January 26, 2021

Lesson 26 –

My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.

The Course teaches us that we see and perceive ourselves according to the thoughts we think. No matter what the world looks like around us we perceive ourselves as either vulnerable or invulnerable. Our perception of ourselves determines how we experience our journey in this world. The real world is nothing but love and peace. And it cannot be threatened. Most of us would say that the world is threatening. How could this be if we are really whole, complete, and holy? How could this be if we are really unchangeable and invulnerable? The key lies in whether we are fearful of being attacked. What do we believe about who we are?

Because your attack thoughts will be projected, you will fear attack. And if you fear attack, you must believe that you are not invulnerable. Attack thoughts therefore make you vulnerable in your own mind, which is where the attack thoughts are. Attack thoughts and invulnerability cannot be accepted together. They contradict each other.   W-pI.26.2:1-5

We are learning the power of our thoughts and how they affect our perception, in this case, about ourselves. We cannot believe conflicting ideas about ourselves for they are incompatible. The truth about us, thought unchangeable, is blocked from our awareness when we believe anything that contradicts it. Truth knows we are invulnerable, so it takes a back seat and waits until we ae ready to believe or even entertain the truth about us. Though we may believe we are vulnerable to attack thoughts and fear attack, our higher Self knows better and refuses to attack us or force us into the insanity we would endure in our minds from these totally confliction thought systems. The Course explains it this way:

The idea for today introduces the thought that you always attack yourself first. If attack thoughts must entail the belief that you are vulnerable, their effect is to weaken you in your own eyes. Thus they have attacked your perception of yourself. And because you believe in them, you can no longer believe in yourself. A false image of yourself has come to take the place of what you are.   W-pI.26.3:1-5

Take a step away as you practice this lesson today. Set aside your beliefs just for a moment or two. We are beginning to learn how what we believe about ourselves and who we are affects our perception, and thus, our experience of the world we journey in and through. Be willing to entertain the thought that the fear of attack we feel may be founded on untrue beliefs about ourselves. Look up the lesson. Follow its direction for practice. Be open to the change it offers us. The truth is we are invulnerable and our attack thoughts affect only our awareness of our invulnerability. Relax and accept the awareness of the light within us the Course offers us. Remember, nothing real can be threatened and our true Self is certainly real.

January 19, 2021

Lesson 19 –

I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts.

The Course teaches us that our minds are joined – there is no separation in reality. Our bodies appear to indicate we are separate from each other, but our bodies are temporary, serving only to be used to help teach us we are not separate. Everything is connected. The Course puts it this way:

The idea for today is obviously the reason why your seeing does not affect you alone. You will notice that at times the ideas related to thinking precede those related to perceiving, while at other times the order is reversed. The reason is that the order does not matter. Thinking and its results are really simultaneous, for cause and effect are never separate.   W-pI.19.1:1-4

If we accept the idea that we are of one Mind, it follows that there are no private thoughts. This idea may seem to be impossible right now. Everything we have experienced until now supports the idea that our thoughts are only our own. This is not intended to make us feel afraid of our thoughts. They are only thoughts, after all. However, our thoughts do have an impact on our consciousness – our awareness of who we really are. And, the thoughts we believe will act as either a block to the awareness of our Oneness or will open our minds to this awareness instead.

Today we are again emphasizing the fact that minds are joined. This is rarely a wholly welcome idea at first, since it seems to carry with it an enormous sense of responsibility, and may even be regarded as an “invasion of privacy.” Yet it is a fact that there are no private thoughts. Despite your initial resistance to this idea, you will yet understand that it must be true if salvation is possible at all. And salvation must be possible because it is the Will of God.   W-pI.19.2:1-5

The purpose of this lesson is to begin to open ourselves to a new way of thinking. It also teaches us that our thoughts create a way of experiencing the world we perceive. I act differently in the world when I think thoughts of love and kindness than when I think thoughts of hate and attack. And each person I encounter will experience my actions according to my own thoughts, attitudes, and actions. At a higher level, we each experience another’s openness to joining according to each other’s thoughts.

The Course doesn’t expect us to instantly shift the way we think. That is what the practice  of the lessons is about. We have spent a lifetime learning to think the way we currently think. It will take time and practice to shift the way we think. The Course and Spirit will gently guide us as we allow. A little willingness is what is asked for and is all Spirit needs to begin to guide our thoughts to a more correct thought system. Be alert and observant. Our openness to learning will help us be successful. Our success is guaranteed for we will be returning to the awareness of who we really are and the awareness of the light of truth which is already within us. Turn to that light. The reality of love and peace will rise in our minds as we do. Let it be so.

January 12, 2021

Lesson 12 –

I am upset because I see a meaningless world.

The question that comes to my mind is, “Why do I see a meaningless world?” This is a very important question. It is at the root of our perception of the world and whether our perception of the world is even real. Another lesson teaches us that we have given our perception of the world all the meaning it has. Our perception of anything is the key to whether or not we see reality. The Course teaches us that there is only love in reality and anything perceived other than love is a mistaken perception or understanding. This seems absolutely impossible to our separated minds that see us as separate. This lesson puts it this way:

The importance of this idea lies in the fact that it contains a correction for a major perceptual distortion. You think that what upsets you is a frightening world, or a sad world, or a violent world, or an insane world. All these attributes are given it by you. The world is meaningless in itself.   W-pI.12.1:1-4

As we look around us and allow our thoughts to bring up what about the world we see upsets us, we might think we see a fearful world, a dangerous world, a hostile world, a sad world, a wicked world, a crazy world, or a number of other thoughts. We needn’t take any of these thoughts to heart, just observe them without judgement. Each of these thoughts is simply a perception of what we see. Positive ideas may also come to mind. Include them with the negative. Again, they are all simply perceptions and have no meaning in themselves.

What is meaningless is neither good nor bad. Why, then, should a meaningless world upset you? If you could accept the world as meaningless and let the truth be written upon it for you, it would make you indescribably happy. But because it is meaningless, you are impelled to write upon it what you would have it be. It is this you see in it. It is this that is meaningless in truth. Beneath your words is written the Word of Oneness. The truth upsets you now, but when your words have been erased, you will see Oneness’. That is the ultimate purpose of these exercises.   W-pI.12.5:1-9

The Course is teaching us to see differently – more clearly. The world is one of our learning devices. During this time we are having this human experience, we are learning to perceive correctly, correcting the mistaken way we have been perceiving everything. Be patient and allow the Spirit within to guide this change. We have the time we need, for that is the purpose of time. The world may appear insane to us right now. That’s OK. So, take a step away from it for a moment and allow Spirit to give us a new interpretation. Opening ourselves to the idea that the world is meaningless helps give us that permission. Our perception of the world will change. Perhaps in small steps. Perhaps a giant leap once in awhile. Spirit will never give us anything we can’t handle. Every experience, every situation is an opportunity to practice this shift. Relax and allow a change in thought to rise in your mind. This is a journey. Relax and see where it takes you.You are perfectly safe in the hands of Spirit and in Oneness.

January 5, 2020

Lesson 5 –

I am never upset for the reason I think.

This lesson always reminds me to stop my mind and ask for a different interpretation. My egoic thought system wants me to be upset and therefore not thinking clearly. When I think with the egoic thought system, I rush to judgement and come up with a mistaken perception. We all do this, and do it more often than we think we do. The signal we get is our upset. How would we act differently if every time we felt upset we stopped and reconsidered our thoughts and perceptions? Perhaps our world would be a little more peaceful. Perhaps we would be just a bit happier. It doesn’t matter what our upset of the moment is. What matters is that we recognize we are upset and then stop and look within to see the root of our upset.

This idea, like the preceding one (These thoughts do not mean anything), can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain. Apply it specifically to whatever you believe is the cause of your upset, using the description of the feeling in whatever term seems accurate to you. The upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different. This is not true. However, until you learn that form does not matter, each form becomes a proper subject for the exercises for the day. Applying the same idea to each of them separately is the first step in ultimately recognizing they are all the same.   W-pI.5.1:1-6

We needn’t obsess with any of this. The most effective way I have found to practice this is to be gentle with myself; to take a step away from my upset and try to observe my upset objectively without judgement. If I continue to feel upset, I can come back to this  process later. Our wholeness is guaranteed. We are whole and complete and always will be, even if we don’t feel that way right now. When all else fails, ask Spirit for guidance. Our Higher Holy Spirit Self is always waiting in our mind; waiting for us to ask for guidance when we need it.

Perhaps we have just begun this journey. Be patient. Allow yourself to grow step by step. We have spent a lifetime learning to think with our egoic thought system. It will take some time to learn how to think with our One Mind – the Mind we share with all of Creation in Oneness. The change we are seeking is a change in the way we think – changing our thoughts. This process is more about allowing rather than making effort or forcing change. Relax and allow Spirit to move in your Mind. The upset you have been feeling will begin to abate. The upset will lessen. We may even fool ourselves begin to smile just a bit to know that our upset is not about the specific feelings we are having about specific situations or people. We are upset because we are out of touch – unaware – of our true Self in Oneness. The Course’s purpose is to help us return to the awareness of our true connected Self in Oneness.

In these exercises, more than in the preceding ones, you may find it hard to be indiscriminate, and to avoid giving greater weight to some subjects than to others. It might help to precede the exercises with the statement:
There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind.   W-pI.5.4:1-4

Try to accept the idea that all upsets are the same. They may appear very different to us, some more difficult than others. Try to be willing to accept the idea that they all have the same magnitude for they all come from the same misperception; that we believe we are separate. Again, be gentle with yourself. Every experience we have, every one we encounter, is a perfect opportunity to practice this concept. Be willing and see where Spirit takes you. You just might be surprised.