We are now looking at the question "What is the World?"  It is so important for us to understand this because all of our perception is based on the belief  that the world is real and that it is the cause of all of our difficulties. This section tells us of the illusory nature of the world but more important it tells us that the world can serve a different purpose than the one we gave it when see it as a classroom for undoing of our false perceptions. One way to look at the world is to recognize that it has no source and is born of error as the first paragraph in this section tells us. That means it is nothing but our false perceptions based on a choice for the wrong minded thought system of the ego and that it therefore has no foundation that is real. Thus it is nothing but a projection of that thought system.  And thus it is an illusion that will not last past the thought that gave rise to it.  It reflects our unforgiving thoughts. "When the thought of separation has been changed to one of true forgiveness, will the world be seen in quite another light; and one which leads to truth, where all the world must disappear and all its errors vanish". (1.4)  

It is not unlike a nighttime dream where we wake up and realize that nothing that seemed to happen in the dream was true. Everything in the dream came from our own mind. When we wake up and are outside of the nighttime dream, we can look at it from another perspective and see that we are still as we were. This is a good analogy for how we can look at the dream of this separated world where we think we are bodies with unique characteristics as individuals all different and separate from each other and separate from God. When we step out of this dream that we take so very seriously, then the world vanishes.   We may still be in the world but experience it from outside of the dream of this illusion. To the extent that we can step outside of it is the extent to which we see that it is an illusion. Ultimately the world will vanish for us when we awaken from this dream.   

In Chapter 23.II The Laws of Chaos, which are the laws of the world, he says that "their purpose is to make meaningless and to attack the truth. Here are the laws that rule the world you made. And yet they govern nothing, and need not be broken; merely looked upon and gone beyond". That is what being outside of the dream is about. The Laws of Chaos affirm  that everyone must sin and deserves attack; that we are in opposition to God and therefore He is an enemy who we therefore  can't turn to; that we have what we have taken where another's loss becomes our gain; and finally that there is a substitute for love that can satisfy us that is the "ego's secret gift".  

The content of the world is fear no matter how pretty the illusion can seem to us at times. The ground beneath our feet seems solid but there is nothing solid about the world. It is a place of decay and destruction where death prevails.  It is a world where we all need protection and defenses. It is a world of attack. Chapter 23.II affirms that "there is no life outside of Heaven" which tells us that there is no life in this world! "Life not in Heaven is impossible and what is not in Heaven is not anywhere. Outside of Heaven, only the conflict of illusion stand; senseless, impossible and beyond all reason and yet perceived as an eternal barrier to Heaven."  

We take the forms in the world as our reality and do not recognize the content of hate that they contain. If we did would we still believe in them? Jesus asks us "can you paint rosy lips upon a skeleton, dress it in loveliness, pet it and pamper it, and make it live?" (T.23.II.18.8) This is what we apparently do... being fooled by the appearance and losing sight of the content. Thus as we read the first paragraph, he gives us the very uncompromisingly stark comment that "The world is false perception." (1.1)  The reality of this statement cannot be reconciled with lovely sentiments in songs like "It's a Wonderful World" nor with all those who proclaim the world to be a glorious, marvelous place. Instead we are told here that it is born of error and has not left its source. (1.2) The cause of the world is the error in the mind. It is therefore not a creation of God and there is no way of reconciling this view of false perception with the glory we want to see in it. The world will simply remain no longer than the thought that gave it birth. When that thought of separation is no longer cherished then the world will be no more. It must then vanish. Changing the wrong thought that gave it birth brings about its end. 

The world was born in the choice that was made by the Son of God for the ego rather than the Holy Spirit. When this choice was made the memory of God as reflected by the Holy Spirit was buried in our minds. So now we do feel separate from our Source. And the world that arose from this choice has all the attributes of the thought system of the ego which is all about self interest where God is shut out.

Now instead of the Oneness of Heaven symbolized in the course by Knowledge where there is nothing to perceive, we have instead duality where "The mechanisms of illusion have been born instead". (3.1) God did not create our bodies nor our bodily senses. Thus "eyes deceive, and ears hear falsely.  Now mistakes become quite possible, for certainty has gone. (3.2.6-7). And the purpose is to deceive us by witnessing to something that is not real. It seems real to us because the eyes and ears bring back information to the brain that convinces us that what we see is out there rather than a projection or hallucination of our own mind. It seems so very convincing. It seems very solid. "They see in its illusions but a solid base where truth exists, upheld apart from lies". (3.3.4) The truth now seems like a lie and the illusion feels to us to be real and solid.

So our choice for the mistaken thought system resulted in guilt because of our belief that we have left our Source and made a world of differences where now we can see our guilt projected out on others and seen outside of our own mind. Very convenient! It keeps us believing in our own innocence at the expense of others; it keeps us thinking we are victims of the world; and it keeps us invested in our body and our individuality. Thus our mistakes are now elevated to reality and God's love is seen as the illusion.

The rest of this section now shows us another way which I will talk about more in the lesson commentary tomorrow.

 So, onto the lesson for the day. This lesson is all about our responsibility to set ourselves and the world free through forgiveness.  It takes faith to believe that our forgiveness can change the world. But in fact, that is the only change that is possible. That is why the lesson says "this is the time of hope for countless millions". (1.6) The impact of our forgiveness is beyond our ability to perceive. It only makes sense from the perspective that there is only One Mind and that we are One.

When Jesus says "I will be forgiven by you today" (1.8) my first reaction is to wonder what we are to forgive him for. But in effect, with each brother we forgive, Jesus, as part of the one mind, is also being forgiven as are we all. Every act of forgiveness with anyone, brings forgiveness to all.  Our function is to overcome the world as Jesus did, not to try to change it. As David Hawkins says, the world is a place of maximum karmic opportunity where we can go all the way to enlightenment. So the opportunity is maximum in the world for our awakening. And it is in the holy instant when we open to the truth of who we are...when we quiet our minds sufficiently to enter the instant where there is no time, no demands, no world.

I recently came across a book that looks at this question of maximum karmic opportunity. Here is an excerpt:

 "So often, when something "bad" happens to us, it appears to be purposeless suffering.  But what if our most difficult experiences are actually rich with hidden purpose - purpose that we ourselves planned before we were born?  Could it be that we choose our life's circumstances, relationships, and events?

 In my research for my book Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?, I found that the answer to this question is a definite yes.  Working with four of the most gifted mediums and channels in the country, including one who is able to hear the conversations people had with their future parents, children, spouses, friends, and other loved ones, I've examined the pre-birth plans of dozens of individuals.  These people planned such challenges as physical illness, having handicapped children, deafness, blindness, drug addiction, alcoholism, losing a loved one, and severe accidents.

 Why do we plan to experience challenges?  I found four primary reasons.  First, challenges allow us to balance karma from past lives.  For example, someone who was physically ill in a previous incarnation and the one who took care of that person may decide to switch roles.  What makes this life blueprint so difficult is that once in body, neither soul will remember the plan.

Second, we plan challenges in order to heal.  For example, Penelope, the deaf woman in the chapter on deafness and blindness, planned to be born completely deaf because in a past life she had heard the gunshots that killed her mother.  In this lifetime, she sought to focus on self-healing and wanted to make sure that her healing would not be hindered by a similar trauma.

 Third, we plan challenges to be of service to others.  In the chapter on physical illness, I write about Jon, a homosexual man who planned to have AIDS so that he could teach tolerance to humanity.  Jon is not someone to be judged, but rather someone we may thank for having the raw courage to plan such a bold mission.

 Lastly, life challenges allow us to know ourselves as love.  By this I mean not simply that we are loving, although certainly that is true, but that we are quite literally made of the energy of love.  In our nonphysical Home, we experience no contrast to ourselves and therefore cannot fully understand our nature as love.  On Earth, in a realm of duality and stark contrast, we often encounter a lack of love.  As we choose in the face of such experiences to give and receive love freely and unconditionally, we remember who we really are."

 Robert Schwartz is the author of Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?

 That took me away from the lesson discussion but I found it fascinating to reflect on, as we look at the question of the world. The lesson today is of hope and of release. It is a day of the glory of salvation bringing release to this darkened world so that indeed sorrows can pass away and pain is gone. Our forgiveness thus can make a tremendous difference in the world. It is up to us to accept the gift of healing and be an example of healing. This is how we come back to God. "We have forgiven one another now, and so we come at last to You" (our Father). (2.1) That is our way back home. And yes, we need not wait. Everything changes when we are on our purpose of healing. We choose heaven or hell in every moment. The way out is by forgiving-by making a choice for joy as we release our grievances. It is a decision for peace instead of war. It offers us a profound leap forward.

Accept the gift of healing today. This is the gift we accept for the world. This is the hope for us all. Let's focus on this deep desire for reconciliation today. Who are you having a struggle with? Who do you have grievances with today? Remind yourself that "this holy instant is salvation come because I have forgiven you (name) because you hold the desire  for peace and to wake up from this world.  Each time we offer forgiveness we bring more illumination to this tired world. We join in the love that is the only truth when we leave the hell made by our belief in the ego story.

Love and blessings Sarah 

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^{A Course in Miracles
 TEXT
 Twenty One
The Inner Picture}

VII. Reason and Correction