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Lesson 8. My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts. This idea is, of course, the reason why you see only the past. No one really sees anything. He sees only his thoughts projected outward. The mind's preoccupation with the past is the cause of the misconception about time from which your seeing suffers. Your mind cannot grasp the present, which is the only time there is. It therefore cannot understand time, and cannot, in fact, understand anything. The one wholly true thought one can hold about the past is that it is not here. To think about it at all is therefore to think about illusions. Very few have realized what is actually entailed in picturing the past or in anticipating the future. The mind is actually blank when it does this, because it is not really thinking about anything. The purpose of the exercises for today is to begin to train your mind to recognize when it is not really thinking at all. While thoughtless ideas preoccupy your mind, the truth is blocked. Recognizing that your mind has been merely blank, rather than believing that it is filled with real ideas, is the first step to opening the way to vision. The exercises for today should be done with eyes closed. This is because you actually cannot see anything, and it is easier to recognize that no matter how vividly you may picture a thought, you are not seeing anything. With as little investment as possible, search your mind for the usual minute or so, merely noting the thoughts you find there. Name each one by the central figure or theme it contains, and pass on to the next. Introduce the practice period by saying: I seem to be thinking about ___. Then name each of your thoughts specifically, for example: I seem to be thinking about [name of a person], about [name of an object], about [name of an emotion], and so on, concluding at the end of the mind-searching period with: But my mind is preoccupied with past thoughts. This can be done four or five times during the day, unless you find it irritates you. If you find it trying, three or four times is sufficient. You might find it helpful, however, to include your irritation, or any emotion that the idea for today may induce, in the mind searching 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 8. "My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts." *There is a discernible sequence to the lessons as one continues to read and practice them. Jesus begins with simple ideas and statements about the way we perceive the world. He then quickly moves to the way we perceive our thoughts and, beginning with Lesson 8, he develops much more clearly the specific cause and effect connection between our thoughts and the world. Here, for the first time in the workbook, he speaks of the world's unreality. He also introduces the idea of projection, a principle that was implied in the first seven lessons, but will be clearly identified in the lessons to follow. Jesus has been telling us up to this point that what we see is meaningless because what we see comes from what we think. And what we think (in our ego minds) is meaningless because it denies true Meaning. This has not been clearly stated in the lessons to date, although we have discussed it, but it certainly has been implied and will be more explicitly stated in the lessons to come.* (1:1) "This idea is, of course, the reason why you see only the past." *Lesson 7, "I see only the past," introduces the idea that everything we perceive is meaningless because it is based on our thoughts of the past. In Lesson 8, Jesus continues and extends his discussion of time and the past: <My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts>. It is not simply that we see only the past, which, again, was the theme of Lesson 7, but we see only the past because we <think> only the past. Jesus is here introducing the idea that what we see <outs

Lesson 7. I see only the past. This idea is particularly difficult to believe at first. Yet it is the rationale for all of the preceding ones. It is the reason why nothing that you see means anything. It is the reason why you have given everything you see all the meaning that it has for you. It is the reason why you do not understand anything you see. It is the reason why your thoughts do not mean anything, and why they are like the things you see. It is the reason why you are never upset for the reason you think. It is the reason why you are upset because you see something that is not there. Old ideas about time are very difficult to change, because everything you believe is rooted in time, and depends on your not learning these new ideas about it. Yet that is precisely why you need new ideas about time. This first time idea is not really so strange as it may sound at first. Look at a cup, for example. Do you see a cup, or are you merely reviewing your past experiences of picking up a cup, being thirsty, drinking from a cup, feeling the rim of a cup against your lips, having breakfast and so on? Are not your aesthetic reactions to the cup, too, based on past experiences? How else would you know whether or not this kind of cup will break if you drop it? What do you know about this cup except what you learned in the past? You would have no idea what this cup is, except for your past learning. Do you, then, really see it? Look about you. This is equally true of whatever you look at. Acknowledge this by applying the idea for today indiscriminately to whatever catches your eye. For example: I see only the past in this pencil. I see only the past in this shoe. I see only the past in this hand. I see only the past in that body. I see only the past in that face. Do not linger over any one thing in particular, but remember to omit nothing specifically. Glance briefly at each subject, and then move on to the next. Three or four practice periods, each to last a minute or so, will be enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 7. "I see only the past." *Lesson 7 is essentially a summary of the previous six lessons, as we see in the first paragraph where they are repeated almost verbatim. In the second paragraph we find Jesus returning to an idea he mentioned briefly in the second paragraph of Lesson 3 -- the importance of clearing our minds of past thoughts. Now, he elaborates: The reason that nothing means anything, that we have given everything the meaning it has, etc., is that we are seeing only the past. Keeping in mind the equation of sin, guilt and fear with the past, present, and future will help you understand the motivation for seeing only the past. Sin is equated with separation, which proves that I am an individual, autonomous from God. Once I believed this lie, it will automatically be projected out and take the form of the past. Thus, I see the past in everything, because I want to maintain my individual identity. Here is how Jesus says it:* (2) "Old ideas about time are very difficult to change, because everything you believe is rooted in time, and depends on your not learning these new ideas about it. Yet that is precisely why you need new ideas about time. This first time idea is not really so strange as it may sound at first." *Whenever we are upset it is because we are equating something that just happened with something from the past. I see a particular person and I know what I am supposed to do: This is an authority, and so my hate is justified; this is my rival, and so I have to hate this person; this one is a certain color, which I hate. Hate is always based on the past. Most of the time, though, it is more subtle than these examples, which is why we need practice to recognize and accept this "first time idea." In sum, then, the purpose of seeing

Lesson 6. I am upset because I see something that is not there. The exercises with this idea are very similar to the preceding ones. Again, it is necessary to name both the form of upset (anger, fear, worry, depression and so on) and the perceived source very specifically for any application of the idea. For example: I am angry at ___ because I see something that is not there. I am worried about ___ because I see something that is not there. Today's idea is useful for application to anything that seems to upset you, and can profitably be used throughout the day for that purpose. However, the three or four practice periods which are required should be preceded by a minute or so of mind searching, as before, and the application of the idea to each upsetting thought uncovered in the search. Again, if you resist applying the idea to some upsetting thoughts more than to others, remind yourself of the two cautions stated in the previous lesson: There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind. And: I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go. For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is 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: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 6. "I am upset because I see something that is not there." *This lesson is a bombshell. What is so intriguing about these first lessons is that Jesus does not become involved with weighty metaphysics. Yet that is exactly what grounds the idea that "I am upset because I see something that is not there." What is upsetting me is <within> me, not outside. <There is nothing outside of me>. What I think I see is merely a projection of a thought in my mind, and this thought -- of separation from God -- is not there either! My perceptions are of illusions, the projections of thoughts that are themselves illusions. What else can an illusion breed but further illusions? The first paragraph, as it itself states, is already familiar in its emphasis on specificity. Paragraph 2 should also be familiar: * (2) "Today's idea is useful for application to anything that seems to upset you, and can profitably be used throughout the day for that purpose. However, the three or four practice periods which are required should be preceded by a minute or so of mind searching, as before, and the application of the idea to each upsetting thought uncovered in the search." *Mind searching is the focal point of Jesus' message and the means of applying his teachings to our daily experiences. He then returns to two ideas mentioned in Lesson 5:* (3) "Again, if you resist applying the idea to some upsetting thoughts more than to others, remind yourself of the two cautions stated in the previous lesson:" There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind. And: I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go. For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same." *It would be difficult to over-emphasize the importance of this idea of the inherent <sameness> of all things -- both large and small upsets (as well as large and small pleasures). It occupies a central place in Jesus' teaching, as it is the means of our learning to tell the difference between illusion and truth or, in Plato's words, appearance and reality.* 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 5. I am never upset for the reason I think. This idea, like the preceding one, can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain. Apply it specifically to whatever you believe is the cause of your upset, using the description of the feeling in whatever term seems accurate to you. The upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different. This is not true. However, until you learn that form does not matter, each form becomes a proper subject for the exercises for the day. Applying the same idea to each of them separately is the first step in ultimately recognizing they are all the same. When using the idea for today for a specific perceived cause of an upset in any form, use both the name of the form in which you see the upset, and the cause which you ascribe to it. For example: I am not angry at ___ for the reason I think. I am not afraid of ___ for the reason I think. But again, this should not be substituted for practice periods in which you first search your mind for "sources" of upset in which you believe, and forms of upset which you think result. In these exercises, more than in the preceding ones, you may find it hard to be indiscriminate, and to avoid giving greater weight to some subjects than to others. It might help to precede the exercises with the statement: There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind. Then examine your mind for whatever is distressing you, regardless of how much or how little you think it is doing so. You may also find yourself less willing to apply today's idea to some perceived sources of upset than to others. If this occurs, think first of this: I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go. For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same. Then search your mind for no more than a minute or so, and try to identify a number of different forms of upset that are disturbing you, regardless of the relative importance you may give them. Apply the idea for today to each of them, using the name of both the source of the upset as you perceive it, and of the feeling as you experience it. Further examples are: I am not worried about ___ for the reason I think. I am not depressed about ___ for the reason I think. Three or four times during the day is enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is 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: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 5. "I am never upset for the reason I think." *This is one of the lessons I frequently quote, for it goes to the heart of our practice. We obviously think we are upset because of what is going on the world and how it impinges on us. But the <only> reason we are upset, which is not explicitly taught here, although implied, is that we chose the ego as our teacher instead of Jesus.* (1) "This idea, like the preceding one, can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain. Apply it specifically to whatever you believe is the cause of your upset, using the description of the feeling in whatever term seems accurate to you. The upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different. This is not true. However, until you learn that form does not matter, each form becomes a proper subject for the exercises for the day. Applying the same idea to each of them separately is the first step in ultimately recognizing they are all the same." *Expressed here, again, is the paradox that we are to keep practicing with specifics so that we learn that everything is the same and non-specific. Indeed, this is the central theme of the process given us in A Course in Miracles that will eventually awaken us from the dream. By practicing

Lesson 4. These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place]. Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. Then apply the idea to them. If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are "bad." You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called "good" or "bad." This is why they do not mean anything. In selecting the subjects for the application of today's idea, the usual specificity is required. Do not be afraid to use "good" thoughts as well as "bad." None of them represents your real thoughts, which are being covered up by them. The "good" ones are but shadows of what lies beyond, and shadows make sight difficult. The "bad" ones are blocks to sight, and make seeing impossible. You do not want either. This is a major exercise, and will be repeated from time to time in somewhat different form. The aim here is to train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful. It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you, and the meaningful within. It is also the beginning of training your mind to recognize what is the same and what is different. In using your thoughts for application of the idea for today, identify each thought by the central figure or event it contains; for example: This thought about ___ does not mean anything. It is like the things I see in this room [on this street, and so on]. You can also use the idea for a particular thought that you recognize as harmful. This practice is useful, but is not a substitute for the more random procedures to be followed for the exercises. Do not, however, examine your mind for more than a minute or so. You are too inexperienced as yet to avoid a tendency to become pointlessly preoccupied. Further, since these exercises are the first of their kind, you may find the suspension of judgment in connection with thoughts particularly difficult. Do not repeat these exercises more than three or four times during the day. We will return to them later. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, is 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 4. "These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place]." *Jesus is helping us realize it is not what we see that has no meaning, but our <thoughts> about what we see have no meaning as well. In later lessons he explains that our thoughts are no different from what we perceive. The inner and the outer are one and the same.* (1) "Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. Then apply the idea to them. If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are "bad." You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called "good" or "bad." This is why they do not mean anything." *Both our perceptions and thinking are variable. What is variable is not unchanging, by definition, and if it is not unchanging, it cannot be of God. This statement reflects one of the core premises on which the logic of A Course in Miracles rests. Anything of God <must> share in His attributes. If it does not, it cannot be of Him and so must be unreal or illusory. Thus, if there

Lesson 3. I do not understand anything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place]. Apply this idea in the same way as the previous ones, without making distinctions of any kind. Whatever you see becomes a proper subject for applying the idea. Be sure that you do not question the suitability of anything for application of the idea. These are not exercises in judgment. Anything is suitable if you see it. Some of the things you see may have emotionally charged meaning for you. Try to lay such feelings aside, and merely use these things exactly as you would anything else. The point of the exercises is to help you clear your mind of all past associations, to see things exactly as they appear to you now, and to realize how little you really understand about them. It is therefore essential that you keep a perfectly open mind, unhampered by judgment, in selecting the things to which the idea for the day is to be applied. For this purpose one thing is like another; equally suitable and therefore equally useful. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 3. "I do not understand anything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place]." *Nothing in this room means anything because I have given it all the meaning it has. Therefore, since I have given it its meaning, how could I, a self separated <from> meaning, possibly understand it? I can understand it from my ego's point of view because it serves the purpose of making the world and my experience of it real. But I cannot truly understand it, because the purpose of the world, as I discussed in the Prelude to these volumes, is to prevent me from understanding. <True> understanding would have me realize the purpose I have given to everything and everyone in my life. Again, these early lessons have as one of their important goals to humble us, so that we realize we do not understand anything. This is what underlies Jesus' important (if not outrageous!) statement in the text: "You are still convinced that your understanding is a powerful contribution to the truth, and makes it what it is" (T-18.IV.!7:5). ... This lesson begins with the emphasis on indiscriminateness we have already seen.* (1:1) "Apply this idea in the same way as the previous ones, without making distinctions of any kind." *This means I do not understand anything. I think I understand what the pen or cup is for, yet do not understand that their <ultimate> purpose is to keep me rooted in the illusion and out of Heaven. My ego would tell me the pen is for writing, the cup for drinking, and clothes for covering the body, but I do not understand the ego's underlying purpose for these and all other aspects of the material world.* (1:2-5) "Whatever you see becomes a proper subject for applying the idea. Be sure that you do not question the suitability of anything for application of the idea. These are not exercises in judgment. Anything is suitable if you see it." *Unconsciously, we certainly do question the suitability of some things. Again, no one believes that their arm is less important than an apple or a button. We believe there is an extremely important difference between them. "Anything is suitable if you see it," because if I see it, it cannot be real. That is because we "see" with our eyes, and our eyes, as indeed all our sensory organs, were specifically made not to see. In other words, they were made by the ego to look <outside> the mind, while true vision is only <within> the mind. It is that fundamental unreality that unites everything in this world.* (1:6-7) "Some of the things you see may have emotionally charged meaning for you. Try to lay such feelings aside, and merely use these things exactly as you would anything else." *What is helpful about these lessons -- if you pay careful attention to them -- is

Lesson 2. I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me. The exercises with this idea are the same as those for the first one. Begin with the things that are near you, and apply the idea to whatever your glance rests on. Then increase the range outward. Turn your head so that you include whatever is on either side. If possible, turn around and apply the idea to what was behind you. Remain as indiscriminate as possible in selecting subjects for its application, do not concentrate on anything in particular, and do not attempt to include everything you see in a given area, or you will introduce strain. Merely glance easily and fairly quickly around you, trying to avoid selection by size, brightness, color, material, or relative importance to you. Take the subjects simply as you see them. Try to apply the exercise with equal ease to a body or a button, a fly or a floor, an arm or an apple. The sole criterion for applying the idea to anything is merely that your eyes have lighted on it. Make no attempt to include anything particular, but be sure that nothing is specifically excluded. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 2. "I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me." *The first lesson -- that nothing means anything -- is now extended. The reason nothing means anything is that you have given meaning to everything, obscuring, as we shall see presently, its <true> meaning of forgiveness. You know you have done so because you think your hand is more important than a pen. Since this clearly cannot be the way the Holy Spirit thinks, it can only have come from the way <you> think. God has not given everything you see around you its meaning, nor has Jesus. <You> have. People will say they value something because their parents valued it, and because they were brought up in a certain culture, religion, socio-economic stratum, etc. But that is not an honest statement. If they truly thought about it they would realize they have not adopted <all> of their parents' values, nor the values of their social system, and so on. They have adopted only those values that resonate with what they <want> their values to be. Even though it is not mentioned here, Jesus is asking for complete honesty with him; to accept that nothing in this room or world means anything because I am the one who has given the world meaning, and I -- my ego -- could never understand <true> meaning: forgiveness.* (1) "The exercises with this idea are the same as those for the first one. Begin with the things that are near you, and apply the idea to whatever your glance rests on. Then increase the range outward. Turn your head so that you include whatever is on either side. If possible, turn around and apply the idea to what was behind you. Remain as indiscriminate as possible in selecting subjects for its application, do not concentrate on anything in particular, and do not attempt to include everything you see in a given area, or you will introduce strain." *Jesus is telling us not to discriminate by saying that one thing is important and another is not, or that this thing does not mean anything, but that one does. He is telling us to be indiscriminate in our practicing. Attempting to include everything will lead to strain, he tells us, and then a ritual will soon develop as well. Rituals involve strain because there is always a sense of <having> to do something. I <have> to say the prayer a certain way. I <have> to go to church or synagogue every day or every week, or whatever. If it is a ritual, then it is something that has to be done the same way all the time because that is what God wants, or the Bible says, or my religious teachers insist o

Lesson 1. Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything. Now look slowly around you, and practice applying this idea very specifically to whatever you see: This table does not mean anything. This chair does not mean anything. This hand does not mean anything. This foot does not mean anything. This pen does not mean anything. Then look farther away from your immediate area, and apply the idea to a wider range: That door does not mean anything. That body does not mean anything. That lamp does not mean anything. That sign does not mean anything. That shadow does not mean anything. Notice that these statements are not arranged in any order, and make no allowance for differences in the kinds of things to which they are applied. That is the purpose of the exercise. The statement should merely be applied to anything you see. As you practice the idea for the day, use it totally indiscriminately. Do not attempt to apply it to everything you see, for these exercises should not become ritualistic. Only be sure that nothing you see is specifically excluded. One thing is like another as far as the application of the idea is concerned. Each of the first three lessons should not be done more than twice a day each, preferably morning and evening. Nor should they be attempted for more than a minute or so, unless that entails a sense of hurry. A comfortable sense of leisure is essential. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything." *This idea is to look around -- without judgment -- at these very prosaic objects in our world: a table, chair, hand, foot, pen, door, body, lamp, sign, shadow. Notice how Jesus sneaks the body in; the point is to realize that you normally would think that your hand is more important than a pen, or your body is more important than a lamp. There isn't anyone who does not believe that. Therefore, you need realize how you are coming to A Course in Miracles with a set of premises that you are not even aware of, a hierarchy of values that you hold about the world. That is why Jesus instructs us 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. No belief is neutral. Every one has the power to dictate each decision that you make. For a decision is a conclusion based on everything you believe. It is the outcome of belief, and follows it as surely as does suffering follow guilt and freedom sinlessness." (T.24.in.2:1-6) This very first lesson, which seems so simple, if not simple-minded if you do not really understand it, contains the complete thought system of A Course in Miracles. There is no difference among any of the things in this world. They are all equally the same because they are part of the illusion, reflecting the same thought system of separation, which itself is unreal. As you know from your study of the text, the first law of chaos, the foundation of the thought system of the ego and the world, is that there is a hierarchy of illusions (T-23.II.2:3). If I believe that my body or hand is more important than a lamp, I am clearly saying there is a hierarchy of illusions. Again, it would be hard, if possible at all, to find someone in this world who does not share the belief in that hierarchy, or who even thinks about that as an issue. Thus, if you give some serious thought to this, it will become clear to you that your whole life is based on a lie -- the first law of chaos that says there is a hierarchy of illusions. ... Skip to paragraph 3:* (3.1-2) "Notice that these statements are not arranged in any order, and make no allowance for differences in the kinds of things to which they are applied. That

Workbook for StudentsIntroduction 1. A theoretical foundation such as the text provides is necessary as a framework to make the exercises in this workbook meaningful. ?Yet it is doing the exercises that will make the goal of the course possible. ?An untrained mind can accomplish nothing. ?It is the purpose of this workbook to train your mind to think along the lines the text sets forth. 2. The exercises are very simple. ?They do not require a great deal of time, and it does not matter where you do them. ?They need no preparation. ?The training period is one year. ?The exercises are numbered from 1 to 365. ?Do not undertake to do more than one set of exercises a day. 3. The workbook is divided into two main sections, the first dealing with the undoing of the way you see now, and the second with the acquisition of true perception. ?With the exception of the review periods, each day’s exercises are planned around one central idea, which is stated first. ?This is followed by a description of the specific procedures by which the idea for the day is to be applied. 4. The purpose of the workbook is to train your mind in a systematic way to a different perception of everyone and everything in the world. ?The exercises are planned to help you generalize the lessons, so that you will understand that each of them is equally applicable to everyone and everything you see. 5. Transfer of training in true perception does not proceed as does transfer of the training of the world. ?If true perception has been achieved in connection with any person, situation or event, total transfer to everyone and everything is certain. ?On the other hand, one exception held apart from true perception makes its accomplishments anywhere impossible. 6. The only general rules to be observed throughout, then, are: First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated. ?This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everyone and everything in it. ?Second, be sure that you do not decide for yourself that there are some people, situations or things to which the ideas are inapplicable. ?This will interfere with transfer of training. ?The very nature of true perception is that it has no limits. ?It is the opposite of the way you see now. 7. The overall aim of the exercises is to increase your ability to extend the ideas you will be practicing to include everything. ?This will require no effort on your part. ?The exercises themselves meet the conditions necessary for this kind of transfer. 8. Some of the ideas the workbook presents you will find hard to believe, and others may seem to be quite startling. ?This does not matter. ?You are merely asked to apply the ideas as you are directed to do. ?You are not asked to judge them at all. ?You are asked only to use them. ?It is their use that will give them meaning to you, and will show you that they are true. 9. Remember only this; you need not believe the ideas, you need not accept them, and you need not even welcome them. ?Some of them you may actively resist. ?None of this will matter, or decrease their efficacy. ?But do not allow yourself to make exceptions in applying the ideas the workbook contains, and whatever your reactions to the ideas may be, use them. ?Nothing more than that is required.(ACIM, W-in.1:1–9:5) 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

For those interested in going over the lessons and Ken's commentaries again starting in the New Year, this is his opening "Preface" to his book set entitled "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and will be followed in the next couple of days with his "Prelude" to the actual Introduction and then the lessons themselves, to be started on January 1. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Preface" by Kenneth Wapnick. *My purpose in this book -- as it was in the classes that inspired it -- is to help students of A Course in Miracles better understand the meaning of the lessons and their place in the overall curriculum of the Course. Most of all, the purpose is to help students see the importance of applying the daily lessons to their everyday lives. Without such application, the words in A Course in Miracles is wasted, and they become simply a sterile system of intellectual teachings. Indeed, the stated purpose of the workbook is to help students apply the teachings of the text's theoretical framework: "A theoretical foundation such as the text provides is necessary as a framework to make the exercises in this workbook meaningful. Yet it is doing the exercises that will make the goal of the course possible. An untrained mind can accomplish nothing. It is the purpose of this workbook to train your mind to think along the lines the text sets forth." (W-in.1). As any teacher knows, students learn by constant practice and repetition. While our memories may not extend that far back, that was how we all learned to read, write, and do arithmetic. Similarly, anyone who has learned to play a musical instrument remembers the daily practice and repetition of scales and exercises. So, too, with the text's principles of forgiveness. These must be practiced day in and day out, moment by moment if necessary. Jesus reminds us in the text that every encounter is holy one (T-8.III.4:1), because each experience, regardless of its magnitude, provides an opportunity for the reversal of projection that allows us to examine the contents of our unconscious minds. Without such awareness we can never truly choose again, the Course's ultimate goal. Moreover, when we learned our basic skills in elementary school, we did not learn each and every possible combination of words and numbers, but only the principles in specific examples, which we then generalized to all instances. Thus does our new Teacher -- Jesus or the Holy Spirit -- instruct us to forgive certain of our special relationships, helping us then to generalize the principle to all relationships: "The purpose of the workbook is to train your mind in a systematic way to a different perception of everyone and everything in the world. The exercises are planned to help you generalize the lessons, so that you will understand that each of them is equally applicable to everyone and everything you see." (W-in.4). In case we missed it the first time, Jesus repeats his point two paragraphs later: "The only general rules to be observed throughout, then, are: First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated. This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everyone and everything in it ... The overall aim of the exercises is to increase your ability to extend the ideas you will be practicing to include everything." (W-in.6:1-2;7:1). We shall return to this essential point when we begin our journey through the workbook. These volumes can be read in at least three ways: 1) straight through, as one would do with the text of A Course in Miracles; 2) different lessons at different times; or 3) one lesson at a time, as a companion to each lesson. I would urge students, however, if they are doing the workbook for the first time, to read the lessons as they are, without my commentary. In other words, as will all my other work on A Course in Miracles, this eight-volume book is meant to supplement a student's experience of the workbook, not to substitute for the workbook as it was given to us. A word now about the use of languag

Epilogue 1. This course is a beginning, not an end. ?Your Friend goes with you. ?You are not alone. ?No one who calls on Him can call in vain. ?Whatever troubles you, be certain that He has the answer, and will gladly give it to you, if you simply turn to Him and ask it of Him. ?He will not withhold all answers that you need for anything that seems to trouble you. ?He knows the way to solve all problems, and resolve all doubts. ?His certainty is yours. ?You need but ask it of Him, and it will be given you. 2. You are as certain of arriving home as is the pathway of the sun laid down before it rises, after it has set, and in the half-lit hours in between. ?Indeed, your pathway is more certain still. ?For it can not be possible to change the course of those whom God has called to Him. ?Therefore obey your will, and follow Him Whom you accepted as your voice, to speak of what you really want and really need. ?His is the Voice for God and also yours. ?And thus He speaks of freedom and of truth. 3. No more specific lessons are assigned, for there is no more need of them. ?Henceforth, hear but the Voice for God and for your Self when you retire from the world, to seek reality instead. ?He will direct your efforts, telling you exactly what to do, how to direct your mind, and when to come to Him in silence, asking for His sure direction and His certain Word. ?His is the Word that God has given you. ?His is the Word you chose to be your own. 4. And now I place you in His hands, to be His faithful follower, with Him as Guide through every difficulty and all pain that you may think is real. ?Nor will He give you pleasures that will pass away, for He gives only the eternal and the good. ?Let Him prepare you further. ?He has earned your trust by speaking daily to you of your Father and your brother and your Self. ?He will continue. ?Now you walk with Him, as certain as is He of where you go; as sure as He of how you should proceed; as confident as He is of the goal, and of your safe arrival in the end. 5. The end is certain, and the means as well. ?To this we say “Amen.” ?You will be told exactly what God wills for you each time there is a choice to make. ?And He will speak for God and for your Self, thus making sure that hell will claim you not, and that each choice you make brings Heaven nearer to your reach. ?And so we walk with Him from this time on, and turn to Him for guidance and for peace and sure direction. ?Joy attends our way. ?For we go homeward to an open door which God has held unclosed to welcome us. 6. We trust our ways to Him and say “Amen.” ?In peace we will continue in His way, and trust all things to Him. ?In confidence we wait His answers, as we ask His Will in everything we do. ?He loves God’s Son as we would love him. ?And He teaches us how to behold him through His eyes, and love him as He does. ?You do not walk alone. ?God’s angels hover near and all about. ?His Love surrounds you, and of this be sure; that I will never leave you comfortless.(ACIM, W-ep.1:1–6:8) 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

Lessons 361 to 365 This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace. And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on these lessons are by Kenneth Wapnick, from his books: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles." Book set may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lessons 361 to 365 "This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace." *Again, Lessons 361 to 365 are one, and focus on the Holy Spirit. They reflect our having achieved the workbook's goal, which was to learn we have a split mind: we were mistaken in choosing the ego, and we correct that mistake by choosing the Holy Spirit. Indeed, this is how the lesson begins. In the Introduction to the sixth review, Jesus told us he is placing us in the Holy Spirit's charge. Now <we> place ourselves in the Holy Spirit's charge. The clear implication is that we have learned Jesus' lesson and realized our mistake, knowing there is a principle of correction in our minds to which we can go, and which will bring us peace. We therefore undo the original error when we chose against the Holy Spirit and in that original unholy instant asked the ego to be in charge. The world, then, is nothing but a projection of that original unholy instant. Now we happily change our minds, glad to have been wrong and grateful to be living in the Holy Spirit's holy instant of forgiveness.* (1:1-4) "And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request." *"He is in charge by my request" -- this is most important. It is not that Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to us; we actively choose Him. To make that choice is thus our goal throughout the day.* (1:5) "And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son." *We will see this same thought expressed in the Epilogue. As long as we believe we are bodies living in the world, we will experience the abstract presence of the Holy Spirit's Love as meeting us where we believe we are. We will think He is helping us in all the specific ways in which we experience our need, as we read in the clarification of terms: "The Holy Spirit abides in the part of your mind that is part of the Christ Mind. He represents your Self and your Creator, Who are one. He speaks for God and also for you, being joined with both. And therefore it is He Who proves them one. He seems to be a Voice, for in that form He speaks God's Word to you. He seems to be a Guide through a far country, for you need that form of help. He seems to be whatever meets the needs you think you have. But He is not deceived when you perceive your self entrapped in needs you do not have. It is from these He would deliver you. It is from these that He would make you safe." (C-6.4). However, as we continue our journey home, after completing the journey through the workbook, we realize that help is not specific at all, for the only reality is the abstract Love of God. It is to this Love we make our certain way with our Guide, Teacher, and Comforter, Whose Love leads us to the peace of God and everlasting life.* Lessons 361 to 365 This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace. And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my requ

Final Lessons. Introduction: Our final lessons will be left as free of words as possible. We use them but at the beginning of our practicing, and only to remind us that we seek to go beyond them. Let us turn to Him Who leads the way and makes our footsteps sure. To Him we leave these lessons, as to Him we give our lives henceforth. For we would not return again to the belief in sin that made the world seem ugly and unsafe, attacking and destroying, dangerous in all its ways, and treacherous beyond the hope of trust and the escape from pain. His is the only way to find the peace that God has given us. It is His way that everyone must travel in the end, because it is this ending God Himself appointed. In the dream of time it seems to be far off. And yet, in truth, it is already here; already serving us as gracious guidance in the way to go. Let us together follow in the way that truth points out to us. And let us be the leaders of our many brothers who are seeking for the way, but find it not. And to this purpose let us dedicate our minds, directing all our thoughts to serve the function of salvation. Unto us the aim is given to forgive the world. It is the goal that God has given us. It is His ending to the dream we seek, and not our own. For all that we forgive we will not fail to recognize as part of God Himself. And thus His memory is given back, completely and complete. It is our function to remember Him on earth, as it is given us to be His Own completion in reality. So let us not forget our goal is shared, for it is that remembrance which contains the memory of God, and points the way to Him and to the Heaven of His peace. And shall we not forgive our brother, who can offer this to us? He is the way, the truth and life that shows the way to us. In him resides salvation, offered us through our forgiveness, given unto him. We will not end this year without the gift our Father promised to His holy Son. We are forgiven now. And we are saved from all the wrath we thought belonged to God, and found it was a dream. We are restored to sanity, in which we understand that anger is insane, attack is mad, and vengeance merely foolish fantasy. We have been saved from wrath because we learned we were mistaken. Nothing more than that. And is a father angry at his son because he failed to understand the truth? We come in honesty to God and say we did not understand, and ask Him to help us to learn His lessons, through the Voice of His Own Teacher. Would He hurt His Son? Or would He rush to answer him, and say, "This is My Son, and all I have is his"? Be certain He will answer thus, for these are His Own words to you. And more than that can no one ever have, for in these words is all there is, and all that there will be throughout all time and in eternity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This 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: Foundation for "A Course in Miracles"? ~ M. Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Final Lessons. Introduction: *We come now to the Final Lessons. Lesson 361 to 335 are combined in one, the theme of which, appropriately, is the Holy Spirit. He is also the theme of this lovely introduction. At the workbook's conclusion, Jesus leaves us in the Holy Spirit's charge to continue the journey, as he has throughout. In addition, embedded in this final theme is the reminder that our purpose in the world is forgiveness, through which the memory of God returns to our minds.* (1:1-2) "Our final lessons will be left as free of words as possible. We use them but at the beginning of our practicing, and only to remind us that we seek to go beyond them." *Jesus is continually reminding us of our purpose, which is reflected here in not making words into reality. Thus the words of A Course in Miracles are not sacred, but their source -- the love that inspired them -- most certainly is. That love is in all of us, and so we need to be reminded again and again as we go through our day that our purpose is

Lesson 360 Peace be to me, the holy Son of God. Peace to my brother, who is one with me. Let all the world be blessed with peace through us. Father, it is Your peace that I would give, receiving it of You. I am Your Son, forever just as You created me, for the Great Rays remain forever still and undisturbed within me. I would reach to them in silence and in certainty, for nowhere else can certainty be found. Peace be to me, and peace to all the world. In holiness were we created, and in holiness do we remain. Your Son is like to You in perfect sinlessness. And with this thought we gladly say "Amen." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his books: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles." Book set may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 360 "Peace be to me, the holy Son of God. Peace to my brother, who is one with me. Let all the world be blessed with peace through us." *This lesson is a lovely rendering of the oneness of God's Son.* (1:1) "Father, it is Your peace that I would give, receiving it of You." *If I am enamored of my personal self -- the self that is founded on conflict -- I will continually try to attack peace and withhold it from myself and everyone else. Yet when the pain becomes too great, we gladly choose the Atonement that alone washes away all pain and restores God's peace to our grateful awareness.* (1:2) "I am Your Son, forever just as You created me, for the Great Rays remain forever still and undisturbed within me." *This is the only place in the workbook where Jesus uses the phrase <Great Rays>. These are nothing visual or perceptual, nor are they associated in any way with the rays of light of which other metaphysical systems speak. As used in A Course in Miracles, the term is a symbol for the Light of Christ that is our true Self. God, then, would be the "Sun" -- the Source -- and we the emanations or extensions -- the Rays -- of that Light. In the text, Jesus speaks of the little spark of the Great Ray that exists in all of us -- the memory of that great Light, held for us in our right minds by the Holy Spirit, and found fully present in all the seeming fragments of the Sonship: "In many only the spark remains, for the Great Rays are obscured. Yet God has kept the spark alive so that the Rays can never be completely forgotten. If you but see the little spark you will learn of the greater light, for the Rays are there unseen.... But the spark is still as pure as the great light, because it is the remaining call of creation. Put all your faith in it, and God Himself will answer you." (T.10.IV.8.1-3,6-7)* (1:3) "I would reach to them in silence and in certainty, for nowhere else can certainty be found." *I reach for the spark of that Great Ray in everyone, in recognition of our inherent oneness as God's Son. Jesus encourages us to ask for help to perceive the Light of Christ -- instead of the darkness of the ego -- shining in everyone. By "hearing" the ego's silence in our brothers, we hear the Holy Spirit's Voice answering our prayers for peace with His certainty -- the reality of God's one Son, in whom we put our faith: "If you would know your prayers are answered, never doubt a Son of God. Do not question him and do not confound him, for your faith in him is your faith in yourself." (T-9.II.4:1-2)* (1:4-7) "Peace be to me, and peace to all the world. In holiness were we created, and in holiness do we remain. Your Son is like to You in perfect sinlessness. And with this thought we gladly say "Amen." *Again, we are all one, and if I wish to remember my Oneness as Christ, I cannot exclude any of God's Sons from the vision of holiness -- nor would I want to, knowing its tremendous cost to me of losing my Self.* 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 359 God's answer is some form of peace. All pain Is healed; all misery replaced with joy. All prison doors are opened. And all sin Is understood as merely a mistake. Father, today we will forgive Your world, and let creation be Your Own. We have misunderstood all things. But we have not made sinners of the holy Sons of God. What You created sinless so abides forever and forever. Such are we. And we rejoice to learn that we have made mistakes which have no real effects on us. Sin is impossible, and on this fact forgiveness rests upon a certain base more solid than the shadow world we see. Help us forgive, for we would be redeemed. Help us forgive, for we would be at peace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson by Ken Wapnick, from his books: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles." Book set may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 359. "God's answer is some form of peace. All pain Is healed; all misery replaced with joy. All prison doors are opened. And all sin Is understood as merely a mistake." *This is the happy result when we realize we are the ones who were mistaken all along, and the Holy Spirit was right.* (1:1) "Father, today we will forgive Your world, and let creation be Your Own." *God's world, as we have seen, is the real world. We forgive it in the sense that we now accept it as what we want, with no further desire to attack it, which we were compelled to do in self-defense when we chose to retain our identity as an individual self, seemingly at home in the ego's world of specialness and death.* (1:2-3) "We have misunderstood all things. But we have not made sinners of the holy Sons of God." *In the insanity of the separation, we believed in the reality of our existence. Yet this belief did not give us the power to make the Son of God a sinner. <Ideas leave not their source>, and the truth is that we are a sinless Idea in the sinless Mind of God, our Source. "The Son of God can be mistaken; he can deceive himself; he can even turn the power of his mind against himself. But he <cannot> sin. There is nothing he can do that would really change his reality in any way, nor make him really guilty." (T-19.II.3:1-3) * (1:4-6) "What You created sinless so abides forever and forever. Such are we. And we rejoice to learn that we have made mistakes which have no real effects on us." *We again see our joyous gratitude in being wrong, seeing that our delusional mistakes of betraying love -- rejecting, attacking, and destroying it -- accomplished nothing. God loves us; Jesus loves us; nothing has changed, for Christ in us remains sinless forever, with our mad dreams of sin having no effects upon reality. See these two statements from the text: "Son of God, you have not sinned, but you have been much mistaken." (T-10.V.6:1) "Acknowledge but that you have been mistaken, and all effects of your mistakes will disappear." (T-21.II.2:7)* (1:7-9) "Sin is impossible, and on this fact forgiveness rests upon a certain base more solid than the shadow world we see. Help us forgive, for we would be redeemed. Help us forgive, for we would be at peace." *Forgiveness allows us to recognize the impossibility of sin. It rests on a solid base -- the reflection of God's Love in our right minds -- while our perceptions of bodily sin, attack, and pain rest on no base at all. They are all illusory, their purpose being to defend against the mind's illusion of sin and separation. Yet illusions bring us no peace, and so we happily choose the Holy Spirit's forgiveness, the doorway to the real world of light, peace, and joy -- our home away from home.* 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 358. No call to God can be unheard nor left Unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want. You Who remember what I really am alone remember what I really want. You speak for God, and so You speak for me. And what You give me comes from God Himself. Your Voice, my Father, then is mine as well, and all I want is what You offer me, in just the form You choose that it be mine. Let me remember all I do not know, and let my voice be still, remembering. But let me not forget Your Love and care, keeping Your promise to Your Son in my awareness always. Let me not forget myself is nothing, but my Self is all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 358. "No call to God can be unheard nor left Unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want." *This lesson presumes we have realized our mistaken choice and acknowledged there must be another way. We thus know our call to God will be answered, because the answer is already within us -- and now we choose it. Interestingly, the beginning of the prayer is addressed to the Holy Spirit -- another indication that Jesus is not rigid about form.* (1:1-3) "You Who remember what I really am alone remember what I really want. You speak for God, and so You speak for me. And what You give me comes from God Himself." *Here we address the Holy Spirit, Who speaks for God; His Voice we choose instead of the ego's. In the next sentence, God returns as the object of our prayer:* (1:4) "Your Voice, my Father, then is mine as well, and all I want is what You offer me, in just the form You choose that it be mine." *Strictly speaking, we are the ones who choose the form. The ego speaks first and writes its script of special relationships, which become the form in which we practice the special function that is God's gift to us -- forgiveness of our insane projections onto Him: "Your special function is the special form in which the fact that God is not insane appears most sensible and meaningful to you. The content is the same. The form is suited to your special needs, and to the special time and place in which you think you find yourself, and where you can be free of place and time, and all that you believe must limit you." (T-25.VII.7:1-3)* (1:5) "Let me remember all I do not know, and let my voice be still, remembering." *Once again we hear an echo of Psalm 46: "Be still and know that I am God." Thus our prayer to ourselves to let the ego's voice be quiet. If we still its discordant sounds, we will remember the love we denied because we were afraid of its truth.* (1:6) "But let me not forget Your Love and care, keeping Your promise to Your Son in my awareness always." *Thus I want to forget what my ego taught me, and choose to remember only what the Holy Spirit has held out to me as the truth. Above all: * (1:7) "Let me not forget myself is nothing, but my Self is all." *This wonderful line strikes terror in our hearts, for it tells us that we, who think of ourselves as important and meaningful, are truly nothing. We actually think, for example, that Jesus gave this course to us as individuals, each of us with a name and personal identity. He has been teaching us, however, that we must ultimately realize this separated self is an illusion. At present, our bodily selves are the classrooms in which we learn the holy lesson that teaches us their nothingness, but that our true Self as Christ is everything -- the realization of which is the ultimate goal and purpose of our learning.* 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 357. Truth answers every call we make to God, Responding first with miracles, and then Returning unto us to be itself. Forgiveness, truth's reflection, tells me how to offer miracles, and thus escape the prison house in which I think I live. Your holy Son is pointed out to me, first in my brother; then in me. Your Voice instructs me patiently to hear Your Word, and give as I receive. And as I look upon Your Son today, I hear Your Voice instructing me to find the way to You, as You appointed that the way shall be: "Behold his sinlessness, and be you healed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 357. "Truth answers every call we make to God, Responding first with miracles, and then Returning unto us to be itself." *To state this important point again, miracles are the correction. Therefore, the first response to our call for help is some recognition of the need to undo our misperceptions, for it is only when we have exposed these to the Holy Spirit that the ego can be undone. In that way our minds are freed to remember our Identity as Christ.* (1:1) "Forgiveness, truth's reflection, tells me how to offer miracles, and thus escape the prison house in which I think I live." *We offer miracles by accessing the correction in our minds, reminding us of the mind's innate power to choose. Therefore, since minds are joined -- in the holy instant in which we have chosen to forgive -- we remind our brothers that they have the same power as we to choose right-mindedly.* (1:2) "Your holy Son is pointed out to me, first in my brother; then in me." *That is why this is a course in miracles, which means it is a course in shifting how we perceive. Jesus directs his teaching to the conditions with which we identify -- our special relationships. I first learn to perceive you differently, because I believe you are really there; and not only are you there, but you are there to victimize, hurt, and persecute me. Therefore, by asking Jesus' help to shift my perception of you, I learn that what I am seeing in you is a projection of what I see in me. Realizing that you are part of God's one Son, I realize that I am, too.* (1:3-4) "Your Voice instructs me patiently to hear Your Word, and give as I receive. And as I look upon Your Son today, I hear Your Voice instructing me to find the way to You, as You appointed that the way shall be:" *Once again we are reminded of the wonderful prayer at the end of Lesson 189 -- it is God Who knows the way to Himself; of ourselves we do not, and cannot. Forgiveness -- the Holy Spirit's gift that leads us home -- is not Heaven's truth, but is its kind and gentle reflection. This final line is a lovely summary of the healing power of forgiveness: * (1:5) "Behold his sinlessness, and be you healed." *In this familiar passage from the text, Jesus tells us not to see our brother's sinlessness, for that is beyond us. However, he does ask for our little willingness to see him sinless: "Your question should not be, "How can I see my brother without the body?" Ask only, "Do I really wish to see him sinless?" And as you ask, forget not that his sinlessness is your escape from fear." (T-20.VII.9:1-3) This statement from the lesson is meant to convince us of the need to have this willingness. Jesus wants us to return to the part of the mind that has chosen to see sin in others as a way of protecting it in ourselves, and thus accepting no responsibility for it. When he says "Behold his sinlessness, and be you healed," he speaks of the correction of the misperception of sin, and our desire to see it anywhere but in ourselves. By choosing the miracle we make the choice to be healed, and our brothers along with us.* 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 356. Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him. Father, You promised You would never fail to answer any call Your Son might make to You. It does not matter where he is, what seems to be his problem, nor what he believes he has become. He is Your Son, and You will answer him. The miracle reflects Your Love, and thus it answers him. Your Name replaces every thought of sin, and who is sinless cannot suffer pain. Your Name gives answer to Your Son, because to call Your Name is but to call his own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 356. "Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him." *The miracle, as we know, is nothing but a correction. We chose sin as our identity, and from that insane base, sickness arose. When we choose the Holy Spirit's miracle instead, the belief in separation is undone, which in turn removes the foundation for all pain. This change in teachers is the heart of healing, since in our dream of sin the Holy Spirit is another name for God, and thus our choosing Him as our Teacher opens the gate for our return home.* (1:1-3) "Father, You promised You would never fail to answer any call Your Son might make to You. It does not matter where he is, what seems to be his problem, nor what he believes he has become. He is Your Son, and You will answer him." *In other words, nothing has changed God, nor His loving Answer. It does not matter where we are in the dream -- a dream is a dream is a dream -- it has no effect on our reality. That is why there can be no hierarchy in illusions and no order of difficulty in miracles. All illusions are the same, for they are undone with the one Answer, as Helen's poem "Before We Ask" points out to us: Let us not question, but be still awhile. There is an answer given us before We ask the question; a solution to All strife and pain and turbulence; a door To silence and to absolution ................................................ God's Son is answered. Wearily at last, He calls upon his Father's Name again. (The Gifts of God, p.34)* (1:4-6) "The miracle reflects Your Love, and thus it answers him. Your Name replaces every thought of sin, and who is sinless cannot suffer pain. Your Name gives answer to Your Son, because to call Your Name is but to call his own." *Recall our earlier discussion about the <Name of God> (W-p1.183,184), where we discussed how Jesus' use of that term symbolized the right-minded thought system that we now choose instead of the little names the ego has made in its place: sin, individuality, and specialness. The miracle replaces our desire to be special and unique, and thus calling upon the Name of God is to call upon the Name of our Self -- hearing God's answer of love when He created us one with Him as His one Son: "The miracle but calls your ancient name, which you will recognize because the truth is in your memory. ... Your ancient name belongs to everyone, as theirs to you. Call on your brother's name and God will answer, for on Him you call. Could He refuse to answer when He has already answered all who call on Him? A miracle ... make[s] no change at all. But it can make what always has been true be recognized by those who know it not; and by this little gift of truth but let to be itself, the Son of God allowed to be himself, and all creation freed to call upon the Name of God as one." (T-26.VII.16:1,20)* 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 355. There is no end to all the peace and joy, And all the miracles that I will give, When I accept God's Word. Why not today? Why should I wait, my Father, for the joy You promised me? For You will keep Your Word You gave Your Son in exile. I am sure my treasure waits for me, and I need but reach out my hand to find it. Even now my fingers touch it. It is very close. I need not wait an instant more to be at peace forever. It is You I choose, and my Identity along with You. Your Son would be Himself, and know You as his Father and Creator, and his Love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 355. "There is no end to all the peace and joy, And all the miracles that I will give, When I accept God's Word. Why not today?" *Remember the question Jesus posed earlier: "Why wait for Heaven? (W-pI.131.6:1; W-pl.188.1:1). Here he implores us: "Why continue to be upset and in pain? All you need do is listen to me, take my hand, and let me teach you how to look at the world differently. You will then certainly experience my peace and joy." * (1:1-2) "Why should I wait, my Father, for the joy You promised me? For You will keep Your Word You gave Your Son in exile." *His Word, again, is the Atonement. When we fell asleep and dreamt of exile, we took with us into the dream the memory of our Identity as God's Son, Who never left His Father. This memory is the Word that guarantees our eternal joy because it undoes the belief in separation that is the cause of sorrow.* (1:3-6) "Why should I wait, my Father, for the joy You promised me? For You will keep Your Word You gave Your Son in exile. I am sure my treasure waits for me, and I need but reach out my hand to find it. Even now my fingers touch it. It is very close. I need not wait an instant more to be at peace forever." *The memory of God's Love is already present in us. It is as close to us as anything could be, because it is the thought of our Self -- the Idea of God's Son that never left its Source. The holy instant restores the treasure of our Identity to awareness, the right mind that has waited patiently for our return to sanity: "What God has willed for you is yours. He has given His Will to His treasure, whose treasure it is. Your heart lies where your treasure is, as His does. You who are beloved of God are wholly blessed. Learn this of me, and free the holy will of all those who are as blessed as you are." (T-8.VI.10:1-4)* (1:7) "It is You I choose, and my Identity along with You." *This can be our choice, as Jesus continually reminds us. Our making the right choice is guaranteed when we realize that our choices, always based on what we think we want, brought us nothing but unhappiness and pain. The choice for God, however, ensures our peace and joy, the core of our Identity as His beloved Son.* (1:8) "Your Son would be Himself, and know You as his Father and Creator, and his Love." *By choosing against our self -- the ego's son -- we choose for our Self -- God's Son -- the blessed Christ of our loving Creator. This choice occurs as we change our perceptions of our brothers, Sons of the same loving Father: "Do not perceive anything God did not create or you are denying Him. His is the only Fatherhood, and it is yours only because He has given it to you. ... Yet the real Fatherhood must be acknowledged if the real Son is to be known. ... Only if you accept the Fatherhood of God will you have anything, because His Fatherhood gave you everything. That is why to deny Him is to deny yourself." (T-10.V.13:1-2,5,7-8)* 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 354. We stand together, Christ and I, in peace And certainty of purpose. And in Him Is His Creator, as He is in me. My oneness with the Christ establishes me as Your Son, beyond the reach of time, and wholly free of every law but Yours. I have no self except the Christ in me. I have no purpose but His Own. And He is like His Father. Thus must I be one with You as well as Him. For who is Christ except Your Son as You created Him? And what am I except the Christ in me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary on this lesson is by Kenneth Wapnick, from his book set: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," and may be purchased at the following site: http://www.facim.org/ ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 354. "We stand together, Christ and I, in peace And certainty of purpose. And in Him Is His Creator, as He is in me." *What follows reiterates the point of the last lesson:* (1:1) "My oneness with the Christ establishes me as Your Son, beyond the reach of time, and wholly free of every law but Yours." *We are not asked within our experience here to go beyond time, nor to identify with God's law of love as it truly is, which only involves the unified spirit that is totally beyond the world of separation. Rather, we are asked to identify with a different use of time, reflecting God's law -- what I give to my brother I give to myself, because we are one. We thus shift our purpose by joining with the Holy Spirit's forgiveness, and then remember our Oneness in Heaven, which is beyond all laws but Heaven's law of love.* (1:2) "I have no self except the Christ in me." *Spend some time reflecting on that thought. If you think about it, you may indeed break into a cold sweat, accompanied by anxiety and palpitations. The self reading these words is very real to you, and you do not want to let it go. That is why you are tempted to bring the truth into your illusion, rather than the illusion of your self to the truth of Christ that lies beyond all words.* (1:3-5) "I have no purpose but His Own. And He is like His Father. Thus must I be one with You as well as Him." *We are Christ, united as God's Son, as Christ is united with God. When we truly understand these words, we realize that these very terms -- God and Christ, Father and Son -- have no real meaning. They are dualistic symbols that reflect a state of unity far beyond our ability to understand. Recall these words from the text on the true state of the Trinity: "Father and Son and Holy Spirit are as One, as all your brothers join as one in truth. Christ and His Father never have been separate, and Christ abides within your understanding, in the part of you that shares His Father's Will. The Holy Spirit links the other part -the tiny mad desire to be separate, different and special- to the Christ, to make the oneness clear to what is really one. In this world this is not understood, but can be taught." (T-25.I.5:3-6). This oneness is taught through forgiveness -- the undoing of the barriers we placed between ourselves and our brothers; shadows of the barrier we placed between ourselves and God.* (1:6-7) "For who is Christ except Your Son as You created Him? And what am I except the Christ in me?" *By choosing against the ego's false self, we make room for the memory of our true Self to dawn upon our healed minds, as we read again in this important statement near the end of the text: "I do not know the thing I am, and therefore do not know what I am doing, where I am, or how to look upon the world or on myself. Yet in this learning is salvation born. And What you are will tell you of Itself." (T-31.V.17.7-9)* 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