Lesson 7: I see only the past.

Everything we believe is rooted in time …

We take time for granted. The sun rises, the sun sets. A day has gone by. Time is before our eyes. Why should we doubt it?

Yet, Jesus, in his Course, says that we “need new ideas about time.”

New ideas about time is going to change our minds about everything. And that is good.

This is not a pipe by Rene Magritte

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Lesson 6: I am upset because I see something that is not there.

There is the feeling of upset. There is the presumed source of that upset. And there is the seeing of something, which Jesus tells us, is not there.

We are lifting the cover of Pandora’s box and, with Jesus by our side, discovering that the darkness within is just a coverup for the Light that lies beneath.

What our eyes see are not what it appears to be. We do not need to get ahead of ourselves and try to force spiritual vision. We just need to follow directions. And forgive ourselves when we don’t adhere to them perfectly.

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Lesson 5: I am never upset for the reason I think.

Thunderbolt! We are never upset for the reason we think. What’s more, Jesus suggests that, eventually, we are going to learn that form does not matter, period.

Initially, we will apply today’s idea to specific forms in our individual lives. But that is only in order to become aware, over time, that all forms are the same. All forms are symbolic of the ego idea of separation from God.

This brings us to cause — the underlying source of upset. Jesus, in A Course in Miracles, is nothing if  not logical. He offers us this statement to acclimate our minds to being indiscriminate in practicing the exercise:

“There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind.”

In case we find we are resistant to applying today’s ideas to specific upsets, Jesus further offers 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.”

We are asked to name the source of our personal upset and the feeling as we experience the upset. Getting to know our human selves better is part of the paradoxical process of A Course in Miracles, which, ultimately, uses separation to separate us from our toxic attachment to the ego and restores our ability to discover ourselves as Mind.

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Lesson 4: These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room.

Jesus starts Lesson 4 by telling us it will differ from the first three lessons because the practice will not begin with the idea for the day. First, we just notice the thoughts that cross our minds; then we apply the idea to them. Jesus tells us to apply the idea to specific thoughts, but not to be selective about the thoughts to which we apply the practice. This is becoming familiar.

Then we learn that “good” thoughts are “but shadows of what lies beyond” and “bad thoughts are “blocks to sight.” It turns out that good and bad thoughts are used by the ego to “cover up” real thoughts! For now, we do not know what real thoughts are. But that’s okay. Remember, the Introduction to the Workbook told us:

“Remember, you need not believe the ideas, you need not accept them, and need not even welcome them. Some of them you may actively resist. None of this will matter or decrease their efficacy. … whatever you reactions to the ideas may be, use them. Nothing more than that is required.”

Jesus tells us straight up in Lesson 4:

“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.”

We need to have humility and a sense of humor if we’re not going to reject each of the above.

  1. We are learning to separate the meaningless from the meaningful
  2. We are learning to see the meaningless as outside ourselves, and the meaningful within
  3. We are learning to recognize what is the same and what is different

Something in us knows that our personal identity is too restrictive, too limited, and, that believing our identity is defined by our bodies is actually the addiction beneath all addictions. We are addicted to the ego and brain-washed by the ego. That is why it is in our best interest to use our free will to accept the mind training offered by Jesus in his Course in Miracles no matter how outrageous it may seem.

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Lesson 3: I do not understand anything I see in this room.

The idea of the lesson develops, the application remains the same. The central theme evolves, the way we practice stays the same and starts to embed a new way of being in our conscious awareness.

Even if we are psychologically and emotionally self-aware, those levels of consciousness are not what Jesus, in his Course in Miracles, is addressing. He is tuning us into our psychic, that is, our unseen faculties of perception, so that we question all human judgment and interpretation as we have known it up until now.

The False Mirror by Rene Magritte

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Lesson 2: I have given everything I see in this room all the meaning that it has for me.

The central idea in Lesson 2 develops the initial idea in Lesson 1. We progress from allowing the possibility that nothing we see means anything to everything we see is only meaningful based on the meaning we have given it.

The exercises, the way we practice this idea, is the same as Lesson 1. We look around from near to further away, excluding nothing on purpose, but neither do we compulsively include everything. We use eyesight differently, indiscriminately applying the idea to various shapes and forms using the “sole criterion … that our eyes have lighted on it.”

Rupert Spira

Consider how Rupert Spira puts it, “It is our exclusive interest in objects that give them their apparently independent reality. When attention shifts from the seen object to pure seeing, the apparently separate reality of the object disappears and its true reality–the light of pure Knowing–shines.”

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Lesson 1: Nothing I see in this room means anything.

Personal Values by Rene Magritte

The purpose of Lesson 1 is to “make no allowance for differences,” no matter what we are looking at. The idea, “Nothing I see in this room means anything” is to be used “totally indiscriminately.”

If nothing we see means anything, which translates to everything we see means nothing, Lesson 1 holds out the potential for us to question all of our established beliefs. Ego perceives this as threatening. But deeper than your personal ego identity lies your connection to Spirit. Spirit resonates with Lesson 1 as uplifting and empowering.

You can only know this for yourself, through practicing the lesson and experiencing the lesson’s effects. If something within opens, expands, softens, releases, settles, feels peaceful, loving, quietly joyful or even a hint of these, you’re on the right track.

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Sickness is a defense against the truth

At the end of last class, a question came up, “What does ‘sickness is a defense against the truth’ mean?” This is a topic even seasoned students of A Course in Miracles can face over and over again, as we encounter physical illness, injuries and aging, which can be very distracting and consuming on the body level.

I like how Ken Wapnick has explained that, in A Course in Miracles, the ego mind’s decision to be guilty of separating from God is the cause of all sickness.

Ken says the purpose sickness serves in the ego thought system is as a defense against God’s Love. Therefore, true healing takes place in the mind rather than the body, and undoes our belief in the reality of guilt.

We heal by turning to the Holy Spirit, correcting our original mistake of having turned to the ego, and joining the Holy Spirit’s healing thoughts of forgiveness.*

Of course you don’t have to take Ken’s word for it — just read the Course and get it straight from Jesus :).

*You can purchase Ken’s workshop Sickness and Healing for his 11-hour explanation ;-).

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Are you practicing ACIM forgiveness?

When we awaken, there is no need for forgiveness because in a Oneness joined as One, there is no disharmony. That is why we are told in A Course in Miracles, “God does not forgive because He has never condemned.”

But in the ego dream, which is our ACIM-designated classroom, forgiveness is our way out 🙂 So, the question arises, are you actually practicing forgiveness?

This is not a challenge or an accusation. It’s an invitation to check in with yourself and a reminder to choose again.

Do you say good night to Jesus/Holy Spirit before you fall asleep* and greet Them with “good morning” when you awake?

Are you requesting spiritual guidance throughout your day?

Do you choose, in challenging moments, to pause and remember that there is “another way” and you can turn to your Internal Teacher aka Jesus/Holy Spirit?

Forgiveness is forgiving 🙂 Please forgive yourself immediately if you are not saying “yes” to these questions. Jesus won’t hold it against you.

And if you are saying yes, but feel like you’re still not experiencing inner peace, let’s talk about it and find out what may be blocking you. Come to Wednesday class, book a 1-1 consultation with me, or you might want to watch: Five Keys to Forgiveness.

* Sweet Dreams of Awakening: 365 Good Night Blessings was given for this (available on Amazon.com)

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How to read A Course in Miracles

Underneath the words of A Course in Miracles is a deeper, spiritually comprehensive “language” which I call Light Language.

Ken Wapnick says A Course in Miracles is written like an epic poem and has the musical flow of a symphony.

When first reading the Course, let it flow over you without a need to make sense of it. Many people describe the ACIM text as dense, but it need not be experienced that way. Arthur Fine, a long time Course practitioner, says the language first seemed convoluted and impossible to understand but after a while flowed like syrup.

Come to A Course in Miracles with an open heart and open mind. Be a sponge and soak in the wisdom and beauty that the surface words symbolize. Absorb the mighty Light Language beneath the written symbols.

We experience the wisdom and guidance of ACIM to the degree we can tolerate Truth.

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