May 4th 2014  Lesson 7

I see only the past.

Today's idea, is particularly difficult to believe at first.  Yet it is the rationale for all of the preceding ones: 
   It is the reason why nothing that you see means anything.
   It is the reason why you have given everything you see all the meaning it has for you.
   It is the reason why you don not understand anything you see.
   It is the reason why your thoughts do not mean anything, and why they are like the things you see.
   It is the reason why you are never upset for the reason you think.
   It is the reason why you are upset because you see something that is not there.

Old ideas about time are very difficult to change, because everything we believe is rooted in time, and depends on our not learning these new ideas about it.  Yet that is precisely why we need new ideas about time.  We typically think about time in terms of past, present or future, but nothing happens except in the present.  Past occurrences happened at a present moment in the past, and future occurrences will happen only at a present moment in the future.  Therefore all occurrences and power exist only in the present.

• Intention:  To realize that when we look at something familiar, we are not seeing it for what it is right now, but only for what we know about it from our past experience.  Seeing a cup for example reminds us of our past experiences of picking up a cup, being thirsty, drinking from a cup, feeling the rim of a cup against our lips, having breakfast and so on.  And our aesthetic reactions to the cup, too, are based on past experiences, for this is how we know how to hold it and whether or not this kind of cup will break if we drop it, etc.  Do we really know anything about this cup except what we learned in the past?  We would have no idea what this cup is, except for our past learning.  Do we, then, really see it?  Look about you.  This is equally true of whatever you look at.  Acknowledge this by applying today's idea indiscriminately to whatever catches your eye. 
     
• Practice:  Look about you and apply today's idea indiscriminately to whatever catches your eye.  For example:
  I see only the past in this pencil.
  I see only the past in this shoe.
  I see only the past in this hand
  I see only the past in that body.
  I see only the past in that face.   ... etc. 
  
    
• Application:  Three or four practice periods during the day, each to last a minute or so, will be enough.  Do not linger over any one thing in particular, but remember to omit nothing specifically.  Glance briefly at each subject, then move on to the next.  

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Insights/comments:

• What we believe often completely dictates, or at the minimum influences what we see, how we interact with what we see, and therefore our experience of it.   When we look only through the eyes of our past experience, it colors our present perception and prevents us from seeing what is actually there.  Furthermore, when we look at something that is unfamiliar, we immediately search our minds for a close facsimile, then interact with the new object based on what we know about its facsimile.  This is all illusion and fantasy, for we are not seeing or interacting with what is really there.
     
• Today's practice will help us consciously begin to put aside our preconceived notions and see things more as they are right now, in addition to what we already know from past experiences. 
       

I and my Creator are One.  

May 3rd 2014  Lesson 6

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

Today's idea, like the preceding one, can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain. 

• Intention:  To recognize that we do not know the "sources" of upsetting thoughts, but whatever the source or the form in which they appear, they are all equally disturbing to our peace of mind, and for that reason we will apply today's idea indiscriminately to all of them.
       
• Practice:  Begin by searching your mind for a minute or so for any upsetting thoughts, then apply today's idea to each of them specifically.  Do this for about a minute or so, and be sure to name both the form of upset (anger, fear, worry, depression, and so on) and the perceived source very specifically for any application of the idea.  For example:
  I am angry at ________because I see something that is not there.
  I am afraid of ________because I see something that is not there.
  I am worried about ________because I see something that is not there ... etc.
    
  Avoid the temptation to give greater weight to some subjects than to others.  It might help to precede your mental search with the statement:
  
  There are no small upsets.  They are all equally
  disturbing to my peace of mind.
    
     If you find yourself less willing to apply today's idea to some perceived sources of upset, than to others, think first of this:
  I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go.  For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same.
    
• Application:  The  upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different.  In truth, their form does not matter, and we will recognize this more and more as we apply today's idea to them separately.

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Insights/comments:

• We reason to ourselves that because the various upsets we experience express themselves in different forms—worry, anger, disappointment, etc.—that they are inherently different, but this is not true because they all have the same underlying source, which is the false identity we have taken to be ourselves.  The correction for them all is the same, to become aware of our true identity as the holy children of God.  We cannot know the reality of anything if we do not know the reality of our own identity.  It is this knowledge that enables us to know what is real and what is illusion; what is there and what is not there; what is true and what is false.
  How do we know the reality of anything is an important question?  If someone asks:  “Are you dreaming?”  The answer depends entirely on our ability to remember our prior state of mind.  If we cannot remember that prior state, then we have no basis to answer.  Only when we do remember can we answer the question and say for example:  “Yes, I was dreaming before, but now I am awake, for all that I thought were real experiences before are now completely gone!”  Only when we awake from a dream can we say “I was dreaming,” for it is only then that the awareness of both the previous state and this current state are available for comparison.  And as time passes we loose the ability to remember clearly the contrast between old dream and waking states, as our memory of them fades.
• .
       

I and my Creator are One.  

May 2nd, 2014  Lesson 5

I am never upset for the reason I think.

Today's idea, like the preceding one, can be used with any person, situation or event you think is causing you pain.

• Intention:  To recognize that we do not know the "sources" of upsetting thoughts, but whatever the source or the form in which they appear, they are all equally disturbing to our peace of mind, and for that reason, we will apply today's idea indiscriminately to all of them.
       
• Practice:  When using today's idea for a specific perceived cause of an upset in any form, use both the name of the form in which you see the upset, and the cause which you ascribe to it.  For example:
    
  I am not angry at ________for the reason I think.
  I am not afraid of ________for the reason I think.
  I am not worried about ________for the reason I think ... etc.
    
  In addition, for three or four times during the day and only for a minute or so, search your mind for "sources" and forms of upset that are disturbing to you and apply today's idea to them.  Avoid the temptation to give greater weight to some subjects than to others.  It might help to precede your mental search with the statement:  
  There are no small upsets.  They are all equally disturbing
  to my peace of mind.
    
     If you find yourself less willing to apply today's idea to some perceived sources of upset, than to others, think first of this:
    
  I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go.  For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same.
    
• Application: The upset may seem to be fear, worry, depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, jealousy or any number of forms, all of which will be perceived as different.  In truth, their form does not matter, and we will recognize this more and more as we apply today's idea to them separately.

---

Insights/comments:

• We reason to ourselves that because the various upsets we experience express themselves in different forms--worry, anger, disappointment, etc--that they are inherently different, but this is not true because they all have the same underlying source, which is the false identity we have taken to be ourselves.  The correction for them all is the same, to become aware of our true identity as the holy children of God.
       

I and my Creator are One.  

May 1st 2014  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].

Having established that nothing outside means anything other than the meaning we give it, we can now examine our thoughts.  Even a brief examination shows that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense none of them can be called "good" or "bad," and this is why they do not mean anything.

• Intention:  To train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful.  It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you, and the meaningful within.  It is also the beginning of training your mind to recognize what is the same and what is different.
       
• Practice:  Repeat the following exercise no more than three or four times during the day.  Begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute only.  Then apply them to today's idea by identifying the central figure or event each thought contains; for example: 
    
  This thought about ________does not mean anything.
  It is like the things I see in this room [on this street, and so on].
              
• Application:  You can also use today's idea for a particular thought that you recognize as harmful.  Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are "bad" and do not examine your mind for more than a minute or so.  You are too inexperienced as yet to avoid a tendency to become pointlessly preoccupied.  These random thoughts, both "good" and "bad" are the smoke screen that covers our real thoughts and today's exercise is our first steps towards rediscovering them.

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Insights/comments:

• Much of our thinking is random, with the mind jumping from one thought to another aimlessly brooding over what happened in the past or what may happen in the future.  This keeps us needlessly distracted from understanding and appreciating what is happening in the present moment because we are preoccupied with giving meaning to what is inherently meaningless.  Today's exercise reminds us that these thoughts about past and future are meaningless and by laying them aside we can use our time and energy more effectively to address what is actually happening in our present.
       

I and my Creator are One.  

April 30th 2014  Lesson 3

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

The instructions for the application of today's idea is the same as yesterdays, and are repeated here.  The only general rules to be observed throughout, are:  First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated.  This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everyone and everything in it.  Second, be sure that you do not decide for yourself that there are some people, situations or things to which the ideas are inapplicable.  This will interfere with the transfer of training.  The very nature of true perception is that it has no limits.  It is the opposite of the way you see now.

• Intention:  To look at ordinary, everyday things differently and extend this new vision to include everyone and everything, without exception.
       
• Practice:  Twice daily, morning and evening, and only for a minute or so, comfortably and leisurely, slowly look around you and apply today's lesson randomly to whatever you see around you, for example:
  
  I do not understand this table.
  I do not understand this chair.
  I do not understand this hand. ... etc.
    
  Then looking further away from your immediate area and apply the idea to a wider range:
  

  I do not understand this door.
  I do not understand that body.
  I do not understand that sign. ...  etc..
           
•  Application:  Notice how the simple application of today's idea subtly changes how we feel towards the things we apply it to.  Do not attempt to apply it to everything you see, but do not specifically excluded anything on the basis of how important it is to you, its size, color, brightness, etc., simply choose whatever item you happen to see. 

---

Insights/comments:

• This ...

I and my Creator are One.  

April 29th 2014  Lesson 2

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

The instructions for the application of today's idea is the same as yesterdays, and are repeated here.  The only general rules to be observed throughout, are:  First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated.  This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everyone and everything in it.  Second, be sure that you do not decide for yourself that there are some people, situations or things to which the ideas are inapplicable.  This will interfere with the transfer of training.  The very nature of true perception is that it has no limits.  It is the opposite of the way you see now.

• Intention:  To look at ordinary, everyday things differently and extend this new vision to include everyone and everything, without exception.
       
• Practice:  Twice daily, morning and evening, and only for a minute or so, comfortably and leisurely, slowly look around you and apply today's lesson randomly to whatever you see around you, for example:
  
  I have given this table all the meaning that it has for me.
  I have given this chair all the meaning that it has for me
  I have given this hand all the meaning that it has for me ... etc.
    
  Then looking further away from your immediate area and apply the idea to a wider range:
  

  I have given this door all the meaning that it has for me.
  I have given that body all the meaning that it has for me.
  I have given that sign all the meaning that it has for me. ...  etc..
           
•  Application:  Notice how the simple application of today's idea subtly changes how we feel towards the things we apply it to.  Do not attempt to apply it to everything you see, but do not specifically excluded anything on the basis of how important it is to you, its size, color, brightness, etc.  

---

Insights/comments:

• This is the beginning of our mindful practice to see all things as they are, and not as what we think they are based on our past experience with them.  We recognize a table as a table only because our past experience has defined for us what constitutes "tableness," and this prevents us from truly experiencing and appreciating the current object as is now.  Our automatic labeling diminishes our experience of the object because we think we already know what it is and therefore need not give it any more attention.  By removing the meaning our past experience automatically gave the table, we are now more open to appreciating it for all it is, which is more than just a table.
   
• The same applies to how we experience other people.  We and everything in creation are constantly changing, which means that in every moment, everything is new.  Certainly, we are basically the same, but this is exactly the point of the exercise, to recognize the differences so that we can respond to who or what is actually there, as opposed to what was there in the past.  We devalue each other if we don't take the time to appreciate who and what we are in the present moment.
    
• The exercises also remind us that the meaning we give to anything is based on our particular perspective, experience, and history, so we each have a unique meaning for everything that we perceive.  This validates the truth that there is no inherent meaning for anything in creation, which allows each observer to give their specific meaning to whatever they observe.  This understanding explains why there can be such a wide difference in our reactions to the people and things we interact with.

I and my Creator are One.  

April 28th 2014  Lesson 1

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

Thus begins the lessons of the Workbook for A Course In Miracles.  The only general rules to be observed throughout, are:  First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated.  This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everyone and everything in it.  Second, be sure that you do not decide for yourself that there are some people, situations or things to which the ideas are inapplicable.  This will interfere with the transfer of training.  The very nature of true perception is that it has no limits.  It is the opposite of the way you see now.

• Intention:  To look at ordinary, everyday things differently and extend this new vision to include everyone and everything, without exception.
       
• Practice:  Twice daily, morning and evening, and only for a minute or so, comfortably and leisurely, slowly look around you and apply today's lesson randomly to whatever you see around you, for example:
  
  This table does not mean anything.
  This chair does not mean anything.
  This hand does not mean anything, ... etc.
    
  Then looking further away from your immediate area and apply the idea to a wider range:
  
  This door does not mean anything.
  That body does not mean anything.
  That sign does not mean anything, ...  etc..
           
•  Application:  Notice how the simple application of today's idea subtly changes how we feel towards the things we apply it to.  Do not attempt to apply it to everything you see, for these exercises should not become ritualistic.  Only be sure that nothing you see is specifically excluded.

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Insights/comments:

• This is the beginning of our mindful practice to see all things as they are, and not as what we think they are based on our past experience with them.  We recognize a table as a table only because our past experience has defined for us what constitutes "tableness," and this prevents us form truly experiencing and appreciating the current object as is now.  Our automatic labeling diminishes our experience of the object because we think we already know what it is and therefore need not give it any more attention.  By removing the meaning our past experience automatically gave the table, we are now more open to appreciating it for all it is, which is more than just a table.
   
• The same applies for how we experience other people.  We and everything in creation is constantly changing, which means that in every moment, everything is new.  Certainly we are basically the same, but this is exactly the point of the exercise, to recognize the differences so that we can respond to who or what is actually there, as opposed to what what was there in the past.  We devalue each other if we don't take the time to appreciate who and what we are in the present moment.

I and my Creator are One.