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Lesson 63. The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.
Lesson 63. The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness. How holy are you who have the power to bring peace to every mind! How blessed are you who can learn to recognize the means for letting this be done through you! What purpose could you have that would bring you greater happiness? You are indeed the light of the world with such a function. The Son of God looks to you for his redemption. It is yours to give him, for it belongs to you. Accept no trivial purpose or meaningless desire in its place, or you will forget your function and leave the Son of God in hell. This is no idle request that is being asked of you. You are being asked to accept salvation that it may be yours to give. Recognizing the importance of this function, we will be happy to remember it very often today. We will begin the day by acknowledging it, and close the day with the thought of it in our awareness. And throughout the day we will repeat this as often as we can: The light of the world brings peaceto every mind through my forgiveness. I am the means God has appointed for the salvation of the world.< If you close your eyes, you will probably find it easier to let the related thoughts come to you in the minute or two that you should devote to considering this. Do not, however, wait for such an opportunity. No chance should be lost for reinforcing today's idea. Remember that God's Son looks to you for his salvation. And Who but your Self must be His Son? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 63. The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness. *Lesson 63 returns to the theme of oneness. As we have seen in earlier lessons, Jesus takes a central theme and keeps developing it. Here he is teaching us that when we forgive, peace must extend throughout the Sonship, as we all are one mind. It does not mean, however, that every seeming fragment of the Sonship will accept it immediately. It simply means I now become another symbol or thought in the mind of God's Son, serving as a reminder to make the right choice that alone will bring peace.* (1:1) "How holy are you who have the power to bring peace to every mind?" *Please note that Jesus does not say to every <body>. Forgiveness is not something we physically do with words, for it is a thought we hold as true in our minds. Recall our previously quoted passage from the manual (M-5.III.2) that healing is shared simply by our having chosen it, that choice calling others to make the same one. In this regard we emulate the Holy Spirit, Who merely reminds us of the right choice: "The Holy Spirit calls you both to remember and to forget. You have chosen to be in a state of opposition in which opposites are possible. As a result, there are choices you must make. ... Choosing depends on a split mind. The Holy Spirit is one way of choosing. ... [His Voice] merely reminds. It is compelling only because of what it reminds you of. It brings to your mind the other way, remaining quiet even in the midst of the turmoil you may make." (T.5.II.6.1-3,6-7.7.4-6) We thus remind our brothers, as we remind ourselves, that peace is a decision, and one which unites us all as one Son. I might also point out the similarity in <form> and <content> between this lesson's first sentence and the opening of "For They Have Come": in the text: "Think but how holy you must be from whom the Voice for God calls lovingly unto your brother, that you may awake in him the Voice that answers to your call!" (T.26.IX.1.1) The symphonic hand of our composer is every-where present in his masterwork.* (1:2-3) "How blessed are you who can learn to recognize the means for letting this be done through you! What purpose could you have that would bring you greater happiness?" *Again, Jesus is reminding us that forgiveness is the
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Lesson 62. Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.
Lesson 62. Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world. (1) It is your forgiveness that will bring the world of darkness to the light. It is your forgiveness that lets you recognize the light in which you see. Forgiveness is the demonstration that you are the light of the world. Through your forgiveness does the truth about yourself return to your memory. Therefore, in your forgiveness lies your salvation. (2) Illusions about yourself and the world are one. That is why all forgiveness is a gift to yourself. Your goal is to find out who you are, having denied your Identity by attacking creation and its Creator. Now you are learning how to remember the truth. For this attack must be replaced by forgiveness, so that thoughts of life may replace thoughts of death. (3) Remember that in every attack you call upon your own weakness, while each time you forgive you call upon the strength of Christ in you. Do you not then begin to understand what forgiveness will do for you? It will remove all sense of weakness, strain and fatigue from your mind. It will take away all fear and guilt and pain. It will restore the invulnerability and power God gave His Son to your awareness. (4) Let us be glad to begin and end this day by practicing today's idea, and to use it as frequently as possible throughout the day. It will help to make the day as happy for you as God wants you to be. And it will help those around you, as well as those who seem to be far away in space and time, to share this happiness with you. (5) As often as you can, closing your eyes if possible, say to yourself today: Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.I would fulfill my function that I may be happy.< Then devote a minute or two to considering your function and the happiness and release it will bring you. Let related thoughts come freely, for your heart will recognize these words, and in your mind is the awareness they are true. Should your attention wander, repeat the idea and add: I would remember this because I want to be happy.< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 62. "Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world." *The theme of replacing the ego's image of ourselves for Jesus' vision continues in this and the next lesson. He begins to clarify what it means to say that our function is to forgive. As we know from our study of the text, and from what we have already seen in our discussions of the workbook, forgiveness is a process that does not occur between two people, but in our <minds>, within the context of a relationship between ourselves and someone else. It is not really that I forgive you; but rather that I forgive the projection of my self-concept of guilt I placed on you. That is indeed all I can forgive, for everything else in my perceptual world is a projection of this guilt.* (1) "It is your forgiveness that will bring the world of darkness to the light. It is your forgiveness that lets you recognize the light in which you see. Forgiveness is the demonstration that you are the light of the world. Through your forgiveness does the truth about yourself return to your memory. Therefore, in your forgiveness lies your salvation." *Here again, Jesus articulates for us the crucial theme of bringing darkness to the light. We "recognize the light in which we see" because forgiveness removes the veils of darkness that prevent our vision. It has nothing to do about the light, but simply removes the interferences to seeing the light. Once done, the light is what remains in our awareness. As we have seen many, many times, A Course in Miracles is not about the light or the truth. Its ongoing and consistent focus is on recognizing the darkness, with the help of Jesus or the Holy Spirit -- the essence of forgiveness. We are thus not saved <for> the light, but
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Lesson 61. I am the light of the world.
Lesson 61. I am the light of the world. (1) Who is the light of the world except God's Son? This, then, is merely a statement of the truth about yourself. It is the opposite of a statement of pride, of arrogance, or of self-deception. It does not describe the self-concept you have made. It does not refer to any of the characteristics with which you have endowed your idols. It refers to you as you were created by God. It simply states the truth. (2) To the ego, today's idea is the epitome of self-glorification. But the ego does not understand humility, mistaking it for self-debasement. Humility consists of accepting your role in salvation and in taking no other. It is not humility to insist you cannot be the light of the world if that is the function God assigned to you. It is only arrogance that would assert this function cannot be for you, and arrogance is always of the ego. (3) True humility requires that you accept today's idea because it is God's Voice which tells you it is true. This is a beginning step in accepting your real function on earth. It is a giant stride toward taking your rightful place in salvation. It is a positive assertion of your right to be saved, and an acknowledgment of the power that is given you to save others. (4)You will want to think about this idea as often as possible today. It is the perfect answer to all illusions, and therefore to all temptation. It brings all the images you have made about yourself to the truth, and helps you depart in peace, unburdened and certain of your purpose. (5) As many practice periods as possible should be undertaken today, although each one need not exceed a minute or two. They should begin with telling yourself: I am the light of the world.That is my only function. That is why I am here.< Then think about these statements for a short while, preferably with your eyes closed if the situation permits. Let a few related thoughts come to you, and repeat the idea to yourself if your mind wanders away from the central thought. (6) Be sure both to begin and end the day with a practice period. Thus you will awaken with an acknowledgment of the truth about yourself, reinforce it throughout the day, and turn to sleep as you reaffirm your function and your only purpose here. These two practice periods may be longer than the rest, if you find them helpful and want to extend them. (7) Today's idea goes far beyond the ego's petty views of what you are and what your purpose is. As a bringer of salvation, this is obviously necessary. This is the first of a number of giant steps we will take in the next few weeks. Try today to begin to build a firm foundation for these advances. You are the light of the world. God has built His plan for the salvation of His Son on you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I am the light of the world." *The lesson's title is taken from the gospels, specifically where Jesus tells his disciples: "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Here, as in many other places in A Course in Miracles, we see how Jesus takes an idea from traditional Christianity and gives it a totally different interpretation. The gospel understanding was that the disciples' function was to bring that light to the world -- literally, to the physical world. It is easy for students of A Course in Miracles who are unaware of its underlying teaching to mistake this gospel exhortation for what Jesus means in this lesson. He is <not> saying we should bring the light into the world, because <there is no world>. By saying we are the light of the world he refers to the light of Christ shining in our minds. Because the mind of God's Son is one (a subsidiary theme in these lessons, yet a continually recurring one), that light is shared by the Sonship as a whole. We are not asked to be spiritually special p
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Lesson 60. These ideas are for today's review.
Lesson 60. These ideas are for today's review. 1. God is the Love in which I forgive. God does not forgive because He has never condemned. The blameless cannot blame, and those who have accepted their innocence see nothing to forgive. Yet forgiveness is the means by which I will recognize my innocence. It is the reflection of God's Love on earth. It will bring me near enough to Heaven that the Love of God can reach down to me and raise me up to Him.God is the Love in which I forgive. 2. God is the strength in which I trust. It is not my own strength through which I forgive. It is through the strength of God in me, which I am remembering as I forgive. As I begin to see, I recognize His reflection on earth. I forgive all things because I feel the stirring of His strength in me. And I begin to remember the Love I chose to forget, but Which has not forgotten me. 3. There is nothing to fear. How safe the world will look to me when I can see it! It will not look anything like what I imagine I see now. Everyone and everything I see will lean toward me to bless me. I will recognize in everyone my dearest Friend. What could there be to fear in a world that I have forgiven, and that has forgiven me? 4. God's Voice speaks to me all through the day. There is not a moment in which God's Voice ceases to call on my forgiveness to save me. There is not a moment in which His Voice fails to direct my thoughts, guide my actions and lead my feet. I am, walking steadily on toward truth. There is nowhere else I can go, because God's Voice is the only voice and the only guide that has been given to His Son. 5. I am sustained by the Love of God. As I listen to God's Voice, I am sustained by His Love. As I open my eyes, His Love lights up the world for me to see. As I forgive, His Love reminds me that His Son is sinless. And as I look upon the world with the vision He has given me, I remember that I am His Son. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 60. "These ideas are for today's review." *This final lesson returns to forgiveness, the central theme in Jesus' symphony of love and truth.* (1:1) (46) "God is the Love in which I forgive." (1:2-3) "God does not forgive because He has never condemned. The blameless cannot blame, and those who have accepted their innocence see nothing to forgive. *The fact that God does not forgive becomes the basis for our forgiveness in the dream. Forgiveness is necessary only as the correction for condemnation. When judgment of ourselves is withdrawn, our judgment of others is withdrawn as well: the <idea> of judgment can never leave its <source>. We are thus asked by Jesus to accept our past mistakes, thereby accepting the light-filled innocence that rests in peace just beyond the darkness of our belief in sin. With condemnation gone, nothing remains to forgive.* (1:4-6) "Yet forgiveness is the means by which I will recognize my innocence. It is the reflection of God's Love on earth. It will bring me near enough to Heaven that the Love of God can reach down to me and raise me up to Him.God is the Love in which I forgive." *That is the problem: We do not want to be lifted up to Heaven, for then our individuality disappears. Recognizing our innocence allows us to realize how sinful and guilty we believed we were, because we wanted to be apart from such a belief, we can make the choice for sanity. No longer afraid of God's <last step>, which ends the process that our decision to forgive our brother began, we allow His Love to lift us back from earth to Heaven. Another important theme in these five lessons, not to mention throughout A Course in Miracles, is that we do not forgive on our own, as we now see:* (2:1) (47) "God is the strength in which I trust." (2.2-3) "It is not my own strength through which I forgive. It is through the strengt
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Lesson 59. The following ideas are for review today:
Lesson 59. The following ideas are for review today: 1. God goes with me wherever I go. How can I be alone when God always goes with me? How can I be doubtful and unsure of myself when perfect certainty abides in Him? How can I be disturbed by anything when He rests in me in absolute peace? How can I suffer when love and joy surround me through Him? Let me not cherish illusions about myself. I am perfect because God goes with me wherever I go. 2. God is my strength. Vision is His gift. Let me not look to my own eyes to see today. Let me be willing to exchange my pitiful illusion of seeing for the vision that is given by God. Christ's vision is His gift, and He has given it to me. Let me call upon this gift today, so that this day may help me to understand eternity. 3. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him. I can see what God wants me to see. I cannot see anything else. Beyond His Will lie only illusions. It is these I choose when I think I can see apart from Him. It is these I choose when I try to see through the body's eyes. Yet the vision of Christ has been given me to replace them. It is through this vision that I choose to see. 4. God is the light in which I see. I cannot see in darkness. God is the only light. Therefore, if I am to see, it must be through Him. I have tried to define what seeing is, and I have been wrong. Now it is given me to understand that God is the light in which I see. Let me welcome vision and the happy world it will show me. 5. God is the Mind with which I think. I have no thoughts I do not share with God. I have no thoughts apart from Him, because I have no mind apart from His. As part of His Mind, my thoughts are His and His Thoughts are mine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *In Lesson 59 we again find the theme of who we are as God's Son, and the wonderful and wondrous effects of coming to understand and accept its truth.* (1:1) (41) "God goes with me wherever I go." (1:2-7) "How can I be alone when God always goes with me? How can I be doubtful and unsure of myself when perfect certainty abides in Him? How can I be disturbed by anything when He rests in me in absolute peace? How can I suffer when love and joy surround me through Him? Let me not cherish illusions about myself. I am perfect because God goes with me wherever I go." *It is not that God literally walks with us. Rather, Jesus teaches that God is with us because His Love is in our minds, which is where we are. It is this Love -- our Self -- that is the basis for undoing the thought of separation: the home of all illusions of suffering and pain. All that is needed for this Love to return to awareness is calling upon the power of our minds to choose, one of A Course in Miracles' most important themes, to which we now return: * (2:1-2) (42) "God is my strength. Vision is His gift." (2:3-6) "Let me not look to my own eyes to see today. Let me be willing to exchange my pitiful illusion of seeing for the vision that is given by God. Christ's vision is His gift, and He has given it to me. Let me call upon this gift today, so that this day may help me to understand eternity." *We always have a choice about the thought system with which we identify, made possible once we remember that our feelings of dis-ease and disturbance emanate from the mind's mistaken choice, and from nowhere else. Thus do we exchange the ego's misperceptions for the vision of Christ, exclusion for unity, separation for forgiveness, and time for eternity.* (3:1-2) (43) "God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him." (3:3-7)" I can see what God wants me to see. I cannot see anything else. Beyond His Will lie only illusions. It is these I choose when I think I can see apart from Him. It is these I choose when I try to see through the body's eyes." *Again, all misperceptions stem fro
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Lesson 58. These ideas are for review today:
Lesson 58. These ideas are for review today: 1. My holiness envelops everything I see. From my holiness does the perception of the real world come. Having forgiven, I no longer see myself as guilty. I can accept the innocence that is the truth about me. Seen through understanding eyes, the holiness of the world is all I see, for I can picture only the thoughts I hold about myself. 2. My holiness blesses the world. The perception of my holiness does not bless me alone. Everyone and everything I see in its light shares in the joy it brings to me. There is nothing that is apart from this joy, because there is nothing that does not share my holiness. As I recognize my holiness, so does the holiness of the world shine forth for everyone to see. 3. There is nothing my holiness cannot do. My holiness is unlimited in its power to heal, because it is unlimited in its power to save. What is there to be saved from except illusions? And what are all illusions except false ideas about myself? My holiness undoes them all by asserting the truth about me. In the presence of my holiness, which I share with God Himself, all idols vanish. 4. My holiness is my salvation. Since my holiness saves me from all guilt, recognizing my holiness is recognizing my salvation. It is also recognizing the salvation of the world. Once I have accepted my holiness, nothing can make me afraid. And because I am unafraid, everyone must share in my understanding, which is the gift of God to me and to the world. 5. I am blessed as a Son of God. Herein lies my claim to all good and only good. I am blessed as a Son of God. All good things are mine, because God intended them for me. I cannot suffer any loss or deprivation or pain because of Who I am. My Father supports me, protects me, and directs me in all things. His care for me is infinite, and is with me forever. I am eternally blessed as His Son. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 58. "These ideas are for review today:" *This next series of lessons is about our holiness, the other side of our minds that is kept hidden by the ego and the unholiness of its thought system.* (1:1) (36) "My holiness envelops everything I see." (1:2) "From my holiness does the perception of the real world come." *When we make the internal shift and identify with Jesus' love instead of the ego's hate, his love extends through us. We may perceive the exact same world -- the dream in <form> does not necessarily change -- but now it is perceived through the love that is within ourselves. This marks the birth of true compassion. We do not feel sorry for people's bodies, but for the real source of pain: the belief they are orphaned and will never return home. In that compassionate vision are <all> people recognized as sharing the same suffering.* (1:3-5) "Having forgiven, I no longer see myself as guilty. I can accept the innocence that is the truth about me. Seen through understanding eyes, the holiness of the world is all I see, for I can picture only the thoughts I hold about myself." *This is a succinct summary of forgiveness. We first shift our perception so that by looking differently at another's sin -- recognizing it is but a projection of a belief about ourselves -- we accept the illusory nature of the ego's thought system of separation and attack. This allows the innocence of the Atonement to return to our awareness and then become the basis of our new perception of the world. Innocent or true perception is all-inclusive, as we now see:* (2:1) (37) "My holiness blesses the world." (2:2-5) "The perception of my holiness does not bless me alone. Everyone and everything I see in its light shares in the joy it brings to me. There is nothing that is apart from this joy, because there is nothing that does not share my holiness. As I recognize my holiness,
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Lesson 57. Today let us review these ideas:
Lesson 57. Today let us review these ideas: 1. I am not the victim of the world I see. How can I be the victim of a world that can be completely undone if I so choose? My chains are loosened. I can drop them off merely by desiring to do so. The prison door is open. I can leave simply by walking out. Nothing holds me in this world. Only my wish to stay keeps me a prisoner. I would give up my insane wishes and walk into the sunlight at last. 2. I have invented the world I see. I made up the prison in which I see myself. All I need do is recognize this and I am free. I have deluded myself into believing it is possible to imprison the Son of God. I was bitterly mistaken in this belief, which I no longer want. The Son of God must be forever free. He is as God created him, and not what I would make of him. He is where God would have him be, and not where I thought to hold him prisoner. 3. There is another way of looking at the world. Since the purpose of the world is not the one I ascribed to it, there must be another way of looking at it. I see everything upside down, and my thoughts are the opposite of truth. I see the world as a prison for God's Son. It must be, then, that the world is really a place where he can be set free. I would look upon the world as it is, and see it as a place where the Son of God finds his freedom. 4. I could see peace instead of this. When I see the world as a place of freedom, I realize that it reflects the laws of God instead of the rules I made up for it to obey. I will understand that peace, not war, abides in it. And I will perceive that peace also abides in the hearts of all who share this place with me. 5. My mind is part of God's. I am very holy. As I share the peace of the world with my brothers, I begin to understand that this peace comes from deep within myself. The world I look upon has taken on the light of my forgiveness, and shines forgiveness back at me. In this light I begin to see what my illusions about myself kept hidden. I begin to understand the holiness of all living things, including myself, and their oneness with me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. (31) "I am not the victim of the world I see." (1:2-9) "How can I be the victim of a world that can be completely undone if I so choose? My chains are loosened. I can drop them off merely by desiring to do so. The prison door is open. I can leave simply by walking out. Nothing holds me in this world. Only my wish to stay keeps me a prisoner. I would give up my insane wishes and walk into the sunlight at last." *We find this compelling because we feel we are victims. If this is a world we made, which is what Jesus has been teaching us from the beginning, the world is not the problem. <The fact that we made it is the problem> -- "How can [we] be the victim of a world that can be completely undone if [we] so choose?" We have to be willing to admit we have been wrong about everything. What makes us believe we are right is our experience of being victimized by everything else. Remember, the "everything else" is not only others' bodies, but our own as well. The body is exclusively outside the mind, the source of our true identity. The analogy to a prisoner walking into the sunlight refers to Plato's famous Allegory of the Cave in <The Republic>. It is worth summarizing -- albeit briefly -- as Jesus makes more specific references to it in the text. The allegory is set in a cave, where prisoners are chained in such a fashion that they can see only the interior wall of the cave, unknowing of the opening behind them, through which streams the sun's rays, casting shadows onto the wall, of the passers-by along the road that runs past the mouth of the cave. Thus the prisoners believe that the shadows are the reality, since they know of nothing else. One of the pr
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Lesson 56. Our review for today covers the following:
Lesson 56. Our review for today covers the following: 1. My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability. How can I know who I am when I see myself as under constant attack? Pain, illness, loss, age and death seem to threaten me. All my hopes and wishes and plans appear to be at the mercy of a world I cannot control. Yet perfect security and complete fulfillment are my inheritance. I have tried to give my inheritance away in exchange for the world I see. But God has kept my inheritance safe for me. My own real thoughts will teach me what it is. 2. Above all else I want to see. Recognizing that what I see reflects what I think I am, I realize that vision is my greatest need. The world I see attests to the fearful nature of the self-image I have made. If I would remember who I am, it is essential that I let this image of myself go. As it is replaced by truth, vision will surely be given me. And with this vision, I will look upon the world and on myself with charity and love. 3. Above all else I want to see differently. The world I see holds my fearful self-image in place, and guarantees its continuance. While I see the world as I see it now, truth cannot enter my awareness. I would let the door behind this world be opened for me, that I may look past it to the world that reflects the Love of God. 4. God is in everything I see. Behind every image I have made, the truth remains unchanged. Behind every veil I have drawn across the face of love, its light remains undimmed. Beyond all my insane wishes is my will, united with the Will of my Father. God is still everywhere and in everything forever. And we who are part of Him will yet look past all appearances, and recognize the truth beyond them all. 5. God is in everything I see because God is in my mind. In my own mind, behind all my insane thoughts of separation and attack, is the knowledge that all is one forever. I have not lost the knowledge of Who I am because I have forgotten it. It has been kept for me in the Mind of God, Who has not left His Thoughts. And I, who am among them, am one with them and one with Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1:1)(26) "My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability." (1:2) "How can I know who I am when I see myself as under constant attack?" *I have to see myself as under constant attack because I am attacking everyone else. That is why the lesson is entitled "My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability." I am truly invulnerable as God's Son, but in identifying with the ego I see myself as vulnerable, because guilt demands punishment and I feel victimized by God's counterattack. If I believe everyone else is going to attack me, I cannot be as God created me -- innocent and invulnerable. Thus, the ego reasons to me, if it can prove that God's Son <is> truly vulnerable -- the purpose of the body -- then how could I be God's Son? This reasoning is clearly presented in the following passage from "What is the Body?" to which we shall return much, much later in this series: "For the Son of God's impermanence is "proof" his fences [bodies] 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?" (W-pII.5.2:3-9).* (1:3) "Pain, illness, loss, age and death seem to threaten me." *Again, it is essential to realize we are living in a world of pain, illness, loss, age, and death; a world deliberately chosen by our egos to prove that its thought system of separation is right and the Holy Spirit's Atonement is wrong.* (1:4-5) "All my hopes and wishes and plans appear to be at the mercy of a world I cannot contro
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Lesson 55. Today's review includes the following:
Lesson 55. Today's review includes the following: 1. I am determined to see things differently. What I see now are but signs of disease, disaster and death. This cannot be what God created for His beloved Son. The very fact that I see such things is proof that I do not understand God. Therefore I also do not understand His Son. What I see tells me that I do not know who I am. I am determined to see the witnesses to the truth in me, rather than those which show me an illusion of myself. 2.What I see is a form of vengeance. The world I see is hardly the representation of loving thoughts. It is a picture of attack on everything by everything. It is anything but a reflection of the Love of God and the love of His Son. It is my own attack thoughts that give rise to this picture. My loving thoughts will save me from this perception of the world, and give me the peace God intended me to have. 3. I can escape from this world by giving up attack thoughts. Herein lies salvation, and nowhere else. Without attack thoughts I could not see a world of attack. As forgiveness allows love to return to my awareness, I will see a world of peace and safety and joy. And it is this I choose to see, in place of what I look on now. 4. I do not perceive my own best interests. How could I recognize my own best interests when I do not know who I am? What I think are my best interests would merely bind me closer to the world of illusions. I am willing to follow the Guide God has given me to find out what my own best interests are, recognizing that I cannot perceive them by myself. 5. I do not know what anything is for. To me, the purpose of everything is to prove that my illusions about myself are real. It is for this purpose that I attempt to use everyone and everything. It is for this that I believe the world is for. Therefore I do not recognize its real purpose. The purpose I have given the world has led to a frightening picture of it. Let me open my mind to the world's real purpose by withdrawing the one I have given it, and learning the truth about it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1:1) (21) "I am determined to see things differently." *Jesus is now appealing directly to the power of our minds to choose.* (1:2.) "What I see now are but signs of disease, disaster and death." *In deference to Helen, I like to point out alliteration when it appears. Note the three d's. <disease, disaster and death>. Again, it is important we perceive disease, disaster and death all around us, not love, hope, and joy, for there is none. Indeed, the world was made <not> to be a place of love, hope, or joy. If we do not recognize this, we will have no motivation for changing our mind. We will believe in our arrogance that we have already changed it by virtue of our having perceived light instead of death. We believe what our egos have programmed us to believe, which is why we need to question the value of having chosen the ego as our teacher.* (1:3-5) "This cannot be what God created for His beloved Son. The very fact that I see such things is proof that I do not understand God. Therefore I also do not understand His Son." *This at least is a good initial step, because if we think we are looking on a world of light, peace, and joy, we will believe we understand God, Jesus, and, unfortunately, his course. Acknowledging that what we see "are the signs of disease, disaster and death" is the beginning of the humility that reaches to Wisdom. We begin by denying the ego's thought system of denial, and gradually, step by step, we are led by Jesus to understand that spirit and ego are mutually exclusive states, and so are love and hate, life and death, joy and pain. To make one real is to deny the other.* (1:6-7) "What I see tells me that I do not know who I am. I am determined to see the witness
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Lesson 54 These are the review ideas for today:
Lesson 54 These are the review ideas for today: 1. I have no neutral thoughts. Neutral thoughts are impossible because all thoughts have power. They will either make a false world or lead me to the real one. But thoughts cannot be without effects. As the world I see arises from my thinking errors, so will the real world rise before my eyes as I let my errors be corrected. My thoughts cannot be neither true nor false. They must be one or the other. What I see shows me which they are. 2. I see no neutral things. What I see witnesses to what I think. If I did not think I would not exist, because life is thought. Let me look on the world I see as the representation of my own state of mind. I know that my state of mind can change. And so I also know the world I see can change as well. 3. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing. If I have no private thoughts, I cannot see a private world. Even the mad idea of separation had to be shared before it could form the basis of the world I see. Yet that sharing was a sharing of nothing. I can also call upon my real thoughts, which share everything with everyone. As my thoughts of separation call to the separation thoughts of others, so my real thoughts awaken the real thoughts in them. And the world my real thoughts show me will dawn on their sight as well as mine. 4. I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts. I am alone in nothing. Everything I think or say or do teaches all the universe. A Son of God cannot think or speak or act in vain. He cannot be alone in anything. It is therefore in my power to change every mind along with mine, for mine is the power of God. 5. I am determined to see. Recognizing the shared nature of my thoughts, I am determined to see. I would look upon the witnesses that show me the thinking of the world has been changed. I would behold the proof that what has been done through me has enabled love to replace fear, laughter to replace tears, and abundance to replace loss. I would look upon the real world, and let it teach me that my will and the Will of God are one. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1:1) (16) "I have no neutral thoughts." *In this lesson Jesus focuses almost exclusively on the power of our thoughts. The reason we have no neutral thoughts is that our thoughts have the power to make up a world such as the one in which we live: a world of pain, suffering, and death; a world in which God appears to be absent. Our thoughts can be just as powerful on the right-minded side, however, in their power to undo the ego. The ego's thoughts have no effect in Heaven, of course, but within the dream they have tremendous power; thus the focus in A Course in Miracles is on the power of our minds; specifically on the power to choose.* (1:2-4) "Neutral thoughts are impossible because all thoughts have power. They will either make a false world or lead me to the real one. But thoughts cannot be without effects." *These statements are reinforced by a statement Jesus makes in the text: "All thinking produces form on some level" (T-2.VI.9:14). Our thoughts have extraordinary effects. They can make the world of specialness in which we live, or help us attain the real world by the complete undoing of the ego's world. The problem is that because of our defensive structure, including the power of denial, we almost never experience the effects of our thoughts. Consequently, we are not aware we have thoughts, because we are not aware we have a mind. (1:5) "As the world I see arises from my thinking errors, so will the real world rise before my eyes as I let my errors be corrected." *The real world, which is the end product of forgiveness, is the state of mind in which all ego thoughts have been undone. It is not something that is specifically chosen, but rather is the
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Lesson 53. Today we will review the following:
Lesson 53. Today we will review the following: 1. My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world. Since the thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything, the world that pictures them can have no meaning. What is producing this world is insane, and so is what it produces. Reality is not insane, and I have real thoughts as well as insane ones. I can therefore see a real world, if I look to my real thoughts as my guide for seeing. 2. I am upset because I see a meaningless world. Insane thoughts are upsetting. They produce a world in which there is no order anywhere. Only chaos rules a world that represents chaotic thinking, and chaos has no laws. I cannot live in peace in such a world. I am grateful that this world is not real, and that I need not see it at all unless I choose to value it. And I do not choose to value what is totally insane and has no meaning. 3. A meaningless world engenders fear. The totally insane engenders fear because it is completely undependable, and offers no grounds for trust. Nothing in madness is dependable. It holds out no safety and no hope. But such a world is not real. I have given it the illusion of reality, and have suffered from my belief in it. Now I choose to withdraw this belief, and place my trust in reality. In choosing this, I will escape all the effects of the world of fear, because I am acknowledging that it does not exist. 4. God did not create a meaningless world. How can a meaningless world exist if God did not create it? He is the Source of all meaning, and everything that is real is in His Mind. It is in my mind too, because He created it with me. Why should I continue to suffer from the effects of my own insane thoughts, when the perfection of creation is my home? Let me remember the power of my decision, and recognize where I really abide. 5. My thoughts are images that I have made. Whatever I see reflects my thoughts. It is my thoughts that tell me where I am and what I am. The fact that I see a world in which there is suffering and loss and death shows me that I am seeing only the representation of my insane thoughts, and am not allowing my real thoughts to cast their beneficent light on what I see. Yet God's way is sure. The images I have made cannot prevail against Him because it is not my will that they do so. My will is His, and I will place no other gods before Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 53. "Today we will review the following:" *We see here a direct connection pointed out to us between our thoughts and the world, even though Jesus has made this connection before:* (1:1) (11) "My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world." (1:2-4) "Since the thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything, the world that pictures them can have no meaning. What is producing this world is insane, and so is what it produces. Reality is not insane, and I have real thoughts as well as insane ones." *Our thoughts of individuality, sinfulness, specialness, etc., have produced this world. Therefore, since the cause of the world is my insane thoughts, then the world, as the effect, must be equally insane. <Cause> and <effect> are never separated, for they are one. Reality, however, is not insane, despite the ego's protestations to the contrary. It tells us God is insane, vengeful, and angry, yet "[He] thinks otherwise" (T-23.1.2:7). As he did in the first fifty lessons, Jesus explains that we have a split mind, containing unreal thoughts of hate, and real thoughts of love. It remains for us to choose which ones we shall make real for ourselves. He tries to help us realize how miserable and unhappy we become when we choose the unreal thoughts of attack, judgment, and specialness. It is that misery that will ultimately impel us to choose again: "Tolerance for pain may be
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Lesson 52. Today's review covers these ideas:
Lesson 52. Today's review covers these ideas: 1. I am upset because I see what is not there. Reality is never frightening. It is impossible that it could upset me. Reality brings only perfect peace. When I am upset, it is always because I have replaced reality with illusions I made up. The illusions are upsetting because I have given them reality, and thus regard reality as an illusion. Nothing in God's creation is affected in any way by this confusion of mine. I am always upset by nothing. 2. I see only the past. As I look about, I condemn the world I look upon. I call this seeing. I hold the past against everyone and everything, making them my enemies. When I have forgiven myself and remembered Who I am, I will bless everyone and everything I see. There will be no past, and therefore no enemies. And I will look with love on all that I failed to see before. 3. My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts. I see only my own thoughts, and my mind is preoccupied with the past. What, then, can I see as it is? Let me remember that I look on the past to prevent the present from dawning on my mind. Let me understand that I am trying to use time against God. Let me learn to give the past away, realizing that in so doing I am giving up nothing. 4. I see nothing as it is now. If I see nothing as it is now, it can truly be said that I see nothing. I can see only what is now. The choice is not whether to see the past or the present; the choice is merely whether to see or not. What I have chosen to see has cost me vision. Now I would choose again, that I may see. 5. My thoughts do not mean anything. I have no private thoughts. Yet it is only private thoughts of which I am aware. What can these thoughts mean? They do not exist, and so they mean nothing. Yet my mind is part of creation and part of its Creator. Would I not rather join the thinking of the universe than to obscure all that is really mine with my pitiful and meaningless "private" thoughts? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 52. "Today's review covers these ideas:" *As discussed above, we find here the continual weaving of themes from the early lessons. In this set Jesus introduces forgiveness.* (1:1)(6) "I am upset because I see what is not there." (1:2-8) "Reality is never frightening. It is impossible that it could upset me. Reality brings only perfect peace. When I am upset, it is always because I have replaced reality with illusions I made up. The illusions are upsetting because I have given them reality, and thus regard reality as an illusion. Nothing in God's creation is affected in any way by this confusion of mine. I am always upset by nothing." *This is an example of why we cannot study this course, let alone practice it, without understanding the underlying metaphysics. That is not necessarily a requirement for those just starting out with A Course in Miracles, but as we go along we see how its underlying metaphysics is present all the way through. Thus, if the world out there comes from our thoughts, which do not exist, the world must not exist either. It therefore makes no sense to be upset by it. The truth is that we fear reality because it represents the end of our delusional thought system of separation, which includes the insane idea we can and do exist apart from God. It is thus our egos that fear the decision for reality. That is why Jesus teaches in the text that we "are not really afraid of crucifixion. [Our] real terror is of redemption" (T-13.III.1:10-11). However, the ego teaches that reality is to be feared because of what we did to it; namely, separated from its love, thereby destroying it. Thus we deserve to be punished for our sin. However, the Holy Spirit's Atonement principle is that we <never> separated from God, and therefore there is nothing to fear. Nothing happe
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Lesson 51. The review for today covers the following ideas:
Lesson 51. The review for today covers the following ideas: 1. Nothing I see means anything. The reason this is so is that I see nothing, and nothing has no meaning. It is necessary that I recognize this, that I may learn to see. What I think I see now is taking the place of vision. I must let it go by realizing it has no meaning, so that vision may take its place. 2. I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me. I have judged everything I look upon, and it is this and only this I see. This is not vision. It is merely an illusion of reality, because my judgments have been made quite apart from reality. I am willing to recognize the lack of validity in my judgments, because I want to see. My judgments have hurt me, and I do not want to see according to them. 3. I do not understand anything I see. How could I understand what I see when I have judged it amiss? What I see is the projection of my own errors of thought. I do not understand what I see because it is not understandable. There is no sense in trying to understand it. But there is every reason to let it go, and make room for what can be seen and understood and loved. I can exchange what I see now for this merely by being willing to do so. Is not this a better choice than the one I made before? 4. These thoughts do not mean anything. The thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything because I am trying to think without God. What I call "my" thoughts are not my real thoughts. My real thoughts are the thoughts I think with God. I am not aware of them because I have made my thoughts to take their place. I am willing to recognize that my thoughts do not mean anything, and to let them go. I choose to have them be replaced by what they were intended to replace. My thoughts are meaningless, but all creation lies in the thoughts I think with God. 5. I am never upset for the reason I think. I am never upset for the reason I think because I am constantly trying to justify my thoughts. I am constantly trying to make them true. I make all things my enemies, so that my anger is justified and my attacks are warranted. I have not realized how much I have misused everything I see by assigning this role to it. I have done this to defend a thought system that has hurt me, and that I no longer want. I am willing to let it go. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 51. "The review for today covers the following ideas:" *Before beginning, let me mention something that probably has eluded almost all students of A Course in Miracles, certainly the non-obsessive ones. Helen had <insisted> to Jesus that each of the one-sentence introduction to the day's review be different. And you will surely be impressed to discover how many different ways Jesus can say that "the review for today covers the following ideas:" * (1) (1) "Nothing I see means anything." *In these early lessons Jesus emphasizes that what we see does not mean anything because what we see comes from <mis>thoughts of judgment and attack.* (1:2-5) "The reason this is so is that I see nothing, and nothing has no meaning. It is necessary that I recognize this, that I may learn to see. What I think I see now is taking the place of vision. I must let it go by realizing it has no meaning, so that vision may take its place." *While Jesus does not use the term here, he points out to us that we have a split mind. We have the capacity of seeing through the vision of the Holy Spirit, but to ensure that that does not happen we cover those loving thoughts with thoughts of attack and separation. Indeed, we cannot achieve the goal of vision if we do not recognize and understand the inherent illusory and meaningless nature of our perceptions. It is these misperceptions that we have deliberately chosen to take the place of vision, fulfilling the ego's purpose
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Review 1. Introduction
Review 1. Introduction (1) Beginning with today we will have a series of review periods. Each of them will cover five of the ideas already presented, starting with the first and ending with the fiftieth. There will be a few short comments after each of the ideas, which you should consider in your review. In the practice periods, the exercises should be done as follows: (2) Begin the day by reading the five ideas, with the comments included. Thereafter, it is not necessary to follow any particular order in considering them, though each one should be practiced at least once. Devote two minutes or more to each practice period, thinking about the idea and the related comments after reading them over. Do this as often as possible during the day. If any one of the five ideas appeals to you more than the others, concentrate on that one. At the end of the day, however, be sure to review all of them once more. (3) It is not necessary to cover the comments that follow each idea either literally or thoroughly in the practice periods. Try, rather, to emphasize the central point, and think about it as part of your review of the idea to which it relates. After you have read the idea and the related comments, the exercises should be done with your eyes closed and when you are alone in a quiet place, if possible. (4) This is emphasized for practice periods at your stage of learning. It will be necessary, however, that you learn to require no special settings in which to apply what you have learned. You will need your learning most in situations that appear to be upsetting, rather than in those that already seem to be calm and quiet. The purpose of your learning is to enable you to bring the quiet with you, and to heal distress and turmoil. This is not done by avoiding them and seeking a haven of isolation for yourself. (5) You will yet learn that peace is part of you, and requires only that you be there to embrace any situation in which you are. And finally you will learn that there is no limit to where you are, so that your peace is everywhere, as you are. (6) You will note that, for review purposes, some of the ideas are not given in quite their original form. Use them as they are given here. It is not necessary to return to the original statements, nor to apply the ideas as was suggested then. We are now emphasizing the relationships among the first fifty of the ideas we have covered, and the cohesiveness of the thought system to which they are leading you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is from Kenneth Wapnick's commentaries from his book set called "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles." which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Review 1. Introduction *I have often spoken of the symphonic structure of A Course in Miracles, and usually refer to the text when I do so, but the same holds true for the workbook as well. One of the characteristics of a symphonic work, especially those written in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is that the opening movement has an <exposition> that presents the different themes, a <development> section that elaborates on them, and a <recapitulation> where the composer brings back the themes, but in a new way. This is what we find in the workbook. Lessons 1 through 60, especially, demonstrate the masterfully symphonic way Jesus has organized his material. The first fifty lesson consist of the exposition and development of the various themes, and here in the first review they return, but presented differently. He explains this at the end of the introduction, as we shall see presently. My discussion will focus on the major themes of these early workbook lessons -- and the ways in which Jesus integrates them in the review. In general, we can summarize this movement of our symphony thusly: Just as the text begins with its central theme -- the first principle of miracles: "There is no order of difficulty in miracles." (T.1.I.1.1) -- so do we find the workbook's central theme in thes
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Lesson 50. I am sustained by the Love of God.
Lesson 50. I am sustained by the Love of God. Here is the answer to every problem that will confront you, today and tomorrow and throughout time. In this world, you believe you are sustained by everything but God. Your faith is placed in the most trivial and insane symbols; pills, money, "protective" clothing, influence, prestige, being liked, knowing the "right" people, and an endless list of forms of nothingness that you endow with magical powers. All these things are your replacements for the Love of God. All these things are cherished to ensure a body identification. They are songs of praise to the ego. Do not put your faith in the worthless. It will not sustain you. Only the Love of God will protect you in all circumstances. It will lift you out of every trial, and raise you high above all the perceived dangers of this world into a climate of perfect peace and safety. It will transport you into a state of mind that nothing can threaten, nothing can disturb, and where nothing can intrude upon the eternal calm of the Son of God. Put not your faith in illusions. They will fail you. Put all your faith in the Love of God within you; eternal, changeless and forever unfailing. This is the answer to whatever confronts you today. Through the Love of God within you, you can resolve all seeming difficulties without effort and in sure confidence. Tell yourself this often today. It is a declaration of release from the belief in idols. It is your acknowledgment of the truth about yourself. For ten minutes, twice today, morning and evening, let the idea for today sink deep into your consciousness. Repeat it, think about it, let related thoughts come to help you recognize its truth, and allow peace to flow over you like a blanket of protection and surety. Let no idle and foolish thoughts enter to disturb the holy mind of the Son of God. Such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Such is the resting place where your Father has placed you forever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 50. "I am sustained by the Love of God." *Lesson 50 differs from the preceding ones, and we shall be reintroduced to themes that will return later. Specifically, this lesson makes another statement, much clearer than the previous one, about the nature of the special relationship. The terms <special relationships> and <specialness> do not appear in the workbook at all; however, it is clear in passages like these that this is Jesus' referent.* (1) "Here is the answer to every problem that will confront you, today and tomorrow and throughout time. In this world, you believe you are sustained by everything but God. Your faith is placed in the most trivial and insane symbols; pills, money, "protective" clothing, influence, prestige, being liked, knowing the "right" people, and an endless list of forms of nothingness that you endow with magical powers." *If these statements are read in the context of A Course in Miracles as a whole, it is obvious that Jesus is not saying we should feel guilty because we take a pill, wear warm clothing in the winter, or have friends with whom we spend time. This passage is similar to Lesson 76 "I am under no laws but God's," which we shall discuss in due course and where we shall issue the same caveat. Moreover, Jesus is not saying we should let go of our bodily concerns. That would be confusing levels -- mind and body -- which he warns us about in the text (see, e.g.T-2.IV.3:8-11). We <can> overlook our bodies -- physical and psychological -- if we are in the real world, because at that point we <know> they are not our identity. But Jesus knows his students, and knows us well, and he wants us to be aware of the thought system on which dependencies (or special relationships) are based, and to understand the source of our trust in the things of the world. Only
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Lesson 49. God's Voice speaks to me all through the day.
Lesson 49. God's Voice speaks to me all through the day. It is quite possible to listen to God's Voice all through the day without interrupting your regular activities in any way. The part of your mind in which truth abides is in constant communication with God, whether you are aware of it or not. It is the other part of your mind that functions in the world and obeys the world's laws. It is this part that is constantly distracted, disorganized and highly uncertain. The part that is listening to the Voice for God is calm, always at rest and wholly certain. It is really the only part there is. The other part is a wild illusion, frantic and distraught, but without reality of any kind. Try today not to listen to it. Try to identify with the part of your mind where stillness and peace reign forever. Try to hear God's Voice call to you lovingly, reminding you that your Creator has not forgotten His Son. We will need at least four five-minute practice periods today, and more if possible. We will try actually to hear God's Voice reminding you of Him and of your Self. We will approach this happiest and holiest of thoughts with confidence, knowing that in doing so we are joining our will with the Will of God. He wants you to hear His Voice. He gave It to you to be heard. Listen in deep silence. Be very still and open your mind. Go past all the raucous shrieks and sick imaginings that cover your real thoughts and obscure your eternal link with God. Sink deep into the peace that waits for you beyond the frantic, riotous thoughts and sights and sounds of this insane world. You do not live here. We are trying to reach your real home. We are trying to reach the place where you are truly welcome. We are trying to reach God. Do not forget to repeat today's idea very frequently. Do so with your eyes open when necessary, but closed when possible. And be sure to sit quietly and repeat the idea for today whenever you can, closing your eyes on the world, and realizing that you are inviting God's Voice to speak to you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 49. "God's Voice speaks to me all through the day." *This is a lesson from which many students of A Course in Miracles have derived a great deal of mileage, unfortunately going the wrong way: to hell rather than Heaven. They often take this lesson to mean they hear the Holy Spirit tell them wonderful things -- <all the time>. If we follow the thinking in these lessons, however, it is obvious that we cannot <hear> God's Voice all through the day because of our mind's constant clutter. Jesus already has explained the clutter's presence: our resistance to losing our individual and special identity. This resistance is reflected in cherishing the ego's voice of specialness in order to prevent our hearing the Voice of the Holy Spirit, as we see in this pointed passage from the text: "You are not special. If you think you are, and would defend your specialness against the truth of what you really are, how can you know the truth? What answer that the Holy Spirit gives can reach you, when it is your specialness to which you listen, and which asks and answers? Its tiny answer, soundless in the melody that pours from God to you eternally in loving praise of what you are, is all you listen to. And that vast song of honor and of love for what you are seems silent and unheard before its "mightiness". You strain your ears to hear its soundless voice, and yet the Call of God Himself is soundless to you." "You can defend your specialness, but never will you hear the Voice for God beside it." (T.24.II.4:1--5.1) While it is therefore true that God's Voice speaks to us all through the day -- because the Holy Spirit is in our minds -- this does not mean that we <hear> it. Pay careful attention to the lesson's words: Jesus does not
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Lesson 48. There is nothing to fear.
Lesson 48. There is nothing to fear. The idea for today simply states a fact. It is not a fact to those who believe in illusions, but illusions are not facts. In truth there is nothing to fear. It is very easy to recognize this. But it is very difficult to recognize it for those who want illusions to be true. Today's practice periods will be very short, very simple and very frequent. Merely repeat the idea as often as possible. You can use it with your eyes open at any time and in any situation. It is strongly recommended, however, that you take a minute or so whenever possible to close your eyes and repeat the idea slowly to yourself several times. It is particularly important that you use the idea immediately, should anything disturb your peace of mind. The presence of fear is a sure sign that you are trusting in your own strength. The awareness that there is nothing to fear shows that somewhere in your mind, though not necessarily in a place you recognize as yet, you have remembered God, and let His strength take the place of your weakness. The instant you are willing to do this there is indeed nothing to fear. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 48. "There is nothing to fear." *Lesson 48 is nice, short, and sweet: "There is nothing to fear." If God is the strength in which we trust, nothing in this world could ever make us afraid. The basis of fear is the principle that guilt demands punishment. If I am afraid, it is because I first see myself as guilty and weak. If I choose Jesus as the source of my strength, I am not weak or separated, and therefore not guilty. If I am not guilty, there can be no projected belief that I will be punished. Without such belief, there can be no fear. Again, it is the same process, all the time. If I want to live without fear, I must live without guilt. If I want to live without guilt, I need Jesus to help me look at it.* (1) "The idea for today simply states a fact. It is not a fact to those who believe in illusions, but illusions are not facts. In truth there is nothing to fear. It is very easy to recognize this. But it is very difficult to recognize it for those who want illusions to be true." *As the text says, the only fact is God: "God is not symbolic; He is Fact" (T-3.1.8:2). The "fact" -- "There is nothing to fear" -- is really a reflection of God's reality. The state of fear's absence corrects the ego's fundamental thought that fear is punishment for our sin. It is this illusory fear you have to look at. You want illusions to be true because <you> are an illusion, and you want <you> -- your individual identity -- to be true. What makes it difficult to have an anxiety-free day is your not wanting today's lesson to be true. If it were, <you> are not true.* (2) "Today's practice periods will be very short, very simple and very frequent. Merely repeat the idea as often as possible. You can use it with your eyes open at any time and in any situation. It is strongly recommended, however, that you take a minute or so whenever possible to close your eyes and repeat the idea slowly to yourself several times. It is particularly important that you use the idea immediately, should anything disturb your peace of mind." *We can see over and over again, in just about every lesson, that Jesus is telling us to practice this thought in our everyday lives, and to bring him our concerns. In this day's exercise he is asking us to apply the thought throughout the day, <as often as possible>. Moreover, he once again urges us -- "It is particularly important" -- to think of the idea whenever we are disturbed; in other words, to bring the darkness of our upset to the light of his thought of love, a thought that by its presence dispels the darkness of fear.* (3) "The presence of fear is a sure sign that you are trusting i
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Lesson 47. God is the strength in which I trust.
Lesson 47. God is the strength in which I trust. If you are trusting in your own strength, you have every reason to be apprehensive, anxious and fearful. What can you predict or control? What is there in you that can be counted on? What would give you the ability to be aware of all the facets of any problem, and to resolve them in such a way that only good can come of it? What is there in you that gives you the recognition of the right solution, and the guarantee that it will be accomplished? Of yourself you can do none of these things. To believe that you can is to put your trust where trust is unwarranted, and to justify fear, anxiety, depression, anger and sorrow. Who can put his faith in weakness and feel safe? Yet who can put his faith in strength and feel weak? God is your safety in every circumstance. His Voice speaks for Him in all situations and in every aspect of all situations, telling you exactly what to do to call upon His strength and His protection. There are no exceptions because God has no exceptions. And the Voice which speaks for Him thinks as He does. Today we will try to reach past your own weakness to the Source of real strength. Four five-minute practice periods are necessary today, and longer and more frequent ones are urged. Close your eyes and begin, as usual, by repeating the idea for the day. Then spend a minute or two in searching for situations in your life which you have invested with fear, dismissing each one by telling yourself: God is the strength in which I trust.<Now try to slip past all concerns related to your own sense of inadequacy. It is obvious that any situation that causes you concern is associated with feelings of inadequacy, for otherwise you would believe that you could deal with the situation successfully. It is not by trusting yourself that you will gain confidence. But the strength of God in you is successful in all things. The recognition of your own frailty is a necessary step in the correction of your errors, but it is hardly a sufficient one in giving you the confidence which you need, and to which you are entitled. You must also gain an awareness that confidence in your real strength is fully justified in every respect and in all circumstances. In the latter phase of the practice period, try to reach down into your mind to a place of real safety. You will recognize that you have reached it if you feel a sense of deep peace, however briefly. Let go all the trivial things that churn and bubble on the surface of your mind, and reach down and below them to the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a place in you where there is perfect peace. There is a place in you where nothing is impossible. There is a place in you where the strength of God abides. During the day, repeat the idea often. Use it as your answer to any disturbance. Remember that peace is your right, because you are giving your trust to the strength of God. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 47. "God is the strength in which I trust." *This introduces another important teaching that is central in the text: the contrast between our weakness and the strength of Christ in us, or between the ego's illusory power and the Holy Spirit's true power. As we read near the text's end: "You always choose between your weakness and the strength of Christ in you. And what you choose is what you think is real. Simply by never using weakness to direct your actions, you have given it no power. And the light of Christ in you is given charge of everything you do. For you have brought your weakness unto Him, and He has given you His strength instead." (T.31.VIII.2.3-7) This lesson subtly introduces the theme of special relationships, which entail placing trust in someone or something outside us to alleviate our anxiety, or simply to make us feel good. That
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Lesson 46. God is the Love in which I forgive.
Lesson 46. God is the Love in which I forgive. God does not forgive because He has never condemned. And there must be condemnation before forgiveness is necessary. Forgiveness is the great need of this world, but that is because it is a world of illusions. Those who forgive are thus releasing themselves from illusions, while those who withhold forgiveness are binding themselves to them. As you condemn only yourself, so do you forgive only yourself. Yet although God does not forgive, His Love is nevertheless the basis of forgiveness. Fear condemns and love forgives. Forgiveness thus undoes what fear has produced, returning the mind to the awareness of God. For this reason, forgiveness can truly be called salvation. It is the means by which illusions disappear. Today's exercises require at least three full five-minute practice periods, and as many shorter ones as possible. Begin the longer practice periods by repeating today's idea to yourself, as usual. Close your eyes as you do so, and spend a minute or two in searching your mind for those whom you have not forgiven. It does not matter "how much" you have not forgiven them. You have forgiven them entirely or not at all. If you are doing the exercises well you should have no difficulty in finding a number of people you have not forgiven. It is a safe rule that anyone you do not like is a suitable subject. Mention each one by name, and say: God is the Love in which I forgive you, [name].<The purpose of the first phase of today's practice periods is to put you in a position to forgive yourself. After you have applied the idea to all those who have come to mind, tell yourself: God is the Love in which I forgive myself.<Then devote the remainder of the practice period to adding related ideas such as: God is the Love with which I love myself.God is the Love in which I am blessed.< The form of the application may vary considerably, but the central idea should not be lost sight of. You might say, for example: I cannot be guilty because I am a Son of God.I have already been forgiven. No fear is possible in a mind beloved of God. There is no need to attack because love has forgiven me.< The practice period should end, however, with a repetition of today's idea as originally stated. The shorter practice periods may consist either of a repetition of the idea for today in the original or in a related form, as you prefer. Be sure, however, to make more specific applications if they are needed. They will be needed at any time during the day when you become aware of any kind of negative reaction to anyone, present or not. In that event, tell him silently: God is the Love in which I forgive you.<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased at the following site: Foundation for A Course in Miracles ? ~ M. Street ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesson 46. "God is the Love in which I forgive." *This lesson is the first time we find a serious discussion of forgiveness.* (1:1-3) "God does not forgive because He has never condemned. And there must be condemnation before forgiveness is necessary. Forgiveness is the great need of this world, but that is because it is a world of illusions." *As we shall see later, Jesus "likes" this first sentence so much that he repeats it verbatim in the review lesson. Forgiveness has no place in Heaven, but only in the dream that began with the condemnation thought of sin and will end with sin's undoing through forgiveness, love's reflection. "There must be condemnation before forgiveness is necessary," which makes forgiveness an illusion since it corrects what never happened. Since God does not (because He <cannot>) recognize the illusion, He cannot correct it. There is no need for it in Heaven.* (1:4-5) "Those who forgive are thus releasing themselves from illusions, while those who withhold forgiveness are binding themselves to them. As you condemn only yourself, so do you forgive only yourself
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Lesson 45. God is the Mind with which I think.
Lesson 45. God is the Mind with which I think. Today's idea holds the key to what your real thoughts are. They are nothing that you think you think, just as nothing that you think you see is related to vision in any way. There is no relationship between what is real and what you think is real. Nothing that you think are your real thoughts resembles your real thoughts in any respect. Nothing that you think you see bears any resemblance to what vision will show you. You think with the Mind of God. Therefore you share your thoughts with Him, as He shares His with you. They are the same thoughts, because they are thought by the same Mind. To share is to make alike, or to make one. Nor do the thoughts you think with the Mind of God leave your mind, because thoughts do not leave their source. Therefore, your thoughts are in the Mind of God, as you are. They are in your mind as well, where He is. As you are part of His Mind, so are your thoughts part of His Mind. Where, then, are your real thoughts? Today we will attempt to reach them. We will have to look for them in your mind, because that is where they are. They must still be there, because they cannot have left their source. What is thought by the Mind of God is eternal, being part of creation. Our three five-minute practice periods for today will take the same general form that we used in applying yesterday's idea. We will attempt to leave the unreal and seek for the real. We will deny the world in favor of truth. We will not let the thoughts of the world hold us back. We will not let the beliefs of the world tell us that what God would have us do is impossible. Instead, we will try to recognize that only what God would have us do is possible. We will also try to understand that only what God would have us do is what we want to do. And we will also try to remember that we cannot fail in doing what He would have us do. There is every reason to feel confident that we will succeed today. It is the Will of God. Begin the exercises for today by repeating the idea to yourself, closing your eyes as you do so. Then spend a fairly short period in thinking a few relevant thoughts of your own, keeping the idea in mind. After you have added some four or five thoughts of your own to the idea, repeat it again and tell yourself gently: My real thoughts are in my mind. I would like to find them.<Then try to go past all the unreal thoughts that cover the truth in your mind, and reach to the eternal. Under all the senseless thoughts and mad ideas with which you have cluttered up your mind are the thoughts that you thought with God in the beginning. They are there in your mind now, completely unchanged. They will always be in your mind, exactly as they always were. Everything you have thought since then will change, but the Foundation on which it rests is wholly changeless. It is this Foundation toward which the exercises for today are directed. Here is your mind joined with the Mind of God. Here are your thoughts one with His. For this kind of practice only one thing is necessary; approach it as you would an altar dedicated in Heaven to God the Father and to God the Son. For such is the place you are trying to reach. You will probably be unable as yet to realize how high you are trying to go. Yet even with the little understanding you have already gained, you should be able to remind yourself that this is no idle game, but an exercise in holiness and an attempt to reach the Kingdom of Heaven. In the shorter exercise periods for today, try to remember how important it is to you to understand the holiness of the mind that thinks with God. Take a minute or two, as you repeat the idea throughout the day, to appreciate your mind's holiness. Stand aside, however briefly, from all thoughts that are unworthy of Him whose host you are. And thank Him for the Thoughts He is thinking with you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commentary on this lesson (below) is from Kenneth Wapnick's eight volume series of books, called: "Journey Through the Workbook of A Course in Miracles," which can be purchased
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Sat 8:39am
Sat 8:39am