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Lesson 263. My holy vision sees all things as pure. Father, Your Mind created all that is, Your Spirit entered into it, Your Love gave life to it. And would I look upon what You created as if it could be made sinful? I would not perceive such dark and fearful images. A madman's dream is hardly fit to be my choice, instead of all the loveliness with which You blessed creation; all its purity, its joy, and its eternal, quiet home in You. And while we still remain outside the gate of Heaven, let us look on all we see through holy vision and the eyes of Christ. Let all appearances seem pure to us, that we may pass them by in innocence, and walk together to our Father's house as brothers and the holy Sons of God. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: http://www.facim.org ~ M. Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 263. "My holy vision sees all things as pure." *Several lessons in this series of ten will deal with vision, beginning with this one.* (1:1-2) "Father, Your Mind created all that is, Your Spirit entered into it, Your Love gave life to it. And would I look upon what You created as if it could be made sinful?" *The ego tells us the way we preserve our innocence is to keep the separation but hold someone else responsible for it -- their sin and not ours. This principle of <one or the other> thus rules within the dream: if you are sinful, I must be sinless; in order for me to demonstrate my innocence in front of God, I must find sin in you, and attack you for it: "You never hate your brother for his sins, but only for your own. Whatever form his sins appear to take, it but obscures the fact that you believe it to be yours, and therefore meriting a "just" attack." (T-31.III.1: 5-6)* (1:3-4) "I would not perceive such dark and fearful images. A madman's dream is hardly fit to be my choice, instead of all the loveliness with which You blessed creation; all its purity, its joy, and its eternal, quiet home in You." *We need to acknowledge the insanity of making the perceived differences among us as a matter of life and death. It is essential we diligently monitor our minds for perceptions of others as sinful, wicked, and evil, for in such perception we exclude part of the Sonship, saying we know better than Jesus. He tells us God's Son is one, but we encounter with lists of dark, sinful, and fearful images as proof positive he is wrong and we are right: everyone is <not> the same, and we have the evidence of guilt to prove our point -- a madman's dream for sure!* (2) "And while we still remain outside the gate of Heaven, let us look on all we see through holy vision and the eyes of Christ. Let all appearances seem pure to us, that we may pass them by in innocence, and walk together to our Father's house as brothers and the holy Sons of God." *We see once more how frequently Jesus makes the same point. Through Christ's vision we realize we are all the same. This healed perception of innocence comes not by denying our physical sight, but by denying the ego's interpretation of this sight. Re-read this beautiful passage from the text that parallels the thought of this lesson; the lovely journey that awaits us when we walk together with all our brothers, helping them learn the lessons of forgiveness we have learned -- hope instead of despair, light instead of darkness, innocence instead of sin. "Think of the loveliness that you will see, who walk with Him! And think how beautiful will you and your brother look to the other! How happy you will be to be together, after such a long and lonely journey where you walked alone. The gates of Heaven, open now for you, will you now open to the sorrowful. And none who looks upon the Christ in you but will rejoice. How beautiful the sight you saw beyond the veil, which you will bring to light the tired eyes of those as weary now as once you were. How thankful will they be to see you come among them, offering

Lesson 262: Let me perceive no differences today. Father, You have one Son. And it is he that I would look upon today. He is Your one creation. Why should I perceive a thousand forms in what remains as one? Why should I give this one a thousand names, when only one suffices? For Your Son must bear Your Name, for You created him. Let me not see him as a stranger to his Father, nor as stranger to myself. For he is part of me and I of him, and we are part of You Who are our Source, eternally united in Your Love; eternally the holy Son of God. We who are one would recognize this day the truth about ourselves. We would come home, and rest in unity. For there is peace, and nowhere else can peace be sought and found. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 262: "Let me perceive no differences today." *This important lesson highlights the oneness of our Self, remembered by denying the ego's thought system of differences. This calls to mind Jesus' teaching how all special relationships depend on the belief that we are different from our brothers, these differences guaranteeing our salvation. Thus I believe that your guilt demonstrates my innocence; what I lack you stole, and thus my need accuses you of the sin of seizing what is rightfully mine. This stark difference between us justifies my taking back from you the means for my attaining peace. We remain different, but now I have the specialness I lacked, and you do not.* (1:1-3) "Father, You have one Son. And it is he that I would look upon today. He is Your one creation." *God has one Son, not many. Therefore the seeming differences we perceive must be illusory. We apply this fact of unity as we go through our day perceiving separate interests all around us, but now allowing Jesus to interpret them for us. Thus we regard differences as a classroom in which we learn that God's Son has but one interest, one purpose, and one goal.* (1:4-7) "Why should I perceive a thousand forms in what remains as one? Why should I give this one a thousand names, when only one suffices? For Your Son must bear Your Name, for You created him. Let me not see him as a stranger to his Father, nor as stranger to myself." *In Lesson 184, Jesus spoke of our need to give distinctive names to the things in the world, which gives reality to their separate and disparate identities. Our egos tell us we need one person for one thing, someone else for another, and still another person for something else -- examples of the thousand names we give to the thousand forms. We need to learn the unifying principle of purpose that sees everything as one. At the same time perception tells us how different we are, Jesus offers us the vision to see the purpose of all relationships is the same.* (1:8) "For he is part of me and I of him, and we are part of You Who are our Source, eternally united in Your Love; eternally the holy Son of God." *By bringing the illusion of differences between us to the Holy Spirit, we learn His true perception of the one purpose of forgiveness that reflects the Oneness of Heaven -- "a Oneness joined as One" (T-25.1.7:1). Happily we accept the truth of His perception and the falsity of ours.* (2) "We who are one would recognize this day the truth about ourselves. We would come home, and rest in unity. For there is peace, and nowhere else can peace be sought and found. *What a wondrous gift awaits us when we release our arrogant designs for peace! And what joy comes when we accept the unity of God's creation -- without opposite! Recall the simplicity of God's peace, which awakens us to the memory of His loving Oneness: "What is the peace of God? No more than this; the simple understanding that His Will is wholly without opposite. ... Now is the mighty Will of God Himself His gift to you. ... The Will of God is one and all there is. This

Lesson 261: God is my refuge and security. I will identify with what I think is refuge and security. I will behold myself where I perceive my strength, and think I live within the citadel where I am safe and cannot be attacked. Let me today seek not security in danger, nor attempt to find my peace in murderous attack. I live in God. In Him I find my refuge and my strength. In Him is my Identity. In Him is everlasting peace. And only there will I remember Who I really am. Let me not seek for idols. I would come, my Father, home to You today. I choose to be as You created me, and find the Son whom You created as my Self. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M.Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 261: "God is my refuge and security." *This lesson continues the preceding discussion of "What is the body?" In concluding that discussion, Jesus said we will identify with what we think will make us safe. The point in this lesson is that our true safety rests in God and in nothing else. In everyday terms, this means our safety is found in the right mind, wherein resides the memory of God through the Holy Spirit.* (1:1-2) "I will identify with what I think is refuge and security. I will behold myself where I perceive my strength, and think I live within the citadel where I am safe and cannot be attacked." *The ego tells us we are safe in its thought system of separation and individuality, and as an added measure of protection it makes the world and body, which become our citadels of safety. Thus our preoccupation with protecting the body, for we think we live within its vulnerability and therefore have to make it stronger. However, our only safety, again, lies in our right-minded choice for truth over illusion.* (1:3-8) "Let me today seek not security in danger, nor attempt to find my peace in murderous attack. I live in God. In Him I find my refuge and my strength. In Him is my Identity. In Him is everlasting peace. And only there will I remember Who I really am." *This is the truth; but be attentive during the day to how frequently you strive to confirm the belief that you live in the body, to say nothing of the special relationships you think are your places of safety. Again, you must realize that these will never bring you happiness or peace, for only within the innocence of Christ, remembered through forgiveness, is found the peace and strength of God: "Walk you in glory, with your head held high, and fear no evil. The innocent are safe because they share their innocence. Nothing they see is harmful, for their awareness of the truth releases everything from the illusion of harmfulness. And what seemed harmful now stands shining in their innocence, released from sin and fear and happily returned to love. They share the strength of love <because> they looked on innocence. And every error disappeared because they saw it not. Who looks for glory finds it where it is. Where could it be but in the innocent? (T.23.in.3).* (2) "Let me not seek for idols. I would come, my Father, home to You today. I choose to be as You created me, and find the Son whom You created as my Self." *We see yet another reference to the theme of seeking and finding, and the importance of choice: either the ego or God is our father; either an idol or God's Son is the truth: "It never is the idol that you want. But what you think it offers you, you want indeed ... Your will to be complete is but God's Will, and this is given you by being His. ... Creation gives no separate person and no separate thing the power to complete the Son of God. What idol can be called upon to give the Son of God what he already has?" (T-30.III.4:1-2,4,9-10) And so we reject the separating idols of special love, accepting instead the vision of our brother as our Self, reflecting the Self that God created Son. * Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious

For those doing the lessons, this next section (on top) is to be read once a day for the next ten lessons, along with doing the actual lesson. ~ M. Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. What Is the Body? The body is a fence the Son of God imagines he has built, to separate parts of his Self from other parts. It is within this fence he thinks he lives, to die as it decays and crumbles. For within this fence he thinks that he is safe from love. Identifying with his safety, he regards himself as what his safety is. How else could he be certain he remains within the body, keeping love outside? The body will not stay. Yet this he sees as double safety. For the Son of God's impermanence is "proof" his fences work, and do the task his mind assigns to them. For if his oneness still remained untouched, who could attack and who could be attacked? Who could be victor? Who could be his prey? Who could be victim? Who the murderer? And if he did not die, what "proof" is there that God's eternal Son can be destroyed? The body is a dream. Like other dreams it sometimes seems to picture happiness, but can quite suddenly revert to fear, where every dream is born. For only love creates in truth, and truth can never fear. Made to be fearful, must the body serve the purpose given it. But we can change the purpose that the body will obey by changing what we think that it is for. The body is the means by which God's Son returns to sanity. Though it was made to fence him into hell without escape, yet has the goal of Heaven been exchanged for the pursuit of hell. The Son of God extends his hand to reach his brother, and to help him walk along the road with him. Now is the body holy. Now it serves to heal the mind that it was made to kill. You will identify with what you think will make you safe. Whatever it may be, you will believe that it is one with you. Your safety lies in truth, and not in lies. Love is your safety. Fear does not exist. Identify with love, and you are safe. Identify with love, and you are home. Identify with love, and find your Self. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this section, from "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~M.Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. "What Is the Body? *As I mentioned earlier, Jesus makes some of the same points here he made in "What is Sin?" and "What is the World?" The body is purposive, the capstone of the ego's strategy and the final step in its plan to keep the Son of God mindless. This mindlessness ensures the ego will be forever safe from the Son's mind choosing love over separation. The summary begins with the image of a fence we saw in "The Little Garden": "The body is a tiny fence around a little part of a glorious and complete idea. It draws a circle, infinitely small, around a very little segment of Heaven, splintered from the whole, proclaiming that within it is your kingdom, where God can enter not." (T-18.VIII.2:5-6).* (5.1:1-2) "The body is a fence the Son of God imagines he has built, to separate parts of his Self from other parts. It is within this fence he thinks he lives, to die as it decays and crumbles." *This "fence" -- the body -- keeps me separate from you. You have your physical and psychological space, I have mine, and the two cannot coexist in the same space. Being the embodiment of the ego, the body loudly proclaims that separation is the truth: We are not one, but separate, for bodies do not join. Indeed, for opposite reasons, Jesus tells us the same thing: "Minds are joined, bodies are not" (T-18.VI.3.1). Moreover, bodies were made <not> to join. The joining we believe occurs is only the fulfillment of our thoughts of specialness. This of course is not the joining of forgiveness of which Jesus speaks, and which reflects the completion of Heaven. Jesus now turns to the ego's two-fold purpose in making the body:* (1:3-5) "For within this fence he thinks that he is safe from love. Identifying with his safety, he regards himsel

Lesson 260. Let me remember God created me. Father, I did not make myself, although in my insanity I thought I did. Yet, as Your Thought, I have not left my Source, remaining part of Who created me. Your Son, my Father, calls on You today. Let me remember You created me. Let me remember my Identity. And let my sinlessness arise again before Christ's vision, through which I would look upon my brothers and myself today. Now is our Source remembered, and Therein we find our true Identity at last. Holy indeed are we, because our Source can know no sin. And we who are His Sons are like each other, and alike to Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: http://www.facim.org/ ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 260. "Let me remember God created me." *This is the bottom line; what we forgot. The Atonement principle says nothing has changed, for we remain the living and loving Oneness that God created, as we read in these familiar lines: "God created His Sons by extending His Thought, and retaining the extensions of His Thought in His Mind. All His Thoughts are thus perfectly united within themselves and with each other." (T-6.II.8:1-2).* (1:1-5) "Father, I did not make myself, although in my insanity I thought I did. Yet, as Your Thought, I have not left my Source, remaining part of Who created me. Your Son, my Father, calls on You today. Let me remember You created me. Let me remember my Identity." *Here again we have an acknowledgment of our mistake. As a Thought of God, we never left our Source and remain one with Him Who created us, despite our insane thinking: "You can perceive yourself as self-creating, but you cannot do more than believe it. You cannot make it true. And, as I said before, when you finally perceive correctly you can only be glad that you cannot." (T-3:VII.4:6-8).* (1:6) "And let my sinlessness arise again before Christ's vision, through which I would look upon my brothers and myself today." *The way we remember Who we are as God's one Son is not by meditating on the eternal verities -- we simply forgive. We learn that our interests are not separate from anyone else's, and that the principle of <one or the other> does not make us happy. Christ's vision comes when we ask Jesus' help to look on this other as our self. The superficial differences between us cannot conceal the one need and purpose we share in the holy relationship -- learning there is no sin.* (2) "Now is our Source remembered, and Therein we find our true Identity at last. Holy indeed are we, because our Source can know no sin. And we who are His Sons are like each other, and alike to Him." *The essence of specialness is that you and I are not alike, but different. The right-minded correction -- not the One-minded awareness of our unity as spirit -- is that you and I are alike in sharing one purpose. If I attack you I attack myself, for if we are alike and I believe you deserve attack, I must believe I deserve attack, too. That is why it is essential to recognize that whatever I think about you comes from what I think about myself. We are the same, since in his sinlessness God's Son has no separate parts.* Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www.mlynjohnson.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sweedreamz ACIM Gather for "A Course in Miracles" Students & Teachers

Lesson 259. Let me remember that there is no sin. Sin is the only thought that makes the goal of God seem unattainable. What else could blind us to the obvious, and make the strange and the distorted seem more clear? What else but sin engenders our attacks? What else but sin could be the source of guilt, demanding punishment and suffering? And what but sin could be the source of fear, obscuring God's creation; giving love the attributes of fear and of attack? Father, I would not be insane today. I would not be afraid of love, nor seek for refuge in its opposite. For love can have no opposite. You are the Source of everything there is. And everything that is remains with You, and You with it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this lesson, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 259. "Let me remember that there is no sin." *Let me remember to laugh at the tiny, mad idea. When we forgot to laugh, we called it sin; yet when we remember, it is but a silly mistake with no consequence or reality.* (1:1-2) "Sin is the only thought that makes the goal of God seem unattainable. What else could blind us to the obvious, and make the strange and the distorted seem more clear?" *That is why sin is the bedrock of the thought system of separation. When the ego sought to protect its individual existence, sin became its primary defense, affirming that the separation from God was real and permanent. Our ruptured relationship with God meant that in His fury He would find and punish us. Thus His Love was seemingly destroyed by the strange and distorted thought system of separation, and the equally distorted world that arose from it.* (1:3-4) "What else but sin engenders our attacks? What else but sin could be the source of guilt, demanding punishment and suffering?" *All our attack thoughts -- whether of being attacked or attacking -- come from sin, because sin itself is an attack thought. We attacked God so we could live, and everything that followed must share in that same equation of sin with attack, except now that we are in the world, we believe other people's sins are attacking us. Thus if we return the attack, we claim it is justified self-defense. Thus the ego's unholy trinity: <sin> leads to <guilt>, which demands punishment, the <fear> of which leads to our need for defense.* (1:5) "And what but sin could be the source of fear, obscuring God's creation; giving love the attributes of fear and of attack?" *The outcome of sin is that God will attack us because of what we have done, with the attacking world being the fragmentary shadow of this thought. We thus live in mortal fear, threatened by just about everything. A minor shift in the environment and our physical life is severely threatened; a loved one does not smile and we are devastated -- proof of the fragility of our existence. God's Love has thus been turned into its opposite -- special love: the source, the meaning, and result of all attack.* (2:1) "Father, I would not be insane today." *The thread that runs through every lesson is the insanity of our mistaken thoughts -- the source of our humility in realizing how wrong we have been about everything. Thus if we are the least bit upset, we know we judged wrongly and are insane. There is no hierarchy of illusions -- being upset over a minor happening is the same as being upset over a major one. The minute we feel upset or unhappy, therefore, we need to think of the thought for day and return to sanity.* (2:2-5) "I would not be afraid of love, nor seek for refuge in its opposite. For love can have no opposite. You are the Source of everything there is. And everything that is remains with You, and You with it." *Recall the words from the Course's Introduction: "The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite." (T-in.1:8). As part of Love's oneness, there is no opposite to us, and so the

Lesson 258. Let me remember that my goal is God. All that is needful is to train our minds to overlook all little senseless aims, and to remember that our goal is God. His memory is hidden in our minds, obscured but by our pointless little goals which offer nothing, and do not exist. Shall we continue to allow God's grace to shine in unawareness, while the toys and trinkets of the world are sought instead? God is our only goal, our only Love. We have no aim but to remember Him. Our goal is but to follow in the way that leads to You. We have no goal but this. What could we want but to remember You? What could we seek but our Identity? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: http://www.facim.org/ ~M.Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 258. "Let me remember that my goal is God." (1:1) "All that is needful is to train our minds to overlook all little senseless aims, and to remember that our goal is God." *This refers to the need for constant vigilance, the mind-training aspect of A Course in Miracles that requires discipline and hard work. Just as one cannot play a Bach fugue or Beethoven sonata without a great deal of practice, one cannot forgive, nor feel the Love and peace of God without a great deal of practice. The workbook encourages our <daily> practice, and anyone who has played a musical instrument knows that going a few days without practicing leads to rusty playing. Similarly, we need to practice our instrument of forgiveness -- the mind's power to choose -- not only every day, but as often as possible through the day. Thus we learn to <un>learn the ego's overlearned lessons of judgment. This learning means becoming aware of your identification as an innocent victim, seeing others as having the power to victimize you. This makes them the sinners, releasing you from God's punishment. * (1:2-5) "His memory is hidden in our minds, obscured but by our pointless little goals which offer nothing, and do not exist. Shall we continue to allow God's grace to shine in unawareness, while the toys and trinkets of the world are sought instead? God is our only goal, our only Love. We have no aim but to remember Him." *Everything we think is so important and valuable Jesus reduces to nothing more than a toy or trinket. Yet our identification and obsession with these toys of specialness keep us unaware of God's Love, and keep His grace buried in our minds and beyond all capacity to remember. Try to recognize how everything you strive for is really nothing. When you place it next to the Love of God, how can it be anything important? Recall the question we have quoted many times before: "Who with the Love of God upholding him could find the choice of miracles or murder hard to make?" (T-23.IV.9:8).* (2) "Our goal is but to follow in the way that leads to You. We have no goal but this. What could we want but to remember You? What could we seek but our Identity?" *That way, once again, is to forgive. This means asking Jesus' help to change our minds about a relationship or situation we had given power to hurt and victimize us. It also means recognizing that what we had wanted for ourselves never succeeded in bringing us happiness and peace, and that forgiveness alone -- the way that leads us to God and our Self -- is the key to finding what we truly want.* Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www.mlynjohnson.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sweedreamz ACIM Gather for "A Course in Miracles" Students & Teachers

Lesson 257. Let me remember what my purpose is. (1) If I forget my goal I can be but confused, unsure of what I am, and thus conflicted in my actions. No one can serve contradicting goals and serve them well. Nor can he function without deep distress and great depression. Let us therefore be determined to remember what we want today, that we may unify our thoughts and actions meaningfully, and achieve only what God would have us do this day. (2) Father, forgiveness is Your chosen means for our salvation. Let us not forget today that we can have no will but Yours. And thus our purpose must be Yours as well, if we would reach the peace You will for us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M.Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 257. "Let me remember what my purpose is." *These next four lessons begin with the phrase, "Let me remember"; important because it tells us our true purpose of forgiveness rests in the mind, where Jesus' truth is. We chose to forget because we wanted to remember only our individual identity. These lessons help us change our minds.* (1:1-2) "If I forget my goal I can be but confused, unsure of what I am, and thus conflicted in my actions. No one can serve contradicting goals and serve them well." *That is what most people do, especially those who are on a spiritual path. On the one hand they have a goal of finding truth, God, or Jesus. On the other hand they want to maintain their existence in the world. Thus their goals become intrinsically conflicted or contradictory. Specifically, Jesus teaches us that if the goal is God and we do not forgive -- i.e., we hold onto grievances and see ourselves unfairly treated -- we hold contradictory goals: God and the ego. Jesus therefore unveils the insanity of our lives -- how our split minds strive to maintain the right-minded thought that wants to return home <our> way. That is why Jesus is so emphatic that God's way is through forgiveness. This heals the split by helping us choose the One, letting the other go.* (1:3) Nor can he function without deep distress and great depression." * "Certain it is that all distress does not appear to be but unforgiveness" (W-p1.193.4:1). Every time we are distressed it is because we are holding onto a grievance, for our ongoing temptation is to blame someone else. Even if we look in the mirror and blame ourselves, there is still a face behind our own we hold responsible: parents, genes, karma, etc. We always seek to blame something or someone, instead of remembering that we are decision-making minds who can choose peace instead of pain, joy instead of depression.* (1:4) "Let us therefore be determined to remember what we want today, that we may unify our thoughts and actions meaningfully, and achieve only what God would have us do this day." *We can say that purpose of A Course in Miracles is to have us see our day as having a single, unified purpose: learning to recognize that our lives are classrooms in forgiveness, with a Teacher to guide and instruct us.* (2:1-2) "Father, forgiveness is Your chosen means for our salvation. Let us not forget today that we can have no will but Yours." *When we hold a grievance we say we have a will that is separate from our Father's.* (2:3) "And thus our purpose must be Yours as well, if we would reach the peace You will for us." *Again, as you go through your day, keep uppermost in your mind the need for vigilance. Observe how quickly you forget and cling to grievances, pettiness, and thoughts of specialness. Try to remember that they will not make you happy, for your purpose is to remember that God's Will for you is perfect happiness (W-p1.101), and it is your own as well.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and application of the teachings of A Course in Mira... Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-36

Lesson 256. God is the only goal I have today. The way to God is through forgiveness here. There is no other way. If sin had not been cherished by the mind, what need would there have been to find the way to where you are? Who would still be uncertain? Who could be unsure of who he is? And who would yet remain asleep, in heavy clouds of doubt about the holiness of him whom God created sinless? Here we can but dream. But we can dream we have forgiven him in whom all sin remains impossible, and it is this we choose to dream today. God is our goal; forgiveness is the means by which our minds return to Him at last. And so, our Father, would we come to You in Your appointed way. We have no goal except to hear Your Voice, and find the way Your sacred Word has pointed out to us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 256. "God is the only goal I have today." *The next three lessons are about forgiveness.* (1:1-2) "The way to God is through forgiveness here. There is no other way." *If we are serious about wanting to return home to the Love of God, we have said many times, we must be serious about the means that would help us achieve the goal. When we hold grievances against ourselves and others, we are affirming that God is <not> our goal today -- the ego's god perhaps, but not the true God. We therefore want to be clear, without judging ourselves, that being upset, sick, or angry comes from the underlying goal of keeping the ego in power and not returning home -- we do not want to lose the ego self. It is thus extremely important that we honor and respect the mind's decision maker, returning to it the power that was lost when we followed the ego into the important world of mindlessness.* (1:3-6) "If sin had not been cherished by the mind, what need would there have been to find the way to where you are? Who would still be uncertain? Who could be unsure of who he is? And who would yet remain asleep, in heavy clouds of doubt about the holiness of him whom God created sinless?" *First there was the mistake of choosing sin, and then came its undoing through forgiveness, the Holy Spirit's means to awaken us from the dream of sin.* (1:7-9) "Here we can but dream. But we can dream we have forgiven him in whom all sin remains impossible, and it is this we choose to dream today. God is our goal; forgiveness is the means by which our minds return to Him at last." *Jesus is not saying we have to waken to reality and disappear, but he tells us that he wants to help us make the ego's thought system disappear. We would still retain our physical and psychological identities -- nothing is going to suddenly disappear. What begins to change, however, is the lack of peace and disquiet we feel. Yet in order for that to happen, Jesus teaches us to look differently at other people. His new way of looking -- the Holy Spirit's true perception of forgiveness -- then becomes the happy dream: "You will first dream of peace, and then awaken to it. Your first exchange of what you made for what you want is the exchange of nightmares for the happy dreams of love. In these lie your true perceptions, for the Holy Spirit corrects the world of dreams, where all perception is." (T-13.VII.9:1-3).* (2) "And so, our Father, would we come to You in Your appointed way. We have no goal except to hear Your Voice, and find the way Your sacred Word has pointed out to us." *Strictly speaking, forgiveness, is a reflection of God's Love and does not come from Him. More specifically, this is the way of A Course in Miracles. There are other spiritualities the emphasize other approaches to God; but this course emphasizes changing our perception of other people -- forgiving them for what they have not done to us. Incidentally, God's "sacred Word" here refers to these workbook lessons. More generally, the "sacred Word

Lesson 255. This day I choose to spend in perfect peace. It does not seem to me that I can choose to have but peace today. And yet, my God assures me that His Son is like Himself. Let me this day have faith in Him Who says I am God's Son. And let the peace I choose be mine today bear witness to the truth of what He says. God's Son can have no cares, and must remain forever in the peace of Heaven. In His Name, I give today to finding what my Father wills for me, accepting it as mine, and giving it to all my Father's Sons, along with me. And so, my Father, would I pass this day with You. Your Son has not forgotten You. The peace You gave him still is in his mind, and it is there I choose to spend today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 255. "This day I choose to spend in perfect peace." (1) "It does not seem to me that I can choose to have but peace today. And yet, my God assures me that His Son is like Himself. Let me this day have faith in Him Who says I am God's Son. And let the peace I choose be mine today bear witness to the truth of what He says. God's Son can have no cares, and must remain forever in the peace of Heaven. In His Name, I give today to finding what my Father wills for me, accepting it as mine, and giving it to all my Father's Sons, along with me." *It does not seem as if I can be at peace today because it is threatened at every turn. The weather makes me unpeaceful, as does this person I live or work with, not to mention the body in which I reside. There are always special things that impinge on me, and it does not appear as if I have any choice about their deleterious effects on me. In these meditations, Jesus brings us back to the mind, where the problem is. Thus our day should be spent in realizing that what we feel comes from the mind's choice, and if we have chosen a feeling, it is because we want it. The text helps us to understand that we are insane enough to want to be upset and in pain in order to hold someone else responsible for our victimization and suffering. The outcome is that we maintain our separate identities, but without being responsible for them. And so we gladly choose not to be at peace. Without understanding this motivation, our decisions make no sense, especially when we spend years reading and studying A Course in Miracles, and yet do not want to integrate its teachings into our lives. We seem not to progress in our learning because to accept what we are being taught would lead us to let go of our self. However, because we do not want to be accused of stealing that individual identity, we need specific people who sin against us or others to avoid having to deal with our perceived sin. Once again, therefore, we need to be aware that distress is a choice. We first accept this intellectually, and then gradually experience the desire to be unfairly treated. Only then will we let this insanity go, and grateful we have done so.* (2) "And so, my Father, would I pass this day with You. Your Son has not forgotten You. The peace You gave him still is in his mind, and it is there I choose to spend today." *Our prayer to God is to help us realize it is His Love we have chosen against, yet it is only His Love we want. That should be the operative motivation of every day, and each minute of every day. Jesus is reminding us to choose to spend our days in the peace that God gave us, held in the right by the Holy Spirit. Thus His second lesson: "To have peace, teach peace to learn it" (T-6.V-B.7:5). Therefore, if I truly want to spend this day in perfect peace, I must share this peace with others through forgiveness. Otherwise, my wish will be refused -- by <me>. Yet let me release my brother from my projections, and God's peace will flow through the mind of His one Son, now become a temple of healing, at the altar of which al

Lesson 254. Let every voice but God's be still in me. Father, today I would but hear Your Voice. In deepest silence I would come to You, to hear Your Voice and to receive Your Word. I have no prayer but this: I come to You to ask You for the truth. And truth is but Your Will, which I would share with You today. Today we let no ego thoughts direct our words or actions. When such thoughts occur, we quietly step back and look at them, and then we let them go. We do not want what they would bring with them. And so we do not choose to keep them. They are silent now. And in the stillness, hallowed by His Love, God speaks to us and tells us of our will, as we have chosen to remember Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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:Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 254. "Let every voice but God's be still in me." *We return to the theme of stilling the ego's voice, meaning that I turn away from it. I listen to its lies, and say: "This is not what I want. I no longer wish to live my life in pursuit of the idols of specialness, nor live in constant anger and fear.* (1) "Father, today I would but hear Your Voice. In deepest silence I would come to You, to hear Your Voice and to receive Your Word. I have no prayer but this: I come to You to ask You for the truth. And truth is but Your Will, which I would share with You today." *I realize there is nothing here I want, nothing I choose to seek, nothing for which I pray. I want only to forgive, that I return to sanity. This reason is based on realizing my mistaken choice so I can make a better one -- forgiveness instead of anger, truth instead of illusion. This, then, is my prayer: " ... the only meaningful prayer is for forgiveness, because those who have been forgiven have everything. Once forgiveness has been accepted, prayer in the usual sense becomes utterly meaningless. The prayer for forgiveness is nothing more than a request that you may be able to recognize what you already have." (T.3.V.6.3-5).* (2:1-2) "Today we let no ego thoughts direct our words or actions. When such thoughts occur, we quietly step back and look at them, and then we let them go." *This is a variation of the three steps of forgiveness presented in Lesson 23. Crucial to this process is learning not to deny our ego thoughts, nor to try <not> to have them. Rather, we simply ask for help when they occur. Thus we choose the holy instant in which we listen to Jesus instruct us on the proper way of looking at these insane thoughts and perceptions. When we step back with his love beside us and look, we realize the silliness of the ego's ideas. Its offerings will never give us the love and peace we truly want, which we cannot have as long as we cherish the ego's calls for specialness. We thus say and mean:* (2:3-4) "We do not want what they would bring with them. And so we do not choose to keep them." *We must first look at what we are choosing against. This is not a course in denial or in pretending we are so holy we have no ego thoughts. Rather, this is a course in saying : "I am not holy, otherwise I would not be in this world. I have these ego thoughts, but now have the means within my mind to look at them another way." Thus we do not deny the ego thought system itself. We simply look at them without judgment of ourselves or anyone else, and then happily watch them gently disappear.* (2:5-6) "They are silent now. And in the stillness, hallowed by His Love, God speaks to us and tells us of our will, as we have chosen to remember Him." * "The memory of God comes to the quiet mind" (T-23.1.1:1). With the ego's voice silenced by our decision, the mind is quiet. And we hear at last God's Voice speak to us of Who we are, as the memory of our Self dawns within the stillness of our holy minds.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and

Lesson 253. My Self is ruler of the universe. It is impossible that anything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny. What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not want to happen. This must I accept. For thus am I led past this world to my creations, children of my will, in Heaven where my holy Self abides with them and Him Who has created me. You are the Self Whom You created Son, creating like Yourself and One with You. My Self, which rules the universe, is but Your Will in perfect union with my own, which can but offer glad assent to Yours, that it may be extended to Itself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 253. "My Self is ruler of the universe." *This lesson relates to Lesson 236, "I rule my mind, which I alone must rule." Here, however, the Self that rules is Christ, and the universe of spirit -- another example of Jesus inconsistent use of words. Recall that sometimes "universe" refers to the physical cosmos, ruled by our illusory self.* (1:1-2) "It is impossible that anything should come to me unbidden by myself. Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny." *My separated self is ruler of the world, for only I can choose between my wrong and right minds. Yet all the while my true Self remains ruler of the universe of Christ.* (1:3-5) "What happens is what I desire. What does not occur is what I do not want to happen. This must I accept." *This is a reference to the statement from "The Responsibility for Sight": "I am responsible for what I see. I choose the feelings I experience, and I decide upon the goal I would achieve. And everything that seems to happen to me I ask for, and receive as I have asked." (T-21.II.2:3-5). This needs to be understood to two levels: (1) Metaphysically, everything in my life is my dream, for my mind has chosen all: genes, parents, body -- gender, height, weight, skin color, etc. (2) Experientially, I have chosen my reaction to what goes on here -- a level much easier to relate to. If I am upset it is because I have chosen to be upset; not because of something you did. You may certainly have behaviorally done what I accused you of, but that is not the cause of my lack of peace. The truth is that no one can take this peace away from me but myself. This is what Jesus is saying I must accept. No one is responsible for my happiness or dis-ease, which come only from my mind's choice. Once I accept that it is not the world that affected me, I can change my mind and undo my mistake. Healing is the inevitable result.* (1:6) "For thus am I led past this world to my creations, children of my will, in Heaven where my holy Self abides with them and Him Who has created me." *This is one of the few places in the workbook where Jesus mentions "creations." The term refers to the extensions of Christ's Love, just as Christ is the extension of God's Love. When we realize it is not the world that caused us, but that we caused the world, we can change our minds. Remaining totally in our right mind, we are in the real world, which quickly disappears as the memory of our Identity as Christ returns to our awareness. Thus we know we are the love that extends itself as our creations.* (2) "You are the Self Whom You created Son, creating like Yourself and One with You. My Self, which rules the universe, is but Your Will in perfect union with my own, which can but offer glad assent to Yours, that it may be extended to Itself." *This is a lovely description of the Oneness of Heaven: Christ in God, Who together share the one function of extending love.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and application of the teachings of A Course in Mira... Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www.mlynjohnson.co

Lesson 252. The Son of God is my Identity. My Self is holy beyond all the thoughts of holiness of which I now conceive. Its shimmering and perfect purity is far more brilliant than is any light that I have ever looked upon. Its love is limitless, with an intensity that holds all things within it, in the calm of quiet certainty. Its strength comes not from burning impulses which move the world, but from the boundless Love of God Himself. How far beyond this world my Self must be, and yet how near to me and close to God! Father, You know my true Identity. Reveal It now to me who am Your Son, that I may waken to the truth in You, and know that Heaven is restored to me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 252. "The Son of God is my Identity." *This reminds us of Who we are, and that we have been mistaken in the self we adopted as true. Thankfully, our mistake had no effect on our reality as Christ.* (1:1-4) "My Self is holy beyond all the thoughts of holiness of which I now conceive. Its shimmering and perfect purity is far more brilliant than is any light that I have ever looked upon. Its love is limitless, with an intensity that holds all things within it, in the calm of quiet certainty. Its strength comes not from burning impulses which move the world, but from the boundless Love of God Himself." *We all are pressured by these burning impulses such as romantic or sexual passions, urges to eat, or needs to save the world and make an impact on others. Jesus is teaching us these are not the source of our strength or happiness, which come only from the Love of God within. We choose this Love in the instant we remember our holiness, as limitless as the Source from which it comes.* (1:5) "How far beyond this world my Self must be, and yet how near to me and close to God!" *My Self is far beyond the world because my mind is not in the world. The memory of Who I am is in my right mind, and is so close because <I> -- my identity as a decision maker -- am in my mind as well. I therefore become sane at any instant I choose to remember my sane Teacher. This requires a shift in identification from body to mind, recognizing that the body is only a puppet or robot, carrying our a program conceived by the mind, its programmer. In other words, I am the dreamer of the dream, in a mind far beyond the dream. Once again, this mind contains the memory of the Self, the Thought that God has always held of His Son, as these familiar lines remind us. "Beyond all idols is the Thought God holds of you. Completely unaffected by the turmoil and the terror of the world, the dreams of birth and death that here are dreamed, the myriad of forms that fear can take; quite undisturbed, the Thought God holds of you remains exactly as it always was." (T-30.III.10:1-2).* (2) "Father, You know my true Identity. Reveal It now to me who am Your Son, that I may waken to the truth in You, and know that Heaven is restored to me." *Christ, our Self, is revealed to us when the veils to His face are removed by forgiveness. And where it is seen, His memory cannot be far behind -- indeed, only a little while. Thus we move from our ego's dreams of hate and judgment to the Holy Spirit's happy dreams of forgiveness. These culminates in the real world, from which we joyously waken unto the happy truth of our timeless Self.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and application of the teachings of A Course in Mira... Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www.mlynjohnson.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sweedreamz ACIM Gather for "A Course in Miracles" Students & Teachers

Lesson 251. I am in need of nothing but the truth. I sought for many things, and found despair. Now do I seek but one, for in that one is all I need, and only what I need. All that I sought before I needed not, and did not even want. My only need I did not recognize. But now I see that I need only truth. In that all needs are satisfied, all cravings end, all hopes are finally fulfilled and dreams are gone. Now have I everything that I could need. Now have I everything that I could want. And now at last I find myself at peace. And for that peace, our Father, we give thanks. What we denied ourselves You have restored, and only that is what we really want. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 251. "I am in need of nothing but the truth." *This lesson returns to the important theme of special relationships, a term, as I have said before, that is never mentioned by name in the workbook, but is certainly the subject of many discussions.* (1:1) "I sought for many things, and found despair." *We are always seeking and striving to achieve in this world -- whether a conquest in a relationship, business, or any situation at all. We seek for things in this world to satisfy our specialness needs, and they inevitably fail us. Whatever the pleasure and gain, it is never more than temporary. Recall these lines from the manual for teachers regarding the mind's belief in sacrifice: "Now has the mind condemned itself to seek without finding; to be forever dissatisfied and discontented; to know not what it really wants to find.... He does not see what he is asking for. And so he seeks it in a thousand ways and in a thousand places, each time believing it is there, and each time disappointed in the end. "Seek but do not find" remains this world's stern decree, and no one who pursues the world's goal can do otherwise." (M-13.3.3;5:6-8).* (1:2-9) "Now do I seek but one, for in that one is all I need, and only what I need. All that I sought before I needed not, and did not even want. My only need I did not recognize. But now I see that I need only truth. In that all needs are satisfied, all cravings end, all hopes are finally fulfilled and dreams are gone. Now have I everything that I could need. Now have I everything that I could want. And now at last I find myself at peace." *Truth alone is what we seek, which can be found here only in the forgiveness we practice toward our special love and hate partners. This means letting go of grievances, for this will truly bring us the peace that is the prerequisite for truth, as well as being its natural state: "The goal of truth has further practical advantages. If the situation is used for truth and sanity, its outcome must be peace. ... If peace is the condition of truth and sanity, and cannot be without them, where peace is they must be." (T-17.VI:5:1-2,4). * (2) "And for that peace, our Father, we give thanks. What we denied ourselves You have restored, and only that is what we really want." *On a practical level, as you think of what you want to happen today in order to feel good, realize that no special relationship will ever give you the peace of God. Be honest with yourself and think about what you want -- even if it is something as simple as wanting the sun to shine -- and how convinced you are that that will make you happy. Everyone has preferences in the world, but when your preference becomes a religion or obsession, when it becomes something for which you would push other people out of the way, or even kill, you have crossed the line that puts you in the ego's camp. Accept that whatever your desire, it will not last, and if it is not eternal it cannot be of God -- the criterion for distinguishing between the valuable and the valueless (W-p1.VII.11:7). Specialness can never substitute for love, which alone is what we truly wan

4. What Is Sin? Sin is insanity. It is the means by which the mind is driven mad, and seeks to let illusions take the place of truth. And being mad, it sees illusions where the truth should be, and where it really is. Sin gave the body eyes, for what is there the sinless would behold? What need have they of sights or sounds or touch? What would they hear or reach to grasp? What would they sense at all? To sense is not to know. And truth can be but filled with knowledge, and with nothing else. The body is the instrument the mind made in its efforts to deceive itself. Its purpose is to strive. Yet can the goal of striving change. And now the body serves a different aim for striving. What it seeks for now is chosen by the aim the mind has taken as replacement for the goal of self-deception. Truth can be its aim as well as lies. The senses then will seek instead for witnesses to what is true. Sin is the home of all illusions, which but stand for things imagined, issuing from thoughts that are untrue. They are the "proof" that what has no reality is real. Sin "proves" God's Son is evil; timelessness must have an end; eternal life must die. And God Himself has lost the Son He loves, with but corruption to complete Himself, His Will forever overcome by death, love slain by hate, and peace to be no more. A madman's dreams are frightening, and sin appears indeed to terrify. And yet what sin perceives is but a childish game. The Son of God may play he has become a body, prey to evil and to guilt, with but a little life that ends in death. But all the while his Father shines on him, and loves him with an everlasting Love which his pretenses cannot change at all. How long, O Son of God, will you maintain the game of sin? Shall we not put away these sharp-edged children's toys? How soon will you be ready to come home? Perhaps today? There is no sin. Creation is unchanged. Would you still hold return to Heaven back? How long, O holy Son of God, how long? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries on this section, from "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (4) What Is Sin? *This summary makes reference to the previous "What is the World?" as well as foreshadowing "What is the Body?" that comes next. They all discuss the body's origin and purpose.* (1:1-2) "Sin is insanity. It is the means by which the mind is driven mad, and seeks to let illusions take the place of truth." *We have discussed many times how the ego uses sin as the first step in its attempt to protect itself. After the Son had chosen the insane separation as his reality and turned the Atonement into illusion, the ego ensured he would never change his mind by making him mindless. To accomplish its goal, the ego convinced the Son his separation was a deplorable sin that deserved punishment. The Son therefore concluded that his mind was a dangerous place, and remaining there meant annihilation at the hands of a vengeful God. His only option was to leave the mind through projection and make up a world and body. Thus sin is the first step in the ego's plan to defend an insane thought and protect illusions against the truth. Recall: "A major tenet in the ego's insane religion is that sin is not error but truth, and it is innocence that would deceive. Purity is seen as arrogance, and the acceptance of the self as sinful is perceived as holiness. And it is this doctrine that replaces the reality of the Son of God as his Father created him, and willed that he be forever. Is this humility? Or is it, rather, an attempt to wrest creation away from truth, and keep it separate?" (T-19.II.4.)* (1:3) "And being mad, it sees illusions where the truth should be, and where it really is." *Truth is in the right mind, the home of the Holy Spirit's Atonement principle. Yet in his insanity God's Son sees only the "fact" that he has won his individuality by sinning against his Father. The projection of

Lesson 250. Let me not see myself as limited. Let me behold the Son of God today, and witness to his glory. Let me not try to obscure the holy light in him, and see his strength diminished and reduced to frailty; nor perceive the lacks in him with which I would attack his sovereignty. He is Your Son, my Father. And today I would behold his gentleness instead of my illusions. He is what I am, and as I see him so I see myself. Today I would see truly, that this day I may at last identify with him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is an excerpt 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:Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 250. "Let me not see myself as limited." *When we choose the ego instead of the Holy Spirit, we made ourselves a limited self, the ego's shabby substitute for the limitless Self that is the creation of Limitlessness and has never left Its Source. * (1) "Let me behold the Son of God today, and witness to his glory. Let me not try to obscure the holy light in him, and see his strength diminished and reduced to frailty; nor perceive the lacks in him with which I would attack his sovereignty." *Let me not see lack in myself or anyone else. If I do, I attack the sovereignty, magnitude, and abundance of God's Son. If I want to know myself as limitless, I must see everyone else as limitless. The choice is mine: the vision of sinlessness of the judgment of guilt. The one I choose to see reflects the choice for my own identity: "Vision will come to you at first in glimpses, but they will be enough to show you what is given you who see your brother sinless. Truth is restored to you through your desire, as it was lost to you through your desire for something else. Open the holy place that you closed off by valuing the "something else", and what was never lost will quietly return. It has been saved for you. Vision would not be necessary had judgment not been made. Desire now its whole undoing, and it is done for you." (T-20.VIII.1).* (2) "He is Your Son, my Father. And today I would behold his gentleness instead of my illusions. He is what I am, and as I see him so I see myself. Today I would see truly, that this day I may at last identify with him." *All you need do to realize which teacher you have chosen is pay attention to the way you perceive someone -- anyone. If you see that person as greater or less than you, as deserving of attack, judgment, and criticism, or different from you in any way at all, that perception tells you you no longer wish to see the Holy Spirit's gentleness. You prefer instead to justify God's cruelty because of how cruel you believe you were to Him. However, rather than recognizing that "fact," you see everyone else as sinful and deserving punishment. The bottom line is to pay attention to the way you perceive others and the world, for, again, that will tell you which teacher you have chosen. Thus, when you realize your error, simply say: "Yes, I made a mistake and now can choose correctly." "Damnation is your judgment on yourself, and this you will project upon the world. 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 see holiness and hope, you joined the Will of God to set him free. There is no choice that lies between these two decisions. And you will see the witness to the choice you made, and learn from this to recognize which one you chose. The world you see but shows you how much joy you have allowed yourself to see in you, and to accept as yours." "(T-21.in.2.1-7). If we do not experience the joy we truly seek, we know where to find it -- in our gentle brother, who mirrors our gentle self.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and application of the teachings of A Course in Mira... Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www

Lesson 249. Forgiveness ends all suffering and loss. Forgiveness paints a picture of a world where suffering is over, loss becomes impossible and anger makes no sense. Attack is gone, and madness has an end. What suffering is now conceivable? What loss can be sustained? The world becomes a place of joy, abundance, charity and endless giving. It is now so like to Heaven that it quickly is transformed into the light that it reflects. And so the journey which the Son of God began has ended in the light from which he came. Father, we would return our minds to You. We have betrayed them, held them in a vise of bitterness, and frightened them with thoughts of violence and death. Now would we rest again in You, as You created us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 249. "Forgiveness ends all suffering and loss." (1:1-4) "Forgiveness paints a picture of a world where suffering is over, loss becomes impossible and anger makes no sense. Attack is gone, and madness has an end. What suffering is now conceivable? What loss can be sustained?" *This does not mean that figures in the dream will not suffer pain and loss, or be angry. It simply means that you, standing outside of the dream, will no longer see it as real. <Your mind has changed>, not the world. When you awaken from the dream, it is over. If people still choose to see themselves as dream figures, their bodies will suffer pain in their experience. However, with Jesus in your right mind outside of the dream, you acknowledge all this is illusory. If you still feel pain, do not beat yourself up or think you have failed A Course in Miracles, or that it has failed you. Simply say in all humility: "I am not yet ready to let go of my bodily identification." What is the surprise? You knew this anyway, and so it makes no sense to pretend you are further along than you are. This course is meant for people who are at the bottom of the ladder, just beginning their journey. Jesus shows us the ladder's end and how to attain our goal, but he also says: "Let me help you where you believe you are, but let us not stay there. Take my hand and I shall help you to grow and ascent the ladder until you are home." * (1:5) "The world becomes a place of joy, abundance, charity and endless giving." *This does not mean that suddenly all will be well here. However, from outside the dream -- "a place of joy, abundance, charity, endless giving" -- everything will be different.* (1:6-7) "It is now so like to Heaven that it quickly is transformed into the light that it reflects. And so the journey which the Son of God began has ended in the light from which he came." *Thus the picture frame disappears, and the picture of light dissolves back into its source. "The Reflection of Holiness" expresses the same inspiring idea in these familiar lines: "Those who have learned to offer only healing, because of the reflection of holiness in them, are ready at last for Heaven. There, holiness is not a reflection, but rather the actual condition of what was but reflected to them here. God is no image, and His creations, as part of Him, hold Him in them in truth. They do not merely reflect truth, for they are truth." (T-14.IX.8:4-7). We no longer are the reflections of light, but have become what we had reflected. In other words, we do not symbolize the light for we have disappeared into the very light itself.* (2) "Father, we would return our minds to You. We have betrayed them, held them in a vise of bitterness, and frightened them with thoughts of violence and death. Now would we rest again in You, as You created us." *This acknowledges our mistake in betraying Who we are as God's Son. We were unfaithful to the truth in our minds, and instead substitute the vise of bitterness for the lovely haven of Love. Now we choose again and happily realize our mistake, for which n

Lesson 248. Whatever suffers is not part of me. I have disowned the truth. Now let me be as faithful in disowning falsity. Whatever suffers is not part of me. What grieves is not myself. What is in pain is but illusion in my mind. What dies was never living in reality, and did but mock the truth about myself. Now I disown self-concepts and deceits and lies about the holy Son of God. Now am I ready to accept him back as God created him, and as he is. Father, my ancient love for You returns, and lets me love Your Son again as well. Father, I am as You created me. Now is Your Love remembered, and my own. Now do I understand that they are one. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 248. "Whatever suffers is not part of me." *When you get upset because of someone else's pain, it is only because you have psychologically identified with them: "Whatever suffers is not part of me." When you are mourning the death of a loved one, it is because you believe something in you has died, as Freud explained in his brilliant paper, "Mourning and Melancholia." Mourning of course is normal, but when it turns to depression -- <melancholia> is the old term for "depression" -- it is because mourners believe that the person who died is part of them, as they are part of that person. Thus something in them is suffering or has died. In our right minds, however, we know that whatever suffers is <not> part of us, because the body is outside the mind and our identity. We know this is a dream of sickness, pain, and death, and what has this to do with God's Son, who is my Self.* (1:1-2) "I have disowned the truth. Now let me be as faithful in disowning falsity." *When we indulge in false empathy -- identifying with someone's pain -- we are disowning the truth, which is that God's one Son remains as He created his as spirit. Our Identity, therefore, is invulnerable in the perfect Oneness that disowns the falsity and insanity of the ego's thought system of sin, attack, and death.* (1:3-5) "Whatever suffers is not part of me. What grieves is not myself. What is in pain is but illusion in my mind." *Being in pain is the result of the mind's illusion of separation and vulnerability that we project onto the body. When we identify with someone else's pain, we do the same thing and thus support another's dream of suffering as we reinforce it in ourselves. This is the <un>holy instant in which we say there must be another way of looking at this.* (1:6) "What dies was never living in reality, and did but mock the truth about myself." *The body dies, but only within the dream. Death mocks the truth of who we are as eternal spirit, not to mention mocking God. It says that what God has made now can perish, which we all believe who think that God created the physical universe.* (1:7-8) "Now I disown self-concepts and deceits and lies about the holy Son of God. Now am I ready to accept him back as God created him, and as he is." *This occurs simply by my asking Jesus for help. I step with him outside the dream and look back on its figures, no longer perceived as living bodies. A Course in Miracles is difficult to practice only because we are so identified with our physical selves. Yet, the Course gently leads us step by step as we grow into acceptance of its truth: we remain as God created us.* (2) "Father, my ancient love for You returns, and lets me love Your Son again as well. Father, I am as You created me. Now is Your Love remembered, and my wn. Now do I understand that they are one." *When I am in the real world outside the dream, God's Love dawns on my mind and I understand His Love and mine are the same. In special love, with which we almost always identify, love is seen as distinct and different. Happily now, we recognize the falsity of this belief.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religiou

Lesson 247. Without forgiveness I will still be blind. Sin is the symbol of attack. Behold it anywhere, and I will suffer. For forgiveness is the only means whereby Christ's vision comes to me. Let me accept what His sight shows me as the simple truth, and I am healed completely. Brother, come and let me look on you. Your loveliness reflects my own. Your sinlessness is mine. You stand forgiven, and I stand with you. So would I look on everyone today. My brothers are Your Sons. Your Fatherhood created them, and gave them all to me as part of You, and my own Self as well. Today I honor You through them, and thus I hope this day to recognize my Self. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 247. "Without forgiveness I will still be blind." *As long as hatred or judgment is in my heart, I will not see. Christ's vision has been veiled and I am blind to the truth.* (1:1-2) "Sin is the symbol of attack. Behold it anywhere, and I will suffer." *Here the <I> refers to us and not to Jesus. If I see sin anywhere, I will suffer. If I attack you, I exclude only myself from the Kingdom.* (1:3-4) "For forgiveness is the only means whereby Christ's vision comes to me. Let me accept what His sight shows me as the simple truth, and I am healed completely." *I pray to myself to choose Jesus' eyes through which we see. I do not deny my sight, that you may be attacking me or others, or that your body is wasting away with a disease. Yet through forgiveness I give a different interpretation to what I have seen: " ... by your own forgiveness you are free to see. Yet what you see is only what you made, with the blessing of your forgiveness on it." (T-17.II.3:5-6). I realize your attack or sickness is a dream I have chosen, along with you. In my right mind I no longer support it, which reminds you that you can make the same choice for freedom I have. Thus are we healed together and as one.* (1:5-8) "Brother, come and let me look on you. Your loveliness reflects my own. Your sinlessness is mine. You stand forgiven, and I stand with you." *Again, this is our prayer to ourselves, that we would look on people differently. Our responsibility is to be aware of our hatred and anger, asking Jesus' help to look at them with his love. Everything will then change for us, for we will have seen our brother as ourselves.* (2) "So would I look on everyone today. My brothers are Your Sons. Your Fatherhood created them, and gave them all to me as part of You, and my own Self as well. Today I honor You through them, and thus I hope this day to recognize my Self. *Again, if I am serious about awakening from this dream of separation and returning home, I cannot harbor attack thought against anyone. If I do, I attack Christ and continue to crucify God's Son by seeing him in fragments instead of unity. This is the perfect way of keeping myself asleep in the ego's dreams of sin and specialness, and apart from my Self.* Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? Religious and educational materials promoting understanding and application of the teachings of A Course in Mira... Love and Blessings, Lyn Johnson 719-369-1822 http://www.mlynjohnson.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sweedreamz ACIM Gather for "A Course in Miracles" Students & Teachers