Dec 16th 2015  Review II 

Lesson 85
Review of Lessons 69 - 70 

• Intention:  We are now ready for another review.  We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas each day.  The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other.  For each idea, we will have one longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.

• Long Practice:  Spend a total of about fifteen minutes thinking about each each idea and its associated comments.  Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, then close your eyes and spend the rest of the time listening attentively.
  
  Repeat the first phase of the exercise (reading slowly) if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the time listening quietly but attentively.  There is a message waiting for you.  Be confident that you will receive it.  Remember that it belongs to you, and that you want it.
  
  Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts.  Realize that, whatever form such thoughts may take, they have no meaning and no power.  Replace them with your determination to succeed.  Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams.  Trust it to see you through, and carry you beyond them all.
  
  Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth and the life.  Refuse to be sidetracked into detours, illusions and thoughts of death.  You are dedicated to salvation.  Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
     
• Short Practice:  Repeat the original form of the idea often, and apply it for general situations.  When appropriate, use the specific forms included in the comments which follow the statements of the ideas.  These, however, are merely suggestions.  It is not the particular words you use that matter.  
    

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(69)  My grievances hide the light of the world in me.

My grievances show me what is not there, and hide from me what I would see.  Recognizing this, what do I want my grievances for?  They keep me in darkness and hide the light.  Grievances and light cannot go together, but light and vision must be joined for me to see.  To see, I must lay grievances aside.  I want to see, and this will be the means by which I will succeed.

   

Specific applications for this idea might be made in these forms:

Let me not use this as a block to sight.

The light of the world will shine all this away.

I have no need for this.  I want to see.

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(70)  My salvation comes from me.

Today I will recognize where my salvation is.  It is in me because its Source is there.  It has not left its Source, and so it cannot have left my mind.  I will not look for it outside myself.  It is not found outside and then brought in.  But from within me it will reach beyond and everything I see will but reflect the light that shines in me and in itself..

   

These forms of the idea are suitable for more specific applications:

Let this not tempt me to look away from me for my salvation.
I will not let this interfere with my awareness of the Source of my salvation.

This has no power to remove salvation from me.  
  

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Insights/Comments:

• We are the light of the world, and forgiveness is the means by which we fulfill our function to light the world, bringing joy to ourselves and all others.  Grievances hide the light within us and so our world appears dark and joyless.  Grievances arise whenever we forget our true identity as the holy children of God and begin to think of ourselves in terms that reflect the opposite of what we truly are:  as separate individuals instead of unified with our siblings and our Creator; as limited by circumstances instead of limitless; as mortal instead of immortal, etc.  Our Creator created us perfect, Spirit and free, yet when we forget this, we think we are our self-created egos.      
  Whenever we think of ourselves as less than the perfection God created we have forgotten our identity and function, and are therefore less than truly happy, for our happiness depends on fulfilling our function.  Our lack of perfect happiness then is the indication that we have forgotten our identity and function, and are caught up in some grievance, wanting things to be other than the way they are.  Whenever we fell unhappy we can remind ourselves to let go of whatever grievance we are attached to, so that we can remember our identity and function, and return to happiness.  This is our means of salvation:  by letting go of grievances we are choosing happiness and our function instead of illusions of righteousness.
  
  To think that our happiness depends on things being other than the way they are, guarantees unhappiness because it goes against God's Will and leaves us constantly trying to "change" things to what we think will make us happy.  But understanding that our happiness depends only on fulfilling our function, guarantees our happiness because that is in accord with God's Will.  He made us for that purpose; it is our raison d'etre (reason for being,) our divine purpose, our joy, and our destiny to complete.
   
  It is fortunate that our happiness and salvation comes from being what we already are--the light of the world, for this guarantees its fulfillment.  It is a function we can no more fail to fulfill, than can the Sun fail to shine, the wind to blow, fire to burn, or the Earth to spin.  Everything in creation has its function and is destined to fulfill  that function because it is inherent, and we are not exceptions to this rule.  Our salvation is inherent within us, yet we do have the choice of deciding when we will fulfill that function, and until we decide, we simply delay our perfect happiness.
  
  It is not that we have to strive and struggle to perform our function, for then there would be the possibility of failure, but since we are already naturally equipped to perform our function, it is therefore natural, easy and effortless.  We cannot fail in our function, but we can fail to recognize this, which leaves us unhappy.  Yet the simple solution is to forgive ourselves, because it is God's Will that we succeed, so it is guaranteed.
  

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I and my Creator are One.  

Dec 4th 2015  Review II 

Lesson 84
Review of Lessons 67 - 68 

• Intention:  We are now ready for another review.  We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas each day.  The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other.  For each idea, we will have one longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.

• Long Practice:  Spend a total of about fifteen minutes thinking about each each idea and its associated comments.  Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, then close your eyes and spend the rest of the time listening attentively.
  
  Repeat the first phase of the exercise (reading slowly) if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the time listening quietly but attentively.  There is a message waiting for you.  Be confident that you will receive it.  Remember that it belongs to you, and that you want it.
  
  Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts.  Realize that, whatever form such thoughts may take, they have no meaning and no power.  Replace them with your determination to succeed.  Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams.  Trust it to see you through, and carry you beyond them all.
  
  Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth and the life.  Refuse to be sidetracked into detours, illusions and thoughts of death.  You are dedicated to salvation.  Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
     
• Short Practice:  Repeat the original form of the idea often, and apply it for general situations.  When appropriate, use the specific forms included in the comments which follow the statements of the ideas.  These, however, are merely suggestions.  It is not the particular words you use that matter.  
    

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(67)  Love created me like itself.

I am in the likeness of my Creator.  I cannot suffer, I cannot experience loss and I cannot die.  I am not a body.  I would recognize my reality today.  I will worship no idols, nor raise my own self-concept to replace my Self.  I am in the likeness of my Creator.  Love created me like itself.

   

You might find these specific forms helpful in applying the idea:

Let me not see an illusion of myself in this.

As I look on this, let me remember my Creator.

My Creator did not create this as I see it.

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(68)  Love holds no grievances.

Grievances are completely alien to love.  Grievances attack love and keep its light obscure.  If I hold grievances I am attacking love, and therefore attacking my Self.  My Self thus becomes alien to me.  I am determined not to attack my Self today, so that I can remember Who I am..

   

These specific forms for applying this idea would be helpful:

There is no justification for denying my Self.
I will not use this to attack love.

Let this ot tempt me to attack myself.  
  

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Insights/Comments:

• Knowing who we truly are is essential to our ability to perform our function of forgiveness and therefore to be happy.  We know who we are through our lineage--God, who is Love,  created us like Itself, therefore love is who we truly are.  Knowing who we are naturally gives us the clarity and confidence to perform our function, which in turn guarantees happiness.  Our happiness comes from fulfilling our function, which flows naturally from who we are.
   
  The function of a cup is to hold things and to facilitate the function of drinking.  Being made for that specific function it naturally has the innate ability to perform it, and therefore fulfill its function.  A cup was not made to be a hammer so it does not lend itself naturally to such a function.  Likewise, we were made to be the light of the world, so we naturally have the innate ability to perform our function of forgiveness.  We do not have to develop the ability to forgive, for it is already structured in us because it is our function.  Forgiveness is natural to us because it is natural to love and love is who we truly are.  Also, Love naturally:  holds no grievances, makes no demands, sets no controls, and is always joyful, loving, accepting, grateful, and blessing.  These characteristics give an indication into the nature of love, for these can only be true for one who is full and complete in every way, much like the ocean which is open to all streams that flow into it, and feels no loss due to evaporation.  Or like space, which is allowing of whatever is or is not occupying it. 
  
  Since Love created us like itself, we too have these innate characteristics, and it is only when we forget who we are, thinking we are something other than love, that we begin to take on functions that we are not suited for, abandoning our true function and the means to our happiness.  The correction is only to remind (re-mind) ourselves as often as necessary that we were created, are now, and always will be love and only love.  And whatsoever appears to contradict this truth, is nothing but an illusion.  Remember that appearances are not necessarily true.  A diamond covered in mud has lost none of its inherent value, neither have we lost any of our true value as holy children of God, even when we become lost in the mire of illusions, thinking of ourselves as limited, mortal and alone.  
   
  We are who we are, and cannot be anything other that what God created us to be, which is love, so regardless of all appearances to the contrary, remember to be love..
     

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I and my Creator are One.  

Nov 18th 2015  Review II 

Lesson 83 
Review of Lessons 65 - 66  

• Intention:  We are now ready for another review.  We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas each day.  The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other.  For each idea, we will have one longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.

• Long Practice:  Spend a total of about fifteen minutes thinking about each each idea and its associated comments.  Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, then close your eyes and spend the rest of the time listening attentively.
  
  Repeat the first phase of the exercise (slow reading) if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the time listening quietly but attentively.  There is a message waiting for you.  Be confident that you will receive it.  Remember that it belongs to you, and that you want it.
  
  Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts.  Realize that, whatever form such thoughts may take, they have no meaning and no power.  Replace them with your determination to succeed.  Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams.  Trust it to see you through, and carry you beyond them all.
  
  Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth and the life.  Refuse to be sidetracked into detours, illusions and thoughts of death.  You are dedicated to salvation.,  Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
     
• Short Practice:  Repeat the original form of the idea often, and apply it for general situations.  When appropriate, use the specific forms included in the comments which follow the statements of the ideas.  These, however, are merely suggestions.  It is not the particular words you use that matter.  
    

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(65)  My only function is the one God gave me.

I have no function but the one God gave me.  This recognition releases me from all conflict, because it means I cannot have conflicting goals.  With one purpose only, I am always certain what to do, what to say and what to think.  All doubt must disappear as I acknowledge that my only function is the one God gave me.

   

More specific applications of this idea might take these forms:

My perception of this does not change my function.

This does not give me a function other than the one God gave me.

Let me not use this to justify a function God did not give me.

  

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(66)  My Happiness and my function are one.

All things that come from God are one.  They come from Oneness, and must be received as one.  Fulfilling my function is my happiness because both come from the same Source.  And I must learn to recognize what makes me happy, if I would find happiness.

   

Some useful forms for specific applications of this idea are:

This cannot separate my happiness from my function.

The oneness of my happiness and my function remains wholly unaffected by this.

Nothing, including this, can justify the illusion of happiness apart from my function.  
  

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Insights/Comments:

• Since forgiveness is our only true function here in this world--for it is the only one God gave us, and since our happiness and our function are one, then the obvious conclusion is that our forgiveness and our happiness are unified. 
     It is easy to acknowledge that happiness is what we all want, that it is the goal and therefore the ultimate motivation of every action we take, even when we perceive that action in terms of the lessening of whatever makes us unhappy.  It is not obvious, however, to realize that my happiness is inextricably tied to my holy function of forgiveness.  Therefore:  to forgive is to be happy,  forgiveness is the source means and goal of my happiness.  My happiness increases or decreases in direct proportion to the level of my forgiveness, and without forgiveness I cannot be happy.  Clearly we need to understand forgiveness for it is critically important for my happiness.
  
  So what is forgiveness, and what does it mean to forgive?  How do we apply it in our relative life in various situations?  The answer to the latter, fortunately, is quite simply the golden rule:  Do onto others as we would have them do unto us, and when we fall short of this, then we should forgive as we would want to be forgiven.  I call it the golden rule with a safety net :)     The additional benefit is that we are then performing our holy function, and increasing our own happiness and the happiness of the world.  Do we need more motivation than this to practice forgiveness?
    
  Forgiveness rests on the knowingness that we are all the holy children of God and therefore immortal and already immune to any apparent danger.  Furthermore, everything that occurs, occurs for our own benefit and edification, in spite of appearances to the contrary.  We are the co-creators with God in all things, and so whatever is happening is happening because we want it to, even though we do not remember our higher purpose for wanting what apparently seems unpleasant or even horrific.  At some level we wished it to be as it is, otherwise it would not be.  What then is left for us but acceptance of what is, and surrender to our higher knowingness that knows in the least that all situations in life are opportunities for us to practice our function of forgiveness, which alone is the means to our happiness.  We surrender to what life is asking of us in each moment to the best of our ability, according to the level of trust our knowledge and experience allows, knowing that it is for our highest good, for ultimately we have only ourselves to forgive. 

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I and my Creator are One.  

Oct 26th 2015  Review II 

Lesson 82 
Review of Lessons 63 - 64  

• Intention:  We are now ready for another review.  We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas each day.  The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other.  For each idea, we will have one longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.

• Long Practice:  Spend a total of about fifteen minutes thinking about each each idea and its associated comments.  Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, then close your eyes and spend the rest of the time listening attentively.
   
  Repeat the first phase of the exercise (slow reading) if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the time listening quietly but attentively.  There is a message waiting for you.  Be confident that you will receive it.  Remember that it belongs to you, and that you want it.
  
  Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts.  Realize that, whatever form such thoughts may take, they have no meaning and no power.  Replace them with your determination to succeed.  Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams.  Trust it to see you through, and carry you beyond them all.
  
  Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth and the life.  Refuse to be sidetracked into detours, illusions and thoughts of death.  You are dedicated to salvation.,  Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
     
• Short Practice:  Repeat the original form of the idea often, and apply it for general situations.  When appropriate, use the specific forms included in the comments which follow the statements of the ideas.  These, however, are merely suggestions.  It is not the particular words you use that matter.  
    

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(63)  The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.

My forgiveness is the means by which the light of the world finds expression through me.  My forgiveness is the means by which I become aware of the light of the world in me.  My forgiveness is the means by which the world is healed, together with myself.  Let me, then, forgive the world, that it may be healed along with me.

   

Suggestions for specific forms for applying this idea are:

Let peace extend from my mind to yours, [name]

I share the light of the world with you, [name].

Through my forgiveness I can see this as it is.

  

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(64)  Let me not forget my function.

I would not forget my function, because I would remember my Self.  I cannot fulfill my function if I forget it.  And unless I fulfill my function, I will not experience the joy that God intends for me.

   

Suitable specific forms of this idea include:

Let me not use this to hide my function from me.

I would use this as an opportunity to fulfill my function.

This may threaten my ego, but cannot change my function in any way.  
  

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Insights/Comments:

• Being the light of the world means that it is our responsibility to bring peace to every mind through our forgiveness by keeping the world free of darkness.  Darkness diminishes clear perception which leads to faulty conclusions, which in turn lead to mistaken and therefore ineffective thoughts and actions.  Darkness may for example cause us to mistake a rope for a snake, and such a mistake in perception can lead to all sorts of defensive thoughts and actions, which greatly diminish our sense of peace. Thus our function as the light of the world is to radiate the light of truth that keeps perception clear and brings peace to every mind through our forgiveness. Forgiveness is the means to fulfill our function as the light of the world, and what we must forgive are all the apparent contradictions to the eternal truth that we are one with God.
  
  That we exist is clear and apparent.  That God is the omnipresent source of all that is, and further that we being part of existence must therefore be one with Him is the truth we aspire to know and experience completely.  To know this truth we must engender the vision that shows the apparent perception of separateness for what it truly is, a grand illusion that caused us to believe we are what we perceive, as apposed to what God created us to be--perfect, Spirit, free!  There is great hope in the knowledge that a god remains a god, even when clothed in tattered garments.  See through the apparent appearance of all things knowing that in truth we are looking only at the one omnipresent God dressed in various garments.

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I and my Creator are One.