Lesson 54 – Review of Lessons 16-20

Commentary (full lesson beneath commentary)

The theme of Lesson 54 is that nothing is neutral.  There is no such thing as neutrality or objectivity.  Everything boils down to two subjective choices:  separation or Unity.  Separation or Unity can also be described as fear or Love; imprisonment or Freedom; suffering or Joy; abandonment or Embrace; conflict or Peace; many or One; death or Life, etc.

The process of awakening to our true nature as Oneness is accomplished by choosing forgiveness.  By giving everything we believe in, both bad and good, to the Holy Spirit, we re-establish connection with God.  By holding onto what we believe in, we maintain the illusion of being entities separate from God.

Jesus says, Life is Thought.  But not the kind of thought we as people take for granted.  God-Thought is an ongoing expansion of Life.  Ego thought is analytical, interpretive, based on survival, in other words, anti-Life.  Our state of mind can change simply by requesting that we see with God’s Vision rather than ego eyesight  “Let me look on the world I see as the representation of my own state of mind.”  This state of mind witnesses, or reflects, the teacher we have chosen: ego or Holy Spirit.

The ego thought system mimics God yet distorts what it mimics in order to be “creative.”  The ego “shares” the idea of separation by calling it multiplication and assuming that “more” is plentiful when actually “more” is divisive.  The review of Lesson 18 tells us that even the mad idea of separation had to be shared before it could form the basis of the world we see.  Happily, we can also call upon our “real thoughts, which share everything with everyone.”  This “everything” is not material; it is Formless Love, Light, Harmony, Beauty, Peace, Joy … the everything of No Thing.

We are not alone in experiencing the effects of which teacher we choose; we see and think accordingly: fear or Love.  Knowing this makes us determined to see with the Holy Spirit’s Vision because aligning with God’s Will brings us Perfect Peace and True Happiness.  “I would look upon the real world [the world the true perception of the Holy Spirit offers me] and let it teach me that my will and the Will of God are one.”  Amen.

LESSON 54

These are the review ideas for today:

1.  (16)  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 arise 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.  (17)  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.  (18)  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.  (19)  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.  (20)  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.

Let’s practice together!  Watch and listen to Amy reading each ACIM Lesson on Youtube.  Also, check out Workin’ the Workbook, Amy’s online class which supports the ACIM Workbook practice.