A Course In Miracles from My Perspective

May 16th 2014  Lesson 17

I see no neutral things.

This idea is another step in the direction of identifying cause and effect as it operates in the world.  You see no neutral things because you have no neutral thoughts.  It is always the thoughts that come first, despite the temptation to believe that it is the other way around.  This is not the way the world thinks, but you must understand that it is the way that you think.  If it were not so, perception would have no cause, and would itself be the cause of reality.  In view of its highly variable nature, this is hardly likely

• Intention:  A minimum of three or four practice periods are recommended, and no less than three are required for maximum benefit, even if you experience resistance.  However, if you do, the length of the practice period may be reduced to less than the minute or so that is otherwise recommended.  

• Practice:  With eyes open, say:

I see no neutral things because I have no neutral thoughts.

Then look about you, resting your glance on each thing you notice long enough to say the following phrase, filling in the blanks with whatever it is you are looking at.

I do not see a neutral ______ because my thoughts 

about _____ are not neutral.

          For example:  

I do not see a neutral wall because 

my thoughts about walls are not neutral.

I do not see a neutral body, because

my thoughts about bodies are not neutral.

• Application:   As usual, it is essential to make no distinctions between what you believe to be animate or inanimate; pleasant, or unpleasant.  Regardless of what you may believe, you do not see anything that is really alive or really joyous.  That is because you are unaware as yet of any thought that is really true, and therefore really happy.

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Insights/comments:

• I see no neutral things because I have no neutral thoughts is the basis for our understanding that our seeing is dependent upon our thinking, and therefore we see according to what we think and believe.  This means that the world we see is simply a mirror of our thoughts.  So when we see something upsetting outside us, we should know that the cause of it is in our thinking, and not in the thing we see.  Believing therefore is seeing!

I and my Creator are One.