Lesson 117 (Review 103 and 104)

(103) “God, being Love, is also happiness. (top of the hour)
(104) “I seek but what belongs to me in truth.” (on the half hour)

Let me remember to include You in everything I do in this world today, as I let no idols block my awareness of Your Love. Happiness, love and joy cannot be found “out there”; I need only call upon Holy Spirit, Who dwells within m mind, as well as in every seemingly separate mind. I can choose to align my thinking with Holy Spirit, or I can allow the ego to become distracted by idols, which come in a variety of forms. Today I choose Holy Spirit. Jesus, you are my brother and my guide as we extend Our Father’s Love today. And it is this Love that belongs to me in truth, and it is this Love that cannot be found in worldly idols. While I am dreaming this life here, I understand there is absolutely nothing wrong in enjoying activities and things in the physical universe. But, these things will not replace my memory of You, which is the only true Source of happiness. Today I recognize my activities in themselves are not the source of joy, as I remember Him and include Him in everything I do today. I shall seek no comfort or happiness from material idols today; it is God that is behind all joy, and it is this I really want. Jesus, thank You for helping me awaken to this truth, as I choose to align my mind with Holy Spirit, thus allowing me to find joy in even the most “mundane” earthly activities. Love, joy, happiness and peace live within me and my brother eternally. Today I choose to relax and remember the Truth. Amen.

Lesson 116 (Review 101 and 102)

(101) “God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.” (top of the hour)
(102) “I share God’s Will for happiness for me.” (on the half hour)

Perfect happiness is my natural state and True Identity. All non-loving thoughts, feeling and ideas are products of the ego – the mind that views itself as separate from God and from every other perceived ego. His Will for my perfect happiness is my will in truth. Jesus, help me remember this simple, yet profound truth today, as I call Your Name. Anything other than happiness is not my will, but an illusion of a separate will, which I happily relinquish to the Holy Spirit as I receive the Atonement for myself. By accepting the Atonement for myself, I accept it for the world, as my projections of fear-based thoughts are replaced by the extension of God’s Love. Thus am I truly happy and at peace in Him. Today I shall not allow illusions of fear and separation to cover up my True Self, the Self that is united with Love, and the Self Who wills onl perfect happiness. This is all I truly desire during this life on earth. I am here only to be truly helpful, and I will make no decisions by myself (ie: without Holy Spirit’s Guideance). I walk with You, Jesus, as we extend Our Father’s Love to all the world, which is One in Happiness with us. Amen.

Lesson 115 (Review 99 and 100)

(99) “Salvation is my only function here.” (every hour)
(100) “My part is essential to God’s plan for salvation.” (every half hour)

Jesus, I am determined to forgive what I see in this world totally and without exception. Forgiveness is my salvation, and the world’s as well. I signed into my blog this morning without a clue as to what to type this morning; thoughts and emotions have been coming to the surface, which I have gladly given to Him, that I may forgive myself. I welcome Your miracles into my life as I turn my attention to You and allow You to work through me. And this is the only thing I need do, as it is my only function. Forgiveness shall set me free, along with the world as my perceptions are healed. Accepting the Atonement for myself is essential to His plan; the Light within me shines forth into the world and calls upon the Light in my brother, leading him back to Heaven with me. Jesus, I accept You as my Guide today. I choose to remember these lessons as I surrender my mind to Him, and offer Love and Forgiveness to all. Allowing non-loving thoughts into my mind – judgment, fear, attack, worry, etc – only blocks the Light from my awareness and keeps me in darkness. I happily allow Him to remove the veil of darkness, so that my Light shines bright for all to see. And so it is, I pray, Amen.

Lesson 114 (Review 97 and 98)

(97) “I am spirit.” (top of the hour)
(98) “I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.” (on the half hour)

Jesus, this morning I am at a lost for words. All I can think of is how grateful I am to You for Your Love and Guideance. I turn to You as my only desire is to live these lessons in total Love and Forgiveness. Help me do just that today. Amen.

Lesson 113 (Review 95 and 96)

(95) “I am one Self, united with my Creator.” (top of the hour)
(96) “Salvation comes from my one Self.” (on the half hour)

Holy Spirit, I come to You with a still mind and open heart, as I welcome You into my mind this day. Serenity and peace are my natural state of existance, because I am one with God and all His creation. Let me remember this today and let me not be distracted by what this world shows me. My salvation comes from remembering these lessons, which is true forgiveness – seeing events and actions in this world through Christ’s Eyes, thus recognizing them as part of the illusion of the ego. Your knowledge is with me eternally, no matter where I find myself in this world. My brother and I are always in the Mind of God, which knows only Love. All else fades away into the nothingness from which it came. Only Love exists; today I am awake to this simple Truth. Amen.

Lesson 112 (Review 93 and 94)

(93) “Light, and joy and peace abide in me.” (top of the hour)
(94) “I am as God created me.” (bottom of the hour)

As I celebrate Independence Day today, let me also to remember I am independent from the ways of this world, in that I do not have to buy into its illusion of separation and fear. My True Identity is One with Him. Light, peace and joy are natural to me; all that appears to be non-loving is simply part of the dream the ego has conjured in order to perpetuate its attempt to remain separate from the Mind of God. The ego’s quest for independence merely binds it with limitations and a feeling of lack, for the ego is constantly using judgement and attack to defend what it thinks is its own separate identity. Jesus, I would hardly call this independence, for without You, I am bound to my own self-inflicted hell. Forgetting that I am as God created me–One with Him in peace, light and joy–blocks His Love from my awareness in my vain attempt to maintain a separate identity on earth. Today I declare True Independence, one I share with All. I gladly step away from my dream of separation as I welcome His Light into my mind, becoming One with Him in this Eternal Now. No idol can bind me to the dream any longer. I declare freedom from hell right now. Recognizing my true identity and true state in God is true freedom, for I can do nothing without His help. Thank You, Jesus, for walking with me this day as I choose to forgive the world. Amen.

Lesson 111 (Review 91 and 92)

(91) Miracles are seen in light. (top of the hour)
(92) Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one. (bottom of the hour)

Jesus, I come into this review period with more determination than ever to extend our Father’s Love as I learn true forgiveness. I realize I have blocked Your Light from my awareness by my pointless faith in illusions. I gladly let these distractions fall away as I embrace these lessons with enthusiasm! Holy Spirit, today I am born again as I turn to the light within, which is true strength and always present, just waiting patiently to be recognized. My mind is illuminated as I willingly lay down all distractions and withdraw my faith in dreams. Light is strength, and so I welcome a day and weekend filled with miracles. Jesus, You are my Light and Guide. Let us look upon a world with Christ’s Vision together as we see past all illusions of sickness, pain and judgement, and see only the Light of Truth. Let our Father’s Will be done. And let us have fun as we laugh with joy, remembering our True Identity. Amen.

Mobile Blogging from here.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 110

“I am as God created me.”

Father, I come to You with gratitude today as I remember my true Self. Let no idols distract me from seeing the Christ within me, and as well as my brother, for we are all One Son in truth. I willingly hand over all illusions and distracting, non-loving thoughts to Holy Spirit for correction, as I am determined to see with His Eyes today. Let all past misperceptions about my brother and myself fade into the nothingness from which they came; let all future concerns be recognized as mere illusions as I let them go, and live in the Eternal Now. Any picture my mind created of myself cannot undo my real identity in Christ. I joyfully remember these words each waking hour today as I turn to Him in stillness and gratitude:

I am as God created me. His Son can suffer nothing. And I am His Son.

Today I allow the Light to flow through me and into this world. Amen.

Habla español? ACIM lessons on Twitter in Spanish.

I have decided to post the daily workbook lessons in Spanish starting yesterday. The lessons currently correspond to the daily English lessons (lesson 109 is today), but I may start over at lesson 1 on January 1. If you know any Spanish-speaking Course student, or someone who may be interested, please let them know they can receive daily ACIM lessons (or UCDM – Un Curso de Milagros) in Spanish via Twitter.

The Spanish Twitter ID is @UCDM

For now I’ll be retweeting the lesson on @ACIM_Now, in order to spread the word. Thank you all, and God Bless.

Danny

Lesson 109

“I rest in God.”

The beauty and simplicity of this lesson really strikes me. The message of the Course is simple, yet the ego makes it into something so complex and long, hence the book’s 1,400 or so pages. I often hear Course teachers say that if just one workbook lesson is understood completely, then the rest of the Course is not needed. But like most people on the planet, the Course in its entirety is essential for my study–I need constant reminders in order to remain focused on choosing the Holy Spirit to guide me. Some lessons tend to resonate with me more than others, and lesson 109 happens to be one of them. As I say, “I rest in God”, a strong inner peace sweeps through me. This is a reminder to step back from life’s busy activities often today, and say this to myself. Too often I find myself wanting to judge events and peoples’ actions during the course of my busy day. This one sentence, “I rest in God”, instantly brings me back into right-mindedness with Holy Spirit.

Jesus, I ask for your guideance today as I turn to You with enthusiasm and willingness. Let no illusion cloud my mind today; let no rogue thought derail my thinking as I look to You. I rest in God with You, Jesus. I thank You for your constant reminders You give me during the day, and I am eternally grateful for our friendship. May I extend Our Father’s Love to the world this day as I remember I am safe in Him in the Eternal Present. No past regret or future fear can have any effect on me, for I choose to dwell in the Now with Him, where I rest with God. Amen.

Lesson 108

“To give and to receive are one in truth.”

This lesson is a simple demonstration of the law of cause and effect; its results will be seen by practicing this lesson today. All that is asked of us is simply to set aside about five minutes per hour to spend with Him. We say to ourselves at the start of each practice period:

To give and to receive are one in truth.
I will receive what I am giving now.

Then with our closed, we simply think what we would offer to others, whether to the world in general, or to specific people. The lesson gives these examples of statements we could say during our five minute period:

To everyone I offer quietness.
To everyone I offer peace of mind.
To everyone I offer gentleness.

To the degree we offer each statement, we will receive what we offer. This is a powerful demonstration of cause and effect.

Holy Spirit, I offer my mind to you so that I may extend Peace to other seemingly separate minds today. I come to You with an open heart and an open mind. My function is to forgive what appears to be happening in this dream as I choose to see only holiness behind each face. It is this Vision–True Vision–I offer to my brother today, as I look past appearances and see the Christ that unites us all. Thank You, Jesus, for today’s learning opportunities. I choose to walk with You today, and every day, in calmness and in peace. I choose to receive His Word and do His Will here on Earth. Wherever the day’s events take me, let me remember my True Identity in Christ, as I give my peace, love, forgiveness, and calmness to all. Let the world be wholly blessed this day as I perceive only Love this day. Amen.

Lesson 107

“Truth will correct all errors in my mind.”

The truth is always with us. It is only a matter of recognizing that this is so. He Who is Truth is with us always, although we block Him from our awareness with our own independent, ego-based thoughts. He will not force His Will upon us; Holy Spirit is always trying to speak to us in some form to get our attention, though. Today I will remember to pause frequently and remember this lesson, as I allow Him into my awareness, remembering He is really my Self, always present. Let me remember these words today every hour:

Truth will correct all errors in my mind.
And I will rest in Him Who is my Self.

Help me remember, Jesus, that I am not separate from You or Our Father. Only by perceiving illusions as true can I appear to be separate from Him. And it is the Eternal Truth that dwells within me that I call upon today, which gently replaces all illusions with unwavering Truth. I remain vigilant of my thoughts today, and gladly turn them over to Holy Spirit. When thoughts of condemnation, judgement, worry, fear–anything not of Love–I am able to recognize them as illusions–nothing–and offer them to Him to be replaced by miracles. Then I can receive the Truth and be in this world, but not of it, as I allow myself to be a conduit for His Love and Peace today. Thank You, Jesus, for helping me remember these truths on a daily basis. Thank You for Your Love and Friendship. I joyfully surrender my mind to You, that I may do Our Father’s Will. I know I do spend alot of idle time on the computer and iPod Touch, and I turn these over to You as well, that these earthly tools may be used to extend Your Love fully. Amen.

Lesson 106

“Let me be still and listen to the truth.”

Jesus, today I will pause frequently to listen to Our Father’s Voice, and do what He directs me to do, think and say. I will not be lost in the dream today, as I remain silent and still, opening my mind to His Will. As I lovingly accept His Word, I shall question whatever this world shows me today, as I ask, “What is this for?” He will offer me miracles–changes in perception–when I am willing to offer my mind to Him. Each hour for five minutes, let me pause and say:

I will be still and listen to the truth.
What does it mean to give and to receive?

I am confident the answer will be given to me. Let me not conform to the chaotic ways of this world, but help me forgive that which I see today, as my mind remains still, and open to His Peace. The Course says I am here only to be truly helpful, and it is this I seek today. Throughout this day, let me remember:

Let me be still and listen to the truth.
I am the messenger of God today.
My voice is His, to give what I receive.

Jesus, today I walk joyfully with You as my only goal is to extend His Love, in whatever form He requests. You are my Friend and Companion as I see You in every brother and sister today. Amen.

Lesson 105

“God’s peace and joy are mine.”

Our thoughts of judgements and grievances are the only barrier to this truth. Today we are asked to hold those brothers and sisters with whom we hold some kind of grievance in our awareness, as we say to each one:

My brother, peace and joy I offer you,
That I may have God’s peace and joy as mine.

As we recognize we are denying ourselves God’s peace and joy by doing so to them, Holy Spirit is invited into our minds to correct our perception. This may be said not only as we begin today’s practice periods, but also whenever we feel tempted to judge and condemn someone. Holy Spirit, today I am willing to see the Christ in each brother as I release my mind from the chains of judgement and let Your Light shine away any false perception and rogue thought. I join with You this day as I remember His Love, and as I remember His peace and joy are always within reach. I need only be willing to see my brothers with Your Vision and surrender my thoughts to You for correction. Thank You, Jesus. I walk with you willingly and with gratitude today, and always. Amen.

Lesson 104

“I seek but what belongs to me in truth.”

Joy and peace belong to me, and are always available to me. The only thing I must do is remember this simple yet powerful truth, and open my mind to receiving Him. Holy Spirit, help me remember this lesson today. Help me lay all idols and illusions aside, and listen to Your Voice. I choose to look past all illusions today and enter stillness as often as possible this day, in order to accept joy and peace by remembering:

I seek but what belongs to me in truth.
And joy and peace are my inheritance.

Thus I seek only what is truly mine. Jesus, today I come to you for a few minutes each hour with these words from Lesson 104:

I seek but what belongs to me in truth.
God’s gifts of joy and peace are all I want.

I choose to recognize Our Father’s Will has been done; I need only look beyond the illusory veil over my eyes and accept His Truth, which is always mine. With joy and gratitude, I hand over any rogue thought that enters my awareness. Let thy Will be done through me as I extend His Love today. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Lesson 103

“God, being Love, is also happiness.”

Today I rest in stillness as I focus on this moment, and say:

God, being Love, is also happiness.
And it is happiness I seek today.
I cannot fail, because I seek the truth.

And each hour, as I join with Him in practice, I say:

God, being Love, is also happiness.
To fear Him is to be afraid of joy.

Today I simply open my mind to His Love, and release my grip on idols and illusions. Today I allow the truth–happiness–to radiate from me. Amen.

Lesson 102

“I share God’s Will for happiness for me.”

The thought that God wills only happiness for me is such a wonderful thought, I can’t help but to feel gratitude and love as I go about my day. Every situation that arises that appears to be unloving is equally meaningless, according to the Course. These illusions are mere distractions, perceived by the ego in order to bolster its belief in separation. This lesson reminds us that we need only to pause briefly every hour, and look within. Holy Spirit, today I look within to hear His Voice as I relinquish my own ideas of what I think I should do in any situation, and allow Him to guide me. Within me dwells happiness, which is ever present. Help me remember this truth, Jesus. Every hour remind me dedicate five minutes to experiencing happiness as I meditate on this lesson:

I share God’s Will for happiness for me, and I accept it as my function now.

My only function is happiness, which is achieved through forgiveness–the recognition that anything in this world really has no affect on my True Self. Thank You, Jesus, for your constant reminders of this in my life. Amen.

Lesson 101

“God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.”

Jesus, I will remember Our Father’s Will today as I joyfully release every rogue thought that blocks happiness from my awareness. I willingly give up every judgement and fearful thought to You for correction. In the Light, these thoughts are thus seen as mere illusions, and are gently replaced with His Happiness- my natural state. Holy Spirit, today I will allow no idols to derail my mind. Each hour during this day, I say to You as I am reminded:

God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.
There is no sin; it has no consequence.

Throughout the day, as I see sin as an illusion by my forgiveness, I say:

God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.
This is the truth, because there is no sin.

Thank You, Jesus, for your Love and Guideance. Amen.

Lesson 100

“My part is essential to God’s plan for salvation.”

God wills perfect happiness for His Son. Our function here is to forgive by releasing our minds from the grip of fear-based thoughts, which are but illusions, and embracing the Eternal Present, in which only happiness can dwell. This lesson asks us quite simply to look within ourselves every hour and feel God’s Love and Happiness flowing through us, as we see the world’s fearful images as mere illusions. Jesus, today I come to you willing to experience and extend happiness to all my brothers and sisters, who are all really One with Our Father. Let me remember to give a few minutes each hour to reflecting on this wonderful truth today, as I remember You and Your Love. By experiencing happiness, seemingly separate individuals can see the Light of Christ in our face as we extend forth His Love, and fulfill our function of salvation in Christ’s Name. Amen.

Lesson 99

“Salvation is my only function here.”

Today’s lesson is one of my favorites, as it stresses forgiveness. True forgiveness recognizes that all past actions are illusions–they exist only in the mind. Anything perceived in the past or future is thus forgiven by embracing the Eternal Present, as we allow Holy Spirit’s Light to shine away illusions from the darkened corners of our mind. Salvation and forgiveness are the same. As we review Lesson 99, we are asked to turn over our dark thoughts to Him, so that we can recognize they are but illusions existing only in the mind. By doing this and opening our mind to Him, we join with the One Mind in the Eternal Now as all illusions are forgiven, and all forms of fear are gently laid aside. For five minutes each hour, let us meditate on these words as we invite Holy Spirit to corrrect our thinking:

Salvation is my only function here.
Salvation and forgiveness are the same.

And during times we are tempted to believe our thoughts of fear and judgement are real, we say to ourselves:

Salvation is my only function here.
God still is Love, and this is not His Will.

Holy Spirit, I come to you today with gratitude and willingnessas I surrender my thoughts to You. Let me remember today’s lesson, as I remember I am One with the One Mind; let all illusions fall away in the Light of Truth today. Amen.

Lesson 98

“I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.”

Jesus, today I will give five minutes of my time to hear His Voice. Let me remember today’s lesson throughout each hour as I offer my mind to His Love. I am confident He will show me the Way as I welcome His Voice. He will guide me today, as peace and joy fill my being and extend forth to every brother. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Love. Amen.

Lesson 97

“I am spirit.”

Spirit am I, a holy Son of God, free of all limits, safe and healed and whole, free to forgive, and free to save the world.

Lesson 96

“Salvation comes from my one Self.”

I can choose to let my mind serve either the body or spirit; these are the only two choices I have. By choosing the body, I am allowing idols to take Your place, thus blocking the Light from my awareness. With body identification comes conflict, judgment, fear, anxiety, and numerous other fear-based emotions, all of which are simply one illusion–in the mind. By choosing spirit, on the other hand, I remember Your Love and allow You to guide me. Total peace prevails in my mind as every word, thought and action from me is infused with Love. I see idols and illusions as having no power; they are simply the ego’s distractions on my path. Holy Spirit, today I choose to listen to Your Voice. Enter my mind as I still it every hour for five minutes today, so I may extend His Love all day long as I joyfully welcome Your Thoughts into my mind. Today I choose to remember:

Salvation comes from my one Self. Its Thoughts are mine to use.

Amen.

Lesson 95

“I am one Self, united with my Creator.”

Jesus, help me understand and apply today’s lesson. I open my mind to let you teach me this lesson’s meaning. Every hour I shall remember these words:

I am one Self, united with my Creator, at one with every aspect of creation, and limitless in power and in peace.”

and:

I am one Self.

And as the lesson directs, help me remember to say to everyone I encounter this day:

You are one Self with me, united with our Creator in this Self. I honor you because of What I am, and What He is, Who loves us both as One.

With an open heart and vigilant mind, I embrace this lesson as I call upon Your Name. Amen.

Lesson 94

“I am as God created me.”

Jesus, today I lay aside all thoughts, ideas and judgements (”good” and “bad”) about myself as I reflect on today’s lesson: I am as God created me. Every attribute I have assigned to myself is meaningless in truth. Today I am willing and determined to FORGIVE all that I have believed about myself and the world, and see it through Your Eyes instead. Jesus, help me remember this lesson as I still my mind and receive the Truth, and serve as an extension of Our Father’s Love. Let me not judge myself, or worldly situations today; help me perceive them correctly–with Love and free of the chains of judgement. I am as God created me–all fear, anxiety, worry, regrets, anger (and any thought that bolsters separation) is but an illusion projected by the ego mind, which sees itself as separated from You, and in need of constant self-defense to preserve itself. Let the Light shine upon my mind as I joyfully allow my True Self to be revealed to me ALL day, and beyond. I am One with You; my brother/sister is One with You. Father, I gratefully hand over all thoughts of separation and fear to Holy Spirit. With Love, I hear Your Voice and walk with Christ as I go to my earthly job this morning, and call upon You to guide my every thought, action and word all throughout the day. Jesus, I thank You for helping me remember I have an Eternal Friend in You. I choose to forgive what the ego’s mind has attempted to project as being real, as I focus only on the Eternal Present; past and future are but illusions, thus I release and forgive that which has is not real. Holy Spirit, I remember I am as God created me; my sister/brother is as God created her/him. Let Unity and Oneness be remembered fully this day as I look upon Iran, Iraq, the United States, Israel, Africa, and the entire world with total Love and Forgiveness. I see Jesus’ arms around the planet as Love, Peace and Forgiveness unites us this day. Today I embrace and welcome the Salvation as I extend only Love to our planet. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Lesson 93

“Light and joy and peace abide in me.”

Today’s lesson is our True Identity: light and joy and peace abide in us, because God has given it to us. That is our natural state, which we seemed to have lost when we believed in our separation from Him. We think we are individual bodies, each with its own will. Holy Spirit, help me remember this is the cause of all conflict within; help me remember today’s lesson as I am determined to do His Will. God wills only that we love; light, joy, peace and happiness IS what He desires. By opening our hearts and minds to receive His Love and Guideance, we can rise above the conflict that appears so prevelant in this world, and be at peace. Today I willingly lay aside my own ideas of what I think I am, and what I think I know, and allow Him to direct my thoughts, words and actions. This is salvation. This is true escape from our ego-based dream of separation from God, and from one another. Help me remember this today, Holy Spirit, as I go about my day, joyfully extending Your Love and laying all grievances aside to be healed. Thank You for your Love and Guideance, Amen.

Light and joy and peace abide in me.
My sinlessness is guaranteed by God.

Lesson 92

“Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.”

Today I choose to see with Your Vision as I do Your Will. What I see with my physical eyes in this world is but a dream; I choose to see the Light – the Truth – behind every face and every situation throughout this day. Holy Spirit, remind me to perceive only the Light, for this is true strength. All judgements and fears are weakness, which clouds the Light from one’s awareness as he becomes lost in the illusions the body’s eyes attempt to show. The ego would push its belief in separation on us with its images of sickness and fear. Holy Spirit reminds us that these sights are but an illusion, which awareness of the Light can dissolve in a holy instant, thus paving the way for Love and Peace to be extended to all we look upon today. Your Strength is constant and never wavers, unlike that which we appear to look upon in this physical world. Holy Spirit, I join with You willingly and with complete gratitude as I look beyond all appearances and circumstances this dream seems to be showing me. Your Love is real; may I see it everywhere today I see my brothers/sisters as One. Amen.

My Writing Hiatus is Over: No More Excuses (motivation from my writing blog)

I wrote this about a month ago, and just posted on my writing blog last week. Virtually any subject can replace writing as you read this. The point of this short essay is do what you love–follow your heart. Enjoy.

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Well, it’s been well over a year since I have posted on EditRed. During that time I have not written much, except for my daily spiritual blog. It seemed I had an excuse everytime a friend or family member would ask me how my writing is coming along (”I’m too busy”, “I don’t know what to write”, “I thought about writing a story, but something came up). In my mind I’ve even re-lived my not so positive experiences with writing groups. Subconscious beliefs such as “I’m not good enough to be published” and “I feel out of place” have stiffled my creativity, or so it seemed.

Does this sound familiar? I believe we all have made excuses at one point. And we all harbor thoughts of fear (in the case of my writing, thoughts of inferiority) that can keep us from living our dream if we give credence to these ideas. I now realize this is not only unnecessary, but is also a waste of mental energy. Thoughts only have whatever power we choose to give them. Upon realizing this fact, we can choose: Okay, do I buy into these negative peceptions, or do I do what I love doing? Hmm, I think I’ll do what I love, which is writing. I’d much rather put all my time and energy into producing creative writing, rather than worrying about being judged by “superior” writers and publishers.

This mindset will get a person nowhere in this world. Do you love to write? Then do it, even if it’s blogging, or simply rambling about a story on paper that happens to come into your mind. Although I wasn’t aware of it when I was writing often, I had an inferiority complex, and believed others were “better” than me. Now I choose to view ALL of my fellow writers with admiration and respect; we are all doing what we love, whether we are best-selling authors, publishers, bloggers, aspiring writers, or writing hobbyists. Some people will criticize your work, while others will praise it–that’s how it works. Do not be afraid to get out there and pursue something like writing if that’s what your heart is telling you to do. And my heart is telling me to get back out there and free my creative mind that I have kept imprisoned by my old ideas for way too long.

Lesson 91

“Miracles are seen in light.”

Holy Spirit, I will not rely on my body’s eyes to see the light today, for I remember I am not a body. Remind me, Holy Spirit, of my True Identity. I am not limited to the world’s laws; I am only under God’s laws. I am not weak, but all powerful. I am not a body. These statements reflect the Truth in myself as well as every apparently separate brother/sister I encounter today. Let us remember to trust in You today as we unite our “separate” wills with Yours, reclaiming our strength as One. Jesus, You overcame the physical world, and we gladly follow Your guideance today. The darkness we perceive in the world is but a veil that hides ever-present miracles from our awareness. As I step back and allow You to direct my thoughts, I feel Your strength flowing through me as I embrace miracles in my life. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Love and Guideance. And let me constantly remind myself, especially during times of trial:

Miracles are seen in light. Let me not close my eyes because of this. WB-91.11:4,5

I offer my love, gratitude and willingness to You this day as I prepare to begin a new day, determined to extend You Love to all. Amen.

Lesson 90 (Review 79 and 80)

(79) “Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved.”
(80) “Let me recognize my problems have been solved.”

Today I remember every problem I may perceive is really the same illusion: I am holding on to a grievance that exists only in my mind. And I remember the one solution: I allow Holy Spirit to offer a miracle to correct my perception of the “problem”. Jesus, today I let go all grievances as I recognize them as the illusions they truly are. They have no power over me; rather, by accepting Your Will as mine, I have power to dispell them. Each perceived problem is already solved the instant it is perceived, for God offers His Answer through Holy Spirit, which knows no time. By simply remembering and accepting Him, any “problem” vanishes in the Light. Today is a day filled with miracles as I joyfully walk with Christ and choose to see the world through eyes of total forgiveness. Amen.

Meet me on Twitter

Feel free to follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com), which is available via several portable media apps, as well as the internet. My Twitter ID is PhoenixDanny – I will be creating a new Twitter name for daily ACIM lessons on Sunday March 15 (name to be determined). Catch all updates via my current Twitter ID or right here. I hope to make new connections and I’m excited about these new doors that Holy Spirit is opening. Have a blessed day.

“ACIM Now” is now online

My new Twitter account and Facebook group have been activated this morning:

Twitter: ACIM_Now
Facebook group: ACIM Now

ACIM Now is an extension of this blog -a way to reach out to Course students with portable media devices, such as iPhone and Blackberry. Starting this Sunday, I will be posting the daily workbook lesson on both sites, starting with Lesson 1 (I’m about to start my second year with ACIM). So, if you’ve been considering doing the workbook lessons, you can follow along beginning Sunday morning, March 15.

I’ll post the main portion of the daily lesson on all three sites, so feel free to discuss the lesson and ask questions/share insights. I still plan on keeping this blog and sharing my experiences with the Course. I admit blogging on my ipod isn’t always convenient (Twitter is designed for portable devices mainly), but I will continue to do so whenever Holy Spirit directs me. Blessings to all.

Lesson 1

“Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything.”

As I type this post on this rainy Sunday morning in western North Carolina, I feel a sense of peace and gratitude. This is my second go-around with the workbook; I truly feel these lessons do not end with #365. I’m meditating on this first lesson on my first morning here in NC – what a symbolic way to start again!

Nothing we see in this world of form means anything in itself. As I say, it is what it is. We assign meaning to everything we see based on our past experiences. This lesson asks us to recognize whatever you see has no meaning. By focusing on the present – the Eternal Now – we understand the past is just an illusion. Each moment we have the option of choosing our thoughts again, and letting go of past judgements. This is what true forgiveness is – letting go of the past and opening our minds to perceiving everyone and everything anew in this single blessed moment. This Course is about releasing the ego’s fear-based thought system (based on past judgements and future worries), and replacing it with a love-based way of thinking – the Peace of God – which is within reach NOW. There’s something to meditate upon today… Have a blessed day.

Lesson 2

“I have given everything I see in this room [from this window, on this street, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me.”

Look around now. Everything you see was assigned a meaning by you. It has no meaning on its own; the mind categorizes and assigns value and meaning to all it perceives, whether it’s a trophy in the room, that “obnoxious driver” who cut you off today, or a certain meal you may dislike (or love). Every situation in our lives has meaning to us, because we gave it meaning.

This morning, one could perceive the weather as crappy and dreary. Here in western North Carolina, it is foggy, overcast, drizzling and very cool (mid 40’s to near 50 F). It’s been like this since we arrived Saturday.

The ego could have thoughts such as, “There go my plans to hike!”, or “I’m stuck indoors.” In the past I was not a fan of rainy weather at all. I could continue using my past judgements to create a similar future experience. Or, I could ask to see this (or any other situation that arises) from Holy Spirit’s point of view. The Course says there are two viewpoints: one of the ego (fear-based, seperate from God), and the other is of the Holy Spirit (Oneness and Love). This Course teaches us to give everything to Him; with practice, this becomes second nature. And this morning, as I meditate on the porch, I am grateful to be experiencing the dawn of a new day – and the dawning of spring. All around me countless species of birds sing their songs. The hills across the bright green field are shrouded in mist. The windchimes gently cling on occasion. The patter of raindrops hit the grass and fall from the budding trees. I am witnessing the renewal of the earth and feel very much a part of it. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping me perceive this beautiful day from Your perspective.

Lesson 3

“I do not understand anything I see [in this room, on this street, from this window, in this place.”

By relinquishing judgements and past associations, we look upon all things (situations and people included) as they are. This allows Holy Spirit’s perception to enter our minds, and lets us see with Christ’s vision- with love and without judgement. I have a prayer I use often, mainly when I’m facing a situation I perceive as a challenge, or as “negative”:

Holy Spirit, I do not know what this means. Please allow me to perceive this correctly.

The ego would have us believe we know everything – that our judgements are justified, and our limited perception is the right one. By letting go and letting God, we allow Ourselves – our True Self – to look upon the world with love, compassion and forgiveness.

Lesson 4

“These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see [in this room, on this street, from this window, in this place].”

Our thoughts, as well as everything “out there”, are given their meaning by us. They mean nothing in themselves. This is a very important lesson, as it teaches us to be vigilant of all our thoughts. This monitoring of our thoughts may seem tedious in the beginning, but with practice, we can give every thought of hate, judgement and fear to Him and accept the Atonement (ie: a miracle- a shift in perception) for ourselves. By giving our thoughts to Holy Spirit and being willing to accept only His loving thoughts, we see the Christ in each seemingly separate body in this world. Let us be vigilant of our minds today, and be willing to hand over our thoughts to Holy Spirit. Let His Will be done.

Lesson 5

“I am never upset for the reason I think”.

This lesson asks us to look at each negative emotion that comes up, as well as its perceived cause. “I am not worried about my bills for the reason I think”, for example. We are asked to acknowledge each “bad” feeling and thought that arises, and apply today’s lesson. The Course states there is no order of difficulty in miracles (shifts in perception). Whether I’m feeling minor irritation over trying to type on a tiny ipod touch keyboard, or whether I am facing major changes at my job, they are all the same: Any emotion and thought that is not the Peace of God is merely a part of the dream the ego has created, and is therefore false. By observing our thoughts, and offering any “rogue” or “uncomfortable” thought to Holy Spirit for correction, we open our minds to the Truth- the Atonement- God’s Peace. As we work with these lessons, we learn to recognize any thought that is not of God, and immediately offer it to Him. “Holy Spirit, let me perceive this situation correctly- through Christ’s Loving eyes”.

Stop clinging to those rogue thoughts

I love ACIM, because situations are guaranteed to come up that really put these workbook lessons to the test. How often do we get upset about something and cling to our judgements? Today I realized I was doing just that. Shopping has never been a favorite activity of mine. I’m one of those people who runs into a store, grabs what I need, and leaves. I’m usually not one to browse and stay in a store longer than I need to be. Today my fiancée and I went shopping for a few things; we are currently on vacation at her mother’s house in North Carolina. To make a long story short, thoughts like “I don’t want to be in stores on vacation. We can shop at home” started flooding my mind. I found myself in a mental resistance – I wanted to be elsewhere – hiking, sightseeing, “vacation things”. For a moment I forgot about the Course, God and peace of mind. I was grasping onto this internal resistance to shopping, and fought against it in my mind.

“I am never upset for the reason I think”. I thought my feelings of being upset (which were seemingly minor, but still caused me to feel bad) were caused BY going shopping, when it was really my PERCEPTION that caused the conflict. And the ego loves to hold on and grasp these thoughts tightly; it sees its own interests as more important than peace of mind. That is what I was doing today. For a few minutes I kicked around thoughts in my mind about how much I’d rather be doing anything but shopping on our vacation. I realize people perceive many situations as far more important or major than my resistance to going shopping, but ALL resistance to God’s Will (Peace) is equal. One can choose the ego’s guidance or Holy Spirit’s. There is no middle ground. And through a spiritual practice such as the Course, we train our minds to catch those rogue, ego-based thoughts more quickly, and ask Him for guidance. Thus we release our thoughts to Him and invite His correction to transform our minds.

Needless to say I had a great day! Once I realized and remembered what I was doing, I invited Holy Spirit to let me see things differently. I realized how ridiculous it was to allow shopping to stand in the way of peace and happiness. And I remembered how easy it truly is to return to my true state of mind by calling on Him Who remembers for us.

Mobile Blogging from here.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 6

“I am upset because I see something that is not there.”

Any situation and circumstance in itself has no power over us. The major traffic job cannot make us feel stressed and angry. The man who robbed my house years ago has no control over my attitude now. The economy does not require me to feel worried and upset. Like I always say, it is what it is.

The Course teaches us that only our fear-based thoughts are what keeps us from peace and tranquility. This can be difficult to understand when one begins as a student of ACIM; its thought system is 180 degrees from that of this world. It is important to remember that one is not expected to make the transition to a totally Love-based way of Being overnight. That is why the Course consists of 365 lessons, as well as 1200 plus pages of text. By following the lessons and being willing to accept Holy Spirit’s guidance, we will begin undoing years of ego-based conditioning and realize this world is but an illusion – our perceptions, judgements and resentments were created from a place the ego believes is separate from God – a place that is but just a dream.

When I started the Course last year, I often beat myself up mentally whenever I forgot its lessons, and found myself responding to someone or some situation in a non-loving manner. It’s important not to beat yourself up and be so critical; slipping up is OKAY, and is expected. Just remember every moment is an opportunity to choose again – each moment we can choose to call on Him and be willing to receive His Love and Guidance. This may take practice, but by faithfully doing these lessons, we will find ourselves in a place of love and tranquility, as we learn to do His Will. Yes, situations that can be perceived as challenging will still arise, however, we will deal with them from a place of calmness, rather than reacting from a place of fear/anger. And thus we recognize our fear-based thoughts have no basis in Reality, and are part of the illusion of separation.

Lesson 7

“I see only the past”.

Everything we see, we base upon past thoughts. We know a cup is a cup, and what its function is, based on past experiences with cups, for example. This lessons asks us to look at things around us: I see only the past in this clock radio, flashlight, TV, book, etc.

At this point the Course asks us to only look at material things around us while applying today’s lesson, 3 or 4 times throughout the day. This is one of the most fundamental lessons, as it allows us to see how much our thinking is rooted in the past and future, rather than the Eternal Now.

Lesson 8

“My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts”.

This is one of those lessons that resonates with me so strongly. It reminds us there is only the present – past, as well as future, are but illusions. Paragraph 2 of today’s lesson sums it up so well to me:

“The one wholly true thought one can hold about the past is that it is not here. To think about it at all is therefore to think about illusions. Very few have realized what is actually entailed in picturing the past or in anticipating the future. The mind is actually blank when it does this, because it is not really thinking about anything.”

This lesson helps teach the mind to recignize time is an illusion; there is only now. This concept blows many minds, as it did mine when I started the Course. We cannot see or touch the past – nor the future – because there is only the present – the Eternal Now.

Lesson 9

“I see nothing as it is now.”

This lesson is a continuation of the previous ones. All that we see around us is based upon past thoughts and ideas. We’re asked to look at things around us and apply today’s idea (I do not see this computer as it is now; I do not see this table as it is now; etc), and to do the same with objects farther away (I do not see that window as it is now…). Three or four times during the day is the requested frequency for applying today’s lesson. The lesson explains that we may find this concept difficult to grasp, and may even resist it. But, that is okay.

“In fact, the recognition that you do not understand is a prerequisite for undoing your false ideas.” (Lesson 9, 1:4)

With this lesson, as well as the others, we are asked merely to apply the daily concepts and be willing to be shown their meaning. Situations will arise that will allow the Light to shine and give understanding to these lessons. The Course states numerous times that shifts in perception occur as a result of willingness – giving you mind to Him and asking to be shown the Way. Simply doing the lessons as asked and asking Holy Spirit for guidance is essential in this Course.

Lesson 10

“My thoughts do not mean anything.”

This lesson is similar to Lesson 4, which begins with “THESE thoughts do not mean anything”, rather than “MY thoughts…”. The former lesson focuses on things we perceive as outside ourselves; this lesson asks us to look internally at all thoughts that cross our minds.

With our eyes closed, we’re asked to slowly repeat the idea in our minds: “My thoughts do not mean anything”, followed by “This idea will help to release me from all that I now believe.” As each thought enters our awareness, we say to ourselves, “My thought about_____does not mean anything.” The lesson asks us to do this for no more than a minute (five times during the day), and can be done virtually anywhere because of the short duration. In addition to the five recommended practice periods today, the lesson can be applied to any thought that causes distress. For example, if someone cuts you off on the highway, say to yourself, “My thoughts do not mean anything. This idea will help to release me from all that I now believe”, with your eyes OPEN, of course. By practicing these lessons, you will soon realize that your thoughts about situations (for example, an angry reaction to certain drivers) really mean nothing; situations and people in themselves have no power to influence your thoughts and moods; only your thoughts based on past conditioning do, and these can be transformed by our vigilance and calling upon Holy Spirit for correction. Our “outer” world is just a projection of our “inner” thoughts. A change of thoughts results in a shift in perception (miracle), and this is accomplished by being aware of what I call “rogue” thoughts, and immediately offering them to Holy Spirit. “Let me perceive this situation correctly, Dear God”, I say to myself while perceiving something from a frame of mind that is not loving.

At this point in the Course, you are only asked to follow these lessons as directed, and ask Him for guidance. And it will be given. Each morning I try to devote 15 to 30 minutes in silent meditation, offering my entire to God and willing to do His Will. By surrendering to Him, He will guide your thoughts, words and actions. This applies to the Course lessons as well. We have a Companion Who guides and comforts us everywhere and in everyplace. And these lessons get us into to the habit of remembering Him, and calling upon Him so that we can realize our full potential on this earth: to be an extension of His Love.

Lesson 11

“My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.”

We believe the world dictates our thoughts and mood. On the contrary, this lesson says the opposite: Our thoughts determine the world we perceive. The Course would have us go 180 degrees from the thinking of this world, and this lesson is a perfect example of the shift from fear-based (ego) thinking to a love-based perception (Holy Spirit). Yesterday I gave the example of being cut off in traffic. There is no set law that requires one to be pissed-off by such an act, and nothing tells us we must react with anger and retaliation. Most of us are conditioned to respond with anger, however, this need not be. Our thoughts regarding this situation influence how we see it. One can just as easily perceive it simply as it is: This person cut in front of him abruptly on the highway.  He may have to tap his breaks or switch lanes to go be safe if required, but he can do this without anger and without judgement. A mind that is peaceful and free of judgement can make decisions much more quickly and easily than a mind filled with anger.

This scenario may seem nearly impossible to most of us. “How can I just let something like that go?” you may ask. As we practice these lessons, we begin to understand that our thoughts about the world do determine how we see things. In recognizing our thought patterns and asking Holy Spirit to correct our rogue thoughts, we see a world transformed. Yes, we will still encounter aggressive drivers on the road. We will still run into people who speak and act in non-loving ways. But we can remain peaceful and loving, and this becomes second nature as we practice giving our thoughts to Him and asking for guidance. We can still recognize non-loving acts while responding to them in a loving manner, whether it’s patiently listening to an angry customer vent, or wishing a driver well who speeds past you at 90 miles an hour after moving out of his way.

Say the lesson to yourself slowly with you eyes closed. “My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world”. Then look around you, saying the lesson slowly as your gaze shifts to different objects around you (you can think the idea rather than speaking out loud). Do this for about a minute (3-5 times today), then close your eyes and repeat the lesson like you did in the beginning. The world you see means only what your thoughts about it mean to you. I’m grateful to have my Eternal Companion Who can correct my perception by simplyopening my mind to His Will.

Lesson 12

“I am upset because I see a meaningless world.”

Paragraph 1 of this lesson say it all: “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.” L-12:1

The world in itself could be compared to a blank coloring book page. The ego colors it with its many crayons of judgment. These people are “bad”, those people are “nice”, this war is “justified”, that attack is “necessary”, and so on. The world has as much meaning as our thoughts give to it. These thoughts and judgements are what upset us. By quieting our minds and opening our minds to Holy Spirit, the One Truth will overcome all of those “truths” the ego has assigned to this world. The ego sees itself as separate from God, as well as other person “outside” itself. Let us still our minds and welcome the Truth today; let us receive His Grace as we let go of our judgments and what we think we know about this physical world, and surrender to His Divine Will.

For no more than one minute, three or four times today, look around you. As your gaze rests on an object, say, “I think I see a fearful world, a dangerous world, a hostile world…” or whichever discription comes to mind for each object. You my even use “positive” terms, such as “a happy world”, “a good world”, etc. The point is that all judgement, whether we label it as “positive” or “negative”, is part of the illusion – part of the veil that hides us from God’s Love. God is all there is – Love is all there is.

Lesson 13

“A meaningless world engenders fear.”

The ego assigns meanings and labels to everything it perceives in this world. It is this belief in separation that creates fear, because we believe we are in competition with God’s Will. The idea of this world as having no meaning is very frightening to the ego, for every judgement and label would be rendered as meaningless, thus shining the Light on the ego’s own illusory, meaningless existance.

We believe “our” way will bring us happiness and peace in some areas of our lives. We are unwilling to step back and ask Him to guide us. The ego thinks it knows what is best. This is how conflict and lack of peace arise – we are blocking Holy Spirit from showing us True Peace. Stepping back and simply saying, “I don’t know how to perceive/handle this situation.” and inviting Him into your heart will bring about a shift in perception, and peace of mind. The Course does not attempt to make us understand this concept right off the bat. It offers instead these daily meditations that allow our minds to be slowly and gently transformed, allowing us to step back and let Him do the driving, so to speak. This does not mean we become lazy and just say, “God will take care of my finances. All I need to do now is sit on the sofa and help will arrive.” No no no. By surrendering to Him and being willing to do His Will, you will be guided as to what actions to take in any situation; what words you need to use, and how to handle a situation in a loving manner. Trust in Him, and watch your life be transformed.

This lesson asks us to only think about it during the three or four practice periods we will do today. Each practice period should last no more than one minute. Start out by closing your eyes and saying or thinking, “A meaningless world engenders fear.” Then look around you, repeating mentally or aloud, “I am looking at a meaningless world”. Conclude by closing your eyes and saying, “A meaningless world engenders fear because I am in competition with God.” We are also asked to pay attention and note any signs of overt or covert fear that may arise today. These lessons are designed to bring forth our fears, so that we can give them to Him to be transformed. I often refer to ACIM as a spiritual detox; “dark” thoughts and fears will arise from the deepest reaches of our minds. Allow these thoughts to be; don’t attempt to surpress them. Instead, ask Holy Spirit to take these thoughts and to help you perceive them correctly. Here is a line from the Course I often say to myself: “Holy Spirit, what would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What you have me say? And to whom?” Have a great day – God Bless!

Lesson 14

“God did not create a meaningless world.”

If only Love is real and everything that is not an expression of Love is an illusion, then God did not create a world filled with violence, illness and fear. The Course states throughout the text and workbook that Love is all there is; we are an extension of His Mind and His Love. The idea of separation from Him (”Original Sin”) was the birth of the dream world we think is so real. We believe in the ego’s idea of separate bodies and identities. Our world teaches separation and attack is real, and justified. God did not create this. The ego mind that has blocked out Holy Spirit and sees itself as separate and isolated created this illusion.

Lesson 14 asks us to close our eyes and state the main idea. “God did not create a meaningless world.” Search your mind for your fears and state: ” God did not create this war, and so it is not real. God did not create this economic crisis, and so it is not real”, and so on. Do this for no more than one minute, concluding with “God did not create a meaningless world.” Three practice periods are today’s number; more if you feel comfortable.

Many may actively resist this lesson. It may arouse strong emotions and doubts. We have been conditioned by our world to believe it is so real. All you are asked to do is to do these lessons with an open mind. That’s all. As we progress, these lessons will be made clear to you by your Inner Teacher – by Him Who restores all minds to their natural state of peace and oneness in Him.

Mobile Blogging from here.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 15

“My thoughts are images that I have made.”

All that we see around us at any given time is a manifestation of our thoughts. You know that computer is only a computer, based on past association. That table and those chairs are recognized as such, based on previous learning again. Our minds are constantly in the past (or in the future, in the form of worry and anxiety) whenever the body’s eyes decode the images it looks upon. This is not vision, but image making, as this lesson states. Something we look upon may invoke fear that something “bad” could happen to us. Again, this lesson is telling us that only the present – only here and now – exists.

This can be a difficult lesson to comprehend. We are not expected to understand it now; we need only practice it with an open mind and heart. Repeat the idea to yourself: “My thoughts are images that I have made.” Then look around you, and say, “This____is an image that I have made, That _____is an image that I have made”, and so on, for no more than one minute (3 or 4 times today). Ask Holy Spirit to assist you, should you feel difficulty and resistance. The Course teaches us to focus on the present in so many different forms, and this lesson is one of them. We truly do not see things as they are here and now. I strongly encourage readers of this blog who are interested in further ACIM study to read the many other blogs and websites dedicated to the Course. Also, there are some great podcasts available, as well as a couple 24-hour internet radio stations (ACIM Gather and MiraclesOne Radio). My blog and Twitter feed is but one part of the greater whole. I am available via Twitter (ACIM_Now) and this blog (just post your comments/questions) should you need someone to talk to about the Course, or anything at all. Have a blessed Sunday.

Lesson 16: “I have no neutral thoughts.”

Our thoughts have an effect on the world we see, without exception. This means we are not victims of the effects of the world; it is the opposite. Our thoughts are the cause; the world is their effect. This is a very powerful lesson, and one that will be repeated in varying forms throughout the ACIM workbook. Thoughts are either true or false; loving or unloving. All unloving thoughts create a barrier to the Truth; they maintain the illusion of being separate from God. Each thought of anger, resentment, hate, and attack only serve to multiply the illusion of the dream of separation. On the contrary, every loving, peaceful, forgiving thought extends the truth – they are an extension of God’s Love. When unloving thoughts do occur, it is important NOT to try to supress them, or deny them. Recognize and acknowledge them, and let them be, while asking the Holy Spirit to help you to see the situation/event/person correctly. With a willingness to accept the Atonement and to forgive, the Light of Truth will be given.

Once again, I’ll use a traffic example. Yesterday afternoon I was driving home from downtown Tampa and traffic wasn’t too heavy, but there were a fair number of people leaving the same area and headed for the interstate. I was sitting at a red light and wasn’t looking when it turned green; the man behind me layed on his horn the instant the light changed. I felt some anger rising inside me, but was able to let it go. He sailed past me and did the same to another car at a different traffic light. Based on my past experiences, I could have retaliated in a number of ways, and held onto my anger and judgement, thinking it is justified, because I am the “victim” of an aggresive driver. It’s crucial to monitor our thoughts and feelings, so that we can ask for correction. As soon as I felt some slight anger in me, I immediately recognized this feeling, and asked Holy Spirit to help me perceive this situation in a loving manner. I laughed as the driver sped past me; what’s the point in retaliating and/or letting more anger affect me, and possibly ruin the wonderful Sunday I had with my fiancee and parents?

“I have no neutral thoughts.” Begin each practice period (4-5 if you feel comfortable; 3 if you feel uneasy) bu saying this with your eyes closed. For no more than a minute, say the following as each thought comes into awareness: “This thought about ______ is not a neutral thought.” In addition to the practice periods, apply today’s lesson to situations that cause unloving thoughts: “This thought about _____ is not a neutral thought, because I have no neutral thoughts.”

Lesson 17

“I see no neutral things.”

This lesson ties in to yesterday’s quite nicely. “I see no neutral things, because I have no neutral thoughts.” We are naming, labeling and judging everything and everybody we see based on our past experiences, whether it’s “bad” or “good”. We are merely extending our past, thus continually recreating similar life experiences and perceptions. We are not seeing Life (ie: God) when we are not looking at the present – the Eternal Now. The ego’s judgements and misperceptions are the foundation of our wall of separation, making us feel separated from one another and from God. God is all there is; Love is all there is – now.

Releasing the past – accepting the Atonement for yourself and forgiving all – is the crux of this Course. We may comprehend these lessons on an intellectual level, yet we find it nearly impossible to apply these ideas, and may actively resist them. Again, we are not asked to believe in them totally, nor to transform our minds overnight. The daily application of these lessons, and asking Him for guidance, will give way to understanding. We need only to be willing to accept His Word and offer our thoughts to Him, so that our perception can be shifted. This Course is not about changing things outside of us; it is about inner transformation. By accepting Atonement and seeing the world as it truly is – here and now – seeing God in everything and every brother – our minds will be healed as we acknowledge we are all part of the Sonship of God.

“I see no neutral things, because I have no neutral thoughts.” Say this to yourself, with eyes open. Then look around you at each thing around you for no less than one minute and say, “I do not see a neutral (computer, chair, table, etc), because my thoughts about (computers, chairs, tables, etc.) are not neutral.” Do the lesson three or four times today. And keep an open heart, and an open mind, certain that your Inner Teacher – Holy Spirit – will guide all your thoughts, words and actions today.

Lesson 18

“I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.”

In any given moment, we see things one of two ways: through the eyes of the ego (judgement), or through Holy Spirit’s eyes (Love). From the ego’s point of view, I am separate from everyone else, and I feel I must defend myself against “outside” attacks. My ego would have me believe that I’m on my own in this world. My thoughts of judgment are projected upon my brothers and my world, thus causing me to perceive hell on earth – a world where I find myself separated from God and Love; I have built a wall around my seemingly separate body and see myself, and each of my brothers, as separate from God and from each other. Thoughts of separation feel very real, and this world seems like a very frightening place indeed.

On the contrary, we have another choice. Upon realizing we have a choice to see things differently, we can step back and observe our thoughts and feelings, and ask Holy Spirit to change our perceptions. We can perceive any situation or person in this world with Love – through Christ’s vision. This is done by surrending our unhealed minds to Him. I can choose at any moment to ask Him to let me see things correctly, and surrender my thoughts to Holy Spirit. With a willingness to see with the Eyes of Love, a new perception fills my mind as I welcome the Atonement, and see all my brothers as Sons and Daughters of Our Creator. I can still recognize when a brother is doing or saying something unloving, but I have opened myself to responding in a loving manner – without judgement and offering only forgiveness. This does not mean I let someone off the hook totally for doing something (owing me money they promised me or staying in an abusive relationship, for example) my ego would have me perceive as wrong. Rather, by surrendering to Him, I can respond to this brother with a calm, loving attitude. The appropriate response will be given to me. Sometimes a loving response to someone who was “wronged” us will be a firm “no”. Sometimes the response may be something like, “I forgive you, I wish you well, now give me back my key.” The relationship example happened to me in the past, but I am blessed to have found a wonderful woman after being directed by Him to exit a previous relationship.

For today’s lesson, look around you as with previous lessons, and say, “I am not alone in experiencing the effects of how I see [whatever your gaze rests upon].” Then conclude with today’s main idea, “I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing”. Do this 3-4 times today, for about a minute per practice period.

The Course says all minds are joined; we are all thoughts in the Mind of God. This lesson emphasizes that all minds are one. By choosing Him to direct our thoughts and perceptions, we begin to see our Oneness with Him and with each other. All of our seemingly separate ideas (nationality, religion, economic class, profession, race, geographic location, etc) become increasing irrevelant as we accept Christ’s Vision, and begin to see we are Sons and Daughters of God.

Lesson 19

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

Say today’s idea to yourself with your eyes closed, then search your mind for any thoughts that arise. Focusing on each thought, say, “I am not alone in experiencing the effects of this thought about _______.” Do this for no more than a minute, three times today.

This morning my computer is acting up; it won’t connect to the internet, so I’m blogging with my iPod Touch. Maybe I’m supposed to take a little break from the computer
Katie and I took today and Friday off from work, so we can spend time with my parents, who are visiting from New Jersey. My dad and I both spend quite a bit of time online, so perhaps Holy Spirit is telling us something, as He always guides us. Today’s lesson again teaches us that all minds are joined; Holy Spirit knows what we are thinking, and He knows how to communicate with us in order for us to recognize our thoughts that need correction. By asking, “What does this mean?” in any situation, His Loving Thoughts will gently bring His Message to your awareness. A little willingness to be still and listen for His Voice is all that is asked of us. Holy Spirit, I get your message; I will give the computer a rest and focus on my parents today. Thank you, Dear God, for helping me understand today’s lesson so vividly. And thank you for this wonderful long weekend with my parents and fiancée.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 20

“I am determined to see.”

The Course isn’t talking about physical vision here; it’s referring to Christ Vision – seeing people and events from His perspective. “I am determined to see.” By making your mind available for a shift in perception, and offering Him your willingness to do so, He will answer. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7 (NLT)
Holy Spirit never forces anything upon us. He waits patiently for us to open our minds to the Atonement, and to miracles (opening our minds to healing, and a shift in our ego-based perceptions). A little willingness and determination to see things with His Vision will be given us as we practice these lessons.

This morning as I read Lesson 20, I remembered Chapter 30 of the text of A Course In Miracles. This chapter resonated with me the most out of the 31 chapters in the text. It recommends us to start out our day by saying, “Today I will make no decisions by myself.” (T-30:1:2:2) This means I turn over the day to Holy Spirit, and allow Him to direct my thoughts, words and actions. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I say this sentence from Chapter 30 to myself, thus setting up my mind to be open, and willing to accept His Word. This chapter ties in so nicely with today’s lesson. The ego would have us believe we are separate bodies with separate wills, having to defend ourselves and our own worlds against the “others”. By releasing our grip on our limited thinking and opening to receive the One Truth, we will perceive the world as He perceives it: with Love, Compassion, Joy and Forgiveness.

We will remember to say today’s lesson to ourselves at least twice an hour, as well as during times today when something upsets us. “I am determined to see.” The Course tells us not to beat ourselves us if we forget to do so, but to make an effort to remember the lesson about every thirty minutes today. Again, all that is asked of us is a little willingness. Paragraph 2 of the lesson states: “This is our first attempt to introduce structure. Do not misconstrue it as an effort to exert force or pressure. You want salvation. You want to be happy. You want peace. You do not have them now, because your mind is totally undisciplined, and you cannot distinguish between joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, love and fear. You are now learning how to tell them apart. And great indeed will be your reward.” WB-20:2

Ask, and He will give you Christ’s Vision. We have two choices in this life: [1] to see the world from our ego’s limited perspective of separation and fear, or [2] to surrender to God and to see all from the Eyes of Forgiveness. We can trust our own judgments, or we can trust He Who created the universe. Today I offer myself as a vehicle for extending His Love – I am determined to see with Him, and to do His Will. Thank You, Father, for the constant reminders you send to us (people, books, songs, etc) to help jog our memories of You. Let us not forget Your Love today. Let us see with the Eyes of Truth and Forgiveness today, and every day.

Lesson 21

“I am determined to see things differently.”

This lesson is merely an extension of yesterday’s. We are asked to search our mind for specific examples of situations and people we want to see differently; focusing our attention on specific issues that create emotional responses inside us thus allows the Light to shine upon our minds, and replace these thoughts with His Forgiveness. The Course asks us not to bury our “rogue” thoughts and emotions inside our minds, but to pull them into our awareness and acknowledge them, no matter how trivial or disasterous we may perceive them. Only by being aware of our rogue thoughts and asking Holy Spirit to correct our perception, can He offer us miracles. He will not take anything from us forcefully. We must be willing to monitor our thoughts, feelings, words and actions, and ask Holy Spirit to guide us according to His Will, which is really our own will. The ego’s dream of separation and fear will crumble as we invite Him into our lives, and accept Atonement for ourselves. By doing these lessons willingly and faithfully, the Light of God will correct our perceptions, and the ego’s old thought system will be replaced by a Peace that words cannot describe accurately; we will soon learn that words are but symbols and part of the illusion as well. But Holy Spirit uses words to point us in His Direction. Direct Experience, rather than the words of earth’s languages, will become increasingly apparent as we progress with these transformative lessons.

Say today’s lesson with eyes open: “I am determined to see things differently.” Then, close your eyes and search your mind for specific examples (past, present, or even future issues that may stir emotions), and say with each thought, “I am determined to see [person, event, situation] differently.” If a specific quality of a person or situation comes to mind, expand the sentence some: “I am determined to see ______ in ______ differently.” Five practice periods, each lasting a full minute in duration, are asked of us today. Also, remember to apply today’s lesson to situations and people that may trigger emotions in you during the day. The key to allowing Holy Spirit to direct us and shift our perceptions is being vigilant of our minds throughout the day, and remaining centered in the present. This becomes much easier with practice, and we become less tolerant of what the Course calls “mind wandering” – we realize how much energy we wasted by dwelling on past resentments and judgements, as well as anxiety of future circumstances. I am grateful that Holy Spirit has given me the chance to share these lessons with my brothers and extend His Love through this wonderful tool called the internet. Have a blessed day – God Bless you.

Lesson 22

“What I see is a form of vengeance.”

We project our thoughts of attack and defense onto the world we perceive. Attack is perceived as justified and self-defense, as we perceive a hostile world that is poised to attack us first. It is this fearful dream – this dream of being separate from each other, and from Our Father – from which we truly seek to escape. As we learn that the world we perceive is the effect of our rogue, fearful thoughts, it becomes increasingly apparent that we can escape by letting the Light shine upon our unhealed minds, and offer each rogue thought of fear to Him each time we notice our minds wandering into the ego’s dream of separation, guilt and fear. By receiving His miracles willingly, we begin to perceive a peaceful world as we then project His Love onto the world.

From the workbook:

Look at the world about you at least five times today, for at least a minute each time. As your eyes move slowly from one object to another, from one body to another, say to yourself:

I see only the perishable.
I see nothing that will last.
What I see is not real.
What I see is a form of vengeance.

At the end of each practice period, ask yourself:

Is this the world I really want to see?

The answer is surely obvious. (Workbook Lesson 22:3)

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 23

“I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts.”

The world we perceive is an effect of our thoughts, as we’ve discussed in previous lessons. We perceive a vengeful world where attack is justified, and we need to be on guard against our brothers. We may see other drivers as “bad”, and so we notice every “bad” driver on the highway, resulting in a stressful commute, for example. Or, we may rush to get ready for work every morning, thinking we are up against time, and must “beat the clock”. These are two examples of attack thoughts. This Course tells us that attack thoughts of any type are not necessary; in fact, it teaches us to identify each cause of our attack thoughts, and then to let each one go. Holy Spirit takes care of the rest – as we identify and release each attach thought, we clear the way on our mind for His Love to replace it.

Five practice periods are required today; begin by saying the lesson as you look around you: “I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts.” Then close your eyes and think of specific attack thoughts (either attacking something/someone, or being attacked). With each thought say, “I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts about _____”, naming each perceived cause of your thoughts. Do this for one minute.

As we learn to identify attack thoughts, we realize we truly do not want them. We don’t want to feel like victims, nor do we really desire to attack others. Thus we ask God to remove such thoughts from our mind; this is release, or “letting go, and letting God”. He will replace those fear-based thoughts with the Truth: Peace of Mind, and the realization that our brothers are One with us and with God. We begin to see the Christ in each face we encounter. And the veil of separation and fear that the ego has put up will give way to the Light of Truth.

Lesson 24

“I do not perceive my own best interests.”

The ego would have us believe that we know exactly what we want in every situation in life. We think more money will make us happy; we fear the idea of losing in money, and defend against that perceived loss. We believe a new job will usher in a period a happiness and joy. And we are convinced we must respond to certain brothers with anger and condemnation (ie: that we are “right” in a given situation, and he is “wrong”). Our clinging to specific outcomes, and to having “our own way” only creates suffering and conflict. Those fear-based attack thoughts conflict with what we truly desire: Peace.

The ego’s perception of the world is very limited, as the Course (as well as countless other spiritual paths) point out. We think we know what to do in any situation, and what we want to come out of it. The Course asks us to step back and allow Holy Spirit to judge our situations for us. While reading today’s lesson, I immediately recalled a line from Chapter 30 of the ACIM Text (page 625):

Today I will make no decisions by myself. (T-30:I.1)

This does not mean we do nothing all day, and take no actions at all. We must constantly practice these lessons with vigilance, turning over any rogue thoughts to Holy Spirit when we recognize them clouding our mind. This is a practice in stilling the mind chatter of the ego, and tuning in to the Quiet, Still Voice of Holy Spirit, Who is our True Guide. Sometimes a new job may be His Answer. Or maybe we need to be stern with a brother who has displayed unloving behavior. By listening to Him and coming from a clear mind, we will respond to any situation lovingly, rather than reacting defensively, and with fear. Often a loving response might be giving up something our ego would cling to, in order to make room for something new to be given us. This is what the Course means by today’s lesson, and by making no decisions byourselves. It’s all about trusting Him, and letting Him direct our paths. While our various situations do take numerous forms in this world, following Christ’s Voice calls us to Him – He leads us to Oneness in Him, in Heaven.

Today’s lesson is to be practiced five times through the day, with each period lasting two minutes. Close your eyes and repeat today’s idea: “I do not perceive my own best interests.” Then search your mind for issues tht present concern you, as well as the outcomes you think you desire of each. With each concern and its desires outcomes, say:

In the situation involving _______ , I would like _______ to happen, and ________ to happen…

Conclude each with: “I do not perceive my own best interests in this situation.”

By releasing the ego’s tight grip on its limited perception of the world, we allow His abundant Peace to fill us instead. Thank You, God, for helping me. Thank You for being my Constant Companion. Thank You for Your Love. Amen.

Lesson 25

“I do not know what anything is for.”

This lesson is a step towards the releasing of the ego’s thought system, and accepting Holy Spirit’s interpretation instead. We think we know what things are for – we think we need to attend another spiritual seminar to obtain enlightenment. We think we know how to respond to an angry client at our job. And we may think we are more “spiritually advanced” than our brothers around us. We are asked to release the ego’s grip on what it perceives as “knowledge”. This lession is telling us, in a nutshell, that by stepping back and saying, “I don’t know. Let me perceive this situation/person correctly, Holy Spirit”, we will be shown a new perspective. Simply stated, by dumping from our mind all we may think we know at any given moment, we are opening a space for Holy Spirit to enter and show us His Way.

Directly from the workbook: Six practice periods, each of two-minutes duration, are required. Each practice period should begin with a slow repetition of the idea for today, followed by looking about you and letting your glance rest on whatever happens to catch your eyes, near or far, “important” or “unimportant”, “human” or “nonhuman”. With your eyes resting on each subject you so select, say, for example:

I do not know what this chair is for.
I do not know what this pencil is for.
I do not know what this hand is for.

Say this quite slowly, without shifting your eyes from the subject until you have completed the statement about it. Then move on to the next subject, and apply today’s idea as before. (WB L-25:6,7)

Lesson 26

“My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.”

Again, we are being reminded that the world we perceive “outside” of us is an effect of our own thinking; our thoughts are the cause of what we perceive. This means any attack thought, whether we attack someone else or believe we are being attack in any way, is only a thought. Thus we attack ourselves with these attack thoughts. No situation in itself has any power to harm us spiritually; it is our thoughts about these events that are the cause of us feeling vulnerable. Thankfully, the Course guides us and teaches us that we can change our thinking by being vigilant of our thought patterns, and asking Holy Spirit to change our perception of “rogue” thoughts the instant we notice them causing any discomfort. The process of monitoring our thoughts, acknowleding them, and inviting Holy Spirit to change our perception becomes habit as we practice these lessons. The Course tells us this constantly, in many forms. While the form of these lessons may appear different, their content remains the same: Our thoughts and perceptions will be transformed by being present and calling upon Him to guide us, thus allowing us to see the world with Christ’s Forgiving Vision.

As we recognize our thoughts of attack and judgement are the cause of our anxiety, anger and worry, we learn that these thoughts and feelings can be corrected. We walk in gratitude with Him, and call His Name; He is our Constant Companion, going with us wherever the day’s events may take us, and in any situation in which we may find ourselves. Inside us is the power of miracles – He is with us always, and with some willingness, He will shift our perception. The Power of the Eternal Now dissolves the effects of our past and future-based attack thoughts; nothing can attack us Now, for only Love is.

Lesson 27

“Above all else I want to see.”

Dear God,
Let me remember this lesson in everything I do this beautiful day. Above all else I want to see Christ in every brother I encounter today; in my co-workers, customers, and loved ones, as well as those who’s actions may not be motivated by Love. Above all else I want to see Your Love.

Father, remind me to see you in everything I do and say. Whether I find myself driving, blogging, talking to a customer at work, doing my job, or responding to one’s call for Love, let me remain present in Your Love and let me see with Christ’s Vision. Let every task I undertake this day be done with excellence and with Love. Above all else I want to see.

Father, my heart is filled with love and gratitude as I remember You, and extend Your Love. Thank You for sending Your Teacher, Jesus, to remind us how to see Your Love. Let us rise above the self-imposed prison we have built within us today; let us tear down the ego’s wall of separation and perceive only Love and Oneness. Above all else I want to see. Thank You, God, for Your Light. Let us today, and every day, see the Light and be reminded of Your Love as we accept Christ’s Vision with open hearts and open minds. Amen.

Lesson 28

“Above all else I want to see things differently.”

This lesson reinforces the previous lessons, which tell us that our perception of everything we see is based on past judgements and experiences. Our minds are constantly drifting away from the present moment, whether we’re condemning someone who hurt us last week, or whether we’re worried about how we’re going to pay bills that are due next week. “Mind wandering”, as I often call our habitual deviation from the present, causes us to perceive people and situations from our ego’s limited point of view – one of separation, guilt and judgement. This computer I’m now using, for example, is no exception to what this lesson is teaching us. Sometimes my attitude regarding the computer is one of annoyance; this perception is based on my experiences of having computer issues in the past. My perception has no bearing on the present, even though the computer is operating effectiently 99% of the time I’m using it. Those past “bad” experiences (losing internet connection suddenly, lock-ups, longer than usual shut-off time, etc) have clouded my present view of the machine.

This is what we do constantly. By looking at something (anything within your sight) while being focused on the present – the Eternal Now – we are surrending our interpretation of it to Holy Spirit, Who can then allow us to see with Christ’s Vision, Here and Now. Thus we look upon a pure world with no judgements, for we realize this world is an effect of our thoughts, judgements and labels. How wonderful it is to be able to escape from behind this wall of judgement that the ego has built around us! “I don’t know what anything is for” – this is Lesson 25 from the other day – is one lesson to which today’s lesson is connected so perfectly. By being focused on the present (forgetting past judgements and even future anticipation) and being willing to drop all we thoght we knew about anything, we are opening our mind to a New Perception – the Atonement – from Holy Spirit. Eventually we will realize how much time and energy our “mind wandering” has truly wasted (dwelling on past resentments, worrying about some possible future scenario, etc). This lesson is another step towards anchoring our mind in the Eternal Now, at one with Our Creator – He Who judges for us. Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

Lesson 29

“God is in everything I see.”

As we awaken spiritually, we begin to perceive the Divine in everything and in every brother. This lesson is asking us to forget about our past perception of how we think God is, and open our minds to direct experience – letting Holy Spirit’s perception into our mind.

God is everywhere – in every face we see today, and in every situation we experience. God IS – He is Life, Truth, Love, and Peace. Let us be still and remember Him this Easter Sunday. Let us surrender to God within and allow the resurrection of Christ’s Love and Vision to manifest through each of us. Have a Blessed Easter; I had no wifi this morning, so I apologize for the late posting.

Mobile Blogging from here.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 30

“God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.”

Holy Spirit, help me perceive this lesson correctly today. This morning I find myself trying to grasp this lesson with my intellectual mind, resulting in writer’s block. Very often words cannot do these lessons justice; the Course even tells us several times throughout the text -and workbook- that words in themselves have no meaning, and cannot replace direct experience. Often we try to read too much into a lesson, and it can seem quite mind-blowing. The best thing to do is simply let it go, and say, “I don’t know what this means. Help me perceive this correctly, Holy Spirit.” And that is what I am doing this morning. Throughout the day I will say today’s lesson to myself many times each hour; sometimes with my eyes closed, but more often with my eyes open (looking around me, as the workbook suggests). Very often I find specific examples arising during the day that correspond to that day’s lesson perfectly. I am willing to receive His Guideance today.

Lesson 31

“I am not the victim of the world I see.”

In this world’s view, we are at the effects of what happens in the “outer world”; things happen TO us. We each have our own “story”. For example: “I can’t believe he/she did this to me!”, “I never have any money”, “I’m always sick”, “I’m always miserable because of this job”, and the list goes on and on. Every one of us has some sort of story, which we find necessary to share with others. “Can you believe what he/she did to me – again?” we may say. It is this victim mentality that reinforces the ego’s veil of separation. The ego would have us believe that outer circumstances and other people are the cause for how we feel and think.

The Course, on the contrary, reverses the ego’s thinking. By practicing these lessons, our perception will shift, as we are shown by Holy Spirit that just the opposite is true: We are the cause of the world we perceive; everything we perceive as “outside” us are the effects of our thinking, not the cause. Thus will we begin to let go of our tight grip on our ego’s “stories”, which (in the world of form) appear to possess varying degrees of severity; from a major illness, to an angry remark from a co-worker. The Course states there are no order of difficulties in miracles; our stories are merely a part of the illusion – of the ego’s dream of separation. By recognizing this as such, we learn to let it go by being willing to see it in a new light. And so we learn that we are no longer the victims of the world we see; it was our own thoughts that caused whatever anger, fear, guilt and resentment we have experienced. It is our thinking that the ego has used to create the illusion of separation and specialness. Let us be watchful of our thoughts and feelings today, and call upon Holy Spirit the instant we realize we have a non-loving thought. “Holy Spirit, help me to see this situation/person differently.” And so our story begins to be transformed into one of Love, as He guides us toward its happy ending – the ending of the dream and of the ego, as we remember our True Identity as God’s Holy Son.

Lesson 32

“I have invented the world I see.”

We are the cause of the world as we see it, not the effect of the world. This lesson continues to pave the way for undoing the ego’s thought system in which we identified since coming into this world. We see what we want to see. Knowing that our thoughts are the cause of what we see, we can begin to change what we see by recognizing our thoughts, and praying for Him to correct our perception.

The more we practice these lessons, the more we see the Truth in them. We may resist these lessons strongly at first; that does not matter, as long as we are WILLING to change our negative thinking and outlook on life. We have an Inner Guide Who offers His Vision to us when we ask for it willingly. The Course says that we don’t ask too much of God, but too little. As long as we cling to our ego mindset, Holy Spirit’s miracles (change of perception) shall remain blocked. He never forces His Will upon anyone, although He will send us various signs as we continue to “do it our way”. He moves people and circumstances constantly, in order to teach us Forgiveness and Love. In any situation, ask yourself, “What do I truly want to see in this circumstance?” Ask Him to help you perceive any situation correctly; in line with His Will. Is reacting to an angry co-worker with personal insults, for example, what You truly want? Or is responding with Love and Forgiveness what You really desire? What do You want to see? The small “you” (ego mind), behind its wall of judgement and separation, would attack and defend itself – it must be “right”, as it perceives others as “wrong”. The Real You (Spirit) only knows Love. It sees no separation or guilt; “right” and “wrong” are irrevelant if We see with Christ’s Vision, for there is only Love. We are all One in the Mind of God, and salvation of the world depends on us recognizing we are One, and opening our mind to the Atonement. Then, will miracles be the norm in our life, as we choose to see the world from the Eyes of Spirit. And so the world the ego has invented – the world of fear, judgement, hate, guilt and separation – is exposed to the Light of Truth and falls away as we unite with God’s Will, and truly remember our function: extending His Love and allowing Him to do His Will through us. What does God want you to see today? Be still and ask sincerely, and the Answer will be given.

Lesson 33

“There is another way of looking at the world.”

Our outlook on life can be reversed. There is no need to buy into this world’s fear-based mentality any longer. We think we look upon a world of guilt, suffering, hatred, violence, and judgement; we have been conditioned to perceive ourselves as separate from one another, and from God. You can continue to conform to the world’s fear-based way of thinking. Or, you can surrender to God – allow Holy Spirit into your heart and mind, and your perceptions will shift from fear-based to Love-based.

The ego would clammor and tell us this is impossible to accomplish, or that we’re not being realistic. It sees the world of fear as the real world. This world is the one we have invented – we colored the world we see with our own separate judgements and meanings, based on our past experiences. And so we become programmed to accept the ego view of the world in which we live. Oftentimes it requires a crisis of major importance to get through to us that there is another way of living – of living with God and remembering, and trusting Him. Most of us come to this realization after something “horrible” happens in our lives; we are desparate for change and so we surrender ourselves. This surrendering opens our mind to a New Way, thus Holy Spirit can show us a new perspective.

The Course is telling us we can change our thoughts without going through a crisis by giving our minds to Holy Spirit. This is where these lessons come into play, along with meditation at the start and conclusion of each day. This opens us to receiving His Light and Love. No, the Course does not say that bad things will never happen to us again in life if we study it. Not at all. However, our outlook of life’s situations and how we respond to any apparent crisis will be more peaceful, as we learn to allow God to direct our every thought, word and action. Rather than reacting to a situation or person with anger and fear, Holy Spirit guides us to respond more lovingly and with a clear mind. This does not mean we simply smile and say, “It’s okay you hurt me. No problem.” – we are not sugar-coating anything here (which is what I love about ACIM). Rather, many situations do require us to be stern with our brothers; sometimes a loving response from Holy Spirit will involve holding one accountable legally for hitting our car, for example. The Course isn’t telling us to just let everything go and pretend to be happy, allowing others to walk all over us; it IS telling us to trust in God for the appropriate loving response to any situation. By trusting Him and asking Holy Spirit to perceive a situation (whatever it may be) correctly, we open our minds to total transformation and Peace. Have a great day – God Bless.

Lesson 34

“I could see peace instead of this.”

A peaceful world “outside” of us begins with peaceful thoughts. It is our internal world that effect what we perceive as outside of us. Allowing thoughts of depression, worry, anxiety, fear, etc. result in us perceiving a very hostile world; we overlook all the “good” and attract people and situations that match our own thought patterns. On the other hand, this lesson tells us that we can choose: peace of mind (Love-based thoughts) or fear-based (ego) thoughts. A mind at peace (in alignment with Holy Spirit) sees the world through Christ’s Vision. Yes, the peaceful mind still sees and hears about unloving acts in this world, yet he/she brings compassion and Love to these situations, for he/she realizes it is merely part of the illusion of separation.

Today’s lesson can be used when specific situations arise today that effect our tranquil minds in the following form:

I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.

For more generalized forms of non-loving emotions and thoughts that enter our minds (general sense of worry, depression, anxiety, etc), simply the idea for today will suffice:

I could see peace instead of this.

If a specific emotion or thought seems to consume you today, tell yourself:

I can replace my feelings of _______ with peace. (the blank representing any emotion, person or event that seems to disturb your peace of mind).

In chapter 5 of the ACIM Text, there is a peace prayer that I have found extremely helpful in many situations (page 90). Any time our peace of mind is disrupted, it simply means we have chosen the ego’s view of a certain situation, rather than Holy Spirit’s. In truth there is only Peace. When our minds our clouded by the veil of separation from our True Self, we think we are not at peace. Here’s the good news: upon realizing we are choosing rogue thoughts that are not of Holy Spirit, we can choose to allow His viewpoint into our minds. Here is the prayer:

“Say this to yourself as sincerely as you can, remembering that the Holy Spirit will respond fully to your slightest invitation:

I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace.
I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.
I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at peace.
I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.
I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me.” T-5.VII.6:6-11

Lesson 35

“My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy.”

This lesson has us looking closely at ourselves as the perceivers of our world, rather than looking at the things “outside” us. The mind that sees itself as separate from God creates its own unique identity by assigning various attributes to itself. “I see myself as poor.” “I see myself as impatient.” “I see myself as unworthy”. And the ego’s list of self-created attributes can go on and on, and also includes those “good” qualities, which the ego mind uses to give itself a boost. “I see myself as generous, caring, a great leader, etc.” We are asked to look within and bring as many self-imposed ideas about ourselves as we can during today’s three practice periods, each five minutes in duration.

These practice periods help us recognize our mind’s tools of separation, so that we can give them to Holy Spirit to be undone. My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy. The ego does not see itself as part of God, rather, it sees itself as separate from Him, and from every other brother it sees “outside”. Thus does the Sonship appear to be fragmented in this dream of separation and specialness. No one is special, yet everyone is special, says the Course. In other words, our ego’s own labels and judgements are meaningless, as we are all part of the One Sonship. These lessons allow us to recognize the walls we have built around ourselves, and allow the Holy Spirit to change our thinking, so that we can perceive our Oneness in Love. Our “special” labels such as “I see myself as [whatever]” have no meaning; they are simply of the ego, which in itself is but an illusion.

Today, let us be vigilant of all our thoughts and ideas about who we think we are, whether we view each quality as “good” or “bad”. Then call upon Him to shine His Light of Truth upon each, as we remember: My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy. As we invite Him to look at our thoughts with us, He can then correct our false, illusion-based perceptions. This is what ACIM means by the Atonement. This is when miracles occur in our lives: we must be willing to see things differently, and trust in Him to guide us. Have a wonderful weekend – I love you all.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 36

“My holiness envelopes everything I see.”

I am as God created me; I release my false self to Spirit.
I am One with His Oneness; I let Him lift my veil of separation.
I am Love; Only Love is, and I only desire to extend His Love.
I am still; I listen willingly to His Voice.
I am listening with Christ’s ears; What would you have me do?
I am walking with Christ’s feet; Where you have me go?
I am speaking with Christ’s Voice; What would you have me say?
And to whom?
I am seeing with Christ’s eyes; all is holy in His Sight, His Holiness and Our Holiness are One in Heaven.
My holiness envelops everything I see.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

We are now on Skype

Dear Friends,
This morning I created a Skype account which I will use as a platform for discussing the Course, and as a way to chat with my wonderful readers. My screen name is: IOAFD-acim
That’s short for “It’s Only A Freaking Dream”

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

 

Lesson 37

“My holiness blesses the world.”

This lesson goes beyond the ego’s limited perception by opening the way for us to recognize the holiness in everyone equally. No labels nor judgments are looked upon; by accepting and recognizing the One Holiness as Sons of God, we bless everyone and everything we see, whether within our physical field of vision, or with our mind’s eye within. As a Son of God, you are entitled to your holiness, as is every living creature. By Atoning and allowing Him to live, speak and work through us, we will perceive our Oneness in Him as the ego’s wall of separation crumbles from the Light of Truth as it is recognized at what it is: nothing – an illusion – a dream. Holy Spirit, I am willing to see every brother/sister as a Son/Daughter of God this day. Let me remember to recognize the Light in every person, place, physical object and situation. Let me remember the Light within me as I joyfully perceive that One Light within all. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Visit our new chat room on Skype

I have created an ACIM chat room on Skype (our screen name is IOAFD-acim). The link to the chat room has been added to our “links” section at the right of this page (underneath The Shack). Feel free to stop in and chat about the Course and meet other ACIMers.

Lesson 38

“There is nothing my holiness cannot do.”

As I meditated this morning, the truth in this lesson really resonated with every cell in my body. I perceived my true holiness; the awareness of Oneness with God and all of Creation. This is a truly beautiful experience that words cannot describe accurately. With this awareness comes an unspeakable Peace, Joy and Love.

Whatever perceived situation in our life experience, or in someone else’s, seems to cause us pain, remembering our holiness – our Onesness with Him – will cast away the illusions which are the apparent cause of our pain. Within this remembering of our True Self – holiness, Oneness – lies the greatest power of all: the power of God. Love.

There is nothing my holiness cannot do because the power of God lies in it. Remembering this lesson opens our mind to the Atonement – correction of our thinking. Holy Spirit shines away our ego’s dream of fear with the Light of Truth. It is in this memory of our True Oneness and Holiness that our mind is healed, and we can see all illusions for what they are, helping us to release them to Him willingly. There is nothing my holiness cannot do. I may have chosen to worry about the economy and about my job security while lost in the ego world’s dream, but I can choose otherwise. I can choose Jesus. He and Holy Spirit will help me remember my true holiness when I allow them to work within me. Then do I remember True Peace and Love. While the outward situations may not change, my perception of them and my inner world will be transformed; I will be guided by Spirit to make any decisions in this world that I may be asked to make, however, they will come through a mind that is clear and free of fear. The Course is not about dismissing things of this world and adopting an “I don’t care” attitude; it reminds us that our ego’s judgements and fear-based thoughts are the illusion, and that they are not needed. We can be in this world and participate in our daily activities while we are here, but we can remember that we are not OF this world. In us is a power much greater than any perceived problem or situation of this world. Today we reclaim this power of Oneness. Today let us remember there is nothing our holiness cannot do.

Lesson 39

“My holiness is my salvation.”

We are urged to be vigilant and be aware of any unloving thought, whatever form the thought may assume (depression, guilt, fear, irritation–even mild irritation, worry, insecurity, and so forth). ANY unloving thought is fear-based, therefore, it is merely part of the illusion projected by the “separate” ego. All guilt we see as outside us has but one force: our own unhealed, split mind.

Because we perceive ourselves as separate from one another (and from God), the ego projects its own guilt and judgments onto others “outside” of its body. Thus these attack thoughts “justify” the ego mind’s need to defend itself, and attack, as it fights to maintain its own identity. But, how wonderful it is to remember that my holiness (wholeness, Oneness) is my salvation?

In previous lessons, we discussed how our attack thoughts are only attack our own minds in reality. Because we are holy–One with God–these fear-based attack thoughts rooted in guilt create the inner termoil within the mind with which we are so familiar. By looking at each attack thought one at a time, we begin the healing process. It is by this recognition we can actively choose another Way: we learn to look at these thoughts and see them as the illusions they are, and remember that we need not hold on to them. The Holy Spirit can only correct what we choose to offer Him; He never takes anything from us without willingness on our part. By releasing the ego’s tight grip on its apparently separate mind, we are welcoming the Light to heal our mind, and return us to Him–to Oneness.

Our unloving thoughts are keeping us prisoners in our own internal hell. But we can choose Heaven by simply recognizing our rogue thoughts, and asking Holy Spirit to help us see something through His Eyes. The ego’s vain attempt to replace God only creates pain and truly is hell. Surrendering to Him and admitting we do not want to be separate from Him will certainly allow the Light to flood our split minds as we willingly choose to do His Will. Thus, my holiness is my salvation. Turning to Christ and letting Him lead the way is guaranteed to usher in the end of our self-inflicted hell, and bring us true salvation.

Lesson 40

“I am blessed as a Son of God.”

This lesson is one of my favorites; it is so simple, yet profound. By saying this lesson to myself, it asserts the Truth, and opens the mind to the correct perception of myself. The Course states numerous times throughout its books that each seemingly separate body is part of a fragmented Whole; we are the Son of God–One with Him, and Holy Spirit guides us to remember this Oneness throughout life on this world. The ego mind, in its quest for separation and independence, created this apparently fragmented world in which we live; separate bodies, personalities, beliefs, ideas, political borders, religions, and the list goes on. Our minds are so entrenched in this dualistic world view, we may actively resist the lessons given us by spiritual texts such as ACIM. That’s okay to resist and have doubts; only a willingness to see what Holy Spirit wants us to see is required in order to shift of perceptions and see things from His View. While trying to grapple these concepts, simply step back and ask: “Do I want to continue to live with thoughts of fear, resentment, anger, depression, hate, etc?”. If not, there IS a Way to change our minds, which only requires some willingness to see things differently, and to trust in Him. Thus our thoughts no longer give reality to this world as we begin thinking with His Mind, which only knows Love. “I am blessed as a Son of God”.

Lesson 41

“God goes with me wherever I go.”

To many of us, this statement can be very frightening and uncomfortable. The idea that we are never alone and in private is quite unsettling to the ego, which bases its existence on the idea of separation (from other egos, and from God).

On the other hand, this idea can be seen as extremely comforting and beautiful beyond words, for it means nobody is ever truly alone. Our Father is with us always, offering His Guideance and Love every moment; all we need to do is simply let Him in and listen. Hearing Holy Spirit’s Voice and feeling His Presense is only a matter of becoming focused on the moment, now, in any given situation. Ask yourself, “What is the appropriate response in this situation, Holy Spirit?” Then be willing to follow Him. With practice, His Voice comes through more and more, as we learn to surrender our mind to Him and penetrate the wall the ego has built around itself from the world’s bricks of fear and separation.

God goes with me (and you) wherever I (we) go. To me, the beauty of today’s lesson is overwhelming at times as I reflect upon its message. In every moment, in every situation, in every physical location and in every brother, God is there. The clamoring of the ego drowns out His Holy Voice and distracts us from the Truth, keeping us focused on the fearful dream of separation upon which this world is based. It is not required that we believe in this illusion any longer. Like I’ve said before, we can still be in this world, doing our daily tasks, working at our jobs, doing laundry, washing dishes–whatever. But, we can remember that we are not OF this world as we remember Him, and listen to His gentle Voice as it guides us to Heaven. Choosing Holy Spirit over the ego will allow our daily, worldly functions to seem more joyful and peaceful, thus allowing us to make any decisions with a clear, Spirit-guided mind, rather than a mind filled with fear (and anxiety, panic, worry, etc.) He is always with us, whether we choose to acklowledge Him or not. Again, we do NOT have to continue living in fear and worry, as directed by our fragmented ego mind. Be still and focus on this moment, calling His Holy Name and opening your heart to His Love. Have an awesome Friday–I love you all! Peace.

Lesson 42

“God is my strength. Vision is His gift.”

The power of God is with us always, in any situation. Although we often feel powerless and fearful in life, this statement is always true. It is simply a matter of REMEMBERING; we must be vigilant for God in our thoughts every moment, and call upon Holy Spirit when our minds wander. This is the goal this Course sets for its students.

Jesus says in the Course that we are much too tolerant of mind-wandering. These “rogue thoughts”–those fear-based thoughts that deviate from the Present and are colored with the ego’s crayons of judgement, fear and guilt (based on past and/or future situations)–distract us from remembering God’s strength, and blind us by an illusory veil. The good news is we always have access to God’s Vision and strength; it is our natural state. God is my strength. Vision is His gift.

The ego’s tiny voice tells us that WE can handle any situation ourselves; WE are justified in judging this person who wronged us; WE know what we’re doing. On the other hand, Holy Spirit simply asks us to be vigilant of such thoughts–and take a step back to look at your thoughts as you remember you DO have a choice. By recognizing this, you offer those ego thoughts to Holy Spirit for correction; His Power can enter your awareness and allow you to see something with His Vision of Love, rather than the ego’s own limited vision of fear. Step back from those rogue thoughts, and remember: God is your strength. Vision is His gift. Holy Spirit will change your mind, but only if you are willing to allow Him to work with you. Correction of our thoughts is an on-going, moment by moment process as we awaken from the dream of separation. Each moment we have a choice; do we continue giving creedance to the world’s fearful images, or do we call upon Love to give us True Vision? The ego knows nothing; saying, “I don’t know” in any situation truly is more helpful than attempting to rely on the ego mind. As we step back and surrender to our True Power, we ask, “What is the appropriate to this situation in this NOW moment?” Try it. God Bless you all.

Lesson 43

“God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.”

God is Love; anything apart from Love is merely an illusion and isn’t real. Therefore Love is our Source, and is our natural state. Anything perceived as anything other than Love is a misperception, which Holy Spirit will correct when we offer our illusions to Him. True Vision lies in seeing with His Eyes–Love is all there is to see, and It can be seen in any situation, and in any person, if only we open our minds to His Guideance and willingly accept Atonement.

Today let us remember Him–Love–in each moment. On Twitter I have started a thread called #miraclesunday, which is dedicated to Jesus’ remembrance with loving gratitude. In this modern world it can seem so easy to get caught up in its daily whirlwind of activities. Let us remember to pause, and remember our Source. God is Love. God is with us always. We can call on Him and surrender our minds and activities to Him anytime, anyplace. Each Now Moment is an opportunity to remember Him–remember that we can willingly choose Holy Spirit over the ego’s screaming but tiny voice. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him. I choose to see with His Eyes and with True Vision–the Vision of Love.

I can be contacted online through various means. I love you all, and would love to hear from you.

Twitter: @ACIM_Now (my ACIM lessons), @phoenixdanny

Paltalk: phoenixdanny

Skype: ioafd-acim

Lesson 44

“God is the light in which I see.”

The Light of God is within us always–it is this Truth this lesson reminds us. We block this light by “doing our own thing”; by thinking we know what to do in any situation. The ego would use fear, judgement and attack as a “justified” means of dealing with its world. Thus by following the ego mind and giving reality to its thoughts, we walk blindly down the path of darkness, which we do in this world so often.

Jesus and Holy Spirit gently remind us in the Course that we need not walk the path of a darkness to get by in the world of form. The Light is in each of us–we are part of the Whole Sonship, and can decide in any moment to call upon Him to light our way. His Guideance is available to us when we ask. He is the Light That will guide every decision for us by simply surrendering to Him and allowing Him to lead the way. We need not remain lost in the fearful darkness this world would have us believe in; let us put our faith in Him–in Truth–rather than the dream of separation. God is the light in which I see.

Lesson 45

“God is the Mind with which I think.”

Father, today as I still my mind and enter into familiar state of total peace, I remember my true thoughts: Oneness and Love. This state of Mind cannot be described in earthly terms; it can only be experienced. Father, I remember You as I still my mind, allowing all thoughts of separation (guilt, worry, anxiety, fear, resentment, judgement) fade away upon recognzing their unreality. Thus I remember Your Thoughts of total Peace. Father, only Your Thoughts are real; all else that is not Love is merely an imagined veil of separation; it cannot keep out the Light. Yet the light is there. A cloud does not put out the sun. No more a veil can banish what it seems to separate, nor darken by one whit the light itself – T-29.VIII.3:7-9

Lesson 46

“God is the Love in which I forgive.”

Forgiveness, then, is an illusion, but because of its purpose, which is the Holy Spirit’s, it has one difference. Unlike all other illusions it leads away from error and not towards it. (Manual for Teachers-Clarification of Terms:3:3-4)
The Course states forgiveness is an illusion, for “God does not forgive because He has never condemned.” (L-46.1:1) Comdemnation is also an illusion, and God knows nothing of it; Thankfully Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is the bridge between illusions and Heaven, and he is the perfect demonstration of forgiveness on earth. Forgiveness is the one illusion that leads us towards awakening–towards Heaven and out of our self-created hell. Forgiveness is simply recognizing the illusions we see are not true. It is the remembering that God’s Love is all there is. In this dream, if we perceive its happenings as true, we think others have hurt us, and thus we see comdemnation as justified. The Course teaches us comdemnation only gives illusions reality in our minds, thus forgiveness is (in my own words) your “get out of hell free card”. I highly recommend reading lesson 46 and applying it fully. Also, the Manual for Teachers (page 83) explains forgiveness in great detail. Explaining these concepts in my own words does not do this Course justice; my words are merely to guide people to the Course, if my words resonate with them. The true work is in reading the Course (all three books) and applying its lessons in everyday living. My blog is only a reminder. God is the Love in which I forgive.

Lesson 47

“God is the strength in which I trust.”

By investing confidence in the ego’s decision-making “abilities”, we are perceiving our separation from God as real. Thus, the Course says we have every reason to be fearful by trusting in an illusion, which the ego and separation are in truth–neither is real, for neither is of God. The good news is we can awaken from this dream by remembering our True Identity in Him, and trusting His Voice: Holy Spirit.

One of my favorite lines in ACIM, which is in chapter 30 of the text, echoes today’s lesson so perfectly:

Today I will make no decisions by myself. (T-30.I.2:2)

By practicing this idea, which the text suggests doing upon waking each morning, I am no longer putting my faith in illusions; I no longer believe in the small “me” I once perceived as a limited, separate body. I open my mind to His Voice as I choose to remember there is but One of us in Truth. I put my trust in Him–in Oneness, in Love. And I do so with loving gratitude, as I recognize illusions as such, and no longer believe in them. Illusions have no strength, because they are not real. God is the strength in which I trust. His Voice decides for me whenever I call upon Him. He would have me respond to any situation in this dream with LOVE and FORGIVENESS, for all else perceived as NOT love is part of the illusion. Thank You, Jesus, for giving us a Way out of the dream.

Lesson 48

“There is nothing to fear.”

This is a very blunt and honest statement. The first paragraph from lesson 48 reads:

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.

Invite the Holy Spirit into your mind as you affirm this lesson today, and He will show you areas in your life in which you are investing your own power, rather than His. Only the ego’s thought system, which is an illusion, can invoke fear, for there is truly only One Love–One God, One Mind Who knows nothing outside of Love.

Lesson 49

“God’s Voice speaks to me all through the day.”

Through quieting our minds with meditation, we learn to tune into Holy Spirit–God’s Voice. This lesson asks us to take four five minute meditation breaks, and simply sit in silence, welcoming His Voice to guide us throughout the day. It is the illusory ego mind that shouts, clamors and attempts to throw us off focus from the Truth. All types of distractions arise that can derail our minds without being vigilant. By being vigilant for mind wandering and rogue thoughts, we can instantly call upon His Voice, and ask for an appropriate response to any situation in which we find ourselves. So today let us remember to be still and listen for Him. Let us welcome calmness and peace into our split minds, and allow Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, words and actions. I love you all- have a wonderful Saturday.

Lesson 50

“I am sustained by the Love of God.”

The Love of God is all there is; all else is of the ego–an illusion–a freaking dream. We put our faith in illusions, which are our replacements for God’s Love. It is this faith in idols (money, status, clothing, other material things) that distracts us from God. Paragraph 2 of today’s lesson says the following:

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.

The Course is not telling us to deliberately ignore and condemn things of this world. We can be in this world, but not OF it–there is nothing wrong with enjoying this world while we’re here–spending time with friends and relatives, going to the movies, checking out the latest electronic gadgets, traveling to new places, etc. What Jesus IS telling us, however, is to remember Him whatever we do in the world; these things cannot sustain us, for they are not eternal. Allowing Holy Spirit to guide us in our worldly endeavors and trusting His Love is all that is being asked of us. It is His Eternal Love that truly sustains us.

Lesson 51 (Review 1-5)

1: “Nothing I see means anything.”
2: “I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me.”
3: “I do not understand anything I see.”
4: “These thoughts do not mean anything.”
5: “I am never upset for the reason I think.”

Each day for the next ten days the workbook reviews five of its first fifty lessons. The aim of these review periods is to encourage us to apply these lessons in every situation throughout the day. We’re reminded not to think of these lessons only during meditation, but to remember and apply them all day long (which can be done mentally without anyone being aware).

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. (WB Review 1, 4:4-5)

In other words, we are not asked to run and hide from our life situations in meditation, rather, we are asked to apply the Course by recognizing our perceptions, then allowing His Correction. We are focused on shifting our inner world–our perceptions–rather than fixing the world we see. It is about accepting people and situations as they are, and allowing our minds to remain in their natural peaceful state as we allow Holy Spirit and Jesus to guide us. This gets easier with practice; a willingness to do these lessons and let go of our old thought system is all that is required. Let go, let God, and the Way will be shown.

Lesson 52 (Review 6-10)

6: I am upset because I see what is not there.
7: I see only the past.
8:My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
9: I see nothing as it is now.
10: My thoughts do not mean anything.

As we become more aware of our thought patterns, we realize our judgments are based on our past experiences. Thus we overlook the present and project our guilt and fears into this moment, covering up the truth with the ego’s illusions. This becomes apparent as we become vigilant of our minds; the thinking of this world is very much rooted in past grievances and judgements, as well as anxiety about a future, which does not truly even exist. There is only Now. And the Course tells us it is possible to focus on the Eternal Now, if we are willing to do so. These fear-based thoughts of separation, when noticed and offered to Holy Spirit with willingness to be be changed, will be replaced by His Thoughts–Love and Forgiveness will gently overcome all judgements, fears, worries, hate, and other thoughts of separation. Our task, if we choose to accept it, is simply to be willing to allow Him into our minds and hearts, not only during meditation and prayer, but during our daily lives. When our thoughts are aligned with His, our inner world is transformed back to it original state–Peace. Thus we extend this Peace during the day in every situation in which we find ourselves. Each moment in which we find ourselves thinking outside the present with thoughts of judgement, let us remember He is here now, and we can choose again. We can choose to accept Him anytime, anyplace.

Lesson 53 (Review 11-15)

(11) My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.
(12) I am upset because I see a meaningless world.
(13) A meaningless world engenders fear.
(14) God did not create a meaningless world.
(15) My thoughts are images that I have made.

During the remainder of this week I will be doing a “idle (or is it “idol”?) computer fasting”. I will still post the daily lesson ideas on here as well as Twitter (@ACIM_Now), but will be giving the computer a rest and using my “idle” time to focus on God, and meditation more, and less on idols

We will be reviewing five ideas daily through next Wednesday; Lesson 61 resumes our normal one-lesson study. Have an awesome week.

Lesson 54 (Review 16-20)

(16) I have no neutral thoughts.
(17) I see no neutral things.
(18) I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
(19) I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts.
(20) I am determined to see.

Lesson 55 (Review 21-25)

(21) I am determined to see things differently.
(22) What I see is a form of vengeance.
(23) I can escape from this world by giving up attack thoughts.
(24) I do not perceive my own best interests.
(25) I do not know what anything is for.

It all comes down to FORGIVENESS. That is the aim of the Course. Whenever I catch myself entertaining thoughts of fear and judgement, I step back and tell myself, “It’s only a freaking dream.” My blog title is my cue to relax and remember God–and to remember that this world is in fact an illusion. Thus I can forgive the dreamer (the seemingly separate “me”) for dreaming the illusion, as well as the “other” person or situation. If none of this is real, and we are all One with God, then there is NOTHING to condemn. By this recognition, I have opened my mind to receiving the Holy Spirit’s Atonement. In this Holy Instant does Love replace all fear-based thoughts, as I perceive Christ in everyone and everything. Every seemingly difficult situation, large or small, is but an opportunity to practice giving up our attack thoughts, and choose forgiveness instead. God Bless.

Lesson 56 (Review 26-30)

(26) My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.
(27) Above all else I want to see.
(28) Above all else I want to see differently.
(29) God is in everything I see.
(30) God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.

Holy Spirit, today I come to you with an open heart and an open mind, willing to let go of my false perceptions that dim the view of the Truth from me. Let me perceive this world correctly and remember only Your Love exists, and all else is an illusion. I choose to see Christ in every face today, and in every situation. I choose to allow His Thoughts to clear my mind as I release all judgements and fear-based thoughts. Let me remember my True Self–the Self that is One in the Mind of God. Let the ego’s wall of separation I have built in this dream come crumbling down as I welcome and embrace the Light with open arms today. I give this day to You with love and gratitude, Father. Today I choose Christ’s Vision. Let Thy Will be done, Amen.

Lesson 57 (Review 31-35)

(31) I am not the victim of the world I see.
(32) I have invented the world I see.
(33) There is another way of looking at the world.
(34) I could see peace instead of this.
(35) My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy.

Lesson 58 (Review 36-40)

(36) My holiness envelops everything I see.
(37) My holiness blesses the world.
(38) There is nothing my holiness cannot do.
(39) My holiness is my salvation.
(40) I am blessed as a Son of God.

Lesson 59 (41-45)

(41) God goes with me wherever I go.
(42) God is my strength. Vision is His gift.
(43) God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.
(44) God is the light in which I see.
(45) God is the Mind with which I think.

Lesson 60 (Review 46-50)

(46) God is the Love in which I forgive.
(47) God is the strength in which I trust.
(48) There is nothing to fear.
(49) God’s Voice speaks to me all through the day.
(50) I am sustained by the Love of God.

Lesson 61

“I am the light of the world.”

Today’s idea is probably one of the most mind-blowing concepts in the ego’s eyes. The ego would have us believe we are arrogant for even thinking such a thought, and would have us view ourselves as “unworthy” of such a statement. The Course teaches there is only One Son of God, and you are it. There are no separate bodies in the world; this is merely an illusion created by the idea of separation. There is only One of Us; each perceived fragment of the Sonship has merely forgotten its Source. Today’s idea helps gear our minds for accepting our salvation as we are lead to waking up from the dream of separation.

Through forgiveness the Sonship is healed as One. True forgiveness is recogizing I am dreaming, and the “other guy” in fact has done nothing, therefore condemnation of nothing only gives reality to the illusion in my mind. Because we are One in the Mind of God, I forgive myself whenever I forgive an apparently separate brother or sister. This is seeing the light–the Truth behind the illusion. I recognize Christ in every face, thus lifting the veil of separation and perceiving only Oneness. I am the light of the world. This is my only function. That is why I am here. WB-61.5:3-5

Lesson 62

“Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.”

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Lesson 63

“The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.”

True forgiveness shall set me free. That is the aim of this course. Yesterday’s lesson 62 states it so beautifully and truthfully:

Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world. I would fulfill my function that I may be happy.

Judgement only serves to bind me and my brothers to the world of illusions. Forgiveness is the other choice – the choice that recognizes the innocence in each seemingly separate Son of God. It is through the Eyes of Forgiveness we perceive our Unity with Him.

Jesus, today I remember I have but two choices: forgiveness or condemnation. I choose to walk with You today down the path of love and forgiveness. Let me remember to look beyond the dream of separation to my brother’s True Self. No matter what he appears to be doing in this dream, let me not validate his errors with judgement, but remind me to perceive his actions as a call for love, thus reminding me to respond with nothing but love. You are the Way, the Truth, the Life. I choose to remember forgiveness this day, and set my brothers free from illusions. Jesus, I am listening. Guide my thoughts, words and actions this day as I shower the world with forgiveness and love. Let us remember these words from Lesson 63 today:

The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness. I am the means God has appointed for the salvation of the world.

Thank You, Jesus. And so I pray, Amen.

Lesson 64

“Let me not forget my function.”

Choosing forgiveness is the same as choosing happiness. As we apply these lessons, we realize how much negative energy we waste by holding grievances and comdemning our brothers. As I shift into a forgiving mindset, those times when I do revert back to holding grievances definately produces noticable undesirable effects: my mind is conflicted, there are feelings of heaviness in my body, and I just feel totally “off”. Our natural state is one of total peace, therefore, any thought that is not of God affirms the ego’s belief in separation. In chapter 3 of the Text, there is a line that affirms our True Identity:

God knows you only in peace, and this is your reality. T-3.IV.7:16

The more we practice true forgiveness, the more unnatural it feels to harbor any judgemental thoughts that do enter our awareness. By being vigilant of our minds, and not accepting “mind wandering”, we are able to look at these rogue thoughts and recognize them as mere illusions–they do not exist except in the mind. Then can the Holy Spirit offer a miracle–a shift in perception–as we willingly offer these thoughts to Him. Jesus, today let us remember You and Our Father as we keep these words from Lesson 64 in our minds:

Let me not forget my function.
Let me not try to substitute mine for God’s.
Let me forgive and be happy.

Our previous few lessons have equated forgiveness–true forgiveness–with happiness. And this can be accomplished in this world as we learn to trust in Him every moment of the day and remember His Love. Through practice AND application of these ideas are our minds healed by Him, until eventually anything that is not Love can be forgiven immediately as our desire to only be an extension of His Love becomes our one and only true desire. Let us remember His Love this lovely day, and all through this week. God Bless you.

Lesson 65

“My only function is the one God gave me.”

Holy Spirit, let me remember my only true function as I do about my business today. Salvation of the world is the purpose God has given His Son through true forgiveness. Let me remember forgiveness as I commute to and from my job, and during working hours. May you remind me of my brother’s true Identity as well as mine during every encounter this day. Holy Spirit, let me not be distracted from remembering Him; let me remember to be vigilant and not allow my mind to be swept into the ego’s dream. I realize I can fall into the habit of pursuing numerous goals during the course of the day that distract me from God. My only function is the one God gave me: salvation of the world through true forgiveness. Let me forgive and see my the Christ in every face and in every situation today, Holy Spirit. Where would you have me go, what would you have me do, what would you have me say, and to whom? Today I walk with You.

Lesson 66

“My happiness and my function are one.”

God gives me only happiness.
He has given my function to me.
Therefore my function must be happiness.

This truth is so simple yet powerful. It is this realization to which the Course attempts to guide us. It is merely a shift in mindset. The ego would have us critcize and attack these ideas, shouting its argument that “this is too good to be true; life is much more complicated than this”. Yet it is the split-mind of the ego that has made its world complex through its constant judgements and defenses from “others” attacking it. The ego, being an illusion in the Son of God’s sleeping mind, can offer nothing. Its idols can offer a temporary illusion of happiness, yet these idols are illusions themselves, and therefore will vanish. The Eternal Love of God will never leave His Son. Let us remember to call upon Him today as we receive our true function with open arms and open minds. Today we are aware that our happiness and our function are One, for they come from Our One Father with Pure Love.

My happiness and function are one, because God has given me both.

Lesson 67

“Love created me like itself.”

Father, today I listen to Your Voice as It serves as a reminder to Who I am. Let me be aware of the illusory qualities my ego has made that only serve to block my awareness of my True Identity. I am an extension of His Love. Let me today remember this simple fact as I allow Holy Spirit to disolve all my false preconceptions about myself as I willingly hold them to His Light. Thus only Love can prevail and shine in the world, as He awakens my brother’s memory of His True Self through me. Father, thank You for Jesus and His wonderful teachings. Today I offer to You in total gratitude and remembrance. Today I will make decisions by myself, as I let go of illusions and unite with Your Mind and Your Will. Love created me like itself. May this lesson be in my awareness all day. Amen.

Lesson 68

“Love holds no grievances.”

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Lesson 69

“My grievances hide the light of the world in me.”

Today I choose to walk past the dark clouds that shroud my mind from Your Light, God. Let me recognize the illusions of this world have no substance nor power, as I walk with Jesus effortlessly past them. Father, words cannot convey my gratitude to you as I remember Who I am, joining my will with Yours as I sweep the dark clouds of hate, fear and judgement aside with a determination to see only Light. I rest in stillness and silence, basking in your light with gratitude and love. Holy Spirit, today I let Your Light shine away the veil I allowed to block Love from my awareness as I forgive my brothers and myself for my projections of fear. Today I see only Light everywhere, and in every face. I cannot escape my illusions alone, so I pray with you today with Jesus’ words from today’s lesson:

My grievances hide the light of the world in me. I cannot see what I have hidden. Yet I want to let it be revealed to me, for my salvation and the salvation of the world.

And if I forget to walk with you today, may I remember:

If I hold this grievance the light of the world will be hidden from me.

With gratitude and willingness I pray, Amen.

Lesson 70

“My salvation comes from me.”

Today help me remember this lesson is the truth, Jesus. I choose whether to allow thoughts of guilt or thoughts of forgiveness to dominate my mind; it’s a matter a choice. I can choose the ego’s “salvation” through its transitory idols, or I can choose Holy Spirit — God’s Eternal Peace and Love. This day, Jesus, I choose to remember my love and friendship with you as I trust you as my shepherd and guide. My salvation comes from me, because I have the power to join my will with His. I walk with you in gratitude today, Jesus, as I allow you to help me see the Christ in every face and in every circumstance as I awaken from this dream. May the Love of God extend from me to all my brothers and sisters as I remember You. Nothing this world offers me can give me Eternal Peace. Nothing in this dream has any power over my happiness and joy. Instead of judging this world of illusions, let me shower it with Love. Today I choose You. Today I remember:

My salvation comes from me. Nothing outside of me can hold me back. Within me is the world’s salvation and my own.

Lesson 71

“Only God’s plan for salvation will work.”

Let this lesson remain in my awareness all through the day, Holy Spirit. I invite you into my heart and mind as I am willing to be shown His path. May I join my will with our Father’s Will, which is One in reality. Today I am willing to see all idols, regardless of their apparent form, as the illusions they are, and set them aside. Father, nothing in this world can give everlasting salvation. Idols come, and idols crumble. Remind me not to idolize, nor condemn the dream. While enjoying things and people in this world, let me always remember to forgive all and remember my Only Source as I go about my day in this dream. I place this day in your hands, Holy Spirit, as I pray:

What would You have me do?
Where would You have me go?
What would You have me say, and to whom?

Lead me not into temptation, Holy Spirit, but help me remember these words from today’s lesson:

Holding grievances is the opposite of God’s plan for salvation. And only His plan will work.

May I remain vigilant of all my thoughts and offer them to You for correction. May today be filled with miracles. Thank You, Jesus. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Lesson 72

“Holding grievances is an attack on God’s plan for salvation.”

Father, at times I forget to accept Your Love and forget to forgive as I lose myself in the dream of separation. Let me be vigilant today as I recognize salvation is already accomplished through You, Jesus. Rather than resisting and fighting what is, help me remember that acceptance ends all conflict, and restores Peace to my mind. Father, I release my grip on any attack thought that enters my mind today and offer these rogue thought to You with Love. May forgiveness be my attitude this Memorial Day as I look upon the world with thanksgiving, and see only Love everywhere. This day I shall remember:

Holding grievances is an attack on God’s plan for salvation. Let me accept it instead. What is salvation, Father?

With these words His Voice gently reminds me to let go and forgive. May the Peace of God and Jesus be with you today, and always. Amen.

Lesson 73

“I will there be light.”

Lesson 74

“There is no will but God’s”

Lesson 75

“The light has come.”

Jesus, today I am reminded to remain vigilant as I look upon the world as if for the first time. I release all my past judgments and ideas in forgiveness. Today I remember the choice is mine. Today I choose to stay focused on the Eternal Now as I let go of the past, and see only light.

The light has come. I have forgiven the world.

As I forgive every person and situation throughout this day, I wait for Your Voice to guide me, for I know It will not fail me. He will offer His Vision merely by my willingness and at my request. Today the light has come; I keep Him at the forefront of all my activities this day as I gladly forgive my past and regain my focus. He is my Guide today. Thank You, Father, for reminding me of my True Identity in You. I forgive my actions (as well as non-actions) from the past few days, as well as my past as a whole, which I remember is only an illusion. Today I choose forgiveness. Today I choose to see the light. Thank You, Jesus.

We dedicate this day to the serenity in which God would have you be. Keep it in your awareness of yourself and see it everywhere today, as we celebrate the beginning of your vision and the sight of the real world, which has come to replace the unforgiven world you thought was real. -WB-75.11

Lesson 76

“I am under no laws but God’s”

Jesus, I realize I no longer must conform to the ways of the world and ego-based thinking. I have the power to choose: give in to negative outlooks and thoughts of separation, or I can choose FORGIVENESS. The latter makes room for Your Peace, as happiness fills my heart and extends to all my brothers. Holy Spirit, thank you for reminding me of this today. I am under no laws but God’s—nothing this world offers that is not Love has no power over me. Amen.

Mobile Blogging from here.

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Lesson 77

“I am entitled to miracles.”

Holy Spirit, today I choose to open my heart and accept Your healing, as I offer it to my brothers in the spirit of Oneness. Miracles are our birth right; let us not forget this statement today. I look upon the world with Your Vision as I forgive what my physical senses show me, as I remember this is but an illusion. By accepting miracles and allowing them to flow through me, I see only Light and Love. May I remember Him today as I see only His Love in every person, place and circumstance. Today I am willing to accept Your miracles with gratitude and love. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

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Lesson 78

“Let miracles replace all grievances.”

I offer my willingness to see the light in all my brothers today. All grievances are calls for forgiveness; let me remeber this today, Jesus. I can choose either grievances or miracles; condemnation or forgiveness; conflict or peace. The choice is mine. I choose miracles as I forgive my brothers and open my mind to Your light, that my perception may shift to one of love and light. Today I recogize grievances as a wall I have built around the Christ that shines in my brother. Today I offer these bricks of separation to You, that your Light and my brother’s Light, which is really One, will shine bright. Holy Spirit, I offer only Love, and I choose to see only with loving eyes as I behold the Christ in my brother today, and in every situation in which I find myself. Gladly do I lay my grievances aside and allow You to gently dismantle any walls of separation and judgement I have been tempted to build around my brother. Jesus, I remember this lesson with total gratitude as I go about the day, extending His Love, rather than projecting darkness. With love and gratitude I pray, Amen.

Lesson 79

“Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved.”

Let me not rely on the world to solve my “problems”. I do not know what they are in truth, nor can I solve them on my own. Holy Spirit, I surrender my mind to You and let go of any attachment I may still have to solving problems on my own. You are the Way. Let me remember this throughout this day as I call upon You Name for miracles as I let go of what I think I know. Jesus, I walk with you today in every situation and ask to see my problem and solution in Your Loving Light, that I may remember my True Identity: One with the Love of our Father. Today I see all apparently separate people, objects and circumstances with Christ’s Vision and recognize them as a projection of my Mind. Today I am determined to see Oneness in All. Today I let go of my ideas about problems, and allow Holy Spirit to lovingly and gently show me a new perception–a perception that leads me to the Truth and out of the dream of separation. Amen.

Lesson 80

“Let me recognize my problems have been solved.”

Jesus, I turn to You for guideance as I realize any apparent problem in the world is but an illusion. I willingly join You as I release all I think I understand about perceived problems today, and accept Your correction that I may see through the Eyes of Christ. Let me remember there is but one problem–the idea of separation. From this idea come a multitude of perceived problems, as the Son of God’s mind fragments and splits. Today I will hold no grievances as my willingness to be vigilant of my thoughts is stronger than ever. I give you my mind, Holy Spirit, that I may be One with Our Father and welcome the peace that is my natural right. Amen.

Mobile Blogging from here.

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Lesson 81 (Review 61 and 62)

(61) “I am the light of the world.”
(62) “Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.”

How grateful I am for these lessons, Holy Spirit! Let me remember to be still and rest in You in every moment of this day as people and situations arise that may appear to be unloving. These brothers and circumstances serve as reminders to trust in You and release any attachment to my old ideas, and to accept my function. May I FORGIVE, rather than condemn my brother, who is One with me in Christ in truth. I am eternally gratefully to You as I recognize the light in me and my brother as One Light. As I relax, remember and forgive what my physical senses are showing me, I am filled with complete peace and joy which is my right, as well as my brother’s. I look upon this world with nothing but Love today as I commit myself to offering forgiveness and light wherever I am guided to go today, and in whatever I am guided to do. Jesus, remind me what true forgiveness means as I get involved in the world’s activities today; let me forget You not. I offer Love to everyone I encounter during the day, as well as those who cross my mind during the course of the day; Love is timeless and I offer it willingly to those brothers and sisters who have acted not out of love in the apparent past, as well as present. I am willing to offer total forgiveness as I shower the world with Light this day, and every day to come. Thank You, Jesus, for these wonderful reminders as I let go of my resistance to Light, and walk with You. Amen.

Lesson 82 (Review 63 and 64)

(63) “The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.”
(64) “Let me not forget my function.”

Jesus, today I remember these words as I remain vigilant of my thoughts, and choose to bless my brother, rather than judge him. I choose to remember You as I remain peaceful in every situation, and with every brother who I meet. Rather than reacting out of non-loving thoughts and feelings, I silently hold these thoughts in my awareness and allow Holy Spirit to offer His Peace, as I maintain a peaceful mind. Through my peace, may my brother become at peace as well. Jesus, let me not forget these lessons today. May forgiveness continue to be my state of mind throughout this day. Amen.

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Lesson 83 (Review 65 and 66)

(65) “My only function is the one God gave me.”
(66) “My happiness and my function are one.”

I offer my prayers of thanksgiving today, as I enjoy a day off from work; and a day with Katie. Today I shall remember my only function: happiness, which the material world cannot truly offer. Our outdoors plans may be a bit wet today, but let that affect us not, for only Love matters. Let me remember to focus on the content (Love- ie: spending time with Katie), rather than the form (rainy day, possibly making us adjust our outdoor plans). I let go of what I think should happen today as I remember a quote from the Text in Chapter 30:

“Today I will make no decisions by myself.” T-30.I.2:2

I am thankful for Love and Peace, which are of God- and is the only Reality. Nothing in the physical world can come between us and God today. Jesus, we walk along side you this day as we enjoy the Peace of God and forgive the world of illusions, whatever they may appear to show us. Thank You for this wonderful day. I will remember You in every moment today, thus remembering my true function, which is happiness. I come to you with an attitude of forgiveness and gratitude. May I be a vessel for extending His Love to the world as I remember my function, and gently remind me of my function should something non-loving tempt me to forget today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Lesson 84 (Review 67 and 68)

(67) “Love created me like itself.”
(68) “Love holds no grievances.”

Jesus, this morning I find multiple thoughts racing through my mind as I start this day. Although I wouldn’t classify these thoughts as “bad”, they do distract me from remembering Him– and my True Function. My latest writing projects are on my mind; what I’m doing to do this weekend with my writing has been flooding my mind. Thoughts concerning mundane work that I’ll be doing around the house this weekend sometimes conflict with my plans for writing. Jesus, I choose to release my thoughts and plans to you right here, right now. I will worship no idols, nor raise my own self-concept to replace my Self (paragraph 1:6, Lesson 84). I choose not to elevate my writing or my plans to idol status, as I remember His Love in every moment today. And as I remember Love created me like itself, every worldly task in which I participate becomes infused with Love. Today I choose to be an extension of His Love, which is what I am in truth. Holy Spirit, let me not hold grievances and judgments against today’s tasks, for this only gives the dream of separation reality in my own mind. Let me instead remember His Love, rather than attack it. I will not allow myself to use illusions as a justification for grievances of any form. Rather, let Him light the world with Love and Peace through me today, regardless of what my body seems to be doing. Let me see the same Light in every seemingly separate brother, and in every situation and place this day. Jesus, I choose to recognize illusions as such, while remembering my own likeness–that of my Creator, who is not a body and Who cannot suffer. I offer my willingness and Love in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Check out our new mailing list and prayer/discussion group on Google

Thanks to Google Groups we now have an online platform for ACIM discussion and prayer. Visit our new group today, and feel free to sign up.

ACIM Now

Visit this group

Lesson 85 (Review 69 and 70)

(69) “My grievances hide the light of the world in me.”
(70) “My salvation comes from me.”

Today I recognize my grievances obsure the light with illusions of fear and separation. Let me remember, Holy Spirit, that my grievances are but illusions, and have no power to keep my from seeing the light in me if I choose to lay them aside. Jesus, I choose to lay my grievances aside and I am determined to see the Light of Christ in my brother, everywhere I go today. Let me know true salvation today, which comes from Source, Who dwells within me. I am not separate from Him, therefore, I have no need to look outside me to idols for salvation. Today I lay aside all idols and illusions as I remember my salvation is mine just by choosing to see with Holy Spirit. May I remember that nothing in the dream of separation–nothing my physical eyes see as outside of me–can have any real effect on me. With this in mind, I can easily forgive the world as I choose to remember my Source of salvation. Thank You, Jesus, for helping me remember my True Identity today. Amen.

Lesson 86 (Review 71 and 72)

(71) “Only God’s plan for salvation will work.”
(72) “Holding grievances is an attack on God’s plan for salvation.”

Seeking salvation from material things, other people, and from situations in life will not work. Jesus, help me remember this simple fact throughout the day. I have caught myself thinking today will be a better day at work if certain things do not occur; I see this error in thinking, and willingly hand these thoughts over to Holy Spirit, so I may see things correctly. Let me remember to do this whenever I attempt to find salvation in illusions. I trust only in God’s plan for salvation. I will no longer depend on anything in the dream of separation to offer happiness. Jesus, help me catch any grievance in my mind, so I can gladly allow Him to help me see situations with Christ’s Vision. Grievances block God’s plan from my awareness–may I remember this all day, and apply these lessons whenever any rogue thought crosses my mind. I will not allow meaningless thoughts of judgement to come between me and my remembrance of Him, for we are One in Truth. I open my mind to Holy Spirit, that I may perceive only miracles while making my way through my happy dream towards awakening. Today I will not attempt to attack His plan by holding grievances. Amen.

Lesson 87 (Review 73 and 74)

(73) “I will there be light.”
(74) “There is no will but God’s.”

Holy Spirit, help me remember to look past all illusions towards the Light today. Let me not give validity to fearful thoughts and images; let me call upon Him to show me the Light in every brother and situation. I will not allow my Vision to be obscured by what is not real. There is only One Will, the Will of God. Let me remember this today; I release my mind from conflict and fear by recogizing there IS but One Will. Jesus, today I am determined to allow you to guide my thoughts, words, and actions. I am determined to perceive the world in accordance with His Will, thus shining away all illusions of conflict with the Light. I choose only to bless my brother with Love and Light as I perceive only our Oneness in Your Light. I am determined not to concern myself with idols in the physical world as I remember to look upon all with Christ’s Vision. And so I remember a prayer from an earlier lesson, which I apply frequently:

What would You have me do?
Where would You have me go?
What would You have me say, and to whom? (WB-71)

Nothing the world offers has the power to hide the Light of God. I choose to see with God’s Eyes today. I choose to do His Will. Amen.

Lesson 88 (Review 75 and 76)

(75) “The light has come.”
(76) “I am under no laws but God’s.”

This blog has evolved into a prayer platform for me over the past few months. Rather than put these Course lessons into my own words, I’ve simply presented the main idea of each daily lesson, along with a prayer. Today I feel moved to share my experience with these lessons.

As Course students there will be days when it seems to us that we are regressing, rather than progressing down the road to awakening. Emotions, judgements and fears arise from deep within us. This is OKAY- it’s part of the spiritual cleansing that comes along with this path, or any other disciplined spiritual path. This morning was an example of this for me personally (actually, most of the week has been “up and down” for me). Thoughts about certain situations (management of our apartment complex in particular) flooded my mind first thing this morning. After my meditation, rather than peace coming over me, feelings of judgement seemed to become stronger. These thoughts were then projected into other areas: my long commute to/from work, the hot weather, and on and on. I left home this morning feeling quite rushed and stressed, which has not happened to that degree in a long time. “Why do I feel this bad?” , I kept telling myself as I embarked on my morning commute. I was aware of my thoughts and feelings as I questioned them, feeling the tenseness throughout my body. About ten minutes into my drive, while listening to Marianne Willamson’s daily podcast, it was if a spiritual switch had been flipped suddenly. Feelings of gratitude, love and peace came over me like a wave as she discussed weariness–and how weariness is a sign that old ways must be discarded to make way for our new path. I realized at that holy instant I was clinging onto the remnants of my old ego though system, and becoming absorbed into the hectic morning rush that has permeated our society. As I shifted, it all seemed not so real anymore. I felt the Presence of Holy Spirit as I eased off on the accelerator, and cruised down the interstate five miles below speed limit, enjoying the morning air. I again gave the day to Him, and remembered I am under no laws but His–the Light is always present, all we need to do is remember it and be willing to see it.

The point of this post is to let students know it is alright to slip-up once in a while. And sometimes we do not feel better immediately after meditating. But be certain He will offer you miracles if you express willingness in your heart to receive them. Holy Spirit speaks to us through many means in the world to help guide us back to Him. We need only to be still and listen. For me it came in the form of a podcast that seemed to be speaking directly to me. Other times people, both apparent strangers and loved-ones, would extend God’s Love with a kind word, or just their calm presence. We do not have to succumb to the world’s fast-paced madness. We can function quite well in this world while relaxing in the Grace of God, as we remember His Love in whatever we do. So, do not beat yourself up if you slip, and fall back into fear-based thinking. Call upon Him to help you see things differently, then FORGIVE yourself, and whatever you thought happened. Have a wonderful day.

Calling all inspirational writers and poets

Two years ago I started a small online writing community called Serendipity, which was designed as a forum for sharing non-violent, inspirational short stories and poetry. The group fizzled, but recently I have been attempting to revive it. If you’d like to share some of your writing (fiction or non-fiction, or poetry), I invite you to check out Serendipity on Google Groups:

http://groups.google.com/group/serendipity-writers

Enjoy!

Love, Light and Blessings,
Danny

Serendipity Writers Group

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Lesson 89 (Review 77 and 78)

(77) “I am entitled to miracles.”
(78) “Let miracles replace all grievances.”

Holy Spirit, I truly see examples of today’s lessons in action already this morning. And I have seen examples yesterday as well. By quieting my mind I recognize grievances as having no power over me. These grievances appeared to be blocking the Light from my awareness as I focused on them, however, I now see see the Light and miracles in my life as I receive Your Atonement willingly. Thank You, Jesus, for being my Guide. Your Love is always with me; may I remember to choose to see the world with You, rather than with a separated, clouded mind. Today I look upon my apartment complex, city, state, nation, and world with eyes of forgiveness as I prepare to go about my daily life. With an open mind and open heart, I welcome Your Love as I extend it this day. Amen.