SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2016
He is As Holy As you Are
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 5 "HEALING AND WHOLENESS"
II. HEALING AS JOINING      
 
The Holy Spirit is nothing more than your own right mind. He was also mine. The Bible says, "May the mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus," and uses this as a blessing. It is the blessing of miracle-mindedness. It asks that you may think as I thought, joining with me in Christ-thinking.

A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK Part I ~ REVIEW I
INTRODUCTION
SonShip Video Review I Introduction
<AUDIO><VIDEO>
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
  
1 Beginning with today, we will have a series of review periods. Each of them will cover five of the ideas already presented, starting with the first and ending with the fiftieth. There will be a few short comments after each of the ideas which you should consider in your review. In the practice periods, the exercises should be done as follows:  
 
2 Begin the day by reading the five ideas, with the comments included. Thereafter, it is not necessary to follow any particular order in considering them, though each one should be practiced at least once. Devote two minutes or more to each practice period, thinking about the idea and the related comments. Do this as often as possible during the day. If any one of the five ideas appeals to you more than the others, concentrate on that one. At the end of the day, however, be sure to review all of them once more. 
  
3 It is not necessary to cover the comments that follow each idea literally or thoroughly in the practice periods. Rather, try merely to emphasize the central point and think about it as part of your review of the idea to which it relates. 
  
4 The review exercises should be done with your eyes closed and when you are alone in a quiet place if possible. This is emphasized particularly for reviews at your stage of learning. It will be necessary, however, that you learn to require no special settings in which to apply what you have learned. You will need it most in situations which appear to be upsetting, rather than in those which already seem to be calm and quiet. 
  
5 The purpose of your learning is to enable you to bring the quiet with you and to heal distress and turmoil. This is not done by avoiding them and seeking a haven of isolation for yourself. You will yet learn that peace is part of you and requires only that you be there to embrace any situation in which you are. And finally you will learn that there is no limit to where you are, so that your peace is everywhere, as you are. 
  
6 You will note that for review purposes the ideas are not always given in quite their original form of statement. Use them as they are given here. It is not necessary to return to the original statements nor to apply the ideas as was suggested then. We are now emphasizing the relationships among the first fifty of the ideas we have covered and the cohesiveness of the thought system to which they are leading you.
 
 
  ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM    

  
CIRCLE OF ATONEMENT ~ COMMENTARY
          
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DAILY LESSON
SonShip Workbook 
 L e s s o n 51 ~ Review I
[Review Lesson 1-5]
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
  
1 The review for today covers the following ideas: 
 
[1] Nothing I see means anything.
 
2 The reason this is so is that I see nothing, and nothing has no meaning. It is necessary that I recognize this, that I may learn to see. What I think I see now is taking the place of vision. I must let it go by realizing that it has no meaning so that vision may take its place. 
 
[2] I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me.
 
3 I have judged everything I look upon. And it is this and only this that I see. This is not vision. It is merely an illusion of reality, because my judgments have been made quite apart from reality. I am willing to recognize the lack of validity in my judgments because I want to see. My judgments have hurt me, and I do not want to see according to them. 
 
[3] I do not understand anything I see.
 
4 How could I understand what I see when I have judged it amiss? What I see is the projection of my own errors of thought. I do not understand what I see because it is not understandable. There is no sense in trying to understand it. But there is every reason to let it go and make room for what can be seen and understood and loved. I can exchange what I see now for this merely by being willing to do so. Is not this a better choice than the one I made before? 
 
[4] These thoughts do not mean anything.
 
5 The thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything because I am trying to think without God. What I call "my" thoughts are not my real thoughts. My real thoughts are the thoughts I think with God. I am not aware of them because I have made "my" thoughts to take their place. I am willing to recognize that "my" thoughts do not mean anything and to let them go. I choose to have them be replaced by what they were intended to replace. "My" thoughts are meaningless, but all creation lies in the thoughts I think with God.
 
[5] I am never upset for the reason I think.
 
6 I am never upset for the reason I think because I am constantly trying to justify "my" thoughts. I am constantly trying to make them true. I make all things my "enemies" so that my anger is justified and my attacks are warranted. I have not realized how much I have misused everything I see by assigning this role to it. I have done this to defend a thought system which has hurt me and which I no longer want. I am willing to let it go.
   
          ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM   
  
  
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ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections 
ACIM Edmonton, CA
Lesson 51 - REVIEW I
[Review Lessons 1-5]  
 
Sarah's Commentary: 

The general instructions for all the review Lessons are clearly articulated for us in the second paragraph of the introduction to this review. While this describes the approach we should take to the review periods, the content of the ideas presented is more important. This helps us think about the Lesson throughout the day and focus on the content of the Lesson with the most meaning for us.
 
"After you have read the idea and the related comments, the exercises should be done with your eyes closed and when you are alone in a quiet place, if possible." (W.PI.RI.IN.3.3)
 
"This is emphasized for practice periods at your stage of learning. It will be necessary, however, that you learn to require no special settings in which to apply what you have learned." (W.PI.R1.IN.4.1-2)
 
This is really important. Clearly, in the initial stages of our practice, it is valuable to have a quiet setting to the extent this is possible. Jesus speaks here about the early stages, yet ultimately "It will be necessary, however, that you learn to require no special settings in which to apply what you have learned." (W.PI.RI.IN.4.2) The reason is we will especially need these Lessons when we are in situations that are difficult, challenging, and upsetting to our peace of mind. This is when we will really need to draw on the teachings. Whichever Lesson most resonates with you, and you feel would be most helpful to you, should be applied in these situations.
 
This will help us recognize we can always draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit in any situation, not only when we are in our meditation time with Him. It is important to remember, for now, we are in an early "stage of learning," (W.PI.RI.IN.4.1) which Jesus recognizes and understands. Until this thought system becomes what we draw on in every moment and in every situation, we will still need the quiet times for practice. However, "The purpose of your learning is to enable you to bring the quiet with you, and to heal distress and turmoil. This is not done by avoiding them and seeking a haven of isolation for yourself." (W.PI.RI.IN.4.4-5)
 
I find there is a wonderful sense of achievement whenever I am in a situation of conflict or distress of any kind if I can remember the truth. Recently I was at a function where there were plenty of opportunities to make judgments and hold grievances. As I took a moment to remember my Lesson and my purpose, I found I could more readily stand aside from the ego and look at the situation with quiet amusement. As such, I was able to look at the characters in this dream from outside the dream to some extent. It is very empowering not to get sucked into the drama, to be free of judgment and yet feel compassion. For me, it has taken years of work and practice and continues to do so. Sometimes I get caught in the situation, but rather than looking at myself as having failed, I know it is just another opportunity to choose again.
 
While we still identify with this dream, we will have work to do in applying these Lessons to get to the place where we can truly feel peaceful, even in situations where everything seems to be falling apart around us. At these times, we are tempted to respond with anger and judgment. When we ask for help to set aside the temptation to react from the wrong mind, we have taken the first step toward peace. Thus, every situation we are in provides us another opportunity to choose forgiveness and peace.
 
The ego immediately wants to go to the story, to justify why we should feel and react as we do. We think we can solve the problem or resolve the situation on our own. But Jesus is showing us when we try to resolve our fear with the wrong mind, which means we are turning to our own resources for solutions, it just brings more unconscious guilt. The reason it does is because it is the very same mind that projected the problem in the first place! The only answer is with the Holy Spirit. Only when we turn to Him do we see there is only one problem, which is our separation from the love we are.
 
At the very early stages of our mind training, we do need to do the practice in a quiet place in order to find the peace in us. Then we learn to take that peace everywhere we go and we are no longer fearful of distress and turmoil. Finally, in the later stages of our development, we will recognize peace as no longer conditional on things going right "out there." We will see peace everywhere, regardless of how things appear to be. All attack is just seen as a call for love.
 
I was recently watching a movie where a mother was listening to her son's abusive comments directed at her. She approached him with great tenderness and said she had x-ray eyes and those eyes could see into his heart. She told him despite his angry words, she was feeling the tears in his throat. He melted into her as he cried. Our peace can also give us such "x-ray eyes," which in the Course is called vision. Vision can see behind the behavior and hear any seeming abuse or pain as a cry for love. Our goal is to come to a place where we bring our peace and love to every situation without exception or exclusion. We don't rely on our own assessment of any situation. We call on God for guidance on how to respond.
 
Finally, we are told, the ideas given in the review are not given in their original form, but instead of going back to the original Lesson, we should use the current descriptions. Jesus also says we should not apply the ideas in the same way as suggested originally. This is curious to reflect on as to why he is saying this. It probably ties into what he told us in the introduction to the workbook, where he talked about not ritualizing our Lessons. He does not want us to focus on form, but to focus on the content. The idea is to look at the relationships among these ideas and see "the cohesiveness of the thought system to which they are leading you." (W.PI.RI.IN.6.4) In other words, we remain flexible rather than focusing on getting the form right. We are really taking in the meaning so we don't get rigid in our minds about following some kind of rules of how to do the Lessons. We are basically being asked to let go of:
 
 The meaning we have given everything
 Our judgments
 Our understandings
 Our thoughts
 Our justifications for how we see things
 
We are not seeing what is really there because we have blocked the loving thoughts in our mind with thoughts of attack, guilt, fears, worries, unworthiness and judgments. If we want to see with vision, we have to cease letting judgments govern our sight. It means we have been wrong about everything and now we must put ourselves in a place of humility so we can be taught. We are currently protecting our individuality and separate, unique selves. Thus, with every wrong-minded thought, we are defending against the love in us. We are asked to recognize our judgments have hurt us and we no longer want to see and feel according to what they are telling us to see and feel. In other words, we no longer want our interpretations of any situation, but to let the Holy Spirit interpret for us.
 
If there is a particular Lesson that appeals to you here, you may want to pick it out and concentrate on it. I particularly like "I do not understand anything I see," (W.3) and "I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me." (W.2) I particularly want to focus today on how my judgments have hurt me and kept me from vision. Also, I am really getting that I really don't understand anything I see. The mind that thinks it knows is blocking real seeing.
 
The other one that really impacts me is, "I am never upset for the reason I think." (W.5) It is a recognition that the ego thought system brings pain. Jesus teaches our only problem is the separation from God, regardless of whatever form in which our problems show up. The separation is painful, because with it has come the idea of sin, guilt and fear.
 
The ego's plan shows up as multiple problems, which invite us to react, to feel bad, guilty, angry, defeated, bored, scared, inferior, self-conscious, annoyed, lonely, condescending, or superior. All of this is a judgment of some kind, and it is all self-attack. Everything stems from our interpretation of a situation and that interpretation comes from how we see ourselves. Every response reinforces the sense of separation. To remind ourselves we are never upset for the reason we think is to remember the reasons we give ourselves for our upsets are not true. The stories we tell about them are not true. There is only one reason. We believe we are separate, individual and alone. This is not the truth!! It just means I am trusting in my own wrong-minded idea of myself when I feel any sadness, confusion, anger, conflict or apprehension of any kind.
 
It is definitely not about denying any of our feelings. We need to be aware of our thoughts and feelings and bring them for correction. In choosing to do so, we will experience the miracle. For only in this way will we give over our hold on any situation and trust in God's strength and not our own. Only in this way do we open up a space where the love we are can come through. Right now, the ego rushes in to give its meaning to every empty space. It rushes in to give us its view on everyone and everything, so no space is left open for Love to rush in. Because we want to be in control, we maintain our judgments. Our fear is we will dissolve into love if we don't maintain control. Until that fear is looked at for what it is, which is nothing at all, dark clouds of our mistaken thoughts will obscure the truth about us. Which will you choose today? Your perspectives or God's peace?
 
In the practice today, use the ideas as they are given. It is not necessary to return to the original statements "nor apply the ideas as was suggested then." (W.PI.RI.IN.6.3) He is asking us to focus on the relationship among the ideas now. As I look at all of the Lessons, I note the focus is on letting go of everything I think I know, and even who I think I am, by looking at my thoughts and being willing to question them. I am working on bringing more willingness to release the way I see things and the meaning I give my judgments about everything.

Love and blessings, Sarah

PAUSED FOR WEEKEND
I. Introduction   

1
To heal is to make happy. I have told you before to think how many opportunities you have to gladden yourselves and how many you have refused. This is exactly the same as telling you that you have refused to heal yourselves. The light that belongs to you is the light of joy. Radiance is not associated with sorrow. Depression is often contagious but, although it may affect those who come in contact with it, they do not yield to the influence whole-heartedly. But joy calls forth an integrated willingness to share in it and thus promotes the mind's natural impulse to respond as one.
 
2 Those who attempt to heal without being wholly joyous themselves call forth different kinds of responses at the same time and thus deprive others of the joy of responding whole-heartedly. To be whole-hearted, you must be happy. If fear and love cannot coexist and if it is impossible to be wholly fearful and remain alive, then the only possible whole state is that of love. There is no difference between love and joy. Therefore, the only possible whole state is the wholly joyous. To heal or to make joyous is therefore the same as to integrate and to make one. That is why it makes no difference to what part or by what part of the Sonship the healing is done. Every part benefits and benefits equally.
 
3 You are being blessed by every beneficent thought of any of your brothers anywhere. You should want to bless them in return out of gratitude. You do not have to know them individually or they you. The light is so strong that it radiates throughout the Sonship and returns thanks to the Father for radiating His joy upon it. Only God's holy Children are worthy to be channels of His beautiful joy because only they are beautiful enough to hold it by sharing it. It is impossible for a Child of God to love his neighbor except as himself. That is why the healer's prayer is:
 
4 Let me know this brother as I know myself.

II. Healing as Joining    

5 Healing is an act of thought by which two minds perceive their oneness and become glad. This gladness calls to every part of the Sonship to rejoice with them and lets God Himself go out into them and through them. Only the healed mind can experience revelation with lasting effect because revelation is an experience of pure joy. If you do not choose to be wholly joyous, your mind cannot have what it does not choose to be. Remember that the Soul knows no difference between "being" and "having." The higher mind thinks according to the laws which the Soul obeys and therefore honors only the laws of God. To Him, getting is meaningless and giving is all. Having everything, the Soul holds everything by giving it and thus creates as the Father created.
 
6 If you think about it, you will see that, while this kind of thinking is totally alien to having things, even to the lower mind it is quite comprehensible in connection with ideas. If you share a physical possession, you do divide its ownership. If you share an idea, however, you do not lessen it. All of it is still yours, although all of it has been given away. Further, if the person to whom you give it accepts it as his, he reinforces it in your mind, and thus increases it. If you can accept the concept that the world is one of ideas, the whole belief in the false association which the ego makes between giving and losing is gone.
 
7 Let us start our process of reawakening with just a few simple concepts:
 
8 Thoughts increase by being given away.
  The more who believe in them, the stronger they become.
  Everything is an idea.
  How, then, is it possible that giving and losing can be
  meaningfully associated?
 
9 This is the invitation to the Holy Spirit. I told you that I could reach up and bring the Holy Spirit down to you, but I can bring Him to you only at your own invitation. The Holy Spirit is nothing more than your own right mind. He was also mine. The Bible says, "May the mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus," and uses this as a blessing. It is the blessing of miracle-mindedness. It asks that you may think as I thought, joining with me in Christ-thinking.
 
10 The Holy Spirit is the only part of the Holy Trinity which is symbolic. He is referred to in the Bible as the Healer, the Comforter, and the Guide. He is also described as something "separate," apart from the Father and from the Son. I myself said, "If I go I will send you another comforter, and He will abide with you." The Holy Spirit is a difficult concept to grasp precisely because it is symbolic and therefore open to many different interpretations. As a man and as one of God's creations, my right thinking, which came from the Universal Inspiration which is the Holy Spirit, taught me first and foremost that this Inspiration is for all. I could not have It myself without knowing this.
 
11 The word "know" is proper in this context because the Holy Inspiration is so close to knowledge that it calls it forth; or better, allows it to come. We have spoken before of the higher or the "true" perception, which is so close to truth that God Himself can flow across the little gap. Knowledge is always ready to flow everywhere, but it cannot oppose. Therefore, you can obstruct it, although you can never lose it. The Holy Spirit is the Christ Mind, which senses the knowledge that lies beyond perception. It came into being with the separation as a protection, inspiring the beginning of the Atonement at the same time. Before that, there was no need for healing and no one was comfortless.

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