Good morning!
I just read Rev. Deb’s post and it is superb, if you haven’t already done so, please read her thoughts for today’s lesson!
I thought it might be helpful to you to share a few excerpts from Ken Wapnick’s Journey through the Workbook of ACIM. Here we go:
“When Jesus says, “God is in everything I see,” he means God is in everything I think, because seeing and thinking are the same: perception comes from thoughts, and remains one with them. The basis for vision then is seeing the purpose of God. I see forgiveness in everything I see because I have fired the ego as teacher and hired Jesus. To again cite these two statements, taken together: “Resign now as your own teacher…for you were badly taught” (T-12.V.8:3; T-28.I.7:1). At that point, everything I perceive, think, and feel is the opposite of what it had been prior to taking Jesus as my new teacher.”
“A Course in Miracles is nothing like what is usually taught in other spiritual disciplines. This radicalness is based on the underlying metaphysics that teaches us that the phenomenal world is an illusion. Therefore, what we perceive and think here is not real at all. It must be, then, that the true activity is not what happens in our bodies or the world, but in our minds. This is more clearly enunciated in these lessons than heretofore.”
“If you choose Jesus as your teacher, you will identify with his love. Thus what you see outside will be an expression of love or the call for it. You will look with appreciation on the world, especially your special relationships, because these will have become the opportunities to learn you are forgiven and your ego can be undone. “Open-mindedness” means your mind is no longer closed to the truth of the Holy Spirit.”
“Our fear of leaving the ego’s dream of illusion for the truth is so great that we are all sorely tempted to bring the truth to the illusion. One form of this temptation is thinking we understand what we are being taught, and why these exercises take the form they do. Thus, we seek to impose our own familiar thought system on the “wholly alien nature” of Jesus’, thereby unconsciously, but with great ingenuity, negating the teachings and goal of A Course in Miracles.”
WOW!
Yesterday, Rev. Deb, Mari and I did a podcast and its theme overall was gentleness, the importance of our being gentle as we practice every lesson as Jesus has demonstrated throughout these last 29 days, His tenderheartedness, kindness and gentleness to us. As Mari pointed out, He advises us to shorten the practice periods or reduce their number, whatever, so far. He is not being autocratic, dictatorial and fear-based in his approach to us as His beloved brothers. He is NOT the ego which represents all those adjectives and then some. He is role-modeling for us what we are being led/guided to do as we release our attachment to the ego and allow Him, Jesus or the Holy Spirit, to undo.
It is imperative we learn how to be gentle with ourselves. It will assure, this quality, that our practice of the lessons will be far more relaxing, enjoyable and peaceful.
Watch the podcast if you get a chance, you may find it beneficial!
With lots of love,
Gayle
Be sure to join the conversation either on our email group or our Facebook group.
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