A Course In Miracles from My Perspective

May 15th 2014  Lesson 16

I have no neutral thoughts.

Today's idea is a beginning step in dispelling the belief that your thoughts have no effect.  Everything you see is the result of your thoughts.  There is no exception to this fact.  Thoughts are not big or little; powerful or weak.  They are merely true or false.  Those that are true create their own likeness.  Those that are false make theirs.
          
There is no more self-contradictory concept than that of "idle thoughts."  What gives rise to the perception of a whole world can hardly be called idle.  Every thought you have contributes to truth or to illusion; either it extends the truth or it multiplies illusions.  You can indeed multiply nothing, but you will not extend it by doing so.
  
Our salvation requires that we recognize there are no neutral thoughts.  Every thought brings either peace or war; either love or fear.  False thoughts have a destructive effect, even though they are unreal, simply because they multiply, but because they are unreal, they all amount to zero.  We will practice this idea in many forms in order to fully understand it.

• Intention:  Four or five practice periods are recommended, according to your comfort level, with each lasting a minute or so.  If strain is experienced, reduce the number of practice periods and/or their length. 
     
• Practice:  Search your mind for a minute or so with eyes closed, and randomly select thoughts for applying today's idea.  Every thought that occurs to you is a suitable subject, regardless of the qualities that you assign to it.
    
  First repeat the idea to yourself, then as each one crosses your mind hold it in awareness while you tell yourself:
    
  This thought about _______ is not a neutral thought.
  That thought about _______ is not a neutral thought.
         
• Application:   In applying today's idea try not to overlook any "little' thought that may tend to elude you during the mind search.  This may be quite difficult until you get used to it.  You will find that it is still hard for you not to make artificial distinctions.  Every thought is suitable.  As usual, use today's idea whenever you are aware of a particular thought that arouses uneasiness.  The following form is suggested for this purpose:  
    
  This thought about _______is not a neutral thought,
  because I have no neutral thoughts. 

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Insights/comments:

• There is no thought that is neutral, but positive thoughts extend themselves to other thoughts so that they can be universally applied, while negative ones multiply, and can overwhelm you with its intensity.   Also, positive thoughts are communication from your higher Self, while negative thoughts are form the ego.
     .

I and my Creator are One.