nothing is lacking that is needed, and nothing is included that iscontradictory or irrelevant.The more often you repeat the idea during the day, the more often you will bereminding yourself that the goal of the course is important to you, and that youhave not forgotten it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 42. "God is my strength. Vision is His gift."(1:1-2) "The idea for today combines two very powerful thoughts, both of majorimportance. It also sets forth a cause and effect relationship that explains whyyou cannot fail in your efforts to achieve the goal of the course."*This "cause and effect relationship" is that if I know God "walks with me" andHe is my strength, I shall automatically perceive through the eyes of His Loveand Holiness. Christ's vision comes from the thought I am holy and part of God.When I look out, which, as we have learned, has nothing to do with our physicaleyes, all I shall see are figures in a dream either expressing love and tryingto return home, or still too afraid of love and attempting to attack it. Inother words, the <cause> is the vision that sees all people as part of theSonship, regardless of their disparate forms.*(1:3-5) "You will see because it is the Will of God. It is His strength, notyour own, that gives you power. And it is His gift, rather than your own, thatoffers vision to you."*Jesus is urging us to trust him that we cannot fail. Illusions of ego strengthcan have no power over the real Source of strength within us. Jesus now sets outthe wonderful consequences of this happy fact:*(2:1-2) "God is indeed your strength, and what He gives is truly given. Thismeans that you can receive it any time and anywhere, wherever you are, and inwhatever circumstance you find yourself."*Since the mind, the home of God's strength, is beyond time (and space), it is<always> available to us. It simply awaits our acceptance. That is why Jesustells us in the text, already cited, that we need do nothing (T-18.VII). We needdo nothing <except> to accept what is already there. Thus our need is to learnto <un>do what the ego has taught us, releasing God's strength to once again beour own. Since this is a process occurring in our <minds>, which are totallyunder our control, this joyful acceptance can occur anywhere, any time,regardless of external circumstances.This discussion next moves more specifically to the topic of time, which weshall examine much more carefully later on. For now I shall just make some briefcomments: *(2:3-6) "Your passage through time and space is not at random. You cannot but bein the right place at the right time. Such is the strength of God. Such are Hisgifts."*Jesus is saying that nothing is at random because it is all our dream. The egochooses our scripts as a way to keep us further and further away from the truth.When we look at these scripts with Jesus, they then become classrooms. Butnothing is random. I -- the mind that my current physical identity is but afragment of -- have chosen my life and what happens in it as a way ofreinforcing my individuality and specialness. If I look at any aspect of thiswith Jesus and ask his help, I see it as the means of learning forgiveness so Imay return to an awareness of my true Identity. Thus I am "in the right place atthe right place at the right time," for lessons of forgiveness can <always> belearned, regardless of the outer circumstance.For the two longer practice periods today, Jesus encourages us to focus onhaving <quiet> time. Looking at the instructions for these lessons as a whole,we can see how Jesus has emphasized different aspects of our practice atdifferent times; sometimes focusing on the <form> (the external), other times onthe <content> (the internal). The point here, of course, is to help us at ourown level of learning, so that we may come to understand that <cause andeffect>, <content and form> <inner and outer>, are never separated.*(3) "We will have two three-to-five-minute practice periods today, one as soonas possible after you wake, and another as close as possible to the time you goto sleep. It is better, however, to wait until you can sit quietly by yourself,at a time when you feel ready, than it is to be concerned with the time assuch."*Jesus' weaning us from reliance on the <form> of our practicing is part of histraining us not to be slaves to ritual. We previously cited the discussion inthe manual for teachers in this regard, and here is the relevant passage:"There are some general rules which do apply, although each one must usethem as best he can in his own way. Routines as such are dangerous, because theyeasily become gods in their own right, threatening the very goals for which theywere set up. ... This course is always practical. ... Duration is not the majorconcern. One can easily sit still an hour with closed eyes and accomplishnothing. One can as easily give God only an instant, and in that instant joinwith Him completely." (M-16.2:4-5;4:1,4-6).We shall return to this important theme of the <quality> of our time spent withthe Holy Spirit, rather than its <quantity>.The fourth paragraph discusses our personal thoughts "in relation to the ideafor the day." *(4) "Begin these practice periods by repeating the idea for today slowly, withyour eyes open, looking about you. Then close your eyes and repeat the ideaagain, even slower than before. After this, try to think of nothing exceptthoughts that occur to you in relation to the idea for the day. You might think,for example:Vision must be possible. God gives truly,or:God's gifts to me must be mine, because He gave them to me."*Once again we can observe the emphasis Jesus places on bringing <our> thoughtsto <his>, and thereby practice bringing them into harmony with his vision offorgiveness and peace.In the next paragraph Jesus plays down the active mind-searching exercises ofbefore, asking us to be quiet, letting his thoughts come to us, rather than ourcoming to them:*(5) "Any thought that is clearly related to the idea for today is suitable. Youmay, in fact, be astonished at the amount of course-related understanding someof your thoughts contain. Let them come without censoring unless you find yourmind is merely wandering, and you have let obviously irrelevant thoughtsintrude. You may also reach a point where no thoughts at all seem to come tomind. If such interferences occur, open your eyes and repeat the thought oncemore while looking slowly about; close your eyes, repeat the idea once more, andthen continue to look for related thoughts in your mind."*However, if nothing "comes," our gentle teacher instructs us in the nextparagraph to become more active again and look for the thoughts. Yet, thislooking is <not> the focus here, but rather the letting go of control, allowinghis guidance to take over, reminiscent of this statement from the text:"My control can take over everything that does not matter, while myguidance can direct everything that does, if you so choose. ... This iscontrolled by me automatically as soon as you place what you think under myguidance." (T-2.VI.1:3;2-9)*(6:1) "Remember, however, that active searching for relevant thoughts is notappropriate for today's exercises."*Jesus is thus saying you do not have to search for God. Once you have removedyour negative thoughts, the work of earlier lessons, the resultant blank slateallows the thoughts of love to appear to you. Therefore:*(6:2-3) "Try merely to step back and let the thoughts come. If you find thisdifficult, it is better to spend the practice period alternating between slowrepetitions of the idea with eyes open, then with eyes closed, than it is tostrain to find suitable thoughts."*I might add that in reality the thoughts do not come to us; <we come to them>.It was our mind's decision maker that chose to leave the thought of theAtonement for the thought of separation, and so it is this decision maker thannow must make the choice to return to that thought, although our experience maywell be that the Atonement and its reflected thoughts come to us. Thatexperience is reflected in this lesson, as is Jesus' emphasis on the gentle andnon-coercive nature of this learning.*(7) "There is no limit on the number of short practice periods that would bebeneficial today. The idea for the day is a beginning step in bringing thoughtstogether, and teaching you that you are studying a unified thought system inwhich nothing is lacking that is needed, and nothing is included that iscontradictory or irrelevant."*This is a point that Jesus makes in many other places as well. Everything youever need is in this course; there is no need to seek elsewhere. Once you decideA Course in Miracles is your spiritual path, to do anything else will simplyconfuse you. As Jesus told Helen specifically, in words meant for <all> hisstudents:"You are not making use of the course if you insist on using means whichhave served others well, neglecting what was made for you." (T.18.VII.6.5)A Course in Miracles contains everything that will help you undo your ego, andtherefore everything that will help remind you of who you are. Insisting on"using means which have served others well," will simply defend againstaccepting the Course's message of forgiveness as your own.*(8) "The more often you repeat the idea during the day, the more often you willbe reminding yourself that the goal of the course is important to you, and thatyou have not forgotten it."*You need to realize there is a part of you, despite your fear, that does wantto learn what this course is teaching, and that its goal is truly important toyou. Despite all attempts to cover it with clouds of guilt, there remains theright-minded self that remembers your goal: above all you want to return home. ACourse in Miracles, with Jesus as your teacher, will be the means to help youultimately reach that goal.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 41. God goes with me wherever I go.
Lesson 41. God goes with me wherever I go.
Today's idea will eventually overcome completely the sense of loneliness and
abandonment all the separated ones experience. Depression is an inevitable
consequence of separation. So are anxiety, worry, a deep sense of helplessness,
misery, suffering and intense fear of loss.
The separated ones have invented many "cures" for what they believe to be "the
ills of the world." But the one thing they do not do is to question the reality
of the problem. Yet its effects cannot be cured because the problem is not real.
The idea for today has the power to end all this foolishness forever. And
foolishness it is, despite the serious and tragic forms it may take.
Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready to radiate through you and
out into the world. It will cure all sorrow and pain and fear and loss because
it will heal the mind that thought these things were real, and suffered out of
its allegiance to them.
You can never be deprived of your perfect holiness because its Source goes with
you wherever you go. You can never suffer because the Source of all joy goes
with you wherever you go. You can never be alone because the Source of all life
goes with you wherever you go. Nothing can destroy your peace of mind because
God goes with you wherever you go.
We understand that you do not believe all this. How could you, when the truth is
hidden deep within, under a heavy cloud of insane thoughts, dense and obscuring,
yet representing all you see? Today we will make our first real attempt to get
past this dark and heavy cloud, and to go through it to the light beyond.
There will be only one long practice period today. In the morning, as soon as
you get up if possible, sit quietly for some three to five minutes, with your
eyes closed. At the beginning of the practice period, repeat today's idea very
slowly. Then make no effort to think of anything. Try, instead, to get a sense
of turning inward, past all the idle thoughts of the world. Try to enter very
deeply into your own mind, keeping it clear of any thoughts that might divert
your attention.
From time to time, you may repeat the idea if you find it helpful. But most of
all, try to sink down and inward, away from the world and all the foolish
thoughts of the world. You are trying to reach past all these things. You are
trying to leave appearances and approach reality.
It is quite possible to reach God. In fact it is very easy, because it is the
most natural thing in the world. You might even say it is the only natural thing
in the world. The way will open, if you believe that it is possible. This
exercise can bring very startling results even the first time it is attempted,
and sooner or later it is always successful. We will go into more detail about
this kind of practice as we go along. But it will never fail completely, and
instant success is possible.
Throughout the day use today's idea often, repeating it very slowly, preferably
with eyes closed. Think of what you are saying; what the words mean. Concentrate
on the holiness that they imply about you; on the unfailing companionship that
is yours; on the complete protection that surrounds you.
You can indeed afford to laugh at fear thoughts, remembering that God goes with
you wherever you go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume
series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"
which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 41. "God goes with me wherever I go."
*This is obviously a happy thought, and just as obviously Jesus is not talking
about a literal physical God Who walks with us, reminiscent of the song in the
movie version of <The Student Prince,> "I walk with God." Jesus is telling us
here that the memory of God is in our minds -- the home of the Holy Spirit --
and thus is always with us. In that sense, God is indeed with us wherever we go.
This will become more evident as we go through the lesson.*
(1) "Today's idea will eventually overcome completely the sense of loneliness
and abandonment all the separated ones experience. Depression is an inevitable
consequence of separation. So are anxiety, worry, a deep sense of helplessness,
misery, suffering and intense fear of loss."
*What reappears here is the important theme of <cause and effect.> Although the
words are not specifically used, Jesus' teaching can nonetheless be seen as a
reflection of that theme. Our problems are all the same and come from one
<cause>: believing we are separated from God. The <effects> of this mistake are
worry, depression, misery, suffering, and fear of loss. We have discussed before
how the world exists to provide causes of our distress, which merely disguise
the true cause. Our egos are incredibly skillful in concealing the truth,
leading us to be certain we know the sources of our unhappiness -- everything
but the mind's decision for guilt.
Thus, if I know that "God goes with me wherever I go" because He is in mind,
that means I have not abandoned Him and He has not abandoned me. Further, it
means I have not killed Him, nor am I separated from Him. If I accept this truth
of the Atonement, I cannot be depressed, lonely, anxious, or fearful, as these
come from guilt, which, without the belief in separation, cannot exist. The way
I will know about my belief in separation is to become aware of my feelings of
anxiety, worry, and unhappiness. That is why it is essential not to cover over
negative experiences. If we do, there is literally no hope, which lies in first
recognizing our discomfort and despair, and then realizing these are simply the
effects of the thought that God does <not> go wherever we go because we killed
him off. That sinful thought represents a decision that can <now> happily be
changed.
You need to learn your were wrong, and that you now want to be a happy learner
who is happy to be wrong, not because you have proven your self to be right
(T-29.VII.1.9). This is an idea that cannot be cited often enough. If you have
an investment in being right, you will never be happy. Perhaps you are right
today, but the "rightness" (or innocence) that you stole from someone else will
be stolen back by the one from whom you took it in anger. The only way you can
be truly right is to know that God is with you wherever you go, which means that
everything the ego has taught you is a lie. You <did> not separate from God
because you <could> not.*
(2:1-2) "The separated ones have invented many "cures" for what they believe to
be "the ills of the world." But the one thing they do not do is to question the
reality of the problem."
*"Ills of the world" is in quotes because there are no "ills of the world."
Since there is no world, how could it have ills? There is only an ill thought.
"Cures" is in quotes as well because you cannot cure a problem that does not
exist. The true problem is separation, and if we do not recognize that thought
as the cause of our problems, how can we question it, let alone change it? The
ego has convinced us that separation is real, and is such a horrid thought we
can never look at it again, lest we be destroyed. As Jesus explains in the text:
"Loudly the ego tells you not to look inward, for if you do your eyes will
light on sin, and God will strike you blind. This you believe, and so you do not
look." (T-21.IV.2:3-4).
The ego thus counsels us to run away from the mind, the home of the separation
thought, and erect one defense after another, put up wall upon wall, all of
which serve the purpose of rooting our attention in the world of the body. Thus
we are protected from questioning the seeming reality of the statement: "I
separated from God." As long as we remain in the state of <mindlessness>, we can
never truly "question the reality of the problem, " which remains always in its
source: the <mind>.*
(2:3) "Yet its effects cannot be cured because the problem is not real."
*Our attempts to cure a problem in the world, whether in our personal worlds or
the world at large, will never meet with success. Perhaps the symptom will
disappear temporarily, but we will still believe the problem -- the <cause> --
is real. As long as we do, the cause of guilt will continue to generate symptoms
-- Freud's <symptom substitution> -- that plague us. Despite their pain
demanding constant attention, however, the underlying cause of the symptoms
remains unnoticed, and the ego continues to reign triumphant until we can
explain: "There must be another way!" Our teacher helps us finally get beyond
the effect to the cause, so that it can be changed.*
(2:4-5) "The idea for today has the power to end all this foolishness forever.
And foolishness it is, despite the serious and tragic forms it may take."
*Importantly, Jesus does not use the word <sinful>; he simply says it is
<foolish>. What he expresses here is identical to what he teaches in "The "Hero"
of the Dream," where he says that the problem is our having forgotten to laugh
at the tiny, mad idea, and that the Holy Spirit looks at our concerns and laughs
at them, not derisively, but with the gentleness that knows that upsets are not
real. This theme recurs throughout A Course in Miracles, but the following
passage from the end of Chapter 27 is representative:
"In gentle laughter does the Holy Spirit perceive the cause, and looks not
to effects. How else could He correct your error, who have overlooked the cause
entirely? He bids you bring each terrible effect to Him that you may look
together on its foolish cause and laugh with Him a while. You judge effects, but
He has judged their cause. And by His judgment are effects removed. Perhaps you
come in tears. But hear Him say, "My brother, holy Son of God, behold your idle
dream, in which this could occur". And you will leave the holy instant with your
laughter and your brother's joined with His." (T-27.VIII.9).
Later in the workbook we shall examine the use of the metaphor or <toys> to
depict the seeming gargantuan nature of sin, which but serves to conceal its
innate foolishness.*
(3) "Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready to radiate through you
and out into the world. It will cure all sorrow and pain and fear and loss
because it will heal the mind that thought these things were real, and suffered
out of its allegiance to them."
*If I know that God goes with me, that through the Holy Spirit His Love is
always with me, I realize everything I had believed and perceived is not true.
Again, that is the fear -- if my beliefs and perceptions are not true, then *I*
am not true either. Thus I unconsciously hold to the belief that guilt is
heaven, for it proves that I exist, the *I* that I think myself to be.*
(4) "You can never be deprived of your perfect holiness because its Source goes
with you wherever you go. You can never suffer because the Source of all joy
goes with you wherever you go. You can never be alone because the Source of all
life goes with you wherever you go. Nothing can destroy your peace of mind
because God goes with you wherever you go."
*Jesus would like you to see how steadfastly and stubbornly you try to prove
these statements wrong and your beliefs are right. You do this by proving the
world is hostile, threatening, and sinful. It does not matter which. It is
extremely helpful to look at how you defend against this truth by continually
asserting you are right and seek to prove it. It is also crucial that you
recognize that you do not believe Jesus' words, as he will tell you in the next
sentence.
One more point before we move on: If we were to accept as true the beautiful
statements in the above paragraph, our guilt would have nowhere to go except to
remain within our minds, where the ego told us waits our certain death at the
hands of a vengeful god, hell-bent on our destruction. Our projected suffering
and unhappiness <without> protects this terrible thought <within>. It is this
need to protect ourselves that provides the resistance to acceptance of Jesus'
comforting words.*
(5:1-2) "We understand that you do not believe all this. How could you, when the
truth is hidden deep within, under a heavy cloud of insane thoughts, dense and
obscuring, yet representing all you see?"
*How could you possibly understand this when you still believe there is a <you>
reading these words? How could you possibly understand when you remain
preoccupied with your specialness, individuality, and problems? Once again, we
see the <purposive> nature of our insane thoughts leading to our insane
perceptions: they keep hidden the truth that would indeed make us free of the
ego's thought system of fear, hate, and suffering.*
(5:3) "Today we will make our first real attempt to get past this dark and heavy
cloud, and to go through it to the light beyond."
*Jesus will use this form again in Lesson 70, the thought being that Jesus is
the one who leads you through the cloud. He asks you not to deny the presence of
this cloud of guilt, individuality, and specialness, but to pay close attention
to it. We can never get to the light without going through the cloud, "dark and
heavy" only to the ego. In truth, however, it is but a "fragile veil before the
light," as we read in this wonderful extended passage from the text:
"For the reality of guilt is the illusion that seems to make it heavy and
opaque, impenetrable, and a real foundation for the ego's thought system. Its
thinness and transparency are not apparent until you see the light behind it.
And then you see it as a fragile veil before the light."
"This heavy-seeming barrier, this artificial floor that looks like rock, is
like a bank of low dark clouds that seem to be a solid wall before the sun. Its
impenetrable appearance is wholly an illusion. It gives way softly to the
mountain tops that rise above it, and has no power at all to hold back anyone
willing to climb above it and see the sun. It is not strong enough to stop a
button's fall, nor hold a feather. Nothing can rest upon it, for it is but an
illusion of a foundation. Try but to touch it and it disappears; attempt to
grasp it and your hands hold nothing."
"So should it be with the dark clouds of guilt, no more impenetrable and
no more substantial. You will not bruise yourself against them in traveling
through. Let your Guide teach you their insubstantial nature as He leads you
past them, for beneath them is a world of light whereon they cast no shadows."
(T-18.IX.5:2-4;6;8:1-3).
Indeed, this teaching about guilt's "unsubstantial nature" is the heart and soul
of A Course in Miracles; the essence of the Atonement. It teaches there is no
need to defend against the thought of guilt, which has no effect and therefore
is not there. Again, we can note how the profundity of the text's teachings is
found "hidden" in these "simple" workbook lessons.
We continue now with the instructions for the day, which have us return to a
long practice period. This time Jesus urges us more directly between the brain's
activity of thinking and that of the mind, the true source of our source of our
thoughts: *
(6:1 --7:2) "There will be only one long practice period today. In the morning,
as soon as you get up if possible, sit quietly for some three to five minutes,
with your eyes closed. At the beginning of the practice period, repeat today's
idea very slowly. Then make no effort to think of anything. Try, instead, to get
a sense of turning inward, past all the idle thoughts of the world. Try to enter
very deeply into your own mind, keeping it clear of any thoughts that might
divert your attention."
"From time to time, you may repeat the idea if you find it helpful. But most
of all, try to sink down and inward, away from the world and all the foolish
thoughts of the world."
*And everything here is foolish; or, better, it is foolish to believe that the
things of the world can bring us pleasure or pain. Sinking past them means
moving past our pleasure and pain -- to the mind that is the only source of our
feelings and thoughts. It is in the mind that we experience God's Presence
through the Holy Spirit, and it is in the mind that the decision is made to
substitute the ego's presence for His.
The next two sentences emphasize the crucial distinction, borrowed from Pluto,
between appearance and reality, awareness of which is the purpose of our going
inward:*
(7:3-4) "You are trying to reach past all these things. You are trying to leave
appearances and approach reality."
*Jesus wants us first to look carefully at what appears to us as real: the
world, replete with people hearing and seeing our bodies, and whose bodies we
hear and see. The next step, then, following Jesus' gentle guidance, is
recognizing the illusory nature of these appearances and moving beyond them to
the thoughts of the ego; and then, finally, beyond the ego to the Holy Spirit's
thought of the Atonement.*
(8:1-4) "It is quite possible to reach God. In fact it is very easy, because it
is the most natural thing in the world. You might even say it is the only
natural thing in the world. The way will open, if you believe that it is
possible."
*Jesus is not saying you have to have to believe this totally, you just have to
believe that perhaps, just maybe, it is possible he is right and you are wrong.
If the only natural thing in this world is to reach God, and everything in this
world is a movement against Him, then nothing in this world is natural,
including yourself, your body, personality, and individual existence. It is your
<belief> that will lead you Home, once you place its power under the Atonement
principle of the Holy Spirit, correcting the mistaken belief in the separation.
Jesus next underscores for us the importance of this lesson, trying to buttress
our confidence in the workbook's process of retraining our minds. This is one
among the many "pep talks" he gives us along the way:*
(8:5 -- 9:3) "This exercise can bring very startling results even the first time
it is attempted, and sooner or later it is always successful. We will go into
more detail about this kind of practice as we go along. But it will never fail
completely, and instant success is possible."
"Throughout the day use today's idea often, repeating it very slowly,
preferably with eyes closed. Think of what you are saying; what the words mean.
Concentrate on the holiness that they imply about you; on the unfailing
companionship that is yours; on the complete protection that surrounds you."
*These last lines point to the truth that lies just beyond the illusion, a truth
that is ours once we truly focus on the lessons and the practice of the
exercises.
And then the last line of the lesson:*
(10) "You can indeed afford to laugh at fear thoughts, remembering that God goes
with you wherever you go."
*Jesus returns to the theme of laughing at the ego, i.e., not taking it
seriously. This is only possible when we have brought our fear thoughts to the
Love of God that is remembered for us by the Holy Spirit. Without this process
of bringing the illusions to the truth, our laughter will be superficial at
best, and derisive and judgmental at worst. The Holy Spirit's laughter is born
of the gentle smile that knows the difference between appearance and reality,
illusion and truth, separation and Atonement. In Lesson 187 Jesus makes the
seemingly outrageous statement that you could look at the pain, suffering, and
starvation in the world and laugh at it. You will laugh at suffering, not
because you are making fun of people, but because, having joined with the Holy
Spirit in your right mind, you will know it is not true -- it has no power to
take away the peace and Love of God away from you.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 40. I am blessed as a Son of God.
Lesson 40. I am blessed as a Son of God.Today we will begin to assert some of the happy things to which you areentitled, being what you are. No long practice periods are required today, butvery frequent short ones are necessary. Once every ten minutes would be highlydesirable, and you are urged to attempt this schedule and to adhere to itwhenever possible. If you forget, try again. If there are long interruptions,try again. Whenever you remember, try again.You need not close your eyes for the exercise periods, although you willprobably find it more helpful if you do. However, you may be in a number ofsituations during the day when closing your eyes would not be feasible. Do notmiss a practice period because of this. You can practice quite well under anycircumstances, if you really want to.Today's exercises take little time and no effort. Repeat the idea for today, andthen add several of the attributes you associate with being a Son of God,applying them to yourself. One practice period might, for example, consist ofthe following:I am blessed as a Son of God. I am happy, peaceful, loving and contented.< Another might take this form:I am blessed as a Son of God I am calm, quiet, assured and confident.< If only a brief period is available, merely telling yourself that you areblessed as a Son of God will do.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 40. "I am blessed as a Son of God."(1:1) "Today we will begin to assert some of the happy things to which you areentitled, being what you are."*In these early lessons, as we have previously discussed, Jesus makes it veryclear that our minds are split, part of which worships guilt and attackthoughts, while the other contains the memory of Who we truly are. Beginningwith this lesson and continuing for the next ten, Jesus gives our egos a respiteas he speaks almost exclusively about the other side -- "the happy things towhich you are entitled" -- our right minds." *(1:2-6) "No long practice periods are required today, but very frequent shortones are necessary. Once every ten minutes would be highly desirable, and youare urged to attempt this schedule and to adhere to it whenever possible. If youforget, try again. If there are long interruptions, try again. Whenever youremember, try again."*The exercises for today thus represent a departure from the previous onesbecause of the absence of a long exercise period. In addition, Jesus continueshis strong yet gentle urgings that we keep trying to remember -- as often aspossible each hour -- without making our forgetting into a sin. Quite obviouslyhe knows we will.The next paragraph is extremely important because it helps us recognize thatthese exercises must be applied <all> the time, whether we are meditating in aquiet room, or being about our busyness. <We do not have to close our eyes inorder to remember God and His Son>: *(2) "You need not close your eyes for the exercise periods, although you willprobably find it more helpful if you do. However, you may be in a number ofsituations during the day when closing your eyes would not be feasible. Do notmiss a practice period because of this. You can practice quite well under anycircumstances, if you really want to."*Thus, no matter where you are during the day -- driving your car, eating with afriend, quietly alone, busy at work -- you can remember today's lesson.*(3) "Today's exercises take little time and no effort. Repeat the idea fortoday, and then add several of the attributes you associate with being a Son ofGod, applying them to yourself. One practice period might, for example, consistof the following:I am blessed as a Son of God. I am happy, peaceful, loving and contented.Another might take this form:I am blessed as a Son of God I am calm, quiet, assured and confident.If only a brief period is available, merely telling yourself that you areblessed as a Son of God will do."*Jesus is asking us to take the general statement of our Identity and make itmore specific, thereby making it more personal to us. The lesson's final linereiterates how we do not need a quiet place or set time to remember.Underlying Jesus' teaching here is that we need time and place -- i.e., rituals-- as long as we identify with our bodies. But since Jesus' ultimate teaching isthat we are minds, weaning us of our dependency on externals is an importantstep toward our eventual identification with the mind: the source of ourblessedness, as well as the birthplace of our resistance to accepting Who wetruly are.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 39. My holiness is my salvation.
Lesson 39. My holiness is my salvation.If guilt is hell, what is its opposite? Like the text for which this workbookwas written, the ideas used for the exercises are very simple, very clear andtotally unambiguous. We are not concerned with intellectual feats nor logicaltoys. We are dealing only in the very obvious, which has been overlooked in theclouds of complexity in which you think you think.If guilt is hell, what is its opposite? This is not difficult, surely. Thehesitation you may feel in answering is not due to the ambiguity of thequestion. But do you believe that guilt is hell? If you did, you would see atonce how direct and simple the text is, and you would not need a workbook atall. No one needs practice to gain what is already his.We have already said that your holiness is the salvation of the world. Whatabout your own salvation? You cannot give what you do not have. A savior must besaved. How else can he teach salvation? Today's exercises will apply to you,recognizing that your salvation is crucial to the salvation of the world. As youapply the exercises to your world, the whole world stands to benefit.Your holiness is the answer to every question that was ever asked, is beingasked now, or will be asked in the future. Your holiness means the end of guilt,and therefore the end of hell. Your holiness is the salvation of the world, andyour own. How could you to whom your holiness belongs be excluded from it? Goddoes not know un-holiness. Can it be He does not know His Son?A full five minutes are urged for the four longer practice periods for today,and longer and more frequent practice sessions are encouraged. If you want toexceed the minimum requirements, more rather than longer sessions arerecommended, although both are suggested.Begin the practice periods as usual, by repeating today's idea to yourself.Then, with closed eyes, search out your unloving thoughts in whatever form theyappear; uneasiness, depression, anger, fear, worry, attack, insecurity and soon. Whatever form they take, they are unloving and therefore fearful. And so itis from them that you need to be saved.Specific situations, events or personalities you associate with unlovingthoughts of any kind are suitable subjects for today's exercises. It isimperative for your salvation that you see them differently. And it is yourblessing on them that will save you and give you vision.Slowly, without conscious selection and without undue emphasis on any one inparticular, search your mind for every thought that stands between you and yoursalvation. Apply the idea for today to each of them in this way:My unloving thoughts about___are keeping me in hell. My holiness is my salvation.<You may find these practice periods easier if you intersperse them with severalshort periods during which you merely repeat today's idea to yourself slowly afew times. You may also find it helpful to include a few short intervals inwhich you just relax and do not seem to be thinking of anything. Sustainedconcentration is very difficult at first. It will become much easier as yourmind becomes more disciplined and less distractible.Meanwhile, you should feel free to introduce variety into the exercise periodsin whatever form appeals to you. Do not, however, change the idea itself as youvary the method of applying it. However you elect to use it, the idea should bestated so that its meaning is the fact that your holiness is your salvation. Endeach practice period by repeating the idea in its original form once more, andadding:If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?< In the shorter applications, which should be made some three or four times anhour and more if possible, you may ask yourself this question, repeat today'sidea, and preferably both. If temptations arise, a particularly helpful form ofthe idea is:My holiness is my salvation from this.< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 39. "My holiness is my salvation."(1:1) "If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?"*There are two ways of answering this question. On one level, and the mostobvious, the answer is the lesson title: the opposite of guilt is holiness, andthe opposite of hell is salvation. As we shall see in the second paragraph,however, another opposite of <guilt is hell> is that <guilt is heaven>.*(1:2) "Like the text for which this workbook was written, the ideas used for theexercises are very simple, very clear and totally unambiguous."*This is not what most students of A Course in Miracles believe about the text.The problem is that once you understand what the Course is saying, which meansyou have set aside your guilt, specialness, and investment in being anindividual, what is left is the simple truth. You then read A Course in Miraclesin that state of mind and it is ever so "simple ... clear and ... unambiguous."What makes it difficult to understand is not the language, the blank verse, orany other aspect of its form, but your unwillingness to understand it. This isnot intended as an attack or condemnation, but simply as a means to help youunderstand why you find it so difficult to comprehend, let alone practice. Aslong as you have an investment in keeping your mind hidden, in keeping your bodyreal and individuality paramount, you will find what this course is saying to beterribly threatening. Inevitably, then, the natural defense against theperceived threat would be to obscure what it is saying.You cannot understand A Course in Miracles without first letting it inside. Onceyou do, however, you find that when you read something that a week, month or ayear ago made no sense, the words suddenly leap off the page and are "totallyunambiguous." Thus, when Jesus says here -- as he says in so many other places-- that his course is simple and clear, he is not being facetious, nor mockingyou. He is simply saying that if it is not clear to you it is because you aredefending against it, a statement made in the text that was originally meant forHelen:"This course is perfectly clear. If you do not see it clearly, it is becauseyou are interpreting against it, and therefore do not believe it. And sincebelief determines perception, you do not perceive what it means and therefore donot accept it." (T-11.VI.3:1-3).*(1:3-4) "We are not concerned with intellectual feats nor logical toys. We aredealing only in the very obvious, which has been overlooked in the clouds ofcomplexity in which you think you think."*So much for our holy and brilliant thoughts we think we are thinking. But wehave already learned we are not thinking at all. Rather, these "profound"thoughts are but shadows of the mind's thought of fear. The underlying dynamichere is our fear of the clarity of A Course in Miracles, which gives rise to thedefense of complexity. This renders its simple truths temporarily inaccessibleto us.The Course's teachings shine in our minds like the sun, and we become sofrightened of the light that we quickly produce clouds, more clouds, and moreclouds still. These defenses, which elsewhere are described as symbols of guilt(T-13.IX) or "screens of smoke" (W-pI.133.12:3), "protect" us from the light ofthe "sun's" truth. In the context of this passage, then, the clouds representour intellectual ruminations, all designed, under the rationalization of seekingunderstanding, to defend against the simplicity of the teachings. In the end,truth's simplicity can only be experienced, not understood through the brain. AsJesus explains in the text about complexity:"Complexity is of the ego, and is nothing more than the ego's attempt toobscure the obvious." (T-15:IV.6:2)"Complexity is not of God. How could it be, when all He knows is One? He knowsof one creation, one reality, one truth and but one Son. Nothing conflicts withoneness. How, then, could there be complexity in Him?" (T-26.III.1:1-5).*(2:1-4) "If guilt is hell, what is its opposite? This is not difficult, surely.The hesitation you may feel in answering is not due to the ambiguity of thequestion. But do you believe that guilt is hell?"*That is the problem. We believe <guilt is heaven>, but are not aware that wedo. There is a subsection of "The Obstacles to Peace" called "The Attraction ofGuilt" (T.19.IV.A..I) in which Jesus specifically talks about our attraction toseeing guilt in other people. It is obvious, though, that if I see it in othersit is because I want to keep it real in myself. That is the problem. We believethat guilt is heaven and holiness is damnation. In the text Jesus says our realfear is not of crucifixion but of redemption (or holiness) (T-13.III.1:10-11).In the presence of this holiness -- the principle of the Atonement that <is> ourredemption -- our self-concept of individuality disappears: our ego is gone, asare our problems and their false solutions. Nothing remains but the light oftruth, the light of which truly frightens us. That is the problem.Guilt preserves individuality because it tells us never to look within ourminds; our guilt and self-hatred are so overpowering that if we go anywhere nearthem we will be destroyed. Thus, following the ego's strategy, which we outlinedin the Prelude, we make a world and body to conceal the "awful truth" aboutourselves. This dynamic, which reveals the true purpose of the body, is mostclearly articulated in the following passage from the text. We shalloccasionally return to parts of it, but here is the passage in its entirety. Ihave supplied the appropriate nouns, where the pronouns might be confusing:"The circle of fear lies just below the level the body sees, and seems tobe the whole foundation on which the world is based. Here [ the world ] are allthe illusions, all the twisted thoughts, all the insane attacks, the fury, thevengeance and betrayal that were made to keep the guilt in place, so that theworld could rise from it [ guilt ]and keep it [ guilt ] hidden. Its [ guilt's ]shadow rises to the surface, enough to hold its [ guilt's] most externalmanifestations in darkness, and to bring despair and loneliness to it [ theworld ] and keep it [ the world ] joyless. Yet its [guilt's ] intensity isveiled by its [ guilt's ] heavy coverings, and kept apart from what was made tokeep it [ guilt ] hidden. The body cannot see this [guilt ], for the body arosefrom this [ guilt ] for its protection, which depends on keeping it [ guilt ]not seen. The body's eyes will never look on it [guilt ]. Yet they will see whatit [ guilt ] dictates.""The body will remain guilt's messenger, and will act as it [ guilt ]directs as long as you believe that guilt is real. For the reality of guilt isthe illusion that seems to make it [ guilt ] heavy and opaque, impenetrable, anda real foundation for the ego's thought system. Its [ guilt's] thinness andtransparency are not apparent until you see the light behind it [ guilt ]. Andthen you see it [ guilt ] as a fragile veil before the light." (T-18.IX.4-5).Thus are we not aware that guilt is the choice to preserve our individuality bymaking up imaginary thoughts that equate it with sin and guilt, which deservepunishment. All this is protected by the world and the body, which keeps thehorror of our guilt hidden. When Jesus asks, then, "Do you believe that guilt ishell?" we emphatically answer "No." The proof we have answered thus is that webelieve we are here as bodies and personalities. Jesus knows this to be a factin the perceptual universe, which is evident in what he says next: *(2:5-6) "If you did [believe that guilt is hell ], you would see at once howdirect and simple the text is, and you would not need a workbook at all. No oneneeds practice to gain what is already his."*This is Jesus' reply when you say you cannot understand his course; that it istoo complicated, difficult, or convoluted. He is telling you that is <not> theproblem. In saying, a line we have already quoted, "And God thinks otherwise."(T-23.I.2:7), Jesus tells you: "*I* think otherwise." The problem is that youbelieve guilt is heaven, and do not believe guilt is hell and your holiness isyour salvation. Clearly, Jesus is not attacking or judging anyone here. Rather,he tells you: "You will not be able to learn this course as long as you do notlisten to what I am telling you, which is that you do not want to learn thiscourse. Bring to me your fear of learning so I can teach you that A Course inMiracles will help and not hurt you. Love will not abandon, betray, or crucifyyou, but will simply accept you for the Christ you are. It is that love youfear."This passage is also an appeal to our humility. Jesus is gently informing usthat we are still spiritual children, babes in the ego's woods that need a wiseolder brother to extend his gentle hand and lead us through. As long as weidentify with our physical and psychological self we need a Course in Miraclesas the means whereby Jesus leads us through the darkened thickets of the ego'sthought system to the light of truth that shines just beyond them. It is onlythe ego's arrogance that would have us believe we are beyond the need for suchhelp.*(3:1-3)"We have already said that your holiness is the salvation of the world.What about your own salvation? You cannot give what you do not have."*The world is nothing more than a mirror of what you believe you are; andtherefore the salvation of the world and yourself are identical.<Having and giving>, <giving and receiving> , <having and being> -- all areequated in the Course (see e.g., T-6.V), and thus are the same. If the realityof love, which is the <only> reality, is perfect undifferentiated unity andnothing else, then what I <have> is what I <am>, and what I <give> is what I<receive>: again -- they are the same. The four are synonymous with the dynamicthat says that love is, and there is nothing else. In this world, of course,<having, being, giving and receiving> are separate. If I give you something, Ido not have it. These sentences, moreover, emphasize the need for us to acceptthe Atonement for ourselves, not for anyone else. I cannot be of help to othersif I remain an <unhealed healer> (T-9.V).The next lines make this clear:*(3:4-5) "A savior must be saved. How else can he teach salvation?"*Nothing in A Course in Miracle will make sense to you -- intellectually orexperientially -- unless you realize that everything is one -- within the ego'sdream and in Heaven. The guilt in your wrong mind is the same guilt in everyone.Likewise in your right mind: If you forgive one person you forgive everyone,because everyone is the same. Forgiveness must begin and end where it is needed-- in our minds, where the original choice for guilt was made. We have alreadyseen that as we accept salvation for ourselves, it automatically extends throughus to embrace the Sonship as one.*(3:6) "Today's exercises will apply to you, recognizing that your salvation iscrucial to the salvation of the world."*I do not have to worry about saving the world or ameliorating a terriblecondition, whether it is global or personal. I need only "worry" about savingmyself, which means asking Jesus to help me look at my mistaken decisions andthoughts another way.*(3:7) "As you apply the exercises to your world, the whole world stands tobenefit."*This of course makes no sense from the world's point of view. Thus, whenstudents approach this lesson, still thinking they are real persons, living inthe world they can save, they misinterpret Jesus' teaching that there is noworld, which is given detailed attention later in the workbook (e.g., Lesson132.). Here he is teaching that if I save myself and take him as my teacherinstead of the ego, the whole world is saved as well. The oneness of the worldreflects the oneness of our minds, a oneness that remains at one with itself,since <ideas leave not their source>. *(4:1-2) "Your holiness is the answer to every question that was ever asked, isbeing asked now, or will be asked in the future. Your holiness means the end ofguilt, and therefore the end of hell."*That is what we are afraid of, and therefore why we choose to be unholy.Whenever we attack another, whether in our thoughts, words, or actions, we seekto prove we are unholy and undeserving of love. It is very simple. There is butone specific motivation: to keep yourself guilty. If you are guilty, you areright and Jesus is wrong, for he tells you that you are holy. This, then,becomes our ego's response to his "attack": "I will show you! Look at what I amdoing or what I am thinking. Look at what I am not doing or thinking." You needto get in touch with the underlining motivation that wants to prove guilt is nothell but heaven. Once caught in the maelstrom of guilt, your thought systemquickly evolves to wanting the guilt to rest on another, not yourself. Suchprojection is the ego's heaven, since it protects the unforgiveness of ourselves(W-pII.1.2), and therefore our individual and guilt-ridden identities.Preserving that identity is the ultimate motivation for our thoughts of judgmentand attack.*(4:3) "Your holiness is the salvation of the world, and your own."*Why? Because they are exactly the same: <ideas leave not their source.> *(4:4-6) "How could you to whom your holiness belongs be excluded from it? Goddoes not know unholiness. Can it be He does not know His Son?"*Having firmly established this in the text (e.g., T-4.1.2:6, 11-12; II.8:6-7),Jesus is clearly implying here that God does not know about this world. This isan unholy world coming from an unholy thought, and God does not know his Son inan unholy state. If He did, the unholy state would be real and duality would bethe truth of the Kingdom. Even though the ego is outraged to be told God doesnot know about it, in truth that is the most comforting thought of all. If Goddoes not know about you, then you -- the separated Son of God -- do not exist.But what God <does> know about does exist: the Self you <truly> are.*(5) "A full five minutes are urged for the four longer practice periods fortoday, and longer and more frequent practice sessions are encouraged. If youwant to exceed the minimum requirements, more rather than longer sessions arerecommended, although both are suggested."*Again, we see Jesus gently encouraging and leading us forward in ourpracticing. He clearly wants us to think of him and his message as often aspossible throughout the day, yet he does not wish us to feel coerced, forcoercion merely reinforces fear.*(6) "Begin the practice periods as usual, by repeating today's idea to yourself.Then, with closed eyes, search out your unloving thoughts in whatever form theyappear; uneasiness, depression, anger, fear, worry, attack, insecurity and soon. Whatever form they take, they are unloving and therefore fearful. And so itis from them that you need to be saved."*This is a striking and unequivocal statement that you need to be saved onlyfrom your thoughts. The problem is that we do not know them because we think ourthoughts have taken flight and exist outside us. That is why I have beenemphasizing how Jesus emphasizes our need to search our minds. Indeed, one ofthe most important themes of these lessons is mind searching for unlovingthoughts. Occasionally Jesus says to search for loving ones, as will be comingup shortly, but by and large his focus is on the unloving thoughts, because theyare the problem. It is they we need to bring to the light of truth. Once theirdarkness is dispelled, the loving thoughts simply <are>.*(7) "Specific situations, events or personalities you associate with unlovingthoughts of any kind are suitable subjects for today's exercises. It isimperative for your salvation that you see them differently. And it is yourblessing on them that will save you and give you vision."*That is a very strong statement. "It is imperative for your salvation that yousee them differently." How can you see them differently if you do not see themat all? That is why you have to search your mind for unloving thoughts. Jesushas already told you he understands that you do not understand what he istalking about. Moreover, you certainly do not accept his teachings because youdo not believe that guilt is hell. The idea here, therefore, is that you <not>pretend you are a wonderful student and believe everything in these lessons.What makes you a wonderful student of A Course in Miracles is to forgiveyourself for <not> believing everything that is here. Remember, the idea is tobring your unloving thoughts to his love so he may reinterpret them for us. Thatis why our recognition and acceptance of their presence -- in our minds -- is soessential to our healing and salvation.*(8) "Slowly, without conscious selection and without undue emphasis on any onein particular, search your mind for every thought that stands between you andyour salvation. Apply the idea for today to each of them in this way: Myunloving thoughts about ________ are keeping me in hell. My holiness is mysalvation."*That is what Jesus means in the text when he says, to quote this importantstatement again:"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of thebarriers within yourself that you have built against it." (T.16.IV.6.1)This aspect of our forgiveness is so essential it could almost be repeated foreach lesson. We need to be continually vigilant for our unlovingthoughts, in order to bring them to the Presence of Love in our minds, whichgently shines them away. Our task, again, is merely to seek and find; removalbelongs to the Holy Spirit.The remainder of the lesson contains further guidance and instructions for theday's practice. Note especially these gentle reminders that we are, after all,just beginners on the journey.*(9) "You may find these practice periods easier if you intersperse them withseveral short periods during which you merely repeat today's idea to yourselfslowly a few times. You may also find it helpful to include a few shortintervals in which you just relax and do not seem to be thinking of anything.Sustained concentration is very difficult at first. It will become much easieras your mind becomes more disciplined and less distractible."*"Sustained concentration" becomes one of the characteristics of our moreadvanced state of learning, when we are consistently able to think of Jesus andhis message of forgiveness. The attainment of the real world, the ultimate goalof A Course in Miracles, comes when our sustained concentration becomespermanent -- the right-minded correction having undone the wrong-minded problem,leaving only the memory of God to dawn on our healed and holy minds.*(10) "Meanwhile, you should feel free to introduce variety into the exerciseperiods in whatever form appeals to you. Do not, however, change the idea itselfas you vary the method of applying it. However you elect to use it, the ideashould be stated so that its meaning is the fact that your holiness is yoursalvation. End each practice period by repeating the idea in its original formonce more, and adding:If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?"*Jesus introduces the idea we can be flexible in our practicing, an obviousattempt to help us begin the process of generalizing the specific lessons to<all> situations and circumstances. By instructing us <not> to change the idea,he is also introducing us to the important theme of <form> and <content>, we mayvary the <form> in which we express forgiveness or love, as long as the<content> remains the same.The final paragraph encourages us to become increasingly mindful throughout theday, as well as to apply the day's idea to temptations to listen to the ego'sdoctrine of guilt:*(11) "In the shorter applications, which should be made some three or four timesan hour and more if possible, you may ask yourself this question, repeat today'sidea, and preferably both. If temptations arise, a particularly helpful form ofthe idea is:My holiness is my salvation from this."*To the extent we can respond quickly to our ego's temptations to feel guilt andanger, to that extent we shall progress to the goal of knowing that our holinessis our salvation, and that we <are> holy.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 38. There is nothing my holiness cannot do.
Lesson 38. There is nothing my holiness cannot do.Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restrictionof time, space, distance and limits of any kind. Your holiness is totallyunlimited in its power because it establishes you as a Son of God, at one withthe Mind of his Creator.Through your holiness the power of God is made manifest. Through your holinessthe power of God is made available. And there is nothing the power of God cannotdo. Your holiness, then, can remove all pain, can end all sorrow, and can solveall problems. It can do so in connection with yourself and with anyone else. Itis equal in its power to help anyone because it is equal in its power to saveanyone.If you are holy, so is everything God created. You are holy because all thingsHe created are holy. And all things He created are holy because you are. Intoday's exercises, we will apply the power of your holiness to all problems,difficulties or suffering in any form that you happen to think of, in yourselfor in someone else. We will make no distinctions because there are nodistinctions.In the four longer practice periods, each preferably to last a full fiveminutes, repeat the idea for today, close your eyes, and then search your mindfor any sense of loss or unhappiness of any kind as you see it. Try to make aslittle distinction as possible between a situation that is difficult for you,and one that is difficult for someone else. Identify the situation specifically,and also the name of the person concerned. Use this form in applying the ideafor today:In the situation involving ___ in which I see myself, there is nothing that my holiness cannot do.<In the situation involving___in which___sees himself, there is nothing my holiness cannot do.<From time to time you may want to vary this procedure, and add some relevantthoughts of your own. You might like, for example, to include thoughts such as:There is nothing my holiness cannot do because the power of God lies in it.<Introduce whatever variations appeal to you, but keep the exercises focused onthe theme, "There is nothing my holiness cannot do." The purpose of today'sexercises is to begin to instill in you a sense that you have dominion over allthings because of what you are.In the frequent shorter applications, apply the idea in its original form unlessa specific problem concerning you or someone else arises, or comes to mind. Inthat event, use the more specific form in applying the idea to it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 38. "There is nothing my holiness cannot do."*Jesus does not mean that your holiness will enable you to walk on water or healpeople's physical symptoms. His focus, as we have already observed many times,is not on behavior, even though the language may sometimes suggest it is. Theconcern of A Course in Miracles is always on the thinking in your mind. Thereason there is nothing that your holiness cannot do, think, say, or feel willcome directly from your right-minded decision to identify with the holiness ofChrist. That means there will be no interference or distortion: with guilt andjudgment gone, all that remains is the love that transcends all problems andconcerns.*(1:1-2) "Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond everyrestriction of time, space, distance and limits of any kind."*This is because your holiness resides in your right mind, accessed by choosingthe holy instant in which you are joined with Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Thismeans there is no separation, and so there can be no sin, guilt, or fear. Ifthere is no <sin>, there is no <past>; if there is no <guilt>, there is no<present>; and if there is no <fear>, there is no <future>. In other words,there is no time in the holy instant. Moreover, if there is no thought ofseparation from God, there is no body. To cite a previously cited statement fromthe text: "At no single instant does the body exist at all" (T.18.VII.3.1). Thusholiness is completely outside of time and space. When you identify with yourholiness you know the world of time and space is a dream, and you can literallywatch your dream figure -- the dream figure with the name you think you are --come and go, realizing at last that is <not> who you are. There is nothing youhave to do: "I need do nothing," as the text says (T-18.VII).*(1:3) "Your holiness is totally unlimited in its power because it establishesyou as a Son of God, at one with the Mind of his Creator."*That is what joining with the Holy Spirit or Jesus effects. In that instant,once again, everything changes, and all your problems are solved. Lessons 79 and80 tell us our problems are solved because there is only one problem: the beliefwe are separated. Therefore there is only one solution: accepting the Atonement,which denies the reality of guilt because it denies the reality of theseparation. At that point the memory of our Identity as God's one Son dawns onour unclouded minds.*(2:1-3) "Through your holiness the power of God is made manifest. Through yourholiness the power of God is made available. And there is nothing the power ofGod cannot do."*Jesus is not talking about anything external, as I have already said a numberof times. For two thousand years the miracle stories of the gospels have beenregarded as testimony of the power of God: Jesus can heal the sick, raise thedead, turn water into wine, and resurrect the flesh. This represents a totalmisunderstanding of what Jesus taught. It is interesting to observe students ofA Course in Miracles who are trying to get away from their Christian upbringingmaking the same mistake of confusing <form> with <content>, <body> and <mind>:the confusion of levels that early in the text Jesus discusses as the cause ofall sickness (T-2.IV.2).Jesus is therefore not talking about what your body will do, because when youidentify with the power of God and your holiness, you realize that the body issimply a figment of your imagination, a figure in your dream. We are all figuresin the dream in which the body literally does nothing, and we can liken it to apuppet that is nothing more than a lifeless piece of wood. Thus do we live aspuppets, in a make-believe world that has no more reality than that enjoyed bylittle children in a theater. This, too, is an idea to which we shall returnagain and again.*(2:4-6) "Your holiness, then, can remove all pain, can end all sorrow, and cansolve all problems. It can do so in connection with yourself and with anyoneelse. It is equal in its power to help anyone because it is equal in its powerto save anyone."*The source of all our pain, sorrow, and problems is our decision to push Jesusaway. If we invite him back there can be no distress. Remember that we arespeaking only on the level of the mind, since that is the source of all pain. Itis possible that perceived negative external circumstances, totally beyond ourhuman control, will continue, as might physical symptoms. However, withoutguilt, they will no longer be experienced as problems or sources of pain ordistress."The body's eyes will continue to see differences. But the mind that haslet itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them. There will be those whoseem to be "sicker" than others, and the body's eyes will report their changedappearances as before. But the healed mind will put them all in one category;they are unreal. This is the gift of its Teacher; the understanding that onlytwo categories are meaningful in sorting out the messages the mind receives fromwhat appears to be the outside world. And of these two, but one is real. Just asreality is wholly real, apart from size and shape and time and place -fordifferences cannot exist within it- so too are illusions without distinctions.The one answer to sickness of any kind is healing. The one answer to allillusions is truth." (M-8.6).It cannot be emphasized too often that A Course in Miracles is concerned onlywith the <cause> of the world -- the <mind> -- and not the <effect> -- theworld. That is why Jesus makes this important statement in the text: "This is acourse in cause and not effect." (T.21.VII.7.8). Thus when we ask Jesus to helpend our physical or emotional pain, or to solve an external problem, we arebringing his truth into our illusion. Sometimes the problem is resolved andsometimes it is not, but involving Jesus in our external problems only glorifiesspecialness, the exact opposite of what he is teaching us to correct.This certainly does not mean that one should <not> ask him for this kind ofhelp. However, to remain at that level of relationship with him is to ensurethat we never grow beyond it. Indeed, the pamphlet <The Song of Prayer> waswritten specifically to help students of A Course in Miracles move beyond whatis described there as the bottom rung of the ladder of prayer -- asking forspecifics -- to the higher rungs that reflect our shift in focus from the worldto the mind, a shift that helps us to see that there is, again, only <one>problem and therefore only <one> solution. Such insight of course is what thevery first principle of miracles teaches us:"There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not "harder" or "bigger"than another. They are all the same." (T-1.I.1:1-3).To make this important point one more time: Our holiness is "equal in its powerto help anyone" because there is one problem. There is also only one Son. If mymind is healed because I have chosen the holiness of Christ as my identityinstead of the ego's sinfulness, in that instant I realize I am that one Son,and everyone is part of that Sonship with me. Therefore, in my experience allpain is gone. This has nothing to do with other people's choices still to remainasleep, for in the holy instant I am beyond their dream, as was Jesus.*(3:1-3) "If you are holy, so is everything God created. You are holy because allthings He created are holy. And all things He created are holy because you are."*If I am holy, so is everything God created, because what God created is One.When you read lovely and inspiring sentences like these, you have to penetratebeyond the words to the meaning, beyond the <form> to the <content>. If youtruly believe what Jesus is saying, then throughout your day you must attempt togeneralize his meaning to everything, <without exception>. In doing so you needrealize how you do <not> believe the Son of God is holy because you do notbelieve the Son of God is one. You need realize that you choose to believe somepeople are holy and some are not. Remember, your judgment of anyone directlyreflects your judgment of yourself. Vigilance, once again, means paying carefulattention to what you perceive outside you, realizing this is a mirror of whatyou have made real inside.*(3:4-5) "In today's exercises, we will apply the power of your holiness to allproblems, difficulties or suffering in any form that you happen to think of, inyourself or in someone else. We will make no distinctions because there are nodistinctions."*We can see once again why Jesus begins A Course in Miracles with "There is noorder of difficulty in miracles" (T-1.1.1:1). That is the alpha and omega. Theego's version is that there <is> a hierarchy of illusions (T-23.II.2:3), whichis why in these lessons Jesus repeatedly instructs us not make any distinctionsin what we perceive or think. Either everything is of the ego or the HolySpirit, and there is no in between. As Jesus said a moment ago, either you aresinless or sinful. It is one or the other, the right-minded use of that egoprinciple.Paragraphs 4 and 5 instruct us in the day's exercise, focusing on the role ofchoosing our right-minded thought of holiness in solving <all> our problems. Itis important to note that Jesus asks us to make no distinction between perceivedproblems in ourselves or in others: *(4) "In the four longer practice periods, each preferably to last a full fiveminutes, repeat the idea for today, close your eyes, and then search your mindfor any sense of loss or unhappiness of any kind as you see it. Try to make aslittle distinction as possible between a situation that is difficult for you,and one that is difficult for someone else. Identify the situation specifically,and also the name of the person concerned. Use this form in applying the ideafor today:In the situation involving ___ in which I see myself, there is nothing thatmy holiness cannot do. In the situation involving___in which___sees himself,there is nothing my holiness cannot do."*Since their source remains the same -- the unholiness (guilt) in our minds --it matters not where the projection is perceived. There is no hierarchy ofillusions -- the illusory <idea> of separation has never left its illusory<source> in the mind. That is why distinctions among illusions --e.g., separatebodies -- are ultimately irrelevant. This is the <content> behind the <form> ofJesus' instruction to us "to make as little distinction as possible between asituation that is difficult for you, and one that is difficult for someoneelse." *(5) "From time to time you may want to vary this procedure, and add somerelevant thoughts of your own. You might like, for example, to include thoughtssuch as:There is nothing my holiness cannot do because the power of God lies in it.Introduce whatever variations appeal to you, but keep the exercises focused onthe theme, "There is nothing my holiness cannot do." The purpose of today'sexercises is to begin to instill in you a sense that you have dominion over allthings because of what you are."*Jesus is asking us to continue our practice of generalizing his lesson to asmany thoughts and situations as possible. The final sentence is a reference tothe Adam and Eve story in Genesis, where God gives Adam dominion over all things(Genesis,1;28), symbolized in the myth by Adam giving everything a name. Namingsomething is a symbol of having power over it, a thought we shall return to inLesson 184. Jesus uses the same idea here, although obviously he is not speakingof power as the world regards it, but as the power of God's love -- His totalOneness. I thus have dominion over all things because of what I am -- theholiness of Christ. Therefore, everything I perceive as separate from me must beholy; not because its form is inherently holy, but because it is a projection ofthe mind that contains holiness. This concept is expressed in the followingprayer of Jesus from the text, said on our behalf:"I thank You, Father, knowing You will come to close each little gap thatlies between the broken pieces of Your holy Son. Your holiness, complete andperfect, lies in every one of them. And they are joined because what is in oneis in them all. How holy is the smallest grain of sand, when it is recognized asbeing part of the completed picture of God's Son! The forms the broken piecesseem to take mean nothing. For the whole is in each one. And every aspect of theSon of God is just the same as every other part." (T-28.IV.9).If I am tempted not to see you as holy, but as an entity separate from me --having something I want, or having power over me -- this misperceptionrepresents a <prior> choice to keep my holiness separate from me. I would havemade this choice out of fear that in my holiness all individuality andspecialness disappear. In other words, power is in our minds because there isnothing outside them. That power rests in our decision maker's ability to choosethe Love of God or attack it. There <is> no other power in the worldThe lesson concludes with Jesus again asking us to apply the day's thought toany <specific> form of upset:*(6) "In the frequent shorter applications, apply the idea in its original formunless a specific problem concerning you or someone else arises, or comes tomind. In that event, use the more specific form in applying the idea to it."*As we have remarked, and will continue to remark, these exercises have no valueif we do not learn to generalize their principles to <all> situations in whichwe find ourselves -- minor, or major, pleasurable or painful. We must learn thatall problems are the same since they share the common source of separation orunholiness. When brought to the Atonement -- the thought of holiness in ourminds -- they cannot but disappear.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
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Lesson 37. My holiness blesses the world.
Lesson 37. My holiness blesses the world.This idea contains the first glimmerings of your true function in the world, orwhy you are here. Your purpose is to see the world through your own holiness.Thus are you and the world blessed together. No one loses; nothing is taken awayfrom anyone; everyone gains through your holy vision. It signifies the end ofsacrifice because it offers everyone his full due. And he is entitled toeverything because it is his birthright as a Son of God.There is no other way in which the idea of sacrifice can be removed from theworld's thinking. Any other way of seeing will inevitably demand payment ofsomeone or something. As a result, the perceiver will lose. Nor will he have anyidea why he is losing. Yet is his wholeness restored to his awareness throughyour vision. Your holiness blesses him by asking nothing of him. Those who seethemselves as whole make no demands.Your holiness is the salvation of the world. It lets you teach the world that itis one with you, not by preaching to it, not by telling it anything, but merelyby your quiet recognition that in your holiness are all things blessed alongwith you.Today's four longer exercise periods, each to involve three to five minutes ofpractice, begin with the repetition of the idea for today, followed by a minuteor so of looking about you as you apply the idea to whatever you see:My holiness blesses this chair. My holiness blesses that window.My holiness blesses this body.>Then close your eyes and apply the idea to any person who occurs to you, usinghis name and saying:My holiness blesses you, [name]."> You may continue the practice period with your eyes closed; you may open youreyes again and apply the idea for today to your outer world if you so desire;you may alternate between applying the idea to what you see around you and tothose who are in your thoughts; or you may use any combination of these twophases of application that you prefer. The practice period should conclude witha repetition of the idea with your eyes closed, and another, followingimmediately, with your eyes open.The shorter exercises consist of repeating the idea as often as you can. It isparticularly helpful to apply it silently to anyone you meet, using his name asyou do so. It is essential to use the idea if anyone seems to cause an adversereaction in you. Offer him the blessing of your holiness immediately, that youmay learn to keep it in your own awareness.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 37. "My holiness blesses the world."*This is another lesson that is extremely important in terms of what Jesus isteaching us, as well as correcting common mistakes made by students of A Coursein Miracles. Jesus obviously is not telling us that we should bless the worldthat is outside us. This would directly contradict everything he has beenteaching us so far. Remember, Jesus is teaching us the world is nothing morethan a mirror of our thoughts. Therefore, the lessons <content> is not that weshould bless a chair, stick, clock, or another person. Rather, he is saying thatif we choose his blessing -- within our minds -- and see ourselves as holybecause we have joined with him, that blessing will automatically extend throughus and envelop everything we see. The principle <projection makes perception>must never be too far away from our thinking. This will become increasinglymanifest as we look at this lesson.*(1:1-2) "This idea contains the first glimmerings of your true function in theworld, or why you are here. Your purpose is to see the world through your ownholiness."*This is another way of saying our purpose or function is forgiveness.<Forgiveness> has not really made an appearance yet in these lessons, but theprocess of seeing the world through your own holiness is a wonderfully succinctdescription of it. The problem is that we see the world through our own<un>holiness, as separated egos and bodies whose mission in life is to protectand preserve our specialness. Thus, a lesson such as this presents theright-minded thought that undoes the ego's dictum that "my unholiness envelopesand condemns the world I see." The focus on this lesson, therefore, is notreally on the world at all; it is on our <thoughts.> If our thoughts are rootedin the holiness of Christ that we are, everything that we perceive mustautomatically be its extension. The importance of this idea cannot beoveremphasized.*(1:3) "Thus are you and the world blessed together."*The world is only a reflection of my thought, which is one of holiness andblessing because I am a child of blessing. The world "out there" must share inthat holiness, because it comes from that holiness. In other words, the world Iperceive is rooted in who I am. Another principle that should not be far fromour thoughts is <ideas leave not their source.> In this instance, if my holinessis the source, the idea of the world must be perceived as holy as well. Indeed,these two principle -- <projection makes perception> and <ideas leave not theirsource> -- are essentially the same; Projection (or its right-minded form ofextension) is the reason ideas leave not their source. The <ideas> that compriseour <perceptual> world are merely the <projected> self image that has its<source> in our minds, and what is projected out always remains within. Thus<source> and <idea> remain one.*(1:4-6) "No one loses; nothing is taken away from anyone; everyone gains throughyour holy vision. It signifies the end of sacrifice because it offers everyonehis full due. And he is entitled to everything because it is his birthright as aSon of God."*This is the first time in the lessons that Jesus discusses sacrifice, anotherof the key themes in the text, for it is at the heart of the ego's thoughtsystem. The root of sacrifice lies in the principle of <one or the other>, moregraphically stated in the manual, as we have already seen, <kill or be killed>(M-17.7:11). The ego -- the thought of individuality -- begins with the ideathat it is God or my self. If God is to exist, I cannot exist as a separatebeing because there is no separation, individuality, or differentiation inHeaven. Therefore, if I am to exist as an individual -- the foundation ofeveryone's thought system -- God can no longer exist, at least as He truly is.He would be have to be changed, but if God ceases to be perfect Oneness Heceases to be. Perfect oneness and individuality cannot coexist. That is theorigin of the thought of sacrifice: someone must lose if another is to win.Since the sacrifice of God is the foundation of the split mind, when that mindfurther splits into billions and billions of fragments, the thought of sacrificeremains, in accord with the principle <ideas leave not their source>. The <idea>of a separated, individual world filled with bodies has never left its <source>,which is the mind's thought that I exist on my own -- at God's expense.A direct corollary of the thought that I have killed God so I could exist is theego's teaching that God is somehow going to rise from the dead and come afterme. Therefore, in order to appease His wrath I have to call again upon theprinciple that gave me my existence: <one or the other>, the idea of sacrifice.This is the same principle, by the way, that has led most world religions toentertain the strange notion that God demands sacrifice: If I am to exist, Ihave to pay God back for what I stole from Him. That concept becomes thefoundation stone of special relationships: If I am to get what I want from you,I must pay you for it. Thus does the principle of <one or the other>, beginningwith the ontological premise if I am to exist God must die, filters through thefragmentation process and ends up being the foundation of <everyone's> thoughtsystem.What we find in the early workbook lesson, then, is the first attempt tocounteract that fundamental line of thinking. If I see a world as nothing morethan a part of me, everything that happens to me happens to the world. If I amblessed, the world and everyone in it must be blessed, too. In "The Rock ofSalvation," Jesus states that the rock on which salvation rests is that no oneloses and everyone wins (T-25.VII.12), which is the same idea he is presentinghere. Hence I no longer presume that my happiness depends on beating you up,putting you down, cannibalizing, or stealing from you. I can learn to generalizethis lesson, recognizing that you are part of me; not my individual physical orpsychological self, but the part of me who is the Son of God. If I seek toexclude you by seeing you as separate from me -- an enemy or object of myspecial love -- I am saying the Son of God is fragmented. In truth he cannot be,so by attacking you I am really attacking my own Identity. However, if I beginwith the premise that my mind is part of God's and I am holy (Lesson 35), Ishall see that <you> must share in that holiness, if indeed holiness is true.This step marks the end of sacrifice -- the principle of <one or the other>.There is a series of statements in the text that reflect this correction:"Salvation is a collaborative venture" (T-4.VI.8:2)."Together of not at all" (T-19.IV-D.12:8)."The ark of peace is entered two by two" (T-20.IV.6:5)."No one can enter Heaven by himself" (W-p1.134.17:7).None of this means that you literally have to be in a relationship with someoneon a physical level. It does mean, however, that in your <mind> you do not seethat your peace, salvation, or happiness comes at someone else's expense.The key point of this lesson, therefore, is that "my holiness blesses the world"because the world is an extension of me. As long as I believe there is someone"out there," I must believe there is something "in here" who perceives someone"out there," which means I am into separation, specialness, and individuality, Ithen automatically believe in sacrifice; some expression of <one or the other>.*(2:1) "There is no other way in which the idea of sacrifice can be removed fromthe world's thinking."*In other words, the only way sacrifice can be removed from the world's thinkingis to shift from the ego's thought system of separation, judgment, and hate tothe Holy Spirit's thought system of unity, forgiveness, and healing. This does<not> mean denying our bodies or other people's bodies, but rather denying theseeming truth of the <one or the other> principle. That is what this lesson isall about, reflecting the central teaching of A Course in Miracles.Again, we do not deny there are bodies, or that there is a body we identifywith. Rather, we look at the <one or the other> principle operating in our mindsand choose to deny its seeming validity. That is the only way the idea ofsacrifice can be undone. I realize you and I are making the same journey home.It began as a path of insanity away from home, and in my mind I realize that theway back -- the way of sanity -- is to take your hand. It does not matterwhether you even know who I am or whether you died thirty years ago. We are nottalking about something that happens externally in the world, because allrelationships exist <only> in the mind. We are talking about a relationship I amstill holding onto in my thoughts. If my ego is in charge, the relationship willreflect <one or the other>, and that is sacrifice. If I put Jesus in charge asmy teacher, however, I shall see my special relationship as an opportunity tolook at my <one or the other> thinking and then ask his help to change it.*(2:2-3) "Any other way of seeing will inevitably demand payment of someone orsomething. As a result, the perceiver will lose."*I must believe I will lose, because in my mind my existence comes from havingstolen from God, not to mention murdering Him. I will therefore believe, throughthe dynamic of projection, that He, along with everyone in my dream are going todo to me what I believe I did to them, and am still doing. In the end, my guilttells me you are going to steal back from me what I stole from you. The"reasoning" in the ego thought system is once again as follows: Individualexistence is identified with sin, which means I reached where I am by stealingfrom you and killing you off, the horrifying <final solution> brought about by<one or the other> principle. Thus, if everything I see outside mirrors what isinside, I must believe everyone out there, whom literally I put there, would doexactly what I believe I have done; i.e., steal and kill. Remember that we arespeaking of the <content> of killing, not its <form>, as reflected in thestatement from Lesson 21 that "a slight twinge of annoyance is nothing but aveil drawn over intense fury (2:5). The <thought> of murder is the same as the<thought> of mild annoyance. That is also what is behind the seeminglyoutrageous statement in the text, which I cited earlier: "What is not love ismurder" (T-23.IV.1.10). Guilt ultimately rests on our belief that we separatedfrom God, and so any thought of separation -- be it "a slight twinge ofannoyance" or murder -- recalls to mind this sin of betraying the love that is<only> perfect oneness.In light of this, we can understand why death is the central phenomenon in thephysical universe. Death to the ego is God's punishment. That is why, on onelevel, the entire Bible rests on the third chapter of Genesis, which tells thestory of Adam and Eve's sin and the punishment from God, Who created death, andlater, the plan of the atonement through suffering and sacrifice. Death, then,is the final proof that in the end my sin will be punished. Thus it is thatevery seemingly separated fragment of the Sonship <must> die, as justifiedpunishment for <being> separate, which life in the body clearly embodies. Thisis the foundation of the statement: "As a result, the perceiver will lose." *(2:4) "Nor will he have any idea why he is losing."*I will think I am losing because of what you did to me, or are planning to doto me. I will not realize that the real reason I am losing is that I am thedreamer or my own dream; a dream of loss, <one or the other>, and winners andlosers. We see again the efficacy of the ego's strategy of keeping us in a stateof mindlessness. As long as we perceive ourselves to be in a body (and thereforenot in our minds), we <must> believe other bodies are doing to us what is, infact, the shadow of what our mind's guilt is bringing about. Thus the followingpassage from the text, which cogently describes this dynamic of projection;"Of one thing you were sure: Of all the many causes you perceived asbringing pain and suffering to you, your guilt was not among them. Nor did youin any way request them for yourself. This is how all illusions came about. Theone who makes them does not see himself as making them, and their reality doesnot depend on him. Whatever cause they have is something quite apart from him,and what he sees is separate from his mind. He cannot doubt his dreams' reality,because he does not see the part he plays in making them and making them seemreal." (T-27.VII.7:4-9).*(2:5) "Yet is his wholeness restored to his awareness through your vision."*I not only heal my own mind when I ask Jesus for help and identify with hisholiness, but I serve as a reminder to you. Thus, if we are in a relationshipand I can change my mind, no longer holding <one or the other> as my reigningprinciple but rather seeing the relationship as a classroom in which I canlearn the exact opposite, I give you the same message. In other words, verballyor non-verbally, I tell you that the lesson I have learned, the teacher I havechosen, is also available inside of you. That is what is meant at the end of thetext when Jesus says that Christ is within us, saying "my brother choose again"(T-31.VIII.3:2). When we are able to choose again, we become that sameexpression of Christ's vision of forgiveness, reflecting His words to ourbrother. The manual for teachers offers a wonderful description of how ourbrother's "wholeness is restored to [the] awareness" of those who are sick:"To them God's teachers come, to represent another choice which they hadforgotten. The simple presence of a teacher of God is a reminder. His thoughtsask for the right to question what the patient has accepted as true. As God'smessengers, His teachers are the symbols of salvation. They ask the patient forforgiveness for God's Son in his own Name. They stand for the Alternative. WithGod's Word in their minds they come in benediction, not to heal the sick but toremind them of the remedy God has already given them. It is not their hands thatheal. It is not their voice that speaks the Word of God. They merely give whathas been given them. Very gently they call to their brothers to turn away fromdeath: Behold, you Son of God, what life can offer you. Would you choosesickness in place of this?" (M-5.III.2).*(2:6-7) "Your holiness blesses him by asking nothing of him. Those who seethemselves as whole make no demands."*If you look honestly at your relationships, even as you go through this veryday, you will realize how you are demanding something from everyone. Sometimesquite obvious, other times it is subtle. This dynamic must be there, though, aslong as you believe you are an individual, which we all clearly do. If youbelieve you are an individual, you also believe in the concept of lack, whichcan be traced to our very origin: I had to steal from God at the beginningbecause something was missing in me. How could it not? As long as the underlyingbelief in scarcity (another word for <lack>) remains uncorrected, this innerperception will generate the continual need to fill up what is missing -- to"supply a lack" -- in the words of the early miracle principle (T-1.1.8:1).Consequently, a major aspect of specialness is that I always have to take fromsomeone else to fill the lack that I perceive in myself.That is what Jesus is talking about in these passages. When you identify withholiness, you ask nothing of anyone because you <are> everything and <have>everything. You are everything, because <having> and <being> are the same (e.g.,T-6.B.3:4;V-C.5). Vigilance is essential to the process of your learning so thatyou become aware that you are making a demand of someone. If you are makingdemands and believe in the reality of the attack, that tells you that you do notbelieve you are whole. You are unhappy, therefore, not because you did notreceive what you believe you should have gotten from someone, but <solely>because you have chosen the wrong teacher.*(3:1) "Your holiness is the salvation of the world."*Here again, Jesus is not talking about the external world. As discussedearlier, Jesus uses the language of Christianity, especially in the Easterseason, there is great emphasis on the thought of Jesus saving the world. Yet hewould have us realize in the Course that there is no world out there to besaved. Saving the world really means saving ourselves from the <belief> there isa world. Since all minds are joined in the holiness of Christ, if my mind ishealed in any given instant, the Sonship's mind is healed as well.None of this is understandable from the world's perspective, as I have said.None of this will make sense within our experience here, and can be understoodonly when we lift ourselves above the battleground and be with Jesus in what hecalls the holy instant. From there we look back on the world and see itdifferently, realizing what has to be saved are our <thoughts> about the world.These thoughts, again, result from our thoughts about ourselves. The outer andthe inner are one and the same: <Ideas leave not their source>.*(3:2) "It lets you teach the world that it is one with you, not by preaching toit, not by telling it anything, but merely by your quiet recognition that inyour holiness are all things blessed along with you."*These lines are significant. We change and save the world not by preaching ACourse in Miracles, not by teaching A Course in Miracles (i.e., in form), not bydoing anything with A Course in Miracles except learning it ourselves. In orderfor my world to be saved, there is nothing that I have to do or say but toaccept what the lessons are teaching me, which is the meaning of accepting theAtonement for oneself. These are hardly insignificant lines, for they go to theheart of the Course's metaphysics, which is the foundation for understandingJesus' teachings and their application. If there is no world how can it besaved? Again, what needs saving, or correcting, is our <minds> that believethere is a world. Once our minds are healed, we remember that the separationnever happened, and thus a world that arose from that thought of separationcould not have happened either. Moreover, if there were no separation, God's Sonremains perfectly united as <one> Son. Our minds reflect the blessing of ourCreator, and following the oft-repeated principle <ideas leave not theirsource>, it must be the case that "all things [are] blessed along with [us]." Itis from this inner blessing that our holiness inevitably extends through us, aswe see in these three parallel passages from the text. All of them highlight theprocess of our doing nothing except <un>do the belief in the ego, reflecting thelittle willingness that does indeed save the world -- <from our belief in it>:"You may still think that holiness is impossible to understand, becauseyou cannot see how it can be extended to include everyone. And you have beentold that it must include everyone to be holy. Concern yourself not with theextension of holiness, for the nature of miracles you do not understand. Nor doyou do them. It is their extension, far beyond the limits you perceive, thatdemonstrates you do not do them. Why should you worry how the miracle extends toall the Sonship when you do not understand the miracle itself?" (T-16:II.1:3-6)"Extension of forgiveness is the Holy Spirit's function. Leave this to Him.Let your concern be only that you give to Him that which can be extended. Saveno dark secrets that He cannot use, but offer Him the tiny gifts He can extendforever. He will take each one and make of it a potent force for peace."(T-22.VI.9:2-6)"The miracle extends without your help, but you are needed that it canbegin. Accept the miracle of healing, and it will go forth because of what itis. It is its nature to extend itself the instant it is born. And it is born theinstant it is offered and received. ... Leave, then, the transfer of yourlearning to the One Who really understands its laws ... Your part is merely toapply what He has taught you to yourself, and He will do the rest."(T-27.V.1:2-5;10:1-2).What makes all this possible of course is our having chosen the right teacher.Thus, the crucial point to which we constantly return: "Do I have a relationshipwith Jesus or do I not?" If not, it is because I have excluded him by excluding<myself>, and do not want to acknowledge my "sin." That is always the bottomline.The next two paragraphs emphasize the lack of difference between our perceptionsand our thoughts, being one and the same:*(4) "Today's four longer exercise periods, each to involve three to five minutesof practice, begin with the repetition of the idea for today, followed by aminute or so of looking about you as you apply the idea to whatever you see:My holiness blesses this chair.My holiness blesses that window.My holiness blesses this body.Then close your eyes and apply the idea to any person who occurs to you, usinghis name and saying:My holiness blesses you, [name]."*Note how Jesus has us begin with the "unimportant" -- a chair, window, and therelatively neutral body -- and then asks us to apply our blessing to a specificperson. Thus he gently eases us into A Course in Miracles' central focus;forgiveness of our special relationships -- those from whom we would seek towithhold our blessing.Jesus' instructions continue, inviting us to practice with eyes open and eyesclosed, as we see fit:*(5) "You may continue the practice period with your eyes closed; you may openyour eyes again and apply the idea for today to your outer world if you sodesire; you may alternate between applying the idea to what you see around youand to those who are in your thoughts; or you may use any combination of thesetwo phases of application that you prefer. The practice period should concludewith a repetition of the idea with your eyes closed, and another, followingimmediately, with your eyes open."*Even though this practice of eyes open and closed has been an importantemphasis in Jesus' training, he always remains gentle in his approach, as seenin his use of words such as "you may," "if you so desire, and "that you prefer."Good teachers never coerce their students, and Jesus wants us to <want> to learnhis lessons; otherwise our learning will be weak.*(6:1-2) "The shorter exercises consist of repeating the idea as often as youcan. It is particularly helpful to apply it silently to anyone you meet, usinghis name as you do so."*In other words, Jesus is asking us to be vigilant in watching our ego's inaction, especially in relationship to others. He fully expects us to make thewrong choices, as we shall see in the lessons that follow. A lesson like this,therefore, is the correction for the mistakes we shall inevitably make. Again,Jesus is <expecting> us to misperceive and have attack thoughts, and once awarewe have done so, to ask him for help as we try to remember the lesson for theday.*(6:3-4) "It is essential to use the idea if anyone seems to cause an adversereaction in you. Offer him the blessing of your holiness immediately, that youmay learn to keep it in your own awareness."*I think 99.9 percent of students who do lessons like this do so almost by rote.They think all they need do is say to someone with whom they are angry, "I blessyou," and all is healed. That is not what Jesus is talking about: he is talkingabout recognizing that our perception of another is coming from our<mis>perception of ourselves. Simply saying words like "My holiness blesses you"is going to accomplish nothing. Actually, that is not entirely true; sayingthose words will accomplish a great deal: <It will push your ego thoughts downeven further!> The idea is to bring the ego thought to the truth, the darknessto the light. When you do a lesson like this, therefore, you should do exactlywhat Jesus says, but realize also <what he is saying>. Pay attention to yourneed to keep this other person separate from you. Above all, be aware of theneed to keep guilt secure in your mind. Only then can Jesus and these exerciseshelp you to let it go.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 36. My holiness envelops everything I see.
Lesson 36. My holiness envelops everything I see.Today's idea extends the idea for yesterday from the perceiver to the perceived.You are holy because your mind is part of God's. And because you are holy, yoursight must be holy as well. "Sinless" means without sin. You cannot be withoutsin a little. You are sinless or not. If your mind is part of God's you must besinless, or a part of His Mind would be sinful. Your sight is related to HisHoliness, not to your ego, and therefore not to your body.Four three-to-five-minute practice periods are required for today. Try todistribute them fairly evenly, and make the shorter applications frequently, toprotect your protection throughout the day. The longer practice periods shouldtake this form:First, close your eyes and repeat the idea for today several times, slowly. Thenopen your eyes and look quite slowly about you, applying the idea specificallyto whatever you note in your casual survey. Say, for example:My holiness envelops that rug. My holiness envelops that wall.My holiness envelops these fingers.My holiness envelops that chair.My holiness envelops that body.My holiness envelops this pen.<Several times during these practice periods, close your eyes and repeat the ideato yourself. Then open your eyes, and continue as before.For the shorter exercise periods, close your eyes and repeat the idea; lookabout you as you repeat it again; and conclude with one more repetition withyour eyes closed. All applications should, of course, be made quite slowly, aseffortlessly and unhurriedly as possible.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 36. "My holiness envelops everything I see."*This lesson along with the next few are extremely important, as they explorethe theme of our holiness. In so doing, they provide the obvious correction ofthe ego's wrong-minded thinking, which we have been discussing a great deal.They also clarify what Jesus means and does not mean by <holiness>. Anothersignificant but unfortunate aspect of these lessons is that many students of ACourse in Miracles have taken their inspiring message and run the wrong way withthem, totally misunderstanding Jesus' teaching. I shall therefore explore thatidea, among other important themes as we go along.*(1:1) "Today's idea extends the idea for yesterday from the perceiver to theperceived."*In the preceding lesson -- "My mind is part of God's. I am very holy" -- we haddiscussed the relationship between our inner world and what we perceive to beoutside. The lesson now shifts the focus from the perceiver, namely ourthoughts, to what we perceive outside. This is not really a shift, because theinner and outer are one and the same. What we see within, which really meanswhat we <think> about ourselves, is exactly what we believe we see outside. Aswe discussed already, our <perception> does not mean simply <what> we see (orhear, etc.), but our <interpretation> of what we perceive. As always, the focusis on the <content> -- what is in the mind -- and never the <form> -- part ofphysical world.*(1:2-3) "You are holy because your mind is part of God's. And because you areholy, your sight must be holy as well."*The implication of this statement is that if we are holy within, what weperceive must be holy as well. If what we perceive is not holy -- i.e., if weperceive anything other than an expression of love or a call for love -- we didnot first perceive ourselves as holy. We can thus tell whether we have chosen toidentify with the ego or the Holy Spirit by paying attention to our perceptions;what we perceive will always be a direct mirror of what we have made real insideourselves. An important passage in the text explains this:"Damnation is your judgment on yourself, and this you will project upon theworld. See it as damned, and all you see is what you did to hurt the Son of God.If you behold disaster and catastrophe, you tried to crucify him. If you seeholiness and hope, you joined the Will of God to set him free. There is nochoice that lies between these two decisions. And you will see the witness tothe choice you made, and learn from this to recognize which one you chose."(T.21.In.2.1-6)That is why it is so important we be vigilant about our thoughts. If we areaware of our thoughts about people <outside> us, they will reveal to us thethoughts with which we have identified <within>; our special relationships arethus at the core of healing our minds through forgiveness. If you want to knowwhat is in the camera after you have used it, develop the film and look at thephotos. That will tell whether or not you took a good picture. The purpose of ACourse in Miracles can therefore be seen, in this context, as having usrecognize that our perceptions directly mirror what we have chosen within. Onlythen, can we choose again.*(1:4-6) "Sinless" means without sin. You cannot be without sin a little. You aresinless or not."*This is another example of what we have referred to as a Level One statement,meaning that something either is wholly true or wholly false; there isabsolutely no compromise between non-duality and duality. Statements such asthese form the bedrock for the thought system of A Course in Miracles: itsuncompromising metaphysics. We either sinned against God by separating from Him;or we did not, thus remaining as God created us -- at one with Him Who is ourSource.*(1:7) "If your mind is part of God's you must be sinless, or a part of His Mindwould be sinful."*The logic here is compelling, and if you accept the basic premise that God isperfect holiness, and anything that comes from Him -- i.e., is a part of Him --must share in that holiness, it must follow that anything appearing to be sinfulor unholy cannot be part of God, and therefore cannot exist. That is why, fromthe point of view of A Course in Miracles, there can be no evil. If there were,it would mean a part of God must be evil as well. This is another example of theCourse's radical metaphysical stance.*(1:8) "Your sight is related to His Holiness, not to your ego, and therefore notto your body."*We have briefly explored this theme of our having a split mind, and it willcome up again and again. There is the ego part of our minds, but there is theother part that is holy. The implication to be drawn comes from the last part ofthe statement is that our body comes from the wrong mind, not the right mind. Ihave often said that no one in his or her right mind would be born into thisworld. It is only someone from the wrong mind, fleeing from the perceived wrathof God, who would come here. This does not mean the body cannot be used to servea different purpose, as we have already seen and shall discuss again; butontologically, the body is an expression of separation, sin, and attack. Itspurpose of protecting the separation defines it. Likewise, the dynamic of<protection> can serve a different purpose, as we see in the next paragraphwhere the phrase "protect your protection" is noteworthy.*(2:1-2) "Four three-to-five-minute practice periods are required for today. Tryto distribute them fairly evenly, and make the shorter applications frequently,to protect your protection throughout the day."*The "protection" is the thought for the day: "My holiness envelopes everythingI see." In a larger sense, of course, our protection is the Presence of the HolySpirit or Jesus. We have seen the parallel between this and what Jesus refers toin the text as the third lesson of the Holy Spirit: "<Be vigilant only for Godand His Kingdom.>" (T-6.V-C). This means to be vigilant <against> our decisionto choose the ego thought system. To "protect the protection" requires that webe vigilant to what we are thinking, which we do by being vigilant to what weare perceiving. If I want to know what I think about myself and God, all I needto do is devote one moment to what I think about <you>. That is because mythoughts about you -- whoever the object of my specialness is at any givenmoment -- will directly reflect how I think about God and myself. This is themeaning of "protecting the protection" carried out under the guidance of theHoly Spirit.The last two paragraphs deal with specific instructions for the practiceperiods, and emphasize the sequence of first going within -- < closing one'seye's > -- and then looking <quite slowly, as effortlessly and unhurriedly aspossible > -- at the specifics in the world around us. The idea, of course, isto have us first identify the holiness within -- the Holy Spirit's Presence inour right minds -- and then have it extend through us to embrace our perceptionsof what appear to be external to us. The full metaphysical implications of thislesson are perhaps still far from our experience, but these early exercises arethe steppingstones -- the aforementioned "little willingness" described inLesson 193 (13:7) -- that will bring us there. The instructions begin with thelast sentence of the second paragraph:*(2:3-3:2) "The longer practice periods should take this form:First, close your eyes and repeat the idea for today several times, slowly. Thenopen your eyes and look quite slowly about you, applying the idea specificallyto whatever you note in your casual survey."*Suggestions for objects we envelop in our holiness include, once again, theimportant and unimportant; to wit: <fingers, body, rug, wall, chair, and pen>.*(3:10-4:2) "Several times during these practice periods, close your eyes andrepeat the idea to yourself. Then open your eyes, and continue as before.For the shorter exercise periods, close your eyes and repeat the idea; lookabout you as you repeat it again; and conclude with one more repetition withyour eyes closed. All applications should, of course, be made quite slowly, aseffortlessly and unhurriedly as possible."*Slowly and gently -- "effortlessly and unhurriedly" -- we are being led alongsalvation's path that takes us from the world without to the world within, there
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 35. My mind is part of God's. I am very holy.
Lesson 35. My mind is part of God's. I am very holy.Today's idea does not describe the way you see yourself now. It does, however,describe what vision will show you. It is difficult for anyone who thinks he isin this world to believe this of himself. Yet the reason he thinks he is in thisworld is because he does not believe it.You will believe that you are part of where you think you are. That is becauseyou surround yourself with the environment you want. And you want it to protectthe image of yourself that you have made. The image is part of this environment.What you see while you believe you are in it is seen through the eyes of theimage. This is not vision. Images cannot see.The idea for today presents a very different view of yourself. By establishingyour Source it establishes your Identity, and it describes you as you mustreally be in truth. We will use a somewhat different kind of application fortoday's idea because the emphasis for today is on the perceiver, rather than onwhat he perceives.For each of the three five-minute practice periods today, begin by repeatingtoday's idea to yourself, and then close your eyes and search your mind for thevarious kinds of descriptive terms in which you see yourself. Include all theego-based attributes which you ascribe to yourself, positive or negative,desirable or undesirable, grandiose or debased. All of them are equally unreal,because you do not look upon yourself through the eyes of holiness.In the earlier part of the mind-searching period, you will probably emphasizewhat you consider to be the more negative aspects of your perception ofyourself. Toward the latter part of the exercise period, however, moreself-inflating descriptive terms may well cross your mind. Try to recognize thatthe direction of your fantasies about yourself does not matter. Illusions haveno direction in reality. They are merely not true.A suitable unselected list for applying the idea for today might be as follows:I see myself as imposed on. I see myself as depressed.I see myself as failing.I see myself as endangered.I see myself as helpless.I see myself as victorious.I see myself as losing out.I see myself as charitable.I see myself as virtuous.<You should not think of these terms in an abstract way. They will occur to youas various situations, personalities and events in which you figure cross yourmind. Pick up any specific situation that occurs to you, identify thedescriptive term or terms you feel are applicable to your reactions to thatsituation, and use them in applying today's idea. After you have named each one,add:But my mind is part of God's. I am very holy.< During the longer exercise periods, there will probably be intervals in whichnothing specific occurs to you. Do not strain to think up specific things tofill the interval, but merely relax and repeat today's idea slowly untilsomething occurs to you. Although nothing that does occur should be omitted fromthe exercises, nothing should be "dug out" with effort. Neither force nordiscrimination should be used.As often as possible during the day, pick up a specific attribute or attributesyou are ascribing to yourself at the time and apply the idea for today to them,adding the idea in the form stated above to each of them. If nothing particularoccurs to you, merely repeat the idea to yourself, with closed eyes.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volumeseries of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lesson 35. "My mind is part of God's. I am very holy."*As noted at the end of the last lesson, Jesus continues his shift to aright-minded emphasis. He begins instructing us on what is found in the <other>part of our minds. Everyone should have trouble believing this, as Jesus himselfsays in the lesson. If you really knew that you were part of God, and thereforeyour mind was very holy, you would have no thoughts of separation andspecialness. In fact, you would know you were not here at all. Thus, that youare here -- or better: that you <believe> you are here -- says your mind is notpart of God's, and therefore you could not be holy.In this lesson, and increasingly so for the next fifteen, Jesus helps us realizethere is another part of us -- what is known in the early part of the text asthe <right mind.> This part, through the Holy Spirit is still connected with theholiness of God that has never changed, despite our unholy dreams of guilt andjudgment.*(1:1-3) "Today's idea does not describe the way you see yourself now. It does,however, describe what vision will show you. It is difficult for anyone whothinks he is in this world to believe this of himself."*Jesus is letting us know that he knows this is not how we see ourselves, and hedoes not expect us to believe what he says about us. His purpose is to <begin>the process of teaching us there is a true alternative in our minds. He does notwant this to be used as a mantra that we repeat over and over throughout the dayto shout down our unloving thoughts. Rather, in keeping with our training, hewants us to bring our unloving thoughts to this loving thought. These unlovingthoughts involve some expression of our belief that we are unholy or sinful.Thus would we rise to our new way of understanding, which is that there isanother way of not only <looking> at ourselves, but another way of <thinking>about ourselves. When we bring the darkness of our unholy, illusory thoughts tothe light of the holy and true thought, the light dispels the darkness.*(1:4) "Yet the reason he thinks he is in this world is because he does notbelieve it."*This is the point I was just making. Because we do not believe we are part ofGod, we must believe we are in this world. Living here as a separated being --physically and psychologically -- among other separated beings is the shadow ofthe thought that says: I am on my own, separate from God. Again, the very factthat we believe we are here as bodies attests to the underlying belief that weare separated, and therefore do not believe our minds are part of God's and areholy. This lesson, then, reflects the principle of the Atonement -- the beliefthat although we <think> we have left God, in truth the separation neverhappened. Therefore, I truly am part of God, and thus very holy.*(2:1-2) "You will believe that you are part of where you think you are. That isbecause you surround yourself with the environment you want."*We believe we are in this world, and part of it as a separate body, livingamong other separate bodies. On the ontological level, as one separated Son wemade an environment that maintains separation, and then forgot we had done so,following the ego's plan for <its> salvation. As a result, we now believe theworld is real, and we are part of it. On an individual level, if, as discussedpreviously, we want to feel unfairly treated, what better way to accomplish thatthan always to be around those who treat us unfairly? Whether they do or do not,we shall perceive them that way. As Jesus reminds us in this paraphrasedstatement from the text, a wonderful line we have already quoted: If weexperience our brother as not speaking of Christ to us, it is <only> because wehave first accused ourselves of having not spoken of Christ to him(T-11.V.!8:6). We thus wind up thoroughly convinced our perceptions ofvictimization are valid.*(2:3) "And you want it [ the environment of a separated world ] to protect theimage of yourself that you have made."*Again, this is an unmistakable causal statement. We have made up a physicalworld of separation to protect the image of ourselves as separate beings. Thatis why it should be clear that Jesus is never talking about changing or savingthe world -- <there is no world>. He speaks only of saving ourselves from theself-image we made: the sinful, guilty, fragmented, image of fear we harborwithin. It is our <wish> to be separate that is the cause of the separatedworld. Therefore, it is that wish we must change if true peace is to come tous.*(2:4-7) "The image is part of this environment. What you see while you believeyou are in it is seen through the eyes of the image. This is not vision. Imagescannot see."*What is the image? I am limited, fragmented, separated, independent, andautonomous. The world's nature, and <all> that it is, is the protection of thatimage. Everyone in this world is alone, which is why specialness is such apowerful defense. One of our needs is to have people be with us so we do notexperience the pain and loneliness that inevitably comes with being part of thisworld, living in a place outside of Heaven, our true Home.This paragraph is quite significant and should be carefully studied. The thoughtsystem of A Course in Miracles -- its metaphysics, the thought system of the egoand its undoing through forgiveness -- all can be recognized in these passages.*(3:1-2) "The idea for today presents a very different view of yourself. Byestablishing your Source it establishes your Identity, and it describes you asyou must really be in truth."*In other words, I am part of God and very holy. That is why <Source> and<Identity> are capitalized: Jesus is talking about God and the Christ that isour true Self.Jesus turns now to perceiver, rather than to what he perceives. Indeed, at thispoint Jesus is not interested in what we perceive outside, but only in what we<think>: *(3:3) "We will use a somewhat different kind of application for today's ideabecause the emphasis for today is on the perceiver, rather than on what heperceives."*We can better understand the overriding emphasis in these early lessons onsearching our minds, since it is our minds -- the true <perceiver> -- that needscorrection. Thus we read:*(4) "For each of the three five-minute practice periods today, begin byrepeating today's idea to yourself, and then close your eyes and search yourmind for the various kinds of descriptive terms in which you see yourself.Include all the ego-based attributes which you ascribe to yourself, positive ornegative, desirable or undesirable, grandiose or debased. All of them areequally unreal, because you do not look upon yourself through the eyes ofholiness."*What we find within our minds are the multitudinous forms of the <one> error,the <one> illusory thought of separation. In other words, as I said earlier,once you identify with the ego's separated self, everything you think, believe,feel, perceive, and experience will be wrong. Whether it is noble, beautiful.holy, and good, or simply terrible, it will be wrong because it will have beenbased on specialness and separation.*(5) "In the earlier part of the mind-searching period, you will probablyemphasize what you consider to be the more negative aspects of your perceptionof yourself. Toward the latter part of the exercise period, however, moreself-inflating descriptive terms may well cross your mind. Try to recognize thatthe direction of your fantasies about yourself does not matter. Illusions haveno direction in reality. They are merely not true."*Jesus is cautioning us not to take too seriously the fact that we shall mostlikely only be recognizing the negative thoughts within, even though <both>positive and negative thoughts are illusory. He obviously cannot emphasizeenough that it does not matter whether these thoughts are one or the other. Aslong as you believe you have a self that is positive or negative, that canrelate positively or negatively to other people, you will be wrong aboutyourself and whatever you think is going on. Separate selves are not holy. Theone Self united with God <is> holy, and beyond all concepts (T-31.V). Insubsequent lessons Jesus talks more and more about our true Self. Rememberagain, we cannot get to the true Self without first looking at the false one.That is why the early workbook lessons focused on our <misthoughts> and<misperceptions>. The correction for these mistakes is realizing there isanother way of looking at the world; another way of looking at ourselves.The next paragraph provides a suggested list for us to follow. Of the ninetraits listed, three are positive -- <victorious, charitable>, and <virtuous> --while six are negative -- <imposed on, depressed, failing, endangered,helpless>, and <losing out>. Again, for purposes of this exercise the categorymakes no difference.Paragraph 7 urges us to be <specific> as the steppingstone to achieving the mindstate of the <non-specific> -- <the> trait of our real Self.*(7) "You should not think of these terms in an abstract way. They will occur toyou as various situations, personalities and events in which you figure crossyour mind. Pick up any specific situation that occurs to you, identify thedescriptive term or terms you feel are applicable to your reactions to thatsituation, and use them in applying today's idea. After you have named each one,add:But my mind is part of God's. I am very holy."*Focusing on the specific, once again, is the prerequisite for achieving thenon-specific. It is also an essential part of our training in not denying ourthoughts, feelings, and perceptions. The darkness of guilt cannot be brought tolight and undone unless we first look at its specific manifestations, thedoor-way through which we return to our thoughts.The next paragraph sees Jesus returning to his gentle urgings that we be gentlewith ourselves in these exercises. It is a useful guideline to remember thatwhenever we experience a sense of urgency or intimation of force coming from"the other side," we should recognize immediately that this the ego guiding us.Jesus and the Holy Spirit are <only> gentle and patient, knowing that time isillusory. Only an impatient ego, uncertain of the outcome, would apply pressure.We experience Jesus' gentle teaching about gentleness in this passage from thetext:"The Voice of the Holy Spirit does not command, because it is incapable ofarrogance. It does not demand, because It does not seek control. It does notovercome, because It does not attack. It merely reminds. It is compelling onlybecause of what it reminds you of. It brings to your mind the other way,remaining quiet even in the midst of the turmoil you may make. The Voice for Godis always quiet, because It speaks of peace. Peace is stronger than war becauseit heals." (T-5.II.7:1-8).Here, then is the gentle eighth paragraph:*(8) "During the longer exercise periods, there will probably be intervals inwhich nothing specific occurs to you. Do not strain to think up specific thingsto fill the interval, but merely relax and repeat today's idea slowly untilsomething occurs to you. Although nothing that does occur should be omitted fromthe exercises, nothing should be "dug out" with effort. Neither force nordiscrimination should be used."*Gentleness always wins against force, since it reflects the inner strength ofChrist. Force, on the other hand, is the shadowy expression of the ego'sinherent weakness. Thus we read about this fourth characteristic of God'sadvanced teachers:"....God's teachers are wholly gentle. They need the strength of gentleness,for it is in this that the function of salvation becomes easy. ... Who wouldchoose the weakness that must come from harm in place of the unfailing,all-encompassing and limitless strength of gentleness? The might of God'steachers lies in their gentleness." (M-4.IV.2:1-2,7-8).*(9) "As often as possible during the day, pick up a specific attribute orattributes you are ascribing to yourself at the time and apply the idea fortoday to them, adding the idea in the form stated above to each of them. Ifnothing particular occurs to you, merely repeat the idea to yourself, withclosed eyes."*To repeat an earlier point, make every effort to be vigilant throughout the dayfor ego thoughts, but also mindful of the need to forgive yourself when youremember you have forgotten.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 34. I could see peace instead of this.
Lesson 34. I could see peace instead of this.
The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the other
way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with
your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a
peaceful perception of the world arises.
Three longer practice periods are required for today's exercises. One in the
morning and one in the evening are advised, with an additional one to be
undertaken at any time in between that seems most conducive to readiness. All
applications should be done with your eyes closed. It is your inner world to
which the applications of today's idea should be made.
Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of the longer practice
periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts, anxiety-provoking situations,
"offending" personalities or events, or anything else about which you are
harboring unloving thoughts. Note them all casually, repeating the idea for
today slowly as you watch them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be
replaced by the next.
If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific subjects, continue
to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried manner, without applying it to
anything in particular. Be sure, however, not to make any specific exclusions.
The shorter applications are to be frequent, and made whenever you feel your
peace of mind is threatened in any way. The purpose is to protect yourself from
temptation throughout the day. If a specific form of temptation arises in your
awareness, the exercise should take this form:
<I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.>
If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more generalized adverse
emotions, such as depression, anxiety or worry, use the idea in its original
form. If you find you need more than one application of today's idea to help you
change your mind in any specific context, try to take several minutes and devote
them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief. It will help you
if you tell yourself specifically:
<I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry [or my thoughts
about this situation, personality or event] with peace.>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume
series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"
which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 34. "I could see peace instead of this."
(1:1-3) "The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in
the other way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must
begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward."
*Peace of mind is an "internal matter." The problem is that most of the time we
think it results from the outer world meeting our needs. However, Jesus teaches
that peace has nothing to do with the external. The implications of this fact,
once again, <must> evoke anxiety, because he is informing us that nothing
outside can either hurt us or give us peace -- the outer world does not
threaten, victimize, or please us --<there is nothing outside us!> The challenge
lies in allowing ourselves to become increasingly aware of this <without>
lapsing into denial. What helps <not> to fall into this ego trap is recognizing
that the practical implications of this thought are that even though we may
experience anxiety we attribute to external causes, we can still go within to
the Teacher of truth, Who gently reminds us that peace is a choice <we> can make
(and therefore experience), independent of outer circumstances. I remember when
I first did this lesson I substituted <Jesus> for <peace.> In other words, when
tempted to make some aspect of the error real, I would choose Jesus as my
teacher and remember to smile at the silliness of believing there could ever be
anything in my mind but his love.*
(1:4) "It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world
arises."
*This is all that is important, and all A Course in Miracles addresses: that we
perceive the world peacefully. Jesus is not pleading for peace in the world,
because there is no objective world outside our minds. To ask for external peace
is to have first made conflict real -- <out there>. Again, there is no world
apart from the way we perceive it. What matters to me as a student of this
course is correcting how I perceive, which I do by correcting how I think. This
is accomplished by correcting my mistaken choice of teachers -- always the
bottom line. In this lesson, therefore, instead of saying "I could see peace
instead of this," you could say, as I said above, "I could see Jesus instead of
this." That would highlight even more the personal nature of his teaching.*
(2) "Three longer practice periods are required for today's exercises. One in
the morning and one in the evening are advised, with an additional one to be
undertaken at any time in between that seems most conducive to readiness. All
applications should be done with your eyes closed. It is your inner world to
which the applications of today's idea should be made."
*We are thus urged to practice with our eyes closed, as Jesus focuses attention
on our thoughts -- the <internal matter> of being at peace. This is the
prerequisite for what follows: emphasizing the process of searching your mind, a
theme, as we have said that is central to A Course in Miracles. As you process
this material, the fear level can get so high you would be tempted to cover your
ego thoughts and think you do not have to deal with them because --
misappropriately citing some of the Course's metaphysical ideas such as you are
holy and loved by God: moreover, nothing has happened and you are not even here
-- you believe that to do so would be making the illusion real. Just as in many
other places, Jesus urges us here to search our minds for ego thoughts. If you
think you do not have any, A Course in Miracles is perfect for you as it teaches
that you <do> have these thoughts. Indeed, you could not be here if you did not
have them. The idea is to get in touch with your attack thoughts, either those
directed against yourself or others, as we now see:*
(3:1-2) "Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of the longer
practice periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts, anxiety-provoking
situations, "offending" personalities or events, or anything else about which
you are harboring unloving thoughts."
*You do not have to scratch too far beneath the surface before confronting one
of these thoughts. It is essential to search them out when you do these lessons.
If you are not aware of them, the idea of "seeing peace instead of this" has no
meaning. I could see peace instead of <what>? If my mind is filled only with
loving thoughts, I certainly do not need this lesson. Therefore, the lesson has
particular meaning when you allow yourself to get in touch with the <unloving>
thoughts, which come from your <unloving> teacher. At this point it does make
sense to say "I could see peace [or Jesus] instead of this." We see reflected
here Jesus' overriding emphasis in his course of looking at the darkness and
bringing it to the light. To cite just one representative passage, the first of
many such citations in this series:
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all of the
barriers within yourself that you have built against it. It is not necessary to
seek for what is true, but it <is> necessary to seek for what is false."
(T-16.IV.6:1-2)*
(3:3) "Note them all casually, repeating the idea for today slowly as you watch
them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be replaced by the next."
*To restate this point, you cannot let a thought go if you are not aware that
you have it. Moreover, you cannot let it go unless you have actually chosen
Jesus or the Holy Spirit as your Teacher. If you have not, you are not letting
the thoughts go. Choosing <against> Them means choosing <for> the ego , which
means choosing separation, not to mention guilt, fear, and anxiety that is
inevitable once you have chosen wrongly. To "note them all casually" means not
to make a big deal about them, which is the meaning of looking at your ego with
Jesus. <Not> looking reflects already having made them into a big deal, since if
we had not taken them so seriously we would not have invested these thoughts
with guilt that prevents us from looking.
Jesus' kind gentleness is apparent in this next paragraph, even as he urges us
to continue our practice in the face of anxiety and resistance:*
(4) "If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific subjects,
continue to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried manner, without applying
it to anything in particular. Be sure, however, not to make any specific
exclusions."
*Slow, steady, and gentle wins the race.
In paragraphs 5 and 6, Jesus again makes the point of applying the lesson
whenever we are distressed, emphasizing the need to allow ourselves to be in
touch with these thoughts:*
(5-6) "The shorter applications are to be frequent, and made whenever you feel
your peace of mind is threatened in any way. The purpose is to protect yourself
from temptation throughout the day. If a specific form of temptation arises in
your awareness, the exercise should take this form:
I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.
If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more generalized adverse
emotions, such as depression, anxiety or worry, use the idea in its original
form. If you find you need more than one application of today's idea to help you
change your mind in any specific context, try to take several minutes and devote
them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief. It will help you
if you tell yourself specifically:
I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry [or my thoughts
about this situation, personality or event] with peace."
*Therefore, to make this essential point again, this lesson -- indeed, <all>
lessons -- will have no meaning to you, and will be of no help unless you first
admit to yourself these thoughts and feelings of depression, anxiety, worry,
attack, etc. It is not that they are bad to have; you are here because you <do>
have them. Thus, Jesus says to us in the text, in the context of our willingness
to choose the holy instant:
"Concentrate only on this [ your willingness ], and be not disturbed that
shadows surround it. That is why you came. If you could come without them you
would not need the holy instant." (T-18.IV.2:4-6).
What is "bad" therefore, is pretending that you do not have them, because then
Jesus <will> be of no help to you and <can> be of no help to you. You must bring
the thoughts to him. That is <our> function, as he reminds us in the text:
"You may wonder why it is so crucial that you look upon your hatred and
realize its full extent. You may also think that it would be easy enough for the
Holy Spirit to show it to you, and to dispel it without the need for you to
raise it to awareness yourself." (T.13.III.1.1-2).
Because of this need to raise our awareness of these hate-filled thoughts, we
require the "frequent applications" Jesus recommends. Discipline and vigilance
are necessary if we are to catch these dark thoughts and bring them to his
healing and forgiving light.
These next lessons begin to show us the wondrous things that lie <beyond> our
ego thoughts: the <other> side when we ask for help in choosing "another way of
looking at the world." You may recall my stating that one of the purposes of the
workbook was to recognize we have a split mind; the <wrong-minded> state of the
ego and the <right-minded> home of the Holy Spirit. Only through such
recognition can we meaningfully use the <decision-making> part of our minds to
make the right choice.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 33.There is another way of looking at the world.
Lesson 33.There is another way of looking at the world.
Today's idea is an attempt to recognize that you can shift your perception of
the world in both its outer and inner aspects. A full five minutes should be
devoted to the morning and evening applications. In these practice periods, the
idea should be repeated as often as you find comfortable, though unhurried
applications are essential. Alternate between surveying your outer and inner
perceptions, but without an abrupt sense of shifting.
(Merely glance casually around the world you perceive as outside yourself, then
close your eyes and survey your inner thoughts with equal casualness. Try to
remain equally uninvolved in both, and to maintain this detachment as you repeat
the idea throughout the day.
The shorter exercise periods should be as frequent as possible. Specific
applications of today's idea should also be made immediately, when any situation
arises which tempts you to become disturbed. For these applications, say:
There is another way of looking at this.
Remember to apply today's idea the instant you are aware of distress. It may be
necessary to take a minute or so to sit quietly and repeat the idea to yourself
several times. Closing your eyes will probably help in this form of application.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume
series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"
which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 33."There is another way of looking at the world."
(1:1) "Today's idea is an attempt to recognize that you can shift your
perception of the world in both its outer and inner aspects."
*We can shift the perception because there is something within our minds to
which we can go for meaningful change. This "something" is the <decision maker>;
the only aspect of our dream in which we find true choice. It is not our outer
perceptions that need to be changed, but the inner perception of ourselves: are
we children of God, or of the ego; is our reality the changeless Oneness of
Christ, or changing individuality of separation; is our teacher the Holy Spirit
or the ego? In other words, this <other> way of looking at the world begins in
our minds, with our choice through which eyes we choose to see: vision or
judgment.*
(1:2-2:2) "A full five minutes should be devoted to the morning and evening
applications. In these practice periods, the idea should be repeated as often as
you find comfortable, though unhurried applications are essential. Alternate
between surveying your outer and inner perceptions, but without an abrupt sense
of shifting."
"Merely glance casually around the world you perceive as outside yourself, then
close your eyes and survey your inner thoughts with equal casualness. Try to
remain equally uninvolved in both, and to maintain this detachment as you repeat
the idea throughout the day."
*Jesus does here what we have seen before. He takes a blockbuster of a theme but
does not discuss it much in the actual lesson because he is going to pick it up
again later. Thus, "I am not a victim of the world I see" is a heavy thought,
but is treated briefly in that lesson. "I am never upset for the reason I think"
was also not discussed much in the lesson itself, but the idea returns later as
well. And again here, Jesus simply introduces of the thought that there is
another way of looking at the world, and then focuses of the sameness of our
inner thoughts and the world we perceive outside. This truth is the foundation
for the <other way of looking at the world>.
Let me call your attention to another significant theme that is brought up in
the following paragraphs, and appears over and over again in these lessons --
applying the thought for the day <through-out> the day, whenever we become aware
of distress:*
(3-4) "The shorter exercise periods should be as frequent as possible. Specific
applications of today's idea should also be made immediately, when any situation
arises which tempts you to become disturbed. For these applications, say:
There is another way of looking at this.
Remember to apply today's idea the instant you are aware of distress. It may be
necessary to take a minute or so to sit quietly and repeat the idea to yourself
several times. Closing your eyes will probably help in this form of
application."
*These exercises are intended to be practical and helpful. Jesus is not
presenting us with a set of metaphysical principles to master intellectually. He
is training us to become increasingly vigilant as we go through our day. As soon
as we become aware of feeling distressed, upset, angry, frightened or guilty, we
would quickly go to him and say: "Help!" Even if we can say nothing else, we can
at least acknowledge there is another thought in our minds, another teacher to
choose. Even if we do not choose that teacher at the moment, we at least know
that he is there.
The point is that you become more accustomed to recognizing that if you feel
separated from someone or something, you would know that feeling is coming from
your ego. You do not have to go any further. The ego loves to indulge thoughts
of victimization: justifying and reinforcing them, finding allies to agree with
its misperceptions. As soon as a feeling of victimization comes, try to think of
the lesson, whatever the lesson is for you that day; it really doesn't matter
which one, as the content is the same. If you happen to be working with today's
lesson, as quickly as possible after catching yourself feeling separate or
victimized, say: "I can look at this differently." If you can do nothing else,
you are at least keeping the door open, reminding yourself there is another
thought system or teacher you could choose, but because you are so fearful, you
would much rather be right and miserable than wrong and happy (T-29.VII.1.9).
However you are being honest about what is going on; an immensely helpful part
of learning to forgive. The next lesson continues this line of thinking.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 32. I have invented the world I see.
Lesson 32. I have invented the world I see.
Today we are continuing to develop the theme of cause and effect. You are not
the victim of the world you see because you invented it. You can give it up as
easily as you made it up. You will see it or not see it, as you wish. While you
want it you will see it; when you no longer want it, it will not be there for
you to see.
The idea for today, like the preceding ones, applies to your inner and outer
worlds, which are actually the same. However, since you see them as different,
the practice periods for today will again include two phases, one involving the
world you see outside you, and the other the world you see in your mind. In
today's exercises, try to introduce the thought that both are in your own
imagination.
Again we will begin the practice periods for the morning and evening by
repeating the idea for today two or three times while looking around at the
world you see as outside yourself. Then close your eyes and look around your
inner world. Try to treat them both as equally as possible. Repeat the idea for
today unhurriedly as often as you wish, as you watch the images your imagination
presents to your awareness.
For the two longer practice periods three to five minutes are recommended, with
not less than three required. More than five can be utilized, if you find the
exercise restful. To facilitate this, select a time when few distractions are
anticipated, and when you yourself feel reasonably ready.
These exercises are also to be continued during the day, as often as possible.
The shorter applications consist of repeating the idea slowly, as you survey
either your inner or outer world. It does not matter which you choose.
The idea for today should also be applied immediately to any situation that may
distress you. Apply the idea by telling yourself:
a.. I have invented this situation as I see it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries from his book set called: "Journey
Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles." which can be purchased at the
following site:?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 32. "I have invented the world I see."
(1:1-2) "Today we are continuing to develop the theme of cause and effect. You
are not the victim of the world you see because you invented it."
*I am not a victim of the world I see because I am the victim of my thoughts,
which made up this world. Looked at from a metaphysical point of view, my entire
life -- from birth to death -- is my dream; the script of victimization I wrote
to accomplish the ego's purpose. As we have already seen, this purpose is to
keep my individual existence, but split off my belief in sin by projecting it
onto others. If my life is my dream, my play, my script, then I am obviously the
author. Thus am I a victim of my own script writing. In truth, the decision
maker identified with the ego -- the part of my split mind that identifies with
separation -- wrote this script to teach that the world is a prison and everyone
in it is my jailer. When I invite Him in, the Holy Spirit joins me there to
teach me this world can now become a classroom in which I learn I made it up. He
teaches me further <why> I did so: to protect my individuality and specialness.
Therefore, because I made it up, because I invented the world I see, I can
change it.
Again, "I have invented the world I see" refers back to the idea that my life is
my invention, based on the unreal premise I have been unfairly treated as a
little child and therefore in need of defenses. Thus I, as healthy ego,
literally invent the world that will always prove I am right and everyone else
is wrong, and so my attack thoughts and behavior are justified.*
(1:3-5) "You can give it up as easily as you made it up. You will see it or not
see it, as you wish. While you want it you will see it; when you no longer want
it, it will not be there for you to see."
*Jesus once again is talking about motivation: it is my <wish> to see a
victimizing world, even if that wish is out of awareness, as most wishes are.
The world of victimization I see is there because I <want> it to be there. While
it is not explained in this lesson, the reason I want a world of victimization
is to be able to say the sin of separation is yours and not mine. A telling
passage near the end of Chapter 27 in the text makes this dynamic -- here
implicit -- quite clear:
"The world you see depicts exactly what you thought you did. Except that now
you think that what you did is being done to you. The guilt for what you thought
is being placed outside yourself, and on a guilty world that dreams your dreams
and thinks your thoughts instead of you. It brings its vengeance, not your own.
... The world but demonstrates an ancient truth; you will believe that others do
to you exactly what you think you did to them. But once deluded into blaming
them you will not see the cause of what they do, because you want the guilt to
rest on them." (T.27.VIII.7.2-5;8:1-2).
The reigning principle of the ego's thought system, to make this important
statement again, is the preservation of separation and individuality, but
without their concomitant sin. Therefore, in the world of specifics I project my
sin onto you and declare you to be the sinning victimizer, not me. In this way I
have my ego's cake and eat it too. I have my individuality and specialness -- my
self -- < but I am not responsible for them >: someone else has made me what I
am.
To repeat, I can give the world up as easily as I made it when I took the ego as
my teacher instead of Jesus. I merely change my decision by dropping the ego's
hand and taking his instead. It is very simple. What makes it difficult to do is
its implication: if I do this, I will disappear as I know myself, and then who
will I be? That is the fear. Our task is to allow ourselves to get in touch with
that fear, and then watch the insane defenses we choose to protect ourselves
against something <that is not there anyway>.
Jesus is appealing here to our motivation, as he does consistently throughout A
Course in Miracles. If we really want to be happy we need to follow what he
says, because that alone will make us happy. But that means that we have to be
able to say that he was right and we were wrong. That is the most difficult
thing for anyone in this world to admit.*
(2:1) "The idea for today, like the preceding ones, applies to your inner and
outer worlds, which are actually the same."
*You can see how often in these early lessons Jesus makes this point. He is not
speaking metaphorically or figuratively; he is speaking quite literally. You
want to think deeply about what this really means -- the full implications of
saying the inner and outer worlds are the same. It is these implications that
are so frightening and unsettling.*
(2:2-3) "However, since you see them as different, the practice periods for
today will again include two phases, one involving the world you see outside
you, and the other the world you see in your mind. In today's exercises, try to
introduce the thought that both are in your own imagination."
*A passage like this is crucial because Jesus is explaining why he uses the
language of duality. Most of the time he speaks to us as if there were a world
out there; people who have to be forgiven: a world of time and space in which
all this occurs; a Holy Spirit and Jesus that run around in our minds trying to
help us. Moreover, Jesus speaks of God as if He, too, were a person with
different body parts: arms, hands, feet, voice, lips, etc. Thus he tells us here
that he uses terms of duality because <we> see the inner and the outer as
different; and therefore he will construct practice periods to reflect that
duality -- not because the inner and the outer are truly different, but because
that is our experience, and he will meet us in the condition in which we think
we are (T-25.1.7:4).
Students of A Course in Miracles repeatedly get trapped in duality when they
miss lines like this and take its words literally, when Jesus is stating it is
not like that at all. Thus he says that he will treat the outer world as if it
were separate from the inner; indeed, as if there were even an outer world. A
passage in the text provides perhaps the best explanation of this dualistic
style of A Course in Miracles in presenting Jesus' teaching message. Its
importance is such that it will be repeated often throughout these volumes,
helping to forestall students mistaking the Course's form for its content:
"Since you believe that you are separate, Heaven presents itself to you as
separate, too. Not that it is in truth, but that the link that has been given
you to join the truth may reach to you through what you understand. ... All this
takes note of time and place as if they were discrete, for while you think that
part of you is separate, the concept of a oneness joined as one is
meaningless.... Yet must It use the language that this mind can understand, in
the condition in which it thinks it is." (T-25.1.5:1-2;7:1,4).
The final sentence of this lesson's second paragraph is also extremely
important. Both the world we see outside and the world we see within our minds
exist only in our imagination. We made it all up: the thought of separation; an
inner world of sin, guilt, and fear, which the belief in separation spawns; and
the projected world that is <nothing> but the shadow of the ego's imaginary
inner world. All we are really talking about, therefore, is a make-believe world
that appears outside.
This teaching is continued.*
(3) "Again we will begin the practice periods for the morning and evening by
repeating the idea for today two or three times while looking around at the
world you see as outside yourself. Then close your eyes and look around your
inner world. Try to treat them both as equally as possible. Repeat the idea for
today unhurriedly as often as you wish, as you watch the images your imagination
presents to your awareness."
*Jesus is reinforcing what he has been teaching us: these thoughts are made up
-- thoughts of anger, specialness, self-hatred, anxiety, and terror exist only
in our imagination; whether they come in thoughts of pleasure or thoughts of
pain. Because we are talking about imaginary thoughts, we are also talking about
imaginary worlds. There is no difference.*
(4) "For the two longer practice periods three to five minutes are recommended,
with not less than three required. More than five can be utilized, if you find
the exercise restful. To facilitate this, select a time when few distractions
are anticipated, and when you yourself feel reasonably ready."
*Here we see Jesus urging us to find a peaceful, restful time (and implicitly
space as well) in which to meditate. From his comments in other parts of the
Course, it is understood that Jesus does not want us to make our spiritual life
ritualistic. However, since we are still early in our training and not very
disciplined as yet in our vigilance for the ego, this kind of structure is
helpful (see, e.g., the discussion in M-16.2-5).
The lesson's concluding paragraphs underscore our <new> kind of practicing:
using the day's idea "as often as possible," and especially when we are tempted
to perceive the cause of our distress as being outside us:*
(5-6) "These exercises are also to be continued during the day, as often as
possible. The shorter applications consist of repeating the idea slowly, as you
survey either your inner or outer world. It does not matter which you choose."
"The idea for today should also be applied immediately to any situation that may
distress you. Apply the idea by telling yourself:
I have invented this situation as I see it."
*You can see how radically different this is from the world's view, from how we
normally perceive things. We think choosing either our inner or outer world does
make a difference. This would be apparent, for example, when we conclude that
what we think does not matter as long as we do not say or act on it. Jesus,
though, is explaining that it makes no difference whether we express our
thoughts or silently think them. Our judgments have as much effect on us and the
mind of the Sonship as do our acting them out. It is fine not to act them out --
he once told Helen that he was not against a certain amount of discipline -- but
if we do not change the underlying thinking, these thoughts simply remain in our
minds, awaiting their inevitable fate of projection. The consequences are that
we shall always be fighting the losing battle of trying to curtail our
aggression: the mind's hostility and specialness. Therefore, we need to go to
the source of the problem -- our thoughts -- which was having turned to Jesus,
saying: "You are wrong, and I am right." Undoing the source is telling him:
"Thank God you were right and I was wrong. There <is> another way of looking at
the world."
In these lessons Jesus has been helping us realize we have two ways of looking
at the world, which come from two thought systems or selves -- a wrong and right
mind -- and two teachers: the ego and Jesus. This realization will grow as the
lessons continue. Up to now, most of the emphasis has been on the ego's way of
looking at the world. That is why the early lessons told us we do not truly see
anything, for we see what is not there. Therefore, everything we perceive is
meaningless. It is also why the lessons have emphasized our attack thoughts,
perceiving a world of vengeance, etc. From here through Lesson 50, however,
Jesus teaches us there is another available choice, another way of looking at
the world. It is that thought he introduces in the next lesson.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 31. I am not the victim of the world I see.
Lesson 31. I am not the victim of the world I see.
Today's idea is the introduction to your declaration of release. Again, the idea
should be applied to both the world you see without and the world you see
within. In applying the idea, we will use a form of practice which will be used
more and more, with changes as indicated. Generally speaking, the form includes
two aspects, one in which you apply the idea on a more sustained basis, and the
other consisting of frequent applications of the idea throughout the day.
Two longer periods of practice with the idea for today are needed, one in the
morning and one at night. Three to five minutes for each of these are
recommended. During that time, look about you slowly while repeating the idea
two or three times. Then close your eyes, and apply the same idea to your inner
world. You will escape from both together, for the inner is the cause of the
outer.
As you survey your inner world, merely let whatever thoughts cross your mind
come into your awareness, each to be considered for a moment, and then replaced
by the next. Try not to establish any kind of hierarchy among them. Watch them
come and go as dispassionately as possible. Do not dwell on any one in
particular, but try to let the stream move on evenly and calmly, without any
special investment on your part. As you sit and quietly watch your thoughts,
repeat today's idea to yourself as often as you care to, but with no sense of
hurry.
In addition, repeat the idea for today as often as possible during the day.
Remind yourself that you are making a declaration of independence in the name of
your own freedom. And in your freedom lies the freedom of the world.
The idea for today is also a particularly useful one to use as a response to any
form of temptation that may arise. It is a declaration that you will not yield
to it, and put yourself in bondage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume
series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles,"
which can be purchased at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 31. "I am not the victim of the world I see."
*This is many people's favorite lesson, or else their most <un>favorite one. As
I said in the preceding lesson, everyone's life has developed as a defense
against the pain of childhood victimization, which our society holds as
sacrosanct. Therefore, to take this lesson seriously undermines everyone's
physical and psychological existence. If you are not the victim of the world you
see, then you do not need any defenses. Imagine your life without defenses! In
traditional psychology, if you are without defenses you are thought to be
psychotic, which is true from the world's point of view. To be identified with
the Love of God is indeed a form of psychosis as the world sees it, because it
goes against everything judged to be reality, beginning with the other-worldly
selflessness that <is> our Self. Thus, if the statement "I am not the victim of
the world I see" is true, your life is a lie -- meaningless and purposeless,
which has been a major theme of these early lessons. You can therefore
understand why A Course in Miracles must engender anxiety, and why you would
always have to attack it in one way or another, or attack those who represent it
to you. These teachings undermine everything you believe about yourself, beliefs
which have given your life its meaning.*
(1:1-3) "Today's idea is the introduction to your declaration of release. Again,
the idea should be applied to both the world you see without and the world you
see within. In applying the idea, we will use a form of practice which will be
used more and more, with changes as indicated."
*Obviously, this is not release as the world sees it. This is a declaration of
release from your ego, from the prison of your life of guilt and projection.
The next few lines describe a new form of exercise, encompassing both a more
sustained meditation of the day's ideas as well as frequent applications
throughout the day that will characterize our daily experience with the
workbook. Without these "frequent applications," one's work could easily lapse
into mere intellectual practice. Jesus is asking us to cultivate the discipline
of becoming increasingly vigilant for our ego's temptation of illusory thoughts
of attack, so we may bring them to the truth-filled presence of the Holy Spirit
in our minds, the process we are coming to recognize as forgiveness*
(1:4) "Generally speaking, the form includes two aspects, one in which you apply
the idea on a more sustained basis, and the other consisting of frequent
applications of the idea throughout the day."
*When we read Lesson 95 we shall see the discussion of the need to forgive
ourselves for forgetting the exercises throughout the day. It is important to
recognize our resistance; otherwise it is impossible to let it go and move
beyond the defense to the truth of God's Love.*
(2) "Two longer periods of practice with the idea for today are needed, one in
the morning and one at night. Three to five minutes for each of these are
recommended. During that time, look about you slowly while repeating the idea
two or three times. Then close your eyes, and apply the same idea to your inner
world. You will escape from both together, for the inner is the cause of the
outer."
*Here, again, Jesus is making it clear that the inner and the outer are one and
the same. The exercises then, have to do with applying the idea both to what you
perceive outside you as well as to what you think within your own mind. We
continue to be reminded that the inner is the <cause> of the outer. This
cause-effect theme acquires more and more significance as the teaching proceeds
and our understanding deepens.
If, contrary to what Jesus has been saying, we believe that the way we feel is a
result of the way people have treated us, we are saying the cause is outside us
-- the outer is the cause of the inner. This approach makes us absolutely
helpless in the world, because even though we may have the illusion of being
able to control some things, there is very little we can do to control
everything in the world that affects us. After all, our bodies were made to be
fragile and vulnerable, and indeed they are.
If, on the other hand, we invert this and see that the cause is inside, it does
not matter what happens outside, because now we are in control of what we feel:
our <reactions> to external happenings. We have learned that what we feel and
experience comes from a choice we have made. Much later in the workbook Jesus
says we are in control of the universe (e.g., Lesson 253). As we have already
discussed, if we choose the ego as our teacher, we perceive and experience the
world in one way. If we take Jesus as our teacher, we perceive and experience it
in another. <We>, therefore, are the determiners of our experiences. That is the
importance of this lesson, an importance not to be underestimated, since it
contains the core of Jesus' teachings of A Course in Miracles.*
(3) "As you survey your inner world, merely let whatever thoughts cross your
mind come into your awareness, each to be considered for a moment, and then
replaced by the next. Try not to establish any kind of hierarchy among them.
Watch them come and go as dispassionately as possible. Do not dwell on any one
in particular, but try to let the stream move on evenly and calmly, without any
special investment on your part. As you sit and quietly watch your thoughts,
repeat today's idea to yourself as often as you care to, but with no sense of
hurry."
*This is similar to many Buddhist mind-training exercises. The idea is merely to
watch the thoughts in your mind. If your watching them, who is the <you> who are
watching? That is the key. You will end up realizing that the <you> who are
watching the thoughts in your mind, as well as watching your perceptions outside
is the <decision maker>, the part of your mind that chooses between the ego and
the Holy Spirit, illusions and the truth. It is not the <you> that you normally
think of, because some of the thoughts you will be watching will be thoughts
about yourself. Jesus is thus beginning the process of training us to
dissociate, in the positive sense of the word, from the ego identification that
we have made real. If I watch my thoughts -- and what I am watching is my ego in
action, whether in a positive or a negative form -- the *I* that watches is not
the *I* that I think I am. It is, again, the < decision maker >.*
(4) "In addition, repeat the idea for today as often as possible during the day.
Remind yourself that you are making a declaration of independence in the name of
your own freedom. And in your freedom lies the freedom of the world."
*We see here again the instructions about frequent repetitions, hopefully
leading to frequent applications of the lesson's wisdom in helping us bring our
foolish illusions to the wise truth held for us in our minds by the Holy Spirit.
In my freedom "lies the freedom of the world" because the world is part of me. I
made up this world, which is a product of my thoughts. If these change, my world
has to change. Jesus is not speaking of liberating the world, or freeing it from
its suffering; nor does he mean doing anything with the world outside. He is
speaking only of our <perception> of the world; the only world there truly is.
The language of A Course in Miracles, especially in the workbook, would strongly
suggest that Jesus is actually talking about saving an external world.
Christians have always spoken like this. First it was Jesus who is going to be
the world's savior, and now we, as his disciples, are going to save it, too. In
the Course Jesus uses the same terms that have been used in traditional
Christianity, but has given them a totally different meaning. These lessons
explain this difference in meaning. For example, Lesson 186 is entitled
"Salvation of the world depends on me"; it is <my> world alone that has to be
saved. As I change my mind and free myself from the ego's tyranny, the world I
perceive and experience will be saved as well. Once again, Jesus is not talking
about anything external. It should be noted here, though we shall return to this
important point later, that this is not to be taken as an excuse not to do
anything in the world. Rather, we are asked to be <passive> to the ego, but
quite <active> to the Holy Spirit, Whose Love automatically guides our thoughts,
words, and actions.
That is why these passages must be read very carefully and kept in context of
what Jesus has been teaching. If there is no outer world, how could there be a
world out there to be saved? It is when students of A Course in Miracles want to
make their ego's real that they take sentences out of context without
understanding their metaphysical background, and then make the Course seem to
say the exact opposite of what it actually is saying.
The next lesson makes this point even clearer, but before we proceed to it, the
final paragraph of this lesson encourages us to begin making the "frequent
applications" that Jesus mentioned near the beginning of the lesson. Once again,
without these applications the workbook will not have succeeded in its purpose.
One more thing before moving to the end of the lesson -- note the explicit
reference above to the American Declaration of Independence. Students recall a
similar reference in the text (T-4.III.1:12-2:2), the message of which is echoed
in this final paragraph:*
(5) "The idea for today is also a particularly useful one to use as a response
to any form of temptation that may arise. It is a declaration that you will not
yield to it, and put yourself in bondage."
*At the end of the text Jesus describes temptations as believing we are a body,
victimized by forces beyond our control:
"Temptation has one lesson it would teach, in all its forms, wherever it
occurs. It would persuade the holy Son of God he is a body, born in what must
die, unable to escape its frailty, and bound by what it orders him to feel."
(T-31.VIII.1:1-2).
Choosing the Holy Spirit and His thought system shifts our identification from
the body to the mind, which is the cause of everything the body does and feels.
Thus are we freed at last from the ego's bondage.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 30. God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.
Lesson 30. God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.
The idea for today is the springboard for vision. From this idea will the world
open up before you, and you will look upon it and see in it what you have never
seen before. Nor will what you saw before be even faintly visible to you.
Today we are trying to use a new kind of "projection." We are not attempting to
get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside. Instead, we are trying to
see in the world what is in our minds, and what we want to recognize is there.
Thus, we are trying to join with what we see, rather than keeping it apart from
us. That is the fundamental difference between vision and the way you see.
Today's idea should be applied as often as possible throughout the day. Whenever
you have a moment or so, repeat it to yourself slowly, looking about you, and
trying to realize that the idea applies to everything you do see now, or could
see now if it were within the range of your sight.
Real vision is not limited to concepts such as "near" and "far." To help you
begin to get used to this idea, try to think of things beyond your present range
as well as those you can actually see, as you apply today's idea.
Real vision is not only unlimited by space and distance, but it does not depend
on the body's eyes at all. The mind is its only source. To aid in helping you to
become more accustomed to this idea as well, devote several practice periods to
applying today's idea with your eyes closed, using whatever subjects come to
mind, and looking within rather than without. Today's idea applies equally to
both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson is from Kenneth Wapnick's series of books, called:
"Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased
at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 30. "God is in everything I see because God is in my mind."
*This lesson also is extremely important, explaining <why> God is in everything
I see. He is in my mind. The context, again, is not what we perceive outside,
but what is in our minds. Therefore, "think" can be substituted for "see,"
because our eyes report to us nothing more than the reflection of what we have
been thinking. <Projection makes perception.> Indeed, this lesson advances our
understanding and experience of projection, the ego's defense <par excellence>
for retaining our guilt under the guise of getting rid of it.*
(1) "The idea for today is the springboard for vision. From this idea will the
world open up before you, and you will look upon it and see in it what you have
never seen before. Nor will what you saw before be even faintly visible to you."
*This is a theme that is repeated many times throughout A Course in Miracles:
when our minds are awakened and we see with Jesus' love, everything we saw
before will disappear. Our judgments against others and against ourselves, our
strange way of understanding events -- all will disappear. As we reinforce this
way of thinking and seeing, our judgments, which are defenses against the truth
of our and our brother's reality, will gradually fade until they disappear
entirely. This is what Jesus is saying to us here. It is easy to see why these
ideas can frighten us. It is not just our judgments, distorted perceptions, and
thinking that will disappear; <we>, as we have always known ourselves to be,
will disappear as well. This is the real meaning of defenselessness: being
<without> defenses. The ego would attempt to convince us that we need defenses
to protect us from our pain, either inflicted from within or without. It never
lets us in on its secret: its entire defensive structure is aimed at protecting
us from God.
Psychology -- the study of the ego -- helps us understand how everyone's life --
certainly by adulthood -- is built up as a defense against the pain and hurt of
childhood. We came into this world so that we would feel victimized as children;
that is the point of being born into this world, as I discussed in the Prelude.
Our entire lives, from the ego's point of view, are made up of defenses to
protect us from what we have come to accept as undeniable truths about the
world, and especially our personal worlds: I cannot trust my mother, I cannot
trust men, I cannot trust my body, I cannot trust authorities, and on and on and
on. In everyone's life these conclusions are perfectly justified, because our
scripts, as we have already seen, were specifically written to justify our
feelings of unfair treatment. Once our victimization is accepted as truth, we
build up a wall upon wall of defenses to protect us against these imagined
hurts, slights, and pains of our childhood and youth. They are <imagined>
because they are not there anymore. In fact, they were never truly there, being
but part of our dream. However, we never want to look at this truth through
Jesus' vision, because we would then realize it was all made up.
There is actually no justification for us to build walls of defenses, since our
problems are inherently non-existent. That is the truth we fear. The meaning our
lives have taken on is surviving the onslaughts of this hard, cruel,
insensitive, and vicious world -- Hamlet's "slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune." There is no question the world is cruel, insensitive, and vicious.
<That is why it was made>, and what is meant by the statement, "the world was
made as an attack on God" (W-pII.3.2.1).
Our existence is predicated on the truth of what we are so sure is reality. We
do not want to be told there is another way of looking, because it is obvious
Jesus is not talking about another way of looking at a table. That is just an
exercise to help us realize there is another way of looking at <ourselves>. Once
again, as you practice these lessons, thinking about them and meditating, try to
get in touch with the fear that comes from understanding what you believe is the
problem: how to survive as an innocent victim in a harsh world. Jesus teaches us
there is another way of looking at absolutely everything, but this vision comes
at a price: replacing our victimizing self -- buttressed by a lifetime's
accumulation of defenses -- with a self that can be truly defenseless,
"protected" by the innocence that is a reflection of Heaven's sinlessness.*
(2:1-2) "Today we are trying to use a new kind of "projection." We are not
attempting to get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside."
*While the word is not used here, Jesus is clearly speaking of <extension>; half
of the dynamic of looking within, and having that effect what we see outside.
With projection we see our sinfulness and guilt, judge against it, and project
it onto others. We get rid of what we do not like within us. That literally is
how the world was made. In a line which we shall read in Lesson 161, Jesus says:
"Thus were specifics made" -- we made the world of specifics so that we could
have someone and something onto whom we project the guilt we do not want.
Jesus is teaching us now about "a new kind of 'projection'" (extension), in
which we take the love we first looked at within -- the Love of Christ we are,
the love of Jesus to which we can relate -- and have it extend so we see it all
around us. Importantly, we do not see love as separate from us as we do when we
project our guilt, wherein we <must> see the guilt in someone other than
ourselves -- intrinsic to the purpose of projection. Christ's Love, which is
first seen within, is now experienced in everyone else, regardless of the veils
of fear and hate unconsciously used to conceal it. Again, we experience this
love in everyone because we have first experienced it in ourselves. The shift
Jesus is discussing is the shift to our right minds -- from the ego's projection
of guilt to the Holy Spirit's extension of forgiveness -- and is key to the
practice of A Course in Miracles.*
(2:3) "Instead, we are trying to see in the world what is in our minds, and what
we want to recognize is there."
*The key thought is "what we want to recognize is there." as the text states:
"Perception seems to teach you what you see. Yet it but witnesses to what
you taught. It is the outward picture of a wish; an image that you wanted to be
true." (T-24.VII.8.8-10)
Our secret wish is to keep the separation, but to see the responsibility for it
in another. The "image that you wanted to be true" is our brother's guilt. Thus
the ego says guilt is real and we did <not > want to recognize it. By convincing
us not to recognize the mind's guilt, the ego hopes we will never look at the
love that is already in our minds. In the text, Jesus says we have but two
emotions: love and fear -- one we made and one was given us (T-13.V.10:1). The
emotion of fear, which is really the same as guilt, is what we made to cover the
love that God gave us. We need to recognize the guilt so we can look beyond it
to identify with the love that is there. This, of course, is totally different
from the ego's way of proceeding, which makes guilt real and then makes us
promise never to look at it. It tells us not to recognize it in ourselves, but
rather to get rid of the guilt by seeing it in everyone else. However, the ego
never tells us that its plan does not work, for the guilt remains within our
minds, despite our fevered attempts to disown it. All this is described quite
clearly in the text:
"The ultimate purpose of projection is always to get rid of guilt. ... Yet
consider how strange a solution the ego's arrangement is. You project guilt to
get rid of it, but you are actually merely concealing it. You do experience the
guilt, but you have no idea why." (T-13.II.1:1;2:1-3).
"In any union with a brother in which you seek to lay your guilt upon him,
or share it with him or perceive his own, you will feel guilty. ... You will see
guilt in that relationship because you put it there. It is inevitable that those
who suffer guilt will attempt to displace it, because they do believe in it. Yet
though they suffer, they will not look within and let it go. ... Their main
concern is to perceive the source of guilt outside themselves, beyond their own
control." (T-13.X.3:1, 3-5,7).
Following the ego's guidance, then, we draw upon our background of decades of
experience and confidently declare that the guilt is in all these others.
Moreover, we have all the proof needed to justify the way we feel about them. We
expound on how they have abused and mistreated us, or have abused and mistreated
others with whom we identify as victims. We are so absolutely certain we are
right about our conclusions. That is why A Course in Miracles is so difficult
and frightening. Over and over, Jesus tells us we are wrong, that " God thinks
otherwise" (T-23.1.2:7). But we are positive that He is wrong and we are
correct!*
(2:4-5) "Thus, we are trying to join with what we see, rather than keeping it
apart from us. That is the fundamental difference between vision and the way you
see."
*The way we see, again, is to see the problem or objects of pleasure outside us.
We always want to keep separate from us what is outside. Even when we seem to
want to join with others, we are really trying to make the illusion of joining
so we can protect our specialness. In vision, however, we no longer see
ourselves as separate from anyone. Early in the manual Jesus makes an important
statement I have already cited: the qualifications of a teacher of God consist
solely in his not seeing his interests as apart from anyone else's (M-1.1:2).
That vision could begin only by not seeing our interests as separate from those
of the Holy Spirit or Jesus. At the beginning, our interests are quite separate,
because if we join with Them our ego's individuality and specialness are gone.
Thus we <must> keep them split off from us, just as we have done with God. Based
upon this dynamic of splitting off our guilt, projecting it onto others whom we
now see as separate from us. Vision is exactly the opposite, seeing all people
as the same, reflecting our inherent oneness as Christ.
The radicalness of A Course in Miracles' thought system is that Jesus is not
talking about the brain or the body, but only of the mind, which cannot be seen
or touched because it is beyond our senses or anything physical of
quantifiable.*
(3) "Today's idea should be applied as often as possible throughout the day.
Whenever you have a moment or so, repeat it to yourself slowly, looking about
you, and trying to realize that the idea applies to everything you do see now,
or could see now if it were within the range of your sight."
*Jesus is once again reminding us about generalizing; not to exclude anything in
our application of the lessons. Remember, once you believe there is a hierarchy
of illusions and a range of what you perceive, you are saying that separation
and differences are reality and truth. The only reality is the one thought of
the Atonement, the only reality within our minds. Because that thought is one,
it is seen as one. Everything in this world is the same as everything else,
because all things share the one purpose of forgiveness.*
(4) "Real vision is not limited to concepts such as "near" and "far." To help
you begin to get used to this idea, try to think of things beyond your present
range as well as those you can actually see, as you apply today's idea."
*Here we can see Jesus subtly getting across his point that his idea works not
only for what our eyes physically see, but for what we think about, too -- what
we see in our minds as well as what we "actually" see. Again, real vision has
nothing to do with anything physical. It does not apply to what we physically
perceive (see, hear, feel, touch, or whatever), but to what we <think>. Recall
that there is no difference between what we think and what we see. It is only in
accepting the truth that one can begin to have the understanding that will
hopefully lead to the experience of our inherent oneness, a unity that can exist
only in the mind, since bodies separate. As Jesus reminds us in the text: "Minds
are joined; bodies are not" (T-18.VI.3:1).*
(5:1-2) "Real vision is not only unlimited by space and distance, but it does
not depend on the body's eyes at all. The mind is its only source."
*We could not ask for a clearer statement than this, Jesus is not talking about
anything that we perceive, because we are always seeing some form of separation,
which means what we see comes from a thought of separation in our minds, a
thought that is intrinsically mistaken. As Jesus states in a line we shall quote
frequently: "Nothing so blinding as perception of form." (T-22.III.6:7)
Even though it is not yet specifically mentioned in these lessons, though I
discussed it in the Prelude, the idea of going to Jesus or the Holy Spirit for
help is central to our practice of A Course in Miracles. By separating ourselves
from Them we are separating ourselves from God, which means we are regarding
separation as reality. Everything we think, see, or believe from that point on
will be wrong. That is why there is so much fear associated with doing this
course. It slowly begins to dawn on us that we are mistaken about everything we
think, perceive, and judge -- about ourselves and everyone else.*
(5:3-4) "To aid in helping you to become more accustomed to this idea as well,
devote several practice periods to applying today's idea with your eyes closed,
using whatever subjects come to mind, and looking within rather than without.
Today's idea applies equally to both."
*The answer to why today's idea applies equally to what is within and without is
that there is nothing out there. What appears outside is simply a projection of
our thoughts. Whether we are looking at our thoughts outside or our thoughts
within our minds does not make any difference. They are still our thoughts.These
two lessons are quite explicit that everything begins in our minds. This is
directly related to the principle described in the text and that we have already
seen in the lessons. <Ideas leave not their source> -- the idea of a separated
world, relationship, and body, has never left its source in the mind. Everything
we perceive are our projected thoughts. The only thing that is important, then,
is getting in touch with the source of these thoughts -- the ego or the Holy
Spirit. This is the ultimate purpose of these exercises and of A Course in
Miracles itself.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 29. God is in everything I see.
Lesson 29. God is in everything I see.
The idea for today explains why you can see all purpose in anything. It explains
why nothing is separate, by itself or in itself. And it explains why nothing you
see means anything. In fact, it explains every idea we have used thus far and
all subsequent ones as well. Today's idea is the whole basis for vision.
You will probably find this idea very difficult to grasp at this point. You may
find it silly, irreverent, senseless, funny, and even objectionable. Certainly
God is not in a table, for example, as you see it. Yet we emphasized yesterday
that a table shares the purpose of the universe. And what shares the purpose of
the universe shares the purpose of its Creator.
Try then, today, to begin to learn how to look on all things with love,
appreciation, and open-mindedness. You do not see them now. Would you know what
is in them? Nothing is as it appears to you. Its holy purpose stands beyond your
little range. When vision has shown you the holiness that lights up the world,
you will understand today's idea perfectly. And you will not understand how you
could ever have found it difficult.
Our six two-minute practice periods for today should follow a now familiar
pattern: begin with repeating the idea to yourself, and then apply it to
randomly chosen subjects about you, naming each one specifically. Try to avoid
the tendency toward self-directed selection, which may be particularly tempting
in connection with today's idea because of its wholly alien nature. Remember
that any order you impose is equally alien to reality.
Your list of subjects should therefore be as free of self-selection as possible.
For example, a suitable list might include:
God is in this coat hanger.
God is in this magazine.
God is in this finger.
God is in this lamp.
God is in that body.
God is in that door.
God is in that waste basket.
In addition to the assigned practice periods, repeat the idea for today at least
once an hour, looking slowly about you as you say the words unhurriedly to
yourself. At least once or twice you should experience a sense of restfulness as
you do this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Commentary on this lesson (29) is from Kenneth Wapnick's set of books, called:
"Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased
at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 29. "God is in everything I see."
*When people seek to criticize A Course in Miracles on grounds of pantheism -- a
major heresy for Catholics that teaches that God is literally found in the
materiality that is His manifestation -- this lesson in particular, as well as
the one following, are selected as prime examples. Many years ago I was speaking
to a Jesuit priest, who was reminiscent of an old-time heresy hunter. A very
conservative Catholic, his major function in life seemed to be to find every
heretical teaching in contemporary Christianity. After he heard about me and A
Course in Miracles, he took it upon himself to save the nuns and priests with
whom I had been working from falling into the depths of perdition with this
course. I spent an hour with him one evening, during which time he proceeded to
enumerate the Course's heresies. He actually had examined only the workbook, and
had spent considerable time on this particular lesson as proof of A Course in
Miracles' pantheism. It is true, in fact, when this initial statement, "God is
in everything I see," is taken at face value, it does seem to be pantheistic:
God is in the table, God is in the chair, God is in the body, God is in the
plants, etc. It becomes clear as your study the lesson carefully, however, that
is precisely <not> what Jesus is talking about. The theme of these two lessons
-- Lesson 29 and 30 -- is that the <purpose> of God -- i.e., the purpose of
forgiveness -- is in everything I see. This is so because purpose is in the
mind, which will be explained as we proceed.
The reader may recall my discussion in this book's Preface of how the language
in the workbook, not to mention in A Course in Miracles itself, can be
misleading. For example, as I mentioned before, in the workbook especially,
Jesus will say <God> when, technically speaking, he is referring to <the Holy
Spirit>. An explicit example, to cite it again, is found in Lesson 193, "All
things are lessons God would have me learn," where in the lesson itself Jesus
clearly states that God does not teach, for that is the Holy Spirit's role. In
this lesson, too, in saying the purpose of God is in everything I see, Jesus is
clearly speaking of the Holy Spirit's teaching purpose.*
(1) "The idea for today explains why you can see all purpose in everything. It
explains why nothing is separate, by itself or in itself. And it explains why
nothing you see means anything. In fact, it explains every idea we have used
thus far, and all subsequent ones as well. Today's idea is the whole basis for
vision."
*As we shall see in the next lesson as well, vision has absolutely nothing to do
with the body's eyes, but with a state of mind or attitude. More specifically,
vision refers to our having chosen Jesus as our teacher so his are now the
"eyes" through which we see. We are taught that <the inner and the outer are the
same.> Therefore what we perceive outside is nothing more than a shadow of what
we have first perceived within. When Jesus says "God is in everything I see," he
means that God is in everything I <think,> because seeing and thinking are the
same: perception comes from thoughts, and remains one with them. The basis for
vision then is seeing the <purpose> of God. I see forgiveness in everything I
see because I have fired the ego as my teacher, and hired Jesus. To again cite
these two statements, taken together: "Resign now as your own teacher ... for
you were badly taught." (T-12.V.8:3; T-28.I.7:1) At that point, everything I
perceive, think, and feel is the opposite of what it has been prior to taking
Jesus as my new teacher.*
(2:1-3) "You will probably find this idea very difficult to grasp at this point.
You may find it silly, irreverent, senseless, funny and even objectionable.
Certainly God is not in a table, for example, as you see it."
*We find it difficult because we think there actually is a table that is
separate from our bodies, and that our eyes actually perceive it -- the world's
illusory version of seeing. In that sense God cannot be in the table because
there is no table. Again, the point to notice is that Jesus is shifting the
emphasis from what we perceive <outside> to what we see <inside.> It is the way
in which we see that is the focus of his teaching -- our thoughts -- which have
to do only with the purpose or teacher that we are choosing.
Incidentally, if it has not already occurred to a student doing these lessons
for the first time how radically different Jesus' teaching is here, these two
lessons should make that abundantly clear. A Course in Miracles is nothing like
what is usually taught in other spiritual disciplines. This radicalness is based
on the underlying metaphysics that teaches that the phenomenal world is an
illusion. Therefore, what we perceive and think here is not real at all. It must
be, then, that the true activity is not what happens in our bodies or the world,
but in our minds. This is more clearly enunciated in these lessons than
heretofore.*
(2:4) "Yet we emphasized yesterday that a table shares the purpose of the
universe."
*That purpose, to repeat, is to be an object that appears to be outside us, onto
which we project our mind's ego thoughts. With Jesus as our teacher, we now look
at what we perceived and see it differently. Forgiveness entails realizing that
what we perceive outside mirrors what we have first made real inside. That is
why -- to state the Course's unique definition -- we forgive our brother's for
what they did <not> do: they have not done anything in the sense of having the
power to take away our peace. What needs to be forgiven, therefore, are <our>
thoughts of guilt, born of the belief that we have separated from peace; it is
this guilt we have projected onto others.*
(2:5) "And what shares the purpose of the universe shares the purpose of its
Creator."
*Here Jesus uses the words <universe> and <Creator> loosely -- another example
of the "looseness" of the Course's language -- because clearly he is talking
about the physical universe. But God cannot be the creator of the physical, as
is unmistakably clear throughout A Course in Miracles. If you take these lines
literally, you will end up pulling your hair out because they will seem to say
the exact opposite of what Jesus is teaching elsewhere. You want to grasp the
<content> of what he is teaching, rather than analyzing it to death and arguing
with the <form>. I shall return frequently to this important point.*
(3:1) "Try then, today, to begin to learn how to look on all things with love,
appreciation and open-mindedness."
*If you choose Jesus as your teacher you will identify with his love. Thus what
you see outside will be an expression of love or call for it. You will look with
appreciation on the world, especially your special relationships, because these
will have become the opportunities to learn you are forgiven and your ego can be
undone. "Open-mindedness" means your mind is no longer closed to the truth of
the Holy Spirit. When we choose the ego as our teacher and dismiss the Holy
Spirit, our minds become closed to His truth. "Open-mindedness" here, as in the
tenth characteristic of the teacher of God discussed in the manual for students
(M-4.X), means our minds are open to the love of Jesus. There is then no
distortion in our thinking, which in turn means there is no distortion in our
perception. What we hear and see will come from love, rather than from our
having superimposed ego thoughts on these objects of our perception.*
(3:2-4) "You do not see them now. Would you know what is in them? Nothing is as
it appears to you."
*This is another of those sentences which, if you stopped and meditated on it,
should make you extremely anxious. If you see nothing as it is -- "nothing is as
it appears to you" -- and everything you perceive is wrong, then the way you
perceive <yourself> must be wrong as well. <All> your thoughts about everything
are wrong.*
(3:5-6) "Its holy purpose stands beyond your little range. When vision has shown
you the holiness that lights up the world, you will understand today's idea
perfectly."
*This is a reference back to Lesson 15, the idea of seeing edges of light around
objects. Jesus makes it very clear here, as well as in the lessons we have
already studied, that he is not talking about auras or any form of external
light. He is referring to a different way of seeing; a vision based on the light
of truth, the new understanding that comes when we choose him instead of the
ego's narrow band of distortion ("your little range").*
(3:7) "And you will not understand how you could ever have found it difficult."
*Everyone has had this experience at one time or another. When even for an
instant our minds are clear -- when guilt and judgmental thoughts are gone and
we feel Jesus' love within us -- everything in A Course in Miracles becomes
crystal clear. When the fear arises from our having realized the implications of
what it means to be wrong and have Jesus be right, our minds close again and
vision and perception become distorted.
The last two paragraphs repeat the usual instructions:*
(4) "Our six two-minute practice periods for today should follow a now familiar
pattern: Begin with repeating the idea to yourself, and then apply it to
randomly chosen subjects about you, naming each one specifically. Try to avoid
the tendency toward self-directed selection, which may be particularly tempting
in connection with today's idea because of its wholly alien nature. Remember
that any order you impose is equally alien to reality."
*Our simple directive reflects a much deeper point. Our fear of leaving the
ego's dream of illusion for the truth is so great that we are all sorely tempted
to bring the truth to the illusion. One form of this temptation is thinking we
understand what we are being taught, and why these exercises take the form they
do. Thus, we seek to impose our own familiar thought system on the "wholly alien
nature" of Jesus', thereby unconsciously, but with great ingenuity, negating the
teachings and goal of A Course in Miracles. The last paragraph provides examples
of our freedom from "self-directed selection":*
(5:1) "Your list of subjects should therefore be as free of self-selection as
possible."
*Suggested subjects include the "important" and "unimportant": finger, body,
coat hanger, magazine, lamp, door, and waste basket (5:3-9). Jesus next gives us
a hint of the wondrous effects of our learning, the peace that lies beyond our
own fear:*
(5:10-11) "In addition to the assigned practice periods, repeat the idea for
today at least once an hour, looking slowly about you as you say the words
unhurriedly to yourself. At least once or twice, you should experience a sense
of restfulness as you do this."
*It is the desire for this "sense of restfulness" -- what in the text Jesus
refers to as finding the "quiet center" within our minds (T-18.VII.8) -- that
supplies our motivation for practicing these exercises and learning A Course in
Miracles' message.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 28. Above all else, I want to see things differently.
Lesson 28. Above all else, I want to see things differently.
Today we are really giving specific application to the idea for yesterday. In
these practice periods, you will be making a series of definite commitments. The
question of whether you will keep them in the future is not our concern here. If
you are willing at least to make them now, you have started on the way to
keeping them. And we are still at the beginning.
You may wonder why it is important to say, for example, "Above all else I want
to see this table differently." In itself it is not important at all. Yet what
is by itself? And what does "in itself" mean? You see a lot of separate things
about you, which really means you are not seeing at all. You either see or not.
When you have seen one thing differently, you will see all things differently.
The light you will see in any one of them is the same light you will see in them
all.
When you say, "Above all else I want to see this table differently," you are
making a commitment to withdraw your preconceived ideas about the table, and
open your mind to what it is, and what it is for. You are not defining it in
past terms. You are asking what it is, rather than telling it what it is. You
are not binding its meaning to your tiny experience of tables, nor are you
limiting its purpose to your little personal thoughts.
You will not question what you have already defined. And the purpose of these
exercises is to ask questions and receive the answers. In saying, "Above all
else I want to see this table differently," you are committing yourself to
seeing. It is not an exclusive commitment. It is a commitment that applies to
the table just as much as to anything else, neither more nor less.
You could, in fact, gain vision from just that table, if you would withdraw all
your own ideas from it, and look upon it with a completely open mind. It has
something to show you; something beautiful and clean and of infinite value, full
of happiness and hope. Hidden under all your ideas about it is its real purpose,
the purpose it shares with all the universe.
In using the table as a subject for applying the idea for today, you are
therefore really asking to see the purpose of the universe. You will be making
this same request of each subject that you use in the practice periods. And you
are making a commitment to each of them to let its purpose be revealed to you,
instead of placing your own judgment upon it.
We will have six two-minute practice periods today, in which the idea for the
day is stated first, and then applied to whatever you see about you. Not only
should the subjects be chosen randomly, but each one should be accorded equal
sincerity as today's idea is applied to it, in an attempt to acknowledge the
equal value of them all in their contribution to your seeing.
As usual, the applications should include the name of the subject your eyes
happen to light on, and you should rest your eyes on it while saying:
<Above all else I want to see this ______differently.>
Each application should be made quite slowly, and as thoughtfully as possible.
There is no hurry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson is from Kenneth Wapnick's set of books, called:
"Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased
at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 28. "Above all else I want to see things differently."
(1) "Today we are really giving specific application to the idea for yesterday.
In these practice periods, you will be making a series of definite commitments.
The question of whether you will keep them in the future is not our concern
here. If you are willing at least to make them now, you have started on the way
to keeping them. And we are still at the beginning."
*The fundamental commitment is to prove that our whole identity rests on a lie
-- or to state it in a less threatening way, the commitment is to realize we are
wrong and Jesus is right: there is another way of looking at the world. Once
again Jesus is applying no time pressure on us; he is quite aware of our
resistance to (or fear of) making this commitment. Incidentally, his last
sentence is reminiscent of his comment to psychotherapists:
"Most professional therapists are still at the very start of the beginning
stage of the first journey. Even those who have begun to understand what they
must do may still oppose the setting-out." (P-3.II.8:5-6).
Clearly, Jesus sees us <all> as beginners, resistant to change and growth.*
(2:1-5) "You may wonder why it is important to say, for example, "Above all else
I want to see this table differently." In itself it is not important at all. Yet
what is by itself? And what does "in itself" mean? You see a lot of separate
things about you, which really means you are not seeing at all."
*Lesson 183 focuses more directly on this idea of giving different names to the
"separate things" in the world, a process that reflects the ego's needs to make
separation and individuality into reality. Jesus is asking us to understand the
underlying premise of his course, which is that everything is the same because
everything shares the same purpose. In terms of <form>, the things of the world
are clearly different and have a different purpose from each other. On the level
of <content>, however, we share the one purpose of having our minds healed. In
that sense everything is the same, because all things can be utilized to
accomplish that purpose. A Course in Miracles, we need to remember, is about
<content>, not <form>.*
(2:6-8) "You either see or not. When you have seen one thing differently, you
will see all things differently. The light you will see in any one of them is
the same light you will see in them all."
*What changes is not what is outside, but our choice of teacher. When our inner
Teacher has been changed, we shall see everything through His eyes instead of
the ego's.
Once again, Jesus is not talking about a physical light. The light we shall see
is the light of Christ's vision, the light of understanding that recognizes a
shared or common purpose in everyone and everything.*
(3) "When you say, "Above all else I want to see this table differently," you
are making a commitment to withdraw your preconceived ideas about the table, and
open your mind to what it is, and what it is for. You are not defining it in
past terms. You are asking what it is, rather than telling it what it is. You
are not binding its meaning to your tiny experience of tables, nor are you
limiting its purpose to your little personal thoughts."
*This is the humility that says: "I do not know." A table is not important since
we typically do not project onto it, but it serves here as an example to make
the point. What is more important is our humbly admitting that we do not know
the meaning and purpose of a relationship or situation. If we think we know, we
shall never be open to receive the answer and learn the truth. Holding on to the
past is what reflects this arrogant belief that we know, the defense against the
vision that comes from choosing the holy instant.*
(4:1-2) "You will not question what you have already defined. And the purpose of
these exercises is to ask questions and receive the answers."
*Again, our humility is called upon. If you think you understand A Course in
Miracles you will not be open to what it is teaching you. If you think you
understand the purpose of any particular workbook lesson, you will not be open
to receiving the answer Jesus has for you. If you think you understand, a wall
suddenly drops before your mind and you will not be taught anything. You will
<think> you are being taught, but what you will be "learning" is simply what
your ego wanted to learn in the first place. We have already considered this
subtle ego ploy, wherein we consciously believe we are asking for help, but all
we are really doing is telling Jesus what we want him to tell us by defining our
problem or framing our question. This inevitably dictates the answer we shall
receive, thereby limiting him. He reminds us of this in the text as well:
"You have been as selective in your questioning as in your perception. An
open mind is more honest than this." (T-13.IV.3:7-8).
All this of course is reminiscent of our ontological limiting of God by defining
the nature of our self. Jesus is helping us undo or unlearn everything we
believe about this course. As he states in the text:
"To learn this course requires willingness to question every value that you
hold. Not one can be kept hidden and obscure but it will jeopardize your
learning." (T-24.in.2:1-2).*
(4:3-5) "In saying, "Above all else I want to see this table differently," you
are committing yourself to seeing. It is not an exclusive commitment. It is a
commitment that applies to the table just as much as to anything else, neither
more nor less."
*We again see Jesus' attempts to motivate us to learn what he is teaching us,
and to generalize this vision to all things. Indeed, if it cannot be
generalized, it is not true vision.*
(5) "You could, in fact, gain vision from just that table, if you would withdraw
all your own ideas from it, and look upon it with a completely open mind. It has
something to show you; something beautiful and clean and of infinite value, full
of happiness and hope. Hidden under all your ideas about it is its real purpose,
the purpose it shares with all the universe."
*The purpose shared with all the universe is forgiveness -- "beautiful and clean
and of infinite value" -- the source of true happiness and genuine hope. None of
these comes from a table itself, the experience, or a person. Rather, our
happiness and hope come from the <purpose>, the beauty of which is found in the
beauty of the Teacher we have chosen. That is why purpose is the bottom line. To
say it again, purpose is not inherent in the object, but in the decision made by
the mind to learn from the Holy Spirit how to see the world truly.*
(6) "In using the table as a subject for applying the idea for today, you are
therefore really asking to see the purpose of the universe. You will be making
this same request of each subject that you use in the practice periods. And you
are making a commitment to each of them to let its purpose be revealed to you,
instead of placing your own judgment upon it."
*Your judgment comes from a thought that says you are right and Jesus is wrong.
<You> are going to teach <him> what his course ought to be teaching you, rather
than being open to having him be the teacher. However, when we are open, we can
be taught the inherent <sameness> of all things in the universe. They are the
<same> because they have the <same> purpose. Purpose, to make this point one
more time, is everything.
Remember, too, that you need to work at thinking about the ideas in these
exercises in light of the thoughts you are having at the moment you are doing
them. It is the specific application, made as often as possible, that will
facilitate learning.
The final paragraphs reiterate the non-obsessional, yet thoughtful application
of the day's exercises. We try to remember that we <want> to learn what Jesus is
teaching us -- to see the world differently.*
(7-8) "We will have six two-minute practice periods today, in which the idea for
the day is stated first, and then applied to whatever you see about you. Not
only should the subjects be chosen randomly, but each one should be accorded
equal sincerity as today's idea is applied to it, in an attempt to acknowledge
the equal value of them all in their contribution to your seeing.
As usual, the applications should include the name of the subject your eyes
happen to light on, and you should rest your eyes on it while saying:
Above all else I want to see this ______differently.
Each application should be made quite slowly, and as thoughtfully as possible.
There is no hurry."
*"Quite slowly," "as thoughtfully as possible," "no hurry." These should be the
shibboleths of our days. As our new teacher, Jesus is asking us to adopt a new
perspective -- one that avoids the tension and pressure of undoing our egos, but
seeks instead the gentle and patient approach he is providing us in these
exercises. Since we are being taught that our daily lessons are the same, their
form is immaterial. Thus, important and unimportant, major and minor, become
irrelevant designations of events and relationships. Uniting them all as one
leaves us with the only choice to make: the ego or the Holy Spirit. Choosing
God's Voice to guide us, our lives slow to the quiet pace of those who know the
outcome is sure. Thus we proceed in confidence that our Teacher will teach us
all we need to know, and that, in time, we shall learn His lessons.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 27. Above all else I want to see.
Lesson 27. Above all else I want to see.
Today's idea expresses something stronger than mere determination. It gives
vision priority among your desires. You may feel hesitant about using the idea,
on the grounds that you are not sure you really mean it. This does not matter.
The purpose of today's exercises is to bring the time when the idea will be
wholly true a little nearer.
There may be a great temptation to believe that some sort of sacrifice is being
asked of you when you say you want to see above all else. If you become uneasy
about the lack of reservation involved, add:
Vision has no cost to anyone.
If fear of loss still persists, add further:
It can only bless.
The idea for today needs many repetitions for maximum benefit. It should be used
at least every half hour, and more if possible. You might try for every fifteen
or twenty minutes. It is recommended that you set a definite time interval for
using the idea when you wake or shortly afterwards, and attempt to adhere to it
throughout the day. It will not be difficult to do this, even if you are engaged
in conversation, or otherwise occupied at the time. You can still repeat one
short sentence to yourself without disturbing anything.
The real question is, how often will you remember? How much do you want today's
idea to be true? Answer one of these questions, and you have answered the other.
You will probably miss several applications, and perhaps quite a number. Do not
be disturbed by this, but do try to keep on your schedule from then on. If only
once during the day you feel that you were perfectly sincere while you were
repeating today's idea, you can be sure that you have saved yourself many years
of effort.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The commentary on this lesson is from Kenneth Wapnick's book set, called:
"Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased
at the following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 27. "Above all else I want to see."
*This lesson and the next form a pair ... and move us still further along in our
learning, returning to the theme of motivation. Teachers recognize that the most
important trait they wish to see in their students is the <desire> to learn.
Without motivation, <nothing> will go on in the classroom. Likewise, therapists
cannot be of help to their patients unless they are motivated to change. Thus,
we want to learn what A Course in Miracles is teaching us, otherwise even the
greatest teacher will fail. We want to learn Jesus' course because it will make
us happy. To do this, Jesus first has to convince us that we are not happy now.
His need is nicely expressed in the opening to "The Happy Learner" in the text:
"The Holy Spirit needs a happy learner, in whom His mission can be happily
accomplished. You who are steadfastly devoted to misery must first recognize
that you are miserable and not happy. The Holy Spirit cannot teach without this
contrast, for you believe that misery is happiness. This has so confused you
that you have undertaken to learn to do what you can never do, believing that
unless you learn it you will not be happy." (T.14.II.1.1-4)
Now to the lesson itself:*
(1:1-4) "Today's idea expresses something stronger than mere determination. It
gives vision priority among your desires. You may feel hesitant about using the
idea, on the grounds that you are not sure you really mean it. This does not
matter."
*Jesus is not expecting anyone to really mean these words. If we give up
judgment and choose vision, it is because we have chosen to let go of our
investment in specialness, which to the ego means we are leaving ourselves wide
open to attack. Without specialness to defend against our inner emptiness and
lack, so the ego counsels us, we become vulnerable to the hostile world around
us, hell-bent on our destruction.*
(1:5) "The purpose of today's exercises is to bring the time when the idea will
be wholly true a little nearer."
*Jesus is making it clear, as he does throughout A Course in Miracles, that this
is a process. Thus he does not expect us suddenly to drop the ego's hand and
take his. But he does want us to understand what the choices entail, so we know
what we are growing into.*
(2:1) "There may be a great temptation to believe that some sort of sacrifice is
being asked of you when you say you want to see above all else."
*The theme of sacrifice will appear later in the lessons. To the ego, seeing
through Christ's vision is to sacrifice our personal identity, which is based on
separation and judgment, fear and hate. From the ego's point of view sacrifice
is definitely involved if we are to survive: either we sacrifice our happiness
and pleasure to atone for past sins, or others need be sacrificed for us to be
happy and peaceful. Either way, someone must lose so that another wins -- the
ego's principle of <one or the other>. The next lines provide the Holy Spirit's
answer to this principle of sacrifice.*
(2:2-5) "If you become uneasy about the lack of reservation involved, add:
Vision has no cost to anyone..
If fear of loss still persists, add further:
It can only bless."
*Jesus is urging us to reflect our deeper motivation to learn by attempting to
remember the lesson as often as possible throughout the day. It should be noted
here, to be repeated again and again, that is not sinful when we forget. Indeed,
such forgetting provides us with very helpful information about ourselves. If we
are truly to learn this course, we first have to understand how <resistant> we
are to learning it. Unless we can undo this resistance -- ultimately born of
fear of losing our self -- we shall forever be failing in our learning progress.
The first step in this process of undoing is becoming aware of the problem. Only
then can it be truly addressed and gone beyond.*
(3) "The idea for today needs many repetitions for maximum benefit. It should be
used at least every half hour, and more if possible. You might try for every
fifteen or twenty minutes. It is recommended that you set a definite time
interval for using the idea when you wake or shortly afterwards, and attempt to
adhere to it throughout the day. It will not be difficult to do this, even if
you are engaged in conversation, or otherwise occupied at the time. You can
still repeat one short sentence to yourself without disturbing anything."
*But Jesus knows his audience, and so he gently speaks to us. On the one hand he
calls upon our motivation to learn, expressed in the recommended increase of
practice, and on the other he reminds us <not> to feel guilty when we are
resistant, as we now read:*
(4:1-5) "The real question is, how often will you remember [the lesson for the
day]? How much do you want today's idea to be true? Answer one of these
questions, and you have answered the other. You will probably miss several
applications, and perhaps quite a number. Do not be disturbed by this, but do
try to keep on your schedule from then on."
*Thus, Jesus is telling us not to feel guilty when we forget. He expects us to
forget. But he is telling us that when we remember that we forgot, at least we
should try to understand <why> we did so: we are not so sure we really want to
learn this course. Part of us does, obviously; otherwise we would not be doing
it. However, there is another part that has serious reservations about
continuing on this path. Our identification with the ego and its thought system
of separation and judgment is still quite strong.*
(4:6) "If only once during the day you feel that you were perfectly sincere
while you were repeating today's idea, you can be sure that you have saved
yourself many years of effort."
*In the text, Jesus refers to saving thousands of years (e.g., T-1.II.6:7). Even
if you can only be sincere once during the day, that has already accomplished a
great deal. It is helpful to recall that linear time is an illusion, and since
our very existence is predicated on the reality of time and space, it is
impossible for us to understand the truth of this last statement. Fortunately,
our understanding is not necessary, only our little willingness (T-18.IV.7:5-6).
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 26. My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.
Lesson 26. My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.
It is surely obvious that if you can be attacked you are not invulnerable. You
see attack as a real threat. That is because you believe that you can really
attack. And what would have effects through you must also have effects on you.
It is this law that will ultimately save you, but you are misusing it now. You
must therefore learn how it can be used for your own best interests, rather than
against them.
Because your attack thoughts will be projected, you will fear attack. And if you
fear attack, you must believe that you are not invulnerable. Attack thoughts
therefore make you vulnerable in your own mind, which is where the attack
thoughts are. Attack thoughts and invulnerability cannot be accepted together.
They contradict each other.
The idea for today introduces the thought that you always attack yourself first.
If attack thoughts must entail the belief that you are vulnerable, their effect
is to weaken you in your own eyes. Thus they have attacked your perception of
yourself. And because you believe in them, you can no longer believe in
yourself. A false image of yourself has come to take the place of what you are.
Practice with today's idea will help you to understand that vulnerability or
invulnerability is the result of your own thoughts. Nothing except your thoughts
can attack you. Nothing except your thoughts can make you think you are
vulnerable. And nothing except your thoughts can prove to you this is not so.
Six practice periods are required in applying today's idea. A full two minutes
should be attempted for each of them, although the time may be reduced to a
minute if the discomfort is too great. Do not reduce it further.
The practice period should begin with repeating the idea for today, then closing
your eyes and reviewing the unresolved questions whose outcomes are causing you
concern. The concern may take the form of depression, worry, anger, a sense of
imposition, fear, foreboding or preoccupation. Any problem as yet unsettled that
tends to recur in your thoughts during the day is a suitable subject. You will
not be able to use very many for any one practice period, because a longer time
than usual should be spent with each one. Today's idea should be applied as
follows:
First, name the situation:
I am concerned about _______.
Then go over every possible outcome that has occurred to you in that connection
and which has caused you concern, referring to each one quite specifically,
saying:
I am afraid ______ will happen.
If you are doing the exercises properly, you should have some five or six
distressing possibilities available for each situation you use, and quite
possibly more. It is much more helpful to cover a few situations thoroughly than
to touch on a larger number. As the list of anticipated outcomes for each
situation continues, you will probably find some of them, especially those that
occur to you toward the end, less acceptable to you. Try, however, to treat them
all alike to whatever extent you can.
After you have named each outcome of which you are afraid, tell yourself:
That thought is an attack upon myself.
Conclude each practice period by repeating today's idea to yourself once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below, is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this lesson, from "Journey
Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the
following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 26. "My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability."
*This is another crucial lesson and, as I indicated, takes our learning (and
practice) one step further. If I have attack thoughts, I must believe I am
vulnerable. If I believe I am vulnerable, I cannot be Christ because He is
invulnerable. If, as Jesus will repeatedly remind me, "I am as God created me,"
and if my reality is spirit, I must be one with everything and everyone.
Therefore, there is literally nothing and no one "out there" who could hurt me.
However, as long as I believe I can be hurt -- whether in my own body or through
someone else's -- I am attesting to my vulnerability. Moreover, in saying I am
vulnerable I am also saying that I am right in my self-evaluation and the Holy
Spirit is wrong.*
(1:1-3) "It is surely obvious that if you can be attacked you are not
invulnerable. You see attack as a real threat. That is because you believe that
you can really attack."
*The very fact that I am here is proving to me that I can really attack, because
I could only have gotten here by attacking God first. And I "know" I have
attacked first because I perceive attack all around me. The dynamic of
projection helps me to understand how this phenomenon of attack occurs:
<projection makes perception>-- what I perceive outside is the projection of
what I have made real inside, a point we shall pick up again:*
(1:4-6) "And what would have effects through you must also have effects on you.
It is this law that will ultimately save you, but you are misusing it now. You
must therefore learn how it can be used for your own best interests, rather than
against them."
*As we have seen several times in these early lessons, the inner and the outer
are one and the same. The thought of being attacked come from the same thought
system. We project out our ego thoughts, and then believe they are going to hurt
us in return. As Jesus teaches in the text, in the context of our needing to
project ("get rid of") conflict ("what we do not want"):
"... the idea that you can get rid of something you do not want by giving
it away. Giving it is how you keep it. The belief that by seeing it outside you
have excluded it from within is a complete distortion of the power of extension.
That is why those who project are vigilant for their own safety. They are afraid
that their projections will return and hurt them. Believing they have blotted
their projections from their own minds, they also believe their projections are
trying to creep back in." (T-7.VIII.3:6-11).
It is also true, as we have seen, that the Love of God we allow to come through
us in forgiveness will come back to us as well -- it is that Love we shall
perceive all around us; either expressions of it or calls for it.
The laws of projection and extension operate similarly, but with different
contents. That is why, early in the text, Jesus speaks of <projection>as the
"inappropriate use of extension" (T-2.I.1:7) -- it was the same law of the mind,
simply "misused," leading to miscreation instead of creation. This law will
ultimately save us in another sense as well, because it reflects that everything
is an illusion. What seems to be outside is an illusion because what seems to be
inside -- the ego thought system -- is an illusion. Recognizing this is the
ego's undoing.*
(2:1-2) "Because your attack thoughts will be projected, you will fear attack.
And if you fear attack, you must believe that you are not invulnerable."
*This is what proves that you are right and Jesus is wrong. Jesus asks: "Why are
you so upset? All of this is a dream? And we say to him: "What do you mean this
is all a dream? Look at how I have been attacked! Look at how I suffer and all
the pain I am feeling! Look at what other people are feeling -- <we are all
vulnerable!> Please do not tell me this is a dream." This is how we prove our
perceptions are correct. Our pain -- whether in others or in ourselves -- is
final proof that God is dead and we exist in His stead.*
(2:3-5) "Attack thoughts therefore make you vulnerable in your own mind, which
is where the attack thoughts are. Attack thoughts and invulnerability cannot be
accepted together. They contradict each other."
*If I perceive attack thoughts in you, it is only because I have first made them
real for myself, which I have done out of the wish to make my separation from
God -- the original attack -- real as well. It is only <after> that decision to
establish attack as real that my ego's plan calls for me to project them out,
thereby rendering me vulnerable to my perceived attack from others. It is clear
that these attack thoughts -- again, reflective of the separation from God and
hence from everyone else -- "cannot be accepted together" with our
invulnerability as God created us. This is yet another way of saying that God
and the ego are mutually exclusive. The dynamic of <dissociation> is what
enables us to maintain these contradictory beliefs in our minds, as the text
explains in these passages:
"The ego and the spirit do not know each other. The separated mind cannot
maintain the separation except by dissociating." (T-4.VI.4:1-2)
"Dissociation is a distorted process of thinking whereby two systems of
belief which cannot coexist are both maintained. If they are brought together,
their joint acceptance becomes impossible. But if one is kept in darkness from
the other, their separation seems to keep them both alive and equal in their
reality. Their joining thus becomes the source of fear, for if they meet,
acceptance must be withdrawn from one of them. You cannot have them both, for
each denies the other. Apart, this fact is lost from sight, for each in a
separate place can be endowed with firm belief." (T-14.VII.4:3-8) *
(3:1) "The idea for today introduces the thought that you always attack yourself
first."
*To repeat, if I perceive you attacking me and then react as if that were true,
it is only because I attacked first. This has nothing to do with behavior, for
the attack exists only in the mind. Today's idea is reflected well in an
incisive passage in the text: "If he speaks not of Christ to you, you spoke not
of Christ to him" (T-11.V.18:6). Projection is the ruling principle governing
how <we perceive> the world around us. Remember, perception is <interpretation>:
<how> we see, not <what> we see.
It cannot be said too often that in order to properly understand passages such
as these, the student must realize that Jesus is never talking about what people
are doing behaviorally, but only about our <perception> of what others are
doing. When you feel you have been attacked by another, you have <interpreted>
their behavior. This does not mean you do not see attack thoughts in other
people -- Jesus sees attack thoughts in all his students. It is in our judgments
that the attack thoughts are made real. Thus we read in the manual for teachers:
"Perhaps it will be helpful to remember that no one can be angry at a fact. It
is always an interpretation that gives rise to negative emotions, regardless of
their seeming justification by what appears as facts." (M.17.4:1-2)*
(3:2-5) "If attack thoughts must entail the belief that you are vulnerable,
their effect is to weaken you in your own eyes. Thus they have attacked your
perception of yourself. And because you believe in them, you can no longer
believe in yourself. A false image of yourself has come to take the place of
what you are."
*Having weakened ourselves in our own eyes (our vulnerability), we have once
again proven we are right and the Holy Spirit is wrong: we are the sons of the
ego instead of the Sons of God. We no longer believe we are the Christ, of which
the Holy Spirit is the reminder. We have replaced the truth of who we are with a
false image -- a special, unique, and individualized self. Again, it is our use
of <dissociation> that allows us to maintain two contradictory images of
ourselves: the truth of knowledge we have chosen to forget, and the illusion of
attack we choose to remember. These passages cogently describe this dynamic and
its undoing through the Holy Spirit:
"Unless you first know something you cannot dissociate it. Knowledge must
precede dissociation, so that dissociation is nothing more than a decision to
forget. ... Offer the Holy Spirit only your willingness to remember, for He
retains the knowledge of God and of yourself for you, waiting for your
acceptance. ... His Voice will tell you that you are part of Him when you are
willing to remember Him and know your own reality again. ... To remember is
merely to restore to your mind what is already there. You do not make what you
remember; you merely accept again what is already there, but was rejected."
"When you attack, you are denying yourself. ... Your denial of reality
precludes the acceptance of God's gift, because you have accepted something else
in its place.... this is always an attack on truth, and truth is God ... All
attack is Self attack. ... [and] is thus the way in which your identification is
lost, because when you attack, you must have forgotten what you are. And if your
reality is God's, when you attack you are not remembering Him. This is not
because He is gone, but because you are actively choosing not to remember Him."
(T-10.II.1.1-2;2;3,5;3:1-2;4:1,3-4;5:1,4-5).*
(4) "Practice with today's idea will help you to understand that vulnerability
or invulnerability is the result of your own thoughts. Nothing except your
thoughts can attack you. Nothing except your thoughts can make you think you are
vulnerable. And nothing except your thoughts can prove to you this is not so."
*The focus of our exercises is solely on our thoughts, the source of the problem
and its solution. Indeed, everything is thought, acceptance of which is the aim
of the workbook's mind training. These thoughts are not of a physical organ, the
brain, but of the mind, coming from identifying either with the ego or Jesus.
From these two thoughts or thought systems -- guilt or innocence -- arise a
world and our perception of the world. If you feel yourself attacked, you have
chosen the ego as your teacher and therefore believe you are vulnerable and
deserve attack. This has nothing to do with behavior; it has to do only with the
way you perceive the behavior. On the other hand, if we remember our
invulnerability as God's perfect creation, our perception of the world changes
accordingly. A passage near the end of the text succinctly expresses the
principle that <projection makes perception> (T-31.I.7-8).
"The lessons to be learned are only two. Each has its outcome in a different
world. And each world follows surely from its source. The certain outcome of the
lesson that God's Son is guilty is the world you see. It is a world of terror
and despair. Nor is there hope of happiness in it. ... Yet this is not the only
outcome which your learning can produce. ... The outcome of the lesson that
God's Son is guiltless is a world in which there is no fear, and everything is
lit with hope and sparkles with a gentle friendliness. Nothing but calls to you
in soft appeal to be your friend, and let it join with you."
(T-31.1.7:1-6,9;8:1-2).
The rest of the lesson presents an exercise and instructions with which we are
quite familiar by now. The focus, as always, is on our thoughts and feelings
that seem to upset us, looking at them as dispassionately as possible, and with
more than cursory attention. It is this thoughtful non-evaluation that allows us
to understand that these upsets <all> share the same underlying purpose of
keeping us from the Thought of Love, which our thoughts attempt to conceal. In
other words, all forms of upset reflect the hidden <content> of attacking
ourselves by denying Who we are as God's one Son.*
(5-7) "Six practice periods are required in applying today's idea. A full two
minutes should be attempted for each of them, although the time may be reduced
to a minute if the discomfort is too great. Do not reduce it further.
"The practice period should begin with repeating the idea for today, then
closing your eyes and reviewing the unresolved questions whose outcomes are
causing you concern. The concern may take the form of depression, worry, anger,
a sense of imposition, fear, foreboding or preoccupation. Any problem as yet
unsettled that tends to recur in your thoughts during the day is a suitable
subject. You will not be able to use very many for any one practice period,
because a longer time than usual should be spent with each one. Today's idea
should be applied as follows:
First, name the situation:
I am concerned about _______.
Then go over every possible outcome that has occurred to you in that connection
and which has caused you concern, referring to each one quite specifically,
saying:
I am afraid ______ will happen.
*This exercise reflects the ego's axiomatic principle: guilt demands punishment,
an outcome we justifiably fear. Our concerns of what will happen -- "the
unresolved questions whose outcome are causing you concern" -- inevitable lead
to fear of what will happen. We thus have no choice but to erect defenses
against these objects of our fear, predicated by our guilt. We shall return
later on to this important theme of defense.*
(8-9) "If you are doing the exercises properly, you should have some five or six
distressing possibilities available for each situation you use, and quite
possibly more. It is much more helpful to cover a few situations thoroughly than
to touch on a larger number. As the list of anticipated outcomes for each
situation continues, you will probably find some of them, especially those that
occur to you toward the end, less acceptable to you. Try, however, to treat them
all alike to whatever extent you can."
After you have named each outcome of which you are afraid, tell yourself:
That thought is an attack upon myself.
Conclude each practice period by repeating today's idea to yourself once more."
*This, of course, is the point. We bring the darkness of our illusions to the
light of Jesus' truth. The problem is <not> with the outcome we expect, but with
the underlying decision to attack ourselves by denying God. After these first
twenty-five lessons, you can see how -- step by step, lesson by lesson -- Jesus
is slowly and gently guiding us to the <specific> experience of the more
<abstract> teachings in the text.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
|
Lesson 25. I do not know what anything is for.
Lesson 25. I do not know what anything is for.
Purpose is meaning. Today's idea explains why nothing you see means anything.
You do not know what it is for. Therefore, it is meaningless to you. Everything
is for your own best interests. That is what it is for; that is its purpose;
that is what it means. It is in recognizing this that your goals become unified.
It is in recognizing this that what you see is given meaning.
You perceive the world and everything in it as meaningful in terms of ego goals.
These goals have nothing to do with your own best interests, because the ego is
not you. This false identification makes you incapable of understanding what
anything is for. As a result, you are bound to misuse it. When you believe this,
you will try to withdraw the goals you have assigned to the world, instead of
attempting to reinforce them.
Another way of describing the goals you now perceive is to say that they are all
concerned with "personal" interests. Since you have no personal interests, your
goals are really concerned with nothing. In cherishing them, therefore, you have
no goals at all. And thus you do not know what anything is for.
Before you can make any sense out of the exercises for today, one more thought
is necessary. At the most superficial levels, you do recognize purpose. Yet
purpose cannot be understood at these levels. For example, you do understand
that a telephone is for the purpose of talking to someone who is not physically
in your immediate vicinity. What you do not understand is what you want to reach
him for. And it is this that makes your contact with him meaningful or not.
It is crucial to your learning to be willing to give up the goals you have
established for everything. The recognition that they are meaningless, rather
than "good" or "bad," is the only way to accomplish this. The idea for today is
a step in this direction.
Six practice periods, each of two-minutes duration, are required. Each practice
period should begin with a slow repetition of the idea for today, followed by
looking about you and letting your glance rest on whatever happens to catch your
eye, near or far, "important" or "unimportant," "human" or "nonhuman." With your
eyes resting on each subject you so select, say, for example:
I do not know what this chair is for.
I do not know what this pencil is for.
I do not know what this hand is for.
Say this quite slowly, without shifting your eyes from the subject until you
have completed the statement about it. Then move on to the next subject, and
apply today's idea as before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below, is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this lesson, from "Journey
Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the
following site:??~ M. Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 25. "I do not know what anything is for."
*This lesson directly discusses the theme of <purpose>, so crucial in A Course
in Miracles. Indeed, one could say that purpose alone helps us understand the
ego's thought system, the world's role within it, and how through shifting the
world's purpose the Holy Spirit uses the ego's plan to undo it.*
(1) "Purpose is meaning. Today's idea explains why nothing you see means
anything. You do not know what it is for. Therefore, it is meaningless to you.
Everything is for your own best interests. That is what it is for; that is its
purpose; that is what it means. It is in recognizing this that your goals become
unified. It is in recognizing this that what you see is given meaning."
*Jesus is picking up from the early lessons, including the preceding one, by
helping us realize why nothing here means anything. Something has meaning for us
only because we do not understand what it is for, which comes from not knowing
our own best interests. We think these have to do with satisfying our
specialness needs, whether physical or emotional, while what is truly in our
interest is learning to forgive. That is why everything in this world is for our
own best interests, if we choose the right Teacher. Every situation or
relationship can become a classroom in which we are helped to understand that
the world we made comes from our attack thoughts, and everything we see, given
to the Holy Spirit to reinterpret for us, can be a reminder that we can choose
to look at the world differently. This process, as we have already seen, and
shall see many times still, involves shifting our perception of the problem, and
therefore our understanding of our best interests, from the <body> to the
<mind>. To accomplish such a perceptual shift is the main goal of these lessons,
not to mention A Course in Miracles itself.
The ego sees the meaning and purpose of everything in the world as an
opportunity to satisfy its specialness needs. Jesus, on the other hand, sees
opportunities, after our first making the ego mistake, to turn to him for help
and be taught there is another way of looking at everything. This other way of
looking, summarized in the three steps of forgiveness in Lesson 23, is realizing
that what we see outside is a projection of what we have first seen within. Once
again, Jesus is teaching us to shift our attention from the body to the mind.
We learn that our perceptions, and the way we organize our personal world and
relate to others, are based on the premise that we have an ego that has to be
treated a certain way; that we have definite needs based on our separated
existence that dictate how we must see our world, especially the people in it.
Now we have a teacher who shows us what we perceive outside is a projection of
an inner thought, we can change this thought by having changed teachers. The
world now has great meaning for us, for its new purpose has become our
classroom, in which we learn from our new teacher his lessons of forgiveness.
When Jesus says purpose is everything, he means there are two: the ego's purpose
of rooting us in this world so that our individuality -- located in the mind --
is safe; and the Holy Spirit's purpose of our realizing there is no world, for
there is nothing in us that needs defense. Thus it is the world's new purpose to
help us learn that happy fact, which is our salvation from our belief in guilt.
"Perception and Choice" in the text summarizes the dual purpose of our split
mind:
"But this world has two who made it, and they do not see it as the same. To
each it has a different purpose, and to each it is a perfect means to serve the
goal for which it is perceived. ... There is another purpose in the world that
error made, because it has another Maker Who can reconcile its goal with His
Creator's purpose." (T-25.III.3:3-4;5:1-2).
Thus is the real world of forgiveness made by the Holy Spirit's as correction
and substitute for the ego's error-filled world of guilt and hate.*
(2:1) "You perceive the world and everything in it as meaningful in terms of ego
goals."
*This idea could not have been stated more clearly. The "ego goals," as we have
seen, are some expression of the need to preserve your own identity,
individuality, and specialness. Through the mind-searching exercises you need to
realize how true that is. Watch the way you think about things throughout the
day -- not necessarily your whole life, just your day; how everything is
organized around what will meet your needs, what will make you feel good
physically and emotionally. Then see how those needs distort how you perceive
the world. In fact, it is those very specialness needs that cause you to believe
you are perceiving the world at all!*
(2:2-4) "These goals have nothing to do with your own best interests, because
the ego is not you. This false identification makes you incapable of
understanding what anything is for. As a result, you are bound to misuse it."
*This is an extremely important statement. The <you> of which Jesus speaks is
not the ego -- the physical or psychological self; it is what we have referred
to as the decision maker. Jesus makes the same point in the text, as we have
already seen, when he asks rhetorically: "Who is the 'you' who are living in
this world?" (T-4.II.11:8). This early lesson is the beginning stage in having
us dis-identify or disassociate from the ego self and realize that the <you>
Jesus is addressing is in the mind.
By virtue of our having chosen the wrong teacher we have made the wrong
identification. Consequently, we shall misunderstood, misinterpret, and distort
everything that goes on around us because our perceptions will be geared toward
fulfilling the purpose of preserving that identification. The guilt associated
with our special relationships is thus reinforced, because we are misusing
everyone and everything. This guilt seems so enormous that we can never let
ourselves look at what we are doing. That is why it is so important to change
teachers and allow Jesus to look at our guilt with us. Let him look with us at
our misperceptions, misuse, distortions, and attacks, and he will help us
realize they come from one mistake. In our joining with him is that mistake of
separating from love undone.*
(2:5) "When you believe this, you will try to withdraw the goals you have
assigned to the world, instead of attempting to reinforce them."
*When we realize what we are doing, we will inevitably change the goal. In the
text Jesus reflects this change as the shift from the unholy to the holy
relationship; a relationship whose purpose was guilt or illusion becoming one
whose purpose is forgiveness or truth -- the letting go of guilt:
"And as the unholy relationship is a continuing hymn of hate in praise of
its maker, so is the holy relationship a happy song of praise to the Redeemer of
relationships."
"The holy relationship ... is the old, unholy relationship, transformed and
seen anew." (T-17.V.1:7--2:2).*
(3) "Another way of describing the goals you now perceive is to say that they
are all concerned with "personal" interests. Since you have no personal
interests, your goals are really concerned with nothing. In cherishing them,
therefore, you have no goals at all. And thus you do not know what anything is
for."
*"Personal" is in quotes because there is no "personal." Within the dream,
having personal interests means I have interests that are separate from yours.
This can be true only if the separation were real. However, if minds are joined,
there can be no personal interests; only the single interest we share as one Son
to awaken from this dream and return home.
A careful and thoughtful reading of these lines is bound to engender tremendous
anxiety -- and that is certainly a mild understatement. Jesus is saying you have
no personal interests, and where does that leave you but nowhere? in essence
this means you do not exist. Incidentally, <personal> in this context has the
same meaning as <special>.
Again, Jesus is not asking you to accept his words and live as if they were
true; he is asking you only to begin to understand the insanity of your thinking
and distorted perceptions because you are literally believing and seeing what is
not there. If you do not question these beliefs and perceptions, if only
intellectually, you will never be open to receive the answer that is waiting for
you. Thus, you need to observe your everyday thoughts, moment to moment, and
realize how they come from everything Jesus is speaking about. They are all
based on preserving an ego goal, which is your own identity. This means that you
do not care about anyone or anything else, but only about having your needs met
and goals fulfilled.*
(4) "Before you can make any sense out of the exercises for today, one more
thought is necessary. At the most superficial levels, you do recognize purpose.
Yet purpose cannot be understood at these levels. For example, you do understand
that a telephone is for the purpose of talking to someone who is not physically
in your immediate vicinity. What you do not understand is what you want to reach
him for. And it is this that makes your contact with him meaningful or not."
*We all are aware of superficial purposes, but we are not aware of the true
purposes underlying them. Using the example of the telephone, the <real> purpose
of the call is to provide an opportunity for us to reconsider the ego's goal of
separate interests in favor of the Holy Spirit's goal of shared or common
interests. Therefore, what makes A Course in Miracles so simple is that it
teaches us there are only two purposes we ever need consider, as we have already
discussed: the ego's purpose, which is to retain individuality and separation,
make the world real, and prove Jesus wrong; and Jesus' purpose, which is to
<un>learn everything we had learned before, and finally accept with humility
that he was right and we were wrong -- the separation from God was a dream that
never happened in reality.*
(5:1) "It is crucial to your learning to be willing to give up the goals you
have established for everything."
*Remember, because the goal you have established for everything is the
preservation of your individuality, Jesus is asking that you abandon this
purpose. That is why these lessons are so difficult, and must be perceived by
our egos as extremely threatening.
The rest of the lesson underscores a point we have already seen: illusions
remain illusions, regardless of the attributes we project onto them. From the
ego's point of view, all illusions -- <good> or <bad>, <important> or
<unimportant>, <human> or <non-human> -- serve the single purpose of convincing
us that they are what they are not. That is why we do not know what they are
for. These ostensibly simple sentences continue Jesus' training of our minds
<not> to make distinctions among illusions, learning instead to make the <only>
distinction that is valid -- between the purposes of the ego and the Holy
Spirit: *
(5:2-6:8) "The recognition that they are meaningless, rather than "good" or
"bad," is the only way to accomplish this. The idea for today is a step in this
direction."
"Six practice periods, each of two-minutes duration, are required. Each practice
period should begin with a slow repetition of the idea for today, followed by
looking about you and letting your glance rest on whatever happens to catch your
eye, near or far, "important" or "unimportant," "human" or "nonhuman." With your
eyes resting on each subject you so select, say, for example:
I do not know what this chair is for.
I do not know what this pencil is for.
I do not know what this hand is for.
Say this quite slowly, without shifting your eyes from the subject until you
have completed the statement about it. Then move on to the next subject, and
apply today's idea as before."
*A more sophisticated statement of this teaching of the illusory nature of
everything is found in the following passage from the text, which describes the
shared insanity of our special relationships -- our "little, senseless
substitutions":
"Your little, senseless substitutions, touched with insanity and swirling
lightly off on a mad course like feathers dancing insanely in the wind, have no
substance. They fuse and merge and separate, in shifting and totally meaningless
patterns that need not be judged at all. To judge them individually is
pointless. Their tiny differences in form are no real differences at all. None
of them matters. That they have in common and nothing else. Yet what else is
necessary to make them all the same?" (T-18.I.7:6-12)
Recognizing the inherent meaninglessness of everything allows us to accept the
Holy Spirit's purpose of making room for His truth as replacement for the ego's
illusions.
We are ready now to move to the next segment of our training: understanding the
relationship between our attack thoughts and our perceptions of attack.*
Love and Blessings,
Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822
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