Innocence sees only innocence
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 1 "THE INTRODUCTION TO MIRACLES"
I. PRINCIPLES OF MIRACLES
continued      

The way to perceive for Golden Rule behavior is to look out from the perception of your own holiness and perceive the holiness of others.  
 
A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK 
INTRODUCTION 
Workbook Introduction 
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1 A theoretical foundation such as the text is necessary as a background to make these exercises meaningful. Yet it is the exercises which will make the goal possible. An untrained mind can accomplish nothing. It is the purpose of these exercises to train the mind to think along the lines which the course sets forth.
 
2 The exercises are very simple. They do not require more than a few minutes, and it does not matter where or when you do them. They need no preparation. They are numbered, running from 1 to 365. The training period is one year. Do not undertake more than one exercise a day.
 
3 The purpose of these exercises is to train the mind to a different perception of everything in the world. The workbook is divided into two sections, the first dealing with the undoing of what you see now and the second with the restoration of sight. It is recommended that each exercise be repeated several times a day, preferably in a different place each time and, if possible, in every situation in which you spend any long period of time. The purpose is to train the mind to generalize the lessons, so that you will understand that each of them is as applicable to one situation as it is to another.
 
4 Unless specified to the contrary, the exercise should be practiced with the eyes open, since the aim is to learn how to see. The only rule that should be followed throughout is to practice the exercises with great specificity. Each one applies to every situation in which you find yourself and to everything you see in it. Each day's exercises are planned around one central idea, the exercises themselves consisting of applying that idea to as many specifics as possible. Be sure that you do not decide that there are some things you see to which the idea for the day is inapplicable. The aim of the exercises will always be to increase the application of the idea to everything. This will not require effort. Only be sure that you make no exceptions in applying the idea.
 
5 Some of the ideas you will find hard to believe, and others will seem quite startling. It does not matter. You are merely asked to apply them to what you see. You are not asked to judge them, nor even to believe them. You are asked only to use them. It is their use which will give them meaning to you, and show you they are true. Remember only this-you need not believe them, you need not accept them, and you need not welcome them. Some of them you may actively resist. None of this will matter nor decrease their efficacy. But allow yourself to make no exceptions in applying the ideas the exercises contain. Whatever your reactions to the ideas may be, use them. Nothing more than this is required.
 
  ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM    

  
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DAILY LESSON
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 L e s s o n 8
My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
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1 This idea is, of course, the reason why you see only the past. No one really sees anything. He sees only his thoughts projected outward. The mind's preoccupation with the past is the cause of the total misconception about time from which your seeing suffers. Your mind cannot grasp the present, which is the only time there is. It therefore cannot understand time and cannot, in fact, understand anything.
 
2 The only wholly true thought one can hold about the past is that it is not here. To think about it at all is therefore to think about illusions. Very few minds have realized what is actually entailed in picturing the past or in anticipating the future. The mind is actually blank when it does this because it is not really thinking about anything.
 
3 The purpose of the exercises for today is to begin to train your mind to recognize when it is not really thinking at all. While thoughtless "ideas" preoccupy your mind, the truth is blocked. Recognizing that your mind has been merely blank, rather than believing that it is filled with real ideas, is the first step to opening the way to vision.
 
4 The exercises for today should be done with eyes closed. This is because you actually cannot see anything, and it is easier to recognize that, no matter how vividly you may picture a thought, you are not seeing anything. With as little investment as possible, search your mind for the usual minute or so, merely noting the thoughts you find there. Name each one by the central figure or theme it contains, and pass on to the next. Introduce the practice period by saying:
 
5 I seem to be thinking about _____.
 
6 Then name each of your thoughts specifically. For example:
 
7 I seem to be thinking about [name of person],
   about [name of object], about [name of emotion];
 
8 and so on, concluding at the end of the mind-searching period with:
 
9 But my mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
 
10 This can be done four or five times during the day, unless you find it irritates you. If you find it trying, three or four times are sufficient. You might find it helpful, however, to include your irritation, or any emotion which the idea may induce, in the mind searching itself.
   
    ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM       
  
  
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ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections 
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Lesson 8
My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.  
 
Sarah's Commentary:

This Lesson is an explanation for why we see only the past. It is because our minds are occupied with past thoughts. If this is the case, "No one really sees anything." (W.8.1.2) What we are seeing is "only his [our] thoughts projected outward." (W.8.1.3) It is amazing how we live in our past thoughts. How different is this from someone we label as senile who lives in the past. It turns out we are doing exactly the same thing! In fact, Jesus often reminds us of our insanity, albeit very gently. He tells us we simply do not see beyond the forms of this world, and thus we don't understand anything.
  
In fact, how can we trust anything as true? "The one wholly true thought one can hold about the past is that it is not here." (W.8.2.1.) It is absolutely astounding to realize our minds are either in the past or in the future, and that "The mind is actually blank when it does this, because it is not really thinking about anything." (W.8.2.4) What we are doing is simply projecting a world out there that does not exist. It is an illusion. Everything "out there" is simply a reflection of the content of our minds, which are preoccupied with past thoughts. Thus, our physical sight is a product of our mental activity. We are projecting what is in our minds onto the world. We believe in the reality of what we are seeing, when all we are actually seeing is the content of our thoughts projected onto the world. What we see comes from what we hold as thoughts in the mind and given form in the world.
 
We saw in the earlier Lessons that what is in our minds is meaningless, because the only meaning is what lies behind these meaningless thoughts, which block the truth. The truth we block with our thoughts is our reality as an eternal being. The truth is in our right minds and contains the love, peace, and holiness that is our true reality. It is not a happy state of mind to experience the separation from the love we are. These Lessons are about letting go of this make-believe world of separation. How could this ever be real? If there is only reality and nothing else, the world of duality can't be true.

It is encouraging to recognize that our upsets are simply blocking the happiness already in us. We are not aware of this deep contentment as a constant state because we hold thoughts that are not true. Because the world seems so real and solid to us, it fools us. When we come to realize the stories of our lives are just made up by us, we can choose to recognize them as false. Are we willing to bring healing to our mistaken thoughts about everything by seeing them for what they are?

Jesus says, "The mind's preoccupation with the past is the cause of the misconception about time from which your seeing suffers. Your mind cannot grasp the present, which is the only time there is. It therefore cannot understand time, and cannot, in fact, understand anything." (W.8.1.4-6) While this can be understood in terms of our preoccupation with memories of the past, which are projected out onto everything we see, how does this create a misconception about time? In the Text, Jesus explains that time is based on sin, guilt, and fear. Sin is what we took into our thought system at the time of the separation from God. We accepted the belief that we had done something terribly wrong. Now we experience guilt, and with guilt comes fear of the consequences of our choice to separate. Guilt demands punishment, which is what the world grants us with all of our problems, sickness, and suffering. This thought system of sin in the past, guilt in the present, and fear of the future is projected onto the world. It is the thought system in our minds, which came with the decision to go off on our own and leave our home in God. The result of those thoughts of sin, guilt, and fear projected out onto the world give us a concept of linear time.

In the eternal holy instant, which is a moment out of time, there is no body and there is no world. It is a moment outside of this dream. Since the mind cannot grasp the present, it brings with it all of the memories of the past and feelings of guilt and shame, which we all believe need to be resolved at some point in the future. Thus, aren't we all, in one way or another, atoning for our past sins and trying to make ourselves better? While we may not fully comprehend the metaphysical explanation for all of this given in the Text, we all can relate to the experience of having this vague feeling we carry. We have a feeling of not only having done wrong, but feeling wrong, like something is missing that we can't quite grasp. It is a feeling of not quite getting how to do life in spite of our best efforts. This uncertainty brings with it our insistence in needing to be right about everything. When we feel this sense of wrongness or guilt, we live in fear of consequences. Even when we are happy, we believe it can't last or we are waiting for the "other shoe to drop." There is never the ease that Jesus is leading us to on this path.

"The one wholly true thought one can hold about the past is that it is not here. To think about it at all is therefore to think about illusions." (W.8.2.1) That is exactly what we do when we hold onto our memories of what others have done to us in the past, or what we have done or not done. These are all our unresolved issues, which we carry like a heavy burden of guilt, shame, and anger over past hurts. Jesus is clear that when we hold these upsetting thoughts, what we are doing is not thinking about anything because the past is actually nothing except thoughts we hold in this moment. These unhappy thoughts occupy the space where happiness lies. We take these thoughts and weave them together out of bits of this and that and make up a story. We become a character in this story and actually believe it is the truth. In whatever way we define ourselves as the character in this story, Jesus explains that it serves as the hero of our dream. Everything in this story revolves around our perceptions, which we reinforce over and over as we relate our stories. Our preoccupation with the story of our past is a misconception we have invested with belief.

How can we know ourselves or see anyone truly when our minds are preoccupied with past thoughts? To really see someone as they truly are as the Christ requires that we see past the story and the body to who they really are. This requires vision. It is not something our eyes show us, but something that shines forth through our brothers. Vision is an experience of the Christ Self. Our self-concept has been developed in our mistaken notions that what others have said and done, and how we have responded, has formed who we think we are. We think our eyes see, yet they only make images of the thoughts in the mind. Anyone who has had an out of body experience, when they look down at their own body and say they "saw" it, illustrates it is not the eyes that see. Have you wondered what is doing the looking in this situation?

Vision is blocked when we project our memories, needs, and grievances onto others. The way to vision is through forgiveness. Forgiveness undoes the illusory thoughts we hold that block our real thoughts. That is why mind- watching is so important, because what is not brought to the light by us cannot be healed. Thus, we need to look at our thoughts and be willing to turn them over to the Holy Spirit, who will do the rest, but we have to do our part.

Only through forgiveness can those whom we have been holding bound to our grievances be released from the prison we put them in. When we release those things we imagined were done to us, our thoughts of the past actually change as well. There was a time when I thought I was neglected by my parents and I had a lot of grievances and bad memories about my family life. Today, I see it was absolutely the perfect family I chose for my learning. Someone asked me recently whether I resented the fact that I had to be the family caregiver at such a young age, as I basically forfeited my childhood. The question surprised me a bit because I realized there was a time that I was very resentful and angry, but now I see it was all a perfect opportunity for learning this, and every other experience of the past, was what I chose for this journey of awakening.

We chose our families at a soul level for our spiritual growth and development. The problem arises when we forget we came to help our families, who are those very same parents who need what we can give them because of the lacks they are experiencing. All seeming lacks are just a call to be loved. We forget this and start getting needy ourselves and start seeing ourselves as the victims, and so the drama begins! We keep playing it out in our memories, sometimes for a lifetime. It is an interesting exercise to see yourself as a hero of your own story when you tell it as a victim story. Or you can tell the story as a victor, being the hero of your dream. It may be a story as the savior of the family, or the martyr, or a rescuer. There are so many ways to tell the story of our lives from so very many perspectives, but they just illustrate how perception can shift and none of it is true. We can make it up from any point of view of our choice. How liberating is that!

Isn't it great we now have a road-map to find our way back to our divinity? We can now learn to let go of these past thoughts and connect with who we really are? "The purpose of the exercise for today is to begin to train your mind to recognize when it is not really thinking at all." (W.8.3.1) We can only do that when we notice what our mind is preoccupied with. We want to, so we can experience the bliss of the now moment, where we truly are. We need to get out of our own way if we are to find our way back to peace. It is not about trying to force thoughts out of our mind that we think we are thinking, but to take the time to bring our attention to what we are thinking. We become an observer of these thoughts, looking at them without judgment from outside of the dream, where the Holy Spirit looks with us. We thus become a little bit more detached from them. As we become observers of our thoughts, we remove ourselves from them. Then we will no longer believe in these thoughts as if they were the truth. They are not real thoughts. They are not important thoughts. They are just passing thoughts with no real meaning.

These are also beginning steps to forgiveness. If we made it all up, we can also let it all go. There is nothing to let go of except our own past thoughts. Thoughts of the future are also rooted in thoughts of the past. Remember, the purpose of holding these thoughts is to block out the truth. You may wonder why you would want to do that? Because we still value them as they define us. It is why we keep the truth away, so we can hold onto our separate identity. We are very invested in our thoughts, which we will see more and more as we learn to let them go. Today, we simply apply the Lesson, so we can start recognizing that when we seem to be thinking about a person, an object, or experiencing an emotion, our minds are only preoccupied with past thoughts. Thus, our minds are actually blank. Jesus tells us this is "the first step to opening the way to vision." (W.8.3.3)
 
Love and blessings, Sarah

I. Principles of Miracles continued

40. 57 The miracle dissolves error because the Spiritual eye identifies error as false or unreal. This is the same as saying that by perceiving light, darkness automatically disappears.
 
58 Darkness is lack of light, as sin is lack of love. It has no unique properties of its own. It is an example of the "scarcity" fallacy, from which only error can proceed. Truth is always abundant. Those who perceive and acknowledge that they have everything have no need for driven behavior of any kind.
 
41. 59 The miracle acknowledges all men as your brothers and mine. It is a way of perceiving the universal mark of God in them. The specialness of God's Sons does not stem from exclusion but from inclusion. All my brothers are special. If they believe they are deprived of anything, their perception becomes distorted. When this occurs, the whole family of God, or the Sonship, is impaired in its relationships. Ultimately, every member of the family of God must return. The miracle calls him to return because it blesses and honors him even though he may be absent in spirit.
 
60 "God is not mocked" is not a warning but a reassurance on this point. God would be mocked if any of His creations lacked holiness. The creation is whole, and the mark of wholeness is holiness.
 
42. 61 Wholeness is the perceptual content of miracles. It thus corrects or atones for the faulty perception of lack anywhere.
 
62 Here we begin to make the fundamental distinction between miracles and projection. The stimulus must precede the response and will also determine the kind of response that is evoked. Behavior is response, so that the question "response to what?" becomes crucial. Since stimuli are identified through perception, you first perceive the stimulus and then behave accordingly. It follows, then, that:
 
63 As ye perceive,
So shall ye behave.
 
64 The Golden Rule asks you to behave toward others as you would have them behave toward you. This means that the perception of both must be accurate. The Golden Rule is the rule for appropriate behavior. You cannot behave appropriately unless you perceive accurately, because appropriate behavior depends on lack of level confusion. The presence of level confusion always results in variable reality testing and therefore in variability in behavioral appropriateness. Since you and your neighbor are equal members of the same family, as you perceive both, so you will behave toward both. The way to perceive for Golden Rule behavior is to look out from the perception of your own holiness and perceive the holiness of others.
 
65 The emptiness engendered by fear should be replaced by love because love and its absence are in the same dimension, and correction cannot be undertaken except within a dimension. Otherwise, there has been a confusion of levels. Death is a human affirmation of a belief in fate, or level confusion. That is why the Bible says, "There is no death" and why I demonstrated that death does not exist. I came to fulfill the law by reinterpreting it. The law itself, if properly understood, offers only protection to man. It is those who have not yet "changed their minds" who entered the "hellfire" concept into it.
 
66 I assure you that I will witness for anyone who lets me and to whatever extent he permits it. Your witnessing demonstrates your belief and thus strengthens it. Those who witness for me are expressing through their miracles that they have abandoned the belief in deprivation in favor of the abundance they have learned belongs to them.
 
43. 67 A major contribution of miracles is their strength in releasing man from his misplaced sense of isolation, deprivation, and lack.
 
68 Miracles are affirmations of Sonship, which is a state of completion and abundance. Whatever is true and real is eternal and cannot change or be changed. The Soul is therefore unalterable because it is already perfect, but the mind can elect the level it chooses to serve. The only limit which is put on its choice is that it cannot serve two masters.
 
69 The mind, if it elects to do so, becomes a medium by which the Soul creates along the line of its own creation. If it does not freely elect to do so, it retains its creative potential but places itself under tyrannous rather than genuinely authoritative control. As a result it imprisons, because such are the dictates of tyrants. To change your mind means to place it at the disposal of true Authority.
 
70 The miracle is thus a sign that the mind has chosen to be led by Christ in His service. The abundance of Christ is the natural result of choosing to follow Him. All shallow roots must be uprooted because they are not deep enough to sustain you. The illusion that shallow roots can be deepened and thus made to hold is one of the distortions on which the reversal of the Golden Rule rests. As these false underpinnings are given up, the equilibrium is temporarily experienced as unstable. However, the fact is that nothing is less stable than an orientation that is upside down. Nor can anything which holds it that way be really conducive to greater stability.

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